That feeling of dread. It felt so distant but so familiar, an old friend.

It must have been a plot! How else could this have happened? These thoughts lingered with Noah, disturbed by the field of blood those drones carried forward.

Well, whatever questions Noah had, he was sure he'd find it. After all, this was no coincidence… Noah could tell, even now as she stared at Obadiah, across the table in the observatory's cafe. He had a plaster on his nose, but Noah could tell that it wasn't covering anything notable, probably just a small bruise.

Knowing liars is a key he has honed, knowing who he can trust… Archius has that air of trust someone like Obadiah or Kazu does not.

"Speak and be done with it," snarled Noah. He downed the cup of glowing tea a drone provided. Obadiah grunted at his harsh response.

"And here I thought you were different," the man remarked, jiving at Noah's lacking tact. "Perhaps I was wrong."

He slowly stood up.

Noah raised an eyebrow. "What?" He had to remind himself that Obadiah needed him for something, not the other way around.

"Kazuki, we all know him!" he snarled. "Or perhaps I got the wrong person? Because… I think you know him…"

"I know him... Of course, I do," said Noah. He sighed. "What about him?" He'll keep his cards close to his chest. He might not be as good as his parents at their game, but he wasn't stupid.

At least he thinks he isn't. That mess with Archius earlier still stuck with Noah… He'll have to apologise, the guy even bought him coffee. Plus he was rather harsh to him, even as he took the time to understand him, or at least tried…

Obadiah nodded. "And am I correct in assuming that you are friends with Elizabeth Mary Celeste-Delmara?"

Noah furrowed his brow. "What do you want with her?" he asked, seeing Obadiah look rather pleased with himself, probably at his sudden outburst.

Obadiah placed one finger up. "You and I have a common enemy. The Contract-Breaker. And it just so happens that recent events have been forcing my hand."

He gently took a sip from a cup. Tch! Noah groaned in annoyance. "What makes you think he is my enemy?"

"A little favour here... Some whispers there..." Obadiah started. "You have special reservations towards him, not the good kind of special, I am guessing?"

Noah bit his tongue. "No?" he lied. "My answer remains the same, Obadiah… I will think about it."

"Aye, but the situation has changed drastically, the Contract-Breaker is bound to kill me soon. He will deny the information your friend wants."

Why? What… could Obadiah know? Had the thought sunk Noah's heart? Could Obadiah truly know what happened? "Then tell me, I'll tell her," Noah said, maintaining a calm exterior, but his glancing eyes betrayed the notion.

Obadiah chuckled under his breath. "That is... rather stupid of me to do. I want to live, and my knowledge is keeping my head from the chopping block, in more ways than one."

Obadiah is at odds with Kazuki, and Noah would like to punch Kazuki once more... Back then, that scared little shit couldn't do anything, even as he stood with bloodied hands... But this was different.

"You want something from me," Noah said. This time around, Noah had to tread carefully.

Obadiah rolled his eyes. "Of course!" he jeered. "You are my best hope of reaching Elizabeth, to negotiate with her. You are my last bright to that."

"Flattery won't get you far with me," Noah scowled, leaning back against the booth.

"But it is my final hope," said Obadiah, placing his hands together. He stood up, walking to the edge of the booth and staring off into space. "I am more than willing to provide this information headstrong to Elizabeth."

"What's the catch?" Noah knew there was venom in this deal. Someone like Obadiah doesn't get to his position through the most ethical of business practices.

Obadiah placed a finger up. "Alliance. And to curry favour. I will not leave myself defenceless… And… Shares."

"Within Galatimes?" Noah scoffed. "My parents—"

"—I only ask for a minor portion just enough to get me in the shareholders meeting would do," he said. "I am in a very sticky situation, Noah, you must know that. The Contract-Breaker wants me dead."

Just enough to get him in? A singular would do that. Obadiah clearly has a plan… "Well then, you're on your own against him." Noah chuckled, standing and turning to leave the booth.

"You want to help your friend, do you not?" asked Obadiah, stopping Noah in his tracks. "I said I'll dish out the details later, now is later. I provide Elizabeth with the information she seeks. In exchange, information..."

Noah's eyes turned back to the businessman; his hands curled into fists. Obadiah knows? No! But what whispers must he have heard to hint at that?

He smiled. "I have your attention, then? An... associate of mine who knows someone else who, in turn, knows this particular handler has said that there was interesting chatter during the great tragedy. It's mere whispers, but whoever is keeping this information from me must be very powerful… Even more than I."

"Let me guess, my name showed up?" Noah asked. "You think I know something?"

"Am I wrong?" asked Obadiah.

