literally the same. It’s foolish for us to fight.’
‘We’re not the same. I’m an agent of the people of the United States of America, and you’re a murdering criminal. Whatever happened between us died along with those people you killed. Now, tell your dogs to go back where they came from and surrender. I won’t take it easy on you, but I’ll be just. That’s something.’
‘I think I’m done with your brand of justice, thank you very much,’ Scylla said. ‘If you’re determined to remain a footrest for the humans, then I’ll have to hold you to account along with them.’
‘Humans?’ Harlequin asked. ‘You’re a human.’
‘No, I’m not.’ Scylla’s expression darkened. ‘I’m something else entirely. You could be, too, if you’d only let yourself see it. We’re a new race to rule a new world. Your SOC and McGauer-Linden laws are just feeble flailings to stave that off. That flailing irritates me. I’m here to make it stop.’
‘New race, huh?’ Harlequin gestured to the Gahe . ‘Is this what the new race looks like? Because you don’t seem to fit in too well. And honestly? They’re fucking ugly.’
She exchanged glances with the Gahe she’d shot, back to Harlequin. ‘Looks can be deceiving. There’s plenty to find ugly about humanity.’
‘And plenty to find beautiful, too,’ Harlequin said. ‘Are they equally devoted to this new order of yours? And what about all those goblins up on Wall Street? What did you have to promise to get them to help you?’
‘And what were you promised, Jan? Are these humans you’re so ready to die for rewarding your loyalty? Are they treating you like the hero you are?’
Harlequin swallowed. Faces flashed through his mind, the vein throbbing in Hewitt’s forehead, Knut’s curled lip.
‘They’re terrified of you, aren’t they?’ Scylla asked. ‘They curse you even as they beg you to save them. Why, Jan? I don’t understand.’
Because it’s not about me. It never was , he thought. But all he said was, ‘You can’t understand.’
‘Jan,’ she said, her voice low now, all anger gone from it, quivering ever so slightly. She sounded hurt. She sounded genuine. ‘Jan, please. Don’t do this.’
It’s not her. Grace is gone. Harlequin looked down and shook his head.
Scylla sighed. The remnants of her smile faded. ‘Remember when I worked here?’ she asked, sweeping her arm to encompass the now-silent Financial District. ‘Remember what I showed you?’
‘I remember,’ Harlequin said. ‘It doesn’t matter. You came up Latent. You came up Probe. You killed people.’
The sardonic smirk returned. ‘And that is why they help me. The goblins, the mountain gods, all of them. They see you for what you are, and they know you will never stop until you control every action of everyone and everything that frightens you.
‘They want the same thing I do. To be able to go to bed at night and never have to wake up worrying that you’re out there, plotting to put us in chains again.
‘We can’t get that by negotiating with you. We can only get that by teaching you what those chains feel like. You’ll have to wear them for a good, long while before you understand.’
Her voice and posture stiffened. ‘Last chance. You can stand at my side, or you can crawl under my boot, but I’m done asking nicely.
‘I’ve given you terms. Accept them, and let’s be done with this.’
Harlequin shook his head. ‘Your terms are refused. You’re going to have one hell of a fight on your hands. I promise you this: When we beat you, and we will beat you, we’re not going to throw you back in the hole. We’re going to make damn sure that you can never hurt anyone else ever again.’
‘How pleasant to see we have precisely the same goals,’ she replied, ‘and yet another reason why it’s foolish for us to oppose one another. I have a feeling that as this struggle wears on, you’ll come to see the wisdom of my position. Please convey
‘We’re not the same. I’m an agent of the people of the United States of America, and you’re a murdering criminal. Whatever happened between us died along with those people you killed. Now, tell your dogs to go back where they came from and surrender. I won’t take it easy on you, but I’ll be just. That’s something.’
‘I think I’m done with your brand of justice, thank you very much,’ Scylla said. ‘If you’re determined to remain a footrest for the humans, then I’ll have to hold you to account along with them.’
‘Humans?’ Harlequin asked. ‘You’re a human.’
‘No, I’m not.’ Scylla’s expression darkened. ‘I’m something else entirely. You could be, too, if you’d only let yourself see it. We’re a new race to rule a new world. Your SOC and McGauer-Linden laws are just feeble flailings to stave that off. That flailing irritates me. I’m here to make it stop.’
‘New race, huh?’ Harlequin gestured to the Gahe . ‘Is this what the new race looks like? Because you don’t seem to fit in too well. And honestly? They’re fucking ugly.’
She exchanged glances with the Gahe she’d shot, back to Harlequin. ‘Looks can be deceiving. There’s plenty to find ugly about humanity.’
‘And plenty to find beautiful, too,’ Harlequin said. ‘Are they equally devoted to this new order of yours? And what about all those goblins up on Wall Street? What did you have to promise to get them to help you?’
‘And what were you promised, Jan? Are these humans you’re so ready to die for rewarding your loyalty? Are they treating you like the hero you are?’
Harlequin swallowed. Faces flashed through his mind, the vein throbbing in Hewitt’s forehead, Knut’s curled lip.
‘They’re terrified of you, aren’t they?’ Scylla asked. ‘They curse you even as they beg you to save them. Why, Jan? I don’t understand.’
Because it’s not about me. It never was , he thought. But all he said was, ‘You can’t understand.’
‘Jan,’ she said, her voice low now, all anger gone from it, quivering ever so slightly. She sounded hurt. She sounded genuine. ‘Jan, please. Don’t do this.’
It’s not her. Grace is gone. Harlequin looked down and shook his head.
Scylla sighed. The remnants of her smile faded. ‘Remember when I worked here?’ she asked, sweeping her arm to encompass the now-silent Financial District. ‘Remember what I showed you?’
‘I remember,’ Harlequin said. ‘It doesn’t matter. You came up Latent. You came up Probe. You killed people.’
The sardonic smirk returned. ‘And that is why they help me. The goblins, the mountain gods, all of them. They see you for what you are, and they know you will never stop until you control every action of everyone and everything that frightens you.
‘They want the same thing I do. To be able to go to bed at night and never have to wake up worrying that you’re out there, plotting to put us in chains again.
‘We can’t get that by negotiating with you. We can only get that by teaching you what those chains feel like. You’ll have to wear them for a good, long while before you understand.’
Her voice and posture stiffened. ‘Last chance. You can stand at my side, or you can crawl under my boot, but I’m done asking nicely.
‘I’ve given you terms. Accept them, and let’s be done with this.’
Harlequin shook his head. ‘Your terms are refused. You’re going to have one hell of a fight on your hands. I promise you this: When we beat you, and we will beat you, we’re not going to throw you back in the hole. We’re going to make damn sure that you can never hurt anyone else ever again.’
‘How pleasant to see we have precisely the same goals,’ she replied, ‘and yet another reason why it’s foolish for us to oppose one another. I have a feeling that as this struggle wears on, you’ll come to see the wisdom of my position. Please convey
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