Chapter 38 - Cira
Cira's hand twitched towards her Arcblade as a group of Ascended walked past dangerously close to her hiding spot. She was alone. Bran and Sienna stayed back as back up and a pair of extra eyes, whole Orlan and Evran played decoy to distract Drax and his men.
«Don't forget that this man is dangerous, Cira.» Sienna's voice crackled through the coms into her ear. «Don't do anything stupid this time.»
«This time?» Cira slipped out of her hiding spot and pulled her hood deep into her face before rounding a Corner. «What's that supposed to mean?»
«Oh, you know,» Sienna replied, her tone breezy but laced with a teasing edge. «Like the time you nearly got yourself killed jumping onto a moving skimmer. Or that incident with the plasma turret last month.»
Cira rolled her eyes. «Both of those worked out just fine, thank you very much.»
«'Worked out' is one way to put it.» Sienna's laugh was soft, almost musical, in Cira's ear. «But I'd prefer it if you didn't make a habit of testing how indestructible you think you are.»
«And yet, I'm still alive.»
«For now.»
Cira rolled her eyes but couldn't help the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips. «You worry too much.»
«You don't worry enough.» There was a pause, then a softer, almost teasing lilt. «Someone has to.»
Cira huffed quietly as she kept moving, her gaze flicking between the shadows ahead and the figures in the distance. «If I didn't know any better, I'd think you enjoy lecturing me.»
«Oh, absolutely.» Sienna's voice was warm, threaded with amusement. «I spend all my free time coming up with new ways to scold you. It's my life's passion.»
«Sounds exhausting.»
«You have no idea.»
Cira smirked but didn't let it linger. Her mind was supposed to be on the mission, on the danger waiting for her around the next corner, but the sound of Sienna's voice in her ear was steadying in a way she didn't want to think about too much.
«Besides,» Sienna continued, her voice dropping just enough to make Cira's pulse stutter for half a second, «I wouldn't have to do it if you didn't make it so easy.»
Cira scoffed, shaking off the strange warmth curling in her chest. «You make it sound like I go out of my way to get into trouble.»
«Oh, I don't think. I know.»
Cira opened her mouth to argue, but Sienna cut her off before she could.
«Let's be real,» Sienna said, and Cira could practically hear the smirk in her voice. «You thrive on this. The danger, the reckless plans, the last-minute escapes. Admit it.»
«I don't—»
«Cira.»
She hated how easily Sienna could read her, how effortlessly she slipped under Cira's skin. It reminded her of—
No.
Cira exhaled through her nose, pushing the thought away. «Fine,» she muttered. «Maybe I like the rush. So what?»
«So nothing,» Sienna said lightly. «Just nice to hear you admit it for once.»
«You're insufferable.»
«And yet, you keep talking to me.»
««You're awfully chatty tonight,» Cira muttered as she pressed herself against a wall, eyeing the street ahead. A few Ascended patrols lingered near the market's entrance, their sleek armor reflecting the glow of lantern light.
«Maybe I like keeping you on your toes,» Sienna said smoothly.
«Or maybe you're just bad at shutting up.»
Sienna gasped in exaggerated offense. «Excuse you, I am an excellent conversationalist. It's not my fault you enjoy the sound of my voice.»
Cira let out a quiet, amused scoff. «What makes you think that?»
«Oh, come on. If you really wanted me to shut up, you'd have muted me already.»
Cira didn't have a response to that. Not one she liked, anyway.
A silence stretched between them—not uncomfortable, but aware. The kind that made something unspoken hum beneath the surface. Cira shifted her weight, shaking it off, focusing on the mission. This wasn't the time for distractions.
Sienna, of course, didn't let it go.
«Admit it,» she said, her voice quieter now, more teasing than before. «You'd miss me if I weren't here.»
Cira rolled her eyes. «I miss the peace and quiet.»
«Liar.»
«You're really full of yourself tonight, huh?»
