Broker

Chapter 176

Without having even having tested herself against many in the way of monsters or heroes, Sonya was aware that she was one of the most powerful light-touched on Earth. It wasn’t her own arrogance, it was simply a fact. She possessed a wider suite of abilities than most, though there were some who had more versatility than even she possessed. It was one of the reasons that she had started collecting and integrating abilities into her body so selectively in order to create the versatile powerset she had. She had taken inspiration from her past life, considering the abilities of others as a frame of reference to build upon. 

Otis was her target, Qilin was her template.

Qilin was not a fight she could win head to head. For all of her powers, Qilin’s regeneration was better, her speed was greater, her attack power was superior, and her ability to manipulate fortune turned any situation into a disadvantage from the get-go. There were ways to counteract it, of course, Sonya was aware that Qilin’s ability to create disadvantages had limits, but that required preparation and setting the stage. One had to stack the deck to beat someone who wielded luck like a blunt instrument. 

That was why Sonya had made it a point to avoid any interactions or confrontations with Qilin up until this point. Her focus was on the other heralds and she wanted to keep it that way. Each herald she took down was another improvement to Broker which she could eventually leverage against the monstrously powerful woman. All of that avoidance had been thrown out the window now. By interacting with Colin who was depending on Sonya to get him out of his current situation, Qilin’s limited range luck manipulation was extending across the planet to affect her. This had led to an improbable chain of events that brought Crusader to the door of the room she had hidden in.

Her only recourse was to take a chance, tug a bit on hope and fate and pray for the least terrible outcome. The mysterious slip of paper given to her had provided a hint that hadn’t made sense at first until Qilin herself had practically recited over the call. She wasn’t sure if it would work, but it was her only option with Crusader banging even harder at the door. The young hero knew someone was inside and Sonya didn’t possess the ability to conceal her mana or control it like the young hero or her teacher. Mind control using the amethyst sorceress ability she’d acquired from Feng Hyunh required physical contact as she hadn’t spent enough time developing it given how unsettled by it she was. What’s more, many of her more visible abilities were known to quite a few people. That meant that if she tried to use barriers to protect herself it would alert anyone in the know to exactly who was hiding inside the room.

She only had one chance and that meant confronting Qilin directly, even if it was over the phone. While Qilin couldn’t affect her fortunes through the phone, having more focus on Sonya could amplify the problem through influencing Colin’s luck. It was a gamble and the kind of situation she had been trying so hard to avoid.

The call clicked over as she ordered Colin to switch to speaker. She heard the sound of the air rushing over the microphone and took a deep breath. Technopath was modulating her voice through the call in her mind so she had no worries about her identity as far as Qilin was concerned, but it still didn’t shake off the nerves. 

Calm down. I believe your instincts are right. Ishtar said at the back of her mind. They didn’t have time to make the switch as much as she wanted Ishtar to take over and handle the conversation. There just wasn’t enough time. 

The door shook under Crusader’s attention and the light flashed on the lock panel. Sonya commanded the lock to refuse anyone with technopathy, it was as overt a power use as she was willing to make with the girl so attentive.

She let out a breath and clenched her jaw, speaking through her ability; <”Hello, Hero.”>

–

Mephisto was holding the phone in his hand so tightly he was starting to worry he would break it. His fingers were shaking regardless. Drastic had been a straightforward fight, all power and no finesse. It had still been a life-or-death situation but he knew that he could handle it. Qilin’s appearance had shaken him to his core. Her speed was comparable to Kera’s, she could whip her hand and decapitate someone with seemingly no effort, she had no qualms about killing. It was her aura, however, that made him quake. It was like standing before a walking force of nature, the living embodiment of some fundamental truth.

As soon as his boss spoke, though, that feeling faded like a gust of wind.

”Hello, Hero.”

He blinked, shuddering with the sensation of being liberated from the oppressive presence. It was so jarring that it took him a second to look up at the woman who had been lording over him. When he did, his mind couldn’t quite comprehend what he was seeing. Qilin’s eyes had gone wide, her expression a mixture of excitement and fear. She reached up to touch at her face before pulling her hand down, fidgeting and taking quick breaths. Mephisto squinted slightly, What the hell? 

