Aunor had rarely felt so tense on a flight. They had been in warp space for a while and the controls were set on autopilot, so she didn't even have anything to keep her hands busy.
She couldn't describe the weight of responsibility that bore down on her. It was as though she were Atlas, holding up the sky.
They had no jurisdiction over the Reef. They had not been authorized to pursue Hayden or even assigned to the team investigating him. As much as Aunor knew that Ikora was with them in spirit, what they were doing was technically an unsanctioned operation.
Success or failure, Aunor would take the blame. And she wouldn't have it any other way. Harley Hayden had nearly been killed while in Praxic custody. Under her watch. There was no way she would let that fate catch up with him in the Reef unchallenged.
She glanced at Sarren. The other Warlock was staring ahead into warp space, looking troubled.
"Having second thoughts?" she asked, concealing the touch of worry that maybe he was. Aunor didn't know what she would do if Sarren decided to back out. It's not as if she could drop him off or anything.
"No," he said, "Just thinking…"
"About what?" She was hoping a conversation with him would distract her from the concerns tugging at her own mind.
"How long do you think we have before we get to the Shore?" he asked.
She frowned. "The nav system calculated a two-hour travel time. Earth's orbit is in a good place relative to the Reef… Can't your eye tell you that?"
Sarren sighed. "It did. I don't know, I suppose I'm just wishing it was shorter."
Aunor could agree with that. "Well we've already been flying for a while," she pointed out.
"Malphur has too," said the Sunsinger grimly.
Aunor nodded. That was what worried her the most: the thought of Shin Malphur beating them to the Tangled Shore. "There's a chance we could overtake him." Not that they would know it if they did. The chances of running into his ship were incredibly slim even if they were en route to the same place.
"I've never known you to be much of an optimist," said Sarren.
Aunor conceded the point. "I know... But I prefer not to speculate on the alternative." She wasn't superstitious by a long shot, but she knew that pondering over negative possibilities often led to those possibilities manifesting, one way or another. "What's our ETA?"
Sarren's eye allowed him to interface with her ship's navigational systems. "Forty-five minutes," he said, "If we hold our current speed and course."
She nodded. "And how much time did Malphur's headstart buy him?"
Sarren's brow furrowed. "I'd estimate at least ten minutes. Possibly fifteen."
Aunor grimaced, but she wasn't surprised. It had taken them some time to get out of the Tower after Malphur had reportedly left. Not very long, but every minute counted. She stared at the ship's control panel, silently willing it to fly faster as they hurtled through the stars.
Harley was barely focusing as he followed Kyler through the twists and turns of the Spider's lair. He knew it would be better if he was fully present, but he had a lot on his mind.
His plan to hide out in the Reef had failed in the worst possible way. Harley had ventured out into the wilds of the Tangled Shore so he wouldn't drag anyone else into his mess. Instead, he'd pulled Kyler into things and now the mechanic was in danger because of him.
He wished Kyler had let him leave earlier. If he had, none of this would have happened. Kyler would be hanging out with his Fallen friends and Harley would be… well, he wasn't sure exactly. Someplace where he wouldn't hinder the lives of the people he knew. But the time for that had long passed. He needed to deal with the here and now.
It wasn't how he wanted things to be but it was how they were. And what he needed to do was damage control. He had to make sure that when his pursuers caught up with him - and it was looking more and more like "when" rather than "if" - Kyler wasn't anywhere near it.
It was putting it lightly to say that he and the mechanic hadn't been on the most solid ground after Kyler had left him in the City years ago, but he knew Kyler was trying to make a fresh start and he could respect it. There was also the matter of the debt he owed the mechanic for coming to his aid again. As much as he wished Kyler hadn't come, he did owe him and he fully intended to repay it by keeping him out of the crossfire that he knew was on the horizon.
Kyler stopped in front of him. "Ok, I can see the street," he told Harley, "We need to get to the pike without tipping anyone off. Keep your head down and act natural."
Harley nodded.
Kyler scanned the street one more time before stepping out into the open. Harley winced reactively, waiting for the sound of gunfire. It didn't come. Kyler continued walking. He moved purposefully but without rushing.
