It’s hard to push down his excitement, but somehow he does it. This feeling that bubbles up to the surface is distracting and though he wishes he could force it away, it beats being pessimistic. Katson wasn’t exactly the most happy person on the planet and he couldn’t hold it against the kid, not when they were actual fucking slaves. However, after spending so much time with someone that wasn’t willing to hold a conversation with him—especially when someone who was the only other Mekiah around—it pissed him off.

But Katson was dead. Fried to crisp, his body was probably already buried in some landfill where not even scavengers could find him.

The kid wasn’t too bad. He had the cutest smiles when he did smile, always shy when it wasn’t just them to show even a hint of emotion. They mostly talked about the Veil and the Third Eye when they were around each other, but it was nice while it lasted. It couldn’t have moved from just acquaintances, but he would have liked to have him around a little longer. If it hadn’t went wrong this last time, he would still be here. Whatever had happened back there, it couldn’t have been stopped if there had been more Mekiah. And Katson hadn’t been weak. It’s just he wasn’t strong enough to survive the blast the demon had set off.

Felix pulled him into the showering area and locked the leash onto an adjusted metal pole outside a stall. The pole was welded into the ceiling and floor so if Cassius tried to escape, he would be able to rip the pole. The shower was a one stall with a half-wall for privacy—and an open view to be watched. He undressed, placing his clothes on the wall to be collected later. The shower automatically turned on when he entered the shower. The cold water soon turned warm and he bathed with a quick hand. He would have liked the water to be hot to turn his skin red, but he’d settled for warm.

The water stopped after ten minutes. He toweled off and dressed in the clothes that had been lain out for him. It was his standard black uniform that matched Felix’s but the shirt had a silver X embroidered in the high right corner to mark him as a working Mekiah.

When he was done, they headed to General Iza’s office.

Iza was a Remu without any special qualities. His magic was weak, as any Remu’s usually was, and he’d been stationed here when Cassius was removed from his HIVE. Cassius had been raised around the man’s stern hand and had been punished many times before, but it had been awhile since he’d received a beating for his behavior. If this was a punishment, he couldn’t find a reason why it was brought on.

Outside Iza’s office, Felix pulled Cassius’s leash towards him. Cassius startled and looked up at him. His face was a void, painted pretty by the hallway lights. His light skin glowed and his blue eyes sparkled, glimmering with hate and disgust Cassius was use to see by now. Felix didn’t hide his rage as Iza did. While Iza hid his emotions behind a brick wall, Felix put them on display and played an angry part because he could. He was a fierce Exterminator that put down Mekiah like flies and between them, he had all the power.

He glared into Cassius’s eyes as he removed the cuffs. It was always just anger and hate between them, more so than there was with Iza. But Iza was different when compared to Felix, vastly different.

Felix held the leash in chains and stood back from the door. Under the watchful gaze, Cassius entered he room on his own.

General Iza welcomed him with a pointed look, one that told him to sit down and don’t say a fucking word. He did just that, not exactly looking for a beating this morning. If what he was planning was going to work, he would have to be on his best behavior and not fuck up a single thing. But keeping his smart-ass mouth in check proved harder than he’d thought.

“Do you have something to say?” Iza crossed his arms. He was calm, but underneath there was layers of anger pouring out. Words poised on the tip of Cassius’s tongue, begging to be spoken, but he held back. Iza was searching for Cassius’s fighting words, looking to start something because he was angry and because he needed a reason to beat the shit out of him.

“No, sir.” He bit the words out.

Iza stared at him for a moment, drinking in Cassius’s from in the chair, almost like he was analyzing him. He could do just about anything he wanted to him and he wouldn’t need a justification. This was just a game he liked to play.

“This afternoon, a General from Keshtin will be arriving to the base. He’s investigating the failed mission and reporting back to the Capital on our SWARM,” Iza said. He paused. “Make a mistake, boy, and you’ll regret it.”

Said like a true Exteru. Too bad he didn’t get a job in the Capital.

A smile crept upon his lips. For a split second, his good act crumbled before he could piece it back together. Laughter bubbled up in his throat and he pushed down against it with everything he had. His insides burned and he knew if he looked at Iza once more, he’d lose it. The fucking shit head could boss him around as much as he wanted, but the secret lurking inside of Cassius would make him pay for all the sins he’d committed. He was weak now; later, he wouldn’t be.

But Iza saw the small smirk. He grabbed Cassius by the jaw and yanked his head back. He cried out as he felt the tendons in his neck stretch further than what was normal.

“You don’t have to wake up tomorrow. I could break your legs and throw you to the dogs to be raped until your insides are falling out.”

Iza grinned, matching Cassius’s burning eyes.

“No mistakes.”