C401 Curse
Nothing appeared on Khan's face. His expression remained cold, but his thoughts shook. Rodney had actually named something that could lead to cooperation.
The urge to kill Rodney was strong, but Khan felt the need to suppress it. Rodney was an annoying enemy, but Raymond was far worse. The latter wasn't someone Khan could handle on his own, let alone defeat him on a purely political battlefield.
"Great minds think alike," Rodney laughed when Khan entered the car and closed the door behind him.
Khan didn't say anything. He slowly drew his knife as he took his place on a seat in front of Rodney. He was interested in what Rodney had to say, but he wanted to keep the games at a minimum.
Rodney's smile froze when he saw the sharp knife, but no panic spread in his mind. He sighed before reaching for a drawer under the seat to his right. A bottle and a few glasses came out, and he didn't hesitate to pick them up.
"You won't refuse a drink, will you?" Rodney asked as he placed two glasses on the seat and started filling them. "Don't worry. I'll drink before you."
Rodney did exactly as he had announced. He picked up one of the glasses and took a long sip. He even loudly gulped to prove that the booze was safe.
Of course, Khan had already checked the safety of the booze through his sensitivity. Yet, coldness never left his expression. His stern gaze remained on Rodney even as he took the remaining glass with his free hand.
"See, we can have a mature conversation," Rodney exclaimed. "We don't always need threats."
Rodney pretended not to keep track of the knife, but Khan could sense his lingering fear. Still, that reaction confirmed the honesty behind the meeting. Rodney was scared, which meant that he was really exposing himself in the hope of solving his problems.
"Now," Rodney announced as soon as Khan took his first sip, "Why don't we start with an exchange of information?"
Rodney showed his usual smile, but Khan didn't answer. He kept staring at him in silence to study his faintest reactions. Khan especially took note of the changes in his fear. It seemed that he wasn't the only reason behind that emotion.
"Didn't we reach an agreement already?" Rodney felt forced to ask since Khan had yet to acknowledge him.
"I see," Khan eventually spoke. "You must be really desperate to look for my help."
Rodney's smile disappeared. He tried to hide that reaction by bringing the glass to his mouth, but he quickly gave up on that. Khan's senses were too troublesome even to attempt something like that.
"Desperate," Rodney scoffed. "I know true desperation. You made me experience it."
"Losing political privileges is nothing," Khan chuckled. "I think you finally met something that makes you truly scared. You wouldn't even come close to me otherwise."
"Think what you want," Rodney stated, "Just tell me when you are done gloating. I don't have all the time in the world."
"Me?" Khan asked. "You misunderstand. I don't have to say anything."
"Lies won't get us anywhere," Rodney pointed out. "We both know I would already be dead if you had no intention of hearing me out."
Rodney was showing proper resolve, which was quite surprising. Khan could almost feel able to trust him, but his tone remained cold. "Speak then."
"I want an exchange of information," Rodney repeated.
"I'll decide whether to share something after I hear what you have to say," Khan declared.
"That won't work," Rodney regained his smirk. "You'll just kill me once I reveal everything I know."
"That's not my problem," Khan uttered.
"It is because you need my help," Rodney replied.
"I'll be the one to decide that," Khan stated.
Rodney fell silent for a few seconds. He didn't like how tense the meeting was getting, but the situation was hopeless. The two of them shared too much history to speak in friendlier terms.
"Fine," Rodney accepted. "I'll trust you on this one."
Khan voiced a faint scoff. He didn't believe that Rodney would show all his cards for even a second, but he still chose to listen.
"I got this job through my family," Rodney started explaining now that the two had reached a silent understanding. "I knew I couldn't get anything legal with my current reputation, but Milia 222 could still offer decent opportunities, so I accepted without asking too many questions."
"I don't believe you," Khan interrupted. "You aren't the type to jump blindly into a mission."
"You didn't exactly leave me in the best situation," Rodney complained.
"I don't believe you," Khan repeated.
"It's the truth," Rodney announced. "I knew it dealt with something illegal, but I couldn't learn much from Earth. I discovered more only after coming here."
Khan scanned the synthetic mana and confirmed Rodney's version. Yet, he remained silent to keep the tension high.
