Broker

Chapter 203

Night came all too quickly and most of the revolving door of visitors had come to an end. Most were inconsequential in her eyes. Barely worthy of note. Members of ASTAs board, Sonya's people, came and went without incident. None were overly concerned about her state. In this new post-pandora age, what did it even mean to get sick or injured? As long as one knew a good healer, anyway.

The Mint woman had not come yet, though representatives of the Pandora Committee had arrived to filter through her account of the supposed ‘attack’. Not out of suspicion, no, they were well aware of Liberty’s hatred towards Sonya for taking Cassiopeia, the womans sister, under her wing. She told most of the story through Marta, citing her weariness. She committed to having Amos record a full statement with her voice when time allowed. 

For the moment, it was all she could do to rest. Her body felt to be at its breaking point while her mind remained vigorous and strong. The result was an aching sort of restlessness that harried her well into the wee hours of the morning. It was there, laying in bed, her other senses heightened by her loss of sight and restless mind, that she felt a charge in the air.

The sensation intensified for a moment, a static clinging to her skin and setting her hair on end. Then it vanished, a feeling of no longer being alone striking her. Her lips thinned and she spoke to the ceiling.

“I figured Blackrazor would visit first,” she said casually. 

“Yeaaah, he would but he's a busy guy. Gotta keep a part of your little empire thingy going, ya know?” Kerauna said, her voice coming from just a few feet away by Ishtar’s reckoning. 

“Here to test the limits of our deal?” Ishtar asked, “I'm defenseless and Companion won't be back for a few minutes. You are already more powerful than I am in pure output. Now is your chance,” she said, her tone thick with amusement. She tried to flex her fingers, move her arms in some meaningful way, but it was hopeless. The exercises she'd done earlier to begin urging her body back into motion had been exhausting. 

Kera paused before speaking, her tone light and lifting, playful in a mad sort of way. “Yeah I know, thought about it too. Killing you and just going about my day. Figure I'd have a cupcake to celebrate,” she trailed off, “I hated you. You know.”

“I'm not surprised,” Ishtar said.

“Enslaved me. Even the loosened restrictions you gave me after Vegas were galling, I thought every day about how those robot bits of you would twitch and spark. Would you explode? Pop goes Ishtar,” Kera hummed, drawing closer. “I gave you some credit at first, though. You didn't abuse me. Low bar, I know.”

Ishtar snorted, “What really changed your mind?”

“Nothing did, I love Beyol and all but this is my life. I came through that lightbulb to kill you tonight, boss. I really really did,” Kera said, her throat tense with frustration. “You really worked yourself over to stop that dungeon boom, huh? Heard your eyeballs popped.”

Ishtar felt a cold coil work into her gut, her hands and arms still worthless. “They did,” she said, keeping her tone casual.

“Allow me a little Schadenfreude?” Kera asked, her voice shaking.

Ishtar nodded and the woman burst into laughter, she imagined Kera holding her sides and sinking to the ground. That laughter turned to sobs of frustration. “I can't do it,” she croaked, “The deal won't let me.“

“I know.”

Kera went silent, the moments stretching out between them. Ishtar wondered if perhaps Kera had done something to prevent Marta from getting back in a timely fashion. She should be here by now. She turned her attention back to her distraught subordinate. She didn’t blame her for her duplicity. The outcome and reaction to her situation was obvious, all things considered. Kera enjoyed working for her, but she was intimately aware of the fact that the girl hadn’t begun her journey willingly. Blackrazor and Kingshark had become proud members of the group. Kera was still an unknown factor.

When Kera finally spoke again, her words were quiet but edged, “I hear your powers aren’t working right. Even that techno-brain-whatever of yours,” she said.

“That’s correct, it will take time for me to recover,” Ishtar conceded, “I am cut off from the outside world for the time being.”

“Then I have a question, Ishtar,” Kera said evenly, “Without all your cheats and super knowledge power stuff, just you.”

“I am at your disposal,” Ishtar said.

“What’s my name?” Kera asked, “Not Kerauna or Veloche, what’s my real goddamn name? Do you even know it?” she demanded, her words thick with scorn. “Cuz from what I can tell-”

“Gia Ricci,” Ishtar said without missing a beat, “You’re twenty four years old, your father was an accountant and your mother was a homemaker. Before the flash you had a habit of getting into trouble but only minor violations. You were in college after all, following your dream of becoming an olympic hurdler,” Ishtar said, “I imagine when you awakened your abilities it was crushing,” she surmised, “All that hard work to build up your body and your abilities were like a silver bullet. To make matters worse, there was no way you could ever qualify with a power like that. You dropped out of university and fell in with Verde.”

