The morning lights hadn't even been on for two minutes when Sawyer heard his door opening again. When he looked, the man from yesterday was there.
Just as he said.
"What's with the look?" the man asked, his expression still eerily blank.
"Dunno. Didn't expect to see you first thing in the morning. I haven't even had breakfast yet." Sawyer frowned and thought about what he hoped they fed him today. An omelet would be nice.
"You'll have a lovely breakfast once we have you out of here. Now, what would you prefer I call you?"
"Don't care. If I'm gonna be your mook, though, I'd like to go by Jumbo. May as well. But what the heck am I supposed to call you?"
"Fine. Jumbo, it'll be good to work with you and all that. You can call me...hm. I suppose I could be the Executioner. That's what I told Phantasma. Or you can call me what - actually, let's have you call me Boss. You don't need any personal information of mine. All you need is this." He pulled a cell out of his pocket and tossed it to Sawyer.
"Fancy piece of tech. Isn't this the brand new one from last month?"
"I have resources. Or did you want the new model from next week?"
"What? You could get that?" Sawyer's eyes bugged out and his jaw dropped.
"What, do you actually want it?"
"No!" Sawyer scrambled back when the man looked at him. Still with that eerily placid expression. The voice, however, sounded slightly irritated.
"Then that's settled. My contact info is in there already. I'll send you missions, you can send me updates. Now there's just two more things to take care of - wait, no three."
"What're those?" Sawyer asked.
"First off, getting that implant in you. Don't worry. I'll have it completely taken care of by lunchtime. Secondly, getting you out of here. Thirdly, securing Colby Joseph's freedom. Should all be done by day's end depending on how cooperative our military friends are."
"How the hell did you arrange all that in less than a day?" Sawyer couldn't believe it. Sure, yesterday this guy had talked big. The surprising part was how quickly and efficiently he was following through.
"Don't ask too many questions. Now, first off. How are you with medical procedures? I have three options based on what you want - a general anesthetic that'll knock you out completely for about two hours, a local anesthetic that will keep you from feeling it when I put this device in your chest or just no anesthetic. Whichever way you go, I'd recommend you avoid any strenuous activity for a few days. I won't expect you to start actually working until next week when your body's had time to recover."
Sawyer grimaced. The implant was the thing he really didn't want. From what the guy had said, it'd allow him to kill Sawyer at any time. This would be the ultimate form of putting his life in someone else's hands.
But...
This was the surest way to get what he wanted.
"No anesthetic. I can take it. Probably." Sawyer looked up at his new boss. "Can I call you something other than Boss or Executioner? Like, an actual name?"
"Fine. Pick something." The man seemed distracted as he dug through his bag.
Sawyer toyed with the idea of pounding him then and there and escaping this whole mess, but the weapon on the boss's waist was dissuasion enough.
"Okay then. You can be Odin."
"Strange choice. But I did say you could pick anything. Actually, I kind of like Odin. A god of knowledge, respected and revered in ancient Norse mythology. Considered a head god akin to Zeus, but I much prefer the Odin version."
Sawyer had no idea what the guy was talking about. He'd just picked a random name. Actually, wasn't Odin one of his favorite characters from that RPG he'd played relentlessly as a middle-schooler?
Odin stood, his tools in his hand, and walked over to Sawyer.
"Now I've got the local anesthetic in case this becomes too much for you. Let me know exactly how you feel. If there is any change at all, tell me. The last thing I need is you freaking out and blacking out or attacking me. Too much movement will only hurt yourself. Worst case, I'm not afraid to put a bullet in your head."
Sawyer closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. He clenched his fists and started taking deep breaths.
"How do I know you won't kill me in the process?"
"You don't. But you can take this chance, or I can just kill you. The chance of life, or the guarantee of death? Up to you."
"Fine. Do it." Sawyer opened his eyes and glared at Odin. "I'll work for you. But if you kill me here, promise you'll still let my dad out."
"The paperwork is already in place. He should be free within the week depending on how long the bureaucracy takes. Lots of red tape, y'know. But I'll make sure it happens. You have my word, for whatever that means to you."
"Thanks." Sawyer smiled at Odin.
Odin stared at him blankly, then let out a sigh.
"You people really are too trusting. Phantasma too. When I killed her, she took me at my word that I'd take down Achilles. And you think that if you die, I'll keep my promise." He shook his head. "Your world is pretty soft, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but the fact that you're pointing it out makes it less likely you're a swindler," Sawyer said with a grin. "Also, I don't exactly have a choice in this matter. I don't have to trust you, but that won't get me anywhere will it? You'll just smear my brains on the wall."
"True." A snort escaped Odin. The closest thing to an expression he'd shown since Sawyer met him.
"Besides, I don't mind the idea of taking everybody down a peg. Military, Legion, Phalanx, you name it. The whole system's kind of corrupt, isn't it?"
"That it is. But it's the best we've got. Now, hold still."
Sawyer obliged, closing his eyes again.
They didn't speak another word until the implant was finished. Odin helped Sawyer up and led him out of the prison, without a single military officer finding them.
It was uncanny. But, if Odin was on his side, Sawyer was glad for it.
By the time they split up, Sawyer was convinced that the most terrifying enemy in Arx Nubibus had to be Odin.
And the most terrifying enemy would be the most reassuring ally.
