M A K A Y L A 

I stayed with Dex after tonight's drama.

If only to keep out of whatever the heads of the Division were animatedly arguing about. Alex and Proximo were similar after all... A lack of general empathy and a tendency to get to the point. They should have this sorted by tonight.

Dex led us to a section of the base I hadn't seen yet–but I was sure there were many floors I had yet to see in this place.

The music was humming in a low beat around the dimly lit bar. This was a place for Division down time. Agents of all colours and rank lounged in plush chairs and played holo sports or games over tables. I had only ever heard of such things, in Sector 1 it was seen as an outer city pastime and therefore frowned upon.

Dex was carefree, verging on entirely arrogant.

I sorely hoped putting him in this position was not something I was about to regret. I watched him as he flashed a grin at an even larger man and clasped hands.

"Son of bitch–where have you been all day?" He rumbled low, his skin was a light caramel and boasted a towering height with arms to match. I quickly saw why Dex made him an ally.

"Let me get you a drink and I'll tell you where." He retorted, glancing over his shoulder at me quickly. "This is Makayla." He added casually as if we spoke of a new table in the room. I resisted a glare and offered my hand. His friend eyed me in amusement a moment before chuckling heartily.

"Uhuh." He flicked his head in the direction of the bar and nodded to the low beat in the air. I stared after him in irritation.

Dex elbowed me with a brow waggle. "Come on, no rank in here blondie."

I eyed him a moment before a small smirk took me. He sauntered off after his friend and I decided to play it exactly as he suggested. No rank. No titles. Maybe that was a good thing for once.

A few curious eyes found me among the throng of lethal men and women. It wasn't the same as the outer sectors with hunger and desire. This was pure curiosity. Something people with their own skills could respect and try to decipher... What is her area? What did she do to get here?

I found myself smiling easily as I leant on the other side of Dex.

A foaming bottle of liquid stood before me and he clinked his against mine before throwing an arm over my shoulders and nodding at his mammoth friend.

"Ask me."

I snapped an elbow into his side and he choked on a mouthful. His friend grinned wolfishly at me and pointed a finger from his bottle. "I want her story."

"No–no this is about my achievements!" Dex complained, wincing from the blow and wisely keeping his hands on his alcohol. The large man ignored him and leant closer to me with a frown.

"Artella Maxim." He deadpanned. "They call me Art."

"Makayla Xavier." I deadpanned right back, offering a hand once more. "They call me many things." I smirked. 

He slapped his drink down and shook it firmly this time. His whole hand dwarfed mine in its grip but it was controlled and removed as quickly as offered.

"What brings you into this idiot's company, Makayla Xavier." He asked, tasting my name like a new wine.

I shrugged and side eyed an irritated Dex. "Certainly not the conversation."

He boomed a laugh and Dex rolled his eyes, "–would you just let me–"

Art shoved a large hand over his face effectively shutting him up. This made me more amused but also curious. "How is it that you aren't in Scorpion's close circles? It would seem like you are... built for the job." I finished flatly, taking a sip of the strange drink.

It was carbonated like second generation beverages were... It popped on the tongue and made my insides feel odd. Different from champagne... Interesting.

"I turned down a trip to personal guard." He said with a low rumble. "Proximo and I didn't see eye to eye..."

"That's because you're built like a sky tower! You wouldn't see eye to eye with the hundredth floor of the Emperor's tower." Dex scoffed, taking a swig.

"I'm good right where I am. It's not like you're first choice either."

"About that..." Dex smirked.

I watched Art's jaw slacken as he observed that insufferable grin Dex was flaunting.

"They must be fucking mad." He shook his head being sure to down the contents of his drink. I joined him on that and let the bottle come down. Art nodded us two more and slid me another from one of the tenders.

"Tell me something." He stated, glancing back at Dex. "How involved is she with this promotion?"

So he was intelligent too. He didn't even bother to glance at me to know I was shocked. He knew of Dex's limits then and his own. Why wasn't this man on the squad... He must have really got on the wrong side of Proximo to cause such a disregard of talent.

"It was a fight to first blood. I drew first so I made the cut, nothing else–"

"That split on your lip." Art noted, glancing at my mouth. "Did you really let him give you it?"

I couldn't stop the grin that appeared on me. So I picked up the new bottle and took a long drink. Then met his dark and curious stare.

"Let's say Scorpion and I see eye to eye, Art."

