It's here, it's rare, it's finally updated after a whole year! :D So as some of you might know my account has been kinda screwy, and soon this page will shut down. Sadness, and I didn't update that much, but it's alright, because I got a brand new account up and running. There's nothing posted on it yet, but all the old fics will finish up right here. Check my profile page for more info and for a link to the new page. So please enjoy, leave a review! Please they honestly help me write better. So without much further ado...

...Training was nothing short of grueling.

In the few weeks that had passed Keira became… durable. Not yet soldier condition but not as weak as she had been weeks prior. It seemed her days followed a routine. Train, fix, sleep. She had only three basic functions now. Somewhere she'd slip eating and showering in there.

As Keira strengthened her body, she taught Yerd to drive like a professional. It seemed they only bonded this way nowadays. In their free time Keira rested and tinkered in her shop and Yerd went over case files and filed out reports that piled up over the Equinox.

Neither of the two had any contact besides that. Not that it bothered Keira. She had things to do too. Her shop was always littered with half finished projects, never once did she finish anything. It kept her busy in between repairs.

Tinkering was like therapy for her. There was something about having the weight of iron in her hand that gave her an odd comfort. She enjoyed the noise that followed as she worked, taking the space up in her head.

Keira rode home on her Zoomer tiredly. All she wanted now was a bath and sleep.

Today had been particularly rough. She woke up late, followed by a good scowling from Yerd who seemed extra grumpy this morning. He worked her and pushed her harder than she had even been pushed in the last few weeks. At the end of her work out he declared she'd start combat training with the other soldiers tomorrow. No doubt he'd apply twice as much pressure on her.

She figured he had just had a bad day, it wasn't until later she found out that the place Yerd and his old friends grew up had been bombed. It also happened that Yerd's old stomping grounds were also near a major intersection. The bomb had cleared everything within three blocks of it. Traffic would be hell later.

When she was done she figured she'd stop by her father's seeing as she hadn't seen him in a few days. She came happy, hoping for some comfort, maybe even a little chat, only to be told to shoo by her dad. "Go run along and play Keira dear. Daddy's busy." He said, addressing her as a little girl.

Whether that response was from reflex or annoyance it was still a bit rude. Keira rolled her eyes as she got stuck in a three hour long traffic jam-as she predicted- and wanted to bash her head in when she realized she had forgotten her bag at Yerd's and knew it would be at least another two hours back. If she was lucky.

As she got into her apartment and locked the door she quickly peeled off her sweat drenched clothing. After shucking her pants and kicking off her shoes she dumped them into the dirty laundry basket in her room and headed off to a shower.

She turned on the faucet and let the water warm before she stepped in. She sighed happily as the warm water rushed over her, soothing her sores. When she finished she patted dry her hair and walked into her room, falling on her bed with a satisfying plop.

Sleep came easily.

…..

Keira woke with a start. Her breathing was heavy, a cool sweat coated her forehead.

Just a dream, she thought to herself, a horrible, terrible, God-awful dream. She inhaled a much needed breath and sat up slowly. She had fallen asleep sometime in the evening. Looking out her window the sky was ink black sprinkled with a few stars. She couldn't go back to sleep. She needed to get up and do something. Her normal projects wouldn't cut it. They were trivial little things, she could work them without thinking about it. She needed something else more challenging.

The bomb engine she had just lying around in the garage popped into her mind. She quickly got out of bed and headed down to the garage.

As she climbed down the stairs she rubbed her temples. Was it possible for nightmares to give you headaches?

As she flipped on the light in her garage and headed to her work station she couldn't ignore the loud humming sound coming from behind the curtain. A little part of her froze.

The panicky side of Keira came out. Tess warned you to be careful! But you let that stupid adrenaline high cloud your thinking! Now look, that bomb's about to go off!

Keira hated her sensible side, it reminded her of her father. Cautiously she scampered over to the bomb. As she pushed the curtain aside she could see it had a faint glow to it. The glow was dark purple. It reminded her of…

"No." Keira whispered. "No it can't." She walked away from the bomb for a minute to grab her tool apron. As she slipped it on she scanned her messy work bench for a pair of goggles and her welder's gloves.

