Broker-Chapter 266

Sonya pursed her lips and pouted.

At least this gives you time to make things a little more elaborate, Ishtar pointed out.

Sonya crossed her arms and shrugged, watching the crews work on setting up the awards stage. It would be a quick ceremony since Sonya had no intention of publicly distributing the so-called ‘second awakening tokens.’ She would pull Glint into a private meeting and go through the process there. She’d done something similar for Lillian before, so she wasn’t expecting a particularly difficult process. Just have him sign the ludicrously overwritten contract Colin had prepared that included the stipulations for the awakening process.

Technically, signing the contract would grant the ability immediately, but she would have it sanctioned behind the act of breaking the token to make it look like it was the token that provided the effect. Sneaky? Yes. But after a tiny bit of memory tweaking, and once Glint went public about his experience, then that would be that. Most people would be convinced. Not everyone, but there were always contrarians out there. She clicked her tongue. I just wanted to be done with this country already. I love Australia, don’t get me wrong, but the next stop calls.

Ishtar chuckled. You sure you don’t want to hold off till the end for Representative Ma?

Sonya smirked. He’s the ringleader of what happened to Cass as far as I understand it. While it would be poetic, I have a larger perspective to consider. Besides, with the proximity, Suo will come to Beijing as well.

Having Taiwan be one of your destinations would be a little obvious too, wouldn’t it? Ishtar agreed.

Right… Sonya trailed off and frowned, squeezing her arms a little while she fixed her eyes on the teams and dolls working, distracting herself a little.

Thinking about the stop after that?

Sonya snorted and shook her head but said nothing.

I can’t read your mind anymore, little sister, Ishtar said. It’s okay to be nervous. You’re in control now. Emotions are normal.

Sonya let out a sigh. I don’t even remember Murmansk.

You don’t have to choose it as your destination, Ishtar reminded her. You barely have any ties to that place.

Sonya shook her head. I need to see it at least once. Dismissing it for as long as I have is unhealthy, and… I’ve had Blackrazor doing some digging. She hesitated when Ishtar didn’t speak. Yury and Irina Chernovna are alive and have returned to their roots.

You still have something there?

Sonya scoffed. Hardly, but there’s something, I think. I feel it, a karmic bond that needs to be severed once and for all. I need to look them in the eyes one more time.

That could do more harm than good, Ishtar pointed out.

I’ve learned that sometimes healing hurts, Sonya countered.

Very well, Murmansk it is. After that is Berlin, right?

Yeah, going to Paris, like Taiwan, would be a little too obvious. While I want to see what Astaroth is up to, I have other priorities and I can use the Night Society and Mimir for now, Sonya replied. Dubois won’t be able to resist. He’s a greedy bastard. Though after the rest of his compatriots are dead, he may very well bring Astaroth with him for protection.

You’re his match in a fight, Ishtar said. I wouldn’t worry too much.

Sonya nodded. Right.

Her phone rang, and she slipped it from her pocket, glancing at the caller ID and raising an eyebrow. Interesting. She smiled and answered it. “Brent! How are you? It’s been a while!” she said enthusiastically, turning away from the window and stepping out through the doors of the commentator’s box. Marta was standing outside. She winked at her and leaned against the door.

“Sonya, you’ve been busy,” the CEO of Marion Heroics said.

“Oh, you know, idle hands. I’m like a short guy from an early aught cul-de-sac,” she laughed and got a sidelong look from Marta. “Oh, come on,” she hissed. “You’ve seen- Really?”

“I do hear you like candy,” Brent chimed in.

Sonya threw up her hands. “Thank you! Someone gets it!”

“Though your ideas don’t seem to blow up in your face,” Brent added. “I’m here with Adam.”

Sonya’s lips curled up into a smile. “Adam Frask is with you?” she said brightly. “Why didn’t you say so? I wouldn’t have dragged this out nearly as much.”

Brent scoffed, and the sound on the other end changed a bit. “Hi, Sonya!” Adam, the CEO of Forge Tactical, called out.

“Hi Adam! How’s your sister doing?” she asked. “Twins, right?”

“Michael and Haley,” Adam confirmed.

“Those are wonderful names. What can I do for you guys?” she asked, glancing up at the elevator when the numbers above the door started to go down. She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Marta, who frowned a little. Odd, there shouldn’t be anyone else coming up here right now. All the work is downstairs. Security didn’t contact me either.

“We’d like to give you a hand,” Adam said, “If you’re open to it.”

