I, the slave boy, awaken with the most potent seed!!

Chapter 278: A match made in hell

Shadow leaned against a grimy corridor wall, watching the latest fight highlights flicker across a datapad. "He's getting stronger. Three matches this week, and not even a scratch."

"Did you see what he did to that Kraken merc?" Whisper bounced on her heels, practically vibrating with excitement. "Turned him inside out! Literally! Never knew intestines could be so... decorative."

"Focus," Shadow switched off the footage of Zafron's latest victory. "With his popularity growing, more credits are flowing through the betting pools. And where there's credits..."

"There's leverage!" Whisper clapped her hands. "Oh, and that pretty little damsel of his, Matilda? She's got half the governor's brain eating out of her hand. The other half want to smash her, but that's just because she's one fine lady,"

Shadow's lips curved into a predatory smile. "Perfect combination. The monster in the ring and the angel in the workshops. The governor won't know what hit him when we—"

"When we use them to completely destabilize his precious gambling revenue for our sector," Whisper finished with a theatrical flourish. "By Raxus's sweaty—"

"Don't start," Shadow warned. "We need to check on our other pieces first. Those new fish have been asking questions without our consent. Too many questions."

"Ooh, yes! Let's go poke the suspicious ones! They're my favorite kind of suspicious!" Whisper skipped ahead toward the contained that housed their latest objects of interest. "Maybe they'll slip up and show us what they're really hiding!"

"Or," Shadow matched her sister's pace with more elegant strides, "maybe they'll lead us straight to whoever sent them. Either way..." She trailed off as they reached the door, raising her fist to knock.

Shadow's knuckles had barely grazed the metal when the door creaked open. Maze stood there, looking as collected as ever despite the dingy surroundings of their cell block apartment.

"Well, if it isn't our favorite caretakerrs," Maze said, stepping aside. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"By Raxus's sweaty nipples, can't we check on our favorite newbies?" Whisper bounded in, throwing herself onto their worn couch. "Make sure you're not dead in a ditch somewhere? Though honestly, the ditches here are prime real estate."

Shadow followed more slowly, her eyes scanning the room with predatory interest. Then she spotted Steele slumped in a chair, looking like he'd gone ten rounds with a malfunctioning waste disposal unit. "Holy shit on Raxus's dinner plate! What happened to you? Get friendly with one of the crystal harvesters?"

'Keep it together', Maze thought, maintaining her casual stance. 'They're just making their usual rounds.' "Training accident."

"Training?" Whisper snorted, sprawling deeper into the couch. "What were you training with, a rabid Nexulian battle-beast? Because let me tell you, those things are nasty. Lost three fingers to one last week." She wiggled all ten of her very intact fingers with a grin.

'They're probing', Steele realized, shifting in his chair to hide the worst of his injuries. 'Testing our reactions.' "Just overdid it. Nothing interesting."

Shadow wandered their living space, picking up objects and setting them down again in a way that made Maze's jaw clench. "You know," Shadow drawled, "most people decorate a bit. Add some contraband, maybe a stolen crystal or two. But you two..." She gestured at the sparse room. "It's like you're afraid to put down roots."

'Because we're not staying', Maze thought, but said, "We travel light."

"Speaking of light," Whisper sat up suddenly, her eyes fixed on Steele's jacket. "What's that pretty shimmer you've got there? Looks like someone got up close and personal with something... interesting."

Steele's hand automatically moved to cover the reddish stain. "Paint. From the maintenance sector."

"Funny kind of paint," Shadow mused, perching on the arm of Steele's chair. "Almost looks like—"

"Did you want something specific?" Maze cut in, her tone still pleasant but with an edge that made both twins' eyes gleam with interest.

"Actually," Whisper stretched like a cat, "we thought you might be bored. New fish usually are. Thought we might set you up with some entertainment."

'Here it comes', Steele thought. He leaned forward, feigning casual interest. "What kind of entertainment?"

