The journey back to the group's hideout was a quiet one. The team moved through the bustling outskirts of Gtora with purpose, their silence unbroken by anything more than the sound of boots on pavement and the faint hum of the city. The towering spires of the metropolis loomed above, their neon lights flickering against the darkening sky, but even the vibrancy of the city did little to lighten the team's collective mood.
The hideout was nestled in a nondescript building in one of Gtora's sprawling industrial zones. Inside, the space was utilitarian—metal walls, scattered furniture, and crates stacked high with supplies and stolen goods. It was functional, not comfortable, but it served its purpose.
Aventus entered with the others, the weight of the repeaters on his shoulders a minor distraction. He set them down carefully against one wall, taking a moment to survey the space. Lira slumped into a chair with a wince, pulling out a med kit to tend to her wounds. Valek disappeared into a corner, already tinkering with some piece of tech, while Jax stood near a table, staring silently at a map of the city as if willing it to reveal answers.
Aventus approached Jax, his movements deliberate, his expression calm but purposeful. He stopped a few feet away, giving the man space while still making his presence known. "Jax," he said quietly, his voice steady but carrying a weight of sincerity.
Jax turned slightly, his sharp features taut with grief and frustration. He didn't speak, but his eyes met Aventus's, waiting.
"I'm sorry about your friend," Aventus continued, his tone even but laced with a genuine edge. "Ryker deserved better than this. We all did. But I'm not letting this go. I'm going to find Rilek and figure out what the fuck went wrong—why we didn't know about that mech."
Jax's jaw tightened, but he said nothing, his gaze unwavering.
Aventus shifted slightly, crossing his arms. "If you want, I'll keep you in the loop," he offered. "If I find anything—anyone—responsible for this mess, I'll make sure you get your shot at revenge. No one should have to take a loss like this without answers."
For a moment, Jax remained silent, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded once, sharply. "Keep me posted," he said, his voice low but firm. "Ryker wouldn't want us to let this slide. You find something—anything—I want to know."
Aventus nodded back, his indigo eyes steady. "You'll know," he promised.
With that, he turned toward the door, his movements purposeful as he adjusted his coat and prepared to leave. The city awaited, and Rilek had answers he intended to drag out, one way or another.
The streets of Gtora buzzed with activity as Aventus made his way through the sprawling city, his long strides purposeful. The industrial glow of the neon signs and the hum of distant machinery created an ever-present backdrop, but Aventus paid it little mind. His indigo eyes were fixed ahead, his jaw set with determination. He needed answers, and Rilek was the one who would provide them—whether he wanted to or not.
Stall 12 came into view, nestled among the other makeshift shops in the chaotic market district. Rilek's stall looked the same as always: cluttered with odd tech, spare parts, and unmarked crates. The man himself sat behind the counter, his cybernetic eye glowing faintly as he tinkered with a small device.
As Aventus approached, Rilek looked up, his scarred face breaking into a smirk. "Well, if it isn't my favorite freelancer," he said, his tone light but calculated. "How'd the job go? You get the package delivered?"
Aventus didn't respond immediately. He stepped up to the stall, his presence casting a shadow over Rilek's wares. His calm exterior belied the anger simmering beneath the surface, but his voice was steady when he finally spoke. "We got the job done," he said, his tone cold. "But we lost a man doing it. A man who shouldn't have died."
Rilek's smirk faltered slightly, though he quickly recovered, leaning back in his chair. "Ah, well, you know how these things go," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Dangerous work. Risks come with the territory."
Aventus leaned forward, his indigo eyes narrowing as he fixed Rilek with a piercing stare. "Don't bullshit me, Rilek. That mech wasn't in the briefing. You knew what we were walking into, and you didn't say a damn thing."
Rilek's expression tightened, his cybernetic eye whirring faintly as he studied Aventus. "Now hold on," he said, raising his hands defensively. "I gave you what I had. If there were surprises, that's on the client, not me."
Aventus slammed his hand down on the counter, the impact rattling the cluttered stall. "Don't play games with me," he growled, his voice low but deadly. "Ryker's dead because of that surprise, and I'm not leaving here until I get some real answers."
Rilek's smirk faded completely, his expression hardening. He glanced around the busy market, his voice lowering. "Alright, alright," he muttered. "Keep your voice down. Look, I didn't know about the mech. I swear. The client sent over the specs, and I passed them on. That's it."
"Who's the client?" Aventus demanded.
Rilek hesitated, his gaze flicking to the side. "A corp," he admitted finally. "But I don't know which one. Everything came through an encrypted channel. High-level stuff. The kind of client that doesn't like being questioned."
Aventus straightened slightly, his mind racing as he processed the information. "You're saying someone high up wanted that package badly enough to withhold critical intel," he said, his voice sharp.
Rilek nodded, his cybernetic eye twitching slightly. "Exactly. And if they're playing it that tight, poking around could get you killed."
Aventus's indigo eyes narrowed further, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone as he leaned in closer to Rilek. The faint buzz of the bustling market around them seemed to fade, his presence overwhelming the space between them.