“Oh? What do you have in mind?” she asked.

“We’re aware you can’t change the grand prize now - it wouldn’t be fair to Glint and the others. The two of us came up with a more performative idea. Something that might help streamline the qualifying rounds with the deluge of participants you’re going to have,” Adam explained. “I hear the numbers for Beijing are quite high.”

I was going to hold qualification matches in isolated spots throughout the city, Sonya thought.

If they have a better suggestion, I say we take advantage, Ishtar advised.

“I’m listening,” Sonya said, glancing again at the elevator that had reached the bottom floor. Marta had turned away and was speaking into her earpiece and walking towards the doors.

“Dharan,” Brent chimed in with a smile in his voice. “After the tragedy in Tokyo, it’s been pretty much confirmed how dungeon breaks are shut down. While there are tens of thousands of monsters in the wasteland, they’re all Uncommon-tier at best. Only the boss itself seems to be an outlier.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Sonya frowned. “That’s putting the participants in danger.”

“They’re licensed heroes,” Brent countered. “We know the risks. If we aren’t willing to face a little danger to get stronger, then what’s the point? This shouldn’t be about entertainment. We should be accomplishing something while we fight for the gold.”

“We?” she brightened. “You didn’t!”

“I took what you had to say to heart, you were right. I’m a member of the guild I sponsor now. I go on missions on occasion,” Brent said. “It’s the right thing to do with this power.”

Sonya hummed thoughtfully. “That’s something I’ll need to clear with the Committee. A few heavily controlled free-for-alls is one thing, but clearing Dharan is a whole other story.”

“We understand,” Adam said. “We are simply suggesting it as a way of handling all of the qualifiers all at once. Participants can have their monster kills, saves, and participation tallied.”

It would be a good way to bring the heroes together even more, Ishtar added. Though it would steal time from the Inner Circle’s raiding window.

Sonya considered it. They’re already going to be watching the high-end dungeons after Lake Eyre anyway. It doesn’t change much, logistically speaking.

Agreed.

“Color me interested,” Sonya said brightly as the elevator chimed. “I’ll speak to Carla and-”

She froze.

Her heart caught in her chest.

This was not the plan.

An Asian woman with black hair in a bun and wearing a green cheongsam stepped out of the elevator. Her cold eyes swept over her surroundings for a heartbeat before turning to face Marta. Qilin! What is she doing here? I was going to request her later, once I had a controlled environment to meet her in. I’m not ready to talk to her yet! She clicked her tongue. Is this her luck manipulation at work?

“Sonya? You alright?” Adam asked.

“I just got a surprise visitor,” Sonya said hesitantly as Marta and Qilin spoke. Qilin glanced her way once before looking away quickly. Sonya narrowed her eyes until Marta turned and gave her a thumbs-up before gesturing to continue her call. The hell? She’s letting me finish? Alright, neat I guess. “Nevermind, where was I? Oh! I’ll speak with Carla and see if we can’t get something worked out. We’ll have to coordinate with Euclidia as well. How do you want to handle scoring?”

“Those drones Amos used during the battle royale were pretty good,” Brent said. “Just in case, though, we have our own systems we can use. I’m guessing it won’t be hard for Amos to integrate everything?”

Sonya smirked and turned away from the Herald. “Sounds like you want to show off some of your new toys too.”

“Gotta get something out of this besides a bit of branding,” Adam laughed.

“Thanks for working with us, Sonya,” Brent added.

“Thank you for your service, Brent. It’s a marvelous idea,” she said. “Now, I really have to go. There’s a rather famous international hero waiting to talk to me.”

“Right, talk to you soon.”

She hung up the phone and turned back to Qilin, who was throwing furtive glances her way. She kept shifting here and there, even going as far as to take a half-step back when Sonya started walking towards her. What the hell is this reaction? Sonya wondered as Marta came to meet her. She met her friend's gaze, and Marta just shrugged.

“She says she’s here about the bodyguard spots,” Marta said.

“She came on her own?” Sonya murmured and looked past Marta towards the strangely shy-looking monstrosity masquerading as a person. It was hard to reconcile her memories of the cruel and lazy Qilin from the previous timeline with this demure creature in front of her. She pushed her senses forward a little and tried to get an idea of her state of mind through her vitals. It’s not something she did often since it still required a bit of focus, but in this case she really needed more information.

The heart rate, body heat levels, heat map, respiration rate - they all painted a very strange picture. A very excited picture. Is this bitch horny? What the fuck is happening right now?

