A/N - Sorry, this update is so late. I've been working on two other stories, plus, this chapter is a turning point. My mind was debating between one way the story might go, and the other way it could, and depending on how this chapter was written, it'd take that direction. I've finally settled on this one. Hope you enjoy! :) Apologies for any and all typos.

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IX. Shining Opportunity.

"Well, this is quite...unexpected," Handsome Jack said. He sat there, staring at the audios. Beside them lay an Echo device, telling the truth of what had happened. It was the report of my mission.

I stood on the other side of his desk. I could feel the tight anxiety in my gut, and fear crept through my thoughts. I swallowed nervously, trying to gauge his reaction.

I could not. His eyes were still locked on the tapes, giving me nothing to go on. Was he angry? Or annoyed? Or unbothered?

Should I apologize? No, he'd said as much one time. Should I say anything at all? Or stay silent? I opted for silence as the best choice for the moment.

"Of course," he went on. "Maybe I should have expected this."

Suddenly, he stood up and turned towards Elpis, his back to me. I chewed on my lip, reading the words Hyperion on his fancy jacket.

Jack sighed, "well, kiddo, I still have trouble believing you ordered Wilhelm to kill Tom...his men. Seriously, it's...kind of impressive. Good ol' Tom, he'll be missed...by no one. Went to college with that guy. Should we throw a memorial service or something? Nah. That'd be a waste of time, and money."

He started to laugh, his shoulders shaking. After a moment, he stopped, breathing deeply. "It's just...It's ridiculous, okay?" He turned towards me, his eyes glittering.

I tried not to look away. Maybe he wasn't too mad. He'd just laughed, after all.

"Well," he continued. "I think you deserve an E, for epic failure. I had a pretty solid business plan with that guy. At least I don't have to pay 'em now. So thanks for that, Pumpkin."

He began counting on his fingers, "overall, I get to keep my money, I'll get less douche-y spies, and I've obtained this very...juicy information pack."

He sounded pleased. I almost fell over in relief.

"Seriously," he said cheerfully. "If I weren't so happy with the results, I'd have to do something about the fact that you failed to follow orders exactly...but, improvisation is good, I suppose."

"S-sorry, sir, he refused to lower the price. He wanted nearly a hundred K."

"I read the report," he responded.

I stood there uncertainly for a minute.

Jack folded his arms. "Ya know what? Don't let this go to your head or anything, but I think you're turning out pretty well. I sure whipped you into shape pretty fast..." he nodded once again, as if assuring himself of something. "I've decided to...reward you for being so great. Like me!"

I wasn't sure how to react. A 'reward' from Jack could have been anything. Whether, I truly considered it a reward or not, was a different thing altogether. Still, I was sure that I'd live through it.

"What's that, sir?" I asked, curious despite myself.

He retook his seat quickly. He rummaged through some things, then picked up a datapad. "Revenue gain has exceeded expectations...it's great! I've started a project on Pandora. A wonderful project. Imagine it, kiddo. A beautiful shining city rising from the filth and decay. A mighty hero, taming the wild lands...that's me, by the way."

I already knew he was self-absorbed. He liked to think he was some kind of hero. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I wondered what he was going on about, anyway. What'd this have to do with my 'reward' anyway. I didn't say anything though, and just kept my eyes on him so he wouldn't find a reason to think I was ignoring his speech.

He went on, "Opportunity, baby, is what I'm talkin' about. One should seize the day, ya know? I'm making Pandora my project. The borderlands will be turned into a respectable, literate place. I'm gonna burn all those primitive, illiterate bandits out, and bring the future in." He spoke grandly, "and...guess what? You're going to help me out!"

"How's that?" I asked, to show I was paying attention.

"I'm going to let you have the front row, kiddo. Construction on my own city has started...my own city! Doesn't it sound epic? I'm calling it Oppurtunity, to show what it is. Opportunity on the horizon, right off the shore of a lake. A metropolis gleaming on it's waters."

I blinked. "Wow," I said. I meant it too. It had just hit me what he was on about, and I hadn't realized he was planning this.

He inhaled deeply, "it's totally wow!"

I had to stop myself before my brows furrowed. I really couldn't understand him. Right now, he didn't sound too bad. He spoke with the enthusiasm of someone doing something they loved. He spoke like someone who knew they were helping. And yet, everything he'd done...

He'd never helped anybody but himself, I thought.

"What's my role in this, exactly?" I said.

He didn't miss a beat. "You're gonna live in Opportunity, from now on. In total luxury, of course. Anything you want...as long as you make sure the workers work, that their boss is overseeing them, and the bandits are kept at bay with Wilhelm and some Hyperion loaders, troops." His gaze darkened a little, "also, you'll keep assassins where they belong. In hell. I trust you got the hang of the killing thing?"

I shook my head affirmatively. Then a doubt wormed its way into my mind.

"Can I ask something?" I inquired as lightly as possible.

He raised an eyebrow, "oh, what's that?"