"My job as a guide was only a cover-up," Rodney continued, "A useful cover-up. It allowed me to keep track of the surface while I gathered information on the dock. I must say I learnt a lot during my time here."
"And you have yet to say anything valuable," Khan pointed out.
"I'm getting there," Rodney sneered. "Look, I realized I was dealing with something important the first time I saw the Bise. They are the reason behind my personal investigation. I don't like to be in the dark when my future is at stake."
"What could you possibly learn while working in the dock?" Khan asked. "I've also been there."
Khan wasn't trying to insult Rodney. His comment merely hinted at the secrecy of the dock. Rodney had been there longer than Khan, but that didn't change how hard it was to uncover illegal activities.
"You'd be surprised," Rodney laughed. "Maybe you would have found out if you didn't abandon the humans every time."
"I'm not in the mood for your xenophobia," Khan threatened.
"I'm serious," Rodney responded. "Do you even realize how far our influence spreads? We are so lucky to be born into our species. It's a pity you never gave humans a chance."
"I did," Khan voiced. "I even cleaned up their mess after they let kids transform into monsters."
"Right, the dutiful Lieutenant Khan," Rodney mocked, "Always ready to jump into the fray, especially if he has a chick to protect."
Khan felt incredibly tired. His patience had long since run dry. He wanted to hear what Rodney had to say, but he wouldn't let him insult his feelings.
A purple-red membrane enveloped the knife while Khan thrust it forward. He didn't want to kill Rodney, but he didn't need his legs to speak. Maybe that injury would even push him to get to the point.
Nevertheless, Rodney pushed himself away before the knife could touch his left knee. The weapon pierced the seat and cut through the metal under it, but Khan promptly withdrew it to continue his assault.
"I hired Orlats to spy on themselves!" Rodney shouted as soon as Khan turned toward him. The sudden revelation made Khan stop, but he kept the purple-red membrane active to show his stance.
"I didn't stop there," Rodney hurriedly added. "I also hired humans and Fuveall. I bribed anyone I could to have my personal spies on different floors."
"How much did you even spend?" Khan asked.
"A lot," Rodney admitted. "I even considered forming my own faction before abandoning the idea. I have the wealth and the wits to accomplish that. You know I do."
"Why did you do all of this?" Khan wondered. "It's way overkill."
"And how would you know?" Rodney snorted. "You have no idea how families work. I fucked up on Nitis, so I became expendable. It was up to me to reinforce my position."
Rodney's words carried no lies. His situation probably wasn't as bad as he tried to make it sound, but it couldn't be good to have factions inside your family treating you as disposable currency.
Khan could understand Rodney better now. He could imagine Rodney doing his best in his assigned task while also preparing for an eventual betrayal. His efforts had probably earned him some promotions too, which explained his importance in his business.
Rodney's reaction also revealed another important detail. Khan had been on the seat, so he couldn't rely on his incredible speed, but Rodney had dodged his attack anyway. The man had developed good reflexes. His status as a second-level warrior wasn't just for show.
"So," Khan continued while withdrawing the mana around the knife and returning to his seat, "What did you discover?"
"I told you I realized something was off when I first met the Bise, right?" Rodney repeated while straightening his position and picking up the bottle that had fallen during his escape. "I already knew that my boss couldn't be the head of the operation at that point."
"How?" Khan asked.
"Because I didn't know her," Rodney explained. "I don't know everything there is to know about politics, but I always remember important figures. She was a complete stranger. She still is, if I'm being honest."
"You can't use your knowledge as proof," Khan stated. "This barely counts as a clue."
"Please, see the threads already," Rodney complained. "My family put me in this business, a business that deals with Bise. The smuggled goods are also highly illegal and pricy. A common criminal wouldn't be in charge of all of that."
"Did you open one of the boxes?" Khan asked in surprise.
"I opened more than one," Rodney sneered. "To summarize, I was in the middle of an important business dealing with valuable goods. I obviously predicted the involvement of a wealthy family."
Khan nodded. Rodney's reasoning made perfect sense, especially from his perspective. Still, Khan had only learnt that Rodney's boss was a woman for now.
"Go on," Khan ordered.
