The hivemind is conquering for me?

Your journey continues at empire

Janine had to move fast, she had gotten an incredible amount of recording, but following the target to the next location could prove immensely beneficial. Signalling to overwatch that she was leaving and to get a vehicle ready, Janine began to carefully make her way out of the warehouse’s vicinity.

Around the corner from the warehouse, an inconspicuous vehicle was waiting for her. Cancelling her stealth a few meters away so she would not cause a panic, Janine opened the door of the vehicle and clambered in.

”The target is making her way to the nearby air cab facility. We should follow her to the next point, we could get more intel there.” Janine suggested getting a nod from Farah as she looked ahead.

”Good idea. Look, the woman’s vehicle is only now leaving. That big bastard has been interrupting her steps every few feet. I think he upset her.” Farah said as she started the car. Janine scoffed. ”That is an understatement. The leader is infatuated with the very ground the woman walks on, and I don’t think she likes it in the slightest.”

Farah decided not to touch upon the subject of infatuated love. She was still years away from a full conversion and barely felt the full emotions that the outer family felt for Apollo, but the way she currently felt about him, the way the whole family felt about him... It made infatuation look like a little bitch.

From a safe distance, the duo followed The target to what was a heavily armed compound with hundreds of armed guards stationed around and patrolling as well as heavy machine gun emplacements and anti air weapons.

There was no need for distance anymore, so Farah drove up right behind the target’s vehicle in the queue to enter the compound. The air cab company was efficient and they did not have to wait long until it was their turn for inspection.

Rolling down the window for the armed man, Farah smiled as she said. ”Hello, Vehicle return and private hire north under tab Lady Sophia.” She said straight to the point. You don’t mess with these guys unless they initiate first, was a rule everyone followed. You did not want to get a ban if you used this service often after all.

”Step out of the borrowed vehicle and provide an authentication card.” The man said. The two women followed the order and brought their provisions out of the vehicle. ”Items in baggage?” The man asked as he brought out a clipboard and began ticking off boxes as he inspected the vehicle.

”Weapons and ammunition, among a few other gadgets of that variety.” Farah said, causing the man to look up from his board a moment before shrugging his shoulders and continuing his list.

A short while later he put away the board. ”Not even a scratch, I’m impressed considering the hellhole it is out there. Your private cab is warmed up and ready for you, thank you for choosing discreet, have a nice day.”

As he said that, another man arrived from the booth behind him and got in the vehicle and drove it away, leaving the two women to walk over to their cab. Fortunately the cab was now far, and by the time they arrived, the target had only just made it to her vehicle.

After instructing the cab driver to follow the target’s vehicle no questions asked and with an off the books tip, he happily obliged. Over an hour of following from a reasonable distance later, the target’s vehicle descended causing Farah to frown as she realised something.

Speaking into the vehicle’s communicator, she instructed the driver to turn around and head to Sophia’s, much to Janine’s surprise. ”What!? Why aren’t we continuing? We could have gotten so much more intelligence on the woman” She asked befuddled. Farah smiled at the woman’s eagerness. ”I can tell why Apollo likes you, you have an energy about you. Do not worry, you have done an amazing job and Sophia will be impressed by your work. But the truth is, we have another field agent where the target just landed and she will take it from here.”

Janine sulked a moment, saddened her job had finished before a smile infected her face. ”So, I did a good job?”

…

During the trip north, Z had changed into a beautiful, white, long sleeve office blouse, a black skirt and a pair of black heels. She changed her makeup from seductive to professional elegance and even donned a blonde wig with long hair in a braided ponytail.

As the vehicle began its descent onto the ground, she received a message on her communicator from ’D.’ It was an image of two of her favourite drinks titled. ’Better get here soon, or your tab is going to rise!’

Z smiled at the message before getting out of the vehicle. She then casually made her way to the entrance of the speakeasy she was a member of and whispered the password to the bouncer before entering.

The inside of the speakeasy was not your typical bar location. No, this was a place where the most elite of this planet’s society would come to wind down for a short while as they treated their palates to exotic and sophisticated tastes of the best drinks and food money could buy.

The Speakeasies interior was warm and inviting. The lighting was moody, lit with actual candles and oil lights for a more authentic look while the décor consisted of rich woods with intricate carvings. All in all, the atmosphere was cozy and had a pleasant ambiance to it.

As Z took in a deep breath, a member of the staff walked over to her. ”Hello madam, is there anything I can help you with?” She asked with a professional smile on her face. ”No, I am meeting a friend in room 6, our usual.” Z replied, causing the woman to nod before leaving to check on the other patrons of the establishment.

With a familiarity, Z walked down one of the halls of the speakeasy until she reached the room she was looking for. Pushing the door open, she was greeted by the warmth of the fireplace.

As she entered the room and closed the door, she smiled at her friend on the leather couch. ”You know, you don’t have to have the room this warm. You and your need for heat will turn me into a raisin one day.” The ginger haired woman on the couch smiled at her friend as she placed a grape into her mouth.

”Oh please, I am still flesh and blood, the heat is good for my joints, not that you would understand miss robot.” The pair stared at each other a moment before smiling with familiarity. The woman on the couch then stood up to greet her friend. ”Hi Zeona, how are you doing? What bad news did you receive?”

Zeona smiled as she hugged her best friend of twenty years. ”Ugh, something along the lines of betrayal.” She said before breaking the hug. ”My name has been made known in my side gig, that means someone close to me has betrayed me and I can’t fathom who it could be. Will you try to help me figure it out Delilah?”

Delilah’s green eyes stared with a familial love into Zeona’s as she stroked the woman’s cheek. ”I told you working in the south was a bad idea babe, but of course I will help you. What are best friends for after all?”

Zeona’s stress melted away at Delilah’s loving touch. It was so hard finding true friendship after living for as long as she had, having one person you could depend on for everything was like nourishment for her soul.

With the simple physical contact cheering her up, Zeona smiled playfully. ”Before we figure anything out though, I think we need to get some drinks inside of us. What do you say?” Delilah smiled at her friend’s mood change. ”I say we drink all night, only because you are buying!” She added, causing the both of them to giggle together as they forgot about the mess of the outside world.

…

”No Nerissa, you can’t watch over me as I sleep. Firstly, I sleep nude and secondly, my company would not feel comfortable with your presence.” I said to the praetorian, trying to establish some boundaries.

The Hyllus’ and Hailey had taken residence in the guest rooms downstairs, as they refused to leave the building in case my injury got worse overnight. Nerissa, however, wanted to take her watching of me to the next level.

”Apollo, I have been around for a long time, I am familiar with the naked form of a man. As for your company, I have the mildest feeling that they would not care if I was there while I watched you have intercourse.”

Sighing as the debate had been going back and forth for twenty minutes, I turned to Onyx who was munching popcorn as she watched her reality show. ”Onyx, it is your night after all. Would you be comfortable with her in the room while we did it?”

Onyx paused her show and stared at the Praetorian for a moment. The woman was too strong for casual foresight to manifest as she had the power to change her own future. However, after focusing up for a moment, in an attempt to force a vision and finding none, She shrugged her shoulders. ”She can watch if she chooses. Just be aware, Praetorian, we do not hold back our affections for one another.” She warned before turning back on her show.

Jenny was about to confess her feelings for Paul after all and it would be the series’ peak moment!