DESTRY

The faint buzz of artificial lighting seemed to pulse in my ears along with the race of my heart. Closing my eyes against the golden neon light, I pressed my face to the luxurious bed I was sprawled on as I caught my breath. My hands stretched forward, smoothing out the wrinkles my fingers had left in the fine silk sheets, cool against my flushed skin.

A sharp crackle of electricity drew my gaze up, tendrils of dark, damp hair falling across my face as I looked at the man next to me, sitting on the edge of the bed. An electric lighter was held in his elegant fingers, spitting green sparks to light the slim cigarette between his lips. It caught in a flare of vibrant color, glowing as he drew in a deep breath.

As he breathed out, a cloud of thick, red smoke tainted the air with the sharp, stinging smell of chemicals. I wrinkled my nose, my stomach churning as I watched the smoke curl like blood in water. It was an image which fit the man who had his back turned towards me.

I looked over the ridges of his muscles, the plane of smooth skin broken by fragments of metal and glowing tubes of wires that were bolted along his spine. Thick geometric tattoos covered portions of the scarring, continuing over his shoulders and arms where more metal was fused. I watched as he tossed the lighter, letting it clatter onto his side table, reaching for the floor to retrieve his clothing. Only half-dressed, with his chest still bare, Ash turned his gaze to where I still lay atop his mattress and watched me as a smirk curved his mouth.

Though he was obviously older, it hadn't worn down his sharp features or the taught muscles of his body. His waist-length black hair fell in strands over his sculpted abdomen as he took another deep drag of his cigarette. He let his jaw fall open as he breathed out another huff of smoke, his red eyes glowing as the drug entered his system. The acrid air burned the back of my throat as the noxious haze settled over the sheets. Gritting my teeth, my eyes watering, I looked down for a moment to hide my glare. I didn’t dare voice my complaints while Ash watched me with that unforgiving gaze.

The arrogant smirk left his lips, his expression turning grim and condescending as he stared down his nose at me, his eyes moving over my figure. “Get dressed. We have work to do,” he said in a deep, commanding voice, putting out the cigarette on his tongue before he tossed it in a bin. He shrugged on a thin black shirt that clung to his abdomen and pulled on a high collared leather trench coat. Seeing me still lying on the bed, his upper lip curled into a snarl, snapping in a demand, “Don’t make me ask you again.”

I sat up, my stomach still twisting at the sight of embers burning out against his flesh. Ash’s gaze followed me as I collected my clothing, strewn across the expensive metal flooring of his bedroom. With heavy steel slats sealed over the windows, the harsh glowing tubes of yellow neon lighting built into the walls made me feel anxiously exposed as I stepped into my trousers, dragging a simple shirt over my head. Tugging on my fitted biker jacket, I turned away from the large mattress draped in elegant bedding. Though the room was luxurious—a splendor I only dreamed of as a child who spent nights huddled in crumbling buildings—I couldn’t enjoy it; Ash’s impatient sigh reminded me how precarious my position was, and how easily I would find myself back on those streets should I disappoint him.

With my jacket zipped and my boots laced, I hurried to Ash’s side. Looking up, I felt small and fragile compared to him; towering over me, thick with muscle. I knew he’d have an easy advantage over my slender frame. A sliver of fear splintered my annoyance, and I took a breath to ensure my tone would be calm and polite before I asked, “Do you have a new assignment for me?”

His red eyes flicked down towards me as I spoke, his stare cold and calculated. The last thing I expected him to do was give me a cruel grin as his deep voice murmured, “Oh, Destry, you’re going to love this one.”

My heart sank at his ominous words, the sound of my name full of venom from his lips. Swallowing, I felt rooted to the spot for a moment as Ash strode to the door; at his sharp glare, I pushed back my apprehension to follow him out of the room. I watched as he tied his long hair back, his heavy strides echoing against the long, sleek walls of the hallway.