"I started investigating after reinforcing my position here," Rodney revealed as he refilled his drink. "I learnt secret paths and hidden alliances among various factions, but the real breakthrough happened when I found a completely hidden area between Lower Level 1 and 2."
A tremor ran through Khan's mind, but he hid that reaction. He remained as collected as possible as he voiced another question. "On the fourth asteroid?"
"Where otherwise?" Rodney sighed. "I only managed to gaze at the place from outside. It's a stupidly large building, but I don't know anything else."
"Yes, you do," Khan uttered.
Rodney shot an annoyed glance at Khan before continuing. "Really, I never got inside, but I found something odd. Some of our goods went there, but the place also received different deliveries, deliveries from the surface."
Everything fitted Khan's hypothesis perfectly. Rodney was probably speaking about the place where the stolen reinforced fabric went. It would actually be an incredible breakthrough if that intel were accurate, but Khan didn't forget who Rodney was.
"These are just words," Khan announced. "They make an interesting story, but how can I believe you? As far as I know, you just want to send me into another trap."
"You don't have to trust me," Rodney declared, "But your actions speak loudly. You want to believe me because you know that something is off."
"Not killing you is confirming some sort of conspiracy now?" Khan mocked.
"Yes," Rodney said without showing any shame. "I initially thought your arrival was unrelated, but everything changed when you sought me out. You even checked the box and stole the fabric. At that point, I was certain your group had something to do with my business."
Khan wanted to refuse those accusations, but any attempt would sound pointless. He had already announced his interest in the Bise, and the open box left in the secret corridor only confirmed his intentions.
"The Cobsend family has many buildings on Milia 222," Rodney continued, "But you chose to settle on the second asteroid, so your mission involves the industrial district. Did something go missing? I can think of a place where to retrieve those goods."
Rodney's reasoning was flawless. Things were easier from his perspective, but Khan still felt the need to praise his efforts. Rodney had discovered the nature of Khan's investigation with nothing but spies.
"I don't understand," Khan admitted. "You can come up with so many ideas. Why would you even be worried about Mister Raymond's arrival?"
"I can deal with criminals and other descendants," Rodney explained. "Raymond Cobsend is beyond me, and I don't know if I'm on his side. Honestly, I wouldn't like that either since I'm in no position to protect myself in that case."
"What exactly do you want?" Khan went straight to the point.
"I want to help you finish whatever you are doing here," Rodney declared. "I know you'll leave once you are done, and the same should go for Raymond. I'll let the situation calm down before redeeming your letter and returning to Earth."
"Aren't you overreacting?" Khan honestly asked. "Raymond Cobsend might have nothing to do with this. He isn't even the type to deal with illegal business."
"That's where you are wrong," Rodney corrected. "You and I are easy to understand and even easier to predict, but Raymond is a different beast. That man will betray his own family to fulfill his goals."
"Easy to understand?" Khan repeated as annoyance seeped into his voice. "You don't know who I am."
"Let's not get back to the knife business," Rodney pleaded. "You are an emotional outcast. You will always put your loved ones above your species or organization."
The description was strangely fitting, but Rodney continued before Khan could say anything. "On the other hand, I can only think about myself. No matter who I have to sacrifice, I will always take the path that will benefit me."
Another accurate description reached Khan's ears and forced him to evaluate Rodney's previous statement. Raymond was definitely intriguing, but Khan wanted to know what made him different.
"Instead, Raymond is unpredictable," Rodney explained. "I don't know why he came here, but I won't get caught in the middle of his plans. The risks far outweigh the benefits."
"You are willing to give up and betray everything you built here due to unfounded fear?" Khan couldn't help but ask.
"That's what I need to do to survive," Rodney stated in the most serious tone he could muster. "I'm sure you can understand as much."
Khan didn't say anything. He still believed that Rodney was overreacting, which hinted at a trap. Yet, he couldn't find any lie in Rodney's words and thoughts.
"I guess your offer involves the path to the hidden area on the fourth asteroid," Khan uttered. "Sure, I'll take it."
"Not so fast," Rodney smirked. "I would lose all my value if I gave you the path."
"More ploys?" Khan sighed.
"Nothing like that," Rodney reassured. "I will give you the path. I will actually show it to you, but not today."