Another long stretch of silence, this time thick with a tension that Ishtar could have cut with a knife. She heard the woman stir on the floor, “How? Why?”

“I do not experience emotions as a normal person does, Kera. I do not see the world or feel things as you might. However,” she turned her blind gaze in the direction of the woman’s voice, “I understand loyalty and I agree with Sonya on how she feels about treating those who work for her. Abusing one’s allies is a weakness. Uplifting them is a strength. I’ve watched you grow into a powerful villain, Kera. It isn’t the life you wanted, but no one can argue that you are not mighty now and that you’ve earned your place. I am quite proud of you.”

“You’ve killed allies before,” Kera pointed out.

“I’ve killed fools,” Ishtar countered, “I keep and protect my allies, I do not suffer fools. Your antics are a good farce, Kera, but that is all they are. I see them as war paint, nothing more. You are not a fool. You are patient, meticulous, and capable of working while seeming not to.You waited so long to confront me, you had a goal, and even if it meant working for the person you hated the most and smiling with them, you would do it. I imagine you orchestrated Companion not returning to my side in time.”

“Ishtar-”

“I’m not done, Kerauna,” Ishtar clipped and the girl went quiet, “Driven, with a clear line, loyal to your allies and ruthless to your enemies. You’ve mastered your abilities far faster than I could have possibly imagined. You very well may never leap over hurdles for a stadium, dear, but you have a gold medal as a villain, as far as I am concerned,” Ishtar let out a breath, “I’ve said what I needed to say.”

The young woman said nothing for a few heartbeats but Ishtar heard her footsteps draw close. She tilted her head a little to face where she imagined Kera’s face was. She felt a gentle hand reach down and touch her skin, small static pops sounding between them for a moment as a gentle charge washed its way through her body. Ishtar let out a shuddering breath at the sensation, it was unnerving. When Kera spoke next, her tone was more subdued, “There’s something in your body. It feels like plants. They’re so small, though, I could burn them out if you want, mistress.”

Ishtar forced herself, gritting her teeth as she willed her arm to move enough to flex and touch Kera’s arm. “I’m grateful,” she said, “But no, this is something that I will have to remove on my own. A consequence of my own ability,” she said, “Thank you for confirming that they’re there.”

Kera’s hand slid down Ishtar’s arm, “Anytime,” she said quietly, “I’m… so-”

“Don’t apologize to me for a job well done,” Ishtar snapped, “You’re above that.”

The villainess’ hand stiffened, “...right,” she mumbled and cleared her throat, “But now, I don’t know what to do with myself. My goal was you for all this time and now,” she trailed off, “Now I don’t have that goal anymore.”

“A true villain stands for something, a burning desire that they hold deep in themselves, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it and come out the other side of that hell alive to enjoy the fruits of their labor,” Ishtar said, “If your previous goal was to come to terms with me in one way or another, now you need to find your next one. I cannot make that choice for you.”

“I’m not a good enough person to be satisfied with saving the world,” Kera said.

“Then don’t be. Besides Companion, the others aren’t, why should you?” Ishtar asked.

“I need some time to think,” Kera said, pulling her hand away and helping Ishtar rest her arm back on the bed. She lingered at Ishtar’s hand for a little while, “You… really can’t lie, right?”

“My word is meaningless on that regard,” Ishtar chuckled, “But no, I cannot.”

“So you meant everything you said?” Kera asked.

“I did.”

Another silence, and then, “Thank you,” Kera murmured, “I will always come when you call. Mistress. Just say my name.”

“Which one?” Ishtar asked with amusement.

Kera chuckled, “My proper name, Kerauna.”

–

When Marta returned she was less than pleased to see Kera sitting in the chair next to the bed, laughing and talking with Ishtar. A few quick words had been enough to diffuse things, though. Telling her that Kera just wanted a private word mollified her to the point that she was only annoyed with the wily villainess. Ishtar kept the woman’s potential betrayal to herself, there was no need to create a rift between her subordinates. Instead, she enjoyed both of their company for a while longer before Kera opted to leave, apparently through the light fixture she had come in through. Ishtar was pleased to hear that the young woman had actually managed the trick without doing any damage to the fixture, a sign of growth.

