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But Eva tuned all that out as well. She simply wasn’t interested in anything any longer.

Her mind remained cloudy and angry and frustrated and confused after everything that had happened. It was all a wild mix that tore at her from the inside, as though a storm raged on within. And destroyed everything in its path.

It barely registered when their conversation ended, and she was left alone again in her cell. She mindlessly paced back and forth across the floor as she wrestled with it all. The unfairness of it all was overwhelming her, and her heart couldn’t help but roil against it.

It ate at her, and further complicated the powerlessness she felt.

The simple thought of wasting any amount of time in jail greatly bothered her. Sure, she had technically had an infinite life. But a waste was a waste, and she could hardly bear it. She felt as though she had truly leapt out of the pot, and straight into a fire.

The urge to break through the titacrete coursed all throughout her at times, but she caught herself before she could do any damage. Not just to her hand, but to her future, too.

She did her best to calm down. Without a doubt, five years as a Federation prisoner was a hell of a lot better than even a single cycle spent as Chase’s prisoner. The thought helped keep her steadier than not, but it was barely a comfort.

As the hours passed, she imagined her life with and without chains around her neck. Five years she could have spent building and growing and completely enjoying life, taken away by a lust-driven maniac and an unfeeling, robotic justice system.

.....

Eva wanted to scream at the injustice of it all – that her ability to defend herself should have been praised rather than punished. She worked hard to get where she was, and yet it was all taken away so easily.

Because a man died.

Because she defended herself.

She laughed suddenly, as the joke dawned on her. Then she vowed to change things, to do something to right this wrong. But how, she had no idea.

It was hours later, almost halfway through her fourth cycle there when a guard stepped up to her cell entrance. He tapped on the controls and the transparent doors slid open.

“You gotta guest,” he said.

Eva surfaced from her meditation, withdrew Ascendant Mode, and smiled amicably. Then she got up from the middle of the floor and walked out of her cell. She felt a little brighter knowing that her friends came to see her.

Previously, she was told that she was barred from all guests – pending her hearing. It was supposedly inappropriate for her to receive anyone from the outside world. But now that she had technically been sentenced and her fate was determined, her ability to receive visitors was granted.

It looked as though they finally got approval to come in. She was utterly glad to hear it – she had been marinating in her own misery and negativity for far too long, and needed their light.

The spring in her step vanished when she entered the visitation room. Instead of the Ravens, in front of her was an incredibly slender person dressed in all white, and had silver hair with dark red streaks in it.

Eva couldn’t tell if he was a she or vice-versa, but it was the last of her worries.

“Who the hell are you?” she asked. “And what do you want with me?”

“I’m called Lucifer,” ze said. “And you should consider me your friend.”

The room itself was completely open, and there weren’t any barriers between the two. The only thing that kept them apart were the two heavily armored guards that watched over them from the door out. There were also fixed cameras in every corner, and some sort of turret underneath a hidden panel in the ceiling.

Not that any of it was necessary.

“Oh, great,” said Eva. “Devil’s finally come to visit me, and in jail no less. You looking for me to bargain for my soul or something?”

Lucifer chuckled lightly, which for some reason Eva enjoyed. She found it somewhat endearing. And because of that, it disarmed her somewhat. But she still kept her guard up.

“Something like that,” said Lucifer. “I’m only here to offer my services, nothing more.”

“You’re a bit late if you wanted to be my lawyer or something,” she retorted. “Got sentenced just last cycle, and I’m about to go... I don’t even know where. So I’m not gonna be needing your services, but thanks anyway.”

“Oh, you’re wrong about that. I know all about your sentencing, and it’s exactly why I’m here. I can add certain amenities to wherever you’ll end up. Protection. Limited market access. Maybe even your preferred vices.”

Eva narrowed her eyes in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that he or she or whatever was literally hawking services in the middle of a jail. In front of the guards!

She immediately crossed her arms defensively. There was absolutely no way she could trust this Lucifer. Nevermind the name.

“Why would I even need any of that?” she asked, her tone filled with incredulity.

As she responded, a message came through to her DI, straight from Lucifer. It alarmed her greatly, as all of her network connections had been completely revoked. She had zero capacity to connect to SolNet, or even send and receive direct messages.

And yet Lucifer’s invite blinked right in front of her.

Although she feared it was a trap, her instincts told her to accept. She did so with trepidation, since she wasn’t sure if she should trust it. After all, Tiamat’s Transcendence never alerted her when she met the commander, either.

Then again, it wasn’t as though she had anything to lose.

–

Lucifer: Thank you for accepting my message.

Lucifer: Please try your best not to react to your DI.

Lucifer: They have no idea we’re having two conversations.

