"She had always found villains more exciting than heroes. They had ambition, passion. They made the stories happen. Villains didn't fear death. No, they wrapped themselves in death like suits of armour."

― Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil

M A K A Y L A

We walked for once down the streets. I wasn't interested in jumping into another plush fusion craft and it seemed neither did the crime lord next to me.

I watched the side of her face. Her hood was down, her hair woven intricately out of her face and down her back. She looked so damn normal like this it was easy to fantasise about what we spoke of in that space station. About running off and being... normal.

"You're staring." She stated as we strolled through a market that smelled of smoked meats and tobacco.

"You are interesting."

She crooked an eyebrow at me silently dodging a couple, before taking her place back beside me and scanning the crowds again.

"Did you... did you ever enjoy the power?"

She snorted, "The Division?"

"Yeah."

"I did." She admitted. "I could make things happen–the Emperor couldn't. I could control violence or I could unleash it." She gave me a sidelong look as she spoke, "–anyone that tells you otherwise is lying."

"But you have made many enemies..." I ventured, shaking my head at a vendor trying to sell me a meat stick.

"That is inevitable. No matter how clean you think your hands are. Power is only for the wolves."

"I'm surprised a wolf like Proximo never wanted the title." I mused.

This made her smirk strangely.

"Oh, Proximo wants nothing to do with the throne. I think Lazuras rather put him off... Though he took great joy in unseating a few rulers with me."

That made more sense.

"Did you ever enjoy it?" Alex asked in a low voice.

I snapped out of my thoughts and met those burning gold eyes. I swallowed and fidgeted with the side of my cargos.

"Don't be ridiculous I was trapped for much of my life–"

She chuckled richly with a wolfish grin. I cast her an irritated look.

"No please–continue. I do enjoy when you attempt to lie."

"I'm not!" I hissed, feeling my face flush.

Despite the civilians walking around us she closed in the space between us and pushed me into a darkened alley between two vendors. Her face was nothing but darkness and her hands trapped me on either side of my head against the metal.

"Try it again. I'm paying attention." She spoke slow, like she could draw this night out. It made my heart fly despite my trust in her. She became Scorpion so quickly. "Tell me you did not enjoy ordering those silver trimmed soldiers around every floor of that sky tower. That you did not enjoy life unlimited by funds or anything you set your eyes on."

The hesitation in me already told her my answer. I swallowed and breathed in the inches between us.

"Some. Some parts of that life I did enjoy using that... influence."

"Because power makes things happen. Who in this city wants to be out of control–out of options?" She murmured, barely above a whisper as the city buzzed on past us. "Behind it all Makayla–behind the bullshit they sell like belief and honour–we're all just looking for our little shred of power again."

"You weren't thinking of that the first time you kissed me." I murmured, meeting her eyes unflinchingly. She nodded slowly.

"I was giving it up." She confirmed, "Now you start to understand, Xavier." That smirk returned to her lips and she drew back to let my heart steady itself. "You ask if I enjoyed the power. I did. Just as much as I enjoy throwing it away every time I'm with you. Just as I do right now, in the streets I grew up in, as a nobody with no red cloak and no affiliation to that life."

"So I take it?" I demanded.

"No, I give it." She said flatly. "Just as you did when you turned your back on Sector 1 and everything else since."

"You make it sound so... criminal."

She rolled her eyes and returned to the woman I loved in an instant. Her arm slipped around my waist and we walked like nothing had happened at all.

"All is fair in love and war."

I watched her a moment longer. "I suppose I could just take the title then. Xavier the Scorpion. Sounds about right?"

"Does Xavier know how to lead those in the outer sectors?" She quipped.

"With kindness and generosity." I swooned.

She gave me an unamused look. I sobered and my tone turned serious.

"Who do you think will take my father's title?"

"Another pompous buffoon." She shrugged, unbothered. "It's the one trying to take a seat in the outer sectors we need to worry about."

"Hades hasn't done anything–"

"He is always doing something." She said coldly. "Keeping Proximo's sister alive is like ringing the dinner bell. Especially after the stunt you pulled in their hideout."

It was my turn to be uneasy.

"I'd never seen Proximo hesitate like that. He looked at her and just... went somewhere else."