Walking back to the bomb with a screwdriver in her hand she searched for a panel or latch. On the left side towards the bottom was a rather obvious panel. On it were words printed, "Valve 1 Wires". She hastily undid the two screws with little effort and took a look inside.

She paused as the glowing grew brighter, so much so she had to shield her eyes. As the glow dimmed down she took a moment to examine what was behind the panel.

It was simple enough. There was a timer and two wires; one red wire, one blue, and a clear tube. Under the timer were three buttons. Each button the same white color. The timer itself displayed 00:00, she assumed the three buttons may have been used to set the timer. Keira placed the panel back on and searched the other side. Assuming there were wires for a 'valve one' there must have been a second valve.

Sure enough there's a second panel. Unscrewing the panel quickly Keira noticed that there was only one clear tube, bigger than the one in valve one and a timer with no buttons.

Keira screwed the panel back on. There were large bolts and screws at the very center. She took her wrench and started to unscrew each one.

After an hour or two of tinkering Keira managed to split the whole bomb in half. The mess of wires and tube on the insides hold the two frames together made her picture a robot's innards.

As Keira picked up a wire cutter and started working on-what she hoped were- the timer's wiring she glanced at the wall clock placed above the door leading to her apartment. It was almost five o'clock in the morning.

Shrugging she went back to work. As she clipped the last wire she quickly flipped the timer she had dismantled from the bomb and placed it on the table over. As part of her wished she stuck around Tess to learn a bit more about Haven technology, the bright green numbers faded. Success.

She continued to completely clip the wires off on the other timer. What she was trying to get at were these two little containers inside the bomb. Each of them was teardrop shaped. Keira assumed that's what these bombs dispensed when they detonated. What was inside the containers, she was about to find out.

Just as she reached further for the containers a loud thunk came from the steel garage doors. Her heart leapt a bit from the noise. Up until then nothing had been going on except the sound of her own breathing and clipping metal.

"Excuse me." A muffled voice came from behind the door. As far as Keira could tell it was male.

Probably needs a mechanic's repair. She walked to the door in her garage that led outside. As she walked around to get to the garage door she noticed the sky taking on a soft pink and light grey color.

Outside the door stood a young man, two actually. The first one was a tall. His appearance was rather messy. From a far Keira noticed he had rough stubble growing on his face. His hair was tucked under a navy blue billed hat that matched a navy blue jumpsuit, she often saw window washers near the palace dressed in that uniform.

The other sported bright green hair that was worn short in a Mohawk. He was shorter than his brunette partner.

Funny, what's a window washer doing here? Keira thought. Her suspicion rose even more when she noticed a bouquet of flowers in the brunette man's hands. As she got closer she couldn't fight a knot that was forming in her stomach. She had a bad feeling about this man. The man knocked on the garage door once more.

"Excuse me." Keira's voice was timid, but loud enough for the man to hear.

The man turned to her and hesitated to smile, like he was stunned someone answered him. His green haired friend stood off to the side.

"I have a delivery." The brunette said. His voice was smooth and youthful.

"For whom?" Keira answered back.

"Um, for a Miss…" He took a card out of his pocket and read off from it. "-A Miss Keira Hagai."

Not sure how to respond, Keira stood there.

"Do you know a, ?" Keira's movements felt robotic. She shook her head.

"N-no." She answered. "Um, Ms. Hagai's out at the moment." It's four o'clock, where's Ms. Hagai supposed to be? She thought. "She's at a friend's."

For a moment there was an odd glare in the man's brown eyes. It felt as if he knew she was lying.

"Oh." The smile on the man's face didn't falter. "Could you take these for her then?"

Keira reached out automatically for the flowers. She placed her hands under the man's to receive the flowers.

"Of course." Keira responded. The man dropped the bouquet into her hands.

"Oh and as a 'Thank-You' I'd like to give you this." He said sweetly.

Keira looked up at the man. He was smiling. For a moment Keira didn't understand what was happening until she saw the man's arm draw back and his fist raised to her face level. Her initial instinct was to drop the bouquet and run or duck but instead she stood there with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

The first thing she felt were surprisingly soft knuckles crunch into her nose. There was a distinct crackle as the man's fist drove itself further into Keira's face, disfiguring her.

