The address in question was on one of the last streets before the roads became dirt paths into the jungle. The buildings here were ancient and ramshackle. Bissell led Tris to a nondescript door with an old man sat in front, peeling an orange. As he made to enter, the old man grabbed Bissell’s leg.
“This is the courier.” The old man let go. They entered. As he walked past, Tris noticed the man was peeling the orange with an articulated blade that extended from the tip of his index finger.
The interior was like a time capsule. Red columns held large wood beams that held the second story, and shōji uncharacteristic of the District formed halls and rooms. Bissell led them up a narrow staircase off the foyer and down a hall where two young natives stood framing an ornate door. He raised his hand the natives nodded and one opened the door. The interior was sparse, save for a large desk. At the desk sat an angular man with grey hair and an eggshell linen shirt. He did not look up from the papers in front of him. Bissell stepped aside, bowed towards Tris, and motioned towards the desk. The man behind the desk looked up.
“You must be Tris,” he said. “I’m Echo. You have something for me.”
Tris shrugged. All he knew was this address, and now he was inside. In other circumstances, he probably would have just left this thing with that old man sitting outside. He pulled the envelope out of his pocket, stepped forward, and handed it to Echo. He wanted to know what it was more than he had ever wanted to know what something he’d couriered was, but he was a pro. He stepped back and bowed subtly.
“I trust Bissell guided you without further trouble,” Echo said as he opened a drawer and dropped the envelope inside. “He is one of the best Bunnymen around; he and I have known each other, well, for a long time.”
“One of the best what?” Tris blurted out before he could stop himself.
“Bunnymen. They serve...this,” Echo gestured outwardly with his hands.
“What’s...this?”
“This has no name. Others might call it the éminence grise, but our culture has never recognized it with a name.”
Tris had no idea what Echo was referring to, but he sensed that whatever it was these people were up to, it involved significant power in the Districts.
“You should join us.”
Tris stared at Echo blankly. He’d never been propositioned like that before.
“What were your hopes for your future? Surely it wasn’t to courier forever?”
“I don’t know,” Tris answered honestly. He wasn’t one for thinking about the future.