#mk midas

Metalrealm Intelligence Service, Metalrealm

Descending radically was always better than lingering in between, and going too fast was always better than never reaching.

It was all about winning.

That was exactly why the senators hated me.

Or perhaps feared me.

Because I absorbed information, and condensed it into one huge blade; without laying a finger on a trigger, or unsheathing a dagger.

They would thank me later, or wouldn't. One day, they would realize, that they were shortsighted parasites who shouted about their right to sit in parliament.

Or they wouldn't. I didn't really care either way.

Fortunately, none of them could exist without the intelligence agency I rebuilt through psychological tests they never even noticed. But all they could do was to assume it was fear - of me - which kept the agents sharp and ready, and the spies fluid and agile - like veins through a body.

What made the agents straighten their backs were my eyes. I saw everything.

And some people made the right observation by whispering "she has eyes on the back of her head."

The red dot on the earpiece on my desk blinked a few times. Only my deputy chief called me through that device.

It was seven o'clock in the evening. Exactly on time.

I attached it to my ear.

"Chief Ombra." Midas, spoke flatly.

"I am listening." A wide map appeared on my desk.

"The Osh-Tekk guards dispersed the protests on the south borders of Kotal Kahn's palace." An image appeared before my eyes, showing only the legs of some people in a crowd

"Did anyone carry a weapon?" I asked

"No one. That was made sure of. Kotal Kahn gave a speech to calm them down. Even though the reconstruction of the buildings that were destroyed in Shokan war has been sped up on the east."

"Do not leave the protests in a halt."

"Outworlders do not support the idea of seeking aid from Earthrealm, so Kotals speech and efforts wasn't as efficient as he anticipated. For now, that is enough as a fuel."

I stroked my metal chin. Kotal Kahn rubbed salt to their wounds by collaborating with both Kano and the Special Forces, two tangible presences during the war.

I began twirling my steel rings with my thumb.

An ID emerged on my tablet. It was the department assigned for Kotal's palace. Though, it was only consisted of two people, for now.

I hung up on Midas to switch between earpieces.

Isar breathed slowly.

"Leaving my post only to make a call was a risk. Again." His voice was as rigid as the sergeant he was at the palace. He wore the role I assigned him with like expensive accessory.

"It wasn't worth taking?" I said

"I wonder when I will be compelled to say that aloud."

"It will certainly be put in discussion when the time comes."

"A discussion with lower chances for you to survive." He huffed.

"The lack of a core power is more appealing to you."

Isar went silent. I heard something rustle through the earpiece.

He continued after several seconds. "The number of guards has been increased on the eastern border due to Mileena's recent movements."

"How Many?"

"Twenty-three."

"Not enough."

"No." He paused. "Not enough. Some of the guards requested reassignment.

The Tarkatans under her command have turned bolder. Significantly."

"Osh-Tekk soldiers backed down?" I cocked an eyebrow, my gaze darted to the tablet again.

"Surprisingly so."

"Reason?"

“Officially?"

"Unofficially."

"They fear her."

I stared at the map as more images of Tarkatan camps showed up "And Kotal Kahn accepted that?"

"There are arguments going on. He probably won't answer their requests, especially when the reconstruction is progressing well on the east."

I zoomed on the east of the palace. "What did Mileena do that scared them?"

"Some of the supplies Kotal has imported were stolen. Possibly by Mileena. But there is still no evidence to prove that. I lead the investigation personally." His voice trailed down.

No evidence. No trace left behind. Mileena acted haphazardly most of the time.

If Isar failed to find anything, there likely wasn't any to find.

"I'm out." Isar said suddenly, and the call ended.

I sent a sign to the administrator to transfer the files to Midas' office.

After around five minutes, a message from Midas arrived.

[Bold is what the Tarkatans are.]

I refilled my tea cup from the old flask. Brave could be a more accurate word in this situation.

Another ID called - from Outworld again.

"Hi!" Asfel chirped.

"Asfel." The steam touched my lips.

"Guess what. She visited the eastern region yesterday."

I paused. "To?"

The answer was already clear.

"To visit the war-victim families there - and make sure they're warm and safe. I accompanied her. People were all like," His voice lowered to a hushed whisper. "we wish Kahn cared about us as much as you did. And then she said no, he does. I'm only doing my job."

