Creaaak

  The elevator droaned as it was forced open with a crowbar. Several Enforcers outside raise their rifles instinctively- but lower them when they reize their uniforms.

  Their ons lowered, but suspi remained.

  "What the hell happened?" one barked, stepping forward.

  A sergeant followed, his eyes narrowing as they sed the ruined interior. Sparks still flickered from charred panels, wires dangled uselessly from the ceiling, and the air reeked of bural.

  "Hextech crystal malfun?" Silco raises his voice, exhaling with both relief and exasperation. It wasirely fake, he was gd to be out of there. "We're lucky to be standing. The crystals haven't been repced, have they?"

  Frowning, the Sergeant leans forward, peering deeper inside.

  "No," he mutters. "The new Hextech crystals won't be in for weeks. You're damned lucky it didn't fry all of you! Just him?"

  He gestured at Orion, still leaning heavily against the disguised hen.

  Silods, "Just him. He needs immediate medical attention."

  The sergeant grunted and motiooward the stairs. It would be a painful climb.

  "Name and ranks?"

  Silco rattled them off smoothly, barely missing a beat before adding, "We were delivering food to prisoner 626."

  "626?" The sergeant paused and his eyebrow quirked. "How's he doing? Greyson wants an update."

  "Same as always," Silco replied indifferently.

  "Figures. 't expeything more. I don't know why she keeps asking. If that prisoner is so important to keep asking, why not just move him topside?"

  Silco gives a knowing smirk under his mask. "Oh, you know how it is. They pretend to care. But when it es time to aothing ges."

  "You're n." The sergea out a humorless chuckle. "I had a friend- good guy- got a little too drunk and ended up in Dredge for a month. They called it an 'unfortunate act'. He hasn't been the same since."

  Silco feigned a sympathetiod. "My dolences."

  The sergeant waved them through, already scribbling on his clipboard. "Get him patched up. You're clear to move."

  "Thank you," Silco responded before the three of them shuffled past. Without hesitation, he grabbed Orion's other arm, draping it over his shoulder as well.

  Whatever power Orion held, he couldn't risk it going berserk. It was a rare occurrence, but Silco wasn't about to gamble with a wild card- this time, he was taking direct a.

  Orion could hardly believe it, questioning if this was just a dream. Even the hen seemed momentarily stunned, but her of them questio aloud.

  Never, in all his years locked away- or ihing he knew about Are's story- had Orion imagihis moment. Silco, guiding him up the stairwells of Stillwater Hold in a prison break.

  Despite being exhausted, they reached the top successfully. Orion's occasional arcs of energy shed out, stinging them through their uniforms, but they persisted.

  More ed gnces and routine questioning- versations mirr the oh the Sergeant- but they made it to the tram that heads back to the Uy without i.

  Finally, seated ihe empty carriage, Silco exhaled. Sweat g to him beh the Enforcer's uniform, his breathing heavy. He was never oo get his hands dirty, but today was an exception.

  "Be gd, Orion," he smirked, speaking his name freely now that they were aloomorrow is Progress Day. Your first taste of freedom in years."

  Orio out a breathy, exhausted chuckle, his body slumping against the wall. Another small arc shot from his shoulder, briefly illuminating the dim tram.

  The distant chimes of the clocktower carried over the water as the tram he shore.

  "Happy Progress Day," Silurmured mogly.