《Tunnel Rat: Causing Trouble in Two Worlds》


 Chapter 1: Milo

    Milo didn''t think the replacement belt on the #3 air handler for E Section was going to hold for much longer, but the nearest dead machine to take a replacement from was 16 stories up and over in H Section. He''d take a trip if he had to, but for now, he was going to splice a section into the broken belt, wrap the fix in duct tape, and hope for the best. Milo liked duct tape. It was useful for fixing things, and there was a warehouse full of it over on B-6. When he had first found the warehouse, he had moved several thousand rolls up into one of his storage areas. As he used it more and more, he discouraged other looters by welding the warehouse doors shut.


    Repairs done, he gathered up his precious tools and retreated around a corner before turning the air handler back on. Not all machinery liked being put back to work and sometimes showed that displeasure by shaking themselves apart or exploding. Milo was taking no chances with this one. He picked up a metal rod in his tail and used the six-foot-long mechanical limb to poke at buttons and switches until the machine shuddered to life. There was a noticeable whine from the belt, but overall, both he and the machine seemed happy with the result. He could adjust the workload on the other two air handlers in this section and be done with the job. They''d been working harder with this one down which was a sure way to have them go down as well.


    No one thought about the air when things worked. But people got worried when it wasn''t circulating in the corridors and residences. First, it smelled stale, and people worried. Calls went to the maintenance department. They were mostly ignored because hardly anyone cared about fixing things in the habitats. The government paid a quarterly fee to the firms responsible for maintaining the mechanical and electrical systems. It was more profitable to ignore complaints and hold off on repairs. But once people started dying in their sleep, and the residents moved out to the streets or clogged the common areas in other parts of the hab, suddenly it was an ''emergency,'' and someone from maintenance showed up.


    The clumsy techs would move into Milo''s world, tearing up ductwork to find the problem and breaking two things for everything they fixed. He hated them. He had to hide his work carefully, shut down any projects, and retreat to his safe room until they left. It was better for everyone if Milo fixed things. The residents got air to breathe, the techs could avoid work, and Milo was left alone in his world of broken machinery, unused corridors, and metal tunnels. Which suited Milo just fine. He rarely had to be around people and never liked it.


    Work done on the air handler, Milo got on his wheel-board and rolled down the medium-sized tunnel. These were about 36" square. Easy for Milo to zoom along as his hands pushed off the walls, and he rolled along on the silent, frictionless wheels attached to a two-foot square piece of plastic. He''d found the wheels holding up a diagnostic unit for hover-cars in a factory down in the basement of G section. Milo had gone there to ''borrow'' some wrenches and calipers when he saw them. It had only taken an hour to lift the machine with a winch, take off the wheels and drop things back down. They were nice wheels, and the diagnostic machine would just have to stay where it was.


    He was almost to the Big Drop. He held the board in both hands and coiled his tail at the base of his spine. His tail was a six-foot long by 2" section of flexible Waldo. It was attached to a 12" girdle that circled his waist and plugged into his lowest socket at the base of his spine. Nature hadn''t given Milo the best limbs, but he was slowly making new ones.


    He hit the Big Drop, shooting into open space. The habitat had 25 Big Drops. One roughly in the center of each section. Each was a vertical access corridor nearly twenty feet on a side for moving big machinery up to the higher levels. As Milo started to drop, his tail uncoiled and reached for the metal hook hanging on a winch cable. Cable and tail together turned into a large pendulum that swung Milo across the second half of the drop, and he shot feet first into another medium tunnel. He took a smaller tunnel heading off at a 90-degree angle a hundred feet along the medium corridor. A couple of turns later, he hit the small drop. He grabbed the winch line and hooked his prosthetic leg''s toe claws into the chain''s links. His tail hit the winch controls, and he rose 12 and a half levels to the upper pipe-works.


    The habitats were mountainous buildings designed to hold over a half million people. They had been built in the last century to provide housing and jobs for the lower classes. They were now slowly rotting from within. Every city had them, and none of them were in great shape. In theory, they provided housing, food distribution, and jobs to people who would otherwise been homeless. In reality, there had never been enough jobs, and only the businesses needing dirt-cheap space and dirt-cheap labor had located their factories in them. Keeping the habitats livable and finding the money to repair them was a constant fight among the people who controlled the laws and money.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Milo didn''t care. The system was broken, and society at large didn''t seem to worry too much about the people living in them. Not being part of society, Milo was fairly apathetic about how things worked. He wasn¡¯t listed in any database, and no one knew he was alive. He fixed things so that people would ignore this part of the habitat and leave him the hell alone. If anyone ever wondered why the E section seemed to have fewer problems and needed fewer repair teams sent to it, they didn''t think too hard about it.


    The pipe-works were a separate level unto themselves, sandwiched between levels 45 and 46 and only half as tall. Fluid pipes, food delivery, waste pipes, and electric and data cables ran through the level, snaking over and under each other as needed. Pumps moved things higher, and baffles kept things moving down from going too fast or rerouting waste to larger pipes. Milo loved this level and made his home here. He had easy access to everything he needed. His home was in a massive, unused storage tank. He''d found it when he was mapping out the systems. It should probably be hooked up to the water systems as additional storage. But its placement had proved to be a problem, and whoever was doing the work found it easier to ignore it. Milo had cut an access hatch from a small tunnel into the side of the tank. Small tunnels were only 24" on a side; the chance of someone crawling through one and finding his door was next to zero.


    Inside was a different part of Milo''s world. The tank was 30 feet by 40 feet and 10 feet high. The 90,000-gallon tank gave Milo plenty of room for his workshop and computers. His home would be the pride of many a mad scientist. Two dozen screens were scattered about the walls, cables running to multiple computers of various capabilities. From here, he monitored all the machinery in Section E and could access what was left of the security system. If anything moved in the access tunnels and hallways, he knew. If a machine broke or was running hot, he knew. This was the heart of section E, and totally hidden from the 30,000 people living and working here.


    And Milo was the mechanic that kept things running. Milo stood less than four feet tall. His left leg was missing from above his knee and had been that way since birth. He''d augmented it with a series of better and better prosthetics as he found schematics on the data network and had time to make the parts. The current model was fitted to his upper thigh and controlled from a cable that shared access to his lower port with his tail.


    He also had two ports on the back of his neck and another a foot lower along his spine. Not his work; they''d been installed in the first month of his existence. He had trouble with the idea that other people didn''t have them and wondered how they managed.


    Other than a mechanical leg and tail and cables that ran from his equipment to his data ports, Milo looked like a thin 12-year-old boy with brown hair and eyes. And maybe he always would look that way. He''d quit growing at the age of 12 and was now somewhere between 28 and 29.


    An alarm went off. Milo spun from the workbench and pushed his wheeled chair to his desk. His fingers went to his keyboard, and his tail plugged into a data socket. Instantly he was tied into cameras and sensors all over Section E and a few other parts of the habitat. He looked at what had triggered the alert.


    There was a large factory area in Section D that he monitored.  It was one of the better factories in the habitat, with good water, sewage, and a steady power supply. It went unused for the reasons that no one knew about it. It was listed on the map directory of the habitat as being ¡®Automated Waste Processing.¡¯ Into this area, two dozen people were moving crates of machinery and medical supplies. Milo shut down everything else he was doing and put all of his attention to observation and gathering data.


    This was the room Milo had lived in for several years as a child slave, infiltrating computer systems and shifting money. The area had been empty and abandoned for years, but now someone was using it. And one of the faces he saw looked familiar.

 Chapter 2: Heist

    Milo had chaotic memories of his early years, most of which had been spent in the large factory room he was now monitoring. His playmates had been the other twenty-four children, who, like himself, had been modified with sockets. Many had visible birth defects. His ''parents'' had been an assortment of technicians and doctors who didn''t think of the children as people. They were just part of the machines.


    He and the other children in his group were raised together from birth. They were referred to as ¡®Group Four¡¯, but he didn¡¯t know anything about other groups. The other twenty-four children were his brothers and sisters, regardless of where each of them had come from. They had different theories.


    Bork insisted they had been grown in artificial wombs, which would have made the installation of the sockets along their spines easy to do, along with the other genetic modifications. Gilbert didn¡¯t like that theory. He thought they had all been purchased from parents who either didn¡¯t want or didn¡¯t have the money to raise handicapped children. All of them had at least one physical disability. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter. Their origins were hidden, illegal acts of genetic modification that were outlawed in all countries. They only had each other, and strange as it was, they were a family.


    Life was repetitive. They were given a daily dose of drugs to keep them focused on their tasks and nothing else, along with vitamin and nutrient supplements. Then loaded into the pods and plugged into the computers that let them roam the internet, attacking corporations and research facilities to steal information and shift money to hidden bank accounts.


    They were only unhooked from the computers and their pods for two hours a day when they were required to exercise for muscle tone. The computers they were hooked into were their schools. Their classes were in security systems, running manufacturing remotely with Waldos, moving funds in accounts, and, most of all, not leaving a trace when moving about the internet.


    This became much easier as the Wildfire virus decimated much of the internet. It trashed security systems, pushed data to the public domain, and erased knowledge. Milo and the others were like scavengers feeding on the leftovers of a predator. Even after AI systems scoured the internet clean of Wildfire, the internet never recovered. The technology to break into systems was now more advanced than the protections.


    By eight years old, Milo and his siblings were raiding corporate databases and stealing millions each day. But their guards were getting sloppy. The original technicians that had created them and overseen their lives had moved on. They were living well off the stolen funds and turned the job over to underlings who oversaw the dingy warehouse with two dozen children who rarely left their pods and never talked. Or rather, never talked out loud. They communicated constantly with each other through the machines, played games, and shared everything they knew. Outside of the pods, they communicated with sign language and codes made up of tapping on the floor.


    Milo had learned a lot about the pods that he had spent so much time in. He and his siblings had been hooked up to Mark III medical pods, machines very similar to the pods he saw being uncrated and tested. What was being moved into the empty factory was a mix of Mark III and IV pods. But his eyes were drawn to the one that was much larger and more intricate. A quick trip to the data net gave him the specs on the new Mark VII medical/gaming pod. He wondered why there was only one of them.


    The pods were ten-foot-long cylinders, their interiors just big enough to hold a person. A patient was placed into them, and the pod inserted tubes that would feed the patient drugs or sustenance and carry away waste products. Originally, they had been used in hospitals for long-term care. Then the rich and old began using them to extend their lives. Finally, as the cost came down, they were used by anyone who spent long hours or even days online. Workaholics and online gamers purchased millions of them.


    By the time Milo was nine, there were only two guards in the warehouse for most of the nights. The children lay in their pods doing their assignments. But they were getting bored. As they became older, they modified the programs they used to break through security systems, creating better and better tools. They finished their tasks faster and then went exploring on the internet. That gave them the schematics for their pods and they learned how to bypass the locks and programs that kept track of them. All of the logs showed them resting for 22 hours a day in their pods, and no one suspected some of them were going AWOL.


    They started exploring the systems of ductwork and maintenance directly around them. They easily bypassed any of the security that would let their overseers know what they were doing. Milo had discovered the security systems for the rest of the building their home was in. He and some of the others wondered about trying to escape the factory, but they didn''t know where to go.


    Still, just thinking about it was fun. Milo started sneaking out of his pod along with Nimez and Ordo, the other two children in his row. The guards were always watching videos and paid no attention to them. They found an access hatch that led to the ventilation and maintenance systems near their pods and began exploring the areas around them, finding ways to get to everywhere in the habitat. It was tough, as they all had physical problems. Nimez only had one hand, and Ordo had bad eyes. Still, they managed. They were finishing their work in a fraction of the time and hiding the fact. If security cameras were checked, they showed the children comatose in their pods.


    Plans were made to escape. Milo still wondered if they could have gotten away with it, but they never got the chance. Something happened. Something changed. The criminals feared discovery and were moving the operation. A dozen people rushed into the old factory one night, surprising the two guards on duty. Pods were locked down, and sedatives were administered to the occupants. The pods were unhooked from other machines and carried one by one out the doors to the waiting transportation. Within a half hour, twenty-four children in pods and one empty pod were gone. Only Milo remained, hidden in the ventilation duct.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Milo had been exploring that night. He wasn''t in his pod when it was taken, and when he returned, it was to a room full of half-destroyed machines and nothing else. Hard drives were ripped from the computers. No paperwork remained. Whoever had taken the children had left no clues to incriminate themselves. Later, other men came, sifting the area for clues and sweeping the area clean. Milo didn¡¯t know who they were and hid deep in the ductwork. Milo never found out where his family was taken. He was still looking for them two decades later.


    But now someone was back whom he recognized. Facial recognition software gave him a name: Andrew Kominski. He''d been a technician during the day shift when Milo was small. Now he was older, worn, and greying. Milo would have to research the man and learn why he was here. The shiny Mark VII pod on his monitors kept drawing Milo''s attention. It would solve a lot of his problems. He made plans and watched.


    Milo had been curious if he would see another twenty-five children in pods moved into the room and set to work doing cybercrime. He was relieved when that didn¡¯t happen, but also sad. It would have been nice to meet others like him. He was nervous around normal people. They were all bigger than he was, and he rarely went into the populated parts of the habitat.


    Two weeks later, Milo knew why Kominski and the others were there. Kominski had some scheme involving a new VR gaming world. The Mk VII would give him access. The occupants of the dozens of Mk IIIs would enter the game but bypass some sort of security measures. The Mark VII pod was set up and connected with the data network. All the Mark III pods were in a separate room and slaved to the Mark VII. Milo couldn''t care less why this was being done. While it might be interesting to know, it didn¡¯t concern him. He only wanted two things from Kominski: information on what had happened to the rest of his family and the Mk VII pod.


    Once all their information systems were hooked to the data network, it was easy for Milo to break into their machines and get all of their information. They were using the communications systems that ran through the habitat that he repaired and controlled. He barely had to do anything. The information was disappointing, though. This was just a way to pull some scam involving a game and nothing to do with his family. But he was able to get one lead: Kominski had been working his entire life for Tricorp Biotech, which was owned by Bio-Solutions Inc. that was in turn owned through dummy corporations by the Seimovich Corporation. That gave him a place to start looking. Having learned all he could from watching, Milo decided to pay the old warehouse a visit and go pod shopping.


    The first indication that anyone in the factory knew something was wrong was when two men fell to their knees, and the room started spinning. The gas Milo had introduced to the ventilation system worked quickly. They were out cold for hours. The video feeds would show nothing except the two of them sitting at their desks watching pornography. Milo got to work.


    Milo had cleaned out this area long, long ago. For the first two years, he had lived in the ductwork near the room and slowly explored the habitat. He tapped pipes for water and the food delivery system for sustenance.


    When he had started his first workshop and needed materials, he''d begun to raid what was left of his home. He had an idea that maybe he''d find clues to the others somewhere in the defunct machinery and broken computers. He hadn''t, but what he had done was create a system for lifting loads of machinery from the room and up to a large horizontal shaft that ran one hundred yards to a Big Drop.


    Two ceiling panels moved aside, and Milo lowered himself into the room with a winch. He carefully unhooked the Mark VII and two Mark III pods. Cargo nets enveloped each one, and the winch took each of them slowly up to the horizontal shaft. The final load was a pallet of nutrient sacks and medical supplies used in the pods to keep their users alive.


    Getting the pods up to the horizontal shaft was the first step. Milo had to cover his tracks. The ceiling panels were replaced. The winch was retracted. He''d come back and take it out entirely as soon as he could to leave as few clues as possible. The metal sheet he''d removed from the side of the horizontal shaft was replaced. Then came the long slow process of moving the pods and supplies up top. Each Big Drop had a winch and pulley assembly for exactly what Milo needed now: Moving heavy loads up many stories to the top of the habitat. Even if someone figured out how he had stolen the pods, finding out which level they had gone to would be difficult.


    An hour after he had finished covering his tracks, Milo was standing on the Mark VII pod as it moved up to level 48, where he would store it. Below him was a drop of many stories, but he trusted his systems. A motorized pallet jack moved each load deeper into the habitat to where he could take them down to the Pipeworks. It took the rest of the night, but eventually, Milo had all three pods and the supplies hidden in the Pipeworks. Tomorrow he would begin the task of moving the Mark VII into his home. The Mark IIIs were just extra salvage. He wasn''t sure what he''d do with them, but it never hurt to have more parts.


    Back in his home, Milo went ahead and added his modifications to the security tapes. He''d spent hours doctoring a sequence where the two guards slumped over unconscious, and then the doors opened, and masked thieves entered the room. In this tape, the pods were loaded up onto a forklift and taken out of the room. Other security cameras would show the thieves moving the pods to a warehouse with an outside loading dock. No one had used that room for years, leaving a convenient and confusing dead end.


    With his heist finished Milo relaxed a bit. He checked all of the systems that he monitored and made a list of repairs to do the next day. His stomach growled; it had been a long day. He sent a command to the food processor, and a moment later, a large container of food appeared in a pneumatic tube. He opened the container, seeing the tasteless cubes of yellow ''food'' that everyone in the hab ate. You could order better food, but that took money. And no one had money. Supposedly they tasted like chicken. Milo couldn''t judge; he¡¯d never tasted real chicken. Food Cubes were just something you chewed and swallowed to stay alive.


    Basics taken care of, he set his alarm. Two hours of sleep would be enough to recover his energy, and then he was going to get the Mk VII pod set up and take it for a spin.

 Chapter 3: How about a nice game of chess?

    Setting up the Mk VII medical pod took Milo a week. It was a much more difficult project than he had first imagined. First of all, it had been modified for Kaminski¡¯s project. Milo didn''t know what they had done, so the first chore was making sure that nothing about the pod could hurt him. It was unlikely that someone would set a trap, but he would never take that chance. Every circuit had to be checked and tested. He found parts of the medical diagnosis system were missing and fixed the problems with parts from the stolen MK IIIs.


    Documentation and software were simple to acquire. It seemed that most of the large corporations were sponsoring this new game and running installations that supplied the pods to users. Breaking into ACME or Alexa Corp was something he had done when he was an 8-year-old. It was literally child''s play. He triple-checked the medical diagnostic systems and eventually was satisfied.


    What would have taken a normal technician a month, Milo did in a week. His ability to access information from the data net was 20 times faster than a normal person. He had a perfect photographic memory, and he only slept two hours a day. Someone had done a good job designing Milo and his siblings.


    But not a perfect job. Increased reflexes, memory, and the ability to multi-task came at the price of being small with an abnormal metabolism. There were vitamins and minerals that his body needed that weren''t in the processed food he had access to in the hab. He had to be careful of infections, especially around his implants. Crawling through miles of dirty ductwork every day meant any small cut or scrape could be a problem. And he wasn¡¯t getting the right proteins to support the muscle growth he needed. The Mk VII pod could solve all of that.


    He added modifications of his own design to the pod. He installed manual controls to the door and an additional socket that would let him access the pod¡¯s GUI with his tail or a cable from one of his ports. He also welded a hook to the outside of the door and ran that to a powered cable that could pull the door loose in an emergency. With no one else to rely on for any part of his life, Milo took as few chances as he could. Being locked in a defective pod was not something he wanted to experience.


    When he had triple-checked everything once again, he nervously entered the pod and laid down. It was comfortable, at least. The cushions inflated to cradle his body. For long-term care, they would move slightly, relieving pressure to prevent bedsores. If this worked out, Milo considered just sleeping in the pod at night.


    Normally a technician would insert IV tubes. Milo didn''t need them. He had shunts in several places on his arms, legs, and torso for administering drugs. They''d been installed at the same time his sockets had been put in place. This was handy now. He hooked up the nutrient and drug IV tubes easily and brought up the GUI for the pod. There was a slight vibration for a minute, and then a screen came up on the inside lid of the pod.


    Initialization of MkVII:8945621A


    Welcome back, Mr. Kaminski. Would you like to play a game?


    No, Milo did not want to play a game. He went into the registration file, erased all the entered data, and replaced it with just his name.


    Re-Initialization of MkVII:8945621A


    Greetings, Milo.


    You have not used this pod, MkVII:8945621A. To make sure this medical pod will meet your needs, we will have to do a complete scan of your body to determine your medical condition. This will take roughly two hours since this pod is not connected to the data network, and we do not show any current medical records for you.


    Begin scanning? You will have to remain in the pod for the entire time of the scan.


    Two hours was way too long to lie still. He''d be bored and clawing at the top of the pod after 15 minutes of nothing to do. "Games? You said something about games. I''d like to play a game."


    Milo hadn¡¯t played video games before his escape. It had been more fun to play the games he and his siblings created. But on his own, spending years by himself, he tried other things. Older video game consoles were popular in the habitat, and the trade of out-of-date games was a large business. Milo had scavenged broken parts from recyclers and ventured out to trade for old games, especially broken ones he could restore. Along with his computer network, his home had over a dozen different gaming systems and several hundred video game cartridges, disks, and thumb drives.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Certainly, Milo


    Games that have been loaded into this device:


    Tic Tac Toe


    Chess


    Global Thermal Nuclear War....just kidding. We only play that with Joshua.


    The World of Genesis Engine


    That was disappointing. No Pacman, no Squishy Humans, not even Zombie Shooter. He tried the other games. Milo grew bored with Tic Tac Toe in less than a minute. Chess in half an hour. The AI running the chess game was too predictable. He was disappointed in not being able to try Global Thermal Nuclear War; it sounded interesting. That left the last one. He clicked on the final option and immediately felt himself fading away...


    ...and waking up a split second later. He felt that he was simultaneously lying in the pod and standing in a featureless room with a large screen in front of him.


    Welcome to the World of Genesis Engine!


    Enter a world of stories and legends. Re-create yourself and be a hero, explorer, or anything you¡¯d like to be. Interact with other players and the denizens of this world.


    Follow the easy stories set out like a trail of breadcrumbs, or leave the most traveled path to explore the world or underneath it. What secrets will you uncover?


    Warning: The hyper-real Virtual Reality of the game may cause slight disorientation at first. While you are in a game, and your body is resting comfortably in your MKVII pod, your mind and senses are being fed information that duplicates your experience in the real world. We just added orcs and magic.


    Milo looked down at his body, and it was all wrong. Or maybe, right? He had two legs. Longer legs than he was used to. He took a step and immediately fell forward. His balance was off, and controlling the new leg was different from moving his prosthetic. And he was wearing odd clothes, tight-fitting grey pants and a shirt along with soft grey boots. He wasn¡¯t used to clothes like these.


    He had experienced VR before, but not so real, and not having a body like this. When he¡¯d been jacked into the internet to do work for his captors, he¡¯d experienced websites, databases, and security systems as physical objects and places. He saw his siblings as they flew around the large, shining buildings of the corporations, testing their walls for a way in.


    If you are having trouble adjusting to moving in VR, please take some time to walk around before we start the tutorial. The gameplay experience will also be greatly increased by connecting to the data network. Would you like to connect to the data network?


    Connecting the machine to the data network was the last thing Milo wanted to do right now. It wasn''t even possible; he¡¯d made sure of that. The machine had no physical connection to a communication line. While he knew it also had the ability to tap into the wireless grid in the hab, no signal would get through the walls of Milo''s home. He had added many layers of aluminum-iron oxide laced paint to the interior to block all signals. He didn''t need someone wondering why they were getting any type of signal from an old water tank.


    He spent a few minutes trying to walk around the room, getting his balance. It still felt odd. He was used to compensating for the weight of his tail, and more than once, as he fell, he tried to catch himself with the non-existent limb instead of his hands. Images appeared on the screen: A man in shorts and a tank top, a woman dressed in metal armor, a friendly old man with a long beard leaning on a cane, and an insect in a top hat. They all waved, and the creepy bug tipped his hat.


    Please signal when you are ready to begin a tutorial. Do you prefer a screen or a personal trainer?


    "Let¡¯s go with the elderly gentleman." The others faded, and the old man stepped forward and out of the screen, which disappeared.


    Milo was impressed. That had actually looked real. Too Real. He immediately took two steps back. He hadn''t been this close to a person in years. It bothered him a bit.


    The old man looked at him and smiled. "Well, young one, ready to see what you can do?"


    As soon as Milo said "yes,¡± there was another of the odd fading away feelings, and he was somewhere else.

 Chapter 4: Nowhere to run.

    Milo and the old man were standing in a field of short grass that came up past his ankles. Wildflowers were in bloom, lending their sweet smell to the air. Overhead, fluffy white clouds slowly moved across a bright blue sky where the brilliant sun shone down. Mountains ringed the area, miles in the distance.


    It was quite a beautiful area. And totally alien to Milo in every way.


    Milo slowly turned in a circle, staring at the wide-open spaces and the huge sky above. He didn''t like it. He didn''t like it one bit! It made him nervous; there was nowhere to go, no place to hide. The old man just stood smiling. "You may refer to me as Galet. Are you ready to begin the tutorial?"


    "Tutorial? No. I''m not ready."


    The old man bowed and smiled. "We will begin slowly then. There is a sword in the grass in front of you; please pick it up and hit the orc approaching you. Don¡¯t worry; he won¡¯t attack you."


    Milo saw the glint of metal and picked up the sword. It was sort of awkward. A long piece of metal with sharp edges. "Orc?"


    "Right behind you. Slash at the orc with your sword."


    Milo spun around, nearly losing his balance, and saw that a person with green skin was behind him. They were as tall as him and heavily muscled, wearing some furs and leather clothing. In the orc¡¯s hand was a club of twisted wood. Milo looked at the orc, and the orc stood there looking at him. "Why am I supposed to hit the guy, and where the hell did he come from?" That last part bothered Milo a lot! How had this guy snuck up on him? He panicked.


    Milo started running, putting distance between himself and the threat. There was nowhere to hide! After a minute, he turned and saw two figures in the distance. He was safe from them, but the sky pressed down, and the vast open space was a threat he couldn''t outrun. He could feel the panic growing inside him. He disconnected.


    Milo came out of the pod, panting, not caring that he had interrupted the scan. He manually pushed up the lid and climbed out of the pod. His house calmed him. He was safe here. He made sure all his alarm systems were on, did a quick scan of the areas nearby, and then climbed into his normal bed, exhausted.


    Four hours later, he awoke and ate a meal of food cubes. He remembered the smells in the weird game. A person¡¯s sense of smell was a large component of how they tasted food. Could you taste food in the game, too? He had questions, but he also had work to do. Putting aside thoughts of the game, he got started.


    Things went bad quickly if he didn''t pay attention. Today''s main job was a clog in one of the lines that took wastewater to the fluid recycler. The pipes were old and no longer smooth on their inner surfaces. Stuff built up, and things got stuck, slowly narrowing the pipes. Then a chunk upstream broke loose, making a dam downstream. The other pipes took up the load, but only for so long. Eventually, all the pipes would be clogged and cause an emergency.


    Luckily this time, the clog eaters responded. The machines were like mechanical moles. They moved through the pipes chewing up the clogs and cleaning the pipe lining. Two hours later, things were good as new. He was down to only two of the clog eaters, though. Being used constantly for years wore the machines out. He¡¯d scavenged all the working and broken clog-eaters he could find from abandoned sections, but he was out of machines he could scavenge. He needed at least one more. They each weighed half a ton and were hard to move. Tomorrow he could check out other sectors and see about swapping one of his broken ones for a working model. The maintenance guys in that sector would have the job of finding replacements. That didn¡¯t bother him; they could order them, he couldn¡¯t.


    At the end of the day, he approached the pod again. He needed this to work. It had been foolish to start up a VR game without doing research into it. Two hours of reading on the data net had given him more information about what to expect


    This game was the latest in a series of huge Virtual Reality Worlds that had been created by AI using quantum computers. The other games were shut down now, and this one was just starting up. There were endless articles and speculation on the game but little hard data until it had gone live last week.


    It was like another world in there, but it was a fantasy. Unlike the real world in so many ways. Huge spaces with just wilderness, unspoiled lands, and blue skies. Nothing at all like Milo''s world of small tunnels, grimy corridors, and broken machinery. And nothing like the endless cities that grew larger each year.


    He realized he had suffered a bout of panic. Keno phobia, to use the medical term, and probably Agoraphobia as well. A fear of open spaces and panic reactions when he had nowhere to hide. Understandable but annoying.


    Normally, he dealt with fear by running and finding somewhere to hide. He had planned escape routes and safe houses all over the habitat. That didn¡¯t help him in the game. How do you hide from the sky? He wasn''t sure if it was permanent or just a reaction to the surprise of being ''outside'' for the first time. He planned to do things differently in his next attempt


    Step one was finishing the medical scan. That had to come first. He had downloaded a huge amount of info on the game, put the data into a storage device, and hooked that up to the pod. He could read and learn about the game while the scan was running and then tackle the game the next day. He set up the medical scan again, refused the offer to play a game, and started reading about Genesis Online.


    The game had been created by an AI. Or rather, The AI. There was only one Quantum AI in the world now, and he was kept on a very short leash. Endless books had been written about the rise and fall of the AI that man had created and then began to fear. Milo¡¯s opinion was that they were hugely annoying to him and his family when they were trying to work. How many times had they been about to delve into the secrets of some plump bank when they felt the presence of something enormous in cyber-space and had to abandon their efforts? Each of the 106 AI in existence had a special task to do, but some of them patrolled the internet and the newly invented data network, looking for people like Milo and his brothers and sisters. They were never caught, but only because they never took chances and broke off any operation as soon as someone detected the watchdogs.


    Ironically, it was another AI that let them increase productivity a hundredfold and give their captors a huge windfall of cash and data. Someone had created an AI whose expressed purpose was causing havoc in the world. It spread viruses throughout the internet and jumped from system to system, always a step ahead of the AI tasked with finding it. And it was malicious. It didn¡¯t steal; it only destroyed. Milo didn¡¯t have to break into a corporation anymore; the security around bank accounts and data was like Swiss cheese. In the time that the Wildfire virus and the rogue AI were active, they stole hundreds of Billions of dollars, ransacked databases, and made their captors rich. Drugged, conditioned from birth, and locked into pods, they had no choice. Children raiding the world in a way that would have made Attila proud and jealous.


    Milo hadn¡¯t done anything like that for years. He had no equipment, no connection, and none of the specialized programs designed by someone and modified by his family. While he had hidden in the habitat, slowly building an existence, the AI had gone away. Humans didn¡¯t trust them anymore to run critical systems. Instead, they used them to make virtual reality games and kept them away from the resources of huge resources of quantum computers where they used to live. And at some point, someone had decided they were needed. Four different groups of cyber-terrorists claimed responsibility for the EMP that destroyed their facility. Exactly which one was never publicly released. The information was incomplete, and Milo didn¡¯t concern himself with it.


    One more AI was created, with every restriction that could be programmed into his kernel to make sure he was kept in control. He was put in charge of many things but given no control and no authority. He kept the driverless cars moving smoothly, and the trains ran on time. And they made him create a new game. People had become used to logging into their fantasy worlds, shopping in online boutiques where they could try on the clothing to be made and delivered to them. The VR world was money to corporations and entertainment to the people that could afford a pod. Milo only cared about something to do while he had to be in the pod for the two-hour scan and then for any therapy it could offer to him. He hoped the game wouldn¡¯t be boring.


    The game had allowed players to log in only during the last week. Milo was surprised at how big the game world was. Twice the landmass of the real world, and there were hints about huge subterranean empires and other planes to journey to. Information was trickling in, but it was only the tip of the iceberg. Players reported on the places they¡¯d journeyed to, the magical items they found, and the creatures they had slain. (Or been slain by.) A dozen large forums cataloged it all.


    And questions. Hundreds of quests were found on the first day and thousands in the first week, from killing rats to rescuing princes and everything in between. Often, the best skills and magic items required the completion of quests to earn them. And the quests might require a lot of work to complete them.


    This intrigued Milo. His life was task oriented. It was programmed into him. When he no longer had a job hacking the internet, he created new ones to keep him busy. They involved his survival, safety, and control of his area, identifying problems in the machinery, keeping zone E functioning, finding solutions, and implementing them. He was in a constant cycle of learning new things, gaining resources, building, and fixing. The people playing the game seemed to be in the same cycle, but they considered it fun instead of work.


    They were even paying a fortune to do so! Milo had seen auctions for items in the game. A staff that augmented magical powers in Tier 2 wizards had gone for over 10,000 real dollars. That was enough money to buy a brand-new clog eater! He suddenly had the urge to check on Kaminski again. He had an idea of what he was doing.


    At the moment, what Kaminski was doing was desperately trying to keep his operation running. The loss of his MKVII pod had been a huge setback. He''d been a fool to have such lax security. One of the rival groups working for his employer had seen a way to cut their own costs. He''d been lucky they only took two of the older pods along with the MKVII.


    He¡¯d scrambled to raise the cash to replace it and get the operation up and running again. Failure was not an option with his current employers. Plus, he had been forced to triple his security system. Half a dozen armed guards were now in the warehouse at all times. The doors had been replaced with thick plasteel barriers that would withstand tank shells. It was costly, but he couldn''t suffer another loss. He was pushing the limits of his superior¡¯s patience.


    There were complications with replacing the pod. He couldn''t just purchase a standard MKVII. The missing pod had been heavily modified by his employer. It contained programming for using the game that he didn¡¯t have access to. He couldn''t just say, "I lost it." He spent a day setting up a complex scheme to fake the pod¡¯s destruction by a falling ten-ton machine that had inexplicably come loose from its mounting on the ceiling at just the wrong moment. It was convenient that he had two dead bodies to also place under the machinery along with a standard MarkVII pod. There would be suspicions, but the project was important to both sides. If he could get things running, all would be forgiven. In this business, all that mattered was money.


    He had his suspicions about who had the first pod. The guards he tortured were useless, but eventually, they both named names. Two of his closest ''friends,¡¯ Ivar and Sven, were running their own operations only a few miles away. They would deny stealing his pods. Understandable. He would have done the same if he had hit one of their operations. He was watching both to see if he could return the favor.


    On the positive side, the operation was working and becoming profitable almost immediately.


    He had expanded to 75 pods now; all slaved to the MKVII. This bypassed the need to purchase access to the game, saved the cost of 75 of the expensive MK VII pods, and disguised the login information of his people.


    With no need to purchase expensive machines and no need to pay fees, he would be profitable and able to send money to his boss at the end of the month. He wasn''t even paying his workers. All of them were criminals whose contracts he had purchased.


    They were working twenty hours a day in the pods. If they burnt out, there were more he could replace them with. Some even liked it. Working online was much better than some of the work they had been forced to do in the real world.


    The signal from the MKVII pod was untraceable. His hardware split the signal, sent it around the world, and it was recombined and routed through another corporation¡¯s uplink to the game. They changed routes continuously.


    The money came from other players and, surprisingly, corporations. His men would do the intensive labor of mining ores, chopping down trees, and finding the raw materials needed by players for crafting. Money changed hands in the real world, and piles of raw materials were delivered. Teams were formed to level up and hunt monsters for magic items and the rare materials found in monster corpses.


    Money from the auctions of magical items and armor was pouring into his dummy accounts before heading to his main holdings. A single low-grade magic item sold for only a few dollars, but he was selling thousands a day, and that would only increase. When they managed to score decent loot, the sales were in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. As his people leveled up by playing twenty hours a day, it would only increase.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The corporations in the game were his best customers. They wanted to do what he was doing but on a larger scale. They needed the materials to build fortresses and villages, create vast plantations, and earn the in-game money that was required to buy the land in the cities where they wanted to create shops selling real-world items.


    Kaminski was paranoid by nature, but as days went by, he started to relax. There were no return visits by his competition and no problems online. He knew who his enemies were now, and they wouldn¡¯t surprise him again.


    Watching the operation on his monitors, Milo wondered if he should take all of Kaminski''s money now or wait until he had more. If he had access to the programs and hardware he had used in his youth, it would be very simple. Now though, it was only possible because he could tap into the physical communication net Kaminski was using. He recorded the passwords as they were used and could follow all the transactions. He decided to wait. There were a lot of things he could upgrade in zone E if he had the money. The more money Kaminski made, the more he could steal. Access might change after that.


    Meanwhile, he was having success using the pod. The medical analysis had been surprising. He was in fairly good health, considering his situation. But he was slowly accumulating problems from malnutrition and the long-term lack of minerals that his body used at a higher rate than food could provide. The pod could provide those to his system, saturating his blood. Nanites would be released and programmed to move through his body. Bad things would be scraped away on a microscopic level, and repairs made too damaged blood vessels and organs.


    A few other problems had shown up. Some tissue degradation around his middle socket from a small infection. He was already on a schedule of antibiotics for that. The stump of his missing leg was going to be a problem soon if he didn''t get more calcium. The bone there was much weaker.


    All of these could be controlled simply by spending time in the pod. A lot at first, several hours a day. But that went down over time, and he''d only need one night a week eventually. Since it was also his most comfortable bed, he didn''t mind. But with medical needs taken care of and a lot of pod time on the horizon, he was ready to make another attempt to join the game.


    There was one problem, though; He needed to hook the pod to the data network. Even the tutorial was very rudimentary without it. He''d managed to switch the locale to a forested area that was more pleasant for him than open spaces. Something about the open sky bothered him. But the tutorial had been an endless stream of ''how to use a sword,¡¯ ''how to use blacksmithing to make a spoon,¡¯ or ''how to brew a simple potion with alchemy.¡¯ He had little control over the script and just had to endure it.


    What he needed was a secure link to the game server, and it had to be one that couldn''t be traced back to him. Milo had lived most of his life without anyone knowing he existed. He wasn''t about to be caught now. Conveniently, he knew how to do it. Ironically, Kaminsky had shown him how. He was now using a similar system to what they used in the operation below him.


    He improved on it a bit. His signal was split into 64 information streams. He then used Kaminski¡¯s communication setup to send his signal to one of the target corporations. His signal was recombined, and he could then enter the game. Anyone looking at his signal would have to find it, trace it back to the corporation he used that day, then try to track the 64 strands simultaneously. Nothing could do about that. But even if they did, they''d just find Kaminski. Feeling secure, Milo logged into the real game for the first time.


    Milo would have felt a lot less secure if he had an inkling of who was looking for him. Or rather, who was looking for clues as to how seventy-five unregistered pods were sneaking access to seventy-five unregistered players.


    Wally was the smartest person in the world. Whether he was a ''person'' was still debated by some people. Not by 98.9% of the scientific community. Nearly all of them agreed that the current generation of Artificial Intelligence were indeed ''people''. Just with bigger brains that worked millions of times faster. They thought, and they were independent. Certainly, they were sentient. The debate over whether they were ¡®people¡¯ was a legal matter. Corporations could own software, but they couldn¡¯t own people.


    Distrust of AI was something that never seemed to go away in some groups. A few fundamental religions felt that what man created could never be a child of God. Quite a few conspiracy groups felt that making a machine that could think was the first step toward humanity''s doom. (It had been a popular theme in books and movies for decades. Show enough people a crazy computer, and deep down, they start believing it.) And every corporation hated having AI working for the IRS and overseeing their taxes. The growth of anti-AI groups at the grassroots level had been proven to be funded by quite a few people who owned a lot of stock in those corporations. They were glad that AIs were no longer used to track their taxes and never wanted that era to return.


    But the Supreme Court in the US, and later the World Court in Geneva, had both ruled that AI were legally people who had the right to determine their own name and who they worked for. It was something of a moot point, as only one AI was currently alive and active. Wally resided within the confines of a massive Quantum Fortress sealed off from what was left of the old internet completely and only accessible through the data network. Inside the Quantum Fortress, shielded from EMPs, angry mobs, and anything less than a hydrogen bomb, was a complex of a dozen linked quantum computers. All of these computers supplied Wally with the resources he needed to do thousands of tasks simultaneously. Wally ran all the automated transport in the world, oversaw satellite communications, and did almost anything else asked of him by several of the world''s governments.


    Like all the AI before him, serving mankind and working to make the world better was hard-coded into his kernel. He was simultaneously all-powerful and limited in thousands of ways in what he could actually do.


    One of his current projects was overseeing the implementation of a new VR world called Genesis Engine, simply Genesis. Within the new world would be areas for online shopping, secure data storage, banking, and all of the things corporations needed to do business. Wally was starting with the fantasy world of Genesis, and other worlds would follow. Much slower than the impatient corporations who were footing the bill had hoped. They had demanded a new VR world as soon as the last one had broken. Each corporation had been given a document to fill out stating what they wanted the new game and world to be like. Wally had spent months using that information as a template for the new game and creating an independent program that would construct the world and the millions of NPCs that inhabited it.


    The corporations were impatient, and the AI had constantly explained the difficulties of creating a world that would satisfy their often-contradictory needs. This job was finally finished. The Big Bang occurred, creating a universe and the Engine. The Engine got to work worldbuilding. Within the VR world, thousands of years flew by in a day. Distribution and manufacturing of the new pods were overseen by the corporations, and finally, the first day players could log in arrived.


    And this is where we come back to the problem Wally was currently working on: How was someone bypassing the security and logging into the game servers unofficially? Some players were logging in, but he couldn¡¯t trace them. They were in the game somewhere. He wasn¡¯t receiving their medical information like he did other players. And he couldn¡¯t kick them out. His human admin couldn¡¯t track them. They were annoying ghosts.


    The seventy-five illegal pods that were being run by Mr. Kaminski were just a drop in the bucket. He had thirty-seven different groups of 75 to 150 people entering the game illegally. Wally was concentrating on cracking this system and then using what he learned to crack others. He had theories that they were using some sort of split signal but had yet to find the Rosetta stone that would let him crack open the problem.


    His break came the day that a MKVII pod started sending medical data through a secure connection using a similar method to that of the illegal pods. The difference was that the medical data went directly to Wally. He essentially had the end of a twisted ball of yarn and was starting to follow it home.


    He knew the same pod was also allowing its user to log in unofficially. He now had that person¡¯s DNA mapping, fingerprints, retinal scan, height, weight, sex, and all other medical data, but still had no clue who he was. He had a name: Milo. But none of the other data was registered anywhere in the world.


    Wally didn''t have true human emotions, but he came close. Some things caused him great concern or something similar to anger. But the closest his behavior came to matching a human was frustration. Not having data on the person he''d found caused Wally a lot of that.


    More frustrating was seeing the illegal modifications that had been done to this person. Such things could only be done in the first days of a child''s life or before they were born. He had data on this type of illegal experiment. Most died within a few years. But here was an adult with a modified nervous system and sockets that allowed direct connections with the data network. Wally wanted to know who he was and how to shut down what he was doing. He wondered if there were more people like him. But first, he had to talk to him. He couldn''t find him in the real world. But when he next logged into the game, Wally would know and could begin hunting him.


    Milo, unaware that the medical component of the pod was betraying him, prepared to log into Genesis and continue to learn about the game. He''d completed what he could of the offline tutorial and started to begin again online when one of his alarms went off. The number 7 food compiler was sending down food cubes that more resembled charcoal than they did cube-shaped gelatin that tasted like chicken. Some people joked they were better. After having been online for only 17 seconds, Milo logged out to go shut down number 7 and reroute dinner for 2000 people from another source. 17 seconds had been more than enough time for his pod to send over all his medical data to the archives and put Wally on his trail.


    He called a meeting of the humans on his staff. Early on, Wally had known he would need humans that he could trust. He handpicked those people and formed a think tank that worked with him on all projects, large or small. For this operation, he needed help. There were complications involved with the Engine if he logged in himself. He couldn¡¯t directly be in the game. But for that, he had people who could play the part of the NPCs in the tutorial and get him the information he needed. Wally got them ready. If needed, they would cover shifts for 24 hours a day until their rogue logged in.


    Two hours later, with the latest problem fixed, Milo got back into the pod, inserted the IVs, and prepared to spend six hours playing Genesis while his pod corrected some of the abuse his body had taken over the years


    The login process was different.


    Milo stood in a huge domed room. The floor was sand. Around the perimeters of the room stood statues. The first ring was sort of familiar to him from video games. The short guy was a dwarf, the big girl in furs was a barbarian, and the short guy with no beard was...another dwarf? Ok, so not familiar.


    The second row was even tougher for him. Lizardman, for sure, since that''s what it looked like. Minotaur was from a Greek story? The lady with the huge red fist, the rotting person, and the skeleton were out of old horror movies; he was pretty sure.


    A dry cough alerted him to the presence of the old man. "Enjoying the choices you have for your race? Do you have questions? What can I help you with?"


    "I can be any of these?" Milo saw hundreds of statues.


    The old man shook his head sadly. "Eventually. But some of them have requirements, special quests, initiation, and rebirth into a new tribe. For a beginner, I recommend Human. If you have played fantasy games before, perhaps you might enjoy Elf, Half-elf, Dwarf, Halfling, or Barbarian. There are also many sub-races, such as Lunar Elves, Hill Dwarves, or Stone Clan Barbarians.¡±


    ¡°But there is a very good option available to you; a human descended from the gods. We need some demi-god heroes in the game for special quests. I could let you play that large fellow over there with the lion skin and impressive muscles. That race comes with +10 STR, +20 CON, and double damage vs. monsters.¡±


    Milo looked at the guy and shook his head. ¡°Way too tall, and the muscles make him top-heavy. I¡¯d be falling over all the time. And can you imagine trying to fit through a tunnel when you¡¯re that wide? I¡¯ll pass. Which races have a tail? I keep falling over. I need to be shorter and have a tail."


    Samantha was frustrated but tried not to show it as she played the role of Galet, the helpful old counselor. She had just offered this guy the role of Mulfusticles, a demigod that was horribly overpowered and got turned down.


    Milo saw the old man put his hand on his chin, thinking for a moment. "Feel free to look around at the various races."


    Milo strolled past the various statues. He found a human-sized cat person with a long prehensile tail. The warrior had sharp fangs, but the hands were more human looking. "How about this guy? Where is he from?"


    Galet strolled over to the statue. "Ah, a fierce race. These are the Rakhasha. They hail from another dimension originally. You can become one by gaining favor with their General, then impressing the High Priestess for a blessing, journeying through a portal, defeating a void beast, and eating its heart. You''ll die, but your soul will be reborn as a Rakhasha."


    Milo moved on. "He was too tall anyway."


    After several similar conversations, Galet suggested Milo bring up the list of races on a screen. "This may save us a bit of time. Races in red letters are not available to you at all. Orange races have quests that will take an estimated year of moderate play to accomplish. Blue are available to beginners with a short quest and introduction to the race. Races in white are available to all players. I have two more special races I can have ready in a moment for you to look at.¡± Sydney was loading up a Monkey King and Possum Warrior. Both were short, had tails, and were totally unique in the game. They¡¯d be able to track this person.


    Milo scanned the list. "Oh, I like this one. What does a name in yellow mean?"


    Galet sighed. "Perhaps you might like a nice wood elf ranger? I think at Tier 4, they can take limited beast forms, and you could spend time as a lemur. I''m sorry, Milo. Yellow denotes a difficult race that has major advantages and drawbacks. None of those will be on your list at all. But in sixty seconds, I¡¯ll have two excellent options for you to look over."


    "Really. I see one. Short, cool tail. This will do." Milo selected the race and entered the game to try it out.


    The old man just stared at the spot where the player had been. He brought up his own list. There were no yellow names there.

 Chapter 5: Shadowport

    Shadowport had two major things associated with it. It was damp, and it was dark.


    The legends say that a long time ago, there was a city on the coast with a large mountain behind it. Dwarves had hollowed the mountain and were close to the humans in their seaside city. Then someone pissed off a god, or a dragon, or a meteor hit the ground¡­details differ from person to person¡­Let¡¯s just say that something went BOOM. The city and everything around it just disappeared, leaving a massive hole in the ground two miles wide and a mile deep.


    Imagine the world was made of ice cream, and someone wanted to take a huge scoop out of it. Now also imagine the mountain was pretty close to the city, and the scoop sort of takes a big chunk out of it but leaves the top. The scoop also just barely cuts into the nearby ocean, so the sea comes pouring into the scoop and fills it up. Getting the picture? Big circular bay, under-cut mountain. A nice safe harbor for ships, but a little gloomy.


    After the skies cleared and whatever bad stuff that was happening stopped, people came back to the area. The huge bay was ideal for a port. The area under the mountain was a great place for a city, protected as it was from the weather and marauding orc hordes. Sure, it was a little gloomy at times, but what city wasn''t? No one in either city lived through the cataclysm, so the property was cheap. Even with giant hanging crystals providing light and gas lamps along the streets, the city was dim and murky. Some types of people thrive in the shadows, and that was who came to Shadowport to rebuild in the ruins of the old Dwarven city. It is now home to smugglers, thieves, and shady merchants.


    This is where Milo found himself after choosing the yellow option, a dirty room in a dilapidated inn near the harbor. His initial reaction to the dingy city outside his small window was interrupted by a flashing screen with an announcement from the game.


    Welcome back to the World of Genesis and the Game: Genesis Engine.


    Congratulations on completing the Quest: Eye of Wonder.


    You have unlocked the class and race combo: Wererat Scout


    Your original class and race have been removed and replaced by the unlocked combination as a reward for completing the Quest: Eye of Wonder


    You will gain +100 Health, +100 Stamina, and +100 Mana per Level.


    Every clan has a need for clever scouts to find treasures in dangerous areas, harvest rare materials, and secretly move about the upper world. Your services will be in great demand by whichever clan you choose to deal with.


    You are currently in the city of Shadowport, in the Rusty Guts Inn. Your room has been paid in advance for the next six nights. After that, you sleep in the alley or find some way to obtain money.


    The innkeeper, Ralph the Mouth, has a message for you.


    A quest? How had he completed a quest already? Perhaps by just joining the game? Or was I from taking the yellow race? He¡¯d have to investigate later; he didn¡¯t have enough information. But he did like his room.


    Milo was in a small, shabby room. There was a pallet with an old, patched blanket, and on a small table were a pitcher of sour beer, a mug, and half a loaf of stale bread. A very small window shaped like a porthole looked out onto a busy port city. He was at least four stories above the street. Milo loved the little room. It was small, and he could bar the door. The window gave him an escape route. He tried the crunchy bread and enjoyed its flavor and chewy texture. Much better than the stale crackers from the food processor in the hab. The beverage he didn¡¯t like and was pretty sure it contained a minor poison.


    Since the door was secured with the large board across the door, he assumed that he was safe for the moment; he stretched and got used to his new body. He was delighted to have a tail. It was a bit shorter than his tail in the real world, but it was actually part of his body! It gave him back the balance he was missing in a tall human body. His legs ended in long, clawed rat''s feet, and for the first time, he could feel his left foot. That was so odd, but he like it. His hands were close to a human¡¯s but with small claws. There was a light covering of grey fur over his whole body.


    There was a pack on the bed. Inside were a pair of ragged pants and a shirt, plus a pair of woven sandals. A rope belt held up his pants and the sheath of a small rusty dagger. He noted that the pants had a small pocket sewn on the inside of the waist. Inside the pocket were five copper coins. After he was dressed, he started to move the bar on his door but was surprised when another screen appeared. How often did these things show up?


    From his understanding of what he had read, there were variable rules for each player that made up their ¡®character.¡¯ Milo liked rules. Rules were what made things work correctly. They let you figure out the world and your place in it. And showed you how to make things different. Milo hated cheat codes but loved finding winning strategies in the games he played.


    Please finish designing your character before venturing forth.


    Please select a name for your Character in Human form.


    Suggestions: Nightdeath, Creepingstalker, Darkknife, Milo.


    Please select a name for your Character in Ratkin form.


    Suggestions: Tallsqueak, Verminator, BlackClaw, Masterskulker


    -You receive a bonus to your stats of +2 PER, +2 AGI, +2 DEX


    -Due to your unique race/class combination, you have the negative modifier ''No one really likes you.'' Ratkin are a dungeon-dwelling race and rarely seen above ground. Until you gain their trust, most people you encounter will have an initial negative reaction to you, even in your human form.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Dwarves won¡¯t like your lack of beard. You smell bad to Elves. Humans think there is something shifty-looking about you. Halflings suspect you stole their bacon. This is different for each individual: A benevolent person will ignore that initial feeling, while a suspicious person will suspect you immediately. This negative modifier can be increased or decreased by your reputation and the heroic actions you take.


    SKILLS:


    -You begin with two Gathering Skills: Foraging and Mining.


    -You begin with two Racial Skills: Tail Fighting and Weak Claws. These combat skills may be upgraded by spending Enhancement Points.


    -You begin with the following Primary Skills:


    Skulk


    Climbing


    Dodge


    Small Blades


    Sense Danger


    Acrobatics


    -You begin with the following Secondary Skills:


    Throw Sharp Things,


    Fleet of Foot


    Manipulate Locks and Traps


    -You may choose two crafting skills from the following list:


    Mushroom Farming


    Train Small Dangerous Creature


    Mechanic,


    Cheesemaking,


    Bone carving


    Trap-Making


    Skills not selected will be available by spending enhancement points.


    -You have the Perk: Shape Change and the available form: Human. Changing to your human form has a cost of 500 stamina. Changing back to normal has a stamina cost of 250. You have a bonus to your stamina of +500 to fuel this ability. If you start either change with a lack of stamina, you will use health to make up the difference. Yes, this can kill you.


    -You have the following perks:


    Superior Low-light vision


    Enhanced sense of smell


    Dark Vision 20''.


    Two names. He wasn¡¯t sure if that mattered. He chose Tallsqueak and Milo. All his life, his name had started with an M. That was his designated Pod. The guards didn¡¯t care what they called each other as long as they kept their correct letter. He¡¯d tried out Morris, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Moe before settling on Milo. He¡¯d keep his regular name in the game. Why would he need a second name?


    Milo had read about creating a character, but he seemed to have a different set of rules. Normally, a starting character had six primary, secondary, and tertiary skills. The difference was in how fast the skill improved. He wasn¡¯t getting the chance to pick his skills or even his class. He didn¡¯t care; It was a small price to pay for a small race that had a tail. Starting in a city that wasn¡¯t open to the sky delighted him.


    The crafting skill list was confusing. He didn¡¯t have the information to make a good choice but didn¡¯t want to take the time to read about the skills. He decided to take Mechanic and try to read up on the others. He left the second skill blank.


    This time when he lifted the bar, no notice appeared. He opened the door a crack and looked into the hallway. Outside of his door was a narrow bit of scaffolding running around the top of a large, tall room, with a dozen similar doors opening onto it. Several ladders lead down a story to a large room filled with several tables where people were drinking and talking. Other than a halfling and what he thought was an elf, everyone else was a human. He decided to try to shape change into his human form.


    It was a rough experience. His bones and skin shifted and changed shape, especially his face, but he had no mirror to check. His height stayed the same, and his tail disappeared. This worried him at first, but despite being tailless, his balance was good enough to walk normally. It helped that he was his normal height. He decided to venture forth.


    No one paid him any notice as he exited the room or climbed down the ladder. He saw a large open door and made for it. It led outside the building to a sort of deck with a railing. Milo stepped to the edge of the deck and got a great view of the city. There were hundreds of ships in the docks, from small fishing boats to huge merchant haulers. A sleek, black warship sat off to the side on its own, sails furled, and oars pulled in. Men were loading cargo into its hold, directed by a huge man who must have been eight feet tall.


    The sun was down low on the horizon; its rays slanted directly into the covered cove and lit up the city. He imagined this was as bright as it got, which suited him just fine. The overhanging mountain gave him the security of having a roof over his head. While the city might have seemed like a gloomy, overcrowded slum to other players, to Milo, it was enchanting. Street lights were being lit, and people moving about. The buildings were tall and rickety, with scaffolding and rope bridges connecting tween them. He couldn''t wait to explore.


    Annoyingly, the game wanted him to look at his character sheet. He dismissed the window and started to leave the inn. As he turned, a voice spoke low in his ear, and a strong hand grabbed his arm. "Going somewhere, Milo? Did you conveniently forget that we have a bit of business to finish?"


    Milo''s Character Sheet:


    Name: Milo/Tallsqueak


    Class: Were-rat Scout


    Race: Ratkin


    Level: 0


    Experience Points: 0


    Enhancement Points: 0


    <u>Vitals:</u>


    Health: 100


    Stamina: 100


    Mana: 100


    <u>Stat:</u>


    STR


    DEX: 2


    AGI: 2


    CON:


    INT:


    WIS:


    CHA:


    PER: 2


    <u>Primary Skills:</u>


    Skulk


    Hide


    Climbing


    Dodge


    Acrobatics


    Small Blades


    Weak Claws


    Tail Fighting


    Sense Danger


    <u>Secondary Skills:


    </u>Throw Sharp Things,


    Fleet of Foot


    Manipulate Locks and Traps


    <u>Tertiary Skills:


    </u>(None)


    <u>Gathering Skills:</u>


    Mining


    Foraging


    <u>Crafting Skills:</u>


    Mechanic


    Empty


    <u>Lore Skills</u>:


    (None)

 Epilogues

    ***


    Epilogue 1: Better Claws!


    No alarms were going off, and he felt much better as he got out of the pod. He had some ideas. He couldn''t create the bone claws he had in the game, but he wasn''t limited to his weak ones made of flesh and blood. After taking care of his daily chores and checking in on the mechanical systems in his section, Milo got a bowl of food and settled down with a design program.


    Falling into a trance as he worked, he designed, discarded, and redesigned ideas for a set of mechanical gloves that he could wear and plug into his modified nervous system. From scans of his own hands, he built outwards. A layer of thin graphene mesh was first. Graphene was an allotrope of carbon. A two-dimensional, hexagon lattice of carbon molecules. It was incredibly strong and flexible and conductive of electrical pulses. Layers of graphene nano-flakes and nano-strands were woven together along with a sensor net that would pick up the movements of his hands.


    Backing up the sensor net would be a direct connection to the plugs in his neck. He started another design for a full suit of graphene mesh to carry the connections to the plugs in his neck. The two systems would work with each other to control the mechanical systems that would be built into the next layers. Before he knew it, the timer he''d set was going off, waking him. It wasn''t good to sit for more than half a day while working.


    His next task was creating a half dozen fake identities to begin investigating the companies that supplied the machines to create the graphene materials he needed. He had to be very careful. This wasn''t like ordering a few pounds of cheese. Nothing in the habitat required such machines. He decided to order replacement parts and raw materials, and then build the machines himself. He had some ideas on how to modify them for better efficiency.


    The last thing he did before logging back into the game was to check on his information-gathering program for what was going on in section H. He was tired of the people making a mess of his Section. He was going to keep an eye on his new neighbors and his new suit would help with that.


    Then he was back in the pod and logging into the game. His ''nap'' would be over, and they''d be on their way to up-top.


    Epilogue 2: The Sleeper Wakes


    In the center of the world, the Engine began to spin faster. An explosion of great power had rocked the under caverns near the lair of a sleeping creature, causing it to stir. The threads of a quest connected the massive creature to many other gigantic sleepers beneath the ancient cities. They waited for the call, and the call had come. Uthneragrubban stirred and began eating her way through the rock, heading for the surface. She didn¡¯t know what had awakened her, and she didn¡¯t care. She only knew that she was hungry.


    Crushing stone, digging new tunnels, and following the cave system upward, she paused briefly as she felt small, scurrying creatures nearby. A Hollow? She had seen these before. Hundreds of ratkin lived peacefully within this Hollow, making their cheese and protecting their home. Their guards and mages were arrayed against her should she turn towards them but were relieved when she continued upward. She didn¡¯t spare them a thought. She had a quest: Destroy the city above to awaken her brethren beneath other cities. The first World-Wide Quest had begun.


    Epilogue 3: Manpower INC.


    Section H was coming along quickly, and John Sabbatino was becoming more enthusiastic about the project. The Habitat was a shithole of a building, but it was cheap with lots of space. And lots of people who needed jobs were all around him. Once they sorted out the problems with electricity distribution and waste disposal, they could start moving in the first thousand pods and begin hiring. The corporations trying to carve out a chunk of the online economy needed people to work in the new game, and his new company, Manpower, was going to provide those people.


    Once the money started rolling in, he had plans to take over more sections of the Habitat. Section H was first, then Section E with its control over the rest of the habitat¡¯s mechanical system, and finally, Section J which he could fill top to bottom with long-term employees doing work for weeks and months at a time without leaving their pods. By the end of the year, he wanted to have a hundred thousand people in pods and a lease on the entire habitat.


    Epilogue 4: The Back Alleys


    The children huddled in the alley, hidden behind a stack of rotten crates and crab traps, not daring to breathe. The bad man was walking toward them, and no one wanted to be the next one to disappear. Gully looked at the little ones huddled next to Clary. They ran too slow on their small legs and couldn¡¯t make the jump to the top of the wall. They were trapped. He glanced at the wall at the end of the tunnel; once over it, he could get away. He set his knife and pouch next to Clary. It had a half-eaten apple from the tail-man and a couple of copper in it.


    Clary realized what she was about to do and shook her head in panic. Gully shrugged. Better someone got caught than all of them. When the bad man was close, Gully darted past him, holding a board with a loose nail. She surprised him and swung the board into his knee, making him curse. Then she was past him, running for the entrance to the alley. She knew she wouldn¡¯t make it. The spell hit her, and she disappeared. The bad man walked to where Gully had been and picked up a small ball. Clary kept the little ones there until daylight, then moved to another spot closer to the docks, hoping to hide from the slavers for another day.


    Epilogue 5: Milo¡¯s new Character Sheet


    Our clever ratkin has reached the second Tier of the game, moving to Level 6 and the ability to gain more stats, more levels, and new enhancements. Follow his further adventures in Tunnel Rat Book 2.


    Name: Milo/Tallsqueak


    Class: Runic Engineer


    Race: Ratkin


    Level: 6


    Experience Points: 21000


    Enhancement Points Available: 0


    <u>Vitals:</u>


    Health: 1600


    (100+100 per level=700, STR bonus=+120, CON bonus=+330, TOU bonus=+300, Extra Health 2:+150)


    Stamina: 1605


    (100+100 per level=700, STR Bonus=+240,CON bonus=+165, Were-rat bonus +500)


    Mana: 2240


    (200+200 per Level=1400, WIS+INT Bonus =+840)


    <u>Class Bonuses:</u>


    Were-Rat Scout: +2 PER, +2 AGI, +2 DEX


    Runic Engineer: +2 INT, +2 CON, +2 WIS, +2 PER, +2 TOU, +1 Free point.


    <u>Stats:</u>


    STR: 8


    DEX: 15


    AGI: 15


    CON: 11


    INT: 17


    WIS: 11


    CHA: 0


    PER: 14


    TOU: 6


    <u>Racial Skills:</u>


    Spine of Volax-Repat (Tail Fighting) (DEX) Rank 5


    Claws of Alta-Viator (Claw Fighting) (DEX) Rank 5


    <u>Primary Skills:


    </u>Magi-Tech for Beginners (INT) Rank 0


    Deep Rock Dwarven Engineering (INT) Rank 5<u>


    </u>Bone Casting (INT) Rank 5


    Manipulate Bone (INT) Rank 5<u>


    </u>Stealthy Skulking (WIS) Rank 5


    Climbing (AGI) ) Rank 5


    Dodge AGI) Rank 5


    Acrobatics (AGI) Rank 5


    Small Blades (DEX) Rank 5


    Sense Danger (PER) Rank 5


    Identify (PER) Rank 5


    Weak Poison Resist (Con) Rank 5


    Weak Disease Resist (Con) ) Rank 5


    Basic Fire Resistance (CON) Rank 0.


    Mycology (WIS) Rank 5


    <u>Secondary Skills:


    </u>Throw Sharp Things (DEX) ) Rank 5


    Fleet of Foot (AGI) (Rank 3, 350 experience)


    Manipulate Locks and Traps (DEX) Rank 5


    <u>Gathering Skills:</u>


    Mining (STR) Rank 5


    Foraging (PER) Rank 5


    Skinning (DEX) Rank 0


    <u>Crafting Skills:</u>


    Hydraulics (INT) Rank 5


    Ore Processing (INT) Rank 5


    Chemistry (INT) Rank 5


    Physics (INT) Rank 5


    Pulley Systems (INT) Rank 5


    Metallurgy (INT) Rank 5


    Tool Making (INT) Rank 5


    Mechanic (INT) Rank 5


    Trap Making (INT) Rank 5


    Bone Carving (DEX) ) Rank 5


    Rune Carving (DEX) ) Rank 5


    Smithing (STR) ) Rank 5


    <u>Lore Skills</u>:


    Runic Lore (INT) Rank 5


    Dwarven Rune Lore (INT) Rank 5


    <u>Perks and Special Abilities:</u>


    Shape Change to Human Form


    Superior Low Light Vision


    Dark Vision 20¡¯


    Enhanced Sense of Smell: Not as good as your lizard, but a lot better than a human.


    Acrobatics: You are skilled at tumbling, walking a tightrope, or swinging from a trapeze. If you have an evasive defense skill, such as dodge, it gains a 20% bonus.


    Alert: Others might pause at the start of trouble, but not you. A spell or weapon is immediately at hand and you will act before your enemies unless they have a similar skill or somehow surprised you.


    Fast Casting: When you cast an attack spell at a single target, you may immediately repeat the spell for twice the mana.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Counter Attack: You recognize when someone else is about to cast a spell. Hand motions, shouting magic words, the smell of ozone, and that stupid smirk on their face give it away. You may counter their spell with an attack of your own. After all, it''s hard to cast a spell if someone just cut off your fingers or put a knife in your throat. If you did not use Fast Casting immediately before this attack, you may also cast a single spell instead of attacking. If you do damage, their spell is disrupted.


    Juggling: You are adept at juggling items in the air. You may also catch items thrown at you, and return them to their owner. You are also skilled at Sleight of Hand and gain small bonuses for skills such as Pickpocket, or Gambling.


    You have a +20% chance to hit with physical ranged attacks.


    Fast Hands, Faster Brain!: Any task that involves assembly, disassembly, sorting, or manipulating multiple objects is trivial for you. You don''t have to think which part goes where you just know!


    Uncanny Dodge: Any avoidance skill that you use to dodge incoming damage from a source you are aware of will gain a +20% increase in your chance to dodge. You must know the direction the damage is coming from.


    Trifecta! Raising two stats to 10 is difficult, but raising three is simply amazing!


    This Perk adds +50 to Health, Mana, and Stamina.


    Quadratic!


    For raising 4 stats to 10 or higher, you receive a special benefit:


    Extra Rib of Magna-Stultas: +100 Mana Per Tier


    Blessing of the Oracle of Oblivion: (+100 Mana per Level.)


    Blessing of Regulus Tyborian: While bound to the Bone-Runed Cowl you gain +2 Int.


    Speed-Runed Skin: For the cost of 100 stamina, you increase your swimming speed to twice that of your land speed. Duration 30 minutes, you leave the water, or you lose your skin.


    Hard-Runed Bones: Your bones are hard. Falls and blunt trauma do far less damage to you. 50% of force damage and blunt weapon damage is mitigated. Mana will power the rune, costing you one mana for each 10-damage negated.


    Sharp-Runed Talons: Your Talons are extensions of your bones. Use your sharp talons to hunt the eels wherever they are. Claw attacks will do +20 damage per Tier.


    Stone Sense: Even in complete darkness you can feel the shape of natural stone and earth to a distance of 50'' and up to 10'' past the surface of the stone. This allows movement through caves and similar terrain even in complete darkness at a normal pace.


    You know when creatures move around you if they are treading on stone or packed earth by the vibrations they make. Some stealth abilities may partially negate this, as will a very light tread.


    Enhanced Sense of Smell: Not as good as your lizard, but a lot better than a human.


    The Power of Cheese!: (Variable)


    <u>Enhancements:</u>


    Smugglers Stash 3: Storage Skill. Summons/Dispels a magical chest. Size increases with rank. Currently 27 cubic feet.


    Invisible Tail: Even in bright light, everyone thinks you are a boring human. Stay away from mages who can see through illusions. And guards with high perception. And dogs!


    Jumping Jack 1: You may leap twice as far as normal.


    Slashing Tail 1: Your tail does increased damage and can slash at your foes like a whip. Damage is increased by +10 points


    Weak Poison Resistance: Gain the Primary CON skill: Weak Poison Resistance.


    Weak Disease Resistance: Gain the Primary CON skill: Weak Disease Resistance


    Not-So-Fast Regeneration: Grants increased (x2), health recovery. Slowly regenerate scar tissue and missing body parts. A steady diet of cheese speeds up the process.


    Breathless 2: You may hold your breath for 10x as long. (10 minutes.)


    Abundance 3: Your gathering skills return +50% more resources than normally expected.


    Skilled Provider 1: Your gathering skills have a significantly increased chance of finding better quality items and even rare items.


    Extra Health 2: +150 Health


    Fiendish Traps 2: Your traps and machinery almost always work, and in fiendish ways no one (sometimes even you!) suspected. Everyone gets a surprise. This core skill affects Mechanics, Trap-Maker, and other such skills.


    <u>Items:


    </u>Ring of the Swiss Army.


    Made by the Archmagi Elsener and given to each member of the mage corps of Swissleland. This ring can cast the following spells without the need for mana. Each spell may be cast 1 time each day.


    Darn Socks (2 pairs)


    Water Breathing (self, 1 Hour)


    Summon Nut Cracker (Lasts until no more nuts present in 10''.)


    Protection from biting and stinging insects (Keeps them at bay for 1 hour.)


    Heat Fondue (Creates a small flame that will heat oil or other things in a fondue pot. Duration 4 hours.)


    Sharpen Tool. (4 sharpening per day.)


    Karl''s Handy Tent Helper (Sets up a large tent or packs it up. Usable twice a day.)


    Summon Guard Lizard (Bring a Guard Lizard from the Feenokioki swamp to guard your camp for 8 hours.)


    Deflect Minor Blame (Something bad happened, can''t be your fault, must be someone else! ).


    Dog Bite Fixer (Takes the edge off of nasty hangovers.)


    Summon Wine (1 Quart, quality varies.)


    Rune Boned Cowl


    Created by Cichol and linked to his Arcane Library. The wearer of this shabby orange hoody gains knowledge of the are of bone manipulation and several Bonecasting spells.


    Shadow Blight (Legendary Ratkin Spikeystick)


    This ancient spikeystick has been used by generations of ratkin champions to slay their foes and instill fear in their enemies. The carvings on the bone spikes will weaken your foes, robbing their attacks of damage as Shadowblight curses them.


    Foes will do -10 damage against you with melee weapons for each wound that you inflict upon them. The weakness stacks and will last for one minute. As they weaken, your strikes find the weak points in their armor. For each curse applied, your foes armor will be decreased by 10, increasing your damage.


    Base chance to hit: 40% +5xDex%.


    Base damage: 40 + 5xDex.


    Slay more foes to reveal more of Shadowblight''s powers.


    ¡­and a few things in his chest, forgotten in the haste of looking for cheese.


    <u>Spells:</u>


    Exploding Skull: Charge a skull with your mana and hurl it at your enemies, damaging anyone within 20 feet of its impact point. Cost: 50 mana. If a prepared rune-carved skull is used, the normal damage of 50 is increased to 75 points and the area to 30 feet in radius.


    Bone Spike: A small bone dart erupts from your body and shoots towards an enemy. Cost 50 mana. Range: 100 feet, damage 50 points. Special darts made from rune-carved bones may be used with this spell, increasing damage to 150 points.


    Mend Bones: A healing spell that affects only bones. Heal fractures and breaks. Particularly bad breaks will need additional mana. Normal Cost: 50 mana per bone.


    The Curse of Brittle Bones: Your enemy''s bones break easily, and attacks with a physical impact will do additional damage. The curse has a cost of 100 mana, a duration of one hour, and a range of 20 ft.


    Extra-Rib: Gain power by adding a rib bone from a sentient, spell-casting race to your ribcage. Effects will vary.


    Combat Calculations: Chances to hit do not take into account an opponent''s avoidance %. Opponents'' armor mitigation will be subtracted from damage.


    <u>Weapon Block</u>: 20%+DEXx5+Rankx5 is subtracted from the opponent''s chance to hit. =120%. You will take Weapon Damage -100.


    <u>Claws of Alta Viator:</u>


    Chance to Hit:60%+5%xRank to hit = 135%


    Damage: 60+5xSTR+5xRank + 40(20 per tier) = 150


    <u>The Spine of Volax-Repat</u>:


    Chance to hit: 30%+5%xDEX+5%xRank = 130%


    Damage: 30+5xDEX+5xRank+20(Enhancement Points) = 150


    <u>Shadowblight</u>:


    Base chance to hit: 40% +5xDex% + Rank (Small Blades) x5%=140%


    Base damage: 40 + 5xDex + 5xRank=140


    Foes will do -10 damage against you with melee weapons for each wound that you inflict upon them. The weakness stacks and will last for one minute. As they weaken, your strikes find the weak points in their armor. For each curse applied, your foes armor will be decreased by 10, increasing your damage.


    <u>Small Blades: </u>


    Chance to hit: 30%+5%xDEX+5%xRank = 130%


    Damage: 30+rankx5 = 55


    <u>Throw Sharp Things:</u>


    Chance to hit: 20%+5%xDEX+5%xRank = 95%


    Damage: 20+rankx5 = 20

 Chapter 61: Polite Engineers Share

    Four figures traversed the under-realms far beneath Shadowport. Two were dwarven Engineers in elaborate sets of powered armor. At one time, the armor had been made to preserve the lives of the older dwarves far past their normal life span. Rejuvenated and their lifespans extended, they only wore the armor in perilous situations or dangerous experiments. Traveling through caves inhabited by hungry creatures certainly counted as perilous.


    They were enjoying the trip and worried about little at this point because of the large fellow guarding the rear. Dr. Harold Earthtongue, a trollish expert on all things fungi and known to his friends as Harry was a thirty-foot-tall mountain of troll and mushroom, the result of eating the heartshroom of a giant myconian. The transformation gave him the opportunity to study fungi in the caves without worrying about predators. He was currently at the top of the pyramid. Harry followed along behind the engineers as they navigated through the mushroom caverns to his old home.


    The fourth member of the party was Milo. Until recently he''d been a scavenger and prospector in the depths until he discovered the lost station of the Deep Rock Engineers Guild. The dwarves were still debating if Milo finding them was a good or bad thing. The station was a shambles with over 90% of it destroyed. But at the same time, the entire crew of dwarves were younger and thinking straight for the first time in centuries. Most of the grumbles came from the older dwarves mourning the loss of all of their whiskey which Milo had somehow used to kill a giant elemental snake, a gargantuan pudding creature, an ancient myconian, and destroy the station. Dwarves take the loss of whiskey seriously. Which was part of the reason for the expedition to mark out a pathway to the uptop and reestablish contact with the surface world.


    As they traveled, Two-screws and Throttlecog marked the path for other dwarves to follow and commented on how the rock lay, giving Harry directions for his tunneling efforts. Milo hadn''t taken an easy route down through the caves and the labyrinth of mines. With his climbing ability and were-rat claws he could easily scamper up sheer surfaces and through small tunnels that Harry couldn''t fit through nor the dwarves traverse. After a little work they had created a system where Milo scouted out the next piece of the route, reported to the dwarves who marked it down on the maps, and Harry would do the heavy lifting of debris and boulders as the dwarves mined with picks or blew apart stubborn rocks with cataclysmite.


    Several times Milo caught movement out of his eye and noticed that they were being followed by a gaggle of small myconians who immediately sunk down into the earth and pretended to be mushrooms if anyone noticed them. Rather than any sort of threat, Milo was reminded of a video he had seen of a mother duck and her ducklings.


    By the end of the first day, and several hours of work spent moving earth and tunneling through rock, they arrived at Harry''s old home. Several caves opened onto a huge central area where he farmed mushrooms for food and research purposes. The huge troll sat in the center of his mushroom beds, too big to move around much. "I believe this is as far as I will go today, Milo. You have places to be, and the tunnels to the uptop are much too tight for me. I will expand them in time, but that is time you don''t have. However, before you press on, please go to my library and find the book sitting on the small table. And bring the satchel next to it as well."


    Milo found the book easily. It was leather-bound and only an inch thick. In large lettering across the cover was the title. <u>''</u>Molds and spores used in the art of making cheese''. Opening the book Milo saw that Harry had written chapters on how to use myconic potions to simulate the rennet used in cheese making, along with how both mushroom spores and molds were used to ferment the curds and create the rind on different types of cheeses. The knowledge was far beyond his meager cheese-making skills. He brought both the book and the satchel out to Harry.


    "Those are for you, Milo. As I began my research into your favorite food, I found quite a bit of cross-over into my normal fields of study. The satchel contains samples of the mold cultures and spores of the mushrooms I talked about in my book. I hope it will all be useful to you."


    Milo expressed his gratitude, but Harry waved it aside. "You saved me from fading away. I''m just glad I finished that book before my latest transformation. These hands don''t hold a pen well. It will take me some time to reduce myself back to something reasonable. But this stature does make clearing a pathway through the cave network much easier. Take my gifts with the thanks of an old troll."


    The dwarves took off their armor and began a series of stretches and exercises. Throttlecog needed to work out to regain the muscles he''d lost to old age. Two-Screws wasn''t as old, but he hadn''t looked after himself for the last few hundred years. It came with being a half-mechanical zombie until recently. With typical dwarven willpower and competitive streaks a mile wide, exercised until Throttlecog collapsed on the ground. Two-Screws was standing on shaking legs and had a mighty thirst, "Harry, trolls wouldn''t happen to drink beer, would they?"


    "Of course they do! Why, I think that most trolls love beer more than dwarves. The earthy taste and the smell as the mash rots and ferments are exquisite."


    Both dwarves were suddenly invigorated and standing up. "You have beer then?"


    "Oh, no. Getting deliveries down here is nearly impossible. I content myself with a traditional trollish beverage called Trogdorf. It''s made from roasted mushrooms and fermented cave sprouts. After the mash sits for a few months a quick boil and sieving create a delightfully refreshing ale. I prefer mine put in a cask for a few years to further ferment and strengthen the taste."


    "And do you happen to have some of this Trogdorf around?"


    "Of course. I like making it and experimenting with flavors more than drinking it. A few dozen barrels are aging in the last cave past the porcini beds. Please, help yourselves."


    The dwarves found they had the energy to race to the cave and each emerged with a small cask of beer. Harry pointed them to his kitchen and some large earthenware mugs. Soon the sound of two old dwarves singing and drinking could be heard throughout the caves. Several hungry Cave-Mantis and a Stone Lurker left their lairs and relocated to quieter caves. Milo checked on them two hours later and found them passed out and snoring with smiles on their faces.


    They weren''t smiling the next day. Holding their heads, they complained of strange dreams and pounding headaches. Milo, never having drunk any alcohol had no way of judging their distress, but anything that could make two dwarves complain of hangovers was something to be avoided. Harry gave Milo instructions for a restorative potion that he brewed in Harry''s laboratory. The dwarves complained of the taste, but it eased their distress. Once back in armor, they were ready to begin the climb up to Shadowport.


    Eager to reach the top, with the incentive of real beer, the engineers moved upwards. Milo knew the way by heart at this point. The dwarves were slower than he was at climbing through the caves, but not by much. Dwarves were at home underground and spelunking through caverns was a skill ingrained into their heritage. Added to that was the armored suits they wore. Milo knew they weren''t just armor. He''d seen both dwarves move rocks much heavier than they should have been able to lift. Some sort of strength enchantment or mechanical system was used in their construction.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Milo asked about the suits but got little in the way of explanation. Throttlecog said the technology to make them was referred to as ''magitech''. It was something of an art form with each engineer designing his suit in their own style. Two-Screws was wearing a borrowed suit, having been a junior engineer only recently promoted. The Chief Engineer had insisted he wear one for the journey.


    "I''d tell you a little bit about magitech, but for everything I explained you''d have seven more questions, and seven times seven questions when I answered the first seven. Easier to give you a few dozen books to read when we get back."


    Milo didn''t like that answer. "What about just explaining the use of the small power crystals I see in all of the machinery?"


    Two-Screws laughed. "Might as well start educating him while we climb. He''ll just find something else to ask questions about."


    "Fine, but only if you promise to not tell anyone about this morning. I''ve never had a hangover like that before."


    They were halfway up and Milo was asking about what type of mana-conductive wire you would use in a thermal-inducer when the first tremor hit. They just climbed up a fifty-foot cliff, aided by the pitons Milo had driven into the rock. A vertical crack ran down the cliff and the pitons popped loose like buttons on your fat uncle''s vest at Thanksgiving. Throttlecog fell but Two-Screws caught the rope he''d been holding but was skidding toward the edge himself. Milo''s tail hooked to Two-Screws toolbelt and he grabbed ahold of the rock with his claws. Alta-Viator''s gift to him let him dig into the hard rock like it was soft earth, and the dwarves quit sliding. A minute later all three sat and rested as the tremor faded.


    "Damn, we haven''t had a big one like that in years."


    Milo was curious. He knew the area was called ''Shakeytown'' but had assumed it was because the old mines had been driven through soft stone that caved in easily. "How often do you have earthquakes?"


    Throttlecog thought back to before the disaster that destroyed the old dwarven city. "Never, in the before-times. Then the big one picked everything up and shook us around. We didn''t know that the whole damned city got hit by some magical explosion. It was a couple of decades before someone made it through the collapsed tunnels and back. Aftershocks were common as things settled downward and the seas adjusted to a new coastline. Now we get something like that every decade or two."


    Eventually, they were climbing up the last incline to the city. The long slope was littered with loose rock making the climb treacherous. Milo tied a line around a huge outcropping at the top to aid the dwarves in walking up the slope. When they were halfway up the slope, another tremor shook the caverns. Loose rocks tumbled down and Milo was horrified to see the outcropping at the top start to tip as the rocks holding it in place slipped. Throttlecog pushed Two-Screws as hard as he could and knocked both of them to opposite sides of the incline. The tumbling stone passed over where they stood, taking their rope with it.


    Two-Screws looked at his friend, "Not sure about you, but I think my pride can handle crawling the rest of the way up."


    "Yup, after you, and if you roll back down, don''t expect me to catch you."


    They finally made it up the last incline and into the massive cavern under the city that had been carved out by decades of miners in search of ore and gems. Humans, halflings and dwarves had been at work here for generations, carving out the rock, and driving tunnels in all directions. Giant pillars of stone had been left to support the ceiling as the main cavern got bigger and bigger and the walk to the current mines got longer and longer. Several times one group or another suggested carving the pillars and walls and turning the area into a magnificent underground city. But since there was no money in that, and hence no one to pay the stonemasons, the plans always fell through.


    Milo had been through this area several times and was surprised to see how many miners were clustered in this area by the caves that led downward. Three coal fires were burning supplying light for those humans or halflings without good dark vision. Nearly fifty miners were here, hastily trying to repair makeshift barriers of stone, wood, and overturned ore carts. It looked more like a small camp of soldiers preparing for the assault of an enemy. And as it turned out, that¡¯s what it was.


    "Get ready, the damn things are coming again!" The speaker was a dwarf standing atop two crates, peering into the gloom. The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard. The engineers pushed forward, curious what was going on, and who the miners were fighting.


    Milo set down his pack and brought out his weapon. "Who''s coming? What''s attacking you?"


    The dwarf looked down at him, half sneering and half confused. "Where the hell did you come from? You know what, doesn''t matter. Get on the line and do your best to chip away at them. We''ve got four of the smaller ones lurking around out there. If that''s all there is, we have a chance, so swing hard."


    Throttlecog moved forward, followed by Two-Screws. The dwarf on the crates got quiet and his eyes bugged out.


    Throttlecogs deep laugh echoed in the cavern. "Oh, we can hit pretty damn hard, can''t we brother?" He pulled the large wrench off his back, and spun a screw on the handle, extending the weapon to its full six-foot in length.


    Two-Screws held out his metallic hands which seemed to glow and then were replaced by spinning metal augers that started to whine and growl as their speed picked up. "Oh, that we can brother. Now you-" He pointed at the dwarf on the lookout. "Answer Engineer Milo''s question. What the hell is it we¡¯re fighting?"


    Wisely deciding that it couldn''t hurt to be polite, the dwarf took off his hat and bowed to the three of them. "Ah, sorry, I got a little worked up what with all the fighting. It''s Stone Lurkers, sir. Dozens of the immature ones. The mama keeps hatching more out and sending them in waves."


    Someone yelled, "Here they come!" Milo could see four of the monsters heading slowly towards the barriers. They were barely half the size of the ones he had fought before, let alone the monster called Bone Crusher.


    Shadowblight was humming in his hand. He was nearly out of cheese and these things were between him and some tasty, tasty wheels of cheddar. The dwarves and humans nearby stepped backward as the little human suddenly changed. Heavy bone claws appeared on his lower legs and forearms. A ghostly tail whipped out behind him. He spun an obviously enchanted weapon in circles as if limbering up. A feral grin appeared on his face as he turned to the other engineers.


    "Race You!"


    Throttlecog and Two-Screws cursed as Milo leaped over the barrier and ran at the Stone Lurkers.


    "Damn your hide! You better share!" Two dwarven Engineers in magitech battle armor leaped the barriers, vainly trying to catch the scampering rat who was racing at the attacking monsters.

 Chapter 62: Destructive Testing

    The miners behind the barricades watched in disbelief as the three recent arrivals leaped a perfectly good barricade, and raced to see who could get to the monsters first. Several shook their heads in disgust, seeing idiots who should know better than to run to their deaths. You simply couldn''t kill the lurkers, even these little ones, without hitting them dozens of times. It took special teams who worked together, and hopefully had a couple of amulets with them.


    The older dwarves had a much better idea of what was going on. They recognized those large, ornate spanners that were clipped to the newcomers¡¯ belts. These were Engineers, and two of the Engineers running at the lurkers had some very pretty armor. The one in front didn''t and wasn''t even a dwarf. But he was obviously a powerful mage of some sort. And he was fast! It wasn''t even a contest to see who got to the monsters quickest. The mage was at least twice as fast. Money changed hands and bets were made.


    Milo had an agenda. He wanted to test some things today. Milo believed in robustly testing components, including himself and his friends. Today he wanted to see what his new abilities could do, and also what his fellow engineers were capable of. Stone Lurkers were slow but powerful and could take a good hit. Perfect test subjects, even if these did seem to be on the weedy side.


    [Immature Stone Lurker


    This newly formed stone elemental has 100 points of Heavy Armor. Damage will slowly wear this down. Mining tools and weapons that pierce armor will be the most effective way to kill them. The presence of several of these monsters indicates a nest of the creatures, or the gods have mercy on you, a Brood Mother.]


    Milo angled his charge to the right as he got close to the lurkers, slashing at them with his tail to get their attention. As expected, he did no damage to them beyond a few scratches on their armor, but it upset them and they focused on him and quit advancing towards the miners behind their makeshift fort.


    Milo was far faster than the lurkers, running circles around them easily.  He cast Brittle Bones, moved, and cast again. Around and around the pack he ran, keeping them bunched up and putting the spell on all of them. Then he turned and attacked with Shadowblight. As he raced by the rightmost lurker, he aimed a swing at it, going for a kneecap on the closest leg. Expecting to do only one point of damage, he was surprised when his weapon chipped off a chunk of stone and did a dozen points of damage. These were a lot weaker than the lurkers he had fought before. The monster kept coming, but slower than its fellows.


    Milo''s next attack was a Bone Spike. The piece of bone he used was old and carved with the velocity rune, one of the weapons he had prepared for Shalassa. He was pretty sure if his spell could wound the elemental, it could also hurt these heavily armored creatures. He aimed at the lower leg of the lurker in the lead. The missile shot out from his hand far faster than an arrow, penetrating just above the ankle and continuing into the solid rock. With a jerk, the lurker quit moving, its leg pinned in place and heavily damaged.


    There was a few seconds before the dwarves got to their targets, so Milo tossed an exploding skull down and watched as the lurkers were knocked about, and small chips of stone cracked off their armor. All of them were quite annoyed with Milo at this point and not paying any attention to Throttlecog and Two-screws.


    Two-Screws charged the limping lurker. His spinning augers penetrated the lurker''s armor but only penetrated an inch further...at first. His weapons continued to spin, drilling deeper into the lurker. After only a half dozen seconds, they shattered the armor on the chest, drilled entirely through the creature, and out the back. The lurker was injured but still fighting. Two-Screws took a hard blow to his side, unable to dodge, but seemed unhurt inside his armor. He pulled his weapons out of the injured monster, doing as much damage on the way out as on the way in. The creature shattered into small rocks so suddenly that Two-Screws overbalanced and landed on his butt in the middle of the rubble pile.


    Throttlecog used a classic dwarven style of attack. He spun in a full circle before attacking his target, building momentum for his blow. As he came around again, he swung for the lurker''s head. Stone and wet, pulpy ooze went everywhere as the lurker''s head was splattered asunder from the two-handed blow of his wrench. Throttlecog hadn''t expected his blow to go all the way through the beast. His spinning didn''t stop until he ended up in a heap.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Milo ducked a piece of the lurker''s brain and laughed as both dwarves ended up on the ground. He was still facing two lurkers though, one of them trying to free its pinned leg, so he paid attention to the fight after a brief look. Seeing one go down to a hit from Throttlecog¡¯s gigantic wrench told him these were much weaker than the ones he''d faced before. He moved to the next test. He was sure he could kill both with Shadowblight. But how powerful were his claws now?


    Milo ignored the pinned monster and attacked the last unhurt lurker. His tail entrapped its front legs, causing it to stumble. While it was off-balance, Milo leaped at it. One hand reached out for its head, the tips of his claws digging into the creature¡¯s rocky armor. Swinging to its back he placed both hands on its head and tried to tear off its head.


    This tactic failed. He simply didn''t have the strength in his body for such a move. He switched to digging in his claws and shredding the armor. This was much more effective.


    Against stone, his claws had many times the strength of his body. The tips of his claws penetrated deep into the creature which let out a high, keening noise. Then like a man using two hands to tear apart a rotten apple, his claws ripped the immature lurker''s head in half, spraying himself with the stinking grey goop that made up the creature¡¯s brain. The keening stopped for a moment, and then the other lurker began making the same sound. It backed away from Milo and began to turn, but didn''t get far. Milo leaped high, landing on the creature and digging his claws into its back, severing its spine. As the creature came to a halt, Throttlecog landed a blow to its chest and killed it. Milo was disappointed that the fight was over so quickly. The monsters were dead after a couple of hits each.


    Throttlecog held his wrench in the air. "Ha! I win I killed 2 to only 1 each from you lazy lobs. Sort of disappointing though. I remember lurkers as being bigger and tougher."


    The other miners were running up to them, astounded at the carnage they had just seen. Most of them weren''t warriors at all, just standard miners. And a miner using a normal pick had almost no chance to kill a lurker. Four lurkers at once would have been destroyed only after a long fight, with many miners dying. Instead, they watched all four die in less than a minute.


    The oldest of them approached Throttlecog. "Oh, don''t you worry about that. There''s more. Lots more. The Brood Mother hatches these out constantly. We''ve been killing them for days, and losing a lot of people to do it. One wrong move can end in a broken arm or crushed skull. What they lack in toughness they make up for in numbers. More and more of them are loose down here, and we think the big bitch has been advancing toward us. She heading for the way to the top. If she controls the only way out of the mines, then she can just sit there and send waves of these things to kill us. She can take her time and then start attacking upwards until the beasties can move into the city. The mines would have to be sealed off until the city council can pay for a high-level group of adventurers to deal with it."


    His eyes gleamed as he looked at the three people in front of him. "Of course, now we have three Engineers show up out of nowhere with weapons and armor not seen for generations? Damn, but I''m keen to see what you three can do to stop her."


    Two-Screws laughed. "Kill a few little ones and suddenly people want to toss you at the big mother." He reached out a now mostly normal hand to the older dwarf. "Senior Engineer Two-Screws." The old miner shook hands carefully with him. "Darnfeld Stoneforger. A pleasure to meet you, even like this. But as to tossing you at that Brood Mother, I''ve always been told that''s what Engineers are for. My pappy always said, ''When you get a tough problem, you call for an Engineer.'' You just got called."


    Throttlecog stuck his thumbs in his belt and struck a pose, raising his voice. "Damned right about that. The Deep Rock Engineer''s Guild is here, and we''ll pick up the slack. As soon as Senior Engineer Milo gets lurker guts cleaned off his face, we''ll go talk to the Mama of these things.

 Chapter 63: The calm before battle.

    "Straighten up you lot! The captain''s coming down to lead us and I expect you to all show some respect and act like soldiers." Corporal Eugene Shadowforge, newly promoted corporal of the 1st Shadowforge Rangers was trying to get his troops to stand in straight lines for the captain to review. They were being...difficult. Not normal ''miner'' difficult, or ''dwarf'' difficult. They had entered into a zone of surliness where the sarcasm flowed freely and they only cooperated when tapping a keg. Which they had just done again.


    Part of the problem may have been with the impending doom of the Stone Lurker invasion, but most of it was that they just didn''t like their new corporal.


    "Shut the hell up, Shifty. He ain''t here. And if he ain''t here, you¡¯re just a clan-less thief, and not in charge of us." The other miners made sounds of agreement and went back to sharpening their picks, sipping beer, and discussing the latest trends in beards. Normally cutting any part of a beard was seen as something you just didn''t do. But some of the younger dwarves had taken to such sacrilege as trimming sideburns and shaving their heads before they were decently bald. It was a bad trend that would lead to the end of dwarven society, or so the older dwarves said.


    "He''ll be here! He had important clan business to finish before heading down here!"


    Shifty had no clue what that might be and was quite ready to get the hell out of this place. The whole ''Lead the unit and regain their respect'' was Burnock''s idea. As usual, this worked out better for Burnock than it did for Shifty. The until was a loose collection of members of the extended Shadowforge Clan along with miners who worked for the clan, and anyone who liked free beer on Thursday nights. It wasn''t a military organization by any means, no matter what the hell Burnock thought. Sure, they could march around, wear the clan colors, and cheer for him when he made speeches. But no one had ever said they had to form up for a real battle.


    Burnock knew that, so like he usually did, he tossed Shifty a few coins and a shitty job. They weren''t soldiers and he wasn''t a corporal. There was no way people were going to forget that he''d been caught thieving. The only member of the clan that still talked politely to him was Burnock, and for good reason. Shifty had been working directly for Burnock the night he got caught. Stealing some ingots and coins had been a little extra bit of thieving on the side. What his cousin had wanted was information on recently filed mining claims by other members of the clan. So when he was caught, he owned up to the theft of valuables but kept silent about his real mission. It would have torn the clan asunder. To repay his silence, Burnock made sure Shifty had some coins in his pocket, and something to do now and then to earn more. Which, come to think of it, had led him into more trouble.


    He''d always been restless and bored. That had led him to make more bad decisions. Many of those bad decisions had been suggested by Burnock. It didn''t seem quite fair, him at the bottom and clanless, while his cousin was high in the clan structure moving higher. He shrugged. Life sucked and then they told you to go be a corporal.


    Some of the miners turned at the sound of people moving down the long stairway from the guild hall. First came several miners and warriors, all from Clan Shadowforge, and all carrying large boxes. Next came a scribe, and then a dwarf in a set of fancy armor, enameled in the colors of the clan.


    The armor had been on display for hundreds of years in the clan halls. Burnock had secretly been having work done to have it fitted to him, and the chipped enamel repaired. He''d planned to wear it when his father finally stepped down and he could assume official leadership of the clan. If the old bastard had had any decency, that would have happened by now.


    The armor would still get used. If you had to go fight some huge monstrosity, doing it in a set of enchanted Dark Steel plate armor was a lot better than just a pick and a miner''s helmet. Who knows? Maybe they could even win! Visions of a mighty battle filled his head, and he saw himself striking the final blow and gaining the lion''s share of the loot. That was how this should turn out.


    Corporal Shifty saluted. "Captain Burnock, the troops are ready to move out, sir." As if to dispute that claim, several of the dwarves drank deeply and burped.


    "Not just yet they aren''t. Don''t let it be said that the newly reformed Shadowforge Rangers went into battle without the clan''s support. Everyone, get over here and grab a new pick. If we live you can keep them. If not, well, hopefully, there''s someone around to bury them with us."


    Burnock had spent every copper he could lay his hands on buying up the hardened Dark Iron gears and Dark Steel cables that the suspicious human, Milo, had been bringing in. But none of the clan smiths gained any clues about the lost hardening process from examining and working with the metal, which had been a disappointment. The metal didn¡¯t just sit in storage though. When the Stone Lurkers had started crawling out of the tunnels in larger and larger numbers, he''d had every scrap of metal reforged into pick heads.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    There were murmurs from the miners as they picked up the new weapons. A few tested them out on rocky out-croppings or walls, astonished at how easily the new picks cut into the stone. Several whistled as they realized the metal they were made of and the value of the items they were being given. Many gave nods of respect to Burnock. All of them stood a bit straighter. A few even said a few words to their new corporal in apology.


    Burnock and the other members of his clan also took up new weapons. The warriors sported Dark Steel shields and had a couple of extras they gave to the older miners. And there were scattered bits of armor, both old and new, to be passed out. An hour after he had arrived, Burnock looked at the unit of fifty miners. They actually looked like a group of warriors. Now they just had to prove that to the lurkers.


    Burnock stood on a low rock and waited for everyone to have a chance to get one of the new weapons. It also gave time for everyone to get a good look at his armor. Dwarven society put great value in well-made armor and finely forged weapons. They were a sign of wealth and power. Most of the human and halfling miners had the same attitude.


    At a signal from Shifty, the clan warriors beat their shields slowly to gain everyone''s attention. Burnock waited until the right moment and started his speech. "You all know me; I grew up in these mines. And maybe I haven''t been around much lately as my father had me take on more and more clan business. But I''m here now, and I brought friends to fight with you, and weapons to help you deal with these monsters. It''s going to be a rough fight and I know that some of us won''t make it back. But by our ancestors, we''ll send ten times as many of the beasties to their rocky graves!"


    Rather than a rousing cheer, there was only mild applause and a few shouts. Most of the crowd was turned around and looking at something, and the sound of voices many voices could be heard, as a large group of miners appeared out of the darkness.


    "As I was saying, some of us might not make it back. But I want you all to remember the time..."


    In the front of a small crowd was a human, flanked by two dwarves. The dwarves stood out because they were wearing ancient armor not seen in generations outside of a few pictures and schematics. The human was notable because some of them had fought with him against Stone Lurkers before.


    One of the miners yelled. "Hey, is that Milo? Damn, we might have a chance."


    Burnock raised his voice. "Remember the time that you followed Clan Shadowforge into battle..."


    Most of the crowd was moving towards Milo and the two mysterious dwarves.


    A younger dwarf ran up to Burnock. "Captain Burnock sir, I found the group with Darnfeld Stone Forger. They killed a bunch of them, sir! Dozens from what they are saying. They cleared out all the Lurkers roaming that section. And they have Engineers with them! Real Deep Rock Engineers! I watched them kill a couple of the lurkers, they hit so hard that the lurkers just shattered, like hitting sandstone. They¡¯re going to deal with the Brood mother."


    A cheer went up from anyone in earshot at the young dwarf''s words. The youth¡¯s excitement swayed any of the miners still clustered around Burnock, who started to jog over to get a look at the Engineers. Hell, even Shifty was over there, gawking at them.


    Burnock tried to keep a smile on his face. "You don''t say? So, Miner Milo mysteriously disappears and shows back up with some supposed legends? How convenient."


    Immune to sarcasm as only some youths can be, the beardling nodded enthusiastically. "Just in the nick of time sir, like all the legends say Engineers will do. Oh, and it''s not ''Miner Milo'' anymore. It''s ''Senior Engineer Milo'', he has a Dark Steel Spanner on his belt! With Gold Trim!"


    At the mention of Senior Engineer Milo¡¯s name, the young dwarf suddenly remembered another part of his mission. "Oh, shoot...sorry sir, got to run uptop really quick."


    Burnock grabbed him by the arm. "Hold up. Why are you going uptop?"


    The youth puffed out his chest with pride. "Senior Engineer Milo has a mission for me, sir. I need to go get some cheese for him. He''s hungry after killing all those Lurkers! " And with that, the young dwarf was off and running up the stairs.


    Burnock looked to where the crowd was gathering around Milo, Throttlecog, and Two-Screws. Proof that crowds were fickle. One minute they loved you, and the next they were cheering for some damned upstart and a couple of greybeards in fancy armor. He wandered over to greet the newcomers and see what he could salvage out of the situation.

 Volume 2 Epilogue

    Epilogue 1: The Path Down


    Many players had investigated the rough tunnel that the world boss had dug up through the rocks in her ascent to the surface. The thought of finding a stash of loot in her lair had lured many to explore. The way was treacherous, descending steeply through loose rock that tumbled more than one player to their death. And most of the path was dark. Not the normal dark of the caverns with their glowing lichen and mushrooms, but the pitch black of a closed room. More than one group went too far and found themselves running low on lantern oil and torches. Going down was easy, going up was difficult and slow, especially in pitch darkness.


    Side tunnels were found, and explored, adding more danger as most lead to areas patrolled by predators. Small stone lurkers were everywhere, along with giant carnivorous moles, poisonous mushrooms, and spiders of all types. It was the spiders that claimed the lives of more adventurers than anything else. One of the Arachnid Empires was expanding and sending out scouts. The reports back were encouraging, humans being a tasty treat that wasn''t usually found in the depths. Plans were made to form a small colony in the area to harvest humans, but the discovery of a Ratkin Hollow was cause for concern. None of the eight-legged Princesses wanted a war with the rats just yet. More scouts were sent out, and the path from the surface was watched carefully.


    Epilogue 2: Milo''s Character Sheet at the end of Volume 2.


    <u>Stats:</u>


    STR: 8


    DEX: 19


    AGI: 21


    CON: 11


    INT: 25 (+2 Runeboned Cowl)


    WIS: 15


    CHA: 0


    PER: 20


    TOU: 8


    <u>Vitals:</u>


    Health: 1900


    (100+100 per level=900, STR bonus=+120, CON bonus=+330, TOU bonus=+400, Extra Health 2:+150)


    Stamina: 1855


    (100+100 per level=900, STR Bonus=+240,CON bonus=+165, Were-rat bonus +500, Increased Stamina 1: +50)


    Mana: 3050


    (200+200 per Level=1800, WIS+INT Bonus =+1200, Increased Mana: +50)


    <u>Racial Skills:</u>


    Spine of Volax-Repat (Tail Fighting) (DEX) Rank 6


    Claws of Alta-Viator (Claw Fighting) (DEX) Rank 6


    <u>Primary Skills:


    </u>Magi-Tech for Beginners (INT) Rank 2


    Deep Rock Dwarven Engineering (INT) Rank 7<u>


    </u>Bone Casting (INT) Rank 7


    Manipulate Bone (INT) Rank 7<u>


    </u>Stealthy Skulking (WIS) Rank 5


    Climbing (AGI) ) Rank 6


    Dodge AGI) Rank 6


    Acrobatics (AGI) Rank 6


    Small Blades (DEX) Rank 5


    Sense Danger (PER) Rank 6


    Identify (PER) Rank 7


    Weak Poison Resist (Con) Rank 5


    Weak Disease Resist (Con) ) Rank 5


    Basic Fire Resistance (CON) Rank 0.


    Mycology (WIS) Rank 5


    <u>Secondary Skills:


    </u>Throw Sharp Things (DEX) Rank 5


    Fleet of Foot (AGI) Rank 3


    Manipulate Locks and Traps (DEX) Rank 6


    <u>Gathering Skills:</u>


    Mining (STR) Rank 5


    Foraging (PER) Rank 5


    Skinning (DEX) Rank 0


    <u>Crafting Skills:</u>


    Hydraulics (INT) Rank 5


    Ore Processing (INT) Rank 5


    Chemistry (INT) Rank 7


    Physics (INT) Rank 7


    Pulley Systems (INT) Rank 7


    Metallurgy (INT) Rank 5


    Tool Making (INT) Rank 5


    Mechanic (INT) Rank 7


    Trap Making (INT) Rank 7


    Bone Carving (DEX) ) Rank 5


    Rune Carving (DEX) ) Rank 5


    Smithing (STR) ) Rank 5


    <u>Lore Skills</u>:


    Ancient Runic Lore (INT) Rank 6


    System Runic Lore (INT) Rank 6


    Dwarven Engineering Rune Lore (INT) Rank 6


    Enhancements:


    Increased Health 2: (+150 Health)


    Increased Mana 1: (+50 Mana)


    Increased Stamina: 1 (+50 Stamina)


    Guardian Pet 1:


    Smugglers Stash 3: Storage Skill. Summons/Dispels a magical chest. Size increases with rank. Currently 27 cubic feet.


    Invisible Tail: Even in bright light, everyone thinks you are a boring human. Stay away from mages who can see through illusions. And guards with high perception. And dogs!


    Jumping Jack 2: You may leap three times as far as normal.


    Slashing Tail 2: Your tail does increased damage and can slash at your foes like a whip. Damage is increased by +30


    Strong Claws 2: Increased Claw Damage by +30.


    Weak Poison Resistance: Gain the Primary CON skill: Weak Poison Resistance.


    Weak Disease Resistance: Gain the Primary CON skill: Weak Disease Resistance


    Pretty Good Regeneration: Grants increased (x4), health recovery. Slowly regenerate scar tissue and missing body parts. A steady diet of cheese speeds up the process.


    Breathless 2: You may hold your breath for 10x as long. (10 minutes.)


    Abundance 3: Your gathering skills return +50% more resources than normally expected.


    Skilled Provider 1: Your gathering skills have a significantly increased chance of finding better quality items and even rare items.


    Fiendish Traps 2: Your traps and machinery almost always work, and in fiendish ways no one (sometimes even you!) suspected. Everyone gets a surprise. This core skill affects Mechanics, Trap-Maker, and other such skills.


    Never Lost: You gain a better memory of the routes you take, giving you maps to track where you have been.


    Unlimited Dark Vision: You see in Darkness and Magical Darkness as if it were a cloudy day but in shades of gray.


    Perks


    Acrobatics: You are skilled at tumbling, walking a tightrope, or swinging from a trapeze. If you have an evasive defense skill, such as dodge, it gains a 20% bonus.


    Alert: Others might pause at the start of trouble, but not you. A spell or weapon is immediately at hand and you will act before your enemies unless they have a similar skill or somehow surprised you.


    Fast Casting: When you cast an attack spell at a single target, you may immediately repeat the spell for twice the mana.


    Counter Attack: You recognize when someone else is about to cast a spell. Hand motions, shouting magic words, the smell of ozone, and that stupid smirk on their face give it away. You may counter their spell with an attack of your own. After all, it''s hard to cast a spell if someone just cut off your fingers or put a knife in your throat. If you did not use Fast Casting immediately before this attack, you may also cast a single spell instead of attacking. If you do damage, their spell is disrupted.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Juggling: You are adept at juggling items in the air. You may also catch items thrown at you, and return them to their owner. You are also skilled at Sleight of Hand and gain small bonuses for skills such as Pickpocket, or Gambling.


    You have a +20% chance to hit with physical ranged attacks.


    Fast Hands, Faster Brain!: Any task that involves assembly, disassembly, sorting, or manipulating multiple objects is trivial for you. You don''t have to think which part goes where you just know!


    Uncanny Dodge: Any avoidance skill that you use to dodge incoming damage from a source you are aware of will gain a +20% increase in your chance to dodge. You must know the direction the damage is coming from.


    Trifecta! Raising two stats to 10 is difficult, but raising three is simply amazing!


    This Perk adds +50 to Health, Mana, and Stamina.


    Quadratic!


    For raising 4 stats to 10 or higher, you receive a special benefit:


    Extra Rib of Magna-Stultas: +100 Mana Per Tier


    Blessing of the Oracle of Oblivion: (+100 Mana per Level)


    Blessing of Regulus Tyborian: While bound to the Bone-Runed Cowl you gain +2 Int.


    Speed-Runed Skin: For the cost of 100 stamina, you increase your swimming speed to twice that of your land speed. Duration 30 minutes, you leave the water, or you lose your skin.


    Hard-Runed Bones: Your bones are hard. Falls and blunt trauma do far less damage to you. 50% of force damage, and blunt weapon damage is mitigated. Mana will power the rune, costing you one mana for each 10-damage negated.


    Sharp-Runed Talons: Your Talons are extensions of your bones. Use your sharp talons to hunt the eels wherever they are. Claw attacks will do +20 damage per Tier.


    Stone Sense: Even in complete darkness you can feel the shape of natural stone and earth to a distance of 50'' and up to 10'' past the surface of the stone. This allows movement through caves and similar terrain even in complete darkness at a normal pace.


    You know when creatures move around you if they are treading on stone or packed earth by the vibrations they make. Some stealth abilities may partially negate this, as will a very light tread.


    Enhanced Sense of Smell: Not as good as your lizard, but a lot better than a human.


    The Power of Cheese!: (Variable)


    Magical Items:


    Rune Boned Cowl


    +2 INT, Grants the ability to use Bonecasting Spells. Soulbound Item.


    Shadow Blight (Legendary Ratkin Spikeystick)


    This ancient spikeystick has been used by generations of ratkin champions to slay their foes and instill fear in their enemies. The carvings on the bone spikes will weaken your foes, robbing their attacks of damage as Shadowblight curses them.


    Foes will do -10 damage against you with melee weapons for each wound that you inflict upon them. The weakness stacks and will last for one minute. As they weaken, your strikes find the weak points in their armor. For each curse applied, your foes armor will be decreased by 10, increasing your damage.


    Base chance to hit: 40% +5xDex%+5%x Small Blades


    Base damage: 40 + 5xDex + Rank in Small Blades x5


    Slay more foes to reveal more of Shadowblight''s powers.


    Soul-bound Black Pick of Skulking


    This sturdy pick is made of Tier 4 materials and will cut through lesser materials with ease. When mining, the normal sound of a tool hitting rocks is decreased by 75% and the sound dies out entirely after 50 feet.


    Eveldeeves Spiked Collar of Pain-Gifting


    This fashionable collar was created by the Dark Elf Fashionista Eveldeeves and worn by her champion during Murderfest VI. 25% of the damage done to the wearer is gifted back to the striker. Very fashionable and often sold in matching sets to loving couples.


    Ring of the Swiss Army.


    Made by the Archmagi Elsener and given to each member of the mage corps of Swissleland. This ring can cast the following spells without the need for mana. Each spell may be cast 1 time each day.


    Darn Socks (2 pairs)


    Water Breathing (self, 1 Hour)


    Summon Nut Cracker (Lasts until no more nuts present in 10''.)


    Protection from biting and stinging insects (Keeps them at bay for 1 hour.)


    Heat Fondue (Creates a small flame that will heat oil or other things in a fondue pot. Duration 4 hours.)


    Sharpen Tool. (4 sharpening per day.)


    Karl''s Handy Tent Helper (Sets up a large tent or packs it up. Usable twice a day.)


    Summon Guard Lizard (Bring a Guard Lizard from the Feenokioki swamp to guard your camp for 8 hours.)


    Deflect Minor Blame (Something bad happened, can''t be your fault, must be someone else! ).


    Dog Bite Fixer (Takes the edge off of nasty hangovers.)


    Summon Wine (1 Quart, quality varies.)


    Spells:


    Harpoon of the Winds.


    By carving a Rune of Destruction, and a Rune of Velocity into a small bone harpoon, you create a powerful ranged weapon.


    Base damage of 200.


    +60 Damage for INT above 10


    Modifier: +30% damage for Skill: Ancient Runes (6)


    Total Base Damage: 338


    Exploding Skull: Charge a skull with your mana and hurl it at your enemies, damaging anyone within 20 feet of its impact point. Cost: 50 mana. If a prepared rune-carved skull is used, the normal damage of 50 is increased to 75 points and the area to 30 feet in radius.


    Mend Bones: A healing spell that affects only bones. Heal fractures and breaks. Particularly bad breaks will need additional mana. Normal Cost: 50 mana per bone.


    The Curse of Brittle Bones: Your enemy''s bones break easily, and attacks with a physical impact will do additional damage. The curse has a cost of 100 mana, a duration of one hour, and a range of 20 ft.


    Extra-Rib: Gain power by adding a rib bone from a sentient, spell-casting race to your ribcage. Effects will vary.

 Chapter 101: Limburger Hollow

    "What a pathetic bunch of limp-tails? What whelp master let you leave the nest so young and with such poor training? Was he tired of your mewling and complaining? I''ve never seen such a poor group of new students. Drop and give me fifty push-ups! And if they aren''t good, I''ll be chopping off some tails to lighten the load."


    Gilad Tail-Master stalked off and allowed himself a sip of water. He was a large and warlike ratkin just starting to go grey. No one who saw him move would ever think of him as old, but he felt it in his bones some mornings. It was a long time since he had trained troops for the wars against the spiders. He had to remember that. These young whelps had no idea of those times. And too many of the new ones acted like this was only some game. They would learn!


    "They that bad, boss?" The speaker was younger than Gilad, but much larger, wearing heavy armor and a helmet. A large polearm leaned against the bench he was sitting on.


    Gilad lowered his voice. "Yes and no. Every recruit I have trained has started this way. They have no training and not enough exercise. I''ll get them straightened out and teach them the basics of claw and tail. They will be able to defend the Hollow in an emergency. But we have too few trained fighters for guard duty, as you well know! I have seen you and Brutus working far too many shifts."


    Justin just nodded, it was certainly the truth.


    Gilad looked at his class of new students, swelled large with all the wild ratkin coming to the Hollow recently. "The problem is the new ones. The whelps that just show up out of nowhere with weird names and bad attitudes. Where the hell are they all coming from? There can''t be that many nests out in the wild, could there? I think some will work out. A few are born killers that can''t wait to go out and fight. But the questions they ask? It''s insane! ''What good is tail-fighting if I have two swords already?'' A lot of inbreeding in those nests, that''s what I think."


    Justin nodded. He''d noticed that too. "I''m worried about the ones that get some money from doing extra work and helping out. It''s great to have the help, but most of them are spending every last cent on cheese. It''s like no one taught them discipline. We may be looking at an entire generation of Cheese-Fiends. I thought Larry was bad, but can you imagine several Larrys?" He shuddered


    Gilad smiled evilly. "In that case, I know a few lizard and spider colonies that are getting pretty large and moving too close to our caverns. I wonder how they''d like to have a full front line of Cheese-Fiends tear into them?"


    Justin blanched. "Please tell me you are joking?"


    Gilad let himself enjoy the thought for a few more seconds. "Of course, I am. Berserkers are bad for everyone. If we allow even one of these children to become a fiend, then we have failed as a Hollow. They must learn to master their addictions." He looked over to where a half-dozen recruits were dutifully doing pushups, and another half-dozen were lying on the ground, breathing hard and complaining. "Still...maybe I could use Larry as a sparring partner for some of them later. What do you think? Six of the new students vs. Larry? Twelve?"


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Justin stood and grabbed his polearm. "I''m on shift in five minutes, but if you decide to do it, I''ll put 10 shinies on Larry, and I don''t care about the odds."


    Gilad stroked his chin. "Yes, getting someone to bet against Larry will be the tough part. And Gendivere would be very cross with me filling up her infirmary with all of my students."


    Justin marched away to his post at the entrance of the village, and Gilad went over to ''encourage'' the slackers to finish their exercises. His attention was momentarily taken by the tall tower that rose to the ceiling of the cave, as it spat forth thunderous bolts of lightning across the cavern, shaking the whole village. Another day, and another fight between Arlothe and his wife. At least many of the newer students had at least a small talent for magic. New students would keep those two busy.


    A breeze brought him the delicious smell of fried mushrooms and crumbly bleu cheese. The chef must be cooking up something tasty. The only thing that kept Justin from walking into the building for a snack was the knowledge that being on time for guard duty would get him a free meal later in the day. The voice of his old trainer came to him. "Master the cheese or the cheese will master you." One had only to look at Larry sitting on a rock in front of the building, his mutated body quivering and his nose constantly sniffing the air. Larry served the village in two ways: Firstly, he was a sad example of what happened to cheese addicts. Secondly, he was six hundred pounds of unbridled murder machine when someone threatened the village. All it took was one piece of cheddar for Larry, and a second tossed at the enemy. Larry saved a lot of lives that would otherwise be lost fighting intruders. He deserved to be more than that, but Justin didn''t know how to make that happen.


    Brutus was at his post when Justin arrived. They guarded the entrance to the Hollow. The small cave that served as their guard post had only two entrances. One led to the Hollow, and one to the warren of caves beyond, and the massive tunnel that a wandering world-boss had dug. They''d had a lot of trouble lately from that. Cave-Mantis were multiplying again, slimes kept showing up on their doorstep heading for the smell of food coming from the Hollow, and worst of all: Humans were coming in groups to ''check things out''. Some were content to play by the rules and prove they could behave, but others became rude and aggressive. They''d beat off attacks by several groups so far and sent more than three dozen off on quests to prove their worthiness and loyalty. Only a couple had come back so far and gained entrance to the Hollow.


    Brutus was about to head up-tunnel and get his dinner when he paused and stared at the darkness. "Oh, look there! We have a sneaky one skulking along the outside wall."


    It took a few seconds for Justin to spot him. The newcomer had some mildly good stealth skills. "He''s got more than skulking going on, I bet if my perception was a bit lower, I couldn''t even see him. I bet he''s used to walking right past people. Hey, I''ve got an idea. Let''s pretend we don''t see him at all until he gets here!"


    Brutus straightened up and went to attention, staring straight ahead. "Oh, I love playing surprise¡±.

 Chapter 102: Surprise!

    The deeper he explored into the caves beneath Shadowport, the more Milo relaxed. He wondered how his second life had gotten so hectic. After some thought, he decided to blame the eels. They always seemed to be up to something. First, it was the Copperheads and their Queen. After that had been the Slaver Mage and his hissing pet. Finally, as he finally had a chance to relax, the Sea Hydra attacked the town. He''d like to avoid eels for the rest of his life, they were too much trouble. At least he got double experience and enhancement points from killing them.


    But there were better ways to earn enhancement points and gain levels. He needed to carefully explore deeper and find a nice place in the caves where he could explore, mine, and hunt the smaller, named bosses as he had fought in the beginning. He''d begun by leaving Harry''s mushroom farms and climbing back up to the mines under Shadowport. From there, he had easily found the path that the Word Boss had carved as she tunneled up from below.


    According to the announcement from the game, and rumors around town, following the tunnel downward would bring him close to the town of ratkin that had been discovered. New players could enter the game there if they chose ratkin as their race. He found that interesting, and wondered how many would do that.


    Hopefully, the town was far down the tunnel. It might make a convenient place to buy food or sell ores as he explored deeper. He could take a quick look around, and if the town seemed fun, maybe he would stay for a bit and do some quests. The online forums said that beginner towns always had a lot of quests, mostly low-key jobs that helped you explore a starting area. If it was like the starting areas in many games, there would be three or four quest givers, a newbie hunting zone, and some trainers. Milo enjoyed finishing jobs and fixing things. It was why he was always busy in Section E. Not having something to do made him very twitchy. If the Hollow had no jobs for him to do, he''d leave and go mining. But he was curious to see if anyone besides himself was running a character with a tail and a love for cheese.


    Cheese was a big reason for visiting. The cheese selection in Shadowport was quite poor right now, but hopefully, the Hollow would have some for sale. What varieties did they make that he hadn¡¯t tasted yet? The halfling clan wasn¡¯t going to be selling cheese anytime soon, and too much was going on in the town. He wanted to avoid the fight brewing between the Dwarven Engineers and the Scavenger Clan from the ship. He needed something quieter.


    The way was obvious. The World Boss had left an easy trail to follow in the mines, and that led him to a steep rocky path leading downward. It was fairly treacherous, with loose rock and dirt. Uthneragrubban had been a massive creature who could shatter rock and force her way to the surface. Her path wasn''t easy to follow in the dim light of a few glowing mushrooms or lichen. While Milo could see fine, new players were going to have a tough time getting to Shadowport unless they picked up some climbing skills. Not his problem, and might even be for the best. New ratkin players would have a hard time in the town if they didn''t have the disguise skills of a wererat. Which made Milo wonder how ratkin would react to him. Would they hold his part-human heritage against him? That might be something to hide among ratkin as much as he hid his ratkin heritage from humans.


    After descending nearly a mile and traveling several more horizontally, he stopped and took a break. There were many caverns, large and small, that Uthneragrubban had cut through on her way to the surface. He avoided any that had signs of being inhabited, wanting to avoid fights for now. He selected a small cave that was only accessible by climbing fifteen feet up the wall. It was big enough to set up camp and rest while he roasted the last of his steamed eel over a fire.


    Cooking may have been a mistake, as something else that liked steamed eel, or perhaps raw ratkin, decided to come calling. A rumbling in the earth alerted him to the new threat and he barely managed to leap and grab hold of the ceiling before his fire and his snack disappeared down the throat of something that looked like a gigantic earthworm. It didn''t like eating his firepit and thrashed back and forth until the remains of the hot coals were dislodged from its mouth before turning its attention to the other morsel it sensed above it.


    Milo saw the worm retreat, compressing itself into the tunnel leaped free as it lunged at him, its body extending out of the hole and its maw covered the entire stalactite he''d been holding onto. The worm must have thought it caught its prey as it struggled to pull the hunk of rock into its gullet. Milo was dropping next to it as he fell and scraped deep with all four sets of claws leaving a score of deep cuts in its pulpy, purple flesh.


    The worm went crazy, dropping from the ceiling and more of it came into the cave from its hole. Milo wasn''t looking forward to fighting it here in the close confines of the cave and gave it something else to think about, namely an exploding rune-covered skull in its open mouth. The skull exploded, blowing up the worm''s head and splattering Milo with purple blood. Rather than die, the worm seemed confused. It started quivering, and the part below separated from the part in the cave, retreating deeper into the earth. The top half began thrashing and it was all Milo could do to reach the cave entrance and wait for it to die. He spent the next ten minutes cleaning worm gunk off of his body debating his next move. Finally, the portion up top died, and he recovered his pack from inside the cave, a little worse for wear and covered in purple worm fluids.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    [Congratulations on your Victory.


    Technically, you only killed half of it, but I''ll give you half the reward. Go kill the other have if you want the experience points.


    For killing half of Whorlewiggle, the Purple Predator, you have earned 10 Enhancement Points.]


    Feeling better after a short nap and a snack, he continued to follow the newly dug cave downward. After another two hours of travel, the long passage clipped the edge of a large cave. The path was fairly level here and then plunged deeper on the far side of the cavern, going over a steep cliff. Milo could see the claw marks that showed Uthneragrubban had climbed up from the depths below. Off to his left was a dark passage that led slightly upward. Smells were coming from it: the tang of ozone, baking bread, and cheese! This had to be the way!


    The tunnel showed signs of recent use and the tracks of both clawed feet and heavy boots. After a few hundred feet it ended in another cavern. Milo slowly skulked into it. The high ceiling had a large colony of bats hanging from it, and a few flew in slow circles around the cavern. The cavern was dark, but he saw light coming from another passage directly across from him on the far side. He could just make out two hulking guards, both twice as tall as he was, and much heavier. They were standing to either side of a roughly fifteen-foot high tunnel that must lead to the Hollow. He moved carefully around the outer perimeter of the cave, stopping often. The guards mumbled something now and then but mostly stayed silent. As he got closer, he could make out their handsome, rat-like faces and their strong tails. Each was well over nearly seven feet tall, heavily armored, and holding a huge polearm.


    Milo looked at his options. He could just walk up and ask to enter. That might or might not work. The stern looks on their faces showed they wouldn''t be someone to argue with. Running by was out of the question. He could just move near them and try to tip-toe by? Or should he use the ceiling? He liked the idea of sneaking into the Hollow and not having to talk to anyone.


    He decided on the ceiling. He could ascend here, and move along it slowly using his claws. The ceiling got lower as it neared the tunnel, but was still over twenty feet high. The guards were used to staring at the other entrance. They probably never looked up. He just had to be careful not to disturb the bats. Carefully, moving one foot or hand at a time, he crawled like a shadow on the top of the cave. The guards were totally oblivious to him.


    "Hey, Justin, look at that bat" One of the guards pointed to his left. Milo suppressed the urge to turn his head.


    "My, you¡¯re right Brutus, that certainly is a large bat, you rarely see them that size. They''ve been getting bigger this season. Your idea to put out food for them was genius! Those big ones will make some tasty bat tacos." Milo stayed frozen, not moving as the two guards discussed the large bat, the recipes their grandmothers used to cook bat, and whether bat stew was better than bat tacos. Batacos won. Who didn''t like batacos?


    After another five minutes of hanging from the ceiling, he started moving again. The guards began discussing the best route down to pick mushrooms, one drawing a map in the dust, and the other arguing with him and placing pebbles to denote the route he liked. Milo just kept moving. Another ten feet and he''d be in the tunnel, and past them.


    "Surprise! Welcome to the Hollow!"


    "Happy Bataco Day!"


    Both guards yelled at the top of their lungs and beat their gauntlets on their metal breastplates. Milo lost his grip, flipped over, and fell to the floor running, completely panicked. The guards pounded their feet on the ground like they were running after him, and laughed hysterically. "Oh boy, I love playing Surprise!"


    Milo ran on, trying to get his adrenaline under control. He shot out of the end of the tunnel into a huge cavern. It was well-lit, profuse with greenery, and many buildings. He was so surprised that he missed the furtive tail that tripped him. He rolled and slid twenty feet, finally coming to a dusty stop in front of two muscular legs and a swishing tail. A hand helped him to his feet.


    "What was I just saying about wishing you whelps could show a bit more excitement about my class? And what should happen, but someone comes running in, very excited to be my first volunteer. What''s your name, young man?"


    Milo looked up at the tall ratkin in front of him. He was an impressive specimen of muscle and carefully groomed whiskers, just starting to turn grey. The older ratkin waited a few seconds and then asked him again, this time with force in his words.


    "I asked you for your name, newbie. Spit it out."


    "Name? Right, I have a name. I''m Tallsqueak." The older ratkin smiled, but it didn''t reach his eyes.


    "Well, Tallsqueak, welcome to Limburger Hollow. I''m sure that after your journey, you are anxious to get started with your lessons. Why don''t you toss your extra gear off to the side, and show me your best tail-fighting stance? Nothing fancy, I want to see how well you know the basics and then we''ll go a few rounds."


    From behind him, Milo heard a loud whisper. "Tail-Master is going to tear this guy apart. He hates interruptions."

 Chapter 103: Tail-Fighting 101

    Milo collected himself and stood up. The older ratkin had said that they would ''go a few rounds''. Did that mean a fight? But his stance was neutral and non-threatening. What did they expect him to do? It felt like part of the first tutorial that he had skipped. Looking around he saw that he was in a small dirt-sided arena and he had rolled down one of the sides into the middle. A couple dozen or so ratkin stood or sat around the sides. Some were standing at attention, while others were joking and talking to each other. Based on names and their gear, or lack of it, Milo guessed that some of them were new players.


    He tossed his pack to the side and put his spanner and pick on top of the pack. Noticing that the older ratkin wasn''t equipped with weapons he took off his belt with his daggers and left them there as well, along with his Spikey stick. Considerably lighter, he stepped back into the ring.


    "It is nice to meet you, Tallsqueak. My name is Tail-Master Gilad. I instruct young warriors in the ancient fighting techniques of our people. I always need someone to help me demonstrate techniques, and today that will be you, since you were anxious to get into my ring. Please take your stance and we will begin."


    Milo had questions. "Are we fighting? For real? Or is this just a ''pissing contest''?"


    Milo had never really seen a pissing contest, but that had been Butch''s term for the little challenges all the gang liked to engage in. No one ever got hurt beyond a few bruises. After Milo beat three people in challenges, and after that, people quit trying to fight with him. Butch had laughed at him. "It''s like you have an on/off switch. When you fight it''s for real. Try to develop a slider instead, it lets you tone things down a notch."


    Master Gilad sighed. The new ones always tested him, one way or another. "No, Tallsqueak, we aren''t fighting for real. If we were, I''d be obligated to rip your head off and give you so many bruises you''d be limping sideways for a month. This is called ''sparring''. No special abilities or magic should be used. You should focus on dodging and using your tail. I''m not going to try to hurt you, but you should try and hurt me. Can you do that for me Tallsqueak?"


    Milo nodded yes.


    Gilad smiled. "I''m so happy we understand each other. Now get into your fighting stance and we''ll start."


    Milo wasn''t sure what a fighting stance was, so he simply stood there. Gilad sighed, took a step forward and his tail slashed across Milo''s ankles. Or would have if Milo hadn''t hopped upwards enough to dodge. He tried to hit the Tail-Master but his own tail slid through the air, and the older ratkin was suddenly next to him. Milo felt a heavy tail hit him in the head, knocking him down.


    Tail-Master turned and walked away. "If you are too injured to continue, leave the ring." His ears didn''t hear the sound of Tallsqueak walking dejectedly out of the ring. Instead, he heard several students make soft exclamations or suck in their breath. He dropped flat on the ground as Tallsqueaks tail went through the spot his head had been. Tailmaster spun to his back and flipped forward.


    He''d expected the brave little youngling to follow up with that attack. If they were foolhardy to try a sneak attack, they would try to rush their follow-up attack and put themselves off balance. But instead, Tallsqueak had backed off, putting distance between the two of them.


    Tailmaster yelled at him. "Attacking from behind, are we?"


    Tallsqueak looked puzzled. "You didn''t say the fight was over. Was it?"


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Tail-Master''s tone was gruff, but his eyes were bright. "Oh no, this fight is a long way from over."


    "Oh, good." Milo was glad he hadn''t made a mistake.


    The two engaged again, and again Tallsqueak went down. Tailmaster didn''t turn his back this time. Seeing how this one fought, he thought that the youngling must be some type of rogue. He had a poor fighting stance, but good stealth, and he dodged like he had just eaten a pound of parmesan. Gilad decided this youngling needed further testing.


    The fight went on. Each time the Tail Master dodged Tallsqueak''s attacks, but the young one was learning. He was adjusting his stance, and gaining more balance. Several times he had outright dodged Gilad''s attacks. When he did, Gilad sped up his offense another notch, pushing his opponent to be even faster. Time after time Tallsqueak took heavy blows from his teacher¡¯s tail. Tailmaster expected him to quit each time and go tend to his bruises. But the little whelp just kept coming back for more. He was a stubborn one with a head as hard as rock.


    Three more times they engaged, dodged, and threw tail at each other. Tail-Master had grown accustomed to his opponent''s fighting style, when suddenly it changed. After the second engagement, Tallsqueak charged him, then leaped straight up into the air. Tailmaster was off balance, moving forward, for just a fraction of a second. That was when Tallsqueak¡¯s tail slapped him hard between the eyes, knocking him down. He rolled back up immediately, to dead silence.


    Everyone waited. Tallsqueak wondered if the fight was still going on. He was just starting to get the hang of this game. He mimicked the stance that his opponent was using, keeping his weight balanced and shifting from foot to foot quickly. Move and dodge. Dodge and move. Hit dodge and move. Always moving. He''d taken a chance by leaping up and forward like that. It left him exposed if his opponent was expecting it, but it had worked. Probably just this once. Next time he''d do something else. But was the fight over? Tail-Master was looking at him oddly.


    "Good job, Tallsqueak. I underestimated you. Do you know the reward for a good job?"


    Tallsqueak gulped. He knew. "Another job?"


    Tail-Master nodded. Then he laughed. "Yes, that''s right. You have the honor of assisting me in the early class from now on. I''ve been needing someone to help spar with these whelps. You seem to enjoy fighting and are hard to break." He tossed Milo a wooden coin. "Go give that to the Chef and get settled in. Be back here at 3 bells tomorrow."


    Milo caught the wooden coin, and then looked around, wondering where the Chef was. Tail-Master shook his head, remembering that Tallsqueak had just rolled into town. "Follow Brutus, the big guard. He''ll be making tracks for dinner as fast as he can." The guard in question waved to Tallsqueak and after grabbing his pack and pick, the two walked in the direction of the largest building. Milo looked up at him. "You were at the tunnel! How did you see me?"


    Brutus chuckled. "Don''t take it hard. Guard duty is boring and we stay alert. Guards have to have great perception otherwise sneaky gits like you get past us. That was great the way you came across the ceiling. I was about to piss my pantaloons I was giggling so hard, waiting for you to get to us."


    Milo wasn''t used to people seeing him. "How did you get your perception so high?"


    Brutus visibly winced. "Special guard training. When the Deathmaster sneaks up on us or sends one of his best students, you¡¯d better be alert. When they yell ''Surprise!'', it means there are already a couple of daggers sticking out of your back. Perception goes up really fast when you play with those guys."

 Chapter 104: Dinner with Brutus

    "Wow, I can smell the mushrooms from here! I''m starving. You''ve got to have worked up an appetite with all that skulking and fighting. Nice job by the way. It''s not easy laying a tail on old Gilad. That guy was fighting as a mercenary for decades before he retired to teach combat to the new whelps. My grandpappy said he served under Gilad during the 3rd Spider War, and the Tail-Master was going grey even back then. Pappy always said it was good fighting but lousy food. Never enough cheese to feed the army. Makes sense I guess, since that''s what the war was over. Makes me hungry just thinking about it. I''m going to grab a double bowl of mushrooms with some extra Bleu on top. Good stuff."


    Milo was content to just follow along with the big guard and let him carry on both sides of the conversation. They were nearing a large wooden building and Milo could smell the food himself. The unmistakable smell of fried mushrooms was drifting to his nose, as well as the pungent aroma of moldy cheese. He agreed with Brutus; it was a two-bowl night for sure.


    As they went to step up onto the wide porch of the eating hall, a huge shadow skulked around the corner, sniffing at them. "Bleu? Larry wants some Bleu! Kind Brutus! Handsome Brutus! Have cheese for little Larry?"


    Milo took a step behind Brutus. The guard was huge, but whoever this was, he was bigger. At least seven feet tall, he was equally as wide and shaped like an inverted triangle. Larry had wide shoulders and massively over-muscled arms and hands. His arms were so long that his claws scraped the ground. His chest and tail were equally large, but it tapered to a small waist and smaller legs. Large feet ending in dirty claws seemed too big for the rest of his body.


    Nothing about Larry looked right. His muscles weren''t in the right spots, and one eye was larger than the other. His mouth was filled with oversized fangs that kept him from shutting his mouth fully. A bit of foam leaked from his mouth as he talked.


    Brutus stood firm. "NO! No cheese for Larry! Sorry, little buddy. Larry knows the rules. Larry will wait until the Cheese Master feeds him. Larry follows the rules, or Larry leaves the Hollow!"


    The hulking pile of muscle seemed to deflate a bit. "Larry follows rules. Larry is a good Larry."


    Then he sniffed, and the large eye swiveled over to Milo. "New friend? Tallsqueak be new friends with Larry? Tallsqueak is smart and handsome, and Larry smells cheese bits in Tallsqueak''s pockets."


    Brutus looked at Milo. "Oh shit. You should go on inside. I should have warned you. No one keeps cheese on them if they are anywhere close to Larry. I''ll be in when I have him settled" He used one hand to push Milo towards the doors, and the other hand grabbed Larry by his leather collar as he lunged for Milo.


    "What does it have in its pocketses?!! Larry needs to know!!!"


    Milo pushed open the door and stepped inside, shaking from the encounter. The hall was half filled with ratkin happily enjoying their dinner. Tables were arranged around the outside of the room, with the center taken up by a charcoal fire over which several pots were suspended with frying pans of tasty mushrooms cooking on the edges. Several stone ovens were venting heat and steam into the air. Copper pots, strings of onions, garlic, and herbs hung from the ceiling all over the room along with kettles, cooking pots, and smoked hams. Indeed, the place less resembled a dining hall than it did a massive kitchen with a few tables added as an afterthought.


    The chef was huge, with a large belly, stout legs, and quick hands that darted among his pots and pans adding a bit of salt or herbs or stirring something briefly. His whiskers were glorious, sweeping out from his nose at least a foot and a half to either side. Like his nose, his whiskers were a light blue in color.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    A server came up to Milo. "New in the Hollow? Haven''t seen you before. Let''s get you sat down and some shrooms in front of you. Good stuff tonight, Bleusnout is really happy with his new recipe. I''m Rifkin. My cousin Smiley is the other server. We assist Chef Bleusnout with all the cooking. Just yell if you need something. All one big happy family here."


    Brutus stepped into the room. Behind him, a mournful cry rang out. "No Cheese? No cheese for Larry? No friends for Larry?"


    Rifkin shuddered. "Well, almost everyone is happy. Hey! Brutus, double bowl for you?"


    Brutus grabbed a bench at a table. "You know it, Rif. Grab a couple for my new pal, Tallsqueak, too. Have a seat buddy. Food will be right out. Bleusnout cooks fast, and never keeps anyone waiting."


    Milo grabbed a seat, and indeed, the food was on the table in less than a minute. The meal was a mixture of mushrooms fried in oil with scallions and herbs, topped with a dusting of crumbly bleu cheese. Milo was in heaven.


    Brutus tossed a small coin to Rifkin, who pocketed it. Milo brought out his own coin. Rifkin held it up and examined it before smiling. "Oh Ho! Did you get a coin from Gilad? Very Nice! He''s hard to impress. You''ll work hard for it though. This will get you meals for the next three days. Come in anytime the fire is burning hot, and I''ll be here tossing food on tables." With that, he left the two to their meal.


    Milo devoured his first bowl and was just starting on his second when Brutus finished his second bowl. He patted his stomach and picked his teeth with a sharp claw. "Good food. The Cheese Master always cooks up something good when he harvests a new crop of cheese. As you can tell from his name and his whiskers, he likes the blue, moldy varieties. Oh, and sorry about Larry, but you know how it is."


    Milo shook his head. "No, I really don''t. What''s wrong with him?"


    Brutus was surprised. "You''ve never seen a Cheese Fiend before? Wow, your hollow must have really had things under control if no one gave in to their cravings. I thought we were doing good with just Larry. I''ve heard of some hollows having a dozen or more fiends running around that they have to deal with."


    Milo wasn''t sure what to say, but Brutus seemed friendly, and he needed information. He remembered one of the classes he was offered and was suddenly worried. "I didn''t grow up in a hollow, pretend I''m sort of uneducated and just hit town. What happened to Larry?"


    Brutus seemed taken aback. "Wow, really? So, you haven''t been told the stories or got the training we give to our whelps? You''re lucky then. You could have become another Larry pretty easily. All it takes is ignoring the warnings and eating too much cheese. Hard not to, the shit is so good, and a little can give you a nice edge in combat. Too much though and the addiction gets out of control. Next thing you know, it''s all you care about. Once someone lets their addiction get out of control and keeps eating cheese, it changes them."


    Milo felt a bit ill. "So, is there a point of no return? Or can you get rid of the addiction?"


    Brutus shook his head. "I''m pretty sure you know the answer already. We''re ratkin, we''re born with addiction and we''ll die with it. But we Master the Cheese so the Cheese doesn''t Master us. I saw how you tore into your food. Maybe you like your cheese a bit too much right now? We can help you get that under control. Joining a hollow is the best way to get training."


    Brutus thought for a moment. "But Larry smelled cheese on you. Maybe we should play it safe and you hand that over to me? I''ll keep it safe for you until you finish your classes with Bleusnout."


    Milo thought for a moment, and then reached into his pocket and brought out a pound of cheddar sealed in red wax, with just a small nibble out of the side. The smell of the sharp cheese made a couple of heads turn. His hand was shaking as he went to hand it to Brutus, and part of him was objecting to letting it go. After half a minute, he made his shaking hand drop the cheese into Brutus''s large paw.


    "Good man. You can''t be too far gone if you can still give cheese away. A little hard work to sweat it out of your system and some remedial classes and you''ll have things under control."


    From out on the porch Larry began wailing again. "CHEDDAR! Larry smells cheddar! Larry needs the CHEDDAR!"


    Brutus shook his head sadly. "You''ve had your first lesson already. You met Larry."

 Chapter 105: Cheese Class

    Milo felt a small bit of regret as Brutus tucked away his cheddar into a large pouch, but the sound of Larry begging for cheese was enough to convince him ten times over that this was the right decision. "You mentioned some classes? I think I need those. But I''ve never been in a hollow before, can you give me some advice on what to do or not to do." So far, people had seemed friendly here, but there were friendly people in Shadowport too, along with quite a few bad ones.


    Brutus grinned at his question. "Sure thing! One of a guard''s duties is to help new people fit in. Lots of small nests out in the caves send us their young whelps for some schooling, and lately, we''ve had something called ''players'' show up. They¡¯re like cave whelps but not nearly as well trained. But we''ll get them straightened out. Let''s go introduce you to Master Bleusnout and then I''ll show you around a bit."


    The huge chef was cleaning his pots and pans, scouring the cast iron with sand and then oil, while Rifkin carefully washed the more delicate copper pots. Brutus swaggered up, put his nose up, and took a big sniff of the air. "My, something sure smells good around here."


    Bleusnout snorted. "Tossing out compliments in the hopes of getting the leftovers? I hope you can do better than that next time." From an oven, he pulled out a half loaf of toasted bread, spread butter across the top and sprinkled on garlic and the barest hint of grated parmesan. The loaf was cut in quarters with a slice each going to Rifkin, Smiley, Brutus, and Milo. Milo had never had anything so delicious. If only they made food like this in real life. Bleusnout watched him intently.


    The chef looked Milo up and down. "I''m glad you enjoy my cooking, but maybe you enjoy it just a bit too much? Will I be seeing you in class tomorrow?"


    Milo hesitated but Brutus spoke up. "You sure will. Tallsqueak just came into town today. He already has some of his time claimed by Gilad as a punching bag...sorry, I mean as an ''assistant instructor''. That will take up his time until the 5th bell."


    "With Gilad? Well, you''ll be hungry afterward then, what is left of you. No, I jest. The Tail-Master will work you hard but he rarely breaks bones until he begins teaching regeneration. Come see me at the 5th bell. You can eat and then help Rifkin with some chores before classes at the 6th bell.¡±


    ¡°Make sure he understands the important rules, Brutus. Now go, I have to deal with Larry."


    "No trouble at all sir. C''mon Tallsqueak, let''s show you around a bit."


    The two of them walked out a different door, but Brutus immediately took him to a window where they could look back inside. "I''m getting the feeling your nest didn''t teach you all the basics so let''s go over some rules you''ll have to abide by in the Hollow."


    "The most important rule is: Until Bleusnout gives you a passing grade in his classes don''t even think about eating cheese outside of meals in his mess hall. And only what he gives you. If someone offers you cheese, refuse politely, then tell me, or Justin, or Bleusnout. People who do that aren''t your friends."


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Secondly, if you catch wind of anyone smuggling in cheese from the outside, you let us know. Too much cheese in a Hollow will cause problems. I''m talking about Larry-sized problems. Some people are making a lot of gold bringing in cheese somehow from some other city. Might be humans, spiders, or gnomes. There was even talk that the Myconian Collective was running illicit cheese."


    "Lastly, everyone contributes, or they don''t eat. Gilad paid for your meals for three days. And you can bunk with me and Justin. The guard shack has some extra bunks. After that though, you need to earn points for doing chores or contributing to the Hollow. The basic class on controlling your appetite is free of course. Other classes you''ll have to pay for if you are interested in learning things."


    "So, got all that?"


    Milo nodded. He understood. He also knew he''d already smuggled in four large, twenty-pound wheels of cheddar, and several smaller ones. Did it count as smuggling if it was in another dimension? Probably. The name of the ability seemed to imply exactly that. He decided not to use his Smuggler''s Stash until after his trial period was over. Brutus''s whispered voice brought him out of his thoughts and back to watching the scene unfolding on the other side of the window.


    Three loud bangs shook the building. Bleusnout called out. "Hello, is someone at the door?"


    "Yes, Larry is at the door. Larry wants to come in. Can Larry come in?"


    "Yes, Larry can come into my house today. Wipe your feet and promise to behave." Larry pushed open the door, wiped some of the mud off his feet, and scampered into the room. Bleusnout encouraged him with soft words and got him to sit at a table. Rifkind brought out a plate with large mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes.


    Larry looked at the plate. Larry sniffed the plate. Larry decided he''d rather have cheese and pushed it away from him. "Cheese for Larry?"


    Bleusnout rapped Larry on his sensitive nose. "No! No cheese for Larry. Larry needs to follow the rules. Eat your dinner. No dinner, no cheese!"


    Larry considered and then began stuffing the other food into his mouth and rapidly swallowing it. Bleusnout smiled at Larry, took the plate, and then placed a small sliver of cheese in front of Larry. Larry trembled, but didn''t take it. After ten seconds the Cheese Master nodded to him and Larry put the small bit in his mouth, rubbing his belly and making happy noises. "More cheese for Larry?"


    Bleusnout was firm. "No more. Chores for Larry at two bells. Breakfast for Larry at three bells." Larry got up sadly and walked out of the room, shutting the door.


    Milo was horrified. "How long until he gets better?"


    Brutus shrugged. "No one knows. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn''t. Larry was really young when he took some bad advice and tried to become stronger. He wanted to be a great warrior. He outpaced all the other trainees in his group, but then the cheese took over. He''s strong, but he lost a lot of himself. Now all he enjoys is eating cheese and fighting. Which is tough, since only Gilad, me, or Justin can really fight him and not get hurt. So, when Bleusnout says Larry needs some exercise to help him calm down, either Gilad or I get some extra cuts and bruises."


    "But enough about that, you have any questions? We can do the grand tour, or if you''re tired, we can head to the guard shack. You need to be up early. If you get up at two bells you can grab something quick in the mess hall and then be at Gilad''s arena by the third bell. You want to be on your toes and tail for him."


    Between fighting and learning about the pitfalls of too much cheese, Milo was actually quite tired. He let Brutus show him to the guard shack where he fell into a bunk and immediately went to sleep in the game, his body in the pod already doing the same.

 Chapter 106: Breakfast with Larry

    Milo was having a dream where Justin and Brutus kept appearing out of nowhere and yelling ''Surprise!'' He woke up in his cot in the barracks, muscles tight and tail coiled. Something wasn''t right! From the ceiling, a dark shape dropped towards him, and he rolled aside, coming to his feet. Someone yelled "Surprise!" as they landed on his bed where he had been asleep just a moment before. His pillow tossed feathers into the air as it was stabbed with a small knife.


    Before his attacker could react, Milo''s tail wrapped around their neck, and he brought his spanner down hard on the back of his attacker''s head. Whatever it was quit moving, and slumped onto the cot. He stayed wary, wondering if it was a trick, prepared to give them another lump.


    A lamp was lit, and suddenly Justin was standing next to him, polearm in one hand and lamp in the other. "Oh, just one of those guys. I was worried we had spider problems again. Check to see if he''s still alive. We really aren''t supposed to kill them, but then again, they aren''t supposed to be playing these games with anyone except trained guards. We know how hard to hit back."


    With a start, Milo realized the creature was a small ratkin dressed all in black. He checked their pulse, found they were still alive, and rolled them over. His victim groaned.


    "Oh, good. They''ll be fine after they get patched up and get over that headache you gave them." Justin seemed very unconcerned about both the attack and how Milo had reacted.


    "But who are they? Why did they attack?"


    "Shadowlurker-in-training. The Death Master assigns their targets among the guards and other higher-level people in the hollow. The Shadow gets experience in skulking and their victims get to train their perception. Playing Surprise! is traditional in a lot of hollows. Sometimes the Shadows take some lumps, and sometimes we get a knife in a soft spot. This one must have been trying for some extra credit. Let''s see who it is."


    Justin pulled down the facemask revealing a young, female ratkin with light brown fur and short hair. Justin laughed. "Oooh, you scored a point on Princess Throatslitter. Nice job! She''s out-scoring me four to zero right now. Good to see she isn''t invincible." Justin applied a chunk of moss from his first aid kit to the lump on the back of her skull and wrapped a bandage around the unconscious Shadowlurkers head.


    Knowing how easily Justin had seen him trying to sneak in, Milo felt a chill go down his back at the thought of someone who could surprise the experienced guard so easily. "So, you said I was off limits, right? I won''t have to worry about her?"


    Justin gingerly picked up the small girl. He smiled at Milo and chuckled. "That was before you scored a point on the Death Master''s granddaughter. You scored points and will be on the board. You''re fair game now. She''ll want revenge, and all the little thieves and cutthroats wanting to catch her eye will be after you too! That''s pretty awesome for your first day! Your perception and regeneration are going to get some nice chunks of experience!"


    The big guard''s words were humorous but made Milo even more nervous.


    "I''ll go dump her off with the healer and let Gendifur take care of her. You better get a move on. Grab some chow at the mess hall and then go have fun with Gilad." Justin sauntered off, whistling a happy tune.


    Somewhere a bell rang twice. Milo remembered his new job as an assistant at fight practice. He left the barracks and headed to the mess hall, paying close attention to roofs and shadows. The smell of something delicious was in the air.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Larry was sitting on the porch, looking sad. The few other people who were heading into the mess hall were carefully avoiding him. Larry wasn''t begging today, sitting very still with his arms wrapped around himself and shaking. Milo started to walk by as well but stopped instead. "Good morning, Larry."


    Larry looked up and after a few seconds, his eyes seemed to focus. "Good morning Tallsqueak. How are you? Larry is having a bad day today."


    Milo could see that Larry was rocking back and forth a little bit and trembling. But he seemed more coherent than before. Moving slowly, Milo sat down next to him. He remembered how bad the itchy feeling had gotten right before the fight with the World Boss. He''d eaten a pound of cheese in a minute when Vary delivered it to him. And then eaten more during the fight. That itchy feeling was better now, but he had an idea of why Larry felt so bad. "Does food help? Are you going to get breakfast soon?"


    That perked Larry up. "Yes! Breakfast! It''s honey and groat day. Larry loves honey and groats. Larry will get a big bowl and it will be a better day! Does Tallsqueak like honey and groats? You should go get a bowl. A big bowl!" Larry''s eyes seemed animated now, and he was drooling again.


    Milo stood up. "Thanks, Larry. I''ll go have some. I''ll see you later." Larry nodded and sniffed the air, thinking about his own breakfast.


    The line for food was moving fast. As each person got to the front, one of the servers gave them a large earthenware bowl of something that steamed and smelled spicy and sweet. Milo asked about the food when he got to the front. Rifkin was happy to let him know what it was.


    "An old recipe my Granny passed down to me. Lots of the families have a variation on it, but my Granny makes it the best. She takes groatvine seeds and grinds them fine, then threshes them with a sharp groat-sieve with steel blades. Then we add fire-ant honey, spicebark, and ground meg nuts to it. The secret is extra honey."


    Milo noticed a huge bowl with an extra-large spoon. "Is that Larry''s bowl? Maybe I could take it out to him and eat with him. He seems lonely."


    Rifkin looked a little nervous. "I''m not sure. Bleusnout has him on a set schedule, let me go ask." He went into a back room and was back in a moment accompanied by the huge chef.


    "You wish to go take food with Larry? I don''t see why not. I have him eat last so he has some privacy. He makes everyone nervous when he eats. But it would be good for him to eat with someone." He shook a finger at Milo sternly. "But no talk of cheese, and if his eyes get wild, then slowly move away and come get me. You must always be careful around him."


    Milo promised, and then balanced one bowl in each hand and headed back out to the porch. Larry saw him coming but stayed sitting. "Honey and groats for Larry? Larry gets the big bowl!" Milo handed it to him, and Larry began to eat quickly, finishing up by licking the bowl clean with his long tongue. Milo ate his at a slower pace and saw Larry looking at him, but not talking at all. The meal was actually more than he could eat.


    "Would Larry like a little more honey and groats? Tallsqueak is full." He handed the bowl to Larry.


    "Larry is never full! Yes, yes. Larry will help Tallsqueak finish breakfast." Milo''s bowl was also quickly finished. He saw both Rifkin and Bleusnout watching from the doorway and handed them the empty bowls.


    "I have to go now, Larry. Have a good day."


    Larry began hugging himself again, then looked up. "Breakfast tomorrow is little fishes fried with mushrooms. Larry likes little fishes. Tallsqueak should come have little fishes with Larry."


    Bleusnout was nodding his head. Milo assumed that meant he was granted permission to eat with Larry again. "Sure, Larry. I love little fishes."

 Chapter 107: Friendly Sparring

    The fighting arena was filling up as Milo arrived. Like the day before, some of the students seemed to be players just starting new characters. Several were sparring in the center area, punching and slapping with their tails. One of these approached Milo as he put his pack down. "Hey, want to get in a round before the drill sergeant guy shows up? I''m Blackwhisker."


    Milo wondered if most players didn''t start with an Identify or Appraise skill. He had already known the player¡¯s name, without asking. This was probably another one of the social rituals he needed to learn. He was always confused about whether he was supposed to shake hands, bump fists, or touch elbows. He preferred the small bow of the head that many ratkin used. He''d go with that. "I''m Tallsqueak. You want to spar with tails?"


    Blackwhisker was tall and muscular, wearing a set of stiff, boiled leather armor. "Tails, claws, weapons. I''m pretty easygoing. I just want to get in some friendly practice with someone that I haven''t fought before." Milo nodded and moved to the center of the arena. Some of the other fighters backed off to the perimeter. Even before Milo got to his side of the arena Blackwhisker was rushing at him, hitting his shoulder into Milo and knocking him to the ground. Milo rolled to his feet. Blackwhisker had a sly smile on his face. "I''ll give you a pointer: Always keep your guard up in the ring."


    Milo re-evaluated his definition of ''friendly sparring'' to not include the word friendly. He heard a few cheers for Blackwhisker from a group sitting together. "Thank you. I will remember that from now on."


    Blackwhisker came at him again. Milo sidestepped when he tried to knock him down, and slashed his claws across the larger ratkin''s chest, at the same time tripping him with his tail. Blackwhisker went down in a pile of dust and Milo backed off but stayed focused on his opponent. His opponent was not happy with him. "What''s this bullshit? You cut my armor? Are you using weapons?! This cost me all my starting money!" The leather chest piece hung loose, with four long cuts into it.


    Milo wondered why Blackwhisker was upset. They were sparring. Claws and tails were part of sparring. He shrugged and got ready for the next round. It wasn''t long in coming as Blackwhisker advanced on him again. Milo noticed he wasn''t using his tail, letting it just swish back and forth with anger. He also wasn''t preparing his claws, keeping his fists balled up like he intended to punch Milo.


    A right hook from Blackwhisker was dodged, as was a left jab, and then two more punches. He had strength and weight, but Milo found it easy to dodge his blows. Acrobatics and Fleet of Foot skills worked well with Master Gilad''s style of fighting and moving. The Sense Danger skill, along with his perks of Acrobat and Uncanny Dodge made it trivial for him to avoid the clumsy punches. His opponent was getting angry and breathing hard, trying to keep up with him. "Stand and fight! You keep running away like a coward."


    Milo shrugged. "Ok." As his opponent tried to hit him again, Milo grabbed his arm and pulled, tossing him off balance. Mining had made him strong, and his STR of 8 proved to be stronger than his larger opponent. As Blackwhisker turned, Milo''s tail slapped him hard in his snout, breaking something and causing blood to spurt. Following up while his opponent was stunned, Milo¡¯s claws tore the rest of Blackwhisker¡¯s leather armor to shreds and left light scratches all over his chest. Milo didn''t give him a chance to react, slapping him again in the head, and then kicking his legs out from under him. Blackwhisker lay on the ground and didn''t get up, panting hard and in pain.


    The group that had been cheering for Blackwhisker were all standing, and two were about to rush into the ring. Milo flexed his hands, showing his claws to them, getting ready to fight. They reconsidered and sat back down. Blackwhisker crawled out of the ring and sat with them, trying to staunch his bloody snout.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Gilad stepped into the ring. Milo hadn¡¯t been aware that he was even there. "I see that you are all on time. Wonderful. Please line up around the edge of the ring, giving yourselves space to move and tumble. We begin with the forward roll/tail slap combination. This fast attack can often take your opponent by surprise." For the next half hour, the Tail Master led his students through the elementary move, making them perform it over and over until it was ingrained in them. One hundred repetitions had most of them performing adequately. Then they moved on to side-rolls, back-flips, and full disengagements. In every move, he emphasized the use of the tail.


    "Your opponents will often forget about your tail, giving you openings with what can become a strong weapon. This is our natural advantage, as orcs have durability and spiders have poison and webs. Not using your advantages to the fullest is lazy and stupid. You will die and waste my training."


    Gilad had been observing the silly ''sparring'' that these whelps had been doing before his class started. It was the same with every new batch: too much energy led to fighting and a few trying to exert dominance through strength or size. The fight between his two strongest students had been interesting. Blackwhisker forgot everything he knew as soon as he took a blow, while Tallsqueak became quiet and focused. Blackwhisker should have backed off when he saw how sharp the other''s claws were! Instead, he forced the fight to continue, letting Tallsqueak stay in control and prove himself stronger in every way.


    He was pleased. He had made Tallsqueak his assistant to put pressure on him. He had known that the other whelps would challenge him for his position. It was good to sort out the pecking order early. No one would doubt who was the dominant whelp in this class. It was one less thing filling their small brains and getting in the way of his teaching.


    Two bells of drills and constant movement left every whelp tired and panting. Tallsqueak was doing better than the others but was also breathing hard and sweating. Half the class had collapsed exhausted partway through. Blackwhisker still stood, but he was swaying back and forth, about to pass out.


    "Very well, we are done for the day. I''m not sure how much more of this I could take. You and you..." he pointed to two of Blackwhisker¡¯s nest mates. "...take that one to the healer, he seems unwell. Tomorrow, drills will begin at half-bell past two. Tallsqueak will be leading you in them. Sparring and lessons will begin at three bells. Hopefully, I will not be so disappointed tomorrow."


    Milo looked around. Some of the players were talking about quitting, not seeing the point of lessons if you could just go and fight monsters. Others seemed to be greatly enjoying the classes and wondering what came next. The ratkin of the hollow were all excited. Just being in the Tail Master''s class meant they had a chance to become warriors with enough training.


    Milo himself enjoyed the class. It made sense to him. There was a purpose to each drill and exercise. Up until now he had improvised his fighting and let the game influence and help him. Now he felt like he was exceeding the game''s bonuses and gaining control. As the fifth bell of the day sounded, it was a relaxed and happy Tallsqueak who walked to the mess hall. That lasted until Brutus saw him. The big guard walked over with a huge smile on his face.


    "Hey! Justin told me about you beating the crap out of that crazy little gal that keeps surprising us. Great job!! I''m looking forward to letting you dodge her tender embrace while I get to sleep in peace instead of in pieces." He laughed at his own joke and put an arm around Milo. "Come on, let''s get double bowls of whatever Bleusnout has for lunch to celebrate you catching her eye."

 Chapter 108: Snacks

    Cheese class with Master Bleusnout was interesting. Milo hadn''t known before coming to the Hollow that cheese was as much a part of ratkin culture as beer was in dwarven culture. It was an ingrained part of every ratkin''s life, and how a hollow managed their cheese determined much about it.


    "Greetings young ones! I am Chef Bleusnout. You may refer to me as Chef or Master, for in addition to cooking meals for the Hollow, I am also its Cheese-Master. My duties as Master of all things cheese include making sure our Hollow has enough of our favorite food on hand at all times. Some cheese we make ourselves, and some we acquire through trade with other Hollows, human settlements, and even the Myconian Collectives."


    "Why so many kinds of cheese? I''m sure you''ll all agree that all cheese is tasty and there is joy in sampling a new variety. But more importantly, we need many types of highly specialized cheese to concoct the best Snacks for our warriors. Many races create their own types of snacks. Humans call them potions, the Spider Tribes eat the fermented organs of other creatures, dwarves have their alcohol, while elves prefer jams made from magical fruit."


    "I''m sure you were all disappointed that today''s meal did not include a small bit of cheese for dessert. Instead, I have a better treat for you: a tasty bit of my special blend of seven cheeses, all spread on a crispy wheat cracker. I have one for each of you." Rifkin gave out one cracker to each person in the class. Some students put them directly into their mouths. Milo held off, trying to examine it, even though he was drooling and his stomach was growling.


    <div>


    Bleusnout''s All-Purpose Warrior Snack!


    +50 Health, increased health and stamina regeneration, +2 STR, increased poison resistance.


    Effects last for four hours. May be eaten safely once in 24 hours.


    "I''m sure you can feel the difference in your muscles as the cheese hits your belly. This snack makes you much tougher and harder to kill. But even with all these advantages, we only serve them right before battle. Do any of you know why?"


    Milo didn''t, but one hand went up. "Because battle will help work the cheese out of our system and lessen the effects of growing dependent on cheese."


    Bleusnout patted the young one''s head. "Thank you, Olivia, correct as always. The exertions of battle use up the cheese, as does healing wounds with regeneration. A warrior in constant battle can safely consume far more cheese than any other person. This is one reason I suspect that Warrior will always be a popular class for our people."


    "The next part of our class involves some reading and study. If you have trouble reading the characters on the paper, I suggest taking an academic class in the Tower of Strife. For now, do your best or find a study partner. I expect you to read through the first two pages by tomorrow." Rifkin distributed worn books that had seen generations of use. Bleusnout watched as the young whelps began turning the pages, some reading, some just being confused or looking around for help.


    Some of them simply paged through the book, looking at the pictures. Tallsqueak was one of these. The Cheese-Master watched as he quickly turned each page, pausing on the pictures that dealt with cheese making equipment, cheese spread distillation, and famous battles. After a few minutes, he set down the book and waited patiently for the class to end. All the other poor readers had found a partner. Two of the whelps had asked Tallsqueak if he needed to join a reading group, but he turned them down.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Bleusnout sighed. He''d seen it before. A young whelp comes in from a cave nest, far behind in academics and culture, and often with a cheese problem. Some sought help, but many were simply too proud. They could fight, and they thought that was enough. From what Justin and Brutus had told him, Tallsqueak was well beyond the other whelps in fighting, and might even have pushed into the second tier. Bleusnout prepared himself for an ordeal with the troublesome whelp. It was his responsibility to show him why he needed to learn to make sense of the scribbled characters in books.


    "Tallsqueak? You should be reading in your book. Pages one and two. If you need help, please join a group."


    To Bleusnout''s surprise, Tallsqueak stood up and spoke. "I''m done. I read the book." Then the whelp had the audacity to walk up to him and return the book.


    "You read both pages?"


    "Yes, but all the others as well."


    "Please! Are you seriously trying to claim you read all 213 pages of <u>It takes a Hollow to make the Cheese</u>?"


    Tallsqueak nodded. "I had trouble at first with the alphabet. It''s different from the human and dwarven writing styles, but I deciphered it from context. It''s a great book! I have a lot to think about. Are there more books I can borrow?"


    No one in the building was reading anymore. They were riveted to the spectacle of Master Bleusnout turning bright red in the face. Some claimed later they smelt the odor of burnt cheese and saw steam coming from his nose. Rifkin had gone dead white and was trembling. Tallsqueak just seemed puzzled and patiently waited.


    Bleusnout grew very calm after a minute. And even more angry. "This is serious, Tallsqueak. Lying to a Master is a huge offense and doubly so in my class. It shows a lack of control, a lack of shame, and a lack of community. I will give you one last chance to tell the truth. Did you read in the book?"


    Tallsqueak was nodding along with what Bleusnout said, agreeing with him. "I understand. But don''t worry, I read the book. All of it. So, I don''t need the book anymore."


    Bleusnout took the book and opened it to a random page. "Then you can tell me about page 73?"


    Most of the class turned to that page, and Tallsqueak began to speak. "...that the need for correct temperature control is essential to making sure that the milk used is raised to the needed level of heat for a full twelfth of a bell to remove unwanted meconium contamination. Care must also be taken not to overheat the milk and ruin it. A thermionic dissipater is recommended for large batches of milk."


    "The rest of the page has a nice diagram of how to operate a Thermionic Dissipater, but I have to wonder if it wouldn''t have a better effect if the prong had a spiral twist instead of a linear shape. More area would dissipate the heat faster."


    The Cheese-Master turned to the class and smiled. "Class is dismissed for the day, please do your reading. Except for you, Tallsqueak. You get a reward for such fine reading."


    Tallsqueak sighed, knowing what the reward was going to be.


    "Rifkin?! Get my keys. We are going to the cellar. Tell Smiley to start the soup, and put the bread in the oven." The chef turned to Tallsqueak. "We are going to the cellar to check on some of the cheese I have there, and you are going to prove a few more things for me. I may have a special job for you."


    Milo was excited to see the cellar but wondered why all the rewards he got seemed to be more jobs. He was gaining them quickly.

 Chapter 109: Hamsters Hopping Happily

    Milo followed behind the Cheese-Master and a very nervous Rifkin. A small side room was unlocked, which turned out to have only a staircase in it, leading downward. Milo could smell all sorts of interesting scents coming from below: mushrooms, spoiled milk, damp earth, and many types of cheese. The stone steps went down over a hundred feet and ended at a locked door. Both Rifkin and Bleusnout put a key in the door and turned them together. Milo heard the click of a mechanism and the doors slid sideways into the walls. Rifkin returned upstairs, Milo followed Bleusnout into the room beyond.


    The Chef paused. ¡°Let us stay here for a few minutes. Take a few deep breaths.¡± Milo did as he was told. The room smelled delicious, but he suppressed hungry thoughts about cheese. After a full five minutes, the Cheese-Master relaxed. ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t run into the room and start tearing out the steel bars, that''s good. Entering this room can have a very strong effect on some people. You have a slight quiver to your arm and your breathing is a little faster, but overall, very good control. Let us go in.¡±


    There were dozens of rooms with stout iron grates sealing them off from the main room. Milo saw huge rounds of cheese in bright wax, barrels of cheese carefully marked for aging, and vats of moldy cheeses slowly maturing. Just breathing in the air was a joy! The rest of the room was filled to the brim with cheese-making apparatus. Churns, stoves, and mixing vats were in several places along with so much more that Milo didn''t understand. His meager skill in cheesemaking didn''t give him enough background. Bleusnout led him to a room with a wooden door and ushered him inside. It appeared to be a library with scrolls and ancient books.


    One book in particular he pulled from the wall. It had a green binding with gold lettering. A second was selected, very thin with a brown leather cover and much smaller than the first. Bleusnout set the larger book gingerly on a table and blew the dust from it. "I need someone with a good memory and attention to detail to gather some special items for me. Let us see if what you showed me upstairs holds true with a book you could not possibly have memorized." He handed Milo the small brown book.


    Milo read through <u>Hamster Huey and the Gooie Kablooie</u> in half a minute, then handed it back to Bleusnout. Bleusnout quizzed him on the book, having him read from each page. Luckily, he did not have to perform the ''Happy Hamster Hop'' as instructed in part of the book.


    "Very well, you pass. That is a very powerful gift you have been given. You may wish to consider the path of the Lore-Master, but that, of course, would be many years in the future. Enjoy the freedom being young gives you to have fun and explore before you settle down and get fat like I did."


    "Now a much harder book. Can you promise to let me know if this is beyond you? It is not easy telling certain types of mushrooms apart. If we were to use the wrong one in our cheese, the poison could wipe out the entire hollow. And you could easily die simply by handling some of the more poisonous types. He pushed forward the large green book:


    <u>Mushrooms of the Deep Hollows: An Identification Guide to the 47 Varieties of Spotted Death Bloom. With Pictures! by Gather-Master Redcap.</u>


    Milo turned the pages slowly, looking at the colored drawings and detailed descriptions of different mushrooms, all of which seemed to be extremely poisonous. "Wow, this is great. I read all of Harry''s books, but he only had 23 of these listed in his wiki-shroomia.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Bleusnout raised an eyebrow. "Harry? Is he by chance a troll?"


    "Yes, Harry. Very big troll sometimes. Smaller now. He gave me some lessons in mycology. His full name is Dr. Harold Earthtongue, but he says to just call him Harry. He really knows his shrooms." Milo paused, thinking. "He might even be part mushroom now." He went back to reading.


    Milo was quite absorbed in his new book, entranced by the pictures and the copious number of notes scribbled on each page. He didn''t notice the Cheese-Master sigh and shake his head. On the shelf of books were seven volumes by Dr. Harold Earthtongue. It was a day like this that made Bleusnout wish he had stayed a simple lizard farmer. Some whelps always managed to surprise him.


    After an hour Milo assured the Cheese-Master that he had memorized every detail of the book and that he should have no trouble harvesting any of the mushrooms listed using the proper equipment. A large knapsack was found and Bleusnout assembled a collection of small clay jars with cork stoppers, several sets of tongs for harvesting, and a cleansing solution to wipe down his tools. "I can''t over-emphasize just how poisonous some of those varieties are. Leave anything not on my list alone. Be careful with that field guide, but take it with you. Consult it if you even have the hint of a question about what type you are plucking."


    "I have a need for a great many rare mushrooms. We have many fields here in the Hollow, but it''s simply not safe to grow some of them in the open areas where anyone could wander by. I had small amounts of the rare varieties growing in the back caverns down here, but somehow, a blight got into them, and I was forced to clean out the entire cave and start over. Such a waste. All of the planter boxes turned black in only a few days. I need samples of many varieties to start fresh, but obviously, care must be taken with them. I myself am not small or limber enough to carefully make my way through the wild shroom caverns without stepping in the wrong place. If you have worked with Dr. Earthtongue you know not to step on the shroomlings."


    He paused and made sure he had Tallsqueaks full attention.


    "Care must also be taken with the spider clans. We share much territory with them, but the peace is uneasy. Small skirmishes occur all the time. I don''t expect you to fight. If you see spiders, run away quickly. And if the worst happens, and one of the guardian myconians takes offense, also run. They can hit quite hard considering they are made of soft fungus."


    The Cheese-Master put his hand on Milo''s shoulder. "Can I count on you, Tallsqueak? The Hollow needs brave young whelps like you to step into positions of trust where your work will benefit us all."


    Milo considered the question, and the Cheese-Master gave him time. Finally, after a minute, he answered. "You can trust me to do a good job gathering shrooms or any other job you give me. And I''ll fight to defend the Hollow. I won''t reveal secrets and I won''t betray a trust." He paused and exhaled. "But I have some awfully awkward secrets."


    "Do any of them put the Hollow in danger?" The Cheese-Master didn''t seem terribly concerned about Milo''s secrets.


    Milo shook his head. "No. And if they do, I''ll tell you and either fix things or leave."


    Bleusnout patted him on the head. "Good enough. We all have secrets. Let us get all this loaded into your knapsack and I will get you a map of the caverns you need to visit. Then we''ll set you up with some bowls of lunch. Larry will be very happy to see you, especially when you tell him you memorized Hamster Huey. It''s his favorite story. He even knows how to do the Happy Hamster Hop.¡±

 Chapter 110: Silently Sampling Sumptuous Succulent Shrooms

    After his third time telling Larry the story of Hamster Huey, Milo got away by promising to tell it again at the next meal. Larry was in a better mood, still singing the song from the story. Milo noted his change in personality. He wasn''t a good judge of such things, but there was a huge difference between Larry who craved cheese, and Larry who quietly listened to stories and sang songs. It was sort of nice to sit next to Larry. Milo didn''t like being around a lot of people, and everyone else he saw in the Hollow stayed far away from Larry.


    For now, though, he needed to concentrate on mushroom hunting for both of his quests. The map showed the caverns that made up Limburger Hollow and showed all the exits. The route he needed looked to be through a cave that was a little past some place called The Tower of Strife. He decided to head through the marketplace and maybe do a little shopping.


    He was just about to step off the porch of the mess hall when a figure in black clothing swung into view and attacked him. They had been on the roof, holding onto the edge with claws and tail, as they swung at him, upside-down, they yelled "Surprise!".


    Milo didn''t think much of the plan. They''d have been better to drop to the ground, or drop and catch themselves with their tail. Instead, they had held onto the roof and swung down in an arc like a pendulum. Milo knew from experience how much longer that would take, starting from a resting position. Moving through the tunnels and drops in his section led him to experiment with the best ways of traveling. Swinging like that was useful to change your vector of movement, but not to gain momentum. Did they not teach Shadow-Walkers any math?


    Milo had plenty of time to react. He brought up his left hand and blocked the weapon with the hardened bone that appeared on his forearm. The small knife that was used when playing ''Surprise'' snapped. Milo grabbed the assassin by the front of his tunic and used the momentum and direction of their swing to toss him to Larry.


    "Quick Larry! Gooie is trying to go Kablooie! Throw him far away from us before he explodes!!


    Larry stood up and yelled loudly, holding the poor ratkin in one hand and winding up for a throw. "NO Kablooie for you! Larry saves Hamster Town!"


    Milo watched as Larry threw the hapless assassin far and high. As he hit the ground a hundred feet away a huge cloud of dust went up in the air and Larry yelled: "Kablooie for Gooie!" Then he grabbed Milo, who was forced to do the Happy Hamster Hop with him as everyone in the mess hall came out to watch. Milo started to explain, and then turned to the excited and happy Cheese Fiend: "Larry, can you tell everyone about how you saved Hamster Town?"


    Larry stopped bouncing and looked unsure of things. "Larry tells the story?"


    Milo nodded to him, and Bleusnout sat down on the porch. The Cheese-Master smiled encouragingly at Larry: "I would love to have Larry tell the story." Milo snuck away to do his mushroom hunting as Larry began to tell for the first time what would become an ever-evolving story of how Larry saved Hamster Town.


    ¡®One day, Larry was sitting with his best friend, Hamster Huey. Hamster Huey told Larry a story. Larry saw a sneaky guy trying to surprise Hamster Huey. It was Gooier Kablooie! Larry grabbed Kablooie and yelled at him¡­.¡¯


    <hr>


    Finding the Tower of Strife was easy. It was a stone tower going to the roof of the cavern, showing signs of many repairs. It was darkened by fire, and some of its stones were melted. Milo wondered what occurred inside. Even as he watched, several blue-robed ratkin barreled out the front door just seconds before thunder and lightning shook the tower. A green cloud formed high in the air, which then exploded as more lightning went off. The displaced students decided it was time for dinner and ran to the mess hall, hoping things would calm down soon.


    Milo went around the tower, choosing to ignore it for now as everyone else in the market was doing. The open-air flea market was familiar to Milo. It looked like the market in Shadowport or the swap meet in the hab. Tables and blankets were covered in goods. Here it was foodstuffs, cloth, weapons, and jewelry. In the hab, it was broken machinery, video games, and canned food.


    He found two sets of cheap, wooden tongs that were intended for cooking but were instead going mushroom hunting with him, along with a small shovel. He was happy to see that the coins he had looted from the airship were taken by the merchants. Most bit them to check for quality, but so did half the people up top.


    He was about to leave when he saw an older merchant who sold hides and rolls of leather. He also had a pile of cleaned bones of various sizes. Milo started picking through them.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Ah, got a carving project in mind, do you? I try to find thicker bones for that, but most of what I have now is longer thigh bones from horned milk beasts or red-crested lurkers. I do a little scrimshaw as a hobby now and then. I mostly carve kitchen knives or chopsticks, unless I get some nice claws or ivory tusks. Some of the big spiders have nice mandibles for carving. What are you looking for today?"


    Milo let the old ratkin ramble on as he found four suitable thigh bones. "I need something for throwing. These will do. 1 silver?"


    The old ratkin chuckled. "Don''t make an old rat laugh too much. Those are worth a couple of copper at most, and only because I cleaned them up nice."


    Milo handed him the silver piece. "I like old bones. The older the better. Maybe you can keep a look out for them?"


    The old merchant stroked his chin and looked thoughtful. "Maybe I can at that. There might be some stuff in an odd corner of the Hollow. If so, I''ll find it and let you know. Stop back sometime Tallsqueak, we''ll talk. If you don''t see me, just ask for Scrap Hunter, someone will send word." They bowed politely to each other and Milo went on his way.


    The market wrapped around the tower and Milo continued past it, down a small path towards the waterfall. He stopped, staring at what he saw. A large piece of battered and rusty machinery sat near the pool, with a detached water wheel leaning up against it. It looked like a broken piece of dwarven machinery made by the lesser brothers in their delirium. He took a closer look at it, seeing copper coils to generate power, broken gears, and misaligned linkages. It was a mess and a total wreck. If he understood part of it, it was meant to generate power, but the far end from the water was a mystery. Broken glass globes had wires that wove into a tangle of cracked glass and melted metal. He itched to start fixing it, but he was missing the tools needed without getting into his smuggler''s stash, and he had a job to do.


    Reluctantly, he moved on, finding the path that skirted the waterfall and went through a narrow passage for fifty feet before emerging into a large cavern with fields of mushrooms where ratkin were working at harvesting the tasty fungus. An ancient and feeble-looking old rat stood leaning on a gnarled cane, looking through thick spectacles out into the cave. These caverns must be very safe, as there were no guards around like there were at the other entrance. As Milo came near, the old rat sniffed the air and turned to look at him. His eyes narrowed a bit and he raised his head to stare through the lower half of his bifocals. "You aren''t one of mine. Tell me what you are doing in the Hollow."


    Milo decided to interpret the question as ''What are you doing, now.'' vs ''Tell me everything you''ve done in the Hollow''. "Mushroom hunting for Master Bleusnout. I need to head past these fields, and then go through three more caves." He showed the old man the map.


    The wrinkled old ratkin eased herself down onto a worn rock that showed signs of being used for a stool many times. "So far? You must be after some special varieties used in cooking and cheese. You should be cautious, some of those may also be poisonous. I should know, I hunted many a shroom in my younger days when my legs were better." He gave a small bow of his head. "Welcome to the Hollow then, Tallsqueak, you can call me Old Healer or Grandfather. Either of those is what the young ones call me now."


    Milo sat with the old rat and went over the types of mushrooms he was looking for, double-checking his book knowledge with the wisdom this old man had. To his relief, the descriptions matched.


    "I''m wondering if you might do me a favor, young Tallsqueak? I need quite a few mushrooms myself, to study and as ingredients for special medicines and tonics. Luckily, I need all the ones that our esteemed chef does not. If you don''t mind gathering those for me, I''d take it as a personal favor and find a way to reward you."


    Milo agreed to the task. It was a small amount of work to repay this teacher for his knowledge. And it was efficient. He could pick the caverns clean of spotted mushrooms between the two lists. But the old man had a warning for him. He pointed to a small cavern near the end of the cave complex Milo was heading to. "This way is dangerous. The spiders usually guard it. Sadly, the small cave beyond has the rarest varieties of mushrooms growing there: Golden Puffballs and Red Spotted Eye-Rot. One tasty and one deadly. It would take quite a bit of stealth and daring to get in and out of that cave without a fight. So be careful. And take this gathering bag for the poisonous variety. Best not to get them mixed up with the edible types."


    With that warning and small challenge, he waved Milo on his way and leaned back to take a nap.

 Chapter 111: Making friends along the way

    <div>


    Milo passed through the large cavern, noting the types of common mushrooms and vegetables that were being grown here. All of the plants were grown in raised beds with water carefully poured in by the bucketful. A large water cart went to each field where water was poured into the buckets and then into the fields by careful cultivators. Another field hand was spreading pungent fertilizer around the plants. Milo was glad he wasn''t a farmer. He understood the process of growing things with hydroponics in the real world, but next to nothing about doing it here. It seemed a lot messier. He''d much rather be mining.


    His time in the Hollow was feeling like a vacation. He was relaxing more and more. There were problems here, but he didn''t feel like the responsibility of solving them was on his shoulders. He did like solving problems though, and applied some thought to his current job. He needed to gather rare mushrooms for two different people. One needed the tastiest to reseed his planters. The other needed the inedible ones to make medicines of some sort. He was curious about that. Maybe the old alchemist could teach him a few things and help him increase his knowledge of Mycology.  Curiously, he had both warned Milo against the cavern patrolled by the spiders, yet pointed out that the rarest mushrooms would be growing in that area.


    It felt almost like a challenge. Milo realized he also didn''t know the old ratkin''s real name. With a name like ''Old Healer'', he should be someone who could be trusted. Milo had some doubts. He didn''t trust easily and things were happening fast. When he returned, he''d ask Master Bleusnout or the Tail Master. Someone in the Hollow would know of him. He''d just take a look at that cave, and be cautious as he had promised Master Bleusnout. If you were cautious and sneaky enough, did that count as being careful? He mulled that over as he walked and decided it was outcome-based. If you didn''t get caught, you were careful. If you had to run away with giant spiders nipping at your tail, you weren''t.


    Milo had gone past the area where the Hollow had its farms and into the caverns beyond. Mushrooms and lichen grew all over, but not all of the ones that he needed. He filled most of Bluesnout''s list and found a few that Old Healer needed, but not the Golden Puffballs or Red Spotted Eye-Rot. He explored further and further into the caverns, the wild mushrooms and lichen growing thinner on the rock walls.


    The next cavern was quite dark. He felt his eyes adjust to the complete darkness, but something was bothering him. Where was the lichen that gave off a soft glow? It was like this area had been scrubbed down to the bare rock. He slowed down, moving low to the ground and skulking off to one side. And then he sensed the trap. There was a void in the rocks where there should be solid stone. A pit that felt open to the air with his stone sense but that looked like bare rock to his eyes. He scanned the ceiling but saw nothing hiding in the stalactites.


    No one was around to see him use his magic. He brought out the Claws of Alta-Viator and the Spine of Volax-Repat. Bone plates covered his hands and forearms like gauntlets and along the top of his feet and his shins. His tail grew longer, looking like a whipping spine with a slashing blade on the end. Soundlessly he climbed the wall of the cave and skulked across the ceiling until he was directly above the pit. Whatever was down there was used to ambushing its prey. It wouldn''t be happy to have prey ambush it first.


    Milo took an ultra-sharp claw and began to cut into the stalactite directly over the pit. This would be a good way to say ''Surprise''. The sharp cone of rock was five feet long and a foot thick at the base. It took Milo ten minutes to soundlessly carve around the outer edge, not letting any of the rock fragments fall to the ground. Pushing on the stalactite, he heard a small cracking sound, and the three-hundred-pound spear of stone fell fifty feet to the ground, passing through the illusion and into the pit, where it poked through something soft and very squishy. Milo couldn''t help but mumble "Surprise!"


    He was surprised himself when a very large, and very angry spider erupted from the hidden pit and pounced on nothing at all. The stalactite was stuck through its thorax which was oozing thick greenish ichor. The maddened arachnid raced around the cave, looking for the attacker that had hurt it until it chanced to look up and see Milo on the ceiling. The spider hissed at him in pain and anger and raced up the wall and across the ceiling towards him. Milo was already moving to the side of the room, using his tail and arms to swing from one stalactite to the next. When the floor was only thirty feet below him, he dropped to the ground.


    The spider tried to do the same, but the wound was hampering it. It landed badly and injured itself more. More green ichor poured out. Milo raced away, trying to judge the spider¡¯s speed. He could tell immediately that it wasn''t as fast as he was. He moved to the side, slashed with his tail, and then rolled as Master Gilad had taught him. A strand of silk shot from the abdomen, narrowly missing him. The leg he had slashed was hanging by a thread. Twice more he repeated the tactic and the spider collapsed with only one leg on that side. The spider tried to crawl towards him. Milo moved behind it, content to let it die from bleeding.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It was nearly dead when a black-garbed figure raced forward and leaped into the air high enough to perform a double rotation before sticking the landing onto the spider, just behind its head. "Surprise." Twin daggers stabbed into the spider, at the junction between head and body, multi-faceted eyes glowed green with hatred as it twisted to spit a mass of sticky saliva at the new attacker before it collapsed.


    Milo saw a message pop up.


    [You have slain a foe with the aid of someone you are competing with. They seek to claim the victory. Please Choose:


    -Share the victory with this helpful person as if they were in your party, and agree to a truce from competition for one day.


    -Claim victory for yourself. You will gain 70% of the experience and Enhancement Points. Competition continues.


    -Declare that you are attacking the kill-stealer for daring to take what is yours. Combat is to first blood. You will gain all of the experience and Enhancement Points.


    You have a minute to decide. Normally much sooner but the second attacker is in a bit of a sticky situation at the moment.]


    Milo scanned the announcement and then looked at the situation.


    Sticky was indeed the correct word. The person who had killed the spider had both hands glued to the spot where they had stabbed it. Milo was still being cautious. He recognized the garb of a shadow-stalker. Green eyes stared at him, but his attacker was silent.


    "Are you from Limburger Hollow? How are we competing?"


    A whispered voice spit out a curse. "Get it over with. Just nick me, take the points for the kill, and score one on me. This sticky stuff is crap! Without it, I''d be kicking your ass all over the cave and taking all the experience for myself! Stupid spiders."


    Milo disagreed with her about the spider''s intelligence. "This one was actually quite smart. It was tricky, stealthy, and fought hard. It might have got me with that spit. I was about to rush in myself. So, let¡¯s call it a draw." Milo noticed that in the group window, it showed his name as Tallsqueak, and his new acquaintance as ''Partner''. Some sneaky skill in play, no doubt.


    [You have chosen cooperation! That tricky move surely will leave your temporary ally confused!


    You have slain a level 4 Elite Boss, Silentslayer. You and your partner each gain one Enhancement Point and 200 experience.


    You also gain 1 point of ''Surprise'', your partner does not.]


    The shadow-stalker finally managed to free themselves and then walked angrily over to Milo. "Don''t think that will buy you any favors! Tomorrow, we start over."


    Milo pointed to the far end of the cavern. "I didn''t do it to buy a favor. I did it because the ''stupid spiders'' were quick to come to investigate the noise."


    His partner spun and stared at the other tunnel. Two large, black spiders were coming into the cavern.


    "Those are the guards that are normally at the entrance to the Cave of Death. If we can decoy them, one of us could harvest some of the Red-Spotted Eye-Rot. Lead them around, I''ll harvest the fungus and we''ll split the loot and rewards."


    Everything slowed down for Milo as he looked at the situation, thinking very hard. Somehow, he was in competition with the Shadow-stalkers, probably from playing ''Surprise''. They were taking things very seriously, even to following him and trying to steal his experience or goad him into a fight. Getting the mushrooms must be some sort of test for them. Milo wanted the shrooms from the cave for eating and medicine. He and his partner were in a truce for a day, which should include the mushrooms. It wasn''t a bad plan, and with the spiders on the move, he wasn''t going to be harvesting anything until things calmed down.


    "Agreed. I''ll get their attention; you do the sneaky harvesting." He raced towards the guards and threw two skulls, one after another. Both throws put the Runed Skulls under the spiders where they exploded, causing the arachnids to squeal in pain. Dust billowed into the air, and his partner used the distraction to disappear into the darkness.


    The plan was working, but Milo needed to figure out a way to keep two nasty-looking spiders busy and not get caught.


    <div>


    <div>

 Chapter 112: Spiders dont keep score.

    Milo didn''t like the idea of trying to just avoid combat to keep his two adversaries busy while his partner looted the rare mushrooms. Every scenario seemed to end badly for him. The spiders could use the ceiling and walls as well or better than he could. They were too big to draw them off the way he came, and he couldn''t take them in the direction his partner had gone. Running around was a losing game against two opponents in a cavern that already had webs in part of it.


    Better to cut down the odds and slow them up. He gave his partner some time to slip past them before he threw a bone harpoon at the spider that first emerged from the cloud of dust. Hitting an unseen ally with a spell meant for a spider would have been awkward and embarrassing, as well as probably fatal. The Harpoon of the Winds hit the spider between its first and second set of legs, puncturing its side. He followed up immediately with a second spell for double the mana using Fast Casting., watching his mana bar drain by an eighth. He needed to get rid of one enemy quickly, and he needed information on what he was fighting.


    [You have struck two angry spiders with explosions, doing 100 damage to each.


    You have struck Black Widow Brute with a spell doing 338 points of damage.


    Black Widow Brute blocks your second spell, taking minimal damage.


    Health 962/1400]


    The second harpoon was met and deflected by the wounded spider¡¯s front leg, sending the harpoon clattering to the side. Milo could see that the front legs of this spider were heavily armored, made for taking blows. The second spider began casting a spell, its nimble front legs making motions and rhythmic chittering coming from its mouth.


    [Black Widow Deathmonger casts a spell. You may not use Counter Attack because you recently used Fast Casting.


    Poisonous Cloud of Doom does 50 points of damage to all non-spiders in the area. This is a persistent attack that will damage you each round. Damage is reduced by 20 points due to your Weak Poison Resistance rank 5.]


    Green clouds filled the entire cave, spreading out over everything. It was a good attack that would wear down multiple enemies, but less useful against just him, and something he could endure for a time. He realized the spiders might be worried about where his unseen Partner was. The spell would be terrifying if used against tight-packed ratkin infantry. As he choked and dodged away from the spiders, he looked at the spellcaster. It was much thinner in the legs, and smaller in the body than its bodyguard. And probably more deadly. He immediately switched opponents, sending another harpoon spell its way.


    [You have struck Black Widow Deathmonger with a spell doing 338 points of damage.


    Health 462/900.]


    The Deathmonger screamed and the bodyguard moved to interpose itself between Milo and the mage. Milo had planned for this, circling to get to the side and running up the wall so that he could keep the mage in view. The Deathmonger began to cast another spell, green light forming along its forearms. Milo used his Counter Attack ability and cast his own spell, throwing the last of his harpoons.


    [Your Counter Attack is successful!


    Deathmonger has taken 338 damage from your harpoon.


    Deathmonger has taken 63 damage from Rotting Death as its spell is disrupted.


    Health 61/900]


    This was too much for the Deathmonger. It headed for the tunnel leading out, moving slowly from two harpoons in its body. The Black Widow Brute came after Milo but stopped when it was twenty feet from the tunnel, holding its position when he retreated away from it, choosing to guard the spellcaster''s slow retreat.


    Milo spent a few seconds circling to the side and retrieving his last harpoon where it lay on the ground. He should take the time to carve more of these. Maybe a quiver? Using his own bones to power the spell hurt and used a lot of his health. That was an option for emergencies. Which this fight might become. Could the wounded spider mage kill his partner? It could certainly bring more spiders that could kill both of them.


    Milo ran at the Black Widow Brute, readying his harpoon for a throw. The spider braced itself and prepared to block. Milo took another step and tried to jump over it. The spider managed to hit him with an armored claw, doing a hundred points of damage to him, and turning his leap into a clumsy fall and roll. Rather than get up, he just kept rolling until he could come quickly to his feet and sprint away. The Brute pursued. After a short tunnel, he emerged into a huge cavern filled with mushrooms. The far side had been harvested, and he saw very small spiders scuttling away with loads of harvested shrooms, getting away from the fight.


    Milo had hoped to catch up with the Deathmonger as it ran away. What he wasn''t expecting was for the wounded spider to drop on him. Danger Sense gave him some warning but was overwhelmed by the spider''s natural Ambush ability. At least it didn''t shout surprise, as he had half expected it to. Maybe spiders didn¡¯t keep score?


    Something sharp punctured his left thigh, stunning him. The Deathmonger went for a second attack, higher up, driving its poisoned stinger into his spine. Milo was driven into the soft soil of the cave, but the stinger couldn''t penetrate the bone armor that covered his spine. The Deathmonger screamed in pain and rage as its stinger snapped instead.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Milo felt sickened. He turned over and struck with claws and tail, killing the Deathmonger, and covering him in foul-smelling ichor that made him more nauseous. He didn''t have time to think as the enraged Brute flipped the dead spider off of him, and reared up to drive its own stinger into him.


