Chapter 6: Fragile Loyalty and Echoes from Within
Kael followed the disgruntled Iron Fist member with the same silence and grace with which a panther approaches its prey. The man, he would later learn, was taking a cigarette break in the shadow of a rusty boxcar, at the farthest corner of his patrol route. The weariness and anger on his face did not escape Kael's watchful eyes. It was a tangible reflection of that first moment of complaint that echoed in Kael's mind. It was the right time.
When Kael came practically flowing out of the shadows and stopped a few steps behind Roric, the man turned around with a start, his hand instinctively going for the modified energy pistol at his waist. "Who are you?" he hissed, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"I am your ticket out of this situation," Kael said, his voice low but every word echoing clearly in Roric's confined space. "I heard how your leader Borok treated you. I know you didn't get your fair share of the loot, that you were only used for errands. Even carrying these marvels of technology, you still feel like a nobody."
Roric's expression of surprise quickly gave way to unease. "What are you talking about? Who am I?"
Instead of answering, Kael focused on a small metal sign hanging on the wall next to Roric, swaying slightly in the wind. He pulled a small electronic piece from his pocket, left over from an earlier operation, and turned it between his fingers. "I am," Kael said, and threw the piece at that moment. The piece whizzed through the air and hit a single link in the rusted chain that held the sign, without breaking it, only slightly bending it. The sign lost its balance for a moment, then settled back into place. It was a millimeter-long display of control; a menacing but harmless signature, a sign that proved Kael was no ordinary man.
Roric froze. His eyes darted between Kael's hand and the sign he had struck. "How—"
"It doesn't matter how," Kael interrupted. "What does matter is, I have a proposition for you. Help me end Borok's tyranny. Give me inside information, clear my path. In return, you will receive your fair share of what is to come from this warehouse, and more importantly, you will be respected in the new order I will establish. You will taste what true power is."
As Kael spoke, he focused all his attention on the subtle current of energy emanating from Roric. A storm was raging inside the man: fear, suspicion, but also suppressed ambition and a desire for revenge. In between these emotions, Kael sensed a faint potential for loyalty. Roric hated Borok, and he was looking for a way out. Kael's proposition, dangerous though it was, could be that way out.
"Why should I trust you?" Roric asked, his voice still trembling, but a reckoning in his eyes. "Perhaps you are worse than Borok."
"Perhaps," Kael said with a shrug. "But I am fair. I reward loyalty and punish treachery. Those who stand with me win, those who defy me..." Kael's gaze drifted back to the sign. "...lose. The choice is yours." As Kael waited for Roric's decision, he began to sense bits of information trickling from the man in his mind: the changing times of the guards around the container, a personal security code Borok used, information that some of the Chitauri weapons in the warehouse could malfunction unexpectedly... These were echoes from the depths of Roric's mind, thanks to Kael's ability. The man had not yet made up his mind, but his mind was seriously considering Kael's offer, and even then, information was beginning to flow to Kael.
Finally, Roric took a deep breath. "Okay," he said. "We have a deal. But if this is a trap or you try to waste me…"
"As long as you don't betray me, you are safe," Kael said, before Roric could finish. And in that moment, with Roric's decision finalized, the information flowing to Kael became clearer and stronger. The man's loyalty, though mixed with fear and greed, was real for now. Kael memorized the guard change times, Borok's code, and the details of the weapons malfunctions. "Now listen to me. During the guard change, you will 'accidentally' leave the lock on the small cargo door on the south wall open. Find a way to block the view of the second camera inside for five minutes. We will handle the rest."
Roric nodded. Kael looked at him one last time, his eyes both a promise and a warning. "Remember, Roric. Your loyalty is the only thing that will make you great."
Kael quickly turned to where Aslan was waiting. He relayed the new information and the plan. Aslan's eyes were bright with excitement; the risk had increased, but so had the chance of success. Kael briefly briefed Shadow on the situation. Although Shadow's concerns persisted, he did not object, having witnessed Kael's determination and success, and only advised them to be careful.
At the appointed time, Kael and Aslan approached the southern wall that Roric had described. The cargo door was ajar, as promised. When they slipped inside, the second camera was also offline. The interior was eerily silent; only the distant hum of the generator and their own breathing could be heard. They made their way to the main storage facility where the Chitauri technology was located, checking every corner carefully. Thanks to the information they had received from Roric, they had easily bypassed the first layer of security.
But just as they reached the corridor leading to the large area where the container was located, an unexpected sound was heard: a metallic scraping sound, followed by a high-pitched buzzing sound, characteristic of Chitauri technology. The shadows at the end of the corridor had stirred. Apparently, Borok had other "security" measures in place that even Roric did not know about. And this measure looked lively and dangerous.