The Liberal Assassin

With Kevin's help and the backup, I managed to replicate Cain but it took approximately two days and two nights before the system came online. News about Sable's kidnapping and the Night Walker's base spread like wildfire. Ignacio and Rush had to go into hiding when speculations of their conspiracy with the Night Walker made its rounds in the gossip mill thanks to the media.

The only good that came from this mess was how Titus Crowley's name was cleared of suspicion as the Night Walker. Some reporter had fabricated a very interesting theory of how Ignacio plotted all of the attacks on Titus Crowley to make him resign and hand over the company. Others claimed that Rush was involved after the history of his affiliation in Red Rumble was brought to light. Some speculated that Rush was the true Night Walker and I have no idea how those rumours created a very far-fetched story about how the two men were secret lovers who conspired to rule Luna in light and darkness. Somebody had way too much free time to be coming up with such ludicrous scandals.

While I was working on getting Cain back, Khronos confirmed that the rumoured secret lovers were lying low with Ignacio's family in the Slums. Sable was heavily guarded and wasn't allowed to leave her house after Luna Security took over but Nash was still nowhere to be found. The Patrol Guards were still searching for him from what was last heard.

With Kevin and Cain's help, I tweaked the chip to give off false information to the receiver in order to open its pathway. Arvin would surely contact Rion when he gets our fake location. When he accesses the chip, the virus I wrote will slip into his system and give us what we need.

Arvin hasn't taken the bait yet so we're still waiting. Khronos was still searching for Nash over his network but nothing turned up either. Although none of the cameras caught sight of the ex-hitman, we were certain about one thing. Neither the Patrol Guards nor Luna Security had him. Like us, they were still searching for him.

Getting up from my chair to stretch, I turned around to see a pair of bloodshot eyes staring my way. He looked really bad with the sleepless nights monitoring for Nash's whereabouts and I felt a tinge of guilt hit me at his sorry appearance.

"You should sleep. I'll take over from here. I can't have you collapsing now of all times."

Khronos nodded and mumbled something before heading to bed. I dragged a chair over to look at the many screens at his workstation. Honestly, it didn't matter how many times I saw it. I'll always be awed by how resourceful the scientist was.

Five hundred and thirteen screens stared back at me and every screen showed a different location, alternating with another camera in the area every few seconds. It was slightly scary to know that this man had the whole of Luna under his thumb without anyone's knowledge. There were a number of cameras monitoring the areas in the Slums but they couldn't compare to the ones covering the Inner City. If Nash hadn't been sighted in the Inner City, he must have hidden in the Slums where none of Khronos' cameras was. The thought put me a little more at ease. The Inner City's security forces didn't have any control in the Slums after all.

Unlike the scientist who had enhanced human abilities to watch so many screens simultaneously, I had to get Kevin to aid me in face recognition for Nash and hopefully signs of Cass, Sable, Arvin and Kalifa. Almost immediately after the search criteria had been entered, the system prompted findings of two people. A small part of me was disappointed that it wasn't Nash but my brain snapped those thoughts back on track.

Sable was seen in her apartment which made me wonder how many people would want Khronos dead if they knew their privacy was breached. The girl was clearly frustrated with all the guards outside her apartment. Pillows, bags and clothes flew everywhere but they seemed undeterred with her tantrums.

"Good work Kevin, keep the cameras on Sable from now on. Show me, Cass."

The image of the spy handcuffed in a cell made me grimace. Rion had no mercy for anyone. They roughed him up really badly and it was a good thing Luna Security wasn't in charge of imprisoning anyone. Visiting the Patrol Guards was still something I could manage.

I told Kevin to keep me updated while I changed into the Night Walker's suit before leaving a short note for Khronos in case he wakes up. Spencer would not be pleased that I downed his system again or that I set his facilities on fire but what must be done will be done.

***

"Psst!"

No response. The spy seemed dead to me but I knew better.

"Double headed snake! It's me. I know that you're not sleeping or unconscious."

Cass barely moved his lips but I heard him. "There are cameras around you, idiot!"

"Not anymore. I downed the system for a while and started a fire on the other end for a diversion. Spencer has his hands full."

Cass cracked open an eye with an amused smirk. "Clever."

"Thanks. How are the wounds?"

The tall man shifted to a sitting position and stretched. Now that I'm closer to examine it, they don't seem as bad as they did on camera.

"Not that bad. I heal rather quickly. That's not important. Why are you here? Arvin and Rion will be on your tail if you get me out."

"Well, they already are so I don't see a problem. Did you find anything before you got caught?"

Cass shook his head. I sighed internally. "Sable is under house arrest and going crazy. Luna Security's guards are stationed to monitor her constantly."

That got his attention indeed. "Why are they guarding her?"

"Cover story is that the pop idol had been kidnapped by the Night Walker. They traced our location down with a tracker that was active in one of Sable's gifts and we're split up now thanks to it."

"I didn't do it," Cass growled.

I eyed him silently for a moment, allowing tension to build in him. If I played this right, I can end it quickly. Remaining silent, I let him debate with himself mentally.

Just at that moment, footsteps and shouting could be heard. I prepared to leave when Cass nearly shouted for me to stop.

Hook, line and sinker.

"Look! I found something I can tell you. In return, help me escape. I need to get back to Sable."

"That depends on the information you found."

Cass' eyes darted nervously with the voices and footsteps nearing but not exactly heading in our direction.

Without hesitation, he ripped open a wound that was closing below his left elbow and dug into it. I found myself respecting the spy on a whole new level for his dedication. That simply had to hurt.

Handing me a small and bloodied chip, Cass told me to verify it.

While Kevin scanned the chip, I couldn't help but overhear how my distraction plan was going. Apparently, Spencer was having difficulty controlling the flames. The guards didn't know what discretion was from how they shouted about the fire going out of control. With all available guards from blocks seven to ten joining in the fray to put out the fire, I'm sure the smarter criminals are not going to pass the chance to break out.

Cass looked like he was one of those people.

"Sir, the chip contains real-time tracking of Kalifa Zeidner's location. Cain has connected to the cameras in the area and scanned the history with Khronos' network. It is accurate."

I couldn't conceal the impressed look on my face and Cass caught on it with the toothy grin.

"A little help out of here?"

Half of me was tempted to take the chip and run off without helping Cass but I was a man of my word. I had Kevin work on the code to Cass' prison lock. In half a minute, the lock came undone and I threw the heavy door open. Without saying anything, we parted ways with Cass and his freedom, me and the chip that will lead to Kalifa.