Harley took a deep breath and followed. As he crossed, he listened for any sign that their escape had been discovered. But there was nothing. Ahead of him, he saw Kyler enter the building where they had stashed the pike. They were going to make it.
Suddenly, a hand crashed down on his shoulder, making him flinch.
"Hey, pal," a voice greeted brightly, "Mind telling me where I can find Trapper's Cave? There's supposed to be a cache in it but the map has me all turned around."
Mindful of keeping his face hidden, he turned to see a Guardian standing next to him. Their cloak marked them as a Hunter. He noticed they also bore a few armor pieces that looked Shore-made.
He considered the question. He'd been all over the Shore hunting for the Scorned Barons. He was pretty sure he remembered where Trapper's Cave was. "It's up in Four-Horn Gulch," he told the Hunter, keeping his voice low, "Take the gravlifts on the other side of Thieves' Landing."
The Hunter clapped him on the arm. "Thanks, friend," he said, beginning to walk away.
Harley released the breath he'd been holding but before he could relax completely, the Hunter turned around again. "Say, you wanna come with?" he offered, "I'll give you a cut." Harley shook his head. "Alright. Suit yourself."
He waited until the Hunter was out of sight before he walked the rest of the way to the building.
It was strange, running into another Guardian like that. Normally, he wouldn't have thought twice about it. But after everything he'd been dealing with since he'd returned to the Tower, other Guardians felt different to be around. He used to feel like he was one of them. Now he felt like he was an outsider.
Kyler revved the pike. "Coming?" he asked.
Harley shook off the thoughts and nodded. Once he'd gotten onto the pike, the mechanic took off back along the route they'd taken to get to Thieves' Landing.
Harley knew it was going to be a long ride back to the cabin. He didn't say anything to Kyler, but he couldn't help but check over his shoulder every few minutes. Who knew how many eyes the Spider had on the Shore.
"I knew it was a bad idea to go to Thieves Landing," Kyler admonished, "I should've gone with my instincts and stayed away."
Harley wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't been against the idea. Of course, the thought of possibly giving Kyler the slip was what had settled the matter for him. "What are you going to do about Yyrhiks?" he asked. He wasn't particularly interested, but talking gave him something to do other than feed his paranoia by constantly glancing behind them.
Kyler's reply sounded frustrated. "Tell him that either he can do some legwork for once and pick it up himself or have Zyras help him. There's no way I'm showing my face anywhere near Thieves' Landing for at least thirty cycles."
Harley nodded. That seemed reasonable. "Why couldn't he get it himself in the first place?" he asked.
Kyler's sigh was loud enough that Harley heard it over the engine. "I don't know... And I didn't care. But now I do. He owes me an explanation."
That also seemed fair. Harley couldn't lie, he was impressed at the life Kyler had managed to create after leaving the City. The force of will required to carve a living out of the barren and hostile rocks of the Tangled Shore had to be astronomical.
The silence stretched on and out of habit, Harley glanced behind them.
They were no longer alone.
About half a mile back, he could make out a vehicle kicking up a faint cloud of dust. He tapped Kyler on the shoulder. "We've got company."
It was the mechanic's turn to look over his shoulder. He cursed and Harley felt the pike accelerate. "Will they catch up?"
He heard the tension in Kyler's response. "I don't know... We have a good lead on them. A pike wouldn't be able to make that up. Not even one of Yaviks'..." He trailed off.
Harley prompted him. "But?"
"But a Sparrow might be able to."
Harley didn't need to ask if Kyler thought it was a Sparrow. He'd heard the worry seep into the mechanic's voice. The worst-case scenario was often the most likely one. "Can we outrun them?"
Kyler scoffed. "Maybe if I was Marcus Ren."
"Can we make it to the cabin before they catch up?"
"Maybe. But what good would that do?"
"I don't know! Buy us some time maybe? Just give it all you've got."
"Not a problem," said Kyler, his voice wound tight.
The pike whined, accelerating even more. Harley turned to watch their distant pursuer as they tore across the asteroids. He had to think of a plan before they reached the cabin.