Noah slowly shook his head. "Fine." What was he doing? Was he going to go back on his own deals? Fuck it… Taking Kazuki down with him will be worth the cost of being a Contract-Breaker himself. "Information for information."

Obadiah smirked. "Quid pro quo."

Even if Noah was there, saw the blood and everything, there were still things even he was afraid to think of, things he refused to believe, things he had not seen. He was just a small fish in the largest conspiracy in the galaxy.

The rumours that Victoria and Kazuki found the pirates... The rumours of what transpired... And the truth that Noah found, a truth that divided the two. This was… somewhat advantageous to Noah, but he knew that that was what Obadiah wanted him to think.

Obadiah turned and took a step forward, raising a hand to Noah. Noah was curious, however, there were still things that even he didn't know. Maybe, just maybe, if everything goes well: he'll be allowed to beat the answer out of Kazuki. Maybe, justice shall be served.

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Noah shook Obadiah's hand. He had to act, the time to falter is not now. He must do this, to finally learn what Victoria and Kazuki were up to.

"Kazuki is both our enemies… It's not Chancellor Ílize or his posse I am worried about, nor is it Hartius or Kyria. It's that boy," Obadiah bit his words off with malice. "He struts around breaking every rule and law and precedence we uphold to be more than just the animals. Given the chance, he'll kill all of us."

All of us? Everyone here? Or just people like Obadiah?

But Noah was in too deep. Noah had to learn. If that is not possible, then to protect Eliza from her greatest asset… and greatest threat.

The Contract-Breaker must not be allowed to persist, lest Elizabeth die with him.

∗ ∗ ∗

Daunting lights haunted Eliza from the ceiling with their flaunting hues and rays. Glancing around the infirmary, she could see dozens of medical staff treating the survivors of the attacks - many brooch wielders. Who... would do this? Was it the same people that tried to hijack the cruise? Or was it someone else?

Eliza concluded that it was unlikely... The whole ordeal felt too well planned, the drones... everything. They even had an ambush prepared!

Looking around, there were no drones active, all of them were in the racks - sealed shut behind energy gates, so treating people was a bit on the slow end, but it did make people feel safer. It made her feel safer, at least. She sighed, feeling a sting on her knee. "Ow..." she muttered to herself.

"Apologies, this will not hurt," said the nurse. Weren't they supposed to say that before applying the disinfectant?! He glanced up at Eliza, tending to the few scrapes and scratches that were present across her legs and arms.

Cyrus stood beside her, in front of the bed she sat on. Dust and small rocks clung to her frilly red dress. Eliza's rose-coloured eyes fluttered to the side, her mind was a mess. "Cyrus, what happened back there?" Eliza asked.

The nurse finished up, leaving the two. Cyrus turned around to look at her. His face and hands were covered in bruises, but the stitch across one of his eyes was the loudest of his scars.

Eliza slowly put her shoes and thigh-highs back on. It was rather annoying, having to change shoes.

"What happened to what?" Cyrus asked. He crossed his arms. "Security's on the heat. They won't allow another attack."

"No... Václavos, Kazuki just beat him!" Eliza raised her voice. She started to make her way through the infirmary to leave. She kept her eyes on the ground, ignoring the sobs from families mourning their injured and dead. "I thought Kazuki… I didn't know he was… like that."

Cyrus followed her out of the infirmary, one of many across the Ball Palace. A massive glass pane was beyond the balcony, with the indifferent galaxy beyond that too. He said, "You know very little of him, then."

"Huh?" Eliza furrowed her brow at Cyrus, turning around to him before leaning against the balcony bannister. "What?"

"I mean no offence," Cyrus said. "It's a simple matter that you've only recently learned of Kazuki's 'other life'. Brutality and harshness breeds strength."

He stared at her, giving her the cold truth that shivered down her spine. Compared to these people, Eliza did not know Kazuki. Even after fixing him up and their investigation, she knows so little… She glanced down to the side, frowning.

"Does your job turn everyone into... him?"

"No," Cyrus stated, his voice clear and concise. "We all learnt how to die at an early age. Everyone does. We are cogs in a machine. Kazuki's role in that machine changed, yes, but we're all cogs at the end of the day. Producing something for someone who pays. If one gear fails, another will replace it."

"So... you're just fine with all of this?!" Eliza turned back to the abyss, grasping her head. This was absolutely insane! That face that Kazuki had, that delirious face... It stung Eliza strangely. He didn't seem angry, nor did he seem disappointed or sad at Irya's death. Just... nothing. There was nothing under those golden eyes. "Did he even care that Irya died?" Cyrus stood beside her. He placed his hands in his pockets. A moment passed before he responded, "You don't seem to understand, Eliza. We were trained to do this job. Václavos failed at that job. Kazuki was always lenient. That was lenient for Václavos' failure."