Needless to say it landed Keira on her ass.

Her bottom promptly hit the concrete side walk under her. She dropped the bouquet in a clumsy attempt to stand. As she stood she veered to the left out into the street.

The very next thing she felt was an unbelievable amount of a throbbing delayed pain. It seemed to start from where her nose was and radiate outwards to the further reaches of her face. She winced as she tried to remember some odd fact said by her father some time ago.

"Don't blow your nose if it's broken Keira, your eye will swell."

It wasn't even a minute-at least it didn't feel like it- before a strong hand gripped her shoulder and spun her around. In a futile attempt Keira batted the hand away, only to be punched again. This time a solid fist landed itself in her gut, knocking all the wind out of her. Keira once again fell to the ground gasping for air.

The next thing she knew a foot came down on her rib cage. She cried out in pain as her two bottom ribs cracked. Looking down she saw a tip of bone stick out at an odd angle from under the skin.

Looking up she saw the green haired man was standing over her with no real emotion besides a bored one, as if beating on Keira was trivial beyond all compare.

Again Keira tried to stand. Something in her screamed, stay down.

She managed to lift her upper body up. Above her the brunette man hovered.

"Please, honey, don't strain yourself." He snickered. His foot had then swung into Keira's face right under her eye, possibly breaking her eye socket and she fell again on the floor. This time had promised to keep her down.

Through her good eye she watched the brunette man walk over and grabbed the ragged flowers, throwing them onto her unceremoniously.

"Sledge says 'Hello' and that he'd like very much for a certain somebody to come visit him sometime." The man sneered in her face. A smile slithered into his lips as he reached down to hold Keira's mangled face in his hand.

"So when you're free, drop by sometime, m'kay beautiful? All you need to do is walk your pretty little self down to Owen's Shop and tell 'em RJ sent you. Oh and-" He leaned down close to her ear. His voice dropped to a whisper. His tone wasn't threatening or harsh, in fact it was gentle like a lover coaxing the other out of bed. "Be careful with that bomb okay?"

He released her head that made a soft thump onto the hard ground. He then tapped his friend on the shoulder. As they walked away Keira stayed on the street whimpering.

On the ground she willed herself to move her arms so she could at least drag herself to her apartment. But the pain was too much for her. Keira made it a total of nine feet which meant there was about five feet to the door, a five feet her arms would not carry her.

She whimpered again and lay on the ground. Slowly she started to sob. Her ragged breaths made it utterly painful. The disrupted breaths she pulled in into her mouth had made her chest expand greatly, affecting the broken ribs below. She winced and spluttered up some blood in a cough.

The sobbing came back again.

Keep it together. She thought angrily.

But by that time the pain had gotten to her, and she gave up.

"Keira! Keria? Keira…"

…..

She woke up sometime later in someplace familiar.

There was something about the way the place smelled reminded her of something. And then it hit her.

Moldy, heavy, slightly wet, and sweaty. There were two places she could be; The Naughty Ottsel basement bathroom or The Freedom League infirmary.

She moved her head to the left and noticed there was an IV stand with a drip bag, the line connected to a needle which was taped down in her arm.

Infirmary it was.

Keira groaned loudly. When she finally felt like she could move she shifted herself so she could sit up. Looking around she found that besides her there were three other men. She was placed in a bed that stared directly at the doors leading into the room.

Outside she could hear muffled yells, some of which sounded like…

"Daddy?"

"Step aside you. I need to see my daughter." A few minutes later Samos walked in. His staff was waving in his hand wildly.

Samos quickly shuffled towards her, in response Keira gave an awkward smile.

"Keira! Look at you! What happened?!" He said grabbing her hand gently. Using his other hand he slowly moved the hair away from her face. Samos shook his head. Keria stared at her father, half dazed, trying to process what he was saying. Things were suddenly moving too fast.

She remembered the beating she received earlier. That's why she was here. Nothing in her body ached at all so she figured she was healed, green eco was handy for things like these. But there was still this little pain in her head, it came with dizziness.

Before she could answer there were more muffled voices outside, some of which sounded like Yerd.

"Move. I need to see her." Yerd growled. Keira watched as he strode into the room, a scowl on his face, a hand on his gun. He went to her side and dropped to one knee.