The pike had carried them across several asteroids and Harley could still see the Sparrow on their tail. The good news was that it was still pretty far back. The bad news was that because of this, Harley couldn't tell who it was that chased them.
He had a rough plan for what to do once they reached the cabin but a big part of that plan hinged on knowing who their pursuer was. If it was one of Spider's goons or any of the criminals, he was as good as dead. He hoped it was someone from the Praxic Order. As things stood, they were the least of the evils. Still, before he could put his plan into action, he needed to be sure.
He tapped Kyler's shoulder again. "Do you have binoculars? Or anything with a scope?"
Kyler turned his head slightly. "The gun on my back!" he called over the wind.
Harley found the gun's fastenings and removed it from the strap. Holding onto Kyler with one hand to secure his position, he twisted in his seat, aiming the weapon's scope at their pursuer.
It was difficult to get a fix between his awkward seating and the movement of both vehicles, but he was eventually able to find the other driver.
He cursed. "It's a Sparrow!" he called to Kyler.
He zoomed in as much as he could while still keeping the other person centered within it. It looked like the driver was wearing armor. They were also hooded. He could just make out a cloak flapping behind them. "Guardian!"
Kyler swore. Harley wondered if it was the Hunter he'd run into back in Thieves' Landing. He strapped the gun back onto Kyler. There was a chance his plan might work.
"Hey!" he yelled, "Let me drive!"
"Are you crazy?!" Kyler demanded, "Why?"
"I think I can keep us ahead! I'm no Marcus Ren but I'm not bad either. You saw me during that Winter Solstice race."
Kyler sounded exasperated. "A pike is different than a Sparrow, Ace!"
Harley didn't say anything. He was hoping the mechanic would come around to his idea. For the best shot at pulling this off, he needed to be behind the wheel - so to speak.
Kyler groaned. "We can't exactly afford to stop and switch seats right now!" the mechanic told him.
"Then don't stop." He ignored Kyler's incredulous "what?" "Stand up!"
For a long moment, the mechanic didn't move. Harley worried that he'd decided not to go along with the idea.
But then Kyler rose, one foot on either side of the pike. "Now what?" he demanded.
"Can you put both feet on one side?" asked Harley.
"Yeah but that'll tank our stability!"
"Do you trust me?"
There was another long pause.
"Yes."
"Then do it."
As soon as Kyler stepped over to put both of his legs on one side of the pike, Harley swung his other leg over to counterbalance the mechanic.
"I feel like the dumbest stunt rider in existence," said Kyler, "What now?"
"Keep it steady," Harley told him, "I'm going to duck under you and get in the front." He moved forward on the seat, ducking under Kyler's arm. Once he was there, they both put their legs back over the seat and Harley's hands replaced Kyler's on the handlebars. He felt the mechanic drop back into the seat behind him.
Now came the hard part.
Harley had only driven pikes a handful of times. Kyler would normally have been the better choice to keep in control but Harley was the one with the plan. Besides, it wasn't as though he was competing with Marcus Ren or Enoch Bast. He just needed to keep them ahead of their pursuer until they reached Kyler's cabin.
"How much further?" he called over his shoulder.
"Not much!" replied Kyler, "One mile and we're there."
"How far back are they?"
There was a moment of silence as Kyler checked. "They're getting close," he said grimly, "I can make out the Sparrow and their armor. Half a mile more and I'll be able to tell you what model they're using."
As much as Harley was tempted to see for himself, he kept his eyes on the stretch of asteroid ahead. He thought he could make out the cabin in the distance.
The pike shot across the dull rock, kicking up dust and bumping over rocks. They were going to make it. They had to.
"They're maybe 500 yards behind us now," said Kyler.
Harley fought back the fear his statement dredged up. They wouldn't be able to stay ahead much longer. He could now see the cabin properly. They were coming up on it fast.
"Now?"
"A few hundred feet. Maybe."
That was it. Harley knew he had to make his move now before they were overtaken. "Where are they?" he asked.
As Kyler turned to look, Harley suddenly jerked the handlebars to the left.
