A Dangerous Game (H 1.6)

Nuport's first words to me when we reach the docks aren't what I expected. I look at her as if I may have heard her incorrectly, but then the words don't change. I'm grateful Regal says something, because I'm not sure how to respond to Nuport. Perhaps that makes me a coward, but I am brave in many ways. I think I'm deserved a few divergences.

"When you visit the Vaulters, it pays to be posh, right?"

Though there is a part of me that worries that how I look is the proverbial pre-packaged cake to their decadent delicacies. How much do I really know about the Vaulters and how they function? Still, having Regal's regard is a reward in and of itself.

Regal moves to the edge of the boat to help you board, but ignores Nuport. Soon, you're skimming along the deep blue waters from Car Lyle northwest towards The Vault. The trip isn't far, but as you come within a half-mile of the place, you see the small islands of buildings nearest The Vault - with their large guns mounted on top. They aren't quite as big as the ones on top of The Tower, but there are plenty of them. Regal pulls out a white flag to fly, orders Nuport to duck down out of sight, and suggests you do the opposite. "Let them see why they shouldn't shoot at us," he implores.

What do you do?

Working at the Belly and living a secluded life in my apartment hasn't often afforded me the opportunity to explore the city around us. Seeing those guns mounted around The Vault is a hard strike of reality. The phrasing passes through my mind before I can think to stop it, and a chill creeps down my back at the idea of going to the place Hard Strike's killer calls home. But it's no different than sitting at the arm of her killer last night.

At Regal's leading, I grip the edge of the boat's windshield and stand as we approach The Vault, wind whipping little tendrils of hair free from their styling and dancing along the hem of my dress. I look at the building and those guns as if I am daring them to fire, as if they would be stupid to do so, as if there's no chance they will realize that I am the stupid one here.

Your bravado is rewarded as the men (and a grubby-faced woman) behind the guns peer and gawk instead of drawing a bead. With the white flag flapping in the sudden breeze, the boat creeps closer to The Vault, which sits proudly out of the depths like a jewel in a blue setting.


As Regal pilots the boat closer to the short dock with no other boats, a blue-haired woman stands on the dock and peers at you with binoculars. Once you're in earshot, she speaks.

I try to keep my nerves from showing as I call back, "I'm here to visit Wells. He invited me for cake." Then I realize she introduced herself so I should return the favor so I add, "You can tell him Helix is here, from Poseidon's Belly." I choose to associate myself with the Belly, not the Sipps. I'm not one of them, no matter Lucky's offer. I haven't agreed to stay.

I hear the specificity of the invitation and I don't start moving to leave the boat just yet.

"They have to stay with me," I say, indicating Regal and Nuport. "It's the only way I could get away." It's sort of true, if you squint at it hard enough.

I glance at Regal and Nuport, torn between who to take and who to leave behind. I would rather have Regal at my side if it were up to me, a stable presence in an unstable situation, but the Whispers have bartered Hard Strike's wisdom for Nuport's trust. What better way to gain that than to trust her enough to bring her along?

I know what the Sipps would have done. Any one of them would have given the question a half-second's thought before saying they would leave the "dog" with the boat. It is that thought that makes me look at Nuport and say, "Come with me." And beyond that, she wasn't wrong before. If my presence makes her feel even uglier, then her presence must make me look even more beautiful. I will take any advantage I can get.

I give Regal a glance that contains both an apology and a reassurance that I will be back - and safe - then I carefully move to climb from the boat onto the dock. "Thank you," I say to Verifi, reminding myself that respect can go a long way toward remedying any foibles. The scalpel I have hidden in my boot burns against my skin at the idea of a weapons search, but maybe she won't find it. "I'm sure you keep things very safe here."

Nuport's good eye widens with surprise when you name her the one to accompany you, but she doesn't argue. When she steps up to the dock, Verifi moves up to pat her down. Thoroughly. Verifi even shoves a hand up Nuport's top. She pats down her legs roughly and makes Nuport kick off her boots to check them, too. If you want to keep this scalpel hidden, you better Act Under Fire.

While Verifi searches Nuport - very thoroughly - I stand by the side as if I have no concern of a similar shakedown for myself. I am just a lowly server from the Belly, a slave of the Sipps, a nobody with no fighting skill to speak of and no danger to anyone. When Verifi finishes with Nuport, I spread my arms out to the side as if expecting a pat down and completely welcoming of it. What could I possibly have to hide? Look at me. I'm a swan in these gator-infested waters, here to be beautiful until the real rulers of the tides tire of me.

Verifi runs her hands over your dress, under your breasts, and even up your thigh, but it's all dren that could be mistaken for "being thorough". And you can tell she isn't into you or anything, it's a power-play. You suck it up and have to give Regal a look to stand down, but she doesn't find the scalpel and steps back. "Follow me," she says, then turns on a heel to lead you down the short dock.

The dock is well-made and sturdy. It must be lashed to something underwater because it doesn't sway like the dock at the Belly. It has four berths at most, so you reach the door at the end quickly. Someone inside opens the door for you both and Verifi stays on the dock.

The interior is immaculate. It has stable power, too.


Truist is waiting at the door and escorts you down the long hallway. He's wearing a thick leather jacket and has a holster with a stun stick swinging at his hip. Nuport looks around the place with curiosity, muttering softly to herself about what she's seeing.

The Whispers are speaking to you here, Helix, and their words seem to echo.

"Best be careful," one urges with sleek mirth. "They will gut you if you step wrong."

Apart from the glance toward Regal, I don't move while Verifi searches me and establishes her dominance. It's a high I am happy to let her have, especially when it means I walk through the door armed. The feeling of her hands on me disappears as I take in the space inside. It is so clean, so grand and solid. If Verifi's promise of security outside didn't reassure me, the strength of these walls certainly would. Of course, strong walls can keep you in just as well as they can keep others out.

I watch Nuport in my periphery, worried about what she might do and wishing I had established some ground rules for this outing. If the Whispers are echoing for me here, I can only imagine what they are like for her.

'Don't you think I know that?' I push back at the Whisper that's loudest. 'Maybe tell me something actually helpful.'

That's the plan, I think when Truist points out how happy Wells will be. But aloud, I only comment on his expectations about my impending demise after I left with the Sipps. "You aren't the only one."

Nuport's explanation of her existence here reminds me of Mikkie. Do the Whispers turn all their people into killers? One day, will I be the deranged deliverer of their deadly justice? The vain part of me hopes I will always stay their pretty piece on the chessboard instead, and the vain part of me is large.

I look at Nuport while I answer Truist. "She's joking," I say while giving her a look that says she'd better be joking. "We aren't here to cause problems. Just to eat cake." I look to the golden elevator doors wondering if it's possible that these ones actually function. After climbing up the elevator shaft at the Car Lyle with the Whispers in my head, a ride up would be a luxury.

I glance quickly at Nuport, a childlike spike of shock and disappointment running through me. Is the cake a lie? Do we all know that? Should I have known that?

A part of me that is about the same size as the vain part had really come here just to luxuriate in cake. The rest was just a convenient opportunity to dig into the dealings between Lucky and the Vaulters. Now I'm worried I'm even more of a fool than I thought, and like a fool, I find myself reaching out to the Whispers for help.

'IS the cake a lie?'