Xander smirks as he watches Leon and Tegan arrive as Greg stands as he quickly comes over to them.
Greg: Do you have it?
Tegan: We do.
Xander: Less than an hour. I am completely impressed.
Tegan hands the phone to Greg who quickly takes it and goes to Xander, holding out to him.
Greg: Your chain code, sir.
Xander: Tegan. Leon. Tell me something. Do you...like this man? This groveling? The way he takes your accomplishments and uses them as his own?
The two look at each other and Tegan shrugs.
Tegan: He's alright I mean...he's always steered us right. Helped us make good money.
Xander: You two had a job six weeks ago I paid for. A million dollars I gave. How much of that did you receive?
Leon looks at Tegan with a scowl as Greg looks ashamed.
Greg: I should've…
Tegan: Don't…
Leon: 50 g's was all I was told. Said it was a 200k job.
Xander: Such greed.
Xander clicks his tongue as he walks by Greg and takes the phone.
Xander: I offer you a chance...no, a choice. You can strike him down and take your…
Leon rushes Greg who pleads for him as Leon slashes his throat with his arm blade. Greg dropping to the floor as he suddenly dematerializes.
Leon: If I ever catch that motherfucker in real life I'll kill him again…
Xander: I've already taken care of that…
Tegan raised an eyebrow as Xander smirks at her and turns the phone on as he waits for a moment before he looks at the screen and scans the QR before he suddenly begins to glow a bright red and orange as Leon quickly moves back over towards Tegan as the two watch as Xander laughs a bit manically.
Xander: Ahh, now that's quite an update…
Tegan: What the hell was that?
Xander: The first chain code of the three I need…
Leon: Which will what?
Xander: Change the world.
Tegan scoffs as Xander looks at her.
Tegan: You can't change the world with three lines of code.
Xander: These are merely just three chain codes. These are the three codes that allow me control over it all.
Leon: What?
Xander swipes his hand and materializes a Holographic Screen.
Xander: With the master source code embedded into my neural link, I will become melded A.N.N.
Leon: That much power and neural input will fry you, you'll become a husk outside of here.
Xander: I am... special. In ways you will learn, but will yet to fully understand.
Tegan: If that were possible, you would essentially be…
Xander: A god. Yes.
Tegan: Why would want that.
Xander: Because no more will the world be seperate from what is dream and what is reality. I will merge them into one existence. Think of it. A world where anyone can be anything. Were the classism and corporate thumb no longer holds any of us down.
Tegan looks at Leon who hangs on every word.
Xander: Greg would've sold me out. But he serves his purpose. He brought me to you two. Dreamers with unmatched infiltration range. With you I know I can get the final two chain codes. And once I have it, we shall become the ushers of a new world...a just world.
Xander comes to Tegan and extends a hand to her as she looks unsure.
Xander: Trust in me...and you will never have to know pain and heartache...never have to worry about how to keep the lights on at home...when the next meal will come...whether you'll ever really make your dreams come true outside of here...Your dreams will become part of the fabric the world. You will know only happiness.
Tegan smiles and she takes his hand as Xander extends the other to Leon who takes it without delay. The Three beaming with pride as Xander let's their hands go.
Xander: We have only one obstacle that may deter us. A dreamer like yourselves who doesn't quite realize his potential. When he appears again. We will be waiting for him with an offer.
Leon: And if he refuses?
Xander: We do what must be done, to be sure he doesn't get in our way.
Xander looks at the two before he smirks and walks out of the room as the two fall in behind him.
Elsewhere- Reality
Esmeray paces back and forth on her phone as Tobias and Kami sit by each other as they don't say anything for a long moment before Tobias speaks up first, breaking the tension.
Tobias: You never told me. About your husband being in the Awakened.
Kami: Wasn't common knowledge. And what good would that have done. You were my student.
Tobias: That couldn't have been easy though…
Kami: Me and Ray's brother weren't exactly on the best terms by then. I couldn't support his idealistic views and attacks on networks. I never believed he was hurting people, not on purpose either way but by then the Awakened was just out of control. I wasn't looking to change him. And he never asked me not to sign up for service. I thought maybe if I did and I could show them they're not this heartless evil corporation...maybe It would be enough. But I never got the chance.
Tobias: I'm sorry.
Kami: I served out my contract and I've stayed to myself since. As you should be doing.
Tobias: They didn't give me the opportunity. Too damn afraid of their own shadows. I don't like being involved but in the end...without her(nodding at Esmeray) I'm a dead man.
Kami: You need to be careful with her. Ray is talented and strong willed. But she's violent... impulsive. It could lead to more problems.
Tobias: I'm aware. I feel like as long as Vade is around we should be good.
Kami: Vade was former D.R.C
Tobias: He was?
Kami: One of the best Untethering Agents there was. A job went bad, Vade never forgave himself and he opted out of his contract.
Tobias: He did seem pretty rigid. Probably should've known.
Kami: Whatever it is there wanting you to do. You just need to be mindful of what you're heading into. You're a great Dreamer. People will want to exploit it. So ask yourself...what is it you want?
Tobias nods as Esmeray comes over as she hangs up.
Esmeray: Alright I think Vade got the heat off of us for now. We should be good to head back.
Tobias: Alright.
Tobias gets up as he shoots Kami a look as she nods at him as she stands and gives Esmeray a hug.
Kami: Ray... whatever you're doing...please...be careful.
Esmeray: I will.
Kami: Take care of him…
Esmeray looks at him as he smirks and heads out as Esmeray follows in behind as Kami bites at her thumb and sits back down, lost in thought. She closes her eyes and bites at her thumb again before everything seems to slow before she opens her eyes and looks over as a chiseled chinned man in a leather jacket sits at the end of the couch.
Kami: What am I too with her, Blayde.
Blayde (Blade) Dixon, Esmeray's deceased brother, chuckles as he clasps his hands together.
Blayde: You know how she can be.
Kami: If she goes through with this... they'll be no turning back for her.
Blayde: Same as me.
Kami: Yes...same as you. And look what happened.
Blayde: We can protect her.
Kami: You're not real, Blayde.
Blayde: And? doesn't mean I can't help her.
Kami: I can't get us involved…
Blayde: Kami…
Kami watches as Blayde comes and sits beside her, taking her hand as she puts one of her hands over it.
Blayde: Eventually you'll have to ask yourself what matters most to you. Living this life, secluded from everyone, toiling in the guilt you don't need to have. Or getting back out there, and protecting the only family you have left…
Kami looks at Blayde as he smiles at her and wipes at a falling tear. Kami nodding as she lays on her head on his shoulder as she closes her eyes and enjoys the moment.
End of chapter