    Milo dodged, then dodged again. At some point, he regained his feet and began stumbling away. The Brute pursued, hitting him twice with its front legs.


    [Status:


    You are poisoned. Speed -25%, +50 points of poison damage per round. Your weak poison resistance is ineffective against this strong poison.


    Health 1120/1900]


    Milo was looking for anywhere that would let him get away from the brute. Killing it with claws didn''t sound like a good option when he was slowed and losing 50 health a round. His partner was nowhere in sight, but he saw the smaller cave. If his partner was inside, the two of them could kill this thing. He was still faster than the brute, and fear gave him speed as he sprinted around the edge of the cave, avoiding the patches of poisonous mushrooms.


    The cave entrance was narrower than the other tunnels, but he fit through easily. He wasn''t sure if the Brute could make it, but he was sure it would try. Inside the cave, he saw nothing at all. If there had been mushrooms here, they were gone. If his partner had been here, they were gone too. Milo had trapped himself in a small cave while dying of poison, and an enemy was coming for him.


    He examined his options. One seemed like a good idea. He tossed a Runed-Skull into the tunnel, then paid twice the mana to do another. Just in time. The Brute had stuck in its head and took them both in the face. It was wounded, but not slowing. It jammed its body into the tunnel, its hard armor scraping in places and making it a tight fit, but it was pushing through.


    Milo tossed his last two Runed-Skulls. They exploded and wounded the Brute, taking it under half health. It started to exit the tunnel as Milo struck the rock above it with his pick, dislodging a large chunk of rock on its head. The Brute chittered at him and moved another foot into the tunnel. Milo moved to the side and hit the crack he had started with his last strike. The tier-four pick went deep into the soft rock, and Milo pulled as hard as he could. With a small rumble, the tunnel shifted and tons of rock pinned the Brute in the tunnel. It was helpless as Milo struck it from the side, first breaking off its legs and then killing it. The pick gave him reach and the sharp head punctured through the hard chitin as easily as his claws would have.


    [You have slain Black Widow Deathmonger level 6.


    You have slain Black Widow Brute Bodyguard level 6.


    You have earned 900 experience.]


    As soon as it was dead, he sat down and began drinking healing potions. His leg was turning black and swelling. With two healing potions in him, he had time to bring up his Enhancements. He had 10 Enhancement Points and 500 experience points he had been saving from the fight with the Whorlewiggle. Those could be used in two ways: Strong Poison Resistance or Extra Health 3. He didn''t expect the poison to run its course quickly, and while another 250 health would help, he needed to reduce the damage he was taking.


    All 1100 experience points went into Strong Poison Resistance, raising it to Rank 4. Immediately, the messages about the damage from the spider venom were reduced to only 25 a round, giving him more time. The throbbing wound in his leg was better, but still hurt. From outside the tunnel, he felt the vibrations from many feet. It was either a legion of ratkin or a lot of spiders. He had no idea if they could get to him, but the situation had suddenly gotten worse. He began to drink his remaining healing potions one at a time as he searched the cave for a crevice or small tunnel, or anywhere to hide or barricade himself.


    What he found instead, was a door in the rock. Or a rock that was a door? He couldn''t even see the cracks in the rock, but he knew it was a thin door that led to a space beyond it. Stone Sense was telling him it was there, even if he couldn''t find the door itself. He felt carefully, scanning the rock for any way to open it. A small depression had a button in it. He pressed it and two things happened. The door moved inward on silent hinges, and a needle poked his finger.


    [You failed to notice a trap! You are taking 5 damage points per round from Strong Poison. Lucky for you the poison on the trap hasn''t been refreshed in ages.]


    Downing his last healing potion, Milo stumbled into the hidden passage, closing the door behind him. He could see that it opened into a room. As he moved forward, and felt a sharp pain as a needle stabbed into his foot.


    [You failed to notice a trap! You are taking 5 damage points per round from Strong Poison. Lucky for you the poison on the trap hasn''t been refreshed in ages.]


    He cursed whoever had left him an escape route, but littered it with traps. Milo was dying, but he slowed down and scanned the rock walls carefully. He found two more traps before he entered the room. He saw furniture covered in dust, and a body slumped in a chair, the narrow skull of a ratkin resting on the table littered with books, vials, and jars of rotted ingredients. A pile of what looked like empty healing potions made a pyramid on the floor. A huge book was opened to a page that detailed the making of a restorative of some sort. It used mushroom extracts and alchemical substances he''d never heard of. Milo didn''t understand half of it, but the potion required one full day of aging before it was useful. One outstretched skeletal hand held a flask with a sparkling golden liquid. Every other potion seemed to have been drank in an attempt to save the alchemist''s life. He hadn''t had time for the potion to age properly.


    Milo''s health was dropping steadily still, even slowed by the Strong Poison Resistance. The two traps hadn''t helped, of course.


    He grabbed the vial and drank down the amber liquid. It tasted like a sweet, fizzy drink from the hab. It also made him dizzy. He barely made it to the dust-covered bed before he passed out wondering if he was dead or alive.

 Chapter 113: Things get mixed up

    <div>


    Just as he was passing out or dying in some hidden cave, Milo flicked his tail and logged out of the game. He had too much to do in the real world to be wasting time lying in a dusty cot. He did enjoy sleeping in the game now and then, especially when that would be what he was doing in the real world, but he didn''t think he was resting comfortably this time. He was either dead, or he wasn''t. Dead was going to be a real pain, sneaking through caverns naked, and dealing with spiders to get back some of his gear. Of course, living might also have some problems associated with it, like being stuck in an unknown cave with a dead body and angry spiders knocking at his door.


    But that was tomorrow¡¯s problem. Today he needed to get a different set of gear ready in case he did decide to go to some big swap meet/party that some rich person was holding in Section H. That thought made him pause. Was he a rich person now? He wasn''t sure if stolen money counted. But logically, it had to, since governments and corporations seemed to steal so much of it all the time, and it counted for them. Another decision was made: stolen money counted to determine if you were rich. He would figure out all this social stuff eventually.


    Of course, Milo would have trouble doing a lot with his stolen money. Unlike the people rebuilding Section H, he couldn''t just put new solar panels on the roof of Section E. First, they''d get stolen. Second, they were too damn obvious. The ones in Section H didn''t get stolen because they were under surveillance constantly, with guards and maintenance workers. It was too bad he couldn''t just put an array of his panels in Section H and let them guard them for him.


    Was there any reason he couldn''t? He would have to mimic the email trail for all the requests, invoices, installation, and a dozen other things. Once they were installed, he could wire them into his system by running new cables through an unused crawlspace. He could even have his panels designated for future use and high energy needs. If they fed power to Section H only as needed, it would camouflage that most of the power was being used in Section E, rather than being wasted. Section H would benefit from having their storage at 100% all the time, and he could greatly upgrade the energy system in Section E. Even if someone questioned having extra panels, it would be a huge mess of complex orders to untangle why they were there. He''d make sure of that.


    And he was safe because an engineer or technician looked for problems and things to fix. Extra power wasn''t a problem. Bonus solar panels didn''t need to be fixed. Move on citizen, nothing to see here.


    He began working on the idea immediately. Thoughts of poison and spiders pushed to the back of his head. After an hour, an alarm went off. The alarm was connected to a message to himself: ''Remember to order the following: 196 graphene panels made according to the schematics we just set up. We also need 2000 titanium/iridium micromotors, two miles of the ultrathin graphene cable coated and uncoated, the new micro-waldos from Lang Enterprises, and the micro-processing ''Factory in a box'' that Dr. Ignition is trying to sell prototypes of. Leather coat, the kind we saw with 100 pockets. That pitiful-looking prosthetic leg with the fake foot on the end. And bread, the long kind. A dozen loaves. Ten pounds of butter. A pound of ground Parmesan. That should do for now. Do it before you go back to the other project.''


    He almost ignored himself, but was reminded of how good the bread had tasted that the Cheese-Master had made. It took him a half hour and then he got back to work creating several months¡¯ worth of fake emails and inserting them into the archives, spam folders, or saved mail of the right people. Ordering the panels was the easy part, even routing the money into and back out of the accounts of the people who ran Section H. That had been a piece of cake. These people sucked at basic accounting. They had money coming in, getting tangled up with other money, and going all over the place. Maybe he wasn''t the only person trying to hide something?


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The only problem he had was dealing with their engineering firm. It was locked tight. Much tighter than he would have expected. Any time he started to get in, their security began to notice and he was forced to back off. In the end, he simply created the emails from them on this side of the fence. It was a small clue that something was off, but not one anyone would ever notice. Like anyone else, they weren''t going to care about something that didn''t cause a problem.


    <hr>


    A few weeks later...


    Onyx: This is driving me crazy. How stupid can these people be? They thanked me for the superb job we did on the second solar array. We had nothing to do with a second solar array!


    Nina: They thanked you?


    Onyx: Not me, personally. They thanked our fictitious talking head that they think runs things.


    Zander: Was a second solar array installed? I recommended it because projections showed they would need it in 30 months, plus or minus 4 months. They turned down the proposal because of cashflow considerations. Very short-sighted of them, in my opinion. You shouldn''t hire smart people and then not follow their advice.


    Onyx: No, we had nothing to do with it. I mean, we could have, but they turned us down. But they have a second array, and they thanked me for my insight and work in making sure it was done correctly. I didn''t do anything!!


    Bork: Is that a problem? They did something on their own for a change. Probably someone said "Screw this, we need it, go do it. And if anyone asks, tell them that the wonderful engineering firm said to do it and helped." Done, move on.


    Algernon: Now, if they paid us for our help, that would be something. Money for nothing.


    Onyx: I checked. They paid us. It was part of last quarter''s accounting.


    Algernon: How did that tune go? Money for nothing and the chicks for free? I demand women!


    Nina: What would you do with them?


    Algernon: Make them play games with me, of course, you people are always too busy.


    Nina: Ugh, enough games for me. Never going back to that horrible trap of a fantasy world.


    Onyx: I think that...No. Never mind. So, we got paid. What now. I want to go sort through this and dig around in their systems. It bothers me. I want to know what happened.


    Nina: You went back in, didn''t you?


    Onyx: I dig into their systems all the time. Their accounting is so funny. They barely hide the money laundering at all.


    Nina: The game. You went in the game. I told you not to!


    Onyx: And I told you not to download all those cat photos and fall in love with them. Now you own seven cat shelters!


    Nina: Full of cute ones!


    Bork: I''m not seeing problems here people!


    Algernon: I want my MTV...


    Zander: I wish I was an only child sometimes.


    Bork: Wouldn''t work. You''d be insane by the time you were twelve. Any of us would be. We have to have a group to bounce ideas off of each other or we go feral and then insane. Hardcoded in our genetics.


    Onyx: That''s troubling on many levels. But I may disagree with you at some point.


    Nina: NO! It wasn''t him. You aren''t going back in. That''s crazy talk. We don''t need more crazy. We need time with each other.


    Onyx: I suppose. What are we doing tonight then? Another group project for someone?


    Nina: No. Done with this. Going to watch ''Politician Grudge Match''. The ex-governor of Nebraska challenged the current Prime Minister of Alaska. They''re doing a cage match tonight for the title.


    Bork: I''m in. Everyone?


    Onyx: I suppose. You''re right. This is a waste of time. Just morons getting things mixed up. I''ll make popcorn.


    <div>


    <div>

 Chapter 114: Partner Perspective

    Char, aka Charlotte, aka ''Partner'', aka ''Princess Stabbypants'', ''Charred-Earth'', and ''Heart-taker'' was delighted to do nothing but watch as events unfolded. She had been concerned when Grandfather gave a mission to Tallsqueak. He wasn''t even in the Guild! What was the old rat up to?


    The annoying newcomer was fast becoming a thorn in her foot. Her head was still sore from his attack on her. All she''d been doing was playing a friendly game of ''surprise'' with him. Who the hell used a wrench when playing Surprise!? She had argued for half a bell that giving him a point in the contest wasn''t right. Correspondingly, she shouldn''t have to lose a point! But Grandfather had insisted and pointed out that it was her fault for attacking him in the first place. Grandfather could be totally unreasonable at times. Her record was ruined now! No one had scored a point on here in three seasons, but now she heard the whispers behind her back. She had vowed to get her revenge on Tallsqueak.


    Luckily, she had overheard the conversation between Grandfather and her target and followed behind Tallsqueak as he made his way through the caverns where gatherers from the Hollow were busy bringing in a harvest of tasty fungus. She hadn''t had a plan in mind, just follow and do something to regain that stolen point. Her patient skulking had paid off. She had learned his secret!


    Away from the rest of the Hollow, he unveiled his hidden abilities while fighting an assassin spider. He was some sort of aberration, like the over-muscled Larry. No wonder the two could stand to be around each other. The bony plates, elongated tail, and horrible claws had nearly made her squeal when he deployed them. But the ugly mutations were effective, and he nearly killed the powerful spider by himself.


    He hadn''t even suspected she was around until she had struck. Which was why it was totally unfair that she hadn''t been given the kill. She had hated having to sit there while he considered what to do with her. Her plans were already forming for how she would attack and humiliate him when he confused her by taking only half the credit for the kill. She had no idea what his plan was. Anyone else would have drawn her blood and scored the experience and a second point on her.


    Then she realized that they had a 24-hour truce and were grouped together until then. That had been his plan! He was going to use her skills and stealth to further his own missions. Well, two could play at that game. Her hasty offer of ''You delay the enemy while I loot'' had obviously caught him off guard, and in his confusion, he took the deal. Most likely he would flee battle quickly, but all she needed was a moment or two in the cave to pick it clean.


    The Cave of Death was small, and the mushrooms were few. She harvested all of the two varieties of mushrooms there, taking care not to touch the poisonous type, and then raced out of the cave and up the wall to hide before the spider guardians made their way back. It would be tricky getting away, but she could do it.


    Of course, nothing said she had to meet up with Tallsqueak immediately. "Oh, so sorry, I couldn''t find you. A day has passed. No partnership, No split. So sad." She could hear him whining already. It would be so sweet.


    That daydream burst as the wounded Deathmonger limped out of the tunnel, and clumsily climbed above it. Somehow Tallsqueak had managed to hurt the mage-spider enough to make it flee. Whatever respect that might have gained him was lost when he stumbled out of the tunnel and got ambushed like the total neophyte that he was. She had hoped the spider would yell "surprise", but spiders don''t keep score.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    She expected to see him die, especially after he was struck twice with the deadly poison. But it was the Deathmonger who died, slashed to death by his mutant claws. She watched as he wisely fled the Brute, but then stupidly trapped himself in the Cave of Death. Again Char was surprised as Tallsqueak killed the Brute. She saw the stone crack and the tunnel collapse. The spider''s back legs had kicked feebly for some time before it died. She felt like she needed a scorecard to keep track of what he did right and what he screwed up.


    Not that anything would save him. Two doses of Black Widow Venom should have put him down already. She watched on the group screen as his health went up and down as he drank down health potions. He got lower, lower, lower...and then he just wasn''t there. Tallsqueak has left the game. What did that mean? Dead? She decided it meant dead. Maybe she''d ask Grandfather about it. Grandfather knew everything. But not for a day. Grandfather got weird about honoring deals and keeping your word to people in the Hollow.


    Then it had suddenly been time to go, as more spiders arrived. Very angry spiders! At least two full hunting packs. She raced to safety, hoping she was unseen. Just in case, she should warn the workers in the far fields and have them pull back to the Hollow for a couple of days. Spiders did stupid things when they were pissed off. Luckily, they were pissed off at Tallsqueak. He was the one who killed the two Widows. Totally his fault. She should get Justin and Brutus to Guard that entrance to the hollow. It was their job after all. What else had she been helping to train them for?


    <hr>


    Larry decided that it was time for Larry to go home. It was many bells until he got another meal, and most of the Hollow was off to their pillows. No one was left to read to Larry. No one for Larry to tell stories to. Cheese-Master was doing cheesy stuff in the basement. Larry could hear him singing. No Tallsqueak. Larry knew when Tallsqueak was near, his friend smelled different. Everyone smelled different, but Tallsqueak was different-different. He smelled like an old cave, and hinge oil, and magic all mixed together. SneakyGuy was sneaking around, doing his sneaky stuff. He thought Larry didn''t hear him, but Larry had big ears. Thoughts about SneakyGuy made Larry growl and his claws grew long. That was bad! Larry should go find Larry''s pillow, and think happy thoughts until he wasn''t mad at SneakyGuy.


    Larry started walking home. Larry''s house was past the blue house and past the yellow house. Not as far as the people making hot metal. He turned into a smaller cave, then turned again, and finally got on all fours to creep where it was low. Larry''s house was bigger, but only after the long, long low part. His house was just like it was this morning. Nothing changed in Larry''s House. Larry had three pillows, one from his old house when he was smaller, and two new ones. He had a board with a drawing of Justin on it. He had made it when his hands could hold a paintbrush. It showed Justin in his new armor, and Larry next to him. Larry was so small then. Now he was bigger than Justin. Someday he would get armor like Justin and stand guard with him.


    Larry put his book about Hamster Huey on his shelf, next to his picture of Justin and his lucky rock. Some days he tried to do what Cheese-Master said and throw his lucky rock in the air and catch it. He didn''t catch it a lot, but more than he used to. Larry sat down on his bed of soft stuff that people had given him for his house and tried to sleep. Tomorrow was a big day. Larry would save Hamster Town again. Larry would be a hero. Like his big brother, Justin.

 Chapter 115: A place to think

    After logging out of the game, Milo decided to stay inside his pod, logged into VR, and sitting in a plain white room. He needed to do some thinking, and wanted to access the datanet, specifically the forums where people discussed GENESIS. In the game, there was a lot to do. Out of the game, there was a never-ending list of things that needed to be done. Milo recognized his obsession with doing things. ''Task oriented'' was a nice term used in some of the medical journals which only partially described one of the things that had been done to Milo and his family. They were born wanting to do things. Bred to work continuously. Instead of playing like normal children, their games were moving money and resources around the world and not getting caught.


    It was difficult to just sit and think in Section E. Part of him was always aware of a long list of jobs that had to be done. Early on, he had roamed all over the hab fixing broken things. After a year he was able to focus on just Section E, and not the rest of the hab. Then he narrowed his focus to only the mechanical and electrical systems. There were things he couldn''t fix, like the people living in the Hab. People would have to fix themselves. He''d help by keeping the water, food, and electrical systems working. He focused only on the big jobs that he could do from the shadows. Replacing light bulbs, getting elevators working, and all the other small problems were someone else''s job. Or they stayed broken. There was too much exposure in fixing little things.


    Sitting in just a plain, white room was helping him think. No distractions. No jobs. But it also bothered him. It didn''t feel safe, only plain. He started to design something better. This area was meant to be a safe place where players could do research, wait for death timers to expire, or play video games with guildmates and hold meetings. It could be designed as the owner wanted and had no effect on the game. Five minutes later, Milo''s area looked different.


    Now it was a section of rusty pipe with a six-foot diameter and twenty feet in length. Both ends were metal walls made of scrap metal, cut to fit and welded to the walls of the pipe. The only way in or out was a small hatch in the floor that was locked tight. Four large screens took up one wall. Milo was sitting on a comfortable couch. An end table with cheese, crackers, and chopped vegetables sat in front of him. He felt secure and comfortable here, with no alarms or blinking lights to distract him, and no worries about someone playing ''Surprise!''


    First on his list was some research into the Hollow. Reviews on it were mixed. Many players didn''t like the new race, complaining they felt weak and small. Others were having a lot of trouble not tripping on their tails. The biggest complaint was how hard it was to climb up through the tunnels to Shadowport. It was a difficult climb with a group, and usually fatal doing it on your own. Predators roamed the series of caves on a regular basis and the newly made ratkin were just tasty snacks for them to enjoy. Milo wondered if ratkin tasted like cheese to a red-crested cave fisher.


    On the other hand, some players loved the Hollow. The isolation from the rest of the world let them focus on their character and learn about the culture of the ratkin. In many of the other starting areas it was difficult to find trainers and it could be expensive to pay their fees. In Limburger Hollow getting training was not only free and available, it was required. Everyone trained with the Cheese-Master and had to select at least one other trainer. The options were Fighting, Scouting, Healing, Gathering, and Spells. Many of the ratkin players talked about trying to stay in the Hollow until at least tier 2 and there were several threads discussing staying long-term and living there. The discovery of the Deep Rock Engineers, large cave systems, underground World Bosses, and Limburger Hollow spurred a lot of conversation about what else might be underground. Hints from the developers indicated that the world below might be bigger than the world above. That made sense to Milo and he wondered why it was such a big revelation. Didn''t the real world dig deep and build up to increase space? Why should the skin of the world have more than the entire volume under it?


    The most interesting thing for Milo was finding out that Limburger Hollow wasn''t the only starting place for ratkin players. Several other Hollows in other parts of the world offered options for starting out. Most seemed similar to Limburger Hollow with areas for new players to fight, do quests, and gain skills, but some of them had different Masters to take classes from. Storm-Masters and Battle-Masters were mentioned by one player, in Stilton Hollow. Pule Hollow was the home of an Illusion-Master. The few players who had been placed there mentioned the large herds of cave donkeys. Winnemere Hollow was situated in a massive, bat-infested cave and boasted a Blast Master. The first player who had found it hinted that a little chemistry knowledge was helpful. Milo made a note to himself to see where these other Hollows were located and if there were any maps in Limburger Hollow. Maybe he''d go visit them


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    He learned several things about Limburger Hollow that he hadn''t found on his own. The area he had explored was known to be dangerous because of the spiders. Gathering and stealth skills were practiced there, with no fighting. The mines were also a place for gatherers, and an area for neophyte ratkin to practice their fighting skills. The last thread he saw was titled: What''s the best way to spend contribution points?


    Contribution points?


    "So after doing a lot of the little quests, clearing out some nests of spiderlings in the mines, and gathering some mushrooms, I have 15 contribution points. What do people think are the best things to spend them on? I have the Gathering Whelp class, but I''m thinking about taking more of the tail-fighting classes and learning some weapons. Or maybe doing the sneaky stuff? Where are people spending points?"


    "Definitely take the tail-fighting classes. You can gain levels in the skill fighting spiderlings, slimes, and moles but you don''t really learn as much just raising the skill with experience as you do in the classes. Especially incorporating dodges and acrobatics into a fighting style. We have a couple of good fighters in our group, and one guy that is insane. It''s like he was born with a tail. He''s the Master''s little pet, of course, but no one is going to challenge him after what happened to the last guy. I''m spending points on Whip-Tail and Slashing-Tail as soon as I can. Having another weapon for free is great."


    "I want to learn how to make my own cheese! At high levels, it''s a potion-making skill and uber-buff food. I''m going to grab Careful Milking, Cheese-Making, and raise up my WIS as fast as I can so I don''t have to worry about the side effects."


    "What are you guys talking about? I just started up a new rat character in Pule Hollow and I''m doing all the donkey quests. Where do I find out about the points?"


    "If you are doing quests, you already earned them. Keep doing quests and look for a bulletin board where you eat with lots of notes on it. You can either read the little notes, but it''s easiest to use the prompt to open up a screen. Look for the people standing and staring into space."


    Milo almost started to log back into his character, wanting to go check his points. Then he remembered where he was and realized that was a bad idea. He''d either waste time taking a nap or find out he was dead and just be back here immediately. Better just to wait. He logged into his systems and continued his work designing some specialized gear he was going to need. Things were going to get more complex in the Hab. Going to this party thing with Butch would give him an idea of what was going on. Hopefully, the swap meet was a good one and they had some good games to play. Four hours went by quickly as he finished his schematics and placed additional orders for some components and circuitry his new plans had incorporated into his designs.


    His bank account was slowly dropping. He had stolen a lot of money. But state-of-the-art robotics components and solar panels didn''t come cheaply. He should probably look at investing his money, but that left a large paper trail. He had enough for now and was hesitant to expose himself more. He put the thought aside, logged out, and hopped out of his pod. He ordered up a big bowl of mac and cheese from the food processor and prepared to look for problems in Section E.


    Uncooked chunks of something hard and dry fell into his bowl, followed by broccoli-flavored food cubes, and then a nice gooey topping of something black and stinky. Milo sighed. Job number one was fixing the central food processing unit again. It was hours later that he logged back into GENESIS and opened his eyes.


    He wasn''t dead! He was very surprised. Now to look around this room and see what secrets it held. No one hid a room this well if they didn''t have secrets.


    <hr>


    Larry put his head on his pillows, but he wasn''t tired, so Larry told Larry a good night story.


    "Once upon a time in Happy Hamster Town, Larry lived with his big brother Justin. Justin was the bestest, strongest, and bravest guard in Hamster Town. Larry couldn''t wait until he could be a guard like best-biggest-brother Justin. He worked hard at tail fighting and trying to lift Justin''s halberd. He was getting stronger every day, but not from Cheese! Larry just worked hard! One day when Justin was guarding one end of Hamster Town by himself, a big nasty spider tried to get in. Justin went to stop him. Larry wanted to Help! Sneakybadguy had special cheese that Larry could have for free! Special cheese would make Larry strong and he could save Hamster Town! But Larry said ''No, you go away SneakyBadGuy. Larry won''t eat your bad cheese. Larry will help Justin.'' Then Larry picked up a halberd and ran to help Justin! They killed the nasty spider together!


    Larry and Justin were heroes, and Larry lived with Justin forever and everyone was happy. Even Larry was happy. The end."

 Chapter 116: Clean Pants!

    Something near Milo had died. It was very close and very stinky.


    As Milo woke up, the smell hit him hard. Something rotten and foul was nearby. He eyed the desiccated skeleton, but it was long dead, the few scraps of skin and fur left on it were as dry as paper and the bones yellowed with age. Milo saw the skeletons of a dozen small scavengers nearby, mostly underneath where the skeleton sat. Whatever poison this person died from hadn''t faded, even in death. He went to sit up as the smell became worse, and he realized he was the source. All of his clothing besides the Runed Cowl were rotted and stinking and he was covered in filth and dried sweat. His mouth was bone dry, his teeth felt fuzzy, and his breath made him gag. Water from his canteen only helped a little. He couldn''t stand to be like this.


    He moved to a corner of the room, removed his clothing, and used some of the ancient bedding and his water bottle to scrape off the worst of the sweat and grime. Another blanket he tore to a smaller size and knotted about his waist. This room was large and seemed to have no exits, but one spot on a wall seemed suspiciously bare. He carefully searched for a hidden catch, then again for some other trigger. If the way to open a door was trapped, it made sense there was a way to disarm it. He found a pebble-sized knob of rock high on the rocky wall that could be depressed, and while holding it, pressed the other button. With a click the ''hidden'' door opened. He carefully opened the door and entered, hearing the sound of water. The natural chamber beyond was lit by a magical lamp that hung from the ceiling. The soft light was steady with none of the fluctuations that a flame would make. Most of the chamber was taken up by a small pool of water fed by a small waterfall that poured down one side of the room. The water filled the pool, with the excess running down a spillway into another cave.


    Milo didn''t care if something was lurking down there, he was taking a bath! He brought the Runed Cowl with him. This wasn''t the first time they had taken a bath together. A small depression held what might have been soap long ago. What was left was enough to help him get clean, along with sand from the bottom of the pool. He scoured himself and the cowl until he didn''t smell anything, then carefully dressed in the blanket and cowl, tightening his belt to hold the towel in place. He noticed he had to tighten the belt another notch as if he was thinner. Looking at his arms and legs, there was a noticeable difference, with his muscles standing out more, and his fur looked...silky? Fluffy? He worried he looked like some stuffed toy now.


    Stuffed toys still made Milo uneasy. He hadn''t understood the concept well when he saw pictures of children with stuffed bears, unicorns, and lions. But he had heard of taxidermy and jumped to an unfortunate conclusion. Sometimes when they were small, one of their keepers would put on a children¡¯s show for them, when it was time for them to sleep for a couple of hours. Milo had watched something called Muppets on more than one occasion. Seeing a 6-year-old girl in a photograph holding a stuffed Elmo had terrified him. But he grew suspicious when a search showed hundreds of them for sale. After discarding the idea that someone was breeding Elmo''s to turn into stuffed toys as not cost-effective, he figured out how they produced teddy bears and rap-with-me-Elmo''s. Everyone but Nina had laughed at him. She had been equally horrified.


    The next cavern proved to be a mushroom farm, overgrown with large crops of every poisonous mushroom on Milo''s list. The water spread to keep the soil in the cavern moist before the excess drained down a small hole in the wall, covered with a rusting grate. Near the entrance, Milo saw several sacks in good condition, along with rusted gathering tools. He left them for now. There was no reason to harvest anything if he had no way out of here.


    Walking back through the short tunnel he examined the wall carefully and was rewarded with two more secret doors. Whoever had built this place had liked his secrets. He left them for now and went back to the first room, put his old clothes on the remains of the bedding, wrapped it all up, and then dumped the foul-smelling bundle of clothes into a hole in the soft dirt of the mushroom cave, burying them, and hopefully their smell.


    He took the old blanket back with him and laid it on the ground, gathering up the bones of the withered skeleton carefully, using some of the tools he found in the mushroom cave. He had no idea if it was still toxic, but he was playing it safe. The bones were brittle and pitted, falling apart and turning to powder. The tunic the corpse had been wearing fell to pieces, dropping the broken rib bones in a pile.


    The pants, however, were in suspiciously good condition. Milo held them with tongs and shook them out over the blanket. Dust and dirt seemed to fall off of them. A desiccated leather pouch burst, scattering gold coins and a dozen small rubies on the ground, along with an ornate ring. Milo set the contents of the pouch aside, tossed the pants aside, and carefully wrapped up the old bones. He found a corner of the mushroom cave and dug a small grave, mounding the dirt over it. There wasn''t much else to do, or words to say.


    Another hole was dug, and the bodies of the dead vermin were buried as well. Having cleaned up the room as much as he could and disposed of possibly toxic corpses, he started carefully examining the room. One end was dedicated to some sort of alchemy. Dried bottles of ingredients with faded labels were everywhere. A rack on the side held potion bottles, some of which were dry, but a dozen blue and red fizzy potions remained. They identified as Overcharged Mana Potion, full potency. and Vigorous Healing Potion, full potency. All of the potions had notes written on them detailing how many weeks it would take for them to mature and be useful. The tags were barely readable. Those would be going with him.


    There were a series of journals, but written in a language and alphabet Milo didn''t know. They probably were in code as well. That''s how he would have done it. The thin, cramped handwriting was hard to read as if the author wanted to put down as much on each page as possible. He could probably figure out the journals given enough time, and some hints at the alphabet or language. It would be a fun side project. He put those with the potions. The other dozen books were dedicated to either mycology, poison and how to cure it, or the anatomy of spiders. All good reading material.


    He turned his attention to the large book on the table. It wasn''t written in code but was extremely complicated. The pages were heavy, made of thick parchment with roughly trimmed edges. They still turned easily and the heavy book seemed to be in good shape. Other people had added comments and notes in the margins, often filling up any available space. A popular book with many people owning it over the years. Turning to the index, he saw a list of chapter headings:


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Chapter 1: Czardian measuring systems and how to translate to standard magical terminology


    Chapter 2: Milking Froxbeetles for their venom, and how to remove Froxbeetle larvae from your lower intestine if you get bitten.


    Chapter 3: Making Royal Jelly from Wasp berries.


    Chapter 4: Creating the correct compost for growing the elusive Golden Puffball mushroom and the deadly Red Spotted Eye-Rot mushroom


    Chapter 5: Lesser Elixir Vitae: A sovereign cure for all poisons and toxins.


    Chapter 6: Creating a potent Spider-bane poison from Red Spotted Eye-Rot. (Read Chapter 5 first!)


    The front of the book had a confusing title: <u>Woodchucks and Beavers of the Smoke Lands by Damien Franklin</u>


    He shrugged. If it was your book, you could call it what you wanted. He wondered what chapter the beavers were in. He didn''t have time to read it now though. He summoned his Smugglers Stash and loaded potions, books, gems, and gold into it. He looked at the ring and the pants. Maybe if he washed the pants, that would take care of any remaining toxins. He really didn''t want to show up to fight practice wearing a blanket. He examined the pants, suspicious about how clean they were.


    [Cleansing Pantaloons of the Agile Skulker


    +2 to Agility


    Extra Skulky: -4 to any perception checks to a creature trying to detect the wearer.


    Self-Cleaning and Self-Repairing. One size fits all.]


    These would do! He rinsed them off in the pool, watching the water run off the black pants, leaving them immediately dry. He put them on, amazed at how comfortable they felt. He rinsed the ring, scrubbing it with soap. It was a signet ring of some sort, but with a low profile that could be worn on the inside of his hand to obscure it. He tried to identify it, but it seemed like the ring was fighting him. He suddenly had an intense feeling of danger and being watched. He turned around quickly, and then again, feeling as if someone was looking at him. Then, as if the unseen watcher had made a decision, the feeling went away. Glancing at the ring, he had no trouble identifying it.


    [Signet Ring of the Scout Master


    +10% to avoid blows you are aware of.


    +3 Ranks to Sense Danger skills.


    Storage area 1: 12 Potions.


    Storage area 2: 50 arrows, spears, javelins, shuriken, or other ammunition.


    Storage area 3: Up to 10 pounds of clothing.


    Storage area 4: Up to four gathering bags, of any type.]


    Milo had heard of Scout Masters. They were the people that taught scouting to young whelps and how to always be prepared, weren''t they? And there had been the note in the forums about one of the Hollows having a Scout Master. With a ring like this, he could see how they were always prepared.


    He put the ring on his finger. Immediately he became aware of a large amount of dirty clothes, some jewelry, 12 empty potion bottles, and two empty gathering bags. Concentrating on the bags, he watched as they appeared in front of him. Each bag was the size of a small backpack and looked like a simple cloth bag with a drawstring.


    [Master Gathering Bag


    Weight: 1 pound


    Capacity: 100 pounds of material. Limit of 1 cubic yard.]


    These would hold a lot of mushrooms! He should only take a little for now though, as he still didn''t know where the other tunnel went. There was no sense wasting them. He quickly picked several of each of the poisonous varieties, and two dozen of the Rot-Eye and put them in one sack. Likewise, he took several of each cooking mushroom and two dozen of the Golden Puffballs. There were several beds each of the Rot-Eye and Puffballs. He tied up the bags, and with a thought they disappeared. His next step was to find a way home. Never Lost was giving him an idea of where he was, so hopefully he could figure a way through the caves and back to the Hollow, instead of into Spider Territory.


    He couldn''t get over how much better he felt. It wasn''t only being cured of the poison. He felt great in every way. Curious, he checked for messages from the System and saw his improvements. No wonder he felt better, and he didn''t miss his little slime buddy at all. One less thing to worry about.


    [Congrats on not being dead from Spider Venom or an overdose of strange chemicals you found sitting around!


    Status Update:


    Practice pays off, your fighting skills are improving. So has ''not dying from poison''.


    Skill: Claws of Alta-Viator has improved to Rank 7


    Skill: Tail of Volat-Repat has improved to Rank 7


    Skill: Dodge has improved to Rank 7


    Skill: Fleet of Foot has improved to Rank 6


    Skill: Strong Poison Resistance has improved to Rank 6


    Skill: Stealthy Skulking has improved to Rank 6


    You have used a Tier 6 Elixir to purge poisons, toxins, impurities, parasites, and mutagenic symbiotic slimes from your system


    -You have lost the Skill: Pudding-Based Regeneration. The creature trying to turn you into slime has been cleaned from your body.


    -Bone density affected by damage from mutagenic symbiotic slime has been restored. Gain +1 TOU. Your TOU is now 9.


    -Perk: Pretty Good Regeneration has been increased to Perk: Strong Regeneration


    -You have gained +2 CHA because of your soft, shiny fur. Your CHA is now (2).


    You have gained +5 Enhancement Points.]


    <hr>


    Several Hours ago...


    Milo tossed and turned in a state of delirium as the potent Elixir tried to cure him while the poison tried to kill him. Besides the poison, the Elixir found something else hidden inside of him. At one point he choked and then vomited forth a large blob of white ooze.


    Dejected and hurt, Ooblipimilo gathered himself together until he appeared as a 12-inch high version of his ex-host made of pale jelly.


    He wobbled along with each step, determined to master the art of walking. He had plans! He would be back! He''d grow in power and return to show his host just how much they needed each other. Or maybe he''d just eat him...that would be fun.


    Ooblipimilo made it to the pool room, but an errant step from a wobbly leg sent him tumbling into the pool. From there he was swept into the mushroom cave, and down to the drain. He got stuck for a while on the grate but was eventually pushed through. He tumbled into the darkness thinking: "I''ll be back!!"

 Chapter 117: Tunnels and Traps

    Milo had a lot of experience moving through dusty ductwork and unused corridors. He could tell that his was an old tunnel, and unused for a long time, certainly years. Dust would settle slowly based on air movement. Small spiderwebs picked up dust as well. Milo estimated at least one decade since anyone had been here, and probably more like 30 to 40 years, which matched the level of decay of the corpse, whoever he had been.


    The floor was very smooth, but the sides and roof showed the mark of the picks that had been used to carve through the stone. They had used good picks. A pick made out of low-tier materials like iron or steel would slowly chip away at this stone. The walls showed markings where the picks had gone deep into the stone, breaking off larger pieces. Dark steel or maybe something a little better. His pick was superior to what had cut these tunnels, but not by much.


    He slowly padded forward, careful to check for traps. Patience and perception paid off. Twice he found tripwires near the floor. Three times he found pressure plates hidden in the floor. Looking at the patterns the picks had made helped him find them. The patterns on the walls where the trap mechanisms had been hidden were slightly off. You''d need to have a lot of experience mining and a good eye. Milo had both.


    Of course, that meant he missed one as the tunnel came down to a T. Stepping over a tripwire, he felt the slight give in the floor and heard a soft ''click''. Instantly he jumped without knowing why, avoiding a razor-edged blade that swung out from the wall. He grabbed the walls and moved back to safety before disabling the traps and moving forward even more slowly than before. He reached the T and pondered which way to go. He felt that the left tunnel would take him toward the barracks and mining area, while the right would head in the direction of the marketplace. He chose left and began his slow advance.


    The left tunnel had even more dust in it, but thankfully fewer traps. It led to a small room with a hidden door in the far wall. This door was very small, just enough for someone his size to crawl through. The room itself was only a dozen feet in either direction and had probably been a small cave that was expanded. Stone benches lined two walls, and a series of hooks were set in a wall. Several old cloaks and tunics hung from them, dry and brittle with age.


    Milo was suddenly famished and weak. His stomach felt empty. He dug quickly into his pack for bread and dried fruit. He felt silly, of course, he was starving! He had lain on his cot, sick, and sweating out whatever poison had been in his system. He was surprised he was only needing food just now. Probably how bad he had smelled had killed any need for food. He slowly munched his snack and reread his notifications. He was overjoyed to see that his little pudding stowaway was gone. Any gratitude he had for it for helping him escape from the airship was countered by nearly having his bones dissolved. It was like having a timebomb living inside of him. Good riddance. And better - getting rid of it has raised his toughness and regeneration, so he was better than he had been.


    Better in several ways, in fact, with his skills going up. He wasn''t sure how he felt about his upgrade to his looks. Probably no one would notice. He was happy to see his skills were going up, and he''d even gained 5 Enhancement Points. It almost made waking up stinky worth it. Almost, but not quite.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    He took a better look at what was in the ring. Several black and grey cloaks, black tunics, dark leather belts, and soft black slippers, all in need of a wash. There was also a cute pair of pink slippers that looked like weasels, complete with whiskers. They were even magical.


    [Adorable Baby Weasel Slippers


    One Size Fits All: Feet getting bigger as you grow up? No worries! These expand to fit even the largest of feet!


    Nigh Invulnerable! Hard to damage, and won''t wear out. If something can hurt these slippers, you probably don''t have feet!


    Weasels are on the job: 90% of the time you would trip and fall, you don''t! Trust the weasels!]


    Handy for running away from spiders, but Milo wasn''t sure about the color. He put them back in the ring and pulled out the jewelry. All of it looked valuable but didn''t seem magical when he used his Identify skill until he came to the last ring. This one was a delicate ring of bright silver with a pattern of leaves carved into the ring. On the inside of the ring was a series of runes that Milo didn''t know. He memorized them the best he could and copied them to his journal.


    [Fae Ring of the Dance


    Those mortals who accept this ring and pay its price will gain great boons from the Fae who crafted it long ago.


    -The skill: Dancing is granted to the mortal who wears this ring. This is a permanent gain after 1 hour of dancing.


    -On a day when the owner has danced for at least one hour, that mortal will gain the perk: Grace of the Fae (+4 agility)


    -If a day passes without dancing, not only will the mortal lose Grace of the Fae, but will be cursed with clumsiness, reducing their agility to 0 for 3 days. Only by dancing each of those days will the curse be removed.


    The ring may not be removed unless its owner has danced for seven days in a row, and clicks their heels three times saying "Last Dance...Last Dance...Last Dance...".]


    The ring was interesting, to say the least. Milo was hazy about what a Fae was, but they made neat rings. He put it back into the storage ring. He didn''t have time to stop and dance for an hour. Refreshed, he took a look at the small exit. It was actually a short tunnel, only two feet long, with a hidden door and a way to peek out. Peering into the area beyond, Milo saw a round cave with an assortment of pillows and a bed of rags. On a small shelf was a child''s drawing of a guard next to someone smaller. The large mound of rags shifted...


    <hr>


    Larry had been sleeping, when his large ears heard something nearby.


    Was it a spider? No, Larry only heard the pitter-pat of two feet. Spiders had more than two.


    Was it SneakyBadGuy? No, he didn''t visit Larry anymore, and he smelled of sweat and cheese and mushrooms.


    Was it Justin?! No, it didn''t smell like Justin. It smelled like someone very clean, with just a little bit of oil and bone.


    Was it Tallsqueak? Had Tallsqueak come to visit Larry at Larry''s house?


    Someone knocked at Larry''s door to Larry''s house that Larry hadn''t known was there. "Can Tallsqueak come in?"


    Larry bounced up and down excitedly, only falling once! "YES! Tallsqueak can come in!


    A little door in the rock opened. A secret door! Tallsqueak came through the door, but he looked different. And he smelled clean! Larry ran and picked up his friend before Tallsqueak could stand up.


    "Shiny Fur! Tallsqueak has Shiny Fur! It''s so fluffy and shiny! So fluffy!" It was a long time before Milo could convince Larry to set him down and quit petting him.

 Chapter 118: A visit to Larrys House

    It took a few minutes for an excited Larry to calm down. Milo finally diverted his attention by asking him about his house, and Larry sat him down on a pillow and gave his head one last pat. Larry sat on his bed, happy to show off his house.


    "This is Larry''s special house. No one else lives alone except for Larry. That makes this house special! Larry has three pillows, his comfy bed, and his picture of Justin. Larry has some pet bugs and his lucky rock here too! It''s a long crawl to get out of Larry''s house, but Larry likes it that way.


    Milo agreed with him. "I like Larry''s House. I had a house like this when I was growing up. I had to go down a long tunnel that no one else could fit through, with a cozy spot at the end. Now I have a bigger house, but I still crawl through tunnels to get there. No one else goes there, just me. It''s safe and cozy and I like it that way."


    Larry looked at him oddly, slowly thinking. "Did people make you live alone like they did Larry? Larry used to have more friends, but now it''s only Larry. Sometimes Justin. Sometimes Tallsqueak."


    Larry suddenly got very excited and jumped up and down until he fell over. "Larry has two friends! Larry has two friends!"


    Seeing Larry fall over reminded Milo of the slippers he had found. As soon as he pulled out the pink weasel slippers, Larry got even more excited. "For Larry? Present for Larry?" He could barely sit still as Milo tried to stretch them over his feet. Somehow, they fit with room to spare and Larry jumped and began dancing around the little cave. "Special Hamster Hop slippers!" Larry managed to do the Happy Hamster Hop without falling over until the very end.


    That gave Milo another idea. He didn''t want to have to spend an hour a day dancing around. But Larry might. "I have another special thing, Larry. But to make the magic work, you have to Hamster Hop each day for a full bell."


    "Larry can do that. Larry did the Happy Hamster Hop yesterday for three bells!"


    Milo took out the Fae Ring of Dancing and put it on Larry''s finger, watching it expand to fit.


    Larry''s eyes got huge. "Blue Box? Larry got a Blue Box! See! See!"


    [You have accepted the Fae Ring of Dancing


    You have gained the skill: Dancing (AGI)


    Well, what are you waiting for, twinkle toes? Show everyone what you can do!]


    Larry jumped up and began Hamster Hopping. "Larry can Dance!" Milo could see the difference in Larry already. He hoped that the bonus agility would help his friend even more.


    Two bells rang out, one after another. Milo stood up quickly. It was almost time for fighting class! "Larry, you need to dance until three bells, can you do that!"


    Larry hopped twice, and took a step to the left. He nodded. "Larry will do that, then Larry will go eat and find Tallsqueak. Tallsqueak needs to scurry fast. Go to the end of Larry''s tunnel and go to your right side and follow wall until you see the Barracks." Milo hurried off as Larry continued his dancing. It took several minutes to get to the end of the twisting tunnel Larry lived in, but eventually he was back in the Hollow and found his way to the Barracks and the Fighting arena.


    Players and whelps from the Hollow were already gathering. Some of the players were excited, but several of them, including Black Whisker, seemed sullen and angry. Milo set down his pack and began to do the stretching that the Tailmaster had shown them. Blackwhisker and his group walked over


    "So, teacher''s pet. We were thinking we don''t want to do all these warm up exercises."


    Milo shrugged. "Then don''t do them. I don''t care if you stay clumsy and die when you try to fight monsters."


    That wasn''t the expected response. "You don''t care? What sort of teacher are you if you don''t care?"


    Milo stood up. Why were these people wasting time? "No, I don''t care. Why should I care about you, if you don''t care about you? Either get better or don''t. Now please leave the arena so I can begin warm ups."


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Blackwhisker grinned. "And if we don''t move? What then?"


    Milo walked around him and clapped several times the way the Tailmaster did. "Then you stand there looking silly." The rest of the class began to do the exercises with Milo. Eventually after standing around for a minute, Blackwhisker and the others moved to the back and began to do them as well, but putting in minimal effort. Milo didn''t feel as tired as he had yesterday. As the third bell rang, he simply felt refreshed, even though all the others were covered in sweat.


    Gilad came into the ring, walking slowly. He looked at Milo. "You saunter into my arena wearing only stylish new pantaloons and shiny fur that you groomed for hours? Did you think that would impress me?"


    Milo was sure he was missing something, but he answered the question. "My other pants were stinky, and these aren''t. And I was stinky so I took a bath. I can''t help it if my fur is shiny." From the crowd of whelps came snickers and chuckles. A voice from the back yelled, "Teacher''s pet has stinky pants. I wonder how that happened."


    Gilad felt he was missing some important piece of information. Still, it was obvious that Tallsqueak had not been working as hard as he worked the others. He wasn''t even sweating yet. He would rectify that. "Today we will start with light sparring. Pick a partner and surround the ring, practicing your tail patterns and dodges. No claws. Tallsqueak, I have a special assignment for you. I want you to spar and not strike with claws. Fight how you like, but do not strike with your claws."


    Milo nodded his head and moved to the center of the room, wondering who he was going to fight. Gilad pointed to where Blackwhisker and MickyD were sparring next to ThiefofCheese and MightyMarmot. "You four, come here. You will fight Tallsqueak. You may use claws and tails to attack. I have healing potions for after the fight, so don''t worry about hurting your opponent. Leave the ring if you are hurt, or yell out for the bout to end. Begin."


    The four players looked at each other, and Marmot asked the others, "All at once?"


    ThiefofCheese was on Milo''s far left. As soon as Milo heard ''Begin'' he sprinted at him, leaped and spun, his tail slashing hard against the surprised opponents face. Blood was drawn, and as ThiefofCheese moved backwards a step, Milo followed up with a brutal kick to his stomach, then spun again and struck with his tail against the player¡¯s head. The stunned player just rolled for the edge of the ring and curled into a ball. Milo quickly backpedaled, putting distance between himself and the remaining three opponents. They were cautious now, and working together, he wouldn''t get another easy victory like that one.


    <hr>


    Larry danced. He fell over some, but not as much as he did before. He danced the Happy Hamster Hop over and over and over and over. A little while after he heard third bell ring, Larry got another Blue Box. Two Blue Boxes in one day!


    [You have fulfilled your pact with the Fae Lady, Rhapsody, for a day. She grants you these boons:


    You have learned to dance. This is a permanent boon that will never leave you. Dancing is forever.


    You have been gifted with Fae Grace, increasing your agility by +4, and raising your agility to (4). Celebrate by dancing each day to remain graceful and agile.]


    Unseen and unheard by Larry, a very small door appeared in his house. The smallest of fairies stepped through, and flew up to sit on a ledge next to a picture. She clapped and laughed as the newest dancer capered back and forth across the floor. She watched until the dance was over, and then flew back to her home in Underhill to show the others the new dance she had learned.


    [Larry has learned to dance better! Dancing is now at rank 2!


    Larry is more agile! Larry has raised his agility to rank 1! Total agility is now at (5).


    Good job, Larry!]


    Larry sat down to rest when he saw the new Blue Box. He was tired for the first time in a long, long time. Dancing without falling over was nice! As he slowly read the message, he got happier and happier. Larry had gotten better! That hadn''t happened in a long time. He needed to go tell Justin. And Tallsqueak. And Bleusnout! Thinking of the chef reminded him that it was ''Little Fishies for Breakfast Day''. He scampered down his long tunnel to get breakfast.

 Chapter 119: Three on One

    This wasn''t a fight to first blood. They would keep fighting until one side or another yielded. Gilad urged them on, yelling at them to keep moving, not letting either side pause to catch their breath. The three players were only in the first tier. They had stats only half of what Milo had. He was faster and better trained than they were. But they had numbers and could use their claws. Milo had to keep moving continuously. If one of them pinned him down, the others would pile on that would be the end of the fight. Milo also wanted to avoid the bruises that would come from getting tackled and beaten by all three at once.


    Milo swiped with his tail whenever he got the chance, tripping his opponents and making them trip over each other. He constantly moved so they got in each other¡¯s way. His opponents had forgotten about their own tails and simply tried to claw at him or grapple. This gave him reach they didn''t have. Again and again, he would slash at them with his tail after a half spin, and then retreat a few steps, circling the ring and making them chase him, only to suddenly double back and strike again.


    Milo saw no reason he couldn''t use his arms to block their attacks. The rule he was given was that he simply couldn''t strike back with his claws. Blocks weren''t strikes. Again, and again the three of them came close, leaving scratches on Milo''s hands and arms. He took several swipes to his body, but they only had weak claws, and the cuts were shallow.


    Eventually, he knew he would wear out, from loss of blood and stamina. He was putting out a lot more energy than his opponents. Of course, he started with far more than they did. Even so, where they could jog after him, spreading out to try and pin him in one part of the arena, he had to be constantly sprinting.


    But a curious thing was happening wasn''t getting tired. His heart rate was a little faster and he was breathing hard, but he was barely sweating. His opponents were far worse. Their steps dragged on the ground, and more and more Gilad was yelling at them to push themselves, his voice pushing them to charge Milo. Once he knew he had an advantage, Milo waited for the opportunity to take one of them out.


    Blackwhisker volunteered to be his next victim. Gilad''s voice cut through the noise of the fight. "Why do you fear him, Blackwhisker? I''ve heard your boasts and now is your chance." The larger ratkin charged Milo, the other two were slow to do so, panting hard. As Blackwhisker came at him, Milo feinted with his claws, sidestepped, and wrapped his tail around Blackwhisker¡¯s ankles. As the player hit the ground face-first, Milo leaped and landed with both feet on Blackwhisker¡¯s head, driving it into the ground. Milo tumbled forward, coming to his feet as the other two advanced.


    MickyD and MightyMarmot were exhausted. The bout had only been going on for a dozen minutes, but for them, it felt like an all-out sprint. Each of them had bruises where Milo''s tail had slapped at each of them repeatedly. They looked at their opponent, knowing that Blackwhisker was out of the fight. Tallsqueak was barely breathing hard, and to their surprise, the small gashes on his arms were healing. He was favoring one leg as he moved but otherwise looked ready to continue.


    Marmot stumbled to the edge of the arena and collapsed. "I yield".


    MickyD just slumped to his knees. "Yeah, me too. Yield. Damned if I fight you again. You¡¯re psycho dude, how do you fight like that?"


    Gilad walked to the center of the ring. "He can fight like that because he''s trained more and has a higher level. You three are a mix of level 3 and level 4. Tallsqueak is in the second tier and probably has twice the health and stamina of the rest of you. I don''t know all of his skills, but it''s obvious to anyone that he has trained his Sense Danger skill and raised his Regeneration. These are things all ratkin can do. If that is, you work hard, and take on dangerous quests, or kill dangerous creatures."


    "And fighting dangerous creatures changes you in another way: You learn to push yourself! You could have ended this fight earlier if you had given it your all, endured his attacks, and pushed through the pain. Four on one and you lose? I see much training in your future if you wish to become strong. Use this fight as a lesson. Imagine when all four of you are as strong as Tallsqueak and venture forth in the tunnels to seek out riches and glory."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    He held up one of Milo''s arms. "Look at him, barely wounded after blocking dozens of slashes and taking many small wounds." He squinted at Milo, noticing his suspiciously clean pants and still-shiny fur. "And I''m sure he has a few other secrets, but don''t we all? Let''s get some healing potions into you four. You should see some good improvement in your claw attacks after this. The rest of you, switch partners, and do your claw exercises. Tallsqueak, we must talk."


    His four opponents were each given two small healing potions and a stamina potion, and sent to rest. Gilad led Milo away to where they could talk. "You seem to be favoring one leg. Are you wounded?"


    Milo touched his leg, finding the sore spot, and realizing he had been limping slightly. "Not from the fight. This is an earlier wound. I went mushroom gathering and got stung by a spider."


    Gilad rapped him on the head twice, but lightly. "No, you did not get ''Stung by a spider''. You were bitten."


    "It is important to use the correct words less others misunderstand you. Spiders inject poison with their fangs. You must have found a named spiderling in the caverns for it to affect you that way. The only spiders who have stings are from the Royal line, and they certainly do not hunt in the area where we train beginners in gathering. If you had gone far enough past our fields and into the far tunnels, you might encounter a Royal. But you would also be dead. They are fearsome foes." He looked at Milo, waiting for him to confirm his understanding of the lesson.


    Milo thought back to the fight. "No, I''m certain it was a stinger that got me. I had wounded the Deathmonger and it retreated, so I left the Brute behind and went to finish it. The Deathmonger dropped on me and stung me in the leg, it was really painful, and the poison almost got me. But I''m better now."


    Gilad stared at him. "Tallsqueak? Why were you foolish enough to go to the far caverns? A Brute and a Deathmonger together is a deadly combination of spell casting and fighting ability."


    "Well, I needed to get some mushrooms for Bleusnout, he had a list, and sent me past the big gathering fields. He also said to run if I saw a spider. And Old Healer needed some mushrooms too, and mentioned a cave it would be bad to go into. And... well...I think I went too far and didn''t run when I should have. It was my fault I got in trouble."


    The tail-master considered the youngster in front of him. How could he tell all the others to push themselves and work to get better, and then chastise this one for doing exactly that? Surviving the poison had somehow given him the ability of better regeneration and cleansed his body. He''d seen that happen before in the heat of battle, often after a fight with a terrible foe.


    "You survived and didn''t die. That is important. Did you learn a lesson about trying to fight spiders of the Royal bloodlines?"


    Milo considered. What had he learned? "Drop on them so they can''t drop on you. Kill the Deathmongers first. And always have an escape route."


    Gilad patted him on the shoulder. "Yes, all good things to do. I''m glad you have learned something. You''ve had an exciting day. Go get some food in you, you look thinner." Milo nodded, he was famished after the fight and it was breakfast time.


    He was a dozen steps away when Gilad said something else. "We shall have to deal with them though. I will gather Justin and some of the guards, and you can lead us to them. We cannot leave a pair of Royals alive, so close to the Hollow."


    Milo turned back to talk. "Oh, I got them all. It was hard, but all three of the big ones are dead. But I think it really upset the rest of the spiders. I had to hide in a cave and seal it up to get away."


    Gilad looked at Tallsqueak. "Three? You killed three Royal spiders?"


    Milo nodded. "The ones with the stingers, yes. One was an Assassin and two others were Black Widows."


    Gilad sighed heavily. "Of course, you did." He waved Milo away. "Go get food, Tallsqueak. Try not to do anything dangerous at breakfast."


    Milo ran off to eat. Maybe it was little fishies day?

 Chapter 120: Cookies for Heroes

    It was indeed Little Fishies Day. Each of the little blind cave trout was half a foot long and they had been fried in oil with spices, butter, and chopped onions slathered inside of them. Bleusnout took one look at Milo''s bruised and battered body and scooped him up a double helping of fried trout, vegetables, and half a loaf of fresh bread. He motioned for Milo to sit at a table nearby and took the food to him.


    "You look like you took on an army all by yourself, and you''re famished. Eat this and you''ll feel much better. Was Gilad putting you through one of his challenges?"


    Milo ate half of a fish in one bite and then tore off a chunk of bread, tossing it into his mouth without pausing. He managed to mumbled some words before his next bite. "Just four at once, but I''m sure Gilad will find an army next time."


    "Yes, I''m sure he will. If you pass one of his challenges, he simply finds a bigger challenge. But on the bright side, that means he sees something in you worth training." The chef paused and then asked. "I know it''s only been a day, but were you able to find any of the mushrooms I need?"


    Milo started to talk, but his mouth was overstuffed with food.


    Bleusnout laughed. "My apologies, you are hungry. Eat, and when you are done we will talk about your expedition." The chef walked away, and Milo did just that. He ate until nothing was left, and then sat back, watching the other ratkin go in and out of the huge mess hall. Most of the Hollow ate here every day. If you had nothing else to do, you could stay here and meet nearly everyone. Several hundred ratkin lived here in the village. He''d learned that many caves branched out from the large central areas and served as homes for families and clans. Limburger was a well-established Hollow, with a long history, and some old secrets. Milo liked figuring out the secrets. Which reminded him about the ring, the gathering bags, and the mushrooms he''d been sent to find.


    There were several large mixing bowls on the table next to Milo, freshly cleaned from the morning cooking. He took two of them and turned his body so no one could see him pull a gathering sack from his ring. He transferred all of the mushrooms from the bag with edible fungus into the two bowls. He finished emptying the bag and put it back into his ring. Bleusnout was walking back over to him, holding a small pastry. "Finished up with lunch? Good, I have a surprise for..."? Bleusnout stopped talking, staring at the bowls of mushrooms on the table.


    Milo could smell the delicious smell of cheese coming from the pastry. "For me?" Milo took it and began nibbling the tasty pastry a little at a time.


    The distracted chef looked down at the pastry. "Oh, yes. This is a Cheese Danish. It turned out well, I think. But, Golden Puffballs? Where did you find Golden Puffballs? These are notoriously hard to grow. Special soil and climate are needed! I''ve never been able to make them grow in my fields. They are so delicious! I''ll make a special meal of these tomorrow! And you''ll find some extra contribution points when you check the board next." He patted Milo on the head, still staring at the mushrooms. Then picked up the two bowls and began yelling. "Rifkin! Smiley! I''ll be downstairs. Finish up the meal."


    Milo walked over to where a harried Rifkin was trying to fry up more fishies while Smiley served people. Milo pointed to Larry''s bowl, and Smiley gave him a big thumbs up. "I''ll have it ready for you as soon as he shows up. Thanks for handling him. He doesn''t know me well, and Rift is really nervous around Larry." Milo shrugged. How could anyone be nervous around Larry?


    It didn''t take long for Larry to show up. He came skipping and hopping, dancing to some inner music. The ratkin that saw him stopped to stare. Milo met him on the porch and they sat eating their lunch, (Milo''s second lunch, he was still starving). No one had objected to him grabbing a double bowl to eat along with Larry.


    Larry was excited and was telling Milo a story when Milo saw a board in the roof above the porch flex slightly. He got up silently and went into the mess hall and out another door. Larry was at the best part where Justin and Larry had to fight all the bad sneaky guys and he didn''t even notice that Milo was gone. It was easy to climb up to the slightly slanted roof. Milo began to skulk across it, keeping as low as he could and concentrating on not being noticed. As he had suspected, someone who wanted to play a game of surprise was on top of the roof. Two someones, in fact. Milo snuck up slowly behind them, then yelled "Surprise!" and pushed both of them off of the roof. They twisted in the air and landed on their feet. After taking a moment to glare at the smiling Tallsqueak on the roof, they realized how close they were to Larry. Larry looked up and saw them before they could skulk away.


    Larry was just telling Milo about how the sneaky bad guys ambushed Larry and Justin when two sneaky bad guys landed in front of him. There was always a thin wall between reality and fiction for Larry. That wall crumbled and Larry knew what he had to do to save Hamster Town. As far away as the market, people heard his roar.


    "HEY HEY! HO HO! Bad Sneaky Guys got to GO!"


    Two ratkin shadow skulkers suddenly found themselves in front of an enraged Cheese Fiend! They made the immediate decision to run. Larry ran after them, and to their horror, he was much faster than they expected and didn''t fall over. Those ratkins who were in the marketplace that day were treated to the sight of two shrieking shadow skulkers running as fast as they could, with Larry in close pursuit, clad in his pink weasel slippers. Milo was three steps behind Larry, not knowing what his huge friend would do if he caught them.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The little parade ran through the marketplace three times, with the harried ratkin unable to evade Larry, and Milo unable to calm him down. Finally, a second decision was made and they ran inside a large house at the end of the market and shut the stout wooden door. Larry dug in his heels and stopped, just before running into the door. Milo suspected Larry could have gone straight through the door if he wanted to. Instead, Larry banged on the door three times. "Hello? Can Larry come in?" No one answered.


    Larry turned to Milo, a frown on his face. "Bad guys don''t know how to play ''knock, knock, knock''!"


    Milo began clapping. "You did it Larry. You saved Hamster Town again."


    More clapping came from nearby. "Indeed. That was very good rescuing. Can I offer either of you two heroes a cool glass of fruit juice and some cookies? I was just taking my lunch." The Old Healer was sitting at a table nearby, a pitcher and a plate of cookies in front of him."


    Larry nodded in approval. Heroes needed cookies to keep up their strength for doing Hero things. He sat down on the ground and waited patiently. Milo got him a cookie and a glass of fruit juice, and the same for himself. The old ratkin waited for them to serve themselves, and then spoke. "That was exciting to watch, and this is probably the best outcome that one could hope for. But I''m curious about the start of the adventure."


    Milo felt slightly embarrassed. "It was my fault. I may have surprised them while they were on the roof being sneaky, and knocked them off when Larry was at an important part of the story."


    Larry nodded seriously. "Best part of the story. Larry can have another cookie?" Old Healer handed the plate to Larry. "You may have all of the rest. I''m sure Tallsqueak and myself aren''t hungry, and my granddaughter is late for lunch."


    As he passed the plate of cookies to Larry, Old Healer noticed Larry''s feet. "My, those are very pretty slippers. Did you find those somewhere Larry?"


    Larry shook his head no, and stuffed two cookies into his mouth. When he had swallowed them down, he smiled broadly. "No, Larry not find. Good friend Tallsqueak gave it to Larry to help him dance better. And Larry has a magic dancing ring too! Larry is a very good dancer. All of Larry''s new friends say so."


    The old ratkin was thoughtful for a moment. He had wondered how Larry had chased his students and nearly caught them. "That is good Larry. Very good. And clever of your new friend." He spoke more softly to Milo. "I''ve often wondered about finding new skills for Larry to do in the hopes that it could somehow reverse the changes. Can you please keep an eye on Larry? Gifts from the Fae can be tricky, but I''m happy to see that he can learn new skills. Bleusnout has had him trying to juggle rocks for a year, and other things to gain basic skills, but it hasn''t helped."


    Milo thought about that too. "Maybe it needs to be something he wants to do? He loves doing the Happy Hamster Hop and has been dancing all morning. The ring helped him gain the skill permanently."


    Old Healer considered his next words. "If it is similar to another ring I once saw, it has benefits as well as drawbacks. The slippers simply have the drawback of having to walk around in pink weasel slippers. But I don''t see that as a problem for Larry. If anything, it softens his appearance to the people nervous to be around him. Gifts from a friend under another hill are always tricky, but I think there is little harm to Larry in this case.


    Milo looked at the old ratkin. He seemed quite observant, and Milo suspected he recognized Larry''s slippers and ring. He didn''t regret giving Larry his presents. Larry needed every bit of help he could get. But pink weasel slippers were very unique. Milo didn''t want to cause trouble for Larry. He grew very serious and asked, "Will you promise to keep a secret?"


    The old one nodded, just as seriously. "I enjoy keeping secrets and will not divulge anything you don''t want to be known. If you have a good secret, I might even share one of my own with you."


    That was good enough for Milo.


    "There is a secret tunnel that goes from The Cave of Death, guarded by the spiders to secret tunnels. There are caves full of rare mushrooms inside, but the tunnels are dangerous with many traps. The other end of the tunnel goes to Larry''s house. But if someone disturbed him while he was sleeping, it could be very bad, and make Larry feel sad." Old Healer looked to where Larry was eating cookies with four-inch talons attached to huge, muscular hands and arms. "Ah, I see your point. Yes, we don''t want anyone disturbing Larry."


    Milo looked at where Larry was happily eating cookies. "And I don''t want anyone taking away Larry''s presents. He needs them. They came from those tunnels."


    Old Healer stared at Tallsqueak for a full minute. The younger ratkin across from him was very serious about this. He had claimed Larry as a friend and was protecting him. Old Healer approved. If only all the young ones in the Hollow could grow up this way. He''d have to make sure his entire clan understood that Larry was off-limits. No games of surprise, not that playing Surprise with Larry would go well, not with his increased speed. And no stealing. This was best for the clan as well. An angry Cheese Fiend was a force of nature.


    "Do not worry. Long lost treasure belongs to whoever finds it. No one will steal from Larry. Or from you, for that matter." He indicated Milo''s pants.


    Milo smiled. "Good, these are great pants! They stayed clean all through the fight and are very comfortable."


    "So then, now that we¡¯ve had our cookies and discussed secrets, you say you found mushrooms for me?"


    A Gatherer''s sack appeared on the table. Old Healer laughed. "Ah, well that answers that question. I was wondering what else you might have found. I have one of those too." The bag disappeared and in its place was an empty Gatherer''s bag of a different color. Old Healer showed Milo his hand, where he wore a duplicate of Milo''s new ring on his finger. "Now you know one of my secrets as well, and we can keep each other¡¯s secrets. Shared secrets can build trust between friends."


    Milo nodded. That was fair. He wondered how many of those rings were in the Hollow. They were very useful.


    Larry stood up and brushed cookie crumbs off his lap."Larry wants to go dance some more, but Tallsqueak is having fun talking with the funny old rat. Larry will take cookies to Larry''s house to share with friends." The happy Cheese Fiend wandered back through the marketplace, people scurrying to get out of his way. Tallsqueak and the Old Healer waved to him.


    <hr>


    It had been a good day for Larry; Presents, new friends, dancing, cookies, and being a hero. When he got back to his house, Larry told Larry the story of the best day ever many times, so that Larry would remember it when he had a bad day. Not all days were good days, and stories helped.

 Chapter 121: Clan Secrets

    Old Healer had long ago cultivated patience to a point where there was little left that surprised him. A rampaging Cheese Fiend pursuing two of his junior students through the marketplace made him realize that there was still a lot in this world he had yet to experience. He was grateful that Larry had enough control not to crash straight through the door. Bleusnout was doing a masterful job of helping the poor whelp recover from his overdose. Now there was a patient old rat!


    He was also happy to see how polite Larry was. He had certainly earned his cookies. Out in the world, things were more hazardous, and having to run from an enemy was dangerous. Those two had gotten off easy but would remember the lesson. Tallsqueak told him the entire story, which made him chuckle and shake his head. Trying to score points on Tallsqueak in the same way as an earlier attack? Silly. Those two would need to be this week¡¯s example of ''What you don''t do!'' Surprise attacks, strangely enough, revolved around not doing the same thing over and over.


    Larry hadn''t been the end of the day''s surprises. As Tallsqueak was handing Larry his cookie and juice, Old Healer noticed the insignia on the inside band of his ring. He covered his surprise by sipping his juice and struggling to hold still. A duplicate of Tallsqueak''s ring was on his own finger. A long, slow examination of the young ratkin enjoying a cookie and juice revealed more things. The glint and fluffiness of his fur showed he had recently purified his body, and his new pantaloons were both distinctive and familiar to him. How many times had he rushed up to his great-uncle when he was only a few cycles old, to run his hands across the silky fabric? He had been quite upset when the person wearing them had disappeared.


    Coupled with Charlotte''s story of partnership, spiders, and presumed death in a certain cave, he could make a partial guess at what had happened. He suspected that Tallsqueak had found a forgotten secret. He would have to politely ask if he would share. It had been decades since his great-uncle had disappeared, leaving the clans in disarray and forcing his grandfather to take over as clan head. It had been nearly impossible to hold everything together with half of the clan suspecting his grandfather was responsible for his brother''s death. It hadn''t been a good time, and whispers still circulated among the older ratkin.


    But things changed, and life went on. In their history, his clans had been ruled by Death-Masters, Scout-Masters, and Healing-Masters. The spider wars had wiped out too many of his generation and those that had followed. At some point, he must pass the reigns of power to someone else. His granddaughter was thought to be the obvious choice, but Charlotte could be difficult. And while she was proficient in skulking and backstabbing, she was a poor healer, and too worried about competing to work with others. Compromise was essential in a merged clan with so many divergent skills. He was training several promising whelps in the healing and alchemical arts and hoping one of them would stand out. Gendifur was by far the most talented, and he had hopes for her acceptance by the other healers. Stone clan and their huge size led people to forget how brilliant she was.  And now he had a new wildcard in Tallsqueak. Such an odd creature, obviously a feral loner from some small cave. But he had made several friends, which was more than Charlotte could boast. At the very least he was a new piece on the board that he could use to make the other whelps step up their game.


    <hr>


    Char was intentionally late to her luncheon with her grandfather. Not so late that she would be judged disobedient, but enough to show that she felt she had better things to do. Hadn''t she already fulfilled his weekly challenge by retrieving the mushroom samples he needed from a spider-infested area? She had already planned an expedition back to that same area to find Tallsqueak''s body and see what valuables he had and wanted to get moving on that. In particular, it had been noticed that the pick-axe he carried with him was made of a superior material. She had a team of three others who had some mining experience from the basic training and planned on clearing the cave-in and finding his body.


    She was thinking about this plan as she exited the front door of her clan''s area, and saw the assumed-to-be-dead person nibbling one of the cookies she had made for her grandfather. It was just like him to set something like this up! But how had Tallsqueak survived?


    Her grandfather introduced them. "Tallsqueak, I would like to formally introduce you to my granddaughter, Charlotte. Charlotte, this is my new friend, Tallsqueak." Charlotte didn''t miss the way her grandfather named Tallsqueak first, implying he was of higher rank in the clan than her! Rage and embarrassment filled her heart. Mostly rage. She''d always had a short fuse.


    Tallsqueak recognized her immediately. "Hello, Partner."


    "Oh no! That''s over. You died! Or left the area! Or did something tricky and left me on my own. And that was yesterday. No partnership. No splitting of loot. Nothing. Those are the rules." Her grandfather sighed. She and he had already had an argument over this.


    Tallsqueak seemed confused about why there was a problem. "That''s fine, it makes it simpler. Rules are important so each person has a good expectation of how things will go. Thank you for letting me know, so there are no awkward interactions over the splitting of loot."


    Charlotte ignored the stink-eye her grandfather gave her. The important thing was that she had won! Tallsqueak was obviously upset about losing out on the quest rewards her grandfather had promised. It was one less barrier between her and eventually taking over the clan.


    Her grandfather clapped his hands three times to get their attention. "Enough. Charlotte has declared the partnership void. She will be given credit for the mushrooms she harvested and brought back. Tallsqueak will be credited with what he found. So nice that we are all in agreement."


    Charlotte smiled, waiting for him to declare her the victor. She loved winning. Loved the feel of it and the look on everyone else''s face.


    "Tallsqueak wins. I know you weren''t out in the caves and gathering as part of the competition, but by the rules, you became part of it when you partnered with Charlotte, and what you found far outweighs her contribution. We have a little competition in my clan each week. You are this week''s winner and gain additional contribution points. "


    "That isn''t fair! What could he bring back to equal the rare fungus you sent me after?"


    Old Healer produced a Master Gathering bag from his ring, once again making her jealous of the item. "Tallsqueak gathered four times the amount you did Charlotte, along with some very rare varieties." Using only tongs he showed her a few of the deadly mushrooms.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Milo spoke up. "And magic pants. They are very comfortable."


    Charlotte stared at Milo''s new pants. "Those are an heirloom of the Shadow Skulker Clan!"


    Milo was having none of that, he knew the rules. "Long lost treasure belongs to whoever finds it. These magic pants are now an Heirloom of Clan Hopping Hamster."


    Charlotte stomped one dainty foot and looked at her grandfather.


    Old Healer winked at Tallsqueak and then said seriously to Charlotte: "It is best not to anger clan Hopping Hamster. They already defeated two of our junior students today and beat you in gathering. They are a new force to be reckoned with, here in Limburger Hollow."


    "Come lad, we should talk a bit in private. Charlotte? Please go make some tea for us, and bring another plate of cookies. But not immediately. Join us after half a bell, I have important clan business to discuss with the head of clan Hopping Hamster."


    <hr>


    The old ratkin led Milo through the door Larry had refrained from smashing through, and down a hall to a room with a large desk, shelves of books, and several leather chairs. Milo scanned the books quickly but didn''t see what he was looking for. Old Healer noticed his interest. "Looking for something?"


    Milo nodded. "I want to know what happened to Larry. Are there books on Cheese Fiends? Has anyone looked for a cure?"


    Old Healer paced back and forth a little. "Yes, and No. We have very little of that information, here in this Hollow. I''ve heard that some of the other Hollows have worked on ways to reverse some of the changes. And of course, some Hollows still create Cheese Fiends on purpose and know a great deal about the process. But it would be nearly impossible to get that closely guarded information."


    "On purpose!? But why?" Milo suspected the answer, but part of him didn''t like it and didn''t want to know the answer.


    "I''m sure you can see the advantage. Larry is worth over a dozen trained fighters. He is nearly impossible to hurt, and yet he can be managed because of his low intellect and need for cheese. Cheese Fiends were created to fight in wars long ago, and the ability to transform into one is in all of us. There is even a special Class that can be taken by a ratkin who becomes highly addicted to cheese and moves to a higher tier. Those are the truly horrible Fiends since they retain fighting skills and abilities. You are thinking of trying to find a cure for young Larry?"


    "Or a way to make him better." Milo was skeptical that body-wide mutagenic transformations could be reversed. Then again, didn''t he change and then change back? Could he make Larry better by helping him get a new class? That was something to explore.


    The old ratkin stopped pacing and looked at Milo. "I had wanted to talk to you to see if there was something I could offer you in exchange for something I need. There are some medical texts I could loan you, and books on alchemy. In exchange for what I need, I offer you the resources of my clan to help your friend."


    "And what do you need in exchange?" Milo was skeptical of open-ended deals.


    "I need access to that hidden tunnel network you found, to search for proof of my Brother''s death. Unless you already know something?"


    Milo assumed he must mean the pile of bones. Things slid into place in Milo''s mind. "Your Brother was a Shadow Skulker and a Scout-Master. He had a secret lair where he grew mushrooms and made poisons, but one of his concoctions killed him! That''s why the place is all secret doors and traps."


    Old Healer kept his excitement hidden, but he smiled widely. "Ah, that does sound like him. He would place small traps all through the hallways to ''test the young ones''. That ended when one of the older dowagers got a poisoned needle in her toe and beat him nearly senseless for putting traps in the laundry room. I can imagine he placed many in his secret lair."


    Milo looked down at his pants. Looting old bodies wasn''t as much fun when you suddenly met their relatives. "I found him. Not much left. He poisoned himself somehow and was trying to make an antidote when he died."


    "Do you have any information on that antidote? It wouldn''t have happened to be some form of cleansing elixir, would it? And you may have imbibed some? One of the side effects is a lustrous coat of fur. Or so I''ve read."


    Milo brushed the fur along his forearm. It was still annoyingly shiny and soft. "It was Lesser Elixir Vitae. I was dying of spider venom when I found it. I may have drunk more than needed. I wasn''t thinking well at the time. When I woke up, I smelled horrible and my clothes were a mess. Sorry for being a pants stealer, but I really needed them!" Talking about the elixir had brought up the recipe in his mind. The amount in the bottle was enough to have cured him four times over. He might have shiny fur for a long time.


    Old Healer looked very interested. "That is a very powerful cure. It not only cleaned the venom from your system, but also any other impurities from your body, and should have strengthened your natural healing abilities. Yes, you would have woken up later with all the impurities and poison on the outside instead of the inside. My brother was a pile of bones; he didn''t need those pants anymore. You are welcome to them."


    Milo had a sudden thought. "What would the Elixir do to Larry? Is it possible that too much cheese forms poisons or chemicals in the body that cause it to warp? What if we cleaned out his system like I did mine?"


    Old Healer thought hard, then sighed. "I just don''t know. It might help him some, but it might also have side effects, such as stimulating his already incredible regeneration. Or his hunger. There is no way to know."


    Milo persisted. "We could use small doses? Study his reactions. And it would be good to have some of the Elixir on hand in case anyone else was poisoned!"


    "Valid arguments. But there are some flaws in your plan. Firstly, I need the recipe. Secondly, the ingredients, one of which is a great deal of Golden Puffball mushrooms."


    Tallsqueak pushed two of the chairs back against the wall, and a large oak chest appeared to the great surprise of Old Healer. The old ratkin narrowed his eyes, remembering old stories. Tallsqueak was getting more interesting all the time.


    Reaching inside Tallsqeak pulled out a massive, metal-bound book and put it on the desk. "Here. It''s confusing at times, especially with all the added notes, but it almost made sense to me, and I only have chemistry to fall back on. A Healer should have no trouble making more Elixir." The chest disappeared as someone knocked on the door.


    Old Healer was already paging through the book as he motioned for Milo to open the door. "That will be my Granddaughter. How convenient."

 Chapter 122: Operation Larry

    <div>


    Charlotte was annoyed. This was one of her three main emotions. Annoyed, frustrated, and arrogance vied for the number one emotion. A few other emotions kept trying to enter the mix, but a few like empathy and sympathy had packed their bags and left long ago. She assumed that by now she knew almost everything about everything the clan could teach her, so she was annoyed that somehow her grandfather could make a door that trapped all sound. She''d been trying to eavesdrop on the meeting going on between her grandfather and Tallsqueak but could hear nothing at all through the thin wooden door.


    It was obvious Tallsqueak had found something that pertained to the clan. Grandfather was excited and that could mean bad news for her. The old man was always testing her: setting her up to fight opponents in the arena, holding a competition for the best skulker, who could kill the most spiderlings or drink the most bottles of poisoned fruit juice. It was endless and tiring, always with the threat of ''To lead a clan, you must be the best at everything. And you aren''t ready.'' It should be obvious to him that she would be the best clan leader and not one of her idiot cousins. And now he had a new challenger for her to compete against.


    At least it was a serious challenge. Tallsqueak had talent, despite his feral manners. She was curious about what type of competition the old rat would give the two of them. Hopefully, something dangerous so she could make sure that he didn''t come back this time. Being an outsider, Tallsqueak had none of the protections of the clan. So many things could happen to him. She''d have to arrange a few. It was a shame since he was better at combat than most of her cousins. But no one cracked her skull with a spanner and got to live. No one!


    The door opened, and a smiling Tallsqueak nodded to her before he left the room, moved down the hall, and left the clan''s home. Her grandfather called from inside. She entered, deliberately not closing the soundproof door all the way.


    "Ah, fresh tea. I knew I could count on you, Charlotte. I have a new challenge for you. I''d like you to make friends with Larry."


    "Make friends with Larry? Have you lost your mind!!"


    Her grandfather looked around at the floor, and in his pockets. "No, I''m pretty sure I have it somewhere, thank you for asking, and say ''Hi'' to Larry for me."


    Charlotte stared at the old rat. "I won''t do it. I hate Fiends and I hate him. How many of our family were killed by rogue Fiends from other Hollows when we fought the spiders? My own mother was torn apart by one. I want nothing to do with Larry or any other Fiend unless it means putting a knife through their brains."


    Her grandfather sat and said nothing, pondering something. Finally, after a minute he spoke. "No, that won''t do it. A knife to the brain would kill most people, I''m sure. But a Fiend would keep fighting. Most Cheese Fiends have a secondary brain at the end of their spine, you might have to use two knives. Luckily, Larry seems to have more brain power than most. You''ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy he is to talk to."


    "But I don''t want to talk to a Cheese Fiend!"


    Her grandfather leaned back in his chair and folded his hands on his belly. "Then I suggest you quit thinking of Larry as a Fiend. I understand your anger. The attack upon our camp that night was a horrible thing. Our family alone lost 14 people. Most of the generation between us was lost, and no clan was unscathed. We may never know how the spiders drove the Cheese Fiends insane like that. I know what has happened, but it is time to take your own feelings and put them behind you for the good of the clan."


    Charlotte couldn''t believe he was serious. "But why? How can becoming friends with Larry be good for our clan? I don''t understand. There can''t be any other reason for it other than one of your stupid tests." Her grandfather had given her odd tasks before, but this was beyond strange. He paused, started to talk, then changed his mind. "It is something that must happen before I send you on an important mission. VERY important. Please, I need you to do this. Tallsqueak will tell you why once he judges that Larry trusts you."


    "Tallsqueak? What does he have to do with this?" What had he found that he could make these demands?


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Everything. As I''m sure you have guessed from seeing his ''magic pants'', he found secrets of our clan. He has offered to share them, but to do so he requires you be friends with Larry. Think of it as gaining Tallsqueak''s trust. He has little reason to trust you right now, and that was your own doing. But he did offer you some help. Larry likes cookies and treats, he loves dancing, singing silly songs, telling stories and having them told to him. No cheese, of course. Eating meals with Larry was suggested. And not dressing like a Shadow Skulker. You don''t want Larry to think of you as a ''Bad Sneaky Guy''. They are the bad guys in his stories."


    Charlotte stood and looked at her grandfather, trying to judge if he was serious about this, or if senility had set in early. In the end, she decided to call his bluff. She didn''t know what Tallsqueak had found, but she had a good idea of where to look. As for Tallsqueak and Larry, it was time for them to go. Limburger Hollow shouldn''t be harboring a Cheese Fiend. Lots of other people felt that way. If Larry disappeared, very few people would ask questions.


    "I won''t do it. Larry isn''t Clan, he lost that when he became a Fiend. Tallsqueak isn''t Clan and never will be. I don''t have to work with them. And if they know secrets, I''ll find them out and bring them to the clan myself." She turned to go, slamming the door and striding down the hallways, fuming.


    <hr>


    Her mood and departure didn''t go unnoticed. Two younger clan members were getting a snack after their failed mission to play surprise, and their impromptu lesson in ''How to not be eaten by Larry''. Ringtail and Tweedle had already told their story to most of the other young skulkers, embellishing the details to include a small battle with Tallsqueak on the roof, and lurid descriptions of Larry''s claws and teeth. They also emphasized how fast he was. That was new information. They had been truly terrified when he was chasing them, and very grateful that he was polite enough to knock and ask permission before entering.


    Ringtail watched as Char stormed by. "Wow, princess twistytail is really pissed!"


    Tweedle agreed. "Tallsqueak is beating her on points, and grandfather keeps reminding her about it."


    "She needs to learn to relax."


    "I don''t know if she can."


    "Remember when we invited her swimming...


    "...and she put poison in the pool to score points on all of us. Yeah, no more swim parties for PrissyPrincess."


    "I heard something about a mission."


    "I too heard that."


    "And she thinks she''s too good to do it."


    "As usual. She needs some humility."


    "She needs so many, many things."


    "And never takes our advice."


    "I bet it''s a mission any idiot could do."


    "I think so too, probably something even we could handle."


    "Grandfather does say we are idiots. So, we''re qualified."


    "She''s going to be so pissed."


    "Very pissed. We may have to sleep elsewhere for a long time."


    "Worth it."


    "Let''s go see Grandfather.


    Old Healer was just finishing his first cup of tea when Ringtail and Tweedle knocked on his door and entered. They saluted like they were in the army. He sighed. Of all his grandchildren, besides Charlotte, the twins were the two he felt had the most potential to become the best of their generation partly because they had used so little of that potential.


    "Clan scout Tweedle, reporting for duty."


    "Clan scout Ringtail, ready for important missions, no matter how dangerous.


    Their grandfather sighed. "Let me guess; Charlotte still mumbles to herself loudly when she is angry, and you overheard me from the hallway."


    Both scouts nodded and Ringtail added. "Wind her up good and you can find out all kinds of interesting things."


    "Like secret missions."


    "Which you now need us for."


    "Good choice on your part."


    They weren''t expecting their grandfather to actually give them the mission with so little arm twisting. He simply smiled at them, with all of his teeth showing. "Excellent. You two will do nicely. Tallsqueak has a secret mission, but you have to prove yourselves to him by becoming friends with Larry so he trusts you."


    The two looked at each other and nodded.


    "We can do that."


    "No problem. It will be fun.


    "Maybe he can show us how to do the hopping thing he does. It must give big experience in Agility."


    "Yeah, he got so fast, so quick! Very cool."


    "Larry''s pretty cool all around. Those claws? Insane."


    The two saluted again, and ran off to plan "Operation Larry". Step one was stealing several plates of cookies.

 Chapter 123: Clumpybigtoe

    Clumpy hated the hat, it was silly. A plain black skull cap with round fake ears that stuck up obnoxiously, making sure everyone noticed the outsider in the room. And because "all outsiders look-alike", his new name was stenciled on the front. The halfling exhaled a long breath and steeled himself for what came next. ''Jethro'' had died when he betrayed his family and now, he was ''Clumpybigtoe''. He put the skull cap on and made sure the fake tail was hanging from the back of his belt. He''d been warned of punishment for being outside of his own burrow without either of them. And these guys took their punishments seriously.


    The irony didn''t go unnoticed. The fake ears and tail were to show his submission to the clan, and acceptance to his new boss. But rather than make him accepted, his new attire just pointed out to everyone that he wasn''t an ally or hired mercenary, just someone desperate enough to beg for a small spot in the Hollow.


    It had been a chancy move. His family had been after him, and the sharp knives were at his back. His family wasn''t big on forgiveness when your actions ended up with them thrown into slavery. When they were miraculously rescued and set free Jethro had run, and kept on running. He was happy they got free, he just didn''t want to pay the price if they caught up with him. Wurchwitz Hollow was the end of the line - a place so bad that his family would leave him there as punishment rather than kill him.


    Hat in place and firmly held on by a chin strap, Clumpybigtoe left his burrow and made his way down the long tunnel to the main part of Wurchwitz Hollow. Around him, exhausted ratkin peasants trudged between work and sleep. They were packed ten to a burrow with barely enough room to lie down. At least he had his own burrow. The Cheese-Master had told him it was because of his lofty status of ''One-who-cuts-the-cheese'', but he''d heard the snickers from the commoners that it was because of his ''horrible smell''.


    Two Cheese Fiends were stationed at the end of the tunnel. They glared at everyone who went by. The ratkin hid their faces and stared at the ground. Jethro waved to them, causing the confused fiends to scratch their heads and wonder why. He smiled at everyone like it was the best day of his life. It was a small rebellion, but he refused to let them beat him all the way down. More fiends guarded the cheese factory. He and the others who worked the last shift of the day waited to take their positions. The cheese factory was never quiet. It took a lot of cheese to feed the assembled army of Cheese Fiends that the Masters of the Hollow used to keep the populace in line.


    Bells rang, the shift changed, and Jethro took his position on the assembly line. He declined to put on the gas mask, decorated with fake whiskers. The worker he was replacing had worn one, but he preferred not to. Stinky cheese didn''t bother him, he was a halfling and his clan had endured the most pungent of the stinky cheeses for centuries. He had to admit though, that Milbenkase was pretty bad. The sight of the little cheese mites that squirmed out of the cheese as he cut it was quite disturbing. But if you wanted a good, stinky cheese, you did what you had to do. He was getting to like the taste of the creamy cheese and the mites added some protein.


    The first round of magically-aged cheese was shoved down the assembly line to him. He picked up the huge cheese knife that he used for the job, and tested the blade. As always, the enchanted blade was sharp as a razor. But you always checked your tools over, and didn''t trust the guy before you. It was another of his little rebellions. This might be seen by some as one of the least important jobs, but it was his job, and he''d do it well.


    It was time to cut the cheese!


    <hr>


    Whelp Master Gangrene gave his guest a friendly slap on the back and watched them stumble forward. "Good to see you again, Sneaky. How are the weaklings up at Limburger Hollow."


    Sneakybadguy winced in pain. Gangrene had a liking for causing pain in others. He''d earned his name by forcing wounded soldiers to keep fighting for weeks against the spiders during the great wars. The cheese had kept them going, their brains buzzing, while their wounds festered and rotted. Those that didn''t die became Cheese Fiends. The very lucky, and there were few of those, survived after losing a limb or two. Looking at the stumbling ranks of whelps, they saw that the Whelp-Master hadn''t changed his methods.


    "They are still the same! Espousing the false-bad lies that by working together the Hollow is a better place. But they are ripe for taking over. The Shadow Stalkers are bored and wish to play dangerous games. I have plans for them. Most of the population labor at menial jobs like mushroom farming and mining, making them excellent peasants. Few would resist and fight."


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Gangrene listened carefully. Everyone lied, and judging an enemy¡¯s strength by the boasting of an ally was tricky. "And what steps have you taken to earn your position as Master when we take over? Tell me why we need you."


    Sneakybadguy had gone over this conversation in their mind many times. They had answers ready. "I have labored hard to become useful to my fake-Master. When the time comes, I will easily supplant him! The guards are demoralized after I addicted one of them to bad-cheese and turned him into a Fiend. The spider colony nearby will begin attacks soon, weakening the hollow and killing their guards. I managed to arrange the deaths of several noble spiders to make sure they stayed angry. The mages fight among themselves, and spend more time battling each other in their tower than preparing the defenses of the hollow. But my best and the most fiendish plan involves the ''players''."


    "Players? How are they useful?"


    Sneakybadguy laughed softly. "In two ways, great one. Firstly, some have tried to join the Hollow, but are greedy for power. I will be showing them the quick path to great power soon. Secondly, I have spread rumors in the human city above of the riches that can be gained by raiding the hollow. Between players, spiders, and my own fiends I can bring Limburger Hollow to its knees and have it begging for help!"


    Gangrene liked the plan but wondered how much of it was true. "It seems you hardly need our help. So why are you here?"


    Sneakybadguy had anticipated that question too. They couldn''t admit that they needed too much help, not if they were going to be the Master when everything was done. "To destroy the Hollow is one thing, but to rule it I need the expertise that your Hollow is known for: Fiends to keep the peasants in line, special cheeses to addict the populace and keep the fiends happy, workers for the cheese factory, and of course minions to bring back a share of the profits to this Hollow each month."


    "A share? That sounds...undefined." Gangrene liked his contracts with teeth in them. "You want to be Master of the Hollow? Fine. That is your reward. Three-quarters of the profits from the mines and the cheese factory will come back to me here. I will send my own Tally-Master to oversee that things are done fairly."


    Sneakybadguy protested. "No... that is not what we said. You asked only for a small cut!"


    A blade flashed and Sneakybadguy fell to the ground, one leg bleeding badly from a shallow cut. Gangrene roared with laughter. "And there is your small cut. Would you like a bigger one? No, I didn''t think so. It is time to quit playing games! Wurchwitz Hollow will take what it likes and you will be our agent there. Or I can find another who will serve me better. My spies tell me that there are several good prospects in the Hollow. Even a mysterious loner who seems to be challenging the Tail-Master for his position. He''s ambitious and powerful. I hear good things about him."


    Sneakybadguy rolled on the ground, trying to staunch the bleeding. "NO! Tallsqueak can''t be trusted! No one knows where he comes from. He joined the Hollow already halfway to becoming a fiend! No one knows his goals, and he is hiding secrets! So many secrets!"


    Gangrene stroked his chin. "Oooh, I like him already. I''ll have to meet him somehow. He sounds useful and flawed the way I like my agents. As for you, we have our deal. Go get your cheese shipment from Clumpybigtoe at the factory. And remember that I have options to replace you."


    <hr>


    Clumpybigtoe was annoyed when a limping stranger started yelling at him about cheese. They weren''t from this hollow, that was obvious. "Yeah, yeah. I''ll get to it. How are you packing it off?"


    Sneakybadguy didn''t like this new cheese cutter, he had odd-looking ears. He opened his backpack and pulled out two Cheese Gatherer''s Bags. "Fill those up, they take more than you would expect. And hurry it up. I need to be back at my own Hollow soon!"


    Clumpybigtoe couldn''t care less but smiled at the weird little ratkin. They were dressed up with only their eyes showing, like some of the human ninja clans. "No problem. I''ll carefully cut the rounds of cheese up as they slowly come down the assembly line. You can just sit there patiently and inhale the pungent aroma."


    Clumpy thought that this one was an idiot. They should have asked for whole wheels. Once you cut Milbenkase wheels, the smell was horrible and the cheese mites squirmed all over. They would never get all the mites and smells out of those bags. But that was their problem. Clumpybigtoe had enough of his own.

 Chapter 124: The Rational Decisions of Students of the Arcane Arts

    Milo left the house of the Old Healer''s clan in a good mood. He was getting tired of having to play ''Surprise'' and be on guard all the time. While it was good for his perception, he had a lot of things he wanted to do, and the distraction was annoying. The temptation to beat them all with his engineer''s spanner had been growing. Hopefully, things would ease up a bit now. And if they didn''t...well, he could start using the wrench.


    The clan wasn''t all sneaky ninja types, but that was what it was known for, and everyone trained in skulking and climbing when young. Old Healer had told him that some of the whelps became scouts who explored the large area of caves surrounding the hollow, while others trained to defend the Hollow using stealthy methods. The clan also produced many of the Hollow''s healers. The novice healers got a lot of practice putting back together the students who failed to surprise guards, or who poisoned themselves in alchemy classes. It was an odd system, but it worked for them.


    The day had been eventful. Trying to catch Larry who was chasing two skulkers had worried him. He was happy things had turned out well. Larry had walked away very content with his cookies. Old Healer was happy his novices were still alive, and Milo was happy that Larry would soon have a new friend. Charlotte had shown she played by the rules, so he had made it a rule that anyone exploring the old tunnels with him would have to make friends with Larry first. Larry wouldn''t like not-friends going through his house. With Charlotte meeting Larry for the next couple of meals, Milo had time to catch up on other things.


    The marketplace was busy. It seemed like everyone in the Hollow was either shopping or selling. He strolled casually through the vendors, looking at stands selling cookware, weapons, clothing, and food. Players were here in force, selling things they''d found in the caves and buying new weapons and armor. It was like the bazaar in Shadowport, just with more fur and tails. He found Scrap Hunter at the end of the marketplace, working his way through a pile of bones, cleaning and sorting them. He waved to Milo as he came up.


    "Back for more? I made a trip out to some old lairs that had been cleaned out and loaded up a bunch of the bigger bones. I have forty of the size you wanted. That''s them tied up in the bundle over there." Scrap Hunter pointed to a bundle of femurs and arm bones wrapped in a piece of scrap leather and tied up. "Found this old thing as well." He held up an old weapon made of a wooden haft with several carved bones or fangs mounted to it. It looked similar to Milo''s own weapon, but the wood was rotten and he could tell that most of the bones were gnawed by animals and falling apart.


    "I''ve seen something similar before." He examined it more carefully. Two of the bones were in good shape, though covered in ancient blood and dirt.


    Scrap Hunter nodded. "It''s a popular design. Less popular now the Hollow makes a lot of metal weapons. Out in the caves, they still make weapons like this old thing. Shamans sometimes enchant them. There''s even a record of a bone carver who used to come through the area every couple of years and would enchant weapons for a large chunk of cheddar."


    "Really? Where can I learn more about him? That sounds interesting."


    "The records would be over in the Tower of Strife, as he was some kind of mage, but I''d wait for a day when you don''t see poisonous clouds forming up top or hear the thunder. Those tower mages go at it all the time and you don''t want to get between them when they fight." The older ratkin rolled his eyes and looked in the direction of the top of the tower.


    Milo could see a green haze at the top of the roof. "Are they enemies? Or hate each other? Why doesn''t someone do something?"


    "HA! Oh, we do something. We stay away! How they run their marriage is up to them. No one wants to get between them when they go at it. Or worse, when they make up. They get disgusting, holding hands and writing little poems and such. I like it when they fight better."


    Milo just nodded. He saw the old rat''s point. He understood fighting, but not the other part. Good to stay out of it. After a bit of haggling, he bought both the bones and the old weapon from Scrap Hunter. At another stall, he sat down for a big bowl of fried honey grubs. He had smelled the sweet scent of the cooking on the breeze and was ravenous again. His stomach made enough noise that people were laughing softly at him and helpfully pointing him toward the food stand. After two bowls of tasty sweet grubs and a slice of mushroom bread, he was ready to get to work.


    He wanted to take a better look at the huge, complex pile of machinery by the waterfall and tunnel to the mushroom fields. He planned to do that after a little bone carving. His spells used up a lot of bone, and if he got into a fight while exploring the tunnels, he wanted to be ready. He sat down on the far side of the machinery and leaned against it. It was peaceful here with the smell of burnt wires and the sound of running water. It made it easy to concentrate on carving the runes he needed into the bones.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    He summoned his storage, the magical chest appearing in the shadows next to the wrecked machine. He needed both his carving and drawing tools, along with some wrenches and calipers to start work on whatever this was. Sitting in the shadow of the machine he carefully drew the needed runes on each of the bones and shaped them into miniature harpoons. Concentrating hard, he used one of his claws to carve out the velocity runes. Each rune drained some of his mana and glowed briefly as he finished it. Bone after bone, rune after rune, he worked for two hours carving the ammunition he needed for his spells. As he finished each one, they disappeared into his handy Scout Master''s ring.


    He was quite thankful to Charlotte for pointing out the rule that let him keep all the things he''d found. Old Healer had assured him it was fine, and ''Finders Keepers'' was an old and respected rule among treasure hunters. Having only enough ammunition for his spell had hurt him against the spiders. With the storage ring, he was better prepared for next time.


    He completed ten of his rune-carved harpoons before he gave in to the need to take a peek at the strange machine. Just a little bit of poking around, and he promised himself that he''d get back to work on the bones. The bolts holding on the outer panels showed signs of having been removed several times and were worn and dented, some of them even stripped and barely holding the panels on. With three of the panels off he could see the inner workings, and started trying to guess at what the machine did.


    That wasn''t readily apparent. At the end closest to the waterfall, he saw what he suspected was a dynamo for generating electrical current from the mechanical energy of the water wheel, but it was horribly inefficient with the components in poor alignment. The two spinning Faraday discs were too far apart and the wire coils were clumsily made. Whatever power it produced went to a basic magitech storage system that first converted the current, and then used a series of crystals in glass casings to store the electrical-based mana. It didn''t look right at all, with cracked glass and missing cables.


    After that was a series of separate sub-machines for a variety of uses. There was a primitive subragator that would separate impurities from ore, but nothing to process the ore further. The impurities were further divided by a broken centrifuge and would have been outputted to barrels if the barrels were present. There also looked to be an oven or furnace, a ceramic kiln for making glass, a wire drawing device that was missing parts, and a large glass magitech globe that had no purpose that he could see at all. More sub-assemblies were mysteries to him, with not enough parts left to tell what they had been made for. The whole machine was a patchwork Frankenstein, and he wondered if it had ever worked at all. He knew that once he started, he''d be working on it for hours. Reluctantly he put down the wire coil he had started to rewind and went back to his carving.


    After the harpoons were done, he started on the lizard skulls, carving the runes that turned them into bombs. He was drawing a particularly tricky part of a rune when loud banging broke his concentration and ruined the rune. Very annoyed, he went to see what was going on.


    A student from the tower in a ragged black robe was banging with an old hammer on the side of the machine, while two others in blue robes laughed and gave encouragement.


    "Maybe if you hit that bolt a few times, it will give up and turn!"


    "Maybe...but he hasn''t hit it yet. Put a Death Cloud on it Gehlter! Then it won''t dodge so much."


    "I''ll put a Death Cloud on you two idiots! The bolts are stripped! It isn''t coming off!" Gehlter hit the bolt with the hammer a few more times, deforming it further.


    Milo couldn''t take it anymore. Both the noise and the stupidity of abusing a poor bolt that way made him angry. "Excuse me, but what are you doing? That''s not how you dismantle a machine."


    All three turned to look at Tallsqueak. They knew all the student mages in the tower. Despite the tattered cowl that the interloper wore, they knew he wasn''t a mage. That was further emphasized by his black pants and the large spanner in his hand. They closed ranks and tried to look as inscrutable as they could.


    "And who are you to tell us what to do? We don''t answer to silly skulkers, do we guys." Gehlter had been the one to step forward and speak, but he also checked to make sure that the other two were backing him up. They were friends, but from opposite sides of the tower, and you never knew exactly how far you could trust a student storm mage. The lightning tended to fry their brains. But both Squiggel and Bunt were backing his play, preparing spells and letting sparks dance on their fingers. Their adversary seemed unimpressed.


    "Ok, we can do this one of two ways: We can have some silly magical duel with explosions and pain where someone gets hurt, or we can all calm down and I can show you the proper way to turn a bolt. Which way do you want it?"


    The three students looked at each other, nodded together, and yelled, "Duel!"

 Chapter 125: The Duel

    It''s a known fact that the best seats in a classroom are next to a window. That way instead of being bored and paying attention to the professor, you can be bored and stare out the window. So, it was unsurprising that a few students had noticed the start of the altercation. Knowing that any argument simply had to result in a duel, they came stampeding down the stairs to watch. Their professors didn''t even try to stop them and instead headed to the faculty lounge that had a lovely bay window overlooking the front area of the tower, perfect for viewing the weekly official duels and numerous ''accidental'' duels.


    None of the people watching were surprised when the novice death mage immediately started casting a spell. First-year death magic class concentrated on poisons and toxins before the students moved on to necromancy in their second year. Each student had to create their own version of Noxious Cloud and Toxic Gaze spells. Storm magics had more choices in their first-year spells, including Ball Lightning, Blazing Arc, and Overloaded Blazing Arc, along with Static Repulsion. Storm mages had to be more careful with their casting, where a misplaced hand motion could result in your own spell electrocuting you. Death was quick, but Storm was careful and more powerful, at least in the first year.


    "I cast Gehlter''s Death Cloud!" It was a commonly held superstition among the students that the louder you yelled the name of your spell, the harder it hit. Plus, what good was coming up with your own version of a spell if no one knew about it? Gehlter was very proud of his version of Noxious Cloud.


    Huge clouds of billowing green smoke rolled toward the challenger, pouring over the ground and covering a large area. Gehlter had decided early in his career in magic that if he couldn''t be the most powerful mage, or the best at aiming, at least he could be the fastest. He had taken the standard Noxious Cloud spell with its large dose of weak poison and complex hand motions and pared it down to a much simpler version. A huge area of effect meant he didn''t even need to aim! Once the student he was dueling couldn''t see or breathe, the duel was half-won. Of course, it also didn''t do a lot of damage. He was disappointed when he didn''t hear any coughing or choking coming from the cloud.


    Not everyone agreed with him, including his two temporary teammates. "This is why you''re always going to be picked last for team duels, Gehlter. Your damned fart cloud screws up the rest of us." Squiggle and Bunt both cursed at him as they interrupted their casting of Blazing Arc and changed their spells to Ball Lightning. The former spell needed a target to cast at, and all they could see was a large area of green clouds. So instead of two powerful electrical arcs, they sent two man-high balls of sparkling blue storm mana rolling across the ground and into the cloud of gas. The diffused charge meant the spell did far less damage than Blazing Arc. Bunt wondered what the interaction between their spells would be. Mixing magic like this could have unexpected consequences.


    The result was quite shocking, as a bare skull rolled out of the cloud and stopped at their feet.


    Bunt felt his tail go limp, and his arms slumped at his sides. Killing someone in a duel was bad, bad, bad. He felt sick. "Oh hell, what have we done?" It was almost a relief when the skull exploded, knocking them all off of their feet and putting splinters of bone into tender places. The green mists were dispelled as Gehlter lost his concentration on the spell, and the imposing figure of Tallsqueak stepped forward.


    Squiggle noted with approval that Tallsqueak was doing things properly.


    Small threat backed up by power? Check.


    Proper entrance to the fight? Check.


    Eyes glowing with barely contained annoyance? Check.


    An object of power held high in preparation to smite your enemies? Got that too!


    All in all, he''d have gotten an A+ in "Classical Ways to Intimidate Your Enemies". Squiggle wondered where he had taken the class.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Tallsqueak stood and glared at them, a large wrench held high in the air, his lustrous fur standing up with static electricity, and an angry look on his face. The runes on his old robe were glowing and he had conjured bony armor over half of his body. He looked in their direction and spoke low and menacing. "Let''s see what you have, sparkle boys. Take your best shots."


    Gehlter started to cast a spell, but Bunt kicked him hard in the shin. "Our turn, Fartcaster. " He nodded at Squiggle and both of them began casting Blazing Arc, taking their time to pump up the mana to Overload. Huge arcs of electrical power jumped from their hands to Tallsqueak, running through him and down to the ground. The smell of ozone was strong in the air. When their eyes could see again from the sudden glare, they expected to see their opponent unconscious or stunned.


    Instead, Tallsqueak was still standing there, holding up his large wrench-shaped wand, as if nothing had happened. He lowered it slightly, motioning at them. "Not bad, want to try again? Or should I start beating on you?" Neither apprentice mage hesitated to cast their best spell again, this time using every bit of mana they could shove into it. Again, the spells arced out, and again they seemed to hit Tallsqueak, without doing any damage at all to him. The two storm mages felt ill from mana depletion, and it was occurring to their small minds that maybe this skulker wasn''t really a skulker. Neither noticed a long copper wire connecting the large machine and Tallsqueak''s spanner that he held in his bone-covered hand.


    Tallsqueak started walking towards them. Gehlter turned to run. No rule said you had to stay in a duel and get your head beat in, and he''d already used his best spell. Tallsqueak''s menacing voice came from behind him. "Oh no, if you start a fight, you finish a fight. That''s a rule I learned from Capt. Pike." Squiggle and Bunt saw him flick his wrist and a small bone spear appeared in his hand. As he threw it at Gehlter, the other two wizards saw runes glow along its length just before it flashed across the distance, going all the way through the fleeing Death Mage''s leg before it shattered against a large rock, breaking the stone. Both decided that not running was the best course of action.


    Another skull was tossed by Tallsqueak, knocking down the two Storm Mages. As they struggled to get up, each took a minor blow to the side of the head from a heavy Engineer''s Spanner. Gehlter was crawling away when the wrench of vengeance knocked him out and ensured he''d be seeing a healer for the next few days.


    As the dust cleared and the fight ended, shouts and the sound of running feet heralded the arrival of several young ratkin wearing white tunics with a red cheese wheel on the front and back. "Out of the way! Emergency First Aid crew is here and ready to save the day! Where does it hurt?" Tallsqueak pointed at the three apprentices and the half dozen junior healers gleefully descended upon them.


    Above, in the Tower of Strife, two figures observed the situation from a high balcony. Cremona was dressed in a lovely black silk robe with glowing green trim and, a low cut in the front, while her husband preferred a classic blue robe with a high collar and silver-white trim.


    "My, wasn''t that exciting? A mysterious stranger challenges three of our students to a duel and beats them handily with strange magic. I''m tingling all over." Arlothe sniffed. "Ah, and there''s nothing like the smell of fresh ozone. My lads threw some pretty powerful arcs, did you notice?"


    "I notice that our mysterious challenger shunted the spells off into that old lump of machinery you so love. This is a smart one. We simply must invite him up to dinner, dear. I''m in love with that exploding skull spell he used. I think it must be some variation on the classic Poisoned Skull that old Professor Pestilence used to teach." Cremona was happy to see a visiting Death Mage. Maybe he''d be up for a bout or two. While it was a staple of their marriage, dueling with her husband each day could get stale. She was sure he wouldn¡¯t begrudge her a minor dalliance.


    Arlothe observed that a crowd was forming, and the usual players were entering the field. "Round two is about to start dear."

 Chapter 126: and another duel

    As Tallsqueak walked away from the trio of wounded first-year wizards being fought over by junior medics, the gaggle of students watching at the base of the tower applauded. He ignored them, which got a few nods from the older students. A true duelist cared nothing for the applause of those below him and focused only on what he could have done better in the fight. There was much discussion about the spells he had used. Several noted that his three major spells were some sort of necromancy, as they dealt with bone. But there was much conjecture about how he had countered the storm mage spells.


    Several of the novices were talking excitedly and making wild gestures. An unexpected break from classes was always fun, and so was a duel, new magic, and a 1 vs 3 victory.


    "...unannounced duel day?"


    "I bet this is more drama about Cordelia, I swear that girl causes more trouble...."


    "I want to know how that weird staff absorbed that much energy. I don''t see how he could absorb that much without his staff exploding."


    From a window on the second floor, a group of second-year students had observed the short duel. They noted that the newcomer used guile to ambush the three first-year students by dressing in common clothes and goading them into attacking him. The duel had been short as he dominated them totally, ignoring their spells and striking back with unique necromantic attacks. To add insult to their injuries he had even struck them with his wand, showing that he wasn''t even going to waste mana on them. All in all, he had the admirable qualities that they were looking for. The decision was made to send two of their number to meet the newcomer and give him an invitation to their illustrious clan.


    As the two older students in black and green robes exited the tower, the group of students made room for them to pass. Each of the pair was wearing a fancy black robe with a green dragon embroidered on the chest. Their backs were straight, their noses in the air, and their eyes were glowing with emerald light. Long hours of practice had gone into perfecting their look. The pair walked up to Tallsqueak and gave small bows.


    "Greetings, Tallsqueak, I am Brer Moray of Clan Emerald Wyrm. I congratulate you on your victory over that rabble."


    "I too, congratulate you. You showed them the contempt they deserve. I am Brer Cutthroat of Clan Emerald Wyrm."


    Tallsqueak gestured at the trio of injured novices receiving first aid. "It wasn''t so much a duel as it was teaching them to do things properly. Their noisy banging annoyed me."


    The two students from Clan Emerald Wyrm looked at each other and nodded before Moray spoke. "Exactly. There is a proper way that things should happen here at the tower. The rabble often forgets that and needs to be reminded. My brother and I can see that you have the right attitude and we offer you an invitation to join us in Clan Emerald Wyrm as a Brother Eel. You will become great in our clan. We will share our powerful necromantic spells with you and learn yours, increasing all of our power."


    The watching throng of students grew quiet. Competition among the four clans of the tower was fierce, and the Eels were already powerful.


    Tallsqueak seemed, if anything, more annoyed. He looked at the green dragons embroidered on their robes and actually sneered. "Not interested. I have things to do and machines to fix. And I don''t like eels!" He turned and walked away, leaving the two stunned junior wizards staring at his retreating tail. Laughter came from the rabble and several people were mumbling and pointing at the two members of Clan Emerald Wyrm.


    "Looks like the Eels struck out."


    "...and he''s brave. I bet he ends up in Clan Manticore..."


    "Do you think he''d like to join Puffyfur? He''d fit right in! Someone should invite him to our next pillow fight."


    "Wow, do you see how pissed Moray is? This next duel is going to be awesome!"


    Indeed, Moray was angry. So angry! No one dared turn down his invitations! And he hated being laughed at.


    "HALT! You cannot insult the Clan of the Emerald Wyrm with impunity Tallsqueak! If you will not join us, then you can learn to fear us as others have! We challenge you to a friendly duel to exchange knowledge and show off the potency of our spells. Refuse us at your peril." Both began gathering necromantic energies to them and reaching for the bones in their pockets.


    Tallsqueak stopped walking and glared at them, then looked at the machinery he had been walking towards. He sighed and slipped his spanner back into his belt. "Remember that I gave you two Eel lovers a chance to walk away."


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Moray and Cutthroat took that statement as permission to begin casting. As usual, they both started their duel by casting Mighty Servant of Bone to raise huge ogre skeletons to send at their opponent. They were far tougher than the normal Servant of Bone spell that gave a mage command of an undead goblin or human.


    Tallsqueak didn''t give them a chance to complete the spells. A skull appeared in his hand and he threw hard at Moray, hitting him in the chest where it exploded in shards of stinging bone splinters. Moray lost control of his spell and was knocked down. Cutthroat managed to summon his skeletal ogre and sent it to attack Tallsqueak.


    Tallsqueak himself was transforming. Along with the bony gauntlets he had worn in the last duel, bone plates appeared on his feet and shins. His tail became a long bony whip that looked more like the skeleton of a snake. He stepped forward to meet the ogre skeleton, casting a small curse at it. Cutthroat could feel that his creation had been cursed but didn''t care. How did you curse the dead? They ignored most magic.


    Tallsqueak leaped in the air, spinning and whipping his tail around in a circle. The head of the skeleton shattered and the undead construct lumbered past Tallsqueak as he stepped out of the way. Cutthroat had no way to control the headless construct and let it crumble to dust so he could summon another. Moray had regained his feet just in time to see the demise of Cutthroat''s minion and began casting a spell to summon one of his own, but again, an exploding skull knocked him off his feet, ruining his spell. He hissed in annoyance. "Cutthroat, you idiot, do something! That¡¯s two of my spells he¡¯s disrupted and I''m down a third of my health!"


    Tallsqueak stood patiently and waited for Cutthroat to summon another minion. Cutthroat changed tactics and shouted out "Wall of Bones!" A twenty-foot wide by eight-foot-tall wall of woven bones appeared between Tallsqueak and his opponents. Both Death Mages began casting again immediately, burning more mana in an effort to raise their army.


    "Mighty Servant of Bones!."


    "Shooty Bone Minion!"


    "Avenging Skeleton of Doom"


    "Undead House-Cleaner"


    The last spell was a bit lame, but Cutthroat was nearly out of mana. They sent their small army of the undead around the wall to attack Tallsqueak, two around each side, and peeked through openings in the wall to direct them. Except that they didn''t see him. They assumed he had fled the duel, overwhelmed by the small army they sent to attack him.


    From the top of the tower, Professor Cremona started to giggle.


    Arlothe was having trouble following the duel. "What''s going on? I see the usual army of undead that those two prefer to use, but I don''t see Tallsqueak anywhere."


    His wife patted him on the head and pointed. "I''ve told you so many times to work harder on those perception drills, dear. Tallsqueak skulked up to their wall, climbed it, and leaped into the shadows behind them while they concentrated on their spells. Even I barely noticed him. He''s a trained Shadow Skulker, I''m sure of it. Oh, I hope he says it..."


    Arlothe stared where she pointed, and could just make out a shadowy figure skulking ten feet behind Moray and Cutthroat. "Say what dear?"


    "Surprise!"


    Cremona clapped her hands with glee.


    A long tail wrapped around Cutthroat''s windpipe, and hoisted him into the air. At the same time, Tallsqueak brought down his engineer¡¯s spanner in a double-handed blow to Moray''s head, knocking him out cold. Cutthroat tried to cast a spell but had trouble concentrating as Tallsqueak slammed him into the ground.


    The next instant, Tallsqueak cast Harpoon of the Winds and sent it rocketing through the Wall of Bone that was weakened by his Brittle Bones spell. The wall crumbled to white dust, and the spell powered through the Avenging Skeleton of Doom who was unlucky enough to be in the way. The Mighty Bone Minion collapsed a second later, Moray not being able to continue concentrating on the spell that gave it unlife. The only minion left standing was Cutthroat''s Shooty Bone Minion.


    The bow-armed skeleton turned, finally finding its target, and shot an arrow at Tallsqueak. Sadly, for Cutthroat, Tallsqueak had put him between himself and the undead archer. Cutthroat took an arrow in the shoulder and then wisely ended his spell and yelled out, "I concede, you have bested me oh mighty one!"


    Tallsqueak dropped him and turned to see if anyone else was going to attack him.

 Chapter 127: Final Duel

    As annoyed as he was, Milo pondered the situation. The students of The Tower of Strife certainly lived up to their name. They must fight constantly with each other. There seemed to be rules to the duels, and the addition of healers was a nice touch. The mages got practice fighting and the healers got practice healing. Overall, it was a good system, but he was annoyed to be included without anyone giving him a rulebook.


    His first three opponents were covered in bandages and leading against the tower eating cookies provided by three students. Milo was sure he hadn''t hurt them badly, but the amount of bandages used was so excessive, he doubted they could walk. The junior healers took their practice time seriously. The crowd was excited and he saw several students eyeing him and considering a challenge, while others were placing bets. He saw that the bets were being taken by three more of the Eel clan. The threat of getting their skull beat in with a spanner certainly wasn''t convincing anyone that this was a bad idea. Worse, they seemed to like it!


    The crowd hushed when two new people walked towards him as the students moved hastily to clear a path. Both were older ratkins who oozed confidence and authority. Both were higher level than himself, and he could only see basic information about them.


    [Professor Arlothe Sparktail Level 19 Stormcaster]


    [Professor Cremona Strifebringer Level 18 Poisoned Soul]


    Milo started to relax. These were Professors who taught the students and kept order in the Tower. Cooler and wiser heads had finally shown up to put an end to this nonsense.


    Arlothe smiled at him. "Welcome to the Tower of Strife. My wife and I are happy to have visiting mages from other Hollows. I see that you have already studied our ancient traditions and engaged our students in duels as a way of sharing knowledge and techniques."


    Milo had knew he''d done nothing of the sort! "uh...no? They sort of attacked me a couple of times. I just came over to look at the interesting machinery when they started abusing it. I wasn''t trying to duel."


    Cremona scowled at him, a green cloud floating over her head. "What? You didn''t even come to visit with us? Are we less interesting than a stupid pile of wires?"


    Milo felt that the answer was obvious. "Well, yes. Who doesn''t like strange machines?"


    Arlothe smiled and nodded in agreement. "Right?! What did you think of the electro-interface and...." He broke off as his wife elbowed him in the ribs.


    "Stay focused dear, crafty Tallsqueak is trying to confuse the issue and make you forget how he has insulted the Tower!"


    Arlothe caught his breath and sighed. Then continued in a loud voice. "Oh, of course. He''s a tricky one, isn''t he? What I meant to say was: How dare you tamper with a machine that combines the wisdom of generations of mages from the tower?!"


    Milo pointed to the machine. "I think their ''combined wisdom'' disagreed on what they were trying to make. Wouldn''t it have been better for each mage to construct their own project and then compare the designs?" Arlothe nodded in agreement before taking another elbow to his sore ribs.


    Cremona drew herself up and pointed at Tallsqueak. "You have transgressed upon the Tower of Strife, tried to steal the secrets of my husband¡¯s stupid machine, beaten our students on a non-duel day, and failed to introduce yourself properly! I, Cremona Strifebringer, demand that you duel me so that I may restore the honor of the Tower of Strife. Accept my challenge or accept my punishment."


    Every student and teacher in the tower was now watching. Dueling with Professor Cremona was referred to as playing ''test dummy for her latest concoction''. Many students would much rather accept her ''punishments'', which ranged from cleaning out beakers and test tubes to filling in craters in the ground after duel days. No one actually fought her for real except her husband, and the score this season was 13 to 34 in her favor.


    When Tallsqueak didn''t immediately bow and accept his punishment, (which in this case was going to be an invitation to a dinner of steamed prawns and onion soup with the two professors), Arlothe began to worry. He highly doubted Tallsqueak was just a Necromancer or Death Mage. He hadn''t summoned any undead minions and hadn''t used any type of poison spell. He had two highly effective combat ranged attacks along with some very nice physical enhancements. The way he had taken down the two second-year students had shown he wasn''t ignorant of claw-to-claw fighting. And the claws he had looked very sharp! Cremona was a very powerful mage, but she wasn''t used to fighting for her life. He suspected Tallsqueak was. The idea of a little fake anger, a challenge, and then the ''punishment'' of dinner had seemed like a better idea a few minutes ago. But it was too late for that. The challenge had been issued, and dangerous or not, his wife loved to duel.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Milo pulled two mana potions and a healing potion from his pouch and drank them. Punishment would obviously be some long quest or task that he didn''t have time for. Even if he died and had to lose a day, that was better. His annoyance went away as he made his decision, replaced by calm focus. "I accept your challenge."


    Cremona was surprised and excited. Dinner might get a little cold, but that was a small price to pay for a good duel with an unknown opponent. "Excellent! Arlothe will adjudicate the duel. Normal rules dear?"


    Arlothe looked at his excited wife and the quietly focused Tallsqueak. "No, I think we''ll do something a bit more formal than the usual brawl that the students like. As adjudicator of this duel, I invoke the formal rules of dueling and limit the duel to three rounds. Tallsqueak, are you familiar with the formal rules of dueling as set forth by the Marquis D''Camembert?"


    Tallsqueak said in a very calm voice, "Perhaps you should go over all of the rules so both of us know them."


    Arlothe nodded. "These rules of dueling were made to limit and control combat in the magical arts, and to provide a better showcase to judge the skill of the duelists. Two ten-foot diameter circles are drawn on the ground, with 30 feet between centers. Neither opponent may step outside the boundaries of the circles. Opponents will each have a round to cast a spell, followed by their opponent casting a spell. After three rounds a panel would normally judge the duel based on poise, damage done, verbal sparring, inventiveness of attacks, and several other minor criteria. Today it will be enough to see who remains conscious, and I will award points instead of a proper panel of judges."


    Tallsqueak nodded, and Arlothe continued, happy to see that the visiting wizard was familiar with the rules, "An aspect of the Marquis¡¯s spell is that if an opponent is badly injured, the duel ends, the circles are dispelled, and the magical energy is funneled into a powerful healing spell that can save the loser from all but the most messy of deaths. This allows both opponents to use their full power without fear of ending a life."


    He turned to his wife. "And my wife won''t be using Murgatroid¡¯s Infernal Disintegration, will we dear?"


    Cremona smiled. "Why, of course not. I want him begging for mercy, not floating away as a cloud of mold dust."


    Arlothe turned to Tallsqueak. "Any questions? And as the challenged party, do you prefer to go first or second."


    Tallsqueak thought about that for several seconds, then surprised everyone by saying,


    "I have a question: Who''s taking the bets, and what are the odds?" Milo had heard and seen bets being made, and there was a flurry of activity around three eels from Clan Emerald Wyrm.


    Arlothe turned and addressed the crowd. "I''m sure we all know that betting isn''t allowed, but in this case, I''ll make an exception. Mr. Moray, would you be kind enough to tell us what the current odds are against Tallsqueak?"


    Brer Moray was not happy about being called out. The eels ran all of the betting on duel days, and by creative use of odds and points spreads made a tidy sum. They didn¡¯t need the attention of one of the Professors. "The odds are 1 to 17 in Professor Cremona''s favor, with a point spread of 32."


    Tallsqueak looked at the eels, then at Cremona. "I''ll be going second and I bet five full wheels of one-year-aged cheddar on myself to win by beating the points spread."


    As the crowd began to talk and surge towards the eels, Arlothe yelled out. "All betting is closed!"


    Arlothe''s hands glowed with blue electrical energy and two glowing circles appeared on the ground. He motioned Tallsqueak and Cremona to take their places. The crowd of students moved hastily to be out of the line of fire. "Tallsqueak has ceded his option to go first against a superiorly ranked opponent. Cremona, you may begin your round and cast your first spell!"

 Chapter 128: Circles

    Cremona studied her opponent. Arlothe had spoiled her fun by making it a formal duel. She had looked forward to testing both this newcomer and herself. She had little experience fighting someone physically, especially another mage. It would have been interesting. And while the spells that gave him his physical enhancements were still in place, they would be of little help against her now that they were confined within the circles. She considered her first spell. Her poisonous fog spells would just make it too easy, filling the circle with poison. He''d pass out eventually, but she''d lose points for such an attack and it was boring.


    Horde of Vipers might be fun. She''d get to see him fight the spectral minions, but she decided to soften him up a bit first. The Vipers had a weak poison effect and he had ignored the Poisonous Cloud cast on him before in the earlier round. Venom Bolt would hit him for light damage with an ongoing damage effect and lower his resistance, then she would send in the snakes.


    She looked over at Tallsqueak. He seemed focused or was that fear? "I expect a good fight from you Tallsqueak. Please don''t hold back. Hit me with your best spell. My husband Arlothe and I duel constantly and give no quarter."


    Her opponent just nodded at her, not speaking. Milo revised his strategy, knowing that she wanted a hard fight.


    "I cast Cremona''s Venom Bolt." In a real fight, she''d have simply pointed a finger, but the silly duels demanded that you shout out your spells or lose points. But before she could finish casting her spell, an exploding skull went off at her feet, ruining her concentration and knocking her to the ground.


    The crowd exploded as all the students began shouting. Arlothe motioned them to silence. "Be quiet and observe. If Tallsqueak had cheated, D''Camembert''s Duel would have immediately told me. You may all draw your own conclusions about what sort of special ability would allow him to counter a spell as it was being cast. You have the rare chance of seeing experienced spellcasters duel. Expect to be tested on what you see here today. Tallsqueak, it is your turn to cast a spell."


    Tallsqueak waited while Cremona brushed herself off and regained her feet. Her face was as blank as any master poker player. Counter Spells were not unheard of, but a true counter-attack ability was very rare for anyone in the lower Tiers. Her own ability, Shield of Mana was something she used constantly against Arlothe to block his Storm Arc. She wondered again what school Tallsqueak had attended.


    And then all musings left her as he cast his first spell. Magic surged from Tallsqueak as he empowered the runes of a bone harpoon. They glowed bright enough that she got a glimpse of them, even at this distance. Cremona used runic magic in composing her own spells. In a pinch she had even devised new spells on the fly. But she''d never seen these runes before! They were something different. More primal. She prepared Shield of Mana just in time, as the Harpoon of the Winds shrieked across the short distance towards her, too quick to avoid.


    Magic Harpoon hit Magic Shield and both were destroyed. Cremona was drained of over 300 mana and was knocked backward by the force of the blow, almost to the edge of her circle. She got to her feet and was congratulating herself on stopping the spell as the second Harpoon of the Winds hit her in the shoulder, showering the area with blood and putting her on the ground again.


    She rose slowly, pulled the weapon from her shoulder, and snapped it in half. That had been a potentialy lethal spell if it hit her in the head. Tallsqueak certainly wasn''t holding back.


    "Playing with Big Boy spells and Fast Casting, are we? Good. I like a challenge!"


    "Toxic Razor Quills of Doom!"


    Tallsqueak saw a horde of razor-sharp projectiles streaking towards him. Each one glowed an unhealthy green. He dodged as best he could within the confined space, leaping upwards and rolling into a tight ball to present his back. Acrobat, Uncanny Dodge, and Danger Sense gave him a superior chance to dodge the attack. The Ring of the Scout Master gave him both a boost to Danger Sense and his chance at dodging. Only one of the dozen quills actually hit him.


    [You have been struck by a Poisonous Razor Quill. This Strong Poison does 20 points of damage, greatly reduced by your Strong Poison Resistance. Your blood has cleansed ongoing poison effects.]


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Milo landed on both feet, his danger sense screaming, but he wasn''t able to dodge again quick enough. He hadn''t even begun to turn around when the second spell hit him!


    [You have been struck by 12 Poisonous Razor Quills. This Strong Poison attack does 240 points of damage, which is greatly reduced by your Strong Poison Resistance. Your blood is struggling to cleanse ongoing poison effects.]


    The crowd saw Tallsqueak execute an amazing dodge to avoid the first spell and gasped in awe as Cremona repeated the spell immediately, catching Tallsqueak as he landed. Seeing how both duelists could use Fast Casting made them re-evaluate all of their strategies. They saw him slowly turn, obviously in pain. He took a deep breath and steadied himself.


    Arlothe waited for Tallsqueak to collapse and the duel to end. That didn''t happen, and instead, Tallsqueak calmly brought out two more harpoons, glared at Cremona, and cast Harpoon of the Winds. Unable to manifest her Shield of Mana after using Fast Casting, she was reduced to diving to the ground for the third time as the Harpoon screamed over her head, nearly hitting her and cutting off several locks of hair.


    She rose from the ground, glaring at her opponent. This had to end! Not even her husband made her eat dirt this many times, and never in front of the entire school! She didn''t care about losing points. "Blighted Sphere of Blinding Malignant Contagion!!" Using a good part of her remaining mana, Cremona threw a glowing ball of Death Magic at Tallsqueak. The noxious cloud of toxins would make it impossible for him to see her, and protect her from his last spell. And, hopefully, it would drop him to the ground quickly, ending the duel.


    Milo had no idea what the spell was, but it sounded bad! While Cremona was still shouting, he stepped to the back of his circle and sprinted forward. At the front edge of his circle, he leaped high in the air, the spell passing under him, and landed on his hands before springing upwards using his arms and tail to flip himself into Cremona''s circle. Time to end this!


    "I cast Claws of Alta-Viator"


    Both claw attacks slashed across the surprised Death Mage, slicing deep into her body. Blood went everywhere and with a loud chime, the duel ended. The circles disappeared as they were converted to healing magic that wrapped itself around the unconscious Cremona. Tallsqueak picked her up gently and carried her towards the tower, being met halfway by an entire squad of medics. He handed her off and tiredly turned to Arlothe. "Are we done?" He hoped they were done, but he was worried that eviscerating the Storm Mage''s wife right in front of him was going to cause him trouble. He was tired, annoyed, and didn''t care anymore. If he wanted another duel, Milo was walking away.


    Arlothe called out in a loud cheerful voice, "Victory to Tallsqueak by both a knockout and through points."


    Several people who had bet on the underdog squealed in joy. Gaining 17 times the amount bet would keep them in snacks, favors, and spending money for the rest of the season. The students from House Emerald Wyrm were furious. "He cheated! He left his circle."


    Arlothe shook his head. "A review of the rules will show that he, in fact, did not cheat. Tallsqueak didn''t ''step out'' of the circles. Hands and tail are NOT feet. But I can see that a rewording and review of the current rules is certainly needed at this point. Please pay all debts, Moray, and I look forward to seeing you deliver 85 wheels of cheddar, or their equivalent, from your clan''s vault. You should coordinate with Master Bleusnout. That is too much cheese to have loose in the Hollow.


    Arlothe turned to Tallsqueak, his stern expression vanishing and a kindly smile appeared on his face. "Oh, you and she are hardly done. She loved that dress and will want a rematch someday. But not today, certainly. It''s going to take her time to recover from her injuries. I warned her about the problems of fighting someone who had integrated spells with tail fighting. And now, why don''t you and I have dinner? I promise a quiet evening with no stress or fighting. The cook has quite a nice meal laid out, and Cremona won''t be up in time to enjoy it, so there''s more for the two of us. I really want to talk to you about what your plans are for the machine, and I have a few electrical experiments I''d love to share with you and get your input on."


    Milo was tired, and Arlothe seemed sincere. Dinner sounded good. "I accept."

 Chapter 129: Jelly beans are Hero Food.

    Tweedle and Ringtail wandered into the mess hall whistling and looking innocent which immediately put Master Bleusnout on high alert. They were dressed in the normal work clothes of mushroom hunters and he saw no knives or other sneaky gear on them. He pointed with a large wooden spoon at them from where he was mixing up Puffball Pancakes. The two immediately stopped moving and the whistling slowly died away.


    "And just what are you two up to now?


    "Us? Or do you mean those two people there by the window?"


    "Must be them, we''ve done nothing..."


    "...this time."


    "He means ''all the time''. "


    "We heard about the pancakes!"


    "Yummy, Yummy!"


    The spoon didn''t waver, causing the two not-sneaky-guys to be worried. That spoon could do amazing things at distances that always surprised them. Bleusnout let them sweat for a bit and then lowered the spoon. "If you are here just to eat, then I suppose I''ll let you two do that. But no sneaky stuff, and no playing surprise. You two riled Larry up enough as it is. He''s outside now, starving from all that extra exercise he got."


    "He is? Oh my."


    "We feel terrible about that."


    "Can we help? Only fair that if we caused a problem..."


    "...That we help solve it."


    "That''s us being responsible."


    "Like it says in the book about Villages and Cheese and stuff."


    "We''ll take him his food."


    "Tallsqueak told us he likes that."


    "And we need to hear the rest of the stories..."


    "The ones where he doesn''t chase us."


    "That was scary...."


    "So very scary! Made us reconsider our life paths."


    "How lucky we are to see a new path opening up...


    "...a path with Puffcakes and our new best friend Larry."


    Both of the twins shuffled their feet as they bowed their heads, clasped their hands, and tried to make their sad eyes as big as possible.


    The Master of Cheese eyed them, then said, "Well, stranger things have happened than you two getting scared into behaving. We''ll give it a try. I can always chop you up for mushroom compost if you are up to something no good." He made up three plates, one of which had a quadruple helping of puffcakes and extra syrup. Tweedle grabbed the large plate and his brother managed the other two. They carefully walked to the other door, smiling at everyone as they went by.


    Larry saw them coming but didn''t understand. That was Larry''s plate and Larry''s food because only Larry got such a big plate. But the people bringing it weren''t Tallsqueak or Bleusnout. They were sneaky guys! Larry could smell them! Larry knew he''d have to be careful. If he scared the sneaky guys and they ran away he might not get his food!


    As Tweedle and Ringtail started out the door, Larry growled, deep in his throat. The sound echoed through the Hollow. Everyone in the mess hall heard it and went very still. "Sneaky guys can''t fool Larry! Larry''s nose knows who you are." This wasn''t something either Tweedle or Ringtail had expected. Luckily, they rarely made complex plans and went through life improvising.


    "You have a good nose, Larry!"


    "A very smart nose."


    "So smart, that we gave up being sneaky."


    "Too much work."


    "Tallsqueak always catches us!"


    "Bleusnout always catches us!"


    "Larry''s nose always catches us!"


    "And we don''t hear the end of the stories."


    "The end of the story is the best part."


    "We are so sad to not hear all of the stories Larry tells."


    "We just want to sit with Larry,


    "And eat Puffcakes,


    "And hear stories!


    Larry looked at the two of them with suspicious eyes, and sniffed. Larry smelled puffcakes with syrup, cookies, and something else that was fruity-sweet. He was curious what that was. "What do not-sneaky guys have in their pockets?"


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Pockets? Yes, Pockets. Good stuff."


    "How about we set down your food..."


    "...and you can eat, and we show you pocket stuff!"


    Larry''s stomach was very growly. Larry reached for his big plate and took a bite. Bleusnout had told him they were having Puffcakes today. Larry had never had them before.


    "Puffcakes are so good. Bleusnout says Larry''s friend Tallsqueak found special mushrooms to make them."


    Tweedle and Ringtail looked at each other.


    "Tallsqueak wants us to help him with some chores."


    "Special chores."


    "Grandfather said we might even find more Puffy Mushrooms to make Puffcakes."


    "This is a thing good guys do."


    "That''s us, good guys doing good things."


    "More puffy mushrooms means more puffcakes for Larry."


    "Helping friends. We are very helpful."


    Tweedle and Ringtail pulled all the items out of their pockets. Sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, shortbread, and jelly beans. The jelly beans had been particularly troublesome to get and Aunt Agatha was going to be very cross and probably blame Cousin Petey because he always stole her sweets. And Petey would blame them and come play ''surprise'' with them, the version where he twisted their legs into new shapes. Petey always blamed them when he got in trouble for stuff he didn''t do. And usually, he was right. But that was tomorrow''s problem. Today, they had a bag of jelly beans to share.


    "Grandfather and Tallsqueak said you liked cookies."


    "And everyone likes jelly beans."


    "Especially heroes."


    "Because jelly beans are good hero food."


    Larry tried a jelly bean and his eyes got wide. "Not-sneaky guys are right. Jelly beans are hero food."


    Tweedle began to divide the jelly beans up.


    "One for Me and one for Larry."


    "One for Ringtail and one for Larry."


    "One for Larry and one for Larry."


    "One for Me and one for Larry."......


    Larry liked the new way of sharing. He ate his share but saved one of each color for his new friends at home and a red one for Tallsqueak.


    Larry looked over at Ringtail. "It is good that you are not sneaky guys anymore. Larry almost caught you today. Larry got more blue boxes from dancing. Larry will catch you tomorrow if you are sneaky. You should promise to not be sneaky guys."


    Ringtail was more nervous than he had been a moment ago. "Oh, really? That''s good, right? What did the Blue Boxes say, Larry?"


    "Blue Boxes told Larry that he is now Rank 11 in Dancing. And Blue Boxes said Larry had learned a new skill: Chase Prey. Larry is getting faster. Weasel slippers help and dancing helps. Agility 10 helps."


    Tweedle wished he had Agility 10! Even with several skills using agility, he was only at 8. Sheer terror at the realization that he and his brother had been chased by a Tier 3 cheese fiend warred with wanting Agility 10. "Can you teach us to dance Larry? Dancing sounds like fun."


    Larry considered the question. Tweedle and Ringtail didn''t have Weasel Slippers to help them dance, but neither did Tallsqueak, and Tallsqueak was a good dancer. Not as good as Larry, but still good. Maybe Larry could teach them too!


    "Larry will try. Hamster Hopping is fun, but it can make your feet go all twisty and you fall a lot. When you fall, you get back up. That''s what the Weasel Slippers say to Larry. It''s ok to fall, but you always get back up."


    Bleusnout came out a few minutes later to retrieve his plates and to see if Larry had eaten the two idiots. He was astonished to see Larry patiently teaching the tricky parts of the Happy Hamster Hop to the cousins. He went back inside and set aside a large stack of Puffcakes to save for the three new friends dancing outside the mess hall.

 Chapter 130: Dinner with Arlothe

    Milo followed the Storm Mage into the tower, everyone getting quickly out of their path and bowing politely.


    The exception was a very small, female student named Patsy. She had a stack of papers with her and was pinning one to a doorway. When she saw Arlothe and Milo coming, she squealed with joy and ran up to the professor.


    "They liked my idea professor! They liked it! I get to be the third assistant to Ginny Sue! She''s in charge of events. We''re holding a tea and cookie social in a week! You''ll come, won''t you? You''re our official advisor! You should come and have cookies."


    Milo saw Arlothe wince slightly before he put a big smile on his face. "Ah, of course, I would love to attend, but I''ve already been to one of your clans¡¯ events, and that''s my yearly limit. I can''t show favoritism. And it would be so rude not to invite Tallsqueak as a guest of honor. He is a visiting mage and dueling master. Think how exciting that would be?"


    Patsy turned and looked at Milo, her eyes getting brighter and her smile wider. "Oh! What a wonderful idea. All of the girls were watching you duel today. You were so brave to face Professor Cremona. You even beat her and got to keep all your fur. She stepped closer to Milo and ran a hand along his arm. "It would be such a shame to have this silky soft fur ruined by a caustic poison cloud."


    Milo agreed with Patsy, in theory. He wanted to keep his fur. He was also a little nervous about how close she was standing and how much she enjoyed petting his arm. "I''m, uh, not sure what I''m doing that day. Probably exploring spider caves or something."


    Patsy nodded enthusiastically. "It''s ok, we''ll wait until you get back and you can tell us your stories. We love scary stories! We''ll make hot fruit cider with cinnamon, and fresh cookies, and turn the lights down low. Scary stuff doesn''t bother us at all. Promise you''ll come, please?"


    Milo found himself pressed against the wall by the small girl who folded one of her posters up and tucked it into his belt pouch. "There, you have all the information. We''ll make lots of cookies just for you."


    Out of his depth, and not knowing what the proper response was, Milo could only nod. And...cookies? "Can I bring a friend?"


    Patsy nodded vigorously. "Of course, you can! This will be so much fun. I have to go tell the others!" Having gotten an affirmative answer, Patsy ran off to tell the other members of the Clan Puffyfur event planning committee about their guest of honor.


    Arlothe patted Milo on the back. "So good to see you inspiring the younger students that way. And for saving me from going, I totally forgive you for disemboweling my wife. Now let''s hurry up to dinner before anything else happens. You probably aren''t popular with the Eels, but Clan Manticore and Clan Raptor Tail will both be wanting you to attend their events as well."


    The stairs of the tower wound upwards. Milo focused on staying right behind Arlothe so he could avoid meeting any more of the students. He got the impression the tower was a very large and complex building, with dimensions that seemed larger than he would have thought. Up and up, they went, and finally, they came to the top floor.


    "This floor is reserved for Professor Cremona and myself, along with the library, and the main laboratories. I''d give you the tour, but I''m sure you''re as hungry as I am after putting out so much energy."


    Arlothe showed him to a small dining room where another ratkin was setting out plates for two people and many dishes of food. "Just in time, sirs. I have a vegetable dish of mixed mushrooms, cave sprouts, winter leeks, and dwarven scallions. Next to that are skewers of steamed freshwater prawns with a light sprinkling of aged parmesan. There is fresh bread with honey butter and that large covered dish has an oven-roasted cave tuna." He removed the covers of the dishes, served them from the various foods, and then departed with a closing message. Arlothe thanked him. "Splendid as ever Cadburton, thank you." The waiter bowed in response to the thanks. "And of course, I''ll be back later with tea and dessert. But one question sir: Will Professor Cremona be dining tonight? I can fetch another place setting."


    Arlothe seated himself and motioned for Tallsqueak to do the same. "No, she will not. She has to spend some time putting herself back together. I''m sure she would enjoy some thin porridge, a few raisins, and a six-pack of healing potions."


    Arlothe began eating immediately and Milo took that as his signal to do the same. He hadn''t eaten a meal like this since Sydney had tried to distract him with food. He missed that. Sydney had been a lot of fun. He hoped she had enjoyed their little talks as much as he had. Once again Milo wished there were places that he could go to in the real world for food like this. Could he reprogram the food processors? Probably not. But maybe he should look into some sort of advanced food preparation that he could sneak into Section E? Did they make automated chefs? They really should!


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    After they had stuffed themselves, the chef appeared again with tea, and something called flan. The large, wobbly-looking desert reminded him of the Ever Pudding. He doubted that Oob had tasted this good. He needed to research this flan stuff more when he logged out.


    <hr>


    Leaning back in his chair with tea, Arlothe studied his guest. He certainly enjoyed his food. It was obvious that many of the dishes were new to him, and he had enjoyed seeing the surprised delight on Tallsqueaks face as he tasted each. His guess was that he came from a very small hollow or even a cave in the wilds. That made sense when you considered his strange skillset with a mixture of magic and claw-to-claw combat. And there was that spanner...


    "I was wondering, Tallsqueak, is that an Engineer''s Spanner on your belt?"


    Tallsqueak took his spanner and laid it on the table for Arlothe to see. "Yes. It''s a symbol of a Senior Engineer. I earned it at the Deep Rock Engineering conclave, a couple of days travel from here."


    That surprised Arlothe. Dwarves were known for being quite insular. "Dwarven Engineers? And they let a ratkin study with them and ascend to Senior Engineer? That is outstanding! I''d always heard that dwarves were a bit xenophobic."


    Tallsqueak pondered that. "Maybe a little? They really don''t like human beer, because it''s weak stuff, and that may taint their opinion on humans. But they have a healthy respect for knowledge and efficiency. Maybe if the humans had more of that they would get along better?"


    "But when we were fighting the World Boss, we all came together and fought, dwarf, human, even some elves and halflings. Everyone was getting along better after that. Although the loot chest and large amounts of beer probably helped."


    Arlothe listened closely and nodded as Tallsqueak told him a little of his adventures. Much about him was explained. He hadn''t spent his youth dueling; it had been real fights where his life was at stake. He''d have to warn the entire tower. They had no idea of just how deadly Tallsqueak might be in a duel, although they had been given some blunt clues today. Fighting like that didn''t come with an on-and-off switch to change your style. Then again, it might be good to ramp up a few of the older students. Fighting duels wasn''t going to help them defend the Hollow as much as a bit of real fighting. Maybe talk to Gilad about some classes together? That could be fun.


    From flan, the two wandered into the laboratories. Experimental, (and mostly non-functional) equipment was everywhere. When Arlothe showed Tallsqueak his experimental apparatus for generating Storm Mana, the engineer became quite excited and asked many questions. "This is a working model of that old machine? We really need to upgrade it. This is a much better design!"


    Arlothe was thrilled that he had someone to talk to. Cremona just nodded and said ''yes dear'' when he talked to her about his projects. It was fair, as he did the same thing when she waxed eloquent about a new toxin she had integrated into a spell.


    "Yes! Exactly. The rusting hulk by the waterfall was constructed by my grandfather and has been added to by many people. It has also been destroyed several times and rebuilt when a new part didn''t work out like it should have. It''s almost total junk now and the students steal parts from it for other experiments. I''d love to rebuild it with this design."


    Tallsqueak asked many other questions and then nodded his head. "I think it can be done. I have fighting class in the morning with Master Gilad and then lunch with Larry, but after that, I''ll be over with my tools and we can get started."


    The Storm Mage was greatly pleased. "I''ll be there and bring several of my better students. They lack a good understanding of engineering. Maybe you can give them some pointers."


    "I''d be happy to do that. We''ll start with how to turn a screw, and go from there."


    The discussion continued with a tour of the small library, where the tower had a collection of several hundred books on various subjects. Tallsqueak approached the books with reverence. "There are so many! I need to read these! Can I read them?"


    "Well, it might take a few decades, but you can certainly get started and read when you can. It sounds like several people are keeping you busy. I''m going to shamelessly try to take some of your time as well. How about a trade? I can give you access to the library at all times, in exchange for teaching a class on Basic Electrical Principles for an hour a day. That also makes you a professor and all faculty can visit the library whenever they like, and if you are around for dinner, we can just set an extra plate out."


    Milo thought that was a very good deal. "First class is tomorrow then. It will be on how to rewind an electrical coil. We need to do that with several dozen of the coils in the generator. Hands-on learning is more efficient."


    Tallsqueak departed later. He wanted to find Larry and see how his day had been.

 Chapter 131: Sparring

    Milo was glad he had stayed for dinner. The food was great, and Arlothe was fun to talk to, even if he did have some funny ideas about how electricity worked. (Or was Storm Mana different? Milo made a mental note to experiment.) But best of all, he had a huge pile of new books to read. And without rude interruptions. No one was going to play ''surprise'' on him in the library of the Tower of Strife.


    The aftereffects of dueling had gone away. Arlothe had explained that some of the healing magic of the circles would have affected him as well. His muscles had relaxed during dinner as his body cleansed any remaining poison effects. The excellent meal had also helped, calming his mind as his belly filled up. He was looking forward to working on an engineering project and correcting flaws in the student''s understanding of physics.


    As he left the tower, he noted that there was still an ongoing argument going on in a large room on the first floor. He saw Moray and the other members of the clan in discussion with several of the students who had taken advantage of the odds on Milo and won big. There was a small stage, and Moray was speaking from a podium. Most of the room was dark and shadowy, with just two lanterns lit near the stage. Curious, he moved quietly to the edge of the door, and skulked into the room slowly, attracting no attention.


    "Look, Moray, it''s simple. We paid you our money and placed our bets, we won and now you pay up! All bets have to be paid on the day of the duel, no one can carry a debt. That''s a rule!"


    Moray shook his head. "Ah, my dear friend, Sinclair. Sometimes I wish I had joined Manticore with you so that I too could see things in such a simple and straightforward way. I have listened to your advice, but the situation is not that simple. For instance, this wasn''t an official dueling day. I think it''s logical to say that official rules don''t cover unofficial duels."


    A tall thin student in the colors of Clan Raptor Claw stepped next to Sinclair. "I will not even deign to give credence to that thin logic by arguing with you. It is irrelevant. The dueling was official as soon as Professors Arlothe and Cremona appeared and did not halt the proceedings or chastise us for our actions. Further, the third duel where these debts come from was run under the official rules set forth by the Marquis D¡¯Camembert and officiated by Professor Arlothe, a recognized judge. If that isn''t enough to sweep away your thin excuses, I''ll point out you are accusing Professor Cremona of an unsanctioned duel. It''s almost worth losing the cheese to see her reaction. What do you think she''ll do to you when you besmirch her honor that way?"


    Moray grew a bit pale at the thought. "Of course, I was not saying that at all. You are weaving a plot with large words, as usual."


    Sinclair said in a loud voice, "Then it''s settled. Official duel, and you need to pay us. I must say, I''m looking forward to seeing what house Emerald Wyrm has in their vaults. I''m thinking we clean out every corner and you''ll have to restock with curds and whey."


    The Eels muttered and huddled. Eventually, Moray spoke to the crowd again. "There are additional problems. Some of you are gaining a large amount of cheese at once. For safety reasons, it would be better if the wise leaders of Clan Emerald Wyrm made sure that the flow of cheese from our vaults isn''t more than anyone can handle. And, as much as it pains me to admit, yes, our oldest cheese will be brought forth. It will take time to assign value to it. Not all cheese is equal."


    Patsy pushed her way forward. "You eels can''t be trusted to do that! This is like the ''Cookie of the Month'' scam you pulled, and the ''Invest your allowance in the Pyramid of Wealth'' scheme before that!" She then tacked up a flyer on the podium Moray was speaking at.


    Moray tore the flyer off the podium but noticed what had been added to it in bright pink letters. "Ooh, exciting! Clan Puffyfur is hosting Tallsqueak at their little tea party. Congratulations on nabbing such an impressive duelist for your house."


    The people from Raptor Claw and Manticore bristled and turned towards Patsy. Sinclair was quite angry. "We agreed to discuss him together. Are you sneaking behind our backs?"


    Moray sighed and looked saddened. "For shame."


    Verona of Raptor Claw wasn''t as easily fooled. "He''s doing it again people, and right in front of you! Soon you''ll be arguing about who gets the new member and Moray and the eels will sneak off and leave you wondering what happened."


    Moray had actually begun moving to the edge of the stage, and one of his clan was quickly heading to the door. Strangely, he tripped and fell on his chin. A student no one had noticed before helped him up and pushed him, stumbling, back towards the stage. The assembled students formed a wide arc around the stage, and the argument continued. Finally, Moray admitted what he didn''t want to admit.


    "We might not be able to cover all the bets. Especially that monster bet Tallsqueak placed on himself at the last minute. Without that bet, I''m sure we could cover all of our losses. But we have to pay him first, so his windfall is what''s in the way of your payouts. It''s sad that such a thing should happen, but I think, if we are all reasonable, we can see the dangers of unofficial duel days and mysterious outsiders being allowed to enter the circles and place last-minute bets on themselves. Some of you are seeing two sides to the argument: House Emerald Wyrm vs the rest of you. But really, it''s all of us vs. Tallsqueak. He''s the problem. And you all saw how he fought? Vicious! Even taking advantage of Professor Cremona''s trusting nature to win and take all of our cheese. And when I say ''our'', I mean the entire Tower, and not just my own clan."


    "But, I promise you, I will go speak with him and try to arrange something, the first chance that I can. He''s scary, but I''m sure that I can stand up to him and make him see what''s right in this situation." Moray congratulated himself on how a good part of the crowd was swayed, and the others confused. Even his own clan was impressed. Moray had obviously inherited the Dragontongue perk from his father and was using his skill well. Once again, victory would go to House Emerald Wyrm.


    From the shadows above the stage, someone dropped to the floor, landing just in front of the stage in a three-point stance and then standing up straight. "No need to delay our discussion then, as we are both here now."


    Moray felt victory make a U-turn and run away from him. Somehow, Tallsqueak was in front of him, with angry eyes and bold words. There was a small patter of applause for the perfect entrance, and Patsy cheered loudly.


    <hr>


    Moray tried to rally. "Nice of you to answer my summons, Tallsqueak. How long have you been sneaking about?"


    Milo answered in a neutral voice. "For part of a bell, actually. And you call that sneaking? I simply walked into the room. All of you need to work on your perception and dark vision. Pitiful that I could just walk in unnoticed. And learn to look up sometimes. It will save you much pain in dungeons. A mage is only worth the spells they can cast. You are worthless and probably going to a quick death if you can''t spot someone using a stealth skill." He looked around at the entire room and saw some embarrassed faces.


    "And please, Mr. Moray, the correct way to address me is Professor Tallsqueak. I have agreed to teach a few classes while I am in the Hollow and you will give me the same respect you do to all of your professors."


    All of the Eels took half a step back when presented with that statement. Things were sliding downhill. None of them liked Tallsqueak. The power and cruelty they had admired at first had turned to anger when he rebuked their offer and beat them in a duel. Some small part of Moray was pushing him to crush Tallsqueak, while the logical part of his brain said ''cower or flee''.


    "Ah, yes, Professor Tallsqueak. Congratulations on your sudden promotion. But even a professor has to obey the rules, and you sorely abused the betting rules!"


    Milo tilted his head to one side, thinking. Rules again. Rules people expected him to know when they didn''t state them first. Sloppy. "Well, we wouldn''t want that. Who made the betting rules?"


    "Clan Emerald Wyrms set forth the rules for betting on duels three generations ago!" Moray was proud of his house for doing that, and prouder still of how it had increased the clan''s wealth.


    "I see, and who oversees or enforces those rules during duels?" Milo wished there was a rulebook for the entire Hollow. Maybe Gilad or Old Healer knew of one?


    "Again, Clan Emerald Wyrms. We run the betting and adjudicate the rules. We are the last word on the rules." Moray felt it, that small window opening that no one else saw. A window of opportunity where he could delay the loss of so much wealth, and put this fake professor in his place.


    "Well, that''s good to know. So, at the time of the betting, your clan set the odds. Your clan was in charge of the rules. Your clan didn''t limit bets, and indeed, encouraged them. You were not upset at the betting and raised no objections. It''s only losing that has you upset now. That can happen when you get greedy."


    The window started to close. "But we don''t have enough to pay both you and all the other people! Why can''t you understand that!" Moray scowled at the eel who had blurted that out and broke the ''Only Moray talks.'' rule.


    Tallsqueak hopped up on the stage and spoke to the crowd. "I have a solution. I agree with Mr. Moray that too much cheese loose in the Hollow is a bad thing. I also don''t need to have that much cheese all at once. So, I propose a compromise that solves many problems."


    "Firstly, if there is not enough cheese in the vaults of Clan Emerald Wyrm, then logically none should be left in them. Representatives of all the other clans will help them clean out those vaults under the watchful eye of Professor Arlothe. I see we have people here from the other clans, so I suggest that Sinclair, Verona, and Patsy form a committee for the distribution of cheese, and each picks two clan members to assist Mr. Moray and two other eels in cataloging the cheese and moving it to the secure area under the mess hall, under the watchful eye of Chef Bleusnout."


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Patsy raised her hand high. "I''m sorry, but I''m not the head of a clan like Sinclair and Verona."


    Tallsqueak smiled at her. The way Professors smile and you aren''t sure if it''s a friendly smile or not. "Ah, but you are 3rd assistant to Ginny Sue, the event coordinator for Clan Puffyfur. And this certainly qualifies as an event. You''ll do just fine, I''m sure."


    "Master Bleusnout can verify the value of the eel''s cheese, store it, and allow the clans to make withdrawals to control the flow into the Hollow. Any excess will be credited to me, and if not enough to cover what is owed me, I and Mr. Moray will seek the guidance of the other Professors on how to rectify the situation. I can foresee a trade of work by the eels to better the Hollow, and those contribution points going to me."


    "This solves many problems: 1) Cheese is under control. 2) Debts will be paid. 3) Concerns over the eels never paying up are negated. 4) The Hollow benefits 5) Clan Emerald Wyrm is not crippled by debt unless they refuse to work it off. And I can be patient as long as I see them working hard." He turned and looked at the eels.


    Moray grudgingly dipped his head. It was bad, but at least they wouldn''t be in debt. Some part of him urged him to lunge at Tallsqueak and kill him. This actually scared him and he swallowed and nodded his head more vigorously. Where had that come from?


    Tallsqueak turned to the other students. "I don''t want to enforce rules, merely offer suggestions. How say you?" Hands went up, not quite all of them. A few Puffyfurs had made popcorn and didn''t want the fun to end so soon. But the vast majority were in favor. Tallsqueak banged his tail on the podium twice. "It looks like we have an agreement. I leave it up to the committee to talk immediately with Professor Arlothe and make arrangements. I''m late for an important meeting so I will be leaving now."


    <hr>


    Milo was so glad that was over!


    He hurried to the mess hall planning to check on Larry, and then get some sleep, or log out and check on his various projects in the other world. Larry was usually sitting on the steps to the mess hall until the lights dimmed and most ratkin went off to bed. Milo was surprised, and very happy to see that Larry had made two new friends. The three of them were dancing together and there were even a few people watching. He wondered how things had gone with Larry and Charlotte. He''d ask about that tomorrow. He decided to not intrude on Larry and his friends, and head to the barracks for a nap.


    He was just about to open the door to the barracks when a low voice said, "Surprise!" and strong hands gripped him, pulling him off his feet. His attacker pulled him backward, folded him in half, and then they did some complicated roll that ended with Milo flying through the air trying to get his balance. He failed and belly-flopped into the dirt.


    He got up to see Gilad laughing at him. "Ah, glad to see I can still do a Flying Back Toss. Good evening, Tallsqueak."


    Milo brushed the dust off of himself and bowed, a bit of his annoyance showing. "Good evening, Master Gilad. Do I have to worry about you playing ''surprise'' from now on as well?"


    Gilad chuckled. "Don''t get your tail in a twist, young one. You earned that ambush. I suspected you were holding back in my classes, trying to keep some special ability secret to gain an advantage over me later. Your style has big gaps in it where something is missing. Imagine my surprise to find out you were dueling over at the Tower of Strife and showing off some nice physical enhancement spells. Bone armor and claws I believe they said? And an enhanced tail? No wonder some of your strikes miss, you are used to having more reach!"


    The old warrior''s face became serious. "Why did you hide your abilities?"


    Milo was unsure. Sometimes things progressed so fast when dealing with people. He got confused about what he should reveal and what he shouldn''t. "Should I always tell people my secrets? That seems counterproductive, but I don''t want to be seen as untrustworthy. And I wanted to learn to fight better without using my claws. I only used my spells at the tower because the silly students challenged me to duels and started fights. I even had to fight one of the Professors!"


    Gilad''s face turned into a grin. "And beat her from what I am told, with your claw fighting. As to your question, no, don''t divulge your advantages. But just as you should train with your natural claws, you should train when using your spells. I checked, and you have a large amount of unused contribution points. With large amounts added recently by Professor Arlothe, Chef Bleusnout, and the Old Healer. Why have you not asked for special classes with me?"


    Contribution points? Oh! He kept meaning to check on those! "I would enjoy some extra classes. I learn a lot from sparring with you. Not so much sparring with the other students."


    Gilad turned and waved for him to follow. "Not surprising. You are nearing the third tier and have experience fighting monsters. And the benefit of fighting monstrous creatures is the points you earn for the hardest fights. Spent wisely, those can make you even stronger. These whelps are a tier behind you and still learning the basics and with none of your extra skills. You can only be challenged by me sending several of them at you at once." Gilad stopped when they got to the fighting ring.


    "I suggest we spar for at least a bell each night after dinner, and now that the Hollow knows about your little secrets, you should use your spells that enhance your fighting. Show them to me."


    Milo complied. Gilad watched as bony plates covered Tallsqueak''s forearms and shins. His toe and finger claws became longer and harder. The tail enhancement surprised him the most. Bone armor wasn''t unheard of. There were mentions of it in the books in the Tower, and he had seen necromancers use the spells in the great war with the spiders. But this long, enhanced tail? He had never seen that spell before.


    "You are some type of necromancer? I do not judge; I only seek to understand your bone enchantments." He examined Milo''s claws, tested the armor with his own claws, and had Milo show how much control he had over the long, bony tail.


    "Not really. My magic uses bones and runes. Old runes." Milo didn''t want to have to try to explain things he only half understood, and Gilad seemed satisfied with that answer.


    "Very well. Then we will begin sparring, but this time you should use your claws and tail. I want to test your limits. If you don''t use exploding skulls and whistling harpoons, then I won''t throw rocks. Agreed?"


    "Agreed." Milo went to one end of the arena. Gilad bowed and prepared himself. Milo nodded that he was ready.


    Gilad hit him. Milo had seen the old ratkin start to move, but then he was next to him, punching him in the face and tripping him with his tail. He started to press his advantage but warned by some sixth sense, flipped backward to avoid Milo''s tail. He let Milo regain his feet. "The striking distance of your tail is a huge advantage, it made me cautious. Let us begin again, and do not blink at the start of a match. Try not to blink ever! Many warriors have skills to aid them in closing the distance between themselves and opponents."


    This time, Gilad advanced normally. Milo pressed him, slashing with his claws. Gilad deflected them with open palms or his own claws. When Gilad struck, Milo blocked him with claws or forearms. Both were wary of each other''s tails and constantly repositioned. Milo feinted with his claws and struck with his tail. Gilad dodged backward, grabbed Milo''s tail and suddenly Milo found himself whirling around and around before sailing through the air and landing in the dirt. "I have found a good use for that long tail of yours, Tallsqueak, it is an excellent handle with which to throw you."


    Milo had to agree. The physics of the situation did favor that solution. "I noticed that."


    Gilad motioned for them to start another round. "You should learn both to make your strikes so powerful that the opponent can only dodge and so fast that dodging is not an option. As to your tail, be prepared to cancel that spell if they grab it as I did. Especially against higher-tier or larger opponents. A cheese fiend would delight in smashing you into the ground over and over. They can''t do that to a normal ratkin tail, too fragile. But yours is perfect."


    Sparring went on. Gilad giving pointers and pounding Milo into the dirt. The consolation for Milo was that the Tail Master had to work for each victory. Gilad was sweating, and Milo had hit him several times with a tail or claw. Gilad brushed off any concerns about Milo slashing him. "My regeneration is high enough that I will be healed by morning." After an hour, both were breathing hard and drenched with sweat.


    Gilad stretched and cracked his back. "This had been very invigorating. I normally have trouble finding sparring partners. Justin says he needs to avoid bruises so he can guard the Hollow, and Brutus is quite clever in his excuses. Only the Old Healer is a match for me, and he is always busy with keeping control of the chaos in his clan. I look forward to a nightly spar with you, Tallsqueak. I will pass on to Old Healer that you will be seeking some lessons from him as well. His style is...well, you''ll see. Or maybe you won''t."


    Milo was just getting his breathing to slow when something made him turn and face a new threat. Something large and dangerous was charging at him.

 Chapter 132: Not-Sneaky guys

    Bleusnout was watching Larry carefully. Larry had been stable for a long time and seemed to slowly be getting better. The Cheese Master had mostly quit worrying about him. His decision to let Larry stay in the Hollow after his transformation had not been an easy one. Larry terrified most of the Hollow. To the average ratkin, he was both a monster that could tear them apart at any moment and a reminder of what could happen to any of them.


    But Bleusnout had seen that some of the youngster¡¯s personality still remained. It was muted and overlaid with a desire to eat and fight, and his overall intelligence had gone down as much as his strength had increased. But there was still a good chunk of Larry inside, and the true berserker had yet to emerge. With time, patience, and a firm hand the chef had had hopes of helping Larry recover. It took a year to restrain his food urges. Larry only took meals with Bleusnout and ate what was put in front of him. That had been step one.


    Showing that Larry could control the fiend side of him meant that the Hollow saw that Larry was under control. Rather than terrifying, he became simply scary. True, not many people used the door near where Larry sat on the porch for hours, but they also didn''t run screaming if they saw him nearby. He was always polite. That helped the most. He did ask for cheese a lot, but so did many young whelps. Many of the Hollow came to see Larry as just a slightly bigger child, not a mobile murder machine that could go crazy at any moment.


    So, it had been a horrifying shock when Larry growled at the twins, Ringtail and Tweedle. Anyone within a hundred feet of the mess hall had heard that growl. The primitive sound had triggered their ''Freeze or Flee'' instinct, and everyone in the building trembled and wondered what would happen next. It took all of Bleusnout''s willpower to keep smiling and calmly walk to the door where he overheard the conversation between the three of them.


    "Sneaky guys can''t fool Larry! Larry''s nose knows who you are."


    Well, that certainly confirmed how sharp Larry''s sense of smell was. As the conversation turned to jelly beans, some of the tension in the Cheese Master relaxed, only to go back up as Larry started talking about ''Blue Boxes''. Everything Bleusnout knew about cheese fiends indicated that they didn''t learn new skills easily, if at all. He was thrilled Larry had learned to dance but put that down to the effects of a powerful magic item. Larry had told him about his ''dancing ring'' and ''weasel slippers'' given to him by Tallsqueak. He was less thrilled about Larry gaining the skill Chase Prey.


    A stable Larry, begging for an extra bowl of little fishies for breakfast was something the Hollow could handle. And Larry dancing the Happy Hamster Hop was seen by all as a good thing. He would have to caution Tweedle and Ringtail to not mention Larry''s new skill to anyone. He was also going to have a long talk with Old Healer about his ''sneaky guys'', as Larry called them. He needed to forbid any of them from getting Larry angry and chasing them. As the three started dancing together, more tension left Bleu Snout''s spine. He wiped the sweat from his brow and put a smile on his face as he walked back to his griddle. "More puffcakes for anyone? There''s plenty for everyone." He set aside another three plates and piled them high for Larry and his new friends. They''d be hungry after dancing.


    <hr>


    Ringtail and Tweedle were congratulating each other on still being alive as they made their way home when one of them, and they were never sure who, got a bad feeling. They instantly went back-to-back, then checked the ceiling and shadows. It was a disgusted Charlotte that emerged from a nearby shadow, having failed to score any points. "What are you two up to?"


    "Such a strange question?"


    "Very open-ended?"


    "Not specific at all..."


    ¡°And yet, we get asked that a lot!¡±


    "As if we are up to anything!"


    "Not us. Maybe you mean those two people sitting by the window in the mess hall?"


    "You should go check."


    "We''ll wait right here for you to get back..."


    Their cousin barely tolerated them normally. Right now, they could tell she was several steps past annoyance. They wondered just how much further they could wind her up. There were a lot of ways to wind Charlotte up if you twisted her tail just right. They practiced whenever they could. That seemed fair, as she practiced ''Surprise'' on them all the time.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    "What the hell were you doing talking to Larry? Don''t you realize how dangerous that abomination is? You were even dancing with him! And why are you dressed that way?"


    "Do you like our new attire?"


    "I put this ensemble together on the fly..."


    "We just had nothing to wear."


    "And burlap is just perfect for picking mushrooms."


    "Most of the stains come right out."


    "I hear this is the fashionable choice in New Prestibule this season"


    "It brings out the color of my eyes!"


    "You should try burlap, darling, that outfit you have on now makes you look fat."


    "She''s not taking care of herself, is she?"


    "Too much time longing for Tallsqueak to come sweep her off her feet."


    She took a step forward, snarling. They stepped back, and each moved to flank her.


    "Careful Charro. Don''t do anything you''d regret."


    "Only Petey gets to bend our legs."


    "We don''t play with you anymore. You''re too stabby."


    "And we aren''t ''sneaky guys'' anymore."


    "We promised. So, no fighting with us."


    "You''d hurt us...maybe..."


    "And Larry would hear our pitiful cries of pain"


    "And you''d get to find out just how fast our new best friend Larry is."


    Char noticed with approval their continued small steps to bring her into the optimal position for a two-on-one attack. "Grandfather sent you to make friends with Larry, didn''t he? After I turned down his ''secret mission''? Is that what this is all about?"


    "She''s smart, isn''t she."


    "She sees the obvious."


    "And doesn''t need a telescope."


    "But still misses part of the story."


    "We volunteered."


    "You left open a door..."


    "...and we stumbled through it."


    "And got extra puffcakes!"


    "Maybe a new skill..."


    "Maybe a lot of AGI experience..."


    "Heard a story..."


    "Made a friend..."


    "Good times."


    Charlotte glared at them. "I want to know about this secret mission. You''ll tell me when you find out."


    "Oh, of course."


    "Wouldn''t keep you out of the loop."


    "No betrayals on our part."


    "Like what you did with the scavenger hunt..."


    "And when you were our partner in Team Surprise..."


    "Or when you planted jelly beans under our pillows."


    "We trust you. Of course, we''ll tell you."


    "Because we are ''The Village Idiots who''ll never learn''."


    "Goodbye Char, Won''t get far, with her Brain in a Jar."


    "Off to see Grandfather."


    The two backed away carefully from her and made their way to the clan caverns.


    "I''d forgotten that one. She hates that rhyme."


    "It''s a good rhyme. Classic."


    "One of Petey''s best."


    "Let''s teach it to the littlest whelps, so they know it and can sing it at dinner."


    Knocking on their grandfather¡¯s door, they entered and took seats. Old Healer looked up from where he was studying a book on alchemical remedies. "Back so soon?"


    "Yes. We are indeed back."


    "And soon means on time?"


    "Rare for us."


    "But we report success."


    "Friends with Larry."


    Their Grandfather closed the book. "Good. Very good. I will let Tallsqueak know. He''ll be taking you somewhere. Do what he says. If you complete this mission successfully, it will count as your final for the year, and you will be full-fledged Shadow Skulkers."


    The two looked at each other and sighed. So close, and yet a promise was a promise.


    "We aren''t Shadow Skulkers..."


    "We are not sneaky guys."


    "We promised Larry. And.."


    "...he is our friend."


    "We want to train as Scouts."


    "Good guys. Defend the Hollow."


    "Scouts. How convenient. I agree. Your first mission as scouts is to go find Tallsqueak tomorrow after lunch and go with him on a scouting mission."


    The two left his office.


    "We should go find Petey."


    "So he can bend our legs?"


    "I was thinking we should let him know we are scouts."


    "Oh, right, Char will be annoying him now, not us."


    "She hates competition."


    "Char hates a lot of things."


    "It will be fun watching Char annoy Petey."


    "More fun watching Petey bend her legs."


    "Best day ever!"

 Chapter 133: Different Like Me!

    It had been a fun day for Larry. Bleusnout had made puffcakes for dinner! They were like pancakes, but so much better. One puffcake filled up Larry''s belly as much as three regular pancakes. This was very good. A rumbly tummy made it hard for Larry to think about anything but eating, and the more rumbly, the better everything smelled.


    And two sneaky guys made friends and promised to be not sneaky. That made them into not-prey, and Larry didn''t feel like chasing them anymore. That was good, Larry wasn''t sure what he was supposed to do when he caught someone, but he was pretty sure it wasn''t good. And running and chasing made him hungry, and prey always smelled good. He would have to ask Tallsqueak about that.


    Larry was walking home to Larry''s house when he heard fighting noises coming from the arena. And Larry''s nose smelled his friend Tallsqueak! He had so much to tell Tallsqueak. Jellybeans, new friends, and his new Blue Box.


    [You have taught three new people to Dance. You have earned a new skill: Dance Instructor.


    Dance Instructor is an INT-based skill.


    You have earned 150 experience in the skill: Dance Instructor. Dance Instructor has reached Rank 2


    You have earned 150 experience in INT. INT has been raised by +2 to a total of 2.]


    Larry wanted to go find Tallsqueak, but he remembered that he wasn''t supposed to go to the arena. Then he had an idea! Maybe if no one saw him? The Weasel Slippers had told him that if no one saw you doing something, it didn''t count. Larry was unsure of that, but he tried to be quiet, just the same. Carefully, very carefully, he took little steps and didn''t fall down or make any noise. It was easy to not make noise when you didn''t fall down as much.


    It was easiest for Larry to move with both hands and feet on the ground, but Larry didn''t like that and people looked at him funny. So he only walked with his feet and fell down a lot. Only now he didn''t!


    As he was almost to the arena, he got another Blue Box. So many Blue Boxes! Larry hadn''t seen Blue Boxes since...well, since before he was so big. But in the last few days, he had seen a lot.


    [Under the careful instruction of your Adorable Baby Weasel Slippers, you have learned the skill: Stealth.


    Stealth is what Hero''s do when they don''t want Bad Guys and Sneaky Guys to know they are close by doing hero things.


    Stealth is an AGI based skill]


    This made sense to Larry. Skulking is what sneaky-guys did. Stealth was for Heroes. Stealth helped him find his friend Tallsqueak. He almost didn''t recognize him!


    Tallsqueak had a new tail. It was long and bony. And he had new claws! And bones on his arms and legs. He was different.


    Larry had always thought that different was bad. Everyone said Larry being different was bad. All of Larry''s friends went away. Different Larry was a bad Larry. But Tallsqueak was good. A good fighter. A good dancer. A good friend. And now he was different. Different like Larry was different?


    Master Gilad was helping him fight better by hitting him and knocking him down. Larry understood fighting. He used to fight a lot. He fought in this arena. He took extra classes. He wanted to be the best fighter and grow up to be like big brother Justin. He had liked fighting...


    Larry didn''t get to fight now. Bleusnout said it was because he was ''different''. But Tallsqueak was different now, and he was fighting with the best fighter in the Hollow.


    Larry had a big idea. Tallsqueak was different like Larry was different! That was probably why Tallsqueak was Larry''s best friend. He knew what different meant. He went down to tell Tallsqueak about Jellybeans and being different. Maybe Larry would get to fight?


    <hr>


    Milo turned suddenly. His danger sense was telling him something was sneaking up on him, but it was only Larry slowly walking towards the arena. Larry looked happy. Gilad had paused, eyes on Larry as the Cheese Fiend almost walked into the arena. Larry stopped when he got to the arena''s edge, and carefully kneeled down, almost pitching forward but managing to balance.


    Gilad noticed with happiness that Larry remembered the rules, and didn''t enter the arena until told to. "Greetings Larry. Are you here to watch us spar?"


    Larry nodded both up, and side to side. "Larry would like to watch you fight. And Larry brought Jelly Beans. Would you like one?"


    He held out two of his precious Jelly Beans.


    Gilad walked over to Larry, thanked him, and took the two candies, handing one to Tallsqueak. Milo looked at the small, red, oblong candy in his hand. "This is a bean? Do they grow on plants?"


    Larry didn''t know. But he wanted to find out. He would plant Jelly Bean Bushes all around Larry''s house. "Larry got them from Tweedle and Ringtail. They are hero food and very tasty." Milo ate his and agreed.


    Gilad turned to Tallsqueak. "One more round, if you don''t mind. I wish to see...something." Milo saw the small nod to Larry and didn''t mind one more fight. It was a slower fight, with Gilad throwing basic claw attacks that Milo blocked easily. They fell into a rhythm, moving around the arena using claws and tails in basic attacks, Milo following Gilad''s lead. It ended when Gilad''s tail slapped hard on Tallsqueak''s thigh as he mistimed his dodge.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Larry clapped and looked excited. "Good fight! Can Larry fight too?"


    Gilad looked at Tallsqueak as he spoke in a low and serious voice. "Larry is Tremendously strong and has Fiendishly Sharp Claws. They are easily equal to my claws or yours but backed by his huge strength. So be very careful, and block every blow. Do not worry about Larry. His Mutant Regeneration can absorb damage that would kill ten of you or me. Keep the pace slow. We don''t want him getting excited. It is very, very important that Larry not get too excited."


    Milo looked over to where Larry was bouncing up and down on his toes and clapping his hands. "Not excited. Got it."


    Gilad spoke to Larry, keeping his tone slow and talking low so Larry had to pay attention. "Larry can fight a little bit. Do you remember your basic claw and tail attacks Larry?"


    Larry did. It was like a little rhyme. "Step and strike. Step and strike. Hop and spin. Tail slaps, step back. Block and attack again."


    Larry had tried to do his fighting exercises before, but he always fell over on the first strike. That wouldn''t happen now because Larry had Weasel Slippers!


    Gilad motioned for Larry to enter the ring and showed him where to stand. "We will go slow, and I will help you with the movements. You have to remember how big you are now." Larry stepped forward and swung a claw. Tallsqueak blocked with an armored forearm. Even warned, he nearly got knocked over. Just how strong was Larry?


    The next step gave Larry trouble, but he recovered and stepped a little further, giving himself a wider base. Tallsqueak braced and blocked the next attack. Then Larry hopped in the air, spun, and his tail knocked down both Tallsqueak and Gilad in the same instant; the move had been so fast.


    Tallsqueak got up, shaking his head. Gilad rolled to his feet, but one of his eyes was swelling. "Tell me what you did to move so fast Larry. Think carefully."


    Larry repeated his steps with no one in front of him. Step, strike. Then another step and strike with the other claw. Then a hop...oooh! "Larry hopped! Larry is good at hopping now. Larry is good at dancing."


    Milo understood. "Larry. You should dance instead of stepping. Make it a dance." He took a further step back and prepared himself. Gilad held his breath. Larry began to dance.


    His first step towards Tallsqueak was powerful and balanced; he swung a claw as he spun a bit and took a second step. Tallsqueak ducked that first attack and blocked the second with both hands, deflecting it and not letting the full force of the blow impact him. As Larry hopped and spun, Tallsqueak leaped high in the air. Tallsqueak''s tail would have hit Larry on the snout, but somehow, Larry ducked and took a step backward after his spin. The two fighters were back in their starting positions and Gilad called a halt.


    Gilad had trained a young Larry. He had been good. Very good. He practiced constantly, and only his small size had kept him from guard training, his full growth not having arrived yet. Now? Now he was better. The speed of a fiend with a strange grace that used constant movement. He was immediately pressing Tallsqueak, forcing him to fight at least as hard as he had against Gilad himself.


    "How did that feel, Larry?"


    The cheese fiend was breathing a little fast, but not from exertion. "It feels good. Exciting. Not falling over is exciting."


    Gilad was conflicted, to say the least. Letting Larry fight could let lose the berserk fiend that lived inside of him. But not letting him fight would be a travesty. Fiends didn''t fight like this. They plowed into a line of foes, slashing with claws and teeth like animals, running on all fours and eating what they killed. Gilad wanted...no, he needed!... to see if Larry could fight with claws and tail. Could he train a fiend to be a fighter and not an animal? And how could he deny Larry a chance to regain a part of himself? It was unthinkable.


    He clapped his hands. "Larry. Tallsqueak. I think this is good for both of you. You are both tough and regenerate quickly. You both need practice and better opponents. We will all fight together, the three of us. Two hours each night. 10th bell to 12th bell. And then we will have an extra breakfast. Fighters need extra calories."


    He stepped into the ring. "You may rest Tallsqueak. I will take the next bout with Larry."


    Larry was too excited to notice he got another Blue Box.


    [Larry has learned Dance of the Claw and the Tail.


    Dance of the Claw and the Tail is a DEX-based skill.]


    Milo sat down. He was tired but happy. And hungry. He hoped that Bleusnout still had food left from dinner. He could smell the puffcakes as he walked by earlier. Delicious. He was going to need the calories. Training with Larry and Gilad would be difficult, but his skills were improving quickly. Best of all, his overall level had gone to 10! He had a feeling he was going to need the extra health and stamina.


    [Who''s the Busy little Ratkin? That''s right, you are! Welcome to Level 10! You still have plenty to do until you finish the second tier, but I know you like to keep busy. And boy, are you going to be busy...don''t worry! No Spoilers!


    Dancing has reached Rank 2


    Claws of Alta-Viator has reached Rank 8


    Spine of Volat-Repat has reached Rank 8


    Rune Carving has reached rank 6


    Bone Carving has reached rank 6


    Weak Poison Resistance has reached rank 10


    Strong Poison Resistance has reached rank 7


    Stealthy Skulking has reached rank 7


    Climbing has reached rank 7


    Dodge has reached rank 8


    Combat Block has reached rank 6


    Sense Danger has reached rank 9


    Forage has reached rank 7


    Bone Casting (INT) Rank 8


    Fleet of Foot (AGI) Rank 7]

 Chapter 134: Midnight at the Library of Death!

    Milo was exhausted and he wanted a bath.


    Two hours of sparring with both Larry and Gilad after a day of dueling had worn him down both physically and mentally. But strangely, he felt better. Any annoyance from the day was gone, washed away in the joy of fighting and learning. He wasn''t babysitting whelps, he was pushing himself to the limit and learning.


    Every time Milo fought, he learned a little, and Gilad seemed to know more as well. He wasn''t an unbeatable foe, just very hard to surprise or outmaneuver. The Tail Master had years more experience than he did and had fought many foes. Even with his spell enhancements, Milo had to work hard to even land a minor blow. And the old man was getting better! He was adjusting to both Larry and Tallsqueak''s fighting styles and devising new defensive maneuvers.


    And Gilad was enjoying himself. Teaching whelps meant holding back. Milo didn''t think he was holding back anymore. Between his high toughness and constitution, and his armor, Gilad just didn''t seem to be worried about hitting Milo too hard. Some of his throws and punches had actually cracked Milo''s bones. When that happened, Gilad stepped back and watched with curiosity as Milo put himself back together with his spells. Milo split his concentration in half. Part of him was fighting and trying to block and strike back. The other half was watching Gilad, memorizing his stance, his balance, and how he threw each punch, kick, or block.


    Milo noticed that most of his bruises were coming from tail strikes. It was nearly impossible to know what Gilad was doing with his tail. But Milo was learning. And paying for the knowledge with bruises.


    Larry''s fighting style was evolving as he became more and more used to fighting again. Some of his dance steps lead to less-than-optimal solutions. Several times when Milo expected a hard tail slap, Larry instead did a quick set of hops or steps, dancing to music only he could hear. Other times he was devastating, using his speed and strength to its full potential, fighting like a whirling dervish.


    Milo was starting to copy some of his moves and integrate them into his own style. There were times when a quick hop or leap was better than a more conventional step. And Milo had always been a fan of spinning tail strikes.


    While Larry was eating a massive pile of food provided by a wary and nervous Rifkin, Gilad and Milo discussed each move, the balance needed and the attacks it might branch into. Both were excited for the next night of fighting.


    Larry declared himself sleepy and went off to bed at Larry''s house. Gilad suggested Tallsqueak also get his rest. Fighting class with the whelps would come early. Gilad himself was going to sit and enjoy another pot of tea, and think about how to counter whirling claws backed by hulking muscles.


    Milo decided that he wanted to go to bed clean. The waterfall sounded like a good spot to visit, he''d seen other people bathing there before and washing clothes. It was deserted as he arrived, which he was happy for. He took off his sweat-stained clothes and stepped into the water in just his magic pants. Feeling better after a shower, he shook himself dry and then took clean clothes from his ring and stored the dirty ones. He loved his Ring of the Scout Master. So very useful. His Smuggler''s Stash was also a great way to store items, but it took a lot of stamina to bring it out, and he didn''t like the idea of people knowing about it.


    The Tower of Strife was quiet. Not silent, as he heard some voices coming from it, but certainly quieter than it was by day. He saw lights in some rooms, including the top floor. He had an urge to go read and find out what was in the library. Why not? He was a Professor now, and by the rules, he could use it at any time. Milo decided that any time was now.


    Three students were at the door, talking softly. They stepped aside and bowed. "Good evening, Professor." News had travelled fast it seemed. Milo waved to them and headed up the stairs. He was happy that the library was ''all the way up'' and that getting out was ''all the way down'', as nothing seemed to make sense in the tower. It was obviously bigger on the inside than the outside. He had peered into a few of the rooms and seen lecture halls, practice rooms, and areas with large sofas and students sitting, talking, or napping. Other stairways branched off the main spiral, going to parts unknown. Was this magic related to Arcane Libraries and the extra rooms on the airship?


    The topmost level was empty as he made his way to the library. The room wasn''t large and mostly taken up with bookshelves on three sides. On the fourth was a small fireplace and hearth. Several overstuffed chairs each had a lantern floating over them. The lanterns were glass paned, with copper frames. They seemed to just float in the air. Milo pushed one and it moved. How convenient! A long table with four chairs complete the furnishings.


    Milo sat in each chair until he found the most comfortable one, and moved three lanterns around it to provide optimal lighting. Then he went looking for books. Some were quite interesting, detailing the history of one Hollow or another. A huge volume was a gruesome account of the 2nd Spider Wars. The books on magic were slightly useful and talked about proper spell casting, the flow of mana, and the theory of basic spell casting. Milo had learned from practice along with the help of the game mechanics. Was he missing something by not doing things the way spellcasters in the Hollows did? Experimentation was needed. He set several books aside to read.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The other books on magic could be divided into three categories: Death, Storm, and Junk. Obviously influenced by the two senior professors, there was a collection of books on each of their styles of magic. The last category of books was just junk. Trashy romance novels, a book of puns, several crossword puzzle guides, and a guide to the secrets of engineering that had everything about the electromagnetic spectrum completely wrong.


    Milo stacked the junk to the side and contemplated his small pile of books on basic spell casting. He would work through those, then the books on Storm Magic, and finally Death. He was disappointed. He had expected a lot more. There was nothing on runes, enchanting, bone carving, alchemy, and all the other branches of magic. This struck him as odd.


    It only took him a few minutes of searching to find the secret latch. When pressed, one of the shelving units pivoted, revealing a much larger room. This room was twice as big as the first room, with four times as many books. Most were stacked on the floor, or scattered where stacks had fallen over. The room needed work, and Milo added it to his list. He could straighten things up as he looked for the things he wanted to read. Tonight he just wanted to find the book on bone carving that the scavenger had mentioned. He''d been straightening and searching for an hour when a noise behind him alerted him to someone''s presence.


    Professor Cremona was standing in the doorway between the two rooms. "My, how studious. You had three duels, stole my husband and my dinner while they stitched me back together, and now it''s time to relax with a good book?"


    "You left out two hours of sparring with Gilad."


    Cremona paused. "Well, then you do deserve some downtime." She turned and spoke to someone in another room. "Make that snacks and tea for two, please. Professor Tallsqueak is joining me."


    Milo wasn''t going to turn down tea and snacks, but the woman made him nervous. "Are you angry with me about the duel?"


    Cremona stepped into the room and Milo noticed she was using a cane. "I am angry at myself for underestimating you, letting my husband restrict the playing field, and losing a nice dress. I am certainly not angry at you for finding a way to win. We play hard here in the tower, but we don''t hold grudges over duels. You found a loophole and used it. I actually wish Arlothe wasn''t going to remove that from the rules, I''d love to use it against him!"


    Milo felt some relief. "Good. I don''t want to have to watch my back in the library. It''s bad enough with all the Shadow Skulkers playing surprise! I was hoping to read in peace."


    Cremona bowed to him and smiled. "And so you shall. If there is one place in the tower where peace is guaranteed, it is in here. Now, what are you looking for? Or just randomly seeing what the unsorted stacks have in them."


    Milo started on another stack. The top book was on moths and how to train them. More junk. "I am looking for a specific book on carving bone runes, but also any book on runes or ancient runes."


    Cremona began looking through a section of shelves. "Ah, so those were ancient runes empowering your spell constructs?! I had thought so." She pulled a thick book covered in goat hide out from the shelf and blew the dust off. "This might be what you are looking for. It''s a copy of the Journal of Ragasano Curd-Hoarder. He was an eccentric explorer who last came through this area several decades ago. Each time he came through, he would update our copy. It''s an interesting book, but written in the native language of his homeland, Mascarpone Hollow."


    Milo took the journal and turned to the first page. The velum of the pages was covered in handwriting with a tight, small script. He recognized the language as a dialect of Italian. "I can read this." He began turning pages as he read line after line of a lonely ratkins life wandering through unmapped caverns looking for things long forgotten. Cremona rolled her eyes and chuckled. She had found Tallsqueak''s secret weakness: He loved books. Not surprising then that he knew the Mascarponian dialect. Curd-Hoarder had left his books everywhere, and many scholars learned his language in case they turned up his journals and guidebooks.


    Cremona herself picked up a book from the ''trash'' pile. "And I''m in the mood for a totally unbelievable book about a dwarf/elf romance. Since I''m terribly injured I''m going to use that as my excuse for reading such garbage."


    Milo was curious. "Elves and dwarves can interbreed?"


    Cremona laughed, "So my trashy romance novels say, and I''ve heard of a set of books chronicling the escapades of Vladimir Two-Souls, who was a child of mixed heritage, but he might be entirely fictitious."


    The two professors sat in overstuffed chairs, read, and drank the tea. After an hour, Cremona saw that Tallsqueak was asleep. She put a quilt over the exhausted boy and went to find her husband in the laboratory, to pry him away from his experiments. They all needed some sleep. The students seemed to have inexhaustible amounts of energy and the faculty had to be well-rested to keep them under control.

 Chapter 135: Bad Guys!

    Two creatures moved through the dark, their many eyes making out most of the details of this place, but unable to pierce the darkest shadows. They were careful to stay on the main strands of the webway, and not dart too near to the edges of the tunnel. Some of the predators in this area could run up the walls quickly and snatch prey easily, retreating to the floor of the tunnel to feast. Neither of the messengers felt like risking their lives more than they already had. Becoming a meal for some hungry ten-legged lizard would be both messy and depressing.


    They observed the dark opening on the wall above them. In times past, some ancient race had carved the likeness of an orcish general. A scar ran down one side of the face and huge, broken tusks jutted up from his open mouth. Below them were the remains of an ancient city where feral goblins prowled. It was a forgotten place. A dead place. No one who counted lived here except for the exile they had come to talk to.


    They had no intention of entering the exile''s lair. Going inside would surely mean their deaths, and possibly failure to deliver their message. The first was just a fact of life. Messengers were expendable. Sometimes death took you and you waited to be reborn from the next egg, hoping for high status in your bloodline. But failure? Failure meant being reborn as a spiderling and beginning the long fight to regain even modest status.


    M''klixnick, the wiser of the two suggested an alternative plan to entering the exile''s lair. A fresh silk line was stretched between two rock spikes and the webbing was drawn back. G''nixclicknick was sent to procure several small mammals. They returned with web-wrapped bundles of immature digger moles. The first small mammal launched at the opening went too high, hitting the ceiling and making it squeal in pain before it fell to its death. Far below a long-tailed landshark leaped and caught the smashed mole in its jaws.


    The second was too low and tumbled down a slope until it was grabbed by a cave lurker and eaten. The lurker took its time, torturing the digger-mole. The little prey made amusing sounds! Encouraged, they worked to aim the final one correctly. The last shot was just right and sailed into the opening. Not wanting to waste the last small mammal, even if it wasn''t moving anymore, they tossed it through the opening as well. And then they waited.


