Rachel's eyes narrowed as she stared out the window at the slumbering machine hovering in the sky. Her skin radiated as sunrays illuminated the dimly lit hotel room. The air was static and musky with lingering cigarette smoke. Engineers and hotel employees fiddled with a breaker box outside after Rachel short-circuited the power grid earlier. Her strawberry-blonde hair was frizzed from rubbing her bare hands through it.
Her mind wandered, echoes of Emily's intrusion lingering like a scab in her memory. Rachel glanced at the ENGINE in the sky, then sighed. She bit her fingernails as her leg shook, pondering on what Emily might have done while everyone was frozen. Anxiety crept down her back as she thought of possible scenarios. She breathed deeply and stood up from the side of the bed, then grabbed the pair of gloves sitting on the nightstand.
"Wonderful," Rachel grumbled as she put on the leather gloves Elijah got for her.
"Here is your smokes," Elijah said as he opened the door and tossed a pack of cigarettes at her.
"Thanks," Rachel replied as she caught the pack.
"How are you holding up?" Elijah asked as he closed the door.
"Outside of being a walking EMP...fantastic," Rachel jested as she rubbed her hands.
"We still have two days before the pilgrimage. Some of the chosen are heading towards the Mage and Conduit Academy," Elijah explained as he lit a cigarette.
"Anybody we know?"
"Alice is keen on it. The others seem to be split on how they spend these last two days."
Rachel nodded. "Our objective is to figure out where Emily is."
"Going to the academy might be our best bet on that," Elijah replied as he smoked. "There is also the Diego situation. We need to flip him so we know what's up with Lex."
Rachel lit a cigarette and sighed.
"Can't do that without you," I doubt your parents would let us anywhere near your home without you being there," Elijah explained. "Time isnt on our side either. No wheels and Augustine isn't exactly in walking distance."
"Yeah, I know," Rachel grumbled as she smoked. "Guess we're portal hopping."
Knock...Knock
Elijah glanced at the door, then at Rachel.
"Who is it?" Rachel asked.
"It's Shiyu, we need to talk."
Elijah opened the door and then crossed his arms. He glanced at Rachel, then put out his cigarette in the ashtray.
Shiyu stared into Rachel's mulberry eyes, then walked towards the window. She gazed up at the ENGINE before turning around to look at Elijah. "Our paths end here. I will be heading back to the Xinhua shortly."
"I thought we had a deal?"Rachel asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Sarah has come back to her senses. Our agreement is over," Shiyu explained as she crossed her arms.
Rachel's eyes drifted towards the front door as she heard footsteps approaching.
"Where the fuck is she!?" Sarah yelled with flames sizzling out of her eyes.
"Glad to see you got your marbles back," Rachel said as she recoiled as Sarah's nostrils flared.
"Shut the fuck up!" Sarah growled as sparks erupted off her body, singeing the carpet underneath her feet.
Elijah lit a cigarette from the sparks coming off Sarah's body. He recoiled away from Sarah as her head turned towards him.
"That fucking freak of nature made me look like a fool," Sarah growled as she fluttered her burnt designer fan.
"You poked the bear," Elijah chuckled, then darted towards the other side of the room as Sarah's flames burnt the wooden coffee table next to him.
Sarah sighed with narrow eyebrows. "Yeah....I did, and we learned I was right. She is not an orphan," she replied. "She is a freak of nature who broke the rules. The ENGINE is playing fucking favorites in what is supposed to be a neutral game."
Rachel crossed her arms and then looked down at the carpet. "Well, you are not wrong about that," she replied, then looked out the window. "But I don't think poking the bear again-"
"You misinterpret me, my dear," Sarah cackled. "I may be a little delusional, but I ain't stupid. I want to learn what rules can be broken, not attack the bear again."
"There are no rules that you can break, Sarah," Shiyu insisted.
Sarah tilted her head at Shiyu and smirked. "So what you are saying is that the system is corrupt. Your god isn't fair, and we're all supposed to be a part of this death pilgrimage and be okay with the fact that some orphan can just kill us, and it won't bat an eye?"
Elijah coughed, holding back a grin as he glanced at Rachel, then at Shiyu.
Shiyu breathed deeply. "It is not-"
"Not what it looks like?" Sarah asked, cutting her off as she balled up her hands into a fist.
Shiyu did not reply.
Flames sizzled off Sarah's body as she glared at Shiyu. She then looked at Rachel and walked towards her. "You were right," Sarah declared as she stretched her hand out to her for a handshake.
Rachel's eyes widened as she stared at Sarah's hand, then up at her intense eyes. "What?"
"You were right. The game is rigged, and I did not see it until Emily made an example of me. I was.....wrong."
Elijah's cigarette dropped out of his mouth. His lip quivered as his eyes darted from side to side before he scrambled to pick up his cigarette off the carpet. He watched Rachel shake Sarah's hand, then heard footsteps approaching from the hallway.
"So I was right...the game is rigged," Amos grumbled as he and Arthur walked into the room. "But I think you are still missing the point, Sarah."
Sarah turned around and glared at Amos. "And how so?"
"The game isn't just rigged. The outcome is already decided," Amos flatly replied.
Rachel bit her lip, then avoided Amos's gaze as it drifted towards her.
"What the fuck are you talking about dreaddylock boy? Is this another one of your wild conspiracy theories?" Sarah mocked as she fluttered her burnt fan once more.
