AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“...The Tiger.”
“Ah, the Italian... I’m a bit surprised the Italian bothered with this territory. To be honest, as soon as I understood you were also a hacker, I expected you to be with the Rat.”
Eden frowned. So Circé wasn’t working for Thao? Then who was she with? Eden had a very bad feeling about this. That woman was way too comfortable, even for someone with a head start like this. If she knew Eden was working for the Tiger, she ought to know this building was about to become a battlefield. Yet, she was there, still playing on the keyboard like a musician on a piano. Eden glanced toward the screens again, wondering if one could let her know when the Italians would arrive. She couldn’t see the room she had left Rose and Jack in, either. She hoped they were alright...
“I have an annoying little bug playing against me right now, so I really don’t have time for you,” sighed Circé. “You looked like a smart girl earlier; you recognized a Chimera right away. How much does the Italian pay you?”
Eden felt a bit bitter, realizing Dante didn’t need to pay her at all... although she certainly should have asked him to, thinking back. She shrugged, trying to act composed. Since she couldn’t tell which camp Circé was in, she was unsure how much of a threat she’d pose. She was clearly a very good fighter, seeing how she had gotten rid of all those men. Not only a Dive Hacker but also an assassin.
“...A lot,” Eden finally said. “Could I ask who you are working for?”
Circé chuckled.
“I’m a private contractor, like you... and my employer probably pays a lot more than yours. Why? Looking for a new master?”
Eden frowned, a bit more cautious. Circé was trying to outsmart her, but the fact that she still hadn’t revealed her employer was getting on her nerves. She needed to sort out the situation as fast as possible.
“How did you–”
Before she could end her sentence, several alarms began ringing throughout the control room. Circé glanced at one of the screens, and Eden followed her eyes. The visual had changed, and it was now displaying the entrance of the compound, the same door Eden had entered through just a while ago. The door was closed, but a lot was going on there. It took her several seconds to realize the screen wasn’t blurry, but there was actually a smokescreen covering the area. Men could be seen running out of the Red Temple, coming out of nowhere to the edge of the screen, all heavily armed and ready to defend the gate.
“Looks like someone decided to bring the party to us...” said Circé. “Your friends?”
Eden frowned, but it felt a tad too soon to be the Italians... There was obviously something pounding against the main door, seeing how they trembled on the screen. It was going to break open any second now. Circé chuckled.
“Shall we have a bit of fun then?”
She touched a few more things, and suddenly, the doors opened wide on the screen. The fight began right away, multiple gunshots were exchanged. There was no sound, but Eden could see all the vivid sparks on the screen, people running, and some falling to the ground, not moving anymore. It was an absolute war scene. If Dante’s men walked into this, it would be even worse!
“Dante, hold on,” she said out loud, not caring about Circé hearing her anymore. “The Rat’s men are already here, fighting the Japanese!”
“I hear them. We’re waiting a couple streets away for when to intervene. Where are you?”
“...I made it to the control room,” said Eden, her eyes turning to Circé.
“I’m coming to you.”
Dante’s words and deep voice gave her a chill, making Eden feel even colder. She knew she was in a more dangerous situation than him, for now. The goth woman wasn’t smiling anymore. Instead, she had turned her body toward her and was staring at Eden with a doubtful expression.
“You... were just talking to a Dante, like the Dante De Luca?
“...I told you I was working for the Tiger,” muttered Eden.
“You didn’t mention you were on a first-name basis with him.”
Suddenly, the door behind Eden closed. She felt her heart skip a beat. Circé was staring at her with suspicious eyes, and now she had imprisoned Eden in this room with her.
“...Who are you? I don’t think I heard your name,” said Circé. “Who is your partner?”
“I’m still waiting to hear your employer’s name,” retorted Eden.
“I’m almost done, Kitty!” shouted Loir in her ear. “Just give me two more minutes...”
Even without him saying that, another loud beeping resonated in the room, and Circé suddenly turned her eyes to the panel she was previously working on, looking upset.
“No!” she protested, her fingers furiously typing fast. “That wretched bastard...”
As she was busy fighting back for control of the room, Eden slowly moved to stand farther away from her, getting close to one of the panels. She still had Loir’s device hidden in her hand... If she could plug it in here, it could give him a decisive advantage in controlling the room.