"Keira, what happened?" he asked, the ferocity fell from his face, just a little.

She had a few choices. She could either tell them what happened about the incident with the bomb, or she could lie. Both would get her in trouble. With the bomb she would have been yelled at, she wouldn't be able to visit the HQ until this was all over, and she wouldn't be let outside of her workshop at all. If she lied her punishment would be the same but at a later time, maybe even worse, plus an added speech on why lying is wrong would be given. She didn't want to outright lie; she didn't want to admit she got beaten up over something she should've never had in the first place either.

So she didn't lie…if omission wasn't lying.

"I…I'm sorry. I'm just so…" She tried her best to sound wimpy, frail. Her father quieted her, as she hoped.

"Keira dear, I understand. Rest for now. We'll get this settled in the morning." Samos insisted. "I'll stay here." He turned to look at Yerd. "You should get back, Torn no doubt needs you."

Yerd shook his head. "I think Torn'll live without me for a little. I'll stay."

Keira looked both men in the face and weakly claimed. "Neither of you need to stay. In fact I might need some time to myself. Sort things out."

Samos had a bit of a struggle hearing that. But then he reconsidered. Looking into Keira's eyes he said, "If you need anything, anything. Tell the doctors to get me." Samos insisted.

"Actually, Mr. Hagai, We've got the doctors monitoring her, and we've got green eco pumping into her. She can leave later tonight if she wanted. It's nothing to worry about." Yerd commented.

Samos fixed him with glare. "Don't you tell me how much to or not to worry about my daughter, Dobbler." Samos declared. Samos squeezed his daughter's hand comfortingly. He then got up in a huff and stormed out of the room, mumbling complains and ramblings about Yerd and HQ and how he would die "young" with all this stress.

Yerd and Keira watched Samos shuffle out of the room.

Slowly, Yerd turned his head back to Keira.

"So what really happened?" he asked.

Keira's eyes widened, then quickly hiding behind her façade, replied, "I-I don't know. The last thing I remembered was something hitting me, and then I woke up here."

Yerd looked unconvinced. "Okay, obviously you don't want to talk about it right now. So I won't make you. But you'll have to tell me eventually, Keira." Yerd said.

He walked off without so much as a goodbye.

Keria noted his odd behavior, but she chalked it up to being simple irritation that she was keeping secrets from him and let it go. She had decided it was best not to return to the apartment until a little later. She didn't know if her new 'buddies' would be back. So she waited it out.

People came in to see her over the next few days; some were from the Freedom League who asked her questions. Others were doctors monitoring her progress. And even some where friends. Her father made it a point to visit her every morning and every evening, despite her telling him she was alright.

Tess popped by once with flowers. She helped liven up the boring room with her stories and personality.

And of course there was Yerd. Every time he'd ask her the same things.

"How are you feeling?"

"Do you want to talk about what happened?"

And every time she'd tell him, 'no'. It was odd though. When she tried to change the subject he'd shut down on her. More than once when she mentioned combat training when she got better he'd always try to hide this look on his face. It was like he was in pain.

No matter what she tried to do-whether it was joke with him, or if she was really desperate, flirting-he'd leave angrier than he had when he came in. She'd asked him multiple times if he was okay and told him to take it easy on patrol, thinking that's what was irritating him. But he'd never say what it was. Eventually she had enough of his attitude and told him not to come back until he was ready to sit down and actually converse with her.

Yerd was stunned at first, not knowing how to handle it, then he got up and gruffly mumbled, "Fine," over his shoulder before storming out. He never came back.

She was awake in bed that night. She remembered the man's words.

Just tell them.

I can't.

Because?

Because what if it's some kind of trap?

Torn and the Freedom League are smart. He's not going to send his whole army down there.

But he will, especially if he thinks Sledge will be down there.

And if he is?

Well then we missed out on a big chance didn't we?

…And if he's not.

Then we might've just gotten a whole lot of people killed.

She left the hospital a few days later, not telling anyone where she checked out.

Her first goal was to make it back to her apartment. No doubt Yerd or Torn would've launched a full scale investigation on request from her father or just from their general suspicions.

