Page 88 of Villainous Intent

Dread’s lips curled into that unsettling smile. He raised the Hammer and its faint blue glow pulsed like a heartbeat. My own heart beat along with it. The Tinkerer’s Hammer. The technological marvel that had inspired my earliest designs.

It could be mine.

“Complete this task for me, and any other information retrieval I require afterward...” Dread said. “And the Hammer is yours.”

It was too good to be true. No one gave up power willingly. Especially not someone like Dread.

“I’m not buying it,” I said flatly. “Why would you give up something this valuable? What’s your angle?”

Dread shrugged. “It doesn’t fit my aesthetic.” He twirled the Hammer once more before letting it hang at his side. “I don’t care for technology, and I don’t care to learn how to use this properly. Its use doesn’t spark fear in the human heart quite like my shadows.”

In demonstration, darkness pooled around his feet and tendrils of shadow crawled up the walls like living things.

“How long does this deal last?” I asked. “Am I signing up to be your personal hacker indefinitely?”

Dread held up the data chip. “It depends on what’s on this. Decode it first, and we’ll discuss terms for any additional services I might require.”

“And if I refuse?” I asked. “What then? You drag me out here, show off your new toy, and expect me to jump at your command?”

Dread smiled. A stretching of lips that revealed too many teeth. Even I, who prided myself on unsettling others, felt a cold finger trace down my spine.

“If you refuse...” His voice dropped to a whisper. “While this Hammer does have quite the learning curve, I’ve already mastered it enough to destroy you.”

He tapped the Hammer against his palm and my suit flickered again. Systems came online just long enough to scream critical warnings before dying completely.

“I can bring down all your systems, all your defenses,” he continued. He stepped closer and the shadows moved with him. “And then I can crush you. Not just your body, though that would be simple enough. Everything you’ve built. Your reputation. Your standing. Your future.”

I wanted to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze until the red light in his eyes went out.

But I wasn’t stupid. A fight here would be messy and I might not walk away from it intact. I had to swallow my pride and let the shadow-skulking prick think he’d won.

“Point taken,” I said. “No need for threats, I speak the language of leverage fluently.”

“If you say so,” Dread said. His voice carried an unsettling musicality that made my skin crawl.

He extended his hand, the small data chip balanced between two fingers. It felt unnaturally cold against my palm, as though it had absorbed Dread’s essence.

“Keep me updated on your progress.” He backed away and the shadows reached for him like eager pets. “I’ll be in touch.”

He melted into the darkness.

The moment he vanished, my suit switched back on. The familiar glow of my HUD illuminated the empty warehouse.

Well, fuck.

I stared at the small chip in my palm. Whatever information it contained, it was valuable enough for Dread to offer the Tinkerer’s Hammer in exchange. That alone made it dangerous.

I walked out of the warehouse, my mind already dissecting the encounter from every angle.

What’s the best play here?

The Syndicate didn’t need to know about Dread. Not yet. Information was currency, and I wasn’t in the habit of spending it before I understood its full value. I needed to see what was on that chip first. Needed to understand what Dread was after before I made any decisions that couldn’t be unmade.

As for Annie, keeping her ignorant was the easiest decision of the night. Handing over the rogue meant terminating our partnership and I refused to surrender my best excuse to stay tangled in her life. I would lie to her face every single day as long as it kept her within my orbit.

She could keep hunting a phantom. I only cared that she belonged to me while she did it.

“Welcome back, sir,” Twenty-Three greeted me through the comms as I strode into the Labyrinth.