I sipped my tea. "Did you talk to her about the charity network?"

"I did. But she seemed to be intimidated by the idea at first. I'll work on that. It's a lot easier to pursue her into acts of service than anything else." He let out a puff of air. "Feels less rewarding though."

The corner of my mouth almost quivered.

"Did the news about Mileena's movements reach you?" I asked.

Astel paused for a moment. "What news? That she's practically inhabiting the eastern region now?"

So it had reached him. No evidence was found, but the news of her moving to the east had reached Kitana's circle. Enough silence. Enough noise.

"Work on that faster."

"Yeah, let's fill people's pockets with money while Mileena is literally drawing weapons somewhere out there."

"Asfel." I deadpanned.

“Yes?”

"You're out." I pressed a button on the earpiece.

His observation wasn't wrong, in fact, he had the tendency to think out aloud most of the time. I didn't necessarily hate it. That only helped influencing someone like Kitana to take a less amount of time.

Everyone, especially Kitana, needed someone with a character as clear as the palm of a hand, and to speak with them directly without playing the opposite card under the table. That's why I chose Astel to get close to Kitana.

Asfel didn't take the table to Outworld with himself.

Isar's ID appeared on my tablet again. A direct call twice in a row.

I held back before answering it immediately. Five seconds were the normal amount. Then, I reached for my earpiece again.

"Chief." He exhaled roughly. "There will be a gathering at the palace. I'm not sure when, but probably a week from now."

"Contact Midas." I hung up on him immediately.

That was either an abrupt decision, or too much time had passed for it to spread around the palace. Both were almost equally possible.

Anticipation for someone, eventually, felt like living. I had almost forgotten how it tatsted like on my tongue, but she came and reminded me. Taught me. And I began finding myself staring at her from across the room, stopping by her room’s door, or opening a portal to the balcony of her hotel’s room.

Ah yes, I just did that. I looked at the dimly lit bedroom through the wide window. She wasn’t there. I glanced at my left arm. The white cloth I hastily wrapped around it matched the color of my coat in this darkness. Would she notice it? Would my plan succeed with the help of the best excuse I could come up with; a wounded arm? Orderrealmer rebels weren’t really respectful, not to say I was surprised. But I was thankful for being injured for the first time in forever.

My gaze wandered the room longingly waiting for her to emerge from somewhere. I could wait. As long as she wanted me to.

I knocked on the glass three times. A few seconds later, Atoosa appeared in the darkness of the short hallway leading to the main door. She looked at me with her eyes slightly widened as she was drying her hands with a towel. She leaned in the bathroom again, and then marched towards me; without the towel. My heart raced as she neared me, her image now crystal clear. She drew the door to the side. I ran out of patience and wrapped my arms around her. I pressed her against my chest as I buried my face in the crook of her neck. I inhaled, and suddenly everything was okay. Her loop around my torso became tighter, adding another life to me.

We parted, but my hands slid down to her waist, never breaking the contact. She held my face in her hands.

“Hi.” She whispered before pressing her lips to mine. Her lips were the smoothest wine made only for me to taste. Who needed jinsei when Atoosa lived in this world?

Drunken, I looked at her with hooded eyes. She grinned, and began planting little kisses all over cheeks, and several ones on my lips. She gripped the lapels of my coat and spread them, indicating me to take it off. Her eyes landed on my left arm, and the bloodied cloth around it.

The grin on her face faded away, and her thick eyebrows crooked in terror.

“What happened?!” Her voice trailed off, hands bewildered in the air. “Sit.” She shuddered breathlessly.

“No, don’t worry too mu-“

“The rebels?” She interrupted me, her tone was serious again.

“I took the chance to have a meeting with them for a few minutes.”

“I will have Midas to deal with them.” She reached for the cloth. “But your move was haphazard.”

I watched as she gently untied the wet piece of fabric. The very hands that killed, clawed, and brainwashed whoever her heart desired. But they were kind to me.

“Let’s forget about them, for now.” I uttered. I just wanted to sit down and watch her all night.

She looked up at me, gravely. “I will call him anyways.”

Her tone was unreadable. I couldn’t pinpoint if she was angry at the rebels, or me, or maybe both of us. This was a brand new feeling unlocked for me: someone truly cared about my flesh being teared apart - no matter how small - and my mind being restless.

