Chapter One

Present day

I stood above the city, my eyes reflecting all of its lights like sparklers. The skyscrapers surrounded me, their height still impressing me. I'd been living here for a long time, and the city still amazed me. Kistra, the City of a Thousand Buildings, was my home. I had a deep-rooted feeling that it always would be.

I dropped onto the fire escape, my journal in hand. I knew that tonight would be an amazing night. I had a new song in mind, and a new drawing in my head.

I sketched for a little bit, capturing the lights all around me. My pencil was a silver majestic classic that had been a gift from the organization I worked for. They loved creativity.

I smiled. I'd been so lucky to get such a good place to take me in.

I sang the notes I'd pondered all day. There. I thought with satisfaction, smiling to myself. Yeah, that was it. The words came out of a place in me that was always giving me life and purpose, a place that my creativity flowed from.

"Color finds me first

gives my eyes the light of birth

it weaves around my soul

makes my past pain the only hole,"

My voice cracked, the old scar in me throbbing with new pain.

"Her parents, gone

crosses on a lawn

it won't be long

until she trips and breaks

with tear tracks down her face

This pain, she knows,

her color, she flows,

the place of darkness, she won't go

though she's felt the temptation head to toe

The way she chooses is hers alone

without a doubt, this way she'll go

past the dark with no thoughts to flow

she'll live her life despite the pain

she'll move on from the mounting strain

her past a haunting ghost

she'll make it unlike most

stronger than you'd know

Kistra she calls home"

My song complete, the notes feeling right, I write it down in the soft glow of the neon signs of my city. Night washed over the place like rainwater through a dam. The mood of the expansive bustle hushed, leaving only the remains. A high moon, a sleeping collection of apartments, and an extensive variety of lights created a new image. The time that I was awake, the only thing I lived for.

The dark concrete of the city was damp from the back half of the day's rain. Perfect weather, according to me. A cool breeze topped it all off with satisfaction. I leaned back, my head gently touching the iron behind me. To most, the fire escape was an almost useless piece of twisted metal, but to me, it was a perfect perch. With an incredible view from about fifteen stories up, it was hard to resist, especially for someone like me.

I hugged my knee and let my other leg dangle over an entire building of empty air. It would scare most people, but then again, I wasn't most people.

With my long, teal-streaked black hair, bright turquoise piercings, and cut jacket, I seemed to blend in with the city. The blue lights from the building across the street gave my darkened face a tealish highlight, and the darkness gave the shadows a purple tint.

My black leather jacket looked like a long-sleeve crop top, black and lined with teal. The hood was also trimmed with the color. The dark shirt I wore under it had a teal paint slash. My pants were comfortable, with a loose fit and a line of teal on both sides. They had a drawstring waistband and pockets trimmed with teal. I wore black, skin-tight fingerless gloves.

I decorated myself with bright teal lipstick, but stuck to no gloss. I had three piercings in each ear, along each edge. I even had a flat, teal nose stud. They were small shapes, usually just spheres. I had two diamond-shaped piercings, each one was in the middle of the three along my ear.

I loved the look. It was uniform to those that worked for the secret organization B.L.A.D.E. Bad-arse League of Annihilators of Deadly Evil. The group that I worked for. They found me alone in this massive city, and took me in. I'd been orphaned for as long as I could remember, and as far as I knew, B.L.A.D.E. raised me.

I was glad that B.L.A.D.E. gave me free time to roam and hang out with my two friends. The flexibility allowed me to have favorites. This fire escape was my escape, one of my top five. With a stunning view and grand heights, it was easily one of my tops.

I was a city girl, down to the core. I knew every building down to the way the air vents went down into the scrapers. I knew every shady character's routine. I had every night security guard memorized. I knew every ally by heart. The maze that was the city was ingrained into my mind. There was nothing about me on the outside that hinted of my past, and I liked it that way. Mystery was always a good thing, especially in Kistra.

I stood up and tucked away my journal, aware of the dangers of pondering. Thinking too much leads to insanity. I'd seen this with my own eyes, on people close to me. I shuddered, thinking of my former friends.