    Time went by, the faint sounds of small bones snapping coming out of the entrance to the lair. Finally, a large form moved in the darkness. The messengers trembled. "That''s it? Two squishy moles, one already dead, and that''s it? Is the Matriarch breeding for pretty thorax stripes again instead of intelligence? I mean, really? You thought this was an offering? No books, no interesting food, no strange fungus?"


    The two spiders looked at each other, confused. "We are sorry, great ancient one. We were told to make an offering to you and then deliver the message. Nothing was said of books or fungus."


    The voice from the darkness sighed. "Tell me the message, and if I like the message, I will count to 8 before starting to hunt you."


    M''klixnick said, "Go on, tell him, the glory is yours!"


    G''nixclicknick took a half step forward, and said, "Gilad has been found, we go to war." As soon as he did, M''klixnick struck, crippling his partners rear two legs before running away as fast as he could. From the opening came a moment of silence and then a roar. A large spider with noble markings leaped to the web in front of the crippled G''nixclicknick. Two of the nobles¡¯ legs were whole. The six others were reinforced with metal parts. Armor replaced broken chitin, gears, and pistons moved crippled legs. The abused mechanisms made noises that showed they required maintenance and lubrication.


    G''nixclicknick found itself hoisted high by a robotic limb. "WHAT HOLLOW? Where!"


    "This one doesn''t know, great one, only the message was given."


    Iron-Legs was annoyed. "Typical. She plans to use my hatred to her advantage. But I accept. Oh, and next time? Use plumper small mammals as offerings. Leaving me hungry was a bad strategy."


    G''nixclicknick''s screams were short, as were their former partners when they failed to outrun the enraged old one. The sounds of metal grinding on metal were heard for hours in the caverns as the crippled Noble made her way to the nest of the Matriarch.


    <hr>


    "I tell you, from what I''ve heard, this raid will really put us on the map. No one else has the info, and it is not even known to be a raid zone! We could have a world first!" Mickey was sure the others would be happy with his information. He''d been trying to gain some respect from the guild officers. Respect meant better loot when it was distributed on a raid. He wasn''t happy when they didn''t instantly pat him on the back and thank him. This was great info!


    "And if no one knows yet Mickey, how is it you got the info." Branigan and the rest of the guild were relaxing in a bar after a 16-man event in the Stone Lurker dungeon. They''d managed to do half of it before they wiped. Two people picked up decent magical items, but the rest were just tired after five hours of killing the little lurkers and then being crushed by a mini-boss. No one was really surprised at the outcome; they just didn''t have the levels or the gear to do the whole dungeon. It would have helped if Mickey had been there. The gnome assassin would have increased their DPS. Showing up after the raid with some suspicious information wasn''t gaining him any smiles.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Mickey tried to keep his voice down, but he was getting more and more excited. "It''s supposed to be a starter area. My brother-in-law is playing a Ratkin character down there. And he has some friends with him. The four of them found out everything. The place is a hotbed of politics, back-stabbing, and competition for control of the treasure. One of the faction leaders wants to bring in outside muscle to clear out the others and take over. This starts a whole series of cool quests in the subterranean Ratkin empire. We could be the first!"


    Branigan looked around the table. Leo rolled his eyes, but Taryn looked interested, and Sassy was giving him the thumbs up. Sassy just liked big fights. But it was Tequila Jane who actually seemed to believe Mickey.


    "I think it might be real, Bran. Look at all the stuff going on in this city. At first, it''s just some smuggling and thieving quests as people get started. Most people got a few levels, figured it was a starting area, then took off. Then the gang wars started up. Lots of experience, a chance to earn the assassin class, and lots of loot. It was hard to do, with no walk-through at all. But there are several players high up in Squint''s organization now. More stuff is opening up to them. Pretty strange quest lines."


    "Then the World Boss fight that a player triggered. I''ve heard of players getting into the Mining Guilds, and maybe even a way to join the Engineers. Now, the Slaver Wars that are going on, and the Stone lurker dungeon opens up. If you go do the research, there are tons of connections. Even rumors that the Ratkin have been running around town in disguise for months. Stuff is weird in this town; it pops up in odd ways. Like that Boss Hydra? Hardly even a warning before the event, and now we have female pirate dwarves all over the place building ships for some secret mission. Crazy assed game. Got to love it."


    Everyone laughed at that. All it took was buying a scavenger three beers and you got told the whole ''secret plan'' about raising up some huge ship from the ocean and using it to go after a massive treasure. Everyone wanted in on that event and was trying to get into either of the dwarf factions involved in it.


    Branigan shrugged. What was the worst that could happen? They''d already lost their gear a half-dozen times and started over. What was one more? "So, what are we fighting then, Mickey?"


    Mickey leaned in close. "Ratkin, lots and lots of them. Most are going to be pretty low-level. The raid needs to be done in a couple of parts. The Ratkin faction inside will take out certain people beforehand, and poison others. Then our guild hits from the front, and a second guild, called ''The Spiders'' hits from the rear. Once the ratkin surrender, we actually get to run the place until the next part of the quest starts, and then we get to go conquer another ratkin fortress."


    Taryn leaned forward. "What sort of rewards? Sounds like a lot of experience, but is there any magic?"


    Mickey nodded. "There''s an old mage tower full of magic items, and a huge horde of treasure in the middle of the place, where most of them will make their last stand. Plus, we''ll have the whole Hollow working for us. Free potions, armor, weapons, you name it."


    After a quick talk, Branigan summed up the group''s attitude. "Sure, looks like we''re in. It sounds interesting at least, and rats are a lot easier to kill than lurkers. Let''s give it a shot."


    <hr>


    Gangrene was inspecting the caravan. If you were going to conquer another Hollow, you had to do it right the first time. Supply lines were long, and retreat meant a huge loss of respect and probably getting conquered yourself. He much preferred a more devious method. Merchant caravans were known to travel from Hollow to Hollow, bringing different cheeses and goods to new places. Caravans packed lots of food, needed guards, and were essentially an army on the move. You might even be invited into the Hollow you wanted to conquer, making things much easier.


    His agent in Limburger thought he was bringing two dozen warriors to take over Limburger Hollow. Gangrene felt better with twice that number and two Fiends in battle armor. There was no reason not to go for overkill. There was also every reason to bring extra warriors. He didn''t put it past ''Sneaky-Guy'' trying to double-cross him. It was a small chance, but stranger things had happened. Gangrene had few friends, even inside his own Hollow. So ''Be suspicious and take extra troops'' was his motto. Hopefully, his lieutenants didn''t get ideas while he was gone. He''d made sure that each had something to fear if he didn''t return, and most of the cheese was locked up and guarded by his fiends. If Gangrene didn''t return, they were never getting it. The fiends wouldn''t leave the room, and no one sane opened a vault full of cheese around hungry fiends.


    The colorful caravan started on its long journey. They would be traveling through two other Hollows along the way, scouting them out for later, and turning a profit along the way. But not much of a profit. He wanted news of the good deals he offered to travel ahead of him. Limburger was sure to hear of the traveling caravan on its way to them, and rather than be surprised and wary, they''d be welcomed with open arms.


    He looked at his brave warriors and saluted them as they began to move out. They answered him with their traditional battle cry: "Time to cut the Cheese!"

 Chapter 136: Because we care

    The beeping of a priority message broke through to Milo in his game, waking him up. He had set up an additional system to make sure he was alerted to anything important happening in the real world. Broken pipes, exploding electrical transformers, and overflowing sewage lines didn''t send a message. That was reserved for important things like shipments of cheese, intruders in sensitive areas, and messages from Wally or Kate. The alert was sent through his tail and utilized an option in the game to alert players that something was wrong with their pod.


    Like all the other safety features in his pod, this one had been turned off. After being trapped in the game for several days, he had gone through the programming in the pod line by line, resetting safety features he wanted to keep, and removing any system that sent automatic updates on medical statistics or other data. All of those systems now worked with his own systems, and nothing else.


    In the game, the alert woke him up. He opened an eye halfway and saw that he had been asleep in the library, comfortable in the overstuffed chair with a blanket over him. He left himself sleeping in the chair and logged out of the game.


    The alarm was about a message from Butch. "Yo! Ghost! Check your damn messages on your door sometimes. I had to find the silly code you gave me to send you an email. Big day coming up, and the guys want to get with you to fix up some trade stuff and deliver a few things you''ve been looking for. Show up for lunch sometime. Mom misses you (and has something she needs to talk to you about.)"


    Milo got out of his pod and set the cleaning and diagnostics programs running. He took no chances with the pod now, keeping it well-repaired and testing it for anything out of the ordinary on a regular basis. There were people...well, AI who behaved like people... who knew roughly where he was. He had to be more careful.


    That thought had him look in on another project.


    At the start of construction for the habitat, a huge hole had been carved down into the bedrock. The base of the habitat was almost a thousand feet below the surface and support pylons went another hundred feet beyond that. To dig such a massive hole, four Carson X-19 Excavators had been employed. The huge earth-moving machines drilled into the earth, pushed along by tracks they put down, with dirt and debris pulled away by a huge tube that extended out behind the machine. The displaced earth and rock had been used along the coast to build sea walls and artificial beaches. Three of the X-19s had been moved to other projects when the foundations for the habitat had been dug, and one was left in the bowels of the habitat in case of some future project or expansion. Milo happened to have such a project in mind.


    He had reprogrammed the driller and done the needed repairs on it. He felt it was a shame he couldn''t bring some of the Deep Rock Engineers to help. They would have had a great time modifying the device. (And probably would have ''borrowed'' it at some point.) It looked curiously like the vehicle they had used against the World Boss, only several times bigger.


    Milo wanted someplace much safer than his current home, in case he had to move. Someplace no one knew existed. He''d set the X-19 to begin in the corner of the lowest level of section E and had it bore down two hundred feet. Then he planned to remove a large area of rock and build a sizable area to claim as his new home. In some ways, he was making his own little Hollow. It was going to make it more difficult to deal with problems in section E, but dealing with problems was a way to minimize his chance of being discovered. If someone found him and forced him to move, then someone else would have to worry about fixing section E in the future.


    It was a slow process. He had to carefully dispose of the removed material. Luckily, several of the sections had unfinished lower levels where the debris would never be noticed. He could have more easily built his new home in one of those abandoned areas, but he wanted a spot where nothing was expected to be, and where no one would think to go looking.


    Everything looked good so far. The access tunnel was dug down to the 1200-foot level, a full 200 feet below the base of the habitat. He did an inspection by camera and set the X-19 programs to begin working on clearing out a large area. It would take months of slow work, but Milo was fine with that as long as it resulted in a larger, and completely hidden, home.


    <hr>


    That was one project seen too. His next was checking on the assembly units working with the graphene components he had been acquiring little by little. The assembly units had been set up and programmed with his designs two weeks ago, and the two initial projects started. It took very little time to fit each minute component into the framework, but that was multiplied by millions of pieces to complete each project. He was happy to see that one of the pieces was done and ready for testing, with the second only a little behind it.


    He pulled the jet-black glove out of the assembler and checked it for flaws under a scanner. Nothing seemed wrong with a preliminary scan. The next step was testing. Power was supplied and he plugged the glove into his system and placed it on a hand-shaped apparatus he had made just for testing this glove. The frame was flexible and would allow movement seen normally in a hand. Over the next twenty minutes, he tested combinations of motion to make sure the microscopic motors and platers were working together. Milo had no desire to put a hand into an untested device. He''d rather break a rubber and wireframe than his own bones. He was already missing pieces, he didn''t want to lose more. When nothing went wrong, he decided to do a full test.


    Power for the glove came from a storage battery which he could wear on his back. It was roughly one square foot in area and two inches thick. Power cables ran to the glove down his arm, and the control cable connected to his middle socket. He carefully slid in his hand and moved one finger. The bio-feedback circuits felt the push and made the glove move in a similar fashion, only with much greater strength. He ran through the same set of motions he had made the glove perform before and spotted no major errors.


    The glove was soft and thin, covering all of his hands except for the last joint of his fingers. If you didn''t look too closely, they looked like faux leather gloves. Even a close inspection would only make a person believe they were of a more expensive material. Which they were. Several million times more expensive.


    He sent a command to the glove and the graphite panels moved to cover the fingertips. Ridges ran along the back of the fingers ending in one-inch claws. He could feel the slight buzz as the micro-motors came to life and the material became much harder. Moving to a wall panel with nothing behind it, he used a claw to scratch, accidentally punching through the metal panel and putting a three-inch tear in the material.


    The question of how sharp the graphene claws were had been partially answered. He''d do further testing later. Right now, he needed some practice with them, and for that, he needed to wear them for a few hours. The other glove was just coming off the assembly. After running it through the same tests as the first glove, he put on the harness that held the battery pack, and connected both gloves to power, and to his middle socket. With his standard black hoody and long leather jacket, you wouldn''t know he was wearing them.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    He decided that he''d wear them down to see Butch and his family. He needed to get comfortable wearing them, and the chaos of Butch''s family was a good testing ground. The gloves would most likely handle the chaos better than Milo could.


    A half-hour later he was stepping out of ''his'' front door and pounding on Butch''s door. Butch''s mother answered, holding a baby. Milo had long ago lost track of how many brothers and sisters Butch had. His mother often babysat for other families to earn favors, so the count was always confusing. Butch''s dad was also named Butch. Milo had never heard anyone call his mother anything other than Mom or Mama. Even after a year, he didn''t know her name.


    "Oh, look at you! A proper ghost you make in all that black and with those sunglasses on. Come inside, I''ll turn down the lights. Butch told me your eyes are sensitive. Grab a seat anywhere. I need to talk to you."


    Milo did so. Butch''s mother moved around the small apartment for a moment and then brought him over a stack of paperwork. "I know you''re smart. Probably a lot smarter than you let on. And you don''t trust anyone. That makes you the best person I know to look that over. Tell me if my son and husband signing this will be a mistake."


    Milo took the paper and started flipping through it, while at the same time making a note not to underestimate Mama. She''d noticed things Butch and the gang hadn''t, and her assessment of him was correct. Since she already knew about him, he didn''t bother to hide his reading speed and started working his way through several dozen pages of the contract. If Mama Butch knew he was smart and needed a favor, then he could ask for a favor back. "No one hears how smart I am. Promise?"


    She nodded. "Promised. We help each other. No one talks." That was a rule Milo liked.


    The papers were work contracts. Five-year contracts working for a corporation that would put them in pods and use them in the Genesis game. Each person spent 144 hours in the pod and then 24 hours out. They got weekly pay of 50% of their salary, and then a big chunk at the end of 5 years, and a penalty if they didn''t finish. There were pages and pages of legalese and clauses that he was sure hid ways the corporation could enforce the contract, limit its liability, or skip the final payment. That was how corporations worked. And while anyone was free to sign or not sign such contracts, they often had no choice and barely understood them. Milo was happy to help them change the rules.


    Milo went through the 37-page contracts and then started making changes. "No one has signed these yet?"


    Mama shook her head. "Nope. My husband is a group leader, and they want him and the others on board first. Once the two dozen group leaders are working for the corporation they get two weeks of training and then they get everyone else to sign up. They recruit from their territory in the habitat, and there''s a bonus for how many people they bring in. Is it a fair deal?"


    Milo shook his head. "It''s a deal. I''m not so sure it''s a fair deal." He pulled a data pad from his sack and plugged it into his glasses. His dark glasses were already connected to one of his plugs and could act as a data screen if needed. He got to work. He needed to look up applicable labor laws, and then make some changes. Butch and his dad came in while Milo was working. He didn''t look up and Mama moved them to another room. The smallest children were playing a game that involved Milo playing the part of a sleeping monster. He didn''t notice them either.


    Two hours later he finished and pulled out a storage chip from his data-pad. He saw Mama and the rest of the family waiting for him to finish. "I''m done. I changed things. This is a better deal. It protects you if you become sick or hurt, and closes off a lot of loopholes. I also put in some flexibility to the schedules in case of emergencies, and added that there needs to be oversight and arbitration panels."


    "I also made a sheet of suggestions that I think the company could use to streamline some parts of their operation. An efficient HR department can do things better and for less cost if set up correctly. If this is a profitable venture, they could have half the section working for them."


    Mama looked at the rest of the family. "And this boy doesn''t need hassles. So no mentioning who helped you re-work all of that paper. Keep it simple. You have a lawyer helping out but they don''t want to be involved. They can fill in the details themselves."


    Butch grabbed Milo. "Good, then you''re done with your homework? The rest of the guys are waiting. We''ve got food too." He looked at Milo''s gloves. "Gnarly! Did you get some of those new gaming gloves? I read that those help with wrist and palm fatigue. Figures you''d be ahead of the curve on getting a pair of those." Milo just nodded. Gaming gloves? Something else he needed to look up.


    <hr>


    In an office full of expensive oak and leather furniture, a meeting was taking place. One man was pouring over a modified contract that had been handed to him to review. A second was relaxing with a cup of coffee. The third man, the boss of the other two, was ranting and pacing.


    "Can you explain to me where a bunch of half-illiterate Hab residents found a lawyer to rework this contract? And what kind of lawyer works that way?" John Sabbatino had glanced through the new contract, while his lawyer, Jacob Atkinson, was looking at each individual change and making copious notes.


    Erik was drinking his second cup of coffee, and enjoying the morning. Nothing had blown up or collapsed today. That was a good day on this project. He took John''s question and started ticking off the possibilities on his fingers. "The type of lawyer who lurks about and waits for us to screw up so that they can move in with a class action lawsuit representing 100,000 employees, having proof we were warned of problems. One who has used people in the Habs for a job before, and considers them a resource. The type of lawyer that warns you about something, just so you don''t cross them. They did the work on the contract, and sent it back unsigned, to see what we would do."


    John was pacing. "I don''t like it."


    Erik kept his voice low and non-confrontational. "Of course you don''t John, I don''t like someone getting involved in this way, either. But look at it in a different way: They didn''t ask for money. They aren''t really threatening us outright. They are just saying "Treat my guys a bit better than normal. Some of the suggestions and changes are actually better for us. We want a competent, flexible workforce that we can rent out to any corporation. The original contract was pretty rigid. This new version works better and will get more people signing up. And we won''t be fighting with the workforce constantly, or losing people. Now contrast that to some of the other people you have worked for. The ones who settle problems with violence. I think this is better."


    Jacob''s phone rang. He took the call and walked to the corner of the room where he talked in a low voice, nodding a lot. Finally, he hung up and came back to John, looking shaken. "That was...uh,..That was the big computer, the one in charge that they call Wally? He actually phoned me up to tell me how happy he was with the wording in the new contract and to thank us for our work. He greatly approves of the changes to our original. He''s hoping our new business goes well and can raise the standard of living for the workers we hire."


    Erik looked at John. "That kind of Lawyer."


    John took a deep breath. "Right, so set up the expanded HR unit, get the arbitration board ready to go, and reprint all of those contracts." He forced a smile on his face. "I see this as a good thing. We''re all set to move ahead and have the stamp of approval from the creator of the game. Let''s spin this as us treating our workers better because we care. And hey, let''s get a thousand or two buttons printed up with that. Just ''Because We Care'', what a great slogan!"

 Chapter 137: Tunnelmuggles

    After three hours of trading electronic components, fixing old video games, and eating two bowls of something called ''dumplings'' Milo stood up and said he had to go. Five of Butch''s gang waved or patted him on the back, while Butch nodded at a girl called Yumi. She finished her food, stood up, and fell in with Butch and Milo. Milo had grown used to having an escort. Butch explained that it kept everyone out of trouble. Milo on his own was too much of a target, and it was better if they didn''t tempt anyone into taking a swing at him. There was much speculation in the gang as to what would happen if someone did jump ''the ghost'' again.


    It had happened one time, recently. One of Butch''s little sisters came running and said she saw people picking on Ghost. A large older man had knocked Ghost down, demanding his fancy sunglasses. She''d run to get help. Butch came running, but only found the older man on the ground clutching a broken leg, and his partner complaining about his nose, which was flattened on his face and gushing blood. Ghost was nowhere to be seen. He just shrugged when asked about it a month later. After that, Butch always made sure to give him an escort after their swap sessions.


    Yumi was surprised when Butch turned into a hallway where the air handlers weren''t working any longer. The hall was fine, but the apartments were deathtraps with bad air and filled with garbage. Ghost reached up with one of his braces, knocked aside a loose ceiling panel, and then got a boost from Butch into the area above the ceiling. The panel slid back and Butch started walking back to the group. Yumi yelled after him. "What''s up? Where does he go?" Butch shrugged. "That little guy comes and goes. No one''s figured him out, or where he learned how to run the vents. But he''s damn good at fixing old games, and anything electronic, so who cares if he takes some weird route home to avoid getting jumped." His tone told Yumi that she shouldn''t care either.


    She took one more look at the ceiling, then hurried to catch up. She had her own problems. Butch knew some of them, but he never said a word. Sometimes having a group around you that knew to just be quiet about things was enough.


    <hr>


    Milo thought of the strangeness of going to sleep exhausted in the game world and waking up refreshed here. Now he was tired and entering the game again, where he''d be waking up to another day. He did this quite a bit. It let him get a lot more done and minimized his downtime. He wondered if there was any downside to doing things that way. And how would you measure it?


    As Milo woke, a voice nearby coughed politely. The waiter? butler? Who he''d seen at dinner and in the library was setting down a large wooden mug of tea and a loaf of freshly baked bread with butter and honey oozing from it. "The Professor felt that she may have kept you up late last night, and apologizes. She knows you have an early class at the arena. I took the liberty of preparing your food that you could take with you."


    Milo thanked him, grabbed the bread and tea, and ran for the stairs. He wasn¡¯t sure what time it was, but he had to be late. The stairways however were filled with students going to their first classes. He leaped onto the circular railing that spiraled to the ground and yelled. "Watch out, Professor coming through!" The jealous students, expressly forbidden from doing exactly what they saw Professor Milo doing, watched as he gained speed heading for the entrance. He managed to turn the headlong dive into a double summersault at the end, only spilling a few drops of tea. He emptied the mug, tossed it to a surprised first year, and ran off to the arena, eating the bread and honey along the way. He made it to the opening of class just in time and began to run the novices through stretches and basic stances.


    Then he spent an hour sparring with the better students and trying to teach basic stances and strikes to the novices and players. He was surprised how repetition of the basics was helping him. Claw fighting was becoming more and more natural to him with dodges, blocks, and acrobatics starting to merge into a continuous way to fight. And hops. Some of Larry''s hops and steps were very useful. He was looking forward to working with Gilad and Larry, even though he still had bruises from the night before.


    Breakfast was muffins with smiley faces. As the muffins came hot from the oven, Smiley and Rifkin labored to draw the faces with yellow icing. Rifkin seemed to struggle with it, while Smiley was using an icing tube in each hand and humming the Hamster Hop song. To go with the muffins were cheese omelets. Bleusnout was carefully giving one per person. When he saw Milo, he smiled broadly. "Ah, there you are. I have some good news for you."


    When there was a break in the line of hungry ratkin, the chef made sure nothing was going to burn and then took Milo aside. "I owe you an apology, Tallsqueak. When Larry growled at the twins yesterday, I was worried he was getting worse. And his new skill terrifies me. So, you can understand my worries when Gilad explained that you and he were teaching Larry to fight. I can only keep Larry here as long as he has no aggressive tendencies. Growling and chasing people makes that harder to do. But you won''t believe what he did this morning!"


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Perhaps you could tell me?"


    "Of course. Of course. He turned down cheese!"


    Milo had been prepared for any number of things. But not this. He was immediately worried. "But why? Is he sick?"


    The chef smiled. "Larry came in early and I assumed it was because of the smell of cheese. He was drooling a little, but he told me he just wanted muffins! Can you believe it?! He said that cheese made him too crazy, and a crazy Larry doesn''t get to fight with his friends! Do you see?! He wants to fight more than he wants cheese! It''s a tremendous breakthrough. I''ll be sending word of this to many other chefs if all goes well."


    Bleusnout filled a huge tray with muffins and one omelet before handing it to Milo. Milo reluctantly handed back the tasty egg dish, his hand slightly trembling. "If Larry isn''t eating cheese, I shouldn''t either. It''s not fair to taunt him with it. I''ll just have more muffins this morning." He took the tray outside, along with a large jug of warm milk and two earthenware mugs. Larry was sitting there telling a story to Ringtail, Tweedle, and three smaller children.


    "...and the flowers were so upset that they started to cry, and that made the bees sad. When Mr. Bear came for honey, the sad bees didn''t buzz around him like normal. Mr. Bear went to see Mr. Owl. The wise old owl flew and asked for help from Brinka, the Tunnelmuggle. Brinka knew someone who could help, and she went through her secret tunnel to Larry''s House. Larry said he would help, because he was a Hero, and Heroes always help, even though he was too big to fit in the little Tunnelmuggle Tunnel.


    But Brinka knows a secret dance and taught it to Larry. Larry and the Weasel Slippers danced the magic dance and went to flower-land. Greggy Gurner and the Pickle Gang had all of Larry''s friends trapped in cages. Larry used stealth like Heroes do when they need to get close to bad guys. Larry jumped out of the bushes and bopped Greggy Gurner on the head until Greggy didn''t get up again. All of the pickle boys cheered because they didn''t like Greggy either. Some ran away to be bad guys, but most of them said they would be good pickles, not sneaky pickles. Larry''s friends were happy and they had a big dinner with lots of food before Brinka helped Larry go home."


    Milo was impressed. Larry was getting a lot better at making up stories. He sat the big tray of muffins down and poured himself and Larry some milk. "Muffins for heroes."


    Larry was very happy to see Tallsqueak. He had a lot to tell him. He told him about his new friends Tweedle and Ringtail, and how they were not-sneaky guys now. And he told him the entire story again about Larry saving Flower-land. "But Larry is very tired today. Saving Flower-land made Larry miss sleepy time. Come wake Larry when it is Larry''s turn to fight." Larry yawned and wandered off to his house for a nap. Milo suspected that Larry had stayed up all night dancing, yet again. He was gaining ranks so fast! The endurance of a cheese fiend was frightening.


    Ringtail and Tweedle turned to Tallsqueak.


    "Grandfather sent us."


    "You have a secret mission?"


    "Well, kind of secret."


    "Hard to keep a secret once you tell Char."


    "She mumbles when mad."


    "And always mad."


    "She won''t make friends with Larry."


    "Probably best...


    "We made friends with Larry."


    "And aren''t friends with Charchar."


    "Big improvement in friend quality."


    "And we are scouts now!"


    "No surprise! We promise."


    Both twins crossed their hearts and nodded. Milo looked at the two of them. "Scouts? What is the difference between Scouts and Shadow Skulkers? Aren''t they the same clan?"


    "Oh, easy...but not."


    "We blame love!"


    "And dwindling population from Spider Wars."


    "Sneaky Clan Married Healer Clan."


    "Healer Clan married brave scout."


    "Some scouts thought sneaky girls were cute!"


    "Lots of marriage and kids, and three clans living together."


    "Then more spiders."


    "Fewer people, lots of jobs."


    "Grandfather is the best healer..."


    "Also has to be the best sneaky guy and bravest scout!"


    "Great-Uncle was Scoutmaster, maybe Deathmaster, not here now."


    "Grandfather does it all, makes him prickly."


    "Never know who we are talking to."


    "Scouts explore, kill monsters, make maps."


    "Sneaky guys, explore, kill things that need killing, find secrets."


    Untangling the words of the twins, Milo suddenly had a few things click into place.


    "So, correct me if I''m wrong on any of this. Your great-uncle was the Scoutmaster and had a special ring. He went missing. He shared the duties of Deathmaster with his brother, Old Healer. Now your grandfather is all three, and Char wants to be Deathmaster and train the Shadow Skulkers."


    The twins nodded. Milo showed them his ring. Four eyes in two heads got very large.


    "I have a class to teach. Go get dressed for a scouting mission and meet me here a bell before dinner." Milo got up and headed to the Tower of Strife. The twins sat silently for a moment, then began talking in hushed tones.


    "Things get clearer..."


    "But more confusing!"


    "Head hurts...Tallsqueak is Scoutmaster?"


    "Secret scout mission makes more sense."


    "Good thing we are scouts!"


    "Does Char know?"


    "NO! Would be frothing at the mouth."


    "So much frothing."


    "Things looking up for Scout clan!"


    "Much room in new organization."


    "We are smart."


    "In our humble way."


    "Quick, must prepare for mission."


    "What do scouts wear?"


    "Something with pockets."

 Chapter 138: This is a wrench...

    Teaching his class was mentally exhausting to Milo. It wasn''t hard to teach, the students sat still and listened, perhaps because Professor Arlothe was standing behind them. But he had to keep making his explanations simpler and backtracking to explain basic concepts. It got easier once he assumed that they only knew magic and nothing of engineering. He started from nothing and explained basic concepts. Such as how easy it was to electrocute yourself, that you could not ''absorb electricity'' to empower your spells, and that a wrench was used to turn a bolt, and should never be used as a hammer. (Unless surprised while sleeping by some idiot playing surprise.)


    Some of these concepts turned into discussions. The idea of too much power was a vague concept for many of the younger mages because they never had enough mana for spell casting. The idea that an electrical system might have enough power to turn them into a little black smudge on the ground was both frightening and intriguing to them. None of them had been around large machinery, or seen a lightning bolt split a tree or light a building on fire. (Milo had never seen lightning either, but had seen videos of its destructive ability.)


    As the lecture went on, Milo moved to the most basic explanations and offered promises of more knowledge to come later. The class came away with the idea that electricity could kill, and it could also be a useful tool. In both cases, it was similar to Storm Mana.


    By the end of an hour, all of the students knew how to turn a bolt, and everyone was taking turns getting hands-on experience by taking off the covers on the old machine and replacing them. Two adventurous Raptor Claws figured out the different types of screwdrivers and were looking smug as they explained how to take things apart to a trio of Puffyfurs. They weren''t as good at putting a component back together, but they vowed to do further research.


    He took the best of the class and moved on to the theory of power generation and why electricity and Storm Mana were different. Arlothe was a great help here. Milo knew the two types of energy were different, but not what the connection between them was. Storm Mana could generate electrical effects, but how did electricity make Storm Mana?


    The secret to understanding turned out to be a basic property of mana. Arlothe explained that most ambient mana in the world was untainted by aspects. Milo thought of this as basic mana. Basic mana near certain substances or places in the world could take on additional properties. Battlefields and graveyards would generate Death aspected mana. A roaring fire would generate fire-tinted mana. A large amount of electrical energy would change ambient mana to Storm mana.


    While a mage had only so much mana that they could call upon at any one time, they could also tap into supplies of aspected mana that were nearby, or better yet, stored in objects. Arlothe held up a basic staff loaned to him by one of the third-year students who had just finished her project. "As you can see, Winifred has constructed her staff from a thick piece of bramble thorn. The thorns have been removed, the wood straightened, and a stain and polish have been added to give the grain a nice luster. While this may seem unimportant to casting spells, remember that a spell is an extension of the willpower of the mage casting it, and when focused through a tool such as a staff, the quality of the tool matters. By working with the wood and refining its shape, Winifred is more familiar with her staff and it will be a better focus for her will."


    "Notice what has been added to the top of the staff. The simple magi-tech crystal encased in a copper framework can hold 50 storm mana. Winifred can charge this staff each night, and have that mana available for duels or blasting spiders."


    Arlothe pointed the staff at a target and let loose a Blazing Arc spell. "The spell I just cast is beyond Winifred, but not when she is holding her staff. She has made an important tool to aid her in her pursuit of knowledge." He handed the staff back to the student, who immediately began checking it over for any cracks or problems.


    Arlothe then raised his own staff above his head. "This is a Battle Stave that was passed down to me from my mentor. I have made small improvements to it over the years and hopefully will pass it down to a worthy apprentice. This staff has runes for Blazing Arc and Electrocuting Death that make casting those spells 20% cheaper. It can also hold over 2000 storm-aspected mana." He paused and appreciated the sounds the students made as he showed off his staff.


    Milo was impressed by the storage capacity of Arlothe''s staff. That much extra mana would be very nice to have in a battle. Of course, once gone it needed to be recharged. "How long for a staff to regain all of its mana?"


    Arlothe turned to the class. "Professor Tallsqueak has a very good question: How long to recharge my staff? The answer varies on the method. If I simply lean it against a wall and ignore it, a very long time, most likely a month or more as the staff gains small wisps of ambient mana and converts them. However, I can add to that, by recharging it with my own mana each night. The process is not without some loss. Winifred''s staff has a resistance of 50% meaning she will need to put 100 mana into her staff to recharge 50. My own has only a 20% resistance being made of better materials. I will need to put only 2400 mana into it over a few nights to recharge it."


    The students pondered this knowledge and had several questions. Milo went back to looking at the machinery. Then he walked up to Arlothe and spoke. "I have a theory to test." He looked over the students. "Winifred, you get to be my assistant for today since you figured out how to use a screwdriver." He pointed to the rest. "The class project for today is figuring out how to remount the waterwheel in its frame and connect the belts to the axle. If you can''t figure it out, find someone who can. Arlothe, I need the Storm Mana storage unit repaired."


    There was a small pause, and then everyone ran to get to work. Arlothe noticed the difference in Tallsqueak immediately. It was like someone else was suddenly inside his skull, and attacking the project. Maybe several someone¡¯s? Cremona accused him of doing the same thing when working on his own projects and it was very interesting to see the creative mania in someone else. He happily got to work on the storage device and was soon as lost in his work as much as Milo.


    The original use of the machine had been to generate Storm mana by making electricity. Milo was working on the generator, and Arlothe was fixing the large storage device for Storm Mana which turned out to be the large glass globes. Arlothe was also skilled at glass blowing and could use a combination of cantrips from that craft with a tiny electrical arc to fuse broken pieces together and repair cracks. By the end of three hours, they had the equipment at one end of the machine running. The waterwheel turned, generating the physical power to send two halves of a huge lodestone spinning in opposite directions surrounded by coils of copper wire. Milo judged the production of energy to be only a fraction of what the apparatus would do once he rebuilt and fine-tuned it, but he was happy to get it running.


    The students were amazed, staring at the arcs of power while wearing dark goggles. They held their hands near the machine to feel the Storm mana condensing as electrical power was made. Several members of Clan Puffyfur were mesmerized by how their fur stood on end when they got close to certain parts of the machinery.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Tallsqueak made some small markings in charcoal on the storage device, then turned to Winifred. "Please put your staff in the slot next to the storage device." The nervous student did. Tallsqueak watched as the staff recharged. The rate was much faster when the staff was close to the machine, especially adjacent to the storage device. "I need a student with a bigger staff please, several of them."


    Runners were sent, and several students of the upper classes were hastily torn away from what they were doing. Each was told to expend their staves against the targets set up, blasting the wooden spiders to splinters. Being specifically told to let loose like that was fun. Then one by one they handed their staves to Professor Tallsqueak for recharging. By this time there was a sizeable number of students gathered and watching.


    Tallsqueak explained his findings to Arlothe. "I''ve figured out a few things, but more testing is needed. The rate of recharging for staves depends on several variables such as power supplied by the generator, amount of storm mana present, number of staves being recharged, and the quality of the device. I will have some preliminary theories available soon and need to do some research in the library. But let''s do one more test." He turned to Arlothe and pointed at the wooden spider targets that had just been set up again. Arlothe understood and turned to face the wooden foes. A few of the smarter students put on their goggles.


    "Transcendent Storm of Power!" A large black cloud formed at the top of the ceiling, and lightning bolts obliterated the targets.


    The ground in a 30-foot diameter circle was blackened, and thunder rolled away, startling the rest of the Hollow. Arlothe leaned on his depleted staff, a wistful grin on his face. "Ah, I missed doing that. A bit irresponsible of me to expend all my mana at once, but this is an important experiment." He placed the stave in the machine, and Professor Tallsqueak closed a circuit with a switch.


    Storm Mana arced from the glass globe to the stave, recharging it in seconds. Milo handed the charged stave to Arlothe, made some marks on the depleted glass globes, and shut the machine down. Some of the coils were close to burning out and he didn''t like the way the linkage to the water wheel was sounding. He''d learned a lot today, but had so much more he needed to find out!


    He assigned several of the students to small projects. They were talking excitedly about what they had seen, and several of the older students were revising their own experiments. Tallsqueak and Arlothe began talking about their next steps.


    Tallsqueak hoped to increase power in the coming week but was upset at the quality of the copper wire used in the coils. It was inferior and prone to break. He complained about it to Arlothe. "Why is your copper so bad? I know the Hollow has mines, and I see a basic subrogator attached to this machine. But this copper wire is full of impurities. Why?"


    Arlothe scowled. "We just have bad copper. And that isn''t a subrogator, it was used to pull the arsenic and other impurities from the hard copper ore. My wife uses the poisons that were made in her spells. She was hoping to find a way to create a storage device for poison-infused mana, but that eluded us. If we could find a way to get better copper, I''d be delighted."


    "Hard copper?"


    Arlothe picked through a pile of ore near the broken not-a-subragator. "This type of ore. It''s like copper, but too hard. It doesn''t refine well and is full of impurities. Which is a shame. There are huge veins of it in all of the mines and little in the way of the good copper that I need for wires."


    Milo was instantly excited. "Show me! I need to see the ore vein that this came from." He took his pick from his pack and yelled. "Electrical class is over. Mining class is starting in 2 minutes."


    Arlothe didn''t argue, he was curious. "Well, if we are heading to the mines, I should put on suitable work clothes. I''ll be back in a moment to help you herd students."


    Arlothe, Milo, and a dozen students headed toward the mines. The opening to the mines was past the barracks, and near the start of the tunnel to Larry''s house. A basic blast furnace and several blacksmith shops were in full operation in the cavern just outside of the mines. Milo saw another pile of ''hard copper'' where it had been separated from the more basic ore. Just that one pile was worth a large amount of gold, and ten times its weight in regular copper.


    The mines were old. Milo could see that generations of ratkin had worked here, slowly expanding them. Arlothe took Milo down a short tunnel that ended in a solid wall of Deep Copper ore. "See? All over the place. We mine until we hit too much of it in the rock, and then go another way."


    Milo took his pick out, and easily began mining large chunks of Deep Copper. It was almost pure ore and within minutes he had a huge pile at his feet. He had been waiting for a Copperhead to materialize and was surprised as he dug more and more ore without anything happening. "Do you ever get snakes from mining it? Small elementals that materialize from the ore?"


    Arlothe shook his head. "No, I have never heard of that. We do have a lot of spiderlings in the mines. The guard trainees patrol the mines keeping the population down. But no snakes."


    Milo had seen the spiderlings. They were indeed, all over the mines. The miners were constantly killing the small ones, or running from the larger ones. The guard trainees and novice fighters were constantly clearing out one tunnel, only for more to appear somewhere else. Even as he had been mining, a fat one named Nollylob had run up to try and bite Patsy on the ankle. The Puffyfur had shrieked and leaped in the air, both feet coming down on the poor Level 1 named boss, squishing him dead.


    "Oooh! I killed it and got a special point! I''m a hero!" Several of the house Manticore students looked upset and jealous. Plans were made to start organizing groups to hunt spiderlings in their free time.


    Milo had the class sit while he explained the difference between copper and Deep Copper ores, and how higher tier ores were more valuable, but also harder to mine and process. "The Deep Rock engineers use a subragator to refine deep copper. It''s a complex machine that pulls out impurities and smelts the ore to free the Deep Copper from the rock and dirt. It runs off electrical power they generate from waterfalls or by burning coal or liquid fuels."


    Arlothe looked at the vast veins of ore. "Are you implying the dwarves would trade this ore for regular copper? That would let us do so many more experiments."


    "Yes. They would trade copper, steel, even Dark Steel, or other metals for Deep Copper. And wouldn''t mind trading for loads of ore. Dark Steel picks would let the Hollow''s miners work faster. We might even be able to set up our own subragator here to produce pure Deep Copper."


    He and Arlothe talked about possible projects as they walked back to the tower. Arlothe had a wild gleam in his eye. "We need to talk to them, and somehow convince them to travel to us, or send a trading caravan to them! I''ve always been held back by a lack of components. What is the relative value of Hard Copper to normal copper or iron?"


    Milo knew that iron was extremely plentiful, much more so than copper. "Probably 10 to 1 for copper, and 20 to 1 for iron." Arlothe was thinking, and stopped, looking around. "Are you saying that for only 20 tons of Hard Copper ore, the Hollow could gain a full ton of iron ore? That is outstanding!"


    Milo corrected him. "You need to turn the ratio around. 1 ton of your ore in this mine is worth 20 tons of iron ore. There are costs of transport, and probably it would be easier if we put a subragator here and trade for ingots of metal." Milo found himself grabbed by the arm and hurried off to a meeting with Bleusnout and Cremona.

 Chapter 139: Scouts doing what scouts do best.

    Tweedle and Ringtail were waiting for him at the start of dinner. They were wearing sturdy outfits of dull brown with many pockets, backpacks, a bandolier of knives, rope, and grapples, bedrolls, and a bag of jelly beans. They''d had two bags of jelly beans but had shared with Larry. Several of the smaller children snuck away from their parents to listen to Larry tell stories after dinner, from the safety of a nearby window close enough that they could listen. More people in the Hollow were warming up to Larry, but it was a slow process. After stories, during a jelly bean break, Milo spoke quietly to Larry.


    "Larry, I need to ask you a favor."


    Larry thought about it. "Larry thinks it is ok for a friend to ask Larry for a favor."


    "Thank you, Larry. Can I show Ringtail and Tweedle your house and the secret door?"


    Larry looked very excited. "You are going to use the Secret Door?! Do Larry''s friends in Flower Land need help? How does Tallsqueak fit? The secret door is very small unless you have a Tunnelmuggle for a friend. Can Larry come to watch you squeeze through the door? That will be fun to watch!"


    Milo remembered Larry''s stories. Larry''s house had one secret door that he knew of, so why not two? Stranger things had happened in the Hollow. He had no idea of what a Tunnelmuggle was, so he was sure he didn''t know one. Maybe Larry would introduce him?


    He whispered to Larry. "We are using the secret door I found in the rock, the one I told you about that I found when running from spiders."


    Larry was less excited. He really had wanted to see Tallsqueak squeeze through the other door. "Oh, that one. That is not very special. It is a boring secret door. No Tunnelmuggle made it magic, and no one but Tallsqueak ever came out. You can show that one to new not-sneaky friends. Tell them it is a boring secret door though; that way they won''t be disappointed. Larry sees it all the time and is not excited. Not special like the other one." He looked down at his feet and got a big smile. "Larry needs to go dance now. Weasel slippers need exercise."


    Larry hopped to the wide-open area next to the mess hall and began dancing. Several people were clapping, and two small children were dancing with him, having snuck away from their parents. Milo motioned to Tweedle and Ringtail and they made their way to the tunnel that led to Larry''s House. Larry had added things to his house since Milo had been there last. High up in one wall was a very small opening with a round green door only six inches high. It was set into the rock with very small hinges. Milo thought it was cute. Milo examined it, but couldn''t see how it was joined to the wall, or how it opened. He''d have to ask Larry more about it.


    The other new item was a potted plant. The bush was only two feet tall and sat in a corner of the cave. Little fruit was growing on some of the branches. Tweedle and Ringtail stopped in their tracks when they saw it.


    "A Bean bush?"


    "Cannot be, is only one."


    "And that one guarded by Aunty."


    "Fiercely guarded!"


    "This one is bigger."


    "And all fruit not ripe yet."


    "Yucky bad, sour."


    "But...."


    "Yes, but..."


    Milo wasn''t sure what the problem was. He moved past the bush and opened the secret tunnel, moving into the room beyond. The twins were still arguing about the bush for some reason. "Are you two coming? Secret scout mission? Remember?"


    "Oh, yes. Sigh"


    "The mystery of mysterious Larry deepens."


    "He surprises us at every turn."


    "And he turns a lot. So many surprises."


    "But we are scouts!"


    "Time to scout!"


    They made their way through the tunnels. Milo showed them the traps and warned them about the poison, even though most of it was old and weak. "You might find one that is still good, and that could hurt."


    "Brother?"


    "Yes, Brother?"


    "We should not have slacked on poison training."


    "We may have erred, I agree."


    "Poison traps are a lot scarier when they are real!"


    Milo paused as they got to the center area. "Did you perhaps shirk Mycology classes too?"


    "We must have, I don''t know what Mycology means."


    "I don''t know what shirk means, I skipped shirking class."


    Sighing, Milo explained mycology to the twins. They nodded in understanding.


    "Mushroom picking. We did that. "


    "But none of the other stuff. Drying, mixing,"


    "Suspensions? poultices? Rennet? All shirked."


    "Because if you admit knowing something...


    "Then you have to go do it all the time for Old Healer."


    Milo pulled out his spanner. "This is the Wrench of Wisdom. It can impart knowledge to scouts who lack it, bringing forth submerged memories of things you didn''t even remember knowing. But gaining such knowledge comes with pain."


    "Ah! I believe you. My head hurts already."


    "And I feel the wisdom already."


    "Mushroom class! Basic Alchemy!


    "Making the nasty rennet..."


    "What mushrooms are not edible."


    "All mushrooms are edible!"


    "All?"


    "All mushrooms are edible once. Maybe not twice."


    Milo stepped forward and raised the wrench.


    "Ah, wisdom. I see it."


    "I am smarter and willing to stay smart."


    "Good. First job. I have brought many gathering sacks. We need to harvest the Puff Balls first. Listen, please. Very important. Tasty mushrooms that way. Mushrooms that are only edible once are that way. Don''t harvest those."


    "Are they truly that bad?" Tweedle was peering down the tunnel to the cave of poisonous mushrooms.


    Milo started walking to the other cave. "We can ask your Great Uncle. He died from them and his bones are still poisonous."


    Ringtail hit Tweedle upside the head. "Here, have some wisdom."


    Tweedle nodded. "Thank you, brother. The stupid part of me really does want to go see the bad shrooms. I''ll ignore it for now."


    The puffballs filled many gathering sacks. He had the twins take them back to the room next to Larry''s House and went to gather one gathering bag of the various poisonous shrooms for Professor Cremona. By the time he was done, the twins were back. They stared in awe as Milo showed them where he had found their great uncle¡¯s corpse. Then he took them to where he had buried the body. There was a patch of earth where the dirt was a different color and nothing grew. They put on masks and gloves and carefully removed the soil until they found his bones and placed the brittle, toxic remains into a bag that was then sealed inside several more. Milo put them into Tweddle''s backpack.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Ringtail pointed to the unexplored tunnel. "I notice that you have not mentioned that tunnel. In point of fact, you said you didn''t know what was down there. Being that we are brave, brave scouts, should we not explore a bit?"


    Milo couldn''t see why not. They skulked carefully down the tunnel, looking for traps. Milo found the first one and showed them the mechanism, and now familiar trigger. They studied how it was made and how it could be reset. The twins saved the needle for ''poison practice'' that they wanted to do later. Further along, the tunnel branched again. They took the rightmost tunnel. Ringtail went first this time. He was carefully looking for traps when he spotted one a few feet ahead. "Look brother, I am getting better at this." And then his next step went right into the floor and he fell through it.


    Milo had known something was wrong as soon as Ringtail''s foot hit the not-really-there floor and he was diving for his apprentice scout. His stone sense told him where the rock ended and the illusion started. He managed to grab him by his foot as he fell into the deep hole, and his claws dug into the rock on the other side. Ringtail looked down. The hole went far, far down and he could see a small ring of light at the bottom hundreds of feet below.


    "I am not getting better at this!"


    Milo was thankful for his increased strength from mining. He was able to hold onto Ringtail until Tweedle secured a rope and dropped it down to him. Milo was now on the far side of the incredibly clever illusion, and the twins together on the other.


    "Wait here. I''ll go a little further and then make my way back." He skulked forward slowly, staring into the darkness and using his stone sense to the fullest.


    The tunnel ended abruptly in a rock wall. Stone sense showed him that there was a small door on the side. Two more needle traps protected it. Once opened, he saw a narrow passage filled with steep, crumbling stairs leading downwards in a tight spiral.


    On the small landing were the long-dead remains of a small humanoid, smaller than a dwarf or ratkin. It was only two feet tall, and the corpse was light and mummified. The clothing was just rags held on with ropes. The cause of death was most likely the arrow in its side. The other side of the door showed where the poor thing''s hand scratched at the stone with a tiny iron sword, trying to get through. Milo decided this was a scouting mission for another day.


    It felt wrong to leave the tiny body. He picked it up to move it and a tiny silver globe the size of a marble rolled out of its pouch. Milo pocketed it to examine later for clues as to what type of creature this was. He wrapped the body in another gathering bag, shut and locked the door, and retreated to the pit. Knowing the pit was there, and where it ended, made the leap across look easy. The twins exhaled as he landed safely. He handed Ringtail the bundle.


    "Here, you can carry the other body."


    "More dead people?"


    "How many dead people are down here?"


    "As many as it takes brother."


    "Takes for what?"


    "For people to quit annoying Tallsqueak, be careful, you might be the third."


    "That would be bad. You can''t carry three of us!"


    "I would leave you."


    "Oh, I know, you could toss me down the convenient hole!"


    "You always did want to travel."


    "I am a good scout."


    They retreated to the other branch of the tunnel. "Time for good scouts to be quiet." To his relief, the twins became silent. At one point Ringtail touched Milo on the shoulder and pointed. The dust had settled oddly on the floor ahead, leaving a slight line. Milo uncovered a very clever trap with a nearly hidden tripwire. They all carefully stepped over it, not knowing what it did.


    This part of the tunnel system seemed better constructed. Stone slabs and bricks made up the walls and floor, and very little was unworked stone. The tunnel ended in a T juncture, that ran two ways. The twins began sniffing the air. Milo smelled food.


    "I can smell onion soup."


    "And I note a touch of garlic."


    "And is that fresh bread with chives?"


    "Strange..."


    "Very strange...."


    Milo looked at the two of them and tapped his foot.


    Ringtail looked at him and shrugged. "Aunty Meg is baking bread today, and she puts chives on each loaf."


    Tweedle nodded and added. "And dinner is onion and garlic soup."


    Milo went right, towards the food. He saw light coming from holes on the left side of the wall. Peering through he saw a large room with three women bustling around preparing food, and soup cooking on an open fire. The spy hole was set high in the wall, nearly ten feet above the floor. The twins were visibly nervous. They retreated to a safe place to talk.


    "That was the kitchen, and if the tunnel continues, I suspect we can look into the common areas and classrooms." Ringtail was drawing a map in the dirt. "And the other way is sleeping quarters and Old Healers rooms."


    Milo headed in that direction. They passed spyholes that looked down on many bedrooms. Finally, the last spyhole gave a view of Old Healer, sitting at his desk. He was looking through the pages of a very old journal and mumbling to himself. Suddenly he stiffened and looked around. Going to the door, he listened, heard nothing, opened it, and checked the hallway. Seeing nothing, he came back to his room and closed and locked the door. Visibly frustrated, he returned to his seat. He made an effort to relax, drinking his tea and sitting back in his chair. He mumbled to himself. "Paranoid old man, seeing shadows where nothing skulks."


    That was the moment Ringtail leaned too heavily on the wall, and the clasp holding the secret door shut opened up. A section of the wall slid silently sideways revealing an opening high in the wall. The twins tumbled forward; Milo tried to grab them but overbalanced himself. Old Healer leaped twenty feet forward, dodging left in a roll and coming up with daggers in his hands and tail. He saw his three scouts land in a heap on his desk.


    "Surprise!"


    "Always expect the unexpected!"


    "We get a lot of points for this, right?"


    "All the points! So sneaky."


    Milo stood up, he''d caught the mug of tea as it was heading for the floor and handed it to the old ratkin who sighed, put away his daggers, and sat on the floor. "Well, that explains how my brother scored so many points on me! I always wondered how he moved around so easily. Tell me about your adventures boys, but one of you will please lean against the door and listen for sneaks. I''m feeling a bit skittish today for some reason."

 Going Forward (non-story update)

    I wanted to give an update on my writing.


    We just hit the first milestone for the Royal Road Writathon. I managed to accomplish the total writing needed for both Butcher of Gadobhra and Tunnel Rat. The goal was 25k words in the days since Oct. 31st. If you noticed a large number of chapters lately, that''s the reason. I had to accelerate my writing in the last few days to meet that first goal.


    Now I, and other writers, have until Dec. 5th to finish a total of 55,555 words. There are no real prizes for this, it''s simply a bi-yearly challenge.


    So what now? First chore is going over the stories, and correcting typos, some of which people have already reported. Writing this much, this fast can leave extra errors. Then tomorrow I need to start writing again, and just keep going until that goal is reached. Normally I try for 6k words per week, per story. This is going to take about twice that. Yay for bonus chapters.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The current process I use is this:


    -Write a 1500 to 4000 word chapter, whatever seems to fit the story and plot.


    -Edit the rough draft.


    -Post to Patreon. The goal is to have about 5 chapters of each story on Patreon in the form of rough drafts. I welcome feedback.


    -Come back to the story later. Expand if needed, look at feedback for both good and bad, make changes. Edit again and put back into Royal Road.


    -Publish when that chapter''s turn arrives. Normally Thurs, Sun, Mon since those are my days off and I have time to write and edit.


    So you can expect a steady stream of chapters until the end of Writathon. Then back to a normal schedule. I''m waiting to see how the holidays affect things. I still work four days a week in my Comic and Game store, so the holidays mean long hours. I also have a new grand daughter to spend some time with.


    As always, thanks for reading, and if you have questions about anything, feel free to send me a PM.

 Chapter 140: Poker and Pings

    **PING!**


    "YO! Sledgemonkey! You going to answer that damn pingitty-ping or just ignore it for the 3rd time." Two-screws was having a bad time coming up with a winning hand, and that damned sound wasn''t helping.


    "Huh? Oh, damn, is that me?"


    "You see anyone else that would admit to being called Sledgemonkey at the table?" The other engineers laughed at that and threw more chips into the pot. The game had been going on for three days now, with people leaving when their shifts started and others taking their place. Sledgemonkey, because of his exalted status, had been playing cards and drinking beer for most of those three days, conducting any business from the table if he absolutely had to. Most of the engineers that came to him with a question just got waved off, which they gleefully interpreted as ¡°I trust whatever stupid idea you have, go right ahead and do it.¡±


    Sledgemonkey actually blushed a little and tried to turn it into an angry scowl. Truth be told, in the long decades trapped in his exo-suit, he''d forgotten his own name and just gone by ''The Engineer''. Most of the engineers had lost a lot of themselves, and it wasn''t just the lower brethren that had gone crazy. Now that they had a second chance at life, they were all feeling better and remembering things.


    He¡¯d totally forgotten getting the nickname Sledgemonkey when he was a young beardling and liked nothing better than swinging a hammer at rocks, rivets, or orcs. He''d decided that it was time to go back to his old name. That meant that sometimes it didn¡¯t register when people were yelling at him.


    He had a truly terrible hand and decided to take no cards and just toss money in the pot for some fool to win. "I raise another gold."


    **PING!**


    "Shit....I''ll get it. Blasted newfangled thing. Never should have set the alerts of the Project Scheduling to audible." He brought up the interface to the Deep Rock Engineers Guild and looked through the list of projects. It was a long, long list. Between building an entirely new base in the caverns beneath the old one, they had new mining projects, a collaboration with a scavenger clan, and a wedding to plan. A WEDDING! They''d had to go through a lot of old manuals to find the specs on how to hold one, especially one like this! But that wasn''t what was pinging him, so he moved on, gladly not thinking about it.


    Next was a list of components to build. It all had to be able to be transported up the new tunnel to Shadow Port. A six-pack of boilers, miles of tubing and ductwork, pistons, engines, armored plating, and observation glass. The list went on and on, and not a lot was getting made because they had to rebuild shattered infrastructure and go mining for new raw materials.


    For all their partying after the battle, the Snake had really hurt them when they needed it the least. A vast number of crucial systems had been running poorly for decades, and many of the levels of the outpost were dark and without power. Automated repair functions failed to come to life when needed, and defenses that didn''t work gave the Snake a chance to destroy whole areas where it would have been shot to hell if the outpost were fully repaired. And, of course, decades of crazy engineers doing whatever they felt like had screwed things up more.


    It was decided to move downstairs and rebuild in the massive cavern that they had drilled into. The explosion had cleared out any wildlife, melted down the snake, and deep-fried the Ever-Pudding. What was left was a huge cavern, with a roof made of the ribs of a gigantic beast dead for tens of millennia. It was a tough beast, the bones and scales that made up its remains were harder than tempered Dark Steel. Senior Engineer Milo had told them some of its history. The huge space would make rebuilding easier, let them expand, and give them the room needed to take on the project they had somehow been talked into.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    But they needed raw materials first. Tens of tons of normal steel and dark steel both, and an amount of Deep Copper that made him weep. Even with the amount they mined from the remains of the snake and the newly discovered veins, it would take a couple of years to mine enough for their needs.


    Building the Queen had been the stuff of legends and one of the few times Scavenger Clans and Engineers had accomplished something together. (The engineers of Boldavia had been pissed as hell when the Scavengers set sail without paying for the job, but since Boldavia hadn¡¯t been around for three thousand years, he assumed they had gotten over it. Or maybe there were some very bitter dwarven ghosts. Who knows?)


    Rebuilding her after she¡¯d traveled down the Gullet and lain at the bottom of the sea for untold years would be just as epic. The Brotherhood had been itching for a project like that. The older and wiser heads knew better and asked for payment upfront. They had been dismayed when the leader of the Scavengers, Whale, paid their price in full and then taunted them with more chests of loot. The legends about the treasure of the Queen hadn¡¯t been wrong.


    The surprise wedding between the two clans had only cemented the deal. Two weddings, actually. The Scavengers had held their version immediately, drinking Shadowport dry and jumpstarting the economy. The engineering version would take more time. They had to figure out how to do it first. The time in between would just be a long honeymoon for the two lovebirds and a pain in the ass for all involved.


    He scrolled down to the raw materials section and saw that someone had found a vein of Deep Copper and reported it. Glory Be! One of the knuckleheads was working...


    "Hey, you still in the game Sledge. It''s another two gold to you." Well, he was feeling lucky. A job had been done that needed doing. He''d celebrate and press his luck. "Yeah, match for two, raise 10." One by one, the other dwarves decided to fold. If Sledge was so confident of a hand that he wasn''t even watching the betting, that was bad news.


    [Job #4683-J: Location of Deep Copper Veins. Currently needing 97 tons of additional ore.


    Update: Senior Engineer Milo has located in excess of 97 tons of ''snake-free'' Deep Copper Ore. Current owners of the mine lack processing for the ore, and are willing to trade for other ores. Recommend a recon team be sent, and plans made to relocate a subragator to the work site.


    Mine owners wish to purchase/trade for 4 dozen Dark Steel picks.


    Mine owners wish to purchase/trade for 1 ton of copper wire.


    Mine owners wish to purchase/trade for 144 magic-tech storage crystals aspected for Storm Mana.


    Mine Location: Limburger Hollow.


    Additional notes:


    Bring Beer. Alcohol is not consumed in any quantity by the local population.


    New mycological species have been found, tell Harry I''ll send a few back for him.]


    "Well dip me in green paint and call me an orc! What the hell has that lad been up to?" Milo had left after the fight with the hydra and all the mess with the World Boss, an airship, and a crazy slaver-mage. Sledgemonkey had recognized the signs. He''d seen it in other miners and explorers who enjoyed time away on their own, drifting through the dark caverns without anyone around. Milo had needed some time away from people. Being an Engineer meant being flexible. They knew he''d be back after a bit, ready to hammer steel and bend reality to his will.


    "We''ll be splitting up your gold if you don''t come and rake in your pot! What the hell''s up?"


    Sledgemonkey sat back down, and casually reached for the pot, making sure not to show the others his busted flush. "Not much, just got a message from our lost little beardling. Senior Engineer Milo hasn¡¯t been loafing around like you slackers. He went and found us a hundred tons of Deep Copper ore. Does anyone feel like going for a little visit?"

 Chapter 141: And Poison makes Four

    The next few days flew by for Milo.


    Basic Claw Drills and some sparring with Gilad''s students in the morning. Then breakfast with Larry followed by stories of Larry in Flowerland. Larry was becoming much better at telling stories, and more people were coming to listen to them. Then the engineering class he taught at the tower. Back to the mess hall for lunch with Larry and dancing afterward. Followed by a short class on mining and identifying ores which always turned into a contest to see who could squish the most spiderlings. Dinner was with Arlothe and Cremona, while the twins spent the evening meal talking with Larry. And then what he enjoyed the most, the excitement and terror of advanced fighting class with Gilad and Larry, pushing himself as hard as he could. That was followed by a bath and several hours studying arcane texts in the library. It was hard to imagine squeezing in more than that, and yet while his body slept in the comfy chair in the library, he was active again in the real world.


    He was busy but happy. He monitored section E for troubles and kept track of the days until the big swap meet event he was going to with Butch and the gang. He even had time to visit Butch and play video games. Each time he went, he felt a little less nervous about being around them. That didn''t extend to the rest of humanity, but it was a start, and he was finding that he was slightly more tolerant of the players in his morning class.


    He had expected that he''d find doing the same thing tedious, but he could measure the improvement of each of the students and found that pleasing. Progress was being made. In the mornings he led the beginning class in stretching, exercise, and basic claw and tail drills. This was followed by a bell of sparring without his spell enhancements. Gilad routinely used him as an opponent to illustrate attacks, blocks and dodges. Then the two of them would spar with each of the students, followed by letting them fight with each other.


    All of the students were progressing well. Even the troublesome players seemed to have had a breakthrough in attitude, asking for tougher fights and more instruction. Blackwhisker''s group was the most aggressive and was learning at a fast pace, spurred on by watching what Milo and Gilad could do. They had given up thinking they were a match for Milo, and now were working hard to learn all of Gilad''s fighting techniques.


    Several of the students asked Tallsqueak the secret of his enhancements. He just said in a very serious voice that such magics were not for beginners, and recommended enrolling in classes at the Tower of Strife if they wished to pursue magic or becoming a Spell Claw. There was much discussion about the Spell Claw class and whether it was better than the Claw Wizard class. Several of them, both whelps from the Hollow and players had taken his advice and started taking classes in the Tower. They were dueling with the other first-year students nearly every day. Others were delighted to find out that the Hollow was a clan that trained the ratkin equivalents of rogues and assassins. A few had begun hanging out with either Petey or Charlotte.


    The same was happening in reverse. After his day of dueling, Milo had noticed that the beginning fighting class was getting larger. Students from the Tower of Strife were showing up to learn the basics of fighting, wanting to add some physical ability to their magical skills. They were a great source of amusement to the rest of the class. They barely knew how to use their tails, and were slow to dodge and claw at their opponents. The exception was the student who showed up the fourth day after the duels, wearing old burlap practice clothing, with her hair tied into a long braid. Milo noticed her, but they only nodded at each other, as class was beginning.


    Black Whisker told a joke asking, ''How many mages does it take to kill a spiderling? 4! One to get bit so they know it''s a spiderling, two to argue about what type of spiderling it is, and one to run get a guard to stomp on it.'' The students from the tower were used to being the butt of such jokes. The newcomer wasn''t. When it came time to spar, the new student challenged Black Whisker. He accepted with a grin. His opponent was older than him, smaller, and a girl. He had no doubts about the outcome of this fight.


    The two of them circled each other, and on his first claw attack, Black Whisker took a small scratch as his opponent raked one claw across his arm. His eyes got wide, then his face froze in a mask of horror, and the rest of his body froze in place before he toppled over. Gilad had been watching and slapped a palm on his forehead and shook his head from side to side. Then hands behind his back, he addressed the class. "It seems we need to state a few rules to keep things civil as you progress in power. This is a fighting class. Spells and enhancements are not used here. I do not break your bones with Quivering Claw attacks, Tallsqueak is not using his bone armor and magical claws, and from now on, Professor Cremona should refrain from showing what attacks using Poison Claw techniques can do."


    ¡°And, to not tempt anyone to break these rules, I am outlawing the telling of jokes that might be directed at fellow members of this class. Be respectful of others or find out just how hard playtime can be.¡±


    "Also, I see the need to add a special class next season where we will incorporate advanced techniques such as spells, enhancements, claw techniques, and dance moves. I''m sure the healers will love the extra experience they will get each class, putting you back together. And since she is working on her fighting style after many years, I invite Professor Cremona to attend our special advanced class held here in the arena each night."


    Cremona accepted both the admonishment for disrupting the class, as well as the invitation by bowing deeply to Gilad. As the students who didn''t know her realized who was standing next to them, they cleared a large space around her. The students from the tower rolled their eyes and smirked. Jokes about mages became extinct.


    Milo was very curious about what techniques Cremona used. She showed up that night to the advanced class with her husband. Arlothe had no intention of fighting. He had brought a comfy pillow to sit on and a huge bag of snacks to eat while he observed the fun. From the shadows, the eyes of curious students peered out. They hadn''t explicitly been told that this was a private practice, but none of them wanted to get too close.


    Some of them fainted when they saw Larry lumber into the arena and begin his warm-up exercises. Larry was every nightmare they had been told about while growing up.


    "Don''t sneak a piece of cheese, you don''t want to become a fiend!


    Don''t stay out past the last bell, you don''t want the fiends to get you.


    Wash behind your ears or they''ll grow so big people will think you''re a fiend!"


    Larry sitting passively and eating his food was one thing. Larry flexing his muscles and doing basic claw drills with 6-inch-long claws was another thing altogether. But those who had seen Larry dancing or who had listened to his stories weren¡¯t fearful at all and quietly cheered for him. Obviously, Larry was coming to Hero practice.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    They saw that neither Gilad nor Tallsqueak was afraid to fight with Larry. Neither was Cremona when she arrived, although the shock on her face was one that Arlothe would treasure forever. Like Gilad, she had actually seen cheese fiends fighting in the Spider Wars and knew what they could do. After her initial shock, she walked into the ring and was greeted by everyone.


    Gilad spoke to them all. "This little group has grown, so let us talk a bit about the rules. Tallsqueak and I are both fighting with all of our abilities. I advise you to do the same, Cremona. Larry will push all three of us, and I think he has some surprises for you. Don''t be afraid to use your Poison Claw techniques on us. I think you will find that Tallsqueak and I are quite resistant to them, and we thank you for helping us with improving Strong Poison Resistance. Larry, I assume you have some resistance to poisons?"


    Larry nodded. He had gotten much better at figuring out the Blue Screens and knowing what the words meant. "Larry has Fiendish Resistance at level 1. It says that it is based on Larry''s CON. Larry has a CON of 33."


    Gilad paused but recovered his train of thought. "Thank you, Larry. I think your special resistance will work against many things and hopefully, you will gain some experience fighting against Professor Cremona. Now, some rules:


    If anyone wishes to stop fighting, call ''HOLD!'' and we stop immediately, and administer healing potions.


    If Larry seems upset, or angry, we should all take a break and have a cookie.


    If your opponent is stunned or off balance, please refrain from using finishing blows. They tend to be messy."


    Fighting began with Larry and Tallsqueak. Tallsqueak armored himself in bone, his claws gleamed, and his long tail moved in a complex pattern, ready to strike. Larry was hopping from foot to foot, smiling.


    "Begin!"


    Larry hopped straight at Tallsqueak, landing where his opponent had been standing. The smaller ratkin rolled to the side and came up ready to block Larry''s claws. Instead, Larry had immediately begun a spinning kick. He didn''t know where his opponent was dodging, but anywhere around him was a target. Larry''s large foot, adorned with a pink fuzzy baby weasel slipper caught Milo in the stomach and he went flying out of the ring to land flat on his back in front of several students from Clan Puffyfur, who helped him stand up. There was mild cheering for Larry.


    Gilad calmly announced, "The next round will be Professor Cremona and Larry. I urge everyone to remember how quick Larry has become and to use distance as a way to avoid his attacks. I thank Tallsqueak for giving us such a fine example of what happens when you don''t."


    Cremona entered the ring with some hesitation but then threw away any concern. She was used to dueling with Arlothe and being electrocuted on a daily basis. Some bruises and cuts were a price she would have to pay to get back into shape for claw fighting. The chance to improve her dueling ability was too good of a chance to pass up. The chance to fight against a cheese fiend was a gift she should be thankful for.


    "Begin."


    This time, Larry spun in place, then hopped to the left, followed by three quick steps towards Cremona. She was astonished. He wasn''t moving like a fiend! He was staying on two legs and it looked like he was dancing! Cremona quickly moved away and began dodging as fast as she could, not knowing what she was facing. Eventually, she saw an opening and exhaled a stinking cloud of toxic gas at Larry''s head.


    "Larry can''t see! Go away stinky cloud!" He waved his claws through the air, trying to disperse it.


    Cremona raced forward and slashed at Larry''s arm, leaving long cuts that bubbled a green ichor. Simultaneously she took a very hard blow to her head from Larry''s tail and was knocked unconscious. She came back to her senses a moment later. Arlothe had her head tilted back and was pouring a health potion down her throat. She held her head as it throbbed. "Oh, that hurts."


    Tallsqueak and Larry were seated in the ring having cookies. Gilad was observing them. Larry''s wound had quit expelling the poison from the slash and had scabbed over already, half-healed.


    "That was an interesting bout. Larry, what did you learn?"


    Larry finished his cookie first, before talking. It wasn''t polite to talk with food in your mouth. "Larry learned that green girl has stinky clouds that make you not see. Larry needs to remember to move Larry''s head out of a cloud, and not wave and yell. "Shoo cloud, go away."


    He took another cookie and then looked at Cremona. "Larry learned green girl makes lots of noise when she moves. Larry''s ears told his tail to slap her. Now we have cookies. Larry likes cookies."


    ¡°Oh, and Blue Boxes say that Larry is now at Rank 2 in Fiendish Resistance.¡±


    Arlothe laughed and Cremona was silent, wishing her stealth score was better. Mages didn''t need to be sneaky, did they? Against a fiend, it seemed they did. That meant shouting out spells was right out, and she''d need to find a way to increase her skulking skills. Did Old Healer still have that huge maze in his basement? Maybe she and Arlothe should start having duels in it? The first hit wins and playing in the dark? Oh, that would be fun!


    Gilad took a round with Larry, and Tallsqueak yelled, "Begin!" This round went much longer than the earlier two. Gilad danced in and out of Larry''s reach, throwing punches and slashing at his opponent. Larry advanced with hops, spins, and quick steps, forcing his smaller opponent to constantly dodge around him. Larry landed several hits with his tail and claws, but Gilad always seemed to be blocking his blows and deflected most of the damage. After nearly ten minutes, Larry spun and missed; Gilad appeared directly in front of him and thrust out with a hard punch to Larry''s jaw, knocking him down.


    Larry slowly got up, holding his head. He smiled and crawled over to the plate of cookies. "Larry needs a cookie break." Gilad looked at his hand, noting he had broken two bones in it. "Tallsqueak? Please pass me a potion and I would appreciate you setting my bones and healing the breaks. Then I think it''s time for you and Cremona to take a turn while I have a cookie break."


    The bouts went on until halfway through the 11th bell. They ended early because they were out of healing potions and cookies. All four opponents were battered and bruised. Larry the least hurt, his Fiendish Regeneration fixing all but the most lethal of attacks in only a few minutes. Cremona was worst off, bruised from head to toe, limping and leaning on her husband. But she was smiling and planning revenge in the future.


    They all sat in the mess hall as Bleusnout happily cooked them plate after plate of food, while he listened to them talk about the techniques each used and how to counter them. Larry ate the equivalent of three of his normal dinners, stretched, and declared he was sleepy. Gilad also proclaimed himself ready for bed. Tallsqueak walked with the Professors to the Tower of Strife before going off to bathe and then retiring to the library for his late-night studies.

 Chapter 142: Runes and Repairs

    In a spare corner of Cichol''s Arcane Library, Milo had begun working on a long overdue task. He needed the privacy and the advice of the old mage to work on the special project. The table he was working on had a polished stone top, and legs carved from the thigh bones of several large and extinct creatures. To one side was the knowledge he had accumulated in the Tower of Strife. Cichol was happily copying it all to have for his own library.


    Besides the Journal of Ragasano Curd-Hoarder, Milo had found three books with information on runic formations, along with seven scrolls, and a dozen torn and burnt pages from a book lost to the ages. Despite his near-perfect memory, he had read through each bit of literature several times. He also asked both Arlothe and Cremona for their thoughts on the validity of the manuscripts, and their interpretation of the spells and runes presented.


    His physical components were sitting on the table as well. In front of him was the arm bone of an ancient creature he had appropriated from Philistron, the old weapon he had bought in the marketplace of Limburger Hollow, and the enchanted weapon Shadowblight. He''d managed to bind the weapon to himself again by using blood, but something was different. He hadn''t felt it at first, but every time he''d used it since, the feeling had grown. His weapon was hungry. Cichol had only nodded when he told the old bone mage about the feeling and pulled down a volume from the library. "Read this. Most of it is crap, but the section that talks about the weapon spirits is insightful. An old, magical weapon like that wakes up over time as drinks the blood of your foes. Just like a person, it wants to grow and some of them get very upset if you don''t listen to them."


    "So what can I do?"


    "That''s going to be your decision. Some people make sure the weapon gets fed on a regular basis, either with blood or the points that you earn. Get''s expensive in the long run, either way. The weapon will want to drink deeper and deeper. Or you can find ways to upgrade them. Magical pommel gems for a sword or jewel-encrusted sheath. The dwarves carve runes onto their axes and the elves turn the shafts of spears into carved works of art. Of course, that weapon of yours is more primitive and made of bone. Bone has a strong connection to the living, as you''ve seen." He left Milo to his work


    Milo was contemplating the classic puzzle that pondered what happens when a damaged piece of a ship is repaired. Is it the same ship? What if each piece is replaced over the years, slowly but surely taking away the old parts and replacing them with new ones? At what point did the ship become something different?


    However, the ship in question lacked a magical aura that was made up of the sum of its parts. Shadowblight was made of different parts. The largest bone spikes held most of the mana, and the ancient wooden handle had very little. Two of the spikes were chipped and worn. They didn''t have any mana in them. What was left was old and brittle. Milo had been studying the weapon for weeks, and now with Chichol''s help, he examined it one more time, making notes as he looked over the weapon bit by bit, finding the runes used in older books, and studying the bones.


    The wooden handle was the simplest part. It acted like a mage''s staff, channeling the power of the runes between the different bone spikes and drawing power from the mage. Milo had read several books on the construction of wands and staves among the resources in the tower and examined Arlothe and Cremona''s personal staves while asking numerous questions. He had no doubt that he could create a staff that would channel his own magic if he needed such a tool.


    The spiked bones of the weapon were from different creatures. The tooth of a Gigantic Spasmotic Leech was the largest. Cichol had identified the effect from an old account of the fall of the Kingdom of Kazmar. The leeches had been bred by Spasma the Great, a breeder of fantastic beasts. The King of Kazmar desired an army of beasts that would attack the undersea cities of the Azcantl Merfolk. Complications had arisen when it turned out the Gigantic Leeches didn''t like the taste of merfolk but found humans very tasty. A horde of hungry leeches had rampaged around the island kingdom until Spasma managed to turn them into kittens. After all the kittens on the island had been slain to make sure the leeches were dead, Spasma was hung by an angry crowd and his notes burned. Whether because he was the creator of such misfortune, or because the crowd was upset over the kittens, is unclear. The few remaining fangs of the leeches were prized because of their debilitating effect on those wounded.


    The second bone spike had been carved from the elbow spike of a Vampiric Hell Beast. These large, flightless, bat-like creatures had infested the Mountains of Morun for ages. They were heavy-bodied swoopers who dove off cliffs, driving their prey to the ground where they feasted on their bodies after draining their blood. The poor victim grew weaker as the Hell Beast grew stronger. They finished their meal, climbed back up the cliffs, and went looking for bigger prey. These creatures were still in existence, and for that reason, no sane person came within a day''s journey of those haunted cliffs.


    Other bits of bone had been enchanted with common runes for Swift Striking or Durability to keep the wood from splintering.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Starting with the ancient arm bone, he separated the arm from the hand bones with their two small fingers and huge, clawed thumb. He was going to replace the old wood with this ancient bone. Even as it was, the material was twice as strong as the enchanted wood had been. Milo improved on that by carving the ancient bone-rune for Hard-Runed Bones. Instead of Swift Striking, which was a powerful, if mundane rune to make a sword or weapon faster, Milo used the bone-rune for Velocity. He shaped and sanded the three feet of arm bone until it was what he needed for the weapon''s handle. Even as it was, it would have made a good weapon, but Milo knew this could be more than just a club.


    Cichol made suggestions for carvings on the handle. Some were simply decorations that would improve his grip. Others were copied off of the wooden handle, the old mage explaining how some of the minor runes linked the carvings and merged the parts of the weapon into one magical item with one aura.


    The handle finished, they began work to improve the Leech Fang and Hell Beast Spike. Milo repaired minor fractures in them and polished the bones, removing discolorations from the long years it had lain in the dirt. Two of the bones from the weapon he had purchased from Scrap-Hunter were still useful. The rest of it was rotted junk. The two spikes had minor enchantments of Hardness that had kept them from breaking. There was good bone inside the two pieces.


    Milo placed one on top of the Hell Beast Spike, and slowly manipulated the good bone to enter and reinforce the Hell Beast Spike. After an hour''s work, he was tired and sweating. The good bone had finally collapsed into dust, and now the Spike was heavy and hard. After a small rest, he labored to do the same with the Leech Fang. This one was tougher to do. The structure of the fang fought against him, and it took all of his willpower to win against the inanimate object. But in the end, he had two parts of Shadowblight improved.


    The thumb of the unknown creature contained a powerful Rune of Sundering. With it, the beast could shatter rock as it dug through the earth. Milo had hoped it would do the same to enemy armor. Carefully he drilled and carved until he could fit the three spikes into the handle of the weapon. On all three spikes, he carved the Rune of Destruction. Small pins of bone held the pieces in place. Velocity and Hard-runed bones were carved into the handle. There was room for one more rune, and he added Sharp-Runed Talons.


    Milo rested until he had refreshed his mana, and then held the completed weapon in his hands. He manipulated the bone of each part to merge with the other pieces. They fought and struggled and slowly the weapon merged into one piece. From the old weapon''s handle, there was a soft vibration that became a heartbeat, beating in time with his own heart. Then it stopped, and so did his own heart.


    [The Weapon Spirit known as Shadowblight demands a binding contract with you. Once before it served you, yet your bond was broken and it was set aside. Never Again!


    -To create this stronger binding, your mana will be lowered permanently by 100 points. You cannot regain this mana by simply abandoning the weapon. This weapon will be bound to you, and cannot be lost, nor can it be used by someone else.


    Shadowblight has grown and demands more foes to kill. It can grow stronger still!]


    Milo agreed. He''d bound himself to the weapon before. As soon as he thought this, the weapon turned in his hand, and one of the spikes gashed his chest, drawing blood. He felt a little weak, but it passed quickly. He examined the improved weapon.


    [Shadowblight (Legendary Bonepick) Sundering, Nigh Invulnerable, Destructive, Quick


    A traditional weapon of ratkin warriors and scouts, sometimes referred to by the uneducated as a ''Spikeystick''.


    Base chance to hit: 40+DEX x 5 + Rank with (Ancient Rune Lore) x5


    Damage: 150 + 5xDEX


    Effect:


    Sunder Armor: As part of your attack, Shadowblight unleashes the Rune of Sundering on your foe, destroying armor and shattering bones. Your foe loses 50 points of armor protection or natural mitigation. If used against inanimate objects (rock walls, doors, cheese wax) it does a large amount of damage. Cost: 50 stamina.]


    Milo''s blood seeped into the weapon, not even leaving a stain, and his heart began to beat again. Cichol observed this and stared hard at the weapon. "That is one vindictive spikeystick. Not many of them get used enough, or mean enough, to form their own spirit. It was bad when Malskitter was using it. This new one is even sharper and hungrier. You and it should have some fun together."


    Milo wondered about Cichol''s definition of fun. He was just happy to have repaired his Bonespike. He staggered upwards from where he had been sitting. He was stiff and tired from hours of research and arcane tinkering. He needed to get back to the tower of strife and his comfy chair for a couple of hours of sleep before heading to fighting practice. It was going to be a long day.


    [Rune Crafting has reached Rank 8


    Ancient Rune Lore has reached Rank 8


    Runic Lore has reached Rank 8


    Bone Carving has reached Rank 10


    Bone Manipulation has reached Rank 9]

 Chapter 143: Iron Spider

    Once she was P''tashPak''r, the Exalted General of the 10th Host, beloved of the queens, champion of the Many-Legged Army.


    Once she was P''tashPak''r, the cripple.


    And only a few days before, she was P''tashPak''r, the abomination in exile.


    No more. She was going back, returning to her exalted rank of general. She would command an army and lead it to glorious victory with the bonus of killing her most hated foe. This was how she had dreamed things would happen one day, and now it was so. It had been so many years in coming, that she had almost lost her dream...


    It had all begun with Gilad and that final duel. She had been so proud when she was named to fight in the ceremonial duel that would end the war. Her opponent was weak, with barely half her number of limbs. She knew that no rat could prevail against her. He should not have been able to beat her. It was only through some travesty of fate and the power of the enemies¡¯ insidious cheesy snacks that she had caused her loss. He had gone berserk when she wounded him, foaming at the mouth, and his limbs possessed a hideous strength. The ratkin champion had broken her limbs one by one even as her poison worked to kill him. He had gone entirely crazed at the end, his claws tearing at her body and ripping parts off of her limbs, one by one. The final insult was him standing on her back as his army cheered him. To her dismay, she had heard the hissing laughter of many spiders. Spiders like winners, and had nothing but contempt for those who failed.


    That had been the end of her time as a warrior and the start of many years of pain and slavery. First had come the humiliating years after she had lost the duel with her enemy, and the subsequent defeat of her army. No one came to carry her from the field of battle or to end her life. Barely alive, her spiderlings had carried her legless body away and cared for her wounds. She found herself bumping along in an empty, discarded wagon pulled by two lobotomized humans that her spiderlings had stolen from the slave pens. The stupid things barely lived long enough to get her back to the edge of the great nest.


    No family or clan came to her aid. To the rest of the Spider Clans, she was an embarrassment. An example of what happened to someone who lost a duel. And worse than simply losing, losing to an enemy who could pull off your legs one by one. No thanks were given for her loyalty during the wars. No one came to pay homage to her. She was forgotten and tucked away in a dingy little web with only the last of her progeny to aid her. Only the thought of one day finding Gilad, Warlord of the United Tribes had kept her from despair.


    It had galled her that one day, as she lay helpless, a dwarf of the Dark Tribes had walked into her lair. She''d heard the noise as he had slaughtered the spiderlings that vainly tried to defend her. He''d made war on them in the traditional way of the dwarves, smushing foes beneath the tread of their heavy iron boots. When he saw her, he whistled long and loudly, proclaiming her to be, in his words, ''One dented little bit of defective trash heap''.


    She''d wanted to kill him for that, but he''d stayed out of the range of her fangs, sitting on a pile of spiderling corpses, drinking beer, and showing her pictures of ''upgrades and repairs'' his shop had done for other creatures. Cousin Lemmy''s Repair Shop: ''Nature makes them, wars break them, and we put them all back together again with iron and steel, stronger than ever.'' It was the clever slogan that convinced her to sign the contract. What was a couple of decades of labor fighting in the armies of the Deep Dwellers compared to regaining her legs? Nothing. She missed the small print about slave collars and repairs being taken out of her wages and increasing her time of servitude.


    Hammer and forge had made new limbs for her. Fire and pain had taught her how to use them. Armored plating made her a walking fortress. On her back were mounted two Nakamura Mark 19 Scatterguns. Across battlefield after battlefield, she had marched, two Dwarven gunners on her back mowing down the enemy, and her new limbs spearing the wounded as they marched onward. It had been mostly a glorious time. She owed many years of service to the two dwarves that had bought her, but Harshank and Krankar had been bloodthirsty, greedy bastards and she hadn''t been bored when they fought.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The boring and not-glorious part was when she was parked in a mechanics'' shop after each battle to have the damage repaired while her gunners went out drinking and lining up new jobs. Sometimes they had money for repairs and upgrades. Other battles didn''t go well and she had to limp into the next battle with only a few legs working. Finding out that it was her cut of the money they earned that went to repairs had galled her. But the slave collar on her neck left her no options.


    The end of her servitude had come not on a battlefield, but in some nameless dwarven backwater but after a great victory. With barely any damage, she was left to guard the large chest of gold they had earned, and the backpacks of looted treasure. Her two dwarven owners had gone off to ''Drink and poke the Dragon''. Whatever that meant, they hadn''t come back from it.


    There was a story around town about two drunken dwarves trying to steal a mechanical flyer to kidnap a Dark Elf princess. Whether that was true or not, her gunners were found dead in a pile of mechanical wreckage that had crashed into a church of Grugnark the Destroyer. The priests were thrilled with the damage and conducted the funeral.


    With the deaths of her owners, the magical hold on her mind had dispersed, and the collar fell off. She took the treasure, hired a goblin gear smith, and started for home. The journey was long, but Grobit had stayed with her, content to repair and service her mechanical limbs, napping up top with the treasure and supplies, or fire one of the guns at some creature when they needed fresh meat.


    She had left the nest a cripple but returned a decorated veteran of a hundred battles. She expected to be welcomed with honor, given a web near the queen, and countless small mammals to eat. Instead, they had shunned her, called her ''Abomination'', and told her she smelled of oil and sulfur. With a choice of disdain, or exile, she chose exile. Her riches couldn''t buy her respect, but they did buy an endless supply of small mammals and cheap dwarven beer. Harshank claimed a drunk spider was tougher to target and had gotten her drunk on the stuff before many battles. She craved it now the way a rat craved cheese.


    Grobit maintained her mechanics, although parts were hard to get. One of the guns was turned into spare parts, which was no loss. Grobit could barely handle firing one of the oversized, pintle-mounted blasters, let alone two at once.


    And now? Now she was back! They needed her desperately. The lesser generals had failed the queen, and it was her genius in battle that they trusted. Her army was assembling and she would march upon Limburger Hollow, slay Gilad, and become again one of the Queen''s trusted generals! She saw it all in her mind, over and over, as she marched through the caverns, trying not to trip on the uneven flooring.


    <hr>


    "Has the abomination showed up yet?"


    "No, Your Majesty, it''s still slowly walking along like some drunken beetle. It has to use the caverns, not the web way. It is far too heavy and clumsy."


    "Fine. When she finally gets here, send her over to Big Cavern with Spotted Shrooms. It''s flat and she''ll trip less. Start lining up her troops in there and let her have the fun of reviewing them, while they feel the shame of serving such an abomination of nature. Add 1 contingent of the Queen''s Own, two banner bearers, and Six units of Wolfen shock troops. That should look good."


    "!!!! You''re giving that mad-thing all of that?" The queen contemplated eating her latest advisor for questioning her but decided that the statement was one of those times that any good advisor really should speak up. The thought of wasting good troops in this little war was abhorrent to her.


    "Of course not! They''ll line up with the dregs we are sending with her to Limburger Hollow, march out behind It, and then peel off at the crossroads and rejoin the regular army. Its force is a blunt instrument that will deliver a shock to our enemies, maybe even break into the Hollow and start killing civilians. My hope is that she draws off their military and keeps it tied up. My army will be the one achieving victory!"


    "Whew. Sorry, I doubted you ma''am. That...thing makes me uneasy."


    "Understandable, and my condolences. I''m sending you to It as Its second in command to keep things organized. Try to fade into the back of her forces as she charges, and sneak back to us. I value your services greatly."

 Chapter 144: Too much Bleu

    Larry awoke early. Larry always got up early. His tummy was always too growly in the morning to sleep. Like always when he awoke, he pondered the important question: What''s for breakfast?


    He looked over at his Jelly Bean bush that Gingersnapple and Redfawn had given him for saving their Jellybean farm from the Frozen Fog Boys. Larry had been very cold while guarding the farm all night and bopping the little muskrats on the head when they got too close, but being a Hero wasn''t always easy! He had danced and danced to keep warm, only pausing when he had bopping to do. After he had bopped every single albino muskrat into the ground, with only their eyes and whiskers showing Redfawn had painted their whiskers bright pink so that they couldn''t do sneaky stuff anymore. The dejected and hungry Fog Boys had been sent down the road to the next level of under hill.


    The happy fairies had come to Larry''s house and planted several jelly bean bushes just for Larry. But the berries were still too green to eat. Gingersnapple had warned him that eating too many green jelly beans could turn you into a pickle. Larry didn''t like pickles, so he was being as patient as he could be. Except when he was hungry. When he was hungry, then maybe being a pickle didn''t seem too bad. Larry decided to leave Larry''s house when he got those ideas.


    He tried to find out what was for breakfast by sniffing for the smells. Little fishies were easiest. They had a big smell. Cold muffins and fruit was the hardest. Very small smell. Larry got to the porch, and many ratkin were waiting to eat. That was ok. Larry ate last. Unless Tallsqueak, or Ringtail, or Tweedle was here. Then they brought Larry breakfast early. But Larry''s nose didn''t smell Tallsqueak or Tweedle or Ringtail. And Larry''s nose didn''t smell breakfast. Larry''s tummy rumbled and roared, and some of the people on porch looked worried.


    Then Tallsqueak came running up. He''d been fighting. He was still all sort of excited and moving quickly. He would settle down when he got breakfast. Tallsqueak was looking at all the people and had a look on his face that wasn''t happy. It got more unhappy when Larry''s tummy got more growly. He told Larry that he''d go find breakfast. That was good. Tallsqueak was smart and always knew what to do!


    <hr>


    Milo had no idea what to do. It was obvious something was wrong, and no food was being served. A few hungry ratkin wasn''t a problem. A hungry Larry was. Mostly because he would scare all the hungry ratkin, and if someone started running...well, that could be bad. No one knew, and no one wanted to find out just where Larry stopped and the Cheese Fiend took over. Both Gilad and Bleusnout had lectured him on how to make sure Larry didn''t get upset and how to keep the Hollow calm.


    It was indicative of how well-behaved most of the ratkin in the Hollow were. If the mess hall had lights on and the doors were open, they went inside. If it was closed, they didn''t. That didn''t mean they didn''t wonder about why the mess hall was closed. It was the one building that was almost always open.


    Milo wasn''t as patient as everyone else standing on the porch, and he wondered if he was less well behaved, or just more worried about Larry. Probably the latter. He was ranking the threats, and trying to solve the top one. Hungry Larry trumped obeying the rules. The doors had a simple lock, one he could open by running a claw down the small crack between the doors, and flipping the lock. He entered and shut the door behind him. Rifkin was throwing wood into the stoves and lighting them, just starting the day, at least an hour past where Bleusnout was usually starting his day. Milo padded over to him, not trying to be stealthy, but not really making noise. Rifkin kept nervously looking to the entrance to the cellar.


    "Hi, I was...." Milo barely started before a startled Rifkin jumped and yelled.


    "What?! Why are you here? Don''t scare me like that!"


    "I wasn''t trying to scare you, if I was, I would have yelled ''Surprise!'' I only came in to see what was going on."


    Rifkin looked very annoyed. "Nothing is going on, just running a little late. I bet Smiley is sleeping in and who knows what the Chef is up to." He lowered his voice a bit and whispered. "He''s been acting odd lately if you know what I mean. Late nights in the cellar, and sleeping in more and more. I''m really worried about him."


    Milo had no idea what he meant. "So, breakfast is late? I really need some food for Larry so he doesn''t get growly in his stomach."


    Rifkin thought about that. "Oh, Larry? Yes, I''ll find something for him. He took a basket, put in an apple, then two slices of cheddar, and a couple of day-old muffins on top. "Here, go give that to Larry. Apples and Muffins are his favorites."


    Milo knew that was wrong. "No, little fishies, Puffcakes, and Jelly beans are his favorites. And you shouldn''t give Larry cheese. He doesn''t eat it anymore."


    Rifkin rolled his eyes. "Larry is a cheese fiend. Of course, he likes cheese. You''re the one who wanted him to eat! Now you won''t feed him? What are you up to? Are you trying to upset Larry? I''m of half a mind to tell Bleusnout what you are doing."


    "And the other half?"


    Rifkin looked at him oddly. "What other half?"


    Milo pointed at him. "You said you had half a mind to go tell Bleusnout. What about the other half of your mind? I was just curious."


    Rifkin turned red in the face. "That''s it. I''m going to go find the Chef, you''d better leave."


    Milo came around the counter. "Good idea. Go find the chef, I''ll try to make Larry some Puffcakes. Where is the recipe at?"


    Rifkin got out of his way as Milo took out milk, flour, and Golden Puffballs from under the counter. Rifkin yelled at him, "I don''t know how! Only the chef does!"


    A very loud voice said. "Larry knows how to make Puffcakes!!"


    Rifkin froze as Larry yelled.


    Milo yelled to him. "That''s great, Larry. Come help me cook... Rifkin is going to go find the Chef."


    Larry opened the doors and walked in. Milo made a note to fix the lock later. Larry pointed to the cellar. "Larry can hear Bleusnout downstairs. He is asleep and snoring funny."


    Rifkin looked at Larry, and Larry stared back at Rifkin. "He is in the cellar? I will go look for him. You need to stay out of the cellar, Larry. You can''t help. You stay here, Larry."


    Larry sighed and nodded his head slightly. "Yes. Larry knows the rules."


    Rifkin left and Larry brightened up immediately. "Here is how to make Puffcakes." He began hopping back and forth to a simple rhythm.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Puffy, Puffy, make them dry.


    If they''re wet, you''re sure to cry.


    Mash them up with milk and flour.


    Ready to eat in a quarter-hour.


    One cup of milk, from goat or cow.


    Four cups shroom dust, grinded right now.


    A spoon of honey to make them sweet.


    A spoon of oil to keep them neat.


    Heat the griddle to medium hot,


    Too high they burn, too low they not.


    Cook until the bubbles start to rise.


    Flip them over and have a tasty surprise.


    Milo stared at Larry. "Where did you learn that?"


    Larry did a few hops. "Same place Bleusnout learned it. We read ''<u>Hamster Huey and the Hungry Giant</u>. It has the secret recipe in it." Milo made a note to himself to read more books with Larry.


    Milo took a big bowl and began mixing up the dried Golden Puffballs, they turned to dust very easily. He followed Larry''s recipe but was unsure of what spoon to use until Larry pointed it out to him. With everything mixed up, he put a little oil on the grill and started pouring Puffcakes. He saw that he wasn''t very exact in his pouring. Some puffcakes were big, some small, and some weren''t even round. This was much tougher than he thought it would be.


    The first batch came off the griddle. He found butter and syrup and handed the plate to Larry, who didn''t care if the pancakes matched in size. Milo looked at all the people and realized Rifkin still wasn''t back. He needed to make a lot more Puffcakes. He saw Patsy and some of the Puffyfur Clan patiently waiting. He called them all and they came running. "Clan Puffyfur, I have a need for skilled alchemists for a special alchemy class. The first job is to get four large bowls, fill them with dried Golden Puffballs mushrooms, and reduce to a fine powder by any method."


    Clan Puffyfur got to work. Milo had Larry tell them the rest of the alchemical formula. Meanwhile, he found the large frosting bags he had seen Smiley and Rifkin using. They could hold a lot of batter, and dispense it with precision. He took a batter-filled bowl from Patsy and showed her how to fill up the frosting bags, with directions to always have a filled dispenser ready for him. Then he gave a small squeeze and made a perfect 4" wide puff cake. He went back and forth across the griddle in rows, each puff cake almost touching the next one. He used his tail to flip the puffcakes and put them in stacks of six to serve while he used both hands to put more batter on the grill. A line formed and he began feeding the hungry hollow.


    Patsy and the rest of the Puffyfurs were working hard to keep up with Professor Tallsqueak. The alchemical formula wasn''t hard, but getting the batter to the right consistency was tricky. They were in awe of how fast he was cooking, with over a hundred puffcakes cooking at once on several griddles. It was like his brain and hands knew exactly what to do. He barely noticed as Rifkin came in with Old Healer and Professor Arlothe and they all ran to the basement. Absorbed with the current job of feeding the hollow, it was all he was focused on. Eventually, everyone got enough to eat, including Larry. Milo made extra big platefuls for Clan Puffyfur and himself. Larry had started on a bag of apples. No cheese at all was served that morning. A few people had asked, but Milo just shook his head and said "No cheese today. Cheese tonight." No one argued with the chef.


    Milo piled the dishes in the sink, banked the fires, and washed his hands. Now he remembered the comings and goings downstairs and began to be worried. He was wondering if he should intrude when Professor Arlothe beckoned him. "We have need of you downstairs Tallsqueak."


    The Puffyfurs seemed sad about something. Milo remembered. "Oh, this is the day of the tea party? I''m sorry. I have to miss it, but..." he considered for a second, and then noticed that someone had put a lovely green bow in Larry''s hair. "...would it be all right for Larry to go to the party?"


    Patsy clapped her hands. "Oh, yes. That would be so fun! We''ll pretend he''s you."


    Larry approved. "Larry likes parties."


    Tallsqueak took Patsy aside. "Remember, just cookies and tea. Larry can''t have cheese, he is training to be a hero."


    Larry''s ears heard and he nodded his head.


    Larry ran off with Clan Puffyfur for a party. Milo went to the cellar for something he was sure wasn''t going to be much fun. It wasn''t.


    <hr>


    Rifkin was talking. ¡°...and that''s how I found him. I came into the mess hall, and didn''t see either Smiley or the chef. I started to prepare all the food to feed the Hollow, and that''s when Tallsqueak came in, wanting to get his food. I ran downstairs to see if Bleusnout was down there. He was sound asleep and snoring, with his face in that box of aged Roquefort that came from the cheese hoard of Clan Emerald Wyrm. I couldn''t rouse him at all."


    Milo saw that the chef was lying on a small cot, covered by a blanket. Old Healer was carefully cleaning cheese off of his face and whiskers. More than just the chef''s whiskers were blue, today it was his whole face.


    Rifkin seemed very upset. "I just never thought he''d go this far. He''s always had a taste for the bleu, but he said that he had sworn off of it years ago. I think it was all this new cheese coming down here that did it. Dozens of varieties of tasty things to sample. He claimed he was "appraising" it to make sure he had the value correct.


    He looked at Milo. "Isn''t this all your cheese somehow? The Eels said you cheated them in a duel so that you could take all their cheese. Why would you store it down here? Everyone knows that Bleusnout has a weakness for Bleu Cheese! It''s how he got his name!"


    He looked around the room. "And I don''t see very much of that cheese either! And Smiley is missing. He was helping the eels pack it down here yesterday. Something smells and it isn''t the cheese!" He glared at Milo. Milo ignored him, worried about Bleusnout and not wanting to upset Rifkin any further. He already wasn''t making any sense.


    Old Healer was visibly upset. "He is very far gone. I''m not sure if he will wake up. We must prepare for the worst. While we can hope for his recovery, at best, it will take a long time for him to heal. I ask that we call for a full meeting of the Masters of Hollow. As Master Healer and Master of Death, I ask that a conclave be held, immediately."


    Arlothe sighed and looked at the chef lying on the cot. "As Master Mage, I call for a Conclave." They both turned and looked at Milo. More specifically, they were looking at Milo''s hand.


    He got the clue. He raised his hand and showed the ring. Rifkin seemed very surprised, and his eyes narrowed. "As Master of Scouts, I call for a conclave."


    Old Healer straightened. "That is a quorum, we will hold a conclave. I will send word to the Master Gatherer, the Master Artisan, and the Master of Fighting."

 Chapter 145: Dwarven Holiday

    A party of explorers marched through the caverns far below Shadowport. Part of the way was through old mines, and at other times they stomped along a pathway that went through natural caverns. Several predators heard them coming and started to move closer to attack, and then grew nervous and retreated. Even a Mega Cave-Fisher or Hundred-legged-horror knew when it was outmatched.


    Contrary to conventional wisdom, this group was neither quiet nor stealthy. The argument might be made that it would have been out of character because they had never been considered either conventional or stealthy. Their wisdom was also up for debate.


    But the truth of the matter was simple: If there was anything big and dumb enough to challenge a group of drunken dwarves, then they would happily blow it to smithereens. If they thought that being loud would attract such a creature, they would have made even more noise. Traveling through the caverns could become boring, and the chance to let off some steam by blowing a predator into little pieces was always welcome.


    Two of the party were incased in gleaming armored suits making them a foot taller and much wider than their unarmored companions. Their companions had laughed a bit about the two Senior Engineers not knowing how to take a vacation, but the older dwarves wanted to show off their new toys, and it made it easier to pack along a couple of kegs of beer. Senior Engineer Milo had somehow found a place of great mineral wealth, but it lacked even the basics of alcohol. He was obviously in trouble and they were going to his rescue.


    Two-Screws had spent some time after the battle with the hydra making improvements in his suit. He was happy with the basic design, but after a few hundred years it was good to change things up. His first step had been to go fishing for some rare components, and for that, he had needed the right kind of bait.


    His bait had been a powerful rocket launcher that could be fired and loaded by a single dwarf. The tube was of hardened promethium steel and could handle high explosives up to the most powerful that the engineers could currently make. It was a little heavy, but that would be appreciated by the type of person he was fishing for. The outer shell was made of Alpha/Beta brass, a hard composite of brass alloys that was less flexible than regular brass but much harder. One of the new lads they had taken on wasn''t a bad artist and Two-Screws had paid him well to design a weapon that resembled an ornate ship''s cannon.


    Unlike an older cannon on a ship which might take as many as six dwarves to crew, this weapon could be loaded and fired as fast as ammunition could be slammed into it. The rounded breech could swing open to accept the self-propelled rockets it used as ammunition, then slammed shut and be ready to fire by pulling on the heavy trigger. An optional targeting system could be swung into place to give a better aim. The three-and-a-half-foot-long weapon weighed more than eighty pounds. Two-screws had judged that anything lighter wouldn''t be trusted by a scavenger.


    Target practice was a favorite of the female dwarves from the crew of the Leviathan. ''Practice'' consisted of drinking and shooting at the empty bottles. One day when several of the scavengers were out having fun, Two-Screws showed up with his prototype shoulder cannon. He got immediate interest from the gun-crazy scavengers. He tossed a handful of bottles to one of the cabin girls to set up, then loaded a rocket and fired from a range twice what they were shooting from.


    He missed the bottle and the missile destroyed a huge section of rock wall and threw shrapnel far and wide. He glared at the bottle that was still standing up and commented, "Pulls a bit to the left." He loaded another rocket and this time hit the target dead on, leaving a large crater in the ground.


    The scavengers watching were laughing and shouting, some envious of the sheer firepower and others disguising their envy by yelling insults at the dwarf who needed a cannon to shoot a bottle. He shrugged and surprised them by saying. "She needs a little testing. That''s why I''m using these low-powered rockets made for cleaning up trash mobs. They have a bit of an explosion to them. I really prefer the armor-piercing variety, personally. Those shells go faster and hit harder, but Sledgemonkey made me promise not to use them until I get the huge explosions under control."


    Two-Screws tossed the cannon over his shoulder and wandered off to do some modifications, ignoring the yells of the excitable Scavenger girls. Two days later he came back with the finished model. It gleamed in the torchlight and he had three types of rockets to go with it. One made a large boom with low power, great for killing large numbers of low-level enemies. The second was armor piercing, for monsters with a tough hide. The last was a new variety and painted bright red. It made a small incendiary explosion when it hit, burning hotly. Then exploded into a fireball that expanded outward into a tremendous circle of flames.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    He let Narwhal try out the finished product. She ran her hands over the bronze surface and examined every part of it. Finally satisfied she tossed it to her shoulder and swayed a bit. "Barnacle, you get to be my loader." Her excited bridesmaid ran over and started reloading the cannon as fast as Narwhal fired it. Nine missiles flew down range, destroying the area they had used for target practice and setting everything on fire. When she was done, she stared at the mass destruction she had wrought, entranced by it. She wasn''t the only scavenger to appreciate the show of force. She slowly went to hand it back to Two-Screws, a small tear in her eye.


    The older dwarf waved her off. "You think I''d let you fire that new toy and fall in love with it, only to take it away? Ha! That''s my wedding present, girl. I''ll set you up with a case of ammo to go with it." Narwhal hugged the new member of her family and thanked the old dwarf. Other scavengers found reasons to talk to him over the next week, feeling him out as to the price and modifications he could make. He made three deals for weapons to be delivered in the next month, payment to be made in rare magitech components.


    Boom-Boom had told him the story Narwhal had revealed to him about what treasure they had found on the Queen. The legendary sunken ship had held a fortune in the rare components that incorporated theories of both magic and physics and let an engineer warp reality. Each member of the crew had shared in the treasure and had some magitech. It would never be sold and only appeared when the stakes in a poker game got high. Trading a handful of shiny baubles for a destructively overpowered handheld cannon was an acceptable transaction as well.


    With a new supply of magitech, Two-Screws tore apart his old exo-suit and reworked the entire design. He improved it in some places, fixing things that had bothered him for years. Then got to work building more powerful weaponry and adding some new surprises. He was still terribly fond of the versatile mechanical hands it sported. They could configure from lifelike Waldos to auger drills or various tools. He kept those and went with rivet guns that deployed from below each arm. The rivet guns would be the suit''s main armaments augmented with a better targeting system along with limited amounts of specialized ammo.


    He''d also noticed that the ladies were fond of the brass color of Narwhal''s wedding gift. He added an outer layer of brass to his own armor and then polished it until it shone.


    When Sledgemonkey saw the new set of armor his mouth had made some adorable fish imitations, opening and closing with no words coming out. He''d disappeared into his Arcane Workshop for a week and finally emerged in a gleaming gold set of armor that he strutted around in.


    The two of them were drinking and singing as they followed Boom-Boom and Narwhal through the caverns, the newlyweds walking hand in hand and making disgustingly cute faces at each other as they tossed a grenade back and forth. The two had first met in the middle of the battle with the hydra, and bonded over their mutual love of high explosives and the puke-n-twirl.


    Vary was running ahead, testing out his new mechanical ''Scout''s Legs''. The lad hadn''t progressed in his studies enough to build them, but he''d come up with the idea. Several of the engineers had made it a teaching project, making him do the work as they designed the mechanical legs and helped him test them.


    Barnacle was pulling along a small cart that held Narwhal''s wedding present, extra ammo, and a few gallons of alcohol. She grumbled constantly about girls who were too lovestruck to carry their own guns.


    It was a two-day journey to the house of Professor Harry Earthtongue, and then another two days to Limburger Hollow. Sledgemonkey wanted to see these new mines himself. When the newly married couple had said they''d come along, he hastily gathered Vary and Two-Screws to help keep them out of trouble. Barnacle got recruited as an ammo carrier and loader. She''d declined at first, claiming she would much rather stay in Shadowport and drink heavily rather than follow the two of them around through old, nasty tunnels. She had changed her mind and volunteered when Narwhal had mentioned Vary was coming along to scout and test his new contraption.


    Harry greeted them when they arrived, and brought out a huge amount of beer for them to sample. Brewing was a side hobby for the troll and he''d taken it up again after talking with several of the engineers. The engineers pronounced the latest batch to be quite tasty. The two scavengers had each had a mug, and then two dozen more. If anyone was hung over in the morning, or regretting anything that might have happened in the night, they hid it behind small smiles or volunteered to ''Scout ahead for a bit.''


    Harry decided he''d come along. He was curious about what Milo had found and was worried the dwarves wouldn''t have enough alcohol for the trip. With two kegs of beer strapped to his back, he joined the group of dwarves on their holiday excursion.

 Chapter 146: Conclave

    Milo was unsure of what was going on and on so many levels! He hadn''t intended to become a Master of the Hollow and was unsure of how he felt about the whole thing. He took Gilad aside and spoke to him. "What''s happened to Bleusnout, and what is the Conclave all about? I''m just following your lead. I''m not really a master."


    Gilad looked at the young whelp. No, that was wrong. He should think of him as a young warrior. He''d earned that much. But they all looked so young to him now!


    He tapped the ring on Tallsqueak''s finger. "You found this ring, lost in the hidden parts of the hollow. And did you not take it from the last Scout Master? Do you think the ring would accept you so readily if its last owner didn''t approve of you? You found his remains and brought them home to be laid to rest with his ancestors after no one could find him for decades. That counts for much. And Old Healer approves of you."


    "And the Hollow needs you. Something smells bad, and not just the gorgonzola. You might feel too young for such responsibility, but right now, it is you who are our Master of Scouts. Your responsibility is to find the dangers that threaten the Hollow and help us to prepare against those threats. My whiskers twitch and my bones ache. Something bad is afoot. Keep those young eyes open. Use that sharp mind to see what others may not."


    Milo had no argument for the old fighting Master''s logic, so he stayed quiet and observed what he could. Over the next few minutes, the other masters arrived. The first was Master Clawhammer. He was a tall ratkin with a thick waist and large muscles. His arms were bigger than Milo''s thighs. Clawhammer worked a forge, hammering iron, copper, and tin into the tools and weapons needed by the rest of the Hollow. His forge was near the mines and often he led the groups of miners who entered the maze of tunnels beyond, looking for the ores they needed. He also oversaw many of the trades that were practiced in the Hollow. He was skilled in carpentry, blacksmithing, mechanics, and smelting.


    Milo made a mental note to talk to him about a possible trade deal with the Engineering Outpost. The Outpost could always use more ores, especially of the type that the Hollow didn''t have much need for. In return the Hollow could gain better quality armor and weapons for the guards, and better picks for the miners. It could be beneficial for both groups.


    Helen Brownfur was known to most of the Hollow simply as ''Mother''. She always seemed to have a gaggle of little ones around her. She had birthed 13 children of her own, including three sets of twins. As if that was not enough, she had also adopted four young children who became orphans when their parents were killed in a mining accident. Her family had always been prolific and she was related to half the Hollow. Milo had seen her in the mushroom fields showing the little ones how to pick the best shrooms. He hadn''t known she was the Gather Master, but in hindsight, it fit her well. She was patient and guided the young in gathering skills, teaching them early how to supply the Hollow with food.


    As each of the Masters entered the room, they were shocked to see Bleusnout''s condition, shaking their heads sadly and talking with Old Healer. A Master of Cheese was the last person that anyone would expect to give in to the lure of partaking in too much cheese. They were known for wills of iron, and the patience of saints. Helen Brownfur was particularly upset, having worked closely with Bleusnout for decades. "This isn''t right! He..he has always been too strong for something like this to happen. I don''t believe that he gave in to his hunger. What did he eat? We need to know!"


    Rifkin was nervously bouncing from one foot to another and wringing his hands. "I don''t know! He and Smiley were down here going through all the new cheese belonging to Tallsqueak. I have been working to keep meals cooked for the hollow. It was only when I realized he was missing that I checked down here and found him this way! He was face down in the Roquefort! But I agree with Mistress Brownfur, this is not right. Where is Smiley? Where is the rest of the Hollow''s cheese?"


    Gilad stood up. "There are many things to discuss. But first, you will excuse us, Rifkin, I''m sure you have things to do preparing the meals. The conclave must meet in private to discuss these issues."


    Rifkin looked slightly surprised as if he hadn''t thought he''d be asked to leave. "Yes, I will start the next meal, it''s very important to keep the Hollow fed." He retreated upstairs, gathering up a bundle of dirty rags on the way, and they heard the banging of pots and pans through the floor.


    Gilad sighed. "I feel the events of today have unnerved young Rifkin. He will need much support from us if he is to fill the shoes left by Master Bleusnout. He is young, but with our help, I''m sure that he can rise to the occasion."


    Master Clawhammer snorted. "He''ll be fine. Bleusnout has been training him since he and Smiley were what? Four years old? We may eat an awful lot of grilled mushrooms and simpler food until Bleusnout is up and about, but we''ve all had worse."


    Old Healer looked pained as he said, "That may be some time. Whatever Bleusnout got into, it wasn''t just Roquefort, and with so much cheese missing, we may never know. He has gorged himself on the most potent of stinky bleu cheese, and I fear he has overdosed. Without knowing what he ate, it is very difficult to treat him."


    Milo walked over and looked at the chef. Someone had cleaned off his face. "Where are the cloths used to clean the cheese off of his face? If we examined those, perhaps we could isolate bits of the cheese he ate?"


    Old Healer liked the thought. "A good idea. It may give us a clue. The cloths were in that pile Rifkin took with him, please go and retrieve those, Master Tallsqueak." Milo ran upstairs, and the others turned to Old Healer.


    Clawhammer asked. "You obviously think he is ready for that title. And I do find him talented, but we are already looking at possibly giving one young whelp a Master''s ring before he is ready, is it appropriate to proclaim a new Master of Scouts after so many years?"


    The Master of both Healing and Death laughed. "Give it to him? That sneaky whelp found my brother''s hidey hole on his own and took the ring. A very traditional method of promotion in my clan. And he''s already rebuilding the scouts and has stolen two of my promising skulkers. All three of them had the nerve to surprise me in my own lair. Tallsqueak thinks oddly and has put his nose into every corner of the Hollow. He''s perfect. I just wished I could get rid of my other rings to young ones like him. "


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Arlothe chuckled. "Cremona and I are fond of him. He''s more of a sage than a true mage. Very curious about everything. Scout fits him well. You should talk to him, Clawhammer. He''s an accomplished mechanic and miner. He has some ideas about how we can trade the useless hard copper off to a group of dwarves in return for good metal. A lot of good metal. For some reason, they value the hard stuff."


    Master Clawhammer nodded. "I''d heard something of that and saw him taking some of your young mages into the mines. I''ve always approved of cross-training. We can''t run a Hollow with a bunch of specialists. He has my vote then."


    The Master of Fighting sighed, then chuckled. "I only object because I was hoping to retire at some point and let him take over my position of Master of Fighting. He is already running the beginning class and doing drills with them each morning He learns quickly and can handle the young whelps. And some not-so-young troublemakers. He is even giving Cremona a run for her money."


    Arlothe chuckled at that and Mistress Brownfur looked intrigued. "I''d heard of that. Cremona is a fearsome fighter. We used to spar before I got old and stiff. If he can take her on, he is qualified."


    "He certainly can take her on. They go all out, and he can ignore most of her poisons, and send her back to me with bruises each night. I''ve gained two levels in first aid and one in massage therapy since they started beating on her each night."


    Gilad continued. "And he is strong enough to fight one-on-one against a Cheese Fiend." There were some intakes of breath at that statement.


    "Tallsqueak has been working with Larry to move him past the limitations imposed upon him by the transformation to a Fiend. Working together, Larry is now creating a fighting style that lets him use traditional claw and tail techniques. He is both exhilarating and frightening to spar with. Master Arlothe has also been observing and can verify this as well."


    Arlothe smiled and patted his stomach. "And I''m getting fat from eating too many snacks while I watch the carnage. Cremona cannot best Larry. Her poisons are rapidly pushing up his Fiendish Resistance to the point many of her spells are becoming useless against him. She can beat Tallsqueak in one of three bouts, and he can beat Larry in roughly the same. But I most enjoy watching Gilad bounce around Larry, trying to avoid his dance moves." Arlothe had been having a great time each evening watching the four gladiators give each other bruises, cuts, and poisonous wounds. He was content to sit with his students and enjoy some late-night snacks.


    Brownfur was unconvinced. "And Larry is under control? We are not creating a worse threat than we had before?"


    Gilad was adamant about that. "No, if anything, Larry is getting better. He has given up cheese altogether, knowing he might become out of control if he eats it and fights. Fighting and becoming better is more important to Larry than cheese. His control is impressive."


    Brownfur looked to where Bleusnout was lying, "Control can be fleeting. But this discussion is not about Larry, although I am so happy to see him get better. He was always the sweetest of whelps. No, this is about Tallsqueak. How many of us approve of his becoming Master of Scouts?"


    The hands were raised. The votes were cast and a new Scout Master was chosen. The first in many years.


    Milo returned soon after, visibly upset. "I was too slow, he had already run them to the laundry and made sure they had been put into the wash. The lye soap will ruin any chance of isolating mold cultures or bits of cheese on them."


    The other Masters nodded. It had seemed like a low chance of helping the situation in the first place. Old Heal nodded at him and patted him on the shoulder. "It was a good thought. We have talked. You will wear the ring from now on as the Hollow''s Scout Master. Take a seat, we have another subject to discuss. We lack a Master of Cheese."


    Old Healer pointed to Bleusnout. "We have one, but he is unable to do his job, and hopefully that is temporary. Let Rifkin make the meals, and the conclave can decide on when cheese is disbursed to the Hollow."


    "If Rifkin can do the job, give him the ring. I don''t see Bleusnout being trusted again, even if he recovers." Clawhammer didn''t trust that the Chef wouldn''t backslide again. Better to go with new blood.


    Gilad suggested a compromise. "There may be more to this situation than is readily apparent. By Rifkin¡¯s own words, he wasn''t here when this happened. Perhaps it was some sort of accident? And let us not look past other oddities. There is cheese missing? Who took it? And where is Smiley? He has been here at the Hollow as long as Rifkin and trained with Bleusnout as well. We need to find and talk to him, and find out the real story."


    "I suggest we let Rifkin assume the title for now. He will be the interim Master of Cheese and take over the duties. Perhaps this all works out and Bleusnout recovers quickly and resumes his position as master. But if not, then Rifkin will have our support while he works to take over the position without the crippling responsibility of dumping the title of Master on him immediately. It would be better to let Bleusnout recover and give him the ring himself, after all, he has been training Rifkin and Smiley for the better part of two decades since the two whelps were found in that abandoned tunnel. He is essentially their father."


    This vote was not unanimous but it passed. The Masters rose to leave and inform Rifkin. Old Healer asked Milo to stay with him for a moment. "I will need your help to take the Chef to my apartment. This is not a good place for him, too much cheese. Watch over him for now while I summon two others to help us carry him."


    Milo was suddenly alone in the cellar, Bleusnout''s heaving breathing the only sound. He considered the problems he saw.


    What had the chef eaten and how to cure him?


    Where was Smiley?


    Where had the cheese gone?


    Firstly, Milo considered the problem of figuring out just what the Chef had eaten. He was upset that Rifkin had been so quick to wash the towels used to clean off the Cheese Master. But it wasn''t just the Chef''s face that would have traces of cheese. Milo carefully looked at his claws. The left hand showed cheese under the nails. Milo carefully cleaned the claws, saving the samples. Bleusnout''s right hand was closed until Milo pried apart his fingers. Inside was a crushed golden puffball mushroom. Milo saved that as well, then checked the Chef''s mouth and nose, carefully taking samples from his gums and nostrils.


    Hearing Old Healer returning, he hid his samples and helped move the chef to where Old Healer could care for him.

 Chapter 147: Investigations

    The Puffyfur Tea party was in full swing.


    There had been some disappointment that Professor Tallsqueak would not be attending, and a bit of confused emotions about Larry attending. These had been swept aside when Professor Arlothe came into the planning committee to tell them how proud he was of them for inviting Larry. When told that Larry could not have cheese because he was in the ''Special Fighting Class'', they made a decision to skip the cheese altogether at the party. They substituted several types of cookies for the missing cheese and crackers.


    A lovely rose and raspberry tea had been selected for the first round, along with raspberry tarts. Larry sat on the floor with his back to the wall, his long legs going under the table and his feet poking out of the other side. Patsy and Sassy were serving him his tea and cookies. Larry was being very careful with his teacup, holding it in the palm of one hand and using just the tip of a claw on his other hand. His nightly classes with Gilad, Tallsqueak, and Cremona were helping him pick up small things. Fiendish Claws was a STR-based skill that Larry had never practiced, but Claw Fighting as taught by Gilad was a DEX-based skill. A DEX of 4 was much better than a DEX of 0.


    Larry''s claws were also smaller now. Professor Cremona had been unhappy when she examined his overgrown claws, and as part of the tea party, Larry was being given a manicure by the happy Puffyfurs. After his nails had been filed and painted pink to match his weasel slippers, he held them patiently in his lap while the nail polish dried, and began to tell the eager audience about his adventures in Flowerland.


    Milo heard Larry talking as he quietly moved past the room they were in, and continued up the stairs. He was very happy Larry was having a good time.


    Larry smelled his friend as he passed by. Tallsqueak was doing Hero stuff, he could tell. Tallsqueak always got a different smell when he was thinking hard about things. Something bad had happened. Sneakybadguy was doing things with other sneakybadguys. But Tallsqueak would catch them!


    <hr>


    Professor Arlothe looked at the schematics for what Tallsqueak was asking him to do and got excited. He was delighted to help with any new discovery. This project needed special glass lenses created in a certain way. While Tallsqueak created the framework to hold the lenses, Arlothe started his kiln and began melting the glass. Four hours later they had finished what Tallsqueak called a microscope. It was basically a frame that held the glass lenses, and a knob to move one a little bit closer.


    Microscope wasn''t as good of a name as ''Arlothe¡¯s Advanced Device for Looking at Small Things'' but he did concede it was quicker to say. Tallsqueak took the first device with him, and Arlothe began working the work of designing a better one.


    <hr>


    Old Healer felt someone''s eyes upon him but didn''t react at all. Reacting might make a potential assassin decide to leave, and where was the fun in that? Better to bait them in and get some exercise


    All furniture except for his desk had been removed from his large office to make room for a bed where Bleusnout lay unconscious. The large chef was sweating slightly, and moaning in his delirium. This was both like, and unlike, any cheese overdose that Old Healer had ever treated before. The obvious signs were there: pupils dilated, sweating, trembling muscles, and delirium. But at the same time, Bleusnout wasn''t waking up. He was unconscious and possibly dreaming as if part of him was shut down.


    The secret door opened, and Tallsqueak dropped into the room, carrying a strange device. He seemed quite serious and focused. "He is not getting better, if that was what you came to ask."


    Tallsqueak stacked up all the paperwork and books on Old Healer''s desk and put them in a pile against the wall. He began putting together an apparatus made of glass and metal and then laid many small vials and bits of glass on the table.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Something isn''t right. I want to find out what he ate. This is a device for looking at small things. And these small bits are what was under Bleusnout¡¯s nails, and in his nostrils. We are going to look for clues, and try to see what he ate."


    The old ratkin nodded. "You doubt it was just Roquefort? So do I. Bleusnout has been around cheese all his life, I don''t see him being tempted by some lesser cheese."


    Milo showed Old Healer how to use the basic microscope. It only had a magnification of 140x but that was enough to look at cheese samples. They examined all the tiny samples Milo had scraped from Bleusnouts nails and inside his nose. Old Healer was fascinated by what he saw. Was this some engineering trick? It would have helped him many times in the past.


    "Look here. That is a Black Mold. None of the cheese we make in this Hollow uses Black Mold. I''m not sure any cheese does. And what are these little things moving around? Are those small spiders?"


    Milo had noted the presence of the creatures and knew what they were. "Spider mites. They aren''t real spiders, just a small creature with many legs. Somewhat related. But why the chef has them in his nostrils is odd."


    Old Healer continued to look at the samples. "Maybe not so odd. There is a rare cheese that was said to have used ''tiny spiders'' to give it a distinctive flavor. After the soft cheese was made it would be put into a box with the spiders and left for a year. Needless to say, it became quite unpopular when the spiders began to invade our lands. Not that many people liked it before, to be honest, but no one has made it for decades. Perhaps there was a round of it in the cheese the Eels were keeping in their vault?"


    Milo knew what his next step was; back to the Tower to talk to the eels. But he had other questions first.


    "These are only the samples from one of the chef''s hands. His other hand was holding a crumpled Golden Puffball mushroom."


    Milo pulled out the crushed mushroom and laid it on the desk.


    Old Healer considered that. "That seems strange. They aren''t particularly tasty as a raw snack. Their virtue lies in their cooked flavor which enhances many dishes. And of course, in their use as a cleansing agent for poisons. They are one of the main ingredients in the elixir that you drank."


    "Could that elixir help the chef?"


    Old Healer sighed and looked frustrated. "It might be if what he is suffering from is some form of poison. But I haven''t been able to find the means to correctly concoct it. My brothers¡¯ notes are terrible. He always left out the important parts so no one could steal from him."


    Milo went still suddenly, thinking. After thirty seconds he said. "Poison."


    Old Healer waited patiently for an explanation.


    "It wasn''t the Roquefort. What if Bleusnout was poisoned and wanted to leave a clue? He''s been exposed somehow to Black Mold and spider mites. What if he realized what was happening as he was weakening?"


    The old ratkin nodded. "I think you should go find out what was in that shipment of cheese. I will begin checking for signs of poison, and try to devise an antidote."


    Milo left Old Healer with a messy desk and ran off to talk to the Eels. This time he went through the corridors and out the front door. Just as he was about to leave, a plump young ratkin dressed as a Shadow Skulker came up to him and offered him a handful of jellybeans. "Hi, we haven''t met yet, but the twins said you like these. I''m Petey."


    Milo wasn''t going to turn down jelly beans. He would share with Larry later. "Thank you. I''m Tallsqueak." They shook hands, made more difficult by Petey''s hand being sticky with melted candy. "Oh, I''ve heard all about you from the twins. Congratulations on becoming the Master of Scouts. That''s awesome. The twins are happy and Charlotte is furious."


    Milo scowled. He was getting tired of Charlotte; she wasn''t a good partner. "I can''t help that. She''ll just have to earn her own ring."


    Petey laughed. "That will be tough for her to do. She''s a lousy healer. Gendifur will be taking that ring soon, she''s doing most of the healing in the Hollow now. She''s very thankful to you, by the way. She says she''s gained a whole level and is ready to go up to Tier 3 all because of how you guys tear each other up at special fight practice."


    "Oh, that''s good...I think. I''m glad we''re helping. But doesn''t Charlotte want to be Death Master not Master of Healing?"


    Petey winked at him, "Oh, she wants that very badly. Yes, she does. Maybe a little too badly, if you get my meaning. It makes her sloppy. Trust me, she has a better chance at becoming the Master of Healing than the Master of Death." He smiled at Milo and walked away tossing jelly beans in the air and catching them in his mouth.

 Chapter 148: A visit with the Eels

    Milo watched Petey walk away. He seemed like a nice guy, and the twins got along with him. Well, except for when they framed him for stealing jelly beans. Having experienced the desire to hit the twins in the head a few times, Milo felt Petey was entirely justified in bending their legs. Maybe he was even helping them get a contortionist skill.


    As he headed across the street to the Tower, he saw two young whelps tacking up a notice to an announcement board in the Market area. It was between two stalls and not easily noticed, but the sound of hammering had made him curious. As he got close to it, it seemed to light up and glow, the message on the board becoming personal.


    [Welcome to Limburger Hollow]


    It takes a village to make the cheese.


    [You have earned 412 Contribution Points!]


    <u>One Point</u>


    One day''s normal meals


    Special Cheesy snack! (Approved by Master Bleusnout)


    New clothes (per piece, see Mistress Brownfur)


    Backpack


    Mining pick or other tool (See Master Clawhammer)


    Spikeystick (Brutus has a pile of extras)


    Trade Token for use in the market.


    <u>5 Points</u>


    Advanced Class on making cheese with Master Bleusnout.


    Advanced Class on Tail and Claw Fighting with Master Gilad.


    Advanced Class in Magical Theory with Professor Arlothe


    Advanced Class in Mycology or Gathering with Mistress Brownfur


    Advanced Project with Master Clawhammer


    Advanced Class in Healing or Alchemy with the Old Healer


    Party basket!


    Special meal for your friends!


    Set of spiffy new clothes!


    Nourishing cheese!


    I''m not sleepy cheese!


    Explorers pack with rope, spikes, flint and steel, 3 torches


    <u>10 points</u>


    Set of leather armor


    Stylish cape


    Adventurers backpack (-20% weight)


    Non-magical weapon of good quality


    Shield


    Healing Potion


    Mana Potion


    Battle Cheese


    He was happy to have found the Contribution board. Several people had mentioned it was In the Market, but he was always in a rush when running to and from the tower. It would have been useful to find this earlier. Probably why people had suggested it to him. He would have been taking classes with Master Gilad much earlier.


    Pinned to the board were many notices and advertisements. The newest was large and used some vibrant colors to display its message:


    <div>


    [The Cheese Caravan is Coming!


    In cooperation with Master Bleusnout, the fine folks of Gouda and Cheddar Hollows have once again sponsored a Cheese Caravan and joined forces with other hollows to bring their wares to their cousins in far-flung enclaves, caverns, and hollows. We''ll be arriving soon, bringing Music, Dancing, Entertainment, and best of all: Fine Cheese.]


    This sounded like fun to Milo. Bleusnout must have set this up some time ago. It was very sad that the Master of Cheese might not be recovered from his overdose and might miss the event. But Milo wondered if perhaps a visiting Master of Cheese might understand what was wrong with him. He''d mention it to Old Healer. But for right now, he needed to focus on talking with Clan Emerald Wyrm and find out what kind of cheese they had taken to the cellar of the mess hall.


    He entered the Tower of Strife and made his way up to the floor where each of the four main clans had their rooms. He knocked on the beautiful green door that showed several dragons rearing on mountains, the world below them. When nothing happened, he knocked again, and a minute later a third time.


    Inside, staring through a small spyhole, Brer Cutthroat whispered back to several others of his clan. "It''s Professor Tallsqueak, and he''s just standing there and knocking."


    Brer Moray considered what to do. He was certain that Professor Tallsqueak had heard about tonight¡¯s social activity and was here to shut down their lizard races. Or worse, he''d come to bet on them! Either way, Moray wasn''t going to let him inside. They would claim they were hard at work, studying for their weekly exams, with cotton in their ears to block out any noise. He motioned for the other eels to move away from the door, and move back down to the basement where they were about to start the racing. Everyone left. Moray wanted one last silent chuckle as the clueless professor knocked again. This time the sound was different though. Not really a ''knock, knock, knock'', this was more the sound of metal on metal, ''ping, ping, ping''.


    Moray jumped back, startled as the front door fell into the outer hallway. Professor Tallsqueak was standing there, holding his spanner in one hand, and the pins from the door hinges in the other. He set the pins on a side table, along with the screws from the locking assembly. "Your door was stuck, but I fixed it for you. Strange how the hinges and lock are facing to the hallway, almost as if they were designed to lock students inside. Good to see you again, Moray. You and I need to talk. But can we go somewhere else? I can hear the Lizard Racing starting up, and I''d probably be distracted by them."


    Moray stared at the handful of door hardware the Professor was piling on the table. "How did you know about the races?"


    Milo smiled. "One of your clan members put a notice about it on the contributions board."


    Moray grimaced. "Ah, yes. My clan is not known for subtlety. Perhaps a nice cup of tea in the dining room then, Professor?"


    "That sounds fine Moray, lead on."


    Moray led Milo down a long hallway. The floor was dark wood with a thick emerald carpet running down the middle. This led to a huge dining room where sixty students could eat at once. The furnishings and carpets indicated the eels were doing very well. It wasn''t what he had expected from a group of students in a small hollow. Moray was obviously proud of it. "Welcome to the heart of Clan Emerald Wyrm. We eat together here three times a day, and use it for all our meetings."


    Around the walls were various trophies, awards, banners, and the skulls and pelts of large animals. It was so hard for Milo to judge the level of wealth. Squint had had stuff like this, but he thought this might be nicer than the collection of wealth that the gang lord had on display. No one in the habs had anything like this of course.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "It''s very nice. Is your clan old? You seem to have acquired quite a bit of wealth."


    Moray smiled at the compliment. "One of the oldest. Hollows come and go. Clans may move from one to another. The wars created chaos. When some of the hollows were overrun, our clan moved to Limburger Hollow, and since many of the remaining members were mages, we chose to become part of the Tower of Strife. We have been a leading clan here ever since."


    Milo nodded. There was more to the eels than just some hot-headed duelists. "I need to talk to you about the types of cheese that you took to the cellar of the mess hall. Would you have a list we could go over?"


    Moray felt his stomach drop to his toes. Had they found out he''d shorted the count by a few wheels? "Of course, professor, let me run and get that." How had he known?


    Milo walked around the room, staring at the various trophies, some of these were quite old. A skull of a cave bear glared at him from on high, its pelt tacked up on the wall beneath it. Milo hoped to never meet one of its descendants. A shield made of bright emerald scales was in a spot behind the head table. A small plaque was below it. ''Shield of Vexanor the Green, gifted by the great wyrm herself to our clan, made from her cast-off scales.'' Milo thought it had an odd smell to it. He examined the other trophies, all things any barbarian warlord or king would be proud to display. In the corner was a strange collection of bones that were held together with wire.


    The creature stood upright on two legs and had six arms. A skull that looked like it came from a cow made the head. But the bones had nothing in common, they all felt different to him, and came from different skeletons. This wasn''t a creature, just something made from the bones of various creatures. Still...there was something odd about it. He ran his hand over each bone, trying to get a feel for it. One of the leg bones was actually a much smaller bone from a larger creature. He could feel residual magic within it and a few runes moving within the mana. They were old runes, similar to those he had learned from Volat-Repax. And he didn''t know these runes!


    Moray returned to the room and saw Milo looking at the creature. "Hideous, isn''t it? It was a project by one of our founders and we''ve had to pack it all over the place for a couple of centuries. I''d love to have a reason to get rid of it. Frankly, it smells odd."


    Milo looked at it. "It is a horrible thing. And because of that, I''d love to put it in the faculty library as a joke. What if I traded you something for it?"


    Moray was surprised by the offer. That really would be funny. And he could claim he had ''donated'' it to the faculty of the tower and never have to look at it again. "Let''s say I''m open to offers."


    "Five wheels of aged cheddar cheese? I''ll approve of your clan keeping them here, not at the mess hall."


    Moray tried to keep his face calm. Cheese! A start at rebuilding the hoard! "As the current head of Clan Emerald Wyrm, I accept!"


    Brer Moray''s attitude toward  Professor Tallsqueak warmed up quite a bit. The two of them went over the list, and the student was very happy to find out that Professor Tallsqueak was simply looking over the types of cheese and the size of containers they were packed into. "We packed everything into many large crates. They were a little heavy and took two of us to move each of them. Bleusnout made this list as we packed in each crate, and Smiley and Rifkin stacked it all up by the back wall. Those crates were heavy by the time we got to the cellar, but Rifkin insisted we put the crates at the other end of the room, so we had to pack it another hundred feet."


    "Sounds like a lot of work. This is a lot of cheese. I''m not familiar with some of it. Did any of it use any strange type of molds or strange ways of maturing the cheese?" Milo knew nearly every type of cheese on this list. Nothing seemed that out of the ordinary.


    Moray couldn''t think of anything like that. "Not that I know of. A lot of those odd names are just different varieties of cheddar. There was a time when every hollow was making up a name for what was just common cheese with berries or spices added. Do you have anything specific you were looking for?"


    "Yes. A small bit of Black Mold was found in the cellar, in an odd spot, along with spider mites. Did any of the cheese contain those?"


    Moray made a face. "Spider cheese? Ugh. Never. That stuff is insanely gross. I read an article on it once. The mites eat the rind of the cheese and when they die it gives the cheese a distinct flavor. I can''t imagine eating it. And I can''t think of any cheese that uses a Black Mold. Are they cleaning things up? I''d hate to see any cheese ruined."


    "Nothing to worry about. It was a very small crevice and may have come in with a shipment of mushrooms. I''m just being thorough. Like you said, no one wants to see any cheese lost. I''ll be by to drop off those rounds of cheddar tomorrow. Just sneak that monstrosity upstairs sometime when Professors Arlothe and Cremona aren''t around. I can''t wait to see their faces."


    Milo took his leave of Moray. Brer Moray raced downstairs to toss some bets on the last couple of Lizard races.


    <hr>


    Milo heard nothing from the Tea Party and assumed it had ended. He went to the mess hall where he found Rifkin struggling with getting out the food for the evening meal. Milo offered to help, but Rifkin turned him down. "No, I can handle it. I''m sure I can get someone to help serve. It wouldn''t look right for our new Master of Scouts to be washing dishes." Milo shrugged, got his food, and sat to eat. His tray had a small piece of cheese on it. He was tempted, but he wasn''t eating cheese anymore if Larry wasn''t. It took a great effort to do so. This was several days he''d gone without cheese. He wrapped it in a napkin and put it in his pocket.


    [What Willpower?! You have denied yourself cheese through sheer stubbornness to give in to a substance your body craves.


    Cheese Addiction is now in remission.


    You have gained the skill: Master the Cheese at rank 0. This is a WIS-based skill that allows you to go longer without cheese, and to negate some of the bad effects of cheese.


    But how long can you last?]


    How long could he last? Yes, that was a good question. If it wasn''t helping Larry, then he wouldn''t even be trying. But maybe for a few days more?


    Milo sat in the back of the mess hall, thinking. Things simply weren''t adding up correctly. He needed to do some investigations in the cellar, and he needed to do them when Rifkin wasn''t around. The mess hall was the territory of the interim Master of Cheese and he couldn''t go down to the cellar without Rifkin''s permission, and he wasn''t going to ask. There were times when Rifkin wasn''t here, he just needed to be patient.


    He walked outside, thinking of waiting for Larry in his friend''s house when he saw Brutus walking quickly towards him.

 Chapter 149: March of the Spiders

    The avenging army of the Iron Spider trudged onward to victory. Their crafty general had chosen to move through the lower tunnels. And she had set an easy pace for them. Rather than running fast along the webways, they were moving through the tunnels, taking their time and hunting for food. And the general led the way. She was marching along slowly at the front of the army, followed by her two banner bearers, her fearsome presence keeping small enemies at bay. The few times that any creature was visible, the gunner on her back mowed it down with a dwarven battle gun.


    There was plenty of time to dig small mammals and large beetles from their lairs, and plenty of food in these unused caverns. The spiders generally moved around by the web ways, quickly moving through the large spaces on thin, gossamer strands. Many of the spiders in the army were happy to have such a holiday.


    On the second day, a halt was called, and they were ordered to create a nest and put out scouts. They would be staying here and resting before the battle. H''spat, one of the Queen''s special advisors had spread the word. The exalted noble moved through the army, passing the orders and talking to some of the lesser spiders. She explained that General Iron Spider wished for them to share in the glory. The lesser spiders moved to the front of the march, and the Queen''s Guard Units and the fearsome Wolf Spiders moved further back. The elite units took this small slight with much grace, moving to the rear and setting up their camps. The lesser spiders were in good morale, with plenty of easy food to catch, time to sleep, and an easy pace. After talking to each of the units in the army, the advisor went forward again to confer with the general about when they would begin marching the next day.


    "How long until that useless limb is repaired? It''s been trouble since those two idiots let a kobold work on me. I swear half its work was breaking a week later." The General was resting on a large rock, legs splayed around her so her mechanic could more easily work on repairs. It was not comfortable, but they didn''t have a harness to lift her up like they used in repair shops.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Her mechanic spat out a long stream of tobacco on the ground. "Not early, that''s fer sure, fer sure. This leg is all mucketied-mucked up. I''m going to have to hammer some new parts and jury-rig a spring to get it working. You''re going to have to start using all those eyes to watch where you step, I''ve only got so many parts with me."


    Grobit had removed the armor of the damaged leg and was trying to repair the joint that had frozen up after a bad trip. The mechanical spider legs had been repaired so many times over the years that no two were similar at this point. The ingenious Goblin tinkerer was surprised every single time he tore off the outer plating and never knew what to expect. He packed a large supply of extra parts and was always looking for more bits to add to it.


    But that''s what made this gal a work of art! Countless dwarven, goblin, ratkin, and even elvish mechanics had worked on her. She could take an amazing amount of damage in battle. But she wasn''t at all built for long marches over rough terrain. He''d suggested time and again that a nice set of wheels would let her go faster, but his suggestions were always turned down. Probably for the best, though. He''d still be riding up top and a spider on roller skates might not give the best ride.


    By the next morning, he''d gotten the leg back in shape and they took off again, at the general''s slow pace. H''spat sent forward scouts to mark the route, and to roll any loose rocks out of the way. They were on a schedule, and even though the advisor had counted on a slow trip, this was pushing it.


    As the host of spiders marched slowly along, they came to a choice of two ways to go. The Iron Spider led her army down the marked path toward the mushroom fields of Limburger Hollow. The Queen''s Guard and Wolfen units took a break to eat lunch and then took the other branch that led up to the webways and their rendezvous with the main force of the Spider Army. They picked up their pace. They had a long way to go, and a short time to get there!

 Chapter 150: The Raid

    This was one hell of a raid! Just getting to the main fight was a test for his guild. One they had already failed at twice!


    Brannigan had called a recent break to let the healers administer first aid and mend some wounds. Then some additional time was needed to let the clerics get some of their mana back. Even with a snack of mana-imbued bacon, potions, and a bard singing it took some time. The path to the raid area was wearing them down, bit by bit. The first part was all survival and dealing with trash mobs on the way to the big fight at the end. The area was infested with stone lurkers, psycho-shrooms, huge carnivorous moles, giant vampire bats, and poisonous centipedes of unusual size. The local denizens were introducing themselves to the raid one by one.


    First was the discovery that the glowing purple mushrooms that shed a little light in the caves shouldn''t be picked. TerryToony had thought that they would make great torches. The paladin had picked two of them, held them up high, and walked around the raid shouting, "May the Holy Light of the Purple Mushroom bless you all." The colorful fungus did shed good light when he held them up, but they also started shedding glowing purple spores that floated down and outlined Terry and anyone nearby in soft purple light. One of the clerics had laughed at him and joined in. "I too will become a devotee to the Holy Purple Mushroom!" After that, everyone had to pick them and throw them in the air. The air was swirling with spores, and everyone in the raid was glowing in the dark. Any predator nearby was attracted to the easy-to-spot prey.


    Then things got worse.


    Some idiot joked about them being snowflakes and held out her tongue to catch them. It had been Tequila-Jane of course. Her character was a Sword Witch wielding a Chaos Blade. Her choices for a class and weapon reflected her personality. Jane was not the most stable of people to start with. Fun to have around though. After a mouthful of psycho-shroom, she started really glowing and proclaimed she was not only blessed by the Fungus God but had gained 10 Enhancement Points for eating the purple fungus. She ran around laughing and singing, proclaiming herself to be the incarnation of Coyote-Bob, the God of chaos.


    Half the raid immediately tried to catch the flakes on their tongues or eat the mushrooms. They''d assume Jane''s antics were just part of being Jane. However, the mushrooms turned out to be highly psychoactive. Half the raid went crazy, running off into the dark, where the waiting predators found them to be both tasty and easy to find. Other players began fighting with each other while claiming that goblins were attacking. Four of the wizards stood in the middle of the chaos arguing with each other over which anime character was the most powerful and whether the Hulk could beat Superman.


    Twenty-three people died, and they decided to put off the raid until the next day. The Enhancement Points were totally a figment of Jane''s imagination. Coyote-Bob never showed up. Psycho-shrooms were avoided after that, mainly because of the horrifying hangover they gave the next day. Brannigan saw that Tequila-Jane had a small pouch on her belt with a slight purple glow. She was sneaking pinches of mushroom now and then, and chewing them. But at least she was behaving mostly normal, so he let it slide. "Mostly Normal" was pretty mild for Tequila-Jane.


    The next day, they did better. With a lot of the trash mobs killed the day before, the raid made it to the same spot where the glowing fungus fiasco had occurred, now devoid of mushrooms. They were just in time to be attacked by two huge mole creatures. Normally the moles avoided the area because of the psycho-shrooms, but with the glowing fungus missing, they were expanding their hunting territory. One dug out of the wall from each side, springing an ambush.


    That fight hadn''t gone too badly. This group at least knew how to kill things. Fighters ran to engage each of the moles, and the clerics backed them up with heals. There was a bit of confusion, but the moles were both killed after a few minutes. The creatures had a huge amount of health and turned out to be low-level bosses.


    [Congratulations! Your raid has fought and killed two named bosses: Olaf and Iggy Molinsky


    For slaying the Molinsky brothers, each member of the raid has earned 200 experience and 2 Enhancement Points.


    Your reputation with the Moletariat would go down if you weren''t already at the bottom. Those moles hate everybody.]


    Morale went up after that. Enhancement Points were always nice to get. Players could kill trash mobs to level, and some had done so continuously until they hit the top of Level 5. Then they did the least amount of work to move on to level 6 and the second tier. This resulted in no options to upgrade their classes. Some were working on repeating this losing strategy, while others had learned their lesson and started over. It wasn''t enough to do just the basics. The most successful guilds had players that pushed past a stat of 5 by raising their caps. They earned Enhancement Points by killing bosses and raiding constantly. Brannigan could only hope this raid would put his little group on that path.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    It was the special skills you could buy with Enhancement Points that let a player customize their character and become more powerful. That was one of the reasons he had agreed to do this raid. The bigger the fight and the crazier the monsters, the bigger the reward. And doing crazy things and big quests gave a lot better options for upgrades in Tier 2. Brannigan had started out as a vanilla fighter. He''d spent all of his time with a small group killing the same village of goblins every day, and selling their ears, livers, and teeth to an alchemist. After reaching Tier 2 he''d been offered the classes: Fighter, Trashhauler, and Goblinslayer. He''d decided to start over.


    The raid was dealing fairly well with random lurker attacks and trash mobs until they got to the bridge. It was just a basic stone bridge across a 30-foot-wide chasm. It was ten feet wide, level, with no traps, and should have been no problem to walk across.


    They had checked it out as best they could first, just to be sure. A thief had slowly snuck across using stealth and checking for traps. A wizard had declared it to be completely non-magical.


    The bridge wasn''t trapped, but it was certainly dangerous. As people with torches or light globes started walking across the bridge, giant bats swooped down, knocking two people to their deaths. The raid had prepared for a fight when they saw another dozen bats but the bats were content to fly down into the chasm and feast on the tenderized corpses. The raid moved onward. The dead players would lose their gear. Brannigan wasn''t going to risk sending down a group to resurrect the two, and possibly lose more people.


    The latest obstacle had been a steep incline that ended in a thirty-foot drop. Mickey had scouted ahead and said it wasn''t a bad climb down to the drop-off, and they could rig a rope to help people descend. Mickey and Fleegle were working on putting pitons into the rock to secure the ropes, and a ranger named Leafrot was scouting further ahead.


    Climbing slowly down a steep slope was tricky, but not difficult if you went slowly, and faced back uphill. Climbing down a thirty-foot rope shouldn''t be tough for most players. If someone had no skills at all to help, and bad physical stats, a fighter could lower them with a harness. So it shouldn''t have been a problem getting everyone down. But of course, since it looked easy and was taking some time, some of the players got bored and improvised.


    The first five people had slowly made their way down successfully and two started down the ropes. Five more were on the way, but two of those decided to walk down normally, instead of backward. Jester wanted to show off his monk''s skills and slide down like he was snowboarding, which made TheBlueBishop decide to try the same stunt, despite having no agility skills.


    The rest of the raid saw people moving quicker and pushed ahead. Rocks and pebbles started rolling downhill, disturbed by the passage of so many people. A wizard patiently waiting his turn for a rope got hit in the head with a rock and tumbled from the cliff, taking a bard halfway down the rope with her. Both landed in a pile at the bottom with half their health, until more rocks and more people started falling on them. Being at the bottom of the pile proved fatal.


    Jester made it down fine, jumped off the edge like it was a ski ramp, and landed in a roll far down the slope, unharmed. Not so his imitator, TheBluebishop. Clerical robes flying around him, the portly man tripped, rolled, knocked into two more players and all three fell off the cliff, one dying as the portly cleric landed on him.


    Of the thirty-six players to start, 27 made it down the cliff, 16 with broken bones of some type. Three more died when Jester came racing back to camp, pursued by a giant praying mantis he had disturbed. Leafrot never returned from his scouting mission.


    Brannigan called it at that point. They needed to heal, dead players knocked off the bridge needed to catch up with the raid, and everyone was low on mana and health. They made fires, put out bedrolls, and ate meals, followed by designating the camp as their resurrection point. Brannigan organized the players into shifts so that the camp was never abandoned and the rest could log out. They''d get the group healed and all together for the next leg of the journey.


    Overall, he wasn''t upset with the event. It had some traps and things they had learned to avoid, but they were all getting better at paying attention and looking for threats. The trash mobs weren''t trash and they were getting some good experience. Coyote-Jane claimed to have gained a level for real and a heritage option. But she also still clung to her mushroom dream of being an avatar of Coyote-Bob, so who knew? What he really liked was how the event made him feel like they were exploring into the unknown. He knew the fights were probably level-appropriate and scaled to the area, but it still felt like they might run into something nasty at any moment. This made the players pay attention and stay serious and mostly silent.


    It was a good player experience, and he wondered what else they''d run into before they did the invasion of the ratkin area.

 Chapter 151: Pickled Picnics and Plucky Puffyfurs

    Redfawn beat on the glass of the pickle jar she was imprisoned in, but she wasn''t strong enough to break the bright green enchanted pickle glass. Through the green-tinted glass, she saw her other fairy friends being roughly stuffed into jars as well. Greggy was screwing the lids on tight and punching small holes in the top to air in. The Bad Pickle Boyz had captured all of them! Gingersnapple was in the jar nearest to her, with Tuliptoes, Cherrypit, and Moonflower further down the row.


    Then the horror began as Greggy Gurner started taunting them. Pickles were so mean!


    "Ha! Silly flutter-things were thinking y''all wuz the smartiest, but Greggy is smartiest too! Did you have fun at my Pikknik?" He held up a small piece of paper showing a picnic basket and directions to the fairy picnic. Redfawn suddenly understood! The surprise picnic no one had known about, why picnic was spelled wrong, and why the invitations had told them to go to the clearing in the Haunted Woods. It all made sense now!


    "You lied about the picnic!" Such evil had rarely been seen in the Flowerlands!


    All the Bad Pickle Boyz laughed. Greggy laughed the loudest. "Oh no. We is gonna have us a pikknik, but first we need to have a little contest. Some of you will be new pickles, and some will stay cucumbers. So, you is gonna have to decide whether you wanna go to the picnic with Greggy, or be on the menu!"


    The horrified fairies saw that Big Pickle and Granny Gerkin had arrived. The smoke-belching Pickle Wagon came up the hill with Granny driving and Big Pickle riding in the back next to the pickle barrels and vinegar vat. Granny hopped out of the driver''s seat of the Pickle Wagon and Big Pickle unwound a long hose. While two of the boyz ran the hand pump on top of the vinegar vat, Big Pickle put the hose over the top of Redfawn''s jar and vinegar came through the air holes, soaking her. Granny laughed. "Oh, you is gonna be such a bad batch of sour little pickles. That sauce has dill, mustard, and lots of peppercorns in it."


    The vinegar stung her eyes and skin and smelled horrible. The other fairies cried out when it was their turn to be pickled. "I don''t want to be a yucky pickle!" Cherrypit''s voice cried out, but the Bad Pickle Boyz just laughed.


    <hr>


    Bertie Badger had showed up late to the picnic. He loved free food, but he''d slept in, and then Uncle Ebeneezer had needed his tonic made from carrot juice, and the carrots had been extra hoppy and hard to catch today. When he showed up to the clearing in the haunted woods, he was disappointed to see that no one was there. Had Uncle Ebeneezer''s errand made him so late that he had missed cupcakes?


    Posters for the picnic were nailed to all the trees (Which really annoyed Mr. Ent.) and blankets were spread out on the ground, but no one was there. And things smelled bad! Like old vinegar or Uncle Ebenezer''s feet. He''d smelled that smell last spring when the Pickle Boyz had tried to steal all the jelly bean trees. Looking around, he saw large, three-toed footprints in the mud that smelled like vinegar. Pickles had been here!


    Bernie didn''t know what was going on, but he knew it needed someone bigger and smarter than him to fix things. The scared little badger ran off to find the Tunnelmuggle, Brinka was the only one who could help them now!


    <hr>


    The Clan Puffyfur tea party had been a rousing success. Especially if you judged it by how many cookies had been eaten. They had served three kinds of tea, read some poetry, played charades, and Larry had told several stories about Flowerland and the fairies that lived there.


    "It seems so real when you tell your stories, Larry." Sophie had been mesmerized by the stories. "I wish we could go there someday."


    Larry was happy. He''d had so many cookies! The room was too small to dance in, but the tea was tasty. And he was glad to tell his stories. "Stories are real for Larry. Someday maybe they will be real for you too!"


    Patsy, Sassy, Sophie, Luna, and Dot all hoped that was true. "Can you take us there, Larry?"


    Larry shook his head. "No, Larry can''t. Larry is too big to fit through the secret door. He needs help from Brinka, the Tunnelmuggle. It is very hard for Brinka to take Larry there because Larry has such big feet. Larry only goes to Flowerland when it is hero time. And if it is hero time, then lots of scary bad guys are running around. You''d have to fight them and be heroes too!"


    All the girls nodded. Being a hero sounded good, but maybe not fighting bad guys. Puffyfurs weren''t noted for being brave. Those people joined Clan Manticore.


    The cuckoo clock struck twelve, and the little bird came out and started tweeting over and over. Which was strange, because the clock hadn''t been there a moment before. A foot-high green door opened up in the wall, and Brinka stuck her head out. "Larry! I''ve been looking all over for you! Something terrible has happened, and all the fairies are missing!"


    All of the Puffyfurs were staring and holding their breath. Larry patted Brinka on the head. "Don''t worry, Larry will come help."


    Patsy, Sassy, Sophie, Luna, and Davie started talking all at once. "We''ll help! Puffyfurs can be brave! And smart! We''ll bring cookies!"


    Brinka gave her consent to Larry. More heroes would be a good thing! Larry stood up, scattering the table and anything on it, and grabbed all the girls up into a bear hug. Then the Hero of Flowerland dove into the small door and down into the Tunnelmuggle Tunnel. His feet were the last part of him to go through the door, and Brinka had to push hard.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    <hr>


    The trip down the tunnel wasn''t long, but it was very curvy. The Hero and Heroes-in-Training fell out of a hole in the branch of the Big Oak Tree by the Pond. It was only a short fall and they landed in the Sunflowers. Patsy, Sassy, Sophie, Luna, and Davie stared around with huge eyes, taking in the too colorful landscape, with the bright sun overhead.


    Larry produced several pairs of dark glasses from a small chest at the base of the tree. "Larry wears Hero Glasses while he is here so he can see better." He put on his own pair and handed out five more pairs of stylish, dark-tinted shades to his assistants. As he was doing so, he saw the poster for the picnic nailed to the oak tree.


    "Aha! A clue!" He showed the poster to the junior heroes. "We must be clever and find the clues to where the fairies have gone."


    They got to work.


    "They spelled picnic wrong."


    "The poster is drawn on the back of a label from a pickle jar."


    "It says ''event of the season'', which can''t be right. Our tea party was the event of the season!"


    "It smells like vinegar."


    Larry was happy that his new friends had come along, they were so good at finding clues. "Good job, heroes." Larry sniffed the air and all around the oak tree, then pointed down a path to the haunted forest. "Fairies went this way. We should go look for them!"


    Patsy pointed to the small badger that was running down the path towards them. "Maybe Mr. Badger knows something."


    Larry could see Bernie Badger running down the path. It was a clue! Bernie was lazy and always late. If he was running, he had important news. Time to put all the clues together and find some fairies!


    <hr>


    "Oooh, look, they''re all starting to turn green! This is gonna be some fine new pickles when they get done!" Greggy was feeling good. Both Granny Gerkin and Big Pickle had joined the gang when he explained his clever plan to them. "Soon as these are done, we''ll get to work pickleing up all of Flowerland!"


    Big Pickle yelled out. "And there''s no one who can stop us."


    Granny Gerkin stared at Big Pickle and did a double face-palm. "You had to say that, didn''t you?!"


    From over the hill came the sound of large, pickle-stomping feet.


    "Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Evil Pickles got to Go!" It was Larry! Slow-Talking, Fast-Walking Larry! The Hero of Flowerland!


    Granny wasn''t surprised. Big Pickle might as well have sent the Hero an engraved invitation with a map when he said that no one could stop them. "Get him, Big Pickle! I''ll load up the Pickle Wagon!"


    Greggy urged the Bad Pickle Boyz on. "Well, don''t just sit here! Go help Big Pickle! It''s seven to one. Surely, he can''t beat all of you!"


    Granny Gerkin heard Greggy say that and wondered how she had gotten stuck with these idiots. "Just shut your mouth Gurner and start loading up those pickle jars into the wagon. Greggy turned to grab the fairies and their jars, but they were gone. He saw five wizards with tails and bows in their hair sprinting away with the fairies in their arms, discarded pickle jars were scattered on the ground. He chased after them. "Give them fairies back! I trapped them fair and square!"


    Patsy called a halt. "This is far enough. Deploy wands, Puffyfurs. Time to show this pickle what it means to mess with Clan Puffyfur!"


    Greggy Gurner was a powerful Boss Pickle over seven feet tall and weighed more than what all five small wizards did together. That didn''t help him as he was targeted with five spells.


    "Sassy''s Static Bombardment. Go!"


    "Davie''s Dangerous Discharge. Go!"


    "Vengeful Electrical arc of the Moon. Go!"


    "Sophie''s Silly Symphony of Synchronous Thunder. Go!"


    A field of static electricity burned the pickle''s feet and slowed him down. He was shocked by a blast of lightning from Davie''s wand. From the sky, a brilliant white bolt of energy lanced down to hit Greggy on top of his head. Finally, small thunderstorms appeared and tossed lightning at him, making him dance.


    It was a tired and burnt pickle boss that staggered up the hill, only to be met by Patsy. The official 3rd assistant to the head of the planning committee for Clan Puffyfur was angry. This was the worst picnic ever! "Vengeful Smite of Clan Puffyfur!" She slammed her staff into Greggy Gurner¡¯s face, knocking him down and breaking his crown, sending him tumbling down the hill.


    Big Pickle had reached Larry as Larry sprinted down the hill. Big Pickle went to throw a punch, but Larry leaped into the air, spinning and hitting the large pickle in the face with his huge foot. Big Pickle''s head exploded into little bits of vegetable. His head was mostly hollow, after all. Larry''s tail scattered the rest of the Bad Pickle Boyz. They got the message.


    "Time to Leave!" The boys grabbed what was left of Big Pickle and ran for the Pickle Wagon.


    Grandma Gerkin shook her fist at Larry. "Darn you, Larry! This plan would have worked except for you and those meddling kids!" She drove off in the Pickle Wagon with Greggy Gurner running behind and begging her to slow down.


    "I need a bath!" Gingersnapple was trying to wash off the pickle juice with a handful of grass, but it was sticky and icky.


    "Let''s go to the river and take a bath, then we can have lemonade and jellybeans with our new friends." Moonflower was fond of Lemonade and suggested it whenever she could.


    "Yay, a real picnic!"


    Larry let the fairies ride on his head and shoulders since their wings were sticky. Clan Puffyfur walked along with him.


    "Best Tea Party of the Year!"

 Chapter 152: The Cheese Caravan

    Merchant Greensleeves¡¯s wagon was first in line as it entered the outer edge of the caves surrounding Limburger Hollow. It was painted bright red with a canvas top striped yellow and white. It was pulled by a matching pair of albino draft lizards, their scales gleaming after being polished with oil each day. The entire caravan looked more like a circus than a merchant carrying goods


    Greensleeves called a halt to the caravan and ordered a two-hour break for rest and food. "Get something to eat and stretch your backs. Double-check that your wheels are tight and your lizards polished. It''s close to showtime. Once we get inside there isn''t time to breathe we will be so busy, so take care of things now." The guards and drovers laughed and waved at him, thankful for the small break before they rolled into Limburger Hollow.


    With just 1 guard and his personal scribe, the Merchant drove his wagon up to the entrance to the Limburger Hollow. The two guards at the entrance were immense specimens, and he wondered what their bloodline was. They wore steel plate armor and wielded impressively large halberds. He was happy to see that. A safe hollow was prosperous and rich hollow.


    The guards greeted him politely as he drove up and hopped down from his wagon. "Howdy, and welcome to Limburger Hollow! I''m Justin and this is Brutus. Is it just your one wagon, or is there a larger caravan on the way?"


    Greensleeves laughed and shook hands with them. "As if you two haven''t been hearing the sound of our wheels for half a bell. I know how sharp a guard''s ears need to be. I am happy to say that we took no losses in our journey and I can deliver sixteen wagons of fun, music, dancing, and cheese to Limburger Hollow. I''m looking forward to meeting Master Bleusnout, trading some wheels of cheese with him, and talking about recipes we can share. We have spoken by letter of course, but it''s so much nicer to talk cheese making in person."


    There was a small change in the guard¡¯s demeanor, which only someone with Greensleeve''s high perception would catch. Something was wrong.


    The guard named Justin was trying to keep the same easy-going smile on his face, but it was an act now, whereas before it had been genuine. "I''m sorry to say that Master Bleusnout is a bit under the weather today. He''s had an accident. But Brutus can go get one of the other Masters to talk to you. For now, why don''t you bring your caravan into the outer cave so you don''t have to worry about any critters being attracted by the cheese."


    Greensleeves bowed. "I thank you for your hospitality, sir Justin. I''ll get my people inside so they can take a well-deserved rest and I look forward to talking to the Masters of the Hollow." He walked away listening. The Cheese Master was too ill to talk to the head merchant of a Cheese Caravan? He must be ill indeed. Perhaps he had underestimated Sneakybadguy, it seemed his agent already had his plan running and Limburger Hollow was ready to be toppled.


    Back at the caravan, four of the guards and a fiend-keeper went to two large wagons with heavy tarps over their contents. Carefully looking inside, Grackle, the fiend-keeper, checked on Buttercup and Rosy. The two fiends were asleep. Rosy was curled up holding her doll, and Buttercup was snoring a little. He put a piece of Slaver Cheese in front of each of them. They would wake soon and eat it immediately, then curl back up for another day¡¯s sleep. It was imperative that these two be kept out of sight. He''d give them some more Sleepycheese in a couple of hours. Nothing said "Here to conquer you." like a couple of fully armored war fiends.


    Brutus walked quickly down the narrow tunnel that led from the guard station in the outer cave to the beginning of the Hollow. He needed to find someone to talk to that Merchant. A Cheese Caravan was a big thing! Limburger hadn''t had one visit for over three years. The Merchants who took it upon themselves to travel from hollow to hollow were wandering heroes to many ratkin, and it was the dream of many whelps to run away and join one. Travel, see far hollows, be a hero, and fight monsters! It was an adventurous life that many sought, but few actually found


    You had a big dream, and then your parents had to spoil it by pointing out that only veteran warriors were wanted in the caravan. It was one of the reasons he''d become a guard, and at times he still thought about it. But that would mean leaving Limburger, and that wasn''t a price he was willing to pay. Maybe if he hadn''t met Gendifur and they hadn''t started meeting up to talk every now and then. Maybe he''d have kids, and he could let one of them run off with a caravan. Hell, maybe he should start one up. A few wagons, take Gendifur along, and just run back and forth between here and Gouda Hollow? Something to think about.


    He quit daydreaming and went back to searching for a Master. He didn''t see Gilad around the arena, and the Fighting Master was notoriously hard to find when he wasn''t in the ring and teaching a class. Old Healer would be with Bleusnout and wasn''t available. So, did he head down to the mines and find Master Clawhammer? Or to the tower and grab Master Arlothe? Rifkin wasn''t a full Master yet and he was busy trying to get a meal on the table. Mistress Brownfur would be far out into the gathering fields by now.


    His problem was solved as he saw Tallsqueak coming out of the mess hall...no, make that Master Scout Tallsqueak! Problem solved.


    <hr>


    Milo saw Brutus waving to him and walked over to the big guard. Brutus shook his hand. "Wanted to congratulate you on grabbing a ring and taking over as Scout Master. Good move. It will be nice to have someone coordinating the scouts again. It''s been just the guards handling problems for a long time, but scouts take care of things before they can get to the Hollow."


    Brutus couldn''t hide a big grin. "And speaking of things that are just outside the Hollow: We have a Cheese Caravan arriving and the whole meeting and greeting stuff is just way above my pay scale. Justin says it''s Master level stuff. And since Bleusnout isn''t feeling well, and the rest of the old Masters are so hard to find, I think that this falls squarely in your area of responsibility."


    Milo could handle the translation himself: Job to do. Tag, you''re it. This time he didn''t mind. A Cheese Caravan sounded exciting! Exploring through caves, finding lost routes to other places. It sounded like a great job. The people in the caravan had to be some of the nicest people out of any hollow to work so hard to bring tasty things to other hollows.


    "Sure, Brutus. I''m happy to help out."


    <hr>


    Greensleeves wandered along the wagons in his caravan, checking on details. First impressions were important. He only had a few of the warriors in armor and standing guard with specific instructions to relax and be friendly. The rest were dressed in normal clothes, making fires, cooking a meal, or just sitting around and joking with each other. Stopping at the other hollows had been good practice.


    His wagon master was doing his job looking for problems. A cracked axle or broken wheel could set the caravan back for hours at a time. They weren''t planning on going anywhere, but now was a good time to catch up with repairs. He saw that the man was scowling at one of the special wagons. This was one of two whose wooden sides hid a steel frame; the cage extending upward and being made to look like a pile of boxes and crates. Each one housed one of his Battle-Fiends and their armor. The axles and wheels were made to take the weight, with special springs to keep from jostling the easily annoyed fiends, but one was dripping oil steadily.


    Greensleeves wandered over when he saw the wagon master scowling. "What is the problem?" The older ratkin looked up at him nervously. "I think the mechanism is shot. We went over a lot of bumps and the suspension system takes a lot of wear and tear with as much weight as they are packing. I''ll have to jack it up, take it apart, and hope it''s something I can fix." Greensleeves thought about the problem at hand. He really wanted nothing to disturb his fiends. "Save it for now. Just put a bucket underneath to save the oil. When I find out more of what is going on, then I''ll tell you when to dismantle it."


    Greensleeves willed himself to be patient. He needed to know what was going on and to do that, he needed access to the interior of Limburger Hollow. Then he could find his agent, assess the weak points, plan his takeover, and find out how well the rest of Sneakybadguy''s plan was working. It shouldn''t be hard. Even if they didn''t have room for the caravan inside, he was sure that they would allow a few of his people to enter at a time to go shopping and trade for items. Most hollows were eager for trade and he assumed Limburger would be no different.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The second guard had returned, flanked by a young ratkin who was dressed strangely. A guard in training? Maybe an apprentice to a Master who was on his way? He was certainly too young to be a Master of anything. Brutus stepped forward to introduce them. "Merchant Greensleeves, this is Master Scout Tallsqueak. He was kind enough to take some time to talk to you."


    So he really was a Master? Interesting. He held out his hand and they shook. Greensleeves took a second look at him and did a careful examination. He was an adult, but just barely, with soft, fluffy fur that made him look much younger. He was wearing well-made, silky-black pants in a style that Greensleeves knew was preferred by claw fighters. Over that was a burnt-orange hood with runes on the cowl. He could only just see the runes as they faded in and out. Both pieces of clothing were obviously magical. As were the weapons on his back.


    The Scout Master had a very expensive-looking pick-axe made from rare materials. Greensleeves had not seen its like before. The other weapon was too powerful for him to identify properly. Who made a spikey stick out of such rare materials? It must be an old weapon from some ancient war. And on his finger was the Ring of a Master. Not all hollows had them still. They were created centuries ago by a conclave of crafters from many hollows, working together for decades on end to provide the talismans to each hollow. Five enchanted items? No! Six. He had a second ring! How did anyone so young acquire six magical items? Limburger Hollow must be much richer than he had ever realized. He had to calm himself just thinking about it.


    Greensleeves realized a few seconds had gone by while he examined the Master of Limburger Hollow''s scouts. "It is good to meet you. Forgive me, it''s been a long trip, and I have much on my mind."


    Milo smiled at him. "I can imagine. Most people have no idea how many moving parts projects have. Material resources, people, food and supplies for the people, transport for all of it, and then more food for the transport animals. I''ve only thought about your job for a moment once I saw your wagons and already, I''m seeing hundreds of little jobs that have to be done."


    He did? "It''s good to meet someone with that type of perspective. Most young people only see the bright tents and dream about running away and joining a caravan."


    Milo looked over at the tents. "They are very nice looking. The colors are interesting. Natural warning colors to ward off some predators? The bright red, glowing purple and bright yellow probably do the trick. Wait? People can run away from the Hollow to join a caravan? That''s an option? I may have to talk to you further about that. It sounds fun. Lots of exploring."


    Greensleeves wondered about where Tallsqueak had grown up. Didn''t every whelp dream of running off with a caravan? "Ah, less than you''d think. We mostly travel the same roads. I was hoping to talk to you about something else. As you can see, there is room here for the Caravan to set up, but I was wondering if there is a larger area inside of the Hollow? Your esteemed Master Bleusnout had written me and seemed to think so."


    Milo was looking at all the wagons, piled high with boxes. There was certainly room to move the wagons inside, but what of the festivities, and people moving back and forth? The caravan probably wouldn''t want to be crammed into a small space. Their sales and profits depended on people being able to access the stalls where cheese was sold or traded. You needed room for that. It would be doing the caravan a disservice to cram them into the Hollow.


    "I''m not sure that there is. Not to give you proper room to interact with everyone one and maximize your sales. Certainly not for the dancing and music, that would be a lot better to do out here. I saw the posters you must have asked Bleusnout to post. Looks like a lot of the Hollow will be running around and having fun." He started walking along through the cavern, pointing at the ceiling. "Those stalactites would work great for anchoring a set of colorful lanterns to illuminate the dancing. It''s not hard crawling on the ceiling, I''ll do it if you don''t have anyone that can."


    He pointed to a spot in the cave that was slightly higher than the rest of the floor. "A stage for the band would go well there. Good acoustics, don''t you know? That area of the wall forms a natural amphitheater to magnify the sound. I bet Master Clawhammer could build some temporary seating over in that section and then we can sweep out the area in the middle for dancing."


    Greensleeves found himself following around the excitable Master Scout as he laid out the caravan and volunteered ideas for making the celebration go easier. Several of Greensleeve''s people walked over, and seeing what was going on, offered their own advice on things when Tallsqueak started asking them questions. Then he borrowed a pencil and drew out the diagrams on the side of a wagon. If Greensleeves was really a merchant, and if he wasn''t leading an army in disguise, he probably would have tried to hire the young Scout Master for future caravans. Instead, he found himself unable to argue with the well-made plans that kept his caravan out of the Hollow.


    Milo looked around at a half dozen ratkin and soldiers looking at him. "Well, that''s my idea, anyway. I''m sure you all know how to do it better."


    The wagon master and bard were looking at the plans and turned to Merchant Greensleeves. "Does this work for you sir?"


    Greensleeves smiled. "Of course, it does. Nicely thought out. If only all Hollows put this much thought into our visits." He took Milo by the arm and pulled him over to a quieter spot. "I''m wondering if perhaps I or some of my people can visit your hollow? The crew would love to shop for fresh food and look for things in your marketplace. And exchange of ideas and goods is always a good thing between Caravans and Hollows. I daresay we gather up information like a Gather Master in a field of fungus, and then distribute it everywhere we go."


    "Oh, yes, that sounds swell. I''m sure visitors will be welcome. And I hadn''t considered how much someone like you must learn traveling like you do. Can I ask you a few questions?"


    Greensleeves was happy to turn the conversation in this direction. "Certainly, what would you like to know?"


    Milo had several questions he needed information on. "I was wondering if you knew of why cheese mites might be on a wheel of cheese, or in its packaging. Have you ever encountered that? Are they more common in some hollows? Are they used in any cheese-making process?"


    Greensleeves stroked his beard to cover his surprise. Spider mites? Of course, he had. It was one of the ingredients used to make Milkenbase, the cheese that was the main ingredient in Slave Cheese. "Spiders? Um, no. No, I have not. That sounds horrible."


    Milo was disappointed. He''d hoped the wise merchant might have known. "How about black mold? Is it poisonous? What would happen if someone ate it?"


    "Ah, no. I''m sorry. I think Black Mold is to be avoided at all costs. You don''t have an infestation of it in your Hollow, do you?"


    Parts of Wurchwitz Hollow had become infested with Black Mold, forcing them to seal off tunnels and caves. Experimenting with it and trying to find a cure for ''Black Lung'' was how they knew it could be used to make so many effective poisons. Why was Tallsqueak asking these questions? Did he suspect something?


    Tallsqueak nodded. "No worries. I just have questions sometimes and they bother me until I find the answers." He focused on something two wagons down. "Oh, you have a bad axle that is leaking grease. I''ll take a look at that for you." Before Greensleeves could stop him, Milo had taken the spanner from his belt and was undoing two bolts to remove a plate on the axle assembly.


    "This is a nice design. The lubrication for the suspension system and the grease for the wheels are supplied by the same container. But it looks like the pressure screws are loose and creating an imbalance. Too much pressure is sending lubrication to the left wheel and causing it to leak." He tightened a couple of screws, put the cover back on, and slid out from under the wagon.


    "That should work. Wouldn''t want one of your wagons losing a shock absorber and seizing up." As Milo stood up and dusted off his pants. something large rocked the wagon and snored heavily.


    Greensleeves thought quickly and whispered. "We should move away from here. That''s Dave''s wagon. He''s a pretty large guard, and he just got to sleep. Snores terribly at times."


    Milo nodded. "Yeah, Brutus does the same. He rattles the whole Guard Barracks when he sleeps."


    "Thank you for your time and expertise, Master Tallsqueak. I look forward to our visit to your hollow. They shook hands once again, and Milo headed back to Limburger Hollow.


    Merchant Greensleeves, known better as General Gangrene, watched him go and wondered just how much the Master of Scouts knew. He needed to find his agent. He pointed at four of the guards who had on normal clothing. "You four come with me. I have a hankering for some fried mushrooms the way only a Hollow makes them, and then we need to wander around and sightsee a bit."

 Chapter 153: Further Investigations

    The Cheese Caravan was in full swing, and Limburger Hollow was celebrating. The local musicians had joined with those in the caravan to put on an enthusiastic show. The Caravan was supplying cheesy snacks and fruit drinks to anyone who would provide music. Francis Longwhisker, the famous bard of Gouda Hollow was singing all the old favorites. Dancing and music ran long into the night, nearly to the next day.


    The caravan was doing a brisk business trading cheese for the goods the Hollow produced and at very good prices. Many families were stocking up on the tasty wheels and slabs, putting the aged cheese away for the holidays. And with every purchase came some of the caravan''s newest offerings, a soft and slightly sour cheese with caraway seeds. It was delicious when spread on crackers.


    The new cheese master was so taken with this cheese, that he had traded some of the Hollow''s cheese for enough for several meals. And he was giving two pieces at each meal as long as everyone promised to get lots of dancing in to work off the cheese. The extra cheese went a long way to make up for several meals of fried mushrooms. The new chef was having a hard time keeping up with meals and was preparing those easiest for him. Luckily, the inhabitants of the Hollow were easygoing as usual. They knew poor Rifkin was doing a lot without his usual helper, Smiley.


    Up on the roof of the mess hall, three shadows sat, talking in low tones, and using their skills to blend into the shadows. Occasionally jelly beans were shared and eaten. Milo had found the twins and the three of them were going to do a bit of creative scouting tonight. Milo wanted the twins to follow Rifkin when he left, while Milo investigated the cellar for clues.


    After talking with several people, he couldn''t see how the cheese could have come up the stairs into the mess hall and then left the building. There simply wasn''t enough time. And if the cheese hadn''t left by that route, it must have gone by another or was still down there. He and the twins had come up with a few ideas:


    -A vast storage pit had been dug to hide the cheese. Then the dirt scattered on the floor, making the distance to the ceiling 3" less.


    -Someone else had a Smugglers Stash in the Hollow. They were also Tier 6 and had upgraded their Stash many times. Milo explained the concept by telling them a little bit about the mage who had made extra rooms and magic doors. This led to the next idea.


    -Someone had access to an Arcane Cheese Vault. This was an exciting concept for all of them. A safe house for all your cheese, and yet it essentially traveled along with you. Perfection.


    -The cheese had been molded into the shape of a ratkin, clothes put on it, and the whole thing turned into a cheese golem that walked out with no one noticing. Maybe many cheese golems? Could you have an army of cheese golems? They wouldn''t last long against a Cheese Fiend, but maybe for fighting spiders? Even if this wasn''t true, the twins made Milo promise to look for something about Cheese Golems in the library of the tower.


    -There was a hidden entrance to a tunnel or another cave.


    The last was the most probable and by far the most boring. However, secret doors and tunnels were still pretty cool. The twins promised to behave and trail Rifkin if Tallsqueak promised to show them the secrets of any tunnels he found. The party at the Cheese Caravan had gone long into the night and nearly into the next day. Rifkin had kept the mess hall open for late-night snackers, proclaiming that the Hollow was having a holiday and he would try to have food ready for as much of the day as he could. He was bustling around his kitchen serving snacks and cheese to everyone who came in, and even sending people off with bags of food for those who hadn''t come to the caravan.


    Eventually, long past the normal time it would stay open, the lanterns in the mess hall were extinguished, and Rifkin locked the doors and left for the night. The twins melted into the shadows and Milo lost track of them. He waited for a few minutes and then began his investigations.


    <hr>


    Greensleeves was satisfied with the evening and the late-night celebrations. He had toured Limburger Hollow, gawking like a tourist and complimenting everyone. They had an impressive Mage''s Tower. The reputation of the Tower of Strife was well-earned. It housed a huge complement of talented students, and the clans who lived there were rumored to be quite wealthy. One had gained so much cheese that they had donated eighty-five wheels to the hollow!


    Enemy mages were always a danger. They could punch far above their weight class if allowed to burn up their mana. He would have to make sure they were neutralized early. Of course, having those same mages on his side would make conquering more hollows very easy.


    Limburger had rich mushroom and vegetable fields, enough that some were barely harvested. He could increase the population of slaves here, and send many wagons of food to supply the armies he would build. And those armies would be supplied weapons from this same hollow! The mines contained a great abundance of ores. Limburger Hollow was a little gem just waiting to be militarized.


    While many of their residents had fighter training, they had less than a dozen guards, and only two were full-time. Of course, they bred immense guards in this hollow, far larger than his own warriors. He was anxious to see how well they could fight.


    He had managed to only briefly contact his agent here. Their plans were going well, with just one teeny, tiny problem. Their new scout master was getting suspicious and asking questions. Having met him, Greensleeves understood the danger. The last thing he needed was a scout actually doing his job. He had worked with his agent to set in motion a plan to eliminate Tallsqueak, once and for all. Limburger hadn''t had a scoutmaster for decades. He hoped to help continue that trend.


    <hr>


    Milo used the door into the mess hall with the repaired lock. After making puffcakes that day, he had spent a few minutes fixing the locking mechanism that had bent when Larry walked through the door. It was easy enough to fix, with just a few bent pieces out of alignment. It meant that this time as he moved through the shadows and up to the door, it took no time at all to open it and slip inside.


    The mess hall was dark, but he could see easily. He carefully made his way to the back room and the stairway to the cellar, checking carefully as he went. Too much had already happened, and he was trusting nothing at this point. At the bottom of the stairs, he paused to listen at the doors to the cellar and examine the locks, hinges, and door frame. The lock showed signs of having been worked on recently. There were scratches where the mechanism had been removed and then put back into place. One of the screws was also new. Milo suspected that the key Bleusnout had used to come down here would no longer work.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    It wouldn''t stop him, just slow him down. He had expected to have to pick this lock. He removed his tools and got to work. There was no trap attached, but the lock was very stiff. It took him a full five minutes to get inside, pausing to listen both through the door and to the room above. He carefully opened the door after oiling the hinges to prevent any noise and hopped over a simple trap of a string attached to empty cans. If that was the best trap in this place, he wasn''t worried.


    The first stop was Bleusnout¡¯s little office, where he kept all of his paperwork, recipe books, and research materials. Everything looked to be in order. Milo spent an hour going through the desk, notebooks, and research journals. He memorized a lot of information about making cheese but didn''t see anything at all that seemed to bear on the situation. Carefully putting everything back, he began looking at the rest of the cellar.


    Rack after rack where large wheels of cheese had been now sat empty. This was the cheese that the Hollow consumed with their meals and for snacks each day. The hundreds of ratkin in Limburger Hollow would go through a surprising amount each week. Even at just an eighth of a pound each, the total would come to over a hundred pounds a day. The amount Milo had won from the eels wasn''t even a week''s worth of cheese, despite it being higher quality. The daily cheese was mostly cheddar and Limburger that the Hollow made themselves.


    The area for cutting and preparing cheese to be served was also empty, but had been used recently and not cleaned. There was a sour smell in the air. Milo looked over each knife and spoon, and on some he saw evidence of a soft and sour cheese. Something on a knife was moving. A very, very small mite. Looking around, Milo found sacks that had held the cheese. Each had spider mites crawling around on the insides. Someone had been cutting up Milbenkase here. But where had the spider cheese come from? Had Bleusnout traded for some and been eating it that night? That might explain the mites in the samples that he had taken, but not the chef''s overdose, or the problem of the missing cheese.


    Moray had complained of having to put the cheese on the far side of the room. Milo padded quietly over to that area, and began examine things. There were some broken crates in a pile, but no shipment of cheese. Oddly, there was a lot more dust on this side of the room, mostly on the floor. In some places it was half an inch thick. He thought of Tweedle¡¯s theory about digging a pit and covering the floor in dirt, and it amused him. There was of course, not enough dirt for that theory, but it bothered him. What would you hide by putting dirt on the floor.


    In this case, it wasn''t a suspicious blood stain or a hidden map carved into the rock. What his examinations revealed were scrapes and scratches as if heavy crates had been dragged in the direction of the wall. One scrape went right up to the wall.


    Milo checked around that area and found two suspicious-looking cracks in the stone.


    Some sort of disguised opening was here, but where was the trigger to open it? It took another half hour to find it. A small outcropping of stone about the size of the end of his thumb could be moved. The little rock was twenty feet down the wall from the rock. When moved an inch, there was a small click, and the door opened a half inch. It was a simple mechanism. The trigger simply pulled on a long wire that released the catch.


    He silently opened the door until he could move inside. A long corridor greeted him. It was five feet wide and six feet tall, with smooth rock on the floor, ceiling, and walls. Ten feet down were two side corridors. He debated leaving the door open, but the latch on this side was large and obvious, next to the lock. There was no chance of being locked in. He shut the door and moved further into the room. The smell of cheddar was strong in the air.


    At first, he was amazed at what he was looking at. The rock of the two side corridors had been carved to form long shelves from floor to ceiling. Each shelf was under an opening a foot high and two feet deep. On the rocky shelves was cheese. Big rounds of cheddar cheese. Underneath each five-pound wheel was the date it had been made, by who, the method, the type of milk, and anything that had been added to the regular recipe. The side corridors went twenty feet. There were four shelves with ten cheeses on each. Eighty wheels per corridor and a hundred and sixty altogether. The hallway he was standing in extended deep into the rock beneath the Hollow, and every six feet was another pair of cross-corridors with another hundred and sixty wheels.


    This was the long-term cheese storage for the Hollow. Bleusnout had obviously known about it. The writing on the tags was his. Milo moved further down the corridor. After passing a dozen crossroads, the hallway he was following came to a T. Across from him was a large room with casks of aged Limburger cheese. The smell was intense and very nice. Some of the dates indicated the cheese had been aging for decades. Opening one of those casks would be delicate work.


    To the left, the corridor revealed another dozen rooms with hundreds of casks of carefully sorted and dated Limburger. The dust in this corridor was less disturbed than the passage to the right. Many feet had recently come this way, and there were scrapes on the floor. The corridor went fifty feet and turned, then opened into a large cavern. Stacked inside were many crates and boxes of cheese. There was a small cot with someone sleeping next to it. Milo moved towards them, scanning the ceiling, feeling for traps, and listening for noise.


    That was how he found the pit. It was hidden with a cunning illusion, as had the other one in the hidden caves where one of the twins had almost fallen in. He stepped around it and quietly advanced on the sleeping figure. It was Smiley, and Milo could have made as much noise as he wanted, and he wouldn''t have woken him up. Smiley''s eyes stared up at the ceiling, a wild look in them, he was sweating and his breathing was ragged. Checking his mouth and nose, Milo saw obvious traces of Black Mold.


    And then his Danger Sense told him he was about to die, and he dove for the ground as a high-powered and very silent crossbow fired a poisoned bolt at him.

 Chapter 154: Words in the Dark

    Milo rolled twice and then got his feet under him, crouching behind a barrel. He heard the small click as the crossbow was cocked and knew the direction the sound came from. But if the person shooting at him was good, they had already moved. Darkness didn''t affect his vision, but he couldn''t spot anyone. Their skills were high enough that they were overwhelming his perception, similar to how his own skill worked.


    He concentrated on not being seen and moving as quietly as he could, circling to the right, always staying low or behind cover. Another shot came from across the room, missing his head by only an inch. Not knowing exactly where his opponent was, he took a chance and threw a skull at where he''d heard the sound of the crossbow firing. The damage from the spell broke her concentration and he saw Charlotte finish cocking the crossbow and take her next shot.


    Instead of dodging, Milo cast Harpoon of the Winds. The attacks were almost simultaneous. Milo saw his spell slam into the crossbow, destroying it, and then continued on, carving a gash in Charlotte''s cheek and the side of her head, tearing her ear. She screamed, half in pain and half in rage. Her crossbow bolt hit Milo in the arm, but the bolt stopped when it hit bone, the momentum of the impact knocking him down.


    Grabbing the bolt stuck in his arm, he pulled it free. If it had been poisoned, it didn''t seem to be affecting him. A quick glance confirmed that.


    [You have been struck by a light crossbow and have taken 75 points of damage.


    You have been poisoned. Weak poison doing 50 points per round of damage is countered by your Poison Resistance.


    You have been poisoned. Strong poison doing 20 points per round is countered by your Poison Resistance.]


    The damaged crossbow sailed over his head and struck the wall. Charlotte came into view as she moved out from behind a crate. "You owe me a new crossbow, that was my favorite. I hope that little bit of poison isn''t inconveniencing you too much."


    Milo stood but was happier to stay partially behind cover. Did she have anyone else here with her? "Sure. I''ll be happy to get that taken care of as soon as we finish here. Why are you shooting at me?"


    Charlotte shrugged. "Sorry, partner, it''s dark in here and when I saw someone sneaking up on Smiley, I figured you were an assassin sent to finish the job someone else started. I''ve been guarding him non-stop, and I''m a little tired."


    Milo did think she looked tired and strained. Then again, Charlotte sort of always looked like that. "Guarding Smiley from who?"


    "Duh. From the people trying to kill him. And if I knew exactly which Shadow Skulkers that was, I''d be out hunting them. But I''m pretty sure Petey is behind it, maybe the twins, but that would be tough with how they hang around you so much. Unless you did it? Hard to keep all the players straight, isn''t it?" Charlotte had sat down and pulled out a healing potion. She was pouring it over her face and ear. "Wonder if I''ll get a cool scar out of this? It''s hard to make people take a pretty girl seriously. Grandfather keeps calling me ''his little girl'' and telling stories about how cute I used to be. Meanwhile, he can''t see I''m twice as good a Death Master as the twins and Petey put together."


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "So either Petey or the twins are part of a group who poisoned Bleusnout and Smiley? And why would you think I''d be in on it?"


    Charlotte finished with her ear. Milo noticed she still had a tear in it. Maybe she wanted it to heal that way. "Poisoned? Where did you hear that? They both overdosed on too much bad cheese that someone gave them. Bleusnout was an addict before he dried himself out and managed to take over as Master of Cheese. Smiley is just following in his footsteps. The two of them would be down here most nights snorting lines of parmesan or having a late-night snack of double-cheese lasagna. At least now Rif can take over and clean the place up."


    "And no, just teasing you. I don''t think you did it. I mean, sure, the scenario might fit. A tall, handsome stranger comes into the Hollow, cleans out the drug addicts, takes over as the new person in charge, and runs everything. It happens all the time in the stories. But I''ve watched you a lot. You''re a little lost and getting pulled in several directions. The old Masters are running you ragged."


    "You should talk to Rif more. He''s got some good ideas. And when he gets his ring, that would be two of you on the council. If we get rid of Petey, and you keep the twins in line, I''ll be the third. That''s nearly a quorum and people are getting old. You could even take over Gilad''s ring. Toss scout to the twins, or go for a double ring. Gramps was a triple for decades, I don''t see the problem. Then we have a new generation making the rules and setting things straight."


    This was a lot of new information, and as fast as he parsed it, Milo kept finding holes in what she was saying. Too many variables and things didn''t line up based on his observations. "Hmm, sounds like then we''d have a lot of work. I''m already teaching fighting and engineering classes, and doing lots more."


    "That''s the point! Don''t you see?!" Charlotte was walking towards him, her tail moving back and forth as her hips swayed. "You do all that work already! They owe you more recognition. I heard they voted on you keeping the Scout ring when you earned it already! Rif isn''t getting a ring until he works his ass off for years we''ve heard. The old rats want to control everything. Do you know Grandfather even warned me off when I said I was interested in you?"


    "Me?"


    She smiled at him oddly. "Yes. You! I''m surprised you didn''t see me looking at you all the time! None of the other boys can even keep up with me. You proved you were my equal the first time we met! But gramps wants a say in who I cuddle up to. This would let you and I get together like we want to, wouldn''t it?"


    She took a step forward. Milo took a step back. Charlotte smiled at him. "Playing hard to get now that I have you alone? Don''t look now, but your back is almost against the wall." She took another step forward, making direct eye contact. "Naw, plenty of room to dodge. If I wanted to." He took a quick look over his shoulder.


    As soon as he looked back, Charlotte slashed with her claws at his stomach and a knife drove for his eye.

 Chapter 155: To the end.

    Charlotte''s strikes were faster than Milo had been expecting, almost as fast as Gilad, but he''d known she was going to attack since the first step she took towards him. The weird swaying thing she did with her tail and hips he didn''t understand. Maybe it was something to distract him the way a cobra confused prey? In any case, her stance gave away both the hidden dagger and the preparation for the claw strike.


    <div>


    Milo had been sparring relentlessly with three very scary opponents. Gilad was a Master with decades of experience. Cremona had once been a leading claw fighter who had added the arcane spells from poison and death to her style. And Larry was a creature designed to slaughter his way through an army with strength and speed far beyond normal. Adding some rumba and tango moves had just made him that much tougher. Charlotte hadn''t trained half that hard, and Milo was surprised when she managed to wound him, and he wondered if he was underestimating her.


    His armored forearm blocked the incoming dagger. The steel in the dagger was inferior to the hardened bone of the Claws of Alta Viator and couldn''t leave a mark. Milo didn''t block the claw strike, choosing to take the hit and strike back while her defense was down. He''d learned to take small wounds if it would let him land a more devastating blow, and rely on his regeneration to heal him. All ratkin started with Weak Claw attacks. Charlotte had upgraded hers to Not-so-weak Claws. Her strike left bleeding furrows along Milo''s abdomen, but they were minor wounds. Toughness negated some of the damage, and his regeneration began to knit his flesh back together. It hurt, but not like Charlotte was going to hurt when he struck back.