The pike swung around, launching the mechanic from his seat. Harley barely had time to see him thrown clear when the Sparrow rammed into the pike with a loud crash, sending the two vehicles and their drivers careening across the plain.
Harley tried in vain to keep holding on but in one particularly violent roll, his hands slipped free and he hit the ground hard.
It took a while for Harley to come back to himself. Everything felt hazy and distant, though he was aware of a steadily growing throb in his head and side.
For a long moment, he just lay there, his cheek pressed into the cold rocky ground.
Little by little, things grew clearer. The darkness in his vision was lightening.
He sat up slowly, groaning as the throbbing in his side turned into a stabbing sensation. It felt as though every inch of him had been struck with a sledgehammer. His mouth tasted like iron. He blinked to clear the rest of his vision as the ringing in his ears subsided.
The crash.
Harley shot to his feet, disregarding how his body screamed at him. He'd taken a gamble and he needed to know that it had paid off.
He looked around. Hopefully, his pursuer wasn't in any better condition than he was. He looked at the wrecked pike and Sparrow. Presumably, that was where the other Guardian was.
Harley turned, walking away from the crash site. He needed to find Kyler before the other Hunter got up.
He located the mechanic about a hundred feet away, lying on his back. He wasn't moving.
Harley knelt beside him, feeling for a pulse. It was there. He allowed himself one moment of relief before grabbing Kyler's arm and pulling the mechanic's body across his shoulders. It took everything he had to get to his feet. He glanced back towards the vehicles. No sign of movement yet. Harley set off for the cabin. He couldn't move very fast, but he kept his pace steady. Kyler needed to be safe.
He unlocked the door using the key from Kyler's belt and stepped inside long enough to drop the mechanic onto the bed. Then he left, shutting the door behind him as he headed back towards the crash site.
Once Harley got closer, he was able to make out the form of the Hunter. They didn't appear to be conscious. He took another step forward.
A Ghost appeared in a bright flash, startling him.
He watched as it poured Light into its Guardian. Within a few seconds, the other Hunter was getting to their feet as though the crash had never happened. The Ghost vanished as the Hunter turned to face Harley.
He was surprised to hear the other chuckle. "That was some move, kid," the man said, "Might've worked too, 'cept you didn't take your chance to get the hell outta dodge."
Harley's lips pressed into a frown. "That wasn't my plan."
If the Hunter was surprised by that, he didn't show it. He moved a few steps closer, clear of the battered vehicles.
Harley noticed how old his armor looked. He tried to make out the man's face but it was hidden deep in his hood. The Hunter's hand rested near his holster. Like a warning.
"Where's your friend?" he asked, "Seem to recall there were two of you."
"Leave him out of this," Harley told him, "You're after me anyway. Or am I wrong?"
The Hunter shook his head. "You're not."
It didn't seem like the man was about to shoot him - at least not right away.
Harley took the opportunity to ask some questions. "Who are you?" he asked, "You're not with the Praxic Order. Do you work for the Spider?"
The Hunter scoffed. "I work for no one."
Harley's brows furrowed. "Then why are you after me?"
The man chuckled softly. "Easy. You're dangerous, kid... I'm in the business of stopping dangerous people."
Harley had no idea what the man was talking about. The only people he was dangerous to were the enemies of humanity. "If I'm so dangerous, then why haven't you shot me yet?"
The Hunter shrugged. "I'm in no rush… Why? You got someplace to be?"
"Yeah. The land of the living."
The Hunter scoffed. "Funny… Let me know how that works out for you."
Faster than Harley could blink, the man's gun was out of the holster and aiming at his head.
It was a hand cannon. The magnified rays of the distant Sun glinted coldly off of the barrel. Flames leaped up before Harley's eyes, encasing the gun in a glowing heat.
All of a sudden, realization struck. "You're him," Harley said, "The Man with the Golden Gun."
That seemed to amuse the Hunter. "Only to my enemies." The words were spoken with a quiet humor. "...Any last words?"