“Are you going to tell me why she was really here?” Marta asked when she’d gone.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because what differences there were have been settled,” Ishtar said flatly, “There is no reason to be hostile to someone who’s loyalty has not only been confirmed, but strengthened. That is counterintuitive. I imagine she will remain hidden within the building for a while to keep watch when you have to step away, until I am at least partially mobile.”

She could practically feel Marta’s frown, “That doesn’t make me feel better about having left you alone like that.”

“You can’t sit here all day,” Ishtar said.

“My role is to protect you and care for you,” Marta countered.

“You aren’t one of Amos’ dolls,” Ishtar said dismissively, “And you’re well aware of that.”

“But-”

“That being said,” Ishtar cut her off, “I… appreciate what you do. For me, and for Sonya.”

“How is she doing?” Marta asked.

“She isn’t fading, if that’s what you’re asking, her condition isn’t getting worse,” Ishtar explained, “But I am afraid that she is in a state far worse than it has ever been. She has had so many ups and downs, tried to build herself back up so many times, her foundation is cracked and her resolve has wavered. She may not be conscious but she is in some ways aware of how much of a blow Liberty’s gambit was to her,” Ishtar hesitated and cleared her throat, “I have something I must confess.”

She felt Marta tense next to her, “What?”

“I have been retaining memories from Sonya, restricting them, pushing certain things to the edge of her consciousness. A preventative measure but not one that can go on forever. She has stayed sane longer but the dissonance between myself bearing the full weight of her grief and self-recrimination has created its own kind of strain,” Ishtar said with a sigh, “Like trying to seal a stubborn leak.”

“...she was oddly relaxed after the camp raid, despite everything,” Marta said, “No one commented but, it wasn’t normal.”

“I protected her mind from it,” Ishtar said, “Being left out from helping was painful for her. Tokyo on the other hand, hundreds of thousands dead in an instant by the hand of someone she believes she’s powerful enough to deal with on her own, yet she stays her hand to ensure Liberty is dealt with in the correct way,” Ishtar said, “A mountain of guilt. This event was too much for even me to shield her from.”@@novelbin@@

“Then what can be done?” Marta asked.

“She’s resting and not getting worse, so that much we can be relieved about,” Ishtar said before flexing her fingers, “For now, heal the body. Kera has informed me of what I suspected. Using Visage of Titania’s full power has infested my body with its seeds. The ability is nullifying my powers now, making my condition worse than it should be and making me quite resistant to healing powers. I need to regain control of the unruly power and push them out. Then I can heal properly,” she let out a breath, “After that, once the body is whole, I will have access to the warehouse again and a certain power that should help me reach out to her within the mindscape more effectively.”

“Feng Hyunh’s ability?”

“The same,” Ishtar agreed.

“I feel helpless,” Marta said.

“Just stay by my side and keep an eye out, make sure I don’t push too hard. I am not dear reckless Sonya, but I am self aware enough to acknowledge that I do not take half measures,” Ishtar admitted, “I will need you to stop me if I push too hard.”

“I can do that.”

“Then that’s all I ask,” Ishtar said before hesitating and giving an apologetic smile, “That and the other things.”

“Are you hungry?” Marta asked immediately.

“Hm? Oh, no- I-”

“Do you need to-”

“Marta!” Ishtar gasped, “No I do not need to use the facilities. I’m fine,” she protested, feeling a bit of heat on her face as the woman at her side burst into laughter. Ishtar turned her head away, “This is why I let Sonya deal with the social situations.”

“Easily flustered when you aren’t the big bad boss?” Marta asked with a chuckle.

“You’re only getting away with this because I’m alone and paralyzed,” Ishtar groused, “Wicked woman.”

“Then I’ll do so while I still can,” Marta teased and put a hand on Ishtar’s shoulder, “Now how does a late night snack sound?”

“I said I’m-” Ishtar began only for her stomach to growl as the word ‘snack’ triggered something deep inside her gut. She felt more heat rise to her face and she pressed her lips together, “Fine, a light snack would be nice, nothing sweet or salty, I hate that stuff,” she mumbled.

Marta burst into laughter.