Equilibrium

Chapter 26 - Jump

Yuki left her office in the Dokutaku building, heels clacking down the hallway to head to a meeting, when she saw Rafi walking in her direction. Blinding rage filled her being. The shit's been off the grid for days. Rafi had just enough time to look alarmed when she quickly closed the distance between them, slid the tanto from its scabbard nestled in the bodice of her kimono, and pushed him against the wall with the knife firmly pressing against his throat.

"Yuki," he greeted calmly, voice strained.

"Where's Zen, Demonspawn?" she asked coldly.

"He's fine," he assured, recovering his composure.

"If he's gotten himself into trouble, give him to me. I'll deal with it."

"I can't. It's beyond my control. His father has accepted the situation."

"Well, he's a coward," she replied. "I'm not."

"No, you aren't," he agreed. "But you're not very smart when it comes to him either. Do you really want to spend your political capital on a wild card like Zenneth? You gave him his chance to be at your side, and he declined. If you push on this, people will question your ability to lead the Group when it's time for succession."

Yuki narrowed her eyes. "Like they all already question yours? You smell like a Demon lapdog to me."

"I'm a liaison with our partners in the Empire. That's part of my job. Zenneth poked the bear one too many times. His mistakes are not my fault."

She pressed the knife harder against the side of his throat. "Take me to him," she demanded.

"Fine. There's a social event at Hellgate this weekend and someone from the Group should be there. It looks like that someone is you."

"See that I am." Yuki stepped back and put her tonto away as she stormed off.

~

The contract signing felt much more like buying a house than Zen expected. Sion's right-hand man, Lucien, or Luke, was a lawyer and the contract itself was lengthy and full of both large and subtle traps such as, 'If the signatory should slander his employer either verbally or nonverbally, the six month period shall begin again.'

"I have a few changes," Zen announced after reading it over the first time.

~

Zen's first assignment was to attend a little soiree at the Keep, entertaining and assuaging the fears of potential allies and investors.

Zimmerman, the most influential technologist in the Orleans region, plunked the mechanical winged frog into Zen's hand. Its skin was a sleek, metallic green. "It's only a prototype, but we're nearly there," he said.

"An amphibian with wings covers all the bases," Zen said enthusiastically. He extended his power into it, careful not to short it out. "Is that a lithium battery?" he guessed, letting his true interest into his voice.

"That's right," the man replied. "And the wings have solar panels."

"Ah yes," Zen said, tracing the flow of energy from the wings absorbing the slanted early winter sunlight into its second battery. He concentrated and made the wings flutter, making both of them laugh.

"If you're coming around to the Empire, then I'm on board too," the man said. "Your father's a bit of a - well, you know. But you have a love of technology and respect for nature that I admire greatly."

Zen's stomach constricted. He thought about Lula's advice to let his tone convey his meaning. Zen made sure the final language of the contract did not close this loophole either. "The Empire is as committed to such things now as much as they ever have," Zen said woodenly.