Gods From the Machine by Andrew Ly Page B

hear her voice, but he longed to see her in person. Now that he was promoted, what better reward than to spend a day with her on his first mission?
    The sound of his engine was loud enough to alert her of his arrival. She came out just as Nick pulled up to her driveway. She looked absolutely stunning in a simple black tank top with a red patterned flannel over it and jean shorts. He stepped out to embrace her as Matt took the liberty to switch to a seat in the back. Once they were all settled in, they headed on their way to Hyperion.
    “ I was beginning to think we were never going to see each other again,” Quinn said.
    “ It really has been too long Quinn,” Matt agreed. “I think Nick here feels the same way. Poor guy just can’t stop talking about you.”
    “ Really, Emberson? You’ve missed me that much?” Quinn teased. Her green eyes seemed to brighten as she smiled her dazzling smile.
    “ Just a little bit,” Nick said. It was an understatement however, as seeing her in the flesh reminded him exactly how much he missed her, especially the little things, like way she always called him Emberson.
    “ So where are we off to?” Quinn fumbled with the radio, looking for a station. “I mean, why are we going to Hyperion? It’s a civilian city, nothing but concrete jungle. What business would two knights have there?”
    “ Our mission is to find some guy to help us rebuild this sword.” Matt unveiled the shimmering blade pieces from the gold bag it came in. Nick blinked a few times as he caught the reflection of the blade. He gripped the steering wheel, remembering the painful experience the night he made the mistake of handling the blade. As a demon, he was extremely sensitive to holy weapons. This one in particular was seemingly more dangerous to him than others.
    “ So you guys are going to a whitesmith?”
    “ That’s right…” Matt nodded, as he exchanged a look with Nick in the rearview mirror. “I’m pretty impressed. I never knew civilians knew about whitesmiths. In fact, I didn’t think it was very common knowledge.”
    “ It’s not,” Quinn laughed, “But I’m not a stranger to what happens around the world, as Nick has probably told you. I’ve moved around my whole life, meeting people and learning new things.”
    Nick rai sed a brow. He had no doubt she was well educated and worldly, but curiously, Quinn was very well researched when it came to Garrison. Considering everything on base was sworn to secrecy, how did she know so much?
    “ That’s good, but it’s best to keep that information to yourself. You never know who might hear, and if somebody found out, it could spell a lot of trouble for you and us,” Nick said. “Garrisons have many enemies in the shadows. Namely demons, but there are also a great number of human supporters.”
    “ Lighten up,” Matt said, “you’ll scare the poor girl! Besides, does she look like she’s one to tell?
    Nick glanced at her, the wind blowing gently through her fiery red hair as she brushed it away from her face. She was no longer listening. She was lost in her own world, gazing out the window in the distance at the grand scenery surrounding them. She was absolutely breathtaking. Whether or not Matt was right or wrong, he’d like to believe that this perfect vision was a reflection of her true self.
    “ No, I guess you’re right.”
    As soon as they arrived within city , they found Graves Tower rather easily. It stood out as the tallest and most recognizable building. Garreth’s family spent no expense to set themselves apart from the competition. At the very top was a structure shaped like a capital G which was also a light fixture that shone brightly. The Graves were an illustrious family, renowned for discovering the formula and device that created the Holy Shield. However, Garreth’s parents had passed away during the Second Coming, leaving their only son a hefty inheritance and a multimillion empire to run alone.
    “ Wait, what