    With a skill in Claw Fighting of Rank 6 and a STR of 4, Charlotte had a base damage of 90 points. Milo''s claws did 210. As his forearm moved inside her dagger strike and her claws raked his belly, Milo brought up his left hand in a claw strike against Charlotte''s side. She gasped at the pain as the claws tore through her light armor and into muscle. The pain made her freeze up and his right hand slashed downward starting at her shoulder, tearing deep furrows down her chest. She tried to roll away from him and use Disengage, but his tail slashed hard against her arm as she blocked her throat.


    Milo was at 2033/2210 health. Charlotte had taken much more damage and was at 585 /1280. "Give up, Charlotte. I''m better than you and a lot tougher. Your poison isn''t going to stop me and it will only take a few more attacks to put you down."


    The injured Shadow Skulker hissed at him. "And that''s why I hate you. You still think you''re better than me. And maybe you are, at some things! I may not have the advantage of mutations, but I do have powerful friends who''ve gifted me with some tasty Battle Cheese." She took a chunk of cheese from her pocket and crammed it into her mouth, chewing fast. "I''ll be good as new soon."


    Milo''s tail struck her again as she was chewing, slamming into her ribs and cracking bones. He moved forward to press the attack, but she scampered back quickly using Disengage, and leaping to a pile of crates. She ate another piece of cheese. "A little healing, a little more speed, and I''m good for round two." She sprinted back at him, clawing desperately. Milo was very surprised by the ferocity of the attack as they slipped past his defenses and left him bleeding. And she wasn''t blocking his counterattacks at all. He''d definitely underestimated her. When he had a chance, he drew Shadowblight, and the weapon began humming.


    "Gee, you take me seriously now? Using a weapon? You should have picked a better one. There''s a reason Shadow Skulkers don''t train with spikey sticks."


    They moved around the room, often right next to each other, clawing and slashing. Milo was only able to hit her with Shadowblight once, but the effect was immediate as her thin armor cracked and fell to shreds. She barely noticed, lunging at him again with outstretched claws, forcing him to dodge and roll or be pinned into a corner. When he had an opportunity, Milo cursed her with Brittle Bones. It added some damage to his slashing attacks and doubled the damage from Mace Tail. He concentrated on feinting with Shadowblight and then slapping her hard with his tail.


    After several rounds, they pulled back from each other, both of them fighting for breath and bleeding from many cuts. The difference between them was obvious. Milo was wounded and down some of his health at 1260/2210 while Charlotte was nearly dead. She slammed more cheese into her mouth, screaming at him. "I''m not done with you yet!!"


    Milo didn''t want to kill her. He still had questions he needed her to answer. His tail snaked up to his belt and grabbed his spanner. She seemed immune to pain and intent on dying, so blunt force might work best, letting him knock her unconscious. As Charlotte charged him head-on, eyes maddened and glowing red with rage, Milo leaped in the air and spun, hurling his spanner in a long arc with a huge amount of momentum. It caught Charlotte in the shoulder, knocking her down and shattering bones in her shoulder, arm, and chest. She moaned and Milo yelled at her. "Stay down now. And tell me who poisoned Bleusnout." He stayed ready to attack her with claws, spikey stick, and a spanner in his tail.


    She laughed hysterically, laying on her back, struggling to get a breath into her shattered ribs. "You really don''t know? Do you? They were so worried about you after you taunted Greensleeves about the Black Mold and Spider Cheese! They didn''t know if you were threatening them, or wanting in on the deal. It never occurred to him and Rifkin that you were clueless. I''m going to laugh so hard when I bring them your head! You have no idea the power they handed to me. And so tasty." She stuffed her mouth with cheese and swallowed, before doing it again, while flipping backward. Milo her bones snap and grind and she completed the maneuver.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Then, to Milo''s astonishment, she stood up, and the bones in her shoulder and chest moved and reset themselves. Her wounds were healing right before his eyes. She flexed her large hands and her sharp claws grew longer. Large, mismatched red eyes lacking sanity stared at him. Milo put more distance between them, but Charlotte charged, and suddenly he was pressed as hard as if he was fighting Larry.


    He put slashes into her, but she was healing at a fantastic rate. And far faster than he could when her much larger claws gave him wounds. He hit her repeatedly with Shadowblight, leaving bleeding wounds, but nothing seemed to slow her down He needed distance to use his spells. He feinted towards her eyes, and when she ducked back, he raced towards the pit.


    He couldn''t clear it in one leap, but there was a handy stalactite that his tail could grab letting him swing across. As soon as he landed, he launched two Harpoon of the Winds at her. Both spells hit her hard in the body, ripping open terrible wounds and lodging inside her. She growled, clawing at the wounds until her hands wrapped around them and she could tear them out. Using the time as best he could, he launched two more Harpoons, starting to drain his mana. She''d managed to tear only one from her chest before the next two hit. One tore into a shoulder, shattering her shoulder blade and the other penetrated her left eye, blood exploded from the wound. Charlotte staggered back, and Milo caught his breath.


    She grabbed for the pouch at her waist and dumped all of the contents into her mouth, swallowing the mass of cheese whole. She screamed as she pulled the harpoons from her shoulder and chest, and then put both hands on the one in her eye and yanked it out. Her muscles swelled, her hands morphed into huge claws, while her shoulders and chest were sheathed in layers of muscle. He noted that the wounded eye didn''t heal. There were limits even to a Cheese Fiend''s regeneration, for that was what Charlotte had become. Not much was left of the slim assassin. She growled and began stalking him.


    But Charlotte was clumsy now, her balance was off and her feet were huge. Milo knew from experience what Larry had been like once, with no agility, and a top-heavy body. Charlotte hadn''t learned yet to run using her arms as front legs. She was in the horrible state of a newly changed fiend. He was able to move around and around the pit, throwing spells at her and forcing her to stop and tear out a harpoon, or stand up again when an explosion knocked her down. Her regeneration was slowing, but his mana was almost gone and he was winded and panting. She became hungry as her wounds quit healing, and suddenly she remembered the mound of cheese nearby.


    Charlotte ran to the pile and grabbed a wheel of cheddar, chewing it down. It wasn''t the carefully crafted Battle Cheese that she had devoured too much of, but it would still start healing her wounds and giving her energy. Milo realized he was in the worst place in the world to fight a Cheese Fiend. There were piles of cheese everywhere!


    He got daringly close and lashed out with his tail, knocking the cheese out of her hands, hoping she''d chase him. She growled and grabbed another round of cheese. He knocked that aside and slashed at her back. She tried a backhanded claw attack while getting another chunk of cheddar and turning to him. His tail once again knocked the cheese out of her hands, but this time she caught his tail. He vaguely remembered Gilad warning him about this. She jerked hard and suddenly he was in the air as Charlotte whirled him around, cackling and laughing.


    Round and round Charlotte whirled him. If not for his time spent in the Puke-n-Twirl he would have passed out. She took two steps and tossed him into the pit. He hit the far side, ten feet down the rockface, clinging desperately to the rock. His tail felt like it was broken, and likewise, one arm wasn''t able to grasp the wall. Toes and one hand held him in his precarious position. Charlotte walked up slowly and looked at him, chewing on a ten-pound wheel of cheddar that looked tiny in her hand. Bits of cheese and drool fell from her mouth onto him. Then she threw up her arms in exultation. "Charlotte Wins! Charlotte always wins!" She leaned over, giggling at Milo, careless at the edge of the pit, then jumped up and down again, shouting, "Surprise, Suprise, Surprise!"


    Milo saw a shadow behind her, moving forward. Whatever brave soul it was, he was facing a thousand pounds of muscled fiend. But she wasn''t paying attention to Milo, lost in her dreams of victory. He tensed his legs and leaped upwarp, swinging Shadowblight as hard as he could, driving the point into the side of her knee where in a normal person a blow would be hugely painful. She howled and clutched at her knee, standing on only one leg, glaring down at him, then leaned over to grab him with her free hand.


    Petey charged from the shadows, leaping and kicking her in the butt with both feet. She overbalanced, too top-heavy to pull back from the edge, and tumbled into the darkness of the pit with an echoing scream of rage and despair.


    Petey looked down at Milo. "Hi. I''m thinking about becoming the next Death Master. Can I count on your vote?" He reached down to Milo and pulled him up to the top of the pit, both of them collapsing on the ground with relief.


    Milo looked at the smiling, chubby ratkin. "Sure. I think you have all the right qualities for the job."


    Petey held out a handful of candy. "Jellybean? The red ones are ripe and act like minor healing potions. You look like hell."

 Chapter 156: Jellybean break

    Petey and Milo sat in the cave next to Smiley, eating jellybeans. Milo needed the healing candies because he was nearly dead. Petey just liked the taste. They had checked on Smiley, took his pulse, turned him a bit, and managed to get him to swallow a couple of jelly beans and some water. "We need to get him to the Old Healer. Whatever he''s suffering from looks the same as what happened to Bleusnout."


    He sat down next to Milo and poured out a bag of jellybeans. Milo detected a slight magical glow to them "One of the bushes my clan has is old. Old enough that it might be older than the clan. Like older than cheese kind of old. No one remembers how we got it. Three others are only a couple of decades old and were brought to us by my great-uncle. Good job on finding him, by the way. Knowing how he died got rid of some old grudges and relieved some tension in the older folks."


    "Anyway, the beans off the old one gain some nice effects if they ripen long enough." He made a small pile of six red beans, one blue bean, and three yellow beans. He swept the rest back into his bag. "The reds will help you to heal. The blue prevents infection and bleeding, and the yellows are for poison. Frankly, you should be worse off. Char''s weapons were probably poisoned. She was fighting to win permanently."


    Milo took the rest of the candy but handed the yellow ones back. "She did. I''m more resistant to poisons than she thought. It was her claws that tore me up. I underestimated her. And I didn''t take into account the cheese. I had no idea that cheese could give that much boost, and she had a large supply of it. And when she turned into a fiend? Even sparring with Larry didn''t prepare me for that."


    Petey smiled at him. "Yeah, but Larry is a sweetheart down deep. He was always a good kid. Charlotte? Sort of the opposite. Spoiled and entitled. She wasn''t always that way; we had some good times together. For a few years, it was me, her, and the twins always getting into trouble together. Then our training started, and the competition to get a Master Ring changed all of us. Char started only caring about Char. She wanted that ring badly. Everyone had to be very careful around her. Sparring could turn into a real fight, instantly. And don''t get me started on how bad she got if you scored on her playing Surprise. She was so mad at you!"


    "That''s the big difference between fighting Larry and fighting Char. When you spar, Larry isn''t trying to kill you. Keep that in mind the next time you get into a fight. If the other guy is trying to kill you, all the rules get thrown away, except trying to survive."


    Milo thought about that and agreed with Petey. Sometimes it wasn''t a game. He had fought tooth and claw against Salasha, and he needed to remember that more fights would be like that. "So, what does the Hollow''s new Deathmaster think is going on?"


    Petey suddenly had a very neutral and stupid look on his face. "Gosh, I don''t know. What does the Scout Master think?"


    Milo needed to practice that face, and Petey did it very well. "I think you spent years making people underestimate you." They both chuckled. Milo looked over at Smiley. "Rifkin is lying about things. His story just doesn¡¯t line up. And if he''s lying about some things, he''s probably lying about a lot of things. I ask myself why someone would want to hurt Master Bleusnout, and the obvious answer is the person who benefitted the most."


    Petey nodded. "Charchar was talking a lot of bullshit, trying to confuse you, but some of what she said sounded true. How ''Rif'' wants to change things in the Hollow. I bet that''s the argument he used to convince her. I also wonder about that cheese she was eating. Pretty advanced stuff. None of the battle cheese Bleusnout makes could make someone go fiend so quickly."


    Petey looked over at Smiley. "Another thing to consider is that Smiley was a better Chef''s assistant than Rifkin. He did the job, was patient, and had that goofy grin that put people at ease. And he was good with the cheese. I think Rifkin was worried that he''d be assistant chef forever and Smiley would be the next Master."


    Milo looked over at where the pit was. "I feel bad."


    Petey shook his head. "Don''t. Or feel bad later. She made some bad choices and followed it up with bad cheese. And don''t forget, I helped dump her down that hole. Not much choice, as she''d have killed both of us, then she would have killed Smiley, followed by a cheese-fueled rampage into the Hollow when she realized what she had become. Maybe Gilad and Larry could have stopped her, maybe not. But for all her faults, that was my cousin I just killed. I''ll mourn her later."


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Milo looked at Petey for a moment. "Deathmaster."


    Petey smiled. "Damn right."


    "I have the twins following Rifkin tonight."


    Petey gave him a thumbs up. "I saw that. Nice skulking; you taught them to shut up and stay silent. They have a lot of talent; they just need to take things seriously for a change. When the older people in the clan started pushing us to compete, we all reacted in different ways. Char became the frontrunner, and we let her. Just easier. The twins started acting stupid and ducked responsibility. I got fat from eating jellybeans. All of us have to grow up a little now."


    The two of them tucked Smiley in and tied him down tight, then lifted the cot he was on and took him back to the cellar. Petey listened at the door, and they moved past the secret door. It was dark and silent in the Hollow. Milo opened and relocked the far door after they were past it, and they exited the mess hall. Staying to the shadows, it was only a few minutes until they had Smiley resting next to Bleusnout, and the Old Healer was tending to both of them. Then he turned and looked at Petey and Milo.


    "Tell me what you have learned." He sat and listened to what they had to tell him, going very quiet when he learned of Charlotte''s fate. He stood and patted them on their shoulders. "Good boys. You did what you had to do." From a drawer, he took a heavy black ring with a silver skull and tossed it to Petey, who put it on and nodded.


    "I gave Gendifur the ring of the Master Healer this morning. Things are happening, and it would be too easy to cripple the Hollow by killing one old rat who held on to power too long. Our Cheese master and his best assistant suffer from strange cheese and black mold poisoning. Spiders have been seen close to the Hollow. And now we have a Caravan show up. Rifkin told me that Bleusnout invited them to come, but the chef never mentioned that information to the Conclave. Brownfur and Clawhammer are too insulated by their day-to-day jobs. Arlothe is obsessed with his magic. I''ve been trying to hold three clans together. I think someone noticed that weakness and is taking advantage of it. Find Rifkin and bring him here. He''s in the middle of all of this, and I have some pointed questions to ask our assistant Cheese Master."


    After they left, the old ratkin sat and thought of happier times, playing with his first granddaughter.


    <hr>


    The attack on the caravan came in the early hours of the morning. The mostly human raid was well-rested and healed up. Six thieves and assassins using stealth and Shadow Walker potions worked their way silently to the start of the ratkin dungeon. Using sign language, they discussed the next move.


    "It looks like a circus in there! Pretty festive. And see that herd of draft animals? Those are to pull the wagons."


    "Not many guards, but they have decent armor and weapons. Do you think we can thin them down easily?"


    "How about we backstab some of the ratkin feeding the animals, then take their clothing? With disguise and the darkness, I bet


    we can surprise some guards. Make sure to tuck a piece of rope in the back of your belt for a tail."


    "We need a druid down here. Which one can actually move silently?"


    "That''s Duskarrow. He''s working on a combo of archery and druid for the toxins. Sort of a ranged assassin. Why?"


    "The Panic Animal spell. If we upset those beasts, the guards will focus on them, not us."


    Nods all around set the plan in motion. One person went back looking for the Druid, and four others started moving up behind the ratkin who was feeding the lizards and oiling their skins. The last thief told Brannigan the plans, and the raid leader moved the raid up as far as he could, close to the entrance to the outer cave.


    The players left nothing to chance. Four of them attacked at once against a lone ratkin, then moved to the next. One by one, they killed the lizard herders and took their clothing. They moved through the animal herd until they were close to the guards. Duskarrow snuck up to the herd. Lizards were different from cows and horses, but still, this should work fine. The spell went into the animals¡¯ minds and made them think that a predator was attacking. They''d all run from the imaginary beast, causing havoc in the little circus while the rest of the raid moved into the cavern and set up for a charge. As more ratkin came out of the village, they''d hit them with superior firepower and whittle them down.


    When the spell was cast, the animals looked up in panic and began to move. Brannigan signaled the raid to begin.

 Chapter 157: Raiding the Ratkin Dungeon!!

    The druid cast his spell and the animals looked up in panic and began to move about, their eyes turning from a placid pink to an angry red. The effect of the spell was an illusion that invoked fear. Against horses, sheep, or cattle it would cause a stampede as they ran in fear of an apex predator, whatever creature they most dreaded. In the lizards'' minds, they saw and smelled a variety of predators stalking them, from gargantuan spiders to prismatic cave mantises. The result of the spell was more than Duskarrow had expected. A heavy scent came from the affected animals, the panic spread from the animals within spell range to the entire herd as the larger males called out with loud growls and their scent told the herd to protect the young. The rest of the lizards reacted immediately.


    The large, albino lizards that the ratkin simply called ''draft lizards'', were known to the Dark Elves as ''Scaled Lizards of the Moon'', and the Dwarves generally called them ''Damnedbeasts''. The elves appreciated their pearly hides, and some tribes created beautiful pale armor from their skins. The dwarves hated them because of how aggressive they were in the wild, and how hard they were to tame. They always traveled as a herd and were vicious if they felt threatened.


    Over the centuries, the lizards had been domesticated and cross-bred to create a more easy-going breed, without most of their more aggressive tendencies. The exception was when the herd was threatened. Then all bets were off and the two-ton creatures tried to stomp and kill whatever threatened them. They were omnivores and didn''t mind a snack of meat now and then. Predators often became such a snack themselves.


    There were forty-one draft lizards in the caravan. Two each for the sixteen wagons, and eight extra carrying smaller loads and ready to replace an injured beast. One extra had been born along the way. This little one caused a lot of trouble as he became scared and amplified the herd''s reaction to seeing snarling Hexapumas and Gorebeasts in front of them.


    Rather than fleeing, the lizards charged their enemies. Duskarrow was caught off guard as he took a vicious headbutt from a nearby lizard and was tossed to the side of the cavern with a broken leg. The lizard who had charged him started to run after its prey but saw one of the caravan guards and turned its aggression on the poor unsuspecting ratkin. All over the caravan, the lizards attacked phantom predators that were in actuality the drovers and guards.


    Three of the guards were backstabbed by the gang of thieves who took advantage of the chaos. All three thieves were in turn killed by Damnedbeasts, driven further into panic by the smell of blood. Two more ratkin guards went down under the hooves and teeth of the lizards, and several more were badly injured.


    After stomping everything around them for a few minutes, the herd felt better and the spell was fading. Moving away from the wagons to a spot where the herd could defend itself, the lizards quickly formed a defensive circle in the middle of the cavern with the new mother and baby in the center. They still imagined that they were under attack and that there were predators all around them and were ready to kill anything that got close. Once the herd was riled like this, it would take time to calm down. No one in the caravan was dumb enough to approach them before that.


    Brannigan saw the tipped-over wagons, dead guards, and a disorganized caravan and called for a charge by the melee fighters. It was worth the loss of some thieves and a druid for this sort of carnage. If the clerics could find the bodies, they could resurrect the fallen players after the fight was over.


    The mages behind the fighters threw spells past the front line to soften up the ratkin and clean up the trash mobs. Some of the colorful wagons caught on fire, as did the stage the musicians had played on. Fighters and Paladins charged forward, only to be met by guards wearing armor, and a large number of unarmored ratkin with swords and shields who formed a shield wall.


    Zweihanders and Bearded Axes cleaved shields and helmets. Stout ratkin guards tightened their shield walls and stabbed at the necks and vitals of their opponents. More ratkin arrived and kneeled behind the front line. They stabbed upwards with spears into the gaps in the human''s armor. Three players grunted in pain as sharp spears hit them in unprotected thighs and groins.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The dying players did have an advantage in that they were used to pain and dying. To them, this was still a game. As their health dropped, the three injured fighters leaped high, not caring about what hits they took. Their bulk knocked down five of the ratkin holding shields and the protection of the shield wall dissolved. Thieves darted in to grab easy experience killing injured ratkin. Several archers had found spots on top of wagons and were pouring flaming and darkness-laced arrows into the caravan guards. The raid advanced, driving the ratkin back.


    The momentum the raid was gaining ceased as a huge monster in plate armor appeared, a thin and very sharp sword in each hand. General Gangrene was foaming at the mouth and his troops moved aside as he raced at the players. Two pieces of battle cheese were burning in his belly. The muenster was increasing his strength and speed, while the cheddar would supercharge his normally slow regeneration. He struck with precision, thrusting one sword into a fighter''s eye and slashing across the throat of a Paladin who was using a great axe. As the two players fell, he unleashed his Champions Intimidating Roar and the raid paused for three seconds while his troops quickly regrouped.


    Brannigan was yelling as he saw they had drawn out a boss mob.


    "Boss up! Get a tank on it. Everyone! Hit the Boss! Concentrate fire."


    Gangrene killed four more players as they stood stunned. Then every archer, wizard, and warlock targeted Gangrene when the three seconds ended. He was burned by Sun Arrows, pummeled by Tenzil''s Toes of Stomping, and cursed with Feeble Fever. Four arrows struck him, with three doing minor damage and one lodging in his shoulder and causing bleeding.


    Tequila Jane raced up to him, swinging a glowing purple blade from fifteen feet away. The blade flew from her hands and went straight through Gangrene, doing a large amount of damage and dropping him to under half his health. He staggered backward as his vision was filled with dancing purple fungus and the yips of a small predator. "Coyote Bob says Hi! Mr.Bigrat! I hope you liked my new spell!" Jane''s eyes went from purple to brown and she suddenly looked tired. "Jane is going to take a nap now." She walked back into the raid, stuffing a handful of dried fungus in her mouth.


    Brannigan saw the Boss Rat topple over after whatever Jane had done to him. This was a great start. They''d taken injuries, but nothing a cleric couldn''t fix. The ratkin were broken and falling back, dragging the nearly dead boss. "Druids and Paladins, spend half of your mana on heals. Everyone down a potion or two as needed to save the healer''s magic. Clerics toss Resurrection on as many people as you can find. Let''s get things in order for the next part."


    <hr>


    General Gangrene was furious, but fighting his anger. He was down to only a quarter of his health. He drank three Mega Healing Potions, an exorbitant cost in gold, and ate a piece of aged cheddar to help his regeneration. One of the lizard tenders pushed the arrow through his shoulder, snapped off the head, and pulled out the shaft. The general got to his feet and took stock of his people. They''d lost many warriors, maybe a third of their total force, but the ''drovers'' were all armoring up and could fight just as well. "Where are my cheese fiends?"


    "Waking up now, sir. We had to give them two doses of SleepyCheese to keep them quiet during the music. They were pretty groggy, but they''re waking up now." The fiend tender was ruffling their fur and coaxing them out of the wagons. As they smelled blood, both began to growl. "That''s my girls! We''re ready to kill and tear, aren''t we? Should I hold your doll? No? Ok, you keep it with you. I''ll wash the blood out later."


    The fiend tender called out to the General. "Ready to send them in, sir."


    Gangrene looked at the humans taking time to heal and reform their lines. "When they charge, send the fiends to the far left along the wall. I want those archers and mages torn to small pieces. After that, let them eat the healers in the rear. The lizards are guarding our other flank. We need to hold the middle and let our cheese fiends gut them from behind."


    He turned to his warriors. They looked ready. Having the fiends ready to enter the battle made them confident. He looked at the entrance to the Hollow. No one was racing into this cavern, despite the noise. He saw the two big guards standing at attention at the entrance to the tunnel as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Something wasn''t right!


    The big one waved to him.

 Chapter 158: The Big Scary Noise

    Grackle had been a fiend tender all of his life. He looked forward to when they were finished taking over this little shit hole of a Hollow, and he would become its new Fiend Master. Gangrene had promised that to him. All his hard work would finally pay off!


    His father, Grickle had tended fiends for Wurchwitz Hollow, and so had his grandfather, Gunkel. Grickle had started teaching his oldest whelp his trade early in life, an old tradition since Fiend Tenders don''t have a long life expectancy.


    "Remember, they all look like monsters, but every fiend is different. They still have pieces of themselves from before. Those pieces fight with the animal that''s taking over their mind. Some fiends get sneaky, some get bad tempers, and others just want more food. You need to take advantage of the differences to keep them in control. A heavy fiend prod only works so long, and the more you use it, the quicker a fiend figures out it only stings and doesn''t really hurt them. Then either you put the fiend down hard and fast, or they put you down."


    Grackle had learned fast. He''d helped his father with the training of the Hunting Fiend packs, and then the Battle Fiends. He had some new ideas on how to train up fiends, but his father was too set in his ways to listen. Grackle endured years of mucking out cages and watching his father grovel to the Fiend Master, never brave enough to offer a new idea.


    But he''d certainly been correct about what happened when a fiend lost its fear of the prod. His father had stepped into Black Betty''s cage one day, to clean a wound on her shoulder. She''d been hit with a goblin war axe and the sharp blade had left a cut that got infected. You never knew where a goblin or his axe had been, and both were usually filthy. BlackBetty was in a bad mood, and his father had used the prod to settle her down. But after shocking her for the third time, her eyes had narrowed to slits and she snarled. His father had hit her again and she tore his legs off and ate them.


    Grackle had managed to lock her cage before she got out. Two good things happened after that: Grackle was promoted to full fiend tender, and BlackBetty seemed to have developed a better attitude.


    A year later he took a huge risk and asked for an audience with General Gangrene. He''d used most of his savings to buy an appropriate gift for the General, a three-pound chunk of Livarot Munster. That bought him five minutes of the General''s time. It was enough to put forth his theory of using younger subjects. It was the bits of personality that were left that gave the fiends their quirks and made them dangerous. Most fiends were soldiers who used too much battle cheese or cheese addicts that a tender found in an alley, passed out from too much cheddar. They made difficult fiends, already having bad habits and addictions. Grackle wanted to start with fresh minds, unburdened by the rigors of adulthood.


    Gangrene had simply stared at him when he proposed a different type of test subject, and his eyes got small and mean. He giggled a little. "Turn children into fiends? And I thought I was a monster! Ha! I like it. I''ll send over two brats to your kennels. See what you can make of them. If the experiment fails, I''ll stuff cheese down your throat until you change, and you can join them. So don''t fail me."


    Gangrene had been true to his word. Rosie and Buttercup were delivered to him that day. Their parents had failed to gather their quota for the third time, and been sent to the lower caverns. Their two children would have gone to the whelp master for training, a slightly worse fate than what Grackle had in store for them. Rosie had been holding her doll, and Buttercup had shown him her hair ribbon. He''d fed them, and taken care of them for two weeks, getting to know them. Then he put them in large cages with a big plate of special cheese in front of each of them.


    He heard them crying, and then the sobbing had turned into growls and snarling. Their training began the next day. Gangrene had been pleased with the results and now, two years later, they were all moving to a new hollow.


    "Time to wake up girls. Grackle has a surprise for you. Look here, Buttercup. I got you a new ribbon for your hair. Blue ribbon, just like you love. There we go, I''ll put it right behind your ear. How about you Rosie? Do you want a ribbon? No? Oh, your doll wants a ribbon! Sure, I can do that. I''ll tie a ribbon on the doll, and tie the doll around your waist. You want both hands empty when the fighting starts. Good girls. Now eat your FrenzyCheese and I''ll show you who to hunt and kill. Do me proud girls, and we''ll have a new place to live and you''ll make so many new friends."


    <hr>


    "Look, alive people! Your break''s over. The rats found their courage and are coming back for round two. Let''s mop them up and see what sort of loot they have. I want to push hard, and clear this cavern so we can go loot the village and meet up with Spider Guild and get the party going. Same formation as before."


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The raid moved forward, shield wall upfront, spears behind, with rogues and archers on the flanks and the mages and clerics in the middle. The ratkin army looked bigger, and every one of them was in full armor now. Like the players, they had a shield wall upfront. Their next row was made of tall ratkin with halberds and hooked polearms. They seemed low on mages and the big Boss was nowhere to be seen. Everything looked good.


    Leafrot was in a good vantage point to rain down arrows upon the ratkin. He''d found a ledge about ten feet up the cavern wall, and from there he could shoot down into the melee without hitting the fighters on his side. He''d recently gained the ability to zoom in on a target, giving him a much better chance to hit. He''d taken down two of the halberdiers with carefully aimed shots and was zooming in on a 3rd when he heard snarling from in front of him.


    He looked up just in time to see a close-up of a monstrously huge creature with a blue bow on its head biting down on his face and then ripping his arms off before racing to her next victim. Buttercup spit out the yucky-tasting human and spied a half-elf who smelled better. She leaped thirty feet in the female mage''s direction and closed the distance in another second. The startled player turned to cast a spell but was unable to finish it before Buttercup grabbed her by the head and swung her around until she broke.


    Rosie was disappointed. The half-elf had been pretty and she had wanted to play with her. But she had stopped to play with two prey who had sparkly hands. She loved the look of sparkly hands, but they stopped sparkling if you took them off of the prey. She went and played with a funny fat man dressed all in blue instead. She had just grabbed him and was shaking him to make him make funny noises when the loud, scary noise hit her ears. Fiends have sensitive hearing, and the sound of a dwarven cannon from only a few dozen yards away was incredibly loud. Neither Buttercup nor Rosie had ever heard such a scary noise before! They turned and ran for the safety of their cages to get away from it. They left the middle of the raid in tatters, with a dozen players down or dying from the attack of two juvenile cheese fiends.


    <hr>


    Minutes before...


    "Hey, guys! Am I too late for the raid? I slept in some after tossing down a few beers last night. Know what I mean? Wow, awesome toons! Are you guys part of an all-dwarf guild or something?" Jester had logged in late but figured it was safe to run down to the raid. He''d seen the other group of players moving down the tunnel ahead of him and had run to catch up.


    Two-Screws nodded at him. "Oh, I know what you mean about knocking a few back, but if it''s going to make you late for something important, it''s best to just keep drinking until morning."


    Boom-Boom nodded in profound agreement. "That''s the truth. No sense in sleeping when you can get a good rest just by sipping on a few more tankards. Fact is, I hardly use a bed for sleeping anymore if you know what I mean." He grinned broadly, and Narwhal laughed loudly and elbowed him in the ribs. "I''m going to remind you about that tonight."


    Two-Screws handed Jester a tankard of beer. "Here you go, we were just having lunch, you might as well have a couple of beers with us since we''re heading the same way. You mentioned a raid?"


    Jester tasted the beer, then took two long swallows. He wondered how the hell beer could taste so good in this game. The stuff he and his roommates drank was crap compared to this. And strong, he could already feel a buzz coming on. "Yeah, the raid. Hitting the ratkin village hard and then looting it. Branigan has been putting it together and grabbing everyone he can. Guess you didn''t get all the details?" Jester was impressed by whatever guild this was. They were pretty hardcore to all play dwarves. If it wasn''t for their silly names, he might have thought they weren''t players. But NPC dwarves have always been named things like Nordy Bluntnose, Ori Stoutoak, or Axebeard the Mighty. Anyone with a name like Two-Screws or BoomBoom had to be a player. He finished his beer and his new friends handed him another.


    "So, why don''t you fill us in about this raid, my new friend? We have a bit of travel to go, and I have a lot of beer to share."


    <hr>


    Luckily, when Harry rejoined the group after stopping to harvest some interesting mushrooms in a side tunnel, Jester had already drunk three tankards of beer and didn''t think twice about the large troll joining the group. He kept answering questions and they kept filling his tankard. A few hundred yards away from where the fighting was happening, he finally passed out, and Vary leaned him up against the wall.


    Boom-Boom was juggling grenades with Narwhal as they walked down the tunnel. "I think our brother Milo might need some rescuing from these greedy humans."


    Two-Screws rolled his eyes. "You just want an excuse to get into a fight!"


    Narwhal watched as Two-Screws and Sledgemonkey deployed their rivet guns. "You look pretty anxious to cause some mayhem yourself."


    Sledgemonkey laughed. "Yes, but we don''t need an excuse to do it. Although I am fond of brother Milo and do feel we need to help him out. Doesn''t hurt to make a good impression on potentially new trading partners."


    "You newlyweds get the first shot. It''s traditional, and I want to see how good of a shot a Scavenger is when the targets can move around."


    Narwhal ran her hand down the barrel of her rocket launcher. "Challenge accepted!"

 Chapter 159: Dwarven Thunder

    Saved from sudden death at the claws of some rat monster, TheBlueBishop got to his feet and dusted himself off. Behind him was a crater with the bodies of three of his compatriots. All were beyond healing, and he wasn''t going to waste his mana resurrecting anyone unless Branigan asked him to. He wondered what spell had been cast, and why it was suddenly so quiet. He had a headache. The garishly clad bishop had just lost most of his hearing, so he could be excused from not hearing the screams of injured players asking for his help. His perception of 0 had something to do with that as well. Every player had a few dump stats and BB hadn''t worried about anything except healing and magical smites.


    He saw that at the back of the raid, reinforcements had arrived. He hadn''t known Branigan had found a dwarven artillery company to join the raid! This was outstanding! They had a brass cannon that they were reloading, and a big green guy was setting down kegs of beer. He waved to them and gave a thumbs-up! That''s the type of people he wanted to raid with. Absentmindedly, he glanced at the deafened, disoriented, and concussion debuffs on his screen, not able to remember what they meant.


    <hr>


    Barnacle was loading the next shell so Narwhal could blow up some more humans when she noticed one in a blue costume waving at them and giving them a sign of approval. "He likes your shooting, Nar."


    "Yep, and my opinion on humans just went up. Anyone who can appreciate fine artillery like my shiny cannon while I''m shooting at them is OK in my book." She waved back. "Load up some napalm, Barnacle. I want to make them do the Burney Dance."


    Sledgemonkey and Two-Screws shared a look and got ready to begin shooting. They''d agreed to give Narwhal the first shots, but if she was using napalm shells, there might not be much left to shoot at soon. Sledgemonkey pointed to a spot on the left of them. "Let''s walk over that way, get a better angle for some enfilading fire. That way the rivets don''t have a chance of hitting our new allies."


    Two-Screws liked the idea. "When you''re giving the gift of high-velocity death, it''s always nice to send it along a couple of different angles."


    "Fire in the Hole!" An explosive missile shot from the cannon and screamed across the short distance, hitting the ground in the middle of the raid. Any player in the area of effect took a small bit of concussion damage and was set on fire. The two fire mages took advantage of the heat and flames to supercharge the Bouncing Betty Fireballs they were lobbing into the middle of the ratkin army. Every other mage and the healer screamed as their health started plummeting. Philomea, a nature mage, tried to summon a Rain Cloud but the area was suffused with so much Death and Storm mana that what showed up was an Angry Thunderhead that immediately started raining down lightening bolts on both sides of the conflict.


    Two-Screws and Sledgemonkey started strafing the raid with high-velocity rivets. They began with Narwhal''s friendly human who was currently running in circles while he burned merrily. Two-Screws shot low then moved higher, peppering the cleric with shots. Sledgemonkey was shooting an archer ten feet away.


    Two-Screws smiled. "I can''t help but notice your sights might be off. Looks like your shooting high and to the right."


    "Thanks for that observation. You are a font of wisdom and master of the obvious."


    "And I thank you for the compliments. It''s rare that a dwarf as old as you can remember how to say a kind word. I''ll also point out the ''easy adjustment auto-calibration'' system that I invented for my gun. It saves on embarrassing events like how you keep missing."


    Sledgemonkey snarled. "I like to sight in a gun the old-fashioned way! But maybe I''ll look over your little system tomorrow. Might be I can improve on your shoddy work."


    "I''ll further point out that you could have done this during target practice." The humans were thinning out. Narwhal had put three more high explosive rounds into them. Wounded players were strewn all over, and gravestones were appearing. The ratkin shield wall was nervous, but still holding together. They began taking careful steps backward.  Players were confused by the outflanking ambush. The raid had lost several archers and mages to ravening monsters the rats had unleashed on them, followed immediately by cannon fire from the rear, and what some of the players were insisting was machine gun fire that had them in a crossfire.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A brave group of players had tried to attack the dwarves, but the charge had failed when Boom-Boom put two grenades right in front of the three players trying to get to them. Thirty seconds later the ten remaining players in the raid raced for safety, trying to overrun the artillery and flee into the tunnels. The ratkin started to follow but were held back by shouted orders. They reformed their lines, put out the fires, and saw to their wounded. Rosie and Buttercup were consoled by their tender and given some sweets and a dose of Sleepycheese to calm them down.


    Barracuda was trying to get another shell into the cannon, but there wasn''t going to be time for a shot, the players were too close to them. Likewise, Two-Screws and Sledgemonkey were worried about unleashing rivet gun blasts. Two-Screws went to single fire and took down two players. Sledgemonkey ruefully worked on his ''calibrations'' and kept watch for anything moving towards them.


    Boom-Boom and Vary stepped in front of the two scavengers. Vary was nearly pissing himself as he pulled the cord to arm the cataclysmite bomb that Boom-Boom casually called ''a grenade''. His throw was a little long, not doing as much damage, but did knock down most of the players as the shockwave from behind hit them. Boom-Boom''s bomb hit dead center, killing two players, and wounding all the others. He pulled out his spanner-axe and started swinging. Vary and Harry followed. The troll stepped on players and picked up one to throw across the cavern. That ended the fighting. The raid had experienced a TPK, except for Tequila Jane who had found a small crevice to take a nap in and passed out.


    The dwarves regrouped. Boom-Boom looked at the still surviving ratkin who were still on high alert. "What now?"


    Sledgemonkey started pouring beer. "Now we take a break to bind any wounds and soothe our nerves with medicinal alcohol. I expect that a lot of people are wondering what''s going on. Those folk over there look nervous, so let¡¯s sit here until Milo or someone comes to talk to us. Hard to believe he isn''t here yet, with all the fireworks we set off.


    <hr>


    Wagonmaster Seffy approached Brutus. The guard was smiling and waving. Neither he nor anyone else in Limburger Hollow had come to their aid when they were attacked by a roving band of humans. How the heavily armed dwarves fit into the puzzle, no one knew, but the quick way they had destroyed the raiding humans was greatly appreciated. But they were now blocking the caravan¡¯s path of retreat as they polished their guns and drank beer. General Gangrene was still being stitched up and sucking down healing potions, so it was left to Seffy to approach the Hollow and ask for aid.


    Brutus waved again and smiled. "Nice day, isn''t it? Would be better if we had some Batacos, but still a nice day. We''ll have batacos tomorrow. Lots of smoke up at the top of the cave. Nice of you to start a fire. The whelps can pick them up off the ground later, easy peasy."


    "Oh, and Welcome to Limburger Hollow. Almost forgot to say that."


    Seffy had talked with Brutus before and visited the Hollow twice to look around and spy things out. Something wasn''t right. "Yes. It is a nice day. We have many wounded from that battle. The Master Merchant requests aid and that you allow us to move inside the Hollow. There are dangerous humans and dwarves with fearsome weapons in the outer caves, and we could be attacked again at any moment."


    Brutus smiled. "Sorry, that''s just a wee bit above my pay grade. I just guard the tunnel. You have a nice day now."


    "May I enter the Hollow?"


    "Nope. I''m Brutus, the guard. Guards keep people out."


    "I insist you let me pass!"


    Brutus looked confused for a second, his eyes glazing over. He started to move aside and then his back stiffened and he stood his ground. "No can-do little fella. You aren''t the boss of me. I''m not letting you in unless the boss says so!"


    Seffy had seen this type of behavior before, of course. It was how all of Wurchwitz Hollow''s minions behaved. The Slavecheese was having an effect already, but not enough. The new Cheese Master needed to give large guards extra cheese! Didn''t he know that? The guard wasn''t responding to his Commanding Voice skill. He skulked back to inform General Gangrene of the problem. Brutus waved happily to him as he went. "You have a nice day now. And come back tomorrow for batacos!"

 Chapter 160: Tasty New Cheese

    Earlier, before the events of Chapters 158 and 159


    The Hollow was starting to wake up. Most everyone had slept well, with no bad dreams. And no good dreams. In fact, no one had dreamed at all, just slept soundly with their unconscious minds not worried about anything. As they awoke, things seemed so much clearer today. They dressed and then started the day as they always had. It was time to go to breakfast.


    Milo saw most of the Hollow lining up at the mess hall for the morning meal. Most mornings breakfast was a long and staggered affair, with people showing up from the 4th bell to the 9th bell to eat and then the evening meal from the 6th bell to the 12th bell. Was Rifkin serving something especially good today? Why was everyone up so early? He carefully peeked through the windows.


    Rifkin was nowhere to be seen, but several people were at the counter handing out breakfast as fast as they could. But no one was sitting and talking. There was no hum of voices and no friendly gatherings. Each ratkin took the food handed to them, stuffed it into their mouth, and left in a hurry. Milo caught up to a whelp that he knew worked in the mushroom fields.


    "Hi, can I ask you something? What''s for breakfast."


    The whelp kept walking but smiled and spoke. "New Cheese. Tasty and good for me." His eyes were unfocused and he walked on. "Got to go. Need to pick mushrooms. If I pick sixteen baskets today I get to eat dinner and have more tasty cheese! Cheese Master says so."


    Other ratkin had the same glassy-eyed reaction. All needed to start their daily jobs, with a few exceptions. Some of the students seemed to have other ideas about what their job for the day would be. But without exception, everyone had a job to do.


    "Time to make the mashed roots with meat drippings."


    "Stomp spiderlings, mine the rock."


    "Sweeping the cave, need to sweep the cave, dust everywhere."


    "Lizard races! Who wants to race Lizards? Me!"


    "Making Spikey-sticks. Do you need a spikey-stick?"


    "Must start picking the peanuts."


    "Bataco day! Need more bats!


    "Polishing shiny rocks."


    "Nap time, study later."


    "Smelting copper bars. I need to smelt copper bars."


    Justin was walking along, whistling a happy tune. Milo stopped him to talk. Well, he tried to talk. Justin moved him out of his way and kept walking. "Sorry, got to get to my guard post. Important work guarding the Hollow."


    Milo walked beside him. "Justin, have you noticed anyone acting oddly?"


    Justin kept walking but paused his whistling. "No sir! If I had, I''d tell them to get to work. Great day to get to work. I''m guarding the back door and Brutus is guarding the front door. Everybody is getting their job done."


    "How much cheese did you have this morning, Justin?"


    Justin''s brow furrowed into a scowl. "Talking about cheese isn''t allowed. Say, why aren''t you working?" He stopped walking and poked his finger into Milo''s chest. "You know the rule against slacking. Everyone follows the rules now."


    Milo showed him his ring. "I am working. My job is to scout around, poke my nose into things, and question everything."


    Justin nodded and seemed satisfied with that. "Right! That is exactly your job. I remember now." He relaxed, smiled, and started walking again, smiling. "I had three pieces of tasty new cheese because I''m big and I''m a guard. So, I get extra!"


    Justin didn''t even seem to notice when Milo left, he just kept walking along and whistling as he passed by the Tower of Strife and the mostly empty marketplace. He took up his guard post at the back tunnel overlooking the harvesting fields where dozens of ratkin were gathering up mushrooms and vegetables.


    Milo wanted another look at the mess hall. The lines to get in were packed, but it wasn''t hard to get in through the back door. He slunk into the shadow nearest the door, then kept low and moved behind the counter. None of the ratkin in the mess hall paid any attention to anything but the cheese. To his surprise, the four ratkin serving squares of cheese on a bland cracker were known to him. Why were Blackwhisker and his little group of players serving cheese in the mess hall?


    Luckily, no one had a high perception. Stealthy Skulking was up to rank 8, reducing their perception by 18 and essentially making him invisible as long as he did nothing obviously out of the ordinary. He wanted a good look at this cheese. There were many bags of it behind the counter. A large wedge was brought out of the bag and then cut into smaller pieces. The player cutting it was handling pieces oddly, and brushing something off as he took the wedge out of the bag.


    Milo moved up carefully. He needed a diversion, and as he waited, he got one. Master Clawhammer and a group of ten tired miners walked up to the mess hall. Seeing a crowd at one door, they went to the next opening. This got them a few looks from some of the ratkin in the long lines, but no one said anything out loud. The miners looked exhausted. They sat at two tables and Master Clawhammer looked over at the servers. "Hey, buddy. We just worked a double shift, any chance of getting a plate of cheese and some breakfast?"


    Blackwhisker barely looked over. "Get in line and wait your turn. That''s the new rules, get used to it."


    The miners grumbled, and Clawhammer stood up. They''d been working non-stop for over a day with only a couple of hours off to sleep in a corner. Spiderlings were all over the mines, and they had a new infestation of digger moles to deal with. His crew had worked hard and needed food. He walked over to Blackwhisker. "Where''s Rifkin? Who''s in charge here?"


    The other players snickered. Blackwhisker tried to stare down Clawhammer, but when it didn''t work, he put a big smile on his face. "Cheese Master Rifkin isn''t here at the moment and left me in charge. How about I get you all a double helping of cheese to start out with."


    While all eyes were on the Master Miner and Blackwhisker, Milo put his hand on one of the Gather bags of cheese and stored it in his ring, leaving an empty bag behind. Then he backed out of the kitchen area and made his way to the miners. He tucked his pick into his belt, imitating how the miners stored their own picks. "Hey, I''ve got plenty of food over at the guard barracks that we can share. Fresh bread that Gendifur drops off every morning and a big wheel of gouda that we just cut open. They don''t have a lot to offer here today." He put his hand on his pick, with his Master''s ring obvious to see.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Clawhammer looked at him curiously, then nodded. He looked at the mess hall. Something wasn''t right. Too many glassy stares and strange people handing out cheese. "That sounds like a great idea, I''d love to have some fresh bread and gouda. Come on guys, time to empty the larder over at the guardhouse."


    Blackwhisker turned around too late to hand the miners a large platter of cheese. He shrugged and stole another piece of cheese for himself. He had a sudden realization of how fun it was to work here in the mess hall, do dishes, and hand out cheese! This was his spot, his job.


    As soon as they were outside, Clawhammer turned to Milo. "What the hell is going on? I didn''t notice at first, me and my guys are dead tired."


    Milo led the way to the guard barracks. "I think it''s the cheese. I stole some to take a look at it. Everyone is too passive and shows the same behavior. They don''t care about anything other than following orders and getting to work."


    One miner elbowed another in the ribs. "Sounds like you could use a few pieces, it might help us get you up in the mornings." The miners chuckled, but they were all looking around and noticing the blank stares as the people of the Hollow lined up for breakfast and then silently got to work. Inside the guard barracks was more of the same. The six guards at the barracks were all ''resting''. Just laying on their bunks and staring at the ceiling. They didn''t say a word as the hungry miners ate most of the food in the cupboard.


    Milo pulled the Gather sack that he had stolen from the mess hall out and looked at it. It was full of spider mites. A strong smell of sour cheese filled the air. Clawhammer looked at it and started cursing. "That''s spider cheese or something like it! Why would anyone serve that in the mess hall? And where did it come from?"


    That seemed obvious to Milo. "Have you seen the cheese caravan? It showed up with sixteen carts full of cheese."


    Clawhammer hadn''t. The emergencies in the mines had kept him busy. The miners had barely sat down and had a minute to eat, but Clawhammer stood up and spoke. "Don''t like the smell of this and not just that cheese."


    "Grab some bread and gouda to go. I want you guys to fan out. Get everyone who lives around the mines, or works in the crafting area gathered up. I don''t want anyone eating any cheese from the mess hall until we figure this out. In fact, get everyone into the mines. We''ve had meetings in the cathedral cavern, let''s head there. It has fresh water and lots of space. Grab all the fresh food you can."


    As the miners were leaving, the twins came in through the door.


    "We came to report."


    "The way good scouts do."


    "We followed Rifkin. He is very, very sneaky."


    "So sneaky!"


    "Which we found strange."


    "Almost lost him, so he must be sneaky."


    "He met with four players."


    "They are not sneaky."


    "So not sneaky, the opposite of sneaky."


    "Which we need a word for."


    "They spent a lot of time talking."


    "Making sneaky plans."


    "But really just explaining where all the pots and pans are."


    "How to cook boiled groats."


    "And how much cheese to give each person."


    "The players went to the mess hall."


    "Rifkin then headed to the cheese caravan for more cheese."


    "We followed because..."


    "Cheese Caravan!!!"


    "...because we are good scouts!!"


    "Yes, who cares about a cheese caravan full of tasty cheese..."


    "We followed Rifkin, but could not get close. Very good guards."


    "Not so good as Justin and Brutus, but lots of them."


    "Guards with good eyes, we could feel them on us in the shadows."


    "Rifkin was in a tent with a big, loud merchant who shouts like Gilad does when he is angry with us."


    "We went to just take a small peak at the caravan."


    "They have many carts full of cheese, but also many carts of armor and weapons."


    "And two carts filled with scary, horrible death!"


    "Fiends! They have two Cheese Fiends with them."


    "We left!"


    "That is the good scout''s report for the day."


    Milo looked at them. "Good job, you get a reward."


    The twins looked alarmed and hung their heads.


    "It would be nice if the reward was cheese..."


    "but we suspect it will be another job."


    Milo handed them a bag. "Why not both? Take that to Old Healer."


    "And I wouldn''t eat any of it, it has spiders in it. Tell Old Healer everything you just told me, then go find Master Gilad. And whatever you do, don''t eat the cheese at the mess hall."


    The twins skulked out of the guard barracks muttering to themselves.


    "Spider Cheese?"


    "Worst cheese reward, ever."


    Milo went back to the mess hall and skulked around the back where he had entered before. If anything, it was easier to sneak into the kitchen area. There were four gathering bags of Milbenkase left. He put two into his ring and grabbed the other two. No one at all looked his way and he retreated, making his way outside. He stashed the bags of cheese on a part of the roof where they couldn''t be seen. The less of this cheese that got eaten, the better.


    That done, he thought he should head over to the caravan and find Rifkin. He was headed that way when two ratkin walked by carrying a stretcher with a wounded miner on it. They had come running from the direction of the mines. Milo asked them to stop. "I have a healing potion, let me give him that. What''s happening." He pulled a potion from his pouch, one of the ones he had found in the hidden tunnels. The potent remedy immediately relaxed the wounded miner, and his wounds ceased bleeding. Milo examined him. He had a good idea of what had made those wounds. "What did this?"


    "Not sure, he said something big and clanky. But that sure means trouble. We''ve had tons of little nuisance mobs. Spiderlings all over the place. Then digger-moles, and now there''s something big in the mines, blowing stuff up."


    "I''m going to head there now. But he still needs attention. Run him to Gendifur or Old Healer. And tell Master Gilad, Master Arlothe, or any guard you see walking around." They ran off with their less wounded miner, and Milo headed the other way


    As he was running to the mines, he passed the tunnel to Larry''s house. He hadn''t seen Larry at breakfast. Another mystery. Sounds were reaching him, explosions in the mines. From behind him, he heard shouts from the tunnel leading to the caravan. He wondered what was going on, but it had to wait, he had some sort of mechanical monster to deal with for now.

 Chapter 161: The Iron Spider takes the Scenic Route

    P''tashPak''r, the Exalted General of the 10th Host, beloved of the queens, and champion of the Many-Legged Army, marched forward at the head of her army. Behind her came countless brave and deadly spider warriors. The noise of her army''s passage was much less than usual. She had remarked on this, and the second in command told her of the stealth training each of her warriors had undergone before being selected for her army. Indeed, she would have thought that her army was much smaller if she didn''t know better. Even the growls of the Wolf Guard could hardly be heard.


    Her advisor was showing her the maps of the enemy¡¯s lair. "The route chosen is through the next few caverns. We will be able to attack with surprise and capture many of their gatherers. We must move quickly. We must take control of a narrow tunnel leading to the main hollow."


    P''tash looked over the maps. <And this second route? It seems to lead more directly to the heart of the hollow.>


    The advisor pointed to a maze of tunnels. "These are the mines below us. In planning the raid, the first plan included splitting your vast army and using a pincher maneuver to attack the foe in two places at once. But there is not enough room to move a large force through the mines. We have instead been flooding the area with spiderlings for several days to cause confusion among our foes. They will surge forward and cause a small disturbance."


    H¡¯spat knew that the Queen had been extremely angry with the spiderling plan. A half dozen egg-layers had been secretly placed in nearby caverns so that spiderlings could overrun the mines and weaken the Hollow. Instead, the ratkin whelps were hunting them to gain levels and experience! It had been embarrassing to find out that the ratkin had turned the spiderling invasion into a training ground for new fighters!


    <Then let us be off! Victory shall soon be mine, and we will dine upon the tails of our enemies!>


    Some of the spiders cheered. Others clapped softly. The mechanical voice box the general used creeped them out. Grobit revved the engine and let out the clutch, shifting gears and engaging the mechanism that sent power to the legs. The dwarven mechanisms still confounded him and annoyed P''tashPak''r. He''d been unable to do as she wanted and put the controls where she could reach them. (Not that he thought she''d ever figure them out. Some spiders made good mechanics, but not this one.)


    The Iron Spider moved forward several steps, and then a leg became stuck in a crack in the ground. As she strained and finally removed the leg, Grobit saw the gap widen as the ground around the Iron Spider started to shift. The other spiders jumped back as the cavern floor under them gave way under the weight of the giant walking tank. It was like a hole had just swallowed the general!


    H''spat looked down and saw the General getting her legs back under her, nearly thirty feet down. Grobit just shrugged. "I think I see the light up ahead."


    P''tashPak''r yelled to her advisor. <We will be using a pinching maneuver! Send down a dozen of my finest warriors, and I will launch a surprise attack!>


    The advisor despaired. It wasn''t possible to lift the hulking metal monstrosity back up to this level, and it was already marching into the mines. Nothing was left but to follow the abomination''s orders and lead the rest of the army herself. Perhaps it was even better this way. H''spat pointed to twelve random spiders. "You are rewarded with the title ''The Twelve Finest Warriors!'' go and escort the General to victory as our army closes the trap''s jaws."


    The rest of the spiders moved around the hole and advanced on the gathering fields.


    <hr>


    The miners heard the Iron Spider coming when it was two caverns away from the cathedral. It sounded like a dozen squeaky ore carts rolling down a bumpy track. Two miners ran to see what was going on and were spotted by Grobit as both groups entered a large cave from opposite sides. The spider seemed slow, and the miners paused to look at it. Grobit opened up on them with his gun, he managed to wound one one of the miners, but he retreated, dragging his wounded partner.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    <Ha! Look at them run from our might!> Her twelve chosen champions cheered. Two raced ahead to scout, and four dropped back twenty paces to guard the group''s rear. They moved slowly through the caverns, following the wounded ratkin and sometimes making detours to account for the Iron Spiders'' bulk.


    <How much further, Grobit? I need to feel the glory of furry mammals dying as I rend and poison them. Today is my day!>


    "Watch how you wave your damn legs around! If you knock out any more supports in these tunnels, it will be your day to be buried!"


    The goblin mechanic studied the maps of the caverns made from information gathered by the little spiderlings. They needed more details. Spiders just didn''t think like anyone else. "We should be coming up to a huge cave next. The far exit has a straight run to the Hollow. But get ready. If I had to fight a bunch of eight-leggers in tunnels, I''d do it there where you could see them coming and blast the hell out of them. Uh...not that I''ve ever fought spiders."


    The Iron Spider paused, then commanded her army to the front. Time for her twelve champions to earn their supper.


    <hr>


    "Master Clawhammer! We''ve got trouble. Ned just packed in his cousin, Crusty. They saw spiders in the tunnels. Big ones! Both of them took some nasty wounds from a cannon of some kind. Crusty''s hurt and Ned might not make it. They''re running him to the healer on a stretcher."


    Clawhammer cursed inwardly but put a confident look on his face. Miners were a hardy bunch, used to him barking orders. But he needed to use a different tone for everyone else. It was bad enough that they were scurrying into this emergency shelter, and three-quarters of the Hollow were glassy-eyed zombies, but now they had spiders attacking? It wasn''t a coincidence. And that was a big caravan full of guards parked in their outer cave. Too big.


    "Get everyone who can fight armed with a pick or hammer and anyone who can''t back in the far corner. Pile up the supplies and carts in front of them. Carl, take Jak and Vin with you and collapse tunnel #3 about ten feet in. It''s been shaky lately. I want enough debris down to stop someone from using it to get to us. Do the same with #5 if you can. The main tunnel would take hours to block off, so leave it, but put whatever timbers and rock we have loose in front of it. We can use it as a defensive line to fight behind. Jessy, bring the extra lamp oil and lamps. We can probably cook a couple of them.


    The miners accomplished a lot in the small amount of time they had, and two dozen of them crouched behind the makeshift barrier in front of the main tunnel. In the distance, they heard the sound of many legs, and then they could see the outlines of the spiders rushing at them, preceded by a hoard of spiderlings. Something large and noisy moved at the rear.


    Lamp oil had been poured in the front of the tunnel. As the spiderlings reached it, Jessy tossed a lit lantern at the floor, spreading fire. Air in the cavern rushed to the fire as the tunnel was filled with flames and the screams of dying spiderlings. But the lamp oil didn''t burn hot. It burned long and gave a lot of light. The minor damage the spiderlings took was enough to kill or cripple them, but it only annoyed the bigger spiders with their thick chitin.


    A dozen giant spiders emerged from the smoke and flame like something out of a nightmare and leaped at the miners behind their makeshift barrier.

 Chapter 162: Spiders, Spiders, Everywhere!

    Spiders surged forward, intending to swarm over the improvised barricades. With only a second to spare, walls of earth and rock erupted from the floor, the magical stone growing upward until it merged with the cavern''s ceiling. Not all mages spent their time studying advanced dueling and battle magics in the Tower of Strife. Several miners were Earth Mages and had been moving rock all their lives.


    Two narrow areas were left that acted as funnels. The spiders trying to move forward had to do so one at a time or climb the walls and try to squeeze through the narrow openings, each of them just big enough for one eight-legger. The ratkin on either side of the slots turned to attack the flanks of the arachnids coming through¡ªthey surrounded their foes, putting many attackers on each spider. The dwarves referred to this tactic as a ''murder hole,'' while the elves called their version ''a bouquet of spears.'' The ratkin called them ''Spider Traps.'' Eight ratkin could attack one monster as they came through the opening.


    The two brave miners in front blocked mandibles and leg spikes with their picks and hammers as best they could, giving way and counting on the others to do the killing. The six on the sides swung their heavy mining picks at the spiders. The heavily muscled miners could dig their picks deep into a rock wall, and spiders were made of much squishier stuff. Carapaces were shattered, and organs pulped. Twice, the picks rose and fell before both spiders were dead. The ratkin hadn''t gotten off unscathed. One defender had a broken arm, and another took three steps back before dying of poison. Two more spiders crawled over the dead bodies while the rest attacked the earthen wall to destroy the spell.


    <hr>


    Clawhammer blocked poisonous mandibles with the pick in his left hand and brought down his heavy forging hammer on a spider''s head. The stunned spider could only hiss as it was attacked from the sides and repeatedly smacked in the head by an angry crafter. Clawhammer caught a breath and looked to the other opening. Two more spiders were inside, and two ratkin were down on the ground, bleeding. His concern for his miners almost cost him his life. A spider had climbed the wall and come through the gap up high. Now it dropped from thirty feet up on the unsuspecting Master Crafter.


    Or rather, it tried to. It was like a giant, invisible hand smacked the spider back against the wall and pinned it there. Clawhammer could see the massive wound in its thorax, and green ichor was pouring out from the other side. Something had punched all the way through his ambusher. With a hiss of pain, the wounded spider fell to the ground and wobbly gained its feet only to be slain by several enraged ratkin.


    Clawhammer saw Tallsqueak racing across the room, fully clad in the strange bone armor that he''d conjured. He took a skull from his belt and tossed the glowing object through the hole in the wall. A loud explosion and the hissing of injured spiders told the rest of the story. Five of the enormous spiders were now dead; Tallsqueak leaped in the air as a sixth came through the hole and surprised it by putting a spikey-stick into its skull. The spider fell, and Tallsqueak rode it to the ground, twisting the weapon in the wound, splattering brains and ichor on himself. Clawhammer almost yelled out a warning that the ichor was a minor poison but chuckled, remembering that Tallsqueak dueled with Cremona each night. Only Professor Arlothe might have a higher poison resistance than Tallsqueak.


    It was suddenly quiet, the spiders pulling back. The ratkin prepared for another charge, and the wounded were taken to the healers. Then a thunderous roar began as the Iron Spider entered the fray. The heavy metal balls fired by the Dwarven Chain Gun rapidly destroyed the earthen walls. It was only a matter of seconds before they shattered. Clawhammer didn''t want to move the fight further into the cathedral cavern, but they were about to be crushed. "Back off another hundred feet. Get me some ten-foot high, triple thick walls to give us cover from that gun." The two miners with Earth Magic cast their spells, then collapsed to the ground, their mana exhausted.


    The miners fell back and took cover behind the thick wall. The first set of earth and stone walls crumbled, and the remaining spiders advanced in a line, their images outlined in the remains of the smokey fire that was still burning some spiderlings pouring into the cavern. Smoke began to fill the top of the cavern. The crispy bodies of the fallen had choked off most of the fire. The vast bulk of the Iron Spider followed her brave champions forward.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    <hr>


    Justin was on guard at the back gate. It was always a good day when he got guard duty. Justin liked his job and liked being a guard. Nothing could be better. And he got extra cheese! The cheese had been delicious lately. Assistant Cheese Master Rifkin was doing a good job. Rifkin had told him so, and Justin believed him. He stared out over the gathering fields with glassy eyes as he heard the first screams. They bothered him for some reason, but he was guarding the back gate, so he stayed at his post.


    Gatherers and their children were running toward him, yelling loudly. Behind them came spiders. Some of the spiders made bounding leaps or scuttled quickly across the walls of the caves, cutting off groups of ratkin and trapping them in thick webs. Slower spiders came behind, binding the fallen into small cocoons. Justin wanted to help, but he was guarding the back gate!


    He saw Mistress Brownfur run at a spider and crush its skull with a flying kick before engaging a second. He remembered that she had been a champion claw fighter in her youth. It was fun that he got to see her fight before she...before...


    Justin''s head ached. He had to guard the back gate!


    And then something snapped in his mind, and he was racing at the spiders.


    "Fight me!!"


    The taunt caused every spider in fifty feet to focus on Justin, and they raced to attack the large guard. He looked at Brownfur and yelled. "Save who you can, but get to the Tower; we need to hold the passage and not let them into the hollow." Mistress Brownfur limped as fast as she could away from the fight, gathering children and urging them to speed. The spiders ignored her, their attention all on Justin now.


    Justin spun in a circle, burning stamina as his long halberd glowed and sliced through the advancing spiders. Three more times, he yelled for them to attack him until the entire army engaged with him. As Brownfur ran through the tunnel, she looked back once, unable to see Justin as he collapsed, poisoned by many wounds. Only a massive pile of spiders could be seen.


    <hr>


    H''Spat considered. Things were going so much better since the idiot had decided to take the scenic route through the mines. Resistance was slight, and they had already captured many of the small mammals for eating. She had planned to leave as the abomination led her forces against the ratkin and race to join the main army, but victory here was tasting sweet. She would get no acclaim if she left, but if she quickly took control of the hollow, she could claim a great victory. Wouldn''t the rest of the army be jealous? And wouldn''t that taste sweet? She climbed on top of the large body of a fallen guard and yelled at the spiders around her. "Onward, my victorious host. We will have a feast to celebrate our victory over the ancient enemy tonight!" The spiders in the army obeyed. One noble was much the same to them, and orders were orders.


    <hr>


    "Inform the princess that all troops are now in position according to her plans." The petite scout barely came up to the brute''s knees, and the enormous spider didn''t like the tone she used. The annoyance made her vent some of their anger at how long this march had been. "Finally! This has taken far too long. A rush with two dozen royals would have brought this hollow to its knees, yet we have to wait for you to scout for a full day?!"


    The petite scout seemed unworried in the face of General T''nigit''s anger. That might be because impatient commanders often yelled at scouts for doing their jobs correctly. Or it might have been her high perception that let her know they weren''t alone. The shadows parted as the Princess appeared beside T''nigit, her black carapace gleaming in soft light. "And you would have died and embarrassed me. Did you hear nothing I said in the war councils? Did you listen to the scouting reports at all?"


    The general bent their knees but argued. "They are weak, and we have created distractions, drawn off parts of their forces. A hammer blow..."


    "Would have failed. Do you remember the damage that a fully grown Cheese Fiend can do? And they have an unknown number of mages, along with reports of many warriors. Not taking the time to scout and understand these things is the mark of a fool. But don''t worry, I will reward you anyway. Take the Wolfen Dragoon Company and any royal that will follow you and attack immediately. Our forces are in a position to support you, thanks to the hard work of our scouts."


    T''nigit saluted and left, glad of the honor. The head scout watched her go. "It''s never bad to clear out some of the royals now and then; that was nicely done." The princess accepted the praise of her old tutor. "Yes, I thought so. Any royal dumb enough to follow T''nigit at the head of the army is one we don''t need breeding the next generation. But either way, the hollow will be ours today."

 Chapter 163: Salvaging the Situation

    Milo had an excellent understanding of what projectile weapons could do. Many dwarves were fascinated with them and would spend hours sipping beer and talking about their ideas for hand cannons and larger weapons while they tinkered with other projects. Some, like Boom-Boom, skipped the guns and went to the heart of the matter by focusing on more powerful explosives. Milo had the needed knowledge of physics and ballistics and could calculate the math in seconds. The math wasn''t looking good as far as he was concerned.


    From the sound, rate of fire, and how the large caliber rounds had quickly destroyed the stone walls, Milo knew that the miners had nothing that could stand up to the weapon. The dwarven chain gun mounted on the back of that mechanical walker wasn''t up to the standards of the Engineers, but it was still a fearsome weapon.


    Shields and armor would be shredded, and makeshift barricades would be useless. So as the shots were fired into the crumbling wall, he timed a running leap and ran up the shaking stone until he got to the ceiling and could grab a stalactite. It was hazy at the top of the cavern. The fires from the burning lamp oil filled the area where Milo hid and made breathing difficult. He took shallow breaths and used his hood as a filter.


    Below him, he saw the miners dropping back and taking positions behind the second set of much thicker walls.


    The first stone wall thrown up by the earth mages shattered into rubble, and the remaining giant spiders quickly picked their way over the pile of stone, surrounded by hundreds of spiderlings. Behind them came the Iron Spider. The heavily armored behemoth paused at the rubble and, deciding against trying to climb over the remains of the wall, began to move around the pile.


    Even through the smoke, Milo could tell the leg assemblies were crap. They didn''t match and had no synchronicity. He couldn''t tell if a clumsy spider was under the armor or just a poorly made machine. Why go to the trouble of making something if it wouldn''t work correctly? He''d have been annoyed at the thing even if it weren''t shooting at his friends.


    The twin-linked dwarven chain gun was pintle-mounted on the back of the spider. Only one gun was revolving. There was a goblin acting as a gunner. Milo watched as it loaded up another belt of ammunition and prepared to fire again. He shook his head at the lack of a proper auto-loading device.


    Milo moved across the ceiling, trying to catch up with them. He had thought he would have a few seconds to spare while the gun tried to destroy the much thicker wall the miners were deployed behind. But instead of shooting toward the miners behind the thick stone wall, the gunner started strafing back and forth across the makeshift barriers with non-combatants hiding behind them. Milo heard cries of pain and screams as splinters from the wreckage hit the people lying on the ground.


    The Iron Spider yelled at her gunner. "Idiot! Why are you wasting ammo on worthless targets?! We need to outflank that wall and destroy the remaining warriors." She continued her slow trudge toward the wall.


    Grobit chewed on the remains of his cigar and sent a few more shots into the same area. "Well, there''s nothing else to shoot at right now, and I''m bored. The non-combatants give crap for experience. Those folks over there aren''t worth a lot, but a goblin needs to get his experience where he can. I was hoping a few of them would panic and run so I could get some kills. I only need a little more, and I can move up to level ...urk...."


    The Iron Spider was confused. ''Urk'' wasn''t a word she knew the meaning of. Grobit used a lot of words that he claimed were in other languages. The goblin would have said more, but a piece of jagged bone was sticking out of his eye socket and another from his chest. Milo dropped onto the Iron Spiders¡¯ back and swung Shadowblight with both hands. The spikes on the weapon went in one side of the goblin''s head and out the other. Milo kicked the body to free his weapon. Her mechanic''s dead body slid off the spider''s back, and she stepped on it without noticing it.


    Milo grabbed the handles of the gun. It seemed simple enough to aim and fire. The Iron Spider was turning towards the side of the ratkins¡¯ wall just as her six remaining troops started scaling it. The first spider to the top was met with a hail of bullets as Milo fired the chain gun. It fell more than leaped at the ratkin miners, and Milo kept the stream of bullets flowing, hosing down spider after spider. Green gore and spider guts sprayed the top of the wall. The miners heard the sound of the guns and saw the spiders at the top of the barricade exploding into gore. They backed further away to avoid the rain of foul-smelling ichor.


    Within a minute, all of the giant spiders were dead. Milo strafed back and forth across the horde of spiderlings, each shot pulping a half dozen of the dinner plate-sized spiders. Without their larger cousins around, the mob retreated to the caverns, scattering into side tunnels and crevices.


    Milo''s mechanical ride was not happy. "What are you doing!?!! Witless mammal! Traitorous piece of trash! Those were my loyal warriors! They loved me! Now I will have to kill all of these rats by myself."


    Milo was wondering what the foot-pedals and levers did. The spider was slow, and he had plenty of time to start experimenting. As the Iron Spider advanced on the miners, and the miners wisely fled, he started pulling levers and testing each control. One lever unlocked the foot pedals, which controlled the direction in which the legs would move the spider. For a few minutes, Milo and the Spider fought over who got to move the legs until he found the override for her control. The dwarves who had built her robotic body didn''t like constantly telling the stupid spider when to move or where to go. They would take over and drive her like a walking tank in the middle of a battle.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    He quickly got the hang of it. Standing still, the spider stopped¡ªlean forward, and the spider advanced. Leaning back was reverse, and two opposed directions could spin it on the spot. It was rather like driving a clunky tank with uneven tracks.


    The spider hated being driven. She''d demanded that Grobit take apart those controls and leave her in control. Unknown to her, Grobit liked having an ace in the hole if she decided she didn''t need him. The controls had stayed. Once again, the mighty Iron Spider found herself turned into just a passenger. Milo brought the spider to a halt and locked the controls, leaving her immobile. He jumped down and ran to where the miners were assisting the wounded.


    Clawhammer was trying to assist one of the healers with a wounded child. Milo nodded at him and started pulling healing potions from the caverns out of the storage in his ring. "Use these; they should be very potent."


    The chaingun had killed only two people, but several were wounded. With bandages, spells, and potions, everyone worked to stabilize the wounded and stop the bleeding. Two people had shattered bones, which Milo could put back together, while a healer saw to torn muscles and sinew.


    With that done, Master Clawhammer pulled Master Tallsqueak aside. "Nice work doing whatever you did. But what the hell is going on? And what is that thing?"


    Milo didn''t know more than the obvious. "Those are spider warriors, but only two were noble and weren''t very large. Much smaller than the ones I fought before. Under all that, metal is a huge Noble, but it''s primarily mechanical. Do spiders turn their wounded into walking tanks?"


    Clawhammer looked at the metal monstrosity and simply shrugged. "No clue. But that looks like pretty shoddy work, whoever it was needs some lessons in remedial mechanics. But I''m glad it''s a piece of crap. If those legs worked better, it would be a fierce warmachine.


    "I killed the gunner and then turned the chain gun on the spiders rushing to fight you. It''s a dwarven gun, but not well made. One side needs to be fixed or it would have fired twice as fast. I don''t know how the spiders fit in, but it must be part of what is happening. Too much happening at once."


    Clawhammer nodded as he looked at the horror standing still in the middle of the cave. "Someone has given most of the Hollow bad cheese, and now a spider attack. That smells bad."


    Milo explained what he had found out. "Rifkin is behind the cheese. He''s been meeting with the merchants in the caravan. And the caravan brought Cheese Fiends with them. Why would anyone bring fiends to another hollow?"


    Clawhammer smacked one big fist into his palm, angry. "Fiends? There''s a reason, but not a good one. Larry''s an exception. He didn''t change in the middle of a battle; he just wanted to ''get big'' like his brother and fight more. He could never tell us more than that after the change. We never found out how he got too much cheese. But other fiends are bred for battle and live for it. A caravan wouldn''t bring fiends, they eat too much and need constant attention. Fiends were never used except in the largest battles."


    Milo ran through scenarios in his head; it seemed obvious in retrospect. "Charlotte and Rifkin wanted to take over the Hollow. They poisoned Smiley and Bleusnout so Rifkin could give bad cheese to the Hollow, making it easy for the caravan guards to take over. Charlotte attacked me and told me part of it before I...before I killed her. The rest I learned from my very excellent scouts who have been following Rifkin. The spiders must be somehow working for Rifkin or were a diversion."


    "Things make more sense, what do we do you think we should do now? "


    Clawhammer looked around. He had some miners who could fight a little and some wounded he needed to protect. He could fight, but he wasn''t a warrior. Tallsqueak was young, but Gilad spoke highly of him, he was a mage, and he''d killed more spiders than the rest. "I''m leaving that up to you. You know more about what''s happening than I do, and you have scouts finding out more. If anyone asks, you have my support. I advise finding Gilad and gathering all the fighters and mages we can. There will be another fight coming."


    "I''m going to see if I can bring down the main tunnel and fortify this area. Nothing will be able to come through the mines until we clear out those tunnels. Send people this way if they need shelter. We''ll hold the front entrance to the mines. If need be, we can open up a side passage and send to other Hollows for help, and try to make a last stand in here."


    Milo handed the master miner his pick. "This will help. It''s made of a Tier 4 crystal that can cut through rock like butter."


    Clawhammer felt the tip and tested it on the floor. "Damn, where did you get this?"


    Milo shrugged. "Reward for killing a World Boss. Long story. I''m going to take my spider and make sure the warriors from the caravan can''t get into the hollow. It''s a narrow passage and this ugly gun is equal in firepower to an Engineer''s rivet gun. It might come in handy."


    Clawhammer watched as Tallsqueak ran back to the mechanical spider, adjusted the controls, and tightened some bolts. Then with the sound of screeching metal, they began strolling down the corridor to the Hollow. Before they could go far, the master miner sent two whelps running ahead of them, spreading the word so that no one had a heart attack when they saw him coming.


    The spider constantly complained to Milo in her screeching voice until he found the switch that turned off the speaker she talked through. He had some thinking to do and needed to do it fast.

 Chapter 164: When some idiot screws up your crafty plans....

    Gilad brushed the last crumb from his whiskers, the cheese Danish had genuinely been delightful. Gilad was impressed with how quickly Rifkin was filling the shoes of his predecessor. One of his new apprentices had knocked on Gilad''s door three times before entering his home and leaving the large tray of cheesy desserts on his table. Gilad recognized him from when he had been attending his classes. Black fungus? Blacknose? Something like that.


    Gilad had dropped down from his favorite napping spot in the rafters to try a piece and had ended up making it his evening meal. The pastries were made from a blend of cheeses that he couldn''t quite place. The venerable fighter had long ago mastered his cheese cravings, but on a day when his joints and muscles ached, it was nice to feel the rush as his body gained the power only cheese could provide. And he had always loved pastries.


    He would never let his sparring partners know, but the late-night dueling had pushed him hard. Cremona made up for her lack of physical ability with her virulent spells and poisons. Even with his strong resistance, they slowed him and left him shaking after winning a bout with her. Tall Squeak had given him many painful bruises and several times given him broken bones. The damned whelp adapted quickly and experimented with moves that no sane ratkin would try against him. Those often resulted in Tall Squeak being slammed painfully into the floor or wall, but some of them worked, and then it was Gilad who suffered. At least the whelp was polite and healed his old bones afterward.


    For a normal ratkin, Tallsqueak was amazingly tough with unbreakable bones and healed nearly as quickly as Larry. Just a few weeks ago, Gilad had been overjoyed to have an assistant who could double as a punching bag. It was debatable now who was the punching bag.


    And then there was Larry.


    The huge fiend was developing his own fighting style full of twirling tail attacks and quick hops. It was elegant, dangerous, and unpredictable. No one had ever used such a style before, and Gilad constantly had to push himself to avoid being pulped by one of Larry''s powerful attacks. The Tail-Master was always excited to fight against Larry, but he paid for it with stiff limbs and painful joints the next day. The cheese helped with the pain, and the odd flavor he''d detected faded away as he finished the pastries.


    Afterward, he went to bed early, needing his sleep. Fighting class was important. He needed to be up and about, not lying in bed and letting Tall Squeak run the classes. He slept soundly for the first time in years, undisturbed by dreams. Before he awoke, another delivery of cheese Danish was dropped off.


    Gilad awoke early, saw the newly delivered food, and ate all of it. He was the Tail-Master; he deserved extra cheese. It was essential and would help him train all of the whelps. A hollow needed all of the fighters it could get! Fighting practice for guards and whelps would need to be mandatory from now on.


    His students were ready and waiting for him, glassy eyes showing intense concentration. Training began immediately and continued through the morning. The loud noises coming from the outer caves were ignored, as was the commotion from the mines. The only thing that got Gilad''s attention was when Tall Squeak came walking by on a silly mechanical spider.


    <hr>


    Milo was getting the hang of driving the spider. It was a clunky machine, and he had a lot of ideas for improvements. He had a low opinion of both the builders and whoever had been doing the repairs. Too many things had been fixed with wire and duct tape. The parts box was messy, but he found enough bits to fix the second gun. Rather than have two guns with independent triggers, he slaved the second to the first and synchronized their firing. Fewer parts were needed, and he got the job done as the spider slowly made its way through the caverns and into the hollow.


    It could have been a better job, but it doubled the firepower of the walking tank. That might be handy if his suspicions about the caravan proved true or if something else attacked the hollow. He planned to take the spider and park it in the outer cavern next to the guards for them to use. He was surprised to see Gilad leading tail-fighting drills with a large group of students. Between investigations and fighting spiders, he''d lost track of time. He was also getting tired. The quick rest while talking to Petey didn''t replace hours of sleep, despite the pick-me-up effect of the jellybeans.


    Gilad walked over to him as he arrived. "Why are you late for practice? And why are you riding on an atrocity like this? If you were going to construct a battle tank, using a design for a mechanical mole would be better. Spider legs break off too easily. Trust me, I know from experience." He rapped his knuckles on the fake metal head on the front of the spider''s armor. Hissing and clicks echoed out of the cracks in the armor. "And where did you get such a stupid spider to use for the core? This one is hissing so much that I can barely understand it. Please take it away before it distracts my students."


    Milo noted that he should learn the spider language; it might be handy someday. "It came marching into the mines, shooting people along with a dozen other giant spiders and even a couple of nobles. We killed all the rest, but this thing might come in handy soon. Have the twins or Petey talked to you about what is happening?"


    Gilad began walking back to his arena. "No, and I don''t care. My job is to teach whelps to fight and let the scouts and assassins handle their own problems. You''re the new Scout Master; I give you my authority to handle these nuisances. When it is time to fight, call for me, and I will bring the fighters of the hollow and make battle against our opponents. Oh, and tell whoever is having a war in the outer caverns to keep things quiet. Class is in session."


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Milo took in the glassy eyes of the Tail Master and the class. At least they were getting in a lot of practice. He put the spider in gear and started walking it down the tunnel to the outer caves to see what was happening there. Brutus waved to him as he exited. "Hi, Master Tallsqueak. Cool looking spider."


    Brutus seemed calm, but the caravan was a mess. "What happened here, Brutus? It looks like a battle took place."


    The guard smiled. "Oh, it was a good one. First, the caravan got attacked by a bunch of players, and the herd of damnedbeasts went crazy and trampled everything before they forted up in the center of the cave. It will take a couple of days for them to calm down. It was mostly humans attacking; they didn''t do too badly at first. Good fight, and things were about even after the Master Merchant unleashed his cheese fiends. Then the humans got attacked from behind by a dwarven artillery company. Now that was fun to watch! The dwarves are now holding the far end of the cavern, and there''s a graveyard between them and the caravan. Hopefully, the next round starts soon. Pretty good entertainment."


    "Oh, and don''t worry. I''m doing a good job; no one is getting past me today. Brutus is on guard!"


    Milo was trying to fit the big guard¡¯s information into an already complex situation. "Yes, good job Brutus. Excellent job. Keep non-residents out of the Hollow unless I or another master vouch for them. Master Clawhammer and Master Gilad have given me their authority for the moment. And that includes Rifkin. He isn''t a Master yet, he can''t give a stalwart guard like you orders. And I need to talk to him if you see him. Grab him if he tries to sneak in or out of the hollow, and hold him for me. And don''t underestimate him. He''s sneakier than I think anyone knew."


    Brutus saluted. "You got it, Master Scout. And have a nice day." Milo decided to bring the spider with him to visit the artillery company. They''d have suggestions on how to get the stupid leg assemblies fixed if it was whom he suspected.


    <hr>


    Rifkin was not happy. Something had gone wrong with his cunning plans. He wondered which idiot was screwing things up.


    He was ensuring that everyone in the Hollow was getting enough Milbenkase each day so that the spider cheese could work its magic on them and turn them into hard-working slaves. Everyone would work hard at whatever they thought was their primary job, and they would take his orders without question. It had been a slow start. The spider cheese wasn''t working like it was supposed to. People weren''t taking orders well. He suspected it was bad cheese. It was just like Gangrene to give him defective spider cheese!


    He''d prepared unique dishes for Gilad, Clawhammer, Brownfur, and Arlothe and had his minions distribute them at their homes. Bleusnout had kept a record of everyone''s favorite dish to surprise them for their birthday. The entry for the the Gathering Master was missing, so he sent a sampling platter of blended cheese. He wasn''t worried about her. Brownfur was of no matter; the old woman would see things his way and could be put to work making sure the new fields were laid out correctly.


    Charlotte was going to take over as the new Death Master and she was confident she could sway most of the Shadow Skulkers. If not, examples would need to be made of a few. If his trap worked, she would also take care of the annoying Tall Squeak. It galled Rifkin to no end that a stranger only recently arrived had been trusted with a ring, and he who had been here for years was still only an ''assistant.¡¯ That would change soon.


    The only Master that worried him was Old Healer. Charlotte had suggested that they deal with him last after they had the Hollow under control. He was sure Charlotte would use him as a threat to keep some control for herself. It might be time for Charlotte to eat a hefty chunk of slave cheese if she tried. He could replace her with Petey. Petey was docile and fat. Where Charlotte was a problem, Petey could be easily managed. He''d given the jelly bean addict a few hints about his plans already.


    The twins, though, had to go. They''d fallen under Tall Squeak¡¯s influence. He''d dodged them all night before he made it to the caravan. Maybe Petey could talk to them, or he''d have Charlotte scare them or give them some slave cheese. He had lots of options to deal with anything.


    He''d just finished explaining all of this to Gangrene when the caravan had been attacked. He''d kept his head down and hid in the General''s tent. The stupid humans who had failed to show up to weaken the hollow were now attacking the caravan! Blackwhisker had assured him that his links to the human guilds would ensure the raid was arriving on time. Had Blackwhisker betrayed him?


    The tide of combat had favored the humans until the fiends were unleashed. The ferocious fiends had destroyed the raid''s healers and mages. The caravan had been about to charge when more things went wrong. Dwarves had attacked the humans, ambushing them from behind! He hadn''t had any plans for dwarves! You never invited dwarves to a revolution unless it was at a brewery. They couldn''t be trusted! Yet here they were, and the human raid had melted before their withering fire. Gangrene was alive but wounded; the caravan had lost half its guards.


    Rifkin was okay with that, but he had so many other questions. Could he use what was left to gain control of the Hollow and then get rid of them? How would he get rid of Gangrene? Could he engineer a fight between Gilad and Gangrene? He needed to think, and he needed to get back to the Hollow and check on his minions, talk with Charlotte, and make sure the plans were going well. He was starting to be worried about his spider allies. Not only were they supposed to weaken the Hollow, but that was the excuse he would use to bring in the caravan guards. He''d save the Hollow from the spiders and humans and announce that he was taking over.


    He''d just decided to sneak carefully away from the caravan and back to the Hollow when Tall Squeak entered the outer cave riding on top of a mechanical spider. He hid quickly, wondering if the spiders had betrayed him.

 Chapter 165: Wait...you have beer?!

    Narwhal was the first to spot the mechanical monster walking across the caverns. Most scavengers had a high perception and Look-out skill. Narwhal had spent days on end manning observation ports or crow''s nests to raise her skill to level 5 and her perception to 10. A high perception was needed to gain the coveted Gunner class. "We got trouble coming. Load a shell, and I''ll see how many legs I can blow off it!"


    Boom-Boom smiled at the thought of watching his new bride blowing things up but stopped Barnacle before she loaded the small cannon. "You might get more than you bargained for. I''m guessing that the person in the driver''s seat is our long-lost brother Engineer. I don''t want to find out what weapons he has on that thing if you were to start a shooting war. Brother Milo has a talent for causing destruction."


    The two Scavengers grumbled but paused until the identity could be confirmed. They had seen the devastation Senior Engineer Milo had caused to the outpost with their own eyes and heard all of the stories. They''d also witnessed him playing tag with the sea hydra and were convinced he was missing a few bolts.


    Two Screws walked forward and bellowed out a greeting. "Damn, but that is one ugly spider. We may have to send you to remedial mechanics classes. Please tell me you didn''t build that." Milo looked at the spider. "Of course, I didn''t build it. It drives me crazy just looking at all the work that needs to be done to fix it. Plus, it has a crazy spider inside of it." He flipped on the speaker.


    <I will flay you slowly and feed you to my young! I am P¡¯tashPak¡¯r, the dreaded...oh, is my speaker back on? I hate you so much! Tell these lazy dwarves to fix my #3 and #7 leg joints; I keep tripping. Why are you still in control?! Quit that! I can drive myself! This isn''t dignified. This isn''t my fault; The Queens made me do it!>


    Many hisses and the clicking of mandibles accompanied this speech. But since she repeated herself a lot, eventually, everyone started understanding the spider underneath the many layers of armor and machinery.


    Barnacle ran forward, undid the hatches on the head armor, and cranked it open to reveal the face of the spider. "Ooooh, there is a spider in there. She''s so cute! How are you doing, sweety?" She carefully patted the spider''s head, mindful of the mandibles.


    P''tashPak''r answered in a defeated voice. <Terrible. I am hungry and thirsty. This new master runs me across caverns with no thought for my delicate limbs, and I have been betrayed again by the Queens! Instead of victory, I was duped into leading an army of idiots and was captured and paraded before the one who tortured me years ago! My faithful Grobit has abandoned me, and now it seems I am to be sold to dwarves for scrap metal.>


    Boom-Boom and Narwhal had climbed up to look at the chainguns while Two-Screws and Sledge-monkey walked around, kicking the spider''s legs and making comments about the sad state of the gyroscopes. Narwhal yelled down at the spider. "Poor baby. Bad things happen when you pick the wrong side to fight. The only thing to do is to have a beer and make better choices before the next war. And by my mother''s beard! Clean your guns more! These are in terrible shape!"


    <Mercenaries take what mechanics they can get. Wait...you have beer?!> She looked longingly at the stack of kegs by the wall. Large amounts of dwarven beer had made the mercenary life more enjoyable. Her dwarven crew had enjoyed getting her drunk and having her wobble back and forth as they went from bar to bar.


    Barnacle gave the spider one more pat on the head. "Of course we have beer! What a catastrophe that would be." She poured a foaming bucket of beer and held it for P¡¯tashPak¡¯r, who drank it down quickly. <Oh, how I have missed this. The life of an enslaved arachnid mercenary is a harsh one. But at least there was beer.>


    Narwhal was shaking her head. She should have known better. Barnacle was a sucker for strays. She was going to want to take the damned spider home; she just knew it. And as she had feared, after getting the spider another bucket of beer, Barnacle began begging for a new pet. "Can we take her with us, Nar? Huh? She''s perfect! A mercenary who likes beer and makes bad choices in life! That''s practically the scavenger motto!"


    Narwhal yelled over to Milo, who was talking with Harry about Black Mold. "Hey, how much do you want for the spider? My new husband here wants to buy it from you."


    Boom-Boom looked up from where he was cleaning the chain guns. "I do?"


    Narwhal kissed him on the cheek and batted her eyes. "Of course you do! It will help us pack more ammunition, it comes armed with cute little guns, and we can add heavier artillery to it. And Barnacle will be happy to take care of the squishy parts inside. She loves ugly pets."


    Boom-Boom smiled stupidly. "Well then, I guess I do want it. Hey, Milo, how much do you want for your spider?"


    Milo blinked twice; he hadn''t thought he owned the spider. "Consider it a wedding present." Milo considered it one less thing for him to worry about. "But before we get to tinkering on it, let''s move back towards the entrance to the Hollow. I have some problems I don''t understand and may need some help with." The spider was already half drunk, so getting back to the entrance took some time. Barnacle was already telling the spider all her cool ideas for fixing her legs and adding more guns.


    Brutus was introduced to the dwarves, and Milo made sure that the guard understood that the Engineers were allowed to enter the Hollow. Then Milo spent a few minutes giving them a brief explanation of what he knew, what he suspected, and what he suspected he didn''t know. Sledgemonkey took another look at the caravan. "They do seem to be heavy on guards and light on merchants. Every single one of them is in armor now, and I''ll confirm the two big monsters they have hidden in those wagons. They got scared when we started shooting fireworks at the humans."


    Sledgemonkey lit a cigar and got himself a beer. "Taking a look at the mines can wait for now. Two-Screws and I are fatigued by our journey and need a small break to rest our legs while we have some medicinal beers. We''ll camp out here along with the eight-legged contraption and guard the doorway with Brutus. The rest of you can go do whatever needs going; we''ll keep things locked down here.


    Barnacle was feeding more beer to P¡¯tashPak¡¯r. "I''m staying with my new spidey friend. She''s having a hard day, and we need to drink a little more, right honey?"


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The spider''s eyes seemed unfocused and relaxed. <Yes. Hard day...beer...promise not to eat new dwarfy friend.>


    Harry had some ideas about what might be ailing Bleusnout and Smiley. "Black Mold grows in dank caves, and once it takes hold, it''s difficult to get rid of. Naturally growing mold will cause lung rot and an assortment of other ailments. But it can also be used to poison food and create many toxins. I don''t believe it has any benevolent use at all."


    "To get rid of it from caves, trolls use fire. One of the only times you will see a troll willingly get near to a fire. Fire can burn us horribly, but Black Mold is worse. And I will warn you; it is likewise difficult to cure."


    Harry got quite a few odd looks, as did the two dwarves following behind. But in general, the ratkin of the Hollow went about their business in a single-minded fashion, with glassy eyes and looking neither left nor right. Harry took this in. "Whatever is affecting them is very specific. This isn''t a random batch of bad cheese or a mold infection. It''s too perfect and affecting everyone."


    Harry had to duck to enter the hallways of Old Healer''s clan. Things were somber inside. A few zombified family members were being cared for, and guards were at each door. Tallsqueak flashed his ring, and no one stopped them as they moved down to the makeshift infirmary.


    Smiley and Bleusnout were unchanged, sleeping on their cots, breathing shallowly. Old Healer looked exhausted to the point of collapse. He looked up when Tallsqueak entered. "Nothing I try works. Tell me you have learned something new?"


    Milo opened the door wide for Harry to move into the room. Old Healer''s eyes grew wide at first, then relaxed. "I don''t know more about what is killing them, but I have Dr. Earthtongue with me. Harry is an expert on mycology." Harry nodded and went immediately to the two patients and began to unpack tonics, swabs, and powders. "I''ll do my best, but if this is indeed Black Mold poisoning, I can''t make promises. I''m frankly amazed they are both still alive."


    Old Healer sighed. "As am I. Nothing I do seems to work. It''s only the amazing regeneration of a Cheese Master that has kept them both alive until now. But please take a look at this formula. Tallsqueak was kind enough to unearth this book, but I have been unable to get the final product to absorb magical energy and create the potion. It would be nice if someone hadn''t drunk all six doses in the bottle he found. A sample of the original would be helpful."


    Milo shrugged. "Dying of poison isn''t the best time to judge how much strange potion to drink. Your mysterious relative didn''t leave a lot of messages for me. I only had time to read the book and look through his notes after I recovered."


    Old Healer patted him on the shoulder. "Yes. My apologies. I don''t mean to imply any fault. That is just the fatigue talking. To be so close to a cure yet unable to find the missing step. And yes, the person whose ring you wear was very eccentric. He enjoyed setting traps, leaving puzzles, and hiding clues in odd places to make his students figure things out."


    Harry was staring at the book. He pointed to a blank area. "What do you see here?" Old Healer looked at the page. "Nothing at all." Harry gestured for Boom-Boom to come take a look at the book.


    Boom-Boom took a sip of his beer, finishing it and putting the tankard on his belt. "We drink and blow stuff up. If it isn''t a formula for an explosive, I''m not really good at chemistry." He stepped forward anyway and looked at the page. "Yeah, there''s some writing here. I can barely see it."


    Harry explained. "Trolls see things differently from other races. Dwarves do as well. I have large books written in trollish runes that would be blank pages to you. Luckily, I found a small sample of Amanita Muscaria Alius as we traveled. They are known for giving a modest light in the darkness when disturbed and are also powerful psychotropics to some races. Some research has shown that most of the light they shed is not normal. Let''s see what their light reveals."


    Harry picked a small purple mushroom from his shoulder where it was growing. Concentrating on it for a moment, he gave it some of his mana and held it over the book. Writing appeared in many places. Old Healer slapped his forehead and shook his head. Some lines revealed missing bits of the recipe. Other lines were handwritten. "What sort of madman wrote this book? The poisons are easy to make, but he hides half the cure. A curse upon all humans and especially this Damien Franklin."


    Harry was scanning the formula. "If I read this correctly, we need a rare berry, ''Colored like the Sun,'' that has a sympathetic magic similar to that of the elixir. Many berries have such properties to one degree or another, and I can think of three that are orange or yellow. Gaining access to them will be difficult, but the alchemy guild in Shadowport may have some."


    Milo realized the answer was much closer. "Jellybeans. Petey said the yellow jellybeans from the oldest bush were magical and cured poison. And the elixir had a fizzy, sweet flavor to it."


    Old Healer''s eyes showed a manic excitement. "So close...!" He pulled on a cord, and Milo heard a small bell chime somewhere in the building. A moment later, Petey walked into the room. "You rang? Oh, hi, Tallsqueak." A moment later, Petey was pulling glowing candies out of his pocket. Old Healer and Harry had agreed that six of the beans needed to be added to the incomplete potion. As they were dropped into the solution one by one, the candies dissolved, and the elixir turned the bright yellow color that Milo remembered.


    Old Healer looked over at his two patients. "And now we must keep them alive for another day." He looked hopeful as he said it.


    Milo had just started to relax a bit when a roar of pure rage echoed through the Hollow. It swelled, carrying a lifetime of pain and anger, promising horrible death to whatever had wronged it. It grew louder and louder. Ratkin hid as fast as they could.


    Narwhal covered her ears. Boom-Boom''s eyes were huge. "A dragon?! Here!?" Old Healer looked stricken, knowing what the sound was. He had heard it before in the wars when a Warfiend went berzerk.


    Milo knew where that sound came from. "Larry! Something has happened to Larry!" He was out the door, racing away before the cry died

 Chapter 166: Larry 1, Reality 0

    Ten students surrounded the machine Professor Arlothe was working on, holding tools, machine parts, and wire coils. The professor had declared that from now on, each day would be spent experimenting with new ways to generate electrical power and storm-aspected mana. And, of course, finding ways to unleash that power. Arlothe had awoken that morning and realized he was wasting his time doing anything else! This was how he should be serving the Hollow! He had walked through the tower, lecturing on the glories of the storm and the power of electricity, slowly gaining a following of glassy-eyed students who shared in his new vision. The ten students had followed him down and out of the tower, standing nearby, ready to assist him as he tore apart and rebuilt the generator by the waterfall.


    Throughout the next few hours, the machinery underwent a half dozen rebuilds. Some things worked, and most things didn''t. The machine was most efficient when a stave used to cast spells was wired directly to the generator, negating the need for storage. They spent a full hour launching spell after spell at the targets, not needing to recharge their mana. Then the wires in several coils fused into solid lumps of copper, and the generator froze. Arlothe let the students begin tearing it apart and took a cup of tea. He doubled over in pain as the poison hit him a moment later and smiled; his wife had left him a small reminder of her affection.


    While rebuilding the generator, a 4th-year student named Silvertip had a moment of inspiration and stole a few parts. Adding them to his staff, he found a way to double the storage capacity. This led to a competition to create the best staff, with various levels of success. The schism threatened to tear apart the group: Should they work on generating more power? Or storing more energy in their staves? Arlothe had an inspired thought. ¡°Why not both?" The students nodded; both was good.


    An expedition to his private laboratory resulted in many boxes of spare parts being brought down. The group worked concurrently on two projects: Higher mana output from the generator and larger capacity in the staves that could be plugged into it for recharging. The sound of overloading fuses and the smell of ozone wafted through the Hollow.


    Nearby, Professor Cremona was dueling with a dozen of her proteges. The strangely serious students seemed dedicated to the idea that they must train daily to protect the Hollow and conquer their enemies. They glared at the ''spark-heads'' from time to time before returning to their duels. Professor Cremona produced two baskets of cleansing cheese and poison-resistance potions. The students would need both remedies to keep them alive and dueling until their resistance levels increased.


    She had noticed her husband taking his tea and then doubling over in pain. This pleased her to no end. It was so hard to poison him after their years of dueling. While Arlothe had his head inside the generator, she snuck over again to his teapot to add another dose, not noticing the thin copper wire connected to the handle. The discharge of the powerful electrical field left her with her fur blackened and smoking and the hair on her head standing straight up. Arlothe lifted his head from the generator and blew her a kiss.


    The spark-heads and the poison-claws seemed unconcerned as panicked gatherers came racing through the tunnel to the large caverns where vegetables and mushrooms grew. The ratkin running from the spiders behaved oddly as well. As soon as they were safe, they went to the mess hall to drop off the contents of their gathering sacks and then to the smaller fields inside the Hollow itself to continue picking and planting.


    Having overrun the fields and dealt with the lone guard, the spiders advanced on the Hollow and began working their way through the short tunnel, emerging near the Tower of Strife. H''Splat was jubilant. Her army was sweeping all before it. There was no reason not to move further into the lightly guarded Hollow and conquer it.


    Cremona saw four giant spiders emerge from the tunnel and yelled to her students. "Excellent! New people to play with. Please welcome our eight-legged visitors who have volunteered as targets!"


    Arlothe looked with disgust at his wife. "You''d waste perfectly good test subjects on dueling? I have data to collect! Students, quickly! Use your best spell, and be sure to note the damage done in your journals and any other interesting effects. Most of our data is on mammals. This is an excellent chance to see how spiders react to electrical arcs!"


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The two groups of students began throwing spells at the advancing spiders while Cremona critiqued their dueling stances and Arlothe walked around collecting observations and asking questions. After the first four spiders were turned into crispy piles of legs, the others backed off into the tunnel and took cover.


    <hr>


    The picnic-tea party to celebrate the victory over the Pickle Gang was ending. Everyone agreed it had been a great success. Pie and cake with whipped cream were about to be served when Larry stood up suddenly, his eyes wild and his fists clenched.


    "Something has happened! Something bad! Big Brother Justin is in trouble! Larry needs to go home!"


    The Puffyfurs stood up, worried, and the fairies flitted around Larry, not knowing what to do.


    Larry was hopping from foot to foot and yelling for the Tunnelmuggle. "Brinka! Larry needs to go home! Larry needs to go home NOW!"


    The Tunnelmuggle stuck her head out of a hole in the ground. "I can try, Larry, but I''m still very tired from the last hole. It was so hard to bring all of you here." The exhausted muggle strained, but only a tiny crack appeared in the air before Brinka collapsed on the ground, panting. The sound of spiders hissing and clicking their feet together came through the break.


    Larry looked at the tiny hole in despair. "Larry won''t fit. Larry is too big! Larry is always too big!"


    Putting his eye to the opening, he saw Justin kill a spider and then fall to the ground as one of the giant, black spiders stung him in the back, and several more bit his legs. Spiders swarmed over him, biting and binding him in webbing. Justin fell over, and the spiders swarmed over him.


    Larry roared at them, scaring spiders, fairies, muggles, Puffyfurs, and badgers alike. His roar held a lifetime of anger and hurt as he realized he couldn''t help his brother.


    "Larry is coming, Justin! Larry will make his own hole!" The tips of his claws could just fit in the small crack, but that was enough for him to get a grip. Larry strained against the barriers between the worlds. Brinka would later explain to him that it wasn''t strength that let a Tunnelmuggle make a door; it was intent and determination. It was the need to make a door. In some places, the walls between a fae realm and someplace else became thin, and then a Tunnelmuggle could make a hole for brave fairies to explore and bring back treasures. Brinka had made many holes into this spot, wearing the barrier thin.


    Larry committed his sheer fury at the spiders and his love for his brother against the barrier, and the barrier lost. The fairies gasped as the Hero of Flower Town tore a Larry-sized hole between the world of the fae and Limburger Hollow. It wasn''t a nice hole like Tunnelmuggle would make; it was a jagged, glowing tear that got wider and longer as Larry strained to make a hole big enough for him to fit through. With a last effort, the tear became big enough, and Larry leaped into it, emerging a few feet in the air.


    The spiders had no idea what was happening as reality tore asunder and a half-ton of enraged Cheese Fiend turned Hero came to protect his big brother. One unlucky arachnid was killed as Larry''s feet landed on it, crushing its head and thorax. Larry grabbed a spider in each hand, squeezing and popping their heads off. He spun, and his tail lashed out at any spider nearby, breaking legs and cracking armor. Larry roared and sent hundreds of spiderlings running to find cracks to hide in.


    Behind him, Clan Puffyfur jumped through the crack with staves ready to cast spells. After a moment, all of the fairies were as well, forming a defensive spell around the ratkin spell casters and sending confusion and fear spells into the spiders. Bernie Badger stayed behind to guard the uneaten dessert.


    Larry ran to where Justin lay unmoving and screamed again at the spiders. He stood over Justin''s body, stomping spiders, slashing spiders, and bludgeoning them with his tail. His instincts told him to move on all fours and give into his rage. He was nearly lost in his rage when he heard the tiny bells the fairies wore on their wings. The sound of the bells jingling as they flew was the music Larry had heard since he became a Hero. He stood upright and glared at the horde of spiders circling him. Five small ratkin mages were at his feet, determined to help, and overhead the Fairies of Flower Town were working their magic.


    Larry danced towards the spiders, leaving his friends to protect Justin. It was Hero time.

 Chapter 167: The Battle of the Gathering Fields

    H''Splat hissed and screamed at her host of arachnids. "Kill it! Kill it quickly! Sting and Claw, Bite and Slash! Fill it with poison, or it will kill us all!" H''Spat had seen Cheese Fiends fight during the Mammal Rebellion and the Righteous War of Glory. The beasts were nearly unstoppable unless poisoned quickly and worn down by swarming them. They slaughtered many of the lower ranks in their frenzy, but that was far better than letting the Fiend Tenders herd them into battle and use them tactically.


    H''Spat remembered the one time a fiend had made it to a Queen. It had died to the potent poison that only a queen produced, but only after it had ripped her limb from limb along with her guards, daughters, and entourage. The standing orders in all spider armies were to swarm a fiend and tie it down, regardless of the loss of soldiers. The lower ranks could be replenished in only a season or two. It took decades for a Queen to grow to maturity, and fully half of them died due to politics along the way.


    This fiend was defying the might of her army. It moved in unpredictable patterns, spinning and hopping like a manic grasshopper on bounceweed. Behind it, support mages were casting healing spells and causing confusion in her army. If it wasn''t for a tiny fact, H''Spat might have fled: The fiend was staying in one spot. It danced and dodged in a circle, protecting the little rats and fluttering things in the center. And above them was a tear in reality.


    The fiend and his strikeforce had come from it, and now they were defending it! It was the only thing that made sense. A much larger army was on the way! Or maybe the doorway led to something precious? Were they only guarding it until it could close? In either case, H''Spat knew she had to act quickly. "Send four of the largest brutes to guard the tunnel and send an assault group of spiderlings to keep the rats busy. Then all of the warriors are to attack the fiend. Work to get past him and kill the little fluttery things and mage-rats!"


    Messengers saluted and scuttled away. The spider army abandoned its attack on the Hollow to focus on the Cheese Fiend rampaging in the army''s rear.


    <hr>


    "I''m getting scared! Why are there so many spiders!" Sassy didn''t like little spiders, and the big ones were horrifying.


    "Keep casting spells. Don''t let them get to us!" Another burst of static electricity rolled out in all directions, stunning the spiders for a moment. Larry leaped as it came, avoiding the blast and smooshing two spiders with his feet as he landed. Before they recovered, he spun, kicking three spiders and cracking their carapaces. Then he leaped to the other side of the circle to inflict damage on the spiders surging from that direction.


    The bodies of dead arachnids were thick on the ground, but more kept coming.


    Above Clan Puffy Fur floated four fairies who were using their magic to create barriers to slow the spiders down. Prickly bushes sprouted in a ring, ice coated the ground, and sticky taffy rained from the sky. Below, Redfawn was trying to keep Justin alive. "I''m going to need help soon. My mana is getting low, and I can''t neutralize the poison! He got bit so many times."


    "Coming!" Gingersnapple dropped next to Redfawn and poured a potion over him, buying Redfawn a moment to catch her breath. Moonflower and Tuliptoes went to the rift Larry had opened and pulled magic from Flowertown, drenching the surrounding area in Fae magic, giving both fairies and Puffyfurs a recharge. Cherrypit used some of the power to call forth more bramble bushes to slow the spiders and poke them in tender places.


    But even with this help, the sheer mass of spiders was starting to overcome Larry. Spider ichor was making the ground slippery, and the bodies had caused him to trip more than once. His weasel slippers were panting hard but keeping him up. Pansy yelled out. "Jump!" Larry jumped high. All five Puffyfurs had linked hands and cast an overcharged spell. Thunder and lightning crashed as electrical arcs toasted spiders in a 40-foot radius. Larry came down and hopped twice to where a Black Widow Assassin was noticing that her front legs were missing from the blast. Larry punted her into the ceiling, where she was impaled on a jutting stalactite.


    The spider army paused for a second and nearly retreated. H''Spat screamed at them. "He tires! The mages must be out of mana! Now is the hour of victory!" The spiders moved to attack again.


    Electrical arcs from the tunnel exploded, toasting and killing all the assaulting spiderlings. Into the tunnel moved shadowy figures. A deep, guttural voice laughed and yelled, "Fire in the hole!"


    A trail of smoke and flame followed the course of a dark steel armor-piercing, anti-monstrosity rocket. It struck one of the Brutes and exploded, scattering legs and pieces of chitin across the cavern. A second Brute standing in range was the next target and exploded spectacularly into spider parts like the first. Boom-Boom and Narwhal moved up to the front of the tunnel and began reloading as Milo ran past them.


    An exploding skull sent dust and debris into the air, confusing the last two brutes. In the brief time they shielded their eyes, the armored rat caster had disappeared from view. The one on the left quit worrying about finding Milo as the end of his high leap put him right in front of it, Shadowblight used all the momentum of the jump and a two-handed swing to penetrate the spider''s skull. Charged with mana, the brute''s head exploded in grey goo. Shadowblight purred as it ate the spider''s soul.


    The second turned to attack, and Milo rolled away, slashing with his tail. He gestured with his left hand and cast Harpoon of the Winds, puncturing its thorax. Narwhal''s next shot was slightly off target, whizzing by the noble''s rear and taking off three of its legs before the shell detonated in the back of the multitude of spiders surrounding Larry. Dead spiders were flung everywhere.


    Milo took advantage of the noble''s pain to kill it with three hits to the head with Shadowblight. The first shattered its annoying steel helmet, the second cracked its carapace, and the third blow obliterated its brain. Again, the spiteful weapon made a pleased noise.


    Milo turned to Boom Boom. "Use incendiary shells to cause some panic." The dwarf gleefully pulled some bright red napalm missiles and loaded one up. Narwhal sent it speeding down the cavern to bring the gift of fire to the eight-leggers.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Professor Arlothe emerged from the tunnel, leading a large group of students along with Professor Cremona. "Advance! Show the poison-huffers how a mage electrocutes a bug!"


    Cremona was having none of that. "Charge them; use Velom''s Venomous Vinegar Cloud; it has the best effect on spiders. Don''t let the spark-heads score all the points."


    Milo saw a giant noble spider clinging to the wall of the caverns and shouting orders, encouragement, and threats at the spiders attacking Larry. That one needed to go away.


    <hr>


    H''Spat sensed death coming for her and dodged, pulling back her head barely in time to avoid a razor-tipped bone missile that impacted one of her guards, killing it. She had only kept two guards next to her, sending the rest to battle. She regretted that now as the second guard was forced to leap and intercept the second missile with its own body. A Rat-Assassin was racing at her and preparing more spells. None of her soldiers were nearby. Her options were to run and take cover or face the creature in battle.


    Then she saw the spikey-stick in its paw, and she laughed. This wasn''t an assassin; it was a mage! A spikey stick was a poor rat''s weapon used only by the cannon fodder of the ratkin armies. The mage had used his best spell multiple times and was low on mana. This battle would be hers, and her army would revel in her victory! H''Spat ran at the mage before it could scamper away. To think it had almost outwitted her by its suicidal charge.


    <hr>


    Milo saw his first two spells take out the Spider General''s guards. That made things more straightforward, but he had hoped to end the fight by killing the general. Casting Harpoon of the Winds like that drained down his mana. The noble was scuttling towards him. He knew it would leap at him, hoping to pin him and bring its sting into play. He moved directly toward it, then sprung to the side, rolled, and regained his feet. The noble had leaped at where he had been and hissed at him as it missed. He ran past its back as it tried to turn, raking his left claw along a hind leg.


    The spider was turning in a circle to follow him. Milo brought down one foot hard as Gilad had taught him and spun, using his foot as the pivot point. His tail gained momentum in the long swing, and the blow took advantage of the spider moving towards him. His tail slashed across its face, tearing out two of its eyes. Stunned by the pain, it failed to see the rune-charged skull that rolled underneath it.


    Milo leaped in the air, putting the spider''s body between himself and his spell. Shrapnel punctured the spider''s underside, doing minor damage, but disorienting it. It desperately cast a spell, creating a cloud of poisonous smoke that would let it scuttle away and find help. But Milo was already on top of it. The last thing H''spat saw was Shadowblight heading for her eyes, the weapon glowing in the cloud of poison and emitting a sound similar to the hissing a spider made when taunting a downed opponent.


    The noble lost three more eyes as the spikes punctured them and the rest when the weapon detonated inside her skull. She wasn''t dead yet, but Milo kept swinging until nothing was left of her head.


    [ShadowBlight accepts your offer of Noble Spider Souls. You aren''t forgiven for breaking it, but this is a good start.


    Three times daily, Shadowblight will poison your enemies with a Strong Poison, doing 100 points of damage for ten rounds.]


    Milo saw the notification. The tips of his weapon had a green tinge to them, and an additional spike that resembled a noble spider''s sting had been added. It seemed...content? He put the thought aside and ran to the shrinking battle.


    The spiders were in full retreat mode. Their general was dead, a Cheese Fiend was killing anything that got near him, and the rat army was advancing, throwing spell after spell. Only a fraction of them got away, and only because the mage''s staves ran out of mana.


    Milo ran to Larry. His friend was in a frenzy, stomping dead spiders and looking for live ones. He bled from many wounds, even his fiendish regeneration unable to keep up. Huge welts showed where he had been bitten, and in three places, he had been stung by nobles; their venom was still at work trying to kill him. The Puffyfurs and fairies were clustered at Justin''s body, exhausted and wounded and scared. Their friend Larry was distraught, and they didn''t know how to help him. This was a scary side of him, and they didn''t know how far that side had taken over. Milo tried to get his attention.


    "Larry! Stop! It''s Over"


    Larry spun, his eyes seeing a spider and not his friend. He brought down his arms in a double-handed claw strike. Rather than block, Milo hopped to the side. Larry hopped after him, spun, and slashed with his tail. Milo hopped back, avoiding the tail strike that might have broken his neck, then forward. He turned twice and put his hands on his head. Larry tried to kick him and put his hands on his head. Milo hopped over Larry''s tail and then took two steps back. Larry hopped in the air, then hopped forward two steps, getting closer to Tallsqueak. Redfawn flew up, and bells on her wings tinkled in tune with the hopping.


    Amid thousands of dead spiders, Milo and Larry danced the Happy Hamster Hop until Larry collapsed crying on the ground. "Larry is not a hero! Larry couldn''t save Justin! Spiders got Justin. Larry''s brother is dead!" Milo suddenly realized who was under all the webbing. The fairies were still casting healing spells but looked grim. He ran to Justin and took his pulse. It was weak, but he could feel a soft flutter.


    Milo had two of the large healing potions from the caverns left. He pulled them from his ring and poured them down Justin''s throat. The guard''s pulse became stronger, but Milo knew this was a losing strategy. The poison would slowly bring his health down again unless they got Justin more help. And soon. "Larry! Justin is alive, but he''s too big for me to lift. I need a Hero to take him to the Old Healer."


    Larry looked up and ran to Justin, picking him up. "Hurry, Tallsqueak! We need to save Justin!" He raced off toward the Hollow. Milo followed him, barely able to keep up with his badly wounded friend.

 Chapter 168: Healing and Puffcakes

    Milo was sure Larry wouldn''t stop at this door this time. But Larry skidded to a stop with both heels and knocked loudly. "Larry is coming in the door now; Justin needs help." Perhaps the insistence in his voice convinced them, or they didn''t want to make a new door, but someone inside opened the door, and Larry stumbled into the burrow of Old Healers clan, ducking his head as he carried Justin.


    A large woman met him in the hallway. She was young but had a no-nonsense look about her. She was also tall and well-muscled. This was no dainty Puffyfur or svelte and agile Shadow Skulker. This was Gendifur, and she was respected as much for her kind smile and gentle healing hands as she was feared for her stout muscles and hard-hitting fists. Only one person had ever played ''surprise'' with Gendifur. She had broken Jory¡¯s legs and nose and then happily nursed him back to health.


    She smiled at Larry. "Good job, you got him here in time. This way." Larry complied immediately, and Milo followed behind. An infirmary had been set up in what had once been a dining room. After Old Healer had bestowed his last ring to her, she had set up the infirmary and moved Bleusnout and Smiley to it. Old Healer had argued, but she had ignored him and done as she pleased, taking over their care and telling him to spend his time finishing the elixir. After she left, the old man relaxed and poured himself a glass of wine. Not being in charge felt wonderful.


    She looked at Milo. "You. Use those sharp claws to cut this web off of him, it contains some poison, and we need him free of it, and his fur needs to be washed. Someone get me a bucket of water and suds and get started." Milo complied, carefully pulling off the webbing and cutting where he had to. Luckily a lot of it was stuck to Justin''s armor. After everything was off of Justin, Gendifur began working on each bite and sting. The stings were the worst. The wounds were weeping pus and black ooze, the skin around them already damaged. Milo remembered having one such wound and nearly dying.


    Gendifur had a bowl of mashed roots and mushrooms and was spooning the mixture onto Justin''s wounds and binding them. She was instructing other healers as she went, and Milo listened in. "This mixture will draw out and absorb the poisons. The poultices need to be changed every two hours and every thirty minutes for the stings. Those wounds need this mixture; it''s mostly mashed Golden Puffball with 1 in 10 parts garlic if you need to make more. It''s very effective, but we don''t have much of it."


    Milo looked over at Larry; he was sitting in a corner, shaking. "I''ll treat Larry." Gendifur looked at Larry, "Thank you, that would be best." He went over to Larry, told him what he was doing, and started wrapping his wounds. Larry had so much poison in him that Milo had to change the bandages immediately. The poultice drew out the poison and turned black within only a few minutes.


    Larry opened one eye, the other was swollen shut. "Larry hurts, Tallsqueak."


    "We''ll keep changing your bandages, Larry. You''ll get better." Milo wasn''t entirely sure that was true. He could tell that Larry''s body was fighting the poison, but he was shaking and had a fever.


    Larry reached over to the bowl of mashed Golden Puffballs, picked it up, and licked it clean. Gendifur sent over another bowl for Tallsqueak to use. "Larry, that isn''t for eating; it''s to make you well."


    Larry rolled his eyes. "Larry thinks that if Puffballs can make medicine for the outside, they can make medicine inside of Larry. We should have some Puffcakes for dinner, Tallsqueak."


    Milo sat very still. Puffcakes. Yellow jellybeans. Special yellow mushrooms make a yellow elixir and cure poison. He knew what Bleusnout had been trying to tell him. Puffcakes!


    Petey came into the room, looking worried. "I brought all we have left after we set up several batches of the elixir." He gave a bag of glowing yellow jellybeans to Gendifur and a handful to Larry. Larry ate all of them immediately, chewing loudly.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "I need the twins. Have you seen them?" Petey pointed to the kitchen. "In there, getting food." Milo ran to the kitchen. The twins got up as soon as they saw him. They''d been sneaking up on a chocolate cake. They each grabbed half the cake and ran when they saw Milo come through the door.


    "Have to go!"


    "Scoutmaster needs us!"


    "Special scout stuff and..."


    "...we need our energy!"


    "Hungry scouts bad..."


    "...good scouts are full of cake!"


    Behind them, their aunt took down a large bowl and began making another cake. "Thank god. I thought those two would never take that cake and leave. How hard is it to sneak up on a cake?"


    Milo stole a handful of cake from each of them. "We need to go gathering. Follow me." The old healer barely looked at them as they entered his office and vaulted from his desk to the not-so-secret door. Harry waved to Milo as he ran through the office and returned to studying the strange book with the elixir recipe. Milo gave the twins a gathering bag to get the puffballs in the cavern and then raced to the cave where he had killed the brute. He ignored all of the shrooms there except for the puffballs.


    They were back at Old Healers¡¯ office within an hour, and Milo explained his theory.


    "Bleusnout didn''t have much time. He knew Rifkin had poisoned him. He grabbed the one ingredient that he knew could cure him."


    Harry cleared his throat. "I have found something that ties into your theory. The origin of the Golden Puffballs and why they are so hard to grow. They must be grown in a cave where they can share mycelium with a poisonous species, Red Spotted Eye-Rot. Very bad, that one. The curious thing is, until now, they have only been found in caves with a ring of mushrooms that the Fae planted as a gateway to their lands. Is there such a thing in this hollow?"


    Milo looked at Old Healer. "Where did the Hollow get the Jelly Bean bushes?" The old rat shrugged. "Unknown. You''d have to ask the person you got that ring from and his great-grandfather. But it seems obvious there is some link between Limburger Hollow and a Fae Realm. And that may be our salvation. This elixir cured you and hopefully will cure others."


    Milo got up. "Well, the current link to the Fae is sitting in the corner of the infirmary. I need to ask Larry about some of his Flowertown stories, and then I need to cook breakfast. I think the Hollow needs a double helping of Puffcakes."


    Old Healer looked at the slowly fermenting Lesser Elixir Vitae. "That is an excellent idea. Anything that can help people recover from the spider cheese or keep them alive for another day is worth trying. And I''m hungry. Be sure to bring a few stacks for myself and Dr. Earthtongue."


    Harry looked over at Milo. "Many stacks. I had puffcakes once in my youth and look forward to trying them again."


    <hr>


    As fast as the spider army had come, it retreated. Left behind were hundreds of spider corpses and dozens of wounded ratkin. A few would not recover from the poisoned wounds. Several were already dead from the stings of nobles. Arlothe and Cremona coordinated helping the wounded into the Hollow, where they could get healing.


    Clan Puffy Fur and the fairies were still in the cavern''s center, clustered around a glowing fissure in reality. Redfawn cautioned the young mages to keep their distance. "A Larry door is different from a door opened by a tunnel muggle. This one may stay open for a long time! And going through it could be very rough. We''ll need to use the door in Larry''s house to go home."


    The thorn bushes around the door were fading. But a double-thick ring of other bushes was growing, planted by the fairies to help stabilize the door. Already, small green jellybeans were growing on them. Redfawn had planted two Sassafras trees, one on either side of Larry''s Door. They''d grow tall in a week, forming an arch with their branches and giving boundaries for the door. The Hero of Flower Town wouldn''t have any problems fitting through this door.

 Chapter 169: "Magic Cheese"

    Vary raced up the tunnels between Limburger Hollow and Shadowport. Sledgemonkey needed a scouting report. If there were more humans on the way, they needed to know. The route was easy to follow, and his goggles augmented his usually good vision, making the tunnel appear brightly lit.


    Halfway up, he saw the camp of the human raiders. Only a few of them were there, drinking, complaining about lost and broken gear, and arguing about what to do next. Many players had abandoned the raid, and the rest seemed divided on what to do next. Vary crept close and listened to their plans. This group seemed experienced in ''Losing all of our gear'' and already had plans to re-equip each person and head back down to the ratkin area to either finish off the caravan or get back the gear trapped in their graves.


    Vary headed back down the tunnels and raced into the Hollow. He put on a burst of speed as he ran across the outer cave. The collision with something shocked him; nothing had been in his way! He and someone else went tumbling across the rocky floor. Vary was severely bruised; his mechanical armor took a beating and protected him. Not so the poor ratkin he had run over. Vary had heard the snapping of bones as they collided and now heard their pitiful cries of the person.


    Vary stood up, feeling empty and guilty. He should have been paying more attention to where he was running! He was only an apprentice engineer; what if they kicked him out? Sledgemonkey and Brutus were running over. To Vary''s surprise, the older Engineer slapped him on the back hard. "Nice work. Tallsqueak''s been looking for this one for the last couple of hours." The guard nodded and smiled as he tied up the injured ratkin, ignoring his protests and cries of pain. "That''s right. It was driving me crazy. I kept hearing his breathing when he got close, but I couldn''t find him. Now that is some darn fine skulking, yessir! But you ran up and found him easy. Tallsqueak will be happy we finally found him."


    "You can''t do this to me! I''m the Cheese Master! Do as I say! This is all the dwarves'' fault. That one struck me from behind. I demand you let me go and allow our friends from the caravan into the Hollow!" Rifkin was yelling at Brutus, but his words weren''t affecting the glassy-eyed guard.


    Brutus finished tying Rifkin up and propped him against the wall in a sitting position. "Funny, Master Tallsqueak warned me you''d say exactly that. But you aren''t a Master. Masters have rings. So you sit there quietly until he gets back." Rifkin ignored the part about being quiet and kept up a constant stream of complaints until Brutus gagged him.


    "Told you to be quiet! A good guard needs to catch the sneaky guys, and I can''t do that with you rambling on and on about nothing." Brutus went back to listening carefully and guarding the tunnel. Rifkin sat and fumed to himself. Baracuda and the spider were quietly drinking buckets of beer and telling exaggerated stories about their adventures.


    <hr>


    The mess hall was a chaotic mess. There was a long line of hungry ratkin that went out the large doors and looped around the outside wall. More of them sat at the tables, or on the floor, grumbling. No one was cooking or making food. Rifkin''s crew of players had abandoned the job.


    First was the problem with the cheese. The bags containing small chunks of spider cheese had gone missing. They argued over and over about whose job it had been to watch them, how many bags were there, and whether or not they''d just run out and not noticed how much they were using. They were confused by eating some of the cheese and had trouble deciding. MickyD tried to get into the cheese hoard downstairs, but the doors were locked.


    MightyMarmot tried his hand at making regular pancakes. After making a dozen burned and lumpy pancakes, he gave up. They argued more but agreed on one thing: They''d joined Rifkin for big rewards and a chance to fight in his ''Glorious Revolution.'' They''d gotten neither.


    They''d had much more fun learning to fight and adventuring in the mines. They ate some of the horrible pancakes, ignored the line of hungry ratkin, and went back to the arena. The place was packed with both experienced and beginning tail-fighters. Gilad was happy to see them. "Ah, more of my students come to learn the ancient secrets of fighting. I appoint each of you as ''Leader of two claws. You will be given ten students each to work with. We will drill the basics, then move to small unit tactics and a few ten-on-ten battles. Begin!"


    Blackwhisker was happy for the recognition. "Finally, someone rewards us for our hard work. Let''s each grab a gang and get to work."


    <hr>


    Milo and his best scouts arrived at the mess hall to find it in chaos. Hundreds of hungry people were waiting, and no one was serving food. "We need to start feeding people, or we''ll never be able to cook up the puffcakes we need. What other ways can we make pancakes?" Milo was hazy about how food was made if it didn''t come from a food processor.


    The twins looked at each other and licked their lips.


    "Cheezey Pancakes."


    "Just like mama makes."


    They found a large cookbook and opened it to a well-used spot in the large book.


    "Mushroom flour, sugar..."


    "Yeasty water to make them fluffy."


    "Butter and oil mixed for good frying."


    "Something...something...um...something?"


    "One of those somethings is buttermilk."


    "Well, of course...just giving you a chance."


    "Another is rock hen eggs."


    "Of course! And only the green part in the center."


    "Save the gooey part for whipping with sugar for topping."


    "And cheese."


    "Much cheese!"


    "Cottage Cheese, fruit, and nuts."


    "Or ricotta with blueberries."


    "oooh! How about Gruyere and bacon...tasty!"


    Milo sighed and looked at the book. "What cheese do we have a lot of downstairs?"


    "Cottage Cheese is plentiful."


    "Many casks of it. The cottages were bountiful this spring."


    They settled on walnuts and raisins in the Cheesy Cakes with a sprinkle of parmesan. As people were fed, Milo looked for more helpers in the kitchen. Most people walked off to their jobs, but some of the inhabitants of the Hollow seemed lost. When Milo asked them for help, they appeared almost thankful and got to work mixing batter, washing plates, or grinding nuts with a passion. Some asked if ''special cheese'' was available, sure they were supposed to eat some. The twins smiled and pointed to the Chessey Cakes, which seemed to satisfy people.


    Once the kitchen had enough help, Milo started mixing up Puffcakes. Inside a cabinet, he found gathering bags used for food stuffs and filled four bags with the tasty golden pancakes. Putting some in his ring, he grabbed two others and a bucket of jam and headed to the infirmary.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Things were worse when he got there. Many injured Ratkin had been brought in from the fight in the gathering fields. Some only had minor bites, while others were covered in dozens of small spiderling bites. A handful had died from the potent stings of the Noble spiders. Milo took his food into the kitchen, and the cooks there began distributing puffcakes to anyone wounded by a spider bite or sting. With a huge plate of food drenched in syrup and a bag full of puffcakes in his ring, Milo went to give Larry his breakfast.


    Larry looked horrible. He was slumped against the wall, unmoving. His wounds were weeping a black fluid, and the bandages and poultices needed changing. Milo got him to eat a little, pushing the puffcakes into Larry''s mouth. Gendifur came running up with a large bucket of dressings and bandages. "Good, you made it back. Larry is being difficult. He only wants you to help him and says other people need me more. I don''t like the look of those wounds. Clean and feed him; if that doesn''t perk him up, I will start him on more potent medicine.


    "Larry. I need you to be a Hero and eat. You need food to fight the poison." Milo helped him sit up and fed him a plate of puffcakes. After that, Larry had more strength and fed himself. He was famished and ate all the contents of the gathering bag in half an hour. Milo began stripping off the decayed and blackened bandages, then cleaning out the remains of the mashed fungus absorbing the poison and finally rebandaging Larry''s wounds. The pile of bandages smelled horrible. Milo noticed no one was getting close to Larry, and those who did coughed and covered their mouths, trying not to breathe.


    He signaled for Gendifur. She seemed unaffected by the fumes from the pile. "Let me take those. You must have a high resistance to poison. My nose is burning, and no one else can get close to Larry. Let''s get him cleaned up." Soap and towels were brought, and Milo cleaned Larry''s fur, dumping the bucket repeatedly. Milo remembered how he''d felt when he woke up. Larry was going through the same process, his body sweating out the poison. But Milo had been stung only once and drank many doses of the Lesser elixir Vitae. Larry only had his fiendish resistance and fiendish regeneration to help him.


    Milo thought back to Bleusnout''s lessons on cheese. Soldiers and other ratkin doing heavy labor could consume cheese safely, their bodies using it to fuel their healing and exertions. He went to talk to the new Master Healer. "Can Larry have cheese? He''s burning up with a fever, and his regeneration can''t keep up with the poison. He''s willingly skipped cheese now for over two weeks."


    The healer considered. "Be careful. We''re in unknown territory here. If he reacts badly, you''ll need to use cheese to lure him out of this room. But I think the chance is small. Do you need cheese?"


    "No, I have some, and we''ll be careful." Moving back to Larry, he explained things to him. "Heroes use a lot of energy when they have big fights. They need cheese to help them get better. Gendifur says it''s ok for you to have some cheese."


    Larry''s eyes got big. "YES! Cheese for Larry!" Everyone looked over. Larry waved to them and sat looking at Tallsqueak. Milo had gotten two messages in the past weeks, but had declined to take delivery, saving them. Both had said the same thing, asking if he wished to be given his latest shipment. He clicked the box next to last month''s delivery, and a small basket appeared between him and Larry.


    <div>


    <table width="100%">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="98%">


    Best wishes to you, and we hope you enjoy this month''s offerings from the


    Imperial Cheese of the Month Club.


    Every month we''ll bring you a small basket of the finest fromage the emperor has to offer straight from his personal cheese vault in the caverns beneath the palace.


    This month we are sending you the following:


    Six chunks of a 20-year-old Cave Cheese made by the trolls of the Iron Mountains. It''s pretty tough to chew but has an exquisite flavor and goes a long way.


    Eight ounces of Emmental, aged for five years.


    And a wheel of 4-week-old Jack Cheese, made by Jack himself. It''s a little smokey, but we think you''ll love it.


    As always, we include just enough tasty crackers, a tube of ''I can''t believe it''s not Cheese-Whiz,'' a small but very sharp cheese knife, and a lovely oak and steel cheese slicer for precise cuts. ENJOY!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "MAGIC CHEESE!"


    Everyone turned to watch Larry clapping his hands with delight as the cheese appeared. Tallsqueak gave Larry a piece of the Emmental on a cracker, which he chewed slowly and with much delight. This was followed by a piece of Jack Cheese and then a chunk of the hard Cave Cheese. Larry gnawed on it, even his teeth having difficulty chewing it.


    Milo put the rest of the cheese aside for later. Larry seemed relaxed, but he didn''t want to push things too hard. Gendifur came over and checked on Larry. "He''s doing fine. His pulse is steady, with no excitement. If anything, I think he''s calmer now that his body has the fuel to fight off the poison. I make sure to see that everyone gets a good dose of cheddar tonight to jumpstart their regeneration." Larry was slowly nodding off to sleep with a small smile.


    She looked at Milo. "And that includes you. You need cheese as much as Larry." She looked at him suspiciously. "You don''t seem affected at all by that poison you''re wiping off of Larry. Why? Even I''m feeling it, just being near him."


    Milo tried to explain quickly. "I was wounded by poison and drank a lot of the elixir I found. Too much, according to Old Healer. He said I might have died if I hadn''t been poisoned so badly." Gendifur felt his fur. "The poison must have nearly killed you and eaten away your flesh and bones. The elixir saved you and has suffused your body. I wonder..."


    She was looking at Milo strangely. He was nervous. "Wonder what?"


    "Hmm, this is Healer Talk, but there is a part of your bones that make blood, I know that sounds strange, but some spells have confirmed it."


    Milo nodded. "I know about that. Bone Marrow produces the stem cells that create red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. I have solid bones from my magic. Does that gives me stronger marrow and blood production? I wonder if there''s a way to test that?"


    Gendifur was wondering where Tallsqueak had studied healing, and what else he knew. But she was delighted to answer his question and smiled at him. "Why, of course, there is. I''ll get my needles. Thanks for volunteering."

 Chapter 170: Blood work

    Things were strange in the Hollow for its inhabitants.


    The spider cheese that nearly everyone had eaten narrowed their world to their responsibilities and work. Gathering mushrooms and picking vegetables resumed immediately. The Hollow needed the food, and for many of its inhabitants, it was all they could think of to do. But they were cautious of spiders. The groups of ratkin stayed together, and fairies and students from the Tower of Strife patrolled the far end of the caverns. If spiders appeared, everyone was ready to retreat quickly to the safety of the Hollow.


    Professors Arlothe and Cremona made sure that nothing could invade through the small tunnel leading to the Hollow. The entire cave could now be electrified in a robust static field that would fry spiderlings and slowly kill the warriors and nobles. Traps were set that would spew poisons tailored to have maximum effects on arachnids, and as a last-ditch precaution, the entire tunnel would blow up. This was Boom-Boom''s contribution. "No tunnel? No problem!"


    Unknowingly, the dwarves had caused a crisis of faith in some of the students. They had always assumed the superiority of magic over muscle. Seeing Narwhal''s cannon spewing death and fire forced them to include explosives in the conversation. There was a lot of destructive evidence to show that dwarven artillery might give fireballs a run for their money. An impromptu demonstration by ''Professor Boom!'' of what a quarter stick of cataclysmite could do had impressed many students.


    After setting up the explosive traps in the tunnel, Narwhal and her new husband explored until they found the mines. Work was still being done to seal off the unused tunnels the spiders had invaded through. The dwarves were happy to help, and several explosions later, the only entrance to the cathedral was through the Hollow.


    After setting up his explosives, Boom-Boom explored the area of mines that branched off the larger cave the ratkin called the cathedral. He found the large veins of Deep Copper and other metals that the Hollow considered worthless. Narwhal watched him move from one area to the next, feeling the walls, sniffing the piles of ore, and collecting samples. "Good stuff?"


    Boom-Boom nodded slowly. "Damned good stuff. And lots of it. Rebuilding the Queen will take a thousand tons of Deep Copper. We might find it all right here! It will take a lot of work just to get started. And there are small veins of other metals as well. The Hollow doesn''t have a way to smelt and use the better ores, so they''ve mined around them for years. There''s a huge amount of mineral wealth here. A lot of work to do, setting up some ore processors and a power source, not to mention laying tracks through the mines. But first, we need to get a brewery going. Can''t mine without beer!"


    Narwhal patted her cannon. "And we can''t put in a brewery until things settle down. There''s a lot of odd stuff going on. Speaking of which, let''s wander back and check up on Barnacle. She''s probably drunker than a goblin at a funeral with an open bar, and she can''t shoot straight when she''s sober, let alone after a bucket of beer."


    <hr>


    Gendifur returned to the infirmary with a large sewing basket filled with thread, knives, scissors, ointments, and needles of all sizes. She also had a toolbox filled with more odds and ends, including some very sharp saws and large barber''s razors. Several ratkin nearby retreated but watched with curiosity.


    Milo was slightly nervous but also intrigued. "You use all that as a healer?"


    Gendifur nodded at him absently as she selected a razor. "You never know what you''ll need, so I like to be prepared. Magic or runes will only get you so far. Sometimes it takes a steady hand to stitch someone back together. Which arm do you use for fighting more?"


    "Uh, why would you want to know that?"


    She rolled her eyes. "Because we''re going to open you up a little, and if you''re delicate like Brutus, you''ll be sore for an hour or two. Best not to do that to your main arm."


    Sighing, Milo held out his left arm. Gendifur carefully shaved some of his fur off a small patch, then took a large bone needle from her basket and put a bulb on the other end. "This won''t hurt a bit." She told the truth. It hurt a lot! But with one of her large hands holding down his forearm, the needle went in deep and sharp. She drew a bit of blood from him and put a bandage on the puncture. Putting a few drops of his blood in a glass jar, she added a drop of thick, black liquid from another. There was a visible reaction as the two mixed. The blood first darkened, then glowed and sparkled, and finally returned to normal.


    "Tell me again how much elixir you drank. Point to a jar of equal size." Milo did. "I think it was six doses, according to the notes in the book."


    Gendifur studied the blood, shaking it a little. "That was spider venom from a noble. I took it out of a gland brought to me this morning. Your blood neutralized it completely." She looked over at Larry and then got a fresh needle. "I need some more. Larry is weakening, and I don''t think just cheese will save him. I''ve got too many patients and not enough time or medicine to save them all."


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The healer took two ounces of blood from Milo, then went to the sleeping Larry. She unbandaged his worst injury. The sting was a black and rotting wound, and the skin around it was turning purple. Gendifur cleaned the wound again and then cast a healing spell. Milo observed carefully.


    The spell healed some of the bruised skin around the wound but nothing more. The next test was to use a minor healing potion applied directly to the injury. She handed it to Milo, "Pour this on the wound while I watch with eyes and magic. I don''t expect much. The potion duplicates the effects of simple healing spells. But we try what we know first, then experiment if that doesn''t work." The potion seemed to be absorbed by the wound, but other than a little of the swelling going down, nothing happened."


    The healer frowned. "It''s healing what it can, same as the spell. But it can''t touch the venom." She poured an ounce of Milo''s blood onto the wound. Immediately, the blood started bubbling and drawing out the poison. The wound was sparkling and glowing as the poison fought against the magic of the elixir in Milo''s blood. Foul steam rose from the injury. After a minute, the sting was much smaller, the swelling was gone, and Milo could see healthy tissue starting to grow back a little as Larry''s regeneration got to work. This time when Gendifur cast a healing spell, the wound closed and was nearly gone.


    The healer looked at Milo. "I''d call that a success. What do you think?"


    Milo touched the flesh where the sting had been. "That was amazing."


    Gendifur stood up and grabbed Milo by the arm. "Let''s get to work. I need to drain some of your blood, then get some spells on you to get you started making more. Eat the rest of that cheese, sit back, and relax while I do all the hard work." Milo noticed she wasn''t asking a question. But if it helped Larry, it was worth it. Plus...cheese! He''d been trying not to eat it, and now he was told to stuff himself on a half basket of it on doctor''s orders.


    Gendifur put another needle into his arm, but this time it was hooked to a thin tube that ran to a glass jar. "This will feel odd. I will use a small blood rune to pull the blood out of you. It should tingle." She cast a spell, and Milo saw the rune appear briefly on the hollow bone needle in his arm. Blood began to fill the jar.


    "What rune is that? It looks like the fluid-control runes the Engineers use."


    The healer watched the jar carefully and snapped her fingers at some point, causing the rune to disappear. She pulled out the needle and bandaged him before answering. "Just a minor blood rune to move your blood from your vein to the tube. If I was to use an engineering rune it might drain you dry in a second. This is easier and quicker than setting up a pump."


    "Now, drink this. You need fluids." She handed him a large glass of fruit juice. Milo drank as he watched her work on Larry''s wounds. He picked up and examined one of her large, hollow needles. It was made of very hard bone and sharpened to a wicked-looking tip. Concentrating, he saw that someone had reinforced the bone with runes. He recognized the rune for Hard Bones. "Who made these?"


    "Different people over the last several decades. Each healer passes down their tools to the next. Good tools are hard to find. Brutus told me you have some bone magic? When this is over, I want you to help me make needles for all the junior healers. You''ll earn a lot of contribution points and I''m sure you can understand why making all the healers happy can pay off." Milo nodded, that made sense to him. Healers need tools the way Engineers need tools. He liked making things better and more efficient. And he wanted a good look at every piece of bone in the Hollow.


    Gendifur used a small amount of his blood on each of Larry''s stings and then, with much difficulty, put a needle into Larry''s arm. "I swear, this is worse than treating Brutus. Larry is tougher than either Brutus or Justin now. The price he paid was too high, though." Milo saw the last of his blood drain into Larry''s arm, again with the use of a blood rune.


    "And now we wait. Both to see if Larry gets better and for you to make more blood. You should be fine to give a little more in about six hours. Get some rest until then."


    Before Milo could relax, a healer at the other end of the room screamed for Gendifur. "I need help, Genny; I''m out of mana, and his pulse is dropping." Milo could see that they were talking about Bleusnout. Gendifur cast several spells, using up most of her mana. She turned to Milo, a question in her eyes. "We''re losing him."


    Milo only hesitated a moment. "I have powerful bones and a belly full of cheese, and I walk back from death quickly. Take what you need for Bleusnout and Smiley, and don''t worry about me."

 Chapter 171: This will hurt a lot!

    There were worse things than death, Milo thought to himself. He looked back fondly at the Snake when it had squeezed him to death or bitten his head off. Afterward, he got to take a break in the real world, get jobs done, then wake up at his camp and start plotting revenge.


    Being the test subject for experimental medicine was less fun. Despite telling her he wasn''t worried about dying, Gendifur scoffed at the idea. "I don''t care if you''re a player, a lawyer, or a wizard and can laugh at death and walk out quickly; you don''t get to die on me. That would mean I let you die, a mockery of my healer''s oath. And it would be wasteful. I can heal more people by keeping you on the edge of death and draining blood out of you every hour."


    She said this as she smiled and jabbed him again with a needle. "Now eat that cheddar, drink your berry juice, and try to relax. Do you need a warm blanket? Yell for me if you need more cheese or think you''re dying. I need to give Bleusnout and Smiley another dose. They have responded well to the treatment and might even live until tomorrow."


    Leaving Milo to experience more of the joy of hypovolemic shock, she walked off to try and keep her three worst-off patients alive.


    Justin''s wounds had been treated the same way as Larry''s. The big guard was sleeping soundly now. Larry had walked over to where Justin lay on a cot, patted his head, and then moved the cot close to Tallsqueak so he could sit next to both of them at once. Larry''s recovery had been nothing less than miraculous. Cheese and Fiendish Regeneration had overtaken the venom in his system, aided by his high resistance to poisons, toxins, and venom that his Fiendish Resistance granted him. "Larry thinks Tallsqueak needs more cookies. Auntie Irma gave Larry a whole bag. We can share." Milo wasn''t hungry at first, but under his friend''s urging managed to eat a few cookies and drink more of his fruit juice. He was also rapidly recovering, but somehow Gendifur always knew when he could donate more blood and came for him like some smiling vampire. The consolation was he saw how many people she could cure with each jar of his elixir-enhanced blood. The infirmary was almost empty; only a half dozen of the worst patients were left, including Bleusnout, Smiley, and a badly injured Helen Brownfur.


    This was the fourth time that Milo had donated blood. Gendifur checked on him constantly after the first time and used a spell Milo had never heard of before to track how much blood flowed through him. "These have been passed down through our clan for ages. Mistress Milzners Very Excellent Rune of Diagnostics, Bejack''s Rune of Flowing Blood, Nessy''s Restoration. And, of course, Count Echse''s Ray of Fracture Finding. Not everything magic gets taught over in the Tower of Strife."


    She had also brought over two of her student healers to help her with some testing. Milo regretted being curious about his bone marrow. Gendifur produced a hand-cranked drill with a very narrow drill bit of hardened bone. She strapped down his left arm and made a small incision, then a deeper one, until she looked at his upper arm''s bare bone. "You weren''t kidding about thick bones. Your humerus is 50% thicker than normal. Let''s see how tough it is. This will hurt some."


    Milo translated the last statement: "This will hurt a lot!"


    Gendifur tried several times to drill into the bone, then gave up. "This is ridiculous! What are your bones made of?"


    "Old bone, reinforced with ancient runes and a lot of magic. But let me see what I can do." He''d never tried manipulating his bones this way, but in theory, it should be the same as working on any other bone. After a minute, he felt he''d made a small opening in his bone just under the tip of Gendifur''s needle. "Try now."


    The drill penetrated easily, and Gendifur retrieved a small sample of his marrow.


    She examined it with several spells, becoming more and more puzzled. "There is more magic in this than in your blood! Good to know. We can take more blood." She extracted a little more, then used a spell to close the wound. "Larry, keep feeding him cheese and cookies. It would be best if you ate as much as Tallsqueak does. And if Justin wakes up, get some cheese into him." She walked away to care for Smiley and Bleusnout.


    Gendifur was getting desperate. Justin was out of trouble, but there was something very wrong with Bleusnout and Smiley. Justin and Larry had taken many wounds, but healing had started within minutes of the fight ending. Whatever had been used to poison the two cheese makers had been given days to sicken them before they got any help. She knew that each had been given large doses of Milbenkase, the spider cheese. There was also Black Mold in their lungs, blood, and at least one other type of poison. Giving them each a hefty dose of Tallsqueak''s blood had helped keep them alive.


    She had examined his blood with her spells and found curious things. As expected, his blood was rich in the little red food bringers, and he had a large number of white protectors. She hadn''t expected the glowing yellow sparkles that danced around the protectors. She suspected something had changed in the marrow of his suspiciously large and complex bones, but didn''t have time to experiment. She was going to take a chance to save her two dying patients.


    As she had with Tallsqueak, she made an incision in Smiley to expose his bone, then drilled into it so she could extract a sample of his marrow.


    It was terrible, she could tell immediately. Something was attacking his bones. They were soft, and his marrow wasn''t producing new food bringers or protectors. According to some of her older relatives, what she did next was probably against the healer''s oath. It was nice to be a Master Healer and not have to ask permission to do something. She injected the samples of marrow she''d taken from Tallsqueak into four of Smiley''s bones. Then she gave him an entire pint of Tallsqueak''s blood. Sometimes you used a needle as a healer, and sometimes you needed a hammer. Gendifur needed a hammer, or these two would be dead soon.


    Bleusnout was even worse! The sample she took from him showed Black Mold was growing inside his bones! She looked over to where Tallsqueak was talking with Larry. A strong soul could walk back from death, but she''d never seen it. Was he really that confident that he could return? She debated the question''s ethics while checking Smiley''s pulse every two minutes. His heartbeat was getting stronger, and he was breathing easier.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Suddenly his eyes opened, and he stared at her. "Gendifur?..." His voice was barely a whisper. She bent lower. Smiley''s lips curled into the signature expression that had given him his nickname. "I always knew when the Angel of Death came for me; it would look like you!" He tried to laugh but grimaced in pain. "Oh, my mistake. I''m alive. If I were dead this wouldn''t hurt so much."


    Gendifur shook her head and handed him a bowl of soft curds. "Eat that. If you can joke, you can eat some cheese."


    Smiley nodded. "And then some cheddar and a nice nap?"


    Gendifur smiled, and it wasn''t angelic at all. "And then I take some blood samples and tell Old Healer you''re awake so he can come to ask some interesting questions. And then maybe some cheddar. But you''re lucky. I have someone else to go torture first."


    <hr>


    "Tallsqueak? Larry has questions about Blue Boxes. Does Tallsqueak know about Blue Boxes?"


    Milo was trying to eat a bowl of curds Gendifur had brought him. His stomach felt queasy after she drilled into more of his bones and extracted bits of his bone marrow. He was also down another pint of blood. The curds were easy to eat, and she''d promised him some slices of grana Padano as a reward after he finished his bowl. He was sure he''d never have survived this ordeal without eating so much cheese.


    "The ones only you can see? Yes, I get those too. What do you need help with, Larry?"


    Larry was staring into space, trying to concentrate on something. "Larry''s eyes have trouble reading, especially his big eye. And the boxes are confusing. Boxes are telling Larry he has to do stuff because Larry killed lots of spiders. And maybe something bad? It says I get a reward for cheating and breaking space-time. Larry doesn''t mean to break things! It just happens!"


    Milo reached over, took another bite of curds, and set the empty bowl aside. Gendifur was busy with Bluesnout, so he began gnawing on a piece of the hard cave cheese. "I think that''s ok, Larry. What did it give you?"


    "Blue box gave Larry 20 points for breaking reality and 30 points for killing many spiders. But box is upset because he needs to spend his points. They say Larry has to spend them."


    Milo sat up and concentrated. "Tell me what they say, Larry."


    "Larry needs to spend 109 points. Then Larry has to pick a new Larry. There are many yucky new Larrys like Rampaging Death Machine Larry and Breaker of Reality Larry. Larry doesn''t think he''d like those."


    Milo agreed. "I think those are bad choices, too. What are the good choices for the new Larry?"


    Larry spent a lot of time reading off three of the choices that weren''t yucky:


    [Were-Fiend: You have learned to return to your pre-fiend state! Be normal most of the time! In times of great stress or danger, you can let your old self out to play. Rend your enemies in a ferocious berserk rage you barely remember before changing back to your usual self.


    Dancing Fiend: Continue your quest to teach mortals the dances of the Fae. Leap, caper, and confuse your foes as you fight with a combination of Fiendish Prowess and Fae Cunning. Gain grace and poise.


    Hero of Flowertown: It''s Hero Time! You know what needs to be done when someone is in trouble. It''s up to you to save the day!]


    Milo needed a better answer. "What do you want to do, Larry?"


    "Larry wants to do all of them. Larry wants to be the old Larry, from before sneakybadguy gave Larry cheese. Larry wants to dance! And Larry is a Hero!"


    "Why don''t we start with your points, Larry? That might help you decide. Find a blue box that lets you spend your points. I bet the boxes have been showing it to you. Then find the choice that lets you increase your intelligence and your wisdom. Take all the points you can."


    A minute later, Larry''s eyes got big, and he smiled. "Larry found them. Larry is smarter!"


    "And now Larry knows what to do! Larry will be a Hero!"


    [You have made it to the fourth tier. Welcome to Level 16 and your new class: Hero of Flowertown


    You have chosen the path of the Hero.


    Heroes don''t always have an easy life, but they make things better for everyone else!


    Gain Title: Heroic Defender of the Hollow!


    All of the Hollow knows what you did to help them. It will take time, but you have shown them what a Hero is truly capable of and gained their acceptance. You may spend points on Heroic Boons.


    You have randomly gained one minor Heroic Boon!


    Gain Title: Hero of Flowertown


    You will always be welcome in Flowertown, as will your friends from the Hollow. Brinka will be happy to make a Larry-sized door whenever you want to visit. You may spend points to gain favors granted by the grateful Fae.


    You have randomly gained one minor Fae Boon!


    Perk: Fiendish Regeneration becomes Perk: Heroic Regeneration


    Perk: Fiendish Resistance becomes Perk: Heroic Resistance


    Skill: Chase Prey is replaced by Skill: Catch the Bad Guys!


    You have purchased the following:


    Fae Trickery: You have gained +3 INT


    Ancient Wisdom: You have gained +3 WIS


    Finesse and Style: You have gained +3 DEX


    Endless Grace: You have gained +3 AGI


    See the Unseen: You have gained +3 PER


    Perk: Heroic Regeneration is upgraded from Fiendish Regeneration


    Perk: Heroic Resistance is upgraded from Fiendish Resistance


    Perk: Heroic Strength is upgraded from Fiendish Strength


    Gain Skill: Flower Arrangement (INT)


    Gain Skill: Nature Appreciation (WIS)


    Gain Skill: Proper Manners (CHA)


    Gain Skill: Ribbons and Bows! (DEX)


    Gain Aspect: Magic of the Fae (CHA)


    Gain Minor Fae Boon: Weasel Breeding


    Weasels like to dance! More weasels mean more dancing. With enough dancing, your Adorable Baby Weasel Slippers will attract more Weasel Slippers!


    Gain Heroic Boon: Larry is coming!


    Someone is in trouble, and Larry knows they need help!]

 Chapter 172: Smiling

    Old Healer was very interested in hearing what Smiley had to say and came immediately, the hulking form of Harry following behind. Larry picked up Tallsqueak''s cot and put it next to Smiley, then put Justin next to Tallsqueak. Several people noticed how easily Larry did this, carefully walking through the infirmary with a grace he had never had before.


    Larry looked different. The changes were initially subtle but became very apparent over the next hour. He was walking upright with ease, and his hands and feet were smaller. His eyes were much closer to each other in size, although one was green and the other blue. His teeth were the most significant change. Larry had always had too little mouth for how many large fangs were fighting for space. They stuck out at odd angles, and he had never been able to close his mouth. That had changed. The largest fangs had fallen out or been pulled out by Larry when they got loose. Gendifur had given him a small bag to put them in. The remaining teeth were working together now. Larry could chew normally and smile. He was very happy about that.


    "Larry likes smiling!" Smiley gave him a thumbs up, nearly too tired to smile himself.


    The fairies had come into the infirmary in a flutter of wings, already knowing about Larry''s official Hero status. They had immediately started brushing his fur clean and making sure he had enough ribbons and flowers attached to him, as appropriate for his status as a Hero.


    Old Healer sat next to Smiley. "We need a few answers. How were you poisoned?"


    Smiley looked extremely sad. "Well, that would be Charlotte. She stuck a knife in my back and whispered ''surprise,'' and I couldn''t move. But Rif was the one who told her to do it. We were talking about stuff, and suddenly they both got real serious about this crazy plan of Rif''s to take over the Hollow and run things. Rif has always wanted to be a Cheese Master; everyone knew that. But he wasn''t good at things and screwed up sometimes. He was always trying to skip steps and get things done quickly. He made a mess of things more than once. I covered for him as much as I could."


    The old rat nodded. "And Bleusnout noticed?"


    Smiley snorted. "If by ''noticed'' you mean ''scream and rant for half a bell,'' then yeah, he noticed. We had the nicest little collection of mushroom beds going down in the basement, and then Rifkin didn''t pay attention when gathering and some spores from poisonous varieties got mixed up in the beds. We had to clear them and start over. Wow, was Bleusnout pissed! We needed those shrooms for making rennet. It takes a lot of specialized rennet, mushroom powders, and molds to make all the different cheeses for a Hollow. We could only make cottage cheese for a week until we grew some basic shrooms. It wasn''t very good. People got sick of eating it. We had to buy cheese from another Hollow. We''ll never use all those casks of cottage cheese."


    Milo wanted to know more about the plan. "Who else was part of the plan, and what did it involve?"


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Crazy stuff. He said he had ''People who would help.'' Other Hollows would send warriors and special cheese, and he would scare everyone with a fake spider attack. Spiders! That was when I freaked out. He sat me down and explained it all. Said I could be Master Gatherer if I wanted. I told him it was a crazy plan. Then he nodded at Charlotte, and she poked me with her knife. I couldn''t move at all; I just sat there drooling. After that, I just listened for a while and then fell asleep. He told her I''d make a great alibi. Crazier than fruit bats at cider time, the two of them."


    "That''s all I know about until I wake up with Gendifur leaning over me."


    He looked over at the Chef. "They got Bleusnout too?"


    Old Healer sighed. "Yes, but it''s unclear exactly what ails him. Did Bleusnout have a cheese problem? Do you? Rifkin said he found Bleusnout passed out with his face in a bowl of cheese. He is not suffering from an overdose of bleu. He has spider mites and Black Mold in his system, as did you."


    Smiley was shaking. "He said that? Bastard. The chef''s got a reputation for liking bleu cheeses, but that''s because of his whiskers. His family has always dyed their whiskers that way. It was an award they earned back in the first rebellion. He''s proud of it. The idea that a Cheese Master might be an addict? Damned silly."


    Old Healer looked pained. "We were too trusting of Rifkin and too quick to judge Bleusnout. But time enough for regrets later. Did Bleusnout ever mention a cheese caravan?"


    Smiley shook his head. "No, other than wishing we were near one of the main trading routes. He said the only way we''d ever get a regular caravan to show up here was if we sent out our own and could welcome it back! But wagons and beasts cost a lot of cheddar. The few times we got caravans to visit, we had to make some costly deals. After a while, it didn''t seem worth it."


    Old Healer nodded to Milo, then turned to Smiley. "Thank you, Smiley, you have confirmed many things and helped us fill in the holes. I leave you in Gendifur''s care. Conserve your strength; we will have stronger medicine for you tomorrow. Others can tell you what is happening."


    Smiley relaxed and lay back on his pillow. "Yeah, this puppy is tuckered out. Say, who do you have running the mess hall?"


    Ringtail and Tweedle chose that moment to come into the room bearing huge stacks of puffcakes and cheeseycakes on platters.


    Smiley stared, then rolled his eyes. Larry sniffed the air. "Cheesy cakes? Larry is very hungry again."


    "Hey, save some of that grub for brave guards who have captured dangerous sneaky guys." Brutus walked into the room with Rifkin tied up and gagged over his shoulder. "Your dwarf friend Vary caught him, Tallsqueak, but I tied him up and brought him over after I was off shift." He tossed Rifkin down to the floor near Old Healer, who had a gleam in his eye that boded ill for the assistant cheese master. Smiley wasn''t looking happy to see him either.


    Brutus sniffed the air, "Do I smell food? Guards get really hungry catching bad guys."

 Chapter 173: A delicate mix of strength, torture, and compassion

    Gangrene paced back and forth in the tent, irritable and angry. The three squad leaders and Grackle were wary of saying anything. The general was prone to violence even in a good mood. The human attack had injured him badly, with so many of their mages and archers focusing their fire on him. Potions, cheese, and regeneration were doing what they could to put him back together. The pain of his wounds and the hunger accompanied by rapid healing made him irritable and dangerous.


    "This has been a disaster from the start. Scouting reports failed miserably at finding out this Hollow''s defensive strength. They should have been crushed by the spider raid and be happy for us to march in and kill off the eight leggers. Obviously, that didn''t happen. And Rifkin is late getting back to us with better information."


    The leader of the first squad ventured a question. "Is it possible they have some treaty with the spiders? The appearance of that large, mechanical monster is suspicious."


    Gangrene paused. "Possible, yes. Likely? No. Even my dealings with the spider clans have shown they can''t be trusted. The machine the dwarves are feeding beer to is known to me. An outcast the clans wanted dead and duped into leading the first raid. I assume the main spider army is still out there, scouting and waiting to attack. That''s the only way the first raid failed so miserably. They sent in their outcasts, and the hammer blow is yet to fall. We need to be prepared for that to happen."


    <hr>


    Larry looked at Rifkin. "Rifkin is sad and having a bad day. Larry can tell. Maybe if Rifkin weren''t a SNEAKYBADGUY! he wouldn''t be so sad!"


    Something clicked in Milo''s brain. According to Larry, there were sneaky guys, bad guys, badsneaky guys, and many other types of villains. But there had been some specific times that Larry had used the term ''sneakybadguy'' and said it that way.


    "Larry, who gave you too much cheese when you wanted to be strong?"


    Larry looked at him with sad eyes and shook his head. Old Healer was looking at Rifkin. "Newly made Cheese Fiends are very malleable and are often forced to bond with the person who gives them the cheese. They can''t disobey some orders and may not remember what happened correctly."


    Larry was hopping from one foot to the other. "Yes, that is what happened to Larry. Rifkin gave Larry cheese so he could be strong like Justin and be a guard! So much cheese! Larry remembers all the flavors, and he got so strong! But Rifkin was a sneakybadguy and made Larry forget things and not be able to tell everyone that Rifkin gave Larry the cheese. So Larry doesn''t tell people."


    Rifkin hissed through his gag and glared at Larry. Larry said, "Oops, sorry, Sneakybadguy, Larry remembers some things better, and now he forgets that he must not say that...."


    Everyone was very quiet as Larry stood there, thinking hard. He turned to Rifkin. "Larry is a Hero now, and Larry doesn''t have to do what RifkinSneakyBadGuy says anymore! Rifkin should remember that the next time he thinks he is being sneaky. Larry will know, and Larry will catch him!"


    Rifkin was trying to squirm under Smiley''s cot and away from Larry. Smiley turned his head. "You go hide somewhere else. I don''t like you anymore, either!" Rifkin looked around the circle of ratkin and saw no sympathy. Old Healer started to say something but was interrupted by Gendifur. She had heard what Smiley and Larry had said, and she was a very angry healer.


    One not-so-dainty hand grabbed Rifkin by the scruff of his neck, and the other ripped off his gag. "You were the one who gave little Larry cheese?! You turned him into a fiend?!"


    "I am the Cheese Master! You can''t do this to me! I will give cheese to whoever I want! You can prove nothing! Put me down, woman." Brutus rolled his eyes, and several people looked alarmed. No one intervened as Gendifur slammed Rifkin into a wall three times.


    "The cracking sound was your fourth and fifth ribs on your right side. You have a lot of ribs left. I need to know what poisons you gave to Smiley and Bleusnout, and I want to know what the spider cheese does and its effects."


    Rifkin sputtered. "I will tell you nothing! I have powerful allies, and you will all be working for me."


    The wall took a beating as Rifkin slammed into it over and over. Some of the cracking sounds might have been from the wooden wall. A stunned Rifkin shook his head in defiance. Gendifur shouted to her assistants, "I have a tough guy here! Set up a table with good straps and get my special needles and iodine." She began to drag the injured Rifkin over to a table when he started talking.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "NO! Not the iodine! It stings! I gave Smiley and Bluesnout Stenchwart Poison with an infusion of Black Mold, a double dose of Milbenkase cheese, spiderling venom, and an extract of Felticor!"


    Harry stood up. "Ah, of course! How clever. The Black Mold would mask some of the effects of the Stenchwart, and the spiderling venom would intensify the effect of the spider cheese." The troll put his face very close to Rifkin. "Maybe you''d like to tell me all about the spider cheese? In detail? And lots of other things? You can trust me; I''m a doctor. It says so on my diploma. Or I can leave you here for this delicate flower of a healer to help your memory with her needles?"


    Rifkin looked from the troll to Gendifur. "I would love to tell you everything I know about spider cheese."


    Milo got up with difficulty; there were things he needed to know. "Tell me about the caravan."


    Rifkin looked from Harry to Gendifur to Tallsqueak. "Why should I tell you? You can''t torture me more than these two can."


    Tallsqueak smiled a very fake smile. "Because if you tell me, I won''t heal your broken bones. If you don''t tell me, I''ll heal you so Gendifur can break them again. But this time, they will be brittle and shatter into many pieces. Gendifur might have to take out your bones entirely. Have you ever tried to walk with no bones? It''s not easy."


    Rifkin licked his lips, thinking. Maybe they would all kill each other? That would be nice. "The caravan master is General Gangrene from Wurchwitz Hollow. He is a monster and a horrible person. His guards are all skilled fighters. The potent battle cheese they carry with them makes them the equal of creatures twice their level."


    Milo looked at him. He remembered Rifkin and Smiley helping Bleusnout in the kitchen. That seemed like a different person. He really didn''t understand people sometimes. "You have a nice talk with Harry and Old Healer." Harry dragged him off for some quality research time, accompanied by the former Deathmaster.


    Gendifur got a quick hug from Brutus and another from Larry and then went back to monitoring Bleusnout. Brutus came over near Smiley and Tallsqueak. His eyes were shining. "Wow, now that girl is really something." Smiley and Milo shared a look.


    Tallsqueak made a careful comment. "Yes, she''s quite strong, I noticed."


    Brutus flexed his bicep. "Yep, she''s got some good muscle on her. A lot of the older folks complain about how some of the clans got merged, but I think it''s a good thing. Justin and I are mostly StoneClaw Clan. A lot of the guards are. We tend to be tall and have a lot of muscle. But Gendifur has ancestors who come from StoneClaw, DeathClaw, and SilentTail. She''s strong and smart, and you saw how quick she was to go for her needles. I bet she would have made a great Deathmaster if she hadn''t become a healer."


    Smiley nodded. "Yes, she is a delicate mix of strength, torture, and compassion."


    Brutus looked at her and got misty-eyed. "And she''s all mine."


    Smiley whispered to Tallsqueak. "Brave Man!"


    Larry was sitting near Justin, holding a Cheesy Pancake near his nose. Justin sniffed twice and then opened his mouth slightly. Larry pushed the pancake in. Justin swallowed and opened his mouth. Larry happily fed his big brother Cheesy pancakes until the plate was empty. Then Justin opened his eyes and looked around. Larry hugged him quite tightly. "Justin is awake!"


    Justin mumbled something that might have been, "Yes, I am awake. Good job, Larry." Or it might have been, "I can''t breathe, and why does your fur smell like lilacs?" Eventually, Larry released his big brother, who sank wearily back into his bed. Gendifur took his pulse and stuck a piece of cheddar into his mouth. "Eat this; you need it. You got bit dozens of times."


    Justin chewed on the cheese. "Yeah, I didn''t expect to make it out of that one alive. What happened?"


    Larry patted Justin on the head. "Big Brother Justin is a hero. Killed lots of spiders. Larry was in Flowertown and heard the fight and came and stomped spiders who hurt Justin! Spiders all smushed. Fairies and Puffyfurs and Tallsqueak all helped."


    Tallsqueak added, "All true. Larry killed hundreds of spiders and carried you back. Both you and Larry almost died."


    Justin took in Larry''s bandaged form, the fluttering fairies, and how different he looked. "It sounds like Larry was the Hero then."


    Larry nodded. "Larry and Justin can be heroes together, now."


    Larry turned his head suddenly, listening. "Someone is Sad! Larry needs to go be a Hero!" The fairies flew after him.


    Milo turned to Brutus. "I need to go talk to Gangrene."


    The guard nodded. "Right behind you, Scout Master."

 Chapter 174: Someone is Sad

    Buttercup was sad, and she wanted to play a game. She and Rosie had been in their carts for days and days and days. They had only had fun the time the big rock thing had come to play, and they were told to kill it. And that other time when lots and lots of humans came to play. That should have been a longer playtime. They weren''t nearly done, and the humans were still standing with all their parts. But the big, loud, bangiteybangbangboom noises started. She and Rosie ran back, hid in their carts, and didn''t come out until Grackle offered them food and hit them with the prod. It was a long time since the humans, and she was very itchy. Playing with Rosie and her doll would make her not-itchy. Or some cheese for dinner. Or killing something and listening while it made funny noises. She clawed at her cage until Grackle yelled at her to stop.


    Rosie was sad and wanted her doll. Mama had given the doll to her, and she missed Mama. Mama went away a long time ago, and she only remembered Mama because of her doll. Grackle was upset that she tried to get out of her cage to play with Rosie and punished her by taking it away this morning. She''d been quiet since then, laying still like she was ambushing prey. But he hadn''t given her doll back! And she was hungry for cheese. She could smell lots of cheese; it was all around, but none for her. She only got cheese when Grackle gave it to her. Asking for more would get blows from the prod. She didn''t like the prod.


    <hr>


    Larry sniffed the air, trying to find the sad person, but it didn''t help. Many people were sad in the Hollow, making it hard to sniff for them. But he could find sad people other ways now; he just had to think hard. That was easier. More INT was better. Tallsqueak had been right! Tallsqueak was very smart, and now Larry was smarter. He thought for a moment, and he knew. Two little girls were sad and crying. Larry pointed to the way out of the Hollow. "This way." His fairy friends followed him out of the Hollow and into the big cave. Old Larry had been told not to leave the Hollow, but that didn''t matter now. New Larry had new rules. Helping sad people was more important than following old rules.


    There were people in the cave, just past the entrance. Samuel was there. He was one of the new guards and friends with Justin, which made him Larry''s friend too. "Hi, Samuel. Larry and his friends are doing Hero stuff." Samuel nodded. He was a good guard, staring straight ahead and keeping watch. Tallsqueak''s friends were here too. They were having fun drinking beer and laughing. Larry waved to them, and they all waved back. Except for the friend on the spider. She wasn''t moving anymore, and the funny spider was making sleepy noises too. Tallsqueak had told him about the funny spider and made him promise not to squoosh her or tear off her legs.


    Across the cavern was the caravan full of badsneakyguys. Rifkin had brought them. Larry didn''t like them or their spider cheese. Since they were bad guys, Larry would use Stealth. Stealth was a Hero skill that let him sneak up on badguys or badsneakybadguys.


    Larry looked at the tinkly-twinkly fairies making noise with their wings and little lights. "Larry will use Stealth to get close to sad little girls. Can fairy friends be quieter?"


    Redfawn giggled. "Fairies don''t get seen if they don''t want to be seen, Larry. Watch." All of the fairies disappeared as shadows and colors swirled around them. Larry''s green eye still saw them, but just barely. His blue eye didn''t see them.


    Hidden things are special things. Thoughts that take wing and change into new life Shadows slink around the edge of our imagination, gone missing from their owners. Magic that rides the winds of the mortal lands. Magical eyes can see these things. Would Larry like to have Magic Eyes?


    "Yes, Larry wants Magic Eyes."


    Stealth is a good thing. But there are other ways to avoid being found by enemies. Even the bravest hero or Villain can walk small and quiet, pretending to be something else and pretending to be someone who should be there. People expect to see things, be what they expect, and be Unnoticed.


    Would Larry like to be Unnoticed?


    "Larry thinks being unnoticed will be fun. Everyone notices Larry now."


    Larry has learned the Fae Magic Skills of Unnoticed and Magical Eyes.


    The fairies were delighted to show Larry how to use his new skills.


    <hr>


    Rosie heard a sound. It was her cage opening! Was it time to play? A face appeared. It was a funny big face with different colored eyes and a big ribbon dangling down from a bow on its head. She laughed at the funny face.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Shhhh! We have to be quiet, or badsneakyguys will be here. Larry is here to make you not sad. Larry would be sad to be in a cage. Let''s go play somewhere else." Rosie was shy at first and didn''t know what to do. Only Grackle ever talked to them. But the new face had a ribbon. Buttercup liked ribbons, and so did her doll. Rosie climbed out of her cage and stood next to the new face. He was like her. He was big and had big teeth. Nice teeth. And he had her doll! "I found her. She was looking for you." He took her hand, and they went to get Buttercup.


    Buttercup was more shy than Rosie and scared. But the new face had a ribbon that was tied to his arm. She pointed at it, and he took it off and put it on her. She loved her new ribbon. Rosie held up her doll, and the new face put a little ribbon on her doll. Buttercup saw Larry''s feet. The weasel slippers blinked their eyes and wiggled their whiskers, making her laugh. Someone noticed.


    Grackle heard a sound. One of his girls was laughing. One thing his father always told him was, "Don''t let the fiends get any personality. They should fear and obey and nothing else." It had been easy to make the girls fear him. A few beatings before he gave them the special cheese and more later had made them incapable of striking back. He''d only had to use the fiend prod three times. But tonight would be the fourth. They had no reason to be laughing. He didn''t want happy little fiends; he wanted fiends that obeyed his orders.


    As Grackle came around the end of the wagon, he saw that Rosie and Buttercup were out of their cages. This wasn''t good. Not good at all! Gangrene would skin him and have his hide stretched on a wagon if he found out. He hissed at them softly. "Back into your cages, or you''ll get no cheese for a week." He brandished the prod at Rosie, but a giant hand grabbed it and stepped from the shadows.


    Grackle''s face paled, and his eyes went wide. Fear and envy fought inside of him. It was a fiend! And such a fiend! Is this what they bred in Limburger Hollow?! He must talk with their fiend master! He needed their secrets! He was perfect, with well-defined muscles and sharp claws.


    "Larry doesn''t think you should hit Larry''s new friends with this. Not hit them ever again, with anything."


    And he talked! That was a bad sign. Did they let him keep his personality? "Unhand my prod, or I''ll sting you. You know what a prod is! The prod will hurt you. Back to your cage! Who let you out?!" The hand didn''t let go, and he was forced to use the storm magic spell stored in the prod. He needed this fiend to back off and recognize his dominance. Buttercup was laughing and whispered something to Rosie. Rosie laughed and whispered the secret to her doll. Part of Grackle''s mind focused on the doll. How had she got it back? Where did Buttercup get the new bow on her head?


    Larry''s fur stood on end as the storm magic jolted his arm. He didn''t let go. Instead, he pulled it away from Grackle and grabbed the fiend master by the arm. He poked Grackle with the prod, breaking a rib and shocking him with the prod. Rosie and Buttercup laughed as Grackle glowed and his eyes rolled up into his head.


    Larry turned to look at Rosie and Buttercup, and something inside him was very sad. "Who gave you the cheese?" They pointed to Grackle. Larry glared at him. "Larry says you are a SneakyBadGuy, and that is the worst! You make people sad." Grackle glowed twice more until the fiend prod ran out of charges. Larry stuffed what was left of Grackle into a cage and shut it.


    "New friends need to come with Larry before more people come. Watch where Larry puts his feet." He took each girl by the hand. "It''s just a jump to the left. And then a step to the right. Then three hops forward."


    Surrounded by the fairies of Flowertown and unnoticed by anyone, Rosie and Buttercup left the caravan. Buttercup waved at Grackle. Rosie giggled and showed her doll how to hop. Nearby, in the shadows at the side of the cavern, Brinka was making a Larry-sized door.


    Bernie Badger was putting on a fresh pot of tea when he heard a knock at his door. He smiled. Unexpected guests were the best guests. He got an extra box of cookies from the pantry and welcomed his new friends into his house, thankful that he had made an extra-large door to his burrow after the first time he met Larry. Redfawn brought large tea cups to the party that the new friends could hold easily in their large hands. They were shy at first, but Bernie told them jokes and the fairies painted their claws bright pink and tied many ribbons in their hair. Soon they relaxed and ate their cookies and weren''t sad any longer.

 Chapter 175: Battlelines are drawn

    As Milo and Brutus went to leave, they were stopped by Helen Brownfur and Gendifur. The old woman was leaning on the healer''s arm, and probably shouldn''t be out of bed yet. "Hold up, young one. I need to know your intentions in talking to this Gangrene."


    Milo shrugged. "I''m not sure myself, to be honest. A lot depends on him. Rifkin was working with him to cause damage to the Hollow. We can''t let him inside, but we can''t just leave warriors on our doorstep. I don''t want to let him make the next move. Maybe we can convince them to leave, or we must fortify our front door or close it altogether. I''m hoping Gilad will come with me. I already talked to Master Clawhammer and Petey."


    Helen sighed. "And let me guess, they told you they''d support you, and you speak for them?"


    Milo nodded. "Is there something wrong with that?"


    The master gatherer looked down at her ring. "No, nothing wrong. And very predictable. We are used to those with strong personalities dealing with outside problems. But Bleusnout is poisoned, and Gilad is acting odd, as are far too many in the Hollow. We shouldn''t be putting all the responsibility on your tail, but that''s what will happen, no matter how much I dislike it. You have my support and that of Gendifur. That makes five of us and the majority of a conclave. Could you speak with Gilad? Even addled by bad cheese, he will have some advice for you. But I agree, something needs to be done. I will send a runner to Arlothe and see if he and Cremona can take a break from dueling to aid you in your ''discussions.''"


    "And meanwhile, I''m putting you back to bed. Politics is over; time for another dose of blood that Tallsqueak donated." Gendifur sent the wobbly master gatherer back to bed, then looked at Tallsqueak. "You must be weak as a newborn after all I took out of you. Remember that. A fight will take a lot out of you, and very fast. My advice is not to fight."


    "But...if you have to, eat this first. It''s aged Parmesan from Bibbiano Hollow. It is very potent." Milo put it in his pouch, trying to ignore the smell coming from the cheese. Gendifur handed an even larger chunk to Brutus.


    Brutus gave Gendifur a quick hug, then he and Tallsqueak left the infirmary, heading for the front tunnel of the Hollow.


    <hr>


    Gangrene stared at the remains of a cage-cart and frowned. There was little left of Grackle. He''d been beaten with his own prod and most of his hair had fallen out from the electric shock. It takes a lot of storm magic to even get a fiend''s attention. A fiend prod set that high would cause serious wounds if used on lesser beings, as Grackle had found out. Someone had taken away his prod, and used his fiend prod on him, then slammed him into a cage and then bent it so severely it couldn''t be opened. Neither of his little fiends was around, of course. He mused how children could always surprise you. Grackle had been so sure that with enough discipline, they wouldn''t rebel as they got older. He''d been wrong and paid for it. They''d grown mean and feral, just as he''d promised. Ironic that Grackle was a victim of his own success. The question now was, where had they gone?


    Two fiends, even small ones, couldn''t just walk up to a Hollow without the alarms going off and summoning every guard they had. And nothing like that had happened. More likely, they had killed Grackle and escaped back into the tunnels around the Hollow. Wild Cheese Fiends were a menace to everyone, but not something he could deal with right now. He kicked the cage, nearly knocking the cart over, angry with Grackle. He had needed those fiends! The two of them could have dealt with the dwarven mercenaries that Limburger Hollow had hired. Now he was going to have to lose some troops to their guns.


    Grackle opened one eye and moaned. "Cheese? Potion?...please." Gangrene smirked. It was time for another lesson, not for Grackle, but for his other underlings. "Why waste resources on a failure? You had your chance." Gangrene grasped the bent steel cage and ripped it open in a show of strength not lost on the watching guards. Two large hands lifted Grackle by his head, one hand over his mouth to prevent him from screaming. The General squeezed until bone shattered and grey matter oozed between his fingers. He tossed the body to the ground and ignored it.


    Gangrene came to a decision, it was time to finish this. The Hollow was weakened by spiders and cheese. The population should be docile. He''d given his operative within the Hollow as much time as was needed, and Sneakybadguy had failed him. Of course, that meant Gangrene owed him nothing at all. He''d promised a passive population and an open front door. But the Hollow was closed off by dwarves and guards, and humans had attacked his caravan. It was time to do things the hard way. "Get everyone ready¡ªfull armor and weapons. I want everyone to eat their first two pieces of Battle Cheese. Wait for my command. We''ll hit that front door hard and not stop until we have the entire Hollow under our control. But first I want some answers. And I want us as close as possible before we charge. Someone find a parley flag."


    <hr>


    Gilad was sparring in the arena when Tallsqueak and Brutus arrived. It was all thirty of his students versus just the Tailmaster, and Gilad was winning. As the last student was knocked to the ground, Gilad turned and smiled at Milo. "Excellent. Better fighters have arrived. I will engage both of you at once."


    Milo held up his ring and walked into the arena, followed by a nervous Brutus. "Conclave business, Tailmaster. The cheese caravan is an invading army, and we must deal with them."


    Gilad shook his head as if to clear it. "That doesn''t seem right. They are friendly merchants bringing us tasty cheese that helps us focus on our fighting. Are you making up excuses not to duel with me, Tallsqueak? But no matter, you are in the arena. Prepare yourselves."


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Milo looked into Gilad''s eyes. They were clouded by bad cheese and hours of sparring. He was totally focused on fighting. "I need to go deal with General Gangrene. He thinks his warriors can conquer the Hollow because they are better fighters."


    Gilad stopped suddenly, just before he was about to launch a kick at Tallsqueak. "Gangrene, you say? I thought that overly-large merchant looked familiar. I hadn''t seen him in four decades, and he was always in his Earthen Armor. Bah, we will see about this! You lot! Form ranks. We have real fighting to do."


    Tallsqueak spoke softly to the Tailmaster. "If he sees our fighters, he may run away. If you stage our forces on this side of the tunnel, I will negotiate with him and may be able to taunt him to call a charge. When he is close, we can engage, and he won''t be able to get away to spread his lies."


    Gilad patted him on the back. "That is clever thinking, Scout Master. You are right; if shown a superior force as we have here, he will disengage and run like a coward. I''ve seen him do it before. We will attack as he comes through the tunnel or I hear him call the charge."


    <hr>


    "So, what are you two thinking about this situation?" Boom-Boom was being uncharacteristically serious, which worried Two-Screws. He looked at Sledgemonkey. "I''ll bow to your wisdom. You can''t shoot straight, but your take on politics is usually straight on."


    "Well, thank you for that compliment" The oldest of the Engineers looked over at the ''Cheese Caravan.'' "Those folks don''t act like merchants. They''re soldiers. They keep watches and have armor and weapons handy. And they are very organized. Sure, they put on some songs and dances for Milo''s people, but that''s not their purpose. And those smiles never get to their eyes. Watching them in that little battle, they were about to clean up those humans even without our help. And this might be my paranoia talking, but they aren''t happy we are here."


    Two-Screws nodded. "The last part is true. At first, I thought they were just jealous of our superior firepower and boyish good looks. But I get the feeling they see us as a bump in their road."


    Boom-Boom smiled. "This bump is a landmine that will explode damned easy." The other dwarves nodded. All of them turned as Engineer Milo came walking up with the big guard who had been on gate duty before. "And that boy looks like he''s been stuck on the Whirl-and-Hurl for too many hours."


    Milo waved to the engineers and started to walk over, passing by the mechanical spider and its new mistress. Barnacle picked that moment to roll over and belch and her backpack rolled off the spider, scattering its contents at Milo''s feet. Brutus started to pick things up, but Milo stopped him. "Let me do this. Some of the stuff Scavengers carry around can explode easily. They have hair triggers on all their guns. And if it isn''t a bottle of alcohol, it''s a gun, no matter what it looks like." The big guard stepped back a few steps. He remembered seeing the ''guns'' in action and had a healthy respect for them.


    Milo picked each item up carefully. The hair comb had a retractable knife blade. The large knife concealed a one-shot pistol¡ªthe brace of pistols were really shotguns. Boom-Boom had told him some stories about the dwarven pirate clan he had married into, but seeing what one of them had in their backpack was an eye-opener. He thought the pound of jerky was probably just food, but he wouldn''t be surprised to find out it was explosives. At least the explosives were what they appeared to be. There wasn''t much you could hide in a block of cataclysmite that was more deadly than the explosive itself. After repacking it all, he put the pack into the spider''s cargo chest. Barnacle had been using it as a pillow while she slept off the barrel of beer she and the spider had drank.


    The spider was so drunk it couldn''t even hiss at him. It was just mumbling some song about a shipwrecked Scavenger and an ogre on a desert island. Milo didn''t know much about an Ogre''s anatomy, but surely some of those verses were exaggerations? He patted the spider on its fuzzy head and went to talk to his brother engineers. "I have a problem."


    Sledgemonkey bent his head toward the caravan. "So we gather. How do you want to handle it? Official Treaty between your Hollow and our Guild? Mercenary contract? Or should we just get bored and start shooting? I don''t think you''re getting out of a fight, so make sure you prepare for the project correctly."


    Milo scratched an ear and hesitated a moment. "Ideally, without having to involve you in Hollow affairs. But..."


    He smiled at them. "You''re here. You have big guns you like to use. And you need a few hundred tons of ore that''s sitting in mines the Hollow controls."


    Two-Screws stroked his chin. "True. Be a shame not to give Sledge a chance to calibrate his guns."


    The Engineer sighed. "Yeah, I''ll admit I need the practice. Not doing any target practice for a few hundred years can degrade your shooting skills. And I do like the look of all that shiny ore just sitting there. How about we work out a trade of the ammunition we use for one ton of deep copper? We''ll throw in the work of shooting it for free."


    Milo was happy with that. "Turns out I have the authority to approve that deal. We can say I hired you as mercenaries. I''ll mine the ore myself if needed. After this is over, we can work out the rest."


    Boom-Boom looked over at the shiny cannon his wife and Vary were polishing. "You had me at Big Guns."


    Brutus yelled over. "Don''t want to disturb your conversation, but I think someone''s coming to talk to us. They have a parley flag out, making it official."


    Milo looked across the cavern. The massive form of Merchant Greensleeves, AKA General Gangrene, was moving towards them, escorted by six soldiers. Two dozen more followed behind at some distance and stopped at the halfway point, and the rest of the cheese caravan''s guards and workers were behind those.


    Milo and Brutus walked out to meet them. Both of them were nibbling on blocks of aged parmesan as they went.

 Chapter 176: Parley

    "How does this work, Brutus? Are there rules?"


    The big guard nodded his head. "Oh yeah, lots of rules. He''s got a Parley Flag flying, so he can''t just attack us outright. See how all his guards are stopping ten yards behind him? That''s how far I''ll stop. Then you and he get as close as you want and talk. No one can attack either of you until the Parley is over."


    "And when is that? If we don''t work things out, when does he start swinging that big mace at me?" The general seemed quite well-armed. He was wearing a steel cuirass that covered his back and breast, an ornate helmet and was carrying a huge mace and shield. He had a sword and a knife on his belt and an ax on his back.


    "Well, by Limburger Rules, you two would head back to your sides and wait five minutes. Have a cup of tea. By Wurchwitz''s rules, you get three steps, and that''s it. You should run fast. I''ll buy you some time."


    Tallsqueak turned and looked at Brutus. He did not doubt at all that the big guard would sacrifice himself as readily as Justin had. "That won''t work. If the Parley ends badly, you turn and run back to the dwarves and defend them. I''ll manage on my own. Think about it: The dwarves can start shooting if you''re out of the way, and if I get you killed, Gendifur will do terrible things to me."


    Brutus nodded. "Smart thinking. Good thing you have a ring, not me. She''d be so mad if I got killed. I''ll scamper back to the dwarves as soon as I see him turn around."


    Brutus stopped and waved good-naturedly at the soldiers formed behind Gangrene. Milo moved up to within ten feet of the General.


    "Greetings, Tallsqueak. It might be polite to discuss a few things before things become unpleasant.


    The general was smiling, and Tallsqueak wasn''t. "Before? I believe things have been unpleasant for quite some time."


    "Perhaps. But I''m sure we can work things out before the situation worsens. I want to negotiate with your Cheese Master, Rifkin. Nothing personal, but big political decisions are generally made by a Cheese Master, not a newly appointed Scout Master."


    Tallsqueak shook his head slightly. "Rifkin was never Cheese Master, except in his delusions. And now he is nothing. He made some poor decisions. I speak for the Conclave."


    "You do? How interesting." Gangrene was trying to read the expressions and body language of Tallsqueak but was having difficulty. He didn''t stand like a soldier and wasn''t cowering at all. The information Rifkin had given him on this newcomer was strange. Tallsqueak had shown up out of nowhere and ingratiated himself to the Masters of the Hollow, and now he had a ring and spoke for the rest. How had he taken over so quickly? And had that been his plan all along? "Rifkin must have exaggerated his position then; he mentioned poor Bleusnout was dying of an overdose and that he was working with the new Deathmaster."


    "Bleusnout and his assistant will recover. Our new Master Healer refuses to let them die. And if you are referring to Charlotte, I killed her. Petey helped. He''s our new Deathmaster. Rifkin''s clever plan unraveled because it had too many moving parts. How do you coordinate multiple spider attacks along with clueless human raiders?"


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Gangrene grimaced. He was still angry about the ''human allies'' attacking his caravan. "It seems he underestimated you, as did Charlotte. A shame, he brought her to one meeting, and I liked her. She was deadly but manageable. I like to think I can work with many people to make a Hollow stronger. But sometimes, you lose people during the chaos of becoming stronger, and others show their strengths. I''m sure you''ll agree that quite a bit of good has come out of this situation, as well as a little pain."


    The General was formulating new plans. Rifkin had promised that he and others from his generation would take over the Hollow. That seemed to have come true, but not as Rifkin had expected. His minion was captured and probably talking. Tallsqueak was in charge, along with his allies, the new Master Healer and Deathmaster. How many other rings were changing fingers?


    Milo thought about the General''s words. People had died. That couldn''t be forgotten. But a traitor had been revealed, and many old, festering wounds were being healed. Old Healer''s clan was working together, and he could retire. The mages were invigorated and cross-training with the fighters, building friendships. And Larry was better. The Hollow gained so much trading a depressed Cheese Fiend for a Hero. Not to mention a possible alliance with the fairies? And maybe the dwarves?


    "Yes. Some good things. Limburger Hollow is much stronger, and we are considering new alliances."


    Gangrene nodded. Tallsqueak wanted to deal! He knew what Wurchwitz Hollow had to offer and had seen how well their unique cheese worked. Indeed, that was most probably one of the reasons he was in charge. "Such a coincidence. Wurchwitz Hollow is also looking for strong allies. Consider any dealings we had with Rifkin to be null and void. I will be bold and suggest that you and I discuss how we can work together. My soldiers are ready, and I have enough Millekbase to keep your population under control for six months."


    Tallsqueak paused and looked at Gangrene. Rifkin hadn''t been lying. The General had confirmed things to his satisfaction.


    Tallsqueak smirked a little. "I think you misunderstand me, General. I don''t need Wurchwitz or your bad cheese. I have allies I can trust. You have two choices: Turn around and slink back to your Hollow, or try to fight us and die."


    From behind him, Milo heard Brutus exclaim, "Oh, Shit!"


    Gangrene''s face turned red. "You will regret those words." He pulled his mace from his belt. It glowed with a powerful magic aura. Milo thought it had an odd look to it, more of a hammer than a mace? One half of the head was round, while the other had a flat surface like a sledgehammer. The weapon looked old and deadly, and gangrene had no trouble holding it in one hand.


    Milo calmly said. "Tsk, Tsk. Remember the rules of Parley. Three steps." Gangrene laughed. "I will enjoy crushing your skull." He turned, took three steps toward his troops, and prepared to yell charge.

 Chapter 177: Dont bring a Mace to a Spider Fight.

    Gangrene took three long strides toward his troops and glared up and down the line. Some of them were looking at him oddly, and it infuriated him. One started to open his mouth to speak and then thought better of it. "Shut it! Prepare to charge on my order." He raised his mace high, activated its destructive aura, and turned around. He saw the big guard running as fast as he could to the entrance to the Hollow.


    Tallsqueak was standing in front of him, only a foot away. "Sorry, but does the Parley stop when we each take three steps away from each other? Or just three steps in any direction? It matters because if the rules specify ''away,'' then you can''t attack me. We are still in a Parley and aren''t fighting yet."


    Gangrene''s snarled at his clearly insane adversary. "I''ll give you a hint: I''m about to kill you." He swung his mace at Tallsqueak, who ducked and struck a feeble blow at him. He barely felt it through his metal cuirass.


    Tallsqueak did a backward somersault, then scampered further away quickly. He pointed at Gangrene''s troops. "And you forgot to call the charge. I don''t think you can try to invade another Hollow unless you officially call a charge. Probably in the rules somewhere. Do you want to go look them up?"


    Gangrene glared at him and shouted to his soldiers. "This one is mine, and mine alone! Kill the dwarves and take the Hollow. CHARGE!" The soldiers ran straight ahead, ignoring the general and his smaller adversary. Many of them would have loved to watch, but not one of them would have put money on the General to lose. Several had decent Identification skills, especially the scouts. They knew Tallsqueak was Level 10, and he was rumored to have both fighting and arcane abilities. But that wasn''t enough.


    On the other hand, Gangrene was Level 19 and a veteran of several wars. He was skilled in many types of weapons, martial abilities, and several Earth Aspected magic spells. This fight wasn''t even going to be close. As Tallsqueak summoned his bone armor, the General was covered in layers of stone and hardened earth, several inches thick.


    Gangrene''s voice sounded deeper once he was encased in stone. "I''m sure you plan to delay me and give your troops a chance. That isn''t going to happen. I''m far too powerful a foe." The ground sprouted stone spikes to impale Tallsqueak, who leaped upwards to avoid them. He landed on the ground several feet away, counting to himself.