“Hero? Are you there?” the raspy voice on the phone came through, cold and commanding though with a small hint of unease, “You are causing me quite a bit of trouble. I do not appreciate it. Do you want to make a deal, or not?”

The words seemed to startle Qilin, that tingling feeling that was suffusing Mephisto’s body easing before changing into something else. It felt like a warmth that spread through his limbs and up into his chest before becoming a bubbly sensation. It was like a drunk giddiness had raced through his body in an instant. Qilin’s eyes flicked left and right before she fixed her gaze on Mephisto. Her expression went stony once more, the strange reaction evaporating into her usual placid expression; “I wasn’t expecting to speak to you,” Qilin said, sounding slightly annoyed, “I wanted to deal with your subordinate. You do not need to waste your time.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Mephisto had no idea what was going on. A moment later, though, that cold voice came back through. “On the contrary, Miss Qilin,” the voice said, sounding significantly more confident, “Someone of your station deserves it.”

Qilin’s only reaction was a faint twitch of her eye and lip. Did she just smile? 

“Tell me, Miss Qilin, how can I alleviate your tedium?”

Qilin glanced at Mephisto again and her eyes flashed with something along the lines of frustration. She doesn’t want to talk to her? Why? I don’t get it. Qilin continued to keep her mouth shut, her lips forming a thin line as she flexed her fingers, popping them one at a time with her thumb. Nerves? Mephisto observed. She’s acting like like she’s meeting her favorite celeb- oh you have got to be kidding!

“Hero Qilin,” the cold voice said with a twinge of anger as a pink light blossomed into existence next to Mephisto’s head. He turned to see one of Ishtar’s madans, the glowing observing eyes, come into being and open wide, fixed on the international hero as Ishtar’s voice rumbled out of the phone with warning, “You have my attention.”

–

Sonya’s heart was pounding. She glanced again at the door, wide-eyed. She couldn’t believe what just happened. Luck was a truly terrifying thing to manipulate. The moment she had said that Qilin was causing her trouble a man had come running down the hall to explain to Crusader that a VIP was in the room temporarily and they were not to be disturbed. Her entire body relaxed as Crusader walked away after apologizing profusely to the door. Sweat dripped down Sonya’s face and her hands shook as she rested them on the bed before balling into fists.

That was too close, she thought.

You seem to have an effect on Qilin, I wonder why, Ishtar commented.

I think you’re the one who has an effect on her, Sonya said, Let’s get Colin out of there. 

Agreed.

A text came through from Kera with a dozen angry emojis as Sonya caught her breath.

‘SHE FUCKIN’ THREW ME! ME! I’MMA KICK HER ASS!’

Sonya frowned at the text and quickly responded, ‘Remain at a distance. Do not engage. I’ll get Mephisto home. You come back your own way.’

More angry emojis followed before a simple ‘Yes Mistress’ arrived in response.

She turned her attention back to Qilin and Colin, taking another breath and steeling her nerves. She set her jaw. You wanna take over? She asked Ishtar.

You’re doing just fine, Ishtar said before going quiet.

Sonya clicked her tongue, she had a feeling that Ishtar would say that. She knew she was leaning on her other half too much but this felt too important to leave to herself. It seemed that Ishtar didn’t share her opinion on the matter. She knew Ishtar wanted her to handle situations like this more and more but she really didn’t want to. She sighed and shook her head. Fine. She focused on her connection to Colin’s phone and his location. She willed her Astral Eye ability to project to him and this time felt no resistance to her ability. I definitely threw her off so far, she thought as Qilin appeared in her mind's eye, the destroyed forest and remains of Mephisto and Drastics battle all around her. <”Hero Qilin. You have my attention.”>

Qilin’s eyes turned sharply towards the madan that Sonya had created and through it their eyes met. Qilin’s expression was as flat and placid as she remembered but there were some minor differences, microexpressions that she wouldn’t have noticed in her previous life. There was a faint twitch of her eyes, a constriction of her pupils, her lips curved a fraction of a centimeter upwards. She was excited, delighted, though perhaps a bit nervous. Those faint shifts were as loud as a schoolgirl meeting a boy band singer on Qilin’s normally unmoving face.