"Give me the datapad," Aventus said, his words cold and deliberate, "and I'll let you keep your eyes."
Rilek froze, his cybernetic eye whirring as he assessed the seriousness of the threat. The man's smirk was gone now, replaced by a wary expression as he raised his hands slightly, palms outward in a placating gesture. "Alright, alright," he muttered. "No need to get nasty. Just give me a second."
He turned to the cluttered counter, rummaging through a pile of devices and tools. His movements were slow, almost deliberate, as though weighing his options. Aventus didn't move, his sharp gaze fixed on Rilek's every action.
Finally, Rilek produced a small datapad, its screen flickering faintly as he powered it on. He slid it across the counter toward Aventus, careful to avoid any sudden movements. "There," he said, his tone defensive. "That's everything I've got on this job. Encrypted messages, transaction logs, delivery specs. I didn't tamper with it, I swear."
Aventus reached out, his gloved hand closing over the datapad. His expression remained unreadable, but the tension in his stance didn't ease. "If I find out you're holding back," he said, his voice like ice, "I'll come back, and next time, you won't have anything to see with."
Rilek nodded quickly, his scarred face pale. "You've got everything, I swear. I don't know anything more. You know me—I don't dig too deep when it comes to clients like this."
Aventus's fingers tightened around the datapad as he straightened, his piercing indigo eyes still locked on Rilek. For a moment, it seemed as though he would simply leave, his expression calm and controlled as always. But then, without warning, his free hand shot forward in a lightning-quick jab.
His fist connected squarely with Rilek's face, the impact snapping the man's head back and eliciting a sharp grunt of pain. It wasn't a haymaker—Aventus didn't need to go that far. The jab was precise, calculated, just enough to send a clear message. Rilek staggered back, clutching his face, his cybernetic eye whirring erratically as he glared at Aventus through watery human eyes.
"Damn it, Aventus!" Rilek hissed, his voice muffled by the hand pressed to his face. "Was that really necessary?"
Aventus leaned in slightly, his calm demeanor never faltering, though his voice carried a deadly edge. "That's for Ryker," he said flatly. "If I find out you're lying, next time it'll be worse."
Without another word, Aventus turned on his heel and walked away, disappearing into the crowd of the bustling market. Rilek cursed under his breath, rubbing his throbbing cheek as he watched Aventus go, the man's shadowy figure blending into the chaos of Gtora.
For Aventus, the jab wasn't about revenge—it was about making sure Rilek understood just how serious this was. He had the datapad now, and with it, he intended to uncover the truth. One way or another.
The streets of Gtora blurred around Aventus as he made his way back to the team's hideout. His steps were deliberate, his mind a storm of thoughts swirling around the datapad in his pocket. The faint buzz of the market gave way to the quieter hum of the industrial zone as he approached the nondescript building where the team was holed up.
Inside, the atmosphere was somber, the weight of their recent loss still palpable. Jax stood near the table, his posture rigid as he stared at a map spread out before him. Lira sat in a corner, her knives in hand as she absentmindedly spun one between her fingers. Valek, ever methodical, was seated with a small array of tools and a dismantled weapon in front of him.
Aventus stepped into the room, drawing their attention. Without a word, he pulled the datapad from his coat and dropped it onto the table with a faint clatter. Jax glanced down at it, his sharp features betraying a flicker of interest.
"That's all I could get," Aventus said, his voice steady but weary. "It should be all the encrypted data from the client. Let me know if you figure it out. Or, in the meantime, if you have other jobs—shoot me a message. I'll be around."
Jax gave a curt nod, his expression hard to read. Lira looked up from her knives, her green eyes flicking between Aventus and the datapad. Valek, ever the quiet observer, didn't say a word, though his attention lingered on the device.
Without waiting for a response, Aventus turned and headed for the door. The heavy silence of the hideout pressed against his back as he left, his steps carrying him toward the brighter, noisier streets of Gtora.
The nearest inn wasn't far, tucked into a corner of the city's bustling entertainment district. It was a simple place, the kind that didn't ask too many questions and had enough noise to drown out a restless mind. Aventus pushed through the door, the warm glow of neon lighting and the faint hum of conversation greeting him.
He approached the bar, his indigo eyes scanning the array of bottles on display. "Something strong," he said to the bartender, his tone clipped.
A glass of amber liquid was placed in front of him moments later. Aventus took it without ceremony, the burn of the alcohol a welcome distraction as he downed it in a single gulp. He exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly as the warmth spread through his chest.
The bed would come next. It wasn't luxury—it didn't need to be. For Aventus, the thought of finally laying down and letting the weight of the last few days fade, even for a moment, was enough. He headed for the stairs, the dimly lit corridor leading to a small, nondescript room.
As he shut the door behind him, Aventus let out a heavy sigh. He slipped off his gear, setting it neatly by the door, and collapsed onto the bed. The thin mattress creaked under his weight, but it didn't matter.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Aventus closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion of everything pull him into a deep, dreamless sleep.