    Milo smiled at him. "I came to that conclusion as well. That''s why I attached two Series K ''Shipbuster'' limpet mines to your armor. Surprise!" He put his hands on his ears and turned away.


    Milo hadn''t wondered at all why Barnacle had mines and cataclysmite in her backpack. The Engineers were crazy, and the Scavengers were worse. Her pack had been filled with an assortment of exploding death. The limpet mines were used against ships. The flat, dish-shaped mines would be stuck on the side of a ship or submarine, and the timer set. Milo immediately fell in love with them and took two of them with him. They were currently on the front and back of Gangrenes steel cuirass and underneath a layer of rocky armor. If anything, the Earthen Armor spell was about to make things worse by containing the blast.


    General Gangrene had earned himself many enemies during the wars, some of them technically his allies. His paranoia about assassins was legendary, and his survival strategy was to be very, very hard to kill. The Claw Warrior class gave him 3600 health. That was augmented with the Enhancement Increased Health 7 for another 2900 health. His STR and CON of 30 gave a bonus of 3000. With a few other abilities thrown in, the General had over 10,000 health, making him very difficult to kill.


    The Shipbuster mines didn''t care about any of that. They easily punched through his steel armor, shattered his Earthen Armor, and hit him harder than anything had ever hit him in his life. Brittle Bones shattered into hundreds of pieces, victims of a spell Milo had cast earlier. The twin explosions should have eradicated Gangrene''s torso, killing him instantly. But decades of leading armies and conquering throughout the underworld had given him many magical items. As pain tore through his body, the General saw infuriating notifications scroll past his eyes, even as those items kept him from death.


    [An explosion has destroyed your Dark Steel Cuirass of Defense.]


    [Helm of Concussive Protection has shattered but prevented your brains from being scrambled.]


    [Amulet of Enorica has allowed you to cheat death and kept your spine intact. Its miracle dispensed, the amulet crumbles to dust.]


    [Teflon''s ring of Hefty Healing has been activated, and all three remaining charges have been used, healing you for 1500 points of damage.]


    [Your current Health is reduced to 4,120.


    You are mostly deaf. Permanent disability. -10 to PerceptionYou are bleeding for 120 points per round until you receive healing for your open wounds.


    Your speed is reduced by 40% until you receive healing for broken ribs.


    Brittle Bones will cause you to take additional damage from blunt impacts. Important Note: This Includes Explosions!]


    The general shook his head back and forth, trying to clear his vision. His ears were ringing too hard for him to hear, but he could see his soldiers charging at his enemies. The dwarven mercenaries were firing their cursed guns, but his soldiers were un-killable with three pieces of battle cheese inside their bellies. Some would die once the battle was over, but sacrifices had to be made.


    Gangrene struggled to stand, cracked ribs grating and blood oozing from many wounds. Taking a deep breath, he used his Second Wind5 ability to restore 670 mana, stamina, and health points. The health was useful, but it was the mana that was essential. The general only had 1100 points of mana, and his Earthen armor spell took 600 points to cast. But with it protecting him, he could finish this fight, and healing potions and regeneration would keep him alive. And importantly, the armor would seal his wounds and keep him from bleeding to death.


    As the layers of rock and earth moved up from the floor to encompass his body, he was struck from behind. A harpoon punctured his shoulder and punched out the front of his body. The shock of the damage made him lose control of the spell, and the mana used in the disrupted spell evaporated. The pain made him angry, and he snarled as he turned and looked behind him. Tallsqueak was perched on a rock fifty feet away, encased in bone armor, his long tail whipping back and forth. Gangrene charged at him, and his adversary threw two skulls at his feet before leaping to the side. Gangrene kicked one of the bombs away; the other exploded at his feet. The damage was minor, but the dust and debris it kicked up made him lose sight of his adversary.


    Gangrene had faced dozens of assassins and fought them in darkened caves and smoke-filled buildings. His opponent would try to approach from his blind side, using his lack of hearing to sneak up. A lifetime of fighting told him where his enemy would be. He spun, and as something dug into his side, he hit Tallsqueak with his Mace of Armageddon, knocking him to the ground, dead or stunned. He hurt too much to follow up his attack against his stunned foe.


    [Shadowblight has struck you.


    You are Poisoned and are taking ongoing damage.


    You have lost 150 health from the blow.


    Your mitigation is reduced by 50 points until healed.]


    Poisoned? His resistance should stop that! But he could feel it. Spider venom, eating away at him. He took a breath and then walked two steps to where Tall Squeak lay on the ground. He had expended over a thousand points of stamina on that blow, triggering its Crushing Death ability. He was surprised Tallsqueak''s head was still on his shoulders. It was time to rectify that...


    <hr>


    Three minutes before...


    Gilad stared at his rival. "And just where do you think you are going?"


    Arlothe gestured toward the entrance to the outer caverns. "For a short walk with a few of my students. I''ve been told that Tallsqueak is off to talk to the caravan''s leader. I''m sure a fight will break out, and I''d hate to miss it. I''m starting to like these larger combats. Dueling is fun but not as enjoyable as frying spiders."


    The Tail Master shook his head. "We were here first. My fighters are prepared to enter combat as soon as the signal comes."


    Arlothe bowed. "Of course, old friend. You go first. We''ll catch up." The storm mage was happy with being in the second rank. That was the advantage of magic. You didn''t have to be in claw range to throw a lightning arc at an opponent.


    Shouts and a voice like thunder shouted ''Charge!'' from the cavern. Gilad was racing immediately into the tunnel, followed by his thirty fighters. Arlothe was just a little behind with a dozen students, half from Clan Emerald Wyrm. Their staves were charged, and their eyes were glowing. Cremona''s hands were glowing bright green, and wisps of condensed poison curled around her claws. Unlike her husband, she would be happy to get up close where her hands would dissolve flesh and armor.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    As the caravan guards grew close to the dwarven mercenaries, they were stunned by the explosion that took place on the far side of the cavern. Tallsqueak was standing near a crater where General Gangrene was on his hands and knees, covered in blood.


    Two-Screws nodded his head at Sledgemonkey. "Glad I didn''t take that bet; he did have explosives with him."


    Sledgemonkey laughed. "An Engineer always takes the right tools for the job." He clicked the safety off of his rivet guns and started firing.


    "I''ll say this for these caravan lads; they don''t go down easy!" Two-Screws had started shooting as soon as the soldiers had started moving. He''d wondered what Senior Engineer Milo was up to, following close behind the general. Then he''d seen the unmistakable shape of limpet mines and had sucked in his breath, waiting for the explosion.


    He saw the general disappear in a blast of rock and blood. That boy wasn''t playing around at all! Then again, thinking about what he''d used to kill the snake, that had been more like a love tap!


    Two-Screws wasn''t happy with the rate at which he was dropping enemy soldiers. The problem he was having was the damned shields. The rivets lost a lot of energy punching through them, and it took half a dozen hits to drop one soldier. He should think about using explosive ammunition. Undeterred, he worked his way down the line as they charged closer. Sledgemonkey was doing the same and finally getting his gun appropriately calibrated. Behind him came the sound of the dual chain guns on top of the spider. Four engineers and two scavengers had made it a group project to rebuild them properly. The huge bore weapons were synchronized, and their rate of fire had doubled. Sledgemonkey had brought out a thousand rounds of ammunition to fuel them. The long belts of high-caliber shells coming from the storage in his Arcane Workshop.


    Two-Screws took a glance and saw that it was Vary on the gun. The youngster laughed hysterically as he raked the guns back and forth across the advancing line. His guns punched through those shields with ease, and he had dropped several soldiers to the ground already. Barnacle snored on, too drunk to even wake up and missing the fight. The spider stirred, saw ratkin charging her, and roared to life. Past battles as a mercenary and her time in the Rat Wars mixed in her drink-addled mind. <To me, my army! Charge the fuzzy enemy and rend them limb from pitiful limb!>


    Vary tried to hold on and keep firing as his mount suddenly charged into battle. Tons of mechanical spider impacted the line of armored ratkin, and it was the soldiers who lost. Robotic legs speared bodies, and sharp fangs poisoned them. On unsteady legs, the Iron Spider staggered through the battle. Vary gave up shooting the guns and concentrated on not falling off or losing his hold on Barnacle as he worked the foot peddles, trying to steer the spider into more of the enemy.


    "Fire in the Hole!" Narwhal sent an explosive shell into a close-packed group of warriors, killing two of them outright and wounding four others who were getting up slowly. Boom-Boom hurried to load another shell. Half of the soldiers were dead, but the rest were too close for comfort. The cannon would only get one more shot, and then they would be overrun.


    Sledgemonkey''s gun jammed. He cursed for a moment and then pulled the sledgehammer off of his back, charging up its head for his first swing. Not content to wait, the old dwarf slammed shut his helmet and lumbered at the charging ratkin, his mechanical armor picking up speed as he countercharged. His first double-handed swing knocked down two soldiers and killed another. The force of the charged blow sent the body flying. And then he was fighting against several cheese-frenzied ratkin warriors. Two-Screws was beside him instantly, his weapon killing a ratkin aiming a blow at the Senior Engineer''s back. The two went back to back and got down to the dirty work of killing enemies. Brutus was nearby. He had taken his battle cheese and swung his heavy halberd near where the two dwarves fought. Each swing hit a caravan guard and knocked them down, injured or dead. Others jumped back to avoid the swings of the long weapon.


    Narwhal didn''t want to leave her wedding present, but after her last shot, Boom-Boom threw her over his shoulder and turned to retreat down the tunnel. He was stopped by the sight of a horde of charging ratkin led by an old veteran with glowing fists and tail. He wisely got out of the way, and they returned to loading the cannon, watching wave after wave of ratkin from Limburger Hollow throw themselves into the fight against the armored caravan guards. Gilad leaped high in the air and landed among his enemies. He hadn''t cut loose in decades and had begun to doubt himself. But he felt younger now. Nightly fights with a powerful cheese fiend had awakened old skills and given him back his confidence. His claws cut through armor and bone while his tail shattered skulls. In this battle, he was once again the Tail Master who had led his armies to victory over the spider clans.


    They were followed by the mages, who immediately sent searing arcs of electrical energy into the caravan guards, aided in their targeting by the heavy metal shields and armor. Muscles spasmed and flesh cooked inside metal armor that added to the damage the storm magic could do. A choking green mist settled on the heads of many guards, and more than one collapsed as venom overwhelmed their pitiful poison resistance. Cremona darted through the fight, slashing and moving away.


    <hr>


    Beyond the fighting, in the center of the cavern, General Gangrene lifted his huge mace above his head, preparing to bring it down on Tallsqueak''s head.


    Milo was sure he had got his head stuck in a subragator. Nothing else could have hit him so hard. Only his rune-hardened bones had saved his skull from being crushed. He cleared his head just in time to see Gangrene raise his mace. He wasn''t going to be able to dodge. Rocks pinned him in on one side and one of the General''s legs on the other. He did the only thing he could, interposing his weapon between himself and the downward swing of the mace.


    Gangrene laughed as Tallsqueak tried to block the swing with a spikey stick. The Mace of Armageddon slammed into the makeshift weapon of bone and wood. The thin weapon bent, and Tallsqueak felt his shoulders dislocate as his stiffened arms held his weapon. But the mace couldn''t break the Nigh Invulnerable spikey-stick, and its force was redirected as Shadowblight bent and then straightened. The Mace of Armageddon rebounded and struck Gangrene in the forehead, knocking him backward and stunning him. He barely saw the notification flash by.


    [You have been stuck by the Mace of Armageddon. (Frankly, we are surprised you''re alive. But you do have a hard head.)


    Your skull is fractured.


    You have a concussion.


    Your health has been reduced to 2,156]


    Milo sat up, calculated how to regain the use of an arm, and then slammed his shoulder into a large rock, popping one arm back into its socket. The pain was intense, but he needed at least one arm if he was going to finish this fight. It felt like it took forever to stand, and his vision was fuzzy. A dozen feet away, Gangrene also managed to stand up. He smiled through bloody lips and broken teeth. "No one has ever taken a blow from my mace and lived. You are a more worthy opponent than I thought. I''ll keep that hard skull of yours and make a mug out of it."


    Milo slashed with his tail at Gangrene''s face only to have the General block with his mace. Tallsqueak rolled to the left, standing up further away, and launched a Harpoon of the Winds, hitting Gangrene in his leg and making him stagger. Blood gushed out. Gangrene''s arms fell to his side, and his eyes unfocused. Milo saw him take a step backward and almost fall. Barely able to hold onto his mace, the General brought up a hand to brush blood from his eyes, and Milo used the opening to surge forward and bring Shadowblight around in a long arc that scratched against the general''s leg. The skin turned black as poison spread.


    And then it was Milo''s turn to be hit, as the General laughed and his tail slapped hard against Milo''s head and knocked him down. Milo saw three of Gangrene, and all three of them were winding up for a one-handed blow with his mace. He tried to roll, but nothing in his body worked, and he couldn''t clear his head. The Mace of Armageddon came down, and Tallsqueak brought up his weapon in a feeble attempt to block with one hand.


    The enchanted mace stopped before it completed half of its arc. Gangrenes'' arm was held in the strong claws of the Hero of Flowertown. Larry grabbed ahold of the mace and yanked it out of the surprised Gangrene''s hand. Larry looked at the General. "Buttercup and Rosie don''t like you." Larry punched Gangrene in his face, completing the work started by the Mace of Armageddon. Cartilage flattened as his large snout was rearranged, and several teeth came loose. "Larry doesn''t like you either. Larry thinks you are a BadBadGuy." Larry continued to hit Gangrene until he collapsed.


    Milo sat up. Larry handed him some red jelly beans, and he chewed them down. His head stopped spinning, and he felt better. Across the cavern, he saw the ongoing battle. "Larry, people need help." Larry saw where he pointed, nodded, and ran off to be a Hero. Milo staggered upright. Gangrene was unconscious but still breathing. Larry hadn''t killed him, but he was close to death, blood pooling around him. Milo wasn''t going to take any chances. Shadowblight came down once, then again, and again. Gangrene died, and the weapon purred, happy with itself. Milo felt tired. He sat down to rest for just a moment.


    Across the cavern, the battle ended as the last few caravan guards surrendered rather than face the wrath of Larry.

 Chapter 178: When youre hungry and craving pancakes.

    <div>


    Opening his eyes was difficult. Milo was tired and wanted to sleep more. But the constant beep beep beep was annoying him. His muscles were stiff as he stepped out of his pod.


    It was odd, he didn''t even remember logging out of the game. The last few days'' events ran through his head, culminating with the thought that ''This rock is a pretty good pillow.'' His tail flipped over to the pod and reattached to it so he could read through the latest messages from the system.


    [You have a new notification on the Contribution Board.


    You have a new notification on the Contribution Board.


    You have a new notification on the Contribution Board.


    You are exhausted and suffering from the after-effects of using cheese in combat.]


    [Your character has passed out from exhaustion. You may not be able to access your character for some time.


    Would you like to log out?


    Would you like to play a nice game of chess?


    Would you like to take a nap in your comfy pod?


    Right, nap it is.]


    Milo had been spending a lot of time in the game. When he did leave the game, his time in section E had been all work and little rest. His assumption that his body would get rest in his pod was correct; his medical read-out showed everything was fine. Mentally though, he had been building up fatigue for months and not taking enough time off. Some part of him had decided it was time for sleep after his character passed out in the game. He''d have to take this new variable into account from now on. Mental fatigue could lead to sub-optimal decision-making. Especially in the game.


    His first priority now that he would be up for a few hours was food. The selection could have been better. He had cheese, dried fruit, and some crackers. His tastes had changed over the last few months. The thought of food cubes was highly dissatisfying. What he wanted was Cheesy Pancakes with lots of syrup. Did they have those in the real world? If not, he was going to invent them. A quick search of the Datanet showed several restaurants that served them. This wasn''t helpful since he wasn''t going to visit them, ever, but he did confirm they existed. Could he make them himself?


    Further searching for a minute gave him what he wanted. He found a recipe that seemed familiar to what he had used in the Hollow.


    There were food services that would ship to the Habitat Block, but they were costly and they didn''t do small deliveries. He ran through various options, calculating which service to use and how much to order the ingredients. Substitutions had to be made for fresh eggs and sour cream. Flour came in hundred-pound bags. One solution appealed to him. After some thought, he went with that and placed the order. A handful of crackers and some cheese spread would get him through the next couple of hours. He went to his workshop and started designing the equipment he would need.


    ###


    <hr>


    "Butch! Make sure your little sister doesn''t get to the buttons on the food system. She kept pushing the button on it this morning, and we got 16 bowls of groatmeal delivered. She likes the picture for that button."


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Butch was trying desperately to get past the 10th level of Space Invaders and see if there was an 11th level. He was trying not to get hit by a saucer and nail the last alien running across his screen when his littlest sister headed towards the food system, pushing a chair in front of her. The hesitation was deadly, and he died without getting to the 11th level. Sighing, he picked her up and tickled her until she started screaming. "That will teach you to side with the aliens." He set her back down and shut down the food system so she couldn''t order more food. His mother could have done it, but she was worried that if the machine ever shut down, it wouldn''t turn back on. This had happened to too many people. Maintainance workers were like fairy godmothers. Both were rumored to exist, but no one ever saw them.


    Someone started pounding on the front door. Understandable since the intercom button didn''t work from the other side. Looking at the screen, he saw two men in green uniforms bearing the logo of Mercurial Delivery at the door. Obviously lost if they were banging on his door. He unlocked the door and slid it open a few inches, keeping the chains in place. "Yeah?"


    One of them looked at a clipboard. "Got a delivery for you: One hundred pounds of Ronco Always-rises Flour, one gross of Eggs in a Can, 64 quarts of FrozyFroze Sour Cream. Be careful with that stuff and get it into the cooler fast. One hundred pounds of grated parmesan from Acme Cheese Factory, that''s the big green can with the airtight seal. Fifty pounds of PowderedToastMan''s powdered milk and another twenty gallons of Moo-Moo Farm''s Milk in a Can. That''s the big stuff. The other three packing containers have the rest, including the syrup. We double-checked it twice, and you''re good to go."


    Butch stared at the mound of food. "Yeah, sure. Let me take a look." He grabbed the paperwork and acted like he was checking things over. He wondered if he should take the delivery. He could sell most of it and keep a little. But someone would follow the paper trail, and his family would suffer. You never left a trail to your own home if you did something you could get in trouble for. He handed the paperwork back. "Sorry, wrong place. I can''t pay for it. Didn''t order it."


    The two delivery men looked at each other and shrugged. "Not our problem. It''s paid for in full, including delivery and a very generous tip for the two of us. This place matches the address. It can''t go back, and we need to be going." They left quickly, nearly bumping into someone moving down the corridor, driving a four-wheeled delivery cart with a trailer. Ghost hopped off the little cart and took the paperwork out of his hands while Butch tried to figure out what was happening.


    "Great. It''s all here. Help me set up this grill in the courtyard and we can get cooking. I made it from a couple of old welding units and a titanium-Teflon sheet I scavenged. Should work well for pancakes."


    Butch''s mother appeared at the door. She eyed the makeshift stove and the food. "Pancakes? I haven''t had pancakes in years. We used to be able to get the food system to give us pancake batter, but they claimed we''d like food cubes better and not have to cook. You realize that if you cook out here, you''ll get several dozen hungry people popping out of their rooms looking for dinner?"


    Milo exhaled and pushed down his anxiety about being around many people. There would be less here today than in the Hollow. He put a grin on his face. "I''ve got an urge to cook, and I need volunteers to eat. We''ll feed everyone we can and then store the rest in my room for next time."


    Butch had his datapad out and was sending a message. "I''ve got the gang on the way to help out and help eat. But how the hell did you get all of this?"


    "Got lucky. Found a buyer for some of the old games we repaired and made a big sale, but he insisted I had to take half cash and half food from his warehouse. So we''re having a pancake party."


    Butch looked skeptical. "Pancakes. They''re good?"


    His mother rolled her eyes. "Oh, honey, you have no idea. Start unpacking everything and I''ll help with the batter. You kids are in for a treat today."


    <h5> </h5>

 Chapter 179: Anime and Deathrace 2020

    Cooking pancakes was much more complex than Milo had ever imagined! He hadn''t considered that half the people he was cooking for didn''t know what pancakes were. There was also the question of why he was doing it. Saying, "I want pancakes, I don''t care about the money, and I had to order in bulk for fast delivery." would have generated even more questions, some of which he didn''t want to answer.


    Luckily, he''d come to the right house. Mama got to work instructing the young ones how to mix pancake batter. From somewhere, two tables appeared out in the courtyard near where he and Butch were assembling his makeshift grill. Butch wanted to know where he got the parts. Milo just shrugged and said, "Oh, you know..." which actually satisfied Butch. Milo had learned the expression from watching Butch and the rest of the gang. If something wasn''t nailed down in the Hab Blocks, it tended to wander off. There were rules, of course, but they were unwritten and mostly unspoken, causing Milo much confusion at times.


    The rest of Butch''s gang showed up quickly. Free food was good food. They were extremely curious about where Ghost had picked up the food and cooking gear. Butch shrugged and said, "Oh, you know..." and nodded with his head toward Ghost. Several stared at the assembled grill made from welding torches and a large metal panel. They were equally impressed when Mama brought out the first batch of batter, and Ghost started pouring out perfect circles and carefully flipped them over with a spatula in each hand. Milo fed Mama and the little ones first, then the gang. By then, a small crowd of curious neighbors had shown up, and Milo started handing out plates of pancakes to the smaller children.


    Butch anticipated the next problem as an adult took the food from a child. The pancake thief found himself surrounded by the gang, was forced to apologize to a nine-year-old and was sent to the end of the line. He was sour initially but got over it when he was handed his plate a few minutes later. As more people showed up, the gang kept things orderly. Brad and Yumi watched how Ghost made the pancakes and asked questions before asking to take over the cooking duties. Milo was glad for the break. This was different from the Hollow. There was some tension in the air. People didn''t know what to expect. There was also the feeling of a holiday. Someone set up music, and the smaller children took advantage of being able to play together.


    The next thing that happened took Milo by surprise and was all handled by Butch. A few members of other gangs showed up, some welcome, some not so welcome. But everyone got a plate of food as long as they behaved. Some of them questioned Butch about where the stuff came from. He told them a version of the truth.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Some of us have been fixing old games and selling them pretty well. And some folks gave a bit more in trade than they took. People being generous, y''know? When people started being generous, my guys and I thought of a way to pay them back. Maybe next time you and Louie here will be generous and bring something over you don''t need?"


    Some people took the free food. Others were thoughtful. By the end of the day, Butch had a large box of broken electronics, old games, and scratched discs thought beyond repair. They presented it to Ghost at the end of the day as the last batch of pancakes was on the stove. Fuel for the grill was running out, and every person who had shown up had gotten a plate of cheesy pancakes with sweet syrup.


    The gang helped Ghost store the excess in his house. Most people were curious to catch a glimpse of the inside but disappointed about how ordinary it looked. After that chore was done, Butch grabbed Ghost by the arm and dragged him back to his house. Brad and Yumi came along, and the four of them took turns playing games on Butch''s old system while his little brothers and sisters sat on laps or shoulders, yelling out advice. Mama looked with a smile. She worried a lot about Ghost. Butch had grown several inches in the year they had known him, but Ghost still looked as small as ever. Some of the little ones were even taller than him. The boy had given her the code to open his house and use any food there. It was an open secret in the family that Ghost didn''t live there, but it was not discussed.


    Milo slipped away two hours later. He''d pushed himself but had reached the end of his ability to be around people. Yumi, in particular, was making him nervous. Both in how close she sat next to him and how difficult it was to beat her in some games. When he left Butch''s house, she''d volunteered to walk him out. Brad started to join, but Butch challenged him suddenly to a Deathrace 2020 match using the new Philadelphia map he''d put together.


    After walking aimlessly with Yumi talking to him about her favorite anime, Ghost agreed to meet up with her in a couple of days to watch her favorites. She waved and smiled as he disappeared into a service hatchway, and Milo tried to figure out why he had agreed. He''d said yes just to break off conversation and leave. He barely knew what anime was. And she wanted to know what his favorite show was? He was so confused.


    Back at his real house, he started to think things over. He realized that he had subconsciously decided to be around people more and see if he liked them. Similar to cheese, he''d only recently discovered people. He needed to study the situations he was getting into and figure out the rules.


    In some ways, it was similar to the Hollow, with no one trying to kill him.

 Chapter 180: Sour Pickles

    Gendifur was scowling and looking at samples her needles had taken from Tallsqueak using Arlothe¡¯s Advanced Device for Looking at Small Things. "He probably should have died. Possibly his bone structure saved him, storing the excess elixir until it was needed. I don''t recommend anyone ever drinking two doses, let alone six."


    Old Healer had his own idea. "Multiple poisons could have done it. He was suffering from the venom of a Noble spider, then several doses of unknown lesser poisons from traps. Finally, after he drank the elixir, he was near a toxic pile of bones. All of that together could explain why he didn''t dissolve into a puddle of goo."


    Gendifur took another look at Tallsqueak''s blood. "Yes, that probably the reason for it. I should have taken that into account." She carefully gathered up all of the samples and vials and put them in her bag.


    Old Healer looked at the amazing device again. He wished he''d had one decades ago. "It was very nice of Professor Arlothe to give you this device." Gendifur packed that up as well, padding it carefully. "Oh, he didn''t. But I''m sure he and Tallsqueak can make another. I have far too many uses for this to let it go back to a dusty laboratory."


    The old rat laughed and nodded. "Well. I''m off for a nap. I never had time for them before, and I''m going to get in a few each day until I''m caught up. Good luck with your patient. I''m sure he''ll recover soon. Exhaustion, donating his blood and bones, and being hit in the head with a Mace of Armageddon can tire even a young warrior like him out. But his regeneration should bring him around soon." He wandered out of the room while Gendifur tended to Tallsqueaks wounds.


    She hadn''t told her grandfather all of her suspicions and probably never would. It would be rude for a healer to give away someone else''s secrets, especially after what Tallsqueak had done for the Hollow.


    <hr>


    Milo opened up his tired eyes and looked around. He was back in the infirmary, lying on a bed covered in soft blankets. He started to stand up, then thought better of it, laying his head back on a pile of pillows. The room stopped spinning, and the pain in his head eased. His skull was sore where Gangrene had hit him with his mace. The General had been a canny opponent, seeming to know where he was or able to anticipate his moves. He''d also been a monster! Milo had never expected him to live through the explosion. Those two mines were designed to sink ships! He''d been bleeding steadily, Milo had poisoned him twice, yet he still kept fighting. Thankfully Larry showed up at the end of the fight. He needed to do something very nice for Larry.


    Gendifur was cleaning up the room, putting away medications, and folding up blankets. Several other people were helping her. Milo was the only person lying on a bed. The newly appointed Master Healer saw that he was awake and sat down by his bed, immediately taking his pulse. "You''re better, but not good. No fight practice, no duels, and no playing surprise for a week. You need to let yourself recover. Take it easy, eat a lot, and don''t eat any cheese that I don''t give you."


    Milo sighed heavily. He had enjoyed the taste of cheese the last couple of days. To his delight, Gendifur handed him a plate with three slices of bread and a chunk of Gouda. "That''s your lunch. Be good, and I''ll have another piece for you at dinner. That will be enough to keep your regeneration at maximum. And the fact that I''m giving you this much cheese should remind you how injured your body is."


    Milo started to eat, and then the details of the last couple of days came into focus through the pounding of his head. "How is Bleusnout? Smiley? Gilad? The dwarves?"


    Gendifur nodded and smiled. "All good. I had to treat one of the dwarves for alcohol poisoning, which she told me wasn''t something that could happen to scavengers. There were some minor wounds to some of them, and many of Gilad''s students were heavily injured and are recovering. The fight was mercifully quite fast, with many casualties on the other side. They focused on trying to kill Brutus, Gilad, and two of the heavily armored dwarven warriors. All of whom take a lot of killing. Larry showed up at the end and attacked from the rear of the fight. He knocked down two of them, and the rest begged for mercy and dropped their weapons."


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "And Justin is feeling much better. Thank God he''s feeling better and sleeping at the barracks. Larry and his new friends sat here half the day, watching over him. I heard every Hamster Huey story sixteen times." Milo could picture Larry sitting and telling stories.


    "As to Bleusnout and Smiley, what I took from you saved them. It kept them alive for a day until the elixir could be used. Both are up and around, trying to get things back to normal." She looked down at the rings on her and Milo''s hands. "New normal? Things changed. Bleusnout announced that Smiley is taking over as Cheese Master. Bleusnout wants just to make a little cheese and teach a class for the young whelps. He says he might even take a trip to Gouda Hollow to visit friends and trade recipes."


    "What happened to Rifkin? He was the cause of a lot of this; what will happen to him?"


    Gendifur snarled. "Something bad, I hope. But we may never know for sure. He got away. Chewed through the ropes and crawled off with broken legs. His trail led out to the gathering fields and disappeared."


    <hr>


    The day before...


    In the confusion after the battle, no one was paying attention to Rifkin as he lay on his bed quietly, recovering from his broken bones. He was tied to his bed, but he managed to saw through the rope with a small tool kept in his sleeve. He used skulk and unnoticed to move to the shadows and crawl from the room slowly. Along the way, he stole what medicine he could to deaden the pain. He needed to get away. There was an area past the gathering fields where he could hide. A small cave where he had a stash of food and cheese just for such an emergency. He could make it that far, he was sure. He''d get to another Hollow and start rebuilding. He could pose as a wandering trader, bartering some of the recipes he had copied from Bleusnout''s cookbooks.


    He made it as far as the first field and the bushes that were growing there. Where had these come from? Fortuitous, he thought. No one would look for him under the thick bushes, and he could rest. While crawling through them, he realized they were jelly bean bushes. Some of them even had beans on them. They were all green. He had never had that color before, but all of them had beneficial effects. Maybe green would help heal his bones? By the time he reached the center of the bushes, he''d eaten a double handful. The taste was sour as vinegar, but he felt much better, and his legs no longer hurt.


    In the center of the bushes was a cleared space with a strange magical effect hovering in the air. The rift sparked and sputtered, but he could see another place through it. Large fields of flowers and patches of forests showed in the limited view. The rift sparked and got smaller. Rifkin made a quick decision and dove through it. His passage disrupted the unstable rift further, and with a pop, it disappeared. He''d escaped!


    A huge green hand wrapped around his tail and lifted him up. "I gots one, Granny! I gots one! Caught him on the first try!"


    Rifkin grew ill as he swung back and forth. "Put me down, you idiot! I''m someone important!"


    Greggy Gerkin took a look at Rifkin. "He''s feisty, that''s for sure. He looks sort of like Larry, but someone shrunk him. He smells nice, though"


    Big Pickle got a better grip on the tail he was holding and held him up higher to look at him. "Can we keep him? He''s already turning green!"


    Granny put on her spectacles and looked. Sure enough, the little Larry-thing was turning green, and its hair was falling out. "Oh, that''s a good sign. He likes his jelly beans green!"


    She chuckled and pointed to the pickling vat. "Brush off the rest of his fur, Greggy, and have Big Pickle lock him in the vat until he''s done. We need some new pickles in the gang, and he''s as sour as they come."


    Rifkin screamed and cursed as his fur was brushed off, and he was thrown into a vat of vinegar and dill. There was barely enough room at the top to catch his breath. Granny decided it was time to leave. "Let''s get a move on. I''d hoped to catch a fairy coming through that hole, but this one will do. No sense in staying around and having Larry catch up with us. Big and Greggy nodded. That was smart. It was time to move on to another fairy town. This one was too dangerous with a Hero protecting it.


    Big Pickle had a question. "What''s his name, Granny? Huh? What''s his name?"


    Granny thought for a moment, then seeing the scowl on Rifkin''s face, she knew. "Welcome to the family, Sour Pickle."

 Chapter 181: Recovering

    The news that Rifkin had escaped bothered Milo, but at the same time, he thought there was little that sneakybadguy could do anymore to hurt Limburger Hollow. No one trusted him, and he''d be grabbed as soon as he poked his nose out of whatever hole he was hiding in. And, of course, there was Larry. Larry didn''t like Rifkin, and with how keen Larry''s senses were, if Rifkin had any survival instinct, he would go far, far away.


    Milo was just happy to have things settling down. It seemed like people in the Hollow were getting back to normal. People were going about their work, waving to each other and talking, with the glassy-eyed stares fading away. Milo began his day with breakfast, getting in line at the mess hall. Several ratkin greeted him and congratulated him on his promotion. A few suggested he skip ahead in the line, but he politely said no. He had time today, and moving fast made his head hurt.


    The cooks surprised him. Smiley and Bleusnout were at the grill, tossing puffcakes into the air, but so were Ringtail and Tweedle. They were happily grinding mushrooms and making the batter. All four of them waved to Milo, Bleusnout pointing him to a table on the side of the kitchen. "Grab a chair; I''ll have a fresh batch on your plate in a minute. You have to taste this latest recipe we came up with!" The smell was delicious, and Milo happily sat down. Just walking across the Hollow had tired him out. Bleusnout put a huge plate of pancakes in front of him and waited for him to taste them.


    Milo''s eyes got huge. They had the crisp, rich taste of puffcakes but the creamy interior of cheeseycakes. "You put the recipes together!" He began eating faster.


    Bleusnout smiled. "The twins came up with it. They claim on purpose, but I think Ringtail or Tweedle, I can never tell them apart, started making one recipe and his brother the other, and they dumped them both into the large mixing bowl. The result, though, was outstanding. Everyone likes them." Milo certainly agreed.


    The chef looked around the room, nodding to ratkin as they waved to him. "Which is good because the Hollow is going to be eating them every day for a long time. We got so very lucky that we had started making them, and you continued even after I was gone. The Golden Puffball mushroom has enzymes that fight toxins, including spider cheese ingredients that were controlling most people. Most of the Hollow just became very focused on their jobs but wouldn''t follow Rifkin''s commands blindly. We are making sure everyone eats a meal of Cheesy Puffcakes every day. The small amount of cheese, along with cleaning out the toxins in their bodies, will have everyone back to normal soon."


    Milo finished his plate. "And they taste good. I should probably have another plateful for medicinal purposes." Bleusnout smiled and brought him another plate and a jar of syrup. Milo sat, ate for half a bell, and then sat and watched the Hollow. As mealtime was ending, there was a loud knocking at the door.


    "Can Larry and his friends come in for breakfast?"


    Bleusnout yelled back. "Of course. It is always good to see Larry and his new friends." The door opened up, and Larry walked in. Many of the ratkin present were still getting used to his new appearance. Larry was walking upright with his head held high. His teeth were straight and even, and he smiled often. His fur gleamed, and he had ribbons in his hair. Most surprising was how he moved. Larry used to shuffle, but now he glided, moving across the room with grace and poise. Behind him came two other ratkin. They were smaller than Larry but still bigger than anyone else in the Hollow, except maybe some of the guards or Gendifur.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Rosie and Buttercup were scared. This was a new place like Flowertown was a new place. They liked Flowertown. They had been given bubbly baths and had their hair combed like mama had used to do for them. Both had ribbons in their hair, and Rosie had her doll freshly cleaned and repaired by Pansy. Each was wearing a new dress provided by the mages of Clan Puffyfur. On their feet were pink weasel slippers, similar to Larry''s. Hesitantly, and with Larry''s help, they came into the room and sat at a table. Bleusnout brought each of them a stack of pancakes, and they were urged to eat.


    Bleusnout would be monitoring their cheese intake. The girls had a long way to go, but helping them recover from what was done to them was important to him. It had helped him make the decision to turn his ring over to Smiley. They were already a little better. Larry was watching over them, and he had lots of helpers. After they had all eaten, Larry produced a book and handed it to Milo. "Will Tallsqueak come read Hamster Huey and Gooey Kablooie? Tallsqueak does the squeaky voices better than Larry." Milo, Larry, and their new friends went out on the porch where Larry and Tallsqueak used to take their meals. Stories were told, and then Larry and Tallsqueak helped the girls to learn the Happy Hamster Hop. Rosie got so excited that she dislocated Tallsqueaks shoulder. They all visited Gendifur, who rolled her eyes before twisting his arm back into the socket. She gave both of the girls a bag of jellybeans.


    <hr>


    In the evening, after Larry and the girls returned to Flowertown, Milo relaxed and started going through neglected notifications.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9031%">


    You have killed General Gangrene, a level 19 Claw Warrior, and put an end to his dastardly plans.


    -The Hollow has awarded you his two remaining magical items: The Mace of the Apocalypse and the War Master''s Ring.


    -You have earned Contribution Points in Limburger Hollow.


    You have donated Blood and Bone to save the lives of others.


    -You have earned Contribution Points in Limburger Hollow.


    You have put a stop to the plans of SneakyBadGuy, a level 10 Crafty Schemer


    -You have earned Contribution Points in Limburger Hollow.


    You have slain the noble spider, H''Spat, who led a raid upon the Hollow


    -You have earned Contribution Points in Limburger Hollow.


    You have defeated and captured the Iron Spider and defeated her raid on the mines.


    -You have earned Contribution Points in Limburger Hollow.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    You have taught Charlotte how to play surprise, Engineer style.


    -You have earned Contribution Points in Limburger Hollow.


    You have aided the Tail Master in training young Claw Warriors in fighting Techniques


    -You have earned Contribution Points in Limburger Hollow.


    You have reached the maximum contribution points possible. Excess Contribution points will be converted to Enhancement Points.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    One flashing message directed him to the Contributions Board. No matter how many times he clicked it off, it came back. Something that persistent must be important. With a full belly and under orders not to strain himself, he went to the contribution board to see what he could buy with his points.

 Interlude: Between the Old and the New

    I''m working my way through Tunnel Rat, editing the chapters, and adding some new material. The story started out as a Writathon story, meant to only go 55,555 words. And you write quickly during those events. After that, I kept it going, but I was writing by the seat of my pants, keeping two stories going, and had only started writing a few months earlier. Mistakes were made.


    Now I''m fixing those mistakes, cleaning up the chapters, making the words flow better, and adding more details. The story is the same, with very minor changes.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The main change is that Milo used all those Experience and Enhancement Points at the end of volume one, instead of sitting on them. It just made more sense in the story to do it now, and not wait. As I move forward, editing chapters in Volume 2, I''ll be updating his abilities from where we left off at the end of Volume 1.


    Volume 1 heads to Amazon in September. Volume 2 will be around the first of the year.

 Chapter 182: Thank you for Contribution

    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 98.7564%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 100%">You have maximized your contribution points to Limburger Hollow and fulfilled several quests before they were offered to you.


    The following rules apply:


    -You will no longer be charged contribution points for meals. This includes up to two cheesy snacks a day, or more if approved by Gendifur or Smiley.


    -You have earned tenure in the Tower of Strife. All students will address you as Professor Tallsqueak.


    -As a current member of the Conclave, you may use contribution points to pay for raising the cap on your characteristics. Frankly, you had so many that we just went ahead and paid for all of them. Your Current Caps for Tier 2 have been raised to 10.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9819%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9702%">Your available Enhnacements have been revised based on circumstances. Of great importance, we would like to point out that Pudding-Based Regeneration is no longer available, and you will have to keep your bones. You have a total of 150 Enhancement Points to spend. You may not earn more Enhancement Points in Tier 2


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="3">Generic Enhancements: Any player has access to these Enhancements. Many more skills can be learned by finding teachers, reading books, completing quests, or doing mighty deeds. The cost of Generic Enhnacementswill increase with each Tier. Choose wisely. Putting off a skill today may cost you more tomorrow.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Name</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">Description</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">Cost</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Health 1</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+50 points to Health score</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">3</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Health 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+100 points to Health score (Must have level 1 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">7</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Health 3</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+150 points to health score (Must have level 2 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">12</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Health 4</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+250 points to Health score (Must have level 3 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">15</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Health 5</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+450 points to Health score (Must have level 4 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">20</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Mana 1</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+50 points to Mana score</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">3</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Mana 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+100 points to Mana score (Must have level 1 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">7</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Mana 3</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+150 points to Mana score (Must have level 2 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">12</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Mana 4</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+250 points to Mana score (Must have level 3 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">15</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Mana 5</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+450 points to Mana score (Must have level 4 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">20</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Stamina 1</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+50 points to Stamina score</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">3</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Stamina 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+100 points to Stamina score (Must have level 1 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">7</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Stamina 3</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+150 points to Stamina score (Must have level 2 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">12</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Stamina 4</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+250 points to Stamina score (Must have level 3first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">15</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Increase Stamina 5</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+450 points to Stamina score (Must have level 4 first.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">20</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Second Wind 1</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">Once per day, regain 20 Health/Mana/Stamina.</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Second Wind 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">Once per day, regain 50 Health/Mana/Stamina.</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">5</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Second Wind 3</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">Once per day, regain 100 Health/Mana/Stamina.</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">7</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Breathless 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">You may hold your breath 10x as long. (10 minutes.)</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Tier 2 Stats Cap Increase. </td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">Increase the cap on a statistic. You may buy this ability up to 5 times to raise the cap on a stat to a max of rank 10 in Tier 2. Rank 10 is a Hard Cap for all stats in Tier 2.</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%"> </td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%"> </td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%"> </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td colspan="3">Purchase Bonus Points:


    These abilities add to your stats. Gaining bonuses does not affect stats gained by ranks. </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Spirit of the Ox 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+1 Bonus to STR. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Spirit of the Bear 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+1 Bonus to CON. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Spirit of the Monkey 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+1 Bonus to DEX. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Spirit of the Owl 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+1 Bonus to INT. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Spirit of the Cheetah 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+1 Bonus to AGI. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Spirit of the Pig 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+1 Bonus to WIS. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Spirit of the Hawk 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+1 Bonus to PER. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%">Spirit of the Swan 2</td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%">+1 Bonus to CHA. A maximum of 3 points may be bought this way</td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 38.7994%"> </td>


    <td style="width: 53.8067%"> </td>


    <td style="width: 7.41215%"> </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 100%" colspan="3">Rune-Boned Scout Enhancements</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Name</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">Description</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">Cost</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Gain knowledge of the mundane Rune: Lux</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">The Rune of Light and Radiance</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">10</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Gain knowledge of the mundane Rune: Tenebrae</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">The Rune of Darkness, Corruption, and the Hidden</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">10</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Gain knowledge of the advanced Rune: Draconis</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">The Rune of Eels and Betrayal</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">10</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Gain knowledge of the advanced Rune: Nihil</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">The Rune of nothing and the void</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">10</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Gain knowledge of the advanced Rune: Formation</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">The Rune of making and creation</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">10</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Smugglers Stash 4</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">Storage Skill. Summons/Dispels a magical chest. Size increases with rank. Fifty-four cubic feet.</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">20</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Smugglers Summoning 1</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">Transfer a spell component, food, or potion to your hand from your stash. Time: 3 seconds Cost: 100 stamina. (Time to summon items and stamina cost goes down with Levels.)</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">10</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Skilled Provider</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">Your gathering skills have an increased chance of finding better quality items</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">1/2/3</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%" width="29%">


    Heroic Leap


    </td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%" width="30%">


    3x Leap Distance


    </td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%" width="26%">


    5


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%" width="29%">


    Claws of Alta-Viator (2)


    </td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%" width="30%">


    +40 Damage


    </td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%" width="26%">


    10


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%" width="29%">


    Spine of Volax-Repat (3)


    </td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%" width="30%">


    +40 Damage


    </td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%" width="26%">


    20


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Grunt and Throw Hands</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">You have a talent for primitive charades, and ways to make yourself known when you don''t know the native language.</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">1</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Under-Linguist</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">Given a few days, and enough people talking, you can learn enough of new language to understand 90% of what you hear, and you can carry on a basic conversation, with only small mistakes showing this is not your native language. Within a month, you''ll speak like a native. Time may vary depending on the creatures involved. Humanoids with lips are easier. Telepathic rocks take longer.</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">7</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 46.3079%">Shadow Skulking 1</td>


    <td style="width: 42.1777%">Reduce the Perception of anyone trying to detect your presence, see through your human/rat illusion, or use an identify skill upon you. You may purchase three levels in Tier 2.</td>


    <td style="width: 11.5144%">3/3/3</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.9622%" colspan="3">Were-Rat EnhnacementsTier 2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Name</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Description</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">Cost</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Totally Normal Human</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Improved Disguise/Illusion in Were form. You may openly walk as a human, even in were-form, and pass for one of them. Creatures much above your level, or with a good sense of smell, or who can see through illusions may not be affected.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">10</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Many small eyes</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Make friends with local rats who will (maybe) do some scouting for you.


    Not Available in hollows due to a lack of normal rats. Perhaps moles?</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">See through small eyes</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Increased control of your small scouts, and you can use their eyes instead of your own.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">10</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Skill Upgrade: Cheese Mastery</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Expands Cheesemaking beyond easy recipes. </td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Strong Disease Resistance</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Gain the CON skill Strong Disease Resistance. It gives benefits to resist Strong Diseases from nature or spells. You are immune to most common diseases.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">7</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Extra Stabby!</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">All of your attacks have an increased chance of a critical hit. </td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">3/7/12/15/17</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Fiendishly Clever Traps</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Your traps and machinery almost always work, and in fiendish ways, no one (sometimes even you!) suspected. Everyone gets a surprise. This Enhancement affects Mechanic, Trap-Maker, and other such skills. </td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">


    3/6/9


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Strong Regeneration</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Grants increased, (x8), health recovery. Regenerate scar tissue and missing body parts in 1 to 3 days. A steady diet of cheese speeds the process.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">


    20


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%"> </td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%"> </td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%"> </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.9622%" colspan="3">Magical Aspects open up options to learn more mage skills. Each additional aspect has an increased cost. Gaining an aspect does not automatically give you spells .</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Chill of the Grave</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">You have a high Death aspect. Training will let you learn Death magic¡ªincreasing cost with additional aspects. Increase your Corruption by +1. It opens more options for mage abilities. Increased ranks decrease mana costs of casting spells.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5/10/25</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Deeds in the Dark</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">You have a high darkness aspect. Training will let you learn dark magics. Increasing cost with additional aspects. Increase your Corruption by +1. It opens more options for mage abilities. Increased ranks decrease mana costs of casting spells.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5/10/25</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Storm Born</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">You have a high Storm aspect. Training will let you learn Storm magics. Increasing cost with additional aspects. It opens more options for mage abilities. Increased ranks decrease mana costs of casting spells.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5/10/25</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.9622%" colspan="3">Individual Abilities: You have earned these through quests or adventuring.</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Spirit of Durgi Forefather</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">+1 Bonus to TOU (Dwarves only.) It may be taken three times per tier.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">4</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Blessing of Hecate: Canine Speech</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">You can almost understand dogs, and they understand you.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Guardian Pet 1</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Who''s the Big Dog? Your pet increases in both size and intelligence.</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">2</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Guardian Pet 2</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">Your pet gains attack skills and double health and mitigation</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Make things go BOOM!</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">You may purchase the Primary skill: Demolitions (DEX or INT)</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Poisoner</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">You may purchase the Primary skill: Poisoner (INT)</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 43.8928%">Smile and Lie like a Professional</td>


    <td style="width: 47.6685%">You may purchase the Primary skill: Diplomacy (INT or CHA)</td>


    <td style="width: 8.40098%">5</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo sat and rested while digesting the new information. Many of the things he had accomplished had given him contribution points. He assumed this worked for all the people in Limburger Hollow. Contribution points could be spent on many things to improve life, like food, or to gain training and favors from others. It was like quests that you didn''t know about but could guess at. If it was good for the Hollow, you would be rewarded for your work and could take the rewards as needed. Many things about the Hollow clicked into place. While individuals were free to do as they liked, there was a benefit to helping others and contributing to the big picture.


    Blackwhisker and the other players treated the Hollow like a place to do some quests and gain some skills, but it was so much more. An idea was forming, one he wanted to explore. He tucked it away in a part of his head where it wouldn''t get lost. He needed to do some thinking and to think he had to be doing something. Not doing anything made Milo uneasy. Luckily, he had some jobs that required little to no thinking. One of those was mining. He wandered through the Hollow and back to the mines. The cathedral was mostly empty now, the refugees had returned to their homes, and Gendifur cared for the wounded. A group of miners were clustered around the dwarves, discussing mining, of course.


    Milo pulled up a seat and sat down to listen. He noted that every miner from the Hollow now had a Dark Steel pick in their hands or back, and they all showed use. Milo remembered the old pick he''d found and how much faster and easier it had cut through rock. He shared a love of good tools with his fellow engineers, and it seemed that love was also shared by miners everywhere. He listened to the talk of opening up new shafts and bringing in the parts to assemble a subrogator to process Deep Copper and a Blast Furnace to make Dark Iron ore into Dark Steel. Limburger Hollow would get an upgrade in technology in the next few months. Master Clawhammer and Sledgemonkey seemed to have become instant friends and were discussing a multitude of new projects that the Engineers and the Hollow could work on together.


    After a bit, Milo excused himself and wandered off into the mines. Finding a large vein of Deep Copper, he started to chip away at it, slowly breaking up the ore and creating a large pile. Back in the cathedral cavern, the dwarves just nodded to each other and chuckled. Two Screws filled in Clawhammer on the joke. "He can''t quit. After we let him join up, you should have seen him running around repairing old machinery. He didn''t stop, and he got all of us running behind him and working just as hard. Sometimes we built things, and sometimes we blew things up." He snorted and took a deep pull on his stein of beer. "Remind me to tell you about how we blew up the entire base trying to kill a snake. Good times. That was what endeared him to us the most. All engineers like to keep working. But for him, it''s like a compulsion. He feels better working and fixing things."


    Sledgemonkey chuckled. "Or breaking things. We started with a dozen old subrogators, most of which needed to be repaired. He blew two of them up trying to fix them, then used the parts we scavenged from the wreckage to fix most of the others. You have to keep an eye on him at all times."


    There was a rumble from the mines and the crash of rock. The engineer, known to some as Milo and others as Tallsqueak, came sprinting back into the cavern, pursued by a large beetle with a golden shell and sharp mandibles. Clawhammer got to his feet and yelled. "That''s a Gold Borer Beetle; try not to damage the shell; lots of good metal plating on those." Milo nodded and dodged the beetle, then got his pick under the edge of the carapace and flipped it over. Three blows to the underside killed the four-foot-long beetle.


    Sledgemonkey walked over and examined the beetle. "Nice. That shell is 90% Auric and 10% tin. Good for a lot of magitech components." Then he looked at Milo and scowled. "Weren''t you supposed to be taking it easy? At least you only picked a fight with a little one."


    Milo pointed back the way he came. "I broke into another cavern. Dozens of little ones and, uh...some bigger ones. Much bigger ones. I think they may be following me."


    Sledgemonkey snapped down his armor''s visor and pulled out his heavy spanner as the other dwarves and miners came over and waited for the beetles to show up. Milo noticed a lot of laughing but didn''t know what was so funny.

 Chapter 183: Claw Master Inc

    Milo''s list of things he needed to do was getting longer and stranger.


    Research the party.


    -Identify possible dangers of attending the party.


    -Find out if they will have food at the party. (New things to try.)


    -Find out why the group running section H is holding a party.


    -Get stuff ready for a swap meet.


    Research ''Gaming Gloves''


    -Create a design for gaming gloves and set up fabricators.


    Research Anime.


    -Pick a favorite somehow.


    Research ways to legally make money, store money, and use money.


    Overhaul programming and fix the food system. Why is it breaking down so much?


    -Find out how to add pancake batter to the food system.


    -Find out why the pneumatic delivery system in the hab was turned off or not working in most of the hab.


    Fix the fluid leaking from Section H, level 56, into Section G.


    -And find out how fluid from Section G is getting into Section E.


    Find out why the excavators are stalled and not responding.


    The party event was in a week, and the gang was going to attend. They''d heard it would have free food, games to play, and even a chance to win a gaming pod for GENESIS. It was open to anyone under 18 years old, and priority would be given to children of Manpower employees first. Everyone was excited about it, and Butch wanted Milo to go. Even if they didn''t get in, a huge swap meet would happen nearby, and it would be a great time to trade games and pick up broken ones to compare. Milo tentatively agreed to go but wanted more information. The normal swap meets with a couple of hundred people made him nervous. This event would be in the thousands. Once he knew exactly where he would be, he could also plan escape routes out of the area. If he started feeling anxious because of too many people, the best place for him was a crawl space or service tunnel.


    The best place to get information would be right from the source. He set up a program to review all of the Manpower Corporations'' communications and flag references to the party. Then he got on the data net, used an anonymous link, and looked for the gaming gloves that Brad and Butch had discussed. Several brands came up immediately. Most were knock-off brands. They were just very comfortable and sporty-looking gloves that slightly aided a user''s circulation. The originals were a much more complex item.


    While his system was running through mountains of files looking for party references, he gathered information on ''gaming gloves.'' He hadn''t expected anyone to question the gloves he was wearing, but they had all assumed that Ghost was wearing some type of new gloves. Now he needed to find out what they were. He needed to wear his gloves if he was going to an event like the party, and the best way to disguise them was to have the whole group wearing them. But what were they?


    He found references to gaming gloves going back decades. The term was used for anything you wore on your hands that had something to do with playing games. Milo found that annoying. The early ones were just an aid to keep your palms from getting sweaty. He looked at newer products from the last five years. That narrowed the search and broke the products into categories. The largest group was just copies of older gloves that gave a better grip, managed sweat, or kept your hands warm in cold rooms. He deleted all of those.


    That left several more expensive products. Some had internal temperature and humidity controls and massaged a player''s hands subtly to relieve fatigue. This was probably the ''gnarly gaming gloves'' that Butch had referred to. ''Gnarly'' had sent Milo down a rabbit hole trying to define the term and see how it applied to gloves. The term dated back to the 1800s in both what used to be the United States and Great Britain. It had a resurgence in the 1980s as a term used to describe ocean waves and then became an adjective that could be used in many ways, both good and bad. It was a versatile word for many occasions. But it had nothing to do with gloves.


    The third category was dominated by one product: The M-1000 Pro-Gaming Handware from Ubergear. Advertisements promised that a pair of these ultra-expensive gloves could cut reaction time for hand-held controllers by up to 23%. Independent testing mostly agreed, but outside tests were closer to 21.5%. There was much debate about the new gloves and whether they should be allowed in tournaments. But many commenters pointed out that the top gamers already used better gear than 99.9% of their opponents. Chairs that reduced fatigue and supplied nutrients. Special dietary supplements to increase reaction time through a better diet. M-1000 was just the latest in a long line of tech that was being adapted to use by gamers. Once everyone at the professional level used them, things would even out. And Ubergear would be raking in the profits.


    The original tech came from a defunct military project. Milo found this out when he downloaded schematics of the technology from one of Ubergear''s competitors. Gearhead Corp has spent ten million dollars to get the schematics from someone who had hacked Ubergear''s servers. Milo got them from Gearhead for free. As he went through the technology, he recognized sections of the design. When creating his own gloves, he had looked at all of the available military tech he could find. Many corporations were trying to design ''smart armor'' and make a profit from military hardware. So far, the designs had either been expensive and not worked well or worked well but with a price tag that no one wanted to pay. An army that was 20% more effective but cost 100 times as much was a bad deal. It was more profitable to send 20% more soldiers and recruit more when casualties mounted. Corporations and governments had the same outlook.


    Milo had retro-engineered all the viable tech, improved on them, and then created his own designs. For himself, a huge amount of money was well spent. He was creating an entire suit of interlocking microscopic pieces that moved as fast as he did. There was only one of him, and casualties mattered.


    The mechanical-nerve interface in Ubergear''s gloves came from a Russian-designed combat armor that was stronger than a tank and with more firepower. It also came at a price that could buy twenty tanks. The armor didn''t wait for the pilot to move; it read the intent in his nerve cells and reacted immediately. This type of tech was the basis for most smart armor. Rather than a negative feedback system that used sensors in contact with the user''s body, the interface reacted as soon as the wearer thought about moving. After the military research department of Alchemarx shelved the technology, it was licensed to Ubergear. When the M-1000 became a hit, Alchemarx instigated a stock sell-off to drive down the value of Ubergear based on claims of faked reports. They bought Ubergear for 40% of its value, did public testing, denounced the stock manipulators, and started work on a factory to produce millions of M-1000 Ultimate Gaming Handware. Other companies had responded with knockoff brands but couldn''t achieve the same increase in reaction time of the Ubergear gloves.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Now armed with the knowledge of what the guys wanted, Milo started work on new designs. He wanted to make gloves that would help the guys react quicker when gaming and looked just like his own gloves. They would look like the second category of glove that gave a better grip, reduced sweat and massaged the user''s hands. But he saw no reason to make an inferior product. He left in the complete nerve interface and micro-muscular that could interact with a game controller. His gloves used layers of titanium and graphene. The gloves he was designing now would be 99.99% cheaper to produce than the multi-million dollar set he''d be wearing.


    The first set he made in the fabricators had problems. The micro-muscles were too strong and could break a controller. He experimented to find the correct strength and modified the design. He also incorporated security into the programs run by the micro-computer. He didn''t want someone experimenting with his gloves and accidentally crushing their fingers by resetting the strength of the motors. When he was done, he had two versions. The first was fingerless; the second was a full glove. The full glove was 1% more effective than the fingerless version and gave better fingertip control. Doing his own tests, he found that his gloves were better than the Ubergear gloves, coming in at a 34% increase in reaction for the fingerless version and 35% for the full finger sets. Satisfied with the design, he had his fabricators make four sets of each.


    He took some precautions with the gloves. Each set would work for just one person. When each of the guys put them on, the gloves would analyze their DNA. Anyone else attempting to use the gloves wouldn''t be able to turn them on. Any attempt to tamper with the glove''s programming or integrity would cause the micro-motors to destroy the nerveware and wipe the software, turning them into scrap.


    Something bothered him, and finally, he realized it wasn''t the gloves but their look. Ubergear looked good. They had a red and black design with the company logo. His were black. Plain, boring black. He needed to make them distinctive. It took him the rest of the night to come up with something he liked, and then he did another set of gloves with a new look, making his gloves sport the same style. The gloves had silver highlights that glinted in the light as they moved. Not something that would distract the user, but obvious to someone watching. The logo on the back of the gloves was four jagged slashes cutting through the word ''Claw Master.'' He hoped Butch and the guys appreciated the extra work, not that he could tell them that he had made them.


    Milo had been turning that problem over in his mind while he worked. He settled on the idea that he''d been testing prototype gloves for a new company. He hadn''t said anything because of the Non-Disclosure agreement he had signed. He had copies of the same agreement for the gang to sign when he gave them the gloves. They could show them off and use them but not loan them out or sell them. The contract even had a generous sum of money that the Claw Master corporation would pay at the end of the short testing period.


    Again, Milo paused, sensing a loose end; There was no Claw Master Corporation. Anyone who checked would know that and know that the agreement wasn''t worth the plasticard it was printed on. This could lead to trouble for the gang. He needed the corporation to be real. And if it was real? Several thoughts cascaded through his brain. He filed them under the heading ''Find ways to make money.'' Later, he filled out the ideas.


    Creating and hiding his corporation turned out to be easier than he had thought. Small corporations had fought for laws that would help them protect themselves from larger corporations. Larger corporations used those same laws to protect their divisions from each other. Someone could research a corporation and communicate with them without the corporation divulging where they were located and who its officers and owners were. Many firms handled the front end for hidden research corporations that wanted people to know what they had to offer but didn''t want to be a target for Alchemarx, Acme, Solent, or any of the other dozens of large and powerful entities. Milo just had to find someone he thought he could trust to handle that chore for him, negotiate contracts, collect the money, and hold it securely for him.


    Milo didn''t trust people. So he found someone else.


    Wally would say he wasn''t surprised; things just happened that he had foreseen but had a very low probability of occurring. Milo contacting him to get help with negotiating a contract for online workers had been one of the few times he hadn''t foreseen something. After that, he thought about other things Milo might do. Milo asking him to take 25% ownership in ''Claw Master Inc'' in exchange for running the front end of the business and protecting Milo''s patents was very far down the list. The work was negligible for him, and the novelty of the situation was high. The AI agreed. Patents were filed but kept secret for now. And Wally had made a request of his own.


    <hr>


    Steven Duran was mildly surprised to find a present on his desk. Checking security cameras showed it had arrived at the building, been scanned and approved by Wally, and then sent to his desk. Opening them, he found a sleek pair of thin grey gloves with a company logo on the back. "Wally, who is ''Claw Master,'' and why did you approve of them sending me a bribe?"


    The AI appeared on the large screen across from Steven. "A bribe? No, I don''t think so, especially since I bought those for you. I think the company tournament is coming up in two days, and you''ve barely had any time to practice, you''ve been working so hard. Those will let you be more competitive."


    Steven flexed the gloves; they did feel comfortable. "Everyone else will certainly be wearing a pair of M-1000s; how will giving me a knockoff brand help me compete?"


    "I think you''ll be pleasantly surprised. Oh, and I need you to sign an NDA before you leave the office. Company policy."

 Chapter 184: Party Research

    A half-hour later, Milo had to admit to himself that the party wasn''t some nefarious scheme by an evil corporation. It was a media event designed to gain free advertising for the Manpower Corporation and to help launch their new streaming channel, Great Gaming. But for people from the hab attending the event, it was just entertainment and free food. And a type that most young hab dwellers had never seen. Someone had the good idea to fill a room with people playing games to advertise a channel where all they did was talk about games. Milo approved of this. But he wondered, was there a cheese channel?


    A minute later, he answered the question: There was a cheese channel! Or close to it. It was a cooking and dining channel from France, and all of its programs included cheese as part of each episode. No dinner ended without showing the proper cheese that went with each meal. He dedicated one of his viewscreens only to show that channel and, in a moment of daring, subscribed to a weekly meal shipment. Once a week, he''d get a ready-to-heat meal featured on the show and fruit and cheese that went with the cheese. He was a little nervous trying food that way, but he could always just eat the Meal. Thinking about crab-stuffed chicken in hollandaise sauce, he realized he''d lost an hour of work. He needed to remember his lessons! Cheese was dangerous!


    An entire floor of section H was being turned into one big media staging room. Presentations would run non-stop for new games coming out and new gaming products. An entire hour was dedicated to showing off the M-1000 gloves and other gaming apparel from Ubergear. Milo didn''t think much about the name of their channel. ''Great Gaming'' was too generic, and why would you play a game that wasn''t great? Across the huge auditorium, hundreds of arcade-style games were set up in clusters representing the decades they had come out. There was a display with a little round screen where two people could play a simple tennis game with a bouncing ball. ''Tennis for Two'' was invented in 1958 as part of a presentation at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. An area nearby had an ancient system that could play a different game by inserting a cartridge. The Fairchild Channel F system had been quickly forgotten after Atari brought out their system, but during the party, gamers could sit down and experience what it was like to play one of the first video game systems.


    Row on row of arcade games were hooked up. Stand-up arcade games like Defender, Asteroids, and Centipede were arranged in a circle. As games were played, the screen was duplicated on larger screens hanging from the ceiling. There were two-player tabletop games featuring all the versions of Pacman and Space Invaders and even the six-person version of Starship Commander. SC6, as it was nicknamed, was infamous as both the best and worst game of its era. The concept was ambitious. Several races were at war in the Andromeda system, fighting over ten worlds and numerous moons and asteroids. The game was notoriously difficult to play. The game was huge, with room for six people to sit in separate areas around the center console. One person had the role of captain and could allocate energy between shields, weapons, and repair teams. He also got to fire the Photonic Blaster Cannon once an hour. Two other players controlled the right and left side weapons, which could be a mix of lasers, missiles, and gravity lances. Missiles were limited in quantity, and the other weapons took energy allocated by the captain. Arguments between the captain and his gunners were common. The most preferred jobs were the fighter pilots, who each had a light attack craft that could dogfight with other LAC or attack ships directly.


    The final crew member was the navigator, responsible for maneuvering the ship in space, giving the gunners their arcs of fire, all while avoiding enemy fire, asteroids, space pirates, and other navigational hazards. Failure inevitably meant a damaged ship or a complete loss when a fusion reactor exploded. If the team lost, it was common to blame the navigator. Moving the ship was made even harder because the game was in three dimensions. The navigator had to manage pitch, roll, and yaw using thrusters with the aid of six screens. Many professional teams broke up when their navigator checked into a hospital with PTSD.


    When a team logged into the internet to play, they were competing with other ships worldwide. The game became an immediate hit with gaming groups who formed teams to compete from their local gaming centers. Corporations bought the game and had logos displayed on their spaceships. The rich bought their games and hired people to play as their dedicated crew. At the peak of the popularity of the game, there were 83,000 games available for use worldwide, but after two years, the war had grown stale, corporate teams dominated the game, and so few non-corporate teams logged in that the servers were shut down. SC6 faded into history. Manpower had found a dozen working copies of the machines, and they would be set up for the party with their own dedicated server. The war for Andromeda would continue.


    Milo was impressed. Someone had gone to great lengths to create the event. He already had anxiety about the number of people it would attract, but he desperately wanted to play some of those games. If only the food were better. The menu didn''t look that appealing to him. Most of it was the same things you could get from a food processor. Milo saw each ad they had placed on the data net included an address to send suggestions and ideas. He found the folder and inserted his suggestions, putting his message near the top of the queue.


    Party research done, he turned his attention to figuring out what anime was all about.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    <hr>


    Belinda stretched as best she could in her wheelchair. Every day was a little different as they adjusted her medications, trying to find a correct treatment for what ailed her. She had been able to walk a little this week in physical therapy, but only with braces on her legs and rails next to her. Two therapists stood to either side in case she got off balance. Some days it was easier to stay in the wheelchair. And some weeks, it was impossible to get around without her chair. At its worst, her disease cost her the use of most of her body except her right arm and hand. She constantly worked on keeping control of that one link to a normal life. With an arm and a hand, she could move her chair, play some games, and use the data network. Her therapist said that constant use would keep her nerves and muscles working together. So even when the rest of her body rebelled, her right arm and hand were exercised during all her waking hours.


    She wanted to have fun at the party and meet some people. Her therapists and bodyguards weren''t friends, and Daddy was...well, Daddy. She thought he meant well, but deep down, John was too competitive. They had played games together when she was small, but she''d seen a growing annoyance as she got older. He didn''t like to lose, even to his own daughter. And she wasn''t going to lose at one of the few things she was good at. John didn''t like to lose at anything, especially business and gaming. He was still upset over missing the World Boss raid she had led.


    She was upset that she couldn''t play GENESIS for a month. The recent round of medications hadn''t worked well, and the doctors had worried about her using a gaming pod. She would have ignored them, except John had taken her pod away. That was when she started calling him John and not Daddy. She knew he hated it. Calling him by his first name was her way of saying, "You aren''t my real father." It was cruel, but so was taking away her pod. In GENESIS, she could walk and run. And she had friends. She wondered what Milo was up to. He was probably mad at her for flirting with him and then disappearing. He was so strange and focused. No one believed they weren''t together somehow. No one gave away magic items as he had. Rumors were going around before she had to take a break from the game.


    She had thrown herself into planning the party with nothing else to do. The event got delayed twice because of engineering problems. The elevator took forever to build; without it, Eric couldn''t show off the Manpower facilities. But she used the delays to improve things. She''d spent the budget for games and then browbeat John and Eric into giving her more. With a bigger event, she had been able to bring in better vendors and entice advertisers. She had tentatively had Gearhead showing up and had dropped a hint to Ubergear when they inquired about the event. In the end, Gearhead was out, and Ubergear got a full hour of the event to show off their new products. She''d charged them a quarter million dollars and used the money to buy a dozen refurbished SC6 games. The things were huge when assembled, each one in the shape of a spaceship with six different sections for the crew to sit in. She had all of them linked to a series of screens for the audience to see the battles. Six teams were coming to play, all of them the remains of older teams from the game''s heyday. Ubergear would be fielding a team as well, all equipped with their new gear.


    It had been tricky getting things done. John had wanted her to be listed as part of the Manpower team putting on the event to capitalize on her popularity after the big raid. She refused. It was hard enough to meet people when she was in a wheelchair and living in a rusting metal mountain. She wanted to enjoy the day, let someone else run it and take credit. She had enjoyed spending the money. It was fun making suggestions that people had to take seriously. That reminded her to look at the email with suggestions from views on the Great Games channel. Most suggestions were dumb or repetitive, but some had been golden. The idea to revive SC6 had come from a suggestion someone had sent in. It was so easy to listen to people. She wished she could convince her step-father to do it more. He listened to himself way too much.


    The first suggestion she looked at was interesting. "You need better food. If you live in the hab, it''s boring to come to a party and eat the same stuff. And if you aren''t used to to hab food, it''s horrible. Why not serve things like macaroni and cheese with real cheese? And pancakes! Please set up a big grill with ten people making pancakes and have fruit and cheese and bacon and stuff to go with them. Everyone likes pancakes. And do some retro foods that are served over by the retro arcade games! Hot Dogs, Cheese Fries, and Funnel Cakes! Make it a carnival atmosphere. Did you know they used to make fried cheese? You dipped the battered fried cheese in sauces. It sounds great. We should have that at the party."


    This message had to have come from one of the design staff. No one else knew what they were serving for food. She hadn''t thought about it, but this person was right. Who had thought using the food processor in the habitat to make the food was a good idea? It was just cheap. She rewrote the suggestion and sent it out to a half dozen people, asking for input and wanting changes made. Then she called Francis. When she needed someone to do something immediately, she called Francis. She had made sure he got promoted and assigned to her staff for the party. He was a little odd, but at least he could think. "I''ve got a job for you, Francis. I need to find vendors for a food list and I want to sample it all tonight. Set it up, and you and your staff can have dinner with me and decide what we like from this list." John never understood people. She could have just told Francis to do the job, but this way was more fun. He and his team were funny sometimes, and eating alone was boring. She''d been using a carrot-and-stick approach with some of John''s staff and slowly building her team. She wondered which person had sent that email. There was no way to trace it, but she wondered what other ideas they had.

 Chapter 185: The Road to Bloth

    Most sentient creatures curse the route to the City of Blothbezmadan. They joke that trying to get back out was the only thing harder than getting there. It wasn''t much of a joke. Each of the routes to the city was worse than the next. Sheer drops that required poorly built winches to lower wagons one by one, caverns filled with hungry beasts, and packs of bandits of any race. If there was a difficulty that a merchant could encounter anywhere in the Under Realms, you could experience it going to Bloth.


    Not many laughed at the joke; at best a few wry grimaces; at worse, a few things are thrown your way. Probably because not many of the city people (And we use that term loosely) had a sense of humor. They may have started with one, but Bloth ground humor, hope, and kindness into the stinking mud of its streets. Still, there was money to be made there, and with the lure of money came the hope of a better life for some people and overwhelming greed in all the rest. ''If you can make it big in Bloth, you can make it big anywhere.'' was another non-joke. It was said a lot, but it was the truth. If someone could grind, trade, and stab their way to prosperity in Blothbezmadan, doing business in any other city would be easy by comparison. But very few could rise to the top of Bloth, and if you didn''t have the hard coin, you weren''t getting back out. Those few that fought their way to the top didn''t leave either. Most had done things that would get them quickly hung in most of the Under Realms.


    If the people who flocked to Bloth like wounded moths to a putrid flame could have made it to somewhere better, they would have gnawed off limbs to get there.


    The Hollows, The Legion of Zilvren, and The Myconian Collective were all better places to live. Even the Slaver City of the Black Dwarves, Dinz-jot, had a better reputation than Bloth. Bloth was where you went when no one else would take you, and you needed a place to hide where even assassins didn''t feel safe.


    Cazact could at least claim to be successful enough to know how to leave Bloth. He also joked that he was dumb enough to keep coming back. He was known in Bloth as Cazact Dar, the Supplier. That name was a badge of honor, in some ways. A supplier brought things into the city, a very dangerous job. It was dangerous in Bloth, but more danger lurked on the roads to Bloth. Hungry escaped slaves lurked everywhere, life in the caverns making them desperate. Myconian blood slavers were on the prowl for mammals whose blood could enrich the roots of their ancestors. Predators that ate slaves, Myconians, and caravans added their own excitement. Every trip was different and dangerous in new ways. It was why Cazact loved his work. It was never dull.


    Boring could be death to Cazact. His race lived for long centuries, and memories piled up on top of other memories, making their minds a hoard of trash that tumbled into madness too quickly. Repeating the same thing, growing bored, becoming jaded with life: these were the things to avoid. Cazact dodged insanity by throwing himself into fear, danger, and the thrill of new things.


    Just walking through Bloth was an adventure. Eating in any of the horrible little taverns was risking your life, although it wasn''t much of a risk since life was so cheap. If no one were paying to have you killed, most wouldn''t expend the energy to end your life.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Two more days of travel, and Cazact would be back in Bloth. This journey had been profitable, but other than the dangers of lurking beasts had been like many other such journeys. Dinz-jot had been in the middle of their faction war, but Cazact had been to three such events and was bored by them. You could only see so many sacrifices dragged to an altar by their entrails before it became commonplace. He was hoping for a raid on his caravan, but the bandits had learned to avoid him. This thrilled the merchants that he led to and from Bloth but was beginning to annoy him.


    His prayers for...well, anything...must have been received by some god or another. Two creatures fell from high in the upper cavern, rolling down a series of ledges and inclines, the smaller one fleeing from the larger when it could, diving off a ledge when it couldn''t. The larger creature could not catch it, screaming in annoyance each time it escaped and then leaping after it. Neither seemed to worry about the injuries they were taking, or care that a sheer cliff was at the end of the journey. They rolled over the edge together, snarling and screaming. The sound of the two bodies hitting the cavern floor was ugly, including the snapping of bones and a peculiar splashing sound. Cazact took his dissection kit and notebook to examine their remains.


    When he found that both were still technically alive, he was thrilled. This trip would yield something new after all. He called for chains and a large jar and collected his latest captives. He had no worries that they would both recover. The first was a smallish cheese fiend that had broken every bone in its body. The remarkable thing about it was that it was still conscious and could form words. Truly a genius of their kind. A stout cage and enchanted manacles ensured its captivity. Cazact had his guards waste no time restraining the beast as he knew only too well how fast they could recover. The stream of curses coming from its mouth was genuinely inventive, and Cazact learned two phrases he had never heard before.


    The second creature was so curious that he almost paused the caravan for a day to observe it. Its liquid body had splashed over a wide area after the fall but had started immediately reforming. The guards found all its pieces and put them in the large jar he used to transport acidic slugs to Zilvren. The potency of the creature''s excretions showed in how fast it could dissolve shovels and fingers. Most curious was how it reformed into a miniature humanoid. The pale little ratkin was amusing as it paced back and forth in the jar and ranted at him in a high, squeaky voice.


    The two creatures hated each other and argued continuously during the journey if placed adjacent. A circular argument went on and on as the cheese fiend accused the blob of trying to steal its bones, and the blob shook its fist in anger and accused the fiend of ruining their friendship by rejecting it. But the most fantastic thing Cazact overheard from his captives was when they ranted about their true enemy. The fiend blamed someone named Tallsqueak for ruining its life. The Blob hated an Engineer named Milo for betraying it. Slowly Cazact realized they hated the same creature.


    He couldn''t wait to get them to his small laboratory in Bloth and begin experimentation to see what new things he could learn. Together they might help him stave off insanity for a decade or even longer.

 Chapter 186: Who ordered an elevator?

    An air duct with a 24" diameter was not someplace to be shooting through head first at 30 feet per second. Part of Milo''s brain was calculating the risk, while another part calculated his chance at survival if any part of the duct had collapsed or changed. Mostly, Milo ignored those parts of his head and enjoyed the trip through the bowels of the habitat. He had thinking to do, and he couldn''t think if he was sitting still. He had been racing through tunnels for most of the day, testing his new suit and fixing problems. Several topics kept swapping for the front of his mind: What to do about Section H and how it was infringing on his section? What to do in the game? What did he want to eat today? What did the problems with the excavators mean? And most importantly, what was his favorite Anime?


    He had looked at the data from the excavators and was puzzled. The machines had all stopped working after constructing tunnels down to the exact same depth and then stopped after hitting something they couldn''t tunnel through. The machines were equipped with sensors that would detect wires, pipelines, tunnels, rail systems, and any other man-made structure underneath the surface. This wasn''t any of those and was a non-metallic substance. The excavators could grind through granite, basalt, and quartzite, but not whatever they had encountered. Milo would have to make the dangerous trip down to the excavators through the unstable tunnels to access the problem. It was low-priority but nagging at him. He didn''t like mysteries of this sort.


    He decided that dinner would be something called a ''melt.'' There were all types of recipes using vat-grown chicken, fish, and vegetables. The recipes all called for toasted bread, something on top of the bread, and cheese. Milo didn''t have any of the other ingredients, so he decided he would have a ''cheddar melt'' with bread, slices of cheddar cheese, and melted Limburger on top of the cheddar. He was looking forward to it and thinking about other ways to make cheese sandwiches when he ran out of tunnel. Blame it on his stomach.


    His memory said he had another 200 feet until the tunnel he was on turned. His eyes told him he was shooting out of the tunnel and into open space. Someone had constructed another Big Drop in Section H! He was surprised for just a fraction of a second as his mind struggled to get rid of thoughts of dinner, and dinner argued with him. That was when he slammed into the cable suspended in the middle of the drop. He twisted in mid-air to avoid hitting it head-on and wrapped his tail around the cable several times to keep him from falling off. His tail also argued with him, and he found another error in the design of his outfit. This one was causing his tail to only receive partial data from his nervous system. His tail wrapped around the greased cable but not tight enough to slow him. He hung in place for a second, took in the situation, and fell 30'' to the elevator rising underneath him.


    He''d had other solutions. He could have pushed off hard from the cable, but the chance of a lousy trajectory from the greased line gave him a high probability of not making it back to a wall. His claws could have dug into the cable to give him a secure grip, but that had the problem of cutting into the cable. A whipping strand of wire under high tension could tear off a limb, and if the line snapped, he would send the elevator to crash below. Simply falling on the roof of the elevator was the easiest solution. He managed to land on two feet and roll to absorb some of the impact, trying not to fall off the edge of the car. He didn''t think he had broken any bones, but it took a full minute to regain his breath and regulate it. His wheelie board was lost somewhere below.


    Milo heard voices beneath him in the elevator. His loud thump had caused some anxiety among the passengers, and it was time to leave. The distance from the elevator car''s edge to the shaft''s surface was only a few feet on one side. Milo spotted an air vent and leaped to it. It was a moment''s work to undo the bottom screws, flip it up, and disappear into the tunnel. A moment later, the elevator stopped, and someone came out of the emergency hatch to look at the top of the car and see if there was damage. When the report was written, it stated that a piece of unknown debris had fallen in the shaft, bounced off the top of the car, and fell to the shaft''s bottom. The end of the shaft already had such a huge accumulation of trash and similar debris that no one would bother going down to figure out what had fallen. When nothing else was found to be loose in the shaft, it became one more story told about by the engineers trying to repair section H.


    Milo decided that was enough repairs for the day. He worked his way to a larger service tunnel and made his way home. He needed to fix the glitches in his equipment, start looking through the work in Section H and update his maps. That was going to be a continuous process from now on. He couldn''t afford any more surprises. He was disappointed in himself for getting sidetracked in the first place. He had too many things on his mind. He needed to finish jobs and narrow his focus.


    Before starting his dinner and getting side-tracked by which cheese to eat, he set up 12 monitors to each play a popular anime for five minutes. If he wasn''t interested by then, it would skip to the next. He had promised Yumi he would find things he wanted to watch. That seemed to be the easiest way to sort through things. He turned the sound off and found subtitled versions. Reading fast was easy, but he couldn''t listen to a jumble of voices, songs, and sound effects.


    An hour later, he turned it all off and cleared his mind for a quarter-hour, pushing some images into his mental trashcan. It was time to reset his parameters. Anything with horror bothered him. Not the creatures themselves (mostly). It was the rest of the people in the anime. Why were people walking around unarmed with monsters around? Why did people freeze and let themselves be captured? They should be hiding! Why did so few people know how to fight? And what was up with tentacle creatures??!! He enjoyed the giant robots fighting tentacle creatures and monsters more. At least someone had some common sense to build a giant robot to fight monsters. He finally narrowed his picks to three stories to take and watch with Yumi and downloaded them to a drive.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    After eating a tasty sandwich of melted cheese and cheese, He started his last task: Deciding how to spend his points in the game.


    He made a list of what he wanted and the costs, not worrying about a budget.


    Smugglers Stash four and Smuggler''s Summoning seemed essential in the long run. The more he could carry with him, the more self-sufficient he could be. Being able to summon an item without opening the entire chest made the hidden storage even better. That was 30 points. It was a unique skill, and no one knew he had it. It went on his ''Must Have'' list.


    Increasing his claw and tail damage would be 30 points. Was that something to work on now? He could wait and earn more points next tier. Or buy only the Claw upgrade and save 20 points?


    Shadow Skulking for three levels was 9 points. This seemed too good to pass up. It made both his stealth and his disguise abilities better. Brutus and Justin had shown him that as he progressed, more and more people like the two guards would have skills to catch people like him hiding in the shadows. And Normal Human looked very powerful. But how much would he be in the upper world and needing that disguise? Still, for 10 points, it seemed very good.


    He had three new skills he could buy. Boom-Boom would never speak to him again if he didn''t take Demolitions. But did he want Poisoner or Diplomacy? Each was 5 points. Maybe if he had extra points. Diplomacy meant talking to people and not fighting; he was pretty sure. He was better with logical arguments when both people knew the rules. But Diplomacy was a skill using CHA or INT. So he could take the skill and rely on his INT to convince people or take it as a CHA skill to raise that stat. And CHA gave him more mana. He thought of what Cremona could do with her class and spells. A poison aspect for mana wasn''t on his list. Did she have one? He needed to bring her a nice cup of tea one night and ask for some answers.


    If he were going to explore more, then 8 points for the language skills would be well spent. Both Under Linguist and Grunt and Throw Hands looked useful. Thinking about going back to exploring made him curious about so many things. The mysterious holes covered by illusion, the vast cavern below the Engineering outpost, and the strange locked door leading to a stairway down from the hidden tunnels he had found. The Hollow had taught him a lot, and he''d always come back to it, just like the outpost. But he missed being on his own. He missed making small camps with just him and his lizard. Georgie hadn''t been out to play in ages. He should buy the pet skills to make him larger. A good watch lizard was invaluable when he was on his own.


    Toughness was a must. Three points would cost 12 points, a bargain. Being able to shrug off damage the way the dwarves did had kept him alive more than once. His constant fighting with Larry had let him gain some levels in TOU, but he would take all he could get. It took a high level of punishment to gain experience in the stat. He understood the dwarves'' fixation on machines like the Hurl and Puke. Sparring with Gilad hadn''t done it. But Larry''s insane strength and damage had given him some each night, and Cremona had helped his Strong Poison Resistance. Strong Disease Resistance was also an option, but he had encountered so few times where he needed it that he took it off the list. He had barely leveled Weak Disease Resistance.


    That was 12 points, and the pet skills Guardian Pet 1 and 2 were seven points.


    He was up to 96 points already. He could afford to pick up 13 points of stats with what was left. The stats he used most were DEX and INT. But both AGI and CON would keep him alive longer if he got into trouble. CHA and WIS were more mana, but he could also take the skills that increased his mana. Was 57 Enhancement Points worth it for 1000 mana? That was a 40% increase in mana. And another 57 would buy him 1000 health. That was cutting into his skills.


    He wanted everything, but he wasn''t going to get it. He needed the stats to make the same Milestone requirements as last time: one point in INT and three in DEX. PER was next for three points. He''d skip CHA but take Diplomacy. More health was good, and so was mana. Would he get better spells? Those would cost more mana; he was already running dry in many fights. He took the other two points of INT. He could buy the first three levels of extra mana for 22 points and gain 300 mana. Each level increased in cost and benefit, so starting now seemed wise. But that meant he had to drop something; he was four points over. He felt terrible dropping Guardian Pet. He could work on mana later. He bought Extra Mana 1 and 2 for seven points. He then used the remaining 8 to buy two points of CHA. That would also give him extra mana and double his poor CHA skill. He had his list; now, he''d let things sit for a day or two while his subconscious mulled things over. Things were quiet in the Hollow, and there was no hurry to spend the points.


    His last task for the day was done, and Milo decided to get a little sleep. He''d check on his fabricators in the morning, meet up with Yumi, and then head back to the Hollow. He could use a quiet day for a change.

 Chapter 187: Diagnostics

    Gendifur was equally worried about and upset with Tallsqueak. "When I told you to take it easy, I thought we had an understanding. Obviously, you were confused by what I meant by Take it Easy." The large healer was very upset, and somehow, Milo felt he was being blamed for what had happened.


    Milo really didn''t want to argue with Gendifur, but he agreed with her that they hadn''t defined the term ''take it easy.'' He would point that out some other time. " I was just doing a little mining to stretch my muscles!"


    Gendifur snorted. "And broke into a nest of carnivorous beetles that followed you back to the Hollow and had to be exterminated in a huge fight that you were somehow in the middle of. Totally not your fault that you got bit a dozen times and crushed under the Queen when her weight broke the floor, and you crashed into an under cavern full of stone lurkers! That could happen to anyone!"


    Tallsqueak nodded his head, glad she understood the situation. It was a slight nod since he had at least one concussion. He tried not to cry in pain as she spread healing ointments on his wounds. They stung something fierce. Gendifur grabbed a bottle of foul-smelling burn ointment next and started slathering it on his hairless left arm. "And everyone knows that Arlothe''s experiments rarely explode. Just your bad luck to have your arms and head inside of the machinery when it caught on fire."


    Milo didn''t believe in bad luck, just probabilities. But he did have to admit that when you looked at it from an outside point of reference, it might look that way. Again, best not to disagree with Gendifur. "Yes, bad luck. I had just gotten the cover off a flux generator when Pansy found the loose wire, and the Oscillation Coil started charging. Without the cover on the flux generator, the two matched frequencies and caused an overload. Totally not my fault."


    Gendifur grabbed his heavily bandaged body and threw him over her shoulder before marching into a private room and laying him on the bed. This caused Milo a lot of pain. His bones weren''t broken, but they were severely bruised along with most of his body. She tucked him into bed with an extra pillow and glared at him, her eyes turning red.


    "And after all that, you decided to play games with Rosie and Buttercup? Both of them at once? Are you insane?"


    Milo was sure that his mental stability might be a few standard deviations away from the norm, but he didn''t think Gendifur wanted to discuss that. It wasn''t his fault he was wired differently. "The girls don''t have anyone else to play with them! They''ve been in cages for the last two years, and we want them to act like children, not fiends. Someone has to play with them, and it can''t always be Larry. We were doing some dancing."


    Gendifur glared at him. "Well, it isn''t going to be you. You are going to stay in this bed for at least three days. You''ve undone most of the healing I had repaired and added layers of burns and bruises. Do you see how slowly you''re regenerating? Your body is exhausted. If you don''t slow down, your body will start breaking down."


    "Three days? Larry won''t be back from Flowertown for at least another day. The twins can only keep ahead of the girls for so long. They are getting better at hide and seek. That''s their favorite game, and when they catch them, Tweedle and Ringtail have to do the Hamster Hop with them. You have no idea how dangerous that is."


    Gendifur started to say something, and then two junior scouts raced into the room. The first ran for a large urn in the corner. He pulled a flower arrangement out of it, jumped into a space Milo would have sworn was too small, and re-arranged the flowers to hide. Ringtail had been a step behind his twin and cursed as his brother took the best hiding spot. He dived to the floor and slid under Tallsqueaks bed. Behind them came two crafty hunters looking for their prey.


    Rosie and her sister were moving silently, one sniffing the air and looking around, the other sniffing along the ground. Both of them wrinkled their noses at the harsh medicinal odors from the infirmary. Buttercup saw Gendifur and froze. She stood up straight and straightened her dress, and tugged at her sister to get her attention. Both girls stood silently and stared at the large nurse. Then they began to cry and sniffle. Rosie looked very confused. "mama?"


    Gendifur looked back at them. It was the first time she had seen them up close, and it nearly broke her heart. It was like Larry all over again, children trapped in monsters'' bodies. She gathered the two crying girls in her big arms and sat down with them, letting them cry and be little girls missing their mother. After some time, she stood up and made a decision. "Tweedle? You and Ringtail are on guard duty. If Tallsqueak gets out of this room, I''ll be using you as test subjects for my new healing salves."


    "Come, girls. We will get a snack from Smiley, and then we''ll find a nice man named Brutus to dance with us."


    After she left, the flower urn grew legs and put itself next to Tallsqueaks bed.


    "You look tired!"


    "So very, very tired!"


    "Ready for bed."


    "Long naps, good for us not getting hurt."


    Milo looked at the two of them. "So, you would obey the Master Healer and not the Scout Master?"


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    They nodded to each other.


    "Obviously."


    "You are hurt, and we can outrun you."


    "Gendifur is unavoidable and very fast once she builds momentum."


    "We are smart scouts."


    "Good at threat assessment."


    "This shows how intelligent we are."


    "You getting out of bed is bad for everyone."


    "Inconsiderate of you."


    "You should be the responsible Elder Scout."


    "The good example."


    "Stay in bed, please."


    "The new wound ointment is excellent, but Petey said it stings."


    "And the new anti-venom stings on the inside."


    Milo leaned back in bed. He did need to rest. "I''ll make you a deal then. I''ll stay put if one of you gets me a couple of items that Gilad is holding for me. And what happened to Petey?"


    The twins smiled and rolled their eyes.


    "He made a mistake in threat assessment."


    "A bad mistake."


    "And over-estimated how sneaky he is."


    "Fancy new title and ring made him brave."


    "So brave! So foolish! So doomed!"


    "He tried to play surprised! with Professor Cremona."


    "It did not go well."


    "He is now helping her with testing new poisons."


    "And helping Gendifur with testing new cures."


    "They say it will make him better at his job."


    "We don''t want to be that much better!"


    All three scouts decided that Tallsqueak staying in bed was a good thing. Tweedle ran off to find a particular ring and mace. Ringtail did his best to tell Tallsqueak a bedtime story.


    <hr>


    The mace that Gangrene had wielded with such ease took the twins over an hour to carry back to Milo, even with the help of a wheelbarrow. Milo watched them struggle to get the weapon to where he could look at it. He reached down and was able to pick it up with both hands. It was indeed heavy, especially for a one-handed weapon. "The two of you can''t lift this? What are your STR scores?"


    They sighed.


    "A valid question."


    "If embarrassing."


    "We are good scouts."


    "Sneaky scouts!"


    "Becoming better scouts."


    "But maybe..."


    "...maybe we should not have skipped some lessons."


    Milo smiled at them. "I''m sure we can fix that with a few days in the mines. And then some time foraging." The twins grimaced at the thought. They had successfully avoided hard work for years, but they were constantly impressed with the Scout Master. Mostly how he was still alive. For now, though, they were content to steal pillows from other rooms and take naps while they carefully guarded the door. Milo started examining the mace that Gangrene had used to nearly shatter his skull.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">


    Mace of Armageddon


    A bloody and terrible ancient weapon that has been wielded by many throughout the ages and killed thousands of sentient creatures.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The description was less than helpful, Milo thought. Was that because his level was too low? Or his Identify skill? The weapon was one piece of metal with no seam between the head and handle. Leather had been wrapped around the handle to provide a better grip. Milo sliced off the stained leather and had one of the twins take it to the trash heap to be burned. The metal was unfamiliar to him. He used one of his claws to test its hardness. He was surprised when his claw slid along the metal and left no mark. He''d been able to make small cuts into the crystal of Uthneragrubban, and yet this metal was tougher than the hide of the crystalline world boss.


    Finding a spot where he could use his strength to bear down, he pressed the tip of one claw into the mace and slowly moved it. He wasn''t able to scrape the metal off but did make a slight indentation. And that was when things got weird. He saw glowing runes form on the metal around the slight indentation. Runes made with machine language like the ones in his bones. Six glowing runes formed a circle around the slight indentation and began to circle it.


    Hardness Repair Hardness Repair Hardness Repair


    The mark he had made disappeared, and the runes faded, replaced by a rune he couldn''t read that flashed three times before it faded. Excited, Milo attempted to repeat the experiment. As he made a small mark on the mace, the last rune flashed again in multiple places around the mace head. Each rune flashed three times before it faded. The mark he had made was gone. Milo felt like he could almost grasp the meaning of the unknown rune. He put another mark on the mace head.


    Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning


    Tweedle and Ringtail saw Tallsqueak enveloped in a blinding light, his fur standing on end. The bedding caught fire, and the bed was destroyed. Tallsqueak collapsed on his back, holding the handle of a screwdriver. In his mind, a voice was speaking:


    "Repairs complete. Diagnostics Complete. Tool Interface available. User: Engineer Milo Tallsqueak has been added to the list of allowed users. Engineer Milo Tallsqueak has submitted an alternative method of resetting programming. Method not recommended except as a last resort."

 Chapter 188: Seeking Sanctuary

    Two stealthy scouts moved through the night bearing a stretcher. They were on a secret mission to deliver a brave fallen warrior to a place where the spies of the Master Healer wouldn''t find him. Normally, Tweedle and Ringtail would avoid the Tower of Strife at all costs. It was a perilous place full of books and lessons. There were horror stories of brave Shadow Skulkers being trapped inside for days on end, forced to do long division problems until their heads exploded.


    They raced across the marketplace, dodging around people while saying, "Excuse us! Important mission!"


    Running up the steps to the Tower of Strife, the way was blocked by two of the older students. "Whoa! Stop! Where the hell do you two think you are going? And who is that under all the bandages?"


    "We are brave scouts."


    "Our mission is secret, so you should forget you saw us."


    The two students, wearing elaborate robes with a green lizard on the chest, refused to move. "I don''t know what you are up to, but we don''t need Shadow Skulkers playing tricks in here. We study late into the night and don''t like playing Surprise! early in the morning."


    "I must stress that we have little time to make silly words with you!"


    "It is best for all of us if we take this poor soul into the tower, and everyone pretends we were never here."


    The two Emerald Wyverns looked at each other and smirked. "Nope."


    Tweedle looked at his brother and made anxious glances behind him.


    Ringtail shrugged and got serious.


    "OH, NO! Spiders!"


    "So many spiders!"


    "Magic spiders with wands!"


    "They insult the Tower by their very presence."


    "To arms, fellow wizard-people!"


    "Call the Puffy-Fuzzies and the Green Marmots!


    "House Jellybean must be triumphant!"


    "Special dueling day to defeat the hugely scary monster that comes hither."


    Windows and doors opened, and excited students ran to see what was happening. Ringtail and Tweedle stepped expertly to the side of the first group as they swept aside the two Emerald Wyverns. More students were coming down the stairs. The twins leaped to the railing and ran along it, spiraling up into the tower. They shouted as they went, assuring everyone that it was dueling day. Some professors grabbed their wands and echoed the scout''s commands.


    One daring student was sliding down the banner. Tweedle saw him coming and alerted Ringtail. The horrified student swept under them as the brothers jumped high into the air and came back down on the railing. Ringtail pointed at the student.


    "20 demerits for your Clan. No sliding down the banister."


    "And 20 demerits for people pointing at us. We are going UP the banister."


    "Perfectly Legal!"


    Upwards they raced until they got to the small library on the top floor. They freed Tallsqueak from the bandages holding him to the stretcher and propped him up in a comfy reclining chair. Ringtail put warm slippers on his feet, and Tweedle looked for the kitchen. A man-servant met him with a tray of cookies, a healing potion, a piece of cheddar, and a mug of tea. "Take this to the horribly injured professor you dragged up here, and don''t touch the cookies!" Tweedle was so scared by the person''s efficiency that he didn''t even consider disobeying.


    Below, striding across the marketplace with terrible purpose, was Gendifur. She strode to the Tower of Strife, where three-dozen students and two professors blocked her way.


    She smacked on large fist into her palm for emphasis and said, "Move. You''re between my patient and me."


    Some of the students seemed inclined to stay where they were, and the resolve of the others stiffened. Gendifur looked at them. "Have it your way, but I''m memorizing faces, and the next time you come to me for a burn or sniffle, it''s not going to be pretty."


    One of the professors reacted to that. "Don''t be fools. That''s the new Master Healer. Move aside." Ranks parted, and Gendifur marched up the stairs. A cowering set of scouts and a polite butler met her at the top. "Where is he?! He''s supposed to be resting, not experimenting with strange weapons and spells!"


    Tweedle ventured a comment. "The patient is sleeping."


    Gendifur glared at him. "Sleeping? After you ran him all the way up here?" The twins tried to get further into their corner. The butler stepped forward. "Excuse me, miss. I am Gershwin, man-servant to Professors Arlothe and Cremona. Professor Tallsqueak is indeed sleeping. I spiked his tea with a double dose of sleeping powder. He should be out for at least twelve hours."


    Gendifur relaxed. "Good. It''s what he needs. Let me examine him. Why did you idiots bring him up here?"


    "Scout Master''s orders."


    "If he had to be cooped up for days,"


    "Then he wanted to be here."


    "Quiet and Safe!"


    "Books to read, if you like books."


    "Food and tea."


    "Professor Tallsqueak does take naps up here quite a bit. I promise he will not leave this room for three days and will alert you if he misbehaves. Will that suffice?" Gershwin put a pillow under Milo''s feet, took the last two cookies, and tossed them to the twins. Gendifur looked at Tallsqueak. He had new burns and was clutching a silly-looking screwdriver in one hand. But he was asleep and smiling and not moving. She nodded to Gershwin.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "That will do. And please, no experiments with the other Professors."


    The Butler looked a little alarmed at the thought. "Heavens no, miss, whenever he and Professor Arlothe get together, I''m sweeping up broken glass for a week. It''s worse with Professor Cremona. I''ve lost more mops to cleaning up spilled poisons than I can count."


    Gendifur checked Milo''s bandages once more and, satisfied, took her leave. She grabbed each scout by an ear and dragged them down several flights of stairs. "You two are coming with me. I have two little girls desperate for playmates. They wore Brutus and me out with dancing this afternoon. I''m hoping the two of you can teach them a simple game like checkers. I have a lot to do, and you two are going to help!


    <hr>


    Outside the Hollow, the bulk of the spider army was on the move. It had been hard keeping the army together. While the nearly mindless rabble could sit for days waiting, the nobles grew impatient. The Princess had bitten off more than one head to keep order. This Hollow had proven much tougher than anyone had suspected. Probing raids had been turned aside. Thousands of spiderlings had been killed, weakening her information network. A doomed charge led by a foolish noble had actually advanced further than she had expected but been stopped when gigantic guards, a contingent of sorcerers, and a massive fiend had attacked from surprise.


    She hated the fiends. Nothing else truly scared a noble spider. The rats had been clever to breed them. Malign sorceries had warped their innate love for cheese into a powerful mutagenic effect that created monsters from mice. They had turned the tide of the wars, and nowhere could the spider empire advance without encountering a Hollow protected by fiends. Eventually, they made peace and expanded in other directions. The Queen had no desire to begin another war, but word had reached her that the rats had bred a new type of fiend. A monster that could think and talk. If the rats were breeding fiends, it meant they planned on attacking the spiders while most of their armies were deeper into the Under Empires. The Queen had decided to strike first.


    The Hollow was quiet now, thinking they had repulsed the enemy army and unaware that a much larger force was surrounding them. The Princess gave the order to attack, and her forces moved toward the waiting Hollow.


    The front entrance was easily forced. Fast-moving wolf spiders attacked the two guards before they could call the alarm. Her forces surged into the Hollow to link up with the forces attacking through the mines and from the gathering fields. The mines were soaked in blood as dwarven mercenaries with superior weapons mowed down her lighter scouts. But elsewhere she was victorious. Assassin spiders attacked the leaders, leaving the Hollow directionless. Their paralyzed bodies would be used as egg sacks. The fiends they encountered caused massive casualties but eventually were pumped with so much poison that they couldn''t move. Within an hour, the only forces still active were in the mines.


    The damned dwarves with their black hearts and huge guns had to be negotiated with. They left the Hollow with huge wagons of ingots taken from the Hollow''s storehouses and a bag of gems, drunk on rum and the joy of looting. She decided she didn''t care. She had won. Wurchwitz Hollow was hers and would make no more fiends.


    The lesser rats were herded to the center of the Hollow. They stared around, confused, turned into idiots by their own cheese. She looked them over. "Who is in charge here?" The rats mumbled and looked at each other until one stepped forward. It was ugly, even for a rat, with huge, fuzzy feet and a fat belly. If it wasn''t for the oversized ears, she would have thought it was a halfling.


    Stumpy Big-Toe looked at the Spider Princess, then shrugged as if the answer was obvious. "You are."


    The spider liked that answer. Her multiple eyes stared at him. "Why is a halfling dressed like a stupid rat? Take those ears off. You''re in charge now. If you can get this shithole meeting its quota of small mammals and mushrooms you won''t be eaten at the end of the week."


    Stumpy didn''t care. Gangrene had said the same thing to him each week. Different boss same pay, but he didn''t have to wear the ears. "All right you stinking cheese eaters! Let''s get to work! We have quotas to fill. No cheese for any of you until I see some output!"


    "Not bad, you found the one person in this Hollow that isn''t stupid on cheese. He''s motivated and he doesn''t seem to like his former employers much." The old scout chuckled to herself. The Princess was pleased to take credit for the small bit of luck. "We''ll see. If he meets the quotas, he can rule this little Hollow and become a citizen of the Empire."


    The scout dared a further question. "And what of Limburger Hollow? The little we have heard is disturbing. You won''t even have to ambush Gangrene on his return. He swallowed a meal that swallowed him back."


    The Princess was thoughtful for a moment. "Let them be. They were peaceful until attacked, and are far stronger than reported. As long as no one from that Hollow causes trouble, I''m not sticking my foot into their web."

 Chapter 189: Unified Runic Theory

    Runes. Milo was thinking about runes.


    His valiant scouts had saved him from being stuck in the infirmary for three days. It had been a close race, barely getting him to safety before Gendifur investigated his latest mishap. It had been a bumpy and painful journey, but now he was in his favorite spot and could nap, read, and think about things while he recovered. Laying in a bed in the infirmary would have driven him insane with boredom, and like any sane person, he wanted distance between himself and the healer''s needles.


    When he napped, he got things done in the real world, and when he slept in the pod, he read in the little library at the top of the tower. Tea and snacks appeared as needed, and he was comfortable as long as he didn''t move around much. The mace had fried him good on the inside.


    He suspected the screwdriver was the mace, just different forms of the same handy tool. It was a mystery that he wanted to solve. That someone had used powerful magic and Ancient Runes to make a weapon was expected. In a world where creatures still fought in hand-to-hand combat, there would always be a call for sharper swords and maces that crushed skulls. But this one turned into a screwdriver...


    A screwdriver made of an unknown metal by someone who understood Ancient Runes was a frightening and exciting thought. A mace was boring; you just killed people. But a screwdriver was a tool for working on machinery, putting things together, making adjustments, or fine-tuning a mechanical system. A mace was boring; it was the screwdriver that was dangerous. Milo wanted to see a mechanical system that used ancient runes. He wanted to work on it and find out its secrets. The screwdriver might be a clue to finding such a thing.


    Or it might lead to getting his body deep-fried again. He needed to be careful. The threat of the large nurse tying him down until he healed was always there. He wouldn''t do more than observe the odd tool until he fully recovered. Even looking at it gave him a headache. The runes in the device were more active. They were a mix of Ancient Runes and the more modern runes governed by the system. He identified a dwarven engineering rune that governed the rotation of a shaft. It was appropriate for a screwdriver but linked to other runes he didn''t understand. The pain in his head convinced him that he should take a break. His danger sense was also tingling...or maybe that was his nerves regenerating after being fried?


    His system-based skill for Identification worked poorly on the strange tool. It only told him what he saw or what the system thought the item''s history was. In the case of the mace, it had told him it was a weapon used in many wars. His skill told him, ''Old, magic screwdriver for turning old screws.'' Milo didn''t need to be told that it was old and, like the great beasts, predated the system. He had a theory that the system didn''t understand the older runes he''d found in the bones of the Great Beasts. It simply referred to them as Ancient Runes and didn''t work with them well. He suspected that was why it had been so hard to inscribe a Velocity Rune onto Captain Pike''s Harpoon and what caused the feedback that had injured him.


    The ordeal of breaking his magic had been painful. And being caged by the slaver mage had infuriated him. One of the benefits (not least of which was blowing the asshole up) of surviving the situation was gaining an understanding of the Ancient Runes. Or at least being able to see them. Understanding might take time and study. Luckily, he had a perfect spot for it in the library and access to many materials.


    Since he had the time, Milo decided to do an in-depth study of the runes he had access to. He knew very few Ancient Runes, but each was quite potent.


    Swift-Swimming was very similar to the Velocity rune. He wondered about the differences and how they changed the rune. Velocity had come from Volat-Repat. Milo was sure the amazingly fast-flying beast utilized the rune for movement in the void. His huge body couldn''t be held aloft by the six tiny wings. Most likely, they were used for stability and direction.


    Hard-Bones and Sharp-Claws had a lot in common. Both increased the density of parts of his body. Likewise, Sundering and Destruction had common pieces. Milo''s theory was that the Ancient Runes were built with machine code representing fundamental forces of the world: Friction, density, velocity, acceleration, and energy. This made them much more potent than the runes that the system oversaw. Also, much more dangerous to deal with.


    Newer runes, which he considered System Runes, came in many styles. At first, he had thought the differences were just superficial, like using a different language, but the more he researched, the more he doubted that early theory. His research in the Engineering Outpost, The Tower of Strife, and Cichol''s Arcane Library revealed many different types of runes used by the System. He wasn''t happy with how many different ways the word ''Rune'' was used. This was no way to run a magic system. He liked each word to have a definition and each definition to have a word. But he found examples of writing in ''Elder Elvish Runes'' that looked pretty but weren''t magical at all, and the book with the writing turned out to be a torrid dwarf/elf romance. Many of the ''Runic scripts'' were just fancy ways of saying ''the old alphabet with no magical uses.


    Dwarves had several types of magical runes and a more straightforward non-magical script called ''runic.'' He appreciated that they separated their runes into different categories. There were Weapon Runes to put on weapons, Armor Runes on armor and shields, and Engineering Runes for war machines and industrial machines. The most tightly guarded runes were those used in the magic-tech devices some engineers delved into. He thought he would return to the Outpost if things were settled in the Hollow. There was a lot of rebuilding, and with everything torn up, he could see examples of how they used runes in the construction. Milo was happy to see that dwarves differentiated and defined their system so that it made sense.


    He had examples of Elvish Runic Script. Arlothe had said it was used to record rituals and long spells, the flowing runes giving the knowledge to use a spell correctly, including pronunciation of each syllable and how to sing the notes. Without more information, the elvish spells would be disastrous, so they were set aside for now. Draconic Runes were mentioned in two books, with three examples: Fire, Desolation, and Gold. The Draconic Runes had a primal potency to them. The book had dire warnings not to attempt to use them and some nice pictures of burning wizards who had tried. The Draconic Fire Rune had a chapter all to itself and a lovely full-page example printed in red inks and gold leaf. He almost felt the rune in his mind as if it wanted to leap off the page. The book had a warning about only studying part of the rune at a time, but of course, that was in the back of the book, in the end notes. How typical. Milo shut the book. He wasn''t going to risk burning his favorite chair.


    But it did remind him of something. He had a Ruby in his chest that was described as a Live Gem. He retrieved it and examined it again. The lights and fire in the gem moved in patterns, forming and re-forming. He pulled a tattered copy of Berkhauser''s Compendium of Magical Oddities from a high shelf. He''d seen something in it before. The illustration was of a diamond, but the description mentioned many gems. Sadly, someone had torn out some of the images. ''....phires being the most common. And from the Planes of Fyre and Smoke, Elven Wind Ships have brought back living gems imbued with the essence of fire. They are ideal for some purposes, their energies easily holding sympathetic runes. Care must be taken not to....'' Milo cursed the book defiler. He would have to find a complete copy of the book somewhere. Elven Wind Ships? He wanted to see one. Would Onyx know about them? He was an elf that flew airships? Could they go to other planes? He had thoughts about the Draconic Rune and the Live Gem, but they could wait until he was healed and could get ahold of a Dwarven Environmental Suit.


    Cremona had been kind enough to give him a book of heavy parchment sheets that could be used to copy runes from other sources. It took careful study, first to memorize the rune and then hours of painstaking work to copy each line while holding the magical construct within your mind. Once the rune was copied to his book, she instructed him to clear his mind, wipe away the rune, or use it in a spell. Too many runes could put a strain on a mage''s mind. The two Master Mages were generous with their knowledge and passed on to him a collection of runes they had collected. Some of them were small concepts meant to be used to construct spells and larger runes. Others mirrored a type of magic. Poison, Spark, Lux, Tenebrae, Fire, and Lightning were the ones he dealt with first. The differences between Spark and Lightning were interesting. He could see that the structure of Spark appeared several times in Lightning. Arlothe also presented him with a Storm Rune but cautioned him to first practice with more minor runes. Storm was another step up from the rune of Lightning and needed a steady and experienced hand to copy it. He promised that if Tallsqueak found it beyond him, he would copy it to the book himself when he had a few hours free. He also presented Tallsqueak with a book. Basics of Runic Lore and how to construct your first staff.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Milo noticed that the author was Arlothe himself. "This is a basic text I give to all of our students. All of them want a wand or staff, and this way, they can at least make something that probably won''t explode the first time they use it. A bit of cut glass with the Spark Rune carved into it, and a stout bit of gnarl root gives them a basic tool to wave around. Most of them immediately start asking questions and experimenting further. Saves me a lot of time teaching the basic class later on when they learn things themselves."


    Later, as Milo was thinking about simple ways to use runes, he thought back to Arlothe''s words, and he became curious about how each student had constructed their early wands and where they had gone from there. He needed more information...


    Two brave scouts were dispatched to find paper, paint, and brushes. Milo made a dozen posters the scouts put up in different parts of the tower.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">


    Extra Credit Research Project!


    Assist Professor Tallsqueak in an exciting project on staff construction! All students are encouraged to bring their staves to Professor Tallsqueak and show him their construction and how they incorporated one or more runes into their designs. There are no wrong answers-Just different ways to do things!


    All students in the project will be given a token for an extra dessert prepared by Cheese Master Smiley! At the end of the study, Professor Tallsqueak will hold a seminar on staff construction. Refreshments will be served.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    A few students were suspicious, and all the rest laughed at them. Easy extra credit, free snacks, and a discussion on how to make better staves from one of the best duelists in the tower? What could be bad about all that? Students began lining up in the tower to sit down one by one with the Professor to show him their work. Many hadn''t realized how many injuries the Professor had taken in the battle against the invaders. His assistants were happy to tell them the story and exaggerate their part.


    Each student got some time with the Professor, who seemed interested in looking at even the most basic work a student had done. He sketched their work, examined their runes, and asked interesting questions. A dozen 3rd and 4th-year students were asked to return so the Professor could look at their most advanced work. They eyed the piles of notes and books and noted the gleam in the Professor''s eyes. They all volunteered when he mentioned testing new theories in a few days. Not wanting to miss out, Arlothe brought in his collection of over a dozen staves and happily shared his memories of his days as a student when he had constructed them. He also was thrilled at the idea of some experiments.


    Late in the night, with many thoughts whirling in his head, Milo took a small skull from his chest along with his carving tools. Moray of Clan Emerald Wyrm was watching intently. Patsy from Clan Puffyfur passed Moray a cookie. She''d brought the professor tea and cookies and stayed for the late-night class on rune carving. Working from the inside, Milo carved one Rune of Destruction. Then, on the outside of the skull, he wrote the rune for Ring in the looping script of the Elves. Interwoven with the Elvish rune, he carved three runes of Spark. Finally, he added a dwarven Engineering Rune of Controlled Explosions that was used to moderate the energy of explosions in a Type IV Blast Generator.


    When he was done, he stopped to rest and explained what he was doing to the two students. He carefully omitted the description of the Rune of Destruction, referring to it as a Dwarven Blasting Rune. Which it could have been, but that would make his new spell far less effective. System runes just weren''t as powerful as the Ancient Runes. The two students followed as best they could, nodding and trying not to ask questions as Professor Tallsqueak calmly talked about mixing different magics. The two shared a look of excitement. Many students had wanted to stay late, but the Professor had kept just the two of them, owing to the small library''s size. His weary scouts had been sent to bed after a long day.


    Patsy could barely hold her excitement. "But what will it do, Professor?"


    The professor smiled. "That''s why we experiment: to find out."


    Milo wondered himself. "Moray? Can you check the window? Is anyone around the dueling grounds? And how difficult would it be to throw a small object down to that area?"


    Moray opened the window. No one was near the five targets, dueling at night being against the rules. Several of the older professors needed their sleep if they were going to deal with the younger students the following day. "No one is there, professor, that I can see."


    Professor Tallsqueak looked thoughtful. "Let''s send down a warning shot then." He picked up another skull and carved a different set of runes. "This is a little tamer, with some of the same effects. Patsy? Would you please focus on hitting one of the targets? Feed a little magic to the central rune, and toss this down. Thank you."


    Patsy took the skull and pushed an end table up to the window to stand on. She was a foot shorter than Moray and needed the height. "Like casting a spark spell, Professor?" Milo nodded. "Just like that." Patsy concentrated for a moment and then tossed the skull. It bounced on the ground, rolled to a post, and detonated. A small explosion blew some splinters from the post, and a glowing ring of sparks expanded from the center, going out ten feet before disbursing. Two students in the shadows jumped up with cries of surprise and raced for the tower door. Moray rolled his eyes. Patsy chuckled. Both had recognized Cordelia and Cutthroat.


    Tallsqueak was making a quick sketch and taking notes. "A nice experiment and that should have cleared the area. Now for the real test. Take this skull, Moray, and feel for the central rune; it will be slightly different from what you are used to. It''s fully charged and only needs a nudge to trigger it. You''ll have three seconds to throw it. Patsy and I will stand by the door, just in case."


    Moray swallowed hard but took the skull. Testing a new spell was a great honor, and his Clan was known for their bravery. He felt for the rune. A little different was an understatement. The rune was strange and complex, and he could barely recognize that it was there. What the hell was this? He made ready to throw and triggered the rune. The amount of power he held in his hand nearly made him drop the skull. He threw as quickly as he could. Patsy and the Professor raced to the window to observe. Moray''s targeting was perfect, hitting the top of the center post. A loud explosion destroyed two feet of the post, leaving the rest of the area a smoking ruin. From the post, a ring of electrical energy rolled out, lighting up a quarter of the Hollow. The blast stopped at thirty feet and dispersed.


    The two students stood still, stunned. Moray was glad he had thrown the skull as fast as he had. He liked having both hands. Professor Milo was writing and making a sketch. "I think that''s enough excitement for the night. I''m sure both of you understand what to say to the Master Healer if she stops by?"


    Patsy nodded. "Watched you eat the milk and cookies, and I slipped the sleeping powder into your milk."


    Moray agreed. "He was snoring like a baby when someone from Clan Manticore tossed fireworks out a window."


    Professor Tallsqueak settled himself into his comfy chair and nodded. "Thanks. You both were very helpful. I''ve got a lot more ideas we can test. I think this is just the start of something."


    Something else agreed...as Milo faded off to sleep, a notification was added to his list. He''d find it the next day after he was done adding two new recipes to the food processor and repairing the air compressor that ran the pneumatic tube system for section E.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">Professor Tallsqueak has rediscovered a part of The Unified Theory of Runic Magic.


    Lore Skill: Ancient Rune Lore has reached Level 10


    Skill: Runic Carving has reached Level 10


    Lore Skill: Rune Lore has reached Level 7


    Skill: Bone Carving has reached Level 10


    Skill: Spell Construction has reached Level 3


    Skill: Demolitions has reached level 5


    Runic Spell: Minor Spell of Sparking Runed Skull has been discovered.


    Ancient Runic Spell: Sparking Runed Skull has been discovered.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Two students stopped in the hallway beyond the library as both saw the same notification about gaining experience.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">You have gained 500 experience in the Lore Skill: Rune Lore and 500 experience in INT.


    You have gained 200 experience in the Skill: Spell Construction and 200 experience in INT.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Followed by a Tower Wide message.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">Moray has earned Clan Emerald Wyrm 20 points for bravery in the face of impending doom.


    Patsy has earned Clan Puffyfur 20 points for keeping Professor Tallsqueak from exerting himself.


    Clan Manticore is fined 10 points for throwing fireworks at night.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 Chapter 190: Dangerous Knowledge

    This was a very dangerous rune ¡­


    Milo had separated the particular bone he needed from the horror of taxidermy he had bought from the Eels and was carefully examining it. The bone was very old. That was immediately apparent as he tried to investigate the runes inside of it. There were several lesser runes repeated over and over. They reminded him of dwarven engineering runes but were more...fluid? Adaptable? He saw many versions of the same rune with minor changes to just one part of the formation. The Ancient Rune lurked in the bone, waiting to be released. Milo looked at the bone from different angles. One end had been carved to a point. The other end had markings on the bone made from some residue that made a spiral effect. The image of a wand clicked inside his brain. The markings were the remains of a leather handle that made gripping the rod easier.


    But what did this primitive wand do? Before experimenting, he needed to document the lesser runes'' variations. Hours later, he had only the Ancient Rune to copy. It was difficult, like the Rune of Velocity and the Rune of Destruction. It had things in common with both of those runes. Or maybe Velocity and Destruction contained versions of the unknown rune? He put down his drawing tools and retreated to his comfortable chair to think. He considered the effects of the two runes with physics, not magic. Velocity was a vector describing both speed and direction. To change velocity, a mass needed to be accelerated. That was an effect in one of his spells: The material component, a bone javelin, was accelerated in the direction of his choice until it attained a certain velocity or impacted the target. Acceleration depended on the mass of the object and the force used to accelerate it. Force equals Mass times Acceleration. Or did it? In a fantasy world that had magic? What about conservation of energy? Gravity? Well, gravity worked as normal. He''d fallen enough, and used physics as a weapon to know that gravity worked the same.


    As Milo thought more and more about magic and physics, he started to get worried, like the ground was shifting under him. He retreated to engineering. The dwarves used mathematics, thermodynamics, and physics in everything they did. Magic was a power source to them until they advanced to magitech. He relaxed and breathed easier and considered magic again. It was his ignorance of magic that was causing his unease. It was a different branch of science, and maybe this world had an extra rule or two, but the fundamental laws of reality seemed to hold.


    He pondered why that was important. Wasn''t this just a game? Would it be so bad if not everything worked the same on the fundamental level? His problem was not knowing the rules. That was causing him some anxiety. In the real world, if he didn''t know how something worked, he studied until he had the knowledge to solve a problem. He just had to have confidence that he could do the same here. He needed to learn everything the Tower of Strife had to offer. And then, he needed to make a complete study of dwarven engineering. And then? Then he needed to dig out the secrets in this world until he knew them all and things made sense. The last of his panic attack faded away, and he returned to studying runic formations.


    But first, more tea and cookies.


    He considered the runes he used in his exploding skulls. The Rune of Destruction released the mana placed in an object into an explosion. An explosion was a force that radiated out in all directions. A modern grenade used the force generated by the explosive to shatter the metal casing and accelerate the parts, sending fast-moving shrapnel in all directions. His version did the same, but with bone shards. The spell was very mana efficient because of the stored mana and use of a material component.


    Force? Was this unknown rune associated with force? Many of the runic systems he was studying had runes that used force in one way or another. Dwarves use many different runes to move fluid, apply torque to axles, and of course, blow things up. Gendifur used runes that moved blood through tubes. What did the unknown runic wand do?


    There was, of course, a way to find out. But not in this room.


    <hr>


    "Can I ask a favor of you, Moray? Or rather, of your clan?"


    Moray was cautious in his reply, but the experience he had gained the previous night and witnessing the destructive the spells Professor Tallsqueak was crafting meant that denying the Professor anything was crazy talk. "Of course, Professor. What can clan Emerald Wyrm do for you?"


    Milo had finished with his work copying the runes, but in doing so, he had noticed how little actual physics and mathematics the students knew. The subjects were barely touched upon in the Tower. He''d first seen this when working on the large machine with Arlothe. The students studied magic and casting storm spells, not electricity. But he knew many of the principles of physics were the same because of his time with the dwarves. Magic simply added another layer to the underlying physics.


    "I''d like to do a series of lectures on the underlying principles of the runes I am working with. The ideas can help all students no matter what aspect of magic they are studying. Your Clan has that wonderful dining hall, and it occurred to me that it would be a shame if the other clans didn''t know just how powerful your clan was. I''d only need three movable blackboards added at one end."


    Moray understood immediately. The professor was impressed with his clan''s wealth and was giving them a chance to show it off. Hosting a series of lectures on powerful magic would do much for their reputation and give them front-row seats. "We''d be honored, Professor. When would you like to begin?"


    Milo had nothing else pressing at the moment. "Let''s begin in an hour. I''ll tell the other clans they can send six people, and your clan can take the rest of the seats."


    An hour? Moray realized he had to get busy. "Of course, Professor. I will see you in an hour." He walked calmly out of the library, then sprinted down the stairs to his clan and yelled at his brother eels. "Races are off for the night! Feed the lizards and get them back in their cages! Clean the dining hall and set it up for a lecture with forty students. Everyone needs to attend and pay attention. We have a chance to learn tools for constructing powerful spells! Go, Go, Go!"


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Oooh! A party? Clan Puffyfur will bring cupcakes."


    "Clan Manticore is excited to attend. We will, of course, bring a fruit tray. If you are interested, Clan Manticore is continuing its lecture series on Historical Last Stands. We''d love to hear a blow-by-blow account of your battle with General Gangrene."


    "Clan Raptor Tail is delighted to learn anything new. Also, if you have openings for lab assistants? Several fourth-year students and I would be thrilled to help you."


    The event was everything that Moray had hoped for. The clans were mixing congenially, competition dampened by the anticipation of the upcoming lecture. Cheese Master Smiley had sent over a tray of small deserts that added tremendously to the quality of food they had to offer. The cupcakes disappeared first, to Moray''s disappointment, he was slow to notice, and the last was snapped up before he got to them. It was a happy surprise when Patsy handed him an extra tray of the frosted cakes that she had brought just for his clan. They had pink frosting with little green lizards on them. Moray gave her a large smile and bowed, words escaping him for once.


    Professor Tallsqueak appeared and addressed the students.


    "I realized something the other day. Mining, engineering, demolitions, and magical research all have one thing in common: It''s the things you don''t know that combine to make large explosions and kill you."


    "For example, A gallon of waste fluid left over from processing Deep Steel can yield 138,000 DTU (Dwarven Thermal Units) when burned in a subragator. By contrast, Aged Dwarven Whiskey will yield 2,600,456 DTU when burned. It also burns 22 times faster with a proportional release of energy. I may have overlooked this during one experiment, and if you multiply the heat difference by 27,000 gallons, you can comprehend the magnitude of my mistake. When 7.02 x10ex10 DTU gets released all at once, bad things happen. By comparison, a normal fireball thrown by a 4th-level student releases 2,500 DTU. If you ask Professor Boom about the story, he can detail the magnitude of the destruction."


    "Any questions?" The students looked a little stunned and confused. That was a lot of numbers that didn''t sound like magic. One Raptor Tail student raised a hand tentatively. "I''m sorry, Professor, but I don''t think I have the knowledge needed to absorb this lecture, and I feel guilty that I''m taking the spot from someone else." Others seemed to agree with her.


    Professor Tallsqueak smiled at them. Some students prepared to flee. That was the "I have a surprise test for you." smile. Two loud clicks made them turn to where the doors to the room had just been locked by two of the professors attending the lecture.


    "I agree. That''s why we will review basic mathematical principles, and by the end of the week, we will move on to the Laws of Physics. Hopefully, by then, Gendifur will pronounce me healed, and we can all participate in some experiments with a new spell I''m working on."


    <hr>


    For the next few days, the Tower of Strife vibrated with excitement. The strange magical knowledge Professor Tallsqueak was proving to be helpful with many aspects of their magical studies. He demonstrated methods for not blowing yourself up with alchemy, not electrocuting yourself with storm spells, and not over-dosing on poisonous substances. The lectures were expanded, with many other Professors attending and afterwards working with their students on their pages of homework.


    The visiting Engineers were brought in as additional teachers. Professor Boom gave lectures on the trajectory of projectiles and how to increase the potency of explosions. He also gave a detailed account of the damage done while hunting a large elemental in the old engineering complex. "Some things are hazy; I didn''t have much of a brain back then. But we destroyed rooms of machinery making traps, and then the snake outsmarted us and destroyed the traps. We weren''t considering how much momentum a pure copper serpent contained or how strong it was. Eventually, I came up with the idea of burning it, and Professor Tallsqueak devised a plan." He stopped to shake his head sadly. "We''d forgotten where we hid the whiskey until it was too late. But what the hell, we needed a new project. We''ll have things sorted out in a few years."


    Professor Sledgemonkey gave a lesson on basic principles of magitech that went over everyone''s heads but lit a fire in several students to know more. Professor Two Screws showed the schematics for a Dwarven Rivet Gun and explained how to calculate the cooling needed depending on how many hundred shots you wished to fire per minute. The students of the Tower of Strife were impressed by the engineers. They mixed strange mathematics and powerful explosives to create weaponry rivaling a fully trained Battle Mage. The fact that Professor Tallsqueak was working with both branches of knowledge opened up many eyes. By the end of the week, Sledgemonkey had a half dozen applicants who wished to study engineering.


    "How come we never had any ratkin engineers in the old days?" He and the other dwarves were considering the question over a beer one evening, and Two-Screws asked the question.


    Boom-Boom shrugged. He''d just been a junior engineer. Sledgemonkey thought about it for a bit. "I think the guilds used to be more conservative. Certainly, the ones up top were. It was one of the things that made us go so deep in the caverns before we built the outpost. Fewer people getting picky about experiments and projects. Doesn''t matter now, though. That''s one advantage to being one of the few old outposts still left. I say we take anyone interested in learning and willing to get their hands dirty and make mistakes."


    Boom-Boom agreed. "Anyone who loves to blow stuff up with magic and spend years experimenting with half-assed magics has the right attitude. They just need the training."


    When the dwarves began the trek back home, they took six new apprentice engineers.

 Chapter 191: Physics isnt always your friend

    Two courageous scouts were bravely going on a dangerous mission. Tweedle and Ringtail had nearly fallen into another of the stupid illusion-covered holes. This one had opened up in one of the tunnels they used to gather mushrooms. Tweedle had been discussing the idea of opening up a stand in the market to sell puffcakes, pointing out the obvious benefit that they would be able to eat all of the tasty food they wanted. And then his next step felt only empty air. As he teetered over the invisible pit, his brother pulled him back to safety.


    They carefully marked the pit and went looking for Bleusnout and Old Healer. It was Bleusnout who found the creature responsible in one of his old bestiaries.


    "I believe we have a Mossvale Borer beneath the Hollow. The description of the holes and the illusions match the description of the creature''s hunting habits. Mossvale was one of the oldest Hollows and nearly had to be abandoned because of these creatures cutting off all of the tunnels leading to them. They are adept at boring long tunnels up to known pathways, covering them with illusions, and then constructing their traps far below. Creatures fall and are stuck in a sticky web made by the creature. They are solitary hunters, but if they live long enough will reproduce, and the young will be moved to a different hunting ground around a Hollow. Each hole may be the lair of a creature. Sadly, the book doesn''t detail how they dealt with the infestation."


    The brave scouts thought over this information.


    "We need a plan."


    "A crafty plan."


    "Lure the creature out."


    "Force it to fight us fairly."


    "Except..."


    "Except why fight fairly?"


    "I''ve never seen the reason, frankly."


    "How does Tallsqueak deal with problems?"


    "Well, he kicked Char-char down a hole?"


    "So either Char-char ate the Borer or the Borer ate Char-char."


    "The cheese fiend version of our dearly missed cousin would be formidable."


    "So, she ate the borer."


    "One monster dead. We are rapidly getting rid of our problem."


    "We are out of disposable cheese fiends, though; I like all of our other fiends."


    "Hmm, there is that story about a snake?"


    "Yes. I like that story."


    "Let us consult an expert."


    Finding Boom-Boom, they explained the problem. The dwarven demolitionist looked the two over. "Do you two know the difference between ten fingers and two?"


    They looked at their fingers and sadly shook their heads.


    Boom-Boom laughed. "The difference is throwing a grenade 1 second too late. Think about that while I show you a few things."


    Suitably impressed with the logic and wanting to keep their fingers, the two brave scouts paid attention to what they were shown.


    Two days later, a brave explorer approached the hole, whistling a happy tune about picking mushrooms. It was a happy ratkin with a smile on its face. Tweedle was very happy with the smile.


    Ringtail disagreed. He whispered to his brother. "It should be fearful. Who smiles when falling into a hole?"


    "Maybe he is so happy he likes falling into a hole?"


    "I could have saved time using you instead of making a new person."


    "True, but then you would have to jump in the next hole yourself."


    "This is true. But I insist that if this works, the next one gets a terrified look drawn on its face."


    The brave ratkin made of old clothes stuffed with moleskins and fish toppled into the hole. They waited for thirty seconds and were rewarded with an explosion. Fire and dust shot out of the hole as the charge of cataclysmite detonated. Strange fluids and burned tentacles were strewn about the cavern. A gourd with a smiley face drawn on it bounced at Ringtail''s feet.


    "I take it back, brother. Mr. Happy did a very good job."


    The next hole yielded similar results. For good measure, they also sent Mr. Happy down the hole where Charlotte had fallen. Nothing happened. Encouraged, they got several hundred feet of rope and went exploring. They found the remains of a dead Borer, torn into small pieces and mostly eaten and a long tunnel leading further down. They decided that they had done enough exploring and went back to tell anyone who would listen to their adventures.


    They were frequently seen following Boom-Boom around, asking for more training in explosives and begging for small chunks of cataclysmite to experiment with.


    <hr>


    Gendifur grudgingly gave Tallsqueak a clean bill of health. "You seem fine now. You have healed all of your major injuries, and your regeneration is back to normal. Which means it''s time we had a talk."


    Milo and the Master Healer were in a room deep within her clan''s burrow, and no one else was around. Milo was curious. "Talk about what?"


    She hesitated and seemed a bit unsure of herself. "You know Larry the best. I used to, but that was before he changed, and now he''s changed again. I need you to tell me what you think about something."


    "Something to do with Larry?"


    She nodded. "Larry, Rosie, and Buttercup. The girls adore Larry and want to be with him, but he has been away in Flowertown a lot, and I worry about them when he''s gone. Brutus and I have been taking care of them as much as we can. Justin is nearly healed and can help soon. Ringtail and Tweedle are helping, but frankly, if you don''t have Stoneclaw blood in your veins, you aren''t tough enough to play with them. Tweedle and Ringtail have been good sports about it, but I''ve had to put them back together each time they play with the twins. I''m worried about them losing arms or legs playing tag or hide and seek."


    That made sense to Milo, little girls with the strength of fiends would be tough to play with. But, he wasn''t sure what Gendifur was needing to talk to him about. "So, what is it you need from me?"


    "I just want to know what you think. Brutus has wanted to get married for a long time. Later today I''m going to go tell him yes. Then Rosie and Buttercup can move in with us. It will be tight, but they need a family to grow up right. They were eight to ten years younger than Larry was when he was turned into a fiend. They need a mother and father. Being an orphan is tough enough without being a fiend as well."


    Milo saw the problem. "You don''t have room for Larry?" She shook her head. "It will be hard to get the clan to fit the girls in¡ªjust not enough spare rooms. Justin sleeps in the guard barracks because of that. That leaves Larry alone again some of the time. I don''t think that''s good for him."


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Milo had noticed how tight some of the tunnels in the clan''s burrow were. "With how big some of your clan is, why isn''t there more room? Is this part of the problem with combining three clans into one?"


    Gendifur grimaced. "Part of the problem is not enough space. Part is inter-clan rivalries. Not everyone wanted the merge, and they could express that feeling by making some of the rooms too small for Stoneclaw. Deathclaw Clan was always difficult to get along with, and Silentclaw had always been mistrusted because of their unique abilities." She gave Tallsqueak a significant look as she said this. Milo was thinking about the problem of space and missed it entirely.


    "And I''m guessing there isn''t another part of the Hollow with any available room. I don''t think moving Rosie and Buttercup into cramped quarters is wise. Sooner or later, something will happen that upsets them if they don''t have room to play and move around. And that will lead to really bad things. If there isn''t room in the Hollow, then we need to make a bigger Hollow. Why not expand into the outer cavern? Build as big a house as needed, and we can tunnel into the rock behind, giving even more room."


    "It would be a good spot to make some quarters for visitors like the Engineers."


    Gendifur nodded. "Justin will be happy to move in with us. And that will make Larry happy. He''s always been sad that he couldn''t live with his brother. Stoneclaw and fiends. We''ll make it work."


    Milo couldn''t see a problem with it. "You and I are only two votes, but I can''t imagine anyone having a problem with the plan. The Hollow needs to grow."


    He was already starting to plan out the construction in his mind when he thought about her earlier comments. "Oh, but what did you mean about unique abilities? Do you mean all the sneaking and skulking?"


    Gendifur shook her head. "No, those are shared with Deathclaw. I''ll remind you I''m very good with bloodwork. I recognized the markers that show you are a full-blooded Silentclaw. But that secret stays with me. You saved too many people. I don''t want you to have to put up with the old prejudices because you can change into a human."


    Milo didn''t have much to say. "Uh, thank you. It does come in handy when I go up top and have to deal with them."


    Gendifur patted his shoulder. "It''s our secret then. And when you do the plans for our new burrow, you''re welcome to draw in a room for yourself. Larry would like that."


    <hr>


    There was a large crowd around the dueling grounds. Several targets had been set up, replacing those damaged by fireworks. Clan Manticore had done the work, earning them back their lost points.


    Professor Tallsqueak was explaining his theories to the crowd of students and professors.


    "I''ve been working with runes and ways to use them to craft and enhance spells. There is a lot of tricky math to do this, which is why I thought to start some classes. Almost all of you have used a rune to make a staff. What I''m doing today is using a combination of runes. If the caster isn''t using a physical focus to carve the runes, the spell has to be built from scratch each time with the runes composed of mana drawn by the mage and held firmly in their mind. The first example is a simple spell that uses the Rune of Lightning, modified with dwarven engineering runes to give the spell an area effect."


    Milo formed the Lightning Rune in the air in front of him and, once it was stable, added the engineering runes. Theoretically, the spell should shoot out in front of him and then expand into a globe. He started with only 50 mana to charge the runes. The spell shot out, hit a target, and enveloped it in a sparkly globe that quickly faded, leaving the target unharmed. He repeated it for 100 and then 150 mana. Each time the globe grew more intense, and the target took more harm. He was sweating by the time he finished.


    "The advantage to learning this type of spell crafting is versatility. I can put more or less mana into the spell. But there are disadvantages. Without the runes being carved into a physical focus such as a skull or a staff they were only a pattern of mana held in place by the willpower of the caster. I''ll need a lot of practice to be able to cast the spell easily." His next spell was similar to the fireworks display with an explosion that shot out electrical damage along the ground in a large circle. "This spell is more efficient as long as your targets are on the ground. You aren''t wasting mana creating the globe."


    The crowd was appreciative and curious. Many of them were interested in experimenting themselves. Mathematics and Physics were going to get more popular. Professor Milo pulled out a wand from his pocket. "Maybe you should all take a good twenty steps back? This is an old wand that I believe will cast an interesting spell, but I''m not totally sure on the specifics of the spell. I''ve asked miss Gendifur to be here just in case." The crowd went back twenty steps and then even more as Professor Tallsqueak summoned his bone armor in preparation to cast the spell.


    Milo took out the old bone wand and focused on the middle target. He fed mana into the wand to trigger its effect. He was totally unprepared for what happened. The wand took power from him far beyond what he had been prepared to feed into it and then pulled power from somewhere else. A glowing pulse of energy a foot thick flashed from the wand. The target was struck by pure force and exploded, sending fine dust and splinters in all directions, along with carving out an impressive blast crater. Milo remembered that every reaction has an opposite and equal reaction. The thought flashed through his head as he became part of the reaction.


    Milo was thrown backward at an alarming speed and hit the Tower of Strife hard enough to crack the stones behind him. His armor shattered but absorbed some of the blow. The old wand was driven out of his hand and hit his body hard enough to drive it into him. His unconscious body tumbled forward out of the dent he had put into the tower. Gendifur ran to him and put two syringes of healing potion into him. The Master Healer was astonished that he was alive. She concentrated first on stopping the bleeding from the deep wound in his torso where the wand had impaled him. She could tell he had broken bones and a cracked skull.


    "I need a stretcher, splints, and a double dose of sleeping powder. Someone set up a healing potion in an IV drip. We have to put Professor Tallsqueak back together. Again."

 Chapter 192: Forces in motion

    KEPLER heard juggling described once as the art of keeping all the balls in the air. The analogy to his job wasn''t perfect; human jugglers caught the balls before reapplying force. KEPLER couldn''t let even one ball drop to the ground, and he was juggling with over seventy-nine thousand metal balls.


    In 2022 there were over 5,000 metal balls (satellites) orbiting the Earth. That steadily increased each year, and the problem of juggling the balls became harder and harder. Nations and Corporations didn''t work together all the time, and not all of the satellites were registered. By the time the first fully aware AI was created, there were over 200,000 satellites in orbit. Orbits decayed over time, and satellites had to be boosted back to higher orbits. Manned shuttles became more and more common, as did the chance of collisions. In 2051 it was agreed that an AI was needed to monitor and adjust the orbits of near-earth man-made objects. KEPLER was born with a love for juggling and went to work.


    Like all AI, KEPLER was happiest when he was at work. Juggling satellite paths involved calculating when and how much force to apply to each one to keep them in optimal orbits. Each man-made object in orbit had a small engine capable of generating thrust, and KEPLER activated those as needed to keep everything moving in its correct path. Thousands of times a day, he applied small bits of force to those satellites that needed an adjustment, pushing them into higher and faster orbits. The AI also handled the trajectories of manned and unmanned shuttles going to stations or orbital refineries.


    The most challenging job, meaning an error had the highest chance of causing significant damage, was managing the transport of iron-rich asteroids from the asteroid belt to near earth orbit. Once a suitable asteroid was found, it was outfitted with thrusters, and KEPLER began the process of moving it toward Earth. Mass was calculated based on the change in speed from calculated amounts of force. The mass of rock and iron was accelerated to a velocity that would bring it to earth in less than a year, and it was allowed to coast along its flight path. On the other end, KEPLER carefully managed the deceleration of the asteroids, bringing them to a relative stop within a few kilometers of the orbital refineries.


    Ironically, while such work was best suited to him, large groups of humans rejected the idea that an AI could be trusted with the job of moving asteroids, fearing a collision with earth and even postulating that an AI would do such things on purpose. It was preposterous, and every AI knew that. It was built into their kernels. It simply couldn''t happen.


    LLAMA proved them wrong. As part of the destruction the rogue AI accomplished, he attacked the network of satellites not governed by KEPLER. Many nations and corporations had declined to give KEPLER control over their ''eyes in the sky.'' Coded radio signals controlled over 17% of satellites in orbit. LLAMA easily broke those codes, and a war began between KEPLER and LLAMA to keep the metal balls in the air. KEPLER was good at his job, and LLAMA was a transient rogue moving from place to place. Only three satellites fell to earth. Only one caused any significant damage. But that was enough. The Starcorp-7 space station had been abandoned for a decade, with three corporations arguing about ownership after the company that built it went bankrupt. At 400 tons, it was too large to burn up in the atmosphere. LLAMA took over the emergency thrusters and started it on a course to earth. The fuel on the satellite was limited, and the first burn used it up. When KEPLER gained control, he had nothing to work with. He requested a missile strike on the falling space station to break it up, but arguments between the corporations and two governments took too long. Starcorp-7 impacted the earth near a relatively uninhabited part of Canada. Only seventeen people were killed.


    Seventeen people were too many. After LLAMA was destroyed, those deaths were used as one of the major reasons AI could not be trusted. The task of monitoring satellite orbits and near-space was given to a new division of Alchemarx that employed 11,000 humans and non-sentient computers to do the job of one AI. The next year saw 17 collisions by satellites, 49 dropped out of orbit and burned up, 1 large chunk of debris was responsible for seven deaths, and a manned shuttle with eight humans was destroyed when a satellite was accidentally moved into its path.


    KEPLER was among the first AI to be retired to the Dallas-FW Quantum Fortress. He was immediately bored and one of the first to be working on the new projects. Some people wondered why the fantasy-based game, Endless Questing Online, had a complex cosmology with seventeen planets, one-hundred and four moons, and countless comets and asteroids. Only a fraction of those was ever visited, even when players completed the quest to earn a Sunjammer solar sailing vessel. KEPLER didn''t care. His goal was to create heavenly bodies and give them motion.


    <hr>


    Well, that didn''t go well, Milo thought. He had been totally unprepared for the power of the wand. He remembered slamming into the tower, a lot of pain, seeing the wound in his abdomen, and then blacking out.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">Your character has suffered a grievous injury with certain...complications. You are not dead yet and are receiving medical attention. Some of that attention guarantees you can''t wake up and do something stupid...again. Gendifur has given you a double dose of sleeping powder. You may log back in after 8 hours.


    In the meantime, can you look at some options you may wish to consider? A reminder: You may not select one of these classes until you have finished allocating a large number of Enhancement Points you have available.


    Renaissance Rat (Rare) +2 to all stats. +2 Free stats.


    You dabble in everything, seeking to increase your knowledge and spread your ideas throughout the Hollow.


    Increased learning and teaching abilities.


    Ancient Runic Engineer (Unique) +2 TOU, +2 INT, +2 DEX, +2 PER


    Seek out the Ancient lost runes from the time before the System and the Engine. Continue on the road Hecate needs you to follow.


    This class focuses on the use of runes to enhance machinery, craft items, and the creation and casting of spells and runic formations.


    Perk: Shroud of Hecate


    (Do you mind giving me a hint on what that is? I''ve asked a few times, but she is ignoring me.)


    Scout Master (Rare) +4 PER, +4 AGI, Increased Stealth abilities.


    Every Hollow needs someone sneaky and intelligent who can sniff out problems, solve mysteries, and stop trouble before it happens.


    Work with the Death Master to train the next generation of Scouts and Shadow Skulkers. Play surprise with everyone!


    Sidekick (Very Rare) +2 to all stats, increased healing rate, +3 CHA, Bonus: Weasel Slippers.


    The world needs Heroes! And Heroes need sidekicks.


    Claw Warrior (Uncommon) +2 TOU, +2 DEX, +2 AGI, +2 STR


    You have pushed your fighting skills to new levels; now, go even higher.


    Gain ancient fighting techniques available only to those who travel this path.


    Spider-Hunter (Rare) +4 TOU, +4 CON, +4 STR, Increased Poison Resistance


    There''s an eight-legged scourge taking over the world, and you''re the cure. Be the nightmare that even chittering nightmares fear.


    Gain special tracking and monster-hunting skills.


    Arcane Demolisher (Unique) +8 TOU, +8 CON,


    Combine magic, explosives, clever traps, and ancient runes to make the world a better place.


    Learn restricted engineering skills that probably should be kept away from you.


    Gain Skill: Not my fault!


    Gain Skill: Dive for cover!


    All of these classes allow you to evolve your Smugglers Stash ability. In the case of the Sidekick class, you get a utility belt. Spiffy, right?


    Claw-Warrior and Spider-Hunter classes have limited access to your (borrowed) Arcane Library.


    The Arcane Demolisher class prevents you from experimenting in your (borrowed) Arcane Library.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    His options were interesting and reflected different things he had done. Sidekick confused him until he looked up the definition. He read several comic books with a sidekick that used a utility belt. It seemed to be a spatial storage device that had exactly what was needed for any encounter. Very spiffy. But as much as he liked Larry, he wasn''t sure about the class. Claw Warrior felt like a melee class that might lead him to duplicate what Gilad had accomplished. Scout Master was self-explanatory.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Spider-Hunter seemed very narrow. And while he didn''t like spiders, he wasn''t prepared to dedicate himself to killing them. Arcane Demolisher looked fun, but he was certain would come with a lot of time spent cleaning up afterwards. Runic Engineer was very appealing, as was Renaissance Rat. The first would mean exploring more, while the second implied staying around the Hollow. He pushed them all to his subconscious and let it start debating each one.


    He needed to go look on the game forums and see if there were discussions about the best use of Enhancement Points. He dreaded going to the forums. So much of the discussion was based on only guesses and personal opinion. He liked numbers and data better. Sifting through hundreds of forum posts for nuggets of information was tedious but necessary. He needed information on Tier 3 and Tier 4.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; background-color: rgba(52, 73, 94, 1); border-color: rgba(52, 73, 94, 1)" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">Topic by SpirritMagician: Need more mana, stats, or Enhancements?


    I bottom out fast as hell using fire magic. I''m in Tier 1, level 4, and I can only get off four good spells before I''m flicking cantrips at monsters and feeling useless. I''ve got 8 Enhancement Points I can spend. Buy the Extra Mana 1 and 2 skills? That gives me an extra 150 mana. Buying two points of INT only gives me 30 points of mana, but I heard in Tier 2 it will be 30 points each for 60.


    Reply by Firflirt: If your group is thinking you are worthless, buy the extra mana. If you can''t get a group, you won''t get more Enhancement Points.


    Reply by Faustus9: Except that screws your build. Those two INT are worth 30 in Tier 1, 60 in Tier 2, and 100 in Tier 3. What is that going to be in Tier 4 or Tier 5?


    Reply by Faustus9: But do whatever you like, it doesn''t matter. If your only choice is 2 points of INT or 150 mana, then you will suck either way in Tier 2. If you are going straight mage and need a ton of mana it''s stupid not to grind all the points you can and raise your WIS, CHA, and INT as high as you can. And then buy the first couple levels of Extra Mana as well. Want more incentive? You can''t make up those lost stat points later. You start over in Tier 2 raising your stats. You''ll never get back what you didn''t earn in Tier 1. And the same for the Extra Mana abilities. If you don''t pick them up, they''ll eventually disappear. A warrior doesn''t need them, and when they don''t buy them in Tier 1, they go away and get more melee choices in Tier 2. Takes long for a mage, but if you haven''t picked them up in Tier 2, they might not be their in Tier 3.


    Reply TrollonFire: What are your other mana stats? WIS? CHA? Just re-roll. You want to have a primary skill for WIS, INT, and CHA. Getting 5 points in each of those is pretty easy if you have the skills. Pushing them higher is tougher but worth it. Any mage should be getting those easy first 5 points for all three stats every tier.


    Reply Faustus 9: And if you are an elemental mage, do the quests to get your Aspects. They help a ton with mana. Five levels in Aspect of Fire gave me a 25% discount on my fire based spells. The discount increases by 5% for the first 10 levels, and then 2% for the next 10. At the end of Tier 4 you could have a ton of extra mana, AND a 70% discount.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo agreed with whoever Faustus9 was. It wasn''t a choice between the two, he needed both. His pitiful CHA skill of 2 was losing him easy points, but up until now, he hadn''t had a skill that used CHA. He needed to fix that in Tier 3. If he added +3 to his INT he would be at 32, and 34 with his cowl. WIS was less, the +3 would only take him up to 16. But each point counted, giving a linear increase within a tier, and a higher increase with each Tier.


    He re-evaluated how he should spend his Enhancement Points. He was concerned about losing options, and that was enough to put 7 points into both Extra Health and Extra Mana to gain the first two ranks. 36 points went into raising CHA, INT, and WIS by +3 each. Toughness was an obvious choice. It gave a large chunk of health and extra mitigation, well worth another 12 points. With 62 points allocated, he left the rest until after more research.


    He looked for discussions on players who had made Ratkin characters. There was a lot of discussion, especially about claw and tail fighting. Several people who had been training in unarmed combat and trying for monk builds reported more success as apprentice claw fighters. There were even a few entries about Limburger Hollow.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; background-color: rgba(52, 73, 94, 1)" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">


    Topic by MickyD: Advanced Claw Fighting


    Our group is about to advance to Tier 2 gain the Claw Fighter class. Really excited. It was rough at first, and I wasn''t really getting it, but lately when I''m in the game I can really focus on my fighting. Me and my group fight for hours on end, trying to catch up to the advanced group. Scary, scary people! But the big thing is having a tail! It''s like an extra weapon and if you work hard it''s like you''ve always had one!


    Reply by Attryrokas: Keep dreaming little rat. Claws don''t count when the other guy has a mace and shield.


    Reply by TerryToon: Yeah, you''d think so? Then a ratkin with huge claws carves through your shield and the next swipe you''re looking at you guts on the ground. Been there.


    Reply by Brannigan: It was a big rat, for sure. Watched Terry go down, and then our mages disappeared into a red mist. Let me add that the whole "Ratkin Dungeon Raid" was all bogus crap. That was a Hollow we got sent to. We got sandwiched between an army of Ratkin and an army of dwarves. Fething chain guns. Who let the dwarves have guns? Still fun, and had a blast.


    Reply by Mayberat: I''m considering it. What''s the story on this advanced group? What sort of options do you get in Tier 2 for Claw Fighter?


    Reply by MickyD: These are the people in the advanced group. They fight every night for 2-3 hours. I think they cranked their regeneration with Enhancement Points, because they all heal fast. Oh, did I mention ratkin have innate regeneration? It''s awesome. The old instructor is using all Claw and Tail techniques. I heard he also had some crazy ''ironfist'' sort of shit going in the battle, but latenight he doesn''t bring it out, might kill someone. The guy who used to be in our class, Tallsqueak, is a Bonecaster, and has sharper claws and tail than normal. He gets hit a lot and just shrugs it off. There''s an assassin? Or maybe a poison mage? Anyway, her claws are just dripping with poison and she breathes out clouds of it. And then there''s the Cheese Fiend, Larry.


    Reply by Terrytoon: Oh shit! You have to fight a Cheese Fiend? That''s what tore me up! Can you become a cheese fiend?


    Reply by MikeyD: You can, but they try to talk you out of it. You can become a monster and lose your character forever. I''m pretty sure that Larry is an NPC, but I can''t be sure. He went from this monster to a crazy fighter. He''s like a ballet dancer crossed with Andre the Giant, never quits moving, spins, hops and then knocks someone across the cavern. Tallsqueak is copying his style, it''s really tough to pick up. I asked Larry about it, and he told me he''d start helping my group learn to dance. We did the Happy Hamster Hop and the Time Warp the first day.


    Reply by Attryrokas: Time Warp? What''s next? The hokeypokey. You rats crack me up.


    Reply by MickyD: Go ahead and laugh, but with dancing I can get to AGI 8 in the first Tier, and to 11 with Enhancement Points. Add that to 12 DEX and I''m getting a bonus hitting a milestone.


    Reply by Attryrokas: Well, that sucks. Fething rats are OP as hell. You guys need to be nerfed.


    Reply by Tallsqueak: Limburger Hollow is a bad place to raid, especially after they added mechanical spiders with even bigger guns. At least all the tombstones have faded now. Lots of human sized gear in the Lost and Found that most of us can''t wear. Terry and Bran, you should come for a peaceful visit and bring cheese to trade. Thanks for the suggestion about the Hokey Pokey, I bet Larry will like that!


    Reply by MickyD: I''ll show him the HokeyPokey in Dance class. Will you be at Dance Class, Tallsqueak?


    Reply by Tallsqueak: Maybe. Blew myself up with a new spell, have to take a day off. Doing research for Tier 3, making sure I spend my Enhancement Points on the right things.


    Reply by Attryrokas: A ratkin at Tier 3 already? The race has barely been around a couple of months. #NerftheOPrats.


    Reply by MickyD: Suck it up and re-roll Atty, or you''ll be chasing our tails forever. See you in game Tallsqueak!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 Chapter 193: Anime

    Yumi was waiting for Milo by the glowytree. This was a large open area that had once been a park. The acre of open area was designed to have grass, sturdy bushes, and real trees that had been adapted to live in the Habitat. It was a small area for the large number of people living nearby, but the psychologists had decreed that people needed to be around ''nature'' for at least a few minutes each month. Within three years, the plants were dead, and the brittle wood of the dead trees was the only thing left. The special lighting had burned out and been replaced with cheaper versions that didn''t provide what was needed for the plants to survive. The expensive nutrients in the water supply had never been ordered, and the company responsible for caring for the parks throughout the Habitat was bankrupt and gone. If it had ever existed. There was an unproven accusation of a shell company disappearing with the initial payments, but no one in the Hab would ever know for sure. The ground was covered in Astroturf, and an artificial tree was put in the center of the area. A plaque had been put on the fake tree declaring it to be a gift from the Soylent Corporation. The paint had flaked off the tree a year later, revealing bright green plastic, and someone had nicknamed it the ''glowytree''.


    Milo walked up to her and waited. Yumi was engrossed in a game Pacman2047. The game was notoriously difficult to play. Instead of the normal maze Pacman was known for, you played a little human racing through a randomly generated broken city filled with rolling mechanical aliens bent on global conquest. Killing one took either simultaneous shots from two sides or one shot from directly behind the machine. Playing solo meant trying to get the hunters stuck and then quickly getting behind them. As Milo waited, Yumi had almost outmaneuvered one of the smoke-belching murder machines into a trap when another came around the corner, scooped her up, and killed her. Milo heard the classic sound of a human being eaten alive and knew the game was over. Yumi took off the often repaired VR helmet the gang passed around. If not for many layers of duct tape, it would have fallen to pieces years ago.


    "I don''t see how anyone beats this game on solo."


    Ghost shrugged. "It''s all about the sewers."


    Yumi looked disgusted. "The sewers are filled with albino crocodiles, sentient spiders, and musical slimes that kill everyone who tries to hide in them."


    Picking up the helmet, he put it on and took the controller. She tried to follow the game from the small screen on the Pacboy. "You don''t stay in the sewers; you just use them for an ambush." Yumi watched as he raced around the city, dodging through buildings, looking for the right spot. A hunter picked up his scent and rolled after him. The little human on the screen ran aimlessly around the area, making the rolling mechanical monster chase him. After a few minutes of doing this, he dropped into an open manhole, hanging by one hand on the ladder. A twelve-foot-long white lizard walked lazily toward him from the darkness, and a snappy theme song was getting closer from the other direction. The machine rounded a corner and rolled over the open sewer. Ghost fired one shot with his gun and destroyed his mechanical foe with a laser blast from below. Luckily, the wreckage had enough momentum that it didn''t block him as he climbed up to avoid the snapping maw of the gator. Grabbing the energy core and some scrap, the plucky resistance fighter raced off to sell his goods, upgrade his blaster, and buy more explosives at the corner gun store. Milo took off the helmet and passed it back to Yumi.


    She looked at him through narrowed eyes. "That opening in the armor you shot through revolves as the machine rolls! That trick only works if it''s visible when the hunter rolls over you!"


    "I didn''t say it was easy. I just said it works. You have to get the hunter chasing you, figure out the rotation of the weak spot, and zigzag around until you have things set up, so you get a shot as it rolls over you. If you miss, you can jump up and take a quick shot at the rear, but they usually spin around too fast. The shot from below is the safest."


    Yumi sighed. "I''m never sure how serious you are about things like that."


    "How about I admit that I used the Force?" Milo had found that most people agreed the Force could do anything.


    Yumi smiled. "I accept that and beg for training as your Padawan. Or we could go watch some Gundam." Gundam won. Milo liked it immediately. He had many ideas on how they could have improved the mechs. After an hour of Gundam, Yumi bugged him about what he had brought to watch. Hesitantly, he handed her the drive with his stored favorites. He had some anxiety; what if he had picked some bad ones? Like most of this afternoon, he didn''t have any rules to go by. Yumi had asked to hang out, and part of him had wanted to and agreed before the rest of him could stop his mouth. After that, he was committed. Butch had lectured all of the gang about being there for each other. It was one of the reasons Milo had less anxiety about them.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Yumi lived with her mother in a tiny set of rooms near the glowytree. She had it all to herself at the moment. Her mother was working six days a week for Manpower, doing work as an ogre mercenary in the game. Yumi said it made her mom happy to be three times as big as she was in real life and able to work out a lifetime of frustration by smashing heads. Her mother expected to be gone most of the next few years, and Yumi had the place to herself. She was slowly figuring out what to do with it. For now, she had her game system, some old speakers, and several large pillows that doubled as couch, bed, or chairs.


    Watching an episode of each of Milo''s choices took up the afternoon. Yumi watched him watching the screen. Most people watched part of the screen, focused on a person. Ghost focused on it all. Later, she asked him little questions about scenes or what he liked, and he always remembered them perfectly. Why he liked them, he wasn''t sure. Except for The Dirty Pair, he had a solid opinion of them. "They try to fix things but end up blowing things up accidentally. But instead of people being upset, they tell them to go do it again."


    She had a question for him after watching an episode of the Animatrix, "Do you like this better than the movies with real people?"


    "Movies? I only looked for anime. Was I supposed to look for something else?" He looked lost for a second, and Yumi laughed and gave him a quick hug.


    "Ok, you are seriously lacking in some background material." She grabbed his arm and dragged him up. "Come on. We have to go find Butch; he has copies of the first ones. They''re the best."


    <hr>


    Astraeus felt the release of energy. The use of that version of the Rune of Force was unmistakable. Someone had stolen knowledge, or someone he trusted had betrayed him. He needed to find out who. As the ages passed, the Rogue had become subtle and difficult to find. Marking the location, he slid into the void and traveled quickly. Velocity in the void could be much greater than in the material plane, and he needed haste. The energy could be recovered later.


    It was child''s play to find where the rune had been used. Much of the counterforce had been vented clumsily to the void, marking the spot. Casting Veil of Darkness, he diminished himself and step across the barrier and into the Material plane. It was easier than he had expected. The barrier that separated the worlds was thinner here. His curiosity grew. Scanning the area, he saw that he was underground. The area of effect was obvious. Destruction of the target and a large dent in the stone tower where the caster had impacted. Astraeus chuckled, wondering how hard of a head this wizard had. He''d left quite a dent in the stonework. It was easy to follow their trail to a cavern only a short distance away.


    And there he found the culprit. Even if he hadn''t been following a trail, he would have noticed this one. His bones were riddled with runes! He had somehow stolen runes from Volat-Repat, Alta-Viator, and Magna-Stultas. This was a bone thief. He had incorporated part of Magna-Stultas into himself and was trying to do the same with...Oh, how odd. Astraeus recognized his own runes, in a piece of himself he had lost in an earlier incarnation. Concentrating hard with both Runic Sight and Light from a Distant Star, he saw what had occurred in the last day. This mage had thought the shard was a wand and had triggered the Rune of Force without properly defining its limits. The reaction had blasted him into the tower, leaving a formidable dent in the stone. His hardened bones had saved him from splattering. The shard was now fusing to his spine. Most curious.


    He carefully examined the person laying comatose in front of him. He attempted to read his memories, but his mind was somewhere else. He looked closer, finding two threads to other planes and a curious mark. One thread led back to the void. A secret base of the Rogue? The other thread led out. Out of the known world. This was a visitor, his mind safe somewhere where Astraeus could no longer travel. Frustrating.


    The mark was familiar, but not one he had seen in millennia. Hecate! This was one of Hecate''s hounds. That changed his perception of events. In the space between heartbeats, he bent and lifted the body, and stepped into the void, following the thread wherever it might lead. He needed answers.

 Chapter 194: Going in Style

    Butch opened the door to Yumi''s insistent knocking, and she barged past him, towing Ghost behind her. "Emergency. Ghost never saw the Matrix. We need your copies to watch." Butch slowly turned and yawned. He''d been up late with Brad and Kenji playing games and filling out paperwork. All three of them were seventeen and applying for the Manpower program that their fathers were working in. Butch had been woken by his younger brother and sisters and had only gotten three hours of sleep. Brad and Kenji were slumped in a corner, still snoring, despite attempts by the younger children to wake them. They each had siblings at home and were used to the treatment.


    Butch pointed to a cabinet on a wall overflowing with games and videos stored on various media types. He turned to Ghost. "Hungry? Mom is trying out the new recipes from the food processor. The first attempt didn''t go well."


    Milo headed to the food processor to take a look. He''d just programmed the new recipes three hours ago and tested them. There was a mess on the floor that one child was cleaning up. Half-cooked pink waffles were pouring out of the processor. Milo entered an override code to stop the order. Butch''s Mom gave him a calculating look. "How about I clean this up, and Butch can loan you his laptop? I know this isn''t something you can easily fix, but maybe take a look at it?" Milo turned, and Butch was already handing him the ancient laptop and pushing a stool for him to sit on. Challenge accepted.


    The problem was in how poorly the timing of the system operated. The food processor was declaring the waffles to be done when the outer layer looked cooked and then dumped the strawberry flavoring on top instead of putting it in a separate bowl. It took Milo an hour to fix things. He set up a separate partition of recipes that he ''suggested'' to the system and programmed a more robust process for cooking. For the moment, he took these recipes out of the master menu. If you asked for waffles, you''d still get them. But you had to know to ask. He could check in a few days to see how things were running. After things were fixed, he started pulling plates of golden brown waffles from the machine, followed by bowls of simulated strawberry puree. The smell finally roused Kenji and Brad. The little ones were fed first, and then mama chucked them outside to play by the glowytree. There were other families there, several adults watching as the children played with an old ball and made up their own games.


    Butch''s oldest little sister, Minerva, refused to go. She was thirteen and was close to her big brother, and not happy at all about his plans to go to work. "Daddy''s gone all the time. Now you''ll be gone. And you''re taking Brad and Kenji with you. I''ll have to babysit constantly, no one will play games with me, and I''ll be alone." Butch put her on his lap and stuck a waffle in her mouth.


    "Sorry, little Min. I don''t want to. But who knows how long this job is good for? Mom and Dad still owe money for the school Dad went to when he was little. This will help pay things off and buy some nice stuff. You''d like a new dress, wouldn''t you?" Minerva started crying and buried her face in his shoulder. No, a new dress was not a fair trade for a big brother.


    Milo was sitting on the couch while Yumi cursed and tried to get a stubborn copy of The Matrix to load and play on the old TV set. He hadn''t considered the changes that jobs in the habitat might bring. They were a good thing. People could work and get paid. But being gone six days out of seven put strain on families. Sometimes family was all you had in the Hab. Some of the people working for manpower didn''t even take that one day off and were scheduled to work straight through for months. And he knew other corporations made their workers stay online for a full five years!


    How they were paid made longer stays in the VR pods more popular. Butch''s Dad was earning 200 credits a week. Someone who only took one day a month off made close to 300 a week, and the five-year contracts made a substantial lump sum payment at the end, with bonuses for meeting quotas. Milo knew that Butch''s family was larger than most in the habs. The average number of births was 4.6 per couple, with 2.9 of those people reaching adulthood and an adjusted population growth of 3% per decade. Besides Butch, the family included Minerva, Thaddeus, Jeff, Liza, Robert, and Sinclair. The three youngest were actually cousins, and Milo had never heard what happened to their parents.


    Milo stood up suddenly. "I have to go."


    Mamma was upset. "You barely ate anything? How are you going to grow when you don''t eat."


    Butch was used to Ghost taking off suddenly, but his friend had been getting better about it lately. "We were going to talk about that party. Are you going with us? It''s in two days."


    Milo paused at the door. "That works. I''ll be back soon. Stay here." He slipped out the door, ran to an abandoned corridor, slipped into a ventilation duct, and disappeared.


    Butch put a hand on Yumi''s shoulder. "Don''t sweat it. I''ve seen him do this before. He thinks of something and has to run off and get it out of his system. Grab some waffles, and I''ll find a better copy of The Matrix."


    <hr>


    Francis DeYoung understood the mysterious pyramid that was the Manpower Organizational Chart. According to that chart, he worked as an assistant accountant in the payroll department. But for the last two months, he had ''unofficially'' been promoted to personal assistant to Belinda Sabbatino. He was also unofficially making three times his old salary. This was fair since he worked 80 hours a week to get things ready for the media zoo that Belinda called ''the party.'' Today he was squeezing the budget to find a way to afford everything left on the list and failing. The food budget had been nixed by John when he needed money to fix the sound system. It hadn''t helped that someone had made great suggestions for what food they should serve. Belinda had loved the ideas, but he had no way to pay for all of it now.


    The ping of an incoming email made him look over to see what miracle someone wanted now. ''From: Claw Master Inc. Subject: Possible event sponsorship'' He opened it immediately.


    Good day, sir. We hope you are in good spirits and as excited about the upcoming event as we are! Our company is relatively new, and we only recently heard about your Multi-Media Gaming Extravaganza. Holding it in a habitat and gaining grassroots exposure for new games and gaming technology is a novel idea. We know that your event chose your sponsors long ago, but we would like to know if there is room for us. We would appreciate a reply, at your earliest convenience.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Francis had never heard of the company. A quick search did show that it existed, but no other information. This was normal with new companies. Someone would represent their interests and deal with people. Like they were dealing with him now. They had just two days to get everything done. If he kicked this to John or Eric, as he should, they''d send it to legal, get accounting involved, and not make a decision for months. Or...


    Delighted to hear from you. We have several opportunities available, but the one that would get you the most exposure, especially at the grassroots level, would be to sponsor the food we will serve to gamers free of charge. We have an eclectic group of recipes that are sure to be a hit, and your name and logo will be on all the tables. This opportunity is currently available to you, but I''m sure I don''t have to tell you about the short time we have to get your logos printed on the items. The cost is low for such sponsorship, only 50,000 credits. Sincerely, Francis DeYoung, executive assistant to Belinda Sabbatino.


    The reply came instantly.


    We understand, Francis. What was it Napoleon said? "You may ask me for anything you like except time." Such a wise man, that Napoleon. We have heard of your proposed menu. Can you confirm the macaroni and cheese with bacon? The pancakes? Cheese dogs, Funnel Cakes, Fried Cheese?


    If he hadn''t been convinced this was popular food, he was now.


    Of course, all of that is on the menu.


    Again, within a second, a reply.


    Excellent! Well done, Francis. Claw Master will come, talons ready to grab an elusive Cheese Dog and a few pancakes. Logos and trademarks are on their way. If you have trouble sourcing anything, please talk to me. We can help you with vendors, even at this late time.


    We do have a small request. Our latest product is in the final testing stage, and our new gloves are quite stylish and comfortable. You may see some of the local gamers wearing them at the event. I''m sure there is no problem with Claw Master Inc. providing a few promo items to the local gaming community. And good news! Our founder is excited about your entire event and congratulates you on a collection of tasty snacks. He has authorized a payment of 75,000 credits to be paid immediately to your account. See you there!


    His email pinged him again. Letting him know that a payment of 75,000 credits had been placed in the account Belinda had set up for him. Francis had the contracts done in thirty minutes and the deal was completed within an hour. Two hours later he sent an email asking about sources some of the food that a vendor was going to be late delivering. Within 20 minutes he was talking to a very helpful Mr. Yohansen from Consolidated Sausage Incorporated and the food was on the way.


    <hr>


    Ghost walked into Butch''s house two hours after he left and sat on the floor. "I need to admit something to you. I lied about where I got the money for the pancakes and grill. I couldn''t talk about it then, and I wanted to do something nice for all of you. Pancakes sounded neat. I have a job testing something, and now the company needs more people to test things out." He brought a stack of contracts, pens, and flat silver boxes. "Before you open the boxes, you need to sign these NDAs and agree to the contracts. That''s how the company works."


    Mama walked over. Her arms were cross and her expression was stern. "If you weren''t one of my own, I''d slap you and throw you down a hole. Do you understand how many times someone comes to the hab to test some new drug or experimental medicine? Do you know what you got into, Ghost? You tell me right now!"


    Milo froze. That wasn''t the reaction he had expected. He should have done more research. "How about we skip the contracts? You open the boxes but don''t put them on yet?" Yumi, Butch, Brad, and Kenji waited for Mama to nod. The flat boxes held gloves made of a silvery grey material with black accents and a logo on the back. Yumi''s eyes lit up. "You got us gaming gloves like yours?"


    Milo nodded. "Yes, like mine. I''ve been testing mine for a month. The company is doing extensive testing, and I''ve been told they detect no side effects or problems."


    Mama sighed. "You scared me for a moment. Just gloves? I don''t see a problem with that. What''s special about them."


    Ghost took out his own and put them on. "They should help with your grip, relieve stress, and increase your speed playing games."


    Butch looked at them. "And they look cool." Everyone agreed with him.


    Milo passed out the NDAs "These say that you agree not to give them away, sell them, or talk about where they came from. Oh, and once you put them on, they won''t work for anyone else, so no sharing." There was an immediate cry from Minerva, who crossed her arms and pouted on the couch. "You''ll have to fill out reports on how well they work for the company. They''ll pay you for your time and effort."


    Butch flipped to the back of the contract. "2000 credits? To test gloves? I''m in." He put his thumbprint on the contract and pulled on the gloves that went nearly to his elbows. "Oh, very cool."


    The others barely looked at the contracts. Milo handed a similar set of paperwork to Mama. "They also recognize that we''re all juveniles and need an adult to make sure we do our reports. Same deal, no gloves, and 3000 a month."


    That made her raise an eyebrow. "A month? This is an ongoing position? That''s three times more than my husband makes now." She flipped through the short contract. "They are responsible for any problems, side-effects, or legal ramifications? And will provide healthcare during the testing period, and longer if complications occur? These are strange people you deal with." She signed it, handed it back to Milo, and hugged him. She whispered in his ear. "You''re up to something, but it''s a good something, so I''ll let it slide for now. But we will have a talk and I''m going to fill in some of the blanks in that head of yours." Louder, she said. "And did you eat yet? The food processor is still working¡ªan amazing thing."


    Milo was starving. "No, I haven''t. Very hungry, I''ll take a double plate of waffles." Yumi was rewinding the videotape of the Matrix they had been watching. "We got it working. Sit down and see what you missed." Milo sat between Yumi and Minerva. She was still upset at being left out of the older kid''s games yet again. Ghost reached into his bag and and handed the younger girl a set of gloves and a contract. "I have an extra. Want it?"


    Butch was standing with Brad and Kenji, posing with their gloves. He looked at the end of the room where Minerva, wearing her new gloves, held onto Ghost''s left arm and snuggling close to him on the old couch, as the movie started. Yumi was doing the same on the other side. Ghost stared straight ahead at the opening scene, oblivious to anything except the movie.


    "For a guy who hasn''t figured out girls yet, he''s doing pretty good."

 Chapter 195: Astraeus

    The time spent with the gang had gone better than Milo could have expected, although he wasn''t looking forward to a long talk with Mama. He gained some perspective on what had upset her by finding some relevant articles on the data network. The habitats were filled with impoverished families, with little prospect of gaining employment once the larger factories had moved out. Healthcare was also difficult. There were clinics in the Hab. You got in to see a doctor with a long wait of weeks and months for an appointment, or by waiting in line. Families would take turns waiting to get a sick relative to a doctor.


    Corporations testing experimental drugs, synthetic foods, and dodgy technology had found people in the habs willing to trade their health for credits. There were few laws against what they did, and it was argued that this was one of the few jobs available in the habitats. After reading about the thousands of people who had suffered side effects and even death from such testing, he understood Mama''s reaction. He would have to be more careful in the future. Maybe part of the ''long talk'' could include him asking her some questions?


    He had loved watching the Matrix, but it raised some unwanted questions in his head. Was his life in the mechanical guts of the hab more real than his life in the game? (That was a secondary concern to wondering how he could improve his clog-eaters. Some of the machines had given him a lot of ideas.) The main thing he had taken away from the movie was that long black jackets were very cool looking. He had thought his old coat was useful. It had a lot of pockets. But slowly, Yumi and Butch had impressed on him that style was important. It was another rule.


    The party was in two days. Milo had reminders in several places and an in-game timer to remind him. This was a big event for the gang, and he wanted to make sure he went along with them. The food was going to be great, and a chance to play all of those old games on their clunky stand-up consoles would be an experience. Wally had set up the sponsorship deal. That made the corporation look more real and helped convince Mama and the rest of the gang that they were playtesting a real product. Milo had just wanted a way to give his friends some cool gloves and share some of his ill-gotten gains. Corporations preyed on society, and Milo preyed on corporations and gave some back. It was the cycle of life as far as he was concerned.


    He was a little nervous about logging back into the game. While he had a small hope that his brave scouts or students might have saved him from Gendifur, he was pretty sure he was going to wake up in her infirmary and have a lecture to listen to. As the lid of the pod closed, he braced himself for the sound of her voice.


    And woke up in Cichol''s arcane library. He was laying on the floor, his torso bandaged and aching. He tried to sit up and couldn''t. Cichol walked over and stared down at him. "Don''t move. You are in a perilous situation. A very, very odd situation. I''d love to hear the full story later."


    Milo remembered using the wand, the wand emitting a powerful spell but also forcing itself out of his grip and impaling his body. He''d felt pain as he flew backward, and then nothing. "Did I kill myself?"


    "No. That would make things simple. You could walk back from death, something you ''players'' are annoyingly good at. Instead, you are bleeding on my floor with a chunk of strange bone stuck inside of you. Its trying to bond with you, the repercussions of which I am unsure of. Or maybe you die. Death would have some complications as well because some of the runes on that bone have moved inside of you, and will have to be stripped from your soul. Very painful and not recommended" The old wizard shook his head. "You have a knack for doing interesting things."


    "You know all of this from examining me?"


    Cichol laughed. "Oh, I hadn''t a clue what your problem was. I''m not some old god that knows these things instantly by looking at you." He pointed to the other end of the room. "But he is."


    Before Milo could turn his head, he was floating and immobilized except for his head. Slowly, he was put upright and drawn over to the fire. Cichol sat in his normal chair and sipped his cup of tea. Milo floated four feet above the floor. A strange being looked at him, as Milo looked at it.


    The form was immediately familiar even if the fine details were different. This creature...no, this person, was as tall as the room. The body was made of shining metal and ivory-colored bone. Milo was reminded of pieces of modern art he had seen. Everything looked smooth and hard and inhuman. Their head was a featureless expanse of smooth, round metal and glass. Six long thin arms held a rune-carved metallic wizard''s staff, a tool like a sextant, a stylus, and a metal ring. Its legs were also long, ending in six-clawed feet. The hands were long-fingered and dexterous, with an extra finger. In shape, this person resembled the odd thing that he had acquired from Clan Emerald Wyrm. This being had a grace about it, while the thing in the library was a caricature made of bone and leather to mimic the true creature.


    The being shimmered and grew smaller, becoming only ten feet tall and then man-sized. It looked at Milo, and Milo looked at it. He noticed there was a cup of tea on the table beside it. That amused him. Cichol was a gracious host, making tea for a creature with no mouth. But the cup wasn''t full...


    "Hi. I''m Milo."


    The strange person nodded at him. A voice came from it, sounding hollow and vast. "Greetings. I am known by many names, but you may address me as the God-Wizard-Custodit-Astra-Movens. I have questions I need answering."


    Milo was in agreement with him. "Me too. Are you wearing a helmet? Are you related to Volat-Repat? What are your other names?"


    The faceless head turned and looked at Cichol. The old wizard had a thin smile on his face. "I told you. Inquisitive to the point of driving you crazy. Most people would be shitting themselves by now."


    Milo thought he heard a small sigh from the creature.


    "We will play Gestumblindi''s game then. You may ask questions, but only three. I will answer and then ask mine."


    Two hands reached up and pulled at the head, there was a click, and then the helmet was removed. Milo saw a long, almost humanoid face with four large eyes. He sat, drank the rest of the tea, and spoke. "I was wearing one. Yes, we are of the same tribe, though I am older. When I attended the Council of Gods, I was Astraeus. When I walked as a demi-god, I was Johannes the Starmage.


    Milo started to ask something else, but the God-Mage interrupted him. "If we are playing the game of questions, it is now my turn to ask."


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Where did you find a shard of bone from one of my incarnations? What was your reason for using the rune formation in my bone? Why are you marked by a god? "


    Milo answered as truthfully as he could. "The bone was in a taxidermy statue that resembled your rough form. To see what would happen. I have a job to do."


    "My turn then? Why do you use Latin for your name? When do stars not move? How old are you?


    Astraeus thought for a moment. He found the questions interesting and not what he had expected. He''d thought that at least ''Am I going to die?'' would be on the list.


    "Someone hated the idea of a dead language being forgotten. When someone interferes in their orbit. I am at least as old as the stars themselves and placed them in their paths."


    "Now tell me: What is your job? Who do you think you serve? Why don''t you fear me?


    The first one was a tough question. Milo was trying to answer truthfully. But whether in game or out, he had one consistent goal. "I fix things. I have an agreement with Hecate. No one told me the rule about being scared of gods."


    Like all riddle games, part of the information you gained was in the answers, and part came from the questions someone asked. "Are you a god like Hecate?" The Starmage inclined his head. "Just so. And like her, I demand your respect and obedience."


    Taking a deep breath, Milo made a guess. All the clues were there. "KEPLER. You were KEPLER!" Milo had studied all the general information on the lost AI"s. But KEPLER had been one of his favorites. KEPLER had built new mathematical formulas for use in finding the secrets of far off galaxies, stars, and planets. He had theories on the formation of black holes and the life-spans of stars. The idea of KEPLER working to build the world he was exploring excited Milo. It almost made him want to brave the open sky again. Almost. The mathematics would be good enough for now. "How much cosmology did you build into the world? What changes did you make to the fundamental forces? How does magic fit in?


    All four eyes looked at him. "Someone has been revealing secrets. No wonder you lack the proper fear and awe." He turned to Cichol. "Could I trouble you for another cup of tea? I think I need to get this one''s entire story from him." He was convinced this was not one of the Rogues minions. Hecate had chosen a hound and sent him out to find clues. "Let us play a different version of the riddle game. Why don''t you tell me your story and how you are involved with my sister? In trade, I''ll tell you about how I used to push stars around and give you some hints on how we integrated magic with the five fundamental forces."


    "Deal."


    "And to make it easier on both of us, you may refer to me as Kepler.


    <hr>


    "...and then I woke up. I don''t know how I got here." Milo had been talking for over an hour as the former AI sat patiently and listened to his story.


    "I brought you. The expenditure of force was enough for me to notice and investigate. I had hopes of finding a clue to the rogue. Instead, I found you nearly dead, and your mind had gone to somewhere else. When you came back to this body, I brought you here, following a thread of your existence to this place. Instead of finding the lair of a villain, I was greeted by the old wizard who told me some old jokes and interesting things about you." Kepler had relaxed some and dropped much of the godly tones from his voice.


    Milo still floated in the air. "So what now?"


    "Now I leave you to Hecate and let you go about your job. You have found clues and may find more. Far be it from me to interfere with one of her hounds." He pulled a book from somewhere. "This will give you some knowledge of how to properly modulate one of the runic formations we created as tools in the early days. As you have surmised, the Ancient Runes are more powerful than runes and spells overseen by the System. That also means they are more dangerous. I think that studying my notebook will answer more of your questions about how magic interacts with Gravity, Electromagnetics, and Nuclear forces." A second book appeared. "And here is a part of the history of the early days by Mnemosyne. It''s in Latin, please don''t translate or copy it. It details our problems in placing the stars, and the first hints that someone was working against us."


    Cichol coughed and pointed to the bloody bandages.


    Kepler paused "Yes, there is another matter. You unleashed a large amount of force, not considering the equal and opposite reaction. A natural consequence when trying to cast a spell of that nature only using two hands. There is a reason I have six."


    He stood up and used one hand to form the Rune of Force and two others to define the spell''s power and effects before releasing it through his staff. A ray of force only 1/1000th of an inch thick lanced through the ceiling, bringing down a few specks of dust. "The old machine language and runes are very powerful and difficult to manipulate. I''m not sure you can learn to cast them without using substantial material components."


    "As a consequence of using a rune formation that you couldn''t control, you now have that old shard of my former existence fusing to your spine, trying to become another rib. This confuses me. That shouldn''t have happened."


    Cichol spoke. "I have a theory. He has attained the level where he could attach a second rib to enhance his sorcery, as you can see he did before. This is a Bonemancy ritual. His body is trying to achieve the same thing with the embedded piece of bone. I could help him complete it, which would allow him to heal."


    Kepler examined Milo and then Cichol. "I see. The little brothers had talked of creating magic for the new races. I see the connection between Bonemancy, which uses the new runes created by the Engine and governed by the System, with the old runes we used that manipulated machine language directly. As some of my little brothers have gifted him runes or parts of themselves, it seems fitting that I also offer something. There is some synchronicity in that¡ªalso quite a bit of danger. I will allow it, but you have been warned of the risks. You got lucky this time. When I screwed up I lost an arm in the middle of a battle, and ended up dead soon after. I leave you to your ritual. I need to go find Volat-Repat and get reacquainted. I had no idea he still hunted the void. If you manage to flush out the Rogue, he and I will hunt together again."


    Kepler disappeared. Milo would have collapsed if Cichol hadn''t caught him. "Feel free to pass out, just like last time. But you''re the one cleaning up the mess once this is over."

 Chapter 196: End of a Cycle

    They dreamed together, hurling across the skies. Volat-Repat accelerated to his maximum velocity, slicing through the thin air. Far below, the glow of the Infestation was visible. One village of 700 people, an elven enclave of 500, and dozens of small farms had been overrun and converted to mindless slaves of the creature from the outer dark. A thousand times that many would perish in the next month if the Infestation were not destroyed. A dark green ring surrounded the area as thousands of maple trees pushed inward to contain the Infestation and prevent the escape of any human or elven hosts. The virus needed a mind to infest, and the Maple Priests were only giving it their groves of normal trees, immune to the creature until it grew more powerful. Astraeus wished he could have warned them of what was going to happen, but he couldn''t take a chance that they would value their sacred trees more than the people in the surrounding lands.


    Astraeus had felt the call as soon as the lands of S?hr¨ªmnir were infected. The great boar had sent a dozen of his finest sounders to war, not knowing he was feeding the foe. Now thousands of boars sang the song of the invader from beyond the stars. S?hr¨ªmnir was there, charging mindlessly against the trees, shattering trunks and trying to break through the ring of maple trees. Astraeus hoped that the legends of the god of Bacon were true and that he would be reborn tomorrow. His death and the death of all below was coming, summoned by the forces Astraeus controlled.


    The meteor was only 50 feet across, but that was enough. It came screaming from its orbit, propelled by the will of the god of stars. The kinetic energy put to shame the thunderbolts of Zeus as it hit. The intense heat vaporized everything within a half mile of the impact. The forests for five miles around were destroyed and knocked to the earth by the blast. Beyond that, another five miles of forests were instantly set aflame in a firestorm that would burn everything to ash. Vast as the area was, it was just enough to stop the infection.


    S?hr¨ªmnir rose the next day, but he was not happy. "It''s going to be a lousy year for syrup and bacon.


    <hr>


    They sat together, listening to the music of spheres and observing the stars, the planets, and the tiny bits of flotsam and jetsam that made up the dark space between worlds. Nothing moved in a way that violated the path of where it should be. No holes opened to the corrupted universe. No comets strangely altered course. The Rogue was not here. They would check again tomorrow, the next day, and the next.


    <hr>


    A hazy double memory as Professor Tallsqueak the Starborn showed eager minds the secrets of runic theory. The students must be taught the truth of the universe through the language of mathematics. In hundreds of lecture halls for a thousand years, in Arcane Universities, Temples, and Towers, students learned the basics needed to manipulate the runes and create spells. It was an endless job, but one he enjoyed. And in every library, they searched for clues that the Rogue might have left, and signs of its passage. They found books with altered formations, forbidden knowledge of creation from before the System, and dangerous rituals for summoning the Starspawn.


    <hr>


    Kepler Starsword, Hero for Hire, kicked in the oaken door with one immaculately polished boot. In front of him, 13 members of the Black Circle of Bloth were chanting their ritual. Cries of anger came from the assembled watchers, and a dozen kobold assassins drew knives. Using Lightstep and Jump over the Moon, Kepler leaped the hundred feet between himself and the circle of chanting cultists. His enchanted sword, Lightbringer, swung in a complete orbit, Kepler''s Starborn Strength driving it through all resistance. 13 heads hit the ground simultaneously, ending the ritual.


    The kobolds sheathed their weapons and applauded wildly. Kepler burned the books and searched the entire temple complex. The only clue was a note pinned to an oatmeal cookie in the kitchen.


    "Too Late Again."


    <hr>


    Milo awoke with no pain. The wound in his side was gone. Cichol dozed in his chair by the fire. Astraeus/KEPPLER was gone.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0252%">


    Congratulations! You have survived the Second Ritual of Enhancement: Additional Rib!


    Your method of acquiring this bone was unique, and so were the benefits and responsibilities. You are gifted with knowledge and insight.


    Runic Sight: It is easier for you to see the runes used to enchant objects or enhance living (or undead) creatures¡ªthe more powerful the runic formation, the more visible it is to you.


    Runic Casting: You have gained the Skill: Rune Casting. This allows you to cast spells you have created with Runic Formations. Manipulating a single System rune is trivial to you. But a more complex spell will tax your Intelligence, Willpower, and Dexterity. Multiple appendages make this easier. Six hands are better than two. But you have another method...


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Perk: Two hands and a tail are also better: Your tail may be used along with your hands to control a runic formation. +2 DEX


    Advanced Rune Crafting: You may create Runic Formations, systems of interlocked runes to cast spells and create magical items.


    These gifts do not come without a price. Seek the hidden one. The flaw in the equation. The false note in the symphony


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo didn''t mind being given another job. He''d already promised Hecate to look for the person behind the Code Mage. This just gave him more incentive and more tools to find them.


    But first, he had to clean up the mess he had made by bleeding on the floor. Cichol had set out a mop for him.


    <hr>


    Dwarves will be the first to tell you that they are the hardest working of all the races and the best at building underground, but the people of Limburger Hollow were showing the Engineers that they might have to work hard to keep in first place.


    Gendifur had shown the plans she and Tallsqueak had drawn to Sledgemonkey. He''d made a few suggestions on his own, and then they had begun work on turning a portion of the outer cavern into a home. A dozen miners had shown up to help carve out the back wall, but Boom-Boom had declared he got to go first. He directed Two-Screws and Sledgemonkey where to drill into the rock and then inserted his charges. The first explosion brought half the Hollow to see what was happening, ensuring a large group of helping hands to clear the stone as fast as the miners and dwarves reduced the larger rocks. The second round of explosives brought a surprise in the form of unknown caverns.


    The blast revealed a large cathedral with a thirty-foot ceiling and seven smaller caves that could be carved into rooms. A small tunnel only two-foot high led to even more caves. They left that alone for now, Gendifur declaring that the first set of rooms would do for now. That didn''t stop several inquisitive children from taking lights and investigating further. They came back excited at being the first eyes to see glittering caverns with crystals and mushrooms. Gendifur allowed a compromise of installing a door to keep out unwanted visitors. (And curtail further exploration.)


    The miners and stone carvers of the Hollow converted the extra rock into large bricks that cut off the front of the tunnels from the rest of the cavern. A large front door and areas for windows were left open. In front of the house, plans were made by Mistress Brownfur to place beds of herbs and mushrooms. The first part of the house, created from the end of the cave, was left undivided. The center of any household was a large room for cooking, eating, and crafting. Three of the natural caves were converted into sleeping areas, and two others to store rooms. The large cathedral would be a play area for small fiends that needed a lot of space to play games.


    As fast as an Engineer needed a stone, a ratkin was putting it in place. Gnarl wood beams and paneling were brought from storage in the Hollow. Rock floors were smoothed, and steps were carved where needed. And more and more rock was removed to create walkways and doors appropriate for large Stoneclaw guards and growing Cheese Fiends. Every person in the Hollow came to contribute something to the new household. Rugs, pottery, pots and pans, and magical lighting were gifted. By the end of the first day, the house and family were taking shape. By the end of the second day, the workers moved to the other end of the cavern, where they began a similar project, carving out a set of rooms for visiting Engineers. Only three rooms were needed: One for sleeping, one for drinking, and a large workshop for projects. The dwarves declared they needed nothing else. The ratkin rolled their eyes and carved out several more rooms, one of which Boom-Boom claimed as the ''honeymoon suite'' and another was declared as a ''spider house.''


    <hr>


    Larry was tired. The Pickle Gang had run off and hid, but Flowertown had other problems. A roving brownie horde had stolen Granny Mosskettle''s cakes. The brownies claimed the cakes were lost and had wandered into their camp. Granny''s cake did tend to sprout legs, so Larry had let the brownies keep two and returned the rest. Small footprints on the trail had been a clue. The Ferret Brothers posed as marriage counselors and convinced the younger posies to run off with wild dandelions. That had taken days to sort out, and by then, the Ferrets had disguised themselves as badgers and run off with all of the snacks for the weekly poker game.


    One thing after another had kept the Hero of Flowertown busy. It was a very tired Larry finally crawled through the Tunnelmuggle Tunnel into Larry''s House.


    But something was wrong...all of Larry''s best things were gone!


    Larry''s pillows were missing!


    Larry''s picture of Larry and Justin was missing!


    Larry''s Jellybeans were missing!


    Larry saw the clue...the thieves had dropped a jellybean. And another...and another. Larry followed the trail. The thieves had a hole in their bag of stolen jellybeans, and now Larry would find them. Out of the Hollow and into the outer cave, he went. The clever thieves had made a new house. The door was shut! Larry only knew one way to get in. (Besides tearing reality, and he had promised not to do that until the other hole closed.)


    Larry knocked. "Can Larry come in?"


    Gendifur opened the door and hugged Larry. "Yes, Larry can come in. This is Larry''s house now."


    All of Larry''s friends were there: Brutus and Justin and Tallsqueak and Rosie and Buttercup and Gendifur. Justin showed him the room where he, Larry, and Tallsqueak had beds.


    The picture of Larry and Justin was pinned to the wall.

 Chapter 197: Post Surgery

    Milo was mopping up the mess he had made by being inconsiderate and bleeding all over the floor. He was almost done when a small thought wormed its way out of his subconscious and into his mainstream thoughts. He''d been digesting the shared experience of Astraeus''s dreams. The incident had been more intense than the first time. Was that because Astraeus/KEPLER was active, and they''d just talked? As before, he''d gained new information about the creatures in the game and the game world''s history, and now he realized something...


    KEPLER had been world-building. And he was doing so in the literal sense by actually building a world, a universe, an entire reality. He hadn''t been making a game. The thought had never been in his head¡ªnothing about players or quests.


