Jemmy walked back and forth in the narrow street, the sounds of the city only adding to her anxiety. Her bicycle was parked close by, its engine still emitting warmth from her most recent journey. Hardly had she managed to regain her breath when Julian emerged from the darkness, his tall silhouette lit up by the faint streetlight above. His arrival caused her to become instantly tense.
"Did you believe I wouldn't realize?" Julian spoke softly, yet his tone carried a menacing undertone. "You have been getting near to him. Very near."
Jemmy rolled her eyes, refusing to meet his gaze. "You don't get to control who I talk to, Julian."
"Oh, but I do," he shot back, stepping closer, his dark blue eyes piercing into her. "We had an agreement. You were supposed to stay on task. Not get involved."
"And I have stayed on task," Jemmy snapped, crossing her arms defensively. "I haven't compromised anything."
Julian narrowed his eyes, his jaw tight with tension. "Do you believe I am unintelligent? I've noticed how you stare at him. You have neglected to consider the consequences."
Jemmy abruptly turned to confront him, her voice cutting. "Don't even think about giving me a speech about what is on the line! You're the one who got me involved in this in the beginning."
Julian's mouth formed a bitter smile. "You had the option to reject."
"Oh but did I?" she replied, with her eyes filled with fire. "Did Erebus ensure that there was no escape route, tell me?"
Julian moved nearer, his tall stature causing him to loom above her. His voice had decreased in volume, yet maintained its level of intensity. "When you became a part of Erebus, you were aware of the agreement. You've gone too far to retreat at this point."
Jemmy balled up her fists, struggling against the desire to hit him. "And how about you, Julian? You're always ready to bring up the agreement, but what about our relationship? You were not the same before all of this happened. What occurred to you?"
His countenance momentarily wavered, as the nostalgia of past recollections briefly danced on his face. However, it disappeared rapidly and was soon replaced by the tough exterior of the man who was now under Erebus' control. "What has occurred to me? Reality has occurred. Erebus is larger than us. It surpasses all of our individual sizes."
"Do you believe that I am unaware of it?" Jemmy whispered venomously, her voice hissing low. "I am aware of their identity. However, that doesn't imply I must enjoy it."
Julian's gaze grew darker. "Jemmy, you can't have things both ways. It is impossible to be employed by Erebus and develop feelings for Melton simultaneously. If Erebus discovers that you have feelings for him, you'll be in serious trouble."
Jemmy's heart raced, but she concealed her fear with rage. "You are unaware of what you are doing."
"I am fully aware of what I'm speaking of," Julian chuckled bitterly. "Do you believe Erebus hasn't been keeping an eye on him the entire time? All of his actions, every task, every decision—have all been carefully planned. And now, whether you're aware of it or not, you are participating in it."
Jemmy's eyes grew wide, her thoughts moving quickly. "What are you saying, orchestrated?"
Julian leaned forward, lowering his voice to a perilous murmur. "Melton isn't only a renegade mercenary. Erebus has had a target on him from the start. Have all those missions that he has accepted been completed? They were meticulously planned. He has unknowingly walked into our traps."
Jemmy took a deep breath, absorbing the significance of Julian's words. She had always been aware of Erebus' strength, but this surpassed her wildest expectations. "Are you simply going along with this? Are you fine with that?"
Julian's expression became firm once more. "It's not about accepting it. It concerns staying alive. Both of us are aware that Erebus does not accept failure. We must conform or face death."
Jemmy felt a constriction in her chest. She despised the harsh truth in his words, yet she couldn't ignore it. Erebus was an inescapable force.
However, Melton was completely unaware of the situation he was involved in. Jemmy was uncertain if she could bear witnessing his destruction.
"I'm not in love with him," she whispered softly, her voice lacking certainty even in her own perception. "I'm simply fulfilling my duties."
Julian sneered. "Of course, continue to convince yourself of that. But keep in mind, Jemmy, Erebus is constantly observing. And they will not hesitate to bring you down if you become a burden."
Jemmy clenched her fists at her sides, there was now an internal war raging within her. She wanted to scream, to fight back against the twisted game they were all trapped in. But she knew Julian was right. If Erebus even suspected that she was going off-script, they would end her without a second thought.
"Just stay focused," Julian said, his tone softening slightly. "We're in this together. Don't let him cloud your judgment."
Jemmy didn't reply. She simply turned away from Julian, her thoughts in turmoil.
As Julian watched her walk off, his expression remained unreadable. He knew what Jemmy didn't yet realize—Melton was doomed from the start. And there was nothing in her power she could do to save him.
---
At the same time, in a different part of the city, Melton was hunched over his laptop in the corner of his cozy apartment, with Nexus' interface softly illuminated in the dim room. With a furrowed brow, he quickly typed while examining encrypted data files.
"Nexus," Melton muttered, "what's the status on those signals from the last mission?"
"Still working on tracing the origin," Nexus replied. "But I've uncovered some irregularities in the mission logs."
Melton's eyes narrowed. "What kind of irregularities?"
"Several of your past missions seem to be connected to the same organization. There's a pattern in the data—encrypted transmissions, hidden directives. It all leads back to a singular source.
"Erebus." Melton and Nexus said together.
Melton felt a sudden jolt in his heart. He had long suspected that Erebus was involved in the underground world, and this was verification. "So, you're saying that Erebus has been controlling everything here too from the beginning?"
"Yes," Nexus confirmed. "From the very beginning. Every mission you've taken has been orchestrated by them in some way. They've been monitoring you, testing you."
"Testing me for what?" Melton asked, his voice tense.
Nexus hesitated before responding. "Unknown. But whatever their goal, it's clear you've become a key player in their plans."
Melton's mind raced as he absorbed the information. He knew Erebus had been watching him, manipulating him for years. Every job, every success—none of it had been by chance.
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling almost getting lost in its color. "So, what now? How do we fight back against an organization this powerful?"
"There may be a way to turn the tables," Nexus replied. "But it will require infiltrating deeper into Erebus' network. We'll need more information—about their leaders, their operations, and their ultimate goal."
Melton rubbed his temples, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "And where do we start?"
"There is a key point of vulnerability within Erebus," Nexus said. "Their operations rely heavily on a decentralized network. If we can find the central hub of their data flow, we could potentially disrupt their entire system."
"Easier said than done, you know this yet you say it so easily" Melton muttered. "But then if that's the only way, I guess we'll do it. No more playing by their rules."
As Melton continued to dig through the files, piecing together the intricate web of Erebus' influence, one thing became clear: He had been a pawn in their game for far too long.
But now, he was ready to become a player.