Eva: How is this even possible? I don’t have connectivity.

Lucifer: I’m cheeky, and have my own secret, hidden network.

Lucifer: Shh.

–

A shiver ran through Eva as she recalled Miko and Locke’s conversation way back when, about some person or a bunch of people who called themselves the Benefactor. She wondered if the person in front of her was related.

She decided to test hir.

“So what?” she said. “You wanna be my benefactor or something?”

But Lucifer simply laughed in response.

“Benefactor? Psh,” ze said. “I do this for money, not out of goodwill, thank you very much. I’m a mercenary, like you. Except maybe, a bit more expensive. My services will help you live comfortably, but they certainly won’t come cheaply.”

–

Eva: Look, I’m grateful, really, but I don’t need protection services, alright?

Eva: I can take care of myself... Mostly

Lucifer: Oh, that conversation’s just for show.

Lucifer: For the guards.

Lucifer: I’m really offering you a way out of this mess.

Lucifer: It isn’t one you can get yourself out of, trust me on that.

Eva: Speaking of which, why should I trust you with anything at all?

Lucifer: Well, that’s what contracts are for.

Lucifer: Doesn’t matter if you don’t trust me.

Lucifer: But you should trust the signature on the paper.

Eva: Alright, fine. Let’s say I trust you and your contract

Eva: So what? You’re going to break me out of prison?

Lucifer: No, that would be impossible.

Lucifer: But I’ve a few ideas.

Eva: The devil’s offering to break me free from prison

Eva: After I killed a man in cold blood

Eva: I’ve really seen it all now

Lucifer: And for money. Don’t forget that part.

Eva: Which, alright. Have you forgotten that my ledger’s been frozen?

Eva: I can’t pay you even if I wanted to

Lucifer: Do I look like a person who’s concerned with access?

–

Eva’s brow furrowed deeply. She had a complete enigma right in front of her. She knew she couldn’t trust the person, and yet somehow she also felt she could. The contradictions ate at her.

But perhaps it was because of how battered her soul had been these past few cycles, too. Surely that had an effect.

Everything felt wrong, and everything felt as though it was all falling down. But slowly.

She most certainly couldn’t tell if this Lucifer was a trap. Though in the end, she supposed it didn’t matter.

“You make it sound like prison’s going to be some kind of hellhole,” said Eva.

She did her best to keep up the ruse, and found having two conversations at the same time incredibly taxing. But also incredibly exhilarating.

The both of them were hiding in plain sight, and discussed acting illegally in the most inhospitable place possible.

“That if I purchase your services,” she continued, “it’ll turn into some kind of paradise.”

“Look,” Lucifer replied without missing a beat, “I doubt many people in these prisons could even hurt a person like you. But it doesn’t mean it can’t happen. And besides, it’s more than that. It’s about sleeping on a comfortable cot instead of cold metal. It’s about having better food, and having more access to things.

.....

“Creature comforts, in truth. We crave them much more than anything else in our lives. They help center us, give us a semblance of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal life. Having some comforts will make your imprisonment much more... palatable.”

“And this is all somehow legal?” Eva asked.

“I can tell you that my services aren’t illegal,” Lucifer replied.

–

Eva: And what’ll your services cost?

Lucifer: Half your ledger

Lucifer: And...

Lucifer: You have to do everything I tell you to do.

Lucifer: At least until we’re free and clear.

Lucifer: Deal?

Eva: Everything?

Eva: Not to be argumentative or anything

Eva: But I was put in here for killing a guy who wanted to control me

Eva: Not really trying to repeat that

Eva: No offense

Lucifer: I’m not trying to control you or your future.

Lucifer: I’m trying to save it.

–

Lucifer’s offer tumbled around in Eva’s heart and mind. Getting away from all this was extremely inviting to her. She wanted to leap at the chance to run, even if it cost her her entire ledger.

Even if it turned out to be a mistake. But she felt that it was worth the slim chance that it wasn’t one.

“Alright, uh, mister? Missus?” said Eva.

“Whatever you like,” Lucifer retorted.

“Sure, fine, whatever. Just sign me up.”

–

Eva: I can’t just agree

Eva: We need to contact the other Ravens first

Eva: We’ll need their approval

Lucifer: No, there’s no time.

Lucifer: They’re going to transport you soon.

Lucifer: In hours, most likely.

Lucifer: Definitely within the next cycle.

Lucifer: If we don’t act now, then we lose our only real chance.

Lucifer: A committee vote is the last thing we need.

Lucifer: It’ll just slow us down.

Eva: Fine. Then you go talk to them

Eva: You convince them to break me out

Eva: Let them vote on what to do

Eva: Or there’s no deal at all

–