She nodded, watching my face.

"They used to be quite the duo."

"They worked together?"

"Before Lazuras she would hack building security for him. He would steal the assets and then they would shift them on the blackmarket covering their tracks." She shrugged, adjusting her grip around me when a gang of hooded men leered a bit too much.

"What about their parents?"

She gave me a Scorpion look that said it didn't need saying. It was a foolish Sector 1 thing for me to say. Alex never even spoke about the demise of her own. But her body language shifted suddenly and a glance behind her made adrenaline spike my blood.

"You just had to take my guns out in these Sectors didn't you..." She muttered, before pulling us quickly into another tight alley and moving us through another corner like she knew every square inch–she probably did. They were the fools following the wrong woman.

"Don't act like you didn't have fun tonight."

She caught my eyes briefly which told me I was right.

"I'll have more fun with an automatic weapon in my hands."

Another corner and we stopped dead. Another four men stood watching us silently cloaked in shadow. That was too many to be simple criminals. That was an organised group–a rebel group–

"Scorpion! Such a pleasant evening!" A hideously familiar voice called out like a shot.

Alex turned to face the music. 

All the lethality in one look alone despite being unarmed. Why did I have to push her on things... She knew better yet she allowed it because I asked her to–

"It was until a purple eyed moron stepped into view." She retorted calmly.

He tutted and approached with a fusion rifle propped over his shoulder like an umbrella. It looked as lethal as Proximo's.

"It seems like you're getting in my way lately. You should know better, since you know of the satellite weapons I have at my disposal.

"I can't think what you mean." She answered sweetly.

He nodded and eight guards closed in at once around us. I sucked in a breath and Alex remained impassive as they seized her arms roughly while only bothering to secure my wrists. I would be insulted if it weren't for the rifle trained on my head. 

"This is between us. Let's chat together somewhere nicer." She deadpanned.

"So, right you are. But you stole someone from me rather important... I'm afraid I will have to do the same–"

"Like fuck you will–"

A rifle but went into her stomach sharply and she coughed hard. I growled and lunged only to be grabbed by the hair so tightly that I had to grit my teeth not to scream.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Miss Xavier..." Hades murmured, trailing a gloved finger across my jaw. I shifted my face to the side and he grinned devilishly.

"Every finger you touch her with–you lose." Alex breathed, before being struck in the same place again. Hades dropped into a crouch before her.

"Dazz. You get her for me and you get your little blonde back." He said low, shoving the barrel under her jaw and letting the fusion cartridge hum. Alex grinned back despite the show and nodded.

"You have no idea how much–I want to get rid of her. She's all yours."

A frown crossed him briefly before he stood and adjusted his trench coat. Another guard made to hit her again and this time a hidden blade went from her wrist to the inside of his throat. He gargled and choked before dropping to the ground while the other guards holding her rushed to disarm her.

Hades appreciated the dead man a moment before barking out a laugh.

"You always do surprise me, Scorpion. We could be friends in future you know... After taking care of that snake in the glass tower I rather approve of you."

"Makayla stays." She snapped, despite the blood splashed across her face.

"She is my assurance." He quipped in a bored tone. "How else will I get you to come to my base alone and have a little chat about our future?"

She snarled in response and I threw her a look that told her not to fight this. Despite all his games, he could have us both killed now and she knew it. He was already dragging me to the fusion craft at the end of the street. Scorpion watched with that dangerous rage burning in her eyes and two guns trained on her head.

"I assume you don't value these two!" She called despite being on her knees.

The door was still open and Hades took his seat with four other guards and guns aimed my direction. His smile became wicked once more and he gestured with an open hand. It only took a few seconds for the two holding her to find the inside of another blade and have his own gun used on him. When the bodies hit the floor the craft was already rising.

The rifles edged closer to me and Alex stopped, watching us ascend. I gave the slightest shake of my head and she lowered the rifle in her hands.

"24 hours Scorpion! Come with my dearest and I won't kill yours!" He called in manic glee before yanking the door shut and cutting off my view from her all together.

I levelled the rebel leader with all the boredom I could muster despite my raging pulse.

"Don't look so smug. I've been here before." I stated dryly.

His answering grin said he looked forward to it.