Maybe it was knowing he was about to die that had kicked Harley's brain into overdrive, or maybe the Hunter's question triggered a dormant memory, but a bunch of free-floating pieces began to connect.
He knew he was about to be shot, but he couldn't take his eyes off of the gun. Something about it struck a distant chord. The gold along the top, the markings, the shape. He felt like he'd seen it somewhere before. Tilting his head minutely, he was able to make out "Tex Mechanica" etched into the side. Then it hit him.
A while back, during one of his research stints in the Tower Library, he'd come across a collection of records that had hit particularly close to home. A tale concerning a small settlement, a fallen hero's rampage of terror, and a legendary showdown that was still a popular topic among Hunters centuries later. Just like that, everything made sense. Just like that, the barrel he was staring down had a name.
"The Last Word." The words jumped unbidden from his lips.
Something in the man's stance shifted, and while Harley still couldn't see his face, he could feel the calculating eyes that were laser-focused on him. "What did you say?"
Harley felt absolutely certain that he knew the man's identity. "I know who you are." And if he was right, then he was in even more danger than he'd thought.
The Hunter's eyes gleamed in the depths of his hood. For a moment, Harley thought he would just shoot him right then, but it seemed he had aroused the stranger's curiosity. "Who am I?"
"You're Shin Malphur," said Harley, "The Guardian who killed Dredgen Yor."
He watched for a reaction. Surprise maybe. Something to tell him that he was right.
"So I am," the man stated simply.
Harley's mind was racing. The fact that Shin Malphur had been the one hunting him down was more concerning than anything else. "Why are you after me?" he asked again.
Shin's response was matter-of-fact. "If you know who I am, you know why I'm here."
"But I'm not like Yor," Harley protested, "I never killed another Guardian!"
"Maybe not," said Shin, "But you're heading in that direction. Same path. Only difference is the distance you've covered."
"So you're going to kill me just because the Praxic Order found a Weapon of Sorrow in my apartment?"
Shin's silence was his answer.
Harley's eyes widened as another piece of the puzzle slid into place. "Is that why you're after the Drifter? He told me you were after him." The Hunter tilted his head and Harley took note of the slight movement. Had he thrown him off?
Shin seemed to be considering how to respond, his aim dropping slightly.
"If I was really hunting him, he wouldn't be alive right now," he said finally, "How do you know the Drifter anyway? Gambit?"
Harley shook his head. "I haven't played it. He only told me about it. I think he wants me to get involved with it. He said he wants me on his team, whatever that means." He wasn't entirely sure why he was telling Shin all of this. His best guess was the shock of the crash combined with coming face to face with one of the most infamous Hunters ever chosen by the Traveler. Or maybe he was just stalling the inevitable.
"So you're... friends." The Hunter sounded vaguely disapproving.
Harley frowned. "I don't know if I'd say that. We aren't enemies, though. Allies, maybe." He refocused on the legendary Hunter. "Why do you care anyway? Me working with the Drifter is none of your business."
"Actually, it's exactly my business," Shin told him, "I don't know what he told you, but you've clearly got no clue what you're getting yourself into. A tip from someone who's been in business since before the City was the City? Don't trust the Drifter."
Harley had no idea why Shin was telling him this when he planned on killing him anyway. But he wasn't particularly inclined to accept advice from the man who'd hunted him across Sol. He scoffed. "Then what? I should trust you?"
"You shouldn't trust anyone," said Shin evenly, "Despite what some may tell you, everyone's in it for themselves. They're all workin' their own angles - their own agendas. The Drifter's just happens to be more dangerous than most."
"And what angle are you working?" Harley challenged. If everyone was in it for themselves, as Shin claimed, then what drove the Hunter to pursue him so relentlessly across the stars? "What are you in it for? What's your endgame here?"
Shin shook his head, his tone dead serious. "Don't worry about what my endgame is... The only endgame that matters is who'll be left standing at the end of the day when everything's said and done. If it isn't you, then you'd better make sure your last words are ones worth hearing."
Harley blinked. This whole interaction was really throwing him off. Shin was talking to him a great deal more than he'd expected and he could only guess why. He figured the Hunter wasn't pressed about what he said considering the fact that he had the upper hand in the situation.