«Just confident.» A beat of silence. Then, softer, almost thoughtful: «Besides… I like being here.»
Something about the way Sienna said it—so casual, but not—made Cira's stomach twist in a way she didn't like.
She told herself it was just nerves from the mission.
Before she could think of a response, Evran's voice cut through their channel.
«Okay, okay, as much as I love listening to the two of you flirt—»
Cira almost choked. «Flirt?»
«—some of us are actually trying to do our jobs,» Evran continued, entirely unbothered. «So maybe—just maybe—you could save the flirting for when we're not in the middle of hostile territory?»
Sienna didn't miss a beat. «Are you jealous, Ev?»
«Disgusted, actually.»
«You'll live.»
Cira pinched the bridge of her nose, ignoring the heat creeping up her neck. «Can we focus?»
«That's what I've been saying.» Evran sighed. «Now, unless you two want to make heart eyes at each other after we get shot at—»
Cira grit her teeth. «Evran—»
«No, no, it's fine,» he said with faux resignation. «I'll just sit here, completely ignored, while you two do your little will-they-won't-they dance.»
Sienna laughed. «Ev, you do realize you're on an open channel, right? Bran can hear you.»
Bran's voice crackled in. «…I have no part in this conversation.»
Evran gasped. «Et tu, Bran?»
«I didn't know you speak Latin, Evran.» Now even Orlan spoke Up in The comms.
«…I don't,» Evran admitted after a pause.
Cira could practically hear Orlan's smirk. «Then where'd you even pick that up?»
«I dunno,» Evran said. «Heard it somewhere. It sounded dramatic. Thought it fit the moment.»
«You thought wrong,» Cira muttered as she pressed herself against a crate, peering past it to check for movement ahead. The market was still bustling, but the Ascended patrols were shifting, their formations tightening.
«Anyway,» Evran said, his voice taking on a more serious edge despite the lingering amusement, «Orlan and I are doing a fantastic job keeping the guards entertained, so you're welcome.»
«Oh yeah,» Orlan chimed in. «Real crowd-pleasers over here.»
Cira shifted her weight, scanning the streets from the shadows. «And by 'entertained,' you mean…?»
«I may or may not have started an impromptu street performance,» Evran admitted, far too pleased with himself.
Cira moved swiftly, weaving between bodies as she passed through a row of dimly lit stalls selling off-world tech, forged ident chips, and weapons that were very illegal in Eden proper. «Evran.»
«Hey, don't 'Evran' me. This is genius. I'm juggling.»
Sienna let out an incredulous laugh. «You're what?»
«Juggling.» A pause. «With fruit.»
«That's not the worst idea,» Orlan admitted, though his tone was as dry as ever. «Better than my idea, at least.»
A beat of silence followed. Then—
«Well,» Evran said.
Cira sighed. «What did you do.»
Evran cleared his throat. «So, funny story—»
Orlan cut in. «He started a fight.»
Cira stopped mid-step. «Evran.»
«It wasn't my fault!» Evran protested. «People were getting bored, I needed to keep their attention, so I—»
«Threw a fruit at one of Drax's men,» Orlan finished.
Silence.
Cira pressed her fingers to her temple. «You threw a fruit.»
«A ripe one.» Orlan added helpfully.
«Okay, first of all,» Evran snapped, «it was an accident.»
Sienna let out an incredulous laugh. «How do you accidentally throw a fruit at a man's face?»
«It slipped!»
«Evran.»
«Okay, fine, I panicked and hurled it, but in my defense, it worked.»
Cira exhaled through her nose. «And now what?»
Evran hesitated. Then, with a sheepish lilt—
«Now I'm in a fight ring.»
Cira shut her eyes. «You're what.»
«Hey, I had to do something! The guy got mad, I dodged, he swung, and then people started cheering, and next thing I knew, someone was taking bets—»
Orlan sounded far too calm. «I put money on the other guy.»
«You what?»
«Being realistic.»
