"I see you've made the right choice," Fancy guy said as Bor stepped into the restaurant. The contact information he'd been given was a virtual restaurant where people went to meet up and maybe share virtual meals.
The key point of this was that one could leave a reservation and anyone who came in would be notified. The reservation could even be sent as an invitation, which is what Bor saw when he looked at the communicator.
Clearly, despite knowing everything about him, his new cohorts were keeping their cards close to their heart. Even now, Bor did not even know their names.
This time though, there were only two guys, Fancy guy and heavyset guy. These were the names Bor had given them since they didn't bother introducing themselves.
Little did Bor know that Fancy guy had a big smile wherever he was plugged in, since he was receiving some good sum of money. They had bet on whether Bor would come looking for them, and it seemed Fancy Guy had more faith in Bor than Heavyset guy.
"Alright, getting here is just the first step, there's still a long way to go," Heavyset guy said curtly as soon as Bor sat down opposite the duo. Loosing the bet had cast down his mood.
"Don't worry, just a few tests here and there, nothing too difficult. Remember, you must not fail!" Fancy guy added.
"What happens if I fail?" Bor was curious.
"What do you think we're running here, a charity?" Heavyset Guy eyed Bor menacingly, "You either deliver or you're thrown out to the wolves."
Bor expected this, so he cooled himself and asked the question that he'd been wondering all this while, "So, what exactly do you require of me?"
"All in good time, everything will be revealed to you."
"If you last that long." That last part was added by Heavyset guy. He just couldn't help it. "Now that you're here, know this, your life will never be the same again. You cannot go back to part-delivery guy, part-smuggler anymore. Come physically to this location tomorrow at 0800. Don't be late! Be prepared to turn your back to life as you know it."
"Hey kid, look on the bright side, this is actually an upgrade." Fancy guy added as he stood up. He didn't even need to walk way, just pressing a button and disappearing. Heavyset followed soon after, not bothering to spend one more second with the guy who'd made him incur such a heavy loss.
Bor was left with more questions than answers. Everything he'd experienced until now seemed too fantastical to be real. He had yet to confirm that Susanne had betrayed him. Hell, he wasn't even sure Helmet guy had. Now some dudes show up telling him he's done for if he doesn't play ball, and even if he does, everything he knew up to this point would be meaningless.
He still had a choice. He came here to hear them out, but they didn't give him much to go with. They gave him some address and told him to be there at some specific time. There was nothing else to go with. Would he leave his life unanswered.
Bor really wanted to put all this behind him, but as he had said, the chicken had come home to roost. He had chosen the life of a criminal, and now, this was his retribution.
He knew he had this one chance, and if he didn't take it, he'd end up behind bars as some scapegoat or cannon fodder in a war which didn't concern him.
Thinking about it, Bor decided to contact Susanne. After just a dial, he found that she was in Morendat, finishing some quest to level up her character. Bor remembered he even had that blueprint he had to finish. If he disappeared now, would that tidy sum also wave him goodbye?
Shaking his head as he marveled at his own level of greed, he logged in to Morendat to wait for Susanne. She would be a while, so he decided to study the blueprint as he waited.
Four hours later, Susanne still had not showed up, despite Bor calling her over and over again. She was acting all the more guilty the more Bor thought about it. He still couldn't believe someone that close would turn on him that suddenly, and so heartlessly too.
On the bright side, Bor had already studied the blueprint, now all he needed was to start production. The elf had intimated that she'd send the relevant resources, but they still had not come by.
Having nothing else to do, Bor logged out and decided to go for a walk. Despite them being underground, the streets were well lit and sanitary. This being Tandroon town, the air was almost fresh. The only thing missing was the sun to dictate day or night.
Bor walked around with his thoughts running wild. He didn't think he had an option to run away. Where would he run to? They were in an enclosed shelter, and the people hunting him must have deep ties.
Many considerations ran through Bor's mind as he thought of what he'd do and how he'd escape his present mess, but none seemed to sound palatable to Bor. After a good long walk, Bor was decided. He would be in a certain place at a certain time.
Meanwhile, while he was having his walk, a certain someone was making a call.
"Hey, I really don't think I can do this." She said, feeling extremely downcast.
"Listen here girl, you did us a favor by giving us the information we need. However, don't think that that's wiped the slate clean!" Superintendent Charlotte's curt voice sounded from the communicator.
"But you have all the information you need, its not like he can give you anything more than I can," Susanne reasoned. He'd been calling her over to meet him, but she just couldn't bring herself to go meet him. How was she supposed to face him after such a betrayal?
"I already said this, and I won't be repeating it again. This is not about information anymore. We need someone to take the fall. So make no mistake, if he doesn't show up tomorrow, its your head that'll be on the chopping board."
Susanne took a deep breath. She remembered all the adventures and mishaps she had had alongside Bor. He had been her partner for so long, and he was extremely integral to the crew. How would she proceed without him?
In another corner of Polaris, Fancy Guy and Heavyset Guy were meeting someone else. The man before them had an elegant, almost royal, feel to him. He walked as though he was doing the world a favor by stepping on it, and he regarded everyone as though they were inferior to him, like they existed for his amusement.
Knowing his background, neither of the two meeting him found it odd or out of place. They even bowed their heads willingly to the man.
"What did the boy decide?"
"He will be coming with us tomorrow."
"Good, make it so. What about his partner, the other one."
"She has proven to be a traitor, easily turned."
"You know what to do."