-Maybe you really need a break.-

-A nice, long trip.-

-You can go somewhere nice. Forget all about this for a while.-

-You have been through a lot this year.-

-Maybe taking a step back would help you.-

-Slow down a little.-

-Waste a year or two.-

-You already wasted five. So what’s two more?-

-Maybe you should just give up altogether.-

-You were going to fail anyway.-

-You can’t fight those monsters.-

-You are on your own.-

[Dante.]

At the mention of his name, Dante snapped out of his thoughts. He looked around and realized that he was sitting in his office. The clock in the corner of his vision told him that it hadn’t been that long since he arrived.

’What is it, Volcan?’

[Your guests have just arrived.] Volcan said. [I decided to inform you so you can prepare.]

’Thanks.’

Leaning back into his chair, he rubbed his face with both hands. He still hadn’t grown used to the mild pain caused by his alloy palms, but it helped him wake up a little.

A message soon arrived from Carlos informing him that Larry and his acquaintance had arrived, and that he was bringing them up. As he stood to greet them, Dante noticed the broken part of his desk and stared at it for a moment. He had one of Volcan’s androids clean everything, and from the looks of it, he was done with that a while back.

’Let’s get this over with.’

With a click, the door opened. Carlos came in first, then he moved to the side and made way for the others. A familiar man entered next. Dante almost didn’t recognize him without his white coat, but that was definitely the nicotine addicted surgeon, Larry. Following him was a woman.

Normal was the word Dante chose to describe her with. Average height, average build. Gunmetal hair that reached down to her shoulder, blending well with the gray suit she wore. Her face was nothing to brag about, as if she hadn’t bothered with the plethora of cosmetic enhancements available to someone who would dress like her. But that wasn’t entirely true.

While she appeared normal to the eye, no sooner did she enter the range of Dante’s Absolute Awareness than he saw through the mundane front she presented herself with.

[Level 3 Ascended Cyborg.] Volcan said. [She does not seem to be equipped for combat, however.]

’Not equipped for combat, huh?’

Hard to believe, considering the Level 3 threat assessment.

"Hey, doc. You’re right on time." Dante said.

One look at the lanky doctor made it clear that he was suppressing a tired sigh. He probably wanted to light up a cigarette right about now.

"Good morning, Dante," Larry said. "Thank you for granting us this meeting."

"What has gotten into you, man? No need to be so stiff." Dante motioned for the sofas. "C’mon, let’s take a seat first. Would you like some coffee?"

The surgeon didn’t seem to buy Dante’s good host act, yet he still played along.

"I will have some." He said.

"What about you, miss?" Dante asked the woman.

"Your offer is much appreciated." She said with a practiced smile.

The three of them were seated before long, each with a cup of the dark brew before them. Dante sipped from his, and so did Larry. That seemed to have been the last peaceful moment before the tension resumed its climb once more. Placing his cup down, the surgeon cleared his throat and began.

"I believe proper introductions are in order." He turned to the woman beside him. "Dante, this is Victoria Alberta. Officially, she is the head of the public relations department of Ares Cybernetics Neo-Vatra branch. Victoria, this is Dante Sokolov. He is... the leader of Inferno, the local gang in Hollowgrid."

"It is very nice to make your acquaintance." She said, wearing the same smile as before.

Dante said nothing, continuing to observe her in silence. Larry seemed to take that as a bad sign, but he didn’t have much to worry about. Dante didn’t sense any hostility from the woman, and right now, he didn’t feel any toward her.

"Ares Cybernetics, huh?" He said. "I thought it was just a conspiracy, that the cult had its hands in the big bionic manufacturers."

"Rather than a conspiracy, I would say it’s an obvious truth." She replied. "Most of those companies had been founded by our members, even before the Gear came to exist. The evidence is available to anyone willing to do their research."

"And yet they continue their association with you, even now that you have earned the terrorist reputation."

"The Gear would continue to exist without them, but they wouldn’t exist without the Gear. Our conviction is the flame raging within the titan’s forge, and it is the beating heart of the war god. Neither would survive without us. The abominations would’ve devoured them long ago if not for our support."

"I see." Raising his cup, Dante took a sip, then allowed his mind to wander for a moment. "No matter what you say, it doesn’t change what associating with you means. The Genomes are winning this contest, and soon enough, your cause will be lost. What do you intend to do then?"

The true reason why the big bionic corpos weren’t dismantled was that more than half of the world still relies on them. Genomes have yet to be involved in the Army, so big countries like the Radmir Union still build their militaries around cyborgs and power suits.

Like a robot, the woman called Victoria looked at him with the same smile until her expression abruptly changed.

"Our ideology is the righteous path, and anyone who looks away from it is simply misguided. Genomes might appear powerful, but they do not fare that well when put against our own. Their extinction is inevitable, and only alloy will remain."

Letting her finish, Dante then turned to his surgeon, checking for his thoughts on the matter. Their guest seemed to be spewing something straight out of some religious gospel, and considering the nature of the organization she belongs to, it wouldn’t be strange to learn that she was doing exactly that.