"What about the Drifter?" he asked, "What's his endgame? You obviously know more than I do about it."
"Getting involved with his operation is dangerous," warned Shin.
"My life hasn't been all that safe so far," Harley retorted, "Besides, why does it matter if you're about to kill me?"
The Hunter's nod was conceding. "Point." He paused. "You know about Gambit... or its existence, at any rate."
Harley was confused. "This is all about Gambit? I don't understand. What's so dangerous about a game?"
"No, you don't understand," Shin agreed, "Gambit isn't just a game. It's more. It's deadly. It's temptation. Liable to turn even the best of the best into monsters."
Harley frowned. "Through the Darkness?" Shin inclined his head. "But if it's controlled, if it can be contained... Maybe it's better to face the Darkness in Gambit. Learn there instead of how I learned." He stared right into the shadow of Shin's hood. "I've seen true Darkness. With Gambit as a training field, maybe others won't have to."
Shin sighed. "Maybe that's true. And maybe you have. But I've seen Darkness too. I've looked into the face of it and I know its power to corrupt. Even the brightest Lights can fall."
Harley pushed away the memories dredged up by those words. "If that's how you see it, then maybe you should just shoot me."
Shin shrugged. "Maybe you're right." He cocked The Last Word, his voice shifting into something more threatening. "Want to tell me where you got that Dark-infested gun before I do?"
"I didn't get it from anywhere," Harley replied, "Never saw it before in my life. I found it in my apartment one day, almost like it showed up out of nowhere. And the next thing I knew, the Praxic Order was breaking down the door."
Shin's aim dropped slightly. He stood like that for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.
"I'd rather you just shoot me and be done with it," Harley told him.
His words seemed to shake the Hunter out of his thoughts.
Shin's arm dropped to the side. "...I'm not so sure my problem's with you after all, kid. If you're tellin' the truth, it sounds like someone set you up. And whoever did that clearly has access to Weapons of Sorrow, which makes them my business."
Harley frowned. "You believe me?"
"I know a lie when I hear one," Shin said dryly, "You're a lot of things, kid, and I still think you're dangerous, but you're not lying."
"You're not going to kill me?" He couldn't believe that the man would just change his mind. Not after all the lengths he'd gone to to get to Harley.
Shin shrugged. "Not today. Down the line… who knows? But you live for now."
"Why?"
"Seems to me that we might soon be playin' for the same side," said Shin cryptically, "'Sides, I've got business in other parts. Little advice for you... If you do join up with what the Drifter has going… make sure you watch your back. 'Cause he sure won't."
Harley was confused by the remark but he didn't bother asking what Shin meant. He didn't think the other Hunter would tell him anyway. "What's the catch?" he asked instead. There had to be one.
Shin's head tilted. "You've gotta disappear."
That sounded easy enough to Harley. He was already as off the grid as it got.
He told Shin as much, but the man shook his head. "Not good enough. As long as they know you're alive, they'll be comin' after you."
A heavy feeling settled on Harley as he realized what Shin was driving at. "You're saying I have to fake my death."
Shin inclined his head.
"How?"
"Easy. Lose the cloak."
Harley frowned in confusion, but he unclasped his borrowed cloak, letting it fall to the ground. He felt strangely vulnerable without it.
Shin held out his hand. "Ghost." Harley watched as Shin's Ghost appeared above the Hunter's palm. It hovered there for a moment before zipping towards him.
"Hold still," Shin instructed, "My Ghost will get rid of the binders."
Harley held still as the Ghost hacked through the metal bands. They popped open and fell off with a clatter. He rubbed his wrists as the Ghost vanished once more.
"This next part is going to hurt," Shin told him, his grip tightening around The Last Word.
That was the only warning Harley got before the Hunter raised his gun and fired.
A/N: Soooo how many people guessed this outcome? This was one ending that I had planned out even before I knew the exact circumstances of the story. There's still one more chapter but it's kind of more like an epilogue. There'll be some important info in the final author's note so keep an eye out for that as well.
Hope you enjoyed!