"Kill them all?" Lucian asked, needing confirmation.
"Yes," Ash replied, her gaze cold and unyielding.
She turned back to the screen, and the image shifted to show their target: a middle-aged man with jet-black hair.
"He'll be at the compound for the next day. You two need to make sure he doesn't survive the night," Ash explained.
"Is this a resistance of normal humans?" Lucian inquired.
"No, and that's where it gets tricky. There have been many such coalitions before, and eliminating them has never been an issue. But this one is particularly problematic because their leader used to be one of our strongest agents, enhanced by our nanotech—and so are his followers."
Lucian tilted his head slightly, a flash of confusion crossing his face. After his awakening, the first thing Ash had done was show him the consequences of betrayal while nanotech was implanted. It didn't make sense that someone enhanced with it would turn against them.
"If they have the nano whatever in them, why would they go against you?" Lucian asked the obvious question.
"They aren't going against us, technically. The Black Keep is a very delicate and complex group. In truth, we are the largest sponsors of their movement, and no one outside this room can know anything contrary to that. If they all died from the nanotech, it'd be obvious who was behind it."
"So what you're saying is that, on the surface, your agents and the public believe the Black Keep is supporting the movement for equality, but in reality, you all are just the government's dogs," Lucian said, piecing it together.
"Exactly," Ash responded with a sly smile. "And you, our star K9, will be doing a lot of biting today."
Lucian glanced over at Iralis. She remained silent, her expression hidden behind her mask, but he could tell she wasn't fazed by the politics at play.
"Moving on to infiltration," Ash continued. "Although I recommend stealth to avoid being overwhelmed by their numbers, you must ensure every single person is eliminated." She raised two wristbands she had been holding and tossed one to each of them.
"There's a tiny earpiece embedded in the wristband. It'll be used for communication and guidance during the mission."
Ash's gaze hardened as she looked at both of them. "Any questions?"
After a brief silence settled, Ash decided there were none.
"Good. Get ready to move out."
———
Lucian sat in the back of the armored truck, his body swaying slightly with each bump on the road. Across from him, Iralis sat silently, her face still concealed beneath her mask. The dim red light in the truck bathed them both in a crimson glow, giving the whole scene an unsettling atmosphere.
The hum of the engine droned on, while the low rumble of the tires rolling over rough terrain was the only thing breaking the silence.
Lucian's thoughts drifted back to Ash's cold orders. The words replayed in his mind. 'Kill them all.' It was straightforward enough, but beneath the surface of that command he felt there was something darker—something that he wasn't good enough a person to question.
He looked at Iralis, who was as still as a statue. Her breathing was controlled, calm, almost indifferent. She hadn't said a word since they'd left. Lucian tried to read her, but with her face covered, it was impossible to know what she was thinking.
Maybe she didn't care. Maybe she didn't question the politics or morality of what they were about to do, and that would make her even more similar to him. It seemed, she had long since abandoned such concerns.
The truck lurched as it slowed down, and Lucian shifted in his seat. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to ease the slight excitement he felt as he contemplated rasing his demon core.
"Do you ever think about it?" Lucian asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the monotony.
Iralis remained still for a moment, then tilted her head slightly as if considering whether to respond. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm and almost robotic, the mask muffling the sound. "Think about what?"
"Why us?" Lucian said, his voice quieter now, almost as if he regretted asking.
Iralis leaned forward slightly, her elbows resting on her knees. She seemed to study him, though Lucian couldn't be sure. "It's not our place to question. We do what we are able. That's how we survive."
Lucian nodded slowly but didn't respond. It was the answer he'd expected, from birth people like them were never given choices, and even being potentially the strongest humans on the planet, they were still slaves, no matter how they wanted to sugarcoat it .
The truck came to a halt, and they both straightened up. The rear doors swung open, revealing the dark, open land stretching out ahead of them. A soldier stood at the back, nodding toward the two.
"This is your stop," the soldier said.
Lucian and Iralis hopped down from the truck and landed on the soft ground. The wind carried a cold, biting edge as it rustled the trees nearby. The night was quiet, allowing them to hear the distant hum of machinery and the occasional chirp of crickets.
Lucian glanced around, taking in their surroundings. They had been dropped off at the edge of a wooded area, not far from the compound. In the distance, faint lights flickered through the trees, marking the location of their target. The compound was larger than he had imagined, but its presence felt ominous—its walls tall and foreboding, like a fortress standing against the night.
Iralis stood beside him, scanning the area. She gestured with a nod toward a narrow path leading through the woods.
"This way," she said in that same steady tone, already moving forward without waiting for him to respond.
Lucian exhaled, steeling himself for the most murder he would've committed since becoming mortal