Walking through the compound with Ash, the tubes of neon lighting running along the ceiling created a pale blue halo against his glossy dark hair. I stayed a step behind him in apprehensive silence. Those we passed in the hall quickly lowered their heads respectfully; too afraid to meet Ash’s critical gaze. His ruthlessness terrified the members of his faction—but it was also what made it strong, one of the most powerful in the city, and we accepted the risk to earn his protection; Ash’s cruelty and unpredictable temper as a leader were still safer than the streets.

My tension rose as Ash stopped in front of a thick metal door, placing his palm against a scanner built into the wall. The screen flashed green, the door hissing open to reveal the building’s control center. Large screens glowed on every wall, displaying security feeds or various programs, operated by men and women who fell into silence at Ash’s arrival. I glanced over the banks of computers which had amazed me when Ash had first taken me in, before looking back to the man with dread.

He led me to a large reclined chair, leather padding added to support my arms and legs. Wires tangled along the ground, connecting it to the monitors and servers. I felt my muscles tense, gaze locked on the complicated system with bitter reluctance. Ash’s red eyes reflected the stuttering lights of the screens as he initiated the protocol to begin downloading sensitive information. Once the files and program was ready, I watched as Ash took a seat in a metal chair, folding one leg over the other as he lifted a singular master cable, threaded through the base of the head rest. “Have a seat, Destry, and I will brief you on your mission.”

I ground my teeth, knowing I had no choice in the matter—and that the longer I made Ash wait, the more unpleasant this process would be. Stepping forward, my thighs had barely touched the seat before Ash’s hand shoved against my skull. Pinning my head against the back of the chair, he shoved the master cable into the port at the base of my neck, holding me down as agony lanced through my nerves and spine. My eyes shut tightly, teeth gritted as my hands grasped the arms of the chair; my nails dug into the fabric in search of release from the pain and discomfort drawing up recent memories. Ash had no concern for my comfort—both in the control center and his bedroom—and my throat was sore as I swallowed whimpers again to bear the pain.

The sudden rush of downloaded files was dizzying, my head throbbing as I struggled to make sense of the information. What I expected to be drawn out suffering took only a few minutes; the files were sparse compared to the mountains of information which usually overwhelmed me. Even with so little, it was hard to understand during the download, only a few words and images standing out—enough to fill my stomach with a sinking sense of dread.

When the flood of information ceased and my strained muscles relaxed, I looked up at Ash with a tearful gaze. “What do you want from Purgatory?” I asked, my voice painfully rasping in my throat. Images of the facility had stood out among the rush of data; the high security prison was near impenetrable, a veritable fortress. If members of the faction were caught and imprisoned there, Ash left them to rot—helping them wasn’t worth the risk. Fear and apprehension filled me as I questioned what exactly he expected of me.

Ash leaned over me, a cruel smirk on his face as his eyes kept me still. “There’s a man imprisoned there, you’ll find his records in the files you downloaded,” his voice was quiet as he spoke in my ear, the sharp smell of drugs still lingering in his breath and his gaze narrowed. My skin crawled, teeth gritted against the urge to flinch away from him. “Soon, I’ll need you for a mission larger than any you’ve undertaken before…and he will be invaluable to us. His name is Luko Wescoff—I need you to break him out for me.”

His words were like ice down my spine, my jaw tight to repress the urge to argue. One small mistake could drag Synchro down with me, and if I was caught…I shuddered to think of the consequences. Ash had saved me from being arrested by the guards of Purgatory once when he took me in, and I knew he wouldn’t help me a second time. Whatever mission he had in mind, it couldn’t be worth the risk of breaking out a maximum security prisoner. But I couldn’t voice my concerns without risking his fury.

Swallowing, I forced myself to nod instead, wincing at the twinge of the cord still connected to my body. “How long do I have to prepare?” I asked, my gaze lowered in the hopes I wouldn’t provoke him any further.

His red eyes slid down to me, a calculating and unamused expression on his face as he asked, “How long exactly do you think you’ll need?” I felt his fingers on the cord at the base of my skull, brutally yanking it free of the connection without warning.

