They rolled up to the Nexus Tower. Xavier parked the bike at the private bay, took off his helmet, and stared up at the glowing insignia near the top of the tower.

"Well… who knew they'd crawl up here," he muttered. "They are most likely in the middle section. The lower section is more or less a slum. The middle floors are comfy enough for guilt to fade, cheap enough to pretend they still care about their roots."

He needed information, but this wasn't a place you could just stroll into and ask questions. The tower had over eight thousand apartments — layered and sectioned by wealth tiers. People on the lower floors were barely getting by; the top floors were untouchable. The middle was where the soft ones lived — people like Mira's parents, who sold off their conscience for comfort.

Xavier thought for a second, then smirked as a name clicked in his head. He pulled out his phone and tapped through to Waller — the rent collector who knew everyone and everything about this building. The guy was a walking archive of dirty secrets.

He also owned a favor to Xavier since because of Xavier, Waller was promoted to middle section rent collector.

"Yo," Xavier said as soon as the call connected. "Need your help. I'm at the Nexus' lobby."

Waller's voice came through, tired but curious. "Heh. You always sound like trouble, Xav. Fine, meet me on the management floor. I will be there in five minutes."

"Make it quick," Xavier replied, cutting the call.

'Aren't I glad I didn't kill this dude? He can help me now.' Xavier hadn't decided whether he would kill Waller or spare him because of their first encounter, but now Waller seemed like a guy Xavier could use whenever he wanted.

Xavier turned to Ryn and gestured to him. "Let's go."

As they entered the tower, the sensor gates scanned Ryn and instantly lit up red. A couple of security drones floated forward. "Weapons detected," the system droned out.

Ryn's hand instinctively went to the blade on his back, but Xavier raised a hand slightly. "Relax. This only happens to the unregistered visitors. Just give it to them. You'll get it back before you leave."

Ryn hesitated, his eyes flicking to Xavier. Normally, he'd rather die than walk around unarmed, but something in Xavier's calm tone — that quiet authority — made him comply. He slowly unstrapped the blades, dropped them into the scanner pods, and the drones sealed them away.

"Don't make me regret this," Ryn muttered under his breath.

Xavier smirked. "If anything happens, I'll lend you a fist or two."

They stepped into the elevator and Xavier punched in the access code Waller had sent him. The doors slid shut, and the hiss of the motor filled the silence as the elevator shot upward, fast and smooth.

Ryn leaned against the glass wall, watching the floors blur past. "Since you seem familiar with this place, I am guessing this is where you live?"\

"Yeah," Xavier said, hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on the rising lights. "Top fifty floors. It's quiet up there. Expensive too, but worth it for the peace."

Ryn chuckled faintly. "You and peace don't really seem like friends."

"Maybe not," Xavier said, a small grin tugging at his lips. "But it's good to keep the illusion."

The elevator slowed, a soft chime ringing out. The doors slid open to reveal the management floor — marble halls, golden trims, and tinted windows overlooking the city below. Waller was already waiting, leaning on the counter with a cigarette between his lips, a grin spreading as soon as he saw Xavier.

'How the fuck did he get here before us? Unless he was already here. Heh, son of a bitch.' Xavier chuckled.

"Well, well," Waller said, exhaling smoke. "When Xavier calls, I know something's about to go sideways."

Xavier's smirk didn't fade. "Nah, I only go up."

Waller leaned back in the chair, tapping his tablet as he scrolled through the data logs. "So, why the sudden call, Xavier? Something up with your unit? You need an upgrade or maybe finally here to pay that rent that's also due?" he said with a sly grin.

Xavier didn't bother replying to the jab. He just gave Ryn a quick signal to step forward and said flatly, "He needs a place to live."

"Oh," Waller said, raising an eyebrow. "Which section?"

"Middle," Xavier replied. "His budget's tight, but he can manage that range."

Waller scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, that's gonna be a problem. The middle section's packed—no empty units left. Not unless someone dies or gets evicted, and neither's happened this week."

Xavier crossed his arms. "What about someone looking for a roommate or something? You know how it goes—split rent, split bills."

Waller clicked his tongue and swiped through a few tabs. "Could be. I'd have to check the private listings though, not everyone puts that stuff on the main board."

"How much's the rent usually?" Xavier asked casually.

"Depends on the block and floor," Waller said. "Starts around two-fifty K a month, tops out around eight-fifty if you want a balcony and a decent skyline view."

Xavier nodded slowly. "And the last one you sold? Which block, which floor, and for how much?"

"Hmm…" Waller scrolled again. "Block E-27, apartment 1904. Went for five hundred K even. Good deal too, corner suite. Why?"

Xavier tilted his head slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching. Waller was exactly how he remembered him—talkative, careless, and too eager to show off what he knew. A walking leak of classified info.

"That unit—any chance it's up for sharing?" Xavier asked.

Waller chuckled. "Nah, a uni girl took that one. Doubt she'd share with a dude—" he gave Ryn a brief glance, "—especially one who looks like that."

Ryn didn't respond, but his expression said enough.

"What about the others you've sold recently?" Xavier pressed. "Within the last few weeks."

Waller leaned back again, thinking aloud. "Lemme see… there's one with a family of four, one with a gay couple, another with an Aeloran tenant—those tall glass-skinned aliens that shed light when they sleep, freaky but nice folks—then there's one that was bought but nobody's moved in yet, and another with a middle-aged couple."

Xavier smirked faintly when one of the numbers caught his attention, though he didn't show which one. He just let Waller keep talking, nodding along like he was still figuring things out—when in truth, he'd already found what he came for.

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