Sienna was outright laughing now. «So let me get this straight. While Cira is risking her life meeting with a warlord, you two are running an underground fight club?»
Evran sniffed. «I prefer 'combat-based financial manipulation.'»
Cira pinched the bridge of her nose. «Just keep them distracted. If this meeting goes south, I need an exit.»
«Yeah, yeah, we've got it handled,» Orlan said. «Unless Ev loses.»
«Excuse you, I am incredibly capable.»
A distant cheer erupted through the comms and market, followed by a very audible grunt of pain from Evran.
«…Mostly.»
Cira tuned them out.
She reached the meeting spot—a shadowed alcove behind a spice vendor's stall, where the air reeked of something acrid and vaguely metallic.
Drax was already there.
His men flanked him, barely concealed weapons glinting in the dim light.
Cira swallowed heavily as she stepped into the dim light of the black light lamps. Her hand was holding tightly onto the handle of her weapon.
«Are you Lena's new lapdog, Red Hood,» Drax said deeply through his mouth piece that Covered half of his face.
Cira stopped in her tracks and Drax laughed.
«Oh, you thought I wouldn't know you? Tough luck young lady. You are a celebrity around here.» Drax stepped towards her, slowly clapping. «You scarred Cain, broke into a high Security prison and Came Out alive. And that without any enhancement. We could just dream about feats like that.»
Cira tightened her grip, feeling the weight of the weapon ground her.
"I'm not here to talk, Drax. I'm here for Lena's gear," she said, her voice cold.
Drax chuckled darkly, the sound muffled by the mouthpiece strapped to his face.
"You think you can just stroll in and take it?" He snapped his fingers once, sharp and loud. "Break her."
From the shadows, three of his men lunged forward—muscle-bound thugs armed with clubs and short blades, their eyes gleaming under the black light.
They lunged. Cira moved faster.
She ducked the first swing, twisting low and driving her shoulder into the gut of the nearest thug. He staggered, and she ripped his weapon free as he fell. Spinning on her heel, she parried the second attacker's strike with her stolen blade, sparks snapping in the dim air.
Before he could recover, she drew her pistol and fired point-blank, tearing a hole through his gut.
He dropped with a wet gasp.
The first thug tried to scramble up, but Cira didn't give him the chance. She stepped in and drove the club down into his skull with a sickening crack.
Drax watched from his perch in the shadows, arms folded, his mouthpiece catching the faint light. There was glittering amusement in his eyes as he watched her dismantle his men, one brutal move at a time. He didn't interfere. Not yet.
When the last body crumpled to the ground with a low groan, Cira straightened. She was breathing hard, her knuckles bloodied, but her gaze never wavered from Drax.
He clapped slowly, the black Metal of His right Hand hitting the flesh of His left.
«That is the Red Hood I Heard 'bout.»
He clapped slowly, the black metal of his right hand hitting the flesh of his left, each strike echoing in the stale air.
«That is the Red Hood I heard 'bout,» Drax said, voice dripping with a mixture of mockery and admiration. «Cain's little nightmare. The Godhunters golden girl.»
Cira said nothing. She rolled her bleeding knuckles once, flexing the pain away, and leveled her pistol at him.
Drax chuckled lowly.
«You think you're ready for me after dancing with the kids?» He took a step forward, boots crunching over broken glass and bone. «You're good, Red Hood. Real good. But you're not untouchable.»
Cira adjusted her grip, eyes cold.
«Neither are you.»
For a heartbeat, they stood in silence, the hum of the black lights and the distant thrum of the generators the only sounds. Then Drax's hand twitched—just enough. A signal.
From the corners of the room, more movement stirred.
Cira's heart thudded once, hard—but her face stayed stone still.
«Still think you're walking out of here with Lena's toys?» Drax said, grinning behind his mask. «You're in my den now, girl.»
Cira tilted her head slightly, just enough to crack her neck. She chambered another round with a sharp snap.
«I wasn't planning on walking,» she said coldly.
«I'm burning this place to the ground.»