"I refuse," Khan directly replied. "I almost fell into space the last time I trusted you."
"It will only be the two of us this time," Rodney explained. "I'm not allowed in that area either, so I'll face the same risks as you."
"Putting yourself in danger doesn't reassure me," Khan scoffed. "Besides, I don't want to give you time to prepare. It's better if we go now."
"There are too many guards now," Rodney revealed, "And I believe you want your team to be nearby to intervene, am I right? I can give you all of that."
"I'm curious," Khan mocked. "How will you make my team move to the fourth asteroid?"
"I won't do anything," Rodney chuckled. "One of Milia 222 festivities is due in exactly one month. The fourth asteroid will be the center of those celebrations, and I'm sure the Cobsend family will have front seats."
"You want to exploit the confusion of the celebrations," Khan understood.
"The crews on Milia 222 aren't famous for their work ethic," Rodney voiced. "I've been among them long enough to know that many will leave their posts to join the celebrations."
"And the guards in this hidden area?" Khan asked. "They must be more trustworthy."
"Some are," Rodney agreed, "But they are no match for the two of us. We'll get past them in no time."
Khan felt quite conflicted. Rodney was being honest, but everything was a bit too much to take in a single meeting. Khan had gone from completely lost to having a real chance of retrieving the reinforced fabric. He only had to trust someone he wanted to kill.
Still, one month was a long time. Khan could spend it looking for clues that would hopefully confirm Rodney's story. Luke was the only problem since he might decide to pull the plug on the investigation if the other teams came back empty-handed.
"I want to be able to contact you this time," Khan declared.
"I'll assign an Orlats as my middle-man," Rodney exclaimed as his smirk broadened. He knew that Khan had already accepted his offer.
"I want weekly updates," Khan added, "Especially on this boss of yours. I need to know what she looks like."
"Consider it done," Rodney agreed.
"One last thing," Khan said as his tone grew colder than before. "Don't even think about getting out of my reach in the hidden passage. I will kill you and let my mission fail if I even smell that something is off."
"No fun allowed with you," Rodney joked. "It's fine. Getting all of you out of Milia 222 is in my best interest."
Khan snorted without adding anything else. He stormed out of the car and closed the door before waiting on the sidewalk. The vehicle set off, and he watched it disappear in the distance.
Trying to make a point of what had just happened turned out to be quite challenging. Rodney didn't actually know much, but he had vital information that Khan couldn't obtain due to his position.
Raymond's stance remained a mystery, but the presence of a hidden structure probably owned by the Cobsend family changed everything. That building might be the secret lab working on reverse-engineering the reinforced fabric. If Rodney had spoken the truth, Khan might have solved the case.
Nevertheless, going into a secret area with Rodney as the only ally sounded dangerous and ridiculous. Khan needed to prepare accordingly, and a second visit to the dock seemed necessary for that goal.
Strangely enough, Rodney's motivations were the only reassuring aspect of that new mess, but Khan couldn't see them as a good sign. The situation was truly terrible if his enemy was the most trustworthy aspect of the mission.
'What to do now?' Khan wondered as he glanced at the streets above Lower Level 1. He vaguely recalled where Luke's building was, so he opted for a walk to clear his mind.
Truth be told, Khan didn't need to complete the investigation. He had no real obligation or connection to the issue. A mere visit to Sen-nu would even grant him the video of his assault at the Orlats business, proving that he had risked his life for Luke's sake.
Khan's actions on Milia 222 were beyond reproach. He had spent some time pursuing his personal goals, but he had also given his everything to find out the thieves. Luke would probably give him a raise even if the investigation were to fail.
Joining Rodney in his secret mission was far from necessary. Khan could call it a day, share everything he knew with Luke, and accept defeat. His career would advance, and his finances would increase.
Yet, the end of the investigation would mark Khan's return to Earth. His profile would surely offer him new, interesting jobs, but none of them would bring him to a similarly diverse environment.
If possible, Khan wanted to remain on Milia 222 a bit longer. He wished to deepen his relationship with the Nele, have another meeting with the Fuveall, and meet the Tors again.