I… am at a complete loss, Ishtar said as the elevator started moving again. What now?

Sonya looked up at Marta with wide eyes. “What is happening?” she hissed, stretching out the last word for emphasis. Marta just shook her head, and Sonya ran her fingers through her hair. Fine, I can’t leave her standing there forever. Might as well put on a good show, she thought and walked over to the woman. Her entire body was on pins and needles with the instinctive desire to rip Qilin’s throat out the moment she got within arm’s reach. Unlike the other Heralds, Qilin didn’t actively engage in cruelty and violence unless she was ordered to do so.

However, when she did, the levels of brutality and malice she could bring to the table were incomprehensible. Her fortune manipulation alone was one of the tools Otis likely used to undermine the efforts of the Heroes during the war in the previous timeline.

That memory did not match up at all with what she was seeing. She knew the kind of presence that Qilin possessed - it had nearly traumatized Colin, yet all Sonya saw was a young woman practically fluttering her eyelashes at her. She cleared her throat. “Hero Qilin!” she said brightly and extended a hand. “I’m honestly surprised to see you here.”

Qilin looked at her hand like a deer in headlights. “Oh, I wouldn’t dare!” she said bashfully and pulled back a bit from Sonya’s extended hand, bowing at her waist a little. “I apologize for the abrupt visit, but I could not wait to see you face-to-face.”

My brain hurts, Sonya thought.

I have a bad feeling, Ishtar said. Be careful. Something’s not right.

You think? Why would she go out of her way to do anything or be polite for that matter? The only thing she cares about is things that interest her, that alleviate her boredom. Sonya thought quickly. I could maybe see her feeling excited about meeting Ishtar since she’s the cure for what ails her, but- Oh no.

What? Ishtar asked urgently.

She saw Colin’s face, Sonya said. He was at the Liberty hearing.

Sonya met the Herald’s flushed gaze. The woman’s eyes were practically sparkling, and she was panting. It was incredibly uncomfortable to see. There was only one logical conclusion to come to. She knows. She took a deep breath to control her panic. She suspects, at the very least, suspects enough to be certain. Do I kill her here? Can I with her fortune manipulation unsanctioned?

The thoughts moved so fast through her brain only a few seconds passed between Qilin’s words and Sonya’s carefully constructed and relaxed smile. “You’ve caught me off guard,” Sonya chuckled. “You wanted to talk about the bodyguard gig, then? Why don’t we sit down and-”

DING!

Sonya sought patience and turned to the doors of the elevator as they opened a second time and immediately felt like her head was going to explode. Her stress levels spiked through the roof. For all of her careful planning and orchestrating to make sure this very scenario happened, she wanted this to happen when she wanted it to happen. What she realized she hadn’t accounted for was two very impatient Heralds that would act on their own if they wanted something badly enough.

A tan-skinned man with short, wavy hair in cargo shorts, a floral print shirt, and sandals stepped out of the elevator. He reeked of beer and smoke from a fire. “Well, shit,” he grunted, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Qilin’s already here!”

Qilin’s expression fell into something that looked much more like what Sonya recognized - cold, imposing, and utterly unwilling to put up with anything that inconvenienced her. She turned to First Wind and frowned. “You.”

“Me!” he laughed. “Still got a spot open, boss lady? My guy put me at the top of the list, but when I didn’t hear back I just came over.”

Sonya’s eye twitched as she laughed. “Ha ha! First Wind in person! Believe it or not, I was actually planning on calling the both of you for the spots,” she chuckled. “I was just expecting to have everything wrapped up here before I brought you in.”

He waved a dismissive hand and stepped up to stand next to a disgusted-looking Qilin. “Eh, no worries, I’m here now, so you got the best there is,” he said and turned his head towards Marta. “Sup gorgeous.”

Marta crossed her arms at Sonya’s side. “Charmed,” she growled.

He sneered at her before turning to Sonya, who decided to just roll with it. She’d make him pay for making eyes at Marta later anyway and, technically, this was all according to plan. Just a bit pushed up on the timetable. She brandished her best smile and held out her hand. “Why don’t we all sit down and talk about expectations, mm? I’ll get the Chairwoman on the line to make sure everything’s on the level.”

First Wind barked out a laugh. “Works for me!” he said. “Lookin’ forward to showin’ ya what this derro can do,” he chortled and snatched her hand up in his.

Sonya blinked. Marta froze. Even Qilin stared in surprise.

Uh… Analyze?

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HUH?!