Chapter Text
Part 3
Moze woke at sunrise, as he usually did, without a single moment of wasted time. Despite his mind being preoccupied with the events of the past week- and Stelle, who seemed to occupy every corner of it, whether he wanted her to or not - he still managed to push through the morning routine efficiently. His attention remained sharp and focused throughout the persistent train of thought. He took a moment to check his comms, expecting to be briefed on any assignments or reports he had to tend to.
In the meantime, Stelle was about to head off to locate Moze, with the intent of spying on him like usual, but when she turned the corner in the alley, she bumped into someone- quickly apologizing.
“Sorry, ma’am! Are you alright?” she asked as the lady’s husband assisted Stelle in helping her up.
“Oh, that’s alright. No harm done- Aeons above! What happened to your neck??” the woman gasped. Her husband looked equally shocked at the sight.
Stelle instinctively lifted her hand to cover her neck, having forgotten it was clearly visible. "C-Clumsiness on my part. It’s nothing. I was just heading off to get it looked at,” she awkwardly chuckled.
The couple exchanged a concerned look. They knew she was lying. Though they figured it was best to play along. Whatever business she had going on probably wasn’t in their interest to be involved in.
“Goodness, girl. Try to be careful out there, alright? Here. I have some bandages you can use.”
“Oh. That's very kind of you. Thank you,” Stelle accepts them and assures the two she’d be alright before taking her leave... only after making sure she covered as much of her neck as possible. Heavens forbid her showing off that ugly bruise to anyone else.
She officially sets off to find her target. One she hoped wouldn’t be nosy about it.
Communication with Moze on assignments had been eerily quiet. Even the normally bustling comms hub aboard the Yaoqing was quieter than usual.
Unsurprising, given the absence of any imminent threats, but still... Moze couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding lingering in the back of his mind. Something in the air was amiss.
He tried to focus on his rounds to push down that nagging unease, but it stubbornly refused to go away.
“Up here, kitty kitty~” Stelle’s smug voice suddenly rang around him from above.
Moze, who’d been standing on the roof of a ten-story tall building, shoots his gaze upward in an instant to find the source of his disturbed peace.
She was perched on the edge of the balcony railing from the nearby building, wearing her usual provocative grin.
“You have a severely bad habit of showing up unannounced.”
“And you have a ‘severely bad habit’ of not paying attention to your surroundings,” she playfully retorts, before jumping down to his level. “Something on your mind, pumpkin? Me again, perhaps?” she teased whilst strolling towards him, and with a deliberately suggestive sway.
His eyes followed her every step, expression unreadable. The morning light caught the sharp angles of his face as he crossed his arms. “You could say I’m wondering how you still have the audacity to show your face, after stealing from me and breaking into my quarters...” he lies.
Then his gaze drops -just for a second- to where the bandages obnoxiously covered her entire neck like a thin cast. And strangely, his expression reactively hardens.
“...You’re hurt.”
Not a question. A statement. Cold. Clipped, yet laced with something along the lines of genuine concern.
“Nothing to worry yourself over,” she immediately deflects. “So you were thinking about me. How cute,” she smirked as she strode past him. “How’s little Lena, by the way? The girl you rescued for me.”
He narrowed his eyes at her blatant dismissal, but obliged her anyway. “She’s in good care now,” he responded, turning around as Stelle stopped at the edge of the roof. He moved to stand beside her, close enough to notice the tension in her stance. “But you didn’t come here just to ask about that child.”
She huffs. “No, I didn’t,” she admits. Her smile fades. “I came to ask a favor.” That rare tone of seriousness was present once more.
His brows raise just a tad at the unexpected turn. He shifted his attention fully on her, guard up, but listening. “A favor, huh?” He mulled the word over, wondering what sort of thing a troublemaker like her would ask of him. “Let's hear it.”
Stelle shut her eyes momentarily, taking a deep breath before turning to face him, resting a hand on her hip. “My master... has expressed his desire to meet you. You alone,” she informs. Making it clear that he meant Moze himself. Not the organization he worked for.
His eyes darkened with caution, but remain unwavering. This was… unexpected to say the least.
“And what business does he have with me?”
“Your influence. You’re higher up the chain than the average person knows. And given your apparent goodwill, he sees an opportunity to utilize that in his favor,” she says. “And before you ask, because that look in your eye is so obvious, yes. He is the one who did this to me,” she points at her neck with her free hand. “So, I hope you understand that you don’t exactly have a choice here.”