Enough. I thought angrily to myself. Get moving. You have work to do. Night was the time for refreshments and seeing my friends. I walked over to the right edge of the building. I bent my knees and slid down, dropping onto the narrow edge. I expertly judged the leap, and went for it, landing on the edge of the building over. I worked my way through alleyways, ledges, shadows, streets. Ladders and fire escapes were key. Lights could be dangerous, I mostly avoided them.

I worked my way over, finally arriving at my destination. An almost barren rooftop, except for one large iron sheet. It had a small mark on the underside of it, a logo I knew by heart. A knife crossed with a paintbrush, with a black paint splatter behind it. B.L.A.D.E.'s official logo. Chief had come up with it herself. She had likely chosen black because it was the Chief of B.L.A.D.E.'s official color. No member could use black as their color, as it was reserved for the Chief, whoever that may be at the time.

I crept my way over to it, lifted it, and dropped into the small hidden room. I was careful to let the sheet down gently, least not alarm anyone of my presence. I typed into a keypad on one cramped wall, and waited for the tiny red light to turn green. I didn't mind the tight space, I was used to maneuvering through the smallest crevices and hidden places of the city.

The keypad flicked green, revealing a hidden door. I crawled carefully through the space until I reached an iron ladder, which led downward into darkness. I descended into a more spacious room, this time filled with people. Quiet conversations littered the place, creating a comfortable aura. A small bar sat at one end of the room, and neat tables and chairs were scattered throughout the room. The room was set up so everyone could see everyone at any time, to watch for anyone that didn't belong. Specifically, non-B.L.A.D.E. members.

I took a silent deep breath and put my hands in my jacket pockets, fixing my posture. I had to stand confident or I might seem out of place. Even though I was well known here, you couldn't be too careful. I walked into the assortment of tables, most seating people. I nodded to some, others I'd worked with in the past. I walked over to a figure that was standing at a tall side table.

He wore clothing that was similar to mine, only rimmed with red. Instead of my loose and comfortable pants, he wore black denim jeans that ripped on the thighs. He also wore a thin but flexible headband that looked like he shoved it on his disheveled hair this morning. His hair was a dark caramel, messy and uncombed. At the ends, it faded into a vibrant red, falling around his eyes with drama. His black leather jacket was full length and double-lined with red at the bottom. He too wore a dark shirt with a paint slash, only this time it was red. He was handsome, to say the least, and his vibe reminded me of a dangerous bad boy. He wasn't as closed as he seemed, and only opened up to his friends.

"Hey man," I said, lightly punching him in the arm. "I haven't gotten a call from you." I noted with a disappointed tone. I sat down across from him, leaning on my elbows.

Dixter finally looked at me. "You know I've been busy, Feckter. I've been really caught up lately," he paused, with that familiar glint in his eye. "You could come with me. Help me catch up. You know I love working with you." He smiled in the way that only he could. Like he had good intentions, but he was still hiding something.

I glanced away, slightly taken aback. "I.. I usually work alone," I said sadly with hidden amusement. I secretly enjoyed watching disappointment slide onto his face. "But.. I guess I could make an exception for you."

Dixter's face lit up like a firework at midnight. "So you'll go?" He was practically bouncing with excitement.

I smiled at his child-like behavior. "Yes, yes. When tomorrow night?" I questioned.

"Hmm.. one? Late enough for trouble, don't you think?" He smiled, making his eyes flash. "Oh, and afterwards.. I was thinking.. would you wanna get new paint with me? I found a new place, and their colors are just electric. You'd love it."

It would be hard to turn down the offer. New paint places, especially good ones, were a rare occasion. "Sure, Dix. I'll meet you at your old spot? Or d'you get a new one." I asked, wondering how often he changed his routes.

"Yeah, I got tired of that alley. It was hurting my head. I found a height at the edge of the city.. You know the electricity offices on Eastbound?" He asked, searching my face for a reaction. I nodded.

"Okay, so just past there is one of those.. ah.." He snapped his fingers, trying to remember.

"Water plants? The complexes?" I asked, trying to jump-start his scattered mind. His head snapped up.

"Yes, the complexes. So a couple buildings right of there is a spot. It's my new favorite." He winked, promising a good view.

"Can't wait," I said, ignoring a slight blush from the wink. I slid out of my chair. "I'll see you then, hot shot." I smiled and turned, my long hair whooshing. I needed something to drink.