I clenched my jaw against the burst of agony, pulling a breath in to help control my expression. Sitting up slowly, I blinked against the dizziness before reaching into my jacket pocket. “I just need a few moments to look through the files,” I murmured, painfully aware of his impatience as I retrieved my leather gloves; the palms and fingertips lighting up with a soft green glow as I pulled them over my hands.

I could hear a hiss of breath as he inhaled, clearly vexed. “By all means, take your time,” he muttered cooly, displeased as if I was wasting precious moments. I could see him fold his arms tightly across his chest, tapping his fingers as if he were counting the seconds.

Grimacing, I tried to ignore his irritation as I raised my hands. The light at my fingertips brightened as I opened the virtual interface, images of the downloaded files projected over my vision. I moved through the pages with the flick of my fingers; reading through files of information on the prison facility while Ash grew increasingly impatient. “Their security system is impressive,” I muttered, looking through the schematics—wondering how many people Ash had bribed or threatened for these files. They had measures in place from the gates to the insides of prisoner’s cells, failsafes against all of my usual methods. My shoulders slumped as I reached the last documents without a clear answer.

Lowering my hands, the files flickered out of my view. My throat felt tight as I met Ash’s gaze. “This isn’t enough information. I’ll have to take a look at the system from inside the prison, and I should be able to find a weakness I can exploit,” I tried to sound confident, though I couldn’t help worrying; Purgatory was infamous for good reason, and even I would be hard pressed to infiltrate such a complicated system.

Ash nodded curtly, as if satisfied with my answer. He stood abruptly as the chair scraped against the floor, a smug smirk on his face as he stared down at me. “Good. I was going to have to send you inside anyway.” Ash pulled another cigarette from a metal case that had been in his breast pocket, positioning it between his lips. He cupped his hand around it, lighting it as he kept his eyes locked on my gaze. I watched his irises glow red as he inhaled, puffing out the red smoke with a grin. “It will give Mr. Wescoff a chance to accept my offer.”

I stiffened, gritting my teeth for a moment to fight the urge to snap back at him. “He doesn’t know you’re sending me to get him?” Shock filtered through my tone despite my effort, a flicker of outrage under the question. If this man turned down Ash’s offer, he’d end up dead and I would have put the faction at risk for nothing.

There was a flash of annoyance on Ash’s face—as if my question had offended him. He took another drag from his cigarette, eyes burning as they bore into me. “That’s not going to be a problem for you, is it?” He clenched his jaw, any trace of arrogance replaced with savage warning.

Fear coiled around my heart, my gaze dropping as I reminded myself how easily my life could end at his hands. “Of course not,” I ground out the words, my hands in fists against my legs for a moment before I forced myself to relax. I needed to appear confident in Ash’s leadership, even though my heart was racing as I stood up. “He would be mad to turn down an offer to escape Purgatory. If he seems doubtful…I’ll convince him it’s in his best interest.”

“I expect no other outcome.” His tone was dark and full of tension as he stated in a final ominous reminder, “Remember what’s at stake here, Destry. We can’t afford to fail. I need Luko Wescoff alive.” His eyes glowed as he narrowed them, his voice full of bite as he stated coolly, “Do not disappoint me.”

I nodded as I stepped back, recognizing the cold dismissal in his tone. “I’ll return with the target as quickly as possible,” I assured him.

Ash seemed satisfied with my words, gesturing for me to leave. It was a relief to back away, out of the cloud of bitter, stinging smoke; turning my back only when I was out of reach.

Passing through the doors, the tension in my body eased as they sealed shut behind me. Without the pressure of Ash’s sharp gaze, I could focus on the task before me—the impossible mission he had given me. I could trust my own skills, but knowing my success depended on the cooperation of my target made me feel uneasy. I pulled up the files again as I paced down the hall, looking for different information this time—prisoner records. I needed to know exactly what to expect from Luko Wescoff.