Moze clenched his jaw. He read between the lines. A warning coated by an ultimatum; that her Master would have this meeting one way or another. Either through compliance, or collateral damage. And she was sent to him with a show to make that point clear.
It was looking like this master of hers was quite the unruly fellow. Daring to make demands of a higher power like a tool to be used at their discretion.
Two could play that game.
Like the poker-faced expert he was, he showed nothing of the brewing anger beneath the surface. He was quiet, for a long, tense moment. Gauging her with steel resolve.
“Where, and when?”
No hesitation. No room for debate.
“Right now,” she states. “I will personally escort you to him, so long as you keep your lips sealed. And don’t even think of calling for backup. You’ll only make things worse,” she warned. “Only you are allowed to know the location, so no sharing it with your colleagues either. Those are the terms.”
He processed the conditions calmly, then gave a single nod in agreement. He wasn’t happy about walking in blind, but he was more than capable of getting himself out of a bind. He was the top Shadow Guard for a reason. No harm in playing along for now. “Lead the way.”
Without a word, she turns on her heel and leaps off the building to take him underground. They use a passage in one of the city’s sewers, that not even he was aware of, to make it to the slums. On their way there, Moze would receive judging stares and snarls from her peers. And some rather furry ones at that.
Soon, they’d arrive at the main lair where Hoolay dwelled. She didn’t even need to knock.
“Come in,” his rough voice commanded through the door.
Stelle opens the door and enters with Moze right behind her, stepping to the side to let him through.
Moze walked in to a dimly lit room with all his senses on high alert. He was acutely aware of his surroundings, coated in dark shadings and predatory figures watching; the silence broken only by the faint crackling of torches. He made an effort not to let his gaze linger on their hidden forms, focusing instead on his would-be negotiator sitting at the end of the room.
He calmly stopped in his tracks when he was roughly a meter from the imposing figure. “I hear you were looking for me.”
“Correct. I am Hoolay. I’m very pleased to see you grace me with your presence. You’ve previously met my subordinate,” he aimed his large hand, with rather long claws, towards Stelle, who was now silently standing at his side behind the desk. “I trust she hasn’t been a burden.” Then he props his arms up on his elbows atop the desk, clasping his hands together for his chin to rest on. “She tells me you have something that will be useful to my cause. I wish to borrow your services, if you wouldn't mind.”
Moze doesn’t respond immediately, his eyes sweeping over Stelle for a moment before settling back onto Hoolay. He couldn’t ignore the subtle tension in the air. The way the shadowy figures in the room all seemed to be poised, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. “And what exactly makes you think I’d agree to that? You’ve yet to divulge what said cause this is for.”
“I’m sure you’ve seen it. The suffering of those without homes- and lives. How much your superiors ignore those truly in need,” Hoolay starts. “Those are my people. I merely want to bring them solace. Stelle here has told me what transpired when the two of you met. You appear to be different from those in your orginazation who choose to cast them aside. And to me, that’s a valuable power we can both stand to gain from.” He leans back in his chair. “You help pull my people out of poverty, and in return you receive all of the unwavering support we can give,” he proposed.
Moze takes a long moment to contemplate his offer. Hoolay essentially brought up the same argument Stelle had before- using the suffering of others to his advantage. It was a cheap tactic, one that grated on him, but he wasn’t exactly doing a good job of concealing his true motives. The threat, by way of Stelle’s current state, made it that much more obvious.
“And if I refuse?” he asked. “...You’ll, what? ‘Resort to violence’ like you did to her?” His tone was even as his eyes briefly flickered to Stelle for emphasis, but there was a hint of warning in his words.
Of course, that leak didn't fly with Hoolay. He'd made a mental note to deal with her later.
Stelle, likewise, tensed at the reveal. Cursing herself for not making Moze keep his mouth shut about that.
“On the contrary, your so-called leaders will be the ones causing the violence. Your refusal to work with us here would simply be an act of negligence and place you on the same level of cruelty as them. Whether you join them in their crusade or not, watching from the sidelines is equally cruel.” As Hoolay said this, he eyes Stelle with a silent warning. One that meant she’d pay the price for lying about Moze if the deal didn’t go through. She looks away with a huff. “So, if what Stelle says about you is true, then you should have no reason to refuse my request.”
