Cloud Association: Pretty Boy Psycho

Infiltrator

Left by myself at the top of Spindle Tower I let my eyes leak. I want Casey! They took blood, spit, and skin cells. The skin cells were easy. The blood made me light headed when I saw it being syringed out my arm. My ankle is manacled to the obsidian pillar. I pull my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms round them. Without my friends or switchblades, I'm just me, a hysterical pretty boy, who isn't even that pretty this evening. At least I still have my hat. I let it droop right over my face, and fiddle with the bracelet Casey gave me. I miss him so much and I've only been away a couple of hours.

Stop being weak. This bracelet stands for strength. I have a part of Casey Hillcrest with me. I maybe chained up, but this is an infiltration. I am here to take down General Midnight from the inside. Only I've no clue how. On the plus side I'm gonna have plenty of thinking time, up here alone at the top of Spindle Tower, with no one to talk too. Worst plan ever.

This is no time to get self-doubty. I can take on Midnight. I will take on Midnight. I must take on Midnight. Geordie trusts me, meaning I have to trust myself. I smudge away tears on my wrists. Infiltrators have no time to get emotional when on jobs.

What would Cain do? I guess he'd have a get out of tricky predicament card and know exactly what he was doing when on a job. All I have is an end goal. The rest of the plan I'll be making up as I go along. Weak moment over I crawl to the edge of the platform and stare down at what everyone's getting up to on the ground floor. Boring. Every so often a Thunder wanders across the marble floor.

Tired I flop onto my back and stare at the ceiling. I really can't do this on my own no matter what I keep telling myself. The only way I'm getting out is in a casket. Maybe a plan will come to me in the morning. It's cold up here. Try to sleep. Can't.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I look to the window. The glass has been replaced with normal non-coloured glass. Someone's levitating out there. Can't see who.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Whoever they are they're getting impatient. Needing something to happen I go over to the window. Undo the latch. I skitter backwards as a Thunder steps off a skeletal; comes through the window. He's got this majestic grey cloak that seems to glide round his feet as he walks.

"Security round here when you have a skeletal is shocking."

"Case!" I squeak and hurl myself at him. "I can't do this on my own."

"I know. We're a team. Operation light her up is in progress. Has anyone hurt you?"

"They took some blood."

"If that's all they've done you've gotten off lightly. Honestly offering yourself up as a science project to save that rabble was stupid. You're worth ten of everyone else." Casey crouches on the platform, inspects the chain to my ankle. Whips a set of pliers from within his cloak and snips off my chain easy.

"How are you so prepared?"

"Geordie was manacled here; knew if you were being kept in the same place I'd need something to cut you loose."

"What's next?"

"We light up as much of Spindle Tower as possible." Casey presses a lighter into my hand.

"If we fail we're compromising Kensington."

"Forget Kensington. People have to stop living their cosy little lives and help you Cloudys. Are you sure you're alright?" Casey takes off his cloak and puts it on me, then flicks my hat to the floor and pulls up the hood on the cloak. "Here, lighter, and fluid." This is when I notice I can see two eyes for once. He's brushed his fringe off his face using a bandanna. Must be for identity concealment purposes.