Shadow's smile turned sharp. "The profitable kind. You seemed pretty handy in that last fight. Thought you might want something more... challenging."

"Could be interested," Steele said carefully, while Maze shot him a warning look he pretended not to see.

"There's this new fighter," Whisper said, examining her nails. "Real interesting style. Makes quite the mess in the ring, if you know what I mean."

'They're talking about Zafron', Maze realized with a jolt. 'But how much do they know?'

"That slime guy from today?" Steele asked, unable to completely hide his eagerness. "Heard he put up quite a fight."

Shadow's eyes narrowed slightly. "News travels fast for a newbie."

"Word gets around," Steele shrugged, but inwardly he cursed his slip.

"So tell us, what's the story? I mean, tried to kidnap the emperor's dog, I heard he was protective about the damn bitch," shadow drawled.

"I'd rather not," Maze simply said. 'What is with all the questions all of a sudden?!!' She thought.

"Oh come on," Whisper rolled onto her stomach, propping her chin on her hands. "Everyone's got a story. What's yours? What landed you in this lovely establishment?"

Maze and Steele exchanged a quick glance - one that didn't go unnoticed by Shadow's keen eyes.

"Trafficking," Steele grunted. "Crystal smuggling operation went bad."

"Really?" Shadow traced a finger along the back of his chair. "Funny, you don't strike me as the trafficking type. Too... principled." Her eyes flicked to Maze. "Now her, I could see running cargo. But you?"

Maze stepped forward smoothly. "Actually, it was my operation. He was just muscle. Wrong place, wrong time." She shrugged. "Got sloppy on Nexus Prime. Didn't grease the right palms."

"Nexus Prime?" Whisper's eyebrows shot up. "That's Collector territory. They don't usually let their catches end up here."

"Unless..." Shadow circled closer. "What were you really moving?"

"People," Maze said flatly. "Rich idiots looking for illegal augments. Steele provided security."

'Excellent choice', Steele thought. 'Using Rinna Kane's profile. Smart.' The real Rinna Kane had been arrested six months ago for exactly that crime. Her file had been thoroughly prepped as part of their cover.

"By Raxus's infected spleen," Whisper whistled. "That's a nasty business. No wonder you two look like you've seen some shit."

'Too easy', Shadow thought, noting how their stories aligned just a little too perfectly. But she kept her suspicions hidden behind a lazy smile.

"Is that a crystal in your wall panel? Because those things are worth a fortune in units if you know the right buyer." Whisper announced suddenly.

Both Enforcers automatically looked at the perfectly intact wall panel. In that moment, Shadow caught a strange shimmer around Maze's features – like technology glitching.

'Interesting', Shadow thought, but kept her expression neutral. 'Very interesting indeed.'

"Must be the light," Maze said smoothly. Too smoothly.

"Speaking of light," Whisper bounced to her feet, "we should go check on that thing. You know, that very important thing we need to do. Right, sister dear?"

?#????!??$??

"Oh yes," Shadow stood gracefully. "That extremely urgent thing. But about that fight..."

"I want it," Steele said firmly. "Get me in with the slime fighter."

Maze's fingers dug into the back of his chair. "Steele—"

"I handled my last opponent just fine," he insisted. "I need a real challenge."

'Yeah, looks real fine', Shadow thought sarcastically, noting his barely concealed winces. "We'll see what we can do. Have to grease the right palms, you know how it is."

"By Raxus's festering—" Whisper began.

"We get it," Maze cut her off, already moving toward the door. "You'll let us know."

Outside in the dim corridor, the twins walked in silence until they were well away from the cell block.

"So," Shadow said finally. "Want to tell me what that was all about?"

Whisper's usual manic grin was replaced by a thoughtful frown. "That stain on his jacket? Looked awful familiar. Like what was left on the pit floor after Zafron's fight."

"The fight that supposedly just happened," Shadow nodded. "The one our new 'friend' somehow already knows all about."