Amos shook his head. "No conspiracy theories...just logical conclusion....and Arthur and I are going to make sure the outcome isn't prewritten."
"What do you mean by that?" Shiyu asked, then crossed her arms.
"We're joining the Lex coalition because to break the outcome, we need an overwhelming force."
Sarah cackled. "Oh, I see, you think Emily already has it in the bag, and you're going to send an army at her, is that right?"
"That's exactly right," Arthur replied. "As much as I like all your company...strategically, being your teammates means there is only one clear victory condition."
"We all die, and Emily wins," Amos added, then glared at Rachel.
Sarah laughed. "Oh, good luck with that, dearies. I do see your point of view, though, but I am putting my money on the one who can actually break the rules."
Arthur nodded, then looked at Amos. "Very well, it was a pleasure, but our alliance has concluded. Best of luck to everyone in the pilgrimage...hopefully we don't have to face one another," he said, then bowed as they left the room.
Shiyu shook her head and then walked towards the door. She looked at Elijah and then swivelled her head towards Sarah and Rachel. "If Emily returns."
"We won't be telling you," Rachel interrupted to Sarah's delight.
Shiyu nodded with a disappointed frown. "Very well...best of luck to you all in the pilgrimage. Farewell," she replied, then left the room.
"Guess we should talk with Alice, then get moving," Elijah said as he peeked out into the hallway to make sure they truly left.
"Do we have transportation?" Sarah asked. "I could get us some wheels if need be."
"I got it handled," Rachel replied as she walked towards the door. Her eyes widened as she ran right into Rusev as she stepped into the hallway.
"Sorry about that," Rusev chuckled as he rubbed his head.
"Were you snooping?" Rachel asked with a raised eyebrow.
Rusev forced a smile on his face. "Kinda...who is this Emily?"
Rachel shook her head. "Not your business," she grumbled as she started to walk down the hallway.
"But it kinda is if she can break the rules," Rusev replied.
Rachel paused, then turned towards Rusev. "How much did you hear?"
"Like a lot....okay, all of it....you guys were not exactly quiet," Rusev jested as he rubbed his neck.
Rachel rolled her eyes, then rubbed her face as she cussed under her breath. "Look, you really don't want to get involved with me."
"Let him come," Elijah suggested as he stepped into the hallway. "Better to recruit him than let him join forces with the others...plus too much estrogen in our little band of misfits anyway."
Sarah glared at Rusev's steel mask as she circled him. "Too young for my taste," she said as she analyzed Ruseve like a piece of meat. "I don't care either way."
"You sure?" Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow at Elijah.
Elijah nodded.
Rachel looked at Rusev, then smiled. "Alright, you in...just don't be surprised when shit gets weird."
"And if you betray us...you will regret it," Sarah threatened. "I learned the hardway."
Rusev nodded and forced a thin-lipped smile. "Yeah...I heard....I will try not to fuck around and find out."
"Are we recruiting people now?" Alice asked as she turned the corner with a croissant sandwich in hand. She took a bite, then looked at Sarah, then at Rusev with a raised eyebrow. "Where are the others, and who is this guy?"
"Differences of ideologies," Elijah replied as he lit a cigarette. "This is Rusev, he is a gravity conduit who poked his nose where it didn't belong."
Alice nodded as she finished her sandwich. "I see...so everything finally imploded then?"
"Pretty much," Rachel replied. "We were hoping you were still game."
"We need to flip Diego and take a trip to the Mage and Conduit Academy. Your talents would come in handy," Elijah said.
"Oh, I am still game, but we're not just flipping Diego," Alice replied.
"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.
"Your brother and mother were talking with Lex. If we're going to flip Diego, we might as well see what your family knows as well."
Sarah's eyes lit up. "I love how you think, Alice. What do you have in mind?"
Alice smirked. "We take advantage of Rachel's powers to separate and interrogate them."
"What are Rachel's powers?" Rusev asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You will find out soon," Elijah chuckled.
"They will never talk, and we can't exactly force them to speak," Rachel replied.
Alice nodded, then smiled. "True, but what if we managed to find Emily and trap them in a room with her?"
Sarah's eyes widened as a grin crossed her face. "Oh, you delightful mastermind!"
"That could go very badly," Rachel replied as she rubbed her neck.
Alice shrugged. "And it could go very badly for us if we don't find out what they're scheming."
"Amos and Arthur are now joining Lex's coalition as well. They will feed everything we know...once they find out what Emily can do, things will get ugly fast."
"Oh, so that's what you meant about a difference of ideologies," Alice replied with raised eyebrows. "That gives Emily motivation to actually find out herself as well."
"Maybe, but I don't even know where she is," Rachel replied as she shrugged. "She could be anywhere."
"Then I guess we'd better start figuring out how to find her or summon her," Alice suggested as she leaned on the wall.
"Waffles," Elijah suggested. "Why don't we grab some waffles?"
"You can't be serious?" Sarah cackled. "You think going to a breakfast restaurant is going to get our orphan nightmare to rip a hole in reality for some damn waffles?"
"Actually, yeah," Elijah chuckled. "You haven't seen her around waffles."
"I will believe it when I see it."
"I know a place," Rachel said.
"Wait, are y'all being serious right now?" Rusev asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yup," Elijah chuckled, then lit a cigarette. "And if it doesn't work, we just get to eat a lot of waffles."