Page 47 of Neon Flux

The words hit like a punch to the gut. My jaw tightened, but I kept my mouth shut. Tex wasn’t someone you argued with—not unless you wanted a slow and painful death.

“Do you even understand how fragile your position is, or has she fogged your brain that thoroughly?” he continued, his voice sharp enough to flay skin. “You’ve spent years building a reputation, clawing your way to relevance in my organization, and you’re ready to throw it away over one woman? One liability?”

I stared straight ahead, my silence a tightrope walk over an abyss.

“I think you have forgotten you are not untouchable. Should I remind you the consequences of insubordination?”

In ten years, he had never threatened to terminate me.Ten years I worked my way up, done every dirty deed, and one bitch had put that all at risk.

“No, sir.”

Maddox’s eyes were wide at the exchange, but he stayed silent. Luckily, Tex was done with me.

“Maddox, the beta squadron put in charge at the Green data center has already caused millions in damages. I need you back down there right away to get them in line. As soon as you have that done, join Cyanos in the investigation.”

Maddox nodded, and Tex walked out without another word.

Maddox let out a long whistle. “I mean I get it, but it’s crazy how Tex has you leashed like that.”

“Shut the fuck up, man.” Maddox didnotget it. To him, Tex was just another corporate manager. One with more blood on his hands than most, but just a stooge. He didn’t even have a police or military record. But I knew what Tex really was. I had seen it firsthand. Even to someone like me—the utter scum of the earth—Tex was a monster.

CHAPTER 16

EON

“You all right, E?”

I’d met up with Mercy at a tea shop close—but nottooclose—to Hellfire. It had once tried to buck its roots and renovate itself, all classy aluminum panels with wood inlays, which had been trendy at the time. But it couldn’t escape Magenta any more than we could. Now the walls were covered in graffiti—and not the multicolor, neon type that bougie Tech District places used to simulate the thrill of slumming it—but mostly pictures of dicks and scrawled obscenities. Pair that with the broken furniture and a fish tank ominously devoid of fish, and it was the same as any other Magenta hovel.

The boba was good though, so Mercy always liked to come here.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just wanted to check in, make sure that you got home all right,” I said.

She grinned at me. “You know me, chica. I can always handle myself. Other than the fact I couldn’t walk straight after. I really owe you one, E. I haven’t had a night like that in a while.”

She kept grinning at me. Normally, we would exchange some crude banter after a job—especially one where we liked the trick.Not today. I couldn’t bring myself to do it, even as I watched the grin fall off her face. I had put her in danger, even if I’d done everything to minimize it. I’d been so obsessed with the thought of getting revenge onhim,I’d risked her—and that weighed on me.

“You don’t owe me anything, Mercy. In fact, here’s the rest of your pay.”

True to form, she didn’t hesitate as I handed her an envelope of hardcreds. She opened it and flipped through it. I’d worked with her long enough not to be insulted by it. We were friendly—maybe even friends—but a smart girl always counted her bills.

I’d made sure this wouldn’t affect her, that she was safe. No digital trail, no ties to Taos or her group. She’d asked Maddox to put his Vysor on privacy mode, said she was shy, and he’d fallen for it. No pictures of her. Her only link was me—and I knew how to disappear.

She tucked the envelope into her cropped jacket and gave me a hard look. “Are you sure you’re all right, E? I know you’re the strong, silent type when you aren’t working, but…” She trailed off and bit her lip. I watched her decide it was worth the risk to ask. “Are you using again?”

In truth, the Vector haunted me almost as much as Cy did. It had been easy—far too easy—to slip back into it. I’d been dreaming of it almost as much as I dreamed of him. Even now, I felt the tremors in my face and pinky finger, my body aching for it. The detox had helped, and I’d resisted. I’d had DITA read me dirty stories and burned through two more vibrators, but I had resisted.

“No. I’ve been clean for six months now.”

It didn’t count. I’d had to do it, for the job. It didn’t count.

Mercy’s face relaxed. “That’s good. I know how hard you worked before. Didn’t want to see you backslide.”

Mercy meant it. She had always had a little too soft of a heart—I’d had to save her from it more than once. I gave her a smile, and she lit up like the sun.

“You know you’re not allowed to hit up Maddox again, right?”

Her smile immediately twisted as she flipped me off, though it still hid underneath.