I thought sleeping would help.

It didn't.

In fact, it did the opposite.

I woke up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, panicking from a nightmare I don't remember.

I could only recall one thing from that night.

Every nightmare- out of the 6 I had that woke me up- ended with me staring directly into the hollow, sunken eyes of an animal skull.

Simply accompanied by the deep and menacing words, "Don't keep me waiting."

And it terrified me.

Even as a wanted dead 'criminal' myself, knowing that this person was willing to murder others to get to me, it was no less frightening. Possibly moreso, considering this could very well be a police officer disguised to catch me for execution.

I finally got out of bed and started my day at 4 in the morning. I was never going to sleep with nightmare after nightmare hitting me.

I watched the news for a few hours. It was commentated feed of the empty Empire State.

Louve came into the main room at noon, startled to see me awake.

"Hey I told you to sleep today."

"Can't. I tried for 4 hours. I'm not sleeping today. I can guarantee you that."

"When you leave, I'm going to the bar. But I'll stay with you today."

"Your buddies will think that's weird."

She waved me off.

"I'll tell em I felt sick this morning. No big deal. It probably won't be as bad as you're making it out to be."

I turned on the news again.

As expected, they were still playing live feed on the Empire State with commentary overlaid.

"-s we can see the Empire State Building has been closed to the public today in wake of a challenge between a masked murderer only known as the Dance of the Dead and the infamous wanted criminal widely known as The Ghost. Our broadcast has been made aware that all communications with the tower are to end by 8 tonight in preparation for the challenge. Our communication tower received a message this morning in threat from the Dance of the Dead that strictly prohibits media connection with the tower."

I looked at Lou.

"They shut down the Empire State. All news stations were threatened to keep media silence after 8. You sure about that notion?"

Her jaw tightened up and she pursed her lips.

"No, but I was trying to keep you thinking positive, but I guess not, chief."

The day flew by.

I left early, around 9, to get a feel for the terrain.

I climbed the tower by hand... or rather claw, for once enjoying not having both arms to feel the fatigue of the climb.

Took roughly 20 minutes.

I perched up in the antenna tower- the thinnest and highest part of the Empire State.

I checked my bow to make sure it hadn't been damaged int he climb.

I'd brought it just in case. As a precaution.

Communication and media coverage of the tower should've ended an hour and a half ago, so I wasn't worried about being seen.

I took my mask off for a moment to wipe sweat off my face from the climb, then put it back on.

Even though I don't get muscle fatigue from the lack of... well, arms, it takes a mental strain to move so fast with the metal ones I have.

I sat in the perch for a good hour before I spotted movement down on the balcony.

I glanced at the visor in my mask.

10:45

I watched carefully with my night vision as the figure moved.

My visor zoomed in, and I immediately recognised the skull.

The Dance of the Dead had arrived.

They went up to the edge and leaned on the bar.

It took about 10 minutes before anyone said anything.

"I know you're up there." A female voice called.

It startled me.

The voice was amplified, like it was through a speaker like the one that'd called me out from a jewellery shop, but it was an actual voice. Not the auto tuned one I'd heard on the news.

I didn't answer.

"That's fair. You've got 5 minutes."

But the Dance of the Dead did turn around.

And that voice came through again.

My visor picked up the audio and pinned it to the Dance of the Dead.

The skull-wearing murderer in front of me was female.

"Surprised? It's fine. Everyone always is." She switched to a fake falsetto, "Oh what horror! How could a woman kill anyone?! That's so unladylike!"

She laughed to herself.

"Yeah I've heard it all. And you? I've never heard you speak. Even in the reports. It's always the other one. The Red Shadow."

I watched her move. She had a very slight limp in her left leg. A really bad old injury that never healed properly or a minor and newer injury she hadn't let heal yet.

Her metal arm was the same model and make to my own. She'd gone to the same blacksmith. He was the only blacksmith that knew how to use full range robotics (which was required to attach to the chip in my head for motion)

"Do you know why I brought you here?" She asked, looking me dead in the eye.

I shook my head.

"Not even a yes or no? I revealed my voice to you, why not you to me? There's no media to out you."

I stayed quiet.

"You must think I'm a police officer in disguise. That's understandable. But I'm not. I work on my own terms."

Still wary, I asked a question.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Ah! A voice. Well my friend, I brought you here to broker a deal."

"I don't work for money."

"Oh no this isn't a deal for cash. I'm here to offer you a great deal of supplies for your poor sectors if you return a service."

"What service?"

"Kill the Chancellor."

~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~

Well that is... terrifying. Imagine getting that offer on top of a skyscraper from a stranger you saw murder someone.

Still unsure about posting this one.

As always, stay beautiful and thanks for reading!
~Percabeth1Jackson