While she was in the hospital, she was able to put two and two together. Yerd was trying to get something from her. He only visited after her giving the League members lukewarm answers to their questions. And in a way Yerd asked the same ones.

She figured they might've been suspicious about exactly how she ended up in the hospital in the first place. Her idea was that her dad must have told the Freedom League to investigate her apartment, search for anything that might give them a clue to who did this.

She wanted to get back there as soon as possible, praying to whoever was listening that they hadn't found the bomb. Because if they did, that would make this little mishap a whole lot more complicated.

But she realized a problem when she exited the hospital, she had no ride back, and no keys to her apartment.

"Damn." She hissed under her breath. She quickly scanned around the hospital parking lot. Off in the distance she spotted a man just getting off his Zoomer. Knowing what she needed to do, she winced, apologizing to herself and to the man over and over again in her head as she approached him.

"Hello." She said evenly.

The man was momentarily confused. "Um, hi-."

Keira jumped onto the Zoomer, keys still in the ignition, and sped out of the parking lot, knocking the guy over. "Sorry!" she called to him.

"Hey!"

Keira sped to her house, running lights and almost over pedestrians. She cursed again when she noted the increasing amount of Freedom League cruisers and Zoomers and concluded only one thing. This was confirmed when she turned a corner and saw the garage and the League coming in and out of the house, securing a perimeter, and doing checks around the property.

She groaned and sped by the house, trying to remain hidden.

She rode the Zoomer around the corner to the apartment buildings behind her's. She parked on the street and took a moment to think of what to do.

"22-KL, Torn's requesting a look for Hagai's daughter, she's left the hospital, no one knows where she is. Over."

Keira jumped as the radio squawked to life. Her heart beat in her chest rapidly. She searched the Zoomer for the source and then got off to search for it.

"22-KL, respond. Over."

She heard the radio emanate from inside the vehicle. Taking a wild guess she put her hand over the seat of the Zoomer. She felt around for a button or a latch, something that might suggest the thing could turn on when she noted a small handset.

She plucked it off its security clip and looked it over. She found the Freedom League insignia on the handset.

"Goddamit, Keira." She muttered. "Not only did you have to steal a Zoomer, you had to steal a Freedom League Zoomer."

She cursed again, "Idiot! You're such an idiot." Keira sighed.

"22-KL we're sending a squad to your location. Please remain in the area. Over."

Keira froze. She heard them mention a search party for her, but if her estimations were correct, all they'd want is an explanation for the bomb right? So that'd be easy, all she'd have to do is have them come find her and explain everything. Simple.

So she nervously paced around the Zoomer waiting for the crew to arrive. She heard the first of them approach from around the corner.

"I would've never guessed Hagai's daughter would be running with them." One said.

"I'd believe anything nowadays." Replied another.

"Yeah but Hagai's daughter? She's a mechanic. And she's done nothing but help the League for as long as she's been here."

"Hey man, The Equinox offers people some big prizes for joining up. You never know, she might've had a grudge against the old man or something."

Why couldn't anything be simple?

Now what the hell was this? Did they think she was helping The Equinox? Over what? One bomb? No-no that was ridiculous. Torn was more sensible than that.

But then her actions in the last days replayed in her mind. Mysteriously ending up in the hospital, dodging the Freedom League questions, breaking out of a hospital, stealing a Freedom League Zoomer, and now the bomb they no doubt found in her apartment.

The dread finally washed over her. Oh god she was screwed. Oh sweet merciful god, she was screwed.

Faster than lighting, Keira jumped onto the Zoomer, she started it up feeling relieved that it roared to life. She gave a quick look over her shoulder.

"Hagai! Stop right there!" a chorus of cocking guns accompanied the command. "You are under arrest for treason and conspiracy against The Freedom League and Haven City."

Not giving it another thought she sped out of the neighborhood. A hail of lasers shot at her, one just barely scraping the back of the Zoomer and another grazing her right leg.

She drove for hours, narrowly avoiding The Freedom League.

The adrenaline rush she felt a few weeks earlier hadn't returned. The rush was replaced by a crippling fear and anxiety.

Eventually she had to pull over into a little alley to get her head together. Through the radio she heard all the squad updates, all the protocols, even some mindless radio chatter. All of it was of her and none of it was good. When she confident that no one had followed her, she took a deep breath, and cried.