"And since when do new fish get private quarters? Or keep their space prison-catalog clean?"

"Plus that weird glitch around her face..." Whisper's voice dropped low. "Sister dear, I think our new pets are keeping secrets."

"Question is," Shadow matched her tone, "what do we do about it?"

"For now?" A hint of Whisper's usual chaos crept back into her smile. "We watch. We wait. See how deep this particular hole goes."

"And then?"

"Then?" Whisper's grin turned feral. "Then we find out exactly what game they're playing. Because those aren't the injuries of someone who just arrived in Area 52."

"No," Shadow agreed quietly. "Those are the injuries of someone who's been hunting."

"And by Raxus's left testicle," Whisper added cheerfully, "I bet our favorite slime boy would love to know just who's on his trail."

Shadow cast one last look back toward the cell. "Should we warn him?"

"Now where's the fun in that?" Whisper skipped ahead. "Besides, I want to see how this plays out. It's been ages since we had such interesting new toys to play with."

"You're terrible," Shadow said fondly.

"I know!" Whisper beamed. "Isn't it wonderful?"

As they disappeared into the perpetual twilight of Area 52, their masks gleaming in the crystal-light, both twins were already plotting their next move.

Behind them, in their spartan quarters, Maze was giving Steele a piece of her mind.

"Are you trying to blow our cover?" she hissed. "Asking about a fight that just happened, that we shouldn't even know about?"

"They didn't suspect anything," Steele growled, but his hand unconsciously moved to cover the damning stain on his jacket.

"Those two?" Maze laughed bitterly. "They suspect everything. It's how they've survived so long down here." She began pacing. "We need to be more careful. One slip and—"

"And nothing," Steele cut her off. "We're close. I can feel it. Once I get in that ring with him..."

"If you survive that long," Maze muttered, but she knew there was no talking him out of it now. The hunt was all that mattered to him anymore.

Still along the streets of the prison world, something occured to the twins.

"'Rich idiots looking for augments'?" Whisper doubled over laughing once they were safely away. "Oh sister, you should have seen your face! I thought you were going to burst!"

"Me?" Shadow snorted. "What about you? 'That's a nasty business,'" she mimicked. "Could you have been any more obvious about fishing for details?"

"Hey, I was under pressure! You try maintaining this level of chaotic energy while conducting a subtle interrogation!"

"Subtle? Please. You have all the subtlety of a Raxian pleasure-beast in heat." Shadow ran a hand through her hair. "And I completely botched that bit about the Collectors. Should have pushed harder there."

"The muscle comment was good though," Whisper offered. "Did you see how he tensed up? Like being called 'muscle' personally offended him?"

"Because it did." Shadow's eyes gleamed. "That man's used to giving orders, not taking them. And their story?"

"Stolen." Whisper nodded. "Has to be. Too polished, too ready. Real criminals stumble more, get defensive. These two?" She made a flowing gesture. "Smooth as synthetic silk."

"We're losing our touch," Shadow sighed dramatically. "Used to be we could crack a mark in five minutes flat."

"Excuse you, I am a delight at interrogation!"

"You quoted Raxus's body parts seven times."

"It's my process!" Whisper protested. "Besides, you're the one who got all intense and loomy. 'What were you really moving?'" she mimicked, making her voice deep and menacing. "Could you be any more enforcer-like?"

Shadow froze. "You don't think..."

"Nah," Whisper waved it off. "Enforcers don't last five minutes down here. These two?" She grinned. "They're something much more interesting."

In their quarters, Maze was having similar thoughts.

"'Rich idiots looking for augments'?" she hissed at Steele. "That was the best you could do?"

"Hey, you're the one who jumped in with the Rinna Kane story! I was going to use the Blackout Boys' profile!"

"Because the Blackout Boys were caught two weeks ago! Kane's case is older, more established." Maze rubbed her temples. "Next time, let me do the talking."

"There won't be a next time," Steele insisted. "We'll have Zafron before they can dig any deeper."