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"Great." Elise sat back.

"I don't know what that price is exactly, but I assume he has his own pack and is armed to the teeth."

"Why else would he still have hold of the bridge and not the Red Blades, right?" Elise said.

"Exactly," Nezka said.

Elise shook her head. "They might not let me pass if they see me and know the Red Blades are looking."

"Not if they see you with me," Nezka countered.

She glanced up at him and could tell he had an idea in mind. "What are you thinking?"

Nezka smirked. "You might not like it."

"Probably not."

"I pass as one of the Red Blades bringing you back as a prisoner," Nezka said.

"You're right. I hate it."

"But it could work."

Elise exhaled through her teeth and crossed her arms. "Assuming they even believe it."

Nezka tilted his head. "Why wouldn't they?"

"I don't know," Elise admitted. She sighed and looked back at him seriously. "What would it entail, then?"

"You'd have to do as I say. You'd be bound, maybe gagged."

"Kinky."

Nezka gave her an odd but intrigued sort of look, and Elise felt her face grow warm. "A joke! But in all seriousness..." Elise looked back at the map to the bridge, shaking her head. "There's really no other way? Maybe we could sneak in?"

Nezka made a cutting motion at his throat. "No."

She really didn't like the thought of having to act the part of hostage. But his idea was sound even if risky. There were few other choices with less of a risk that she could think of. "All right." It pained her to say it." I guess...if you think it will work."

"I do," he said confidently. "Assuming they don't catch on, our biggest concern will be trying to convince this Krow to let us pass." Nezka tapped her arm assuredly. "It may take some time to convince him. A day or two."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"But if we can get through after, the energy deposit is all that remains." Nezka closed out the map and rose. "We stay one more night, then tomorrow, we go."

Fourteen

They left at first light, taking the two-wheeler out to the nearest road and making east for the bridge-gate. Nezka had Elise keep hold of her gun, assigning her as lookout in case they met with anyone who posed a threat. Thankfully, those they did see were nothing to worry about. The drogin and otherkin of this particular part of the city were scavengers and poor folk looking to live peacefully and nothing more. They hid themselves when he drove passed, likely seeing his red and black armor and identifying him as a Red Blade. The real threat.

They passed the market and living district and drove on through to the factory zones where tall metal bots stood like dead corpses in mid-action, long since shut off and rusting. From there, they came to a wasteland of garbage and steel until they hit the expulsion plant. Large clouds of steam bellowed out from giant vents in the ground, making the way foggy and warm. It was here Nezka was forced to slow and where he warned Elise to keep her eye out and her gun ready. Shadows ran along the road and across the buildings, dashing in and out of sight. Nezka knew someone or something was watching them, following them.

Whoever they were, they weren't carrying guns for they never stopped nor did they fire at him. And that concerned him. He neared another set of buildings where several large fans turned slowly in front of two giant, empty vents angled toward the road. As he drove under a wide bridge toward them, a loud buzzer went off, and the fans started to turn faster. A wind picked up, and steam, along with other debris, began to spew out of the vents. Nezka stopped the vehicle as Elise called out to him over the wind. He hopped off the two-wheeler and dragged her with him into the shelter of the bridge.

"Someone is trying to force us back," Nezka shouted, pulling her with him against a thick blockade under the bridge. They huddled down as pieces of metal and chunks of concrete whipped by from the force of wind and steam. The air grew thick, and Nezka could see Elise had her mouth covered as if it was hard to breath. He too found it difficult and so ripped off the Red Blade's mask connected to his belt and tugged at the straps to loosen the bindings and widen the mouthpiece. Angling the mask, he pressed his face against hers, covering their mouths with the ventilator. Their breath mingled and, as intimate as it was, in that moment, Nezka could only think of the danger surrounding them, of the glass and dust and steam that could choke their lungs and the metal that flew by, powerful enough to shred them to pieces. His eyes shot around, preparing himself to shield Elise from anything that might fall on them when he felt the warmth of her hand cover his. He turned his gaze over to her, and their eyes locked. Her eyes spoke of her fear but also her fury and her will to endure, and in that moment, as time seemed to stretch, he felt again that pull—that need to bring her closer.

The wind died down and the steam lessened. Through the thick clouds, Nezka could see the shadows dropping from the bridge above and moving closer. Eyes narrowed, Nezka pulled away, forcing Elise to hold on to the mask as he pushed himself up and lurched forward, taking out his blades. The shadows began to band together until the steam drifted partially out of his view, and he saw a group with faces covered by scarves, bodies draped in scraps of black and gray. They each held a weapon in their hands, some with long swords, others with staffs. They crouched low, ready to attack.

Nezka didn't hesitate. Though his sight was obscured somewhat by the steam, he closed the distance between them, side-swiping one sword to block another then bending low and slicing across thighs and knees. A pair went down, and he leapt over them to the next, cutting their staff in half. The rest fell away into the steam, but he could see them circling, waiting. When he took out another attacker, there was yet another coming for him. He didn't slow, crushing each shadow that dared approach him. He heard someone bark in pain nearby, and when he snapped his head around, he saw Elise fighting them also, using the techniques he'd taught her.