water ran down Orion's body. Years of grime and filth tai bck as it swirled into the drain.

  His skin, while pale, was once again. His hair no longer had streaks of bd grey too, returning to its inal rich brown. Only his eyes remaiouched by the past- the faint purple still lingering in the lower irises.

  He couldn't tell if he quered it, or if it fled bato hiding.

  Fatigue weighed on him as he rested his head against the shower wall, letting the warmth of the water numb his thoughts.

  Even now, it was hard to believe. Silco, of all people, was the oo save him again. Silvolved himself directly, broke him out, and now he allowed him to use his private facilities.

  It was an uatement to say that yers of depression and disappoi built up inside him after the crew, which he had risked his life for multiple times for, didn't e for him, again.

  They knew he was alive this time.

  'I guess Vander really did mean it when he said go...' Orion thought numbly, turning the shower off.

  Green shirt and brown pants- a growing theme, it seemed. Orion fitted himself and stepped outside.

  Silco was lounged zily on his couch with a lit cigar in one hand and a gss of whiskey iher. His gaze slowly drifted toward Orion and followed him as he walked across the residence.

  The air was thick with cigar smoke and a heavy tobaell.

  Without speaking, Silco gestured toward a chair with the cigar in hand before taking another puff.

  It was the middle of the night and the two stared at each other with a singur light illuminating the room.

  "You're a man now, Orion," Silutters as Orion's gaze lowers to a separate gss of whiskey and cigar id before him. "A bit of rexation after such a harrowing experience?"

  Frowning, Orion's gaze settled on them for a moment before reag out wordlessly to take a swig. He was never a whiskey drinker in his past life, but it felt appropriate and well-deserved now.

  Lifting the cigar , he heard a flick- the quiet spark of a lighter. Silco had set his whiskey doulled out his lighter, watg him with an unreadable expression.

  Putting it in his mouth, Orion was going to reach for it but instead, Silco leaned forward. Once again, Orion was left stunned as Silco lit his cigar.

  "You've smoked before, haven't you?" Silco asked.

  "Yeah, for a bit," Orion said tiredly a out a puff of smoke, leaning bato the armchair.

  With a low chuckle, Silco said, "Mischievous in more ways than one. I discover more about you every time we speak. It was a shame we couldn't talk more before those... is, happened."

  "How did you know I was alive?"

  "I have eyes and ears everywhere." Silco's voice was smooth, unwavering. "Do you think a Chembaron factory- one ected to Ferros no less- blowing up in the middle of the Uy wouldn't reach my ears? Or the strange phenomenon that followed?"

  Smirking fidently, he leaned back slightly and tinued. "I'm the Uy's industrialist. And Shimmer? It buys a lot of loyalty these days."

  Orion exhaled slowly, taking another drag from his cigar. He wanted sleep, but respect was due to his two-time savior. Yet, questions lingered.

  "Except you didn't do anything for six years. No one did."

  "No," Silitted without a hint of guilt ret. Instead, it was measured and calcuted. "My attention was elsewhere. Breaking someo of Stillwater Hold takes time- and a lot of resources."

  His corrupted eye glinted dangerously as he leaned in slightly. "I've ied in you, Orion. I've freed you. Twice. I expect the same respe return."

  "Six years," Orion mused, watg the embers glow at the tip of his cigar as Silco's gaze sharpened. "Which means something is happening now that requires you to free me. You need a wildcard."

  Silco opened his mouth, but Orion cut him off.

  "I will," Orion said firmly. "Vander's gang?"

  A long, heavy silence followed. The two men stared each other down, the tension thick. Silaintaining eye tact, took another slow puff from his cigar before answering dismissively.

  "You overestimate their straightforward tactics. They aren't nearly the thorn in my side they like to think they are. Nor are they the reason I need you now."

  Without breaking eye tact, Silco tipped back his whiskey, downing it in one go. He set the gss down and tossed a small pouch of s across the table. It nded in front of Orion with a dull 'k' sound.

  "I won't ask you to pursue them," Silco said smoothly. Orion's gaze narrowed at the pouch.

  "You just crawled out of Stillwater," Silco tinued, eyes gleaming. "And in your current state, you wouldn't be of much use to me."

  Orion frowned. "So..."

  "Rex!" Silco excimed with a loud, mog chuckle, dragging out his words with obvious disdain. "It's Happy Progress Day, didn't you know?"

  Orion gritted his teeth, his temper frih the surface. It must have shown, because Silco's eye narrowed at him in silent warning.

  "Don't do anything stupid," Silco said, his tone measured but firm. "Go out. Take it in. See what's ged. If you meet those brats, don't let it bother you- enjoy it with them, if that is what you want."

  His expression made it clear- he truly didn't care about Vander's gang anymore. Annoyis, at the most.

  But his final words carried more weight. Slower, heavier, spoken with quiet authority.

  "Return to me. We'll talk once you've had time to settle."