"You're... You're not answering my question, Cyrus," Eliza snapped.

"Maybe I'm not... Stay with Kazuki long enough and you'll understand why," he said. "We all suffered in one way or another. Some fall. Others rise, that's just how the industry works. Anymore burning questions?" His voice turned into a slight sneer.

"Y—"

"—Eliza."

A voice called to her. Cyrus gave a dismissive glance at the person who called her out. Eliza turned. It was Noah! Eliza's face grew brighter. "Noah! You're safe!"

"Yeah... Chloé got away too, she's with Archius in her suite."

"Ah, so that's where Archius went after that..." Eliza muttered to herself. She was somewhat expecting him to be digging around looking for clues, but Eliza guessed that even he would be tired after this affair.

He nodded, quickly. Taking a step forward, Noah leaned against the bannister beside her. He seemed quite irritated; something was most certainly wrong. "Eliza... I..."

Noah turned around, looking at Cyrus for a moment. He shot a look at Eliza, shaking his head.

"Oh, he's just my bodyguard, please pay him no attention, he's a good person, really!" said Eliza. Noah just shook his head again.

"I need to talk to you privately... I've been quiet about this for too long," said Noah. His eyes kept glancing around. "I. Things might happen, and I need you to know something, in case something happens to me."

Eliza raised an eyebrow, before nodding to Cyrus.

Cyrus seemed reluctant, but took a few steps back, out of earshot from the two of them. "Thank you... Thank you."

Eliza asked, "What's wrong? Is something this urgent that you need to speak to me right now?"

"Your investigation... your... You're trying to find the culprits of the P-1 Incident, aren't you?" Noah asked, he stared at her intently, before biting off his next words, "To find your sister's killer, right?"

Wait? Does Noah have something that would help? Eliza leaned in, listening carefully.

"What do you remember from that day?" Noah asked. Eliza glanced to the floor, finding it hard to choke out any words.

She bit her bottom lips, finding enough energy and strength to utter words. "Not much... I was only nine… It was more of a blur of pictures than anything."

"Exactly!" Noah snapped his fingers, his voice getting more on edge. "But… I remember things." "Noah... why are you so worried?" Eliza asked. She looked towards the Imperial Knights standing guard at the infirmary doors, their white cloaks and armour nearly blending into the wall behind them. "We're safe here."

He shook his head. "Not from Kazuki... Now, listen to me, alright—"

"—Noah!" Eliza placed a hand against her face, rubbing her temple. "How... Kazuki's my friend... He rushed across the Palace to... save me..."

"He knows more than what he's letting off!" He gritted his teeth, biting the word out for Eliza to hear... Eliza thought for a moment. It has never occurred to her that Kazuki might be holding crucial information back... What does Noah know?! Eliza's eyes pierced through Noah, the rose-red curiosity encompassing the hallway.

"What do you mean? Why would he—"

Noah cut in, "—he doesn't want you to solve the incident... He's lying about something! Look... trust me on this. Your father and I dragged Kazuki's half-dead corpse to the escape pods!"

"Huh?" Eliza's rose-red eyes widened. "You... my dad?"

He stopped talking as if something constrained his tongue from ever speaking about the topic. "I can't say anymore… My hands are tied, Eliza… But… I have to make a pit-stop… I'll explain things later… alright?""

"You know more, right? Wait... what happened?!" Eliza's curiosity started to take control over her mind, a determined fire burning with her. She wanted to know more about this. Noah shook his head and turned away from her.

He started to walk away. "I… I'll talk later, alright?!"

Eliza took a step forward, wanting to chase after him... But she found herself constrained to her own spot. Dread stopped her from moving, dreading what he might be referring to.

'Miss Elizabeth… is something the matter?' asked Synthia, sitting on Eliza's shoulder.

Shaking her head, Eliza lied, "No, I'm fine, just needed a breather."

Synthia wasn't convinced. 'Your heartbeat has increased by thirty beats. Is something the matter with Noah or…'

"It's none of your business!" Eliza snapped at Synthia. She closed the projector, turning Synthia offline.

Kazuki's been keeping things from her? Didn't he say that he'll tell her everything?! Has he been lying this whole time? That, along with all the little insecurities rearing up in Eliza's heart, pushed her heart over the edge. Eliza pushed her hand into her chest. Her face and expressions grew colder at this supposed betrayal…

The cold husk of a woman reared its head once more.

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