She cried like a little baby for getting herself into all this trouble and cried for being an idiot. But just as soon as the fit had come, it passed and she took another deep breath.

She didn't have a clue what she would do. If she were detained by The Freedom League there would be a slim chance that anyone would believe her, and even if she did, there was likely a chance that she'd still end up locked up over stolen Freedom League property.

How are we gonna get out of this one, Keira?

The man's words slowly crept into her mind

So when you're free, drop by sometime, m'kay beautiful? All you need to do is walk your pretty little self down to Owen's Shop She had one thought then.

She had to clear her name. And she had a vague idea of how to do it.

She had on her mind only destination then, Owen's Shop.

She arrived there at night. She pulled into an alley, looking over her shoulder as she did so, scouting for any more of Torn's men.

"Okay, pull it together." She commanded. "Sledge is here and ready to meet you. You've got one chance to not mess this up."

The radio on the Zoomer squawked back to life. "Attention all units, all units, Torn has ordered a manhunt for Keira Hagai. Any and all activity is to be reported to The Freedom League. Over."

Keira walked the Zoomer through the alley, wondering at what point her life got so messed up.

She was now in the seedier district of Haven City. Nothing was down here but bars and thugs. Keira kept her head down as she walked the Zoomer through the crowded streets, hoping that the radio wouldn't go off.

The walk was a long one and the further she got into the district, the rougher the faces looked around her. Once or twice she'd been asked by a man and his friends if she wanted a drink and a good time. She awkwardly rebuffed them, picking up her pace as she walked off.

She'd only visited Owen's Shop once, it was from her arrival at Haven City. She'd gone looking for a job at the time. The owner turned her away, telling her they couldn't support the staff they had then, let alone another person. That was all a few years back. And if memory still served her, the shop also should've been around the corner.

To her delight it was, the garage door was wide open, and that partially broken neon was shining bright.

She took a look around and walked the Zoomer in. There a handful of men scattered around the shop, working on repairs and stripping vehicles. She was greeted by a brick wall of a man who wore a name tag that read, 'Clark'.

"You lost, girl?" He asked.

"No. I…" she tried to remember what the guy had told her. "RJ." She announced. "He sent me."

Clark looked around then back to Keira. "What for?"

"I was supposed to come by…to talk I guess."

Clark nodded. "Follow me, girly." She began to walk but stopped. "My Zoomer." She said.

"Yeah, no one's gonna mess with-."

"No. I mean, it's stolen." Clark turned around and crossed his arms.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. From the Freedom League."

Everyone else in the shop slowly stopped what they were doing and looked at her. Clark inspected the Zoomer again. "Is it bugged?" he asked.

Keira shrugged. "I don't know. It's a got Freedom League scanner probably tucked under the seat though, there might be one it that."

Clark grunted. "I'll have the boys take a look at it. You planning to drive with it?"

"Assuming RJ lets me leave in one piece." She replied. Clark chuckled. "Alright then." He raised his large hand to his mouth and whistled. "I need someone on this Zoomer. There's a Freedom League radio that needs to be removed. Get on it."

Two men took the Zoomer from her and inspected the vehicle.

"Now that we got that sorted, follow me."

Keira followed Clark out of the workshop and into the office. Inside the office there was another door, a keypad was installed on the wall next to it; he input a combination of numbers. The door popped open, Clark took hold of the handle and pulled it open wide.

She was met with a long set of stairs. "Just walk down these stairs, tell 'em who sent you." He said.

Hesitatingly she set her foot down on one step, then another and another. Clark closed the door behind her. She was left alone in the dark for a moment, which was when the stairwell was lit with ceiling panel lights. She continued down the steps .

The stairs seemed to drag on forever. About halfway down there was a nagging pain in her leg.

Keira stopped and leaned on the wall. Looking down she saw her right pant leg had been burned, the skin under it had been torched as well.

Sometimes when Keira would nick herself on her tools in the garage she wouldn't even feel them until she'd put everything away. And then the nicks and cuts would hurt like a son of a bitch.

This was one of those times.

Keria continued to hobble down the stairs wincing with each step. She reached the bottom and sighed, relieved.