He nodded slowly expecting this before turning to Dex and slapping him around the head. The drink foamed out of his mouth for the second time, "WHAT THE HELL?!" He roared.

"You are not keeping your head down like I said." He said casually.

I eyed between them again. Seemed to have his back but where was their relationship?

"Who would turn down a place on personal guard, Art?" He demanded.

"As charming as Makayla Xavier is, she's trouble." He stated calmly as if I were in the other room. I watched them with amusement.

"Oh, I'm fun once you get to know me." I winked.

His eyes cut to mine and he crossed his arms. "He's not going into that squad."

"Art yes I a–" Another large hand smothered his face and he silenced him with a hard glare. I watched him cooly, rolling the base of the bottle on the bar.

"Proximo has already offered him the place." I noted.

"And he is aware he won't last long." He retorted with the same hard look. Many things this man. Intelligent. Observant. Fiercely protective over Dex.

"Proximo won't take this well..." I ventured.

"He will if I take his place." He sighed.

Dex was in his face in a moment but it was like watching a puppy stand before a wolf. They argued loudly gaining a few eyes as I watched the pair. Perhaps family. Perhaps lifelong friends. Maybe even lovers... But the answer I wanted, was what he had done to get on the wrong side of Proximo.

When they finally shut the hell up Art stood before me and Dex had stormed off. I watched him leave before turning to the giant. It struck me that he was even larger than Proximo.

"I know you have a direct line to Proximo so I'll cut the shit." He spoke slowly and surely like he was ranks above his station–hell I didn't even know what he did for them– "Dex is out. I will take his place tomorrow morning and that will be the last of it. I'll deal with Scorpion's second myself."

I tilted my head at him.

"Why is it so important to you?"

"Do you agree to my terms?" He asked instead.

I nodded.

He clinked his bottle to mine and answered my first question. "Because he is what's left of my family. Not directly. Obviously..." He drawled, as if his towering form wasn't enough of a hint.

"Does Proximo know?"

"He doesn't need to." He said quickly. "But that isn't the issue..."

"And the issue being?" I probed, watching his face turn blank again in the dim lighting.

"I used to work with him. A while back."

I waited patiently. Then decided to offer up my information for his.

"You worked for Lauzris." I guessed.

He flinched in surprise before nodding. The last criminal ruler didn't have such a poetic end under Scorpion's hand.

"I watched him choke on his own wine. Proximo had already disappeared for another mysterious employer before we could... fix things."

"So you two were close?" 

He smiled faintly without saying anything and it took me a beat to recognise that look. The one that spoke more of past memories than words to be said aloud. Damn, Proximo you and your hidden past times.

"I see." I murmured, taking another deeper drink.

"Yes. Well that was a different time. He knows of my skill but I stayed out of the close, inner circle for a good reason."

"And why is that?" I chuckled over the rim. "Not mixing business with pleasure?"

This time he threw me a wicked grin and raised his bottle before sinking the rest.

"We're about to see if it is still the case. Because there's no way in hell Dex is going to run around playing soldier with Scorpion's assassin squad."

"You make her sound brutal." I said in mock shock.

He ignored the quip and leaned in close. "I've heard my own stories about Scorpion's own interest... blonde woman, classically beautiful, seems to match your description well."

I shrugged and side eyed him.

"Sounds like an interesting theory."

"Indeed." He mused, before dropping the bottle back down. "Well, Miss Xavier it's been a pleasure. But I have to prepare for an early morning tomorrow. If Proximo is half the man he used to be he'll throw me through hell before he let's me replace Dex."

I lowered my own drink and frowned with a small smile.

"I wish you good luck. As for the... past. It might not be such an issue."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Proximo has been mixing business and pleasure with one of Kuzo's ladies here in the base." I answered with a dark smirk.

If now was any time to pay him back for what he had said to Alex about Velron, now was the damn time. To hell with the fire that came with it. He could taste the same flames right back.

Art's expression was not hidden in its surprise.

He nodded carefully to himself and sunk his hands into his cargos.

"That's... interesting." He finally murmured, meeting my eyes and seemingly thinking far away. "I'm sure I'll see you around, Makayla." He tipped his head to me and I mirrored it, taking up my drink again.

I watched him as he moved surprisingly quickly through the crowds again.

Artella Maxim. The achilles heel to Proximo I never even knew about. Everyone had weaknesses. Everyone except for Proximo it seemed. But now here one moved, fast, smart and lethal. Right back into the Division's inner circle and the man himself whom he shared... a past.