The bartender was a simple man compared to the others, wearing a standard white t-shirt and a black jacket. I ordered a fizzy water with Caribbean, but what I got wouldn't be what you'd expect. I watched him pour the carbonated water into a clear, short glass. This was my favorite part.

He pulled out a small container with a bright highlighter teal lid. The glow lit up our faces as he pulled the tab back and tilted its contents into my bubbling water. A neon turquoise waterfall of purified color poured out of the container, mesmerizing me. It collided with the water, transforming the clear bubbles into teal spheres. It slowly flowed downward into the water like ink. He handed me the glass, and I gave him a few bucks. I nodded a thank you and turned to find Sytra.

Her orange streaked hair was easy to find, but only if you were looking for it. She usually wore it down under a black hood, as most of the people here do. It, just like Dixter's and I's, was lined in a unique color. This time, it was orange. Bright, electric orange. It nicely complimented her dark brown skin tone.

I spotted her in another corner, scrolling through her phone. She blinked and looked up at me, feeling my gaze. Her face broke into a massive smile, making her dark freckles move. Her large, sassy lips were a vibrant orange, highlighted with gloss. Her curly, dark brown hair spread out of her hood, spilling out like it wasn't meant to be cooped up.

Her clothing, just like Dixter's, was similar to mine. She wore large orange hoops in her ears, which went well with her hair type. Her black jacket was relaxed and sporty, and puffed at the arms. It reminded me of a thin rain jacket. She wore an orange wide belt that held up her sporty, airy pants. The belt was threaded and was held tight by a single belt hole, and was let hang loose. It swung when she walked over to me.

We embraced, glad to see each other. It had been a couple days. I smiled at my friend, happy to have our friendship last through breaks of time. She had words spilling out of her before I even sat down.

"So.. how's "hot shot"?" she asked, her brightly-lipsticked lips pulling upwards into a playful smile. "I was definitely not eavesdropping, but still! You two are so cute."

I knew she was just messing, but I was thinking about us together too. "Stop," I laughed quietly.

"Shush. He might hear." I leaned in to give us more privacy. "You know I like him a little," I said. She raised her eyebrows. "Okay, maybe a little more than a little." I smiled.

"Aaannnddd you have a date!" she whispered excitedly.

I laughed her off. "We've been out together before, I promise it's not a big deal," Dixter and I's "date" was still half work, I reminded myself. It's not all that.

"Come on, Sytra," I pleaded. "We're not dating, we're only taking on one of his assignments and going to a paint shop. I'd tell you if it was anything more, I swear." I smiled, sincere.

"Okay," she sighed, defeated. "You will tell me when you kiss him," she pushed in playful force, grinning at the thought of it. She loved playing matchmaker.

"Yes, yes, I promise." I grinned. Dixter was a fun topic. I sipped my drink, glad to have someone to talk about boys to.

"Day, Sy," I said with a sad tone, hopping off my chair. "I gotta go. I have a long night tomorrow." I pushed in my chair.

She frowned at the movement. "Okay," she paused with a slightly hurt look, but it dissolved when her eyes lit up. "You're telling me everything that happens. And I'm calling you at sunset," her eyes narrowed. "Be awake." she fake-threatened with her eyebrows drawn downwards. Her serious face would have fooled me, but the playful light in her eyes told me otherwise.

I laughed. "Of course, of course. Night, Sytra." I walked away, waving. I made my way over to the exit, a guarded door on one wall. He looked casual, with a dark suit top covering a graphic tee, but still managing to look like he could hurt you if he wanted to. The guard nodded. "Feckter." I nodded back. "Garrison." He knew full well who I was.

I stepped out into the place it emptied into. It was an abandoned warehouse, large and creaky enough to creep people out. No one cared about this small, old part of the city anyways. It was close enough to the outskirts to not draw much attention.

When this warehouse was chosen to be the location of the hangout, that small, secret section had been renovated and secured. The warehouse itself just wouldn't work. Smaller is often better.

I went out the back entrance and the small staircase that I loved. Back on the roof with the marked metal sheet, I gazed at the sky, disappointed once again at the lack of stars. Light pollution dashed that dream.

I made my way back to B.L.A.D.E. headquarters, or HQ, where I'd shower and sleep.