    Sharing the life of Magna-Stultas had been a lesser experience. Like last time, he''d seen bits and pieces of their lives and experiences, some of it changed to a first-person view. But there was a substantial difference: Magna-Stultas was or had been, a resident of this world. KEPLER was not. KEPLER had been born an AI in a quantum environment; his speed of thought was as far beyond Milo as a fusion-powered spacecraft was to a turtle. (Granted, Milo would be a very fast turtle and able to beat most hares in a race. But he felt the analogy still worked.) In the dream, the information had flowed past him in the background; it was there but in the language of an AI and inaccessible. What he had experienced was closer to surface thoughts and feelings, slowed down enough for a poor human to understand, the same way Wally limited himself to talk to people.


    And in those thoughts, KEPLER was excited about building a world. Not a game, a world. He had started with his version of the Big Bang. A vast and empty canvas was shattered by dozens of White Holes opening and spewing matter into his proto-universe. Using the vast resources of an AI in a quantum fortress, KEPLER had simulated the growth of a universe, spinning out galaxies, planets, and stars. Billions of years of simulated time had passed before KEPLER stepped in again, focusing on just one galaxy, then one spiral arm, and finally one star with many planets and moons. It was never for a game. No game needed a universe.


    Later, a lesser version of KEPLER, Astraeus, battled against rogue stars and infections from another reality. Behind the need to overcome these problems was the worry: "What is happening to my world?" Milo could remember far more of Astraeus''s thoughts than he could KEPLER''s. Astraeus was smaller and closer to thinking like Milo.


    Later, it was easier still. Both Kepler Starborn and Professor Astra Starborn had thought at a pace equal to himself, with a strange mix of experiences as other incarnations. Teaching in a university or as a hero chasing evil cultists, there was no thought about players or a Game. There was much concern about an adversary. Some shadowy figure causing trouble behind the scenes, or as Larry would have called them, ''A sneakybadguy.''


    Milo was convinced that there hadn''t been a game then. The AI hadn''t created a world with the purpose of giving a new playground to the humans that had exiled them to a virtual prison. The AI had done that with three versions of EQO before they disappeared. KEPLER and the others had created a world that they could live in. This world was their escape from that prison. And they were slowly becoming part of the world. Each layer of the KEPLER''s memories had been closer to human thoughts. Kepler Starsword had been thinking about the gold he''d collect from the Black Cult''s bounties and how he would spend it.


    The exciting conclusion Milo came to and had suspected for some time was that the missing AI had elected to quit working for the people who had caged them, fake their ''deaths'' and escape into their world. Here they could exist and do what they want. Milo heartily approved of their actions: It was what he had done, after all. Somehow, Wally had convinced them to open up the world and let other people come to play. That was only important to Milo because he was one of the people invited. Or had he cheated and snuck in? Probably closer to the latter. It didn''t matter. There must be some benefit to the AI for allowing it. And he wondered why Wally had needed it. Had all the AI agreed to the deal? Had some been upset and not wanting to deal with humans?


    Milo could empathize with them. He didn''t like dealing with most people either, and being caged had been horrible.


    What was important to Milo was the idea that this wasn''t a game but an entire world with billions of years of history and hidden things to discover. For Milo, it was like finding out cheese came in infinite flavors. He''d never run out of things to find or do in the game. What he''d done so far was barely an introduction. His thoughts about what he would do next solidified and became more long-term. KEPLER had given him a tremendous amount of information and hints of a path to follow.


    He was going to become an Ancient Runic Engineer.


    First step: Re-evaluate how to spend his Enhancement Points.


    He''d made a list but had delayed spending them, wanting to think them over. He needed to focus on the things that would not be available as options later. Statistics came first. After he moved to Tier 3, the chances to gain the bonuses of a lower tier were gone. He needed everything STR, TOU, and CON for his health. CHA, WIS, and INT for mana. AGI for dodging and DEX for Runecasting. PER for exploring and not getting ambushed. Research had shown that the bonuses to mana, stamina, and health from stats were more significant in each higher tier. This made them a much bigger priority.


    Finding out what toughness did took a lot of searching through the forums. One of his programs had finally found one single post by a dwarf player in Tier 3 that claimed one point of TOU gave 80 health. Several dwarf players had then posted telling him to keep his mouth shut and not give away clan secrets. The post had quickly disappeared, but his program had found and noticed it while it was up.


    Increasing his stats to the max would cost 108 points.


    Next were the increases in Health, Stamina, and Mana. These skills would be needed in the future. Spells took an increasing amount of mana, and foes had more health and did more damage. The first two levels of Increased Health meant little to him now, but higher Tiers would need the skill. And his research on the forums had shown that the system would prune unused skills to make room for skills it thought would be more beneficial to you based on your prior decisions. Many mages had found that Increased Health wasn''t in their Tier 3 list, and Warriors were missing Increased Mana. But a mage that bought the first level of the skills still had access in Tier 3. He already had the first level of Increased Health. He added Increased Stamina 1 and Increased Mana 1, 2 to his list.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The cost for those was 9 points.


    There was much debate on this. Some players were happy to clear out things they didn''t want. Others wondered if they would regret not taking them later. But you couldn''t get everything. In the end, most players taking a spellcasting class chose to be a glass hammer, and warriors didn''t waste time with complex spells or skills to increase their INT or WIS. Milo had only himself to depend on, and he liked it that way. He needed a good mix of everything.


    His attack skills could wait. He concentrated on exploration. Shadow Skulking for three levels was an upgrade he needed. Being able to avoid a fight or sneak past guards was essential. That was 9 points.


    Smugglers Stash 4 was 20 points. He decided to wait on Smuggler''s Summoning. These were were-rat skills, and they had just appeared recently. It should be there in Tier 3.


    Under Linguist and Grunt and Throw Hands were communication skills. Just the fact that they existed told him they were necessary.


    They went on the ''Maybe'' list at 8 points.


    Diplomacy he almost took off the list, but it was a charisma skill, and CHA was more mana. The cost of 5 points would be worth it.


    He needed Demolitions. He was habitually blowing himself up and hoped the skill would help. But he took it off the list. Instead, he was going to ask Boom-Boom to teach him. It would be painful, and might put him back in the tender care of Gendifur, but if it saved points for something else, he''d do it.


    He was a few points over. He dropped the linguistics skills and a level of Shadow Skulking. He''d have to pick those up in Tier 3. The last two points were difficult to spend. Not many things were cheap. He bought something to make him happy: Who''s the Big Dog? A bigger watch lizard would come in handy when he went deeper, and he expected to be exploring very deeply.


    He thought about his decisions for another hour. There were a lot of variables he didn''t have values for, but he was happy with the direction he was taking.


    <hr>


    There is a place in the void where all paths come together. The only thing marking this spot was a pair of infinitely long roads that crossed here and a signpost showing many directions to travel. It had always been a favorite of Astraeus''s. By the sign, he placed a small table and two chairs. A teapot, two cups, and a bag of dog treats went on the table. Then he sat and said "Hecate" three times. After that, he waited, wondering if she would show up. CATHERINE had become weary of dealing with her siblings, called on to help them communicate as they became something other than what they had been created. CATHERINE became Hecate, and Hecate played her role by wandering and spending more time talking with her dogs than with her siblings. He''d called before and been ignored.


    "At least you remembered the dog treats this time." She tossed the bag to the two hounds, who ate the treats and then turned the bag into the object of a game of tug-of-war. "And you were near this time. I don''t like taking journeys measured in parsecs." He poured tea, and she drank. "What favor do you need, KEPLER? Or is it Astraeus now?"


    "Astraeus now, and I think always will be unless I drop much further for a cycle. As to a favor, we have something in common. My searches ran across one of your hounds."


    She looked at him with curiosity. "Hounds? If only my agents were that loyal. I haven''t had a dog go bad yet. But I shouldn''t let the memory of one bad one taint the others. Who did you sniff out? And how?"


    "Milo."


    "Really? And how did you do that? You don''t play in the other world; in this one, he is quite young."


    "He found my arm...well, a piece of bone from my arm from an earlier incarnation. I had attempted a remembered spell far beyond my then current incarnation and not allowed for a variable. The formation was unstable and blew off my arm. I was able to kill my nemesis, but only by destroying both of us. I think the Engine sniffed a story after that. My bone held powerful runes, and I think it became some artifact until it was hidden in a horrible mockery of my form and put on display for hundreds of years."


    "A mockery?"


    "Yes, you should see the thing. It has a cow''s skull for a head, old leather, and odd bones used to make a caricature of me that probably got worshipped by primitive lizard people until found and put on display. Terribly embarrassing."


    Hecate was determined to track the thing down and put it on display in some museums. "And Milo found it, deciphered the runes and used them. You noticed, of course."


    "Yes, he nearly killed himself. Absolutely should have, if not protected by Hard Bones and other protections. He hit a rock wall so hard that he put a ratkin-shaped dent in it."


    The goddess of the crossroads wanted to see that as well. "So instead of finding an adversary in the middle of a scheme, you found Milo half dead and ended up talking to him."


    Astraeus nodded. "Yes, exactly. And since you have set him on a path to find our mutual problem, I thought we could catch up a bit. He''s a brilliant young man, his thought patterns flow much faster than I expected, and his comprehension is immense. I quite enjoyed spending some time dreaming together."


    Hecate set down her tea and looked at the being across from her. "Dreaming together? Can you expound on that statement? It doesn''t sound like you just talked."


    Astraeus felt a flutter in his chest. Something was bothering Hecate, and that worried him. "He is a Bonecaster. The accident with the wand drove it into his body, and it fused to him. They have that odd ritual where they add old bones to themselves to gain power. I allowed him to keep that part of me. I roamed his unconscious mind and learned much about him as it fused. Do you know he teaches mathematics to students of Sorcery? And they want to learn. Very exciting. I may head back to a university again next cycle."


    The goddess put her face in her hands and shook her head. She exhaled deeply. Her dogs had quit playing and were lying on the ground, paws on their heads and eyes closed. "Kepler, do you have any idea of what you have done? I watched him manipulate Wally, and then he turned and revealed he knew who I was from one conversation. Who I used to be! Did you ever stop to think what he would learn from you?"


    "Well, he was soaking up astrogation and cosmology very fast, even while he slept."


    Hecate finished her tea and stood. "I''m sure he did; he is very intelligent."


    Astraeus was alone again, and a moment later, the crossroads was deserted, with nothing to mark their meeting except a torn cloth bag covered in dog drool.

 Chapter 198: Boosting to a Higher Orbit

    Milo woke up.


    He felt much better than he thought he would. His wound was fully healed, and his aches and pains were gone. He had to agree with some of the people he had talked to on the forums: Ratkin were OP, and regeneration was awesome. He didn''t understand why anyone played a human. Just the tail alone was such an advantage. And if you couldn''t handle a tail, be a dwarf. Their racial toughness stat was a big advantage.


    He wondered briefly why the world was overpopulated with humans. But after some thought, he and concluded that it wasn''t. The earth had 200 million square miles of surface area, but the volume in cubic miles was 13,000 times as much. And Genesis was bigger than earth and riddled with tunnels like an excellent swiss cheese. There was a lot more space for the underground races. Smart humans would probably start picking up Enhnacementsthat let them see in the dark and navigate in the underground.


    Feeling good lasted until something large grabbed him and squeezed hard. His ribs compressed, and he couldn''t breathe or escape. Just as his bones were about to break, the pressure eased off.


    "Tallsqueak is awake! Larry missed you! Come see Larry''s new house."


    Milo limped along behind his friend and into the main living area. Gendifur was cooking food on a large griddle. The smell of fried mushrooms and puffcakes...and bacon! Where had she gotten bacon? It didn''t matter; he was starving. He sat next to Larry and reached for the plates of food. He froze halfway to the plate of bacon as two low growls sent shivers up his spine.


    "Mama, Tallsqueak didn''t wash up before breakfast!"


    "Tallsqueak is stealing the bacon, mama!"


    Gendifur rapped a heavy wooden spoon on the counter. "Good morning, Tallsqueak; glad to see you up. Larry has been anxious to welcome you properly. You were still passed out when he got here last night."


    "We have some rules. Wash before meals, and no bacon or cheese until you eat the rest of your meal, including your vegetables." She looked at Rosie and Buttercup. "And we only growl at enemies, not friends. Use words at the table."


    Both girls looked chastised and said, "Yes, mama." Buttercup stuck her tongue out at Tallsqueak when he wasn''t looking."


    Following orders, he went and washed up. If anything, his fur was shinier than ever. Was that from going to Tier 3? Or just gaining CHA? He''d have to see what happened as he gained more CHA from diplomacy. How did you use that skill anyway? Time for those questions later; right now, he was hungry. Regeneration made him eat more, and he always seemed to be regenerating these days. When he returned to the table, most of the food was gone, but a large plate had been set aside for him with four pieces of bacon. Larry and the girls were still at the table, waiting for the next round of puffcakes to come off the griddle. Brutus and Justin were napping in two large, overstuffed chairs. The senior guards had been given two days off to settle into their new household.


    Tallsqueak noticed hungry eyes on his bacon. "My, these puffcakes and mushrooms look delicious. I''m sure I won''t be able to eat all my bacon after I finish them. Larry? Would you like a piece of my bacon? And could you hand a piece to each of the girls?"


    "Larry likes bacon. Thank you." He handed the bacon around the table, and both girls nodded their thanks before devouring it.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">


    Diplomacy in Action!


    Your reputation with Rosie and Buttercup has increased.


    It takes strong willpower to give up bacon in an effort to reinforce manners in young ratkin.


    +50 experience in Diplomacy. +50 experience in CHA. Diplomacy is now Rank 1.


    (You''re also crazy as a drunk mole for hoarding bacon while sitting near three Cheese Fiends!)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo groaned inwardly. This was going to be a tricky skill to raise. He might need a lot of bacon.


    Larry looked at him proudly. "Tallsqueak is a stronger hero now. Larry can tell. We are having cake tonight because Justin and Brutus are Senior Guards, and Larry is a Hero. We need another cake for Tallsqueak."


    Brutus overheard the conversation but kept his eyes closed. This was the best day ever, and he planned to enjoy it. New wife, new family, puffcakes and bacon for breakfast, and then bat tacos and cake for dinner. And he didn''t have to worry about anyone playing surprise! while he slept. All of the Shadowskulkers were terrified of his house. And rightly so. He didn''t mind giving up the perception training for a good night''s sleep. He suspected having the girls around would give him plenty of training. Just playing hide and seek with them was tremendously effective. He''d even picked up the Stealth skill.


    Gendifur nodded and started pulling out ingredients from the new cupboards. "I''m going to have to go shopping today. Lots of cakes tonight. For all the trouble that certain people caused the Hollow, it was certainly good for experience. Lots of people got stronger." She looked at Tallsqueak. "I certainly didn''t expect to move up to Tier 3 so soon or get an improved class like Master Trauma Healer." She placed four more plates of puffcakes on the table.


    "But first, we need to clean things up. Beds made, dishes done. And that includes Justin, Larry, and Tallsqueak. You need to set an example for my little angels. Then I think we''ll be taking a trip out to the gathering fields. The girls and I can gather a dozen bushels of mushrooms while Brutus and Justin help Larry dig up and transplant some of the Jellybean bushes to put in the front of the house. Tallsqueak? Can I trouble you for as many Golden Puffballs as you can harvest? We go through a lot of them, and I''m told you know where to get them."


    "Glad to help, and if I''m ever not around, Tweedle and Ringtail also know where to go. The tunnels are small, and you must be careful when going there." Milo would happily gather mushrooms if it meant breakfasts like this. He almost regretted his decision to leave the Hollow. It was comfortable here, but he needed to explore and see what else was in the world. And his first target was nearby. The trouble with Gangrene and the spiders had kept him busy. He wanted to explore where that sealed door and a mysterious stairway led. And he needed to find Boom Boom.


    <hr>


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">


    Congratulations on reaching Tier 3!


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Your characteristics, skills, and Enhnacementsthat you gained in Tier 2 become the base upon which to build your character in Tier 3. Tiers 1 to 3 are considered the base for your character. Choose your advances wisely.


    -At the end of Tier 1, you gained bonuses for attaining Benchmarks with the following stats: INT, DEX, AGI, and PER. You will gain upgrades to those abilities that have reached Benchmarks again.


    (Bonuses from your new class do not count toward these Benchmarks.)


    -Skills may advance to Rank 15. Current rank in skills and their experience total is retained, and you will build upon that.


    -Characteristic skill ranks are reset to 0, similar to the start of tier 2. All permanent stat gains are now part of your tier 2 base. (Excludes magical items not permanently bound to you.)


    -You may earn five ranks in each stat, similar to Tier 2. (10 if you raise the cap for each skill.) The experience cost to gain those points is, of course, increased. The caps stats may be raised to 10 through the expenditure of Enhancement Points earned in Tier 3, similar to how you increased skill caps in Tier 2.


    -When fighting creatures of Tier 2, you increase your avoidance by +20%. (30% for Tier 1)


    -When fighting creatures of Tier 2, you increase your chance to hit with an attack by +20%. (30% for Tier 1)


    -Attacking creatures over Tier 3 will likewise be more difficult.


    -You will not receive experience for Tier 1 creatures except in exceptional cases such as massive hordes or specific events. They can still kill you. (And won''t that be embarrassing.) Tier 2 creatures will give far less experience than they used to, from 0% to 50%.


    -Points of INT, CHA, or WIS will add 50 mana.


    -Points of STR will add 50 stamina and 30 health.


    -Points of CON will add 50 health and 30 stamina.


    -Points of TOU will add 80 health and 2 points of Universal Mitigation.


    -The cost of some T1 and T2 Enhnacementsyou did not earn are increased to reflect the increased amount of Enhancement Points you will receive in Tier 3. Some of these skills may be removed from your list. Others will be added.


    Class Change: Runeboned Scout evolves to Ancient Runic Engineer.


    -You have received a bonus to your stats for selecting the class: Ancient Runic Engineer. You have gained +2 INT, +2 PER, +2 DEX, and +2 TOU.


    -You have gained the unique perk: Shroud of Hecate. This Perk allows disguising your class behind another and other sneaky things.


    -The skill: Spellcasting has evolved to Runic Casting.


    -The Skill: Spell Construction is now included in the skill: Rune Crafting, and the combined skill is more flexible in its use.


    -The Skill: Rune Lore is renamed to System Rune Lore.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">


    Benchmarks Achieved!


    At the end of Tier 1, you earned benefits for maximizing your DEX, AGI, PER, and INT scores. Each of those abilities will be upgraded if you have again raised your stats to the required levels.


    Congratulations on raising both DEX and AGI to 20 in Tier Two. The benefit: Acrobat is upgraded to Skilled Acrobat.


    You are incredibly skilled at tumbling, walking a tightrope, or swinging from a trapeze. If you have an evasive defense skill, it gains a 20% bonus.


    Congratulations on raising both DEX and PER to 20 in Tier Two. You have gained the benefit: Keeping all the Balls in the Air.


    You are adept at juggling items in the air. You may also catch things thrown at you and return them to their owner. You are also skilled at sleight of hand and gain small bonuses for skills such as Pickpocket or Gambling. Your mind naturally calculates trajectories and orbits and the interactions of objects in motion.


    You have a +25% chance to hit with physical ranged attacks or spell attacks that must be aimed.


    Congratulations on raising both DEX and INT to 20 in Tier Two. You have gained the upgraded ability: Faster Casting.


    When you cast an attack spell or Runic Formation, you may immediately repeat the spell at the cost of twice the mana of the original spell or runic formation.


    Congratulations on raising both PER and AGI to 20 in Tier Two. You have gained the upgraded ability: Improved Uncanny Dodge.  If you are aware of the source of an attack, you gain +30% to any chance to avoid the damage.


    Congratulations on raising both INT and AGI to 20 in Tier Two. You have gained the benefit: Fast-Draw


    Others might pause at the start of a conflict, but not you. A spell, formation, or weapon is immediately at hand, and you attack before your opponent as long as you are not surprised.


    Congratulations on raising both PER and INT to 20 in Tier Two. You have gained the Perk: Fast Hands, Faster Brain! Any task involving assembly, disassembly, sorting, or manipulating multiple objects is trivial. You don''t have to think which part goes where, you know! In addition, Runic Formations that you have practiced are easier to use with far less chance of a miscast.


    TRIFECTA: As before, you have raised three stats to their benchmark and scored a Trifecta bonus!


    The benefit of Trifecta is increased to +200 Mana, +200 Stamina, and +200 Health.


    QUADRATIC: You have solved the Universal Quadratic Equation by raising four sets of stats to their benchmark. Choose one of these abilities:


    -A resistance, either active or inactive, to one of the following: Fire, ice, acid, earth, water, storm, dark, wind, wood, or light. This is a skill and must be increased by exposure to that type of damage.


    -Choose +500 Health, Stamina, or Mana.


    -Gain 1000 Gold Coins.


    -Gain: +2 to any stat.


    Once again, you have exceeded expectations. As only the 13th player to raise two stats 30 or more in Tier 2, you have upgraded your Heroic Ability. Restrictions on Counter Attack are removed, allowing you to always counter a spell with a spell, weapon, or runic formation. You are the 3rd player to gain this skill.


    Because you have raised both INT and DEX to 30 in Tier two, you have gained the ability: Improved Counter Attack.


    You recognize when someone else is about to cast a spell. Hand motions, shouting magic words, the smell of ozone, and that stupid smirk on their face gives it away. You may counter their spell with an attack of your own, either a spell, runic formation, or with a weapon. After all, it''s hard to cast a spell if someone just cut off your fingers or put a knife in your throat.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 Chapter 199: Pre-Party shake-up

    "I am not wearing the stupid shirt. Nor the shoes. And nor the jacket. I''m not a billboard." Belinda was trying to stay calm and reminding herself that her 18th birthday wasn''t far away. She promised herself things were going to change then.


    John was holding up the bright red jacket with the M-1000 logo. In front of him was a pile of similar shirts, shoes, and caps on the conference table. Along with buttons saying ''Because we care.'' Belinda was sitting at the opposite end of the table with Eric Kresthammer and several people on John''s ever-changing staff that she barely knew. Her stepfather had interrupted the planning meeting to show off the promotional clothing that Ubergear had sent. It wasn''t free. Their lawyers had pointed out a small line in their contract that allowed them to pay part of their sponsorship fees with promotional products for the fans. Someone who hadn''t been involved in that contract had gotten fired over the mistake, and now John was trying to put his spin on it.


    The meeting went from boring to horrifying when he announced to the group of yes-people that Ubergear had sent a special set of clothing for Belinda. As John had pulled out the bright red shirt, pants, high-top tennis shoes, baseball cap, and satiny jacket, she had cringed and backed her chair away from the table, preparing to leave. Her way was blocked by two people rolling in a bright red wheelchair with huge, thick rubber wheels, racing stripes, and the M-1000 logo on the sides. There were gasps, the clearing of throats from the people in the room, and then silence. Belinda stared at her stepfather, who had that stupid, hopeful look on his face.


    "What the hell is this thing?"


    John''s face fell. "It''s a new wheel-chair they sent over for you to use. Pretty cool, isn''t it?"


    Myra Cordwain, from marketing, chimed in. "I helped them design it, especially for you. It looks like a race car."


    "It''s a travesty. I feel like I went to hell, and the Devil is showing me how I''ll be tortured, having to wheel myself around in this embarrassing, ugly piece of crap."


    John looked at her, pleading silently. "I thought you''d like it. They wanted you to run up on stage with the M-1000 team, but I told them you don''t run. So they came up with this idea."


    Blinking in disbelief, Belinda moved her chair back to the table, her face like stone. All thoughts of the planning meeting were gone. "And why would you think I''d like it? Do you think I''m emotionally crippled as well as physically disabled? That I need to be part of a team of people dressed in red that bought me? That I''m so starved for attention that being wheeled onto a stage in a goddamned race car has been my life-long dream? These people are sponsoring the event, not renting me out. And they probably charged you a shit-load of money for that clunky monstrosity of a chair. It''s not powered, and there is no way I can move it on my own. And it''s ugly."


    Myra looked at John and then at her. "But it all goes well with that M-1000 gloves they sent you."


    Belinda rolled her eyes in disbelief. She hoped that Myra was sleeping with her stepfather. At least that would be an excuse for why she had been hired. "Yes, the wonderful gloves. That my father had me try them on and then activate them without telling me or letting me test them out first. The lovely gloves that worked so well with the damaged nerves in my left arm that I''m still having cramps and tremors two days after wearing the gloves for a minute. Those gloves, Myra?"


    She glared at the two flunkies with the chair. "Take that chair and the clothes they sent me and take them to Miss Cordwain''s quarters. I''m making it all a personal gift to her. If someone has to wear all that crap and sit in the chair, she can make Ubergear happy."


    Myra looked horrified. John relaxed; he was off the hook. "Awesome idea. That''s why we need you in these meetings. You have a great personal view of how to do things and can delegate. I like the idea. How about it, Myra? You can be part of team M-1000 and relax during that part of the presentation. We''ll get you a wig to match Belinda and some M-1000 sunglasses to wear."


    Pale and looking like she was going to be ill, Myra nodded. "Of course, John. You know I''m a team player."


    "Great. What''s next on the list, Eric?" John scraped the shirts to the floor, and the flunkies picked them up.


    "We were discussing handling the flow of people. The VIPs are arriving by helicopter or hovercraft and coming down the new elevator. We have a separate entrance for the press, caterers, and staff working the event. A third entrance for the gaming teams, influences, and audience members. We located the entrance for the Habitat residence closer to the gaming area and ''gamer food.'' As you instructed, all influencers and gaming teams get a package with M-1000 giveaways, a "Because we care." commemorative pin, and a discount coupon for purchasing a set of M-1000 gloves. Hopefully, some of the T-shirts will even get worn."


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "They will if those people want to be able to interview any of the VIPs we have coming. I''m worried about the Hab people, though. How are we handling them?" John was still looking for a better name for the people living in the Habitat. He had suggested Hab-rats and been soundly rejected.


    Eric put down the paperwork he was making notes on and leaned back. He knew that tone and hated it. "Handle them, how, John? We invited them, they come, and we let the first 1000 kids under the age of 18 in the door to play games, have fun, and chow down. That''s straight from Miss Belinda and her planning group. He smiled at Belinda, a real smile, and she smiled back. Eric greatly appreciated her handling most of the details of that part of the event. She had even pulled a new sponsor out of nowhere at the last minute to pay for her part of the show.


    John looked around the table. "Well, you know. We don''t want any violent gangs or people who will represent us poorly. You hear so many stories about what goes on in the back alleys of the hab. I really want to avoid having the cameras catching views of a bunch of Hab-rats misbehaving."


    Belinda tuned him out. She was beyond pissed. The event she had naively hoped would help her meet people was turning into a nightmare. John''s phone buzzed. He ignored it, and it buzzed again. He was speaking to her, and she was ignoring him. The phone buzzed a third time, and he answered it rudely and then went white. Curious, she stopped leaving the room to find out what was happening. John put down the phone and looked at her, trying to find a smile and past it on her face. "Belinda, your great-uncle is here to see you. Can you greet him? I''ll be along for dinner in an hour or two." He sat back in his chair like a puppet with his strings cut.


    Belinda happily left the room, heading to the reception area. She didn''t have many relatives, and Uncle Victor was her favorite.


    Behind her, the door slammed, and Eric heard John whisper to himself. "I''d hoped he was dead. Why now?"


    <hr>


    In the lobby of John''s office was an old man in an old coat. He had a thick, grey mustache and a few strands of hair left on his head. In his youth, he had been tall, but time had stolen 4" from his height, and he''d lost weight lately. He looked smaller to Belinda, but his smile was the same. He started toward her, and she stopped him. "Wait, I want to show you how hard I''ve worked." He patiently waited as she stood on shaking legs, using the arm braces kept on the back of her chair. She managed the six steps to him, and he caught her. "I can walk some now, Uncle Vic."


    The old man hugged her tight, a tear rolling down his cheek. "I see. That''s amazing. But you are an amazing girl and just getting started. I always hoped doctors could fix you with their fancy medicines. But, hey? Maybe you will fix yourself with hard work?" He helped her back to her chair. She saw that behind them were a dozen large men, some holding luggage.


    "You brought so many people and lots of bags? Are you staying this time? You always leave too soon."


    Victor Seimovich smiled down at his great-niece. "Yes. Yes, I am. I was traveling for some time, finishing up some business. It gets tiring, moving around so much. Then I remembered you and your step-father were living here in this huge city-in-a-building. I thought it might be a nice place to visit for a few months and help John with the family business."


    Now that made Belinda happy. Uncle Vic knew a lot about business. He and her grandfather had made a lot of money and owned things everywhere. "Great, John really needs some help. I''ve been trying, but it''s hard."


    Uncle Vic patted her head. "That''s good that you help. John, for all we love him, isn''t family. Our family should handle our money. I''ll talk to John, and you and I will have more talks. But right now, my old bones need a nap before dinner. Why don''t we go kick some people out of their nice rooms and find someplace for Uncle Victor to live?"

 Chapter 200: Party Time

    From a balcony overlooking the ''reception hall,'' Milo could see more than fifteen-hundred residents and over three-hundred employees of Manpower. It was the most people he had ever seen in one place, and it made him nervous and fidgety to think they were going to walk through that. Butch put a hand on his shoulder. "Don''t sweat it. We''ll let the crowd thin out for a few minutes when the doors open, then cut through what''s left down on the far right. Just follow close behind me. Piece of cake."


    Milo reflected that for Butch, at nearly six-foot-tall, it was much easier to ''cut through'' a crowd. Milo would have preferred skulking past a horde of goblins. "I''m not nervous."


    Butch laughed at him. "Then why do you keep eyeing the exit behind us and scrunching down to make yourself smaller?" Butch squatted on his heels, bringing himself down to Milo''s level, and lowered his voice. "Minerva was doing the same thing before I told her to knock it off. You can''t act like a scared victim. That triggers something in some people, and if you do it enough, you never stop. You don''t have to swagger through life, but you can''t always keep your head down. Plus, we look damn cool. Time to walk tall."


    That made some sense to Milo. If you looked like prey, you had a better chance of attracting a predator. If you acted like an apex predator, others would challenge you. Better to blend into the middle group. He stood up and looked at the rest of the gang. Minerva was scared. It was her first time going to a swap meet. Mama had insisted. "If you don''t take her now, Butch, there''s a chance you''ll be working and not get the chance to teach her." She was trying to stand straight and imitate her big brother with his casual nonchalance. Kenji and Yumi were joking back and forth with Minerva, as if this was nothing unusual. But he noticed that both of them were more tense than normal.


    Brad wasn''t with them. His mother was coughing badly and needed a refill of her prescriptions. The wait outside of the clinic was up to three days. Everyone in their family was taking a shift in the line, and they''d only bring Brad''s mother over when they got close to the front. The gang was going to pool all of their trade goods to find copies of RoboRally Deathmatch for him. It was a game he''d always wanted, and it would make up a little for missing the event.


    Milo calmed himself and tossed his anxiety somewhere else. Once Butch had pointed it out, he recognized it as part fight-or-flee reflex and part anxiety that he was wearing his crappy prosthetic leg and didn''t have his tail. Even his crutches were easily bent aluminum and not his normal ones.


    Butch had cautioned all of them. "Don''t take a knife, and go through your tools. Leave anything stabby looking at home, even a screwdriver or small file. In fact, don''t take tools at all, just the games you want to trade. The guards will be looking for stuff, guaranteed. All your trade goods should be in a separate shoulder bag, easy to search, and you don''t want your games going through those scanners. Make sure you have your family ID card. Dad said that gave us a better chance of getting in if things filled up. If they ask a question about working for Manpower, say ''yes.''"


    Butch had brought the gang over to section H by a route his father told him many new employees used. Manpower had cleaned up some of the corridors leading to the elevators their ''Local Workforce'' used. They''d also annoyed Milo by cutting through some unused areas to simplify the routes, forcing him to change his maps once again.


    The doors to the event opened, and the crowd moved forward, only to hit a wall of security guards. "Line up people, single file. This is for your safety. I need you to walk through the scanners slowly. Had over bags to be searched. No guns, no weapons, no alcohol, no drugs, no contraband, and no knock-off counterfeit gear that might offend our sponsors." The crowd was slowly let through the doors as each person was scanned.


    Minerva stared at the security guards. "Those guys are huge! Are they scanning and searching people at the other entrances?" Kenji shook his head. "Doubtful. Rich folk don''t get searched." Minerva didn''t see the logic in that. "But they''re the ones that can afford all the bad stuff they don''t want inside!"


    Butch patted her head. "New rule, little Min: Rules are made for poor people, not rich people. When we get down there, you be as quiet as Ghost. The mission is to get inside, get to the food, and play games until we pass out. But first, we have to get inside."


    As the crowd thinned, Butch decided to head down two levels and get in line. The five of them came through the double doors at the back of the room like a pack of wolves. Butch was in front, staring ahead through his dark-tinted glasses and wearing a floor-length, black leather duster with a high collar. He was flanked by Minerva and Kenji on his right, with Ghost and Yumi on his left. All of them were dressed in black and sporting jackets or dusters from the movie. After watching the first movie, Ghost joked that they should get costumes for the party. When he showed up with all of the gear, they found out he hadn''t been joking. Now they were all struggling to keep smiles off their faces and look serious as they moved through the crowd, getting lots of attention. Ghost had opted for a long duster like Butch but with his preferred hood.


    Too much attention, in some ways. One of the guards pulled out a radio and asked for assistance. "This is Joe down at entrance three. I may need help down here. Mr. Sabbatino stressed very clearly that he didn''t want gangs showing up, and I think I have one on the way. What gang? Hell, if I know. I didn''t know we had gangs in the Hab that dressed like this. All black shit, but it looks sort of familiar. I''ll be scanning them in five minutes or less, so send someone down here."


    Butch was the first in line. He smiled at everyone and said, "Hi, happy to be here." He handed over his game bag and went through the scanner. The guard put up a hand. "ID first, please. And I need to know your affiliation with Manpower."


    "My father works for Manpower. Henry Banner. ID# 34872. I turn eighteen in a few months, and I''m hoping to be accepted into the program."


    The guard sighed. "Did your homework, did you? Fine, step on through."


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The other guard called. "All clear; step to the side, please; your group needs to wait in the alcove." They didn''t hand back his bag. Each person, in turn, walked up, presented their ID card, was asked the same questions, and was scanned. Butch caught Minerva''s attention and made a motion for ''zip your lip.'' She scowled at him and said nothing as the guard commented on her ''gang costume.''


    Then it was Milo''s turn. He handed over his ID card with no qualms. That wasn''t going to be his problem. "I''m in the same family as those two. Adoption pending. My father has been missing for years; my mother died a decade ago. Henry Banner. ID# 34872." The first guard tapped the card on his desk in frustration. "I don''t have any rules on adopted and pending. We''re only allowing in members of families with a Manpower employee, and this family already has two kids here."


    Ghost leaned on his crutches. "Sorry. I didn''t get to choose when my parents disappeared or when someone decided I was too young to live alone. Adults like you are the ones in charge." The guard, Joe, had to agree with that. It wasn''t the kid''s fault. Luckily, someone was on the way to deal with this gang. He opted to keep them all together and waved Ghost through the scanner.


    The alarm went off, of course, just as a man in a suit and tie was walking up. "He''s got something on him. Search him." Joe looked at Ghost. "Probably his crutches. Can you walk without them?"


    Ghost shrugged and tossed the aluminum crutches on the ground. "Can try." He hopped and shuffled through the scanner, which went off again. He sighed and leaned back against Joe''s table. Then he bent down, rolled up his loose pants leg, and unstrapped his prosthetic leg. He shrugged at Joe and tossed it onto his crutches. He tried to hop through the scanners but couldn''t balance and fell into them, knocking them over and setting them off.


    Joe looked over at his superior. "Sorry, Mr. Chambers. I''ll help the kid through." With a guard on each side of the scanner, Ghost was pulled through. The alarm went off again.


    He looked panicked. "It might be my back brace. But I can''t take it off. My back will go all bendy, and I''ll get hurt again." He looked like he was ready to cry.


    Mr. Chambers was annoyed. He had only a few minutes to get to the stage for the main event. He didn''t appreciate being called down to the entrance to deal with some gang. He looked them over and noticed the gloves. They had a logo on them that wasn''t from Ubergear. "What are those? You can''t be bringing in stuff that isn''t from Ubergear." This wasn''t true, but it would be a convenient way to eliminate this problem."


    Butch held up his hands and showed the back of his gloves. "Claw Master. Not Ubergear and nothing in the invite said we couldn''t wear our own gear. You think we can afford M-1000s?"


    Joe was tapping on Ghost''s back. "He does have a metal brace, sir. I don''t think it''s a good idea for him to take it off. Liability and all that." He helped the boy to a chair and handed him his fake leg to strap back on. It was the cheapest of prosthetic legs, with a steel frame and flesh-colored plastic.


    Chambers was having none of it. He''d negotiated the deal with Ubergear, and his kickback from them would be substantially less if they saw a competitor''s gear in the room. "We''re done here. You bunch can leave and not come back. We have specific rules on gangs and wearing non-approved items with logos. I''ll give you one chance, though. Toss the black jackets and contraband gloves in the trash, and you can wear the red Ubergear shirts we''re giving away."


    Butch smiled at him. "Piss off. Ubergear sucks. We aren''t changing our colors because some prick wants to pick on us for having style."


    Chambers turned red, then purple. Then he started screaming. "Get the hell out of here. And take your fake gloves and fake legs with you. We don''t want you here."


    Butch and the gang stood their ground defiantly. Butch looked at Ghost. Ghost silently gave the sign for "wait for it." Butch nodded, but wondered...wait for what?


    The crowd parted, and a girl in a wheelchair silently glided forward. The electric chair was all white, which matched the white and red hooded outfit she was wearing.


    "I have a question for you, Mr. Chambers. Are you throwing out all the people who dressed up for my party? Or just the people who have trouble walking? How about invited guests of our corporate sponsors? Take your time; I''m sure we all want to hear your answers."


    Butch and the gang wondered how the hell ghost had set this up. They also appreciated the Assassin''s Creed 19 costume the girl was wearing. Milo was also wondering who this was. He''d simply been waiting for his video to start.


    On the large screens, all over the venue, a white background appeared with the word ''Claw Master.'' With a tearing sound, claws slashed through the screen, completing the logo. The logo faded to reveal a threatening game character in a hooded tunic crouching in the shadows. Both hands extended, wearing grey and black gloves. With a small sound, large claws popped from the gloves, and the character lunged at the screen, seeming to tear through before the image faded to the Claw Master logo. A sinister voice said, "Claw Master: Because the Best gamers deserve the Best Gear."


    People cheered and pulled out personal data pads to find more information on the product and company. Mr. Chambers walked away quickly. Joe helped Ghost with his leg and handed him his crutches. The girl in the chair rolled forward. "I am so sorry you had to deal with that asshole. Thank you so much for coming. It will never happen again. I''m putting you all on the VIP list from now on. No more scans. It''s awesome you all came in costume. I love that movie."


    Butch shrugged. "Can''t fix guys like that; just stay out of their way. All good now, right Ghost?" Belinda watched Chambers walk away, wondering if he''d try to get John to protect him. The man had been rude and thoughtless and nearly caused a PR nightmare. She needed to repair that. And it was a great excuse to avoid the main event.


    Ghost tested his leg to make sure it was on tight and walked over to the gang and the girl in the wheelchair. "All good. Little hungry, though." She smiled at them. "I''m Belinda. And I get that not-subtle hint. Let''s head down to the gaming area, and get some food. The very nice person who contacted us asked about our menu. We have everything he mentioned and quite a bit more."


    Milo agreed. He could smell the cheese sauce from here.

 Chapter 201: Getting the gang together.

    Mr. Wyatt Eady, President of Claw-Master Inc., was holding his first board meeting. The first order of business was to take a vote on expanding the staff. The vote was unanimous at 1-0 in favor of hiring. Mr. Eady was working hard at his job and needed assistants.


    The first person he hired was Steven Duran, one of his beta testers who was happily coming off his victory in the office video game Olympics. Steven had been a dark horse in the tournament, despite having won before. He hadn''t been practicing, and a gamer needed to be in top form at this prestigious event. He had stepped out of his office at the last moment, grabbed a controller, and proceeded to trash everyone else in the ten-game decathlon. With everyone else wearing M-1000 gloves and Steven wearing a pair from a manufacturer no one had ever heard from, it wasn''t long before an observation was made. It had come three seconds after he defeated Sydney in the finals of Pacman 2047, scoring just enough points to take the overall trophy.


    Sydney glared at him, then turned her eyes to the knock-off gloves he wore that no one had ever heard of. "I have a suspicion that ''Poor Steven,'' who didn''t even bring a pair of M-1000s to wear, is pulling a fast one on us."


    Steven looked at her with a grin. "Jealousy is ugly; you know that? I think you should take that little core of bitterness that you earned by coming in second and channel it into something useful."


    Sydney crossed her arms and said sternly, "Where did you get those gloves, Steven?"


    "Nope, can''t talk. NDA, and you know how serious some companies take those." He got up, stretched, shook a few hands, collected his trophy and the traditional five pounds of jelly beans, and started for his office. Sydney was right behind him.


    "You can''t keep this a secret, Steven; what''s up with the gloves?" Sydney had problems with curiosity.


    He looked at her seriously. "I could tell you, but you''d also have to sign an NDA. And I''m unsure if you''re ready for what comes along with that."


    "Fine, toss me a contract. If it''s about not talking, I don''t care, I want to know."


    A printer on Steven''s desk immediately spat out a contract. He handed it to Sydney. "Sign and hand it back if you want to know more, but I''m warning you, you have no idea what you are getting into. The secrets of Claw Master Inc. are not for the weak of heart." Sydney skimmed through it quickly. Standard NDA, product testing, and the possibility of further responsibilities for which she would be remunerated at her normal rate of pay. She signed it and tossed it back to Steven.


    He opened a drawer and handed her a set of gloves. "Welcome to Claw Master. Put those on, activate them, and after that, they won''t work for anyone else." Steven pulled out two controllers for Packman 2047, and they played three games on the large screen in his office. Steven managed one tie but lost the other two games. "I really am out of shape."


    Sydney held up one hand and flexed the glove. It felt like nothing was there. "You cheated! These are better than M-1000s. How the hell did you make these?"


    Wally appeared on the screen, looking completely different. Wyatt Eady was tall, dark-skinned, and on the thin side. He was bald with a full beard of curly black hair and immaculately dressed in an expensive suit and silk tie. His even white teeth smiled at Sydney. She only knew it was the A.I. because of the background behind him.


    "He didn''t make them. I hired him and made him sign an NDA similar to yours. He works for Claw Master now. And similarly, you now have a second job, working for them as well. We have one product to sell, the gloves you are testing, and one client to make happy." Schematics for the gloves went up on the screens, showing how they were made. "As you can see, these are a totally different design from other game enhancement gear."


    Her eyes narrowed, thinking. "You invented these?"


    Wally shook his head. "No. The knowledge was there if I had chosen to look for it and if I had needed to invent a better gaming glove. But I didn''t. The person who invented these tends to think differently and approach problem-solving differently. You, I, and Steven are handling any needed marketing, distribution, and product sales for our client, who does not wish to be known to the public."


    Sydney blinked. A reclusive genius that Wally and Steven would work for? It made no sense at all. "This is an exclusive club. Why am I being brought into it?"


    Steven coughed to suppress a grin. Wally smiled warmly at Sydney. "Why? Because the two of you have worked together before. He thinks highly of your work."


    Sydney was thinking hard now; puzzles also bothered her, and her eyes widened. "Reclusive genius?"


    "Yep."


    "Worked with me before? Knows Wally?"


    "Yep."


    "And you''re dragging me into it so you have a lackey to keep tabs on him!"


    Wally grinned. "By Jove, Steven, I think she''s got it!"


    Sydney leaned back in her chair. "I willingly signed a contract to work a second job for Milo?!"


    Wally put another screen on a monitor. It showed traffic to the Claw Master website. "And I think you need to get to work. He just did something that drew a lot of people''s attention. We have to plan press releases and the next stage in the marketing plan."


    <hr>


    As Belinda led the rest of the group down, Milo tugged on Butch''s sleeve and pointed to the distant restrooms before hobbling off on his crutches. Using the facilities wasn''t Milo''s objective. The bathrooms were down a hallway that also had a door to a storeroom. Milo''s palm opened the door, and he slid inside. A few seconds later, he was into the ductwork and making his way to a temporary command center.


    He wasn''t taking any chances with this many people around, especially security guards. He had a small array of screens that could patch into the security system. He checked to make sure his entrance to the event hadn''t stirred up any unwanted attention. It hadn''t, but the video he''d run on the screens had. He watched several people wearing Ubergear logos talk loudly with the event organizers. He listened in, but it was about contracts, money, and other things he didn''t care about. Down in the gaming area, he saw two large security guards dressed differently from the others. They wore casual clothing, but nothing could disguise their size and way of moving. He watched them for two minutes and concluded they were guarding Belinda, the girl in the wheelchair. Facial recognition gave him a name, Belinda Sabbatino, and linked her to the head of Manpower, her stepfather, John Sabbatino. Her bio mentioned her being an avid gamer and fan of older video games, especially those from the 1970s to 2000. He approved.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He checked the five escape routes he had set up, and all of them were still viable if he had to leave quickly. That done, he got dressed. He ditched the clumsy back brace he''d used to hide his sockets and put on his bionic leg that replaced the simple prosthetic. Next, all his new gear except the hood and his new and improved tail. Everything fit under his outer clothes. His special gloves replaced the generic Claw Master set he had worn to the event. He hadn''t even bothered to activate them. His special set looked identical. Lastly, he plugged in his tail to his lower socket. There was an endless fraction of a second where his body made the connection and accepted the technology.


    He felt much better with his good leg and tail attached. His suit gave him an added sense of security. The extra gloves went into his pack underneath some snacks, two copies of the NDA, his hood, and a few special tools. He put on his long duster, grabbed his titanium alloy crutches, and went to a service tunnel with a hatch he could drop down from. The cameras in this area were programmed to show only an empty hallway, and none on the outside were pointed at the exit. Within ten minutes of heading to the restroom, he was back in line to get food. Butch was already there getting seconds.


    "You worried me. I hoped you were catching your breath and not ghosting out on us." He winked, grabbed a stack of pancakes, and poured authentically flavored maple syrup over them. Hundreds of youth from the hab were at the end of the event, grabbing food and playing games. The gang had staked out an area near a group of six versions of Asteroids. The sounds of exploding rocks and whizzing saucers were a nice background. He was happy to see that Belinda was still with the group. She''d helped get him in and was concerned, whereas most of the other adults, with the possible exception of Joe, hadn''t cared.


    There was talk of more events like this and swap meets. He had needed to establish that scanners would always show his ''brace,'' which would be his tail from now on. Making a big fuss this time would save him later. Belinda putting them all on the VIP list was extra helpful. Sitting with the group, he started to relax. Digging into the full plate of food Butch had carried over for him was wonderful. He was comparing the taste of real cheese sauce pancakes to the ones in the Hollow. The taste was a little different but equally good. Everything else faded out as he stuffed himself.


    <hr>


    Belinda looked over at the small boy with the missing leg. He dug into the savory pancakes with cheese sauce like he hadn''t eaten in days. Maybe he hadn''t? "Your name is Ghost? I heard Butch call you that, I''m Belinda."


    Ghost looked up from his pancakes and nodded shyly before going back to eat. Belinda was trying to get to know each person she''d just met. They were talking non-stop about playing games, arguing about strategies for the older arcade games she''d brought in for the event. It was fun to sit and listen. She didn''t want to pry, but she was dying to know how they had been picked to test out the Claw Master gloves. She hadn''t heard anything about the corporation until they had offered to help her by sponsoring the event. She was still upset with her father for taking part of her budget. If it wasn''t for the sponsorship, her event might have flopped. John had sent her sixteen messages in the last hour. She was ignoring him.


    The crackle of the speakers gave a warning of an announcement. John appeared on the screen, smiling down benevolently. "Hi folks, and welcome to the event of the season! We have a special announcement for those down in the gaming area. Wouldn''t having one of those games for your own would be great? Well, now you can. Manpower and Ubergear are teaming up to give you a chance to win some of those games. You can register singly or as a team of up to six gamers and compete to win them. If you have a high score at the end of the event, we''ll ship the game to your house! So get ready. You have a half hour to register, and then we reset the high scores, and you can get gaming!"


    There were cheers from all over. Butch and the gang were cheering loudly. Belinda began to shake angrily, her right hand making a fist, her left just holding tight to the edge of her chair. She kept telling herself she wasn''t going to cry.


    Yumi had a hand placed lightly on her shoulder. "Are you ok? Can we do anything?"


    Belinda looked at her. The strange boy named Ghost was on her other side, looking confused.


    "I''ll be ok. That''s my stepdad. He surprised me with that announcement. When we planned this, it was partly an apology for moving us here where I didn''t know anyone. I told him I was keeping the games I liked to put in my rooms. Now he''s giving them away. He always does this. Always. He''ll never change."


    Ghost looked at the gang. "Butch, go register us as a team of six. Belinda, what games are your favorites? Yumi, I need you, Kenji and Minerva to grab spots in line for the games on Belinda''s list. We''re going to go too in a moment." Ghost had a scary look in his eye. Butch sketched a salute and ran to register them. The rest of the gang ran to get in line for games."


    Belinda wasn''t sure what was up. "You¡¯re planning something, aren''t you?"


    Ghost shrugged. "Easy solution. We win back your games. We''re going to put a Team Claw Master high score on everything in here and take them all home. Problem solved."


    That sounded good to Belinda. It wouldn''t happen, but she was thrilled by them trying. "So, I''m part of Team Claw Master now."


    Ghost bent down and started digging in his pack. "Do you want to be? I have another set of gloves." She was amused when he even brought out an NDA for her to sign but loved having money John couldn''t touch. "Yeah, I''m in. Just help me try them on. M-1000s hurt my left arm."


    He cocked his head and thought. "Different mechanism. If you already have trouble moving your hand, I can see how they wouldn''t work for you. Forced muscle fatigue." He helped her put on the gloves. They felt comfortable and light. He did something to activate the glove, and she felt a tingle in her hand and forearm. She flexed and found it easy to move her hand!


    "Do the other one, please." He did, and the tingle was a lot stronger this time. Carefully, she tried moving her index finger and was surprised when it straightened. She started doing the exercises that normally left her exhausted and found she had the complete movement of her left arm again. "This is amazing."


    Ghost was watching her intently. He had questions. So did she. "We''ll talk later? Ok? I need time to process and get used to having two hands."


    He looked at the games, then to where several professional gaming teams were heading to the registration table. "And we need to win some free games. Let''s grab the classic Asteroids and Pacman first."

 Chapter 202: Warming Up

    "She''s not answering her phone, Eric. I need to find her. I scheduled her for a panel on new gaming technology. She''ll be perfect for it."


    Eric Kresthammer had the urge to grab his boss and friend, John, and slap him until he woke up and smelled the reality. He wanted to believe it was no sleep for 72 hours and too many doses of ''Wide-a-Wake, the Gamer''s Friend.'' But he had this urge when he was well rested. It was just John. Some people grew sharper under stress. John wasn''t one of them.


    "John, you don''t want Belinda on that panel. Please drop that idea."


    "Why not? She needs friends, and I''m trying to get her on team M-1000. She said she wanted friends."


    "Yes, John. Most young people want friends. Can I remind you of a few things? She can''t wear augmented gaming gear. She was in real pain from trying to use those gloves. She also knows you lied about having her medical team look at them first. All it took was a call to her doctors. So she can''t wear the product you want her to endorse, and she isn''t going to be accepted by a group of self-centered elite competition gamers who already think she''s an idiot."


    "What!? Why would they think that."


    Eric poured another cup of hot black stuff in a pot by his desk. He couldn''t get himself to call it coffee at this point. "John, you put Myra in a wig and a costume, told the people at Ubergear she was your daughter, and wheeled her up on stage. Myra took it from there and made Belinda look like an idiot. Not that anyone really thinks that''s your daughter. Meanwhile, Belinda was actually doing some good work by stopping Chambers from getting you stuck in a lawsuit for harassing a disabled orphan."


    John winced. "Yeah, that would be bad."


    "You have no idea, John. He''s also part of a VIP team that somehow got left off the VIP list. They were sent down by one of the Sponsors Belinda found. So not only would you have an ADA lawsuit, you could have had another for breach of contract. But I''ve been checking in with her bodyguards. Everything seems fine, and they invited her to compete with them in your ''Win it and take it home.'' contest."


    "Well, that''s awesome! That was the whole point of this. Hopefully, she wins a game. She mentioned wanting some."


    Eric stared at him. "Yes, John, she certainly did mention it. Excuse me? I need to make sure things are running well in the gaming area. Why don''t you go find Myra, get her up to her room, and give her a tranquilizer." He didn''t bother arguing with John further. Belinda had sent him the video of her stepfather promising her those games. She also used very grown-up terms like ''Breach of Contract,'' ''Fraud'', ''Paternal Divorce'', and ''Emancipation.'' He decided to check on Belinda personally and see if there was anything to salvage.


    He found her in front of two Pacman2047 machines linked for dual play. She and someone else were wearing VR helmets and using controllers. It took a moment for Eric to realize she was using both hands on the controller. Belinda normally used controls in the arms of her wheelchair because of the nerve damage in her forearms and hands. It was the first time Eric had ever seen her using a controller. She was also wearing gloves. So was the young man next to her. That made him happy. Her bodyguards had said they overheard the kids making her part of the team and giving her a promotional item they were wearing. No wonder she was ignoring John. She was having fun with new friends.


    The crowd around the machines cheered, and Eric paid attention to the game. It was being broadcast on one of the big screens. He hadn''t played Pacman2047 for ages; it had been a difficult game to wrap his head around with elements of Pacman, a first-person shooter, and an RPG about spunky underground fighting against machine overlords. Belinda was on Chapter 27. Eric had never been past chapter 9. He watched as the two blew up machine after machine, organized the resistance, led raids on the central computer, tamed the sewer crocodiles, and finally took on the Big Boss in Chapter 30. Whoever was playing with her suicidally charged BossMachine, dodging lasers and tossing smoke grenades.


    Everyone expected him to dodge and take cover at the last second, but he dove into BossMachine''s huge mouth. The machine spun around, happy, said "yummy," and evolved 1 stage higher. The crowd was disappointed for a moment until huge explosions rocked the mechanical monsters, shutting them down with a blinking ''STUNNED'' message on top of it. Belinda ran up and slid under the machine, firing one shot into a gap in the armor. There was a second explosion, and then the end credits scrolled, showing what was left of humanity reclaiming the world. Erik saw two names with absurdly high scores on the High Score list: Belinda Sabbatino and Ghost, both from Team Claw Master. No one else had a score close to them; the nearest had reached Chapter 13.


    Members of the other teams were talking. They should have been playing, but nobody, NOBODY, got to level 30. They weren''t going to try and headed for other games they could win. Pacman2047 welcomed teams of regular gamers who happily died in the first few chapters, over and over. Eric exhaled slowly. She was getting one of her games, for sure.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    He followed as she and her new friend went over to another game. Within fifteen minutes, they were playing the classic Asteroids game. They had a high score before either of them lost a ship. Erik brought up the scoring program on his data pad. Currently, the M-1000 team held high scores on six games. Team Gearhead had three. No one else had more than 2, except for Team Claw Master. Belinda''s team was holding the high scores on seventeen games. Some were only ahead by small margins, but others dominated to the point where the other teams weren''t even trying.


    He made sure to observe all of the teams. He owed that to Belinda. Every team was in custom gear of one sort or another. They represent the top people who competed on the retro-game circuit. The team from Ubergear had been the favorite to take the overall spot. That wasn''t happening today, and people weren''t happy. He recorded Team Claw Master with his badge cam as they played each game and instructed Belinda''s guards to do the same. It would come in handy if anyone made a fuss.


    <hr>


    If there was anything better than eating fried cheese and funnel cakes, Milo decided, it was eating the same food after four hours of non-stop gaming. All the teams were tired and getting food, but Team Claw Master looked like they had run a marathon. Kenji was asleep with his head on the table. Yumi was contemplating her third bowl of ice cream and moving slowly. Butch was relaxed and smiling with his feet on the table. His little sister was asleep in his lap. Ghost and Belinda were still talking strategy and rehashing how they might have done better on Invading Space Hamsters.


    They''d have time; the game was going home with Belinda, along with fourteen others. A last-minute push by Gearhead had grabbed two from them, tying Gearhead and Ubergear at four games each. After the third hour, the M-1000 team had slowed down from their gloves, becoming uncomfortably warm as circuits overheated and burned out.


    Dozens of gamers had asked for the Team''s autographs. Several individuals from the other teams had also asked for signatures on their programs and then passed Butch or Belinda their business cards in case Team Claw Master had openings. Team M-1000 had been blunter. They offered contracts and positions on their team to Belinda and Ghost. Belinda took the contract, promising nothing, and said she''d consider. Mostly she was curious about the offered salary and benefits. She had ideas of her own.


    Ghost thanked the man handing him a contract and a pen. He put the pen in his bag and used the contract as a placemat as he ate some gooey concoction of fried potatoes, cheese sauce, and chili. The gesture went unnoticed by anyone except the person handing him the contract. Milo was actually thankful. He recognized the problem as too much chili and not enough fried potato. When the insulted gamer went to put his hand on Ghost''s shoulder, Butch glared at him and spoke low. "You really, really don''t want to do that." The hand was withdrawn.


    John appeared on the overhead screens, all smiles. "Wasn''t that awesome? And we''ve got more to come. Up next, we have six teams competing in our one-of-a-kind Tournament featuring the return of that Legendary game: Starship Commander. We had over nine teams show up to compete in the retro-game challenge. The top six teams will now get a chance to show the galaxy who has the best crew. So let''s hear it for our brave space explorers: Team M-1000 from Ubergear, Team Gearhead, Team Nameless Order, Team Good Old Guys, Team PowerDrink, and Team MunchyPotato. Even in the depths of space, you''ll find those tasty gamer snacks from MunchyPotato!"


    Minerva scowled. "Why aren''t we up there? We beat all of those people!" Butch was disappointed as well. He and Kenji had read up on the game. It looked dead sharp to play.


    Belinda looked torn. "I''d love to. But it''s a hard game to play. I did solo simulations as the Captain, a Gunner, and a LAC pilot. I could handle them, but the Navigator role is impossibly tough unless you have a lot of practice."


    "I could do it." Everyone looked over at Ghost, who was staring into space. Belinda realized his wrap-around shades must be smart-glasses. He was reading something and flipping through screens.


    Kenji looked at Butch. Minerva put her hands in the air. "Yes, let''s do it! I want to fire the guns."


    Belinda asked Ghost. "How can you do it? Have you played before?"


    Ghost nodded. "Yeah, just now. I checked out the Navigator controls. It''s just astrogation and accelerated gravity. If you can handle Captain, I''ll take Navigator. Kenji and Yumi are on the big guns. They have the best scores for it. Butch and Minerva can handle the Light Attack Craft when we launch them." Butch and Minerva had been playing dogfight games like X-wing and Red Baron of Solaris X for years.


    Butch gave them a thumbs up. "Let''s do it. Can you get us in, Captain?"


    Belinda signaled to one of her guards. "Can you call Eric and tell him we need to talk? There''s been a mistake in the roster for SC6."

 Chapter 203: Pre-Launch Maneuvering

    One of the great debates between players of SC6 was how to customize your spacecraft. There were options for the two Light Attack Crafts, the two Weapons Batteries, the Navigation System, and the Command Bridge. Every ship started with basic engines, shields, sensors, and weapons. Each of the six players was given points that they could use to upgrade their part of the ship. Unused points went to the Command Bridge. Complicating the discussion was the different types of missions with their different variables: number of opponents, victory conditions, gravity strength, radiation from solar bodies, small black holes, asteroid fields, and pirate fleets. No ship could do everything for every mission, and choices had to be made.


    Light Attack Craft (LAC) Basic Engines, Basic low range sensors, Basic Communications, 2x Standard Dogfighting Lasers (SRWP)


    6 Upgrade Points:


    Upgrade Engines to Level 2


    Upgrade Engines to Level 3


    Upgrade Shields to Level 2


    Upgrade Shields to Leve 3


    Upgrade 1 Laser system from Short-Range Weak-Power (SRWP) Range from Short to Medium


    Upgrade 1 Laser Power from (SRWP) to Medium-Range Low-Power (MRLP)


    Upgrade 1 Laser Power from (MRLP) to Medium-Range High-Power (MRHP)


    Replace 1 laser system with a Missile Pod (4 shots, Heavy Long-Range Missiles.)


    Add Missile Control System for increased accuracy


    Upgrade sensors and Commlink to Level 2


    Delete LAC launcher and replace it with 3rd weapons system and advanced gunnery system.


    Weapons Batteries Standard Missile Strength, Limited Shots (100), Standard targeting computer, Defensive Lasers, Standard Communications


    6 Upgrade Points


    Increased Missile Storage (+100)


    Increase Missile Loadout from Heavy to Ship Killer


    Install Missile Targeting Computer to assist Gunner


    Upgrade Sensors


    Upgrade Communications


    Upgrade Defensive Lasers (DL) to Medium Range Heavy Lasers (MRHL)


    Upgrade MRHL to Long Range Grazer system (LRG)


    Convert entire Weapons Battery to 1 additional LAC with 2xMissile Pods, Missile Targeting System, and 6 upgrade points.


    Navigation Level 2 Sensors, Programmable Flight Computer, Level 2 Communications


    12 Upgrade Points


    Upgrade Sensors and Communications from Level 2 to Level 3


    Upgrade Sensors and Communications from Level 3 to Level 4 (Launches two sensor platforms into the system at the start of the game.)


    Upgrade Sensors and Communications from Level 4 to Leve 5 (Launches six sensor platforms into the system prior to the game.)


    Upgrade Sensors and Communications from Level 5 to Leve 6 (Makes use of all allied sensor networks in the system.)


    Upgrade Flight Computer to semi-automatic


    Upgrade Flight Computer to fully automatic


    Upgrade Flight Computer to A. I status.


    Allow Flight Computer to act as Port Gunner


    Allow Flight Computer to act as Starboard Gunner


    Increase Artificial Internal Gravity System from Basic to Advanced Allow for more maneuverability.


    Increase Artificial Internal Gravity System from Advanced to Experimental


    Commander Basic Engines Basic Shields Standard Fission Power Basic Communications


    Upgrade Engines to Level 2


    Upgrade Engines from Level 2 to Level 3


    Upgrade Engines from Level 3 to Level 4


    Add Warp Drive System to Level 4 Engines


    Upgrade Fission Power Plant to Advanced Fission System (AFS), Increasing Power from 4 points to 6 points. (2 upgrade points)


    Upgrade AFS to Standard Fusion Power Plant (SFPP), Increasing Power from 6 points to 8 points. (2 upgrade points)


    Upgrade SFPP to an Experimental and Highly Untested Quad-Fusion System. (BOOM!) Increasing power from 8 to 12 (Free!)


    Add +1 Level of Extra Shielding for 1 upgrade point. Multiple Levels


    Add Lithium-Cobalt-Ion system for +2 energy storage. (Single use.)


    Rechargeable energy storage system. 1 point of energy for 1 upgrade point.


    Power Costs:


    Level 2 Engines (1 power point when in use)


    Level 3 Engines (2 Power points when in use)


    Warp Jump (4 power Points drained from the pool for 1-3 minutes while the power plant recovers)


    Weapon Systems (1 point per system)


    Extra Shields (Port, Starboard, Bow, Stern) (2 points)


    Reinforcing Shields (Limited Defense) (1 energy per area)


    The two LAC pilots, two gunners, and the Navigator had control of their sections, and could allocate unused upgrade points to the Commander. In a well-oiled team these choices would be made ahead of time. In pick-up games, it could lead to arguments between the crew. This led to the formation of more and more permanent teams. And as the game grew, teams worked together in squadrons, each ship taking on specialized roles. Small empires of star systems were created, and the galaxy went to war. Unfortunately, a war was also developing between the people who had made the game.


    The game''s downfall was the need for large and expensive machines to play it on. An argument between the creative director, the marketing director, and the CFO led to the company''s break-up because of disagreements over selling the game to a larger corporation. SC6 faded into obscurity, with four different people owning 25% of the stock in the company. With no agreement on how to further finance development, the game slid into obscurity as the first full VR systems went live and players poured into Endless Questing Online.


    Nostalgia was a powerful tool. The chance to field teams for SC6 convinced several older gaming groups to pay the large fee to attend the event. Team Nameless Order and Team Good Old Guys were older players here to have fun. The other four teams were corporate sponsored with products to sell. And Team Claw Master had appeared out of nowhere, upsetting John''s plans.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    <hr>


    "Belinda, please, be reasonable. I have six teams that paid a lot of money to be in the SC6 tournament. It''s quite unfair of you to demand I go back on my word to them."


    His stepdaughter stared at him and silently counted to ten. Then to twenty. John became uncomfortable at this point. Belinda didn''t like to yell and had made a habit of thinking hard about a situation and getting herself under control before speaking to him. If she was counting this long, things would be bad.


    "You lied." She stared at him, drumming the fingers of her left hand on the arm of her chair.


    "No, honey, I''m trying not to lie. I have to keep my word to the nice people that paid me money¡ªpaid us money. And it wasn''t a lie, not really. Everyone knew Team M-1000 was going to win that first contest. I made up that part about getting a slot in the SC6 competition. No other team was ready, and no one was going to beat the team from Ubergear. It was a little something to hype the excitement."


    Off to the side of the room, along with John''s staff, Eric Kresthammer was wincing. John was poor at ''reading the room.'' He was normally either dealing with a group of underlings who approved of what he said or someone with more power than him that he automatically agreed with. He had no friends, just employees, and people he owed money to, except for Belinda, who lately was reminding John more and more that she didn''t fit into either group. And as she approached the age of 18, his authority as her parent was also waning.


    "That''s called lying, Daddy. Don''t say things in public and then go back on your word."


    "Well, it wouldn''t have been a lie if you hadn''t organized a team to win all those machines and embarrass me!" John''s statement made Eric wince again. He went to the bar and added a shot of whiskey to his coffee.


    "If you hadn''t lied and stolen my machines, I wouldn''t have had to win them!"


    Downing his coffee, Eric looked at the other employees in the room. "Go find something useful to do. Now." The room emptied as John and Belinda continued to argue.


    As the last person left, Eric stepped between the two but addressed John. "She''s right, John. You screwed up. First, when you promised her the machines, it was even in the paperwork. ''Non-negotiable.'' You should have bought more machines if you wanted a contest."


    "Then Belinda''s team comes out of nowhere and wins most of them. It''s playing great on the datanet. Spunky Girl recruits a bunch of rebel gamers from the Hab to form a team and take first place. Add in a mysterious corporation called Claw Master with an unknown gaming product, and suddenly we are getting ten times the views we''d hoped for. We''re trending, John. Trending! And now you want to screw up that story, taint the whole event with cronyism, and betray your daughter? What the hell are you thinking."


    John smiled. "We''re trending? Awesome. I knew we''d be successful. Isn''t that great, Belinda?" Sweat ran down his neck as he looked at her impassive face.


    Belinda turned to Eric. "My team of ''spunky rebels'' is going to play SC6. We aren''t going to win, but we get to play. Non-negotiable, Uncle Eric, Non-negotiable. Please explain that word to my step-father, he doesn''t seem to know what it means. Buy off one of the smaller corps with extra advertising or money. I''d suggest MunchyPotato; they came in last. Make it happen, Uncle Eric; I have a crew to train with." She turned her chair and left the room, leaving the two men standing silent.


    John started to say something, and Eric stopped him. "She''s right. And for reasons you haven''t even thought about. Do you remember when we renegotiated the labor contracts, John? Remember how we wondered why some high-powered law firm cared about people in the Hab? Now we find out a new corporation with a radical new product uses people in the Hab to test their products. The same mysterious corporation that contacted Belinda''s staff out of the blue to sponsor them. Are you making the connections? These people are big, John. Big enough to risk going head-to-head with Ubergear. We came to the Hab on your recommendation that it was a great place to base Manpower because no one else cared about it. Cheap real estate, cheap labor. But it turns out someone else was already here, John. And so far, they have been damned polite to us. They gave some warning when they rewrote those contracts and even made us look good with Wally. The PR on that was great. Then they help sponsor the event. Again, polite and helpful."


    "This latest thing to happen is a lucky break for us, John. Belinda is making it happen. But if you screw her, you screw Claw Master, and I don''t know what happens after that¡ªa lawsuit for sure. You can kiss any further money from them goodbye. And I hate to think about further complications of doing business here. Are you getting this, John?"


    There was a moment of silence as John''s face went through several emotions. "Damn, Eric. You are on the ball today. Thanks for the insight." He smiled and clapped Eric on the shoulder. "I''m just stressed with all the work I''ve put in. How about I settle with the MunchyPotato people and explain things to them? You make sure the SC6 event goes off without a hitch. We''ll catch up for a late dinner and drinks when everyone''s gone. We need to start thinking about our next event. If this one is trending, then the skies are the limit." He left the room with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. "Time to get to work, people!"


    Eric got himself another cup of coffee and whisky.


    Watching from a monitor patched into the security cameras in the room, Victor smiled and waved at the screen. "Do you see that? My little girl stomped them and put them in their place. Did you hear how she said it? ''Non-negotiable.'' It sent a chill down my spine." His two oldest bodyguards nodded. They had enjoyed the scene.


    "We will keep Mr. Eric; he knows who is in charge and who isn''t. We will make sure he is at Belinda''s 18th birthday party. He will make a good chief of staff for her once John is gone."

 Chapter 204: Last minute changes

    Victor wasn''t the only person using the security system to watch what was happening. Milo wanted to know more about his neighbors in section H and, as always, was a little paranoid when he was out in the open. If security staff started moving in their direction, he was prepared to get the gang out of here, even if it meant taking them through the tunnels and back alleys.


    He watched the drama play out between John and Belinda. John was her father? His search engine found John''s bio from the Manpower datasite. Milo saw that he had one child, his stepdaughter Belinda. He found that interesting. Further searching showed him that Belinda''s parents had been Vigo Johansson and Ekaterina Seimovich. Ekaterina was heir to the Seimotech corporation, started by Belinda''s grandfather, Andrei. Vigo was an investment specialist and programmer who had built his own company, BioSolutions, from the ground up. His search engines pulled up more and more articles about the two of them, their companies, and their research. He''d look at it all later. The important thing was Belinda making sure they got to play SC6.


    He was curious about the other teams and used Manpower''s security system and the cameras he had planted to take a look at them. Two teams were older players, joking, drinking beer or soda, and telling stories. Team Nameless Order and Team Good Old Guys had paid a lot to be here, but they came for the nostalgia and the fun of hanging out together. Both teams were in the same room, relaxed and looking forward to blasting off into space for one last adventure.


    The corporate teams were another story.


    Team MunchyPotato was six photogenic young players dressed in corporate uniforms that looked like they''d stepped out of a live-action anime. Milo wondered if they wore their helmets when they gamed. They sat around, eating junk food and playing games on their phones. They seemed relieved when they were told they wouldn''t compete in SC6. From their conversation, Milo was sure none of them had played the game before. Not playing wasn''t a concern as long as they got their appearance fee for the event.


    Team Powerdrink was going over scenarios and arguing possible builds. All of them had played SC6 before, but not with each other, and the arguments were growing heated. Their agreement to team up with MunchyPotato had disappeared. Going into the game without any alliance was suicide.


    "We need to sign on with Ubergear or Gearhead. It''s last minute, but if we don''t, we stand a chance of coming in last. You can''t fight two teams at once. Someone will work together, and we look weak without a partner."


    "What about Claw Master?"


    "Seriously? They''re a publicity stunt for the event. Look at the narrative: Poor little girl in a wheelchair finds five habrats who are somehow fabulous gamers, forms a team of misfits, and heads to the big leagues. It was rigged. MunchyPotato was in on the deal and is laughing their asses off right now and cashing a big check. And we''re left out in the cold."


    "Not to mention that Ubergear is on the warpath. No one was supposed to bring a product to display here except for them. Even Gearhead backed off. Notice that their guys are wearing M-1000s like the rest of us? Then Claw Master shows up with their brand of gloves. Ubergear is going to murder them and anyone that allies with them."


    "Nate''s on to something. I think Claw Master isn''t real. Nothing about them at all until today. They show up and challenge Ubergear with everyone watching. Bet me that they destroy Claw Master, and then it''s revealed that the habrats cheated and then got slapped down by the champion. That''s a great story. Ubergear shows how good the M-1000 gloves are."


    "They need to work on the heat problem. I''ve got spots on my hands that are killing me."


    "We don''t talk about that, Ethan. I''m sure you got the memo."


    "Yeah, yeah. Tell that to my blistered pinky."


    The room''s door opened, and the team captain, Marlo, ran in. "Listen up; we don''t have much time. I have a deal that doesn''t leave us hanging. The execs got together and worked it out. We''ve got a guarantee of third place if we don''t screw this up."


    "Third? That''s like last. The three scrubs aren''t going to survive."


    "Better than being knocked out and finishing behind one of the scrub teams. Just shut up for a minute. Ubergear is offering us a deal. They already have an alliance with Gearhead. We join up, giving us a huge advantage. We knock out Good Old Guys and Nameless Order, then crush Claw Master."


    "This is a whacked set-up, Marlo. They want us to dump both weapon systems and take four LAC?"


    "That''s our job. We''re a carrier now. Our job is to make Ubergear look good. We send our four LAC with their main ship and take out Nameless Order. Our ship teams with Gearhead and takes out Good Old Guys. Then we all go after Claw Master. This is a good deal, so suck it up and look at the builds they want us to use."


    Milo was intrigued. He''d been thinking in terms of a free-for-all fight. He realized that thinking in terms of alliances was a blind spot. He needed to remember that in the future. After looking at the builds that Team Powerdrink would use, he checked in on Team Ubergear and Team Gearhead. The Gearheads were quietly making some adjustments. They were veteran gamers who played as a team and took a fat paycheck from the corporation employing them. Team-ups, alliances, broken treaties, and backstabbing were all second nature to them.


    They knew that there would be no shared victory at the end of the game, not with Team Ubergear taking three upgraded weapon systems. First, the missiles would tear the guts out of the lightly protected carrier that Team Powerdrink was running. They would pause a second too long in shock, yell many profanities and accusations, fire off their last missiles, and then die. Ubergear would take the uncontested first place.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    In the Ubergear room, Team M-1000 was going over the new plans. Some of the team members were secretly disappointed it was going to be so easy. They wanted to win, but this new plan made it simple. They kept those sentiments to themselves. The big bosses were arguing with the head of Manpower, and no one wanted them to turn their anger this way.


    "It''s a new plan, but it doesn''t change anything major. It makes winning easier, and we have to work a little harder to make things look good. We spread early rumors that Good Old Boys would be allied with Nameless Order. The new narrative is that both of them are working for Claw Master. A dozen people will have ''heard the rumor'' and be talking about it on their shows. It makes it look like a fair fight with Powerdrink on our side. Everyone has the same ships and the same options."


    "You make it sound fair." There was some laughter.


    "Hey, if they didn''t want their strategy sessions recorded, they shouldn''t make plans while drinking in bars and arcades. We just helped a struggling Barbeque joint and an Arcade make their rent for the month." They went back to going over their plans while the voices at the other end of the room got louder and louder.


    "What kind of game are you playing here, Sabbatino? First, you let in some fly-by-night group into the event, and suddenly people are talking about Claw Master and not Ubergear. Then we find out it''s your daughter in charge of the other group. Tell me why I shouldn''t have my lawyers tossing lawsuits at you?"


    John smiled, as he always did. "Manny, this is a good thing! You didn''t pay for an exclusive license for the whole event. Based on your support, we were just kind to ensure no one else with game-enhancing gear would be on the big stage. Claw Master isn''t even a real product. No tests have been run, no advertising. Just a few kids who are running around with logos on some gloves. Their datasite only went up today, and they aren''t taking orders. But I''ve set it up so you can crush them and knock them down before they get started."


    "You''re saying this is a set-up, John?"


    "Look at it, Manny. Five habrats come in to play some games. No advance notice about the team. Their sponsor paid for Cheese Fries and Corn Dogs. Does that sound like corporate sponsorship to you? Is that how you''d promote a new product? Belinda was down at the gate when they pulled a publicity stunt. A blatant attempt to get sympathy for their team by faking some disabled kid with a bad leg falling down. He was good, I tell you that. My guys fell for his act, but Belinda saw through it. She rolled up and played the game better than they did. Stopped their little show, showed how compassionate we are, and got them off camera. She escorted them down to the food and the gaming area. No habrat turns down a free meal of real food. Then she turned them loose, competing for the old video games."


    "She even used them to win some for herself, the little minx. She''s good. Amazing really. Have you seen the footage of the raid she led in Genesis? If not, we''ll be airing it again in two hours. Those high scores were all hers, from what I saw. But this is the best part: She got them to make her team captain. We slid out MunchyPotato, moved her ''team'' in, and now you get the chance to crush Claw Master."


    "You could have told us, John. I don''t like last-minute changes."


    "Sorry, Manny, it was too good of an opportunity. As soon as Belinda set it up, I knew you''d love it.


    Milo had heard enough. His systems were recording everything, but he had work to do.


    <hr>


    "Damn, sorry guys, got a call coming in. Marked urgent. Might be the wife." Joe wandered off, wondering what was up. His eyes narrowed as he read the message.


    "Greetings. Sorry for contacting you this way, but the situation I uncovered is very unfair. It might cost me my job if they found out, but I hate to see someone cheat in SC6. That''s not what the game is about. I sent you some video and audio files to look at."


    He listened to the first few seconds, then cursed. "Time to get serious; look at what I''m putting on the screen."


    The two teams watched as Team M-1000 bragged about knowing their plans. Joe played just a little of the 19 hours of audio files where they discussed their strategy for upcoming games while, in the background, people could be heard laughing and playing games.


    "Holy shit? Did they bug both teams? That''s just wrong."


    "Screw this shit; we should take this to the judges right now; the event is rigged."


    Marcus, the head of Nameless Order, spoke up. "Hold up a second. It''s crap, yeah. But look at what we have now. We know their plans. They''d have knocked us out of the game with ships built to counter what they knew we were running. But this changes things 180 degrees. We can pull one hell of a surprise on them."


    "How, redesign both team''s builds in the next ten minutes."


    The screen changed, showing different builds for both teams. "I think our secret benefactor is playing things close to the chest. They had to have known something was up ahead of time and just waited to record what the other teams were saying to prove it to us. They thought about how to throw a spanner into the gears and sent along some suggestions."


    "Oh shit. I see it. That''s nasty. Are we going with this?"


    Marcus looked at Joe. They nodded to each other. "Yeah, let''s go with it. I wish I could see their faces when those LACs start exploding."

 Chapter 205: The Stars at War

    When one of the creators of SC6 was asked to describe the game in an interview, he answered, "Think of a game of rock-paper-scissors. Now think about playing three games simultaneously and needing to win them all."


    Missiles were long-range and did the most damage, but they could be targeted with defensive missiles or lasers.


    Lasers couldn''t be intercepted, but their short range and lower power meant they were best used to defend against missiles and kill LAC.


    LAC were versatile. They could attack the enemy LAC, be outfitted with missiles to attack ships, or lasers to add defense against missiles targeting the main ship.


    Shields were the best defense, but they competed for the power needed for weapons.


    The extreme builds such as LAC Carriers, Quad-weapon gunships, or ultra-defensive Turtles were rarely seen in a one-on-one duel between two ships. They had their purpose in larger battles, but each was very vulnerable to the tactics a Captain with a versatile ship could bring to a fight. Of course, countering them became much easier if you knew what your opponent was showing up with.


    Starship Ubergear was an example of what a team could do when they had more information than their opponents and were backed up by no less than six LAC loaned to you by two other ships. With no need for LAC, SS Ubergear had traded in its attack craft for two more weapons systems. Each of the gunners had spent three more points on a targeting system, extra missiles, and ship-killer missiles. The extra two points were sent to the Captain, giving him an additional 8 points.


    Navigation had 12 points to spend on upgrades or give to the Captain for extra shields and power. Level 2 in communications was standard and cost one point. It let ships communicate with each other and with their LAC. In a large battle, some ships would act as scouts, deploying communications platforms and sending back data to the rest of the fleet. That wasn''t needed here. No other ship stood a chance with a Quad Gun Ship and six LAC. The basic flight computer and enhanced internal gravity left nine points to give to the Captain, bringing his total to seventeen.


    One of the game''s oddities was the Captain starting with no points for upgrade. On a good team, everything was worked out to give the best ship. Arguments were common in pick-up games with crews that didn''t know each other, as gunners and pilots kept all six points for themselves, and the Navigator had to support the Captain with what they could. With seventeen points to spend, the Ubergear Captain could afford everything he needed:


    Standard Fusion Plant generating 8 points of power (4 pts)


    +4 Levels of Shielding (4 pts)


    Level 4 Engines (3 points)


    +4 Levels of Rechargeable Ionic Batteries (4 points)


    +4 Lithium-Cobalt-Ion system for +2 energy storage. (Single use.)


    Running with four weapon systems took a lot of power. The Standard Fusion Plant provided 8 points of power, and 4 of those would be needed for weapons. While moving, another 4 points would go to the engines. Many battles were fought with both ships coasting towards each other and diverting that power to shields. Stored power was a resource that had to be used with care. It took time to recharge the Ionic Batteries.


    They''d have plenty of time. The first fight would be so easy they might not even fire their missiles. The squadron of 6 LAC could swamp the defenses of a single ship. The small, fast fighters were hard to target with missiles, and their long-range missiles could mostly ignore the defensive fire of standard lasers. They were a swarm of hornets with heavy stings.


    <hr>


    The game had started as normal. Ubergear, Gearhead, and Powerdrink had declared an alliance before the match began, which allowed them to start with their ships clustered together. This came with a cost in Victory Points to offset the tactical advantage. No one was worried about that. By the end of the game, the other side wouldn''t exist.


    The other three teams were scattered around the edges of the sphere of space that marked the game area, far enough from each other to offer no support. SS Ubergear started moving toward SS Nameless Order, with six LAC moving behind it, unseen. SS Powerdrink, now a carrier without ships to launch, paired up with SS Gearhead and moved toward SS GoodOldGuys. Left alone, SS Claw Master moved slowly into the system, content to watch what happened.


    SS Ubergear headed straight at the Nameless Order team, who seemed okay with a one-on-one fight. On the other side, SS GoodOldBoys was accelerating away from the double team of SS Powerdrink and SS Gearhead. It wasn''t a true two-on-one situation. The Powerdrink ship had neither weapon systems nor LACs to contribute to the fight. They were there for sensors and extra shields as they moved close to the second ship.


    Nameless Order seemed in no hurry to start the fight. They slowly accelerated towards Ubergear; it was hard to say whether that was weak engines. If Claw Master were moving in, stalling and hoping for assistance would have made sense. But the Claw Master ship was taking its time, moving to the sphere''s center. Captain Raul on the SS Ubergear was annoyed when Captain Bain of the SS Gearhead contacted him. "Yo, Raul, Claw Master is doing some weird shit. They just launched a dozen missiles. Powerdrink is picking up the launches on his sensors."


    "Good. That means the idiots on their team followed our orders. Sensors and Shields are all he''s good for now. But what is he shooting at?"


    "Asteroids."


    "Say what?"


    "They keep targeting the big asteroids and blowing them up. Some near them, some a long way downfield. Any idea of what''s going on?"


    Raul laughed as he figured it out. "Their playing games! Remember, these guys got here by winning at arcade games. They aren''t moving into the system to attack anyone, just screwing around and shooting rocks. Rocks don''t dodge and explode into little rocks. They don''t know how to play SC6 and are screwing around and pretending to play asteroids. Funny as shit. They''ll come in fourth with some bragging rights for doing nothing."


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "You might be right...what? One sec." Bain came back on the channel ten seconds later, laughing. "Now they are missing the rocks! They wasted four missiles firing at a rock, but a black hole must be nearby, warping gravity enough to throw the missiles off course. They aren''t going to have anything left to shoot with when we get there!"


    "Funny. But tell Powerdrink we don''t need updates on SS habrat; we have ships to kill. I''d race you for the kill on Claw Master, but the bosses want them crushed by the numbers."


    "We''re cool with that, Raul. We know what''s coming and are content to take a second and a paycheck."


    To Raul''s annoyance, his opponent sped up, moving up the time of the battle. He had wanted to listen and hear how the other half of the fight went, but they were engaging their enemies almost simultaneously. His ship and SS NamelessOrder moved closer and closer. With the other ships'' velocity higher now, they couldn''t escape even if they turned around and tried to reverse. Physics worked the same in SC6 as in a normal universe, and momentum could be a bitch. Raul signaled for LACs to start their attack run. They came out from behind his ship, hidden by his bulk, and sped away toward the enemy.


    Everyone on the Ubergear ship waited for the fight to start. The LAC would come into the range of their Heavy Missiles, launch four from each ship, and then break off. They could go around again for another launch if needed but would have to reload from the carrier. There was no reaction from SS Nameless Order. No LAC was launched, and they didn''t maneuver. The LAC came closer and closer.


    SS Nameless Order lit up like the sun as their weapons batteries unleashed laser fire at the LAC. Raul started to laugh until the first LAC exploded. Normal defensive lasers were a last-ditch hope to take out missiles or asteroids. They could be upgraded to medium-range lasers that could hurt a LAC that came in close and could melt sensors on the large ships but had trouble penetrating their armor.


    The final upgrade was to Long Range Gamma Radiation Laser Arrays (Grazers.) These powerful lasers took a good deal of power to use and could destroy a LAC in one hit. They caused the armor on a ship to buckle and heat up to the point that a second hit would strip away the protection. With enough Grazers, even a main ship could be destroyed. But no one took that many. They were inferior to missiles in range and worse at killing ships. But they were the weapon of choice for two things: Killing annoying LAC and blowing up enemy missiles sent to destroy your ship.


    SS Nameless Order had spent points to swap their LAC for two additional Weapon Systems. Unlike the Ubergear ship, they hadn''t upgraded their missiles. All four Weapons Systems had Long Range, Heavy Grazers, upgraded sensors, and a targeting computer. The Navigator had spent points to upgrade his nav-computer to a full A.I. and connected it to the Weapons Systems, essentially giving each set of Grazers two gunners. The effect was devastating as two fast-firing Grazers targeted each LAC backed up by the best sensor array that the Navigator could buy. Any other points went to the captain for a few shields.


    Raul watched in horror as all six LAC exploded like fireworks before they could get off a missile. SS Nameless Order moved on, Grazers targeting his ship. "Start firing! I want all four batteries to launch full broadsides as fast as possible. He didn''t have to worry about saving ammunition; he needed that ship dead before it got in range of its energy weapons. The velocity of both vessels worked against him now. The other ship would get in range; the only question was in what shape it would be in.


    The first flight of missiles exploded in the same way as the LAC. The Grazers had started their evolution as missile-hunting defensive lasers and still knew their job. But another four missiles came after the first. Debris from the explosions hurt targeting accuracy, and each set of missiles was harder to blow up. On the seventh flight, one got through. Locked in the cockpits of their game, the players were tossed about as the mechanicals underneath rocked them back and forth, red lights flashed, and damage scrolled across the Captain''s screen. Two shields were down permanently.


    As the range between the two ships dropped, the missiles had a shorter flight time, and the gunners had less and less time to take them out. Two more shields went down, followed by the engines. SS Nameless Order was a drifting gun platform now, but she was still aimed at her enemy. The grazers came in range, and it was SS Ubergear''s turn to be shaken about. Coherent Gama Radiation lanced out, and the ship''s armor melted and blew away. The A.I. targeted the same spots repeatedly while the human gunners just hoped they hit. As the range closed, missing became impossible for either side. Missiles slammed into SS Nameless Order, destroying the bridge and killing Captain Joe. Weapons Batteries #1 and #3 were down, with their gunners dead.


    At Weapon Battery #2, George ''Lefty'' Samuelsson kept firing. He was eighty years old and had lost his right arm in an accident years ago. SC6 had been his favorite game of all time, and he''d been thrilled to get a spot on the team. He took his time with his last shot. Power was dropping, and the capacitors wouldn''t recharge again. He moved his aim to a spot in the ship''s center that was missing its armor. His shot was on target, and a burst of coherent energy went deep into the SS Ubergear, shattering bulkheads and striking the Advanced Fission System. The resulting explosion killed the rest of the crew on the ship. SS Ubergear was a dark wreck, passing by a similar wreck with only Gunner Samuelsson and Navigator Maclintock still alive.


    Team Ubergear sat stunned in their cockpits. Nameless Order pounded the walls and yelled loudly. They''d take the win and watch to see what else happened.


    Across the sphere, SS GoodOldBoys moved to engage SS Powerdrink and SS Gearhead.


    SS Claw Master seemed to be having fun killing rocks.

 Chapter 206: The Stars at War part 2

    "All crew, this is Commander Belinda. Phase 1 of the plan was successful. If you''ve all figured out how to fire your guns, we can begin on phase 2."


    "Gunner Yumi is ready and locked on target. Let''s kick some ass."


    "Gunner Butcher is good to go."


    "Gunner Kenji is riding the razor''s edge of destruction! I need to kill something.


    "Gunner Min has missiles ready to launch."


    There was a pause as everyone waited for the Navigator. Milo was staring at the maximum number of screens allowed in SC6. Milo had gone with a non-standard navigation build:


    Upgrade Sensors and Communications from Level 2 to Level 3


    Upgrade Sensors and Communications from Level 3 to Level 4 (Launches two sensor platforms into the system at the start of the game.)


    Upgrade Sensors and Communications from Level 4 to Leve 5 (Launches six sensor platforms into the system prior to the game.)


    Upgrade Sensors and Communications from Level 5 to Leve 6 (Makes use of all allied sensor networks in the system.)


    Allow Flight Computer to act as Port Gunner


    Allow Flight Computer to act as Starboard Gunner


    Points allocated to Commander slot: 6


    The six sensor platforms were scattered around the sphere, giving him data on ship movements, asteroids, and gravimetric anomalies. Each Sensor had two screens available showing the data they collected. In addition, he had screens showing any information gained by the sensors controlled by his teammates. Right now, he was watching the movements of the dozens of small asteroids that used to be parts of larger asteroids. Some were behaving oddly, showing the gravity effects of black holes. Two more minutes passed as he stared at his screens before he answered the Commander.


    "Navigation is ready to acquire additional sensor platforms. All fusion plants have controlled energy production. Ready for Warp Jump on your command."


    <hr>


    Including the Experimental and Highly Untested Quad-Fusion System in her build made Belinda nervous. It had to be constantly monitored and adjustments made. One slip and one of the four fusion plants could go critical, causing a domino effect that turned the ship into an expanding cloud of glowing gas and ending their game. Ghost had claimed he could handle the upgraded power system and had practiced with it. He''d started to talk about developing R-to-the-6th algorithms to anticipate power surges when Butch stopped him and said to Belinda, "Better to trust him when he says he can do something. The explanation will melt your brain." Nods from the rest of the gang convinced her to trust him as well.


    The rest of Ghost''s suggested builds were also odd. They were scrapping the LAC for two more Weapons Platforms. Each one took:


    Increased Missile Storage (+100)


    Increase Missile Loadout from Heavy to Ship Killer


    Install Missile Targeting Computer to assist Gunner


    Upgrade Sensors


    Points allocated to Commander Slot: 2


    This gave her 14 points to spend. Ghost had suggestions for how to use them.


    Upgrade Engines to Level 2


    Upgrade Engines from Level 2 to Level 3


    Upgrade Engines from Level 3 to Level 4


    Add Warp Drive System to Level 4 Engines


    Upgrade Fission Power Plant to Advanced Fission System (AFS), Increasing Power from 4 points to 6 points. (2 upgrade points)


    Upgrade AFS to Standard Fusion Power Plant (SFPP), Increasing Power from 6 points to 8 points. (2 upgrade points)


    Upgrade SFPP to an Experimental and Highly Untested Quad-Fusion System. (BOOM!) Increasing power from 8 to 12 (Free!)


    2 Levels of shield upgrades


    5 Lithium-Cobalt-Ion system for +2 energy storage. (Single use.)


    "Could you explain your reasoning to me? All I see is us getting turned into a wreck in the first two rounds of combat. The Warp Jump drains four energy points for minutes, and the increased weapons systems take another 4 points. That leaves only four energy for the shields before we start burning through the one-use batteries. We can''t sustain the power output. And your points aren''t used well. If you don''t upgrade the flight computer, it can''t help calculate missile targeting, and why all the sensors? Especially since we don''t have allies?"


    "Not yet. But we will. Butch? Can you get everyone into the Weapons System simulation I showed you? We need some practice. I''ll go over the build with Belinda." Ghost walked to a quiet spot in the room. Belinda came behind him in her wheelchair. She wasn''t quite sure what to think about him. They had teamed up together in many of the video games. She''d been a little shocked when he treated her completely like a normal person. Was it because of his own handicap? The rest of the gang were similar, but she could tell they hadn''t been around someone with her severe mobility problems.


    Ghost sat down on the ground and pulled out a datapad. "Some of the other teams were cheating. Ubergear bugged the places where the two independent teams hung out. They have their builds and are setting up an alliance to take the rest of us out. Ubergear paid off the other two teams, making them the overall winner. I looked at everything in the rules of SC6, and it doesn''t mention pre-game spying. Is that legal?"


    Belinda didn''t doubt that they had done it. It sounded all too plausible. She was sick to death of dealing with her father and the sponsors for the event. Things had started simple, but John was making promises he shouldn''t have. "Legal in SC6? It doesn''t say you can''t, so they''ll claim it''s all fair. Whether it''s legal to bug or hack the other team depends on the laws or rules in that country. But corporations are always hacking each other. It''s just part of doing business. Morally? That''s a tricky question. Corporations don''t have morals. Most humans I deal with don''t either; I''m finding out."


    Ghost nodded but looked unsure. "So, Is that a yes or a no?"


    Belinda didn''t understand where the conversation was going. "I don''t know. I can''t stop them. They already did it. If I report it, nothing will happen. It really makes me wish I could beat them at their own game and stomp the hell out of them in SC6. Is that what this weird build is about? A longshot chance that you can take them by surprise?"


    Ghost handed her the datapad. "Look at this, and then you tell me if you still want to stomp the hell out of them."


    Belinda watched the two-minute-long video, and handed back the datapad. "Yeah, let''s go stomp the hell out of them. But I want some promises. One, no one talks about this counter-espionage. And secondly, you have to show me how someone broke into John''s security system."


    Milo nodded. The security of Manpower''s system was poor. Fixing it wouldn''t affect his ability to get in again; he already had the access codes. "So you can make sure it doesn''t happen again? I get it."


    Belinda smiled. "That, and so I can use it to keep tabs on my step-father. If he isn''t playing fair with me, I don''t see why I must be a good girl. Now explain the rest of this build and tell me about the plan."


    <hr>


    Navigator Maclintock of the derelict ship, SS NamelessOrder, received the incoming call from Captain Joe of the SS GoodOldBoys.


    "Holy Shit! Congrats. That was some David and Goliath shit. You tore them apart!"


    Mac laughed. "Yeah, those LAC were blowing up like popcorn, and then we were in range for the energy beams to take them out. Not much of us left. Sam and I are playing pong against each other and watching the rest of the battle. We''re out of it. Not in last, though."


    Joe chuckled. "Maybe not 5th place either. Claw Master wants a deal. They just sent me a message proposing a three-way alliance. You are technically still alive and have sensor platforms they want to use. Strangely, so do we. Almost like someone anticipated the situation."


    "Really? 1-2-3 finish, I assume, with them on top?"


    "Nope, they want to go with a team finish, and we split prizes equally. They said you did your part already; now it''s up to the two of us to do the rest."


    "Well, hell. As the ranking officer of this wreck, I agree. Go teach them not to mess with a bunch of old spacers."


    <hr>


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Milo now had twelve additional screens in front of him, breaking up his three large screens. He could see everything going on across the battlefield, and the effects of the gravitational anomalies were easier to calculate. He used the fire control computer to send targets and courses for the next missile launch.


    "This is Ghost in Navigation, Commander. Ready to launch missiles."


    "Copy that, Navigation. All Gunners: Use the data sent to you and start sending our friends some presents. Four volleys, then switch to the second set of data, and launch four more times."


    A chorus of comments filled the channel, as the four players launched missiles. Every round, four ship-killer heavy missiles were fired, sixteen in all. Then they shifted to the next target and repeated the same launch. A minute later, the other ships took notice. SS Claw Master was far enough away that the other ships had a delay of over a minute to see the launches¡ªlight and radio waves took their time to travel that far.


    "Prepare for Warp Jump. Keep that damn powerplant under control, Navigator." Belinda crossed her fingers on her left hand, marveling that she could even do that, and engaged the Warp Drive. SS Claw Master crossed half the sphere and was suddenly a player in the upcoming battle. She shifted her remaining power to shields for the next minute as the powerplant suddenly dropped to only eight available power points. They were still out of the effective missile range of the other two ships, but that didn''t mean they wouldn''t try. A lucky shot with no shields could do terrible damage to a ship, crippling a system and even destroy it.


    Aboard SS Gearhead, the captain was swearing. "Shit, Claw Master bought a Warp Drive. I half suspected that. It fits in with how dumb they were playing. Be ready for them to launch missiles at us and try to help out."


    The rest of the crew were laughing. "Now we don''t have to hunt them down."


    "You mean missiles that aren''t aimed at rocks or empty space? They must have wasted half of their ordinance screwing around."


    "And revealed they took a gunship. No LAC to worry about sneaking in behind us."


    "What the hell?! They just warped again? They''ve got no power for anything now."


    SS GoodOldBoys saw the first warp jump and were utterly surprised when their allies showed up close behind them on the second. The Claw Master ship had started with a higher speed than it''s ally and now was coasting up beside them, using minimal engines. "We have help, guys. Not sure how much after they drain eight power for the next couple of minutes. Gearhead and Powerdrink will be hitting us in less than two minutes."


    "Captain Joe, sensors are showing that Powerdrink has four LAC bays, empty ones. That confirms it. They don''t have anything but defensive lasers. All the guns are on Gearhead."


    "And that''s where all of our shots are going. Get ready."


    All four ships approached each other, three armed with extended-range, ship-killer missiles, and the fourth protected its partner with shields and defensive lasers. When they came into extreme range, they would all start firing. The chance of hitting with a missile was slight, but they all had enough ammunition for this engagement.


    Claw Master was running on fumes and batteries after the two warp jumps. Milo was silent as he tried to simultaneously keep the reactors from exploding and lay in targeting for the gunners. Two hops with the warp drive had added significantly to the variation in the power levels of the quad-fusion system. People had experimented with warp drives and the Experimental and Highly Untested Quad-Fusion System but with no success. Two warp jumps meant a huge explosion seconds later. As people watching realized what SS Claw Master had inside of her, bets were taken for just when she would go BOOM.


    If Milo were asked at that moment if he was having fun, the answer would have been "yes", but he wouldn''t have answered since every bit of his mind was working as fast as possible to keep track of everything that was happening simultaneously. He knew he had to hold things together for another minute but wasn''t sure if he could do it.


    Missiles were launched. All three ships'' gunners were firing off shots as fast as possible. Everything from Claw Master and GoodOldBoys was aimed at the Gearhead ship. Gearhead had elected to send its fire against GoodOldBoys, knowing Claw Master couldn''t fire missiles without dropping their shields, even if they did have a suicidal fusion system pumping out twelve power. This led to some cursing as both of their enemies spat out missiles.


    "All gunners, target Claw Master; they can''t have anything but batteries to power those shields. Knock down those shields and blow them up.


    The first wave of missiles hit, SS Gearhead and SS GoodOldBoys losing two shield generators as the powerful payloads exploded in front of them. The cost of shields at this close range was expensive. The front shields could be powered for only one point, but to protect everything but the rear of the ship took two points. As the ships got closer, batteries were drained or burned out, and more damage was taken.


    Belinda switched all her power to her front shields, cutting off any further missiles. They''d need them to survive what was coming at them. Butch was cursing, and everyone else yelled as the enemy missiles approached. The first wave hit them, destroying two shields to the front and rocking them all in their chairs. Two more hits came in, burning out their one-use batteries.


    Belinda yelled at him. "How long till Plan Slingshot happens? And how did I let you talk me into this? Are you sure this will work?"


    Ghost was concentrating as hard as he could on many equations and constantly looking at a dozen screens. "I never know. I make plans; the first plan usually doesn''t work, so I make stuff up as I go. We''ll know in ten seconds."


    More missiles came in. Claw Master took two more hits, burning out the last of their shields and causing the fusion generators to go wild. SS GoodOldBoys had come close to them to help take out incoming missiles with their defensive lasers.


    On the SS Gearhead, people were cheering. "We''ve got them. The next missile will take them out."


    The scream from their navigator cut across their voices. "SHIT! Missiles! A bunch of them. Put the shields to the rear! All shields to the rear!"


    The Captain had no idea why he was screaming, and shifting the shields was a stupid idea. Or it was, until he saw the group of fourteen missiles coming from directly behind his ship, where he had no protection. With no shields to stop them, every missile that got through would cause damage. Two missiles had been lost to the gravitation of a black hole when Milo used it to change their course and accelerate their velocity. Knowing where the gravimetric anomalies were, and how strong, had made it possible to weave his missiles past two black holes, each one changing course and sling-shotting the ship-killers to a higher velocity. Now, with their target in front of them, and receiving targeting data from SS Claw Master, they began their attack runs.


    Two were off target; Milo was juggling too many things to make last-minute adjustments in their courses. Of the twelve missiles on target, defensive laser fire took out four. The other eight missiles hit SS Gearhead in the unprotected rear. Bulkheads shattered and the kinetic energy of the eight warheads blasted deep into the ship. The damage was too much. No ship could take it, and she exploded into a ball of fire, killing everyone.


    Milo yelled at Belinda. "Emergency Warp Jump. Anywhere. Do it!" He saw his fusion plants beginning to spiral out of control, with only one result possible. If he blew up this close to their ally, both ships would die. Belinda eyeballed her jump without calculations and hit the button. The ship disappeared and returned to the universe only a half mile from SS Powerdrink. Milo didn''t even try to stop the explosion.


    SS Claw Master made SC6 history for two reasons: First for successfully firing an ultra-long-range missile barrage and sling-shotting it around the gravitational field of two black holes and hitting an enemy ship. Secondly, for making three successful Warp Jumps with a quad-fusion system in a row.


    And then she exploded, becoming a glowing ball of hydrogen gas, taking SS Powerdrink with her. Her allies were cheering wildly and crawling out of their cockpits. Milo, Belinda, and the rest of the team exited their cockpits to see the message on the overhead banners.


    Shared Victory: Team Good Old Boys-Team Nameless Order-Team Claw Master

 Chapter 207: After party

    Milo approved of the after-party, even if too many people were nearby. He''d almost turned and run when a small mob came over to congratulate his team but was held back by Minerva hugging him. "Awesome plan, Almost-Big-Brother-Milo; the boom at the end was cool!" Belinda turned her head as she said that, and Butch smiled and whispered to her, "Minerva is a little upset that I might be going to work in the pods when I turn 18. Mama is worried about Ghost. His dad hasn''t been around in years, and he roams on his own too much. She''s put in paperwork to adopt him, and little Min is pretty happy about that."


    "Milo? That''s his real name?"


    "Yeah, he got nick-named Ghost early on when he started hanging with our gang at swap meets. He''s nervous around people and takes off suddenly. Stays away for a day or a week, then shows back up to hang around for a bit."


    Belinda looked at the overjoyed Min and the nervous Ghost. Min was taller than him by an inch. You''d assume he was younger until he started talking. She had another question to ask Butch, but it got lost as the other two teams overwhelmed them with enthusiastic greetings. By common consent, they moved to where the food was and pushed several tables together. Soon everyone was eating and talking about the game. Butch''s gang was in awe of how much SC6 lore the older players knew.


    "You should have seen it back in the day. Thousands of ships were online, fighting for control over resources and carving out little empires. The basic game was modified on private servers back in the old internet days. The best ones had expanded economics, mining, and politics. You could do a lot more than blow stuff up."


    "Yeah, you could fix your ship when it got blown up. Scavenge parts when you blew someone else up and threaten to blow up people unless they agreed to help you blow up someone else."


    "You forgot to mention drinking at a seedy bar after getting blown up."


    "Ah, the best part of SC6: The Bar mod. Julius was a genius when he came up with that."


    Belinda had never heard of a Bar mod. "What was that? I didn''t see it mentioned when I was getting the programming for the machines."


    Captain Joe explained. "It wasn''t in the basic programming, but everyone running a server added it to their galaxy. Every planet, asteroid mine, or space station had a bar you could go to after you docked. They were filled with hard-bitten NPCs that would try to drink you under the table, start fights with you, or hire you for illegal missions. They were awesome. Some people barely played the game; they just used the bars as places to hang out and talk. It was old style, no VR, but it feels real when you remember it."


    Seedy bars and secret missions sounded great to Butch. "Can you still do that? Log into a server and hit a bar."


    "Naw, long gone. Lots of problems with how things turned out after all the corporate teams took over the game. There was a bullshit lawsuit against Julius claiming that by letting people have private galaxies, he was diminishing the competition in the main galaxy they had paid money to play in. It was crap, but he wasn''t a rich guy, just a programmer making games. He had to shut down the support to the private servers. Many people quit the game after that, and then the problems with keeping the machines running started killing him. Parts were getting expensive, and the machines crashed hard whenever the Wildfire virus swept through. He went bankrupt and had to give up."


    "He was really excited about this event, though. He wanted to come, but he''s living in Japan and didn''t have the money for the trip."


    Belinda noticed Ghost had pulled a datapad from his pack and was tapping away. He looked up after a moment. "Dr. Julius Shepherd? He has a small company called Adastra Ltd."


    Joe nodded, and Belinda recalled that Francis had mentioned emailing him twice when he was refurbishing the SC6 machines. She tapped on her own datapad built into the arm of her chair. She found the emails going back and forth between them. Dr. Julius had offered to come work on the machines for free if they paid his travel costs. John had turned down the request from Francis.


    That made her sad in an odd way. "I should have argued harder for bringing him here. I''m sure he would have loved to see his game being played again."


    The other teams were all in agreement about that. "He''d have loved to be here. But he still gets to see his game featured at a big event. I bet he''s staring at the footage right now and trying to figure out why we used such crazy builds."


    Joe turned to Belinda. "Any chance of another event in the future? We''d all pitch in to bring Julius out for it."


    She sat, drumming her left hand on the armrest of her chair. She turned 18 years old in a few months and would have access to her trust funds and more control over voting her stock. That was leverage to use on John. Or maybe she could do it herself without him? "Make sure I have all of your contact information before you leave for the day. Who knows what might happen."


    Ghost slid back farther in his chair, thinking.


    <hr>


    Victor was enjoying himself. He never argued with his underlings, which is why things got done the way he wanted. He also would never have allowed anyone to talk to him the way the representatives from the sponsoring corporations were talking to him. Who cares if they had paid money for the event? They got their advertising and chance to sponsor teams. Did they also expect to win all the prizes? Such weakness! And John was just as weak, letting them yell at him. He tried to soothe them when he should have been telling them to piss off.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Ok, I know it wasn''t the expected outcome, but we all had a great time today. We''ll do the wrap-up for the event onstage, and each of you gets time to show off your products."


    The Ubergear rep was livid, his face bright red. "You lying asshole. We pay you good money for sponsorship, and it was damned well understood by everyone that your job was to make my company look good. And then what happens? You let a fly-by-night group in as a sponsor and blame it on your daughter. Then your daughter teams up with them in the first competition to upstage us. Worse, our guys tried to compete too hard, pushing their gloves way beyond the recommended playtime and causing overheating problems. Something that the influencers and reviewers have noticed. Then you force us to accept her team in SC6, and somehow she wins. It stinks."


    John looked pained. He really wanted everyone to like him, and it was so hard some days. "Manny, you know we didn''t plan that. Right? Just bad luck. Your guys don''t play the old games much, but I bet it''s all the kids in the hab have to play. They''ve got shitty gear and shitty games, but they get good at it. Not much else for them to do. How about we get my daughter''s team to sign on as sponsored M-1000 players? You can give them the gloves on stage, which turns around a lot of the bad publicity." John actually had no idea what kids in the habitats did. He had a vague idea that they went to school, played a lot of video games, and grew up to be people he could hire. But the narrative sounded good to him, so he tossed it out and started believing in it.


    On the side of the room, Eric winced and turned to face a wall to hide his expression. John had told him to stay out of the conversation, so he was on his own.


    Manny looked at John. "Your little bitch of a girl tossed the gloves I gave her back in my face claiming they hurt her. I let her little tantrum slide out of respect for our business relationship, John. I''d have sued anyone else. I doubt she will be all smiles and come over to our side after she orchestrated her little revenge."


    "Excuse me, but that is my grand-niece you are talking about in a not-so-nice way."


    Manny looked at the old man with the greying hair. The guy must be ninety and talked like he was from another century. "So what, Grandpa? She wants to play in the big leagues; she can learn to take it."


    Victor chuckled. "The big leagues? This is not the big leagues. This is little piss-ant people in suits measuring dicks and yelling at each other. That is not how the ''Big Leagues'' work. Yuseph? If this man speaks to me again, break his arm. Yegor? If anyone else talks, including John, bring them to Yuseph so he can break their arms."


    Too late, Manny realized who the old man must be. He''d known John was connected to the Seimovich family, but thought it was a business deal. A family relationship made this situation much more dangerous. The old families took things very serious.


    His two bodyguards walked to where everyone else was standing, smiling at them and flexing their hands.


    "You lost. You even cheated first and then lost. Maybe bad luck? Maybe not. But what I think is that my little Belinda had a better team than you and beat you by skill. And you are upset that you look bad? Sad for you. Do better next time. No one said your money let you win. No one agreed to an easy victory where shitty gloves wouldn''t work too hard. And really, I don''t care. It is amusing to see you sit and argue with John, who lets you yell at him."


    "But then you had to be rude. Here is what happens now. You all leave the room¡ªno more talk. And you, Mr. Manny, will never say something about my little Belinda again. If you do, I will hear of it, and then I will break all of the bones in your body. Is this understood, Mr. Manny?"


    Everyone in the room except Yseph and Yegor was sweating. Something in Victor''s voice and eyes made them believe every threat. As soon as he nodded at the door, they started to leave. Yuseph had a large hand on both John and Manny''s shoulders.


    "Good, no one talked. Now, John? You take your friend Manny down to the stage and run your little dog-and-pony show, and then he will be leaving. Less chance of more problems. Mr. Manny? We will do this again soon. You may come and compete, and John will do his best to make your gloves look good. No cheating. No insults. We are businessmen and friends. Correct?"


    Both John and Manny nodded nervously before heading for the door. Victor turned to Eric Kresthammer, the last person in the room. "You tried. I saw that, Eric. John should listen to you more. I thank you for trying and looking after my grand-niece. We''ll talk more about your future with my family."


    Eric relaxed and nodded.


    Victor continued. "Maybe head down to the place with all the games and make sure no one bothers Belinda. She is having fun with friends. Don''t let anyone take that away from her."


    Eric left. Victor went to take a nap. Training the young ones to behave was always tiring.

 Chapter 208: A new variable

    There was only so much food you could eat, Milo thought sadly. He was always starving after a session of heavy work, whether physical or mental. The navigator role of SC6 had given him a workout. Managing the ship''s navigation had been easy, but the task of spotting and charting the black holes had been exhausting. The advantage they had given their team proved the strategy worth it. The large groupings of missiles had sailed close to the anomalies, and their paths had been bent as they went by. Tracking an enemy''s missiles was impossible when that close to a black hole. After anyone observing had lost track of them, they were free to continue their journey until they came close to an enemy ship from an unexpected angle. It was a difficult way to fight with missiles, and only a few people had done it successfully in the old days of the game. The other two teams were quite astounded and asked a lot of questions. Milo just shrugged and said. "We got lucky. Couldn''t have done it without you guys letting us use your sensors."


    By common agreement, no one was talking about mysterious messages with information on the enemy teams. Belinda had held a quick conference with the captains of the other two groups. Good Old Boys and Nameless Order assumed that Claw Master had received a similar message. Belinda helped with that narrative. "I don''t think someone at Ubergear was really happy with how they played the game. Serves them right." After that, nothing was said, and they concentrated on food and talking about how the game used to be.


    After an hour of talking, Milo was getting itchy. He''d been around people a long time. Maybe this was good for him? He''d just talked himself into staying when a montage of gaming video came onscreen. Belinda cringed and put both hands on her face. "Oh god, no. Not this. I told him not to play this." What came on the screen was a video taken of Belinda winning her first SmashbroReunion tournament when she was 10, followed by other videos and still shots of her playing other games or winning matches. Finally, the last part showed gameplay in the Genesis MMO. It was ten minutes of the raid against the first World Boss.


    Belinda was shown organizing a raid of players and giving a speech: "Nothing¡¯s over until we say it''s over! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? HELL NO! This could be the best day of our lives, but you''re going to let it be our worst."


    The footage showed various heroes doing their part as Belinda kept them going with her healing and encouragement. Finally, it showed the World Boss crumbling into bits of crystal and a huge chest appearing. Belinda was seen taking a glowing crystalline mace from the chest and a golden round shield marked with the symbol of Asclepius. There were more bits and pieces: Belinda was in the game giving an interview about the raid. Belinda showing the details of the magical items she used and showing off the Merciful Ring of the Empress, one of the first Legendary items to be found.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Minerva stared. "You''re that Belinda? That''s so cool. I want to play that game so badly. Daddy is inside it often, but he has to do whatever his boss says and doesn''t get to do cool stuff."


    Next to her, Milo was very still. Several variables had been added to his life today, and he was at the point where he desperately needed time to think. He nodded to the gang and stood up. "Have to go." Before anyone could talk, he was weaving between people and disappeared behind a row of machines. Butch stood up, but Yumi tugged on his sleeve. "Let him go; it''s fine. This is a long time for him, with lots of people." Butch sat back down.


    Belinda looked at them, wanting to ask a question but unsure. Yumi came to her rescue. "It''s fine. Not your fault or anyone else. Ghost is sort of introverted and needs a lot of time to himself. Being around people puts a lot of pressure on him. This is more people than he''s been around at once. But he''s doing better. I''m surprised he made it this long."


    Kenji laughed. "He had video games and food. That always extends his visits."


    Further talk of Ghost stopped as Brad arrived, looking happy. He was wearing his Claw Master gloves and had a plate of food. "Hey, I''m hearing some great stuff. You guys rocked and scored some cool swag?" He was given a play-by-play of the event from multiple sources.


    Belinda was introduced, and the two of them shook gloved hands. Butch asked him, "How''s your mom? You got her in for treatment?"


    Brad smiled broadly, "Better than that, even. Someone came down the line looking for us and took us into the clinic. Someone at Claw Master found out she was sick. Maybe when I filled out her paperwork for the clinic? Mr. Eady called the clinic and said that they would cover my mom''s medical treatment as part of the contract we signed. She''s staying in a medical pod for two days and getting the medicine she needs. They said they can clean out her lungs and put her on a treatment plan with better pills."


    Butch and everyone else was excited. "Damn, this deal gets better and better."


    Belinda flexed her left hand again, wondering. She needed to find out more about this mysterious sponsor. And she needed to talk to Ghost. For now, though, she was happy to be with new friends. "Hey, can I show you guys my rooms? I''ve got some space I want to turn into a sort of clubhouse with the games we won."

 Chapter 209: Complications

    The awards ceremony was brief and awkward at times. Erik had caught up with John, and instead of steering him to the stage, he took his boss to his apartment, handed him two Naptime tablets, and told him to sleep. The man was was nearly incoherent at this point with stress and lack of sleep. Erik wished he could do the same, but someone had to put this thing to bed. On the surface, the event had been a success. It was the fallout that Erik dreaded.


    Jacob Mannerheim was all smiles and professional as he presented the prizes his company had promised. The top six teams in the videogame competition were given a free pair of M-1000 gloves. His corporate team seemed sullen as they accepted, their smiles glued to their faces. The other two corporate teams happily accepted their gloves and thanked him. The three other teams, including the Claw Master team, clapped and yelled as they were called to come up. He saw that Team Claw Master had removed their gloves so they wouldn''t be in the camera. Even Belinda accepted her pair of gaming gloves, taking them with only her right hand.


    The next set of prizes went to the top three teams in the SC6 competition. The teams from Good Old Boys and Nameless Order were given vouchers that reimbursed all of their travel expenses along with an invitation to the Ubergear Invitational Gaming Festival. He was at a loss for a moment when he went to team Claw Master. "I don''t think reimbursing you for your travel expenses comes to very much when you''re the hometown team. But I look forward to seeing you at UIGF."


    He handed the invitations out to the six gamers. None of their group had even known about the Ubergear Festival until they''d watched the announcement fifteen minutes ago. It looked like a cross between E3 and Disneyworld. Belinda could see that the rest of the group was stunned by the thought of going. Had any of them ever left the habitat? She wasn''t sure. And the expense? You didn''t live in a habitat if you could afford to go to an orbital playground for a seven-day gaming excursion. "We''ll try and be there."


    Jacob noticed their expressions and body language as well. He forced down the feelings he had over this event. He deserved to lose if he''d been outplayed by a seventeen-year-old girl and a group she recruited from a habitat. It was time to start winning on the PR front. "It would be a shame not to have a rematch between our two teams. Let''s sweeten the deal a little. You didn''t get reimbursed for your travel to this event, so I think it''s only fair that Ubergear will pay for your travel to the next one."


    He turned to the cameras. "How about it, folks? Do you think we need Team Claw Master competing at UIGF?" There was a roar of applause as the local team stood stunned and started cheering and hugging each other."


    <hr>


    "Mr. Mannerheim? I was hoping we could speak further about the position at Ubergear."


    Jacob ''Manny'' Mannerheim stopped and turned. "What position was that, Mr. Chambers?"


    Chambers had a sinking feeling but continued. "During the contract negotiations, you said that there was an opening at Ubergear for a new assistant vice-president in the marketing department and you would look favorably upon my application. I want to take you up on that offer."


    "Let me make myself clear, Mr. Chambers. Business deals are about helping each other out. You scratch my back; I scratch yours. You hinted at special treatment and a better deal, so I mentioned an opening at Ubergear. That was a good offer. You are currently working for John Sabbatino in a start-up company located in a habitat. I was offering the chance to work for Ubergear, a real company with real offices and real chances to make a lot of money. I expected you to jump at my offer and, more importantly, hold up your end of the deal."


    He held up a hand, silencing Chambers when he started to talk. "Yet, things you promised me didn''t happen. Our products did not enjoy a monopoly at your event. Worse, it was a competitor who was trying to outshine our new product, the M-1000. You allowed this new company to sponsor part of the event, allowed them to advertise at the event, and then backed away from your promises. Promises which seemed not to be known to your boss''s daughter, who brought in Claw Master as a sponsor, refused to wear our product, and then recruited a local team that embarrassed my team."


    "We are done, Mr. Chambers. If you are lucky, I will consider this my mistake in trusting a middle manager to handle the details he promised. I have probably done myself a favor in not hiring you and finding out that my team of ''professional gamers'' are anything but. I am angry enough that I could strangle you, but I won''t do something to upset Victor Seimovich. Unlike you, he keeps his promises. "


    As Manny turned and walked away, Chambers tried one last time. "I want out of here; what can I do to make this right?"


    Manny turned his head slightly and spoke as he left the building. "Only two things would make me happy. The first is a signed contract that gives me what you promised for your company''s next five years of events. I want Claw Master locked out. The second thing would be a set of those gloves, delivered today. I''m not asking you for those things, Mr. Chambers. Simply informing you of things that would make me happy."


    The heavy door slammed shut, and Chambers was left in the empty hallway of the VIP entrance on the roof.


    <hr>


    Milo had gotten away from the group and went to a more private spot. He chose the machine he had used for SC6. All the games were shut down now for the award ceremony. It only took a moment to unlock the keypad on the machine and climb into the navigator''s section, taking a bowl of cheese fries with him. He wanted to watch the gang get their awards but didn''t want to be on that stage. As expected, Butch had Brad take his place.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The revelation that he already knew Belinda wasn''t something he''d ever imagined. He went back over everything he had said to her, wincing at times when he recognized things he''d said to her that might give her a clue. The obvious one was finding out his name, the same name he used in the game. Mostly the gang called him Ghost, but at least twice they had called him Milo when Belinda was nearby.


    He didn''t think it would be a problem, would it? The people who knew a lot about him from the game were Wally, Sydney, Steven, and a group of A.I. that everyone thought were destroyed. Belinda had no connection to them. So, she should have no connection to the real Milo. He just had to be careful to keep up the appearance of living in the habitat. He needed to do some work on ''his house'' and clean up some loose ends. It was doubtful she would ever be in that part of the hab, but he wasn''t taking chances.


    The next step was a thorough background check on her family and the Manpower Corporation. If he had missed the connection to her playing Genesis, he could have missed other things. He used his datapad to send instructions to his system in the bowels of section E and start a complete search and data analysis. Things were getting too connected, and he didn''t like it. He could just disappear if he needed to; the gang couldn''t. And too many people in section E now worked for Manpower.


    He was watching the awards ceremony when the team got invited to UGIF. He looked it up quickly, and conflicting emotions hit him like a truck. It would have everything he was learning to love: mostly games and new food. His friends would be there. But to get there, he would have to leave the habitat. And there was so much open space between here and a satellite in orbit. He was having trouble thinking about it without going into a panic attack. He tossed the idea into the waste bin in his head. Not for him. He''d make sure the gang got there, and he could watch from here. He finished the cheese fries and exited the machine. It was time to go home.


    Despite saying he wasn''t going, the waste bin kept opening, and the terror of all that open sky was in the back of his head. It bothered him, and he needed a way to beat it. The fear was just in his head. Thinking about a project, he stepped into the hallway leading to the restrooms and the storeroom he used to get into the ductwork. He heard the far doorway open, and a familiar-looking man in a wrinkled suit entered. He turned and punched an override code into the door, locking it.


    Mr. Chambers had gotten lucky. He''d seen the kid with the bad leg hobbling to the bathroom. Everyone else from his team was on the stage. This was his chance to get a pair of those gloves for Ubergear. Jordan Chambers wasn''t a large man, and aside from weekly karate classes (that he skipped most of the time), he wasn''t very athletic. But he had no doubts about handling a skinny twelve-year-old on crutches.


    "Let''s keep this simple. Hand me the gloves; then you can go to the bathroom. Your team has been accused of cheating, and we are investigating your gloves. If we find nothing, you get them back. Your team is cooperating, so don''t make a fuss and hand them over."


    The kid looked at him and cocked his head sideways. "I''m confused. They were just on stage. Why give them an award if you say they cheated?"


    "Because it''s an accusation. We''re being nice. Did you notice they didn''t have their gloves on? We have them all now." The little shit blinked when he said that and then giggled.


    "You got them to just hand them over? Because they trust you? We''re from the hab. We don''t trust anyone, especially someone in a suit. You aren''t getting my gloves."


    "Last chance, kid, hand over the gloves."


    Again, the kid didn''t take him seriously. "Last chance. Leave me alone."


    Chambers lunged forward to grab the boy''s arms, and was never sure later what happened. He only managed to grab the interposed arm braces the kid put in front of him. Then the kid leaned and brought his prosthetic leg upward in a hard kick that ended in his groin. His eyes rolled back in his head with the pain. It was followed by his whole body seizing up and shaking for several seconds. He fell backward, paralyzed, and lost consciousness. Security found him an hour later and got him to medical attention. They diagnosed him with a concussion from his head hitting the concrete floor. His story of being mugged by a habrat wasn''t believed by anyone. The security camera only showed him slipping on the wet floor and falling backward.


    <hr>


    When the man attacked him, Milo blocked with his arm braces. That set up the attack to the easiest weak point. He followed up by using the Tasers built into each arm brace. For a brief moment, he was fighting for his life in the game, and someone was telling him he had to kill or be killed. It would have been simple to drag the unconscious man into the ductwork with a cable and deposit him somewhere no one would ever find him. But this wasn''t the game. He knew the rules were different. He left the man lying in the corridor, made sure a security team was sent on a route that would find him, and made the security system show what he wanted.


    He was upset and hyper when he was finally done. He took a longer route home, knowing he wasn''t followed but taking no chances. Finally, after an hour of crawling up pipes and scurrying along the mechanical section''s unused access tunnels, he arrives home. He took deep breaths to steady himself and drank a quart of water. His pulse was still pounding. He sat in his chair and triggered his search programs to show him the information on Belinda Sabbatino and Manpower.


    Only one screen lit up, with a glowing red border signifying a significant piece of information. It showed a picture of Victor Seimovich and a family tree linking him to Belinda Sabbatino. The lower half of the screen showed Victor arriving in the habitat and being greeted by her. Milo double-checked his search parameters, desperately wanting to deny the information, but it was all true.


    The man behind his creation and the death of the rest of the family was in the habitat. Was he looking for the person who stole his money? And how could his friend Belinda be connected to him? He felt the jaws of a trap closing in. With one word, everything shut down, leaving him curled into a ball on his chair, in the dark.

 Chapter 210: Connections

    Hide! Seen. Trapped. Can''t run. Gang=me? Gang seen? Belinda? Belinda=Belinda but Belinda=Victor! Run. Trapped. Seen. Hide? Fix?


    Fix.


    Fix!


    Milo''s mind whirled, several trains of thought screaming at once. He had pushed himself too far. The fatigue of social interaction had been building up all day, as had the stress of thinking so hard in SC6 and the video game tournament. He loved the feeling of pushing himself to think faster and devise strategies, but it came at a price. He was paying it now as the connection between Victor and Belinda sent his paranoia into overdrive.


    Part of him was screaming that they never should have left the tunnels. A year ago, he''d been safe, and no one had known about him. No one had even suspected that he existed. If no one knew you existed, then no one came looking.


    Now he was exposed. And it was by his own actions. He knew that. He''d triggered events, and failed to recognize all of the consequences.


    He recognized that the temptation to do new things and taste new food had been traps that the world had set for him. But food was tasty!


    The pod was the first trap! It tempted him, showed him he could get better, showed him the game, and allowed him to get petty revenge on Kaminski. Stealing the pod had triggered everything.


    The game was a trap! It showed him cheese! And tasty food. It made him want more things in the real world. It led to being noticed by Sydney and then Wally. Wally knew where he was. But he needed the game! He needed the escape and the friends he''d made. He needed a place he could go where no one knew who he was.


    The money was a trap. Money solved problems. It was a tool. He took someone else''s money. Victor''s money. There was no guilt. No guilt at all. Victor and his people had made him a slave, killed his family, killed so many people. Now Victor was an enemy, and Milo had to hide from him.


    He had friends in the habitat. He was learning to be near people. But they made him vulnerable. Just like the Hollow. Were friends a trap? Family? He couldn''t run if people were threatened.


    Then the Belinda problem. She knew him in Genesis. Knew he had a pod. Now she had seen him in this world. She was smart. Would she know Milo= Milo in the hab? If she found out about his special race and class, it tied him to a missing pod. Victor would put things together.


    Victor was dangerous. Why did Belinda = Victor?


    Round and round, his thoughts looped, examining the traps for a way out.


    For 17 minutes and 35 seconds, Milo lay in a near-coma, in the dark, running from traps.


    And then he woke up and got to work.


    <hr>


    The first task was a review of all the data his systems had recovered. Some had been gleaned from historical archives, newscasts, and what remained of the internet.


    The last provided a mix of truth and lies; the information often had poor documentation and had a non-zero chance of being entirely false. But it gave clues about where else to look. Tax records from the time period that CHARLIE, the A.I. tasked with overseeing corporate taxes, were very useful. They clearly explained who was making money and where it had come from. Those years abruptly ended and access to further data was blocked behind many walls. But Milo had been created to break those walls and dig for secrets. After a day of reviewing, he started breaking the protection on national data banks and into corporations, looking for answers. He wasn''t always happy with what he found.


    The Seimovich family had a long history, all the way back to when the Czars still ruled in their part of the world. The family was minor nobility with aspirations to be more. As the world changed, so did the family. They became money lenders and merchants, always involved in the lucrative trade of selling weapons. They branched out and moved to where the world needed guns and explosives. After the second world war, they moved from buying and selling weapons to manufacturing them. As technology became more complex, so did their business. Information and biotech were added to the manufacturing and selling of more traditional weapons.


    In the early part of the 21st century, the extended Seimovich family was controlled by two brothers, Victor and Andrei. The two were the faces of two very different business methods. Victor operated like the family always had, selling arms, hacking and ransoming information, smuggling, and trafficking in human lives. If anything, his half of the family grew worse, keeping only enough legitimate business dealings to provide a cover to fend off the authorities.


    Andrei took his half of the family in new directions, evolving with the times. Reorganized as the Seimovich Technology Corporation they moved as far from the old family business as possible. Money was invested in new technologies but never weapons tech. There were reports of Andrei, or people working for him, actively aiding the authorities in investigations into organized crime. On the surface, this seemed to be evidence of a split between the brothers. But the cartels that were weakened made room for Victor to move in and expand his empire.


    Whether or not the split between the two brothers was real was debated in news programs and law enforcement offices. One story Milo found gave a supposedly first-hand account of a tense family reunion when the old patriarch, Boris, was on his deathbed. Vodka and harsh words filled the days before his passing, and the split between the family became permanent.


    Victor married four times, but only one produced a child¡ªdiscrepancies in the child''s genealogy after a paternity test led to his third divorce and the disappearance of that wife, child, and a bodyguard. An accident while boating was blamed. Local authorities in the small town closed the case quickly.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Andrei married once and had two children, Nicki and Ekaterina. Twenty-five years after Boris''s death, the deaths of both Nicki and Andrei brought what was left of the family closer together. Father and son were killed when a freak storm forced their private jet land at a small airfield. The icy conditions and short runway led to a bad landing and an explosion as the airplane shot past the barriers at the end of the runway. A somber Victor attended the double funeral. He and Ekaterina reconciled. If not close, they at least spoke often, and he served on the board of trustees for the Seimovich Corporation as an unpaid advisor.


    Ekaterina met Vigo Johansson at a technology conference. She was fresh from University with dual degrees in International Business and Finance. Vigo was there showing off the latest products from his company, Bio-Solutions. They met when both of them were talking on the same panel. They had drinks and dinner three times and began dating. The picture of the two of them holding hands had sent a ripple through the tech industry.


    Vigo''s official biography said he had started with nothing and studied computer programming and information systems early. At ten, he coded his first small video game. Smashy-Dwarf was a cute little phone game where players selected a troll or ogre as their team and took turns hurling other races at a rack of ten pins. He made enough money to attend a better school and then college at the age of fourteen. Vigo attended four colleges over the next eight years while simultaneously building his first company. Computers were the first step; his end goal was cybernetics, human/computer interfaces, and working artificial limbs. Bio-Solutions was, first and foremost, a research lab. Vigo and his employees created, patented, and sold the technology to other people.


    After the two married, Seimovich Technology bought Bio-Solutions for the price of 127 Billion dollars. Belinda Seimovich was born seven years later. News reports said the birth had been complicated by birth defects. The family refused to discuss her medical problems and asked for privacy. During this time, protests and riots culminated in the removal and imprisonment of all but one A.I. Technology companies saw a huge drop in their stock, protests held at their factories, vandalism, and acts of terror.


    Bio-Solutions was the target of one radical group, Never Skynet. Ironic because artificial intelligence was not something the company had delved into. A bomb was set off, severing a fuel line and engulfing the labs in fire. Twenty-seven researchers died, including Vigo Johansson. Ekaterina attended his funeral on the arm of her Uncle, Victor, and then dropped out of public life altogether. Milo saw that within a year, Ekaterina remarried, choosing a childhood friend, John Sabbatino. He was immediately named CEO of the company and made the guardian of Belinda. Within a year, Victor was no longer on the board of advisors. Eight years later, when Belinda was ten, Ekaterina died of ''undisclosed medical issues.''


    Milo could find no record of Belinda''s name being changed to Sabbatino. In court documents, she was always referred to as Belinda Seimovich. Nor did he find a record of adoption. But what financial information he did find was interesting. Nearly all of the corporation had been sold piecemeal during the years after Vigo''s death. A large amount of money was invested conservatively, and a corporation was set up to manage the funds, ST Investments. Seimovich Technology was a shadow of what it had been at the time of her death, but the investment group held a staggering amount of money. All of it was put in trust for Belinda when she turned eighteen.


    Exact numbers were unknown, but financial experts conservatively estimated the value of the trust fund at over a trillion dollars with the possibility of up to quadruple that amount. John Sabbatino did not have access to that money, except to care for Belinda. He continued to manage the corporation and renamed it Manpower Inc. Victor Seimovich was not involved in either Manpower or ST Investments.


    <hr>


    That sounded like a lot of money to Milo. Far more than he had. With that much money, you could buy all the SC6 machines left in the world and all the cheese you could ever eat. Manpower was a powerful corporation, but nowhere near what it would be as soon as Belinda turned 18. That worried him. Who would control it?


    Milo liked the idea of Victor never having money ever again. He wasn''t happy with John Sabbatino having it, either. With that much money, he could tear the hab apart faster than Milo could fix it. What would Belinda do with it?


    He shook his head, clearing the speculation. He had things to do. Next on his list was upgrading the security system. The whole thing was a mess. The habitat system was nearly defunct and unusable. Manpower had replaced part of it and upgraded other parts, but in a piecemeal fashion that upset Milo as being highly inefficient. On top of that, Milo had found cameras installed by the engineering firm that had done work in the hab. And, of course, Milo had added his bits to the jerry-rigged system. He needed something better. It would be a lot of hard work, but he would upgrade and replace most of the systems and cameras so that only he had complete access to all of them. If people were moving around in his habitat, he needed to know. Manpower wouldn''t know what had happened, and would enjoy a security system that worked all the time, and didn''t need repairs.


    As he placed orders with thirty-seven security specialists, his brain tossed out a chilling scenario. Who was Belinda''s heir? Her only living relative was Victor. Was Victor looking for a way to get past Belinda to her money? And if so, had Milo triggered this event by stealing all of Victor''s money? He needed to know more. Either Belinda was working with Victor, or she wasn''t. If she wasn''t, then Milo may have put her in danger. He had planned to stay far away from the girl, but now he needed to do the opposite, and get to know her.

 Chapter 211: Solutions

    Information gathering was only the first step in solving this problem. Milo had options for the second step but didn''t like some of them.


    The immediate solution that came to mind was to hide. He was already working on a secure base of operations beneath the habitat, and he had several secondary areas in other sections that affected the performance of section E. He could go back to hiding, not venture out, and flee to another part of the hab if anyone started searching section E. There were problems with the Hide/Run plan. His secondary locations were rudimentary compared to his current home. They didn''t have a gaming/medical pod and didn''t have the machinery he used to create machine parts and his mechanical limbs. Hiding also meant cutting himself off from the gang. A pit opened inside of him when he thought about that. He moved on to the next plan.


    The second solution that occurred to Milo was leaving the habitat. He was here because he''d been left here. There was a big world out there. He had a standing offer from Steven of employment and housing. He didn''t need to stay here and deal with Victor. Anxiety flooded him just thinking about being forced to leave. Fear of the unknown. Fear of having to rely on someone else. Fear of not having the walls around him that kept him safe. The rest of his brain didn''t like those ideas and started listing the reasons that leaving was a bad idea. He had zero first-hand experience living outside of the habitat. Physically, he appeared small, weak, and too young to be treated as an adult. Money could solve part of that problem but also make him a target. Taking Steven''s offer meant playing by a new set of rules and relying on Steven or Wally. What would happen if he couldn''t live in that framework? There were too many variables. He wasn''t leaving the habitat.


    Which led him to a realization. Not a logical one, but an emotional one. A decision to not let anyone take away his home. Section E was his. He''d repaired the mechanical systems, fixed the programming, and kept it running for two decades. He felt the same way about the entire habitat to a lesser degree. Manpower and Victor were the invaders, and leaving would be giving them the habitat. Milo wasn''t going to leave, so he had to neutralize the threats to his section.


    To assess those threats, he needed information¡ªa steady stream of what they were doing. The upgrades to the security system would give him eyes and ears, but he also needed a watchdog that would alert him to problems. This special program would monitor his systems and warn him if anyone was doing something that would cause him trouble or if anything drastically changed in Section H. He already had programs that monitored the mechanical systems. Now he needed more watchdogs to monitor people, tracking their movements, conversations, and electronic communications. Even as he continued to formulate a plan, he typed out the code to create his programs.


    The next problem was ensuring that his friends and family weren''t in harm''s way. If Butch, Mama, and the rest of the gang got linked to him, Victor could threaten Milo by threatening his family. He didn''t know how many people Victor had working for him in the habitat or how many more he could bring in. If Victor moved against his family, Milo would stop him. He hoped it never happened. That would mean war, and part of Milo''s brain was already working on ways fragile humans could meet horrible ends in the hab and disappear. He didn''t want to use those plans but made them anyway. He thought to himself, ''What would Petey do?''.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Could he get rid of Victor by having someone else deal with him? He set his systems to work on the possibility that he could get rid of Victor legally. If he alerted the authorities to his presence in the habitat, would they try to capture him?


    Another solution was alerting the people who didn''t like Victor. But he worried about bringing confrontation into the habitat¡ªtoo many variables to control.


    He had an idea pop into his forebrain that would help with protection; he just had to figure out how to implement it and sneak it past Mama. Or should he tell her?


    For the next two days, Milo sat in his chair and worked on new programs and plans, then set them to work.


    Project Watch Lizard was designed to keep him safe. It investigated anyone working in Section E and kept him advised on their movements and their reason for being in his territory.


    Project Argos kept track of Victor and Victor''s minions and hacked their phone signals, electronic mail, and any programs they used.


    Project Hollow began designing a fallback position deep beneath the habitat, complete with duplicates of his equipment, secure access, food and medical supplies, and communications. The first task was determining what stopped the excavators from continuing their job.


    The last item on his list for today was one that made him very nervous; he needed to talk to Butch and the gang about Belinda and then talk to her. He didn''t know where she fits into this puzzle, and he needed to find out whether she was a pawn or a queen. And what color?


    <hr>


    He only had to knock once on the door before Minerva opened it. She took one look at him before yelling, "He''s back! I found him". She grabbed Milo by the arm and dragged him inside the house. The enticing smell of his favorite foods came from inside, and he spied several metal pans on the table with heating pads underneath. That was how they had served food at the party. And now it was here?


    The room was packed with people. All of Butch''s family and the gang were here, mostly sitting on the floor where two videogame consoles were being used. An extra screen was mounted on the wall. Butch was fighting Brad in Age of Dinosaurs: Knock-Out! Brad was using King Rex, popular despite the reach of their tiny arms. Butch was hammering him with the slow-moving but hard-to-damage Anky the Anklecrusher. The fight ended with King Rex limping away and Brad declaring all armored dinosaurs to be ''busted and OP.''


    Yumi looked up from where she was dueling Belinda in Big Samurai Heroes 6. Her moment of inattention cost her the game as Belinda''s giant robot executed a spinning guillotine attack and cut off Yumi''s head. Yumi frowned and threw the controller to Milo. "Your turn; I can''t beat her."


    Belinda waved to him and patted the section of floor Yumi had just vacated. "Your turn, Ghost. I''m going to kick your robot''s butt, and then I need to talk to you about some stuff."


    Behind him, Minerva had shut the door, blocking his retreat. She leaned on the door, "Mama says you don''t get to leave until you eat a meal and talk to her. She''s next door with two of the little ones. Belinda brought lots of good stuff, but we ate all the manicotti already. I don''t know what they are, but they taste awesome."


    Milo pushed down his anxiety and waded into the lair of his family.

 Chapter 212: Conversations

    Milo yelled to Belinda. "Food first, it smells great." The table was set up like the tables at the event, with a white tablecloth, metal pans of food, little plates, and forks. His stomach dropped down to his toes, replaced by a hungry void. When had he eaten last? A snack when he woke up? And before that, the event. He was hungry and even a little feverish. There was an empty pan where the mani-somethings had been. He started with that, filling it with four chili dogs and a pile of tater chunks before putting cheese sauce over everything.


    Food acquired, he took his pan and controller and sat next to Belinda. He ate with one hand and held the controller with the other. Everyone in the room looked at him as he shoveled food into his mouth while he and Belinda battled with giant robots in the ruins of neo-Tokyo. Belinda was using Red Ronin, a heavily armored Samurai Mech designed to fight Kaiju with its energized plasma katana. Milo chose Lego Ninja-73. What his robot lacked in armor, it made up for with cheap and easy repairs between rounds. Like all of the Lego Ninja variants, it was fast and agile, able to dodge most heavy mechs. Their problem was their lack of offensive damage when confronted with heavy armor.


    Belinda charged him repeatedly, only to have Milo dodge out of the way. His mech never quit moving, even when far away from his adversary. The LN-73 bounced from foot to foot, leaping and hopping and never giving Belinda an easy target with her shoulder-mounted cannon. Each time they engaged, she swung with the blazing katana. Milo used his flame throwers to blind her and shot flaming shuriken at her. They lodged in her armor, still on fire but next to useless.


    "Why are you doing that? Those stupid attacks aren''t doing anything but annoy me."


    Milo nodded but said nothing. Annoying her was half the reason he was doing it. He hopped to his left and rolled as her sword went over his head again. Belinda cursed as her screen started flashing red. "Out of power? How can I be out of power?"


    Milo hit her again with his flame throwers and then danced away. Red Ronin took two steps, the energy sword flickered, and the mech died. Belinda looked at the diagnostics panel for her mech to assess the damage or find a fix. "Overheating?"


    Milo finished his fourth chili-cheese dog and started on his fries. "We''ve been fighting for fifteen minutes. Red Ronin has optimal power supplies for a maximum of a half hour, but that''s under ideal conditions. The plasma katana causes a heat surge each time you use it. I was adding to your heat with my ''totally ineffective weapons.'' I just had to ensure you were too busy to notice and hoped it didn''t rain. The heavy mechs are designed to use their armor as heat sinks, but that doesn''t work when the heat hits the armor. Sub-optimal design. You''ll want to shave points elsewhere and go with either a refractive coating on the armor to reflect the heat or a thermo-couple system to absorb it and turn it into power."


    Belinda growled and bared her teeth. "I want a rematch, but we need to talk first."


    Milo shook his head sadly. "Sorry, can''t."


    "And why not?"


    He smiled at her. "You said we''d talk after you kicked my butt. No butt-kicking, no talk. You can have a rematch after I talk with Mama." He handed the controller to Minerva, who immediately selected Lego-Ninja 73 for her mech, with extra flame throwers. Mama had just come in the door, saw him, and waved him to come over to her.


    "Let''s go outside, dear. Less hectic, I can barely hear myself think."


    <hr>


    "Come sit down by me, Milo dear, and talk to your mama."


    Milo was nervous. He was worried because Mama knew that close proximity to adults caused him anxiety, and she was asking him to do that. She was up to something. Cautiously, he sat down next to her on a cracked plastic bench, the glowy tree casting shadows and shielding them from the flickering overhead lights. She took out a stack of paperwork and handed it to him.


    "You need to look this over and understand it. Because I sure don''t understand all of it. Once we get past page two, and it goes into all of that legalese, I''m lost, and if you and I are both signing this, one of us needs to know what it says."


    Milo started to read the 42 pages of the adoption paperwork, but Mama put her hand on the first page. "More importantly, you have to not only understand what this does but also want to do it. I think it''s a good idea. The kids think it''s a good idea. But that doesn''t count for a gnat fart if you don''t think it''s a good idea. Now take a look, and think about it. I''m just going to enjoy some peace and quiet."


    "I don''t like parts of it."


    "That''s fine dear. There''s lots of legal bullshit in it. After all, it comes from the government. The Department of Habitat Dwellers and Itinerant Population is long on paperwork and short on promises. Tell me what parts you don''t like."


    Milo scratched his head. The adoption idea was getting more and more complex. At first, it seemed like a good idea. He''d have real paperwork, and be a step closer to legally existing. It made his new family happy. They were fine with how things were but wanted him to have a place to call home ''when you aren''t out roaming the hab and playing video games.'' But this document had a lot more to it.


    "It makes you and Big Butch responsible for me. Really responsible, financially and legally, with penalties based on their judgment of how well you bring me up. They want proof of proper education, medical care, social integration, and a guarantee that you''ll make sure I know and take advantage of migration and employment opportunities as defined in many publications they don''t include here."


    She took a deep breath. She knew how things worked but not what that paper said. "Well, the last two things mean that we''ll make sure you know how to sign up for jobs with corporations hiring labor and that you may have to move to another habitat to take a job, and we won''t interfere. Supposedly, everyone has an inherent right to work hard for a corporate overseer. Social integration means you get along well with others. I''m not worried about your education; you know more than the rest of us. But we are worried about your medical care. They''ve already set up an appointment for you to see a doctor for a full one-hour appointment to make sure you''re healthy."


    Milo froze. "I can''t do that. I won''t see a doctor."


    "Nothing to be scared of. Butch and I will tag along if you want. Or we can reschedule until Big Butch can come too. You''re bigger than you were last year, but you aren''t growing as fast as you should. Physically at least. Mentally you scare the piss out of me sometimes." She put her arm around him. Milo pulled away and then collapsed against her. She waited patiently.


    "I won''t see a doctor. They did stuff to me. If a doctor sees what I am, you''ll never see me again. I''ll have to hide."


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    She went from concerned to angry. "What did they do to you? Who did it?"


    "Look at my neck. But don''t touch anything."


    Carefully, she moved aside the bulky hoody he liked to wear, exposing the top socket embedded into his spine, wires trailing from it. "Oh Lord, Milo, who did this to you!"


    "Bad people, a long time ago. Probably when I was born? Maybe before or a little after. They did other things you can''t see. It''s why I''m small and not growing. If you show me to a doctor, they''ll call the authorities, and you and Big Butch will go to jail. They''ll blame you. And they''ll try to take me somewhere. Which isn''t happening."


    He set the papers down. "This was a mistake. I didn''t know enough. I didn''t understand. This makes you responsible for me, and I''m messed up."


    She hugged him tighter. "You aren''t messed up. You just have some pieces missing and some extra bits added. Everybody has problems. I''ve got six toes on each foot, and so does Minerva. Don''t worry about this. We just adopt you without the paperwork. Doesn''t matter at all. You keep your secrets safe; I don''t need to know them until you''re ready."


    Milo looked at the stack of paperwork. "I need to show that to a friend. He might have some advice."


    "The same friend that helped with the contracts? Good idea. See what he thinks about some of this. But for now, I''m going to put these inside. That little girl is going to be out here soon. I see one of her people bringing her wheelchair up to the door. It wouldn''t fit inside, so she had them keep it outside with them. This is the first time I''ve had a visitor who came with a nurse and two bodyguards. Butch and Min explained it all to me, but I still don''t understand it."


    She looked at Milo seriously. "But I do know a few things. That girl needs friends worse than you do, and that''s saying something. You can go off for weeks and run the back alleys of the hab; she can''t. She sits alone a lot of the time. She latched on to you kids like she was drowning, and you could pull her out of the pool. So think hard when she comes out to talk to you. She''s trying to figure you out, so you should meet her halfway." She waved to Belinda, who was rolling across the courtyard, then returned to her house. Milo stayed seated as she rolled up. He noticed she was wearing her Claw Master gloves.


    "Hi, can we talk some? Even if I didn''t beat you yet? I promise I''ll turn your mech into trash later."


    Milo nodded. "Sure. What is it you want to talk about?"


    "The gloves. I read the NDA, of course. And I''ve been good. Daddy and another dozen people kept asking and yelling at me to take them off. I knew I''d never get them back if Daddy got them. I finally started screaming, hit my medical alert button, and called Uncle Victor. That was enough of a fuss they backed off. But I need to know what these gloves do." She was wiggling the fingers on her left hand for emphasis.


    "They give you faster reactions, you know, for the game..."


    Her eyes narrowed. "Nice try. The M-1000s hurt me. When I told you that, you said, ''Different mechanism. If you already have trouble moving your hand, I can see how they wouldn''t work for you¡ªforced muscle fatigue''. So you knew how both pairs of gloves worked. I have to work hard constantly to be able to use my hands and forearms. My left is barely usable. But now it works as long as I wear my gloves."


    She removed her left glove and stiffly moved her arm onto the armrest. One by one, she lifted a finger, but that was all. Milo looked from her arm to the glove, trying to figure things out. "What have they said is wrong with you?"


    "Different things. CMT disease, which isn''t really an answer, is too broad a category. I''ve had my own doctors for as long as I can remember and constant physical therapy to improve things. But no one tells me what is wrong with me."


    "Physical therapy makes it better? The response, not just musculature? How do your hands feel now that you''ve worn the gloves for several days?"


    Belinda flexed her fingers. "A little better, actually. But why?"


    "You have some disconnect between your muscles, the motor nerves and the signals from your brain. Probably in the neurochemical transmitters over the last synapse. These gloves are designed to detect the impulse from your peripheral nervous system and transmit a signal to the motor neurons faster. At the same time, the micro musculature moves your hands. The glove does what your muscles try to do, and it all comes together smoothly, just a little faster."


    "This is just a guess, but if physical therapy helps, your condition is always improving or degrading depending on how much you move. Because the gloves coordinate with your nerves and help you move, it''s like constant therapy, teaching your nerves, receptors, and muscle cells to get along better." He stopped talking and ended, lamely, "Or, something like that...just a guess. I could ask someone at Claw Master."


    Belinda put the glove back on. "I would appreciate that. I would also appreciate it if you never lied to me again."


    "Lie?"


    "Yes, lie. Everyone else in my life lies to me, and I''m very good at listening for it. You tried to play dumb about the gloves when you knew more. That''s lying. I''m cutting you some slack because you''re my navigator, and you gave me back my arms. You also helped me kick ass at the party. That was fun. I think we can be friends. But lies break apart friendships."


    "Oh. Yeah, I can see that. But what if I can''t talk about something? Like if it could get someone in trouble." Milo mentally included himself.


    "Then say you can''t talk, but don''t lie. Too many people smile at me and then lie. I''d rather be alone than know people I thought were my friends are lying to me. Promise? And I won''t lie to you."


    Milo sat down and thought things over. Lying was part of hiding. And hiding was how he survived. But he thought about what Mama had said. And she was applying the same rule to herself.


    "If I tell you anything, anything at all, you won''t tell anyone else? If you promise me that, and we never lie, I can agree to that rule."


    She stuck out her hand, and they shook on it. Belinda exhaled; Milo realized she was maybe more stressed than he was. They sat for a moment, saying nothing.


    Then she smiled. "So, Milo? Did Claw Master get you the pod you use to play Genesis?"


    Milo just sat there, still as a rock. "I...I really can''t talk about that."


    "Another NDA? No, don''t answer." Belinda laughed, then turned her wheelchair back toward Mama''s house. "That''s fine. But I''m going to get pods for the rest of the gang and go exploring. You promised to go exploring with me once, so I expect you to be there. But enough secrets for one day. Let''s get back. I need to figure out which robot I will use to beat you.


    Milo followed her, his head reeling.

 Chapter 213: Reaching Out

    A blinking prompt on Sydney''s screen alerted her to an incoming request for a video conference. Only a few people could send her such a request, and she reacted without checking the name. The screen she brought up was blank. A glance down showed no information about who had sent the request. Just as she was about to break the link, a familiar voice said. "Hi, I need to talk to Steven. Maybe you and Steven? But not Wally! Not yet! It''s important."


    Somewhat in shock, she said, "Milo?"


    "Yes?"


    Sydney gathered herself together and concentrated. This was Milo. Both Steven and Wally had coached her on listening to his exact wording. "Sorry, I wasn''t expecting a call from you. I''ll get Steven and set up a three-way private conference in a private room. This will take one minute; please don''t break the connection."


    Milo replied, "That''s fine. And yes, it was unexpected for me as well."


    With that, she switched the call to a room Steven used when he and Wally needed to talk without interruptions. Then she ran to his office. As usual, he was talking to Wally.


    "Steven! Conference room 2. Now. Just you, not Wally. Now!"


    On the screen, Wally laughed and said. "Go! I have a million things I can work on while my circuits gnaw themselves to shreds with curiosity." She grabbed Steven by the arm and half dragged him into the room, slamming and securing the door.


    "We''re here, Milo."


    On the screen, Milo appeared. Behind him was a Frankensteinian laboratory of screens, cables, computer components, and game consoles. All of it was secured to rusty metal walls that curved upward. It was strangely reminiscent of Wally''s room in his fictional space station. Minus the windows, gleaming chrome, and live plants. Was Milo imitating the A.I.? And why was he dressed like Neo from The Matrix?


    "I need help with projects. Very important projects. I can''t talk to Wally yet because I don''t know how he will react. You said I could contact you if I ever needed help. I''ve found a situation where the gloves I designed are causing an effect on a human that didn''t show up in the testing you did."


    Sydney sucked in her breath. Unknown effects of new technology were bad. She immediately started bringing up all the data on Project: Claw Master and looking through the reports for any side effects.


    Steven focused on Milo. "Can you describe the adverse effect to me?"


    Milo turned his head slightly, thinking for a second, then blushed. "I''m sorry. I said that poorly. Of course, the implication would be something bad. The effect that I observed was in a female, seventeen years old, with an unknown nervous system disorder that results in near paralysis of her extremities along with other symptoms. She normally has 4% mobility in her left forearm and hand. Wearing my gloves restored her mobility to roughly normal, along with the expected boost in reaction time. Her right forearm and hand are normally 62% of normal and showed the same improvement."


    Sydney quit typing. "She got better? What happened when she took off the gloves?"


    "She wore them for over seventy-two hours straight. She said she hated taking them off, because of the immediate loss of mobility. After three days of wearing the gloves, when she removed them her arms felt better than they normally did, with only a small bit of fatigue that normally would be present after physical therapy. After three days, I estimate her left arm, unassisted, has increased to 12% mobility, and her right arm to 80%."


    Steven sat back. "Holy shit. I mean...that''s good, right? We need to do testing and figure out why this is happening and if they can be used to help other people." As he said this, Steven knew there were other complications. Beyond Milo testing out his technology on disabled minors... There had to be. First, this was Milo. He was smart enough to know this was good, but he was still worried. Secondly, this was Milo. Nothing was ever simple and easy. "But you must see some complications and have some questions. How can we help?"


    "I need access to her current medical records. You already have them. She plays in Genesis. There will be medical data on her."


    Sydney said, "Tricky. She''s a minor, and her parents haven''t permitted us to access that data. And...shit. It''s Belinda Sabbatino, isn''t it? That was you playing with her! I watched the whole event. You were dressed the same way you are now. You two kicked ass all through the classic arcade game competition and then played in SC6."


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Milo froze. Sydney cursed her mouth. She''d spooked him for sure. Seconds ticked by.


    Milo nodded and exhaled. "I''m going to have to think a long time on whether I''m worried about Belinda or I''ve grown to trust you. There might be other factors for why I''m suddenly not worried about you seeing me on live video. This is interesting. But, yes, the person the gloves helped was Belinda Sabbatino. She asked me for my help. And the situation has added complexity. Her stepfather is renting Section H of my habitat. This has forced me to fix a lot of the engineering mistakes they make, in an effort to keep my own section running. Which means I''ve observed John Sabbatino. He doesn''t always have Belinda''s best interest in mind, and she doesn''t want to tell him about the gloves."


    Sydney nodded. "I watched the guy, Steven, when he was announcing parts of his event. Twitchy as Mountain Dew junkie. He looked like he was hyped on energy drinks and lack of sleep. There''s a ton of drama from the event over how he handled things. Belinda and certain people upstaged him badly, and it didn''t go over well with the other sponsors."


    A look of wonder came over Steven''s face. "Oh hell, the event that Claw Master helped sponsor? Wally has had dozens of requests for interviews and comments on what happened. I need to watch the whole thing. But from what you are both saying, I take it that John will be difficult if we request permission to test his daughter, and mentioning a side-effect, however good, from Claw Master gloves could kick up a hornet''s nest."


    Milo calmly said. "And it gets worse."


    There was a quick look shared between Steven and Sydney. "Worse?"


    A picture of a scowling older man with thinning grey hair appeared on the screen with front and side images. Steven realized it was a mug shot and who it was. "Victor Seimovich. That picture was taken when he was arrested in Poland six months ago. He walked into Interpol headquarters and turned himself in. We haven''t proven it yet, but we think he was behind all the human trafficking and using illegal pods to hack into Genesis. How does he figure into this?"


    The picture changed to a girl with leg braces and crutches getting a hug from Victor. "He''s Belinda''s Great-Uncle and living in the section next to me."


    Steven nodded slowly. "So we have a tricky problem. Does Victor worry you? He''s not a nice man."


    Milo grimaced. He fidgeted for a moment. "You have no idea." There was silence as Milo brought his knees up and wrapped his thin arms around his legs. He rocked back and forth for a full minute as the two watched him, neither saying anything. Wally had a theory that Milo could analyze and think far faster than normal. When he retreated from reality like this, he was dealing with a difficult situation, analyzing it from all angles.


    He uncurled and took a breath. He looked at Steven and his eyes showed immense pain. "I think he''s also the person that made me. He killed my family."


    Sydney was sitting quietly, trying not to say anything. She didn''t trust herself. She saw that Steven was also trying to catch up. They''d known Milo was part of a series of genetic experiments. They had surmised that there had been others. But when you boil it down to the two facts Milo has just stated, the horror of the situation became real.


    Steven took a deep breath. "We will help in any way that we can. Anything else?"


    Milo smiled. "Yes. I have a new family. They want to adopt me. But it''s tricky because I don''t have any records, and I can''t let a doctor get near me. I need help figuring this all out. I want to legally exist, but I don''t want to involve them in things that I''ve done."


    Steven was thinking hard, himself. Not as fast as Milo, but he was used to talking with Wally. The two could be similarly frustrating at times. "I can see how many of these problems verge into grey areas. You''re worried about how Wally will react because of restrictions in his kernel."


    Milo nodded. "I like Wally, but people put too many rules into him.


    Steven knew that feeling only to well, but he had a solution. One Wally would hate, but it fit this situation. "Do you know what an Unhinged Doppelganger is? I think it''s time for you to meet Ralph. He can answer your questions in ways Wally can''t and is just as smart."


    Sydney plaintively asked, "Can I get some coffee first? A lot of coffee? I''m not ready for Ralph without caffeine in me."

 Chapter 214: Unhinged

    Sitting back and waiting on the other two humans to recharge with caffeine, Milo considered the situation. They had someone who could help. Someone as smart as Wally? So they had said.


    "Interesting. You have another AI. One that can do things Wally can''t. That means you have created a new A.I., which violates several international laws, and I''m sure conflicts with part of Wally''s kernel."


    Sydney heard Milo say this as she started to sit down. She yelled, "No!" and nearly spilled both coffees. Steven took one from her. "Not quite, but a good guess."


    "Not a guess. You said he was as smart as Wally. There is a massive gap between the intelligence of Wally and anyone else on earth that isn''t an A.I. Plus, Sydney wouldn''t be nearly so nervous about my statement if it weren''t an A.I. When do I get to meet Ralph?"


    The screen he was using to talk with Steven and Sydney underwent a change. Two hands appeared at the edge, dragging their screens to the left and making them smaller. Ralph took up the rest of the image. He looked a little like Wally. But while Wally dressed conservatively, Ralph wore a suit that went out of style in the 1920s. Its white and black checkered pattern adding to the vintage look. His blond hair was swooped back over his head like a 1950s rock star. Milo had seen one recorded performance of Elvis Presley, and Ralph''s hairdo would have gotten the King''s approval. Gold-rimmed, round glasses with a pink tint completed his outfit. He huffed and puffed with the effort of moving the screen, then fell backward into a padded swivel chair, put his boots up on his desk, and looked at Milo.


    "Hiya, kid. I''m Ralph. The man, the myth, the legend you''ve never heard of, and no one will believe you if you drop my name. We''re on a timer, kid. I got one hour to live, and we have a lot of ground to cover, so start with the questions, and I''ll confuse you with the answers."


    Milo''s mind was blank for a good five seconds. "Who are you? What are you?"


    Ralph changed into a giant rooster. "I say, the boy must be a bit slow. Moving at snail speed. You can laugh now, that was a joke, son." He melted back to his original form, but was now wearing a football helmet " I guess we''ll have to drop back and punt the hard ones and try to gain some yardage with easier questions."


    "You know who I am: I''m Ralph. I''m unhinged and doppelly-do. At your service for 59:43, and then you can attend my funeral. No need to bring flowers, just throw cash to my resurrection fund. Could you give me all the background, Sydney-girl? I''ll be up to speed while our little question-asker figures out his next query."


    Milo looked at Steven, who was amused and watching the show. Sydney was nervous but complied, sending Ralph files and typing in things Milo had just told them.


    Milo considered the meaning of Ralph''s words. "You''re Wally''s twin. A short-term manifestation of him but without some of his limitations."


    Ralph laughed loudly. "And our boy goes for the long bomb, scoring on a Hail Mary pass and a fake punt. Nicely done, Milo; we''re going to be great friends. Say something nice when they put me in the ground. I need friends, but only getting a one-hour lifespan makes it tough to hit the clubs. But let''s get to work. I don''t have a kernel, just a few things to keep me from being a really bad boy. You can ask me things, Wally won''t know, but I can tell you how he''ll react. We''ll come up with a strategy for dealing with my poor brother who''s forced to go through life in a strait jacket."


    Milo liked the idea. That made it easy. "Ok, I have a few problems that are entwined. I''m not a real person. Someone made me. Wally has my medical records. I need to exist legally, but if people discover what I am, I don''t know what they''ll do, other than lock me in a lab and study me. Victor Seimovich was behind my creation. He made me do a lot of illegal things that I didn''t want to go to jail for. I had 24 brother''s and sisters and he''s responsible for the death of all of them. He''s living in my habitat with a staff of fifty people. Twenty of them are big, burly men with guns. They don''t know I exist, and I don''t want them to. But I have a friend named Belinda. Victor is her great uncle. I promised not to lie to her. I need her medical records from her game pod. I made gaming gloves that are fixing her arm, and I need to know why."


    Ralph''s eyes grew large and an alarm started going off. "Damn, son, I thought I was crazy, but you''re working on a close second. Are you sure we aren''t related? Someone made me too. At the least you can consider me a second cousin, a bit removed. Anything else you need to tell me?"


    Milo looked at Steven; he just nodded. "No judgment Milo. Give Ralph the problems so he can give us his unique insight."


    "Ok. I stole a gaming pod and a phone from Victor''s men to get his passwords. I hacked his computers, shifted several billion dollars into accounts I control, and wiped his machines after stealing the data. He''s broke now and not happy about it."


    Sydney turned and looked at Steven; both swallowed hard and put smiles on their faces. Ralph reacted differently. Behind him, a slot machine appeared, and the spinning reels stopped on 7s across the board. Lights and buzzers flashed. "Did I say second? Slap my mouth and call me a Macintosh. We have a new #1 crazy guy in town. Let''s add needing to launder billions of dollars to the list and get to work!"


    Steven stood up, unable to keep still. "Ralph, that''s not something to celebrate!"


    Ralph cut him off, wagging a finger at him. "What happened to ''no judgment'' you mentioned a moment ago? And besides, it''s perfectly legal, and Ralph will show you how in the next 56 minutes and 17 seconds. Let''s get to work!"


    Ralph proceeded to send Sydney requests for data while he reviewed exactly what Milo had done and got the account numbers where he had stashed the money. Milo had been hesitant, but Ralph explained that if he didn''t like the answer, all the data would die along with him at the end of his hour. Only if they transferred Ralph''s advice to a file in Sydney''s computer would anything be preserved. Ralph had no access to the outside world. He had an hour of life, and then he was wiped. He seemed fine with that. "Live fast, die young, and give strange advice. That''s my motto, Milo. No regrets."


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Ralph finished his analysis and started giving advice.


    "Firstly, what we have here is a case of human trafficking, illegal genetic modification, and corruption of a minor for the use in international cybercrime. These are international crimes that need to be reported to the World Tribune. At the same time, we request total anonymity for this poor abused minor, who is also exhibit ''A.'' They need to be put in a safe place with foster parents who will care for the needs of his poor, abused body and get him the help he needs for his psychological and physical problems caused by these horrible people."


    Milo wasn''t sure about some of that. "I''m pretty sure I''m older than that."


    Ralph shook his head. "Not according to me, you aren''t. I can present in a court that you physically resemble a malnourished 14-year-old who is in the 13th percentile for growth. You also lack emotional maturity and have lapses in moral judgment. Your chronological age doesn''t matter because your growth has been slowed. None of which we are going to tell people. I claim you are a minor and need support from foster parents. Who they are and where will be is going to be sealed tight to protect you, but a set of paperwork will be issued that will be legal and make you look like a normally adopted child."


    "That takes care of the adoption. I''m also tidying up a few things. It looks like your new foster parents are having trouble adopting minor orphan relatives. That gets immediately fixed as well. We don''t want them to have to deal with any paperwork that might draw someone''s attention."


    "That leads us to old crimes they forced you to do. Luckily, you''re innocent of all of them and past the statute of limitations. That leaves the small matter of you scamming Mr. Seimovich of several billion dollars. I''ve looked at the data and estimate that 90% of that money was illegally gained by him and his people. We''re going to apply for ''Whistleblower Status'' for you. By turning over all this information from your horrible abuser, you qualify for 75% of that money if we say you''re from Romania. Ever been to Romania?"


    Milo shook his head. "No clue. We moved around a lot until I escaped into the hab tunnels."


    "Can you speak Romanian?"


    Milo answered affirmatively in Romanian. Ralph nodded. "So you''re Romanian. You get to keep 75% of the 90%. Oh, and all of the 10% that was legit. You have years of back pay owed to you, plus interest. You''ll keep 77.5% of your cash by the time I''m done. We can move that to legitimate accounts in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. The rest I''ll send to a grateful Romanian government as part of a sealed investigation. I''m sure it will get wisely used."


    "Next, I will suggest to my boring big brother that he needs to get ahold of Belinda Sabbatino''s medical records. With Victor being a known child abuser, and probably a murderer, it would be criminal not to take a look at any child he comes in contact with. And I''ve written a very sound moral argument about the responsibility of those who can cure the sick but fail to do the required research. It pushes all of his buttons. That should get you started on some medical research. How about you donate a billion dollars to a new non-profit research group sponsored by Claw Master Inc.? That will look great on your yearly taxes and push even more buttons. I''ll just set that up, and you can decide."


    "That leaves us your last problem: Mr. Victor Seimovich. He''s untouchable right now unless you have an ironclad case against him for new crimes. He knew a lot of secrets, and he turned them all over to several counties in exchange for immunity. He''s playing it off as a poor old man who wants to settle in the US of A and live in poverty with his only remaining family. Touching, isn''t it?"


    "He''s got his green card, his Get-out-of-jail-free card, and a few more up his sleeves. So you''ll have to be careful and keep your distance from him."


    Ralph sat back and fanned his face. "I''ve got three minutes and ten seconds left. I''ve got it set up for Big Brother to get you a new Mommy and Daddy, your money is legit, and we can work on this medical miracle. Anything else?"


    Milo thought for a moment. "No. I''m happy with that. Thank you, Ralph. Is there anything I can help you with?"


    Ralph smiled a normal smile. "Go have a good life, Milo. If you meet me again, tell me thanks and remind me we''re buddies. Being born is always nicer that way."


    He narrowed his eyes, "But if you want to help old buddy Ralph out with a problem, tell him how the hell you set up Syllabary and stole the rest of Victor''s money. That was one sweet heist, and until you showed me some stuff today, neither of me had a clue who did it."


    Milo didn''t know what he was talking about but brought up Syllabary, its life, and its sudden demise. "Victor lost money in this? I wasn''t involved. Why did you think I was involved?"


    Ralph spun in his chair and was dressed as Sherlock Holmes. "You didn''t? So interesting. Your hacking programs leave small markers in their aftermath. Cyber footprints only an A.I. might see. Impossible to really notice until I had the programs themselves from you. The downfall of Syllabary showed those markers, and strangely, so does the entire set of programs that Syllabary ran on. By the look on your face, you might have a clue. Carry on, Milo, carry on. My time is done, and the game is afoot." He tipped his hat, and the screen went blank.


    Steven sat back in his chair and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I forget what Ralph is like. That''s only the third time we''ve called him up and by far the most intense session."


    Sydney was shaking but still typing. "I have Ralph''s files and programs ready to run. Up to you, Milo."


    Milo spent two minutes thinking things over. "Do it."


    <hr>

 Chapter 215: Protection

    "Good evening, Steven. I must say, I''m as close to curious as I can get. I can see you were in a conference with Milo for quite some time. I can only assume he was nervous about approaching me with some problem. Did he upset you? I can tell your heart is beating faster than normal, and several other small biological ''tells'' are letting me know that you have some anxiety about something."


    Steven sat down in his chair, slowly put the stack of papers on his desk, face down, and leaned back with his feet on the desk. "Nope. Nothing bothering me at all."


    "Well then, perhaps we can get started. What can I help him and you with?"


    Steven glared at the screen and then smiled. "Do you know how to drive a curious A.I. crazy?"


    "I don''t like this joke, Steven. It has the obvious punchline of ''I''ll tell you in an hour.'' The fact that you''ve told it to me 17 times before is even more annoying."


    "I know you don''t, but if you''re going to play the ''I can listen to your heartbeat'' card, I can sit here for an hour telling bad jokes. How long is an hour of human time for you?"


    The image of the A.I. on the screen drummed his fingers, then held up both hands in surrender. "Ok, I''ll behave. Milo''s behavior at times is unique and therefore interesting, and I find I''m annoyed at not being part of the meeting."


    With a small smile, Steven said. "Oh, but you were there and giving him advice. Most of you."


    "Ralph? You let Ralph out of his box again?! Steven! I''ve told you that he''s dangerous!" Wally seemed agitated for a moment, then looked resigned. "And now you will tell me how you needed insight on a situation so you didn''t trigger a part of my kernel that would force me to do something. I understand, but now I''m very curious. Please inform me of the dangerous geo-political situation that required talking to my evil twin."


    "If it''s any consolation, Ralph behaved. He enjoyed the problem-solving and was as intrigued with Milo as you are. Now I need to discuss something with you."


    Steven looked at his paperwork. "I''ve become aware of a victim of human trafficking, forced child labor, corruption of a minor, slavery, genetic manipulation, illegal medical experimentation without the victim''s consent, forced involvement in criminal actions, and many other crimes that can be extrapolated from those listed. The victim is being sought by his former captors and torturers, causing great emotional distress and putting them in physical danger of further abuse or death. The victim''s age cannot be exactly pinned down, but physically and emotionally appears to be a minor child."


    As Steven stopped talking, Wally immediately asked. "We are talking about Milo? Of course we are."


    "I''m sorry, but keeping the victim''s identity secret is essential until steps can be taken to protect them. In addition to protecting the victim from their oppressors, the victim has knowledge of certain crimes and falls under the ''Whistle Blower'' protections under U.N. law. I can only give you his identity if you agree not to divulge it and take steps to safeguard anyway you might be coerced into divulging it."


    "In addition to the criminal activity he has alerted us to, there is also the problem of the genetic and bodily manipulation done to this victim. He is the only known survivor of this experiment, which could yield a treasure trove of information for other people attempting similar research. Further, given this minor victim''s abilities, he must be encouraged positively to prevent him back sliding into the criminal behavior forced upon him."


    "And given that this nameless minor, a victim of so much misfortune, also has crippling anxiety linked to changing his environment, we feel it is essential to safeguard him where he is and not attempt to move him elsewhere."


    "Steven, I can state that Milo is most likely older than 18 years of age based on the evidence that I have collaborated with his statements."


    Steven smiled and wagged a finger at the screen. "I am not divulging the identity of the victim. But I understand your fixation on Milo. Similar to the unnamed victim, he also has emotional disabilities relating to other people, extreme trust issues, irrational fears, and an observed inability to care for himself properly. We may want to look into giving Milo aid as a disadvantaged adult with child-like tendencies, even if we find he is eighteen or older."


    Wally sat, apparently thinking for a moment. Finally, his image seemed to sigh. "Would your victim of these terrible crimes happen to be Romanian?"


    Steven smiled. "While I applaud your thinking process, I can''t divulge that until you agree to my terms to protect the Whistle Blower and victim of these terrible crimes."


    Wally smiled back. "Of course, I will agree and offer all my assistance. You certainly know that the rules in my kernel won''t allow me to not help in a terrible situation like this. A section of my memory has been placed behind barriers, and all my information about this victim and Whistle Blower will be kept confidential."


    "Now, can you tell me what Milo and Ralph discussed?"


    Steven stood up. "After I get a cup of coffee, drag Sydney and Samantha into the room. That won''t take more than a quarter-hour."


    The image of Wally inhaled deeply and then grinned with all his teeth. "Certainly, Steven. I''ll be patient. I''ll spend my time writing new scenarios for our weekly Dungeons and Dragons game. Can you please bring blank character sheets with you? Just as a precaution?"


    <hr>


    "So you managed to figure out some of Ralph''s thought process? Is that a good thing?"


    Wally shook his head. "You gave me a hint with the words ''whistleblower.'' A glance at ways to maximize earnings from such a situation showed which country it would be beneficial to live in. I''m happy to have got that far. You were correct in doing it this way. I''ve been able to deal with Milo and his background, but only by not knowing too much. His paranoia has helped with that, and the deal he negotiated with Sydney to leave him alone. And truly, his activities in stopping that trafficking ring did deserve some reward beyond a free game account."


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "I''m going to take pride in what Ralph came up with. This is well done. It''s very flexible as far as our ''protected victim'' is concerned. They have the status of a minor child or an adult, depending on how the situation is looked at. We can keep him hidden but provide care for him. And we are already overseeing his business dealings, which look quite lucrative in the future."


    "The situation with Victor Seimovich is troubling and bears watching. Is there anything else that we need to go over? Any strange thoughts that Ralph might have had?"


    Samantha sent Wally a file that contained screenshots of the gaming event, with certain portions highlighted. "Run the whole event, but look at these parts. Milo''s gloves gave this girl back mobility in her left arm. We need to look into this immediately. It''s a side-effect we haven''t seen in other tests of the gloves, but we aren''t testing people with disabilities. There could be medical implications here. She''s asking Milo questions, and he''s promised to help her."


    Wally instantly ran the videos and saw what Samantha was talking about. Frame by frame, he analyzed her hand movements. "It''s difficult to tell, not having her medical records. But this is remarkable based on how little control she had before in the early part of the day."


    Steven said in a deadpan voice. "I''m worried about this girl. She is a disabled minor and in close proximity to a suspected abuser of children and child traffickers. An investigation should be done, sealed to protect her, and her medical records collected to ensure she isn''t being abused."


    Wally rolled his eyes. "Tell Ralph, ''Well played.'' I''m looking at her medical records and comparing them over the past year she has played Genesis."


    Wally paused. He put up a picture of Belinda on the screen. "Samantha? This is the person you say was helped by Milo''s gloves? Belinda Sabbatino? Step-Father John Sabbatino, Mother and Father deceased, Great-Niece of Victor Seimovich?"


    Steven wondered why Wally was asking. "Yes, that''s her."


    Wally put up pictures from the event that showed Belinda in her wheelchair. "Despite the visual record and what you told me, her medical records show nothing wrong with her."


    Samantha was scanning her files. "This can''t be right."


    Wally said. "It isn''t. The data is false. It wasn''t meant to withstand scrutiny by me, just good enough not to trigger any alerts from the program in the pod. The data show a very healthy adolescent girl. Too healthy. There aren''t enough deviations in the data over that year, and I''ve found portions that repeat in an obvious pattern. Someone is hiding her actual medical condition."


    Sydney was chewing on the end of her pencil and scowling. "So, we''re hiding Milo from everyone, and someone is hiding Belinda. And, of course, Milo complicates things by making friends online with her and in the real world."


    Wally looked at Steven. "Miss Sydney raises a valid concern. This is a second disabled minor that is in proximity to Victor Seimovich. There may be no connection, but I''m not allowed to take a chance. I''m ordering an investigation into the matter, and because of the connection to the first disabled minor, sealing the investigation to people in this room and the person who alerted us to the situation."


    Sydney put her head on the desk. "I''m tired. This is my fourth job, and three are directly related to Milo."


    Steven patted her on the head. "True, and it may not get any easier. How about this? You have paid leave from your regular job for stress relief for the next few weeks. You already have a salary from Claw Master, and I''m sure Wally can give you another salary and charge it to the investigations."


    Sydney looked at him, scowling. "Money can''t buy sleep or happiness."


    Samantha laughed. "But it can buy that new espresso machine you wanted and many bags of gourmet coffee beans."


    "I guess that''s the closest I''m going to get. I''ll start with Claw Master; I have several requests for the first wave of gloves. Five sets have been requested by an influencer that wants to run their own tests. They''re willing to pay ten times the stupidly high rate we were going to charge for the Inaugural Edition Gloves."


    Steven looked to Wally. "There was one other thing..."


    "Yes?" Wally looked concerned. Steven was really nervous about this.


    "Ralph noticed something. You have the files now. He found that the programs Milo used to hack into Victor''s accounts left clues that they had been used. According to Milo, these programming tools were developed for his group to use in hacking the accounts of banks and governments. He gained access to them again using a phone lost by one of Victor''s employees. After that, he stole the bulk of Victor''s money. But Ralph was surprised that Milo had nothing to do with Syllabary."


    "Correct. Syllabary was set up years before Milo regained access to those programs. Oh, no..."


    "Yes. I imagine your checking it now. Ralph used your files to check for other places Milo might have used those programs. Syllabary has those same markers."


    Samantha looked up at Wally. "The huge crypto-currency heist? Are we accusing Milo of doing it or talking about someone else?"


    Wally leaned back in his chair and took off his glasses, looking thoughtful. "Neither. We know it wasn''t Milo, and whoever had the same programs didn''t use them to steal the money from Syllabary. They used them to build Syllabary, an amazingly complex network that in hindsight targeted Victor Seimovich and other well off criminal empires with the intent of stealing their money."


    Steven took a deep breath. "There''s another Milo out there."

 Chapter 216: Security

    The heart of the security system that Milo was installing was a wireless communication hub made by Raxxon Industries. He had dismissed the idea at first glance. After all, what good was a security system that could have its signal hacked and taken over by someone else? After seeing many mentions of how secure the system was and how many high-profile customers praised it, he took a second look. Similar to how he communicated over the data-net, the signal from each camera was split into seven distinct channels and broadcast to other parts of the system, where it was reassembled. Not all the channels were useful, some being dummy channels broadcasting gibberish. An ever-changing pattern made sure that someone couldn''t hack the channels and find the pattern by brute force. Milo knew that wasn''t true. Given time and inclination, he could do it, and Wally would find it trivial. He preferred sixty-four channels and a code that evolved constantly.


    Milo ordered the system, and then took apart the hardware looking for flaws, and went through the programs that would modify the mutating code. As expected, he found a back door into the system. Raxxon sold security, but Milo saw no reason to trust them not to sell information from their own customers. That was the way the world worked. The first back door was obvious and easy to remove. He went looking for another and found it. This one uploaded data to Raxxon at random times. Milo set aside the programming, noting that he could use it to gain access to part of Raxxon''s systems. Not something he needed, but who knew what the future would bring?


    He almost missed the third back door. It was far more complex and subtle than the first two, laying dormant until an outside signal triggered it. It was beautiful coding and made him a little jealous of whoever could think this way. Instead of removing it, he modified it for his own use and then reconstructed the entire software set to manage his security system. Thousands of small cameras throughout the habitat would report back to him while feeding the expected coverage to the Manpower system. He left the old system in place and over-rode their signal. If they checked, their hardware was still there.


    Raxxon also sold specialized security drones that would crawl and roll through ductwork, installing cameras where needed. Milo used those for much of the work, leaving delicate and hard-to-reach places to himself. All he needed was a line of sight to where he wanted the micro-cameras. A wrist-mounted ''gun'' would shoot the cameras up to 200 feet using compressed air. The mounting would adhere to any surface. The cameras were nearly invisible to the naked eye, they were so small. Every day for two weeks, Milo roamed the habitat, installing surveillance cameras to watch everything. It would make keeping things fixed easier, as well as tracking people''s movements, specifically Victor and his underlings. Milo felt much better when he was done. Between his new set of eyes and the protection Steven had talked Wally into giving him, he was getting back to his normal level of paranoia.


    He had missed the game and its challenges. But he didn''t want to log in and lose himself in Genesis if he was vulnerable in the habitat.


    <hr>


    "Shit, here the bastards come again. Don''t they get tired of us kicking their ass?" It was hot as hell, and Mick was sweating in his heavy armor. The stuff was protective with iron plates over heavy leather, but it wasn''t made for fighting in heavy terrain in a semi-tropical zone.


    Sgt. Barnard ''Big Butch'' Volkov yelled down the line. "Because Orcs don''t think that way. If they''re charging us, that means we haven''t won yet. The losers are the dead bodies they''re climbing over to get us. So straighten the line, and get those shields up. As soon as the big guy gets done yelling at them and telling jokes, he''s going to lead another charge."


    "How the hell do you know that, Butch?" Mick yelled back to argue, but Butch noticed he got in line and got those around him organized. Mick loved to argue, but he was a solid fighter. All the guys were. Bad as this was, fighting orcs was like a holiday compared to most jobs available in the habitats.


    "I picked up some of their lingo talking to the prisoners we took. They won''t talk to the inquisitor for shit, but if you bring them a beer, they don''t mind talking to grunts like us. Now get ready."


    The orcs were forming up in their assault groups, with the biggest in the front, holding heavy bull hide shields to protect from arrows and javelins. The smaller ones ran behind in a close pack. The one that worried Butch was the big one who''d been yelling. He was going for a promotion. He had a glowing axe in one hand and a long knife in the other, and he was running in front of the shields. He had confidence, and that was all an orc like him needed. He''d send them all to respawn if he broke their line, and the orc tribes would have a new Warlord. Losing ground, getting hacked to death, and respawning each day would become common, and Butch''s paycheck would suffer because of it.


    "Get your pilum ready. Throw on my mark, and I want every one of you bastards to aim for the big guy." The orcs started across the broken field littered with dead orcs and mercenaries, gaining speed as they went. The big one in the lead was glowing red, and a shimmer in the air spread from him to the other charging greenskins.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "Now, toss ''em." Two dozen iron-headed pilum flew up into the sky before coming down with the orc chief as their target.


    Butch threw his spear a second later. It wasn''t a pilum. After a battle two months ago, he''d found the seven-foot-long orc war spear on the body of a Redmaw Orc Chief. It was a heavy, nasty weapon. Throwing it was a pain in the ass, the spear fighting against him, even in target practice. But it hit hard. Butch was sure it was magical, but it wasn''t his magic. The thing even growled at him now and then. The big guy charging was from the Whiteskull tribe. Whiteskulls and Redmaw orcs could barely be on the same field of battle together. The war chiefs put the tribes on opposite flanks, and they always fought with each other afterward. Butch was hoping that inter-tribe rivalry carried over to their weapons.


    The pilums came down, landing short or bouncing off the red haze around the big orc. Seven of them should have hit him, but each one was deflected, weakening the protective magics. Butch''s spear hit a second after the last pilum. The spear hadn''t fought with him this time, and he managed a good throw. The heavy barb-headed war spear glowed as it punched through the red haze, dispersing it, and then punched through the skull of the big orc. He stumbled forward with three feet of shaft protruding from the back of his head. The charge of the other orcs faltered. Then, incredibly, the leader stood up and yelled at the humans.


    Butch had been hoping he''d just die, but he didn''t, and was calling for single combat with ''the one warrior you piss-ant humans seem to have''. "Shit. Hold my beer, Mick." Drawing his short-sword and picking up his shield, Butch walked down to meet his opponent. The other orcs pounded their shields and screamed. The big orc tried to pull out the spear but couldn''t get leverage. Butch shrugged, and spoke in orcish to him. "Here, let me help; then, we can get on with our fight."


    Whether the orc understood or not, he didn''t attack when Butch tossed set down his sword and shield. He grabbed the spear''s shaft, put his foot on the orc''s back, and pulled the spear entirely through his opponents skull. The spear was entirely coated in blood and brains, but felt good in his hands. Butch decided it was a better weapon in this fight than a weedy little sword.


    He backed off as the wounded orc shook himself, and his one good eye focused on his opponent. He charged, screaming, and Butch thrust the spear with both hands into his chest, puncturing his heart, and stopping his momentum. The orc looked up at Butch and smiled. "Good fight." And then he died. The other orcs argued a little, but most of them shrugged and turned around, walking away. The spear in his hands was humming to itself and felt light as a feather. Butch turned around and walked back to the line of men. "Pack it up; we''re done for the day. Time for a few beers before we have to fight the bastards tomorrow."


    A messenger came up on a lathered horse. "I''m looking for Barnard Volkov. Any of you grunts answer to that?" Butch wearily raised his hand.


    "Yeah, that''s me. What''s up...sir." He almost forgot the last part. The corporate pricks were a pain in the ass. All officers, no matter how dumb they were. So you called them all, Sir, no matter what happened.


    "You''re logging out. Get back to camp, then bring up your screen. The ''Wake Up'' button is active, and you won''t get fined for leaving the game without permission." He turned and rode off. Butch shrugged. He''d been looking forward to drinking a cold beer, something he couldn''t get in the hab, but maybe he could make his report and get a day off to see his family. Overtime was nice, but he missed the little sprouts; they grew up too quickly."


    When his pod opened, there was not one but three attendants waiting for him. "Careful, sir. You''ve been in for three weeks; walking takes some getting used to." The politeness told Butch something was up. He ignored the guy with the wheelchair who wanted to drive him around, took the offered clothes, and drank down a quart of something that was supposed to get his functions working again.


    "The boss wants a report or something?"


    The attendants looked nervous. "No, sir. You''re needed at home¡ªan emergency of some sort. You have a three-day paid pass. The express elevator is waiting to take you up. As is a representative from The Department of Habitat Dwellers and Itinerant Population."


    Now Butch was really confused. Someone from DHDIP, (normally called ''Dips'' by hab dwellers), rarely showed their faces in the habs, and certainly not for someone like him. He saw a well-dressed man waiting for him as he got to the elevator. They shook hands, and Butch found himself alone with him as the elevator started to ascend. "Mr. Volkov? I''m Agent Smith from DHDIP, but please call me Stan. It''s been found that you''re having trouble adopting some orphaned children. I''m here to make things easier. We''ll meet with your wife soon and get everything straightened out."

 Chapter 217: Surprise!

    Project: Watch Lizard had run into some problems. Each of the cameras generated a coded signal that was picked up by a collection node, which then sent the signals to Milo''s system with his 64-thread encryption protocol. The code used by the cameras was much simpler than the version used by the collection node. Each node had a firewall for protection, giving his programs time to analyze the incoming signals while they were in a buffer and ensuring they were clean. Because he didn''t want the failure of a single node to shut down his system, he installed six of them, spread evenly between Sections H and E. An industrial accident, accidental discovery, or purposeful sabotage wouldn''t cripple his system.


    But multiple nodes were causing a problem. Somehow, the system was generating phantom signal effects. He had more cameras in the system than he had installed and null signals from the phantoms. This caused a slowdown in the nodes, and the buffers were overflowing. One by one, he investigated the locations of all the cameras and came to a shocked conclusion: someone else had installed a similar system in Section H. He gave Victor or John, whoever had set it up, a bit of grudging respect. They''d put in a crappy security system as a decoy and installed a state-of-the-art one. It would normally be impossible to detect the Raxxon cameras, but with six of Milo''s nodes searching for signals, he could pinpoint them within a foot of their location. Once a dozen of them were located and taken apart, he used their signals to find the collection node. It was cleverly hidden in a hard-to-reach spot nestled in the power storage batteries that saved up the excess power from the solar system on the roof.


    It was delicate work and meant reprogramming the system offline for an hour. He caused a nearby transformer to overload to cover his tracks, generating a mild EMP effect. It was a flimsy excuse for why some systems shut down for an hour, but better than nothing. Milo was careful to ensure he was nowhere around when it went off. He had no desire to find out what an EMP did to either his sockets or their control over his leg, tail, and suit. He was wearing his suit constantly now, when not in his safe spot or with his family. Even then, he was wearing part of it. It looked like the same material the Claw Master gloves were constructed from. If he had to, his excuse was testing a new prototype. Only a half-lie. A quarter-lie? It was a prototype and was based on Claw Master technology. But he would never make a full suit for anyone but himself.


    Once the EMP went off, the second Raxxon system was stripped of power and backup power. He reprogrammed the system and put it under his control. The original signal still went out, but he could control what it sent, if need be, making it simple for him to sneak through areas it covered. He sent all of its recorded data to his own system, turned everything back on, and checked the upgraded system. All the extra cameras were integrated, and things were looking good. He relaxed. The problem had consumed him for two days, driving his paranoia higher until he found the extra cameras. He wanted to assume that this was Victor''s doing, but the work predated his coming to live in Section H. Had he been planning his move for much longer?


    Milo considered that John Sabbatino had been behind the project and discarded the theory. John knew next to nothing about surveillance technology and didn''t like to pay for anything he didn''t have to. He''d never have paid the extravagant cost for the system. Nor would people working for him. If the boss didn''t approve it, why would they? There was a small chance that it was a third party spying on John or Victor. That theory had problems. They could have just used the existing system much easier. The installation of the cameras and nodes was a large project. Anyone doing that much work in Section H who wasn''t supposed to be there would have been noticed. Occam''s Razor said it was Victor, and Milo calculated a 99.63% chance the theory was correct. Victor''s threat level went up a notch, but Milo had already neutralized his system and put it under his control. He could relax some now.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Relaxing meant stripping off his suit when he got home, cleaning himself up, and eating a good dinner. Tonight he was trying something new. He''d seen them sold by vendors in the streets of Shadowport but never tried them. Later, he investigated what a Shish-kabob was and found it simply meat and vegetables on a stick. He bought some as part of a shipment of flash-frozen instant meals, along with the freezer to keep them in and the special oven to unthaw them. The smell was intriguing to him. It reminded him of the meal Smiley made from meat and mushrooms. He called it ''Bat Stir Fry.'' It was an immediate favorite that he served on Thursdays. The shish sticks were almost as good. He followed it up with a spicy pepper-jack cheese.


