"I’ll go in first." His touch was more careful this time—she’d had to fix her hair and reapply her gloss before they left—as he brushed a curl away from her ear, tapping the earpiece fixed to her skull. "If you need me, I will come. They will?—"
"They’re here," Rhyden’s voice filled Rin’s ear as he spoke into the comms device. The sound of it was intimate and clear, making her shiver. "Just arrived through the back entrance. I guess they didn’t want to deal with the fucking reporting drones," Rhyden spat. "Cowards."
"Public opinion has turned against them," Lucien murmured, still staring at Rin. It was as though he wished to ensure she wouldn’t drift away at the mention of Sabine and Talor, who were just inside the building. "Blackfall Industries has faced scrutiny since their dealings with Tarz became public—unethical ingredient harvesting and testing. I doubt it will last long, though. They always come out with some new revelation, and their control of the news channels ensures any negative press is swept away quickly."
It had only been a few days ago that an anonymous source from Tarz—unwilling to share their name due to safety concerns—had made headlines, revealing that an Earthen pharmaceutical and research company sourced most of their drug ingredients from the highly unethical labs on Tarz. The revelation was unprecedented. The supposed whistleblower had now gone into hiding after a tell-all with a reporter.
But Lucien was right. It wouldn’t last long. That was why they had to strike now—while the public was still wary of Blackfall Industries.
"And the underground isn’t any fucking better. Everyone is suspicious of Celestis for the increased Rogue sightings. Peoplethink it’s their goddamned fault. If they can bring someone back from the dead and turn them into a super soldier, then they can make the Rogues worse." Rhyden huffed. "Like the Rogues haven’t been a problem since Earth’s creation."
Something about Rhyden’s words in her ear made her feel uneasy.
A sudden clamor of noise filled the evening—it was just before curfew. Everyone at the gala had clearance to be out, however.
Rin’s eyes slid past Lucien’s shoulders, where she saw a flurry of movements—both drones and attendees alike.
"That’s my cue," Rin said, gathering her gown as she stepped out of the shadows. But not before giving Lucien a long, lingering look, tapping her earpiece in an answer to his earlier promise to her. She would call if she needed him. She only hoped he would do the same.
Rin steppedinto the light of the cameras. None were focused on her. No, they were all beginning to focus on the one who stood at the end of the carpet, closer to the gates. Armed security, wearing sleek black masks over their faces so they wouldn’t pose as distractions from the opulence of the event and high-profile guests, swarmed him.
Drones hovered along the sides of the carpet.
President Shin stood before one at the top of the carpet, on the steps, a winning smile on his lips as he spoke into a small black microphone that hovered before him. The lens on the drone whirred as it captured him on video. The whole red carpet was livestreamed, but the events inside were under wraps. Only the next morning would information and second-hand accounts slowly begin to trickle into the news. The thought was sobering to her.
Soon, he wouldn’t be just hers anymore—her secret.
The drone before President Shin whirred, streaking through the air. It blew Rin’s hair away from her face as it passed her by. The President was left standing there, lips pressed in a thin line as he stared out across the carpet. Guests stopped where they were, dripping in jewels and draped in gowns, men with suits decorated with medals. She had a flash of Kit in her mind, wearing his Fleet uniform, chest gleaming with medals he’d earned. She swallowed.
"You fucking trying to make him sweat?" Rhyden said into her ear, jolting Rin into action. She’d paused, taking it all in. Her first misstep of the evening. She gathered her gown in her clammy palms and walked over to the chaos.
She couldn’t answer Rhyden—not with all the eyes on her. Her eyes lifted to the rooftops, and she swore she saw a flash of darkness there. She wondered what he saw when he peered down at her from where he was perched atop the building. He was using a long-range holo-sight—the same he’d used to watch her through his window.
"All those ruffles…" Rhyden said gruffly. "You look good enough to eat alive."
The carpet was plush beneath her heels, and she teetered, regaining her balance quickly.
A guard stopped Rin with a hand on her arm. He wore gloves, and it was disconcerting to stare up into his featureless face, covered entirely by the sleekness of the dark mask. A gun was strapped over his back. "Back up." Even his voice was nondescript, monotone.
She saw a flash of red through the guards. They’d formed a circle, keeping curious guests and drones away.
Rin shook her head. "Let me through." Her voice sounded thin and small to her own ears.
The guard scoffed, the sound muffled by his mask. Rin rolled her shoulders back. She was a Hunter. And she was here for a purpose. She couldn’t help but wonder, were all these guards in on it, too? What about President Shin? Did he know this gala was being used as a decoy for Aetherborn trafficking?
Luckily, they had their own decoy.
"I said, let me through." The level of Rin’s voice drew another guard’s attention.
A woman, if Rin had to guess, as her stature was taller; though, there wasn’t another way to tell. She also wore a mask, and her sharp voice cut through the clamor as she asked, "What business do you have with this trespasser?"
Rin narrowed her eyes. "He is here with me, as my plus-one."
Both guards barked a laugh.
A presence at her back made them both stop suddenly, heads tilting down.
Rin turned, only to meet President Shin’s eyes. He gave a closed-lip smile, a hand falling to her bare shoulder. She barely suppressed a shiver from his touch. This close, she saw the lines on his face, the hardness to his eyes. Once, she had looked up to him. Now, she just thought he was as duplicitous as her adoptive parents.