Sonya narrowed her own eyes on concentration. Something about meeting Ishtar had set the woman off and she was beginning to suspect it had a great deal to do with her supposed ‘wish’. 

<”If you have nothing to say,”> Sonya said through the connection, <”Then I have nothing to give to you, I will be withdrawing my subordinate. He is very important to me and you appear to have your own problems.”>

Sonya concentrated on the area near where her madan had opened and attempted to push a portal through again. That act seemed to get a response from Qilin as she shifted a bit, her eyes refocusing and her expression going a little hard. The pressure that had resisted Sonya’s first attempt returned and she was pushed back, preventing her from opening a portal to Colin’s personal space. Qilin glanced over her shoulder at the two men dead on the ground outside the portal before turning back to her madan and Colin.

<“Not yet.”> Qilin’s voice came through the connection. There was a slight delay between her mouth movements and her words as it went through Colin’s phone to Sonya’s cybernetic brain. <”I do have a wish. Ishtar. Do you really grant them?”>

Sonya sighed inwardly, <”I do. To a degree. As long as it is within my power to give. Normally I reserve my services for Villains, but I am always happy to do business. There is no such thing as a free meal, though, Hero. Everything comes at a price.”>

Qilin frowned, <”Your man suggested as such.”>n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

<”What is it that you want, Hero?”> Sonya asked, <”I do not have infinite patience. You said that you want to alleviate your tedium but that can mean a great many things,”> she said, shifting her tone a bit towards something a bit closer to friendly, <”I’m happy to provide, but you need to be more specific.”>

Qilin clammed up again, her lips forming a thin line as she looked away, she closed her eyes and shook her head, <”That is the problem. I do not know what I want. The world is so… boring. I had hoped that with the flash life would have taken on some new flavors, but my powers have only made things worse.”>

<”Shall I take them from you?”> Sonya asked bluntly. 

Qilin turned towards her and narrowed her eyes, <”I think that might be a bit far,”> Qilin said with an even stare, <”I wanted to enjoy my powers. I figured becoming a hero would allow me to do that, but it has been just as tedious as an ordinary life. I want to revel in it.”>

Sonya’s lip twitched. She figured it wouldn’t be that easy but she had to at least try. She glanced towards the door and considered it for a moment before focusing again on the conversation. She had an idea but it required wording the proposal very carefully. There was no way she would be able to eliminate Qilin as a threat with a deal, not as she was. It would be a windfall to be sure, but it was unlikely that Qilin would comply. She needed to soften her up, ease her into making a future agreement that would cripple her and put her into a position where Sonya could finish her. That would take time.

I need to get her addicted, Sonya thought.

Cunning. That’s good, Ishtar commented.

Sonya’s lips curled and she leaned forward on the bed. Yes, giving her what she wanted right off the bat would be too easy.  <”A compromise, then,”> Sonya began, <”I have a way to censure a portion of your abilities temporarily. I think you know what part of your abilities I am talking about.”>

Qilin paused, <”So you know,”> she said thoughtfully, <“Is that possible?”>

<”Yes, it is. I can make it happen, though the effects will be temporary. One month of thrills. What is that worth to you?”> She asked.

Qilin shifted on her feet and crossed her arms, <”Your subordinates life is not good enough in exchange?”>

<”I think allowing my comrade to return safely to my side is the least you can do to encourage me to even consider this transaction. You are not one of my beloved villains. I have no desire to interact with you otherwise, hero. Don’t be greedy, it’s unseemly.”> Sonya reprimanded her, <”I’m giving you your hearts desire. Surely that is worth something to you.”>

<”My family has assets and connections in China,”> Qilin said after a long pause, <”I can provide you with access to them, some of which are less than reputable. Your kind of people, I imagine,”> Qilin suggested.

An inroad to China to expand the club. This. This will do nicely for now. You want thrills so badly? Fine. I’ll give them to you. While I do, I’ll squeeze you dry for everything you’re worth. Sonya snarled inwardly before letting her shoulders finally relax. As long as you are chasing the next high, I don’t have to worry about you interfering and I can focus on Liberty and the others. You’re smart enough to know that if you cause me trouble, I might be unwilling to top you up next month.

<”It’s a deal.”>