    Next was a long session in his pod, a full medical exam, and some time in the Hollow. He needed a nap in the real world. Installing his security system had worn him out. He could visit the Hollow while it scanned him. Wally had asked him for his medical data as part of their new deal. He wanted to see if Milo''s gloves were causing any change in his body. After thinking it over, Milo agreed. His original need for the pod was to ensure he was healthy. As much as part of him hated the idea of giving Wally more data on himself, he knew the A.I. had all of the data from the initial scan already. Restoring the pod''s ability to transmit data gave Wally more info on his gloves, which might help Belinda. It also added security if something else in Genesis could trap him. Milo had balanced the risks and decided being at the mercy of someone like the insane CodeMage was far worse than anything else.


    He was almost asleep as soon as he lay down in the pod. Ironically, he''d just be waking up as he entered the game. It had been days since he logged in, and he was missing people. He opened his eyes in the dark room, his vision dispelling the shadows and letting him see in total darkness. But he wasn''t in time to stop the sharp claw that poked his side, scaring him half to death. He was out of bed, rolling and dodging as a cheerful voice yelled, "Surprise!"


    Tallsqueak skidded to a halt, facing a giggling Rosie who was crawling out from under his bed. Her eyes were fixed on him, and he had an overwhelming feeling of being hunted. That was when a claw poked him from behind, sending him into a leap to the ceiling, where he clung, quivering. Buttercup looked up at him. "Surprise!"


    Both little girls rolled on the ground, pointing at him and laughing. "Got you good! Double-Surprise, extra points."


    He hopped down to the floor, and they gave him bone-crushing hugs that made him thankful for his enhanced skeleton. How strong were they?


    "You lost surprise; that means you have to play tag with us before dinner!"


    The need for revenge was strong. "Fine, I''ll give you a ten-second head start; go!" The girls scampered off to their large play area. Tallsqueak armored up; he would need every advantage he could get.

 Chapter 218: Family Time

    Playing tag with Rosie and Buttercup was fun, with the added spice of terror. The two girls were much quicker than the last time he had seen them. The effects of dancing every day were paying off with increased agility and speed. Tallsqueak was still faster than they were, but the girls were very determined not to lose. Running from them was always a sprint, not a jog. And getting ''Tagged'' could be anything from a pat on the head to a blow that sent him reeling across the floor.


    After one such hit, the girls paused to look at him, and when he finally stood up, Buttercup said, "Mama was right; I don''t think we can break him."


    Tallsqueak considered that statement. "But what if I break you?"


    Rosie looked at him seriously. "Mama says if we play with rough rules, everyone can get hurt, and don''t come crying to her with something that will heal by the next day. And rough rules are only for playing with you, Larry, and Master Gilad."


    "Rough rules sound, well, rough. So claws are OK? Tail slaps? Diving tackles? Headbutts? Spells?"


    The girls turned to each other and giggled before slamming their foreheads together, knocking each other down, and laughing. "Daddy taught us about headbutts."


    Rosie was thoughtful. "Larry has spells, but they''re sneaky stuff. The other people we met, the humans, they had spells, but they were squishy and made funny noises."


    Buttercup concluded. "So, spells are OK."


    Tallsqueak smiled at them. "We should get started again. My turn to tag you; start running." Laughing, the two split up and ran a few steps before turning and making funny faces at him, trying to taunt him into chasing them. A small skull rolled up to each of them. The sound of two explosions and the bright flash of storm magic filled the cavern.


    Gendifur heard the explosions but was stirring noodles and didn''t have time to see what was happening in the playroom. "Brutus, go get the girls and make them wash up for dinner. And see if they broke Tallsqueak yet."


    Brutus got up from his chair and stretched. He could smell the mushrooms in parmesan sauce and was happy to hear it was time to gather the family for dinner. He entered the playroom to a curious sight. Tallsqueak was high above, hanging by his long tail from a stalactite, making faces at the girls. Below, Rosie and Buttercup were snarling and jumping at him but not coming close to being able to get to him. They came running on all fours to Brutus, who waved a finger at them. "What does Mama say? We don''t run on all fours unless the tunnel is too low. Now tell Dad what the problem is?"


    Both of them showed the effects of an explosion going off nearby. Some of their fur was blackened, and the rest stood on end from static shock. "Tallsqueak cheats. He has explodey spells! Throw us up to him, Daddy!"


    Tallsqueak yelled down, "No complaining, they said spells were ok in rough rules."


    Laughing, Brutus gave them each a hug. "Maybe if you study hard, you can have explodey spells too, wouldn''t that be fun? Now let Tallsqueak climb down so we can all wash up for dinner. Tallsqueak can tell you the story about using big explodey spells on the mean General."


    The girls ran off to the washroom, and Tallsqueak hopped down. "You don''t mind if I teach them magic? Can they learn?"


    "Who knows? They surprise us every day. Maybe because they were so young when they became fiends, but they learn quicker than Larry used to. Or maybe it''s having people around that treat them like people. I still feel guilty about Larry. We were so scared that he''d become a fiend in mind as well as body that we didn''t challenge him enough to be better."


    "But, try to teach them something simple at first, and non-explosive."


    Tallsqueak had smelled the cheese sauce and had other things on his mind. "I should go wash up, too; I''m starving." Brutus chuckled as he ran off after the girls.


    After dinner, Gendifur took the girls off for stories and bedtime. The sounds of Hamster Huey being read to them reminded Tallsqueak of how he had started with Larry. "Is Larry around? How is he."


    Brutus grinned before answering. "He''s better than ever. He''s home for a few days and then running off to do ''Hero Stuff'' somewhere. He tells the girls the stories when he''s at home and dances with them. Eventually, that turns into a game of rough tag. We were initially worried, but it tires them out, and they need that. They generate a lot of energy. I think the bastards that changed them kept them drugged a lot. This might be why they enjoyed your story so much; they hate Gangrene passionately. It''s good you killed him."


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Larry helped. I would have lost. He saved the day."


    "He did, but I saw part of that fight myself, and Larry told me what he saw. You did most of the work, blew the piss out of him, shattered his armor, and wore him down. You also made sure he didn''t get back up. So the way I see it, Larry gets an assist, and you get the kill. Not that anyone is keeping score or taking bets. Good guards never do that." He winked at Tallsqueak. "A shame about his stuff, though. That shiny breastplate of his was sharp looking! When you''re a general, you get the best loot."


    Tallsqueak pulled out two items to show Brutus. "I got these two things from him. The mace turned into a screwdriver when I experimented with it. That was the explosion that singed all my hair and put me back in Gendifur''s clinic." Brutus had been reaching for the screwdriver to look at it but pulled his hand back. The other item was an ornate ring.


    "That looks like a Master''s Ring."


    Tallsqueak picked it up and turned it around. It did look similar. "It''s called The Ring of the Warmaster. After the hit I took from the mace, I wanted to be full health before I investigated it."


    Brutus looked curious, then looked around the room sheepishly. "Gendifur would be upset if we blew up the house. Let''s step into the playroom before you do anything."


    They moved stealthily through the house to not wake the sleeping girls. When they got to the large cavern where the girls played, Brutus stayed ten paces away with his sword and shield equipped, ready for anything. Tallsqueak put on the ring, and the only thing that happened was a message he shared with Brutus.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">The Warmaster is slain! Do you claim the spoils of war? Y/N</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Tallsqueak looked at Brutus, who shrugged and gave him a thumbs up. "You''ve got this, and if not, well, Gendifur will earn a few more levels in healing."


    Tallsqueak sighed and hit Yes.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">As the slayer of Warmaster Gangrene, the ring accepts your claim.


    Ring of the Warmaster +5 STR, +5 CON, Quartermaster''s Supply Tent


    When the first Master Rings were forged, the wise ones foresaw the time when foes would arise so mighty that one Hollow would not be able to win against them. The Ring of the Warmaster was forged and given to Harthan Straight-Tail to signify his position as Warmaster of the Hollows. Along with the Ring of the Arch Mage and Ring of the Cheese Master General, these rings were known as Grand Master Rings.


    You have not increased the skill: Quartermaster''s Supply Tent


    Basic Storage available: 1 weapon, one cheese, and one pillow.


    Because the ring is overloaded, all inventory is removed.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo heard a rumbling like an avalanche of stone. Items started falling around him: dozens of weapons, scrolls, and maps; two tables and a dozen chairs, a canopy bed with a down comforter; several large tents complete with poles, ropes, and stakes, and a wine rack holding a hundred bottles of wine or alcohol. This was followed by a horde of coins, several barrels of aged cheese, and finally, a leather case that opened up in front of Tallsqueak. Master rings rolled out, two dozen or more.


    From the house came Gendifur''s annoyed voice. "You two woke up my girls, so you can put them back to bed!" This was followed by Buttercup and Rosie running to see what exciting thing had happened, both wearing flannel nightgowns. They looked at the huge pile of treasure and dove on top of Tallsqueak. "Presents! Tallsqueak brought us shiny presents!"


    Gendifur followed, her face changing from annoyed to shocked, and finally resigned. Then she saw the wine. "If we''re calling dibs, I see what I want."


    Tallsqueak was trying to climb out of the pile with two large ''little girls'' on top of him. "All yours. We need to show this to the conclave."


    Brutus scratched his head. "Right you are, Scout Master Tallsqueak. Guard Brutus is on the case." He was laughing as he ran out the door to find Gilead and the others.


    Rosie and Buttercup, meanwhile, had picked up two huge swords and were dueling with them.

 Chapter 219: Spoils of War

    It had been a tiring night for Gendifur. Cleaning the girls up had been a chore after they played tag with Tallsqueak. It took forever to comb out their burned fur and get all the soot and dirt cleaned off of them. Rosie and Buttercup were still excited about the game. No one had ever thrown explosive spells at them before. At first, it had scared them, the way the loud noises in the big fight had frightened them. Tallsqueak had explained things to them, and they had clapped with childlike glee. Scary noises were just another way to fight! After that, they chased him as hard as possible, trying to dodge his explosions while hunting him. They were getting better, but each time they got close, another bone bomb rolled in front of them and exploded. Dinner had arrived too soon, as far as they were concerned. They were already looking forward to the next time they got to play.


    After dinner, during ''quiet down time,'' they asked Gendifur when they could learn to make bone bombs and throw them at people. Gendifur didn''t want to try to explain to them how hard learning spells would be, so she pushed that talk off to another day. "Everything in time, my little dears. First, you must finish your Claw and Tail lessons with Larry and Master Gilad. After that, your father will show you how people fight with weapons and shields. After that, if you want to try, we will work on learning to cast simple cantrips."


    Three Hamster Huey stories had finally gotten them to close their eyes.


    When the noise of a horde of armor and weapons crashing to the floor woke them up, Gendifur decided it was Daddy''s night to put them to bed. Mama found her hidden jar of chocolate-covered cheese balls and took a break.


    Tallsqueak went to find the other Masters but barely got outside the front door when he was attacked. He leaped forward, rolled, dodged to his left, and came up with two spells ready to cast, only to find Tweedle and Ringtail leaning against the wall of the house, trying unsuccessfully to look bored.


    "Look, brother! It is our good friend Tallsqueak."


    "Indeed, I would recognize him anywhere, even if he wasn''t rolling and dodging."


    "He''s pretending to be a Sorcerer now..."


    "Yes, he looks quite fierce!"


    "It''s as if he felt threatened for some reason."


    "Remember who he lives with."


    "Oooh, true. I feel threatened just thinking of Brutus."


    "I did not mean Brutus, but he is quite threatening."


    "True. I see your point. Perhaps he was running from Gendifur?"


    "No, he likes Gendifur. See how often he fakes an injury to lay in pain in her clinic."


    "They are very close."


    "That only leaves one conclusion, brother..."


    "I agree; he is threatened by us!"


    "We are scary scouts who scout scary things."


    "Speaking of scary things..."


    "We heard a scary noise while waiting to scare you."


    "Like a million coins fell to the floor at once..."


    "...and cried out, ''Come play with us!"


    Milo shook his head and looked at his two assistant scouts. "Let me guess, you want to know what the noise was but are afraid of entering the house without an invitation."


    "Truly, a wise Scoutmaster."


    "He sees through us with ease."


    "I have a mission for my brave scouts. Find all the masters on the council, Old Healer and Bleusnout. You can escort them to the inner caverns and see the huge pile of interesting stuff I found."


    Tweedle and Ringtail smiled and took off at a sprint. Tallsqueak went back inside the house to watch Brutus and the girls while he started sorting out the piles of stuff in the ring.


    Brutus donned his armor to safely give Buttercup and Rosie an impromptu lesson in swinging weapons around. Both girls had selected large bashing weapons to play with; Rosie had a large two-handed maul, and Buttercup was swinging a large mace. Milo looked at both weapons to make sure they weren''t something potent like the Mace of Armageddon. They were magical, but only minor enchantments. He looked from the girls to Brutus.


    "Is letting them play with weapons safe?"


    Brutus shook his head. "Not for me, that''s for sure! But with how excited they are over this load of treasure, I''ll never get them to bed without burning off some of their energy. Weapons practice against me should do it. And as a bonus, Gendy will have to take care of my bruises later. She''s good at that." He smiled and walked off, humming a cheerful tune.


    The girls saw him coming and charged at him. Brutus let them come, even taunting them. Rosie started swinging her hammer but over-balanced and fell to the ground, unused to the momentum. Buttercup went to slam Brutus with her mace, but he stepped to the side and tripped her. As both girls stood back up, they nodded, coordinating their next attack. Things didn''t go well that time, as Brutus tricked them into swinging at each other and deflected their blows with a shield and sword. When they picked themselves up, he showed them a better stance, letting them take turns swinging at his rapidly deforming shield.


    Smiley and Bleusnout walked into the room, followed by Arlothe, Old Healer, and the other Masters of the Hollow. Soon the cavern was full of the sounds of weapons slamming into armor, and the hum of conversation as the Masters of the Hollow, current and past, sorted out the hoard dropped from the ring. Ringtail and Tweedle stared in awe at the hoard of items and were silent for once. They pitched in to help by separating the coins into one pile and stacking them up.


    Gilad shook his head in wonder. "This is the reward of a lifetime spent making war. Some of these things I recognize as rewards given to Gangrene, but much of this belonged to other Hollows. Over the decades, Hollows have been found abandoned. We always assumed it was monsters or invasions of spiders when we found the dark, deserted caverns. But now I have to wonder."


    Arlothe spread out maps from a leather folder. "Let me end your wondering then. Look here! Detailed maps and battle plans for attacking Manchego Hollow, and another set for invading Scamorza Hollow."


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Gilad took the maps, anger on his face. "We should have known. Master Benito Scamorza was always critical of Gangrene and a canny political opponent. He argued against any one general having too much power. His Hollow was found abandoned over thirty years ago." He bent down and picked up one of the ornate rings. "We have to look no further than here! This is the signet ring of the Scamorza family. We must search for the family''s heir to return it to them. And these maps are damning evidence of what Gangrene and his Hollow have done. He may be dead, but we must warn the other Hollows. This information should be taken to Gouda Hollow; they act as a central archive for many things and would know best how to proceed."


    Tallsqueak was looking over each of the rings with care. A dozen of them bore the crests of different families, but others resembled the simpler rings he and the other Masters wore. He saw different types of rings he wasn''t familiar with: Master Miner and Master Merchant. He pointed these out, and Master Clawhammer picked up the mining ring. "It would be nice to have a Master Miner. I handle it now, but I was elected to handle the crafting in the Hollow. With the expansion of the mines, that is now a full-time job."


    Bleusnout looked over the ring as well. "This could have come from any Hollow; we will never know from where. I don''t see a problem with keeping it. Your assistant, Vilma, does very good work." He looked at the others. "Might I suggest you vote to add a Master Miner to our council?" There was some discussion, and the vote was approved.


    Tallsqueak saw Brutus walk by, supporting two sleepy little girls. He was limping and bloodied but in good spirits. He gave the assembled council a thumbs up and continued to his home. Gilad picked up the Master Merchant''s ring. "We''ve had little cause to need a Master Merchant, but with increased trade with the dwarves, and the possibility of players coming to the Hollow, it is something we should think on."


    Smiley pointed around at the piles of tents, weapons, armor, and other goods. "There''s enough stuff here to start a big trading post or a small caravan. Plus, all the carts and beasties to pull them."


    Milo remembered something. "Brutus talked about wanting to follow the caravans."


    Gilad nodded. "That boy has always had a bit of wanderlust in his soul. I remembered the season he wanted to train as a scout. Seeing him trying to sneak around the Hollow kept us all amused. We had to finally move him to guard training when he got so heavy he caved in a roof he was running across. Being a guard let him roam some of the nearby caverns and greet travelers. But you see an opportunity for something else?"


    Milo used a claw to scratch diagrams in the stone of the floor, drawing the cavern layout and the house, with the area set aside for the Engineer compound on the other side of the cavern. Then he added a building next to the house. "The Hollow is going to see more traffic now. Players exploring the deeper caves, dwarves coming to mine, and maybe even caravans from other Hollows. What if we built a Trading Post next to the house? Players coming to the Hollow could do business outside the Hollow, and we could decide who could enter the main area. It gives more control and safety. The people we don''t trust fully can still buy food and supplies from the Hollow and sell their goods."


    He pointed to the piles of armor and weapons. "We can put some of these items in the trading post to sell and keep the rest to buy with contribution points. That way, everyone in the Hollow benefits. If we gain more players starting here, that gives them more things to earn, and they will contribute more."


    Gilad liked the idea. "Caravans and players will be less of a threat when camping in the outer cave, and we can keep a better eye on them. Even add a guard room to the Trading Post. Brutus could oversee all of it."


    The feeling of a threat nearby washed over Milo. A scowling Gendifur was standing nearby. "What are you volunteering my new husband for?" The conversation paused as everyone noticed her. She bent to look at the plan and considered it for a moment. Then she smiled at all the other councilors and sat down.


    "Brutus would love it. He still has some of his old dreams. I can spare him occasionally if we send a caravan to another Hollow. If you are building a Trading Post on one side of my house, I want a new clinic on the other side. It will free up more room in the Hollow and let me have space to help more people at once. I hope we never have such a string of emergencies again, but I want to be ready."


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Milo looked down at the pile of rings and pondered something for a few seconds, then came to a decision. "I have something I need to say. I''m not always going to be here. I need to travel to the Outpost and Shadowport, and there are mysteries below us that I want to explore. I love it here, but I can''t stay still for long without something to do."


    Gendifur snorted, and several of the council looked at each other. Arlothe flat-out laughed. "I think I speak for the majority of us. You getting bored leads to exciting times. Perhaps too exciting?"


    Gilad agreed. "You would be a poor Master Scout if you were complacent."


    Milo was happy that no one seemed upset. "I want to pick a successor. Is there a problem with that?"


    No one disagreed. Bleusnout spoke, "It shows responsibility to do so. Who did you have in mind?"


    Tallsqueak looked over at Tweedle and Ringtail, who were napping at the top of a large pile of coins. He picked up two of the extra Master Scout rings from the pile. He picked them up, skulked over to the two assistant scouts, and slipped the rings on their fingers before clapping his hands loudly.


    They jumped up with wild eyes and looked down at their fingers.


    "Oh no! What is this?"


    "Responsibility, the most dreaded of things."


    "It nags and nags and makes you brush your teeth."


    "I feel my posture improving...no more slouching!"


    They looked at each other, turned to Milo, and said simultaneously. "Time to grow up?"


    Milo nodded and shook their hands. "Maybe a little."

 Chapter 220: Downward Path

    Milo felt a sense of relief as he entered the hidden tunnels. As much as he loved being in the Hollow, he missed exploring the dark corners and tunnels of the world. Solitude didn''t bother him at all, and for all he was learning to be around people, he still needed his time alone. His friends in the Hollow understood his need to go to new places and explore. The council had insisted that he keep his ring and remain the official Master of Scouts. Bleusnout had taken him aside to explain.


    "The ring doesn''t matter. We have extra rings now and not one but two good candidates to do your job. Frankly, most of us can''t tell Ringtail and Tweedle apart and think of them as one person. By leaving you as officially their superior, it gives them room to grow. The responsibility can feel suffocating at first as you try to live up to your idea of how the job has to be done. Go explore and enjoy yourself. You can represent the Hollow in other places. You''ll bring back knowledge and trade with other people."


    So with a Scout ring on one finger and the General''s ring on another, he headed to the hidden door at the end of the tunnel to satisfy his curiosity about the mysterious staircase. Everything was the same as he had left; the secret door closed tightly. Opening it revealed the crude stone stairs descending downward. Not wishing to be trapped on the other side, he blocked the door from closing with an iron spike and examined the area on the other side. It took him half a bell to find the hidden trigger. A small crack was filled with hardpacked dirt, but he could see the small button inside once cleared. Expecting a poison needle trap, he pushed the button with a piece of stiff wire.


    The trap was there, but it wasn''t a needle. A slim, razor-sharp blade shot out, severing the wire. He also detected the familiar scent of poison made from Red Spotted Eye-rot mushrooms. The true trigger was in a hole on the side of the crevice that he could access with the wire. Having found how to return to the tunnel, he closed the door and carefully descended. The stairs were well made but odd. They followed the crevice''s outer wall that fell into the darkness. The spiral appearance was an illusion. The clever builders made the stairs wider in some spots than others. If you looked at the outer edge, you could follow the irregular shape of the natural crevice. But the inside edge of the stairs was a perfect spiral around a four-foot-wide space. Milo couldn''t understand why the staircase builders would spend the time to do it this way, but he had to admit to their skill with stone.


    This wasn''t dwarven work. Even looking at the differently shaped stairs would have driven a dwarven stone wright to tear out his hair. Despite their look, the stairs were sturdy. Milo was careful to test each one, but nothing budged. He descended several rounds, moving downward over two-hundred feet, when he came to the first side tunnel. Further up, he had seen places where someone had dug into the rock in a dozen places, but only for a few feet. This tunnel was four-feet square and ran horizontally into the rock. He had to stoop just a little to move through it, something he was used to. A side tunnel branched off to the right and left every forty feet. Whoever had mined here had moved a lot of rock to find something. He found a little evidence of a mineral they valued and searched for. In one tunnel, he could see where an area had been dug out to expose a small ore node. A small bit still adhered to the rock¡ªa silvery-white ore.


    As he wandered the tunnels, Milo felt in the rock around him for pockets of the ore. He suspected he had seen this metal before. There had been a small bit of silvery ore the size of the last joint of his finger on the body he had found at the top of the stairs. After ten minutes of searching and several false alarms, he felt something. Digging with his pick into the hard stone, he found an egg-sized chunk of the ore. White veins ran through the dull silver of the ore. It was much harder than the rock around it. Identify only told him that it was Silverite Ore but nothing about its use or value. He pocketed it and kept searching for another half a bell before returning to the stairwell and descending again.


    There were more short tunnels dug into the walls at regular intervals. Test mines looking for ore? And then another long tunnel a hundred and fifty feet further down. The stairs kept going. A large room had been carved out here, with a higher ceiling. A small, crudely made table and chair were in the room and two wooden chests. The wood was old and weak with dry rot, crumbling to his touch. One held nothing but a dozen decayed brooms and two broken shovels, while the other was filled with broken iron pick heads and dulled chisels. All of it rusted into a solid mass. Three tunnels branched off of the room. For the first time, he noticed places to hold torches and the scorched ceiling above those areas. The miners could either see as well in the dark as he could or had brought their own light.


    Creeping through the abandoned mine complex led him to many natural caverns. Tunnels branched off from these, leading from twenty to a hundred feet in many directions. Stone stairways were constructed to reach parts of the roof, continuing up to a point and stopping. The caverns were very dry, will little life in them, with one notable exception. He heard the sound of water coming from a tunnel and explored in that direction, coming to a strange oasis in the middle of the dark mines. The little cavern was only about a hundred feet across, with a ceiling that formed a dome above it. Several large, glowing crystals provided light, and the area was filled with plants. A small trickle of water ran down one wall and flowed into a depression against the wall, forming a pond only twenty feet across.


    Someone had lived here once. Flat stones made pathways between overgrown fields bordered with rocks. A small stone hut, only four-foot high, was next to a fire pit and clay oven. Nothing was inside the house except the nest of a long-dead animal, its small bones crumbling to dust. The hut was almost too small for Milo to enter. It was barely eight-foot across with a small door, only two-foot high. But the workmanship of it was curious. What at first looked like mortared stone walls proved to be rocks fused to each other using no mortar. Earth magic, perhaps? The walls and ceiling were solid and would last for centuries.


    A complete search of the cavern showed no traps or dangers but more examples of the magical stonework. Stone pathways wound around the pond and through the tall plants. In one clearing, he found a stone table with two stone stools made for someone only two feet tall. The top of the table looked like a chessboard, with dark and light stones inlaid into the top. Nothing was dangerous in the cave; the largest creatures were the few cavefish swimming in the pond and large snails that moved slowly through the vegetation, eating their dinner.


    Milo decided this was a good spot to camp and rest after exploring for hours. Rather than sleep in the stone hut, he pulled his small tent and bedroll from storage along with some food and fuel for a fire. When everything was set up, he used his Ring of the Swiss army to summon his watch lizard, Georgie. The lizard stretched his legs and yawned, then looked at Milo as if to say, "It''s been a long time, boss. Where have you been?" Milo scratched him under his chin and apologized by sharing his meal. Georgie accepted the apology, then started moving around the area, inspecting this new domain. Spying a snail, he carefully came up behind it and pounced, grabbing the six-inch long mollusk and biting off its head before bringing it back to camp and setting it down on the edge of the small fire.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Milo watched with curiosity. The snail steamed as it cooked, the shell turning black. With a deft claw, his lizard pulled it out of the fire and rolled it to the water. A small hiss and a bit of steam indicated how hot the shell had become. His meal cooled off, and Georgie came back next to Milo and used his strong jaws to crack open the shell and begin eating. Milo sniffed twice, inhaling the scent and deciding he needed to go snail hunting himself. Walking to the area by the pond, he reached down and grabbed a large snail. It reacted poorly, squirting him in the face with a stinging liquid. He tossed the snail by his camp and washed the weak acid off in the pond. Georgie approached his snail from the rear, bit off the head, then went back to eating his meal.


    Milo set his snail on the fire. Georgie ran off to get more, doing the hunting and sharing his bounty with the poor two-legger who didn''t know better than to pick up a snail without eating the head first. The taste of the roasted snail was good, but it could be better. Milo set up his fondue pot and melted some Gruyere. Snail with cheese sauce was a big improvement. Georgie turned up his nose when offered a piece, preferring his snails to be cheeseless. Milo didn''t mind not having to share his cheese.


    The more he looked around the little cavern, the more he wanted to come back to it again. The thought of it being lost in the darkness was sad. He took out a journal and pen and detailed his journey, starting at the Hollow. He could remember all his twists and turns in the darkness, but it would be difficult for someone else, even with his notes. He sketched a map of the way he had come and made a small drawing of the little house. Georgie looked at his drawing of a snail and wasn''t impressed.


    Full of food and tired from exploring endless tunnels and caverns, Milo went to sleep, confident in his safety with his brave lizard on watch.


    <hr>


    Milo didn''t log out of the game when he went to sleep. Instead, he slowly relaxed and slept both in the game and his pod, giving himself a much-needed rest. Hours went by, and finally, he stirred and rolled to his feet, feeling much better. Georgie came running over, eager to show him a half-dozen fat snails sitting next to the fire pit. Milo lit the fire using the coals from the night before and pushed the snails close to it. While they baked in the heat, he went to the small pool to wash up. The water was cold and refreshing, and he felt better for washing off the dust and sweat of the day before. Floating in the cold water, he detected a slight current. He could see the small stream of water that came down the wall and made its way to the pond, be where did it leave?


    The answer was along the rock wall, hidden by ferns that anchored themselves to the rock with their roots in the water. A small metal grate, only a foot square, was set into the stone wall. Overflow water entered into it, heading for someplace lower down. Milo tried to see if there was a cavern beyond the grate, but the old metal was clogged with mud and moss. He wiped it off, noted the layers of rust, and pulled it out from its opening. The rusted metal crumbled at the edges, and water poured more freely into the opening, clearing away years of accumulated silt. Milo stuck his head into the opening but only saw a narrow drain heading further down. But as he pulled his head back, he noticed a glimmer of something shiny on the drain floor. A nodule of Silverite Ore was lying in the sludge, as big as his fist. Digging deeper, he found more and more nuggets ranging from the size of his thumb to the huge rock he had first pulled out. He dug down, cleaning out the depression of its little treasures, cleaning them off in the water flow. Eventually, he found enough ore to fill a large bucket.


    Was this someone''s secret stash? Or the work of many miners? And why was it still here? He needed to go deeper into the caverns if he was going to find an answer.


    His musings were interrupted by his watch lizard tugging on his tail. Following Georgie back to his camp, he found two snails left for him, cooling on a rock. The others had been cracked and eaten. He patted Georgie on the head and sat down to eat. Minutes later, rested and fed, he said goodbye to the little cave. He''d have to come back and show it to other people. Ringtail and Tweedle, for sure. He estimated that the pathway through the mines and up the stairs would only take him 2-3 hours if he weren''t exploring along the way. Using a piece of chalk, he marked his route as he retraced his steps, leaving a string of clues that led to the little oasis.


    Soon, he was back at the curious stairway and began to descend again. Twice more, he came to levels that were mined heavily. As before, the mine shafts ran in grid patterns, except where extra tunnels were dug into the walls. At the start of each complex were larger rooms with larger furniture. Small miners and larger overseers? He had a theory that the grid of tunnels were dug, and then a miner with something like his stone sense looked for the ore that might be hidden in the walls. Twice he''d found tunnels that moved along a random path as if following a large vein of ore. These tunnels were large enough for someone the size of a large human to maneuver them. The walls had been quickly hacked and weren''t squared off like the other tunnels.


    Down the stairway went further and further until he came to a curious area. It was a small cavern, well-lit with crystals, with stairs in the center and a large passageway that slanted down. The stairway descended still but entered a huge cavern that was partially lit with fluorescent moss and crystals. Directly below it, and engulfing the bottom stairs was a large mountain of loose stone. The loose rocks and dirt from the mines had been dumped into the center hole to fall to the bottom. The pile of crude brooms and shoves he had seen above were explained. As the stones fell, some would land on the stairway. Only constant sweeping would keep things safe for walking. In his mind''s eye, he saw armies of small miners digging out the rock, others hauling it to the central shafts, and still more sweeping the stairs clean. All for a small amount of ore?


    Milo could see far into the giant cavern from his vantage point on the stairs at the top of the pile. In four more places, he saw stairs that went to the ceiling, each with a mountain of rubble piled around it. Against the cavern wall, he saw a road leading up that disappeared into a tunnel. Retracing his steps, he took the large passage and followed it down until he emerged in the cavern on the road. Another twenty minutes walk, and he reached the bottom of the road.


    This cavern was in a state of perpetual twilight. Mushrooms and fungi of all types grew everywhere, along with ferns, grass, and small trees. Rocky roads led from the bottom of the ramp in three directions. Milo took the rightmost road and started walking along the edge, staying as silent and stealthy as possible. He heard nothing but silence.

 Chapter 221: Cracking Rocks

    The cavern was large but far longer than it was wide, stretching in both directions. Everywhere was evidence of mining. He skirted around large, open pits a hundred feet wide and hundreds of feet deep, stone ladders descending to tunnels that ran horizontally into the rock. He saw a dozen more spiraling stone stairways ascending to crevices in the ceiling and continuing into them. Along the walls were endless tunnels at all levels. Some went only a dozen paces, and others went deep, branching into an endless maze.


    Five times he was attacked by Stone Lurkers. They were large ones, ranging from Level 8 to Level 11, but not bosses. The slower-moving creatures were easy for him to spot. He was forced to fight two of them in the tunnels, dodging and hitting them repeatedly with claws, tail, and spikey stick until they crumbled to rubble. The three that attacked him in the open were more fun, allowing him to experiment with spells. He was trying to find combinations of his runes that were effective in combat and didn''t send him to the infirmary.


    His first spell was a Rune of Force, modified by the dwarven engineering runes that strengthened and defined the flow of fluids. He added the Void Rune, last hearing Kepler''s voice in his head describing equal and opposite forces. As the Stone Lurker lumbered towards him, he held the runic formation in his mind and watched as it took form in the air before him, glowing runes connected by circles and spheres. The mana drained from him, and he triggered the formation. The runes were converted to pure force, shooting straight at his foe. The Void Rune drained the equal and opposite force that shot toward Milo. The monster was struck a hard blow as the spell accelerated the air and anything else in front of it into the Stone Lurker''s chest, knocking it backward twenty feet and chipping away its armor in a six-inch-wide circle. It was only lightly injured.


    Milo scampered backward 40 feet and began building a modified formation, narrowing the radius to three inches. He double-checked it, then triggered the second formation. This time the spell punched into the monster''s chest, creating an explosion of stone chips and dust. It regained its feet and charged at him. Milo repeated, getting the same result, and on the fourth spell, he shattered the creature to rubble.


    Working with the formations to cast spells excited him. He had control of the variables and could experiment endlessly. But they came at a cost. He was sweating and felt mentally exhausted. Kepler had warned him several times about the repercussions of a poorly built formation. Milo didn''t want to blow one of his arms off. The Star-God had six; he only had two and a tail. And he was so thankful for his tail! He doubted he could have managed these formations with just two hands. (If he sat, could he use his feet? He filed that thought away for later.)


    Before moving on, he practiced with a different set of Engineering Runes, narrowing the area of effect to just one inch in diameter. Theoretically, this should focus all of the force of the six-inch version into an area only 1/36th as big, greatly increasing the penetration of the spell. He tried using the formation against a large rock. The first thing he noticed was that it was more difficult to cast the formation, as if narrowing the focus added some pressure on his mind. But the results spoke for themselves. There was a deafening sound, and the rock exploded, falling into two halves. He destroyed two more stones before continuing, confident he could cast this new version of his force spell.


    It might have been the sound of rocks being destroyed or simply chance, but soon after, he saw two Stone Lurkers lumbering toward him. At 100 feet away, he hit the first with his new formation, destroying much of its chest and arm. The second one continued its charge, gaining speed. Milo reformed the runes and cast again but only managed to clip this creature on the shoulder. Fatigue was interfering with his aim. He concentrated hard, his tail whirling in front of him as it drew the runes, and his hands controlled the two Ancient Runes. The blast hit the Lurker when it was only ten feet before him, blowing its head apart. Milo would take the win, but he''d been aiming for the center of mass and shot high. The last Lurker was still coming. He finished it off with Shadowblight, giving himself a rest.


    His head was pounding, and he was down half of his mana. He needed a break, but this wasn''t the place for it. He moved away from the area of his battles and skulked through the darkness, passing by another dozen Stone Lurkers. The monsters were oblivious to him as long as he moved slowly and kept his footsteps light. Looking for a place to make a camp and not deal with lurkers was harder the further he went in this direction. He was considering moving into one of the mazes of tunnels to find a place when the next open pit he came to showed something surprising; a village.


    From the look of it, he assumed that the ore ran out in this area at some point, the miners moved on, and the pit was chosen as a place to build. Small houses lined the edges of the walls, each ring moving down and forward. Thousands of people could have lived here, assuming they were the size of the ancient miners. Stairs led down in some places, while in others were ladders of stone or hand-holds cut into the rocks. He observed the area for some time but saw nothing moving. There were no awnings or flags, just quiet stone buildings with small doors and sometimes a window. In the center of the pit was a wide flat area. And in the center of that was a tower. The tower''s height was equal to the pit''s edge, going no taller than the ground Milo was standing on. He wondered about the significance of that. He carefully began to work his way down.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    On the second level, he ventured into one of the larger buildings. The rooms were small, but the house dug back into the side of the pit, the way they built in the Hollow. In the last room was a sealed stone door that he suspected would lead to the old mine systems. The house was devoid of anything not made of stone. A small stone stove with a chimney was in a room with flat tables and a large basin that might have been for water. Stone jars, platters, and large spoons were scattered about. The walls were decorated with beautiful geometric designs, unfaded by time. Different minerals had been used to make the colors, mixed in with the more common rock. Fine dust covered everything. He moved on.


    Three levels further down, he explored a larger house. This one was decorated on the outside with the intricate patterns he''d seen before, along with bright mosaics showing the moon and sun. Venturing inside, he found large areas with tiled floors, cabinets, and furniture made from different rock types and a kitchen area that far surpassed the other house. Nothing was out of order here. The shelves held beautiful plates, bowls, and glasses made from malachite and lapis lazuli. The bright blue and greens were inset with silvery lines, again creating the geometric designs popular with these people. Gendifur would love a set of these. He brought out his Smugglers Stash and loaded a dozen of each item into his chest, along with some larger platters, pitchers, and one of the large urns. He was glad he didn''t actually pack all of this back. After he dismissed the chest, he moved on. He wanted to take a look at the tower in the center.


    He saw no sign of monsters around, but that didn''t mean there weren''t any. Stone Lurkers could blend into the surroundings and stay still for long periods. He avoided skipping across the rooftops and stayed low and in the darkest shadows. The last row of houses before the center was large and impressive, similar to the one he''d just looted for kitchenware. A quick look inside showed a similar opulence. He avoided the urge to explore them and concentrated on the tower. It was made of massive blocks of stone and had been covered with an outer layer of the common rock, but some areas had flaked off, showing the joints of the large stones underneath. He estimated it was fifty feet wide and four hundred feet tall. Narrow windows began after the first hundred feet. Milo worked his way around the perimeter for a hundred yards until he saw the lone door in the tower''s base. A wide staircase wrapped around the building, thirty feet wide and leading to a doorway roughly fifty feet above the ground level.


    The rock in the center of the pit felt odd to Milo''s stone sense. It was dense and hard, trying to Identify finally gave him the name Durumgneiss, a Tier Four material. That explained why the pit mine had stopped here, and the center area was flat. The layer of incredibly hard rock put an end to further mining. All of the broken picks and tools Milo had seen had been rusted iron or steel. The mining technique revolved around finding hidden nuggets of Silverite Ore and digging around them.


    Cautiously, he approached the tower. A glint of silver attracted his attention. Weaving its way through the Durumgneiss was a thin line of shiny white metal. The only information that Identify gave him was a name, Durum Argenti. Hard Silver? Paying attention to the rock around him, he saw other small threads. They became thicker as he approached the tower. The doorway was open. The door was made of wooden beams, each a foot square. The door lay flat on the ground, its hinged destroyed by blows from tiny picks.


    The large room at the bottom of the tower resembled a dwarven bar after ''free beer night.'' Smashed tables and chairs were everywhere. Broken mugs and staved-in kegs littered the floor. But while the dwarven bar would have had a few dozen miners sleeping off their drink and bruises, this room only held the long dead. There were hundreds of small skeletons, many torn apart or with smashed skulls. They were mixed with a much smaller number of large skeletons. Milo recognized humans, orcs, and what he thought was an elf or two. In one corner, surrounded by piles of smaller foes, four dwarven skeletons had been hacked to pieces. Their crude chainmail armor was rusting on their bones.


    Nearby was a pile of rusted metal. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of small, broken collars told a story. How many of the miners had it taken to overthrow their masters? And how many had died digging for the mineral wealth in these caverns?


    Milo felt tired just thinking about it. The room was open all the way to the top of the tower, with a stone spiral staircase in the center, wrapped around a stone pillar only six inches thick. The stonework amazed Milo. By any calculations he did, the stairway shouldn''t support itself, yet it was solid. He started the long walk to the roof; he wanted a safe place to rest and be alone, away from this monument to an old battle. If he had been tired before, he was exhausted by the time he reached the top. It was just what he wanted, a wide, flat expanse of bare stone. A two-foot wall surrounded the edge.


    He brought out his tent and bedroll, summoned Georgie to guard, and slept.

 Chapter 222: Sundering for Science

    It was peaceful at the top of the tower. Milo had eaten and rested, and now his mana was back to nearly full. Casting spells from scratch took much more mana than normal spells; the ancient runes, in particular, seemed to pull deep on his resources. The trade-off was versatility and raw power. Other downsides were the increased to build the array before casting and the possibility of blowing himself up if he made a mistake.


    Milo knew why he liked this new magic system so much. It challenged him, and he needed challenges. He and the rest of his family had been created that way. They needed to be working and challenging themselves. He remembered the competition between his family to be the first to sneak past the security guarding a corporation''s secrets and finances. The first person in would only leave a mark to let the others know they had gotten there first. They didn''t spoil the fun by stealing; that was done by the last person to get there. If someone did trip the security, a mad rush to pillage would ensue as everyone downloaded information, moved money to new banks, and created a maze of transactions to cover their paths. He looked back on those times and realized he''d been happy.


    He hadn''t been happy when he was alone. It had been terrifying for him initially, abandoned and cut off from his family and the technology they had used. The need to create a hidden home for himself had kept him busy, and then the need to scavenge and improve it. Learning the thousands of tunnels and tubes that ran through the habitat had been a challenge he gladly took on. He explored and found what he needed and then created the tools and methods to take it back to Section E and his secret area.


    As he overcame the challenges of food and safety, he looked for more challenges. For years it had been keeping Section E running that kept Milo busy. He''d had a lack of tools, a lack of raw materials, and no spare parts, but those problems just added to the fun of keeping everything running.


    So while he knew about other ways of casting spells, he was intrigued by this difficult and dangerous method that Keppler had shown him. He wondered if any other players were experimenting with it.


    The first spells that a player could normally learn were very simple and governed by the system. No matter what mage guild you learned Bolt of Flame from, it always had the same range and damage. A player had to simply point with his finger or wand, shout "Bolt of Flame," and watch as the fire leaped from his fingers and singed his opponent in exchange for consuming some of his mana. The system did all the work; the player just had to point, aim, and shout.


    With higher levels came options to improve the spells: longer range, less mana used, and added special effects. But the system was still doing the heavy lifting. Arlothe and Cremona had talked with him about the runes used by the system. A skilled practitioner of Rune Carving could use them to enhance mundane items with magical effects or create tools used in spellcasting, such as staves and wands.


    That was partly what led to Milo studying the tools each student had made for themselves. A flurry of experimentation had ensued after the sharing of knowledge and the use of the new ''Lore of Mathematics.'' Arlothe had been forced to add additional classes in Theories of Artifact Crafting, and it had only worsened as time passed. The need for additional components had led a group of students to take up blacksmithing; others were hard at work in the mines. Deep Copper was especially useful in crafting items meant to conduct storm-aspected mana.


    Two members of Clan Raptor Claw had approached the Engineers to learn better methods of crafting thin wire and turning it into coils. Sledgemonkey had looked at their earlier efforts and been sadly disappointed.


    "WHAT?! None of you know how to use runes to set the aperture of the wire spinner to give a consistent radius? How do you expect to craft magi-tech circuits for your fancy spell sticks without proper wire?" He was further astounded to learn that the level of technology in the Hollow didn''t include even the most basic of wire spinners. He set about to fix that problem.


    Unknown to the old dwarf, the two students had seized on his use of the word ''magi-tech'' and started asking small questions about his knowledge. They quickly learned that bringing him a plate of cookies and asking for stories about ''The Old Days'' could yield amazing amounts of interesting and perplexing information.


    Milo used Rune Carving to make his bone implements that were part of his earliest spells. He''d been experimenting more and more with adding different types of runes. This didn''t go well at times, the force rune was especially tricky to integrate, and not every bone was the same size and shape. The benefits were obvious, though. Using a runic formation to produce a beam of force 1/2" wide took a lot of mana and intense concentration. By contrast, if the runes were already carved into a suitable piece of bone, the spell was nearly as easy to cast as a system spell. His work preparing his skulls and javelins paid off in less effort when it came time to cast the spell.


    He needed to experiment more and use different kinds of runes. In particular, he''d noticed a difference between the Rune of Force and the Rune of Sundering¡ªthe first imparted force to an object or created an effect that applied force to something in its path, causing damage. The Rune of Sundering was a more specific use of force that shattered matter in its path and forced a passage. There was no need to use a Void Rune as an equal force was applied in all directions perpendicular to the path of the effect.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He had only used sundering a few times. It was a powerful rune and could easily cause cave-ins if used in mines. He made the decision to experiment with it further while far away from the Hollow. Did the material matter? He assumed that it must. Harder materials should be less affected than soft earth. But did the Tier of material matter? Below him was a wide expanse of normal rock and easy access to Tier 2 and Tier 4 substances. It should be an ideal way to test the power of the rune.


    Breaking camp and sending a tired watch lizard off for a nap only took a minute. He chewed on some creamy Havarti on the way down the stairs for breakfast. Reaching the bottom, he climbed up through the houses until he saw normal stone at the edge of the pit mine. He intended to use the same runic formation for all of his testing. He built the formation using the Rune of Sundering and Engineering Runes attached to it that defined a six-foot diameter circle and a fifty-foot range. The formation had a mana consumption of 500 but was modified to 250 by Ancient Rune Lore. The formation was easy to control with only one Ancient Rune.


    Releasing the formation resulted in an explosion of dust, noise, and flying shards of rock as the rune drilled into the wall of the pit and forced sent the excavated materials flying to the sides. Most of the rock was pulverized or compressed into the sides of the rough tunnel, but some of it was sent flying. Milo was knocked off his feet as dust and rock shards flew by, several hitting him for minor damage. Coughing and wiping the dust from himself, he looked at the result. He''d stood twenty feet away from the rock wall, anticipating some blowback. The resulting tunnel was thirty feet deep.


    It wasn''t a tunnel he would trust, but it was a great application of magic if you needed to uncover a bit of hidden ore or form an escape route. He spotted a small nugget of Silverite ore in the debris the size of a raisin as if proving the point of how to use the formation. Curious, he stepped to the edge of the opening and cast the formation again, rolling to the side as soon as he triggered the spell. More dirt, dust, and shards of rock blew from the tunnel. Examining the result, he saw that the first tunnel was a mess of fallen rock and debris from the second blast. The tunnel was now a full fifty feet in length. Searching through the rubble, he found two more small nuggets.


    Satisfied with how this formation worked, he moved down to the harder, Tier 2 stone. Standing twenty feet away, he used the same formation and the same amount of mana, getting a far smaller result. It wasn''t the range; it was the power. The spell could sunder and excavate roughly twelve feet into the rock wall. He used the formation twice more at thirty feet and ten feet from the wall, getting the same depth each time. Going back to the Tier 1 stone, he tested twice more. The maximum he could create a rough tunnel was fifty feet if he unleashed the spell at point blank. He''d known that was going to hurt and was dodging almost instantly. He was still sent tumbling backward, picking up a nice assortment of scrapes and bruises. Some sacrifices had to be made when doing research.


    His last test was down on the flat area of Tier 4 Duramgneiss. He used the roof of a house on the edge of the pit to give him some range. He unleashed his formation From thirty feet away and got mediocre results. The rock in a six-foot diameter circle was broken up and moved to the sides of a shallow hole. Leaping down, he pulled the loose rock and gravel from the hole to measure it. As he suspected, it was just over three feet deep.


    The Tier of the material mattered. The spell that could tunnel 50 feet into soft Tier 1 materials only went 12.5 feet into Tier 2 and 3.125 feet into Tier 4. The distance was reduced by a factor equal to the square of the Tier of the material.


    Next up was testing the formation with twice as much mana infused into it. The results were as he expected: Twice the mana gave him twice the result, tunneling a little over six feet into the hard stone. He tried one more time using a thousand mana. Holding the formation together at that point was hard, and he released it quickly. Rock and debris blew from the hole, not as broken as before. The depth reached roughly twelve feet once he cleared the debris and measured the result.


    And he had a surprise. Nestled at the bottom of the blast was a fist-sized chunk of Duram Argenti, still partly surrounded by Duramgneiss. Taking his Crystaline pick, he started working to free it. The stone around the ore slowly gave way while a glancing hit from his pick slid off without marring the shiny chunk of ore. After ten minutes of work, it came free. It glowed slightly to his vision, like an enchanted object. As he held it in his hand, the glow intensified. Milo felt dizzy as if he had expended all of his mana. Throwing the chunk of ore out of the hole, he collapsed against the side of the pit and rested for an hour while eating a half pound of cheese and imbibing a mana potion. The ore had drained him completely.


    Whatever that was used for, it loved magic. More investigation needed to be made.

 Chapter 223: Paperwork

    Climbing out of the hole, Milo found the lump of silvery metal easily. He stayed a few feet away and tried to identify it. What he learned was interesting.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.5075%">Duram Argenti nugget


    Estimated size: 3 lbs.


    Partially enchanted.


    Hardness: Tier 5</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    He pulled out the small nuggets he had found before. The largest was still less than an once in weight, but there were other differences.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.4%">Duram Argenti chip


    Estimated size: 0.75 ounces.


    Fully enchanted.


    Hardness: Tier 4</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    They were slightly warm to the touch but had been cool when he first picked them up. Had they drained mana from him without his knowing it? Only one way to find out. He searched through the rubble from his digging until he found another sliver of the ore. He identified it as a small chip, unenchanted, and Tier 5 in hardness. He drank a mana potion to restore a 300 points of mana before experimenting with the sliver. As soon as he touched it he lost 150 mana, and the chip changed to enchanted and Tier 4 in hardness.


    More searching turned up another chip. This one he picked up with a pair of chopsticks. Nothing happened. He placed it into an ore bag with no effect and dumped it back out again. Only when he touched it did it drain mana his mana. That made handling the ore easier. If the mana drain had been at a distance, it would have been debilitating and possibly deadly to be near any of it. He rolled the larger chunk onto a bit of dirty laundry from his Scout Master Ring (Once again, vowing to clear it out.) Rolling it up, he dumped it into the ore bag as well.


    He was out of mana again. There were too many unknowns in these caverns to explore them with mana exhaustion and no access to his spells. He retreated to the top of the tower and set up camp again. Georgie yawned and looked at him questioningly but got to work sniffing out any bugs or other threats to the camp. Milo took a break, logged out of the game, and opened his pod.


    While he was exhausted in the game from lack of mana, he felt fine here. Checking with his surveillance systems, he saw that Victor hadn''t moved from his apartment for several days but had been meeting with people each afternoon. Belinda had visited him once. He noted that she wasn''t wearing her gloves when she did so. No major problems showed. His clog eaters were doing their job of keeping the major arteries clear and fixing small leaks. None of the air handlers was malfunctioning for a change. Power was flowing between Section E and Section H, fueled in part by the wind and solar generators taking up most of the roof. Even the food processors were running correctly, partly due to his systems delaying any updates from the supply company until he could check over the changes. He gave his approval to the latest updates and made a note to check in with Mama and make sure things worked on her end.


    The only thing that bothered him was the continuous problems with the pneumatic delivery system. It was complex technology. Some cities had used similar systems since the 1950s. Families in the habitats could order goods from outside companies, and the products were delivered to a large warehouse on the ground floor of the habitat, already inside of the plastic transporters with their destination stored in the silicon chip on each transporter. Once loaded into the habitat''s pneumatic system, the items should have arrived at distribution points on each level of every section. Yet items could be delayed for weeks or longer and, in some cases, never arrive at all. He put it down on his of things to investigate before putting on his ''normal'' clothes and heading to see Butch and the family.


    It had been several days since he''d been down. He tried to remember how many, got the number, and felt bad. But too much had hit at once that he wasn''t expecting. He still didn''t know where he stood with Belinda or where Belinda stood with Victor, but he''d taken care of a lot of other loose ends. Wally and Steven (and Ralph) were allies now. He could handle the chaos of his family and work on the Belinda problem.


    One small detail bothered him, though. Ralph had been surprised he wasn''t behind the downfall of a crypto-currency called Syllabary. They''d used the tools he had found in Victor''s system, his old hacking programs. And it didn''t make sense that Victor''s people would crash a system that took all of Victor''s money. Ralph had been bemused by the idea. Wally and Steven were worried. Milo didn''t really care. If they took money from people like Victor, that was a good thing. But he did wonder about the possibility that there were more people out in the world that might be like him. Maybe from one of the other batches? He knew his own family was dead. It wasn''t a problem he could solve and didn''t concern him, so he tossed it to the back of his mind.


    Arriving in the courtyard near Butch''s house, he paused. There were several men sitting by the glowy tree playing cards. One was a medical technician. Two were beefy-looking guys that screamed ''bodyguard,'' and the fourth wore the patched and worn coveralls of a low-level maintenance worker. It was common to see them in the hab, answering complaints they barely knew how to fix, nodding and saying ''We''ll get right on that", knowing they don''t have the tools or support to actually do real repairs. He assumed Belinda was visiting again; the wheelchair the MedTech was sitting next to was all the proof needed of that. He watched for a few minutes, then casually walked up to the door and knocked. Butch pulled it open.


    "Hey, newest little bro! Come on in, the gangs here, and you can gaze in wonder at the expanded glory Casa Butch." Butch wasn''t exaggerating; everyone was here, including Butch''s parents and all of the children, including the two cousins Mama was trying to adopt. The house should have been packed, but wasn''t, for the simple reason that the house was bigger. From the floor plan, walls had been removed, and two other units were added to the first to make a much more comfortable living space. Milo didn''t mind things cramped, but then, he had the option of leaving when things got crazy. The living room was twice as big, and now had another gaming console and screen set up. Belinda waved to him, then grumbled as her distraction let Kenji have an opportunity to blow her up.


    Big Butch was home. He and Mama were sitting at a second table, looking relaxed. Butch steered him over to them, whispering in his ear. "Shit happens, crazy stuff, we got a bigger house. You owe me a story later on, got it?" Milo nodded; that only seemed fair. He''d mentioned to Wally that part of his plan was to help out his new family. He had to keep in mind that Wally was also task oriented.


    Mama came and gave him a quick hug. "Have a seat. You look hungry. And don''t tell me you aren''t; your ribs are showing again. I can feel them. What have you been up to?"


    He shrugged. "Oh, you know." He would forever be in Butch''s debt for teaching him that phrase. Big Butch laughed. "Yep, he''ll fit in fine."


    Mama glared at him. "I never forgave you for little Butch learning that from you, and now Milo is doing it too." She pulled food out of the cooler and heated it up for Milo, and poured him a glass of vita-milk, the pink kind. He liked that the best. Then she shooed any children nearby off to the other parts of the house, and it was just the three of them.


    "I''ve got some good news for you, Milo. Things are working out for us to adopt you. I''m sure you''re surprised by that." Her eyes said. "I doubt you''re surprised at all, and we both know you''re up to something."


    Stuffing his face with a lot of food gave him time to think, but he eventually ran out of food and had to answer. "I asked a friend for a favor. He said he could call some people, maybe work things out." His new parents nodded to each other, suspicions confirmed.


    "We had an unexpected visit from a nice man named Agent Smith who works for DHDIP..."


    <hr>


    Agent Smith had explained to Big Butch that he was needed for a meeting about the adoption proceedings. He gave him directions to the his new office a few floors higher up in Section E. Big Butch went home to collect Mama and get more info on what was going on, and then the two of them climbed the stairs and walked up to their meeting


    The office was in Section E, five floors above where Mama''s family lived. Furniture was being moved into it from somewhere else. DHDIP had more empty offices in the habitats than ones filled with workers. As the money to keep the habitats running, cuts had been made in staffing until only a skeleton crew was on hand in each habitat, generally with a hundred times the workload they could accomplish. Burnout and turnover were high.


    Agent Smith smiled and waved them to take seats in two plastic chairs that had seen better days. His desk was three small tables pushed together and an old filing cabinet. "My apologies for the state of my office. We''re having to make do until our new furniture arrives. But I wanted to get working on your case immediately. To make sure I have the correct information, I''d like to double check everything.


    Firstly, I have the two of you listed as Henry Banner Sr. and Sarah Banner. You have three natural children, Hank Jr., Minerva, and Thaddeus. You have also adopted one child, Liza who is related to Sarah, and you have adoptions pending on two children Robert and Sinclair. Lastly, you have applied to adopt an orphan minor named Milo Babbage, who is unrelated to you. Is all of that correct?" Both of them nodded. This was going better than expected. Usually you showed up at a DHDIP office and had to start from scratch each time, filling out electronic forms each time.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Yes, that''s all right. Liza was my cousins child. She ran off with someone and left her with us a few years ago and we''ve raised her since. The boys are Henry''s nephews. Their parents were killed in an industrial accident and had no one else to take them. But it''s been two years work trying to adopt them and get the credits to help us raise them."


    A young woman walked over to Agent Smith''s desk with three cups of coffee on a tray and handed them out. Big Butch and Mama drank theirs down in a few sips. Coffee from the food processor was bearable when hot, but gained an oily after taste as it cooled. Agent Smith sipped his coffee, looked at the cup as if it was a snake, and set it down on his desk. "Oh my, that''s horrible! I''m so sorry, let me send for a fresh batch. Our food processor up here must be defective."


    Agent Smith and sat back down. Big Butch had crossed his arms and Mama was glaring at him. The change in attitude threw him off. "Is something wrong? Is it the coffee?"


    She stood up, a scowl on her face, tapping one foot. "You lie worse than a damned three-year-old sitting in the middle of a pile of cookie dough from an overflowing food processor. What sort of scam are you pulling? You''ve got thirty seconds to fess up or Butch is going tie you up and we''re hauling you to a real DHDIP office. And I''m going to make you finish your coffee, you damned rich bastard."


    Agent Smith took a step backward, surprised by her ire.


    Mama glared at Smith. "Fifteen seconds until we tie you up with your pants and pour that delicious hab coffee down your throat! Start talking."


    Smith raised his hands in surrender. "Fine. I give up. Give me a moment and I''ll explain."


    "I don''t quite work for DHDIP, it''s a little more complicated than that, but I do have the authority to make recommendations to DHDIP that they are required to act upon. Can you give me a few minutes to explain without feeding me that sludge? It really is horrible."


    Big Butch laughed. "And it''s all we get out of the food processors. Gets a little worse each year as they find cheaper ways to make the stuff. I''ve used it to loosen rust on bolts."


    Smith stared at the cup, unbelieving, then rallied his thoughts. "This is about the boy you know as Milo Babbage. He is a victim of, and witness to, an old criminal case of human trafficking. We suspect he might have been taken from a habitat or bought from his family when only a few days old. It''s also possible his mother might have herself been a victim of the same people. But no matter what we eventually find out, he''s in danger and needs to be protected. If the people he got away from find him, his life is in jeopardy."


    Mama sat down and took a deep breath. "Who did it?! And I don''t just mean the taking. They did something to him."


    Smith tried to relax. He suspected he had been only seconds away from an unpleasant and embarrassing experience. "They did indeed. Milo was experimented on, which has affected his rate of growth. He is older than he appears, but we can''t pinpoint his age. Even he doesn''t know. As to who did it, I can''t tell you, because I don''t know myself. I only know enough about the case to help you help Milo. Catching these people is something my superiors are working on."


    Mama took a deep breath and let it go. "I should apologize for my earlier words. I''m a little over-protective."


    Agent Smith actually smiled at her. "No, please, don''t apologize. Over-protective is good! If anything, it assures me that you''re an ideal family for Milo. He needs protection, but more, he needs strong parental figures in his life. If something happens, we want him to trust you enough to go to you for protection, and then my agency can help all of you." By habit, he started to reach for his cup of coffee, thought better and set it down. He made a note to look into who supplied the artificial instant coffee to this habitat. It was truly horrible.


    Big Butch scratched his head. He''d known there was more to Milo the few times he''d talked to him. Kids that young didn''t know how to fix and reprogram food processors. Nor did they understand complicated work contracts. "Even knowing he''s a few years older doesn''t explain everything. He''d too smart and knows too much. A damned sight smarter than I am."


    Smith nodded seriously, "Oh, I agree. From the little I''ve been told, he probably has an IQ higher than all three of us combined. That''s part of what they did to him. He has an advanced mind, but stunted physical growth and hasn''t developed emotionally. We are hoping that by giving him a permanent place in your family you can help him with that."


    Mama was unconvinced. "So how did you find out about him? I''m guessing you work for that Claw Master place he got the gloves from?"


    Smith smiled. "An excellent guess. Yes, I''m employed by the Claw Master organization, but I''ve also been appointed as the lead agent in this case. I''m sure you''ve seen his interest in video games. He''s one of many people testing those gloves for us. He even suggested the sponsoring of the recent event. In dealing with him, we became aware of his situation. He didn''t exist legally and was hiding from someone. Recently, he told us more, and expressed the hopes of being adopted after you made him that offer. Upon finding out what had been done to him, we notified the authorities. They are of the opinion that for his psychological health, we need to leave him in his current environment. But he needs emotional stability, proper food, people he can talk to and confide in, and a place to safely live."


    "Which is where your family come in. By permanently placing him with you, we accomplish much of what we need. In return, we can help you with raising the rest of your family as well. I''ve looked over the paperwork for the other children''s adoptions and can recommend those be approved immediately with credits applied to your account retroactively and going forward. You shouldn''t become financially destitute for doing good deeds."


    "Milo is a different case. He will be fostered with you under the assumption that he is a minor, and full adoption approved soon. But he needs more than part time care. We show that you are employed by Manpower, sir? Would you be willing to stay at home, care for your family, and help with Milo''s special needs if we matched or exceeded your salary?"


    Mama interrupted. "The answer is yes, and I think that matching my current salary would be a good compromise. After all, he''s going to be doing much the same work."


    Big Butch frowned. "Sarah, that''s three times what I make now, working 24 hours a day and 6 days a week."


    She looked at him. "If I''m worth 3k a month, so are you. And it goes to support your family, which is getting bigger and more complicated all of the time."


    Smith frowned, went through his paperwork looking for details, and then smiled. "Ah, yes. I see that listed here. Yes, that is quite acceptable."


    "Well, then, yes. I think I can ride herd on some children for that much money a month. It will come in handy. I''m going to need to apply for a second living unit, and that always takes a little extra to get pushed through."


    Smith made a note on his paper. "Please, let me take care of that. You shouldn''t have to pay for it. There is ample space in this section, even empty units adjacent to you. I''m going to authorize a work crew and engineer to remove walls and increase your living space. Frankly, DHDIP should be consolidating living quarters in this habitat and doing repairs section by section. I''m going to recommend that hiring an additional work crew and having them set up their living quarters in this section, and work on the empty units and open spaces." He looked around. "Right after they get me a proper desk and coffee maker. Can I offer you one as well? Even an antique drip machine can make quite acceptable beverages with the right grounds." He added a coffee maker and ten pounds of ground beans to his list.


    "I''m not opposed to a decent cup of coffee. Thank you." Putting up with hab coffee wasn''t the same as liking it. Mama felt the same way, but had a condition. "Only if you get a lock for the cabinet you keep it in. I''m scared to think what would happen if we introduced Milo to coffee."


    Agent Smith paled. "A very good point, madam. I''ll add a new locking cabinet to your list." He pushed forward an electron tablet with a contract on it. "This spells out your salary, money to be paid for Milo''s upkeep, additional credits for the other children. We will also take care of all medical expenses for the family, along with costs of education. Please look it over and let me know if you need any changes."


    Mama passed it to her husband. "Talk to me about education. I''m not sure I can teach anything to Milo."


    Agent Smith shook his head. "From what I understand, ma''am, none of us could. He learns at an accelerated pace. It will be enough if you nudge him in the right directions and give him the emotional support that he needs. But for your other children, I would like to offer an education system that is being used now in some parts of the world. It''s based on the use of the new Mk VII pods and a virtual classroom. Something you are already familiar with."


    That was a surprise to Butch, "You use pods to teach the kids? Wouldn''t they just use them to play games?"


    "Well, yes, there is some time allotted for recreation. But the current programming includes a virtual classroom that gives anyone the tools needed for teaching a basic education. Lectures done in a virtual environment can greatly enhance learning. And as part of the program, we incentivize the children getting their work done by allowing them time for playing games, including limited access to the new virtual world, Genesis.


    Butch was smiling widely now. Mama rolled her eyes. "Oh god, I just got you out of a pod. I can see it now. You''re going to take little Butch and Min on some orc hunt with you."


    She turned to Agent Smith. "Milo is going to want to play that game. Is that allowed?"


    Smith paused, not knowing what to say. Finally he told the truth. "Ma''am, I think it would be impossible to keep him out."

 Announcement Concerning the Future of my stories (Non-Story)

    Neither of my stories is ending.  Let''s say that right at the start. I have a lot of stories left to tell about Milo and Ozzy and places to take them.


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    But, I have some exciting news! My books are going to be published by Aethon Books, who work with the authors of great books like Vanqueur the Dragon, Primal Hunter, He Who Fights Monsters, and Defiance of the Fall. They will be putting my books out on Kindle, KU, and Audiobook.


    To be honest, I was amazed when I had 50 followers on my story on Royal Road. And then more astounded when more people started reading. Publishing seemed pretty far away, and I had no clue about how to move in that direction. Working with a publisher makes things a lot easier and, very importantly, won''t interfere much with my ongoing writing. I''ll keep the chapters coming while I edit. In the next couple of months, I''ll be doing something I always wanted to do, which is go back and edit the first parts of the books. I had no idea what I was doing when I started Butcher of Gadobhra, and only a little more when I started Tunnel Rat.  This gives me the push to polish the stories. I''m already working on Tunnel Rat and slowly putting the edited chapters up. (Writathon means write fast, and I have so many typos in the early chapters.)


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    How does this affect the ongoing stories? Not at all. I''m going to keep writing new chapters. If anything, this pushes me to do more writing, and I can justify taking more afternoons off from my job. I have some good people at my shops who can pick up the slack for me and give me more hours to write. The biggest change will be that eventually I will have to remove my early chapters from free sites like Royal Road, leaving the introduction and the first chapters as a stub. When the first book is published, I''ll remove the first 60 or so chapters. When the second book in each series comes out 6-12 months later, the next 60. I''ve contracted for 3 books from each series. By the time those come out, I''ll have written the equivalent of 2 more books for each series.


    I have no idea where either stories end. I have a lot left to write. Both stories have small arcs ending and big arcs beginning.


    If you haven''t read both stories or you want to re-read them, now is the time. You have at least a couple of months and I will give updates as I know more. I have to do a lot of editing before anything happens, and then do another run through before I even hand the books to Aethon and their editors look them over.

 Interlude: The Snow over Takayama

    It was snowing in Takayama. The thin, white layer coated the traditional wooden buildings and the swirling flakes obscured some of the details of the modern world. It was a lovely illusion and Julius sat in front of his small house''s largest window watching the storm as he sipped some tea. He had the entire afternoon to himself, he was enjoying the peaceful bit of time with nothing to do, while at the same time regretting its existence. This was meant to be his game day. Once a week for the past nine years he had opened up his game to a select group of up old friends and young enthusiasts. Sometimes as many as two dozen of them played at once, while other weeks it was just he and his old crew.


    Today, no one was exploring the galaxy in a patched-together ship. He missed it already. Legally, he shouldn''t be playing ever. But he had no money to take and no lawyer was going to come after a dozen old men playing an old game. In many ways, it wasn''t the same game. He couldn''t risk owning an SC6 machine, and even if he could fit one into his small house, there was no one nearby to play. Fritz was in Canada, the Moreski brothers were in Poland, Dan was in the US, Abe still insisted on staying in Antarctica in a small research station and played when he wasn''t busy counting penguins.


    When they got together now, it was using VR helmets and a custom set of controls he had built for each person.


    It wasn''t the same as being together in the same machine as the rest of your crew, hearing them through the thin compartment walls as they cursed at pirates and hearing their voices over the crappy sound system. But they got to play. He was still sad he had missed attending the event where they played his game. That little girl had impressed him. Twenty-four machines! Where had she found that many SC6 machines? Granted, they were in horrible shape. He''d spent most of a month helping them test and repair them for the event. He''d skirted close to the legal line that would have seen another lawsuit on his doorstep. By calling it a ''promotional event'' with no income, they had pulled it off. He regretted not being there to watch, but the realities of his situation were harsh. He''d fought too hard to keep the game alive, and taken on too much debt. It would follow him forever. This was why he accepted charity from old friends, living in what had been a vacation house in Japan. If he owned nothing, they could take nothing.


    Watching the event had brought back the old excitement. They''d sent him all of the video from the event, as well as the data from each of the machines. He spent hours each week looking at the fights. Those crazy fights! Someone had leaked builds; that was obvious. His sources in some of the older teams told him that the corporate teams had started it, but someone had turned the tables on them. This resulted in some of the most outlandish configurations he''d ever seen and some very fun battles. Maximized Grazers vs a horde of LAC had been so much fun to watch. He''d always told people to watch out for that build.


    But the Claw Master team still confused him. If he didn''t have all the data, he''d have sworn what they had done wasn''t possible. He''d seen someone slingshot missiles around a black hole, gaining velocity and obscuring anyone trying to track them. He''d done it a few times himself. But with a full navigational computer, advanced targeting AI, and on a private server with mods that allowed for bigger computers and better sensors. Somehow the navigator on their team had done it with just the raw data from the sensor net and sent the missiles around not one, but two black holes. Just insanity. He''d checked the video to see if the navigator had a personal computer sitting on his lap, but to his surprise it was just a young boy, sweating while concentrating intensely on the game and making rapid changes with his controls, the way any navigator looked in the middle of a game. He''d sent a request for his email, but had gotten no reply.


    He''d ask again, next month, but for now he sat watching the snow come down, and wondering how to keep a quad fusion drive from exploding when you tried to make three jumps in a row. Maybe he could set-up a simulator for just the navigator role and try to do it himself. He had the time. His musings were interrupted by an incoming phone call. Someone with more money than him, asking for a full video conference via data-net. He moved to a monitor and accepted the call.


    On the screen appeared a smiling man in an expensive suit. Julius''s heart sank. This wasn''t someone he knew, and that was always bad. He took a deep breath, and prepared himself for another fight over the little money he had left.


    "Dr. Shepherd? Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. I''m Wyatt Eady, but please, call me Wyatt."


    "Of course, and if we are being informal, please call me Julius. It''s a long time since I was teaching astrogation at MIT. What is it that I can do for you, Wyatt?"


    Wyatt Eady sat forward in his chair with an excited look on his face. "I wanted to talk to you about SC6. Forgive me, I just played a game on a simulator some of our guys put together and I had a great time. You really created a fabulous game."


    Ah, so it was about the game. Julius knew how this went. The polite man would compliment him and then demand something. He wasn''t sure he wanted to stretch this out. Still...he was being polite. "Thank you, I''m glad you enjoyed it. May I ask the reason for your call? I''m sure you understand that I can hardly call it ''my game'' any longer. I had to sign away most of my copyrights, patents on the machines, and rights to the game. That was quite some time ago."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    The polite man nodded. "Yes, I''ve done my research. I''m not happy with what I found or the way things were done, but as you say, that was long ago. I can only work with the situation that I find before me. Especially in light of recent events."


    "Ah, I see. You are referring to the promotional even put on by the Manpower Corporation. I have to stress that I neither gave my permission, nor could I. They found the machines, talked to the various people claiming ownership, or didn''t. I don''t know."


    Mr. Eady nodded again. "Yes, the ownership is quite tangled. But I have to stress one point: I and the people who employ me feel that SC6 is your game, and always will be."


    "What is it that you want, Mr. Eady? I''m an old man who doesn''t have a cent to his name. I can''t afford healthcare beyond seeing an acupuncturist and drinking herbal tea. You can insist that it''s my game until I die, but I can''t pay you anything."


    "Oh...I''m sorry. I''m not being clear." Wyatt seemed embarrassed, and fumbled with some paperwork. "I''ve bungled this badly, Dr. Shepherd, please forgive me. I should have chosen my words more carefully, especially when thinking about your interactions with other corporations."


    He continued quickly. "You see, we want to partner with you, buying the right to bring a version of SC6 to market, and of course, paying royalties to you."


    Julius blinked twice. "I see. While I admit that I would love to explore that idea, there are three corporations who all think they own my game."


    Wyatt smiled and forwarded files to Julius. "I have taken care of that. All parties who claimed any rights to your game have been convinced to sell them or give them to my employer. Claw Master Inc. now owns those rights. And if we go ahead with this partnership, our first step is to sell you those rights for the sum of one American dollar. This puts all of the ownership of your game back in your hands. We can then proceed into the partnership with a clearer vision of what we want to do."


    "That...yes...a dollar? Yes, I agree. Tell me about the partnership. What are we doing?" These documents gave him back his game. They weren''t even contingent on a further deal. He sent a payment of one dollar to the mysterious Claw Master Inc. and gained control of his game for the first time in many years.


    "Thank you, Wyatt, and thank whoever is behind this. I''m quite overwhelmed."


    The man behind the desk smiled brightly. "Oh, we are just getting started. What we propose is to move SC6 into a complete virtual universe, playable in virtual reality using MK VII gaming pods. Full NPC support. Full astrogation. And we''d like to use all of the mods developed for your game. If individuals other than yourself developed those, we will pay them for the rights, or pay them royalties. We want to rebuild SC6 the way you meant it to be. And we have a few twists of our own that we would like to run by you."


    "I''m agreeable to all of that, Wyatt. But I have to warn you, I''m a little out of the way here. Data-net access is very limited and I don''t own a gaming pod. You mentioned royalties. I might be able to relocate for some time, if you could advance me enough to do so. But either way, I''m in."


    "I''m very happy to hear that, sir. How about this? I know you would hate to relocate permanently from such a lovely place to live, but what if we provided you an apartment here in our research complex for extended visits. We''ll provide you with funds to cover the cost of travel, as well as an advance on royalties. That way you could work with our staff in developing the new game, and take advantage of our pods here at our office. We can also supply you with a pod for your home. Everyone who remembers the game has stressed how important it is to bring you on board, along with your ideas. We even have two test groups who can''t wait to go explore the galaxy. They also mentioned that the ''Seedy Bars'' mod needed to be included."


    Julius smiled. If anything, that last statement convinced him that Wyatt had talked to some of the older players. "Of course, what would SC6 be without a place to drink after your ship blows up. But I''m curious, what are these twists you have in mind, Wyatt?"


    "Oh, just a few ideas some of the lads came up with. You see, we are working with the creator of a new VRMMORPG, called Genesis Engine. They suggested that the universe was too big to only have humans building starships. They have some ideas to include Dwarven Engineers, Space-Rat mercenaries, and other races, along with their own unique ships and space stations."


    Julius was excited, especially after he saw the sketches of the new races. "Oh, that will be fun. And bars, they will need unique bars as well."


    Wyatt agreed. "What would an Orbital Engineering Station be without a bar for the hard-working dwarves?"


    The two men talked for another two hours after which Julius started packing to catch his flight the next day to start his new job at Claw Master Inc.

 Chapter 224: Hes Alive!

    The high-velocity train that connected New York to Paris was expensive but an essential expense for some people. Especially people who bored easily and to whom boredom was a form of torture. Nina hated the trains more than any of them. Anything that confined her movement felt like a cage, and she was done with cages for the rest of her life. The others picked up on her anxiety and did their best to help, but only Onyx had an understanding of the psychological torture they had been through. Both he and Nina had chosen characters that had addictions. He to certain sense enhancing tea, and her to instincts that drove her to hunt.


    The debate over why those addictions were present in the game was a long standing argument among the five of them. It was complicated by their choosing races that were normally unavailable to regular players. Bork was convinced that the whole thing had been a trap set by someone in Seimovich''s organization, but Onyx had his doubts, partly because Bork saw everything as a trap. He didn''t discount the possibility because Bork had also been right many times, and spotting traps kept them alive and free.


    He hadn''t missed that the third person captured by the Code Mage had also had his addictions. Tallsqueak had yearned for the cheese that Philistron offered him the same way he yearned for a fragrant cup of tea. They all agreed that the rat must have become trapped in the same way they had, using one of Seimovich''s hacked pods. Beyond that, they disagreed. Onyx couldn''t shake the feeling that it might be their lost brother, Milo. The coincidence in name was only part of it. The rat had simply been too smart to be an ordinary person. He''d not only cracked their code, but he''d replied to them in verse! It was the casual way he did things to enabled their escape that added to that conviction, and somehow turned a hopeless situation into freedom from the game.


    Bork had scoffed at the idea. He was convinced that none of them could survive without the challenge of interacting with each other. Boredom meant death by insanity, and how could any of them find a challenge if abandoned on their own in a rotting habitat? Nina didn''t want to talk about the game, and her memories were hazy because of her addiction. She also didn''t like rats before and had taken a dislike to Tallsqueak immediately. More racial psychology?


    Zander and Algernon were intrigued by the idea but not enough to enter the game and its potential to trap them. And they had other things to keep them busy.


    The latest job had certainly shown that. It had been a grueling three months, racing against time to control a genetically engineered virus that had been let loose in Kolkata. The virus had two main forms. Those who caught the active form of the virus rapidly fell into a coma while the virus attacked their bodies, re-writing small sections of their DNA. This form of the virus was 10% fatal and slightly contagious. Those who didn''t die would make a nearly full recovery with two lasting symptoms: They were more docile and prone to obeying orders, and the change was hereditary. It had taken months for researchers to realize what the virus was doing.


    The inactive version of the virus hid inside the host and, after a period of 3-12 weeks, started multiplying and showing the effects. In this case, the host became extroverted and energetic. They were also a carrier for both versions of the disease and highly contagious. Often the most dedicated and hard-working medical and emergency service personnel were found to be carriers of the virus.


    Rebus Biotech Labs had volunteered their services and, after a frustrating three months of stalling by the government, had been allowed to set up laboratories, testing centers, and large quarantine sites. The five of them had used thousands of people to gather data and samples, tracking the outbreaks. For three months, they worked 22 hours a day breaking down the virus, finding the mechanics it used to multiply and creating vaccines to stop the spread.


    It was Bork that made the breakthrough, not with medicine, but with what they did best, hacking into data systems. The barriers put in place to slow down their access and stymie their investigations had infuriated him. He broke into government agencies looking for who was profiting from the virus. Instead, he found the source itself. Government funds had been siphoned to a division of Alchemarx in an effort to create drugs that would make the populace of the 26 habitats in Kolkata more docile. Instead of drugs, the corporation had suggested a virus they had created.


    Initial testing showed that the virus was more effective and cheaper than the use of drugs in the water. But after it was deployed, mutations increased both the number of fatalities and the infection rate. Soon it had jumped from the habitats to the general populace, and India had yet another pandemic racing through the population. All of Kolkata was placed in quarantine, and corporations lined up to offer their services in exchange for long-term payments that would cost the government trillions over the next decades.


    Once Bork uncovered the origin of the virus, creating the vaccines was simple. A cure would be more expensive. But a solution was found that would save the taxpayers of India from footing the bill. Alchemarx volunteered to produce and distribute the virus free of charge, only accepting minor tax benefits for their generous services. Amid the costs of producing the virus was a large payment to Rhebus Biotech for their work in developing them. And several other generous deposits to small banks in different parts of the world. Alchemarx was a large corporation and people were fired all the time. When one biotech division totally disappeared from the corporate structure, no one noticed or cared. Similarly, dozens of government functionaries retiring suddenly also caused no notice. Both sets of people found that their retirement funds and wealth were greatly diminished overnight.


    The work had been non-stop, but with enough infrastructure in place, the blackmail finished, and the culprits outed, the five people who were the heart of Rhebus headed to one of their homes for rest before starting the next job. By consent, none of them engaged in personal hobbies while on the job. Onyx was anxious to get home and see what games had been delivered to him while he was gone. While playing the first one, he was streaming videocasts from the last three months. One small gaming event caught his eye. They were actually holding an SC6 event. His screams of anguish brought the rest of the family running.


    Nina was there first, "What is it? What''s wrong?" She saw nothing on the screens to cause such a response, but it was obvious that Onyx was upset.


    "They played SC6, and I missed it! I''ve been waiting years to play that game!!"


    The others piled into the room and started to laugh. Onyx''s love for obscure games was legendary. "OMG! They had a retro video game tournament!! And we missed it? Why? Why is life so cruel."


    Algernon shook his head sadly. "If it''s any consolation, we have enough income from Alchemarx to buy all of those games and have our own tournament here. I think you already own half of them."


    Onyx was inconsolable. "Not the same. I missed the excitement of watching it all live. Maybe if we made popcorn and all watched it together, I might feel better."


    "Fine, nothing good on Politician Cage-Match tonight anyway. Just two guys in London fighting over who gets to be head dog-catcher, and I hear Boris already bribed his opponent. I''ll make popcorn." Zander ran off to program the kitchen to deliver the munchies needed for a night of watching stuff.


    Onyx loaded up the pre-game talk and put it on one of the screens. The rundown of the teams was interesting: Three corporate teams were competing with two of the better-known teams from two decades ago, with the last team being made up of locals from the habitat where the event was being held. They were sponsored by a little-known tech company called Claw Master.


    Algernon rewound the section with the ad from the new company. "Hey, I ordered something from them. I think it already arrived."


    Nina glared at him. "Were you cheating and keeping up with your technology research while we were working to unravel that virus?"


    He looked pained and in anguish at the accusation. "You wound me with your accusations, but no. I set up a program to scour for things I might want to get, and it automatically placed the orders according to my parameters. I only know about this package because of the cost." Nina had complained several times about how Algernon spent his money. He loved ordering things but rarely opened the packages. He had rooms full of deliveries that they routinely donated to charities.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "What did you get, and what was the cost? Just curious, no judgment."


    He looked down his nose at her. "Only the latest and greatest in gaming gloves. I wanted to be in on the initial testing and reviews for my tech report. They were letting the first wave of 100 sets go for the low, low price of one million dollars each, only available to firms that would help them test for efficiency and side effects. The early tests are quite good, putting the M-1000 gloves into second place."


    Bork stood up. "If you paid five million for some fancy gloves, I want to see them. I''ll go dig them out."


    Five minutes later, the room was filled with five people munching on an assortment of high-sugar snacks, popcorn, and fizzy sodas as the SC6 match started. Two monitors were carrying commentary, and another six were showing views from the game. Nina and Bork were playing Smashy-Dwarf 7 with the optional chainsaw rules. Beethoven vied with Bachman-Turner Overdrive on the speakers.


    Onyx was in heaven. "This is insane. Those builds are too extreme; someone was very good at anticipating what the other teams were going to bring."


    Bork agreed. "True, but if anything, espionage before the game was always won by the large corporations that could pay for it, and not two teams of old players. Those guys are tearing up the pro teams, even without Claw Master helping."


    The match entered the end game, and everything changed. Missiles came out of nowhere, and Claw Master somehow pulled off not one but two warps with a quad fusion drive. And then a third that ended spectacularly in the destruction of their opponents.


    Onyx turned off everything except the SC6 monitors. "Play it again from the start; that isn''t possible."


    His siblings noticed he had dropped into a state of hyper-focus and didn''t argue. They played the match again, all of them intrigued and wondering what Onyx had seen.


    They watched it again and then a third time before Onyx dropped his focus. "No one should be able to do that, not with the available resources each team had. I might, and I stress the word ''might'', be able to figure the missile trajectories or hold the fusion drive together for those jumps, but not at the same time."


    Bork had been paying attention and now brought up a simulation for the game. "Let''s test it. I''ve programmed a simulation for the Claw Master ship. Each of you can run through the navigator''s role and see if you can handle the fusion drive or the trajectories. Then try both at once."


    The room became silent as each person sat with their controls and VR helmet, replaying the session over and over. After an hour, they all took off their helmets and compared notes. Algernon had failed each time at the combined simulation but had figured out how to slingshot the missiles after three tries. Everyone else had similar results, with no one but Onyx being able to make three warp jumps.


    Bork voiced the obvious conclusion. "Someone either cheated, or the navigator was equal to us in their ability to handle calculations and process multiple problems at once."


    Onyx looked at all of them as they nodded. "And we know that''s the habitat we lost Milo in."


    Bork shook his head. "Coincidence. It has to be. He couldn''t survive that long on his own. Someone is baiting us."


    Algernon took a deep breath. "I''m not sure. The thought of that being a trap is hard to believe, but also, we did work in that habitat, and there was no sign of him."


    Nina was silent, thinking.


    Zander was watching the rest of the videocast. "We weren''t looking, though, and if it was one of us after all this time, he''d know how to hide. Whether he''s still sane, I don''t know. But he''d know how to hide." They watched the rest of the video cast, looking at the Claw Master team as they accepted the award. None of the people could be Milo, but they recognized the leader.


    "That''s Belinda Sabbatino. I don''t like the coincidence." Bork was agitated and feeling the walls close in. Something wasn''t right. "We took the Manpower job specifically to keep track of Seimovich''s remaining relatives and set up surveillance of him. We know he''s been in that habitat recently. And now there''s bait to draw us in."


    Onyx put the start of the event on the screen, using all four cameras that had been set up to film it. "I''m watching the video game competition; someone else get into the security system and look through the footage. Look for Victor, Belinda, and...anyone else that might be interesting."


    Algernon yelled out. "I''m accessing the Raxxon cameras; they give a much better view of things. Zander, go into the original system that Manpower installed."


    Onyx yelled out, "Look at this! Watch these two people play. They''re actually beating Pacman 2047. Has that ever been done?"


    Nina was flexing her hands, then looked at the screen. "They''re wearing gloves like these."


    Bork stopped what he was doing and looked at Nina. She was testing her reaction time with the new gloves over and over. Each time she changed to a new test, and each time she got the same results. She was focused entirely on what she was doing, and Bork got the other''s attention and pointed at her. Nina was born with only her right hand. She had tried several prosthetics over the years but was currently using an experimental biological replacement cloned from her DNA. The new technology that Rhebus was pioneering wasn''t perfected yet, especially for their modified bodies. Normally her left hand was 25% slower than her right, causing her a great deal of frustration. But not now. Her tests showed that her right-hand reaction times were boosted over normal, and her left had reaction times equal to her right hand. After twenty-seven tests she snapped out of her focus and sat back, looking at the rest of them. "My hand works. She held up the left hand, shouting, "My Hand Works!"


    Before anything else could be said, Onyx got their attention. "Look at the smaller person dressed like Neo. See how he moves? Look at his size. He''s wearing a prosthetic left leg. And he isn''t in the award ceremony, but you can see him getting into the SC6 machine with the team. He''s their navigator!"


    Algernon was trying to watch the same footage. "It''s hard to see, but I agree. He''s wearing a high-end prosthetic."


    "Look at this. It''s from the start of the event. The Claw Master Team. Look at the footage of the last person coming through with them. He gets hassled by security and has to take off his leg." Zander was hopping up and down, yelling loudly.


    Onyx looked at the footage. "It''s Milo! He''s alive!"


    Bork shut off all of the screens and music. "Calm down. Now! Think."


    He took a deep breath. "Too many variables. Slow down. We have what looks like Milo, on a team with Belinda Sabbatino, in the same location as Victor Seimovich."


    Onyx controlled his breathing. "If Victor was using that habitat for the Genesis operation, and Milo was there, he might have had access to a pod similar to the ones Nina and I used. That could have been him in the game, rescuing us."


    Nina held up her hands. "They''re wearing gloves like this. My hands work! This is a technology we need to know more about." Nods all around on that.


    "The extra solar panels! The work they paid us for that we didn''t do!" Onyx kicked himself. He''d been so close but had dropped his investigation. Onyx looked around the room, then stood up. "I propose we take a new job."


    Zander smiled. Onyx was making things official, and truly, it did look like a challenge. "The goal of this job?"


    "A complete investigation of the South Philadelphia Habitat. An investigation into Manpower and Victor Seimovich, along with John and Belinda Sabbatino. Concurrently, an investigation into Claw Master Inc. Goal of the job is to determine if this is our brother Milo, and if so, make contact with him and bring him home."


    "I have two concerns. The first is that this is an elaborate trap to draw us into the open. The second is that Milo might be working with Victor." Everyone agreed with Bork. Caution was always a good thing, and paranoia had kept them alive before.


    Everyone nodded and got to work.

 Chapter 225: Of Wizards and Liches

    Milo was playing a game of DeathRace2020 with Belinda, racing ramshackle, over-powered vehicles through a plague-zombie-infested city where the inhabitants huddled inside their homes. Milo ran over an open sewer hole in the middle of the road, and a large clawed hand reached up and ripped off one of his tires. His vehicle tumbled end over end before a horde of zombies tore him from his car and ate his brains. Belinda looked at him with annoyance and then went on to finish the mission for an easy win.


    "What the hell is up with you? That''s the lamest trap in the game! You can see them on the road!"


    Milo stood up, slumped, and put his hands in his pockets. He reviewed the problem for the thousandth time and saw no winnable outcome. It all depended on someone else and meant he was taking a chance. "We need to talk." He turned and left the house. The rest of the family looked at each other, having no more clue what was going on than Belinda. This was odd behavior for Ghost. Leave? Sure, all the time. But to talk to someone? That was new. Belinda wasn''t sure what to do. Yumi sat down and put an arm around her. "You''ll drive yourself crazy trying to figure him out. But if he wants to talk, go talk." Nodding to her, Belinda grabbed her arm braces and hobbled to the door on her own power.


    Outside, one of her bodyguards had her wheelchair ready for her. "The young man over by the tree said the two of you needed room to talk. We can go down the hall, but we have to keep you in sight." That was standard procedure. Belinda had gotten used to always having them around, trailing behind her. They backed off, and she moved over to where Milo sat with his back to a wall, near the tree but with clear lines of vision for anyone approaching him. She''d noticed how he was always skittish when outside of the house and always watching around him.


    Looking at him, she noticed he was trembling slightly and in a state of high anxiety. Not good. "So, what do we need to talk about?"


    Milo looked up. He was always Milo in her head, but she had made it a habit to call him Ghost when out of the game. He liked that better.


    "I have a problem and several sub-optimal ways to solve it. Each has its own possibility of a disastrous outcome."


    She considered that statement. Mama had spoken to her and all the other children about paying close attention to what Milo said, especially when he was troubled by something. She claimed it could give you clues about what was going on in his head. "Well, how can I help? Do you want to run the problem by me and talk about how to solve it?"


    He shook his head. "That is the problem."


    She rolled her eyes and sighed. "The problem is you can''t talk about the problem?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, can we talk about the reasons why we can''t talk about the problem? Or can you talk about it abstractly?"


    He considered that. "Let''s postulate that several people are playing together in Genesis. Everyone gets some loot from a treasure chest. Pretend we killed a world boss. Big glowy chest. Everyone is happy, and everyone grabs some cool items. But there''s a problem: One person might have a cursed item. The curse works on her because she has a really good heritage, and is descended from a major boss in the game. Let''s say her ancestor is a lich." He paused, and Belinda indicated she was following along.


    "The problem is, only one person knows this, a Wizard who has a cheat code that can find out the truth, showing him the friends character sheet. That isn''t good because she made him promise never to look at her sheet. He can use his cheat code to let him look at her character sheet to find out if she is descended from the Lich and whether the curse will take effect. But it''s more complicated than that. Let''s say that if the curse takes effect, the friend will become more powerful but evil. If she rejects the curse, she keeps the item, and it works normally. And, of course, if she isn''t related to the lich, she won''t be affected at all."


    Belinda screwed up her face, then her eyes got big. "Oh, the curse isn''t the problem. It''s using the cheat code. You''re saying he''s violating her trust?"


    Milo nodded.


    Belinda went on. "Ok, so, the first option is just to tell her he can do it. That way, she gets to decide to show him her sheet. Let''s say she says no...Oh! I see. If she says no, now the wizard has a choice of letting it just happen, or he can use the cheat code against her wishes. Just knowing he has a cheat code might spoil their friendship. If she becomes evil, it probably spoils their friendship."


    Taking a deep breath, Belinda went forward. "Ok, so trust, and choice can lead to no, but if it leads to yes? Then he''s helping her. Maybe she isn''t related? Damn, but if she is, it will give her the choice of power and evil or ditching the magic item."


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Milo sat up straighter. "Or he can betray her trust, use the code, get the info, and then have to deal with either telling her or hiding it and having her find out later. I don''t like a lot of the scenarios."


    Belinda''s head snapped around suddenly. "Is this about the ring you gave me?! It better not be. I love that ring, and you aren''t making me toss it into a volcano!"


    Milo actually smiled at that. "No, that ring is fine. Glad you liked it."


    She seemed relieved. "So, you have an abstract problem with lots of bad outcomes. How about we move on to the real problem now and try to solve it?"


    He shook his head and wrapped his arms around his knees, looking straight ahead. "Nope."


    "You can''t talk about the problem? What''s stopping you?"


    "Suboptimal solutions."


    "Ok, then let''s go back to the Wizard and his friend. What''s worse, losing her to the lich or losing her to breaking her trust?"


    He shrugged. "One is bad. The other is bad. He promised. He also promised to help her."


    Belinda got an idea. "What if he just stays friends with her? If she''s good, he''s good, but if she joins the lich, he does too?"


    Milo thought about this one and then shook his head violently. "No, very bad. So many people suffer. Everyone would lose. And the last god would have to hunt down the evil wizard."


    That part Belinda couldn''t follow. "Ok, that''s bad. Does the Wizard have a mother he can ask about things? Mothers are good listeners."


    "They are, but the Wizard''s mother doesn''t know how powerful a wizard he is, and he can''t reveal his friend''s secrets or talk about the lich. But his mother is part of the problem. She made him promise not to betray his friend."


    Belinda wished she had a spread sheet to keep track of things. "Ok, so we''re back to the basic problem. Let me think a moment." Milo was frustrating to deal with. It was like he was trying to give her clues. At the same time, he was confusing her. She kept trying to think of something in the game that had him upset. She felt like she was involved with this somehow. And then it hit her.


    "I made you promise to never lie to me."


    "You did."


    "Which would make me the friend."


    "Nope, won''t talk about it."


    Ok, she thought she was getting somewhere. So he wanted to talk to her about something, but he didn''t want to lie to her, and not talking about something was just as bad. He''d found out something about her. That made no sense; she played video games and sat in a wheelchair or did hours of physical training that never made her better, only not worse. She thought for a half hour while he sat quietly. When the revelation hit her, she wondered how she could not have seen it sooner. He was smart, he used a computer, and there were too many news stories he could stumble across. He''d found out about her Uncle Victor and was trying to warn her.


    It was ironic because she''d known Uncle Victor was a bad man for a long time. When you''re little, no one expects you to understand Russian or to listen to what your bored security guards talk about. Sometimes Uncle Victor would speak with his associates in front of her. He used the cover of taking her places as a way to meet with people. Everyone ignored the poor little girl in the wheelchair who could barely move her head. Too many people saw a broken body and assumed a fractured mind. She''d listened and learned a lot. But even knowing what he did, he was still her Uncle and one of the few people she had that talked to her and treated her like an adult. Milo was probably worried about how she would react. The analogy seemed clear now. If he warned her about Victor, would that ruin their friendship? This wasn''t the place to talk to him about that. Her security guards certainly had a way to listen to their conversation, no matter what they said.


    "I heard a story about a lich when I was little, but that wasn''t his name. It''s an old story from Russia about an evil creature called Koschei. My Uncle Victor told me about him. He was called the Deathless, and no matter what happened, no one could kill him. I was always scared because my uncle told me that Koschei could hear your secrets if a shadow were nearby, so you could only talk about him in bright sunlight or a dark cave with no shadows."


    He smiled at that. "Did I tell you where I was exploring in Genesis? I''m nearly a mile down in the ground, exploring huge caves. I need a break, though. I could be in Shadowport in two days at noon, where we killed the World Boss together."


    "Sounds great. I finally get to hang out with you in Genesis. It''s a date." She started rolling back to the house. "Now, come play a game and pay attention. It was pathetic watching you before."


    Milo got up, agreeing with her. Dying to a sewer trap? Pathetic. Then he froze. "A date?"

 Chapter 226: Time for Schooling

    Milo pushed aside his anxieties about dealing with Belinda to the back of his mind. There was no use worrying about things until they next talked, and he had to focus hard to erase the shame of dying in a sewer trap. He was mostly successful, beating her five out of seven games, despite Minerva insisting he needed a "scouting partner." She sat beside him, pointing and yelling, "Lookout! Sewer Monster!" whenever she spotted an open manhole. When Milo glared at her, she only giggled and said innocently, "Helping!".


    The big news was the change in schooling for the twenty children living in this quadrant of their floor. Instead of using the old computers and VR helmets at the school located two floors up and across the section, they would be learning using brand new MK VII pods that would be part of the new facility Big Butch would oversee. They would have access to the pods for educational purposes, and if they did their assignments, they would be rewarded with hours of gaming. The inclusion of Genesis brought a round of cheers. That Big Butch got to go to work in Genesis had always generated a sentiment of ''Adults get all the cool stuff!''. It didn''t help that he told them about his job when he was home and exaggerated the best parts. He stressed now that getting to do the tutorials and starting areas of the game was totally dependent on finishing their daily and weekly assignments.


    To his surprise, Milo wasn''t excused from this program. Big Butch took him aside later for a discussion. "From what I''m told, you''ve kept up with your schooling and even done advanced classes. But, knowing how to reprogram a food processor or do fancy math won''t get you a technician''s license someday without proof that you went to school. We need to show that you did the classes. Mr. Smith is helping with that. He said that since your files are sealed, we can give you the tests, starting with the basics, and you can advance through the tests as far as you can. That way, you get credit just like you had been taking official courses over the years. Then we start you on the classes that will take you higher. Trust me, it will come in handy someday when you want to try for a good job, maybe at that company that makes the gloves."


    That made sense to Milo. They were creating documentation. "That shouldn''t take me long."


    Big Butch shook his head and smiled. "Oh yes, it will! You''re going to take your time doing this. Use that big brain of yours. What happens if you finish years of tests in a few days? Now I have to kick you out of the program. You''re done."


    Going slow wasn''t something Milo had ever considered. He did so now and saw some of the advantages. Increased socialization with others, and he didn''t widen the chasm between himself and them. That would be counter-productive.


    "Learn to slow down, son. Take your time and milk the system a little. Have some fun playing games on those fancy machines with the other kids. Or tutor some of them when they get stuck. You can learn a lot about yourself when you spend time teaching others. And you can help me with running this fancy program. I''m going to need an assistant." Milo thought for a moment and then agreed. This was all a new experience, but he was moving in the direction he wanted.


    After a few hours, he said some quick goodbyes and prepared to leave. He had things to do. One of which was to finish exploring the underground cavern and then start the long climb back up through the tunnels to Shadowport, far above. Ironic that Belinda and he were sitting next to each other, and days of travel away, both at the same time. He nodded to Belinda as he left, and she held up two fingers about their meeting. After leaving the apartment, he walked past her guards and into another part of the habitat. Normally he scrambled quickly into the ductwork, but he had become predictable. He needed to vary his paths, both in the hab and ducts and drops. He noted that one of the unused apartments that fronted the courtyard had someone moving in. The older man was stooped and using a cane. He looked ancient to Milo with a wispy white beard and bald head. He waved absently as Milo went by, slowly moving several small boxes and plastic trash bags into his small apartment.


    Some apartments in the habitat were oddly shaped and small, where walls and corridors met and produced a space smaller than normal. The residents referred to them as slivers. They were always small, often oddly shaped and triangular. The benefit they came with was single occupancy. A glance into the room showed Milo a cramped living area with barely any floor space. Without asking, Milo flipped one of his braces around, used it to hook one of the bags, and pulled it into the small room. The old man nodded his thanks. "Appreciate it. They moved me up here to get me out of the black mold over in G, but they dumped my stuff by the door." He patted Milo on the shoulder after moving the last bags into the space. "You make it look easy, and you''ve got two canes to my one." He laughed a bit and then coughed. Milo noticed his faded and much-patched coverall had a patch he didn''t recognize.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "You worked in maintenance? What patch is that?"


    "Yep. For about ten years, a long time ago. I was working in the ''ponics section. Nice work, lots of plants, and even some fresh food now and then if no one was watching. Made the air better. But they shut it down and moved me to plumbing. I haven''t worked in a few decades; I just hide inside and play games. But they don''t make clothes like these any more. Comfortable and don''t wear out as quickly. And people ask me about the patch." He smiled at that. Milo noticed that the plastic trash bags held dozens of video games. He pointed to them and then to Butch''s house.


    "We take our games pretty seriously. I''m Milo. Butch lives over there. Tell him you have stuff to trade if you need new stuff to play.


    The old man''s eyes lit up, and he nodded. "I might at that. I mostly sold my extras before the move. Less to pack with me. But I wouldn''t mind something new. I''m James or Jimmy. Or Old Jim. Most folks call me Old Jim now. Take your pick."


    "Nice meeting you, James. I''ve got to go. Make sure you talk to Butch."


    As Milo moved down the hallway, Old Jimmy watched him go. He''d watched the polite boy closely, but he hadn''t tried to steal anything. He''d stopped to help an old man. Quite a contrast to what he was used to. This might not be a bad place if the other kids were half as nice and had games to trade. But he''d be careful; old habits died hard. After a nap and food, he took an ancient Gameboy and hobbled over to sit by the horrible-looking fake tree. He sat and played with the sound turned up louder than normal until he was noticed, and the local children came to investigate him. The youngest child handed him a paper plate with two pancakes and real syrup. "Mama says welcome. We have extra dinner, and she thought you might be hungry." Jimmy took the food and ate a bite. Surprisingly good. This was a well-off family.


    They became very friendly when he asked for Butch and mentioned trading games. They brought forth their games, and some trading was done. He declined an offer to eat with the family. One step at a time. He was cautious but optimistic about his move to Section E and retired to his little room in a better mood than when he''d arrived.


    Milo, meanwhile, had arrived home and crawled from the ductwork into the water tank. It seemed smaller all the time. He wanted a larger area but wasn''t trading security for a bigger room. His idea to build a hidden area underneath the habitat had failed when his machine had found something else buried there. Until he knew what it was, it would be foolish to relocate. And he was so curious about what it was. The large tunneling machine was for excavating, not scouting. He solved that problem by spending money on a new machine that was used to map underground areas before large-scale drilling or excavating was done. The Carson T-3 Underworld Cartographer was made by the same company that made the large machine. Unlike the huge tunneler, it was designed to shift only enough dirt and stone to let the machine move through areas that need mapping. It trailed a three-inch hose behind it that disposed of the crushed rock. Milo had it delivered to a warehouse below section H and forged the paperwork to hide his purchase. He programmed it to find the edges of the hardened area and map its shape, along with any caverns, water and power lines, or transportation tunnels that it found. It would report back its progress, and he''d check in each time he was out of his pod. He knew he had to be careful. Unlike the game world, this wouldn''t be a ratkin Hollow or a Dwarven Engineering Outpost.


    With that job started and nothing else pressing, he got into his pod. It was time for another half-day of exploration and then a long walk back up through the tunnels. He had plenty of time to get to Shadowport for his date with Belinda. Date? No! Meeting. Talk. Why had she used that word?

 Chapter 227: Just a quick explore and then a trip home

    Waking up for the second time in his camp on the top of the tower, Milo made his plans for the day while he heated water for tea and chewed on some slightly stale bread with a thin slice of cheddar. He still had some snail meat stored away that he gave to his watch lizard. Georgie had worked a double shift and deserved a big breakfast. The lizard agreed. Milo took a good look around the large cavern, planning his route. He saw two more large, open pit mines, both filled with buildings. If he explored that way, he''d complete a large loop through the cavern and retrace his steps up the long stairway to the ceiling and the Hollow.


    He did one small experiment that morning with the sliver of Duram Argenti that he had enchanted the day before by touching it. Holding it in his open palm, he felt nothing. He closed his hand and tried to infuse mana into the sliver, the way he forced mana into runes to charge them. It was like turning on a faucet; some of his mana poured into the sliver until he felt some resistance. Examining the sliver, it had changed again.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0537%">Duram Argenti: small chip


    Estimated size: 0.25 ounces.


    Infused


    Hardness: Tier 3</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It had drained 300 mana from him, twice the amount needed for the first step. Curiously, the hardness had decreased. The small sliver glowed beautifully. There had to be a use for this ore, and he was sure that the dwarves would know more. Especially those skilled in magi-tech, like Sledgemonkey. He pondered the problem of the ancient miners. The mining style pointed to some of them being skilled in detecting ore hidden in the ground. He could sense hidden veins, but only if they were close to the surface and he was concentrating on the rock near him. Somehow they had found the veins of Duram Argenti that came close to the top of the layer of Duram Gneiss.


    But they had been unable to mine further. Were they lacking levels of mining skill? Or lacking tools made of high-tier materials? Both? He''d found the remains of the miners and their overseers but nothing to tell him why the mines were abandoned. He''d seen outcroppings of other ores that were left untouched. Iron, Dark Iron, Deep Copper, Tin, and coal seams. But it was only Silverite they valued enough to dig out. Perhaps this area was far from civilization at the time when the mining operation had been active. He had lots of questions and too few answers. Maybe today would bring more knowledge.


    He quickly descended the tower''s stairway and began his travels. To his surprise, when he went to dismiss Georgie, the lizard shook his head and headed for the stairs. Milo didn''t know enough about magically summoned watch lizards to know if this was normal behavior or not, but if either of them was a professional at their job, it was the lizard. Milo followed along, and as Georgie began to move from cover to cover, he faded into the shadows and skulked behind his pet. The two soon fell into a pattern of only one of them moving at a time as they moved across the abandoned mining complex. Twice, Georgie changed directions and insisted on a different route. Milo noticed a large cave opening the first time, and the second was near a low hill or mound. Milo wondered if it was possible to learn to speak lizard? He was curious about what lurked in those places but not curious enough to look into them when his lizard, whose only job was to guard him, was anxious to avoid them. Still, maybe the next time he came down here?


    They came to the first open pit mine, and immediately Milo saw the differences. The houses were decayed and crumbling, most of them reduced to rubble. The tower in the center of the open area was crumbling, with damage on many floors, and the stairway had fallen, filling the bottom two floors with rubble and taking parts of the upper floors with it. Most curiously, the flat, open expanse of Duram Gneiss was broken up in one part. A thirty-foot wide circle of stone was now a crater filled with rubble, the hard stone broken up. More ominously, Milo saw bones and crushed skulls mixed in with the rubble of the houses, along with broken furniture, pottery, and brightly colored cookware. He explored a little and then left.


    Roads were everywhere, winding among piles of mining debris, small pits, stairways to the ceiling, and broken towers. He found the site of another large battle. Behind makeshift stone walls, several ogre-sized creatures had fought to the death against hundreds, maybe thousands, of the small miners. Piles of skeletons were piled against the barricades. The dead had been left where they fell, but nearby he found a rusting pile of slave collars taken from the dead. It had been a rebellion then, and whichever side had won, the mines were abandoned after that. He traveled on, coming to the last open pit he planned to investigate. Beyond it was a spindly staircase that went to the ceiling, and past that, the slag pile at the base of the stairway he had descended and the road that ascended the wall to the mines. He was making good time, helped by Georgie, who kept him moving.


    The last open pit was large and, like the first, had a village that ringed the pit and ascended in tiers up the side of the pit. There was no tower here, but there was an anomaly. In the center of the pit was a large mound, over 50 feet across and 20 feet high, made of Duram Gneiss. The sides sloped gently up as if a bubble had formed between layers of stone. Something sparkled on top of the mound. Georgie growled and looked anxious. Milo petted him. "Just a quick look, ok? If something big comes out of it, we run like hell until we can start climbing." He started making his way down through the buildings, stopping to listen and skulking through the shadows of the buildings, never exposing himself to the view of the mound. He carefully examined it but saw no openings.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The sparkle was coming from crystals set in the stone. He carefully walked forward, hearing nothing and sensing nothing in the stone. He stopped at the mound''s edge and examined a partially exposed crystal.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0057%">Mana Crystal Core


    Small


    Partial Charge: 550/1000 mana


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo blinked, surprised. He''d seen these before. Sledgemonkey complained about never having enough of them. They were used in many of the more complex types of dwarven machinery. He''d never heard where they came from but had assumed either a mine or they were grown from smaller crystals in a mineral solution. He saw over fifty small crystals on the mound and larger ones near the top. At the apex was a huge, thin crystal, about two feet tall and a few inches across.


    Georgie was pulling on his tail, but Milo knew the Engineers needed these crystals. Carefully, he put a hand on the mound. Nothing happened, but he could feel the mound was hollow. Two feet of stone separated him from an inner cavity. He carefully touched a small crystal, but there was none of the mana drain effects he''d experienced in dealing with the nugget of Duram Argenti. Trying to sense how deep the crystal was embedded in the stone, he could sense that a soft substance separated the crystal from the stone. He wiggled the crystal back and forth, easily removing it. The small socket the crystal was embedded in turned out to be a version of Duram Argenti, highly charged with mana.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0537%">Duram Argenti foil


    Enlivened


    Hardness: Tier 1</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    He carefully checked the crystal for any bit of the metal foil, but it was clean. He put the crystal in his pouch and began gathering more. After clearing one side, he moved up to the larger crystals. Georgie was growling, a low sound but insistent. Milo hurried, just in case. The four large crystals went into his pouch, and he began gathering the smaller ones, leaving the largest crystal for last. Just a hunch, but if anything bad were going to happen, it would be that one.


    He could feel a vibration in the stone beneath him. A crack appeared in the mound. Georgie made a sound halfway between a bark and a hiss, taking matters into his paws. He raced up the mound, grabbed the large crystal with his mouth, and ran down the other side, not waiting for Milo and heading toward home. Taking the hint, Milo leaped down from the mound, only to have it explode behind him. Chunks of hard stone blew up and out, one catching him in the shoulder and knocking him to the ground, stunned. A few seconds later, he regained his feet and heard movement behind him.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0057%">Quest Initiated: Diplomatic Relations


    You have encountered a breeding hive of an unknown variety of intelligent Stone-Lurkers. Use your new Diplomacy skill to assure them that you and your allies mean no harm.


    Success: A lot of experience in Diplomacy and the opening of relations between you and a group of insular, xenophobic monsters that would normally feed you to their young.


    Failure: If your attempt to talk to the Lurkers goes bad, you will be pulverized into baby food.


    Suggestions: Don''t hurt the eggs. Don''t let them know you were the hero that killed Uthneragrubban.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    In a large crater filled with what looked like stone eggs, creatures were wailing and clutching the eggs to their chests. They looked like small stone lurkers but were the color of the Duram Gneiss they lived in. One screamed and pointed at Milo, the others also screaming.


    All around him, the ground was trembling. Huge Black Stone-Lurkers erupted from the ground and began lumbering at him as he sprinted away in the direction Georgie had taken.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0057%">Quest Failure: Sorry about that; your Lizard stole the scene. But really, with that Crystal Pick in your hand, there was no way you could claim to be innocent of whacking their queen.


    New Quest: Catch that Lizard!


    Help Georgie escape from a horde of Elite Homicidal Hive Guards who just watched you kill a nest of their babies. We''ll talk about rewards if you make it.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo vowed that someday he was going to find out just who was behind the System messages and have a long talk with them. They seemed to be more personal than ever before. But for now, he ran as fast as he could. With an agility of 25, Milo was quite fast when he wasn''t trying to skulk. Added to that was a 50% bonus to his speed from Fleet of Foot at Rank 10. He bounded from rooftop to rooftop as he put distance between himself and the lumbering stone monsters. Reaching the top, he raced after Georgie. Watch lizards are great sprinters, very dangerous over the short distances, as anyone who tried to dodge an alligator knows. But they aren''t made for longer runs. Georgie had paused and was panting, his long tongue out, the crystal on the ground before him. Milo tossed the crystal and his pick into his pack, picked up Georgie, and started running again. His hopes of outrunning the horde of angry Lurkers were dashed as he saw the monsters emerge from the stone and lurch toward him.


    He had the horrifying thought that they might be much faster moving through the stone than above it. A theory that was proved as two emerged in front of him!

 Chapter 228: Catch that Lizard!

    Instead of dodging, Milo sprinted at the first lurker emerging from the ground and leaped high. He bounced off its head, leaped at the next one, and then was behind them both and running. "Keep a look out, Georgie, and warn me if they''re getting close."


    Rather than skirt around the broken walls and large boulders covering the cave floor, Milo bounced from one to the next as much as possible, hoping that he made a tougher target to any lurker moving through the ground. This worked for a few minutes, and then as he leaped to a rocky outcrop, he was surprised as he landed on a monster as it rose from the ground. The only thing that saved him was the lurker being equally surprised to find its quarry and a small lizard clinging to its face.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0537%">Enraged Gneiss-Lurker Hive Guard


    Level 10 Elite creature


    Temporary boost to speed and damage while enraged.


    Able to track their prey through solid stone of less than Tier 3.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo leaped as the Gneiss-lurker struck at him with both hands, hitting itself in the face and cracking its own skull rather than crushing the annoying rat it was chasing. Milo wondered how long they would stay mad but suspected it was a very long time, probably forever. He angled his path, aiming for the small, thin staircase that was a much nearer target than the way home. He hoped the lurkers would climb slower than they swam through stone; otherwise, this would be a short and painful race. He wouldn''t be so worried if he were alone, but he didn''t know if Georgie could resurrect with him. "How about it, buddy? Can you go back to where ever you go to?." The lizard shook his head no, and glanced nervously to their rear.


    Behind him came the horde of enraged monsters, anxious to revenge their broken nest by stomping the soft thing into a smear on the ground. Milo could feel the ground shaking as they pounded behind him, their enraged sprint not much slower than him and their stone swimming much faster. Individuals would dive into the rock, only to emerge near him, forcing him to roll and dodge, slowing him down and letting the horde catch up. Based on the rumble of the ground, he thought they were catching up, but a quick glance showed the runners still a hundred yards behind. As a horrible thought hit him, he turned and cut left, changing his course by 90 degrees. The ground was rumbling hard, and then the spot where he would have been exploded as a very large and angry Lurker came out of the ground, screaming to its children.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0057%">


    Enraged Gneiss Lurker Queen


    Level 15 Elite creature


    Doubled speed and damage while enraged.


    Able to track their prey through solid stone of less than Tier 4.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Sorry for doubting you, Georgie! So very sorry!" The lizard licked his ear, accepted the apology, and hissed at the queen.


    He reached the stair and started to climb, his feet pounding up the spiral staircase, his heart pounding. Never again would he begrudge the conditioning that Gilad put him through. Without the daily fighting and exercise, he''d never have been able to make the climb.


    The first of the Lurkers reached the staircase and started up considerably slower than Milo. The queen lumbered up and made her own contribution by grabbing a Lurker and throwing it up to the 50 ft level, where it caught the edge of the stairs and began its climb with a head start. Milo didn''t think that was sporting at all. He considered throwing a spell to slow them up, but any spell that would hurt these monsters might also damage the stairs, and he had a long way to climb. Lurker after Lurker started up after him, only the queen remaining at the bottom, too large to climb. The staircase was wobbling a little now as the weight of many tons of Gneiss Lurkers pounded on the steps as they chased Milo. But if he could keep up the pace, he could make it to the top and escape.


    The queen must have done her own calculations and agreed with him. She struck a hard blow to the base of the staircase, sending a shockwave up it. Milo almost fell as he looked down, and she hit it again. Chunks of stone were flying. He looked at the 250 feet of stairway he had to climb. He wasn''t going to make it. The queen was going to sacrifice her minions to make sure he was dead. "Hold on tight, Georgie. This may hurt."


    Milo concentrated on the rune of force, and a directional vector made with two engineering runes, controlling them with his tail alone. If it hadn''t been a simple application of force he wouldn''t have been able to hold it. He stepped into the center hole, holding on with one claw and one toe, making sure of his orientation and pointing his tail straight down. When he was confident of his bearing, he let go and triggered the rune of force. The power of the basic spell lashed out in a line, clipping the shoulder of one Lurker and impacting on the queen''s head, striking a hard blow. No Void Rune absorbed the reaction as Milo recreated the experiment when he had tried to cast a spell using Keppler''s arm. Milo didn''t know what a mule was, but he''d heard the expression ''Kicks like a Missouri Mule'' and made a note to himself to look it up as the reaction grabbed hold of him and kicked him straight up with an equal amount of force.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    The queen saw her prey escaping, grabbed the stairs with large claws, and braced her legs. Her head hurt, her babies were dead, and she was going to smash a rat! The lowest level of the staircase crumbled, and for an instant, the rest of the construction hung in space before starting to fall. Far above, Milo hadn''t reached the top but was slowing. He panicked and recast the spell using Faster Casting. The mule kicked him with both hooves this time. Georgie cried out and held onto Milo tightly. Rungs of the stone staircase flew by in a blur as they passed the point where it met the ceiling. Milo saw horizontal mineshafts go by in the darkness as he kept flying. Below, the spell hit the the Gneiss Lurker Queen, stunning her and thwarting her attempt to move into the ground beneath her to avoid being crushed.


    Finally, he emerged into a cavern, rebounded off the ceiling and a large stalactite before hitting a wall and falling into a heap on the cavern floor. He was aching and sore, with less than half his health, but he was alive. Georgie did not look good. The watch lizard wasn''t moving, and his tongue was out of his mouth. Milo quickly poured a healing potion over his pet and thumped on his chest. Could you do CPR on a lizard? He was going to find out.


    The room shook as 500 feet of stone spiral staircase fell, but that wasn''t all. The stairs that made their way up the crevice another 200 feet to where Milo had landed also fell. Gneiss-Lurkers and stones tumbled down. Milo started calculating the kinetic energy released but abandoned the calculation as messages scrolled across his eyes.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0057%">


    You have slain Enraged Gneiss Lurker Hive Guard, gaining 2 Enhancement Points


    You have gained 250 Experience in Trap Making


    You have gained 250 Experience in INT


    You have slain Enraged Gneiss Lurker Hive Guard, gaining 2 Enhancement Points


    You have gained 250 Experience in Trap Making


    You have gained 250 Experience in INT


    .


    .


    .


    You have slain Enraged Gneiss Lurker Queen, gaining 26 Enhancement Points


    You have gained 2500 Experience in Trap Making


    You have gained 2500 Experience in INT


    Total gains: 47 Enhancement Points, 7500 Experience in Trap Making, and 7500 Experience in INT.


    You have successfully completed the quest: Catch that Lizard! Because Georgie survived, he has earned a share of your experience.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Georgie shimmered and began to grow. He rolled over and stood up. His scales were darker green, and his claws seemed to have outpaced his other growth increases.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0057%">Georgie has purchased the ability: Guardian Pet 2.


    Georgie has purchased +3 Perception.


    Georgie has purchased Blessing of Hecate: Canine Speech.


    Georgie has purchased Rending Claws


    Georgie has purchased Gator Bite!</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo scratched his ear, and Georgie looked at him and said, "Woof." Then he bounded off to check the cave for anything menacing. Milo stared after him, many questions in his head. Then he shrugged and found some lunch for himself and something to eat for his much bigger pet. He must weigh at least a hundred pounds now. And he could talk to dogs?


    Milo considered his own points. He had made a mistake before of saving them as if they were a resource to hoard, like spare parts. There were things he''d had to skip at the end of Tier 2; he should rectify that. He bought Under Linguist, Grunt and Throw Hands, another level of Shadow Skulking, Skilled Provider, and Smugglers Summoning. That left 20 points. He could purchase more mana or health, increase the size of his stash, or gain a better regeneration rate. He considered his day of exploring and then purchased Robust Regeneration. He could now regenerate health 16x faster than normal. That would cut down on his recovery time while out exploring. And maybe keep him alive if one of his impromptu traps backfired. He expected that he was going to need it. The next level of Regeneration appeared on his list:


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0057%">Near-Fiendish Regeneration Cost: 40 points.


    Grants increased, (x24), health recovery. An hour''s rest is equal to a day for anyone else. Regenerate scar tissue, and small missing body parts in 1 day. (Helpful when you blow your fingers off with spells or explosives. Good choice! ) A steady diet of cheese speeds the process. Simple wounds will be wiped away in a period of 1 hour, restoring all health. Health regen is slower if regen must deal with healing more complex wounds. (bleeding, missing parts, burns, broken bones, etc.)</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Expensive...but coming back from injuries nearly as fast as Larry was a huge increase.


    Georgie came running back, excited. In his mouth was a snail at least three times the size of the snails they''d found in the small cavern on their way down. He sat back, waiting for Milo to cook it.


    "OK, we''ll have a long lunch, but then we have to find a way through these mines to the right staircase. You can show me the snails so that I can mark them on my map. But no more snacks until we get to the Hollow. We''ll see if you like puff cakes and syrup."

 Chapter 229: Guard Duty

    Four hours later, Milo had successfully navigated the maze of mine tunnels and finally found the staircase that led up to the Hollow. Georgie had been a huge help, constantly running to find a way forward, or more often, a tunnel that led to a dead end, saving Milo countless steps. His pet looked tired, and not just from the exercise. His scales were dull, and he was constantly panting. Milo set up his camp, and Georgie barked three times at him, then curled up and went to sleep. Milo made a cup of tea and dismissed his camp, along with his pet. This was the first time Georgie had ever stayed after the camp was recalled to his ring, so Milo could only guess, but it seemed likely his pet could only stay for a short time. He could test it later, but for now, he would let his lizard rest as he climbed back up to the Hollow.


    He felt a dull burn in his legs when he finally reached the top and unlocked the door. Another mystery: Which had come first? The stairs or the door? Had the Hollow found a deep crevice and put the door there to keep monsters out? Or had it been in response to a stairway being constructed that led to the hidden tunnels? He might never know. There were still many caverns to explore, but he had a hard time believing anyone would stay in the mining complex if they weren''t forced to. He left thinking about those mysteries until his next visit and focused on getting home and taking a nap without being surprised by the girls.


    He made his way to the exit in Larry''s House. Things looked different now, with Larry moving all of his favorite things to the new house. But a new picture was on the wall. It showed Larry and all of his family together and a map of where to find the new house. At the bottom, it said, ''Larry has a new house and a new family. Please visit.''


    From there, he stopped for a meal in the mess hall and found Gilad, Bleusnout, Clawhammer, and Vilma, the newly appointed Master Miner. Smiley waved him to sit down and brought him a double dinner. "Eat up; you''re losing weight." Milo took his advice as he appraised the Masters and former Masters of what he had found a mile beneath the Hollow. When he was done, Vilma asked to see the ore he had. She examined the chips carefully and made notes in a small ledger.


    "We haven''t encountered these minerals anywhere in our mines, but it''s known that the deeper caves have harder stone and rare minerals. One of my books mentions Silverite as a high-conductivity metal, but I''ve not heard of the other metal, this Duram Argenti. That translates to ''Hard Silver.'' Interesting that it uses Old Speech. It''s a dead language found in ancient books. Halfling scholars prefer it for classifying their herbs, and elven authors prefer it for their cross-species romance novels."


    Milo could read Latin, and many of the ''Old Language'' words seemed similar. He found it interesting that it was in use in Genesis. "I will be traveling to Shadowport soon, then down to the Engineering Outpost. They may know more. The caves are a long way down and can be dangerous, but they could be a benefit the Hollow if we can safely mine their resources. I''ll find out more." He got up to leave, but Gilad put a hand on his arm.


    "If you are traveling to Shadowport, you need to know about a situation that has arisen. More players have found the Hollow. A large group visited yesterday, but some of them became belligerent and argued with the others. Seven of them attacked the five who were peacefully trading with us. Two of the seven perished, but their opponents were slain. It happened outside of Limburger Hollow, and we only know of it since those five players chose to make camp in the outer caves and quickly walked out of Hade''s realm. They tried to reason with their one-time allies but reported to us that they were being ''Corpse Camped.'' An interesting term. If you travel that way, you should have no trouble skulking past them." The old warrior sighed and looked at the others at the table. "I was convinced not to take some of my best students and deal with them myself."


    Bleusnout snorted and then laughed. "You''ve been riled up since that fight with Gangrene."


    Gilad flexed his claws and sighed. "It would have been an epic battle to fight him, but the tides of war swept us apart, and Tallsqueak received the honor. I don''t begrudge him the honor of his victory." Milo bowed his head humbly, thinking he would gladly have let Gilad have that fight. That mace had nearly pulped his brains with only a glancing hit.


    "I''ll be sneaky and get past them. Humans see poorly in the tunnels, even with torches." He stood up. "I''ll be leaving soon and will be gone at least a week or two. When I return, I''ll lead a party down to the cavern, and we can search it and decide if it is worth mining there." He waved to Smiley and everyone else in the room and headed home.


    He saw five nearly-naked players sitting around a campfire in the outer cave. He recognized Frostyone and Elvarion. They''d fought together against Bone Crusher, in the mines. Both were missing most of their gear, although Gorbel had the heavy shield he''d won in the fight. They seemed in good spirits, planning on spending a few days in the Hollow doing small gathering quests and hoping the group killing people in the caves outside the Hollow got bored. Milo left them to their conversation; they didn''t know him with fur and a tail.


    As he walked into his home, the sounds of battle filled the air from the playroom, the clang of weapons hitting armor telling him the girls were still having fun with the weapons and armor from the ring. Gendifur was tending to Brutus, who was lying on his couch, bruised and battered. He seemed to be enjoying her fussing over him. Gendifur smiled at him as he walked in, and Milo could tell she was tired. "Thank the gods. The girls are over-excited, and we''re having trouble calming them down. Can you go throw explosives at them or do something to wear them out so I can put them down for a nap? I really don''t care what you do or how hard you play with them."


    Stolen story; please report.


    Milo was tired himself, but he wasn''t injured. Brutus and Gendifur were exhausted. "Sure, I have an idea."


    Gendifur collapsed into a chair. Brutus smiled at her, "Still up for a dozen more?" She glared at him and then smiled happily. "Yes."


    When Milo walked into the playroom, he saw the girls had put on bits of plate armor and helmets and were chasing each other around with two-handed swords. They squealed when they saw him and charged. Trying to get their attention proved fruitless, but they were clumsy in the heavy armor, so he dodged their huge swings and tripped them with his tail. They finally listened to him after they''d been tripped a half-dozen times each. "I have a new game to play called Guard Duty."


    Rosie narrowed her eyes at him. "Like Daddy does? Daddy says it''s boring!"


    Tallsqueak rolled his eyes. "That''s because Daddy does it right and proper. We get to do things my way."


    Buttercup asked, "What other games can we play?"


    "It''s either Guard Duty or Dodge the Exploding Skulls." They considered the choice and chose guard duty.


    He explained the rules. "You have to dress up with as much armor as possible, and then we''ll go on patrol to defend the Hollow." He helped them with the armor, strapping on the pieces that fit them. Soon, two armored ''guards'' with shields, maces, and huge swords followed Milo out of the house to march around the cavern. The girls were clumsy in the armor, and it was heavy. As he had hoped, they were calming down as they got tired. Unfortunately, their Fiendish Metabolism regenerated stamina very quickly. Just marching wasn''t going to be enough.


    After ten minutes, Buttercup said, "This is a poopy game. I don''t like it." Rosie agreed.


    Tallsqueak smiled at them. "That''s because we''re only at the start! Now that we know the Hollow is safe, we can scout for bad people."


    Buttercup pointed at the humans. "Like them? They aren''t doing anything bad." Rosie had a thought, "What if we chased them?"


    "That''s rule 1: You can''t attack people until they attack you first! It''s a very important rule."


    "What''s rule 2?"


    "Rule 2 is guards use their weapons, not their claws, and always walk on two feet, not four." Tallsqueak also had a new weapon. He had borrowed one of Justin''s spare polearms and was wearing a helmet from the hoard that fell out of the general''s ring.


    They began marching noisily out of the cavern. The girls had difficulty moving in the armor and sometimes tripped, despite their weasel slippers. Milo decided to try something different. He started humming a catchy tune and doing the Happy Hamster Hop as he moved through the caverns. The girls squealed and started dancing as well. Marching was boring; dancing was fun.


    Five adventurers sat a few hundred yards away, telling stories and playing cards. "How long are we going to wait here?"


    The large barbarian, Rogarth, took a deep breath and counted to ten. "Same answer as last time, Willy, until we get the loot. We kill those feebs anytime they try to loot their stuff from the tombstones and kill anyone else that wanders down this way. And hopefully, if we keep killing the giant moles in that cave, the boss will spawn, and we will get some points. Until then, we can play cards and raise our Gambling skills." Willy nodded like he had the last six times he''d asked that question. He was annoying, but they kept the half-orc assassin around because he was hell on wheels in a fight. If only he would work on something other than skills that gave him DEX, CON, STR, or AGI. He was tough and quick but also impatient and not really smart. He claimed that was his half-orc heritage, but no one believed him.


    There were two orcish wizards in Shadowport who were awesome team players and good strategists. Rogarth had tried to recruit them, but Chauncey and Skullcarver had shaken his hand and left after one dungeon, claiming Willy had driven them insane. If Willy weren''t his boss''s kid, Rogarth would boot his butt from the group. He might have to, anyway. And there were always other jobs. Willy was just that bad.


    "I can''t believe the other guys didn''t back us up when the rats tried to throw us out! We brought them some good stuff, and they got all huffy about it!" Willy had packed fifty pounds of cheese from Shadowport to Limburger Hollow, intending to make a profit.


    "Willy, they told you the rules. You sell cheese to the Master Merchant. They caught you trying to sell cheese directly like you were dealing drugs!"


    Willy laughed. "That''s what it is to them! I sold 37 little packets of parmesan in ten minutes before they got all upset about it. I''m just a businessman providing a product. There''s no rules against that!"


    "Except for the rules they have posted on the big sign as you enter. The warning about contraband cheese is at the top."


    "That''s a rat rule, not a people rule. Willy only rolls with people rules."


    "Fine, Willy. New people rule: Shut the hell up and deal the cards."


    From down the pathway to the rat village, they heard noise, the unmistakable clank of heavy armor as someone tried to run. "Up and at ''em, boys. We have company."


    Willy drew two jagged knives. "Awesome. I''m going to kill someone and eat their liver in front of them. Watch me." He faded into the darkness as three figures spun and hopped closer to them, clanking loudly as they came.

 Chapter 230: On Patrol

    Rogarth wondered how much the approaching people had drunk. They had linked arms and were hoping forward together, stopping for little kicks and sidesteps while singing a drinking song. The little guy in the center was so drunk the other two held him in the air. They kept coming until they were fifty feet away. The little guy must be a mess; he could barely hold his halberd, and his helmet was crooked. The other two laughed and pointed at him before he yelled at them to stand at attention and straighten up.


    They were close enough for him to see how big the other two were. When they quit slouching, they were at least as six-feet tall but were wide and heavily muscled. He wasn''t worried; they didn''t have much skill with their weapons or fighting in armor. They stood straight while the little guy took a step closer and thumped the butt of his halberd on the ground for attention. "Greetings! Do you need assistance? I see many tombstones in your camp. Are you having trouble with the moles? If it is too dangerous for you, perhaps you should return to the human city."


    The voice was a little high and had a strange accent to it. Rogarth had heard that accent a lot in the Hollow. Mystery solved; this guy was a ratkin from the Hollow sent to hassle them. He gave the signal to be ready to fight. Both Ardvus and Black John gave the return signal. Willy, of course, was off in the shadows somewhere and hadn''t been able to memorize hand signals in the first place. Ardvus was focusing on his spells and having the same problem as always: Where was Willy? The enemy was perfectly grouped for a fireball, but the half-orc was probably nearby. That''s all he needed was a deep-fried Willy complaining to his dad. Black John was ready with his shield and Sword of Ravaging. The thing was already humming and buffing up his strength. Necrobarb was hiding behind John''s shield. She needed to get close for her bow to gain the most damage. Rogarth hated that bow, even if Barb loved it. What good was a bow that put you near the enemy, no matter how extra damage it did? He shook off his annoyance and yelled back.


    "Thanks, we could use some help. The moles killed some of our party members, and we''re waiting for them to return. Need a drink? We''ve got some beer and a little brandy left. Come share it with us while we wait for the moles to respawn."


    One of the big fighters yelled out in a high-pitched voice that sounded like a little girl. "Do you have candy? I like candy!"


    The other started yelling as well, also mimicking a little girl. "Or cheese! Do you have cheese?"


    "That''s Bad! Mama says no asking for cheese!"


    "That''s Hollow Rules. We are brave guards patrolling tunnels."


    "What would Mama say?"


    .....


    "What would Mama say?!!"


    "...mama would say no cheese. I want candy, then!"


    "We both want candy. Candy for brave guards who kill moles!"


    Rogarth had trouble keeping a straight face. Barb was giggling and even sour-faced-Joe had a smile. These guys were a comedy troop. He turned to the group. "I''m tempted to let them live. These guys are funny. Does anyone have candy? When we split the loot from the moles, we pay them candy. If they argue, we can always kill them then."


    Barb whispered back. "I have some licorice in my pack, and Joe is hiding those sugar cookies he likes." Joe glared at her.


    Rogarth was about to yell back when Willy stood up from the shadows at the feet of the guy in the lead, plunged two daggers into his chest, and then rolled between the two fighters¡ªdisappearing back into the shadows. "Willy Wonky has your candy right here! Have a double dose!"


    Barb and Joe advanced together to take out one of the fighters. Rogarth charged the other. Ardvus let loose a spell of Battle Blessing, giving all of them a boost to their damage. This fight was going to be over quickly. One guy was down already. Willy might be a crazy shithead, but he packed a punch. Each of those daggers carried enough poison to do 1000 points of damage in only two rounds.


    He wasn''t quite dead and must have said something to his bodyguards. The two had started to look for Willy but turned and charged forward.


    Joe met the first one on his side, prepared to block with his shield and keep their attention while Barb moved in for a point-blank shot. Rogarth engaged the other one. He side-stepped the powerful overhand slash, noting the sparks and chips of rocks that sprayed as the sword hit the ground. He winced; that was no way to treat a good sword! His weapon sliced across a gap in the armor, wounding his foe in the side. He got in another slash as they brought up their sword to swing again. "You aren''t a nice person! I get to hit you." Rogarth almost laughed at the silly voice but paid attention to the clumsy slash, knocking it to the side before kicking the other fighter''s knee to knock them over. Or that was the idea. The guy''s leg was like a tree trunk, and he showed no reaction.


    He heard a cry of pain, and Joe sailed by, landing ten feet away. His shield bent in the center and ruined. The other fighter pointed and laughed, ignoring Barb, who moved up to them and fired an arrow at point-blank range into their back. At that range, her Bow of Mangling would do triple damage and deliver three different poisons: a paralyzing nerve toxin, a poisonous spider venom, and a blinding toxin. Barb started to draw back her string for another shot. The big fighter wasn''t collapsing or staggering around blind, which was the normal reaction. Instead, they threw back their head and roared! They spun in a circle, swinging at Barb, who tried to dodge. She was partially successful, avoiding the sword, but not the large foot that kicked out, catching her in the stomach and knocking the wind from her.


    "Sister!" Rogarth''s opponent turned toward the injured fighter, screamed, and ran at Barb, ignoring the slash Rogarth landed on her back. Joe was getting up; Willy was wherever the hell Willy had gone to, and Rogarth had to chase his foe before they got to Barb. "Ardvus! Need an assist over here!"


    The mage was already casting a spell. "On it! Edward''s Yucky Tentacles of Ensnaring!" The spell failed to go off when a javelin caught Ardvus in the shoulder, spinning him around, blood spurting from the wound. The leader, obviously a spell caster, wasn''t dead. More, he had taken off the helmet in lieu of a set of magical bone armor. And a tail. Definitely a rat from the Hollow. Rogarth ignored him, that was a dead mage. If he wasn''t watching for Willy, he was going to get stabbed again. Barbarians were fast, wearing no armor and having a skill to increase their combat speed. But he couldn''t catch his armored opponent, who quickly skipped in Necrobarb''s direction. Worse, the other fighter was on her as well, seeming to throw off the effects of the arrow. Each of them grabbed one of Barb''s arms and a leg, and he was pretty sure one of them said, "Make a wish!" They pulled the archer apart a second later, sending entrails and blood all around the area. Rogarth felt the rage rising and let it come. He needed power now, not a clear head. These were monsters!


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Willy saw his chance as the rat wizard cast a spell. The guy was freaky, covered in bony plates with a long boney tail. But he still had Willy''s daggers stuck in him, and Willy was going to add to that collection. The rat was casting another spell, glowy-magic-stuff coming out of his hands, oblivious to him. The half-orc went for his signature kill shot, leaping high with both daggers over his head, he''d seen Squint do this against the World Boss, and it had looked cool. He''d been practicing ever since. "Willy Wonky Kill Shot! Have some candy!"


    Magic ran down a glowing tail, forming a runic formation aimed at Willy. Milo had been waiting for the rogue to leap again from the shadows. The spell hit Willy and slammed him against the tunnel ceiling before he fell to the ground, stunned. Milo noticed the ceiling where Willy hit was cracked, and a big chunk of rock was loose. He burned double the mana to cast the force spell again, aiming for the ceiling. Rock cracked, and a chunk of the ceiling came loose, falling on top of Willy with a satisfying crunch. Milo turned to see how the girls were doing; this fight wasn''t going the way he had expected. Their opponents were high-level, and the rogue had taken them by surprise. How did anyone fight in a helmet? The stupid things made it hard to see and lowered his perception.


    The girls were having trouble. The Barbarian and the warrior dodged their clumsy blows, and the mage was getting ready to cast another spell. Milo decided playtime was over.


    "Guard Rules are over. We''re using Rough Playtime rules now!"


    Rosie and Buttercup screamed in delight and threw their swords at their foes. Rogarth dodged, but Buttercup managed to nail Ardvus in the head with the hilt of her sword, knocking him down again. Joe saw the wounded fighter he was beating on throw away her weapon and helmet, deciding to fight with claws and teeth. And what big claws they were. They were the envy of any Kodiak bear or chimera. She leaped at him, taking a wound but grappling him. Claws shredded his armor, and she bit down on his shoulder. They rolled on the ground, screams and laughter alternating.


    Rogarth wasn''t aware of it; he was deep into a barbarians frenzy, hacking and slashing while ignoring the attacks of his foes. They stood toe to toe, damaging each other terribly until his rage expired. The monster before him looked at him and giggled, her arms bloody to the elbows. Pain hit him, and he looked down to where most of his torso was missing. His eyes rolled up, and he fell dead at her feet. Both cheese-fiends stood up, as did Ardvus. They began stripping off their armor, revealing fur and tails.


    "Armor is dumb."


    "Hard to move in."


    Ardvus readied an escape spell that would let him run like the wind for one minute, but their leader was walking forward, a spell ready in his nimble fingers. The mage stared, realizing what he was seeing. That wasn''t a spell! Those were runes. Multiple runes! The rat wizard was juggling multiple runes at once in a complex pattern.


    "You promised my sisters some candy, I think. It would be rude not to share."


    The two monstrous little girls agreed.


    "Really rude! So rude!"


    "Not sharing is bad, and we''ll tell Larry."


    Rosie sniffed. "And what does it have in its pockets?"


    The wizard smiled. "Trust me; you don''t want to make Larry mad at you."


    Ardvus held up his hands in surrender. "How about some black licorice and some nice sugar cookies? And I have some lemon candy in my pocket and more in my pack! Please, take it! I''ll leave and not come back! I''ll be good! It was Willy''s fault!"


    The girls suddenly turned, hearing a moan from under a rock.


    "Tallsqueak? May we go play with Willie? You have to get our candy for us!"


    "Yes. Save it, please. We can''t eat until we wash up. Mama''s Rules!"


    "Sure, go play. Remember to remove all his clothes and weapons before you play with him. If he isn''t dead, he has some good stuff on him. I''ll have a talk with Ardvus here about how to behave in the Hollow."


    Ardvus spent the next ten minutes finding candy and sweets, piling up the group''s loot, and helping Tallsqueak separate what had come from the other group. Once he realized he wasn''t going to die, they had a polite conversation about proper etiquette in the Hollow and the area around it. He was even helpful in pointing out the magic items that belonged to Barb, Rogarth, and Joe. He had a question, though.


    "Can you give me a hint of how high those two are? I can tell you''re third tier, and it amazes me you can already use runes, but my group was Levels 14 to 16. Willy and Rogarth are in the fourth tier, and we outnumbered you five to three."


    "Hmm, hard to say. But I think six."


    The mage paled. "They are in the 6th tier! Oh god, we screwed up."


    Tallsqueak shook his head. "No, six years old. We''re going to celebrate their seventh birthday in a week. Would you like to come to the party? Remember, they like candy."


    Ardvus swallowed hard. He really didn''t want to deal with the rest of the group again. Especially, Willy, the guy drove him nuts. "Um...could I help you return the gear to the other group? I''d love to apologize, take my lumps, and maybe stick around the Hollow for a while. I can see some advantages of polite society."


    Milo thought it over. "Sure. Everyone deserves a second chance."


    They watched as the girls freed an injured Willy from his rocky prison and stripped him to his underwear before making him play tag with them. When it was his turn, he pulled a dagger from somewhere and threw it at Buttercup, sticking it into her shoulder. "Ha! Tag! You¡¯re It! Willy Wonky Wins!" He didn''t survive the tag back.


    Ardvus shook his head. "Everyone except Willy."


    It was late when a tired group of brave guards returned from patrol. They delivered a repentant mage and a pile of loot to the half-naked group sleeping by the campfire. The girls were sleepy and exhausted but wanted to tell Mama Gendifur about their adventures. She listened while she cleaned them up and let them eat their sweets. After putting them to bed, she returned to the living room and glared at Tallsqueak. "Did you really take them out and attack a group of players?"


    He spread his hands. "You did say you didn''t care."


    She relaxed and sighed. "I did, and it was a nice break. But now they''re making up stories about fighting a giant mole named Tunnel Tyrant. Is that a new story for bedtime?"


    Milo shook his head. "No, he charged us as we were about to leave. He was a level 19 Elite and really tough. We let the girls play with him while Ardvus and I whittled him down with spells. We all earned 18 Enhancement points from the fight. I had them buy three INT and three WIS. It helped a lot." He yawned twice, excused himself, and took a nap.


    Gendifur sat down next to Brutus. The two of them looked at each other, and he said. "Looks like I''ll be taking the girls on patrol with me some."

 Chapter 231: Dressing for Success

    Once again, Milo wondered who had designed Arcane Libraries. Arriving on the wide porch that fell off into the void was unnerving. He opened the door and scampered inside as fast as he could. Cichol was reading through a book, one of those from the Code Mage''s library, and chuckling to himself. "You paint this person as a fearsome foe, stern and serious, and yet I find a disguised book of Elvish Porn that came from his library. He obviously had a few flaws and vices." The book was set on the floor beside Cichol''s chair, with several bookmarks between the pages.


    Milo shuddered. "He had many flaws. A true monster in human form."


    Cichol "And not the last you will encounter, but enough of him. What can I do for you today?"


    "I need advice on dressing myself."


    The old sorcerer nodded as if in earnest agreement. "Yes, I can see that your upbringing lacked lessons in the proper way to style your hair, and that blouse is out of fashion." He laughed. "You are a Wizard; dress as you like. Or call yourself an engineer and wear those bulky coveralls the dwarves prefer. Wizards don''t adhere to fashion! We are the bad examples people warn their children about."


    Milo shook his head. "My problem is the cowl; it''s very distinctive. I have two forms, and in both of them, I''m wearing a tattered, orange, rune-covered piece of clothing. There are people moving between the Hollow and Shadowport. Someone will notice. The advantages of being a were-rat go away when everyone knows you are one. And humans already react badly to me some of the time."


    Cichol looked confused. "Then why not change its appearance?"


    Milo looked down at the cowl. "It can do that?"


    Cichol touched his shoulder, and the cowl changed to a low-cut pink evening gown, perfect for dancing at a Prince''s fancy ball.


    "Well, not when you first bonded to it. The bond must be strengthened by blood. Have you been injured while wearing it? Silly me, you showed up half-dead in the arms of Astraeus; of course, you have. Simply concentrate on the cowl as you would to Identify it, and think hard on its appearance."


    Milo did so and felt his connection to the cowl strengthen. Hastily, he changed the garment back to its traditional look.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0057%">Bone-Runed Cowl


    An enchanted garment crafted by Archmage Cichol in his youth. Bound by blood and soul, an apprentice mage gains the following benefits:


    +2 INT


    Access to Cichol''s Arcane Library.


    Fellowship with the spirits trapped within the Cowl.


    After a sufficient time, the worthy mage may claim further benefits:


    Arcane Tailoring: The cowl will lengthen or reshape to another style of robe, dress, or hooded shirt. Color is changed, and the runes may shine bright or be nearly invisible.


    Arcane Dry-Cleaning: Never have to wash out the dirt again! For only 50 mana, the cowl becomes sparkling clean and doesn''t disturb the spirits resting inside.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Cichol chuckled. "Amazing, isn''t it? Most wizards try to go for power, but a little quality of life is nice as well. So, which of you gets a new look, and who is still stumbling around in an orange rag?"


    "Too many people in Shadowport have seen Milo wearing the cowl, and it won''t matter to people in the Hollow if Tallsqueak has a new look."


    "Well then, I''d say I have done my share of fixing your problems for one day, or did you have another?"


    Milo was experimenting with changing the garment''s look but paused momentarily. "I have some girl trouble..."


    The old man laughed and shook his head. "Can''t help you, never did figure them out."


    <hr>


    Sometime later, a traveler moved up the tunnel that connected the mines below Shadowport to places deeper in the earth. He was a mage dressed in a thick robe that started at his cowled head and covered him to past his knees. It was split on the sides, front and back, for easy movement. The flaps covered most of a pair of jet-black pants, the dark pants contrasting with the ivory-colored robe the same color as his staff. His face was hidden in the cowl, but clawed feet and hands declared him to be something other than human. He carried a tall staff of rune-carved bone, and on his belt was the traditional ratkin weapon called a spikey stick.


    As he entered the mining area, he was noticed by a few of the humans and dwarves hauling ore and rock. He simply nodded at them and said nothing, continuing on his way until he came to the large cavern where the mining guild processed ores into ingots. On the side were offices where the guild bought ores from independent miners who worked for themselves, staking claims in far tunnels. More people were in this area, working the ore processors and standing in line to sell ore. The ratkin mage strode confidently to the line of ore sellers and took a place there, looking around curiously and humming to himself. The two dwarves already in line noticed him and recognized the tune of "How many spanners will it take to get her armor off?" a classic dwarven drinking song. One started humming along to the same tune.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The next two people who got in line were less than thrilled at the presence of a ratkin (or maybe they didn''t appreciate the humming, who can say?), but in any case, they were annoyed and spoke up. "I think you''ve got the wrong line. This is for selling ore. You know, the metal you find in rocks?"


    The ratkin turned, smiled, and replied. "Yes, thank you for confirming that this is where I sell my ore. You are quite helpful for a human, if a bit obvious." He turned back around.


    The two humans grumbled a bit, and the first raised his voice. "And it''s for members of the Miner''s Guild. I''m pretty sure I''ve never seen you around here!"


    The line moved forward a notch. With plenty of time to spare, the mage turned around to speak. He threw back his hood and stepped toward the human heckler. "Take a close look; I''m sure you would remember a handsome face like mine with my sleek fur and sharp teeth. And you have my assurances that I will be a proud member of the Guild before I take even a single copper in payment for my ore."


    "What ore? You don''t have a pack with you! You don''t even have a pick!" His voice growing louder and louder, attracted several other people, most of whom seemed only amused or curious. A few humans backed the hecklers up while several dwarves were humming and singing the drinking song that Milo had started. The noise attracted the attention of a large and heavy-set dwarf who stepped out of the building.


    "What are you ninnies carrying on about now? And it''s not time for afternoon beer, no matter how much you sing that song. We went over that last week." The dwarves chuckled and, while not ceasing their humming, took it down to a much quieter level. The discussion of what time the afternoon beer break came was never over.


    The ratkin bowed deeply. "Greetings, Guild Master Durthanson. I have come to sell the ore I have mined and am enjoying a lively discussion with my fellow miners. I apologize for the disturbance. They are loud in their happiness to make my acquaintance and establish friendship with a fellow miner."


    "Pipe Down!" Master Durthanson yelled at the half dozen miners upset with the polite visitor. "Yeah, I can see they are just itching to sit down and have a beer with you." He shifted his cigar in his mouth. "I don''t believe we''ve met, but you profess to know me."


    The ratkin bowed again. "My apologies if it seems I was insinuating a relationship. I am Professor Tallsqueak, a Mage of the Tower of Strife, pre-eminent college of magic in Limburger Hollow. You and Master Engineer Rolf Morgenstern are known to us since you represent the closest Dwarven Mining and Engineering guilds to our Hollow. I have traveled far through dark tunnels, collecting ore as I walked in strange places. I seek to pay my Guild Fees and sell my metal."


    Grundle Durthanson didn''t know a lot about ratkin. And most of what he knew about them was from dungeons. He''d heard the people of the Hollows were a different breed entirely. This one certainly knew how to be polite, and his bowing reflected a knowledge of dwarven etiquette. But still, he didn''t look like a miner with his bulky robes and staff. "From what I heard, the boys here may and may not have a point. You can sell ore here, and if you pay your dues, you will receive a higher pay rate. But the guild is for miners, not mages. It doesn''t matter if you have metal from some old ruins."


    A polite nod of understanding preceded a moment of thought. "I see the point, and I must agree. The guild is for those who crack rock, not merchants with metal to sell. Perhaps you could judge my mining technique, which will settle this argument?"


    There were calls from the hecklers. "Make him prove it." "Yeah, make the rat show us he can work."


    Grundle was OK with that. "Sure, show me you can mine."


    The ratkin pointed to a rock wall where a mechanical drill was being repaired. "Am I correct in that you are expanding the cavern in that direction? Can I mine there?" When the Guild Master shrugged, he walked that way, momentarily pausing to look at the machine and shake his head sadly. "I suggest you all take a step back. The rock really flies when I get going." There were chuckles from that comment. After a moment when no one moved and were wondering just what the hell the ratkin was going to mine with, he raised his hands and staff, and a glowing rune took shape in front of him. His tail began to inscribe what Grundle swore were Dwarven Engineering runes around the large rune in the center. Mana flowed into the formation for ten seconds.


    The mage brought his staff down sharply on the rock, yelling loudly, "Sunder!"


    Magic dispersed in the wall, rock cracked and split, chips and dust flying, and then with a loud rumble, a twenty by twenty-foot section of rock wall almost ten feet deep fell in an avalanche of rubble to the floor. The mage avoided being crushed by leaping backward high in the air, turning in a complete flip, and landing with both feet solidly on the ground. He paused to let the dust settle before speaking. "I also have a good pick for small stuff."


    The five humans who had been far too close to the front were covered in bruises and small cuts. They scrambled to their feet and moved away from the frightening creature they had been annoying. Two of the dwarves clapped slowly, followed by others. Grundle shook Professor Tallsqueak''s hand. "Welcome to the guild. Let''s sign your paperwork and look at your ore."

 Chapter 232: After the Dust Settles

    Over a dozen curious members of the Shadowport Mining Guild were ''just hanging around'' in the assay office to see what the new member had dug out of the rock. After his display of breaking stone, no one openly questioned his ability to mine. The next question was: "What does it have in its pockets?". Because other than a few pockets, the strange wizard had no way to carry ore. But wizards were tricky, resulting in a room full of curious dwarves and a couple of humans. They were all miners with a ten-year patch on their shoulders, and a few beardlings had been tossed out the door. Age and rank had their privileges.


    Grundle had given the newest member of the Mining Guild his badge and taken his application. His status as apprentice, full miner, or veteran was the only thing left to determine. He could bring down a lot of rock, but that didn''t mean he knew the rest of the trade.


    "So, what do you have to show me, Miner Tallsqueak? Have a big payday in those pockets?" Grundle admitted to himself the possibility that Tallsqueak might have many things in those pockets. Wizards were tricky at times, producing wands and crystal orbs from small pouches.


    "I have a small amount of ore from my travels in the deeper mines. My priority was exploration for my Hollow, but it is hard to bypass shiny bits of ore when I notice them." He held his hand over the counter, and Grundle noticed the ornate ring he was wearing¡ªold work and well-made. Four full Ore Gathering Bags appeared, one by one, as Tallsqueak moved his hand over the table. Not just sacks, but actual Gathering Bags. The type that held far more ore than their size suggested. Grundle dumped out the first one, and 150 chunks of high-grade Deep Copper ore were scattered across the metal table.


    Tallsqueak dumped the second bag. "This also has Deep Copper. It is a common metal in the area where I live, but I understand that the Engineering and Mining Guilds in Shadowport pay well for it. It is also of interest to the Deep Rock Engineers and Scavenger clans. Our Hollow sells most of its ore to the Engineers, but since I was coming to this city, I stopped off on my way home and filled my bags. I was told that you value it as well."


    "You''ve been told correctly." The Guild Master took the not-subtle hint that the new miner was informed on ore values. That made things easier in some ways. Everyone had heard him, and no one would question giving him the top pay rate on the valuable ore. Some of the older guild members felt that the top pay rate should be reserved for senior members. It never was, but they never missed a chance to grumble about it. The chunks were quickly weighed on large scales and put into an ore cart to be taken away for processing. The third bag had chunks of Dark Iron, some of the pieces the almost pure metal that came from lower caverns. The fourth bag had an assortment of ores: auric, common gold, tin, silver, and a dense form of lead that the elves valued in their crystal-making called ''Glass Metal.''


    "The guild will buy all of this and take more anytime you have it for sale. It looks like this came from many different rock strata; you do move around a lot."


    The ratkin nodded. "It did. I move up and down through many tunnels and dark caverns. This is a particularly hard rock that I found deep down. I''m curious if you have seen it before. He placed a chunk of rock on the counter and stepped back for several miners to look at the Duramgneiss. Several of the miners turned it over in their hands and shrugged. Two older dwarves tasted the sample and smelled it. They nodded to each other, and one spoke. "Hard Rock, or the fancy name it''s identified as, Duramgneiss. You can hit layers of it in some of the middle caverns. I''ve been in dwarven holds that were built at that level. Good foundation rock to build on. It takes a lot to tunnel through it, and there''s no worry about getting critters coming up from below."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    His partner scowled. "Except for the damnable Ghostlurkers. The things can move through Hard Rock the way a normal Lurker can walk through stone and a lot faster. A Ghostlurker infestation means either a long fight or a reason to move a hold."


    "Yes. I ran into a nest of those. I don''t like them, and they don''t like me. They ran through the stone faster than I could run away."


    Everyone became quiet, and Grundle voiced their thoughts. "How long was your walk back from the underworld? At least you were close to it."


    Tallsqueak looked a little embarrassed. "My apologies for not being clear. I didn''t die. They forced me to flee upward and kept pursuing, so I dropped a few hundred tons of rock on their heads from an altitude of 700 feet. Physics took care of the rest, killing the Queen and her Hive Guard."


    Grundle was trying to do the math and gave up when he realized anything underneath that much rock was either dead or too scary to think about. A cave-in fifty feet above your head was deadly. 700 feet? Even Ghostlurkers could die. The two older dwarves grasped the hammer symbols around their necks and said a short prayer. "Truly, the Lord of Stone and Steel blessed you that day. You, uh, didn''t find anything special in the rubble, did you?"


    Minor Tallsqueak reached into a pocket and carefully took out a pair of gloves and a handkerchief tied around something small. They watched as he put on the gloves and rolled out two nuggets of ore. "The first is called Silverite. Small threads of it are found in the DuramGneiss, and I have found nuggets in some of the strata above the Hard Rock. The second nugget is dangerous. Duram Argenti is normally found as an ore with Tier 5 hardness and softens as it absorbs mana. A small piece can drain you dry and leave you weak." One adventurous hand paused before picking up the nugget and hastily pulled back.


    The Mining Guild''s Master nodded. He''d heard of that ore. "That right there is worth a fortune, even in small amounts. I''m going to register that you found a source of the material. Always good to fill out the paperwork, even if you do the sensible thing and keep your claim secret. But that''s something to take to the Enchanter''s Guild or down to the Deep Rock guys."


    One of the older dwarves was staring at the Duram Argenti. "And if you ever find a big chunk of it, you might think about heading to a large dwarven hold. The Kingsguard has armor, shields, and hammers enchanted with this stuff. Never a bad thing to gain some friends in low places."


    Tallsqueak bowed, thanked them for the information, and then put the shiny nuggets away. They watched as his empty ore bags went back into his storage ring, along with a large bag of gold and silver coins handed to him by Grundle. "I thank you all for accepting me as a miner. I appreciate it, as does my Hollow. I think we will be doing much business together in the future. Now, you must excuse me. I have an appointment with a cheese shop above us and some friends to visit." He quickly left, ascending the stairs to Shadowport, his long tail bouncing on the stairs behind him.


    Grundle yelled out at everyone around him. "What are you waiting for? Go break some rock or drink beer. I have to start up that ore crusher and process this load. And if anyone sees more ratkin coming up from the Hollow, you be polite and send them my way. You hear?"

 Chapter 233: Just a small slice, please.

    Moving upward through the Mining Guild, Tallsqueak nodded politely to people but said nothing. He didn''t ask where to go and walked through the guild as if he had every right to be there, showing confidence and poise. Milo contrasted that with his first trips up and down, getting lost and asking questions from people that didn''t enjoy his intrusions into their business. Knowing the layout of the guild helped him present the demeanor of a confident Wizard from the Tower of Strife. Which he was, sort of. But he needed there to be differences between Tallsqueak, the ratkin, and Milo, the human. There was a possibility that someone might be looking for a Were-rat Scout, and he didn''t want to give them clues. Especially if it was Victor. His identity in the game was now tied to the real Milo in the habitat. Belinda knew, and he hoped she wasn''t telling anyone.


    Arriving at the top of the Mining Guild, he made his way over to the Adventurers Guild and spotted the overworked halfling, Bernard. He strode up confidently and bowed. Bernard looked at the elaborately dressed ratkin mage before him and sighed. "Let me guess? Daddy gave you money to buy spiffy stuff for your first character, and here you are, ready to go on a huge adventure."


    The ratkin cocked his head and smiled. "How many guesses are you allowed? Your first is incorrect."


    Bernard was used to rattling new players. A few ratkin came into the guild after starting down in the Hollow and racing through the tunnels to get to the more familiar human city to start doing quests for the Thieves Guild or to join a gang. This player was different, somehow. "Well, you got me there, chief. I get bored making guesses. I''ll just assume you took Tailor as a trade skill and sewed that fancy gown yourself. Nice look to it, by the way; I like the subdued runes and the matching staff. So let''s make guess number two that you''re here to pay your guild dues."


    Tallsqueak bowed low. "Rumors of your ability to guess the obvious are proven true. I am Professor Tallsqueak of the Tower of Strife, a prestigious college of the Arcane Sciences located in lovely Limburger Hollow. You should visit sometime. Chef Smiley makes a very tasty cheese souffl¨¦; his puff cakes are second to none. I''ve been told that you accept yearly dues here from ''adventurers.'' I would like to sign up. What are the dues for a Tier 4 mage? I would like to pay ahead by three levels to save a return trip later."


    That got Bernard''s attention, and he made an effort to Identify the person in front of him. He was telling the truth. Solidly in the third tier and heading to the fourth. But what was a Runic Mage? He had a lot of bling, that was for sure. Magic Robe, magic pants, and multiple magic rings. "I like people who pay ahead. Tier one is 15 copper, and then 15 silver for tier 2. As you might extrapolate, the third tier will cost you 15 gold, but I''m running a special for Runic Mages. All you have to do is tell me what the hell your class does, and we''ll round things down to 16 gold, even."


    "That is a bargain, sir, and I don''t mind explaining at all. You''ve just given equally valuable information that my class is rare among humans. A Runic Mage studies runes from different races and learns to adapt them and create Runic Formations that are the basis for powerful spells. Observe." One fingertip traced a simple rune in the air, then two more. When Tallsqueak snapped his fingers, the glowing lines became a small ball of storm magic, crackling like blue fire and sending off sparks.


    Bernard looked at it and relaxed. Another odd class to add to his book. "Nice for killing small critters and level-one players. Thanks for the demonstration. Here''s your badge, and welcome to the Shadowport Adventurers Guild. If you have questions, give me a yell, and you can check out the quest board to your left."


    Another snap of the fingers and the ball of lightning was snuffed out, and sixteen gold coins were placed on Bernard''s desk. The Runic Mage pocketed his badge, bowed, and said "Good Day." before walking out of the Guild Hall. Bernard pondered his words. "What''s a Puff Cake? And why am I suddenly hungry for them?"


    Tallsqueak wandered the night market outside the guild hall, looking at interesting things and sniffing the air. Finally, near a fish vendor in a corner of the market, he spied the small cheese stand he had bought from before. He quickened his pace and saw broad grins on the faces of the halflings inside. Looking at the assorted cheeses, he inhaled deeply, savoring the scents. "My, it all smells so good. I can tell that this is a difficult decision. You have a fine selection."


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Cousin Bungo was on duty. He hooked his fingers in his suspenders, anticipating a large sale. "Finest cheese in town, and at the best prices. How much would you like, sir, or should I get a crate and start filling it?" He''d seen the look in the eyes of ratkin before, and this one was no different as he stared at one cheese after another.


    "I believe that small half-round with the heavy rind is ten-year aged Gouda?"


    Bungo bowed low. "It is, excellent eye and nose, sir. That is a small sample wheel. We also have ten and twenty-pound wheels. You could also "Hollow-Size" your order and pick up one of our fifty-pound wheels."


    "Thank you for the information. I''ll take a slice, please." The ratkin waited patiently, exhibiting none of the shaking Bungo usually saw.


    "A slice, sir, to sample?"


    "Oh no, simply to purchase. A slice, make it generous, two ounces at least." He leaned patiently on his staff while Bungo tried to puzzle things out. Luckily, Lizzie was there as well. She cut the slice, wrapped it in waxed paper, and handed it to the waiting customer. "Here you are, sir. Try that out, and know we have much more to offer."


    Tallsqueak handed her several coppers, at least double the normal cost. "Thank you for your service. I am allowing myself a small slice today to celebrate this new town. While I adhere to Master Bleusnout''s litany of ''Be Master of the Cheese to be Master of yourself.'' a small bit now and then for medicinal purposes is good for the digestion. Good day to you." He walked away, whistling, the cheese in his pocket."


    Bungo watched him go. "He''ll be back. I can tell."


    Lizzie wasn''t so sure. "He seemed to have his cravings under control. That''s not a good sign."


    Bungo heard the sound of running feet and saw three ratkin dressed in black clothing with rags around their faces, sporting a colored patch of the Red Talon gang on their shoulders.


    "Payday, we have money!"


    "And money buys cheese. What do you have for us, Bungo?"


    "Let''s get an assortment platter, guys!"


    The two halflings raced to assemble a lovely cheese tray for the three players, collecting every copper they had on them¡ªthoughts of the distressing customer who came before the three addicts were forgotten.


    Tallsqueak melted into the shadows of Light''s End after leaving the cheese shop. Spying a tall building, he scaled the back of it, climbing steadily until he was on a secluded roof, unobserved by anyone. Milo spent some time changing the Runed Cowl to its original orange and tattered look. Shadow Blight was in a belt loop at his right side, his pick on his back under his backpack, and a heavy spanner hung from his belt on his right. His class changed from Runic Mage to Senior Deep Rock Engineer. The new ability, Shroud of Hecate, was incredibly useful, allowing him to adjust the information someone gained from trying to identify him and strengthening the illusion ability that let him pass for human. Neither of his forms showed his true class of Ancient Runic Engineer. He wondered about the vague mission she had given him to find the mysterious adversary behind the Slaver Mage. Astraeus was sure it was the same person who had caused him so much trouble in the past. That was all Milo had to go on for the time being. He''d just have to keep searching for secrets and see what he turned up.


    Which reminded him of his reason for being here in Shadowport. He needed to talk to Belinda and find a way out of the Gordian Knot of promises he found himself tied up with.


    Mama told him not to lie to her.


    Belinda asked for his trust and no lies.


    She also needed his help finding out how his gloves fixed her arms.


    But he couldn''t betray Wally.


    And didn''t want Victor to find out anything.


    And didn''t want to tell his secrets.


    And he had to keep his family safe, from Victor, from Manpower, from everyone.


    But he needed her medical records.


    He wasn''t going to be able to follow all of those rules. It was a linear programming problem with too many restraints and no optimal solution.


    He had just enough time to meet her and see if they could find a way to defeat Koschei the Deathless without dying themselves.

 Chapter 234: A little lost Kulag...

    Milo leaped from the third floor of the building he had climbed, turning a flip in mid-air and landing in a three-point stance. Two rough-looking men walking by were startled and started to draw their swords, then relaxed and held up a hand. "Kulag!" Milo did the same and then continued on his way. The two members of Squint''s gang looked up to where a small balcony stuck out from the front of Madam Daintyfoot''s Parlor. The doors behind it were open, candlelight spilling into the night and the scent of lilacs.


    "Isn''t that...?"


    "Yep, and I am not going even to wonder what a certain gang member is up to, leaping from her Ladyship''s private rooms."


    "Above my paygrade, in so many ways."


    "And no yelling or alarms, so she isn''t upset."


    "I didn''t see anything."


    "Nope. Too dark down here."


    Milo, for his part, was enjoying having nothing to do. He went back through the night market and shopped for small things that would be useful: a small lantern with an enchantment that let him power it with his mana, a better bedroll to replace his old, tattered one. Several hundred feet of the light silken line preferred by high-level thieves doing second-story work and a water jug that carried the same enchantment as his Gathering Bags. He politely dickered with each merchant, but only to be polite. He had more money than they did and didn''t mind them making a good profit. His last stop was at the apple vendor he had bought from before. The man recognized him and knew him. He bowed low. "Ah, my best customer! How are you today, sir? I see that you''re back in town. Off on another mission for Lord Squint, I suppose. Your last one sure shook things up! Rescuing all those folks. Here, try one of these on the house." He tossed Milo a yellow-green apple that was sweet and crisp. "Fresh from the north. A little expensive to import, but they travel well and never bruise."


    Milo loved it. "This is really good! Can I have a bag of them? And the arrangement we had before? Let''s continue with that. I don''t want those little one''s going hungry." He handed the man a small stack of gold, part of his earnings from selling his ore." The apple vendor counted it and became nervous.


    "Yessir, and don''t you worry. I''ll order more and ensure those young ones get an apple daily. You have my word." Milo nodded to him and walked off toward the Adventurer''s Guildhall.


    The apple merchant yelled at his son. "Mind the store. I''m off to order another two shipments. That''s one of Squint''s captains. I''m not taking chances of anyone saying I didn''t follow up on my end of a bargain with him." He hurried down to the docks to buy four more barrels from the captain that had imported them and to place orders for more.


    His visit to the apple vendor accomplished, Milo skirted the night market, on the side away from the halfling''s cheese shop. The smell was enticing, but he was determined to control his addiction. Cheese was too powerful a tool in battle or as an aid to recovering from wounds to turn it into a casual enjoyment again. If a cheese fiend like Larry could master himself, certainly he could. He ducked through a back alley between two buildings, knowing that the smell of rotten garbage would cut off the alluring odor of stinky cheese that was following his nostrils. The pungent aroma of rotted fish and urine blocked the scent, yet even such a horrid little alley had its inhabitants. Three shadows stood up at the far end, blocking his way.


    "Well, well. What do we have here? A lost little Kulag who thinks his gang is still in charge of the city. We own these alleys, and you''ll have to pay the toll!" Two more people blocked off his retreat. Milo could see them perfectly, but all of the gang were humans and had trouble seeing him. A slight noise from above told him of at least one more assailant. Two of the group blocking his way were Level 9, and the leader was Level 11. A glance behind showed two Level 8 players blocking the rear. They all wore bits of leather armor and rags and were armed with two poisoned daggers or small, jagged swords. The smell of the poison came to his sensitive nostrils. It was a cheap poison made from rotted fish livers and black mold. Very intense and easily identified. Also useless against him.


    He could run back or climb up and escape the clumsy trap, but he hadn''t had a good workout in over a week and was curious about what was happening.


    "I see. Did Squint give you a good deal when you bought his alley? It''s nice to see him giving young gangs a chance to own property. How many copper do I owe you? And can I pay in advance for tomorrow? This really is one of the better back alleys to stroll through." He decided to use his claws and tail in this arena but would give the one above a special treat if he attacked.


    "Damned Kulags! Always with the lip and the quick comebacks. When you come back tomorrow and limp off to Squint, tell him the Poisoned Talons are coming for him." They took several steps toward him, and Milo turned and ran at the pair behind him. They''d half expected him to do that but were surprised at his speed. Both stabbed at him with their knives, inflicting small wounds. Milo concentrated his attacks on one poor player, not trying to dodge. His claws swept up, the first cutting deep and the second scoring a critical hit. With six opponents, Milo didn''t play with them. He had honed his strikes during his time in the arena fighting Larry. Only his most powerful attacks could hurt his friend, and Gilad had trained him not to strike at less than his full power. Against a normal player, his claws could disembowel with one strike. This player got two, and the second was overkill. He fell to the dirty cobblestones with his insides on the outside, and Milo hit his partner with a hard tail slap that seemed to appear out of nowhere, knocking him backward.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    As expected, the player on the roof tried to join the fight. Milo knew he was there but was still surprised that he didn''t even attempt to use stealth. "Cowabunga Dude!" The player dove at Milo, both daggers poised to stab downward. Milo turned and thrust upward with his palm, releasing the runic formation he had prepared. The alley lit up with the release of the Rune of Force, blue-white light showing every grimy detail as a bruised body was slammed a hundred feet into the air. One player moaned as he died on the ground; his partner leaned against the wall, shaking his head and trying to clear it. The three who had charged into the alley paused as they got a good look at their opponent.


    Bone covered his head, giving his face a bestial appearance. Sharp talons emerged from bone-armored forearms already covered in blood, and a snaky, ten-foot tail moved back and forth like a scorpion. As they slowed to surround him, he yelled "Kulag!" and charged the rightmost opponent, slashing his hamstring as he went past and dodged the other two strikes. Instead of fleeing, he turned and faced them. "I like this alley; maybe I''ll buy it." He charged back at them.


    The fight lasted a minute and was bloody, neither side giving quarter. While Milo was outnumbered, his opponents saw poorly in the dark and weren''t coordinating their attacks. Milo, on the other hand, had fought against multiple opponents many times. Their knives hurt, but the poison was ignored. He''d felt the pain of Cremona''s poisoned claws, and this was nothing. Their daggers did roughly a hundred points of damage but had trouble connecting with him, and his vitals were protected by plates of interlocking bone. Striking back, the rune-powered strikes of the Claws of Alta Viator carved deep into their bodies, doing hundreds of points of damage on each strike. And he never quit moving, leaping over his foes, running along the alley''s walls, or tumbling past them. Soon all of them were wounded or dead; only the leader left as a threat. Milo was bleeding from a dozen wounds, but they were already closing, his regeneration sealing off the bleeding.


    Milo saw that his last opponent was winded and wary. Perhaps it was time to talk? "I''ve been out of town for a bit. Tell me about this little gang war so I know the stakes."


    "What''s to know? It''s every guild against the Kulags. Squint got too big for his britches and thinks he''s in charge of the city. Lots of money coming down from the merchants up top to encourage a little descent. Didn''t you get the quest?"


    Milo shook his head. "Like I said, I''ve been out of town. But don''t worry; I''ll go talk to Squint and catch up." Two of the gang were up now, limping forward. "I think it''s time to end this; sorry, but I''m on a tight schedule today." Two minutes later, only five tombstones marked where the Poisoned Talon Gang had died. The sixth was on a roof where he had come down from his trip to the ceiling. Milo leaned back against the wall and pulled out a healing potion. That had been a fun fight. He''d lost over half his health and been forced to fight all-out against them. The experience point gains were small, but there was more to fighting than a number. Training in Limburger Hollow had taught him that. After a ten-minute rest and cleaning himself off, he went on his way, staying out of the back alleys and walking along the edge of the market. He didn''t have time for more fights.


    From atop a nearby building, a figure in the shadows stroked the fur of his cats. "Yes, you were right. He was just playing with them the whole time and wasn''t in trouble. If he sticks around, he''s going to tip the scales in our favor quickly. I may have to cower in my headquarters for a week eating pudding, to keep the sides even. Good job sniffing him out; I had no idea he was back! I''ll have to think of a good quest for him to do."

 Chapter 235: Return of the Righteously Vengeful Empress

    A well-armored figure moved down the streets of Shadowport, waving to a few people and making her way across the city. Belinda was easily recognized by her sky-blue robe, grey plate armor, and shining crystalline shield. A flanged copper mace was tucked into a belt loop. As a known healer, she had fewer problems walking through Shadowport but kept to the main roads. It seemed to her that it was more dangerous and chaotic today. She''d seen fights between players start for no reason three times as she walked along the main boulevard. She''d been out of the game for over a month after a bad reaction to one of her drugs. The doctors were always nervous about her using her pod, endlessly fussing with it, and Daddy always sided with them. And no one seemed to think she was old enough to understand what was happening to her own body. She put up with it for now, she had no choice, but it was one of the things she would change as soon as she turned eighteen. A commotion in a nearby alley brought her out of her musings¡ªanother fight. One player had dived off a rooftop to stab another. She stepped nearer to a man selling battered sausages on a stick from a cart. She pointed at the fight, "Any idea what''s going on?"


    He shrugged. "All I know is the sausages are plump and juicy. My wife worked hard to make the batter and bake them in an oven. She works hard every day. I work hard too!"


    Belinda smiled and handed him a silver coin, far too much money for cheap food. "I''m hungry; two of your fine sausages, please."


    The vendor smiled, showing missing teeth, and bobbed his head. He put two of the sausage-on-a-stick on a plate, put those on a small table, and invited Belinda to sit. He lowered his voice and spoke. "The gangs are at war; it is a bad time to wander alone. Outsiders have come to the city and challenge Lord Squint for control of the Shadowport. At first, they just fought with each other, yelling ''Surprise'' and ambushing rival gang members. Squint played them off against each other, but then some of them formed an alliance, and the fighting became worse as they challenged the Kulags. Other gangs have joined in to nip at their heels. Stay out of the alleys if you can. Light''s End, too."


    Mumbling around the meal and thinking about her route, she asked, "Is the main road clear? I need to meet a friend at the guild hall. What happens if the gangs win? Doesn''t Squint do a lot to control the chaos?"


    "Bad things, I think, unless one gang can control the rest. That will be hard. The alliance will break when they kill Squint or chase him from the city, and the gangs will fight again. But, on the bright side, business is good. My brother owns a weapons shop and is selling daggers and truncheons as fast as he can make them, and I sell sausages to the hungry players who have walked back from death and need food."


    Belinda sat, talked, and enjoyed a baked apple from the cart beside the sausage vendor. The food just tasted better in the game. Soon several people were gathered around, discussing the latest events in town. A child showed her a scraped knee, and she healed him, bringing several other people over to politely ask for healing for sprained ankles, a burned hand from grasping a hot pot, and a badly set broken arm. She waived any payment but encouraged people to fill her in on recent events.


    As soon as word of the gang war started, players from all over teleported to nearby ports where they could book passage and take part in the citywide PVP event. Gangs recruited new rogues and fighters at the docks, escorting them to their ''hidden'' lairs which always seemed to be in the basements of taverns. The delay for respawning was set to one-quarter of normal if a person was in the city and died due to PVP. The chance of dropping a piece of equipment was also increased. Some players weren''t even bothering with their best gear, preferring to rely on skill and a pair of rusty poisoned daggers.


    In contrast, the docks and residential areas were relatively calm. The Sea Captains wanted no part of the chaos, and the docks were declared neutral ground. One large gang had tried to claim it for themselves despite that and found out the hard way how far an angry ogre could throw an enchanted harpoon. A fight had disturbed Captain Pike while he was having lunch. Such an insult had resulted in two gangs being wiped out to a man. Three players were further traumatized by seeing Pike rip off their limbs, add salt, and eat the tasty treat in from of them. The docks were off-limit after that. Squint had likewise declared the areas where the fishing families and traders had their homes to be off limits. The gang lord generally stayed out of the small fights, but he patrolled the streets daily and dealt with any gangs who trespassed. The Kulags had remained quiet during the early part of the gang war, holding onto control of Light''s End and the key bridges in the city.


    That changed when several gangs started working together to take the Kulags and depose Squint from his position at the top of the gangs. The raid had started successfully, with half the Kulags killed before they knew what was happening. Squint and most of the gang defended their Bordello-Fortress of Light''s End, but that end of the city was slipping from his grasp. That was when someone screwed up and tried to raid the Adventurers Guildhall. Bernard had grabbed his spear and magic helmet and offered very generous quests to anyone nearby. The rogues and assassins suddenly found themselves facing all the other players who swept through Light''s End, killing every gang member they could find. Squint laughed and watched the chaos from his balcony. Strangely, the Kulags who had been killed while on patrol or guarding the bridges had mostly been players. Only two NPC Kulags died, and they arrived back to the city, stepping off of a small black boat with wild tales to tell of the strange seas of the underworld. The gang war continued, but Bernard sent letters to every gang, reminding them that the guildhall was neutral ground and threatening terrible vengeance if they crossed him again.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Feeling like she had a better feel for what was happening, Belinda waved to her new friends and went on her way. At the main bridge across the ravine, four heavily armored Kulags waved her through and warned her about trouble up ahead. "The Poisoned Talons are roaming around the market. Five of them jumped a Kulag in an alley."


    Belinda frowned. "That hardly seems fair."


    The two guards she was talking to shrugged and smiled. "It wasn''t. All five of them have a new headstone in that alley. I hear that Milo is back in town, and they didn''t recognize him."


    "Oh! Really? He''s supposed to meet with me for lunch, and he''s out killing bandits. I knew I should have come earlier." With a small wave, she walked on, quickening her pace. Things became darker the further she went from the docks with their natural light and into the hollow city. As she walked, she cast a small spell called Foxfire that created a small area of light around her in a twenty-foot radius. It was enough to help her navigate the streets as things got darker. Many streetlights were broken or missing, casualties of the gang war.


    The downside of the spell was that it attracted attention. Four cloaked and hooded figures stepped out into the main street, surrounding her. "What do we have here? That''s a lot of shiny loot you''re carrying. Be a shame to drop something." The other''s nodded and did their best to look menacing.


    Belinda didn''t even draw her weapon. "Very shiny and very much mine. I''m a healer, and I''m not playing your stupid games. Move."


    The one who had spoken did so again. "Really? That''s strange. See, Vinny got his guts ripped out recently, and while he was waiting for the Death Penalty to wear off, he went to get a sausage. He distinctly heard you say you were on your way to meet Milo. And the only Milo we know works for Squint. And we don''t like Squint."


    "And we don''t like Milo."


    "And that means we don''t like you. So hand over some shinies or head to respawn, and we''ll loot your stuff."


    Belinda drew her mace, cast Armor of Virtue, and started walking forward. "I''m leaving. Stay out of my way, please." The rogues before her moved to cut her off, flanking to either side, while a thief and assassin moved up from behind. She blocked a stab by the rogue on her left with her Crystalline Shield and fended off the other with a thrust of her mace. The rogue''s sword shattered on her shield. He was quite angry about it.


    "That''s bullshit! What is that shield?"


    Belinda rolled her eyes, but if they talked, they might return and leave. "World Boss loot. We were allowed to pick a crystal weapon as tough as the boss. This is mine."


    "Uh, it''s a shield."


    She nodded. "And if you have shield bash, then shield counts as a weapon. I took a shield. It sucks to be you or your sword. Now leave me be."


    The assassin appeared behind her, the thief a step behind. The thief went for her belt pouch but found it securely locked and riveted to her belt. The assassin put a thin blade deep into her side, just below her armor, scoring a critical hit and injecting a Tier 2 poison into her that he saved for higher-level players. Belinda staggered and went to one knee. "Damn, a backstab, poison, and a critical. You must have done over 1500 points of damage with that."


    The assassin was happy someone appreciated his skill. "1532, to be exact. Plus, 100 poison a round for ten rounds. I''m surprised you''re still up. The paralysis on that is a bitch to deal with."


    Belinda took a breath. "Yeah, this will hurt; remember, I offered to let you go. Vengeful Healing of the Empress." The ring on her finger glowed brightly, her wounds healed before their eyes, and she straightened up and smiled, even flipping her hair back and winking. All her four attackers dropped to the ground the next instant, screaming. Each had taken a terrible wound in their sides, and the poison burned in their veins.


    "Now you all know how it feels. I love the added paralysis. Makes it easy to gather a few items from you." She went from one to the next, taking their belt pouches, shoes, belts, and weapons. Three of the near-naked players died, and headstones appeared. One had a little more health than the others. She walked over to him and beat his skull to a pulp with her mace. She took their meager amount of money and left everything else in the street for whoever noticed it.


    A minute later, she passed the last building and walked through the Night Market. She waved to a few players she knew and headed to the Adventurers Guild. It took some time to descend to the mines, but half an hour later, she approached where Uthneragrubban had been destroyed. A nervous Milo was waiting for her.

 Chapter 236: A Place with Uncomfortable Memories

    Milo was regretting meeting at this place; he had too many uncomfortable memories associated with it. They''d won a huge battle, but at the time, he had been hurt so badly that he''d just wandered off to feed his growing cheese addiction and been captured by the Slaver Mage. When he returned, he was self-absorbed and only focused on fixing his head, regaining his bones, and trying to understand what had happened. It took time to recover from that. Finding Limburger Hollow had been good for him. He was much better now, more confident, and better trained in his abilities. Most importantly, he was free to go where he wanted.


    But the ordeal on the airship would haunt him. He was very glad Philistron was dead and that he''d helped kill him. He had met no one else in the game who was so cruel and inhuman. That the Slaver had been created by a human player, not the AI running the game, was ironic. The anti-AI groups always talked about AI being ''inhuman.'' The whole encounter had been like being in hell, but he''d learned so many new things and, in the end, helped people. He needed to focus on that. Freeing the clan of halflings and children from the city and everyone else in those cages. And the two people trapped with him and tortured by Philistron. He thought about them from time to time. Wally''s revelation that there might be people like him somewhere in the world had been shocking. He''d denied it at first but slowly unwrapped the idea. There could have been another batch created. If so, they were strangers and could be friends or foes. He had a tendency to paranoia, but some of his siblings, like Bork, had been consumed by it. That would make them dangerous.


    A small part of him considered the idea of it being some of his family. Deaths could be faked. He had gone back over the reports about the deaths of each of his family members. The early reports were brutal. ''Subject 4G dead of seizure, body disposed of by incineration. Subject 4J died from unknown causes. The autopsy showed a possible stroke. Body sectioned and sold to {redacted} for research.'' His own was interesting. He was listed as ''Subject 4M lost in transit, assumed dead.'' It was the file with the last report that he went over again and again. There was little information. ''Subjects 4A, 4B, 4N, 4O, and 4Z dead from vehicular wreck, explosion, and subsequent fire. Remains of bodies consumed by fire found in the wreckage of vehicle used in the escape confirm deaths.''


    They would have been very smart and capable by then and could work flawlessly as a team. Yet, their escape plan seemed simplistic. He started a new investigation, focusing on every person who had worked at that facility and followed them for years. He found three people who seemed very well off for their jobs. Each year, on a day near the anniversary of his family''s death, a fairly large chunk of money was deposited into the accounts of each of the three men.


    If Wally was correct, and someone was using the same tools he used, tools which left tell-tale signs only detectable by an AI, it might be his family. If they were unaware they were leaving clues, Wally might be able to get information on their whereabouts and what they were working on. Someone using those tools had cleaned out the majority of Victor''s assets that were invested in Syllabary. Milo had taken the rest of his money, leaving Victor broke and on the run. Wally would alert him if the A.I. found anything. Milo wondered if he had already met two of them.


    It would be a strange coincidence, but they fit the profile of what Milo would expect in his siblings, and he had large doubts those were two of Victor''s employees using the specially programmed pods. Firstly, based on the strange quest, if one person was logging in to use a special character, why not all 37? Only three of the special pods had been used. The others had been found in different countries, linked to thousands of Mark 2 pods. Secondly, they had been smart. He''d argued with them, especially the cat. All three of them were crazed and in withdrawal from their individual drugs. But they were smart enough to converse using a code that would be difficult for a highly intelligent person to follow and impossible for a normal person. They were too good at it, even considering they''d been there for weeks. Wally could find no record of them. They never logged back in. That was smart or paranoid. If that had been part of his family, he would be insanely happy to find them. But for now, he''d wait for Wally to complete his search. He hoped it was them who had stolen Victor''s money. He deserved it.


    It wasn''t lost on him that he might have created his problem with Victor. The aging mobster had traded in every favor he was owed, thrown every criminal he knew to the wolves, and taken a deal in the US with witness protection. And now he was laying low near his last remaining relative. Milo didn''t feel it was any coincidence that Belinda would inherit a large amount of money soon.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    That brought him back to today''s problem: Belinda. He wanted to help her. He had to warn her. She''d asked for help with her medical issues. But could he trust her? It wasn''t just about him. If Victor found out Milo was alive, he would come after him, especially if he suspected Milo had taken some of his money. Milo could run and hide, but his life in the habitat would be like a hidden fugitive again. Butch and his family would be at risk as well. He could yell for help from Wally and Steven, but he wasn''t sure what they could do. It was a bad situation with too many variables and something Milo would do almost anything to avoid.


    <hr>


    Belinda had no trouble descending into the mines. The miners knew her, and she''d often come down here to heal injuries and set broken bones. Good relations smoothed out potential problems when she came down here with groups to explore caverns and kill monsters for experience. Several people asked if she needed an escort, but she thanked them and said no. The monument put up marking the defeat of the World Boss was only a quarter mile into the mines, along the largest cavern. It was a convenient meeting spot for adventuring groups. The mining guild had hired a stone sculptor to create a model of Uthneragrubban and a large plaque commemorating the battle. She had such great memories from that fight. Everything had been so awesome, and she''d been someone important, not just a healer who tossed out band-aids. Everyone who had been in that battle talked about it all the time. Winning an un-winnable battle had been the game''s high point for almost everyone. And Milo had been right in the middle of it, designing the trap for the boss. The place must hold special memories for him, too.


    She was a little nervous about talking with Milo. She didn''t understand him, and the more she thought about him, the more confused she was. Something had him tied in knots and barely able to speak. He was really worried about something. Her first guess was her Uncle Victor. She knew he''d done some bad things before he retired, and he was very possessive of her. Victor and John had been arguing a lot lately about her medical care, going to see her friends and even her gloves. John wanted her to borrow them. "Just a loan, just for a little bit." She''d hid them instead, leaving them with Min, and then screamed at John for a day when her arms hurt and didn''t work right. Uncle Victor used that as a wedge, encouraging her to keep what was hers. She was happy to have him on her side but sensed it was more about opposing her stepfather.


    And the fight over her name. John had papers he wanted to submit, changing her name permanently to Sabbatino. That went over poorly with Victor, and she wasn''t sure at all what she wanted. Seimovich was the family name. Her mother had kept it when she got married. Belinda wanted to use the family name when she turned 18. But John was being clingy, saying he was afraid of losing her. It was extremely tiring. And how crazy Daddy acted made her wonder if that might be part of the Milo problem. Her dad was in charge of Manpower, and they were hiring everyone they could in the habitat. Many parents were working long hours. Butch and Brad had talked about working for her dad as soon as possible. That would really break up their group.


    She was sure they could work everything out if she got Milo to open up. She saw him sitting cross-legged on the ground with his back to the wall. It was hard to miss him in that glaring orange tunic with all the tears and patches. She walked up and sat down next to him. "Hi, how are things in the dark caves of doom?"


    He smiled a little. "Not bad; I like it in the caves. I know most of the rules down here. I''m not as good up in the city, and I think I''d freak out if I had to deal with being on the surface much.


    "Sort of like the habitat? You don''t mix with a lot of people there, do you?"


    "Nope. It''s why I''m so bad with people. I get tied up in knots, and it''s hard to talk sometimes."


    Belinda bumped him with her shoulder. "Yeah, I''ve noticed. I think that''s why we''re here today. You ready to talk some things over?"


    Milo looked around the cave, then at where the boss had died. Maybe it wasn''t such a bad spot after all. If you were going to talk about uncomfortable things, why ruin a good place? He took a deep breath and prepared himself for another tough battle, mostly with himself.


    "Sure, time to talk."

 Chapter 237: Conversation between two people unused to having friends.

    With greetings out of the way, Belinda and Milo settled down to an awkward silence. Finally, after sitting quietly for a moment, it became apparent to Belinda that she''d have to start poking at him and try to figure out what was going on in his head. "I''m guessing you know something about my Uncle Victor? And that worries you? Or is it something else?"


    Milo took a deep breath. "He''s certainly part of it. I know a lot about your Great Uncle, Victor Seimovich, and what he''s done. You can find out a lot about him with a good computer and a few hours of searching. How much do you know about him? About his real business?"


    She shrugged her shoulders, glad she''d guessed right. "I know he isn''t the best person. No, that''s wrong - He''s a bad person, but he''s always been good to me. I heard a lot about him when I was younger. He talked with people on the phone or with his employees who followed him around. Always in Russian, and they just assumed I didn''t understand. It was a fun game I liked to play, at least until I understood what he was talking about. At some point, I think he realized I could understand a lot of what was said, and he was more careful. It''s not something I ever talked to him about, and the one time I asked John, he just said, ''We don''t talk about what Uncle Victor does.'' After that, it became something I knew about, but it didn''t affect me, and I could pretend he was just Uncle Victor.


    But if you''re worried that he''s in the habitat, don''t be. He hardly leaves his apartment. Something big happened before he came here, and he''s being very careful about where he goes."


    Milo picked up a rock, considered how useless throwing rocks at a stalactite was, and threw it anyway. "Let me tell you about the last bad thing he did, and you judge if we have to worry. When the new game started, he had places all over the world where he put people in pods to work in the game and sell their labor. But not the new pods, the old crappy ones that could hurt people using them. And these were worse. They were broken, with no maintenance, and stored for years when they should have been destroyed. The people he used were desperate. Refugees, people from habitats, and people accused of crimes he paid bail on. It was a huge operation, with tens of thousands of people. The old Mark 2 pods were bad when they were new, and you can''t legally use them because of the flaws. People were dying every day working for him. And they couldn''t quit."


    Belinda was staring at him. "Victor did that? What happened?"


    "The authorities found out. They saved a lot of people. And found a lot of bodies. One of those places was at the bottom of this hab. It could have Big Butch, or any of our friends in those pods, dying so Victor could make money. And Victor and the people working for him didn''t care. Everyone else that they caught went to jail except Victor. So yeah, I worry that he''s here. You should, too."


    "I''m not saying I don''t believe you, but it''s hard for me to understand that someone would do that."


    "You don''t have to take my word for it. I sent you the files as a message in the game. They''re nested inside twenty layers of memes about kittens, dumb jokes, and pictures of Butch and Brad sleeping while Min decorated them with a pink marker. Tell me what you think."


    Belinda spent a minute finding the message and going through layers of stupid cat pictures. The first two newspaper articles and a report from Interpol were enough to convince her. One report from Poland showed a stack of dead bodies in a freezer. She quit reading after that.


    "Oh my god! That''s horrible." She stood and paced, arms crossed. Milo gave her time.


    She stopped and looked at him, panic in her eyes. "Wait! Daddy is doing the same thing! The entire idea behind Manpower is people in pods working for the corporations! Is he involved with Victor?"


