The Fastest Esper (6)

It was the same two men on the rooftop. They spoke for ten minutes, ensuring the other could not move.

Takagi was still paralyzed. Behind him, so was Nightshade. Drones still hovered from a distance.

Then for one second, Takagi felt he was able to move. He did not waste any second turning around and aiming his Spitfire towards Nightshade. He still held the trigger.

The elderly man in a leather jacket and trousers just stood motionless. Not even breathing hard. His face was still hidden by the darkness. The light from the drones did not illuminate him.

Both of them looked at each other. The cold gale swept in the middle of silence. For both, it was like looking into an abyss.

"So, we're looking for the same person," Nightshade broke the silence.

Takagi kept quiet. Then slowly lowered his gun. "And you know where she is."

"No, I don't," Nightshade chuckled softly. "If you think our presence in Regra has anything to do with that, you're mistaken."

"Then, what are you here for?"

"An order from my master. Just things that we always do."

"So, you didn't tell him about the envoy?"

"For now. Not to mention that he personally came to me, not for the group or my master."

Nightshade replied as he referred to the Black Scorpion gang. "You can never really trust Krasinski, can't you?"

It was the first time Takagi knew that the envoy was male. "But now you trust him?"

"Yes, if your words can be trusted, that is."

"You're the last person who can say such words."

"Do you think I'm lying?"

"Always is, old man." Takagi raised the Spitfire towards Nightshade's eyes. "You always surround the truth in your words with lies."

"But I still tell some truth. People just need to be smart to understand it."

"Enough. I'm not here for word games."

Takagi then decided to release Nightshade.

"Finally." Nightshade stretched his body. "You ought to be mindful of using your powers on an old man like me."

Takagi just continued the talk. "Just tell me, what are you doing here? You're not the one who likes this kind of turf war."

Nightshade stood still. "My master has ordered me to oversee the operation. Men are scarce but needed with everything that happens right now."

"The bees aren't doing anything?"

"Bah! They're just spectating as if this whole thing is a sports show. They want us to kill each other anyway, but then again, my master can't just let his eyes shut about the chance that is presented before him."

"Doesn't explain why you are suddenly enthusiastic about the operation."

"There's just a report about a powerful esper wreaking havoc in one of our units that took my attention. I was bored, so I thought I'd pay a visit after dedicating this esper's identity. However, your presence is certainly not expected."

"Surprised?"

"...Especially after we had our little chat minutes ago."

Takagi remained silent at first. "What are you going to do with the envoy?"

"So, now we're talking," Nightshade said. "Just to keep it short, I won't trust him until I see it with my own eyes."

What Nightshade had was similar to Takagi. At this point, Takagi assumed the envoy was the same person that came to Redmond. Since Nightshade said that the envoy came to him personally, he believed that the envoy also came to Redmond because he knew that Redmond was in contact with him--or rather, the technocrats knew about their relationship.

However, what Nightshade did not have was the fact that the person he was told about by the envoy was the one who triggered all the battles that happened in Podzemgrad by exterminating much of Pavlov Syndicate's higher echelon. For some kind of reason, the technocrats did not tell him.

Nightshade's "deal" with the envoy was more of a bounty contract. A kill for money. Nightshade was not really a person who cared about materialistic values or pleasures. Still, the money could be used by Tan Meng, his so-called master, and he certainly could see some benefit if the envoy had offered him big money--even if he did not tell nor admit it to Takagi.

However, what was more important was that the envoy had more than just a contact, and he or she could not be trusted entirely.

Then Takagi lowered his gun. He turned his back to leave.

"Is that it?"

Takagi looked back. "What is it?"

"I thought you wanted to strike a deal for a moment."

Takagi paused for a bit. "...I was."

"Then?"

"It's just I have a more pressing matter right now. It can wait for later."

Nightshade scoffed, and then he was quiet for a period. "Ah, you mean your friend?"

"You've promised to let him go."

"I do," Nightshade said. "I'm an old man. Chasing that man is tiring. I'm just here for the bodies of my men. Can't leave them behind."

"For all the shit you and your people have done in this city, you could just let them rot."

Nightshade did not reply for a second. "...Pretty fancy words from someone who has killed many more people than all of us combined."

Takagi just ignored it. "What do you want from me?"

"I've told you something, and I expect a return from you, Mr Phantom."

"I said it can wait."

"I'm a busy man. This might be the only time I'm free," Nightshade said. "Just as you've said, I'm not fond of this…turf war. My back might hurt after a while. An old man needs rest."

Takagi clicked his tongue. "What do you want to know?"

"No, not about information," Nightshade said. "I just want to ensure you don't do anything to my men here. Okay?"

"I came here for another business. I don't care about Regra."

"Also, Black Lotus is here as well."

Takagi was surprised, but he kept it inside. "Yeah, I understand. I won't do anything to them, but you don't lift a finger towards Travis."

"Don't worry. I won't touch the 'wind man.' You have my words."

Takagi did not reply. He then just walked away and jumped off the rooftops. He let gravity guide him downwards. He defied it until the last few metres as his body slowed down and his feet descended upon the roads.

No one had impeded him. Not Nightshade, not the drones, and not the gang members who looked at him on the ground with some of their faces illuminated by the fires on the roads. There were some shouts at first, and guns were raised, but it was short-lived. Nightshade probably had ordered them to stand down.

He left the scene quickly, not wanting to involve himself much longer with them, nor did he have business with Nightshade anymore. They had what they wanted, even if it was born from a coincidence–and it was enough.

The story about the envoy.

It was clear that the technocrats wanted their target to be gone, the female who wiped out the Pavlov family–if she was a human.

It was hard to see whether Pavlov was the reason for their sudden involvement, but clearly, this person had invited the ire and wrath of Krasinski.

With Takagi and Nightshade having been contacted, there might have been other people who got contacted as well, and Takagi had assembled several candidates in his mind. All of them were espers whom he considered the most powerful in Podzemgrad. Reaching some of them in the future might shed some light that could be useful for him.

It seemed the envoy was not interested in keeping secrets about the hunting, except if the person thought that Redmond was a person that could be trusted in maintaining secrets. She was credible and could be trusted, but Takagi could not see why they did not contact him directly if their goal was to hire espers to hunt this so-called terrorist.

There was also a chance that Nightshade had lied about him being contacted directly, and it was Tan Meng who was approached in the same fashion as Redmond did.

However, despite the sea of lies and uncertainty, one thing was sure: the technocrats wanted her.

Before he got into that, he had to continue his plan to find Travis first.