“Are you mad at me?” I asked.

“I am.” She went to the bathroom.

“It’s just a small wound.”

“Come here.” She called.

Without hesitation, I obeyed. Atoosa was digging through a white box.

“Can you take off your clothes?” Her voice was less demanding as she glimpsed at my arm.

I scoffed.

After I had nothing but my pants on, she told me to sit on the edge of the bathtub. Atoosa turned around with a glass bottle in her hand. Gently, she lifted my elbow, and poured the liquid on the injury. Her eyebrows sat even lower while a subtle pout shrank her lips.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” My tone was more oblivious than I predicted.

“Like that.” She tilted her chin towards me.

It was annoying when she didn’t emote. That was what she was like in front of others, but I wasn’t others. It annoyed me, yet I loved it.

Anything she did or said, I loved it.

She invited me to the challenge of drawing a reaction from her. She put the bottle aside once she made sure all the blood is rinsed away. Then she observed me from head to toe.

“You’re not injured elsewhere?” Her tone hinted suspicion.

“No.” The one on my arm wasn’t life threatening, either. “I wanted you to tend to it.” After centuries, I didn’t have to stitch my teared flesh all alone in my room, then hold my head up and shoulders broad to circumvent signaling weakness.

Her eyes widened slightly and her eyebrows arched in concern. Well, I won the challenge it seemed. Her jaw flinched open in a friction of a second, but her voice was absent.

“You still want me to bandage it?” She asked.

I nodded. “I’d be able to carry a sign of you with me for a few days.”

She shook her head and chuckled breathlessly. “Fine.” Then she went to put on a pair of gloves. She picked up tweezers, and took a few layers of wipers with them. Then she poured a few drops of a dark red liquid on it. Ombra straddled the edge of the bathtub, and began rubbing the wet, cold wipers against my skin.

“Are you still mad at me?” I asked.

A half smile tugged at the corner of her lips, accompanying an amused roll of her eyes. “You have to try harder.”

Oh, really?

“Do you wish I would put more signs of you on me?” I raised a brow.

“Not,” she pointed at my arm with her chin. “in this way.”

“But then Hotaru will start asking questions.” I tilted my head to the side.

After planting a kiss on my cheek, Atoosa finished cleaning my wound, and bandaged it afterwards in the neatest way possible. I got what I wanted in the end. I would carry that white, rough fabric with me until it wore away.

A few seconds later, I found myself reclining on her bed, watching her as she browsed through a bunch of papers. The golden light of the sleep lamp illuminated her face. Even her gray eyes resembled two golden jewels. Her eyebrows were sitting low again, slightly creasing her soft skin. The tip of her eyelashes glimmered the same as a torch, arching with grace only to touch her brows.

Atoosa picked up her phone, and after several seconds, brought it to her ear.

“Midas, were you at the base today?”

She went quiet, and took a glance at me.

“Yes. No, he’s with me.”

She pinched the sheet.

“Don’t let him go. I will have a word with him.”

My heart melted and poured down on my ribs. I knew this would make her upset, but I didn’t know how it really felt until it happened. She intended to defend me. Anyone who had ever done that was either brainwashed by me, or was just a mindless revenant.

“Promise me you won’t hurt yourself.” I stated.

She stared at me.

“I would.” She murmured. “If it was necessary.”

Without a second thought, I reached to take her phone. Atoosa grabbed my wrist, firmly but not harshly.

“Please.” I begged. “Don’t do that. Whatever is in your mind. Don’t do that.”

“I must do what’s necessary. I can’t let my choices take away what’s so valuable to me.”

“But we’re togethe-,”

“I can’t just watch you walking into danger. Especially when it’s because of me.”

I remained silent for a few moments.

“This is the first time I see you blaming yourself.” I sat up. “You don’t usually do that.”

She turned her face.

“Don’t,” I tilted her chin back to me. “do this to yourself. I don’t want to see you suffering. Especially when it’s because of me.” I repeated her own words.

“This,” She gestured to my bandaged arm. “is only the beginning. They will come for you. For me. They will take contr-“

I pressed her head to my chest. “Shhh. Don’t listen to these thoughts. They can’t do anything. They’re weak.” I kissed the crown of her head.

She wriggled her legs to adjust herself, and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face deeper in my chest. An ufamiliar warmth ran through my veins.