"How do you..." I started, and then realized this was a bit more complicated to voice than I'd realized. "Um...I mean I - kill someone who's unarmed? When they're shooting at my face, it's easy to return the favor. But, when someone's not holding the gun..." I trailed off.

There, it was out.

I had to ask because there was a large possibility of that happening one day - so long as this man was the leader of Hyperion and I worked for him. Which was going to be for a very long time, by the looks of it. If I survived, it meant he did too. After all, I was there to take the bullet for him.

His doppelganger.

It wasn't a pleasant thing, but there was nothing I could do about it.

He leaned back, eyeing me in a way that seemed to be evaluating my words for threat, while targeting my weaknesses. I had a bunch of those, and it wouldn't be hard to 'off' me, as Jack liked to say. Jack never let anyone wear a shield or weapon within Helios, except the loaders. I figured this was to facilitate the icing of any possible nuisances.

Then, he smiled, and I shuddered inwardly at how menacing he could make something so innocent as smiling look.

"Well, ah, Pumpkin, it's quite simple. You aim the gun...and, shoot it. Duh." Then he leaned forward and dropped his voice, the appearance of cruelty. "It helps to remember who the good guy is."

I swallowed, a dry feeling in my throat, a taste of dread in my mouth.

"And who's the good guy?" I whispered. I wasn't sure why that came to mind, but it did.

"Why," Jack laughed. "Who'dya think? You are! I am! Hyperion! Isn't it grand?" Then he smiled bigger. "And it also helps to have a bigger vocabulary. Possessing ostentatiously extensive vocables automatically causes you to be exponentially more awesome than the common rabble. You following?"

I nodded, trying to absorb this whacko's response. I was getting used to not being surprised, simply a little numb and annoyed.

"Anyways, now that's settled. I'm sending you there next week, so get your things together soon. For now, you get some time off. I'll send a thesaurus to your Echo, if you want."

I nodded once more. "Thanks sir."

"No problemo. Now get outta here. I've got things to do."

I was feeling pretty good for once, when I left. I was going to Jack's city. He wasn't going to be there. Somehow, knowing this, I felt better. And I was going to live in this nice city, apparently. Surely this was only going to get better.

I whistled as I walked down the hallway from the office. I felt I'd survived something far more with this achievement than I'd ever expected. Maybe, just maybe, I'd make it out alive.

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Timothy sprawled lazily on the couch, having just finished a meal. He was dressed comfortably for the night, and for once in a long time, he was quite relaxed. He held this Echo up, tapping away at the intense game he was playing. Suddenly, he sat up, frowning.

He stared at the screen.

Game Over glared back up at him from the game.

"Ah, screw you, Echo Jump 10," he muttered. He sighed, shutting the game down.

"Trying to improve your high score again?" Angel asked, her voice faintly amused.

"Yup," Tim responded. "Getting better every time."

He took a sip from the drink that set on the table, and sat his Echo there, switching the device to cam mode. Angel's face appeared on screen, her dark hair framing it. It made her blue eyes stand out as she gazed at him.

"Still planning to keep what you are a secret?" he asked.

"Yes."

He sighed, "is there something you needed?"

"Jack sent you a thesaurus. He thinks you should improve your vocabulary. I'm uploading it to your Echo."

"What?" He asked incredulously. "He was being serious? He only uses big words when he's trying to be a...well, cool," the body-double quickly amended the statement, worried Jack might somehow find out if he said anything too insultingly veracious.

"All done," she said.

"Hey," he said. "Do you know anything about Opportunity? The city?"

"It's massive," she said. "It's still being built on to. The final layout has it at eighty-five square kilometers, even though it's only currently fifteen."

He wasn't really surprised. "Yep, sounds like his style," he said.

"I just need to say this," she went on. "I know you'll be away from Helios, but don't forget that Jack will still be watching you for the slightest sign of insubordination. He's more paranoid than he lets on. Don't give him any reason to be suspicious."

Timothy sighed. He could have guessed it. Jack wasn't exactly trusting. Of anyone. He wasn't planning on making trouble. He still had hopes, no matter how unrealistic they were, that one day he'd be able to go home. He wanted to make it through, and cast off the hideous face that marked him. Hopefully, with a fat check to make up for all the trouble. On that train of thought, he found himself curious if he could secretly forward money to his mother, under some guise.

He worried for her, and he felt awful when he thought of how she thought he was dead. He glanced at the floor, feeling bitterness in his chest. He hadn't meant to make himself miserable. He deliberately pushed it away, knowing he couldn't let it get to him now.

Or ever. He wasn't going to wallow over his predicament anymore, he decided determinedly. It wouldn't help him, anyway.

"Goodnight, Timothy." Angel whispered, her face vanishing and the screen going dark.

Timothy wondered if Angel was another victim of Jack's. He didn't know how. She'd said she wasn't human. Maybe, though, she was a human turned AI somehow.

He shook his head. That was too weird of a possibility. Still, he knew that she was controlled by Jack, much like he was.

Moving his thoughts to something less depressing, he decided to give his game another go.

Then, he'd call it a day.

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End of chapter 9.