There was a short hallway where an armed man stood.

Keira stood up straight and tried to pretend her leg was killing her. She walked up to him confidently.

"State your business." The armed man said.

"I'm here to see Sledge." She said, "RJ sent me."

The man stepped aside and opened the door. "Step in."

Keira walked through the door confidently. The first thing she noticed was the smell.

It was like walking into the rec room at the Freedom League headquarters; stale cigar smoke and sweat, but the air was cold, keeping the smell from reaching its full potential. The man closed the door behind her.

Quickly she realized it wasn't much of a room at all. No, it was more akin to a warehouse. Nothing but a random set of furniture was set up. Keira could vaguely make out a few figures sitting in the chairs and couches set up.

She started towards it. The closer she came the better she could make out the people sitting around.

"Hey, our littler tinkerer came to visit. Looks like you've made a speedy recovery. I'm glad we didn't damage the face too much."

Keira glared. She was now at what she called the 'living room' of the warehouse.

RJ was sitting in the love seat smirking. He looked at a man sitting in the couch with his back to Keira.

"Sledge, this is Keira Hagai. Inventor and mechanic extraordinaire." RJ said.

Two other men seated in the other couch glanced at her. Neither seemed interested.

"Forgive me, Ms. Hagai. In my advanced age I find it hard to get into and out of chairs and the like. My muscles aren't what they used to be." He said softly. "Would you do me the kindness of coming around the sofa, dear?"

Keria crossed her arms and slowly walked around the couch to face Sledge.

He wasn't what she expected.

A big, brute covered in tattoos or a slimy business man had been her first guess. Not an old man who looked like he was someone's kindly grandfather.

Sledge smiled and nodded his head to her. "Thank you. Please have a seat, RJ, give the lady a seat would you."

RJ protested. Sledge frowned. "This young lady is a guest. Not only that, but I recall you almost caved in her skull not more than a few days ago, which I did not instruct you to do at all. I'll tell you RJ, your insubordination is trying me, the fact that you aren't dead is my way of showing you a kindness. Now if you wish for me to keep doing so, you'll get out of that chair and offer it to Ms. Hagai."

RJ begrudgingly rose and presented the seat to her sarcastically. She glared at him and sat down. The wound on her leg was now scabbing up; she tried not to wince as she stretched the leg.

Sledge noticed her slight discomfort. "Is the seat not to your liking?"

"No." She replied. "It's…my leg."

Sledge's cloudy blue eyes looked at her leg, he noted the rip in her pants. "Might I ask what happened?"

"Just an accident…on the way over." She said. "I'll be fine."

"No, please. Let us look after it." He offered.

"Really, it's-."

"Ms. Hagai." He said, his tone taking on a dark tone. "Please. Let me take care of it."

The hairs at the back of her neck stood up. She told herself to comply, unsure of what he'd do if she refused again. She felt her head bob up and down. A pleased smile crept across Sledge's face. He looked to RJ.

"Would you get the first aid kit?" he asked.

RJ rolled his eyes. "I'll be back."

Sledge watched him leave, then turned back to Keira.

"So, Ms. Hagai-."

"Keira." She cut in.

"Keira, how long have you been a mechanic?"

She was taken aback at how professional it sounded. "Officially, three years. Unofficially? Ever since I could walk."

Sledge's smile changed from smug to amused, "You like what you do?"

"If I didn't like it, I wouldn't do it."

"Alright, princess, stick out that leg." RJ said flatly, returning with a first aid kit in his hand. Keira extended her injured leg slowly.

RJ knelt down in front of her and opened the first aid kit. "You kick me, I'm gonna kick you harder." He said as he started to unscrew the cap to an alcohol bottle.

She remained silent, not wanting to look at him. Part of her was tempted to just let loose on him while she had the advantage. But she knew better than to bring fists to a gun fight. She eyed the handgun in the holster on his leg. Her hands itched.

"What's your opinion on dark eco?"

Keria looked at Sledge, an eyebrow raised. "Please forgive me, but, is this an interview or-?"

Sledge chuckled loudly. Keira shrunk back in her seat. "Well, it's precisely that." He said.

"What-ah, hey watch it." She growled.

