Page 229 of Light Leech

“Zeg, you really have nothing new to offer?” Ralia said, letting go of Boyband.

Boyband spat on the ground.

Ralia kicked his shin. “Don’t make me grab you.”

“Why did we come here again?” Boyband asked. “We have what we need, unless you’re offering a place to stay.”

“Where have you been sleeping?” Abbas asked.

Boyband and Kuni looked at each other and shrugged. Boyband spoke. “Where we could.”

Naoma glared at me as if I were responsible.

“We’ve been crashing at one of Naoma’s old studios.” I said, then was quick to add, “In separate rooms.”

“Akna and I have been siphoning some lumens from one of Deleon’s old accounts to stay in a hotel.”

“I’m still in league with Haven,” Abbas said. “I’ve still got my old apartment.”

“And you didn’t at least offer your couch?” Boyband whined. He pointed at Kuni. “Look at how desperate this kid is!”

“I had no idea you were living like fixed-out bums!” Abbas defended.

“Wait.” Naoma pulled Abbas’s shoulder. “Haven’s still intact?”

Abbas tilted his head from side to side. “They’re scrambling for a foundation. After Delighty Liu’s death, now Cuttrin’s, they’re figuring out how to best proceed without public upheaval. I’m doing my best to keep things intact while keeping the blame of Cut’s death far from me. The only other witness was Nichley, and he hasn’t said anything. Then again, to do so would compromise his secretive undead state.”

“Don’t we want them to fail?“ Boyband asked.

Abbas shook his head. “Not while I have a hand in their work. If they fall, we’d have to fight to get our hand in a politically influential sphere.”

Denji was quick to work his way back into the conversation. “Which would be more difficult, noting that Entertainment is fighting for the next spot in the upcoming election. Rumors of issues with Haven Heath are arising, the public just needs enough evidence to push them into complete failure. You better figure out a way to patch up Cuttrin’s death or figure out a good excuse for it.”

“I’m working on making it some medical accident,” Ralia said.

“Wait,” Akna asked. “Entertainment? Techbone is still a problem, right?”

“Oh, it is,” said Denji, “but no one has a solution right now to keep the public hopeful. The last person to threaten Haven’s success on that front was Osteolyte, and hearing how they were connected to your little cadre, it looks like they pose no threat.”

“Then who is the new Entertainment titan?” Akna asked.

“It’s Reef, isn’t it?.” Naoma said.

We looked at each other again. During our time of reprieve, I spotted her looking into Reef but didn’t bother her. I figured she was doing some reminiscing or wondering why they continued to succeed without her. Once again, I was proved wrong by how much there was to her. She was more than I had ever imagined, each day becoming increasingly complex.

Denji nodded.

“You knew?” Boyband added, spite in his tone.

She glanced at him, fighting to keep her composure but I could tell that it bothered her. She had seemed off on occasion, but there were so many problems that we were dealing with that I never thought it had anything to do with her career. I was sure she enjoyed the break from stardom, but part of her ego had never left. She craved love as we all did. As nations fed her love, she had grown used to it in an unhealthy abundance.

“You might have thought that Reef died with Anton, but it was so much more. Did you expect me to ignore what the world was saying about me?” she said.

“What, that you were doing children’s music now?”

“That I had become a sellout? That Reef was ready to move on from me? No matter how much of a pawn I was, it still hurts to hear. Not all of my pride was programmed.”

“So you want to go back?” I asked.