Moreover, Khan didn't want to leave Jenna just yet. The end of the mission would also send Martha somewhere else since she had to continue paying back Luke. Monica was another problem since Earth and other environments wouldn't give Khan enough privacy to date her.
Milia 222 was giving Khan so much that leaving it had become hard. Still, he couldn't just remain there on his own. He needed a reason, which Luke could provide, and he had no intention of lying to him to achieve that. Khan would only ruin his relationship with the Cobsend family if he tried.
'I guess I need to keep going,' Khan thought as streets, buildings, and vehicles crossed his vision. 'Maybe I'll even understand what Raymond is up to if I go there.'
Khan also thought about the strange sensation on the fourth asteroid. A hidden place right above Lower Level 2 sounded like the perfect area where to hide something Nak-related, and only going there could provide answers.
As the walk continued, Khan accepted that he would see the investigation to its end. The decision was the result of different factors, but he could summarize them into a single statement. He simply wanted to stay.
The planning phase arrived after the decision was made. Khan needed a lot, but one month was enough to prepare everything. He only had to negotiate the freedom to move as he wished.
Minutes turned into hours as Khan crossed the city. He checked his phone from time to time to make sure that he was going in the right direction, and he remained pleased by the absence of messages. It seemed that Luke trusted him on that one.
Luke's building eventually appeared in the distance, and Khan approached it with a heavy heart. He would need to come clean about everything once he went back, but the universe promptly placed more problems on his path.
A couple of familiar presences claimed Khan's attention while he walked toward the building. That pairing was odd, so he changed direction to see what was happening.
Khan only needed to turn a corner to see Jenna and Monica standing next to a building's metal wall. Tension filled the synthetic mana around them, but sadness and anger also showed their presence. Moreover, seeing that Jenna had worn the spray on her own alarmed Khan.
"I told you that he would find us," Jenna happily exclaimed in perfect human language. "I'll leave you two to it then."
Khan didn't have the chance to question Jenna since she hurriedly left and disappeared behind a corner. He could still sense her, but she allowed the couple to have their privacy.
"What happened?" Khan quickly asked as he checked his surroundings. The street wasn't crowded, but people still occupied the sidewalk. He couldn't act freely there.
A sniff made Khan aware of the gravity of the situation. All the sadness and anger in the area came from Monica, and he even saw a tear falling from her lowered face.
"Hey, talk to me," Khan questioned as he got closer to Monica. The urge to lift her face invaded him, but he suppressed it.
"Why?" Monica asked while raising her face to show her teary eyes. "To hear more lies."
"What lies?" Khan wondered.
"I-," Monica sniffed. "I thought we were getting somewhere."
"Monica, what did Jenna-?" Khan tried to ask, but Monica slapped him before he could finish his question. He had seen the attack coming, but he didn't do anything to avoid it.
"I trusted you," Monica cried. She wanted to say more, but a sob interrupted her attempt and made her bring a hand to her mouth.
Monica diverted her gaze and tried to leave, but Khan reached for her arm. Still, his gesture only led to a loud "don't touch me!" that Khan felt forced to obey.
Khan understood that he couldn't pursue Monica now, especially inside Luke's building. He would have to deal with the issue later after understanding what had happened. Luckily, the culprit was spying on him from behind the corner.
"[Get here already]," Khan sighed, and his sensitivity perceived a happy figure jumping out of the corner to approach him.
"[What did you do now]?" Khan asked when he turned to face Jenna. For some reason, she appeared more joyful than ever.
"[I didn't do anything special]," Jenna giggled as she took Khan's arm and rested her head on his shoulder.
"[Jenna]," Khan called.
"[I told you that she had to learn her place]," Jenna explained. "[I simply described in great detail the depth of our relationship]."
Khan felt the need to curse. Jenna's topic was something he and Monica had silently decided to avoid. She knew that alien customs were at work there, but learning about their details was bound to trigger her jealousy.
'It's not the end of the world,' Khan heaved a sigh of relief before focusing on Jenna. Her smirk seemed able to describe her thoughts, and Khan could barely believe his eyes when he saw it.
"[Are you waiting for me to scold you]?" Khan asked.
"[You were so bossy this morning]," Jenna voiced a cute laugh, and Khan finally cursed.
To be continued