Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“I’m going home. Tonight–or last night–really kicked the shit out of me; mentally and emotionally, I mean.”</span> you said, feeling the bone deep exhaustion beginning to take its toll on you.
<span class="mu-r">“I know the feeling.”</span> Louise said with a sigh.
<span class="mu-r">“No, you really don’t.”</span> you muttered while rotating your shoulder and rolling your neck. <span class="mu-r">“Thanks for setting this up, though. You just helped me clear a huge obstacle that I only learned about a few hours ago.”</span>
The French woman raised a quizzical eyebrow. <span class="mu-r">“You’re welcome?”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Would you also mind letting everyone else know that I’ve made a bit of progress on the whole Silvertongue thing?”</span> you asked, stretching your arms over your head. <span class="mu-r">“I’ll give a more detailed report once I can confirm a few things for myself, but I think the lead was promising.”</span>
Louise’s eyes went wide, and she raised a gloved hand to cover her awestruck expression. <span class="mu-r">“C'est merveilleux! I wasn’t expecting results this early. This is <span class="mu-i">very</span> good news!”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Hopefully we won’t have to have that <span class="mu-s">thing</span> locked up in Webb’s basement for much longer.”</span>
Louise eagerly nodded her agreement. <span class="mu-r">“It shouts and begs like a trapped rat. I have caught it trying to bargain with Rintrah once before. It offers forbidden knowledge in exchange for its freedom.”</span>
The woman wrinkled her nose in disgust, and looked as if she might just spit on the ground right then and there. But she quickly composed her features into a relaxed smile before her frustration could get the better of her.
<span class="mu-r">“Anyway, I won’t keep you any longer. Bonsoir, Monsieur Huntsman. Be sure to keep me apprised of any relevant information.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Will do. G’night, Louise.”</span> you said, stifling a yawn.
And with a small curtsy, the Nightguard turned and strode off in the opposite direction as Oya. As soon as you were alone, you fired a webline at the closest building and pulled yourself into the air. It was finally time to go home.
—--------
The trip home was an absolute blur. You were pretty much moving on autopilot the entire time. Your mind was in a haze. Thoughts, theories and schemes revolving around your clone brother, Miles Warren and the Silvertongue flew in and out of your mind at blinding speeds. It was so much to swallow that you simply couldn’t latch onto any one idea for any meaningful amount of time. You needed time to digest this. But even more than that, you needed sleep. Like, REAL sleep. Not the meager, pitiful 4-5 hours you’ve been getting these past few days at Webb’s mansion.
When you’d arrived back at the warehouse, you had the vague impression that Flint greeted you at the door and that he said something to you. And you had the vague impression that you’d said something back to him. Whatever it was, it was enough to get him out of your hair long enough for you to drag your weary bones all the way to your warm, soft bed.
(Cont.)