Moze narrowed his eyes coldly at his manipulative attempt. He held his gaze, matching Hoolay’s composure. He was done with the mind games. It was his turn.
“How about this... I’ll only consider offering my assistance on one condition. And it’s a non-negotiable one.”
“By all means. Speak, child.”
“That Stelle is taken into my custody,” Moze simply states, his expression carrying an aura of challenge.
Hoolay’s eyes glowed with a discerning glare, and Stelle looked at Moze in surprise. Neither had expected to hear that kind of requirement.
Hoolay makes a low growl, slightly turning his head in Stelle’s direction, while keeping his gaze locked on Moze. “Were you aware he would be asking for you?” he accused.
“N-No, master,” she replied, still in shock. What the hell was he planning!?
“Hmmm…” Hoolay adjusts his head to face forward again, his posture now leaning forward once more. Either this man is very clever, or he’s incredibly stupid... he thought to himself. And he really had to think it through what that ultimatum truly meant.
If he handed over Stelle, that would be giving Moze -and possibly his faction- full transparency of their plans. He’d no doubt demand the information from her.
On the other hand, it would also mean giving Stelle exactly what she wanted: Her freedom.
Which meant Moze was trying to gauge his values, and by extension, his motives.
It was hard to tell if Moze and Stelle were in cahoots... but given what Hoolay has seen and heard from his other sources... does he take that risk?
“Before I answer that, I’d like to hear your reason for this ultimatum," he asks with a challenging glint in his eye.
Moze had to refrain from showing a victorious look. It was time to use his own manipulative tactic against him.
“Simply the fact that she's your most valued subordinate. Handing her over will show me how serious you are about this arrangement. Since, for lack of a better word, I don’t trust you.”
So... two birds with one stone. -Hoolay thought. “Hm. Clever then,” he says. Too clever.
The fact Moze chose to be transparent about his intentions, just to make a mockery of Hoolay's obscure nature, proved he underestimated the cunning guard.
Moze was a threat. Hoolay knew what to do.
“I’m afraid I must refuse that request.” His tone made it clear he had no intention of reconsidering. If Moze thought he was going to fold over a tactic like that, he was sorely mistaken. This ball was going to remain in his own park.
“We’re done here. But before you go, let me teach you a little something about proper negotiation, boy,” Hoolay leans back in his chair, clasped hands now in his lap. “A bargaining chip must be a disposable mark of trust from all parties. Not a currency exchange built on spite.”
In other words, Hoolay would've only accepted the terms if it meant Stelle would take the fall should anything go awry.
It was never a negotiation to begin with. It was a test. And both men knew it.
“This meeting is over. All are dismissed.”
And that was that. Everyone began filing out the door when Hoolay called out. “Not you, Stelle.”
At that, she internally sighs before turning back around.
Moze left with undeniable disappointment. Part of him expected the refusal, but he’d still held out some shred of hope it would work. Hoolay proved to be a formidable opponent.
After everyone was gone, including Moze, the door was shut as Hoolay began his interrogation.
“You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” he snarled.
“Whatever do you mean?” Stelle remarked, to which Hoolay slams his hands on his desk with a booming voice.
“Don’t act coy with me, girl! I can see right through you.”
Stelle merely looks at him tensely.
“You tried to warn that boy about my intentions before bringing him here,” he stated.
She momentarily widened her eyes in realization, before narrowing scrutinizingly. It wouldn't have mattered if Moze spoke of her injury.
“You sent a spy,” she accused.
“I told you not to be defiant. You’ve been out there trying to break free from your collar. You forget it's on tight, for good. Though... not tight enough, apparently," he mutters that last bit to himself. "As I have told you countless times, the only freedom you will ever gain is through death. And that can only be granted by me. This is your last warning,” he declares. “You’d better hope that boy doesn’t go against his word on keeping quiet, or you will pay the price. Mark my words.”
Stelle casts her eyes downward defeatedly, resigning to her prison of a leash. “Yes, master...”
Outside, Moze had been listening to the conversation through the window. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but he’d heard enough.
His hand had balled tightly, the words he’d heard replaying in his mind. He knew she was trapped, but it went deeper than he thought. He wasn't sure how to get her out. For now, at least for her sake, there was nothing he could do. Not without jeopardizing her life.