RJ looked up at her, his hands busy sterilizing the burn wound. "You want me to make this worse? Cause I can, sugar."

"RJ, please." Sledge chastised. He turned his attention back to Keira. "Ms. Hagai, running a crime syndicate is just like running a real company." Sledge explained. "You have your competitors, your employees, your taxes you have to file and the bills you must pay. But what funds all these endeavors? What makes a business a business?"

Keira shrugged.

"Product." Sledge answered. "A product."

RJ took out a roll of bandages and scissors. He slid one blade under the cloth. Keira tensed, moving from him slightly, the muscles in her leg tightened up for a kick. "Relax, would you? I need to get to the burn. Your pants are trashed anyways, don't worry about."

Sledge nodded his head, assuring her. Once he saw her settle, he continued.

"Now, of course, a crime syndicate is a business, but it is a very different business. We don't buy and share stocks, we don't make consumables, and we don't sell something everyone needs. Not in the normal fashion at least." He said. "What we sell is what people are denied so often. We sell happiness."

Keira must have looked at him funny in that moment, because Sledge's demeanor did a 180.

"I apologize; I fear I may be boring you." He said, "Let me cut to the chase then."

RJ had begun to wrap the bandages around her leg. He mumbled something about the bandages being of crappy quality and that he'd have to go 'talk' to the guy who sold him a hundred units.

"Our business is expanding. We're branching out into different areas-diversifying if you will- and my latest project needs someone of your skill. So why beat around the bush looking for someone second rate when we can just get the genuine article?"

"I-I-I couldn't." the words couldn't tumble out of her mouth fast enough.

"Oh, but you must. Look at your accomplishments, Keira, dear. You've invented the Zoomer, something you can't turn a corner without seeing, a hover board, won multiple awards for racing, built a time machine for Precursors sake." He said, and then noticing the look on her face, he smiled.

"How did you kno-."

"When you've gotten to the position I am in life, you can find out anything you want about anyone." He replied.

Keira was quiet as she thought.

You're seriously considering this!

Shut up, no I'm just stalling. I need an excuse.

"Alright, sugar, you're all patched up. Do me a favor and not get shot next time. I ain't some nurse." RJ announced as he rose from the floor.

Keira looked down at the bandages which were slightly loose on her leg. She gave him a dirty look and began to adjust them. "Obviously." She muttered.

"So will you do it?" Sledge asked once Keira had adjusted her bandages.

"I mean no disrespect, but, I can't help you make things that'll hurt people."

Sledge's face was hard to read. Keira was already regretting her answer. A knot was forming in her stomach, she was mentally preparing herself to get up and run at any moment. She did the math in her head. She could possibly get to the door before they shot her if she ran like a mad man.

Sledge parted his lips and looked as if he were about to say something but smiled and simply chortled. "No, no I understand." He told her.

Keira released a breath she wasn't aware she was keeping in.

"My offer was a little-." He waved his hand around, looking for the word, "-brash, I'd say. I mean I just invite you out of the blue and ask you to join me. I mean you hardly know me. Forgive me."

Sledge rose, Keira did as well. He walked towards her then and set a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I've heard of your current situation. I was wondering if you had safe place to stay?" He asked.

Keira shook her head.

"Then you'll stay with me at my home."

Her head began to shake.

"Oh now-now child, I insist. After all, you're in this unfortunate predicament because of me. I'd like to make sure you're taken care of while you think about our offer."

"I should really be- I mean I don't want to-there might be someone looking for-." She tripped over her words as they started walking to the door.

"Relax, please. You'll only have to spend the night, you can leave any time you please. I'd only wish for you to seriously consider it." He said, "this project of mine, it's unlike anything anyone has seen before."

His face was wistful as he spoke of it, "A long time dream of mine, something I wanted to make but I was limited with technology. But I believe you can help me make this dream come true."

Keira mumbled some more unintelligible babble.

"RJ, take her to my home, make sure she's treated well. Get her anything she needs. I'll be handling some more business . I won't be home until very late." He said.

RJ nodded and grabbed Keira by her upper arm. "C'mon." he mumbled.

They were approaching the door out but before she crossed the threshold Sledge added one more thing.

"I don't want anyone else on this project, Keira." He said. "And I always make sure I get what I want."