NOVPUBRam gave the "Cleaner's Association" building a final once-over. "This is what Mai called a safe house?" he muttered to Nyra, a skeptical eyebrow raised beneath his hood.
Korrin, standing silently beside them, adjusted the cloak Ram had given him.
Even in the cloak, his powerful build was noticeable if one looked too closely. "Shall we proceed, Master?"
Ram nodded. "Nyra, any visible threats?"
Nyra's eyes, glowing faintly under her hood, scanned the street and the building's facade.
"The street is relatively empty. A few passersby, none showing undue interest. No obvious surveillance, active or otherwise."
"Alright," Ram said, his gaze returning to the main door. It was a heavy, reinforced steel door, painted a dull, forgettable gray.
"Let's see if Mai left us a way in." He approached the door, Nyra and Korrin flanking him, their senses on high alert.
He noticed a small, almost invisible keypad next to the doorframe, half-hidden by a loose piece of a tattered poster.
He keyed in the sequence Mai had sent him.
A soft click echoed, and the heavy door swung inward with surprising ease, revealing a dimly lit hallway.
The hallway was narrow, leading to a reinforced elevator and a stairwell.
"After you," Ram gestured, letting Nyra and Korrin enter first. They moved with practiced silence, their eyes scanning every corner.
Ram followed, the door hissing shut behind them, the sound swallowed by the sudden quiet.
The building was eerily silent. As they reached the third floor, a door to their right was slightly opened, a sliver of warm light spilling into the dim stairwell.
Ram signaled for Nyra and Korrin to wait, then pushed the door open slowly.
The room beyond was surprisingly spacious and well-equipped, a hidden nerve center buzzing with activity.
Mai was at a large holographic console, her fingers flying across the interface, while Su Mu stood beside her, pointing at a section of a city map displayed on the screen.
Sid, who was completely recovered, was trying on wearinga piece of modified armor, with Xiao Mu carefully assisting him.
Liam was sprawled on a worn-out sofa in the corner, Little Black curled up asleep on his chest.
Liam was the first to spot Ram. "Well, look who finally decided to finally show up!" he exclaimed, sitting up abruptly, causing Little Black to yelp and jump off his lap. "Took you long enough, bro! We were starting to think you'd got lost."
"Ram! Where have you been?" Mai spun around, a look of relief washing over her tense face, though it was quickly followed by a stern frown.
"We were about to send out a search party. Your 'quick detour' took half the night!"
"Sorry, I got a little sidetracked. But I see you all made it here safely." Ram stepped further into the room, Korrin and Nyra following, their cloaked figures drawing curious glances from Sid and others.
Su Mu gave Ram a small, almost imperceptible nod of acknowledgment. "The journey here was, after you left was… uneventful, for the most part."
"However, Esha's people provided a good distraction."
Sid, now fully armored, walked over, clapping Ram on the shoulder. "Good to see you in one piece, brother."
"That stunt you pulled with Kain… Mai filled us in… Thanks." His voice was still a bit rough, but the gratitude in his eyes was clear.
"Speaking of which," Mai interjected, her sharp gaze sweeping over Ram, then Korrin and Nyra. "Any news from your end? Did you manage to deal with that Tier 4, Kain?"
Ram's smile turned into a confident grin. "Let's just say Kain and a few others from the Blood Hawk gang won't be bothering anyone for a while."
He then briefly recounted his recent fights, omitting the part about his Sylvan Space and the true extent of his power surge, framing it more as a lucky victory due to Kain's exhaustion.
Liam, who had been listening intently, shook his head in disbelief.
"Bro, you took down a Tier 4 Totem Warrior? Even with backup from… them, how is it possible?" He gestured towards Korrin and Nyra, his voice still holding a note of awe and perhaps a little lingering fear.
"Don't look down on them, they're quite capable," Ram said simply, then turned back to Mai.
"What's the situation with the Blood Hawks? Did Nyra's intel match what you've found?"
Mai nodded, her expression turning serious again. "It does. They've definitely taken over the subway."
"And you were right to be cautious. We've detected increased patrol activity around the city's western edges, and our long-range scans picked up Shane's energy signature near their new base."
"From the looks of it, he's not happy." She continued, with a slight pause.
"He's probably furious about the warehouses," Liam chimed in, a smirk playing on his lips. "That was a nice touch, by the way. Blowing up their drug lab? Classic."
"It was necessary," Ram said, his tone hardening.
"They were using those kids." He looked at Xiao Mu, who flinched slightly at the reminder but quickly composed herself, her gaze determined.
"The important thing now is how we proceed," Mai said, refocusing the group.
"Shane knows we're in the city. He'll be hunting us. Esha's people can only shield us for so long before it draws unwanted attention from the Shadow Society itself."
"So, we hit them again?" Sid asked, cracking his knuckles, his earlier injuries seemingly forgotten in the anticipation of another fight.
Ram looked at Mai. "What are our options?"
Mai took a deep breath, her sharp eyes scanning the faces of her team.
"Shane will be expecting a direct assault or for us to lay low and try to slip out of the city."
"We need something he won't anticipate." She paused, then continued, "I've already reached out to an old man, Sesh."
"He... well, he looked after Sid and me when we were younger, after our parents..." She didn't finish the sentence, but the implication hung in the air.
"That old man is well-connected in the underbelly of this city, the parts the Shadow Society doesn't openly control."
"He has access to resources and personnel that could give us the element of surprise."
"He owes me a favor, a big one. He'll provide us with enough firepower and distractions to make Shane's life very difficult."
Sid's eyes widened slightly. "Sesh? You contacted him? Sis, you know he doesn't get involved in this kind of mess unless the price is right... or the cause is desperate."
Mai gave a wry smile. "Let's just say our current situation qualifies as desperate."
"And the price... I'll handle that. What matters is he's agreed to help. He can provide us with an entry point into one of Shane's less-guarded processing facilities, and create a significant diversion on the other side of the district when the time is right."
Liam whistled softly. "A city-wide diversion and an inside track? Sounds like a party. What kind of 'personnel' are we talking about?"
"You're standing in one of their safe houses, the Cleaners Association," Mai said dismissively, not wanting to delve into the specifics of Sesh's network.
"Mercenaries, smugglers, information brokers… people who know how to make noise and disappear."
"They won't fight our main battle for us, but they can certainly make sure Shane has too many fires to put out at once."
Ram listened intently, processing Mai's plan.
It was a good one, relying on external chaos to mask their own movements. But a new thought began to take shape in his mind, sparked by the mention of a city-wide event.
"Mai," Ram began slowly, his gaze thoughtful, "your plan to use Sesh's forces for a diversion is good."
"But a scattered diversion, even a large one, might not be enough to pull Shane's full attention if he's fixated on us, or on protecting that mask he's after." He paused, letting his idea settle.
"What if we give him something bigger to worry about? Something that happens right under his nose, but is too chaotic for him to control completely?"
Mai looked at him, intrigued. "What are you suggesting?"
Ram met her gaze, a strategic glint in his eyes. "Let's wait until the Harvest Festival begins."