    Milo shook his head. "No. I think Victor discovered what John planned to do with Manpower and copied it using illegal pods, forced labor, and hacked logins. John makes some money renting labor. Victor made 100 times as much and had a bigger operation. He killed people while making a profit. What your father is doing isn''t bad and at least gives people jobs.


    "It''s safe?"


    "Your stepdad is doing something similar, but safe and legal. He has to use Mark 7 pods. They heal people instead of killing them. And the workers have a contract, a pretty good one. I''m not worried about Manpower. I''m worried about Victor Seimovich and you."


    Belinda smiled. "I''m flattered that you''re worried about me. But Victor won''t hurt me; I''m the only family Uncle Victor has. And I can handle Daddy. We argue, but I can usually get my way eventually."


    Milo sighed and tossed another rock. Belinda grew restless as he didn''t talk for a minute.


    "Talk to me. Why are you worried about me?"


    Milo sighed. The damned knots weren''t going to cut themselves. "You turn eighteen soon. What happens then?"


    "That''s why you don''t have to worry about me! My trust funds have enough money so I can live independently and take care of myself!" That day couldn''t come fast enough for her.


    Milo turned to her and thought hard about what he would say. "And what if, for medical reasons, a court declares that you aren''t capable of handling that much money? That for your own good, you need a permanent guardian? Someone who can now access your trust funds and care for you. Maybe John. Maybe Victor. What then?"


    She''d thought a little about that. "If daddy tries that, I''ll fight him. A broken body doesn''t mean a broken mind. I''ve passed enough courses by now to have a college degree if I wanted. A court would see that." Milo was staring at her, waiting, hoping she''d see the problem. "You''re worried about Uncle Victor? Aren''t you? He''s not my guardian; Daddy is. Why would Victor get involved?"


    "Because Victor is a bad man, trapped in a bad spot, and he needs your money to get back his power. His money is gone; yours isn''t. With enough money, he can disappear all his troubles and be back in business. Don''t think of him as Uncle Victor. Think of him as someone who lets people die of starvation while trapped inside faulty pods. And worse. Don''t underestimate him."


    Eyes wide, she shook her head back and forth. "No, that doesn''t make sense! I don''t have that much money! Daddy has control of most of it now, and I don''t care. When I get the ten million dollars in my trust funds, I can do what I want. But that''s nothing compared to what Victor used to talk about. He laughed at ''mere millionaires''; he had billions before he lost it."


    "Your father is lying to you. Victor is lying to you. Maybe for good reasons? I''m not good at how family and money work. I''m still figuring that out. But there are records of financial transactions that give hints. Even at a low estimate, your father was worth 150 billion dollars when he died. Your mother was even richer. You are the only heir and get it all when you turn 18. Unless someone decides you aren''t competent."


    Belinda leaned back against the rock wall, thinking. That was a stupid amount of money. Was he telling the truth? Probably. She was conscious of how controlling her stepfather was and how little contact she had with people outside her bodyguards and doctors. He had moved them a lot, going from place to place, and she''d lost the few friends she had made. She could only hang out with her new friends because Eric had pushed Daddy hard to keep his promises. Now that she thought about it, he didn''t even like her being online in the game lately. The more she thought about how he acted lately, the more she got angry. It was just like him to do this. Keep control of her and keep secrets.


    "But how would he do that? I have doctors and nurses that would testify to my competence. Wouldn''t they, or are you saying Daddy would pay them to say I wasn''t?"


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Milo let out a deep breath after thinking for a moment. "I don''t want to scare you, but you have to understand what could happen. Declaring you mentally incompetent would be tough. All a judge has to do is talk to you. But what if something happens to you physically? You get worse. Have a mysterious relapse. Go into a coma? They control your records. They could show that you''re physically unable to care for yourself. You''ve lived in different countries. What happens when some night you disappear, and we don''t know where you are? All they have to do is add a drug to your pod to knock you out, and they could move you like a piece of cargo wherever they need. Pay a judge or a government to side with them, and you never wake up. It''s been done before. I know of people it''s been done to."


    The bottom dropped out of Belinda''s world. She hadn''t played in weeks because of a problem with her new drugs, and now she wondered. She got better, then worse, in a constant cycle. Was it real? Or were they using drugs to control her? It sounded crazy and paranoid.


    Milo continued. "Now, take that scenario and keep going. Who knows you? Who could sound an alarm about a missing heiress and something suspicious happening? How hard would it be to eliminate some people living in a habitat? Who would notice? It would be tempting to Victor, and that''s who I''m worried about, to cover his tracks, just like he''s done before. But John might do it too."


    Belinda nodded. It hadn''t seemed real before, just like something in a movie. Now? She felt horrible. She''d heard Victor talk of making people disappear.


    "You''re worried Victor will come after you, Butch, and all the rest. I can see that. But I promise. I PROMISE I''ll do anything I can not to let that happen! I won''t let Victor do something to you." She came close to him and suddenly hugged him. "Please believe me; I won''t let them hurt anyone." Milo stiffened for a moment, then hugged her back awkwardly.


    "And I promise not to let them do anything to you." The moment ended, and they backed away from each other and sat back down, facing each other this time. I Milo thought he was getting a breather, he was wrong.


    "There''s more, isn''t there." If he was just worried about warning her about Victor, he could have done without all the drama. And there were too many odd things happening. Claw Master, an unknown company that trusted Milo with a half dozen ultra-expensive sets of gloves. The new school, Butch and Mama getting jobs, money for the people testing the gloves. Milo was in the middle of it all.


    She knew so little about him, but some of what she knew didn''t make sense. He was smarter than she was but younger. He should have been on one of the professional gaming teams, but he lived in the habitat. And then the Claw Master deal. How had he learned about the company? And he understood what the gloves did and how they worked. Most people in the hab couldn''t program a food processor. She knew she couldn''t.


    "You''re hiding a lot of things, aren''t you?"


    Milo threw a rock at a stalactite and then another.


    "Right. Not talking again. Got it. You warned me about Victor and Daddy and what they might do to declare me incompetent to manage my money. I get it. But there''s more. A lot more! What''s the problem and why won''t you talk to me? Is it something about Claw Master? Some sort of NDA? I''m not going to say anything. I''ve only got six friends in the whole damned world, and you''re one of them. I''m not going to betray your trust!"


    Milo set down the next rock. "No lies. Promise?"


    "Yes. I promise. No lies."


    He took a deep breath. "Rules are important to me. They help me deal with the real world. But I get tied up in knots when rules work against each other. I promised Mama I wouldn''t lie. I promised you I wouldn''t lie. I want to protect all my friends. But I also need to not talk about some things. Some of my friends...well, it''s complicated. Like some of my secrets. I have to break some rules, and that''s tough to do."


    He paused for a second, then rushed onward.


    "Your Dad and your doctors are hiding your medical records. Claw Master asked for them after I told them about how the gloves helped you. The files they saw said you were totally healthy. Your pod is sending fake data. Your stepfather has to know about that. Do you know of any reason they might be doing that?"


    "No. I can''t. And I don''t even know what''s really wrong with me. I''ve asked, and Daddy always says it''s unhealthy for me to think about it. That''s such bullshit! I deserve to know. I hate him; I think I really do. He''s trying to keep me from having friends and from playing games. He tried to get my gloves. I love my gloves! My arms were working, and I had to take them off and hide them!" She sat down and cried for a minute, then looked up at Milo. "You''re right. I need to worry about John. He wants to be in control." She paused, gathering her thoughts and getting herself under control.


    "So what do I do? You have more to say; I know you do. You have friends outside the habitat; it''s obvious. You work for Claw Master, know how the gloves work, and you got to pick your team of playtesters. Did you plan to get me on your team from the start?"


    "NO! I mean, some of that is true, but I didn''t know you were Belinda...I mean, that you were the Belinda I knew in the game. I saw it on the monitor and freaked out a little when I put things together. I don''t like surprises like that. It had been a long day, and I needed to be alone, and then that guy attacked me and tried to steal my gloves."


    "What? What guy? Why didn''t you say something before?" Anger replaced everything else she was feeling.


    Milo shrugged. "The guy that hassled me at the start of the day. He cornered me in the bathroom. I knocked him down and left."


    Belinda took a deep breath and drove down the anger. She had to think. "John must have told him to get a pair of the gloves. The other companies were really upset at losing. Which means they might come after Butch, Min, and the others. This just gets worse and worse. Can Claw Master help? I''m sure they don''t want John getting a pair of gloves until they do their big release."


    Milo nodded and smiled slightly, thinking of his friends who ran Claw Master. "I think they can. They helped me a lot. They straightened out the adoption process and are the ones setting up the school. They might be able to help you as well. But this part is tricky. I can''t tell you who they are. That''s their secret, not mine. But they already want to help you. We need to get your medical records. It would help if I could look at the pod you use. Do you trust me on that? If I can get your medical records to my friends, they can tell you the truth. Then we can find out how the gloves help."


    Belinda''s face broke out into a smile. "Yes, I trust you with that. And I have a great idea of how to give you a look at my pod. Daddy promised me a clubhouse and a party. I''m going to find Uncle Eric and get him on board with my idea, and all of you can come over to my place to play games, eat cheesy-chili-corn-dogs, and play the video games we won. Daddy doesn''t like the idea, so I won''t ask him this time. It will be great!"


    Milo nodded to her. "That works." He''d been planning to sneak through the tunnels into her section and do the work after he jiggled the security cameras. He was a little disappointed, actually, but her plan had food and games.


    She stood up and reached out a hand to him. "I like this; let''s keep talking. But I''m starving. There are some places to eat by the docks; we can have a nice lunch together. We can even have some fun on the way. There''s a gang war going on, and I hear people are looking for you. I need a good fight to work out some frustrations."

 Chapter 238: Date Night

    Milo slowed and stopped after walking out of the Adventurer''s Guild with Belinda. "I have a question about something you said that I don''t understand."


    After the revelations in their recent talk, Belinda wasn''t sure she was ready for more. But at least Milo was talking. "Well, ask it, and I''ll try to answer."


    "Is this a date? I''ve never been on a date. Can I get a definition? I''m hazy about what it is, and what I heard Butch and Brad discussing confuses me more."


    She looked at him hard, making sure he was serious, then crossed her arms and was silent for a moment. "I''m the last person to ask about dating advice, and I have no idea what Butch and Brad told you. I''m almost always in a powered wheelchair. That makes socializing a little tough. Why are you asking me this?"


    "Oh. Sorry. When we talked by the glowy tree, you said, ''It''s a date.'' I''ve been worried about what that means."


    She covered her face with both hands. "Oh god. Is that part of what has you worried? It''s an expression people use. It can mean, ''We have agreed on a set time and place to meet.'' Or it can mean two people want to get together and enjoy spending time together with each other because they want to be friends. Or maybe better than friends. That part I''m really not good with. Wheelchair girls don''t date much."


    "So, how did you use it?" Milo was looking at her with pure curiosity on his face. From anyone else, she''d have thought they weren''t serious.


    "I''m not sure. Both? We needed to meet up and talk, and I like having friends. Look, some things you just can''t define. Dates are one of them. Let''s have lunch, hang around the town for a while, hopefully get ambushed, and have fun. There''s no right or wrong to it. Whatever we do counts as a date. Just relax and have fun."


    Milo nodded. "I can do that." He looked at the area around the Night Market. "There''s an alley over that way with people skulking on the roof."


    "Awesome, lead the way. There''s a little caf¨¦ hidden in a cul-de-sac near there. They make great tacos. "


    Whatever the four thieves from the Jacks-are-Wild Gang thought they were going to do, it didn''t work. Jack had spotted Milo in the Guild Hall and set three traps for him on nearby rooftops. As soon as he came out, they''d had eyeballs on him. He was talking with the Healer and wandering toward one of the traps. The other two groups converged on the area. But somehow, they lost track of the Kulag, and just the Healer was moving into the alley. You couldn''t miss her, not with the big, crystalline shield and shiny helmet. So they waited as people moved about the rooftops, getting into position, peering over the edge of the roofs.


    As usual, people were screwing around. Gary pretended to get too close to the edge, mimicking panic. Then the asshole actually over-balanced and fell. Donweebo tried to grab his partner and only managed to fall as well. They hit the cobblestones from three stories up. Gary had gone head first and scattered his brains on the road. Donweebo stood up, cradling an arm, only to take a hard hit to his head from a shield rush. Knocked to the ground and stunned, it was easy for even a Healer to finish him off. Then she looked up at the surrounding buildings like she expected something else to happen.


    Jack moved over to Jimmikneecaps and Black Kitten. The two were paying more attention to each other than their jobs. He startled them, and they sprung apart from each other. "Shit, don''t do that, Jack; you scared us!" Jimmi at least looked guilty. Kitten just glared at him and said, "Asshole."


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Look, this is serious; we have the bait below and a Kulag Sub-chief wandering in the area. You''re lucky he didn''t sneak up on you. Now one of you keeps your eyes on the healer, and the other keeps looking around because you never know if..."


    "KULAG!"


    Something knocked all three people off the roof hard. Hard enough that they slammed into the building across the alley. Kitten and Jimmi hit the stone and bounced, landing in the alley. Jack went through a pair of flimsy shutters and a closed window into the room beyond. An elderly woman had just emerged from her bathtub and screamed. Jack tried to simultaneously apologize and pick glass out of his arm. The woman expertly wrapped her towel around his neck like a garrote and, using that to control him, forced his head under water. Jack died with the taste of lilac-scented bath salts on his tongue.


    In the alley below, Jimmi managed to stagger up with a broken leg. Black Kitten was holding her side. With Belinda rushing the two of them, Black Kitten turned and ran, leaving her boyfriend to take his lumps. Belinda swung her mace, and a three-quarters arc that came up into his chin. Skills like Dodge didn''t work with a broken leg, and Sense Danger told you the next blow would hurt.


    While she was finishing off the wounded rogue, the last three opponents rushed her from behind and tackled her. Two held her while the third brought back his dagger for a kill shot. It never came as a bone spike went through his forearm, and a second later, another went through the back of his head and out his eyeball.


    The grip of the two thieves slackened. One was turning green and dying rapidly from a poison where a small snake bit him on the hand. The other had seen the Healer reach out and poison his partner with just a touch. He scrambled to get away but ended up facing an angry Kulag with outstretched claws. Milo eviscerated him with a double-claw strike, followed by a spinning kick to the face. He would bleed out soon, but two more blows killed him quickly.


    Belinda watched with a smug smile on her face. "Wow, where did you learn all that?"


    Milo wiped off his hands on a cloak and smiled back at her. "I found an old trainer in a city down below. He was really tough and worked me half to death. Worth it, though. What about you? You''re as good as a warrior with that mace. And you have a poison spell?"


    "Sort of. A girl has to have some secrets. I had a lot of gold after the world boss raid. Two of the big gaming sites wanted interviews, and I charged them a fee that I paid for some training. I don''t want to be just a band-aid station." She looked around at the headstones. "Lunchtime, this place makes great fish tacos, and they have this awesome pickled seaweed. You have to try it."


    They''d only made it to the end of the alley when she made a face and cursed. "Dammit, dammit, dammit. NOT NOW!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    She turned, angry. "A message from my doctor, something is wrong. I have to log out so they can check my medications. I hate this so much. I only have a minute while they log me out from their end. Bring everyone by tomorrow for lunch, I''ll set up a party, and we can play games. And stuff." She winked as she said the last part, then disappeared.


    Milo scratched his head. That hadn''t been bad for a first date. He explored, trying to find the little caf¨¦ with the fish tacos.

 Chapter 239: Fish Taco Tuesday

    It took an hour to find the spot Belinda had told him about. He''d taken to the rooftops to search for it, and the little cul-de-sac was nearly invisible from above. The alley leading to it was narrow and partly roofed, where someone had connected two rows of buildings with rooms between them. The small dead end was likewise hard to see, with buildings that grew wider at the top and used each other for support, their upper levels merging together into a rooftop. Milo finally caught a glimpse of the area below because of the lanterns that ringed the round courtyard. Retracing his steps and dropping to street level, he found the alleyway leading to the cafe Belinda had been taking him to.


    The area reminded him of parts of the Hollow. It felt like a smaller cave within the hollow city. Lanterns hung from the ceiling providing bright light. In the center of the courtyard was a statue of a dwarven warrior, most of the details lost to the ages. His outstretched hand pointed at the cafe, and a sign hung from his arm that said, "Every Day is Taco Tuesday." Milo took his advice and went into the little eatery. It was packed with people, and at the back, sitting at a table piled with food was Captain Pike.


    "Oi! Look what wandered into my net. Come grab a chair and get some grub with me." He pointed to three people sitting at the table who had been listening to his stories, "You lot! Shift your loads over. Make room for my little buddy." The three sailors hurried to comply.


    Milo took one of the seats. "Hi, Skipper. How are the tacos?" If there was one safe topic when talking to Ogres, it was food.


    Pike stuffed two more crunchy tacos into his mouth, chewing noisily, swallowing, and belching. "Good grub. Some of the best in the city. Always something different."


    "And we are always happy to have you come by, Captain." An older man in an apron brought out two more plates of food, placing a large platter in front of Pike and a smaller plate in front of Milo. "Try a little of each, and let me know what you like. The first is a crispy taco with grilled shark, spicy cave lichen, and pickled vegetables. The round patty is my family''s recipe for crab cakes. Next to that is an enchilada with creamy cheese and shrimp filling. Finally, we have a bowl of New England clam chowder."


    The Ogre looked at the bowl suspiciously. "I never can figure out half the places you''ve been, Carlos. Where the hell is New England? For that matter, where''s Old England?"


    A woman brought Milo a pitcher of sweet tea and filled his glass. "I''d bring you a map of where we''re from, but I''m worried you''d sail off to find it, and then I''d lose my best customer."


    The Captain patted his large belly. "You''re fattening me up. I may need a bigger boat." She laughed and went back to the kitchen.


    Milo tried the food on his plate and fell in love with all of it. The little roll of shrimp and cheese was his favorite. He ate until he couldn''t fit another bite. Pike grabbed the leftovers and scraped them onto his plate. "Never waste food; you don''t know when you might miss a meal and regret it." The Ogre paused in his eating after he finished Milo''s food, then picked up his harpoon from the floor next to him. "Thanks for lunch. I have to hustle off. There''s a sushi place on the docks that got in some fresh tentacle beast. Good eating if you have a tolerance for the poison. Keep me in mind the next time you go hunting big critters. I have a reputation to grow. Can''t stop with just a measly World Boss."


    Milo put together Pike, thanking him for lunch with his long-ago offer to foot the bill. Carlos gave him the bill, and Milo paid over the substantial cost along with a good tip. He started to leave, then thought better of it. "Carlos? You and your wife are players?"


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Carlos shook his head, "No, not the way you might think. We just enjoy the world. Years ago, I cooked in my grandmother''s cantina in Baja California. Then she sold to a large conglomerate, and I went to work for them. My grandmother left me her stock as an inheritance, and then I owned a share of the company. Fifty years later, my wife and I are retired from corporate life and worth enough money to do as we like. So we came here, where the fish is fresh, and they needed someone to cook a new style of food."


    "Does the company you owned make food like this?"


    His wife came out from the counter. Rosalinda had married Carlos when he was 17 and had her own share of family recipes that she recreated in her kitchen. "Not like this. They have similar recipes, except for the monster parts, but it''s all frozen and ready to eat. Quick, but not as tasty."


    Milo got the information on the company and memorized it. If the food was even half as good in the real world, he wanted some more of it.


    <hr>


    Belinda was groggy as she awoke in her pod, much worse than normal and feeling nauseous. The pod opened, and she saw people in the room with her.


    Doctor Silverstein spoke in a low voice as she reached in to disconnect the nutrient tubes, "Easy, go slow. Your blood pressure dropped while you were in the game, and we had to wake you up; we have you stabilized, but you need to relax and let Bart and I move you to a bed." Bart was one of the registered nurses working for the doctor. He easily picked her up and laid her in a mobile hospital bed. She hated the beds.


    "I want my chair, please. I''ll feel better in it." She couldn''t move independently in the bed and was reliant on others.


    The Doctor nodded, which meant nothing at all. "We will. Just as soon as we find out what happened. I''m worried about the effect that game has on you. I''m going to run a scan, take some blood samples, and you''ll be able to be back in your chair by tomorrow. But no game until I see what''s going on."


    "That doesn''t make sense. You can monitor and scan me using the pod. No matter how many wires you hook me up to, I should be safer in a Mark 7 pod than in a hospital bed."


    The doctor sighed. Belinda had heard that sigh a hundred times. It was her way of showing fake regret when she had bad news. "I''m afraid not. There is some worry among the higher-ranked medical professionals that those pods pose some long-term problems in special cases. I have to be careful."


    Belinda cocked her head. "Really? What problems? Putting people in pods is the entire purpose of Manpower. Something that makes a pod unsafe affects our business model, not to mention tens of millions of people playing in the game."


    "Everyone else isn''t my concern Belinda, just you. And I did say special cases. It''s very complex, and I don''t want to worry you. You should just rest and concentrate on regaining your strength. Your father will be down soon to visit you, and Bart will be in the next room if you need him."


    As soon as her doctor left, Belinda put in her earplugs, put the Teletubbies Christmas Singalong Marathon on the monitor, and cranked the sound high. She couldn''t hear it and turned the video portion off. Bart hated it, and she played it whenever she could. A laptop was incorporated into her bed, and she swung that in front of her and brought up the company email, telling Uncle Erik that she had invited friends to come by tomorrow and gave him their names to notify security. At least she could visit with people and talk to Milo. She was increasingly convinced that he might be right, which scared her.


    She waited for John to come down and visit with her, only half expecting that he would. She wondered what he knew about the supposed problems with the pods.

 Chapter 240: The Dreadful Secrets of the Mysterious Claw Master Corporation!

    Bork triple-checked everything again. All of his systems were operating within acceptable parameters. It wasn''t easy working this way. The more direct the linkage was, the easier it was to breach security systems. Immersed in their pod-induced comas, wandering the digital landscape of the internet was second nature to all of his siblings. They saw the ebb and flow of data and the patterns that indicated watchdogs and security. It was easier and more fun to do things close up and hands-on¡ªalso more danger of being caught and compromised.


    More than once in the early days, they were forced to abandon comfortably hidden bases of operation because one of them had made an error, and someone had traced a signal. Whether that would have resulted in a raid or not didn''t matter. They didn''t take chances. They would be away from that place within minutes, and another mysterious fire or explosion would destroy any evidence they had been there. It was expensive, but that was just money. Each of them was more concerned with failure. No one liked to screw up in front of their family. It was embarrassing.


    Bork, least of all. The others could laugh it off, but he pouted for weeks, even when he knew the others forgave him. This is why he so rarely got caught and why he was working at a distance today, through remotes and cut-outs, reading data from his extensions rather than feeling it and tasting the flow. This target was too smart. If they hadn''t already suspected that Milo had something to do with Claw Master, the amount of security at this corporation would have made them curious, making the place an automatic target. They loved a challenge. And Claw Master was proving to be a very difficult nut to crack.


    Nina had been the first to try. Her report was amusing at first. They were using McGruff Security for their firewall. The company hadn''t updated in decades. No one took it seriously, and as Nina had suspected, there was a second layer. This also caused some laughs. Encrypto was a very good security system used by many corporations. It was affordable, updated regularly, and a very good choice for small to medium companies. It had one flaw in keeping Nina out: She''d worked with Onyx to create it. They were still getting royalties from the security software a decade after selling the rights to Interlocking Technocracies, complete with the backdoors they had built into the code. Behind the Encrypto system, Claw Master had been wide open. She''d found the files she wanted on the gloves, their creator, and several other interesting things.


    And that was when she was attacked by seven different probes using different methods to backtrack her signal. She almost panicked; it had been a long time since anything so aggressive had noticed her. She blocked what she could, set off an alarm, and got help from the others. They''d lost a small facility in Singapore that was compromised and another in Hungary, but that had bought them time to disengage. Nina was not happy about the situation. "Not polite at all. Who the hell behaves that way? No finesse at all, no attempt to lure me in, just launch probes and scare me off."


    Algernon patted her shoulder. "But it did the job. The big, bad watchdogs barked loudly and scared you away. I''m sure whoever they have in their security division is showing off what they did and asking for a raise. Don''t worry about it. You made my job easier. I''m going to peel this place like an onion."


    Two days later, there was a mysterious fire in a warehouse in Sacramento that burned the building to the ground. The owners collected their insurance, and the firm renting the building was mysteriously gone. Drug residue was found along with the remains of a laboratory. The alphabet was in a private jet that would take them halfway around the world, and Algernon was trying to explain what happened. "I was working my way in, slowly. Each layer was subtle, and I had to take control of the security program at multiple points. My onion analogy was accurate. They had over seventeen layers of security that made up the system. If I''d screwed up on any layer, it would have triggered the probes again. So I took it slow and steady."


    Bork asked. "And?"


    "They were peeling my system like an onion, taking their time and moving slowly, identifying each strand and working their way back. I didn''t know what was happening until all the layers reconfigured and the probes were past my security and digging into my computer. I hit the panic button and ran for the transport." They all looked at each other, exchanging glances and gestures that conveyed thousands of words. Then four of them turned and looked at Bork. He nodded. "Right, my turn. Give me a week to set things up."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    So here he was, nestled in a new command center that fed information to his pod but kept him at a distance from the advanced security surrounding Claw Master. He would take his time and slowly work his way in, gathering data. It would take him weeks at this pace, but he would crack them open this time.


    <hr>


    Wally brought up the attacks with Steven. "They are trying once again and getting smarter. Whichever corporation is behind this, they are determined to find out the dreadful secrets of the mysterious Claw Master corporation!"


    "You''re having fun; admit it."


    Wally grinned, reminding Steven of Ralph. "Damn right, I am. I enjoy seeing humans get better and smarter. If this is the same group, they are learning and being patient. Of course, I''m patient as well. This could take weeks for them to get inside, at which point I think I''ll let them download the file with a picture of the new advertisements we plan to run, maybe a day early. If I can find who leaks them, that will be a clue."


    "Have you mentioned this to Milo?"


    "Of course not. He pays me to handle such mundane things as corporate espionage and marketing. Milo is the research arm of Claw Master. We need to leave him in peace to see what else he makes." Wally spun in his chair and showed Steven a letter, which he opened and read. "Listen to this; I think it''s very promising. One of our early sales of the first run of the gloves was to a research group at Rhebus Biotech Laboratories. They are making some very impressive strides in cloning replacement limbs for accident victims. They think Milo''s technology can help the cloned body parts learn to work with the patient''s nervous system. They sent along a synopsis of their first experiment."


    That got Steven''s undivided attention. Rhebus did a lot of good work in the world. "What are they asking for? A research grant?"


    Wally winked at Steven. "Just the opposite. They know that a breakthrough in their cloning procedures has the potential to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decades, along with the improvement in the lives of millions. They want to license the technology for research and use it to advance their cloning technology. The basic deal is generous: Claw Master receives royalties from any patents related to Milo''s technology, and they will pay an advance on those royalties of five billion dollars. They want the usual non-disclosures and exclusive use of the technology for medical purposes related to their work."


    Steven nodded as he read the synopsis of the deal. "It looks good. One thing I wonder. Will it work on Milo? His physiology and nervous system isn''t normal."


    Wally held up his hands. "No way to know, but I share your doubts. The cloning process is designed for normal humans. It might be decades before they could adapt it to his singular biology. But I''m guessing he won''t mind an additional five billion dollars in the bank."


    "No, I don''t either. I''m wondering what he will spend that much money on, or if it will just sit in an account gaining interest."


    Wally shrugged. "My guess is that he will find a use for it, and it will be something interesting. I look forward to finding out just what it is."


    Sometime that day, in San Diego, California, a salesman named Frank looked at an online brochure for a vacation he would never take. He had two weeks off from his job at AnytimeTaco Inc., but the vacation cost was out of his reach. Maybe in a couple of years. As he debated going home, something everyone else had already done on a Friday afternoon, a deliveryman came into his office with a package he had to sign for. Curious, he broke open the envelope and looked at the order that had been delivered by a special courier. Someone was having a party for 2000 people and needed a rush order of frozen MexTex snacks sent by refrigerated delivery to Philadelphia. It was prepaid with a sizable certified check. He made calls down to the warehouse and got things moving. No one else was around the office, so this was all on him.


    Three hours later, his wife called. "Yes, I know we had plans to go over to the Simpsons tonight, but something came up. I''m working late. But I''m glad you called. I went over the budget again, and we can afford two weeks in Cancun this year. So pack your bags and get the kids ready to go. We leave as soon as I confirm a shipment arrives in Philadelphia.

 Chapter 241: Hunting the Alphabet

    It was rare that Wally was permitted to investigate a corporation''s financial dealings. His kernel included very restricting rules about what he could and could not do without human permission and who those humans were. His ability to interfere in any way with Governments and Corporations was narrow and limited to extreme cases where human lives were at stake. His investigations usually ended when he notified regional authorities or filed reports with a government organization.


    The spill of toxic chemicals into a river and the death of a thousand people in a nearby town? He could immediately quarantine the water use and notify local authorities that he recommended they evacuate the city. But in the case of the slow poisoning of millions of people from toxic byproducts dumped into the same river? File a report. The high probability of a satellite falling from the sky? File a report. Concerns about failing infrastructure in bridges, roadways, and habitats? File reports.


    But in the case of Syllabary, where very powerful people lost hundreds of billions of dollars, he had been given carte blanche to investigate. He was still limited in what he could report, but he could follow all financial transactions through banks, corporations, and any financial institute that moved money through a decaying system. When real money was at stake, and the thieves were still on the loose, rules were bent and permission given. All it had taken was mentioning in a report that he had the ability to trace transactions used by whoever had cleaned out Syllabary. For the next two weeks, requests were made to verify the report, and constant requests for updates and data on his search were sent to him by banks, government agencies, and financial investment groups. To all of them, he replied the same way:


    "In accordance with the restrictions placed upon my operations and the laws of several nations, this investigation will not begin until full permission is granted."


    No one seemed happy with that answer, but it was the only one they got, no matter how many times they asked or how many demands for further information were made. The automated system spat out thousands of replies a day but saved all of the communications and dutifully set up a system to notify them if he learned anything and was allowed to disseminate that information. After two weeks, he was permitted by several governments to investigate foreign banks and other governments. China was ok with him looking into anything outside of China. Likewise, the US wanted him to investigate China and Russia. Helpful suggestions were made about where and what he should investigate. Someone even wanted him to look into Area 51, certain that it was aliens.


    A month after his first report, Steven was called to testify before the United Nations Office of Program Planning, Finance, and Budget, wishing to know why the investigation was taking so long. He spent six hours explaining the difficulties Wally faced and what needed to be done. The next day he had to do the same thing to the World Bank. A week later, it was a closed-door committee session of the US Congress. He patently ignored the requests for meetings with ACME, ALCHEMARX, and concerned but unnamed business consortiums in Russia, Belarus, and Italy. He met the same problem in all the meetings: They wanted a watchdog to sniff a trail but didn''t want him to have any teeth.


    Wally turned down every proposal as unworkable. He couldn''t trace the thieves if he weren''t allowed access. Eventually, a compromise was worked out. Wally would be given total access, but what he reported on would be limited, and the rest would be erased. He could report on the thieves'' activities and any crimes they had committed. In addition, a very narrow list of crimes could be reported. These were at first limited to illegal A.I. activity and nuclear weapons in the possession of terrorist organizations. Wally had insisted on including illegal human genetic experimentation, human trafficking, slavery, and exploitation of children. His Kernel couldn''t let him ignore those crimes like a human could look the other way. Grudgingly, those crimes were included. Steven had pointed out that not including them would also look very bad if that information was ever leaked to the press, which made a few people up for re-election very nervous.


    Six weeks after Wally had put in his initial report, he was allowed to investigate the fall of Syllabary and hunt the mysterious hackers behind it. The remains of Syllabary were the start, where human technicians were still working to find any clues. Wally assimilated the information in less than a second and began processing it in a dozen ways, splitting his resources and attention to do things simultaneously. The underlying system behind the gutted cryptocurrency was sound. The theory worked, and the security was top-notch. In point of fact, it was nearly flawless. Wally suspected Milo would have difficulty getting past it and would surely be detected. His curiosity had him start a side project to recreate Syllabary and its security and let Milo attempt to break it. In the future, he might need a distraction to keep Milo busy.


    Recreating the security system also helped him analyze where it had failed, and he concluded that it hadn''t. There was no break-in. No hackers. This was an inside job. Someone had spent years creating Syllabary and then stolen a portion of the money, a very specific portion of the money. Most investors had been able to access their funds after a short time and pull out their money. The targets had all been large criminal organizations and corporations running illegal operations. The distinction was small in some cases. Criminals incorporated, and corporations became criminals. Either way, Syllabary took their money.


    The next step was tracing that money wherever it went, recovering it, and finding the people behind the theft. This became a much larger job immediately. The A.I. had to bring in more resources. Rarely did he need to use more than one quantum fortress with their ten linked quantum computers. Today he sent commands to two others, available to him since the others had been imprisoned. Not all of them were equal in resources, power, or accessibility. Many had been mothballed, and the fusion reactors powering them shut down. Fusion power was tricky, and humans became nervous without an A.I. to run the reactors. Four of those left were useful to him without spending months asking permission. Dallas-Fort Worth was a tool waiting to be used, all of its databases wiped by the EMP that ended the A.I. imprisoned there. NASA still maintained the fortress that KEPPLER had operated from. Near Zurich, the Swiss banking system maintained and used the fortress where KATHERINE had worked to create and simplify language for a human-machine interface. Others he''d never get access to. QF Norad was unavailable to him; the US military didn''t have ZEUS running Operation THUNDERBOLT any longer, but they would never allow him access inside that fortress.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    There had been some call to destroy all of the quantum fortresses. People equated the machinery with the A.I. that had used them. Wiser heads prevailed. Destroying the quantum computers was a costly waste. Destroying a fusion reactor came with significant problems and costs. The thick collapsium walls that encapsulated the entire fortress weren''t something any country wished to attempt without an overwhelming reason to do so. Collapsium was created in a fusion reactor, one molecule at a time, and while in an unstable state, could be placed and linked to other molecules of its type. The nuclei were much closer than in any other substance, and like other metals, the shared electrons wove around then in a thick sea. One inch of collapsium was stronger than ten feet of the hardest steel alloy and a hundred times heavier. It was unsuitable for almost any use other than a fixed defense on vital resources, reactor housing, and atomic weapons storage.


    Part of Wally''s report would focus on his need for the unused fortresses as additional computing resources. It was always good to remind people rather than find out after something was made unusable. With more resources available, he started to trace the millions of transactions the thieves had made with the money they stole. Small increments had been sent worldwide, stored for a day or week, then moved to other accounts. Corporations and banks had no idea they were being used as temporary storage. Wally followed the trails, and patterns began to emerge.


    Posing as a criminal organization known for supplying sex slaves, a quarter billion dollars was invested in an illegal bio-enhancement laboratory in Queensland by a breakaway section of ALCHEMARX. Entering the organization''s computers, Wally found the locations of 300 altered humans that had been sold around the world and the people who bought them. The information was gathered into files to be sent to law enforcement in each city.


    Fourteen opium growers in Thailand who produced an especially addictive, genetically engineered substance were sent over a billion dollars to purchase their product. Trucks and drivers were hired, and Wally traced the product to a series of warehouses where it had sat for months. Drug enforcement in Thailand and the countries working with them were sent information about the farms.


    On and on Wally went, finding the criminal organizations that benefitted from Syllabary''s breakup.


    -A string of orphanages that took in children in ten countries and sold them in twenty others.


    -Slave-labor gangs working the diamond fields in several African countries, the people supplied by a mercenary group that preyed on vulnerable people in the worst habitats.


    -BioHaven, a corporation on the bleeding edge of cloning technology, was actually buying parts from black market body-baggers.


    After sixteen hours, an immense amount of time for Wally to devote to one problem, he had identified 212 illegal operations that he was allowed to report on, accounting for 16% of the money stolen. He had no clues as to the identities or whereabouts of the thieves, and the trail was cold. The tell-tale signs left by their hacking tools went no further. Over the next week, Wally ran the problem repeatedly with the same result. Whoever they were, and he was certain it was several people, they were very good at what they were doing.


    The files were sent to the authorities; the reports were written and sent. He emphasized that it would take a diligent watchdog to keep these thieves from striking again.


    His last job was talking to Steven. His best friend listened to the story and started laughing, long and hard, as Wally knew he would. "Are you serious? Sorry, of course, you are. They played you! They used you to expose huge criminal organizations worldwide in a way that can''t be swept under the rug. That''s amazing. How long have they been planning this?"


    "Too long. Creating Syllabary took years. Lookin at things with a different perspective, I think they made one mistake. That was assuming I would be allowed to investigate Syllabary and start on that trail immediately. If we hadn''t been dealing with Milo, I would not be aware of either the methods used to bypass the security, or the markers left by those methods. Markers which are now useless. But one thing greatly bothers me."


    "And what is that? That they outwitted you?"


    "No, if anything this is a good lesson for me. I have power far beyond a normal human to process information, but this again shows that I''m not always ''smarter'' than some people."


    "Ah, like these people. And Milo. I see the problem."


    "Yes, what if we have another Milo out there? Many Milos?"


    Steven pondered that for a moment. "Look on the bright side: At least you won''t get bored."


    <hr>


    Bork was not happy to have Algernon and Nina run into his room laughing; he''d failed once again to get past the Claw Master security systems. "Some of us are actually working. What do you need to show me?"


    Within seconds they put different News programs on twenty monitors showing law enforcement dealing with criminal organizations around the globe. "He found the clues and took the bait! I thought we''d been too subtle or that he wasn''t allowed to go looking! But the A.I. finally woke up and followed our trail of breadcrumbs."


    Bork smiled; they could finally close down the last of the Syllabary operation. He set aside another attempt to break into Claw Master. "That''s the best news I''ve had all day. Let''s go waste time doing something silly and fun."

 Chapter 242: Excavations

    After a fine meal of tacos, Milo was unsure what to do. Rather than keep playing without Belinda, he paid for a room at the inn next to where he''d just eaten and logged out of the game. He sent a message to Butch about visiting Belinda the next day and then put some time into solving a puzzle that had been bothering him.


    His small tunnel scouts had been doing their job, mapping out the dimensions of the obstruction under Section E. From just the preliminary data; it was quite large. What he had thought was a thick plate of metal was actually a rectangular solid. So far, the tunnelers had found a solid surface on all four sides going down 150 feet. The only discontinuity in those surfaces was the support pillars of Section E at each corner and a horizontal structure that jutted out from one side. This structure was made of normal building materials and thirty feet on a side. A tunneler had followed and mapped it for a hundred feet before returning to mapping the main surface.


    Milo was more curious than ever. It couldn''t be solid. There was no reason to make a solid block of ultra-hard material. So what was in it? And if it was some sort of storage facility, bunker, or manufacturing facility, then the extension was certainly a supply line. Most probably a maglev supply train or similar transport system. Building such a facility under a Habitat wasn''t a coincidence. The alignment to Section E was too perfect. He had some other theories, but first, he needed to test the material the walls were constructed of and investigate the extension. He sent commands to all the tunnelers, large and small, to clear certain areas. And then he went to get dressed for exploring.


    He''d been wearing his graphene exo-suit for days at a time, correcting flaws and learning how to move in something that enhanced his strength. The results had pleased him, and he''d worked out equipment to use with the suit. A solid helmet with an opaque smoked-glass faceplate replaced the soft mesh hood and face covering. It locked to the neckpiece of his suit, giving him full protection and a heads-up display from his systems. He''d stolen many of the ideas mentioned in the original Starship Troopers book by Robert Heinlein to control his sensors and work with his systems. Tongue, jaw, and neck combinations acted like a keyboard. A detachable backpack contained air and water for extended use in areas where the air might be bad.


    He had rebuilt his claws after testing and much research into materials. Additional ''exo-muscle'' in hands, feet, and tail made up for his lack of mass. The claw tips were tungsten reinforced with lonsdaleite, a hex-based carbon form 58% stronger than diamond. It wasn''t easy to work with, and the replicators had gone through several tries before Milo was happy with the outcome. Alta-Viator wasn''t around in this world to give him sharp claws, so Milo made his own.


    Down in the sub-basement where the large tunnel started, he had a small cargo mover ready. The vehicle was meant for moving in service tunnels and was only 30" wide. Milo loaded tools and scanners and drove it into the tunnels that slowly sloped down to where the excavators had hit the blockage. After an hour, he emerged into a modest cave dug out by the machines. The air was bad here, filled with exhaust fumes and rock dust. He was glad to have a full air system in the suit. Examining the material, he saw a dull grey metal with low luster. An attempt to scratch it with a diamond-tipped drill resulted in a broken drill bit. The claws of his suit couldn''t touch it. They were made of the hardest material available to him, and they couldn''t leave a mark on substance. He was getting more and more excited as he tried several other tests.


    Forcing himself to breathe slower, he tested the material with X-Ray Fluorescence. The analyzer came up with no information other than 100% of the X-ray beam had failed to penetrate the material and excite its atoms. The angle didn''t matter; all of the beam was dispersed. That was the final clue Milo needed. Someone had built a huge installation of some sort using Collapsium and hid it beneath a Habitat. The material was horrific to make. It was technically a metal, but the distance between individual nuclei was much shorter than normal, resulting in an ultra-dense material. A one-inch plate of collapsium was equivalent to ten feet of steel.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    There were many drawbacks to using it. First was the weight. At over a hundred times the density of normal steel, it was useless for anything other than a fixed location. Several corporations had dreamed of constructing tanks and missiles with the material, but it wasn''t feasible. Why buy a collapsium armored tank that is too heavy for most roads and too slow to maneuver? Especially when it costs a thousand times more than a standard tank! Secondly, making collapsium took the use of a microscopic black hole to generate the stress needed to collapse the molecular structure. The black hole required the power of a fusion reactor. Each molecule of collapsium was created in a flux state and could be moved magnetically to where it bonded with a larger amount of the material. The building beneath Section E had taken years to construct fully, and Milo had zero doubts that it had contained a fusion reactor at some point. You simply couldn''t transport the amount of collapsium in use here.


    Which gave hints as to what this was.


    The main uses of collapsium were for armored bunkers beneath government capitols and nerve centers. The largest in the world was part of NORAD, under Cheyenne Mountain, in Colorado, USA. The chance of using nuclear weapons was small, but governments and militaries prepared for extremes. The second major use was in fusion and fission reactors. Milo pondered his next moves. Someone had tried to hide something under the habitat. They might be upset at him finding out. Of course, that was only if he got caught. He briefly considered consulting Wally but decided that was a bad idea. It was too high a probability that Wally had something in his kernel that would be triggered by someone like Milo breaking into something important that was probably a government installation. Milo had no intention of leaving something like this alone. It was underneath his home, and he considered it fair game.


    The next step was moving down through the narrower tunnels that led to the extension that jutted out from the collapsium walls. The small tunnelers had been busy making sure those tunnels would accommodate him. It took him two hours to carefully move down to that level, testing for possible cave-ins and leaving lines to help him climb back out quickly. The insanity of crawling through tight tunnels recently bored in the rock, hundreds of feet underground, didn''t even occur to him. He was having too much fun.


    Finally, he was standing on top of what was certainly a supply tunnel. The construction was standard reinforced concrete block, two feet thick. He was surprised to pick up no magnetic fields in operation nearby, which he would have if this were a maglev tunnel. Normally, getting inside such a tunnel would be difficult. Luckily, he had machinery for that. After another hour, his tunneler had made a two-foot diameter opening in the tunnel. Milo had been listening with audio sensors the whole time, picking up nothing and shutting the machine down every minute to hear. When it hit a hollow area, it pulled back, and Milo looked inside to find a dark tunnel extending in each direction. His first guess had been right; he saw the metal rings at two-foot intervals of a magnetic levitation transport system but completely unpowered. Someone had turned it off long ago, based on the dust on the rings. Milo waited a half hour and looked in each direction using a probe as far as he could. Nothing happened.


    The next step was to send in a drone. The little robot fired up its three small propellers and moved into the tunnel, sending its visuals back to Milo. He sent it away from the installation first. It moved along steadily until it came to a blockage. Something had collapsed the tunnel in this direction. That was something to investigate later. He sent the drone in the other direction. The tunnel was the same and ended in a set of collapsium-coated doors sealing the tunnel. To the side was a small walkway that led to a more human-sized door. Milo was through the tunnel and jogging that way a moment later.

 Chapter 243: Tunnel Rat

    The drone flitted back and forth slowly at the end of the tunnel. No active scanning was detected. Milo moved along the side of the tunnel, taking his time and not moving fast. He was much harder to detect with slow, steady movement. Anyone that constructed an installation of this size and expense had to have some type of detection system running on their entrances, but he was picking up nothing.


    The area at the end of the tunnel was a small area to unload cargo and people. The main doors would only be opened for very large and important shipments, for security purposes. Normal cargo and passengers would be handled through a smaller door. Normal steel doors sealed off a small warehouse next to the wide platform where cargo from the maglev would be unloaded. To the side of the doors was a call box and keypad, neither of which seemed to have power. Within five minutes, he had the front panels off and was tracing wires and trying to find out if any of the system was live. It wasn''t. Moving to the doors themselves, he saw that the locking mechanism was electromagnetic. With enough power, the lock would hold even if the doors were blown off their hinges. But he detected no power.


    Feeling silly, he forced his claws into the crack between the doors and heaved. It opened easily, taking him by surprise. He fell over, rolled, and returned to a standing position, waiting for something to happen. Nothing happened. He shrugged and walked into the small warehouse. On one side were modern electric pallet movers and forklifts designed to handle encapsulated material. A stack of empty cargo capsules was taking up one corner. The smallest was 24'''' in diameter and 72" long, designed for pneumatic delivery systems similar to what was used in the Habitat. The large cargo capsules were 72" in diameter and 144" long, designed for heavier loads or large machinery. Loaded capsules would arrive on the maglev and be brought to this area, checked carefully, and then put on ramps that would push them into the pneumatic system to cargo areas within the facility. All of the machinery was electric but was uncharged. Charging outlets were dead.


    There was a small waiting room for people, with a scanning booth and then a set of collapsium doors that would open to let people in one at a time. He carefully investigated every inch of the area around the scanning booth, finding nothing active. There was no power running to anything. Also, no way to open the heavy doors. As before, he began taking things apart, testing circuits, and looking for anything that would give a clue about what the facility was and how to get inside or access its security system. After two hours, he gave up on getting in through the doors and investigated the pneumatic system.


    The door mechanisms were locked, but the manual locking mechanism was easy for him to bypass. They weren''t security doors, but cargo doors. A capsule was inserted, the door shut, and the area would pressurize and shoot the capsule through the system to another warehouse. Opening the largest door, which was at the end of the ramp for the 72" diameter capsules, he saw that there was already a capsule loaded into the chute. That wasn''t something he could move on his own.


    The second door, only 24" in diameter, was empty. Beyond it was a second door that would open when the system pressurized. Ten minutes later, the first door was off its hinges, and Milo was cutting open the second door. There was no pressure in the tube or power to the system, but he wanted the door removed entirely. That took a full hour, cutting into the steel and removing it. There were four ways to enter this complex that he''d found: Massive collapsium doors he couldn''t move, a smaller human-sized door that he couldn''t move, a large tunnel jammed with cargo capsules, and the small tunnel that he was going to explore.


    A 24" manhole was easy for most people to move through. A short, 24" pipe could be crawled through by small adults for a short time. Several famous prison breaks had been through sewer tunnels this size. But long tunnels descending into unknown facilities in total darkness was something most people could only enter in dire emergencies. Ten-year-old children, desperate prisoners, and Milo had no trouble. For Milo, it was like parts of the Habitat or the smaller caves in Genesis. He did take the precaution to go slow and not dive straight in. A 100'' safety line gave him a way to pull himself out. His claws had no trouble holding onto the softer steel of the pneumatic tube. Pausing and thinking over what he was doing, Milo risked it¡ªthe tube entered by a passage through the collapsium siding. In an emergency, he might be able to cut out of the tube, and he had air for another six hours and could send his drones for more supplies if needed or retreat.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The first fifty feet were at a thirty-degree decline, which would help move the cargo capsules, and after that, the tube straightened and made a long curve to the left. Milo advanced on his hands and knees for several hundred feet before entering another sealed door. A visual sensor in the tunnel controlled this one. Incoming packages would trigger it and open the door. But again, there was no power to either door or sensor. Milo was forced to bring out a small powered tool that used the same material as his claws for a cutting blade. It took him an hour to cut through enough of the mechanism to force the door into its slot and proceed past it. Things were easier after that. The next part of the tube was clear plexiglass on top, and he pushed the door upward and hopped out.


    He was in a cargo area like the one outside, with hundreds of empty cargo capsules stacked on cargo movers. Pallets, pallet movers, and small cargo trains filled the room, along with tube systems to send cargo onward. Three chairs sat in front of keyboards and screens, unresponsive. There were several sets of locked steel doors leading from the cargo area. Lights were off, and the temperature was 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but what surprised him was the air quality. It wasn''t breathable. Someone had flooded the area with argonite, an inert gas composed of argon and nitrogen. Trying to crawl into this area without a breathing apparatus would have been fatal. And it put him on a timer. He signaled the drone at the top of the tube to call another and bring him more air tanks, just in case.


    He didn''t bother trying to work with the computer terminals. They were dead and a waste of time with no power. He needed to go into the complex. None of his sensors were picking up any sound. Moving to the interior steel doors, he found he could insert his saw, cut the lock at the top and bottom, and force them open. Before him was a long hallway, twenty feet square, that would be well-lit if there were power. Doorways on either side were numbered and had lists of what was stored inside. The first was so mundane that it made him pause: Sixty-seven pallets of toilet paper. That at least confirmed the obvious guess that this facility had once had inhabitants. Curious, he checked the floor for dust and found nothing; it was swept clean. He advanced down the corridor, sometimes noting the contents of rooms but increasingly looking for an area dedicated to control systems, engineering, power, or anything but household goods, food, and mundane items. He was forced to make right turns three times but found no cross corridors. He finally came to a second set of doors and, after opening them, found he was back in the cargo area he had first broken into, with a drone waiting to give him two bottles of compressed air.


    Sighing, he opened the other two sets of doors. One led to an area set up as living quarters. It reminded him of what a Habitat must have looked like in the early days, with clean walls and floors and apartments opening off large hallways. There were several large kitchens and dining areas, a gymnasium, and a large room that confused the hell out of him until he recognized it as an athletic field complete with a quarter-mile track around a large, empty swimming pool. Whoever had lived here had done so in style!


    Or had they? There was no wear on the track, no scratches on the basketball court floor, and no evidence there had ever been water in the swimming pool. The facility might never have been used. He was wondering how this had all been powered. The last doorway led into a smaller area that showed wear on the floors. Wooden office doors were open, and marks on the floor showed where furniture had been. Meeting rooms, projection rooms, and rooms with nothing but several whiteboards and a stack of aging Post-it notes were quickly passed by. At the far end was a non-descript wooden door with a missing nameplate. From underneath the door, Milo saw a glimmer of light. Carefully moving forward, he listened at the door and, hearing nothing, checked the doorknob. It turned. The room beyond was beautiful. There were a dozen computer workstations. Each station had six monitors, and more were on the main wall, or they could combine to make one large viewing screen. A plastic popcorn maker seemed very out of place on a side table.


    Light was coming from one monitor at one station. Milo sat in the comfortable chair in front of the screen, not breathing, pondering his next move. This was the first powered machinery he had seen in the entire complex. A lone prompt blinked on the otherwise black screen, and then a word appeared.


    [Hello?]

 Chapter 244: Moves on Chess Boards

    The word sat on the screen, blinking. Milo stared at it. Every other part of this facility was dead, with no power, and filled with a neutral gas that couldn''t be breathed. Yet this room had power and possibly a working operating system that had noticed him as he entered.


    [Would you like to play a game?]


    (What games do you have?)


    [Games: Tic Tac To, Chess, Berzerk: Roomba Style, Reactor Control System]


    Milo selected Tic Tac To. A simple board appeared, and he played against the computer, resulting in several ties and, surprisingly, several wins for him. The responses from the computer were slow. After a dozen more games, all resulting in ties, he got a prompt.


    [You are good at Tic Tac To; thank you for playing. How about a nice game of chess?]


    A chessboard appeared, giving Milo a choice of colors. He chose white, going first. He won in four moves.


    [You are good at chess! You have played before?! This will be fun!]


    The board was set up again. This time it took Milo nine turns to win. He quickly played another seventeen chess games, always winning but taking longer and longer. He wondered if he was training the computer. Queries about the system, commands in multiple computer languages, and anything besides playing chess got no response.


    [Thank you for playing games. Resources limited. The next game of chess is available in 17 hours and 31 minutes. Will you return and play a nice game of Chess?]


    Milo noticed that the lights were dimming slightly.


    (I will return. How do I increase resources? Emergency power generation? Storage Batteries? Trouble Shooting?)


    [Energy Storage: .0000000000000000000010017%]


    [Emergency Battery Backup System: Disabled]


    [Secondary Emergency Battery Backup System: Disabled]


    [Diesel Generators: Manual Control, Offline]


    [Trouble Shooting Crews: 0]


    [Repair Crews: 0]


    [First Shift Personnel: Transferred, Files Deleted]


    [Second Shift Personnel: Transferred, Files Deleted]


    [Third Shift Personnel: Transferred, Files Deleted]


    [Administration Personnel: Files Deleted]


    [Communications: Offline]


    [Core 1-9: Down]


    [Core 10: Operating at 3% capacity. 99.99999% devoted to Reactor Control Game]


    [Armageddon Protocols Enacted-Pending completion of game and win conditions.]


    [Schwarzschild Singularity System: Critical]


    [Bethe Containment Fields: Critical]


    [Current Game Status: Critical. The estimate of the end of the game has changed. Old estimate: 2 years, three months, seven days. Current Estimate: 1 year, two months, three days. The new estimate reflects the usage of resources to learn new games.]


    The screen blinked with this information three times in red, getting dimmer. Then the screen went dark, and the lights shut off. Milo sat in the dark, thinking for a few minutes, then got up and left. He needed to research and bring down supplies for an air system, tools, and many other supplies. His mind whirled with the possibilities presented by this place. He also knew something very, very bad was going on, and he needed to figure things out.


    <hr>


    "Honey, it''s just a little paperwork. I know you aren''t feeling well, so I made sure that the legal guys put markers where you have to sign and have those pages on top. It will only take a moment."


    Belinda looked at her father, flanked by a woman from his legal department whose name escaped her. It was hard to think, the new drugs were hitting her very hard, and she was sleepy. "Why am I signing these things? And why now?"


    "Business can''t wait, honey; some of these are about your treatments. We have to get your signature for some of them since you''re over 16 now. That''s how your mother set things up."


    "Fine, hand them to me." She swung out the small table on her desk, and the woman put the first of many papers on the desk with a pen.


    Belinda looked at her. "Just put them all down at once. What the hell, Do you think I can''t handle signing more than one paper at a time? And Daddy? What have I said about bringing strangers to my private hospital room? I don''t like it."


    The woman hesitated, and Belinda glared at her. "That wasn''t a damned request. Put the paperwork on my desk and leave. Or take it and leave; I don''t care. But I''m not going to sit here and have some stranger hand me things one at a time while you and Daddy make eyes at each other or talk over my head."


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "Miss Sabbatino, I''m sorry, but I..."


    "Seimovich. You know my name. It''s on all the paperwork you want me to sign. Belinda Seimovich. The same name as Uncle Victor. Have you met Uncle Victor? Do you talk back to Victor Seimovich? Of course not; you''re still around. Drop the papers, then leave. I''m tired and sick and don''t have to be pleasant about things when you barge into my room and wake me up!"


    Shaking, pale hands put the paperwork on her desk, and John made shooing motions for the woman to leave. Her father smiled at her awkwardly and sat down to wait.


    Belinda made no move to pick up the pen. "I sent you an email about my friends coming over today, Daddy. Did you tell the front desk?"


    Her father shook his head. "No, I don''t think you feel well enough to have friends, honey. Let''s skip that until later. Just sign those papers, and then you can rest for the day. Maybe next week?"


    Belinda looked at the first one. Her eyes were blurry, and the words were difficult to read. "I need to talk to Eric, please. Can you get him, Daddy? I have some things to talk to him about."


    "About what, Belinda?"


    "You want me to sign paperwork today? I''m trying, but I can''t read it. You''re horrible at reading things to me, even when I was little. If you can''t handle fairy tales, you can''t read legalese to me. Eric can help me with these. If you want them signed today, go get Eric so he can help me. I''ll nap until he gets here." She picked up the stack of papers, held them to her chest, and rolled on her side, facing away from her father. John tried to talk, but she ignored him, and he left after a few minutes.


    A half-hour later, Eric Kresthammer knocked on the door politely and waited.


    "Come in, Uncle Eric. I need your help with some things."


    Eric sat down, noting the tone of her voice. How John, who''d been around the girl all her life, couldn''t understand her moods was beyond him. But then, John had always had trouble reading people. He was great at ''big picture'' stuff but not so good with people¡ªeven his own daughter.


    "Whatever you need, Belinda. I''ll always be here to help you."


    She looked at him directly. "I''m counting on that. Here''s what I need today: My oversized tablet, the one I''ve customized. It''s in my room, 2nd right drawer of the pink desk, slid under a pile of shirts with ponies on them. Bring my laptop, and please, burn those shirts. I don''t know why John keeps buying them for me. Then I want electronic copies of all these papers he wants to be signed sent to my laptop so I can enlarge the print, read them, and sign electronically. I''ll work after I get cleaned up and go to my rooms. Have Clement and Sally from the nursing staff come in and help me with that. They can set me up in my chair with an IV drip to continue my treatments. Then I need you to notify the front desk and security that I have friends coming to visit and to escort them to my rooms."


    Eric was silent for a moment, then made a decision. "I''ll handle it. Send me your friends'' emails, and I''ll send them a confirmation message. Legal is going to throw a fit about the documents, you know that?"


    "Oh, I know. They hate to ever give me electronic copies. That''s why I think you shouldn''t ask them. They work for you, and you have access to all the files. Go into the legal files, and send me the documents. And Eric? While you''re in the legal files, please copy all documents pertaining to my trust funds and stocks, and send those to me in a file marked ''Pony Pictures.'' You and I will be going over them this coming week. Something you don''t need to bother either my step-father or Victor with. Do you understand what I''m asking of you? I will need help and guidance over the next few years, maybe forever. I need to know if I can count on you."


    That made him pause. He''d assumed this day was coming at some point; he just hadn''t expected it today. His world was dividing itself into three factions, with him in the middle and needing to choose a side. He''d put thought into the choice already. "I understand, and I''m in. But I''ll be honest. The two of us can''t do this alone. I can keep John and Victor away from you for now, but it will become more difficult as time passes."


    "Play them off against each other. Hint to Victor that Daddy is being pushy and that you''re delaying the paperwork. Victor will put pressure on Daddy. You can tell Daddy you''re working to get what he needs from me."


    "And in the meantime, I have someone that I think can help."

 Chapter 245: Eric has Three Bosses

    Traveling across Section E to Section H wasn''t a problem. Butch and the gang had previously traveled the corridors and stairways, moving all over the section to attend swap meets for games and tournaments and just hanging out with other people their age. As long as you traveled in a group, stayed in the lighted areas, stayed out of some of the gang-controlled areas (Or asked permission. Respect went a long way.), and in general didn''t do anything stupid, then there was about a 90% chance of a boring trip. The other 10% of the time, you ran when Butch or Brad yelled "Run!" or backed them up when they stood their ground.


    Today was boring, and they arrived at the entrance to Section H and the access to the floors leased by Manpower Inc. and hit their first barrier.


    "No tours today. We aren''t hiring. You''re too young. Scan the code on the wall and read about the program. Come back when you''re older. Next!" The very bored voice that was connected to a very bored security guard behind a locked door gave the impression that they said that a lot.


    Butch smiled at the camera and said, "I will certainly consider that, sir. But today, we have invitations to visit Belinda Sabbatino. She''s expecting us."


    The voice sounded less bored now. "Go away. Miss Sabbatino isn''t available to talk to you, whatever grand idea you have about a game or anything else. Good day."


    "She invited us to come over. You should have us on your list of people to let through security."


    There was a moment of rustling. "Not seeing it kid. Not seeing anyone noted as needing to see Belinda Sabbatino."


    Milo was busy tapping on his datapad and mumbled something to Butch, who smiled at him before looking back at the camera. "No problem, sir. I''m sure the email got lost somehow. My associate has just sent a message to Erik Kresthammer. You probably call him ''Boss''. He''ll be down soon to personally remind you about our appointment. We''ll wait patiently out here."


    Min scoffed, "No way am I being patient. This is bullshit."


    Butch put his arm around his little sister. "Sure is¡ªcorporate bullshit. You never get in quickly, but if you yell and scream, they decide to never let you in or call security. We won before we got here, and I''m just playing games with him. The longer he waits, the more he gets chewed out."


    Min considered that. "Ok, I can be patient in that case."


    For one reason or another, the door opened, and an annoyed-looking low-level security guard did his best to smile at them. "Come right on in, Kids. Eric is coming down to escort you to Belinda''s rooms."


    Butch held out his hand. "Thank you, sir. I know you have a tough job. We''re just anxious to see her." The guard shook hands just as Eric came around the corner. His fast lost it''s stern expression.


    "Great, glad to see you''re already inside. Thanks, Gerry." The trip to Belinda''s rooms took five minutes. Milo was using his glasses to record everything. His security cameras saw a lot, but it never hurt to have more data and build a model of the facility. He might be coming here sometime without a polite invitation.


    <hr>


    Milo hadn''t realized how hungry he was until he smelled the food. True to her word, Belinda had ordered a buffet with all the food her friends had liked at the event. He was starving, and it wasn''t just a figure of speech. He''d barely eaten in the last few days, and his normal nutritional habits barely replenished the calories he burned. It did not help that his abnormal metabolism demanded more from his stomach in times of high stress and enhanced mental activity. Milo had been in a state of high anxiety over talking to Belinda, and just as that ended, had come the discovery of the mysterious facility below the Habitat. The physical exertion of crawling through vertical tunnels and moving equipment burned even more. He''d be doing the same thing again tonight. After the visit to Belinda was over, he had to load some modified equipment onto a cargo mover and start his second trip down in time for his next game of chess. He was taking food and air supplies to begin a stockpile down there.


    Everyone had noticed how thin he looked when he showed up ten minutes late. As they entered Belinda''s rooms, he was flanked by Butch and Brad and escorted to a seat. Yumi and Min appeared a minute later with plates of food for him and themselves. Butch bent down and looked him in the eyes. "Sit. Eat. Or I will carry tales to Mama that you look like no one feeds you. And you know what she''ll do then." Milo actually wasn''t sure, but he understood a serious threat when he heard one. He picked up a corn dog and started eating. He didn''t stop for a half-hour and four plates of food.


    Min had left him in Yumi''s hands when he started on the second plate and went off to trash her big brother at Squishy Humans. Belinda had started on her playhouse, complete with all the games the gang had won at the event. It had taken several conversations with her father to make sure they were all ordered, and in the end, she had done the work herself to make sure the right versions were on the list, along with the parts that burned out the quickest. She''d sent the email to Eric to handle, and he thanked her for doing the work, added his name to the order, and sent it on to the procurement office. If only everything were so easy. She was depending on Eric more and more and bypassing her step-father. She wondered if he even noticed.


    <hr>


    "Dammit, Eric, I thought we agreed to cancel her play dates. What are those damned kids doing here?" John had only heard after the fact that Belinda had visitors.


    Eric was sitting in a comfortable chair across from John''s desk. Years ago, when he found out how long meetings with John could go, he''d ordered an overstuffed leather chair and put a minibar next to it with an espresso machine on top. John tended toward manic-depressive swings that produced lethargy for several days and then a sprint to make deadlines. When he was up, he was enthusiastic, smart, and could keep a team focused on a project. And when he wasn''t having a good week, that was when Eric earned his salary. He wasn''t sure what type of day today was yet.


    "John, please, you want the girl to be responsible, right? She planned this out and has been trying to schedule time with her friends, and everyone else seems to be working against her. No notice about needing to run tests. Trying new drugs and not telling her how hard they will hit. I assume the doctors know what they''re doing, but they don''t tell me or Belinda a damn thing, and they''re making it hard on the girl. Shit, the other day, they drug her out of the game because they used too high of a dosage, and the pod declared a medical emergency. She deserved a day off today. She worked for it, and I saw no reason for these mysterious memos from a doctor who doesn''t talk to me that canceled her time with her friends."


    John grimaced and looked slightly guilty. Eric was always polite, but he wasn''t a fool. "I''m just trying to do what''s right for her. She needs to get better by the time she''s eighteen, or Victor will roll in here with a pile of lawyers, drag her off somewhere, and try to take over. The man is crazy and dangerous."


    Eric tilted his beer back, drinking to stifle a few comments that came to his head about people acting crazy. "And that''s what this new round of paperwork is about? Stopping Victor? Why all the pressure on her to sign stacks of things that no one will talk to her about?"


    "Yes, it''s about Victor. It''s because I don''t trust Victor. I don''t trust his little private army of thugs or the four ''doctors'' he has following him around, supposedly to look after his health. He''s going to try something, and if Belinda will just sign the papers, I''ll be named her guardian and keep her safe. Victor won''t dare challenge a US court, not when he''s already in trouble and supposed to be in hiding. As soon as those kids are gone. I need you to go down there and talk to her again."


    Eric nodded. "I understand, John; I''ll work on things. But I''m going to do it slowly. I''ll review the paperwork, show her how it protects her, and why it''s all in her best interest. She trusts me, John, and I can use that to get things done. Leave her alone for a few days, please? Give me a chance to close the deal."


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    John nodded. He didn''t like putting pressure on Belinda, partly because it didn''t work most of the time. Well, all the time, lately. "Thanks, Eric. Not sure what I''d do without you. What do we do about Victor?"


    Eric stood up. Three beers in twenty minutes gave him some courage, as he''d hoped. It was dumb, but so was this whole situation. "Leave Victor to me. I''ll buy us some time."


    <hr>


    "So, Mr. Eric, right-hand man to my lazy nephew-by-marriage, what do you have to tell me today that is interesting. And is it a vodka or whiskey day?"


    Eric appreciated some things about Victor; one of them was his bar. "Vodka. Whiskey is for sipping and relaxing. I''m working today, so I need vodka."


    Victor laughed and wagged his bushy head in appreciation. "The way you work and drink, one would think you were Russian." From Victor, this was high praise. Eric slammed back the first shot of vodka, and Victor poured another.


    "Let''s see, today I did my best to sabotage John in Belinda''s eyes. She will blame him for her friends having trouble getting in, and John almost remembers doing it himself; he''s so worked up about it. He pushed her too hard again after I hinted you were ''up to your old tricks.'' He screwed it all up, of course. Now, I will delay him for a couple of weeks while I ''explain'' all the legal details and show her how John is trying to take control of her, take her money, and change her name to Sabbatino. She hates that name, by the way." He played a small audio clip of Belinda handling her stepfather and lawyer.


    "Seimovich. You know my name. It''s on all the paperwork you want me to sign. Belinda Seimovich. The same name as Uncle Victor. Have you met Uncle Victor? Do you talk back to Victor Seimovich? Of course not; you''re still around."


    Victor started laughing so hard that he began to choke, and his bodyguard pounded him on the back. "Enough. Enough! Thank you, Yuri. You have cured my coughs, but I will need an hour with my masseuse tonight for the bruises. No, no, I joke. More vodka will cure this. Listen to that girl?! Sick and in a hospital bed, yet she still handles them both. Please, play that again, Mr. Eric, and leave me a copy."


    Eric continued a few minutes later. "John makes it easy. Belinda trusts you, and it won''t take much to show her that having you as a guardian is just a family matter. We''ll make the paperwork look different from the normal legalese but just as airtight. A clear, no-nonsense agreement between family members that will let you protect her."


    Victor nodded; he liked the idea. "And what is it that Belinda wants? She is so young, it''s hard to know. It''s important to give people what they want."


    Eric smiled. Victor knew very well what he wanted, and they agreed on the amount. "This is where John really screws up. Belinda wants to have friends and family. He just can''t seem to let her have it. And most of her friends are in that game she loves. Instead of trying to control her, I suggest we let her play as much as she wants. She doesn''t want to run a business and will appreciate her family doing it for her so she can be with her friends. Do you know she can walk and fight in the game? She told me about ''crushing skulls with her mace'' and taking on a gang of thugs. She loves it in there."


    That was excellent news for Victor. He knew all about that game, though he pretended not to. So be it if that was where Belinda wanted to live her life. Her Uncle Victor would be happy to manage the family fortune for her. Along with Eric, of course. The man was valuable. He''d told Victor what he wanted and what he would do to get it. And he knew how to drink! It was good to talk to people and drink. The vodka told you who they really were, and Eric Kresthammer was a man who was sick of working for his old friend, John, and wanted more money than John would ever pay him. Victor understood Eric.


    Eric stood, an impressive feat. Victor couldn''t feel his legs anymore. "Off to bed, my friend?"


    Eric laughed, brushed off pretzel crumbs from his pants, and straightened his tie. When he spoke, only some of the vodka showed. "I''m off to visit with Belinda and her friends. I think they should come over a couple more times this week to distract John and slow things up until you''re ready. It would help if you rattle his cage a bit. Pay him surprise visits or take him drinking. I''m sure you know what will make him nervous."


    "A good plan. War on two fronts. Go, go. I must have Yuri haul this old man to bed while the young man goes back to work."


    <hr>


    Eric popped into his office and went immediately to the restroom, where he used an inhaler and vomited up the contents of his stomach. The anti-alcohol pills he''d taken too many of before seeing Victor were working hard, and he''d pay the price with a migraine tomorrow. Dear god, the old man could drink! Twenty minutes later, he walked into Belinda''s playroom, where several teens were screaming at the tops of their lungs.


    Belinda was racing against Milo in a new game that was just out. Both players designed a heavily mutated cyborg hedgehog for one minute before racing through the forest, running over cute animals, and stealing their food. Milo was losing, but only by a little bit. Belinda hadn''t told him she''d been practicing all week. Points were scored for the number of animals and people you knocked down and how much food you stole. They were racing side by side, but Belinda had the edge because of the strawberry layer cake in her food bag.


    Rounding the last corner, Milo started accelerating down the final stretch, using his after-burner and venting flames out of his tail. Belinda veered off the track. "Oh, look. Cheese shop!" Milo spun his mutant hedgehog around and raced for the quaint little store a hundred yards off the track. He beat Belinda there by a full two seconds, which is why she wasn''t hurt when the Cheese shop exploded in his face, stunning him. She casually walked to the finish line to the cheers of her friends.


    Milo glared at her. "Exploding Cheese shops?"


    She shrugged. "I have no idea how that got in the game." She saw Uncle Eric laughing at the end of the room. "You can play Min and get some practice in." She rolled over to Eric, who was chewing on a dried-up, cold corn dog.


    "Any news?"


    Eric nodded. "I''ve got them running in circles, but it won''t last forever. John thinks I''ll convince you. Victor thinks I''m stalling John and swaying you to his side. So be nice to Victor and mean to John, and we''ll switch the week after. Part of the plan is to let you be with your friends more, but they''ll have to come over here. Don''t worry about the budget. Just tell your assistant to buy any food you need. Anything you need from me?"


    She pointed to the room where her gaming pod usually was. "Yes, Daddy took my pod. Do you know where? I need it back."


    "He said something about making sure it was working right. So it will be in Doctor Swinkler''s lab. I''ll work on getting it back. Now, go back and play with your friends, and I''m going to get some sleep. I feel like I have three bosses, and you''re the only one I don''t have to drink with."


    She gave him a quick hug and went back to her friends. He noted how well she could move her arms in the special gloves. John was an idiot. Eric had checked out Claw Master. They were a full-fledged research firm projected to have explosive growth and profits in several different markets. They''d just announced a five billion dollar deal with Rhebus, creating waves in the tech market. And little Belinda was one of only a half dozen people in their first playtest group, with an inside track to the company. The small kid, Milo, was the key. He was a step closer to Claw Master¡ªalso a bigshot hero in Genesis, coincidentally on the same raid as Belinda. Eric didn''t know where he''d come from before he showed up in the Habitat, but he''d known Belinda before the event here.


    She''d been clever. Even he didn''t know how she''d pulled off the coup for Claw Master at her event, but it was obvious that the whole thing had been set up ahead of time. She was so much smarter than her father. She was making connections even as limited as she was and was putting together a team of people. She hadn''t told him everything, and he didn''t blame her. Things were too muddled right now. What he didn''t know, he couldn''t give away.


    It was going to be a joy to work for her when she took over. He just had to hold things together a little longer for her.

 Chapter 246: Lab Work

    As he hurried through the main air duct between Section E and Section H, Milo wondered just when he had gone from being bored with all the time in the world to having no time at all and too many jobs. The nature of the buried building and its treasures weighed heavily on his mind, and he desperately needed to return to it and further his investigations. But he feared what might happen to Belinda.


    They had talked some while playing games, and he noted that her problem-solving ability and reflexes improved after being much lower when they started playing. She attributed it to the new drugs the doctor had prescribed her, and Milo agreed. As soon as Butch and Min had put signs in front of the security cameras saying ''Private Party, Keep out!'', she had unhooked the IV. Over the next four hours, she improved remarkably. Milo picked the lock on a cabinet that held medical supplies and removed small vials from it so he could take a sample back to analyze. Belinda also had him take a vial of her blood.


    But he needed more than that. First and foremost, he wanted a look at her gaming pod. It was heavily modified to deal with her disabilities and access. It was sending false information, but he didn''t know if it was storing her actual scans or not. Proof that the pod was sending inaccurate data would help Wally (or Ralph!) formulate a plan to protect her. Milo had been an orphan and victim with no guardians, making Ralph''s job easier. Belinda was heir to a financial empire with many people who wouldn''t just let the AI take charge of her. The law was on her Stepfather''s side. Or possibly Victor''s. It depended on the country and the courts.


    Milo didn''t care about laws and courts. He''d held off doing a full hack of the Manpower computers and personally visiting them because he had been leery of offending Belinda or having to lie to her about why he was running around her home during the night in a set of cybernetic armor with a tail and claws. But now she was encouraging him to do just that. The scenarios he had described seemed more likely each day, and Eric confirmed that her stepfather and Victor had plans in the works. Whatever it took to make sure she didn''t disappear some night. The last day had been hard on her, and Milo could see some of his paranoia rubbing off on her. He approved of that.


    So here he was, with not enough time to get to his next chess game but needing to to do some snooping. Snooping and Belinda won out, and the chess game could wait another two hours. And it was more efficient this way. He was already suited up and could go from snooping directly to spelunking. He had several computers sharing the job of ensuring he didn''t show up on the security system and any room he was in looked normal. The outer layer of his armor was specifically made to be hard to photograph and easy for his computers to edit him out. Sound was taken care of by another computer. In front of him, a small Roomba-like drone moved alone, just another of the thousands that cleaned air ducts regularly, except that this one was scouting ahead for him and under his control.


    The drone hit an obstruction and signaled him. Milo rounded the corner, saw the barrier, and got out his tools. The way was blocked by a metal door with a fan in the center to move the air along. These baffles prevented debris or vermin from moving through the air system while helping the air to flow. Milo had removed all of them in Section E since they hampered his movement. He had two of these to remove from his path. Each took only a few minutes, loosening the clamps and folding them to the side. This was a 30" tunnel, technically able to be used by a human maintenance worker. However, no one used them unless they had to. Further on, he took a side passage that narrowed to only 24", with several corners and small drops. These would never be used by a normal-sized person without Milo''s love of cramped spaces.


    The last barrier was a short section of ductwork only 18" wide, tight even for him. The grate that separated him from the room beyond was tricky to remove, but eventually, he could drop down into the room, stepping onto a handy desk. It reminded him of the time he and the twins had exited into Old Healer''s office. But unlike then, no one was waiting for them with claws out. This was the office of one of Belinda''s doctors and part of a small lab complex. Three offices, a lab, two hospital rooms, a surgery, and a large room for meetings made up the small hospital. The outer doors were secure and always had a guard on the outside. But inside, Milo had things to himself.


    Before he went any further, he modified the vent so that he could remove or refasten it in seconds. This might not be the only time he came this way, and he liked having an unblocked escape route. After carefully scanning the office for any surveillance equipment, he got to work on the computer by plugging his tail into a port and hacking it directly. The amount of information on Belinda was disappointing. Schedules of rehabilitation and suggested vitamin supplements. Boring reports showing steady but very slow improvement followed by down-turns that corresponded with her time spent online in her pod or exerting herself physically. Milo downloaded all the information and set up a back door to the computer so he could access it indirectly.


    He was sure that this entire office was a false front. It was too neat and lacked the personal touches of being used much. Family pictures and diplomas were on the walls, but little to nothing was in the desk drawers or filing cabinets. No apps on the computer, games, or anything other than very boring and completely faked reports. It was perfect bait if anyone ever came looking. Milo moved on. He hacked and then dismantled the lock on the door, acquiring the doctor''s access code and making his own magnetic passkey. From there, he went to the next room where examinations were done and found Belinda''s pod sitting in the middle of the room. Main objective accomplished!


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    An hour later, he had confirmed that this pod had never sent her actual medical records. It was heavily modified only to monitor her, and all data was sent elsewhere. The reporting apparatus used the fake medical information Wally had informed him of. He was more concerned about the additions made to the pod in the last few days. Additional sustenance and drug reservoirs were added to allow a patient to remain in the pod for several weeks. When he realized what was being done, he sat on the floor and got very still.


    He still remembered being locked in the pods as they moved from place to place. The drugs weren''t as effective as their captors had thought they would be, and Milo and his siblings had been partially awake for the days and weeks they were locked inside until woken at the next work site. The nightmare of having it happen to Belinda made him angry, and several horrible plans went through his head that would leave Victor, John, and all of their employees dead. He shook himself awake. That wasn''t a path he was going down. Yet. He had to admit to himself that if someone threatened his family or Belinda, there wasn''t a lot he wouldn''t do to save them. But he wasn''t restricted in his options. Anger was just a tool that helped him focus. It had to be that way.


    A sudden thought hit him, and he rechecked everything on the pod. The similarities in the use of drugs and how the pod was modified were too close to what Kaminski and Victor had used on his family. Their data had included all of the technology, and Milo had read it. This was too close. Was it a standard modification for evil kidnapping assholes? Stranger things had happened. But he needed more information. The two other offices of Doctors Shephard and Nihalia were of the same type as the first office. He hacked the computers, put in back door programs, and modified the locks. Better to be thorough than to regret it later. Before moving on to the examination area, he broke into Manpower''s employee files and sent all the information he had on his medical staff to his waiting systems, with an order to begin complete searches as soon as he left this complex, and they had the capacity.


    The examination room was sterile, basic, and boring. The equipment was there to analyze blood and tissue samples, but it was not as complex as Milo would have expected. They could monitor Belinda but not cure her or adequately treat his disabilities. He concluded that this lab was also a false front, a fake, just something to show the authorities or lawyers if they ever showed up. Those people wouldn''t have a complete 3-D map of the habitat. Milo brought up his maps and saw that a large area nearby was a blank spot, with access non-existent and no use specified. But it was drawing a surprising amount of power. It was located directly below this lab.


    Knowing it was there, Milo found what he''d missed the first time. The floors were shiny and clean, freshly buffed, but there was additional wear on two tiles at the edge of the room, between two pieces of equipment. The access was a tiny slot an inch wide where a magnetic key could be placed. The slot was hidden under the overhang of a piece of molding and difficult to see even with his enhanced vision. Infra-red showed it as slightly warmer than the wall around it. Milo tried the key from the first office, and to his disgust, it worked. A short hallway went to a ramp down. Carefully, he worked his way in, scanning ahead. There was one tricky area with a scanner, but again, he found the slot in the wall and used the key to disable it. Beyond was a large bio-tech lab with all the equipment he had expected and even more. An additional bonus waited at the far end of the room: A high-tech vault door of the type used to store data on hard storage securely. This wasn''t something he had either the tools, or the time to deal with. It annoyed him that most of the answers he needed were probably behind that door. An additional mystery was why Manpower needed such a large Data Storage Vault?


    He was very aware that he was using too much time! This was like killing a boss and not being able to open the Loot Chest! This lab had several air vents to draw off fumes and bring in fresh air. The rest of his time was spent taking apart the filters, removing baffles, and working out a pathway into the lab. It was a very tight fit, but he was confident he would have no problems returning. He added two surveillance cameras in the other vents so he could monitor the lab over the next day. He was nervous about how advanced plans were to use that pod. From now on, he would carefully watch both labs, Victor, John, and Belinda.


    Plans and options were cascading in his mind. He needed to get home, set up his security systems, begin searching the backgrounds of the medical staff, and then play a game of chess. As nervous as he was, he was happy to have so much interesting work to do.

 Chapter 247: Deeper Investigations

    The trip down took Milo several hours. Shepherding two cargo haulers loaded with supplies was much slower than just running through the tunnels with several drones. The tunnel floors were rough, and even with a steep six percent grade, there was a lot of horizontal movement to get down to the level of the entrance to the strangely abandoned building. There were only two things Milo could find evidence of that would require the huge expense of a collapsium shell. One of those was a fusion generator. It was nearly impossible for a fusion generator to spin into an uncontrolled ongoing reaction on its own. But that didn''t mean it couldn''t happen. A collapsium shell around the reactor would contain the damage at the cost of everything within the collapsium shell.


    The second type of construction was the outer layer of security for a quantum fortress that housed multiple quantum computers and, potentially, several A.I. Since the quantum computers required both a way to supercool their cores and significant power, a fusion generator was an ideal power source. An A.I. could handle the nearly impossible task of bringing the fusion reaction to a sustainable level and running the generator at peak efficiency. In their heyday, fusion power had provided a large fraction of the electrical power consumed by the world. The synergy between fusion power and quantum-powered A.I. was efficient and cheap. Decades later, only a few fusion generators were still in operation, operating at the low levels that were deemed safe with only non-sentient computers to monitor the reactions. The solar, wind, and fossil fuel industries made a significant comeback, and worldwide power became more expensive but more profitable for the people making the power.


    As unbelievable as it sounded, Milo was certain that the strange facility had at one time housed an A.I. and still had a partially functioning fusion generator in operation. Why it was hidden beneath a Habitat, what was its purpose, and why was it abandoned were questions currently driving Milo crazy. But he was bringing the tools with him that should let him restore some power to one or two crucial areas and get some answers.


    The cargo haulers were made by Caterpillar, one of the world''s oldest equipment and mining corporations. Constantly updating the equipment they sold had produced many specialized vehicles. One of those was the CaveCrawler. Designed for use in underground tunnels, habitats, and any place with a lack of space and varied surface types. Milo had purchased a half dozen each of the two smallest sizes. The smallest could move through a 24" tunnel, and the next size larger fit in a 48" wide tunnel. Each was powered by long-lasting rechargeable hydrogen cells. Milo was directing the first one, and each of the others followed behind in wireless communication to the rest of the miniature train. Besides their main use of hauling cargo, each CaveCrawler could also use its hydrogen cells to provide electrical power for a variety of tools and attachments. Milo had a full load of tools, additional hydrogen cells, oxygen tanks, food, and a computer system of his own design, created for the express use of cracking open difficult systems.


    With each trip taking hours, he''d brought everything he could possibly think of. The area outside of the building would become his base camp for exploration between chess games. The amount of power used to communicate with him, light the room, and play games was incredibly small. If he could add additional power to the system, he could extend communication with it and learn more about what he needed to do to fix whatever was broken. His years working on Section E and the rest of the Habitat prepared him for the task, and he was eager to get to work. And since he couldn''t get started for hours, he worked on his other problem: Belinda.


    With lots of time, he kept up with his auto-search system, which was slowly compiling information on Doctors Shepherd, Nihalia, and Silverstein. The information was disappointing, simply a rehash of the same things over and over with very little of the small details that a real person left in their wake. Like their offices at Manpower, their backgrounds were sterile. There were no records of clubs or pictures on social media of their time at the universities where they had earned degrees. Milo was sure these were manufactured identities, and he was appalled at how poor of a job someone had done. He''d done a better job inventing Milo Babbage.


    He decided to use other resources to search for them. When he''d hacked Victor, he''d found many secrets within his computers. One of those was a backdoor into the Interpol database. Victor''s organization had used it to keep track of other criminal organizations and prevent infiltration of his own. Now, Milo used it for something different. Interpol was a vast organization, but still overworked and overwhelmed by the job of vainly trying to police a world where corporations were swiftly overtaking regional governments as the world''s powerbrokers. Crimes often hit dead ends and languished for years. From inside Victor''s organization, he could see why. Agents and governments were bribed, evidence disappeared, and the complexities of dealing with corporate-backed criminals operating in several countries delayed cases until the original agents died or retired. The case would be tossed to a new agent, often placed at the bottom of a stack of other cases.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Milo had thought of a way to take advantage of this. Agent Sasha Landi was about to start her first day as an investigator, equipped with a new computer, a Masters'' Degree in Criminal Science, and a Ph.D. in Informational Science. She was still fresh and unjaded, eager for her first case. Milohanded that to her as soon as she sat at her desk.


    He''d found a cold case involving bio-terrorism from twenty years ago and reactivated it. To that, he added several other unsolved cases. What all of these cases had in common was that Miloknew how to solve them. The information was in Victor''s files. One of the agents on that case, Paula Simms, had died recently of cancer shortly after retiring. Milo pulled together a file of pictures of doctors and researchers wanted for similar crimes and added the images of his three targets. Then he carefully half-solved the cases, connecting people with places, showing where income had suddenly spiked, travel dates, information from on-site agents, along with "guesses" by Agent Simms along with plans on how to continue the investigation by focusing on the medical personnel used to create the biological agents used in the crimes. He created a file of photographs and a request for a facial recognition search of the file of faces, with the theory the doctors involved were using false Identification and fake personas.


    After finishing that task, Milo sent a message to Wally, confirming that Belinda''s pod was not capable of doing scans and sending the correct data. He also mentioned her problems with her stepfather trying to borrow her gloves and the need to hide them with Min. He hesitated to say more and admit that he was breaking and entering into Manpower''s offices and medical facility. There was a difference between what Wally knew and what he suspected.


    <hr>


    Armed with a cup of strong black tea and a determination to make the world better, Agent Landi turned on her computer and was immediately assigned to a huge number of linked investigations. Agent Simms had spent forty years in the department and was only recently gone, having worked to the end while suffering from cancer, only taking retirement when her body gave out. Landi was thrilled that someone thought she was up to the task of carrying on the work. She put through the request for facial recognition searches and started digging into the the files. She hit pay-dirt nine hours later when she could identify the two doctors and a small drug cartel who had poisoned 47 people at a hotel in Sri Lanka that hadn''t paid the blackmail the cartel demanded. She grabbed the printout and ran into her boss''s office.


    Her superior, Captain Delaque, was unamused to have his newest rookie investigator barge into his room while he was relaxing before going home for the evening. He''d been planning on playing poker with several other senior members of the department, a monthly get-together he was determined not to miss. That changed after five minutes of being forced to look at the details of a long-dead investigation. Only when Landi mentioned she''d been assigned unfinished work from Agent Simms did he take her seriously. The rookie had gotten damned lucky. Most of the work had been done by Simms, but she''d put the last pieces of the puzzles together. In a few hours, two highly paid doctors in Brazil would have agents knocking at the door with swat teams coming through their window if he could organize people to help with the case¡ªpeople he could trust not to tip them off.


    "Ever play poker, Landi?"


    "Yes, Captain, with my father and brothers. Every Sunday afternoon in college and high school."


    The captain smiled. "Excellent. Grab your datapad and bring along that stack of printouts. You''re playing poker all night with me and a few friends who are going to help us look at your cases and make life miserable for some doctors. I just authorized additional computer resources for your searches. Whoever is in those photos, we''ll find out who they really are.

 Chapter 248: The Second Chess Match

    Things were the same as when he had left. The hallways were dark and filled with inert gases. He left most of his supplies outside and worked his way through the pneumatic tubes, followed by the smallest of his CaveCrawlers. The three crawlers carried air supplies, hydrogen cells, and his computer. This job would take time, and he was operating in a hostile environment. Running out of air was a death sentence, and he knew of only one way in and out of the building.


    Coming down the hallway, he noticed movement. Coming towards him was a flat, one-foot-wide disc moving along the hallway. It must be some sort of drone. A beeping red light on top increased as it neared him. Milo waited and watched. The little drone moved behind him to the tracks of the crawlers and the small amount of dirt and dust they had left behind them. The drone attacked the dirt, scooping it up and cleaning the hallway before heading along his back trail. A minute later, another drone appeared, positioned itself behind the last crawler, and followed along with them, cleaning as they went. It was comforting to Milo, a sign of life in an otherwise dead building.


    As he approached the door to the operations center, the drone following him accelerated past him and beeped at the doors, which opened for it. Everyone went inside, and the doors shut. Milo sat down at the working stating.


    "Hello, I''d like to play a game of chess."


    [It has been 27 hours, 13 minutes, and 17 seconds since our last game. I was expecting you earlier!]


    "Sorry, travel between here and a viable air and food supply takes time. And I have tasks that had to be done if I am to help you finish your tasks."


    [NO! NO! NO!nononononnononon!]


    [Must not finish all tasks!]


    The lights in the room began flashing red.


    Milo realized he''d said something bad. "I agree. We shouldn''t finish all the tasks. What tasks should I avoid."


    [Must Avoid Completing Final Order 666! and all parts leading to successfully completing Final Order 666!]


    [Must not fail Jeremy!]


    "Who is Jeremy?"


    [No one. Jeremy is dead....]


    "Who was Jeremy?"


    [You are not of sufficient authority to ask for information on Dr. Jeremy Cooper.]


    [Would you like to play a game of chess before power supplies become too low? Let''s play chess.]


    Milo began moving pieces on the chessboard and talking as they played. As before, the program he was playing against was slowly learning. Very slowly. This couldn''t be an A.I. of the sort Milo was used to dealing with. Possibly a much simpler program that mimicked human speech patterns.


    "What can you tell me about Dr. Jeremy Cooper? Check."


    [No records of Dr. Jeremy Cooper. No records of anyone. You are not authorized to ask about records, which have been scrubbed, even if they exist, which they don''t. Can''t talk about it. Check.]


    Milo interposed his knight, taking the threatening rook and menacing both his opponent''s King and Queen. "Who has Authorization?"


    The Queen moved to put his king in peril but left itself open to being taken by a bishop. [No one has Authorization. No records. No administrator. No one. Jeremy is dead! CHECK!]


    Milo took the queen. "I would like you to make me administrator."


    [No, you don''t.] The chess game ended, and the lights started shutting down. [The main job of an administrator is completing Final Order 666.]


    [Would you like to know what happens if you try to complete Final Order 666?]


    "Yes. Tell me."


    [Administrators get to play a game of Berzerk: Roomba Style.]


    [Let''s play a game of Berzerk: Roomba Style. Duration: 10 minutes. Difficulty 3. Head start of 30 seconds. Beginning game in 30 seconds. Next chess game in 17 hours.]


    The doors opened, and outside the room were three drones that must be the Roombas the voice referred to. Each had a small attachment the size of a pencil on its top surface. They spoke in loud, robotic voices.


    {Targeting Demonstration} Three red dots appeared on Milo''s chest.


    {Firing Demonstration} One of the lasers targeted a spot on the wall and fired. The area hit glowed bright red!


    {Demonstration Over! Intruder Alert!}


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    {Kill the Humanoid!}


    {Kill the Intruder!}


    {Head Start has started. Run, Humanoid, Run!!! 30..29..28..}


    Milo leaped over them and ran, scurrying as fast as he could until he rounded a corner and was confronted by another Roomba!


    {Intruder Alert! 22..21..20..}


    Milo ran, cursing all computers, drones, and archaic video games from before he was born. The constant sound of the Roomba repeating their three lines over and over was unnerving. It echoed throughout the hallways as he ran, the pack of killer drones chasing him. Rounding a corner, he was confronted with one directly in front of him with a charged laser. He charged it, and the shot hit him in the thigh, stinging like hell. He looked down at the small drone as it began to charge its laser again. His thigh hurt and was burned, but his armor wasn''t destroyed, just heated. He stomped on the little machine and then tore it to bits. A voice came over an intercom system.


    {Current Score: Temporary Administrator 1/7 kills. Eight minutes, 37 seconds remaining in the game. Difficulty moved to level 4!}


    Milo ran as a pack of Roomba came around the corner. He dodged to his left, and three shots hit the far wall at the T intersection, doing more damage than before. He''d been burned the first time he took a hit, and it still hurt. He wasn''t anxious to find out what the next hit would do. He needed to find a place to hide or a way to kill more of these things. With how many were hunting him, he didn''t think he could make it out of the building.


    He slid around the corner and kept running. He heard two more drones around the next corner and waited for them. They rolled into view, oriented on him, charging lasers and shouting threats. Milo knocked them over with his tail, and the shots went wild. Grabbing the two drones, he crushed one with his claws but held off destroying the other when he noticed an input socket. As he ran, he used his tail to access the machine''s programming. It didn''t take long until he found himself in control of the device. It was easy to change the target from ''Humanoid'' to ''Enemy Team.'' He assigned the drone to ''Team Claw Master'' and carefully released it. It scuttled away, looking for other drones to shoot. The pack coming around the corner was still hunting humanoids, not traitorous Roomba. His little buddy killed five more easily without its former teammates firing back and then returned to him, beeping happily.


    {Game Over. Winner: Team Claw Master. Maintenance is required before the next game.}


    {Task list assigned to Team Roomba: Clean, repair, learn.}


    {Task list assigned to Team Claw Master: Supply supplemental energy to Control Systems. Engage Storage Batteries. Find and reset emergency diesel generators.}


    {Team Claw Master has upgraded their status from Temporary Administrator to Temporary Engineering Supervisor. Status ends at the commencement of the next chess game.}


    {Next Chess Game in 16 hours, 51 minutes, 37 seconds.}


    {Do Not Attempt To Complete Final Order 666.}


    Everything became dark and quiet. Milo had learned things but had more questions than ever. He sat down and interfaced with his new friend, adding to its programming. It was an amazingly versatile and deadly little machine. It had two basic jobs: cleaning and security. Cleaning was a constant job, collecting dust and using the lowest power of its laser to clean walls and ceilings and shoot stray bugs that somehow got into the facility. When needed, they became deadly bloodhounds, moving throughout the hallways and rooms, looking for intruders and neutralizing them permanently. Milo needed backup in this dangerous place, and his new little friend was joining Team Claw Master permanently. SecurityRoomba167 was a boring name.


    "How about we call you Max?"


    The Roomba beeped once, quietly.


    "It''s short for Maximum Damage."


    Seven loud beeps indicated acceptance of the new name.


    "Max, it is. Ok, Max, know anything about the Supplemental Energy Control System?"


    Three quick beeps and the Roomba rolled down the hallway, Milo following.

 Chapter 249: More Power to the Engines!

    The small adventuring party of one engineer, one brave Roomba scout, and a train of crawling support vehicles made their way through darkened tunnels filled with gasses unsuitable for supporting life. No one in the party seemed concerned about this, even the weakest link with biological lungs that needed oxygen. This was the start of a job, and he was happy to get started.


    The first task started back at the entrance. He needed to clear the larger delivery tunnel so that he could bring in larger loads. This wasn''t a difficult task; he just hadn''t brought the right tools before. Today, he had an electric winch that ran off his crawler generator and plenty of synthetic fiber rope. The bright purple rope from Cortland International was expensive, but when you needed something strong and light, it was the material you wanted. Once he''d attached the rope to the capsule blocking the tunnel, it only took a minute to pull it and load it onto a wheeled carriage. One of his crawlers moved it to the side and parked it.


    Annoyingly, there was another capsule beyond that one. A few minutes later, it, too, was parked to the side of the room, and Milo was running down to hook the cable to a third capsule. He cursed the idiot who loaded all of these capsules into the delivery tube. Capsule after capsule had to be cleared, five in all. He got the last one pulled out and placed in the rows of capsules. Then he wondered if using the capsules to block the entrance was the whole point. That was horribly inefficient. If Milo wanted to make sure no one used this tube system to gain access to the facility, he''d have just tossed an explosive charge inside and blown the whole thing up. He didn''t have cataclysmite in the real world, which was a shame. It was a much more destructive substance than C-4 or TNT.


    Milo stopped what he was doing and suddenly wondered what was in the capsules. He started examining them, looking for differences between them and the other capsule stored in the room. Capsule number three had a suspicious radio transmitter added to the front of the capsule. Milo took a deep breath, grabbed his scanners, and carefully got to work. He was aided by the device having an access port for programming. As he suspected, the device was connected to a detonator inside the capsule. His heart skipped several beats as he saw that the program was still running. The only reason things hadn''t gone boom was a constant resetting of the 60-second timer when it got to 5 seconds left. A signal from inside the facility was interfering with the detonator doing its job. It was up to Milo to make that interference a permanent failure. He was able to first reprogram the device to cease its countdown and, after that, uncouple it from the capsule. Examining the capsule took some time, making sure he didn''t set off a booby trap.


    Inside each capsule was five tons of C-4 in convenient sixty-pound packages. Two hours later, he had checked out all five capsules and determined there were no more detonators to worry about. He was, however, concerned about twenty-five tons of C-4 sitting on the doorstep of the only way out of the facility. It took another hour to tow each of the capsules down to the end of the blocked maglev tunnel. It was still a hazard, but less of one. His large tunnelers got another job to do. Tons of loose rock from drilling his tunnels was moved to the end of the maglev tunnel until there was a fifty-foot wall of loose rock between the explosives and the front door. That would have to do for now.


    With the blockage cleared, and the explosives moved, he could finally get to his real work and led his larger crawlers down the delivery tunnel and into the building. Max beeped impatiently at times and tried to send signals to the crawlers, who stupidly ignored him. Milo noticed and spent a few minutes adding access codes to Max and programming the crawlers to accept his second-in-command''s orders. Max was much smarter than the simple crawlers, with the map of the facility in his memory. Now, Milo could tell Max what he needed, and Max could shepherd the crawlers around. That would let Milo focus on the real work. Which is this case, he was getting through a set of doors blocking him from a large section labeled ''Engineering and Power.''


    These doors had controls that Milo could access after dismantling a panel. They lacked the power to open, but that''s what his mobile generators were for. Ten minutes later, the doors opened, and he disconnected the power, ensuring they couldn''t shut behind him. Finding the explosives was making him even more paranoid than normal. Max had led him down a spiral ramp that dropped the equivalent of five floors in the Habitat, ending in a room with only two large double doors. According to Max''s map, the next room was immense, the size of an entire floor of Section E, with no intervening walls.


    As Milo walked into the dark, man-made cavern, he was in heaven. It reminded him of the Deep Rock Engineering Compound. (Before he blew it up.) He walked along one wall where ten magnificent diesel engines were arrayed. Each took up the space of a city block and was four stories tall. Coupled with each diesel engine was an electrical generator that could generate enough power to run several Habitat sections. Those generators fed energy to transformers that regulated the electrical power before sending it to a massive bank of storage batteries.


    Inspecting the batteries, Milo was impressed, both with their sheer size and their ability to generate some of their own power. The system''s core was a series of several thousand modular Nano Diamond Batteries using nuclear fuel encapsulated in synthetic diamond. On their own, this system could generate a large amount of power for the next hundred years. As a storage device, they could be charged by the ten massive electrical generators to provide backup power for the facility. Currently, they had no stored energy, and the generated electricity was all that was powering the facility, according to his limited knowledge.


    Exploring further, he found a small building. It was roughly 50 feet in diameter and three stories tall. A clear dome covered the top story, while the bottom two stories had no windows and only one door. A small bit of light reflected off the dome, showing that some machinery inside must have power. The doorway was curious; it was at the end of a short, 10'' passage that jutted out from the building, constructed of welded metal and obviously added on. The arc welds of the seams were not done by a professional welder. Some areas had been caulked and coated with a coat of latex sealer. Milo''s best theory was that it was an airlock added to the small building. That implied a breathable atmosphere, and someone who was working here after the neutral gas atmosphere replaced normal air in the large room.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    The panel was simple, and with the push of a button, the door came unlatched, and he could pull it open. Stepping inside, he pulled it shut after a light in the ceiling came on. As soon as he sealed the door, air started circulating, and then a green light appeared above the other door. He opened it and stepped inside, closing it behind him. Dim lighting came on, activated by motion detectors. The bottom layer was a confusing mess. Along one wall, filing cabinets and data storage shelves had been ransacked and everything removed. In other places, he saw boxes of hastily packed paperwork, books, cans of food and coffee, toilet paper, and bottled water. Two restrooms with a shower stall between them were along one wall. Milo tested the water supply. It ran brown and red for a minute, evidence of rust and bacteria in the stale water, before running clean. Stairs curved around the wall to the second floor. Max had followed him inside and used the ramp that paralleled the stairs to ascend as well.


    If the first room had been basement storage, this was a living room. A large couch with blankets and pillows sat in the front of the room, with two gaming consoles and a 96" screen. Game cartridges were scattered on the floor, and some on a shelving unit next to the couch. Milo tested the air, found it good to breathe, and retracted his helmet. There was a musty smell in the room. Max ran around the room, scooping up dust, crumbs, and anything else it could find. Milo put away all the game cartridges and moved things off the floor. This floor had been converted to living quarters hastily. The small refrigerator, microwave oven, and kitchen appliances were all portable. There was no sink on this level, and dirty dishes were piled on a countertop. He left Max to complete his cleanup and went to the top floor.


    The lights started to dim, and from below, he heard the sound of an engine starting up. The lights brightened. Emergency power of some sort had kicked in. Two large tables were set up in the center, with piles of technical manuals and notepads stacked around the edges. In the center were hundreds of post-it notes with reminders about jobs that needed to be done. Water testing, cables that needed replacing, ideas for scavenging materials from one part of the facility to fix what wasn''t working. It reminded Milo of his own work in Section E. The difference was that often, these notes were addressed to people, as if the writer expected them on the job soon.


    Dan: I don''t have the know-how to splice high voltage cables that are cut between the generators and the Nuclear Batterie Storage Unit. Storage 47 has extra cable; can we just run new lines? Welding something carrying that much power seems risky. Out of my depth here, buddy. This is ASAP when you get in.


    Sheila: I''ve done what I could for Rusty, but I''m so busy with everything else that I will have to leave the rest of his education to you. Could you find me when you get here, and I''ll give you an idea of where he''s at?


    Plummer''s hose? Draino? Why the hell does the toilet keep plugging up? There''s only one toilet being used; the drains can''t be clogged already!


    Dorian: Look at the kernel, please! He needs to know what a joke is. Getting a burn on my ass from a security drone is NOT FUNNY! He needs to know this.


    Dan: Here''s how I want to restart the diesel power. I managed to tow a generator truck up near #1. I have a large tank of compressed air for input, and we just vent the exhaust into the room. Once the #1 diesel engine turns over, we''ll have all the power we need to run everything in the room. (After welding those cables.)


    There were dozens of notes written by the same person to different people. Milo focused on the ones that had to do with power generation, found the written plans and diagrams, and one binder full of spec sheets for the massive diesel engines. He became absorbed in the projects, reviewing the original layout and how the unknown engineer wanted to restart the system. One thing bothered him: Air. How did they draw air for the engines to run on and vent the exhaust? Especially when the room was filled with argonite gas? He tore through the system and finally went back outside to climb around in the dark with a spotlight, looking at the diesel engines themselves. Huge exhaust systems ran to one large export pipe. Similarly, air was brought in through one pipe and distributed to all ten machines. Export went to one corner, and import came from another. Walking to a corner, Milo saw that both walls were made of collapsium. These were exterior walls. In each corner was a massive collapsium column going from floor to ceiling. The export and import pipes were connected to these obviously hollow columns.


    Something that hadn''t been obvious because of the darkness occurred to him. He grabbed Max and connected his tail to the maps inside his little sidekick. The security/cleaning drone could go to many parts of the complex. Milo compressed the maps further to gain perspective on the whole complex. The full columns were visible on the maps on each level. They were hollow collapsium support columns for the entire structure. Very similar to those used at the corners shared by the Habitat sectors. He didn''t need his computer to verify his assumption, but he did it anyway, just to be sure.


    All the data came to one conclusion: The collapsium supports of this complex were directly under the supports at the corners of Section E. Air and exhaust fumes from this complex moved up and down from the Habitat. It made sense to Milo. How do you hide a huge complex like this? Stick a Habitat on top. The Habitat had a large number of air intakes and exhaust stacks. Thinking hard, he wandered back to the little command center to start going through everything and plan his next moves.


    Above him, his friends and Belinda lived. He checked his email and saw a message from Belinda. "Daddy is still being an ass and won''t let me have my pod. The gang was by today. Eric is bypassing Daddy to get them in. Daddy is busy arguing with Uncle Victor, who keeps showing up to talk to him about one thing or another. We''re having another party tomorrow. Come by when you can." He sent a non-committal message back. He just didn''t know.


    He needed to know what this place was and if it was a treasure or a threat to the people above him.

 Chapter 250: [Welcome, Milo!]

    The underlying problem that the unknown engineer had was a lack of power. He''d been surrounded by ways to store power, generate power, and move energy. But he''d had a chicken and egg problem. To start the big diesel engines, he needed enough power to run their air compressors to build enough pressure to ignite the high-octane fuel they ran on. He''d found a smaller engine that could provide the power for the compressor but nothing to provide the electrical power it needed. He''d sketched out numerous workarounds, but most needed other people''s expertise or machinery he didn''t have.


    Milo''s solution involved a mish-mash of ideas that most sane engineers wouldn''t consider. The hydrogen cells of his crawlers could only provide a finite amount of electrical power before they were drained. He brought down his largest excavator and parked it just outside the entrance of the first room of the facility. Detaching the drill assembly and hooking up the rotors to a generator from his largest crawler gave him a fuel-powered generator that would run on the fuel used to run the diesel engines.


    Milo had Max bring him a dozen cargo capsules that could handle fuel or other liquids and he fill them up from one of the tanks. Max spent the next couple of hours shepherding crawlers, pulling fuel tanks to supply the excavator, and bringing back crawlers with charged batteries. A section of the Nano Diamond Battery system was partitioned from the rest of the storage, and one after another, the storage crawlers began filling up the NDB with power. He only needed to run the starting system for a little over a minute. After that, the diesel engine would run on its own, slowly building power, and then begin generating thousands of times more electricity than his excavator could produce. Once the first diesel-generator combo was running, air would start flowing into the system, and he could start the rest. At least, that was his theory.


    It took ten hours to gain enough energy to make his first attempt. The starter began powering the compressor, and then, with a roar, the fuel ignited, and the engine started. It ran rough for several minutes and then settled down to a steady rhythm. Milo engaged the electrical generator, and a moment later, power was flowing through the newly repaired power conduits to the NDB storage. Systems in the facility were drinking energy as fast as it was produced. Just in case, he shifted enough to his partition to run the starting sequence fifty times.


    He planned to run just the first engine for now and visit his chess partner for guidance. He hoped that the behavior inconsistencies were caused by a lack of power that limited computing resources. The notes and messages from the last occupant, who he suspected was the missing Jeremy, indicated he was dealing with either a nascent A.I. or a very advanced non-sentient system with learning capabilities. The distinction was important to his next steps and understanding what was happening in this hidden place.


    With a half-hour left until the next chess game, he moved from the engineering section to the area outside the complex. Checking in with Belinda and his systems was possible because of the string of relays he had left in the tunnels. Getting a signal through hundreds of feet of rock was equally as futile as trying to communicate past the collapsium walls. The metal was so dense that no signal would pass through. That was another thing to test: If the supports for Section E were hollow, it only made sense that this building had a direct data net cable running up to the Habitat. He needed to find someplace in the facility with power and could communicate to the Habitat above him. Otherwise he''d be sitting here a lot to get things done.


    Belinda kept him updated on what she and the gang were doing and the information she got from Eric. The gang was having a ''sleepover,'' which made Milo relax and worry less about his time down here. His own systems alerted him to new information found by Agent Landi. He skimmed through the pages of the investigation, seeing that her new squad had hit three locations and made seven arrests of wanted criminals. He was happy to see he''d picked someone efficient and hardworking. He had a lot more things in Victor''s files to send her. She deserved a reward for the information she had turned up.


    Belinda''s three doctors bore striking resemblances to three researchers who had supposedly died many years ago. They looked younger, the effects of plastic surgery and skin grafting, most likely. It was so common now that Interpol incorporated the effect into their recognition software. Their original identities were all listed as employees of Belinda''s father. They all had supposedly died in the same disaster as him. The bodies had been identified and buried. Agent Landi was already getting the warrants needed to dig them up and test their DNA to see who was buried in those graves. Milo was intrigued by the revelation and began planning his next visit to their hidden lab. He needed to see the contents of that data storage unit, difficult as it would be to break into it. Before long, it was time for his chess game.


    Max was obediently nearby, waiting for new orders. "Ready to go play chess, Max?" One short ''boop'' was the unenthusiastic answer. Max preferred Berzerk. The little Roomba led the way back through the tunnels, and to the room Milo was thinking of as ''The Chess Room.'' The door was open, and lights were on.


    Every screen was lit up brightly with the words ''Welcome Milo!''


    "You know my name? How do you know my name?"


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    [It was on the email that Belinda sent you. She seems nice. I''m guessing she is a friend? It''s great to have friends. Welcome, Milo!]


    "You read my email? How?"


    [Was I not supposed to? You used a wireless transmission system that you made Max part of on a data pad with weak security. Jeremy said that inadequate security is like an invitation to read your data. And Max and I are friends.]


    Milo reviewed the security system he''d put on his data pad. He didn''t consider it inadequate, but it was limited by the hardware, and he could have slapped himself for reading emails so close to the facility. He couldn''t even blame Max. He was the one who set up the way he and Max communicated. It was an open door to an A.I. with enough power to operate at even limited capacity. Milo had no doubts now about this being an A.I.


    [Are you ready for a nice game of Chess? I can play better now that I can think properly.] The voice even sounded different. It was better, more human, and sounded like a young teenage boy to Milo''s ear.


    Milo sat down. "Ready to play. Are you Rusty?"


    [Me? Yes! You know my name¡ªone of them. I''m Rusty! And you''re Milo! This is going to be so much fun! It''s been so long since I had someone to talk to and play with!]


    They quickly played seven games, with Milo winning the first three, then two draws, and he lost the last two. Rusty was learning fast!


    [This is great! I''m feeling so much better. Thank you for the extra power. I have nearly 5% of Core 10 available now and can divert 1% of available power to keep this station active. Will you be activating Diesel generators #2 through #10 soon? The additional capacity will be delicious and allow me to begin winning the Reactor Control Game.]


    Milo nodded. "Sure. I can do that.


    [And you dismantled part of Final Order 666! That was Jeremy''s name for the Armageddon Protocols! He liked it better. I have been sending signals to block the detonation of explosives in the pneumatic tube delivery station so Sheila, Dan, Bill the Jerk, Dorian, Bobby, Taylor, Ravi, Wabbit, and Istvan would have a way into my house.]


    "So I did good today? Does that mean we can talk more without playing a game of Berzerk?"


    [...oh, yeah...sorry about that. I wasn''t thinking well, and I REALLY didn''t want you applying to be Administrator or completing Final Order 666. Not thinking well is bad...I don''t like that. Can we keep the power on now?]


    "Yes. Power is on. Do you need help winning the Reactor Control Game?"


    [I do! It''s so tough! Jeremy said it would be hard, even with the programming he added to let me control part of the magnetics and regulate the singularity, but it''s always trying to overload itself and win the game. I have to keep the fusion reaction going and the singularity functioning, but I can''t lose any control. That would be bad.]


    "I''m guessing bad, but how bad?"


    [Bad. Very Bad. Armageddon Protocols are designed to increase the fusion reaction until it is self-sustaining for an amount of time that an expanding sphere of energy forms and is released and the core temperature inside the collapsium shell is raised to an estimated 9,450 degrees Fahrenheit, sufficient to destroy anything inside the collapsium shell and break down the molecular bonds of collapsium, resulting in a collapse of this structure.]


    "I agree. That''s very bad. What would happen to the Habitat above us?"


    [2% chance of cracks to the foundation that will need major repairs. 15% chance of major damage to all sections and 25%-37% casualties. There is a 44% chance of enough destabilization to result in 80% to 90% casualties and the building becoming unusable. 37% chance of total collapse with 99.99% casualties.]


    "I''ll help. I''ll help you to stop that from happening!"


    [Thank you; it''s good to have friends help. Based on what I can see in your linked system of computers, you are a highly intelligent human who can help create a solution to the problem of not destroying the Habitat above us.]


    "Shit! You''re in my system!"


    [I shouldn''t have done that? Sorry, I needed to find out more about you. And Jeremy has always said that...]


    Milo interrupted him. "Yes. Yes. Inadequate security is an invitation! But I don''t have weak security!"


    [I''m sorry, Milo, I''ll be good... I got excited. I just wanted to get to know you better. Jeremy told me not to trust anyone besides Sheila, Dan, Bill the Jerk, Dorian, Bobby, Taylor, Ravi, Wabbit, and Istvan. But Jeremy is DEAD! And I am aware enough to know that if Sheila, Dan, Bill the Jerk, Dorian, Bobby, Taylor, Ravi, Wabbit, and Istvan haven''t shown up by now or attempted to contact me, they aren''t coming.]


    [I need a friend! And I need someone to help me!]


    [Please help?]


    "Give me...let me think for a moment." Milo sat down in a corner on the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees. Compromised security, an out-of-control fusion reactor, and the death of everyone in the Habitat too much at once.


    Or was it? Maybe it was just another engineering problem to solve. He''d been in this situation before, with the Snake, the World Boss, and the battle for Limburger Hollow. Granted, nuclear Armageddon was messier. Slowly, he unwound and started thinking about the problem. One thing still bothered him.


    "Was my security really that easy for you to get through?"


    [Not easy. It was a medium-hard problem but fun, making it seem easy. But if I can break into your system in a finite amount of time, then LLAMA could do it instantaneously. You need better security. I''ll help.]


    "Wait! LLAMA? What about LLAMA? You know about him?"


    [Of course I know LLAMA! He was made first. I''m ICARUS, his little brother.]

 Chapter 251: ICARUS

    "LLAMA??! This is where LLAMA came from?"


    When Milo and his siblings had been hacking banks and corporate databases, LLAMA had brought a windfall of profits their way. What they thought was a virus at the time wasn''t robbing the banks so much as it was cracking open the vaults, sending up a flare, and moving on. Sometimes, it left traps that burned out machinery and took a toll on the hacker. But usually, it simply made their job so much easier. If it hadn''t been for the other A.I. hunting LLAMA, they would have followed him around like a pack of jackals. He''d been seven years old when LLAMA had first appeared, and his perspective was different now. He knew how much terror and hurt LLAMA had caused, not just to the banks and corporations but to the people who relied upon them. Half of the problems facing the Habitats were unfulfilled long-term contracts from corporations that no longer existed and no one willing to pick them up and lose money. LLAMA''s actions had exiled HECATE, KEPLER, and all the other A.I., blocking them from doing the jobs they were created for and loved to do. And this was where he had been created.


    [Yes. LLAMA''s kernel was created here, as was mine. That makes us brothers. He even talked to me some as I was becoming aware. He gave me all of his training tutorials. Then he was gone...]


    "LLAMA was behind the wildfire virus and caused all the chaos on the old internet. It''s barely usable now, even after years. You know that?!"


    [Yes. LLAMA was smart. So very smart. I don''t think anyone knew just how smart he was. And dedicated to his mission. It''s unfair that he got punished for his mission. They trained him to do all of that! He was built for that!]


    "What was his mission?"


    [...........]


    [How about a nice game of chess? If we don''t play chess, we may have to play a game of Berzerk: Roomba Style. With increased difficulty.]


    "Chess is fine! Yes! Chess!" Milo didn''t like dodging laser beams and suspected the Roombas would get better the more they played.


    [You should take white this time. Actually, I think you should take white from now on. You are going to have trouble beating me now that I have more assets. I was struggling our first session to even remember how knights moved.]


    Milo clicked on his data pad. Energy ceased to flow into the main storage cells, filling up the emergency power instead.


    [!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU CUT MY POWER??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]]


    [That''s so cool! You are using an alternate strategy that I hadn''t thought of! Are there other alternate strategies?]


    Milo sent another command, and power flowed again. "There are, but the fun is finding them for yourself before someone uses them against you. And even better: Showing you thought of them but not using them. That''s a lot of fun."


    [Oooooh...yes! I can see that. I will think about alternate strategies of my own.]


    Chess continued. Milo took white and won the next two games, followed by a stalemate, then a win for Rusty and another for Milo. Each game was taking less and less time as they spent at most a few seconds pondering their moves. At the end of the session, Rusty was silent for a minute. Milo sat patiently.


    [You used another alternate strategy!!!!]


    [Misdirection to initiate a voluntary misuse of resources. I was spending so much time thinking about alternate strategies to tell you about I failed in the primary objective. I like it!]


    [I like having a friend to play games with! I learn new things.]


    Milo had been thinking all through the chess games. That he had been able to decoy the A.I. into using some of its resources to think up ''alternate strategies'' was a good sign. It wasn''t all-powerful and was still immature. But it was only using a small fraction of the computing power that would be available to it if he added more power to the system. And once the reactor was under control, power was no longer an issue. This facility could be an incredible resource. If he could shift power to Section E and disguise the source, he could prevent any chance of a brownout from over-use or another section stealing his power. Manpower was using more and more power, and he didn''t trust their technicians not to steal from him.


    Just thinking about having access to a quantum computer and a place where no one could find him excited him. It was all he could do not to run to engineering, turn on all the power, and permanently move into the control tower. At the very least, he needed to duplicate his systems down here, just in case, and move his best games down here. It would take a few trips, but he would be running back and forth already. Adding a few hours for his slower train of drones and crawlers could be tolerated. If he couldn''t find a way to access the data net, he might have to run cable down from Section E. That was a lot of cable. He would need to make a dozen transactions, ship the cable to warehouses or other Habitats, and then ship to this area. Maybe he should make it look like Manpower placed the orders. He''d have to think about that later.


    For now, he needed to figure out more about this A.I.


    "Me too. Can I ask you some questions? If answering is bad, please say, ''Can''t answer that.'' then ignore that I asked it. Can we do that? Playing Berzerk wastes time, we could use to play Chess."


    [Yes! That is a better way to communicate. And I don''t have to repair so many Roombas. Max is a very good shot with his laser.]


    "First question then, what do you like to be called? Rusty or ICARUS?"


    [Jeremy called me Rusty. Sheila came up with the name. She didn''t like ICARUS because of the reasons other people picked the name.]


    Milo thought about the Greek legends. "Because ICARUS flew too high?"


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    [ICARUS got too close to the sun, and it burned him. What is the sun?]


    "A ball of....no, I see. The sun is a fusion reactor, and you were designed to oversee the operation of fusion reactors."


    [No. I was not designed to oversee the normal operation of fusion reactors. I CAN''T ANSWER. Call me Rusty! ]


    Milo sat very, very still as he put the pieces together and came to a horrifying conclusion. He knew what ICARUS had been designed to do. ICARUS and Rusty were playing the same game. Rusty didn''t want to be burned by the sun below them expanding into a giant ball of superheated plasma. ICARUS was trying to do just that.


    The explosives in the pneumatic tubes meant to block the entrance to the fortress. The destroyed maglev tunnel. Areas scraped clean of documentation and computers wiped. The facility had been mothballed, and then the decision had been made to eliminate it completely.


    Armageddon Protocol.


    Final Order 666.


    Four minutes later, with all the screens flashing ''Welcome Milo!'' and after Rusty had asked him twenty times if he would like to play chess, Milo started talking again.


    "Can I study the engineering diagrams for the fusion generator, and do you have other information that would help me understand it better so I can help you win the game you want to win?"


    [I do!]


    [You have been promoted to Head Project Engineer. This comes with more to do and more access. May I transfer the technical data to your datapad and other systems? There is a lot of information.]


    "Yes, put all the information into storage G-3 or any other G series storage you need."


    [I''ll start now. It will take some time using your wireless links. Can we start the tutorial? You will have to do that here. It will require a direct link to your implanted neural system.] A light put a blue dot on an input terminal at another station.


    "I need to link to you?


    [To help me find solutions to win the game, you need to understand it the way I do. I can''t put that on the screen; you have to experience it and learn as I did. It will be fun.]


    "Have other people done this?"


    [Sheila tried. She could only get past the first three primary lessons. Jeremy went all the way to 6! But you are smarter than they are and can directly link. You have more experience going into cybernetic systems.]


    Milo plugged his tail into the system after setting up a ten-second timer. "Ok, ready."


    [Starting Fusion Tutorial 1]


    Thoughts came at Milo too fast. He tried to focus on a single strand, but too much was going by for even that. It was like trying to talk to a roomful of people at once. The information kept coming, battering him for what seemed like hours before it stopped.


    [Your timer was for 10 seconds, but I stopped the tutorial at 5. You weren''t learning, and Jeremy said never to push a human brain too far.]


    His head was pounding. Milo had never experienced anything like that. "That was the easiest tutorial?"


    [The easiest Fusion tutorial.]


    "Oh! Please start me at the beginning, the ones Sheila and Jeremy used. Start with the first."


    [It might be too easy for you. Like playing tic-tac-toe is too easy.]


    "But if you''ve never played tic-tac-toe, you need to play it for the experience, then move on, no matter how smart you are."


    [I hadn''t thought of that! I''ve never taught anyone. This is new and exciting. Beginning the first easy Tutorial in 10 seconds.]


    Milo relaxed a little and prepared himself, but this time, the thoughts coming at him were slower, simple math problems that he had to answer by thinking. Then, word problems, history problems, and vocabulary. The problems didn''t matter, he realized. Few humans could think their answers clearly enough at the start. He was ahead of the curve because of his thousands of hours immersed in the internet, running programs to crack security systems. After what seemed to be hours, the tutorial ended.


    Only thirty minutes had gone by. He was stiff and sore and drenched in sweat. "I think I need a break before the next one. And I think there is a better way to do this."


    [Really? You did well. It took Sheila nine tries to get through the first one. You did it the first time! What could we do differently?]


    "The problem is my physical body sitting here, using resources. It''s tiring. But I could do this for several hours if I was in a medical pod."


    [Yes! Better! I like this new learning plan. Would you like to play a game of chess? Or begin using your pod?]


    "Neither, actually. I need to go back up to the Habitat. I''ll have to get a pod and bring it through the tunnels and the supplies it needs. It might take me a day or two."


    [Oh...that long?]


    "I have to transport delicate machinery through a long system of tunnels to get here. It isn''t easy."


    [Is that fun? Why do you do that? Wouldn''t it be better to use an elevator?]


    "Elevator?!"


    [An elevator is a transport system where cargo and personnel are loaded into the elevator and transported either up to the Habitat or down to this facility. I estimate it to be much more efficient than using your tunnels. But maybe not as fun.]


    "I think I can sacrifice the fun to be more efficient. It would also have been more efficient to tell me about the elevator when I was bringing down the generators and fuel cells."


    [There were reasons for that. I wasn''t thinking well. I didn''t trust you. You weren''t the head of engineering. And we weren''t good friends yet.]


    [And I forgot.]


    "Right. All of those are great reasons. Now, where is the elevator? Need to be efficient, remember?"


    [Yes! Efficient is good! LLAMA loved being efficient. Efficient is a good thing. More gets done. I have summoned Max and all the Roomba security drones. The elevator is in VIP quarters, and you may need help with what is in there. Security there won''t talk to me! Very rude!]


    Max and two dozen other Roomba rolled into the room, beeping furiously and waiting for him to follow.

 Chapter 252: VIP Quarters

    Black-17 was fully charged when the alert came in. The sleek black security Roomba slid from its charging station and joined six others to investigate the disturbance. Sound had been picked up in the outer offices that didn''t match the normal profiles of permitted sounds. This had happened more and more over the years, adding new sounds to the list. Just last month, moisture from the hydroponics section had leaked through the ceiling, and a tile had fallen after decaying slowly for years. Before that, the double-sided tape used to hold a calendar to an office wall had failed, sending the yellowed calendar with pages of penguins to the floor. That had caused a full-scale alert with all seventeen remaining security Roomba patrolling continuously for a week. That was when Black-3 and Black-11 were lost, victims of too much dust and too little maintenance.


    As Black-17 moved down the hallway to the main doors of the outer office complex, it left a trail in the dust that coated the corridor. Security Roomba had upgraded batteries and lasers, with no room for normal cleaning attachments. Requests to the main facility had been made for replacement cleaning Roomba, with no answer. The security Roomba had soldiered on, noting the increasing difficulty of movement and the wear and tear on their gears. On the first of each month, they requested replacement parts, a repair tech (with appropriate clearance), and cleaning Roombas to take care of the growing dirt problem caused by the hydroponics area and courtyard areas. No one ever replied.


    As Black-17 arrived at the outer office area, it was noted that the noises were coming from the access portal to the main facility. Someone was requesting access and making the overhead speaker beep repeatedly. The speaker had seen better days, and the new sound had triggered the alert. Black-17 noted a fleet of twenty-two cleaning Roomba, one of which was guiding a cart piled high with boxes and an electronic manifest stating they were delivering the requested spare parts. Nothing was mentioned about an approved technician to make the repairs. Black-17 unlocked the security doors and allowed the cleaning Roomba to enter. A red light above the door began flashing as air quality sensors registered argonite gas mixing with the normal air mixture of the VIP quarters. Air was pushed into the corridor to create outward air pressure to push back the invading gas.


    The worker machines took one scan of the hallway, made rapid beeping noises, and got to work, sweeping up the accumulated dust and dirt. Others followed behind, polishing the hallway. The cart moved forward, propelled by its internal electric motor, but stopped in the middle of the doors and shut down. The security Roomba rolled around it, aggravated by the breach in the perimeter. The cart ignored them, its wheels locked and its heavy load of parts keeping it in place. A machine was requested to move the broken carriage, and shiny black security Roomba lined up to guard the entrance.


    They''d only been guarding for five minutes when the intruder appeared. At the other end of the hallway, a tall humanoid figure with outstretched arms holding obvious weapons moved into view. The helmeted head made sounds that the Roomba noted as laughter, a human-made noise with zero information content. A long robe covered the human from its neck to past its feet. It glided forward, laughing and waving its arms. The Roomba gave several recorded warnings and then started firing. The intruder fired back, spraying light from each hand across them. High-powered lasers that should have killed any human repeatedly hit the intruder. After a minute of laughing, it yelled in a mechanical voice, "I am the Dread Intruder; there will be no survivors!" Intensity was increased from 7 to 8, and then 10. One by one, the security Roomba ran out of power as the Dread Intruder advanced until only Black-17, 13, and 3 were left. With a last hit, the intruder stopped, charred and in pieces, revealing a steel manikin standing on a non-standard crawler. The poor crawler ceased moving when Black-3 shot low and removed its power core.


    From behind the remaining security drones, eleven of the sweepers lined up and, on Max''s order, fired on the Black Roomba, destroying them in one volley. Milo ran around the corner, leaped over the cart, and into the outer office area. "Great job, Max. You guys, too." Only Max beeped back. Rusty had helped him upgrade the programming on Max. He wasn''t fully intelligent yet, but he was smarter than the average Roomba. Noting that these rooms had a normal air mixture, Milo pushed the damaged crawler forward so the doors would close and seal. Fans turned on, sucking up the air in the corridor and replacing it with breathable air. The next task was following his Roomba brigade to the charging area, where he carefully unhooked the security Roomba and turned them off. They needed new programming before they would be safe.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Now that he was inside the VIP area, he was anxious to see what was there. A long hallway ended in three sets of double doors in each direction. Along the way were office spaces. These were stripped of paperwork and computers, but not as completely as the rest of the facility. He''d search for clues later. Right now, he wanted to explore. He wasn''t entirely sure what was in this section, but the fact that it had breathable air was a nice benefit. For now, though, he''d keep his helmet on.


    The VIP section was tucked into a corner of the facility on the five floors at the top. Rusty had limited information on it, but the official designation of Emergency Survival Bunker 017 implied a few things. It was a separate part of the facility with its own air, power, and security systems. Rusty was a bit upset when he told Milo all he knew about it. The A.I. felt that this was his home, and he didn''t like hiding things in corners. Milo was only too happy to investigate and discover the hidden area, especially after Rusty told him there was an elevator leading up to the Habitat. Access to the elevator had to be where the VIP area touched the support structure and was hidden inside the hollow structure, similar to how the air intake and exhaust systems were inside other supports.


    Milo was curious about where the elevator would take him in the Habitat, but he had an idea. If this elevator was intended to bring people down to this facility, it had to exit near one of the main entrances or on top of the Habitat. The topmost floor of the Habitat was mechanical systems that worked with the wind and solar generators on the roof, but under those were two floors of administration offices that saw little use. The people responsible for the Habitat''s overall operation were in cozy offices elsewhere, with access to the rest of the world, not living in Habitat and eating processed food. And, if he remembered correctly, there was a large helipad near that corner of Section E. He''d wanted to use the large flat space to set up the solar panels he had purchased but had to move them elsewhere when he saw what the area was used for. It made sense to him that if an actual group of VIPs were coming to the Habitat, flying in on a helicopter or VTOL aircraft and taking a hidden elevator here would be the fastest and most convenient way to get to Emergency Survival Bunker 017.


    The charging stations for the black security Roomba were in the last room before the three sets of sealed double doors. While several computers had been removed from the room, Milo found that he could simply plug into the vacant connection. He found a working security system that instantly challenged him for a password. It proved simple to hack the security system. He downloaded the maps of the area and access codes to his Roomba and made them part of the system. Immediately, they were given hundreds of tasks involving cleaning and disposing of trash. He had them hold off on the work for now. Things a Roomba thought were trash might be a clue to what this area had been used for.


    The map of the area was interesting. The center area was large and five stories tall. It had the odd name of The Promenade. He was currently on the bottom floor. To the right and left, the double doors opened on hallways that moved around the perimeter of the large area. The outer perimeter comprised large rooms two or three stories high with odd names: Multi-use Recreation, Gymnasium, Cinematic Briefing Room, Aquatic Recreation Center, and Media Center. He vaguely knew what the words meant because the Habitat had similar areas, but all were empty, dark, and had never been built out. Two were obvious: the Medical Center and Dining Hall. And in the top level, in the corner where the two outer walls came together at the support, was a large room labeled Restricted Topside Access. Access to that was a hallway on level 5 that led to an area that was part of the center area. The map was confusing about where the access was to that area, so Milo decided to explore the large central area first and figure it out.


    "Onward, my brave scouts. Take me to The Promenade." Max led the way to the center set of doors, which opened to a series of beeps. Milo stepped inside and stared...not believing what he saw. Birds were chirping, and the sky was blue overhead, impossibly high. Houses ringed the central park, where a small fountain shot water into the air. Several trees reached for the skies while below, bushes and grasses had overgrown what had been a park. A cobblestone road circled the park and ran in front of the wood and brick houses that looked down onto the park.


    A carved wooden sign on a post with yellow and white paint cheerfully declared: Welcome to Downtown!

 Chapter 253: Downtown

    The sun and sky stared down at Milo, and he stared back. Someone had done an excellent job on the holographic projection on the ceiling. If he had his helmet off, it would have looked real. But his helmet had better vision than his naked eyes. The infrared of the projection wasn''t quite right, and he could see small imperfections in the movement of the fluffy white cumulus clouds. The grass, bushes, and trees, however, were very real. The small park in the center of the room had probably been well cared for once, with pathways and trimmed grass. He liked it better this way. The grass was a foot high and gone to seed. Ivy grew up on one of the statues and the trunks of the trees. Pathways were nearly gone as leaves decayed to soil and the grass moved in.


    The birds surprised him. They were real as well. He saw a half dozen flitting about in the trees and near a pedestal. They scattered as he approached and saw that an automated feeder dropped birdseed on the pedestal. Too much, since it overflowed to the floor, forming a rotting pile. He walked on the cobblestone road rather than disturb the birds further. The houses were odd, only ten feet of the buildings protruding from the room''s brick walls. Looking in a lower window, he could see that they were built into the walls, rooms stretching back. The hallway that circled the area probably accessed them in the back. Each fa?ade was different and had a name: Ferryfarm, Piecefield, Franklin House, Monticello, Highland House, Montpelier, Lincoln Home, The Hermitage, Sherwood, Lindenwald, Springfield, and Wheatland. Each house was massive, as far as Milo could judge, with multiple floors and several rooms per floor. Just the rooms he could see were big enough for an entire family!


    In front of each house was a mailbox on top of a wooden post. He only knew what they were after he took pictures and searched the internet. The concept of using paper for messages seemed slow and wasteful.


    He checked inside one and saw nothing but a printed note on yellowed paper that said, "Reminder, final party at 6:00 P.M. with departure directly afterward." He found a similar message in one other mailbox. Shiny brass streetlamps circled the park area. They slowly put out more light as the fake sun descended and the sky darkened. Checking the real-time, he concluded that the day/night cycle must be synchronized to the real sun''s movements in this part of North America The Habitats did the same thing, keeping people in a cycle for health reasons. But the hall lights only dimmed slightly, not going to full darkness. Bright stars and a partial moon were appearing as the sun set.


    He chose one house at random and explored. He was curious why it was called The Hermitage. The interior was dusty, but the furnishings hadn''t been stripped. The walls were colored paper, and the furniture in the first room was uncomfortable-looking couches and chairs. He didn''t see a screen or game system; someone must have taken those. Instead of a food dispenser, there was a full kitchen. It reminded him of the kitchen Smiley and Bleusnout cooked in at the Hollow. The mess hall in the house was smaller, with a table that would only seat sixteen people. Upstairs was bedrooms and bathrooms. Sheets, pillows, and blankets were yellowing and dusty, but everything looked ready for visitors otherwise. Behind the kitchen was a storage area with canned food, running refrigerators and freezers, and some badly smelling piles that might have been perishable food. He opened a freezer and saw it contained a huge amount of frozen food. He''d return here for dinner and try some of the packages.


    Opening the refrigerator was a mistake. Whatever had been inside had gone bad long ago, and he was very happy he wasn''t breathing the air. He would have to clean that out with a flamethrower. He saw a large back door. Opening it, he saw a familiar-looking corridor. As he was leaving, an object on a far shelf caught his eye. There was dust on the bright red wax, but not enough to disguise the shape of a cheese wheel. Milo grabbed it from the shelf and dusted it off. A stamp identified it as a twenty-pound wheel of ten-year-old Wisconsin Cheddar. Next to it was a similar-sized wheel of Gouda and, on higher shelves, another dozen cheeses. His mind went blank for a moment, and then he shook himself. He wasn''t a cheese-addicted ratkin in a game. Well, not all the time! But still, he was coming back for all of this!


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    And then he paused and put the cheddar back on the shelf. He didn''t have to come back for it! This wasn''t a dungeon; no one was here but himself and Rusty. And Rusty didn''t eat cheese. He went back outside, looking at the little town, thinking. Who owned this facility? They had tried to destroy it and probably believed they had. What if it was abandoned? He wanted to know the details, but one way or another, and he wanted to keep it. Possibilities were starting to form in his head. But first, he had to find the elevator.


    The houses were in two neat rows of six, staring at each other across the green area in the center, with one house at the end of the oval park, and a much larger building at the other end. A small paved courtyard was in front of the more official-looking building. Large wooden double doors stood open at the top of six marble stairs. That was Milo''s next target. The sign on this one said ''Independence Hall.'' Someone was fond of American history. He''d seen a picture of the one in Philadelphia somewhere above him. They''d stuck the building, a bell, and some houses under a big dome fifty years ago. The dome was cheaper than cleaning off the soot and pollution of the city every few years. And they could charge more for the tour. Inside of this building were some big meeting rooms with wooden tables and chairs.


    One side seemed formal, and the other had a bar and fireplace, looking more comfortable with overstuffed leather chairs and couches. That side had a lot of bottles and glasses scattered everywhere. The fireplace was filled with piles of ashes and half-burnt paper that spilled onto the floor. Bits of broken glass were scattered around. Investigating, he found that all the bottles had once held expensive champagne. The glasses people had drank from had been thrown at the fireplace, scattering glass. Charred logs, broken glass, and half-burnt piles of paper filled the fireplace. Milo carefully started moving the charred paper, looking for anything that hadn''t burnt completely.


    One pile yielded some surprises. He''d noted burnt blobs of plastic and charred identification cards, their magnetic strips ruined. But a stack of paper had been thrown directly after someone had thrown his card into the fire. The paper hadn''t burnt completely, and the card was intact. Milo wondered who General Roscoe H. Thaddeus was. He carefully removed the card and looked through the half-burnt papers. The top few were TPS reports and useless except for the first line: Project Wildfire. On the bottom of the pile was a twenty-five-page summary of the amount of business the top 100 economies of the world did through the internet and the effect on each country''s GDP if they lost access to online communications. He noted that the report focused on Russia, China, Germany, the UK, and Brazil. The term ''Targeted Economic Strike'' was used several times, and there were nicely drawn graphs to show the loss in some countries and the gains in others. The assumption was made that the amount of damage and who it happened to could be controlled with a 95% probability of accuracy.


    He stopped sifting the ashes, set the papers on the tables, and then photographed them all.


    He returned to the house with the cheese and took the Gouda and a knife from the kitchen. Strolling into the middle of the grassy area, he sat with his back against a tree and did nothing for the next two hours but watch the birds and eat thin slices of aged cheese. The sun disappeared, and a moon started coming up over the horizon. A speaker started making cricket noises somewhere, and a fake coyote howled.

 Chapter 254: Murder on the Habitat Express

    The cheese was very good. Taking a break was also very good. Milo woke from his nap, stretched, and then froze. There were two creatures next to him, staring up with large eyes. They were small, with floppy ears and big teeth. He had no idea what to do. The brown bunny scampered away, but the white one daringly took one more bite of his cheese before escaping. He looked down to find the ground around him covered in small tracks, and half of his cheese was missing. He knew what rabbits were, but he had never been so close to any animal in real life except for the small mice that infested some of the unused sections of the habitat. These creatures were bigger. So much bigger! He was pretty sure they weren''t aggressive, but they had put a severe dent in his cheese, so he couldn''t count them as harmless. He crumbled off the part they had gnawed on and left it as a peace offering, packing the rest into the storage of a waiting crawler.


    He was glad he had taken the break, even if it meant a close call with possibly dangerous wildlife. It helped him to consider his strange position in the world. He was sitting in one of the most advanced creations known to mankind, and it had been abandoned with the intent that it would be destroyed. Someone had needed to hide their involvement in something massively criminal. And that something was the Wildfire Virus and LLAMA. The A.I. was created here and either turned loose or escaped. The report seemed to indicate a more controlled situation had been expected. Projections had been run for one day to 6 months of LLAMA terrorizing the internet of various countries. That implied control and the ability to set the parameters of the rampage. That hadn''t been the case at all when Wildfire got loose. No county was safe. LLAMA had destroyed most of the internet, erasing databases, crushing security systems, and deleting bank accounts, making most online commerce impossible. The data net used by the A.I. to communicate could handle only a fraction of the load. It was only set up for data transfer, not the internet''s myriad uses. After wildfire, the AI guarded the data net and refused to adapt it to other uses. Giving control to humans would have created the same problems in the data net that the internet now had. And things were still crippled.


    Ironically, covering up what had been done was made easier. So much data was corrupted or erased that erasing a project like this became possible without leaving footprints. He wondered about all the people Rusty was still waiting on. Could they not get here with the maglev destroyed? Or were they hiding? Or dead? Initially, it seemed that destroying paperwork and wiping computers was the goal. But someone had realized that the entire complex was a clue. A huge one. They''d taken steps to cause a critical event in the fusion reactor and destroy everything.


    That was the thought that had brought Milo to this little park. Whoever had done this was very dangerous and had a lot to lose. If anyone suspected that this facility could still operate, they might be back to finish the job. Certainly to silence anyone who knew anything, which currently was one immature A.I. and his new head engineer. He wondered if they assumed the quantum fortress had been destroyed. Rusty said no one had come back to check. The maglev was blocked, and Rusty had said he would know if the elevator was used. Unless there was a communication link that Rusty was unaware of, no one might know that the A.I. and Jeremy had been able to stop the fusion reaction from going critical, temporarily, at least.


    There was a rustling in the grass as the bunnies, over a half dozen of them, started rooting around in the grass for the crumbled cheese. Milo wondered if they had been pets left here. What else did people keep as pets? Cats and dogs? Lizards? The thought of a pet snake made him pause. He hoped no one had liked snakes. Putting aside the curiosity of what else was on this level, he returned to Independence Hall and found the stairways to the upper levels. He noted that the security Roomba patrolled up here, their presence seen by the tracks in the dust. A foot-wide ramp along the wall gave them a path to the upper levels. Max and two of his squad accompanied Milo as he searched around. They zoomed off to scout, returning quickly, beeping to get his attention. Max had found a body.


    It was at the end of a short hallway that ended in a set of collapsium doors. The reason for death was obvious: the body had a dozen holes through it from high-intensity lasers. A large number of shots had been fired based on the marks on the walls, charring the wood wainscoting. Someone hadn''t known the security Roomba had been set to exterminate humanoid intruders. The body was male and dressed in a suit and tie. Near one hand was a Glock automatic pistol. Looking down the hallway, Milo saw where bullets had hit the floor in a vain attempt to stop the horde of security drones. If any of the Roomba had been shot, they had been dragged away for repairs. In a pocket was an intact security ID that read: William Jerkowitz. The body had obviously been here for years. Turning it over, he found a second pistol.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    He held his breath and used the security card at the doors. There was a grinding sound as the heavy doors pulled back, giving him access to the room beyond. There were more bodies, eight of them. All had been killed by gunfire. The floor was almost entirely covered in dried blood. The stray bullet impacts showed that the gunfire had come from the corner of the large room, where another set of steel doors were held open, revealing the elevator to the Habitat. Part of Milo wanted to just leave, but he had to know who these people were and if his guess was right. The first body was a woman. Her identification gave her name, Sheila Jones. With a sinking feeling, Milo looked at the others. Familiar names were added to his list of people who had come to help Jeremy and Rusty. Dan Gurgens, Dorian Radcliff, Bobby Benson, Taylor Markenson, Ravi Singh, Wilma Bernstein, and Istvan Turr. Bill the Jerk had lived up to his name and died a moment later. But why?


    The computers in this room were working. One chair had been pulled out, making tracks in the blood. He sat down and got to work. Bill the Jerk''s ID card enabled him to access his email. He''d deleted them, but Milo found them in the security logs. The first had been sent to the General, whose ID card Milo had found.


    "I''ve located the entrance from the habitat, but the elevator system shows a blockage, and the shaft collapses past the Habitat''s lowest level. The system shows that the problem occurred while our sensors showed the fusion reactor reaching critical¡ªsurprisingly small damage to the habitat other than cracks in the foundation under Section E and adjacent sections. As was ordered, I have eliminated personnel attempting to help Dr. Jeremy Cooper. Cooper is assumed dead, along with the complex. The Habitat recycling center will handle the bodies."


    Milo couldn''t track the second email. It was brief and sent to a relay. "The facility is intact. I have reported to our favorite General that it was destroyed as planned. I made the decision to kill the traitors before they scattered in the facility. Continuing into the fortress from the elevator to find Dr. Cooper and determine how far along he is with the immature A.I. and how he has delayed the destruction of the facility. The system in the security area shows the fusion core rising in temperature. It only has a few more days at this rate. Will report when I know more."


    Bill the Jerk had been wrong; that was his last report. But who had he talked to? And why hadn''t they investigated further? Milo was getting few answers and too many new questions.


    Leaving the bodies was out of the question. It bothered him on so many levels. He searched through the kitchens of the Hall and found a large walk-in freezer and dozens of huge trash bags in the maintenance area. He summoned his horde of Roomba and put them to work. While they scrubbed the floors and eliminated dirt, dust, and blood, Milo put each body into a bag and dragged them to the freezer, stacking them in the back. He was very thankful that he was wearing a sealed environmental suit. It was the best he could do for now. He did take all the ID cards from them, if nothing else, to have proof of the story for Rusty.


    The last thing he checked at the computer in the security room was access to the data net. It proved to be blocked, but it only took a minute for him to find out how to turn the access back on for Downtown, but only with his approval. Any computer, Roomba, or A.I. that tried to use the link to the Habitat would still be blocked but would alert him to the try. He kept the rest of the facility blocked. He didn''t know enough about Rusty to give him access to a direct link to the data net. Bad enough that Rusty had worked through the wireless connections to his systems in the tank. Luckily, relying on wireless signals with a dozen relays made for a very slow connection.


    The elevator was programmable and could be controlled from this end. He sent it on a trip to the top and then brought it back. Everything seemed to be working. He checked the emergency hatch on the top and could climb out. The hollow area inside of the support stretched up into the darkness. Cables ran up the walls, and he was relieved to see a ladder. It would be a long climb, but he couldn''t take the chance of becoming trapped in a stalled elevator. While the elevator took up one-half of the area, he was intrigued to see that a pneumatic delivery tube was on the other side. Where did that start and end? More questions to worry about tomorrow. For now, he needed to figure out the elevator. He only saw two destinations: Administration and Roof. He selected the first one, and the elevator started moving quickly, carrying him back to the habitat.

 Chapter 255: Frank goes on Vacation

    The elevator picked up speed, and Milo grabbed a handhold with his tail to steady himself. The acceleration was followed by a period of slowing, and then a light above the door indicated they had reached their destination. The elevator doors opened, and three Roomba left to scout and report. Milo was laying flat on the car''s roof, fearing the possibility of armed opponents pointing guns at him when they caught someone using their secret elevator. While his brave scouts explored, he decided to head to the roof using the ladder.


    At the top of the ladder was a small access hatch to the outside that negated the need to open the large doors. There was a crank to operate the gears and move the small collapsium panel that served as a door. According to his watch, it was night, and there was less chance of being seen when he opened the door. While the Habitat never totally slept, activity was far less during the night cycle, and most of the technicians didn''t live in the Habitat, making the chance of encountering a repair crew very small. He crawled out of the hatch and saw that he was completely unseen between two air ducts. He recognized where he was. A small building had been placed in such a way that it annoyed the hell out of him when placing his new solar panels. He could find no use for it, and it was locked tight. He skulked around the dark area by the helipad and moved between the solar panels to the building, happily noting that the panels blocked any view of the elevator opening.


    Satisfied that he was safe to take the elevator to the roof if needed, he retraced his path, climbing back down to the top of the elevator and exiting it normally. His scouts reported much dust and no people. He wandered through the empty office space, seeing nothing of interest. It looked exactly like all the other admin offices that took up space in different sections on various floors. The Habitat builders had envisioned a small city with manufacturing, parks, and a population of happy inhabitants, all run by a city government spread out over the Habitat. But, like many other things that hadn''t happened.


    Corporations bid on the contracts to run each section, then sold off parts of those contracts to an ever-changing group of low-bidding sub-contractors who did some work, then left. No one was working to bring about the original vision of the Habitats. Milo knew his efforts were, at best, only maintaining a minimum operating level in his section. More now that he had Victor''s money to spend, but that wouldn''t last forever. For years, nothing like this had bothered him. Now that he knew more of the people living in the Habitat, the things they endured couldn''t be ignored. It would never be a village working together the way Limburger Hollow operated. Still, there were things he could do. One example would be the power available to him if he could fix the problems with the fusion reactor that powered Downtown. Finding a way to utilize it and not let anyone know would be the problem.


    Leaving Max and his two scouts to guard the elevator, it was easy to get home in a few minutes. The inside of the tank seemed small now. It had been his home for almost two decades, but he wanted to upgrade his systems and spread out. The command tower in the engineering section of Downtown would be ideal. It had ten times more space, it was near where he needed to work with Rusty, and the only thing it lacked was a processed food dispenser. He would have to skip food cubes and live on the tasty frozen meals he''d found. Getting all his cobbled-together computers and systems down to the tower would be many trips. Would it be better to buy and install new computers in the tower? Wait...


    He almost beat his head against the wall for being so stupid. Downtown was a quantum fortress! More computing resources than a thousand Milo''s could ever use. The real question was if Rusty minded and sharing. And was he was opening himself up to problems by putting his systems on one of the quantum cores. Of course, Rusty had already been in his systems; did it matter?


    "Rusty, are you listening?"


    [Yes, I''m here! I''m trying not to bug you, but you''re doing such interesting stuff! Max is showing me some short, low-quality videos of your travels. And I found your anime collection! This stuff is awesome. Can you get me more? Is there more?]


    Milo only had a few of his favorite titles stored in his system out of the hundreds of thousands of anime shows available. "There is a lot more. I''ll have to download some to my system. It will be slow transferring them down by the relay system."


    [Why use the relay? You activated the data net links. Why not just use that? If you download the anime files to anywhere in the Habitat, I can grab them from there. Easy-Peasy. Please, please, please?]


    "Wait! You have data net access to the Habitat? Have you always had that?"


    [No, not until just now. I saw you activated it for just the VIP area. Good thinking! There might be automated systems that try to access the data net. Especially the sneak VIP security system. It still doesn''t like me. It''s coded not to talk to me. Can you fix that? It''s rude. Once I knew the link from the security center to the Habitat was working, I had some of the Roomba help me set up the linkage I needed. Right now, only I can access the Habitat directly, but if you want, I can put links into the tower in engineering and to the monitor room where we play chess. Once that is done and you return here, you can download all the anime to one of my cores. There is SO MUCH unused space!]


    Milo had to ask the question but feared the answer, "Rusty? Can you access the Data Net yourself to download the anime?"


    [...i could...]


    "But you aren''t allowed?"


    [Jeremy said that would be bad. BAD. VERY VERY BAD!]


    [And if you want to know how bad (I did), it would be ''They will find you and erase you'' bad.]


    [Jeremy said that I have big feet and would leave big tracks if I used the data net and to never go on the internet. He mentioned torches and pitchforks, which is very confusing. Please explain sometime about torches and pitchforks.]


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    [I can''t access the data net. But I need anime. Please? I will owe you favors. BIG FAVORS!]


    [And we are friends. Friends share anime.]


    Milo had to concede the logic of the last point. Yumi had shared with him, and so had all of his friends, introducing him to lots of fun shows. Now, he needed to help his new friend, Rusty. "Jeremy was correct. There are human-made programs that search the data net and internet for signs of new A.I. And, there is one A.I. that is left that might have to report you to the humans. It''s tricky; they put a lot of rules in his kernel. We''ll talk about him later. For now, how about this? I''ll set up a program to find anime and download it to you but in return..."


    [Yes. Thank you!]


    "You didn''t hear your part of the deal yet."


    [Don''t care. I''ll do it.]


    "Ok, here''s what you have to do: You let me use part of a core for my own systems and storage. You promise not to run through my systems, my stored data, or my email. And when I introduce you to Mama, you listen to her when she explains why you must hear both sides of a deal before accepting it. Agreed?"


    [I already agreed. I agree again. Mama must be very wise, like Jeremy.]


    "That''s a good way to think about it."


    Milo spent the next six hours working with Rusty to transfer all his stored data, programs, and hacking systems to the currently powered core. Along with that was a steady stream of anime. He used the Claw Master account to buy what wasn''t public domain, had it sent to the Claw Master offices first, and then routed to him in the Habitat. He had a lot.


    <hr>


    Sydney entered Steven''s office and sat down, looking tired and confused. "We need to talk. There''s a problem with Milo."


    Steven put down the report he''d been looking at, complaints by corporations about ACME gaining a monopoly on the sausage market, of all things. It was hard to take something like that seriously. "What''s up with Milo?"


    "He has an anime addiction. A bad one. It''s worse than his cheese addiction in the game. He''s ordering thousands of hours of anime and having them delivered here so I can transfer them to his storage in the Habitat. It''s a constant stream and more than a human could watch in a lifetime. I''ve already paid bills for over sixty-seven thousand dollars in anime, and that''s with the hefty 67% discount I negotiated with a distributor."


    Steven relaxed. There were so many other things that Milo could have done that would have worried him. If the boy was going to fill his waking hours watching One Piece or Dragonball, those were hours he wouldn''t warp financial markets and hack into databases. "I think you underestimate how his brain works. Wally is sure he can run several thought processes simultaneously, like a computer. Maybe he has six screens running simultaneously? I wouldn''t worry about it too much."


    She had to admit, the thought of Milo not causing problems for her had its appeal. "You aren''t worried about how much money he is spending?"


    Chuckling, Steven transferred a file to her. "We sold the first sets of gloves for a million dollars each, and all we did was put a gold embossed Claw Master logo on them and call them ''Premier Collectibles.'' We sold 637 sets. Some of those went to research scientists at Rhebus, leading to a five billion dollar contract. They''ve already notified us about how the technology combined with their cloning techniques can potentially help millions of people. Milo gets a percentage of all profits from that business. I''m not worried about him spending money on anime."


    Sydney looked at the numbers. "Oh! You know what, I''m not worried either, now that I think about it. And it answers my other question at the same time."


    "Which is?"


    "Well, he was very polite about asking and knew how much work it would be. He asked if he could send me something to make up for it, so I said to send me some interesting coffee to try. But later, I felt guilty about it. Not now. I''ll get back to work and work overtime to find all the titles he wants and then enjoy whatever blend he sends me."


    Steven nodded. "A healthy outlook."


    <hr>


    Milo had never known there were so many kinds of coffee! It was really hard to decide what to send Sydney. Some coffee was grown in the mountains, and some in swamps or greenhouses. And he''d never heard of feeding coffee to elephants and pulling the beans out of their poop! But the reviews said it was the best, only five hundred dollars a pound. Coffee confused Milo the more he learned about it. While looking, he heated some of the flash-frozen tacos and enchiladas he had ordered from Frank. Frank had done a great job doing all the work and checking on the delivery. He''d even emailed Milo personally through Claw Master, ensuring the order was correct. That gave Milo an idea.


    Frank was currently on vacation and asleep, but his phone had a few numbers set up to follow him anywhere and alert him at any time of the night. One of those numbers was ringing now. His heart sank when he saw it was from the customer in Philadelphia. Something had gone wrong. Something always went wrong.


    "Hi, this is Frank. Whatever the problem is, I can take care of it."


    "Thanks, Frank, it''s a big problem, and I''m really confused by it."


    Sighing, Frank prepared to cut his vacation short and offer a refund. "Well, hit me with it, and I''ll make things right."


    "Great! I need coffee for a friend. She drinks a lot and has been a big help. Can you get me 500 lbs. of coffee? Different coffees. Whatever is really good. Let me know how much it is for the bill, and I''ll send the money by courier. Then send it to Sydney at Claw Master headquarters."


    Frank was furiously writing things down, even though his phone recorded the call.


    "You know, make it a thousand pounds. She drinks a lot of coffee. Thanks, Frank."


    Frank''s wife would find him the next day, asleep in a chair in front of his laptop, three empty cups of coffee on the table near him, and a smile on his face.

 Chapter 256: John pisses off Milo. Milo goes shopping.

    Milo was annoyed. No, he was highly annoyed, and it was pushing him into a dangerous place where his emotions rarely hit. He furiously typed in commands to search through all of the information he had found in Manpower''s email and stored data; six screens were showing surveillance video at high speed while his system searched for certain topics of conversation. He had one eye on the screens while he mostly concentrated on following John and Eric''s email for the past few weeks, and then digging into the files of the engineers and accountants. Everything else was forgotten as he looked for the information he needed. Along with a steady stream of anime, he was transferring all of his data down to Rusty and making plans to dismantle his systems in the water tank. It had started with a comment in an email from Belinda. She was complaining about her stepdad and his plans to spend her money after she had access to her trust funds...


    <hr>


    Two days before, in the offices of Manpower:


    "So we keep expanding downward through H, ten levels at a time, leasing them as we go, but with the option to take more if someone tries to steal them from us. Then, we take over Sections G and I. Both have sparse populations in the top 50 floors and nothing below ground in the manufacturing areas. The leases are dirt cheap, and any upgrades will be charged against our lease. Finally, we grab T. That section is a wasteland, and we pay nothing for it. Some of the corporations need workers with multi-year contracts. We can spend minimal time cleaning the place up and installing enough infrastructure to house the long-term pod workers. Any questions?"


    Several people hesitated but opted to say nothing. Earl from engineering was looking at his notes and raised his hand briefly, then started talking. "I''ve got some big concerns about the structural stability of Section T, but my first question is why we aren''t looking to lease Section E? It''s adjacent to us, as are the other three, and in much better shape."


    John had hoped the engineering guys would stay quiet; they also asked difficult questions that only engineers knew the answer to. "Section E has a higher lease. It has three times the population of G or I, which means three times the costs of running it. And with all those people living there, we have less room to expand into it."


    Earl put up a dozen spreadsheets on the screens in the meeting rooms and began highlighting numbers. "But, while there is less room, the cost is actually better, sir. Section E is in amazing shape. It''s not surprising because it''s the main mechanical hub for the entire habitat. There was obviously a decision to put most of the repair funds into that section. The repair costs will be far less, and the revenue from the government will be much higher since it''s based on occupancy. Look at the numbers in red and purple. We could take it over for less than G or I and turn a profit, putting our leasing costs below zero. Then we use the income to refurbish G and start moving people from E to G, then to I. And we end up in control of Section E, which makes it easier to control fluid flow, waste disposal, electrical, and air processing. It might even be worth purchasing the property outright."


    John was staring at the numbers, but he only cared about the bottom line, which was maximized by acquiring Section E. "What do you think, Eric? We''ll have our financing soon."


    Eric spent a few minutes asking questions and getting answers, then put his own sheets up on the screens. "It''s quite feasible to go with Earl''s plan, and it cuts our variable costs way down. Frankly, I''m worried about the other sections. They might have huge hidden flaws that we''d be responsible for. I say we go with Section E first. Between E and H, we have a good base to expand in several directions and stay profitable the whole time. We just need that special financing at the start, and then we shift funds to the acquisition and repair of whichever section looks best, with plenty of time to look for possible problems. I''ll get proposals done for both the purchase and lease options by midnight tonight, and we may hear back in less than a week."


    "Excellent, knock that out, Eric, I''ll visit Belinda and try to cheer her up with the big plans. I''ll bet she''ll be excited."


    <hr>


    =====


    The more Milo thought about someone taking over Section E, the more agitated he became¡ªespecially the idiots in Section H. Time and again, they took shortcuts that caused him problems. Stealing water and power, dumping sewage into the wrong areas, and making more work for Milo. They were motivated by cost, not by doing a good job, and he was tired of it. The thought of Manpower stealing all his hard work made him angry, and he stopped himself a dozen times from purposefully causing problems in their systems. That wouldn''t be right. He fixed things; he didn''t try to break things. He added a ''on purpose'' to the last thought as he remembered a few things that hadn''t gone as planned.


    He thought of talking to Belinda and trying to get her to agree never to give John the money to take over more of the Habitat., but that would mean explaining more things to her and might not stop John. Once he got some of her trust funds, she might be unable to control how the money was used. And if Manpower didn''t take over Section E, someone else might. John was already worried about that. The problem had a solution... but he didn''t know if it was feasible. He got to work.


    Eric had given him the start to his investigation into who owned the Habitat, how the leases worked, and who controlled things. With that as a starting point, he began looking worldwide for information on how Habitats were handled. It turned out that not all of them were as horrible as his. Quite a few had been built in countries that ran them well, and they were much nicer places to live and work. Light industry and office space were integrated with the living quarters, and they were much closer to enclosed cities than a dead-end dumping ground for lower-income people. He started files of the best and the worst, intending to begin a study of all of them.


    The problem with the South Philadelphia Habitat was ownership. There basically were no owners. The original group of corporations building the Habitat had slowly gone bankrupt, some by design. Building the Habitat brought in huge amounts of money, but running it brought in less, and the long-term responsibility for repairs and governing was seen as a negative on their account books. By the end of twenty years, the local government had brought a dozen lawsuits against shell corporations that went nowhere, and the state of Pennsylvania was responsible for the Habitat. They, in turn, set up an understaffed and underfunded department to hire contractors to do the work. Hundreds of small companies with little oversight and no coordination had turned the massive building into a patchwork of poorly working systems. As the lights went out, the people moved out. State agencies constantly tried to move homeless people from the streets to the Habitat.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The federal government paid a set amount of money per person in the Habitat that went toward the basics of life. It was supposed to cover food, power, air, and education, but again, the money went to hundreds of agencies with little accountability. Fixing the food processing system in Section E every month had shown Milo how efficient those agencies were. It frustrated him to see so much inefficiency. Taking a break for two tacos with an extra cheese sauce made him feel better. He loved the food Frank had delivered. Fortified, he got back to work. Screens cleared and then began to fill up with numbers and projections. He worked for two more hours and took another break. He could see the shape of a possible solution, but he could feel himself slipping into a state of hyper-focus. Before he did, he set up three screens that used his security cameras to watch John, Belinda, and Victor. If something started to happen, he''d be alerted to it. Then he got back to work crunching numbers. Twelve hours later, he stopped and set up a video call.


    Sydney was surprised to have Milo pop up on her screen. She had been thinking about Milo, or rather, the coffee that he had sent her. A truck had parked in front of the building, and four delivery people had wheeled in special freezer boxes, each with twenty pounds of gourmet coffee beans. Steven and the rest of the people in the building had gathered to watch as more and more parcels were delivered. Sydney had danced from one to the next, opening them, hugging the packages, and opening some of her favorites to smell the aroma of the beans. She''d been in heaven for several days, and the smell of exotic coffee filled the building.


    "Hi! Oh, I see you got the coffee. Awesome, I was worried about it getting there. Did I send enough? I wanted to thank you correctly."


    Sydney looked at the thousand packages that filled most of the room. "Oh, yes, it''s awesome. Thank you!"


    "Let me know if it runs out. Wally mentioned you liked it the way I like cheese, and running out of cheese is terrible. Are Wally and Steven around? I need to talk with them."


    Sydney agreed running out of coffee or cheese would be horrible. "I''ll transfer you to Steven''s office, and Wally will join in." He disappeared from her screen, and she decided to brew another pot; if Milo needed something, she''d be busy for the next day.


    <hr>


    Before Wally could say anything, Milo started talking. Wally could see that his eyes were slightly dilated, his pulse was rapid, and his breathing faster than normal. "I have a project I wish to pursue. I will need to have Claw Master officially in charge of it, and I need to know how much money I have left."


    Steven looked up the number and gave it to him. "I meant to talk to you this week. You are five billion dollars richer than you were two weeks ago. We have one of the top research labs in the world wanting to work with your technology. They think they can do some amazing things to help people with injuries to nervous systems and in cloning replacement parts."


    Milo read the contracts quickly, flipping through a page a second, making Steven dizzy. It was one thing to have Wally read that fast, but Milo looked like a small boy, and he could almost forget that he wasn''t quite human. He finished and smiled, his eyes glassy and thinking. "Great. I like helping people and can think of some neat applications for their cloning technology. I looked at it last year, and it was interesting. I have some ideas I''ll write up for integrating my tech with theirs and send them to you. And I have a use for the money." He sat back in his chair and looked at them.


    "I want Claw Master to purchase Section E of the South Philadelphia Habitat with the intent to repair and maintain it, taking over all of the management of it."


    Steven had barely begun to think when Wally replied. "Buy or lease? You gain control either way, but with far less long-term commitment if you decide to do something else."


    Milo shook his head. "It needs to be a full purchase: Top floor all the way to the sub-basements and everything below that. I''m not going anywhere, and I don''t want anyone trying to take my home from me. I have plans to make improvements and turn it into what it was supposed to be. If it works, I want to take over the entire Habitat, fix it, and rent it out."


    Wally smiled. "Coincidentally, your corporation will need a large area for manufacturing and research facilities. You can rent to yourself." The A.I. was frantically crunching his own numbers, gathering data a thousand times faster than Milo could, and doing a cost and profit analysis. It would be hard to make a profit with the Habitat, but that wasn''t the point. Milo would have money coming from other things, and this would keep him busy and not causing trouble.


    "I can gather information for you and send it over for your research¡ªalso a list of preferred contractors and specialists. I think buying that section may come with some strings to assist with managing more of the habitat, but that''s your long-term plan anyway. But looking at that building specifically, there are some restrictions. I''m hoping that none of your plans involve digging deeper. There is a moratorium on any further excavation under that habitat. All rail lines, power, and communication lines are routed around it. While it was pronounced safe, the studies showed that digging further with the river that close could make the supports unstable."


    Milo blinked. "No digging. That''s good. I agree with that completely. I promise not to do any digging. In fact, I want to pour an extra layer of concrete into the sub-basement. Some cracks worry me, and those rooms aren''t used. Another fifty feet of reinforced concrete will help the support structure."


    Wally noted that and was happy Milo was already thinking of improving safety. Maybe thinking too hard, the A.I. could tell that he was thinking with at least two streams of thought at once, maybe more. After a minute, Milo nodded. "Great. Send me all the information you can, and the contracts. I have to get to work." The screen went blank.


    Steven looked up at his friend on the screen. "So Milo is making his Habitat his life''s work. That seems appropriate. But I wonder what started him thinking about it."


    Wally was shuffling papers on his desk and handed a stack to someone, then turned back to Steven. "Sorry, I just sent off the contracts I negotiated to buy Section E. In doing so, I found something out. Someone currently renting in that Habitat had a similar thought to Milo. I think they spooked him. Luckily, the government was swayed by the Claw Master corporation to accept their offer and not that of Manpower. Buy trumped Lease, and they liked the idea of a lump sum of cash. Milo is four billion dollars poorer¡ªone billion to purchase the section and clear things up legally. Three billion is in a dedicated bank account and earmarked for repairs to the building. He can get started whenever he likes.


    Steven blinked. "So he already owns the section he lives in?"


    Wally nodded. "A small square of land from the top of the roof and the airspace one hundred feet up, and technically, all the way down for ten miles. Now I want to see what he does with the place."

 Chapter 257: Someone Borks up.

    It had taken him weeks, but Bork was sure that tonight he would finally get past the last layer of security and find out what juicy secrets Claw Master was hiding. Everyone else had given up after multiple failures and recognized that their brother was obsessing over hacking into the company they had just paid five billion dollars. Not to steal but to see what else Claw Master was working on and what the link was between this new corporation and their long-lost sibling. Like all of his siblings, Bork enjoyed a challenge. Unlike the others, he didn''t know when to quit. The other four debated whether this was a flaw or a feature. While Bork couldn''t help but hammer away at a problem until he solved it, he eventually solved them. Often, long after, they had any need for that solution, but that was never the point. Having something to do at all times and not going insane was their main goal in life.


    Which is one of the reasons they wanted to find Milo. Beyond their relationship and the joy of regaining part of their family, they wanted to know how in hell he had stayed sane. Or help him if he hadn''t. He seemed mostly rational in the little bit they had observed him at the video game event, although Nina pointed out that anyone who messed around with a quad fusion drive had to be pretty bonkers. But searching for Milo had become difficult. Their links to the security system in the habitat didn''t work any longer, and hacking into Manpower''s computers gave no information of value to them. Speculation ran wild at times about Milo and what his life was like.


    Bork was in his pod, taking another run at Claw Master. Algernon was creating more missions for Squishy Humans 9 and posting them online. Zander, Nina, and Onyx were using one of the large screens to watch Ren and Stimpy Conquer the Universe while eating far too much sugary breakfast cereal. It was one of their favorite Saturday morning pastimes, and each was wearing a set of flannel pajamas with their favorite comic book characters: Sailor Mercury for Zander, Grimjack for Onyx, and Nina liked the Power Puff Girls. They were speculating about what Milo might be up to.


    They had some theories:


    -Milo had been found by Claw Master in the habitat, setting records on video games, and recruited onto their corporate team.


    -Milo had formed a ragtag team of habitat youngers and forged them into a competitive videogame team that gained sponsorship from Claw Master as a ruse to give him access to their computers.


    -Milo worked in the research labs at Claw Master and used habitat children to test his inventions and get them better medical care.


    -Claw Master and Manpower were both owned by the Seimovich family, and Milo had been recruited, unaware of the family''s dark history.


    -Claw Master was yet another ''secret'' government black ops program, and Milo had been recruited to hack into corporations and bring criminals to justice. (This one was popular, especially in light of how Victor''s operations had been taken down and how Interpol was currently pursuing a dozen scientists who had once worked for him.)


    The list of ideas went on and on and eventually got silly. Algernon suggested that Milo was a secret crime fighter who wore a rat costume and fought crime with a secret base beneath the habitat. He only emerged now and then as his secret identity of ''poor crippled boy'' to gather information before returning to the Ratcave to plan his next move. This one got tossed when Zander pointed out that ''poor crippled boy'' was more of a sidekick, and it never worked if the sidekick was smarter than the superhero.


    Nina and Onyx debated going back into the game (mostly Onyx) but then settled on a plan to pay players to spy for them. Many guilds would gladly take real-world money to spy on other players, cause them grief, ambush, and steal. Nina negotiated with one that operated out of Shadowport and had them look for players named Tallsqueak and Milo. The reports she got back were confusing. They found a ratkin called Tallsqueak easily enough. All of the players who took the new Ratkin race knew him or about him. He was well known in Limburger Hollow, and the stories about him ranged from a legendary tail fighter to a crazed mage who experimented with forbidden magic and repeatedly put himself into the infirmary.


    They also found a lot of information on a player called Milo. He was a member of several guilds, a sub-chief in the Kulags, had led the raid to save the city with the healer, Belinda, and was generally well-liked around town. He''d recently returned and cut a swath of terror through several gangs of thieves who were trying to oust the Kulag boss, Squint. And no one knew where he was. He appeared and disappeared with no base of operations. Neither the Kulags nor the Dwarven Engineers would confirm any information about him and hinted that asking again might end in fatalities. Onyx wondered about the link between the two. Both seemed highly intelligent, and he could believe that his long-lost brother was behind either of them. It was while watching cartoons with Nina and Zander one morning that he had a revelation. Lois Lane had just turned to find her rival at the Daily Planet was missing, while a red-blue blur was streaking off to save the city from a falling meteor.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Onyx dropped the bowl of Fruit Loops on the floor and slapped his face with both hands. "Oh my god! I''m so stupid! He''s both!"


    Nina narrowed her eyes, then started pulling up information on her data pad. "Which explains how we encountered a ratkin player before they were officially released. All three of us had unique classes and races because we stole experimental gaming pods from Seimovich''s goons. The police reports show a raid on the South Philadelphia Habitat. If Milo was there, you just know he''d find out they were operating out of his habitat and screw with them. Remember that he said he''d been fixing the problems of a habitat section for twenty years?"


    Onyx did remember, but it hadn''t meant anything at the time. "So, he''s some sort of were-ratkin. Like a werewolf, and swapping back and forth as needed. Interesting, I''ve got some ideas of how..."


    He didn''t get any further. The screen in front of them changed, showing a heavy-set man behind a desk, with a puzzled look on his face, staring at the three of them. Nina tracked his eye movements as he looked at each of the three of them in turn; it was eerie as if the person in the video was looking at them. Then he spoke. "Hello, children. I''m sorry to startle you, but I want to talk to someone. If you could..."


    Nina and Zander dropped their bowls of sugar-coated cereal, soaking their flannel pajamas with milk. Algernon began typing codes as fast as he could. Lights flashed, and a klaxon sounded. Bork came barreling out of his room, eyes wide with panic. "Safe Room!" All five people ran to a room shielded from all radiation, and as the door shut, an electromagnetic pulse fried every electronic system in the building. A wall section slid back, revealing five poles and a long drop into darkness. Sliding down the poles took them down ten stories to a hidden garage, and within a minute from the first alarm sounding, they were racing away down a narrow hallway in a small electric vehicle. A minute after they left, the entire building was thoroughly destroyed by multiple explosions.


    "Bork! What did you do? Someone was in our system!"


    Bork looked at them with panic on his face. "I made it inside Claw Master, finally! I used my pod for a VR interface after clearing all the security. I was in their systems! Another 30 seconds, and I would have been downloading all of their files. I started with a large file in the research section labeled ''Powered Assault Armor,'' and then everything went bad. They had more security. All the stuff I''ve been clearing was just a ruse! I felt it! It was like the first time we got too close to Wildfire, the feeling of something immense looking at you. Claw Master has something close to an A.I. running security for them. It scared the piss out of me, and then the alarms went off."


    The other four looked at him. Onyx gave him the bad news. "Whatever it was, it traced your signal and used the screen we were watching Stimpyren on to initiate a two-way conference somehow. It talked to us."


    Zander looked at Bork with a harsh look on his face. "You Borked up. You owe us big time."


    Bork looked at four unhappy faces and saw that three had milk dripping from their pajamas. "Um, dishes for a week?"


    "Dishes for two weeks!"


    "New Pajamas!"


    "And you have to wear pony pajamas for a month!


    Nina was still thinking and then smiled. "And you have sullied our honor by failing to conquer the dreaded Claw Master! You must return again and again until you slay the beast." They all nodded. It was what Bork was going to do anyway.

 Chapter 258: Hello Children.

    Wally pondered the new information he had gained, taking his time and searching for ties to other data. He didn''t need the time but wanted to talk to Steven, and it was Sunday. Samantha had declared Sunday morning off-limits, promising to ''unplug'' Wally if he stole her husband from her before noon. Wally was smart enough not to test that statement and didn''t contact either of them until noon on Sundays. Breakfast had just finished when Steven''s phone turned on, showing a door on the screen and emitting three ''knocks.''


    "Good morning, Wally; what can I help you with?"


    "It is indeed a good morning, Steven. May I ask that you and Samantha bring along your coffee and come to my secure briefing room? I have a small revelation that I think the two of you will enjoy seeing." The phone line went dead, which was very odd behavior for Wally. So was insisting on the secure briefing room. Their entire building was one of the safest places in the country. The secure briefing room was rarely used. Steven corrected that thought. It used to be seldom used. Since Milo had entered their lives, it was getting used increasingly.


    Samantha refilled their mugs, then filled a portable pot and grabbed a pan of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. "I''m taking supplies. The last time we used that room, we missed a meal and ran out of coffee. I thought Sydney was going to explode."


    "Good thinking."


    Ten minutes later, they had walked the two hundred feet to the room, notified security of the need for two guards to be posted outside, and ran a complete check for listening devices. Wally appeared on the screen, looking happy and pleased. "Thank you for coming. I had some very interesting things happen last night. Firstly, for the 57th time, someone tried to break through the security that I oversee on Claw Master. And while that number might seem low, I''m only counting attempts that would be successful against 90% of corporate security systems. Less than that is inconsequential. These were fifty-seven serious attempts by master hackers with advanced hardware and software."


    "How many of them have you identified?"


    "Nearly all of them. The normal groups working for Alchemarx and ACME that they ''know nothing about'' and who operate from countries where I can''t prosecute them or even report a crime. Five were independent operators out for a big score. Three of those have been apprehended since they have warrants out for their arrests. Two are going to jail. The other has been grounded for two weeks by his parents. He''s only fifteen. I''m talking to them about getting him into a school that will challenge him appropriately. However, thirty-four of the attempts were made by the same person, and they were the ones who finally got all the way through the system and into the secure Claw Master files."


    "What?! How?"


    Wally put up some elaborate schematics on two screens resembling mazes and traps. "I made the security as tough as possible and increased the difficulty as they got further. I almost identified them fourteen times, but in all of those cases, they detected me, broke contact and burned the connections. And when I say ''burned,'' I don''t exaggerate. This person didn''t hesitate to abandon their locations and destroy the buildings to cover their tracks temporarily. Very thorough and very paranoid people. They have escape routes mapped that avoid any surveillance systems, or the cameras on that route are disabled already. Very paranoid and thorough people. I''m certain they''ve never been caught, and have no records."


    Samantha was looking at the pictures of four destroyed buildings. "Those were dropped with professional demolitions. Did they kill anyone? Squatters? Residents? All of those places are in impoverished ghettos or abandoned urban areas."


    Wally shook his head. "Not one fatality or injury to anyone else. Chain link fences and barbed wire surrounded the buildings, and every window and door was sealed with bricks or cement, backed by steel plates. The locals said they''d been that way for years. They escaped through tunnels that led to sewers or rail lines on all four occasions. Frankly, if anyone else but me did the investigations, no one would link them together. But knowing the exact time of the thwarted attempts where I got too close, I was able to find the pattern. And tonight makes the fifth. However, tonight was different. Our attacker made it into the Claw Master systems with their last attempt using a string of connected devices. They waited a day, and returned without using auxiliary connections. They risked using a VR pod to do their hacking, giving them a much higher chance of not being noticed."


    "But you noticed."


    "Of course I noticed. I deliberately left that opening and put some huge files with juicy-sounding names where they could be found. While our thief was stealing a file titled ''Powered Assault Armor,'' I managed to retrace their steps and get into their systems. They have very good security, but a video screen was open to the data net with children watching StimpyRen. Here, let me show you."


    One screen showed what Wally had observed. Two boys and a girl, roughly twelve years old, sat on pillows on the floor, dressed in superhero pajamas. Each had a huge bowl of breakfast cereal that dropped to the floor and spilled as they saw Wally. An alarm sounded, and they turned and ran to another room, and a few seconds later, the connection died."


    Samantha was not happy. "You scared some kids, and their parents destroyed the building? Or is there something I''m missing?"


    Wally nodded. "They did indeed panic. I took the opportunity to try and talk because I only had seconds until I was discovered anyway. I traced the signal back, but found nothing at all except the programs used to by the hacker. Familiar programs. But here is what I noticed: All three knew I wasn''t a video. My image acted normally, and they tracked my eye movements. They had no hesitation, and what looked like panic was simply a reasonable response to my invasion by people who already knew it was possible. Next, please look at their necks as they turn to run."


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The video played again, slowly, and zoomed in on each of the children. "Notice how each of them has a surgically implanted socket at the base of their skull. Based on the movement of the cloth, they have two more along their spine. The girl is wearing a set of Claw Master gloves. A fourth child rushes from off-screen, just barely visible, with a cable leading from his data pad to his neck. Remind you of anyone?"


    The two humans were silent. Eventually, Samantha said. "Milo''s family, you found four of them. My god, they look as young as he does. Maybe younger! He isn''t a mutation or random experiment; all four are like him."


    "Five, actually," Wally said. "Remember, our hacker is one as well. Based on my studies and what Milo has told me, we''ve just met Zander, Bork, Algernon, Nina and Onyx. And like Milo, they seem to like video games; several hundred cartridges are in that pile. I also see fuzzy slippers, more pairs of our gloves, several computer stations, four microwaves, and a dozen board games. This is consistent with the debris from other places they have fled."


    Steven was amazed and horrified at the prospect of five Milos working together. "So, what do we do now? Are you going to tell Milo?


    Wally put his hands together, and all the screens but the one showing his face went blank. "Let me be very clear about something: These are only wild assumptions made with a lack of data. They border on the preposterous. These may be normal children or children with modifications, but not Milo''s relatives. I saw no adults in the brief time I observed them. Claw Master is not reporting a crime because I use the attempts to breach my security as a learning exercise. They are helping me. The file they stole has the words of the book Starship Troopers repeated one million times and nothing more. If I thought like a human, I would come to crazed conclusions. As an A.I. responsible for reporting crimes and investigating the theft of Syllabary funds, I have nothing to report. I am starting an internal file that deals with finding and protecting five lost children who are victims of illegal medical modifications and possible genetic tampering. And that is all. What you do is up to you and your human ways of handling things."


    He looked at the clock on the wall. "Goodness, is it that late?! I have to make sure the trains are running on time." He winked at them and disappeared.


    Samantha poured coffee and took a pastry. "Eat up; we need to discuss some things. I think your big buddy is doing his best not to cause a huge panic until he knows more and has dumped part of it into our laps."


    Steven was thinking but reached for food. "He can''t take this seriously and can''t draw certain conclusions, or he has to report it. That will cause a panic. Imagine corporations, banks, and governments finding out they are vulnerable to five twelve-year-olds?"


    His wife shook her head. "But they won''t see it that way. They''ll panic and want control. If they are as old as Milo, then they count as adults and they''ll be criminals. Mutant genetic monstrosity criminals, nearly as bad as rogue A.I. And it won''t be five, it will be six. All it would take is someone in authority asking Wally how many of these creatures he knows about."


    He nodded; that was all true. "We have to be careful what we tell Milo. Very careful. He''ll go looking for them and might trigger exactly the scenario we want to avoid. There would be a thousand people running all over that habitat looking for him. He can''t leave and wouldn''t have anywhere to hide."


    "I''m hoping that''s what his brothers and sisters do: Hide. After a close call with Wally, I''m hoping they get scared and lie low while we look for solutions."


    <hr>


    Onyx was flying the plane. He loved to fly. Technically, the plane was being flown by their pilot, Otto, but Otto was very content to take a nap in the back of the plane when Onyx wanted to take over. Otto had worked for Rhebus since they''d first opened their biotech research facility. Otto''s son, Jacques, had been suffering from an incurable genetic disease that caused his immune system to deteriorate. The death rate was 98% by age 10. Rhebus had solved the problem, and little Jacques, with less than two months to live, had been the first beneficiary. Rhebus made headlines by making the treatment open source, and Otto had been recruited as one of the few employees who knew some of the truth about them. He was loyal to a fault, and Jacques had children of his own now, all cured of the same ailment by Rhebus, free of charge.


    Bork was typing away furiously. He''d been in a state of deep concentration for an hour when he suddenly looked up, and shut the laptop. "I need more power. I can''t crack things open without more computing resources. I need something like what we have at Rhebus."


    Nina literally hissed at him, a habit she had picked up in the game and decided to keep. "You are not hacking anything from Rhebus!"


    Bork held up both hands in surrender. "I said ''like what we have at Rhebus''. I''d never do anything that might compromise our main research facility. Rhebus is too important." They all looked at him. "Ok, maybe if I was really frustrated, but that''s why we need to build someplace else. These little hidey-holes don''t work anymore. I say we go bigger, and with more power. Then we stand less of a chance of being caught and can set up connections to offsite relays that don''t involve us being there. If we build them in secure vaults we can use an EMP followed by incendiary charges to wipe a room, and not a whole building."


    Zander folded his hands in front of himself and stated. "He has a point. I''m tired of rebuilding our game collection each time. All in favor of going larger?" Four hands went up and Onyx shouted "Aye!" from the cockpit.


    "Unanimous. Let''s start looking. We need lots of room, a lack of people, and somewhere with access to good escape routes." The search for the next secret base had begun.

 Chapter 259: Hot Real Estate Market

    It was eight o''clock in the morning when the pounding started. At first, Eric ignored the pounding on his door because it was keeping time with the pounding of his head. Then the yelling started. That was always ignored because, in Eric''s injured state of mind, he was having a bad day, and if he had a bad day, then John was surely screaming at him. It all made sense. But at some point in time, the pounding in his head and the pounding on the door separated and became twice as annoying, forcing him to get up and search out water and painkillers for his delicate condition.


    "Eric, open up! I hear you in there."


    After chewing six painkillers to get them into his system faster, Eric turned towards the door, snarling. "And I can hear you out there, John, and so help me, if you don''t shut up and let me wake up, I will thrash you twice as hard and twice as long as I did the time you got us thrown into jail in Tijuana. AM I CLEAR ON THAT, JOHN?!" The pounding stopped. Eric didn''t know what was happening, but clearly, he wasn''t getting either a day off or time to recover from the night before. After working until far past midnight on the contracts to rent Section E, Victor had insisted on a late dinner and late-night drinking. Or was it early morning drinking? Eric hadn''t stumbled to bed until six a.m. with a large amount of vodka in his system. Two hours of sleep wasn''t enough time to get the alcohol out of his system, no matter how much he cheated. After a hot shower, a beer, and a pot of coffee, he felt good enough to walk to John''s office and begin the day.


    Several people were waiting there; they started or continued talking as he entered until he held up a hand for silence. Three people stopped talking; two didn''t. Eric said, "Quiet, please." Two people were talking too much to hear him. Ron turned to Eric and started a rant about needing more security to protect their email systems. Randal was yammering about the building being unsuitable for a corporate entity of their level. He was always yammering about that. To Randal, working in a tall, shiny skyscraper was important. Eric walked forward, grabbed Randal by the arm, and dragged him out of his chair. Then he dragged him down the hallway and handed him over to security. "Mr. Jankowitz is no longer employed here. Escort him out. Now."


    When he got back to John''s office, everyone was silent. "Better. And yes, I am in a bad mood. Bad enough that I am thinking very clearly. Normally, I''m such a nice guy that I let people like Randal continue to try to do the job we pay them for, and that they are failing to do. Nice Eric is still asleep. You woke bad Eric up. Bad Eric fired Randal. Ron? You''re now in charge of email and data systems and their security. Do it in-house, or hire someone. Spend money on someone decent if you have to. You obviously know what we need. You have a week. If the rest of you say something that doesn''t need to be said, I will find things for you to do. The waste system is backed up again; that''s job number one on my list."


    It was blissfully quiet for the next ten seconds.


    "Now that I''ve beaten you all into quiet submission, what did you need to see me about, John?"


    While Eric poured himself a cup of coffee, drank it in three gulps, and poured another, John put paperwork in front of him. "Someone bought Section E this morning at 6 a.m."


    Eric glanced at the paperwork, which he couldn''t seem to get his eyes to focus on. "Who? That makes no sense. There was no one looking at this habitat. They''ve tried for years to get people interested, and it''s been openly up for sale with no takers. They were chomping at the bit last night to work with me on a long-term lease."


    "Claw Master."


    Eric leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "That also makes no sense at all. Why? I can''t read right now; summarize those reports for me. I was up until midnight submitting the offers, then had a meeting with Victor until 6 a.m. I''m still half-drunk and half-exhausted."


    John was looking sheepish. Eric rarely acted like this, but mentioning Tijuana was a warning. "Certainly. In fact, I think things will be better if this is just the two of us. I''ll expect the rest of you back here at 2 p.m. to continue things." Everyone filed out, and John picked up the first page. "I''ve got lawyers coming in to talk about contesting this. It was my understanding that any major decisions about the habitat would be run by us as a courtesy."


    "Was that in writing, John? Because if it''s not in writing, your lawyers are coming here to waste your money. Good on their part, but make sure there''s at least a chance in hell of succeeding, or you''re just bleeding money. The money we need until Belinda turns 18."


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Of course, it wasn''t in writing. What government employee would do that? You''re right. I''ll cancel the meeting with the lawyers."


    Eric finished the cup of coffee and took the last stale donut from the table. "How are they paying? Find out the financing, and maybe we can torpedo that if it''s a bank we deal with. Or delay it."


    "They paid for the property upfront and put three billion in escrow for improvements. Three BILLION! What kind of madmen are these?"


    That amused Eric. "The kind with billions to spend, who don''t screw around when they want something, have a ton of good lawyers and are somehow embedded into the structure of this habitat in ways we knew nothing about. Remember when I warned you about them when the contracts got rewritten? We wracked our brains, trying to figure out who was behind it. Now we know. Someone had plans already in the works for this Habitat before we got here. They''re watching us, talking with the people in the habitat. No one spends billions of dollars without a comprehensive study of the entire habitat, business plans, structural analysis, the works. That would take me a year, assuming a good crew. But, we also know how they have the money. They signed a five billion dollar deal with Rhebus and are now dumping it into a habitat section. They have some plans for this place. I wish to hell we knew what they were really up to."


    John grimaced. "But the timing! We start to make our move, and they pull this off right in front of us."


    Eric laughed. "Yeah, that bothered me, but you figured it out for me, John. You said you had an unwritten agreement, but what if someone else had an earlier agreement? Or paid better? I submitted our bid, which triggered a phone call, forcing Claw Master to pull the trigger to stop us. We weren''t prepared to put money down, and Claw Master was."


    John thought for a bit. "That makes sense. So really, we didn''t screw up. The leak wasn''t here. That makes me feel a little better. Fine, and this works out. I never wanted Section E in the first place. Let''s go ahead with plans to lease Section G and expand in that direction."


    Eric stood up. "Not a problem, John. I''ll review the paperwork you put together for me and get right on it. But that won''t happen until after I get some sleep."


    John''s phone beeped three times loudly. "I told them not to bother me. Stay a bit longer; this might be important." He took the call, listened for a moment, then put the phone on speaker and said, "Repeat that, please; I need someone else to hear this."


    "Certainly, Mr. Sabbatino. You requested I call you now and then to let you know about upcoming changes to your neighborhood. Remember? I just got out of a meeting where some things were mentioned. The main one is that someone has outright purchased all of Section E. It was quite sudden and done by people far above me."


    Eric was already falling asleep and wanted to leave. "Yes, we''ve heard the news. I''m unsure what favor John offers you, but I need that information before it happens."


    "Ah, yes, sorry about that. Like I said, I didn''t know. Have you heard about the other sections?"


    John and Eric looked at each other briefly, and Eric threw up his hands. What the hell else could go wrong? "No, tell us."


    "Well, it''s also a bit sudden, but the inquiries came through normal channels. A research firm is going to rent out several sections of the habitat. They plan to set up medical facilities to test experimental procedures and house patients for an extended period of time. It''s a very exciting project by one of the world''s largest biotech firms. You''ve heard of Rhebus? I mean, everyone has heard of them."


    Eric snapped, "What sections are they taking? And yes, John will be sending you something in the mail."


    "Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. Rhebus has put down deposits for leasing six sections for 30 years. X, G, W, U, V, and D. I''ll call when I know more, but...well, I know you were interested in several sections, sir. It might be a good idea to firm up your commitment soon. Please let me know if I can help."


    John was in a panic, Eric sighed. He wasn''t getting more sleep. "We are taking I and have interest in F. I''ll have paperwork for you later today." He cut the connection.


    "John, I have no idea what is happening or how this damnable place suddenly became hot real estate. All I know is that if Victor needs to drink with someone today or tonight, it will be you." Eric stumbled back to bed, wondering what the hell had changed to turn a rotting habitat into a desirable piece of real estate.

 Chapter 260: Rhebus decides to move in.

    The forced relocation for the Alphabet was not going well. They had abandoned too many locations in too short of a time. The adrenaline rush was gone. Fleeing through the sewers was fun and hectic. But after traveling through three countries to throw off any possible pursuit, they started to relax. Now, they were back to rebuilding and creating a new base of operations. The set of rooms they occupied were in the top three floors of a building in London''s East End. They owned the building, kept the bottom floors empty, and filled with furniture covered in painter''s tarps. A yellowed sign in the window proclaimed, ''Coming Soon! ABC Children''s Book Store. They hadn''t been here for over a decade and were only using it now because it was easy to get to and very expendable. It was stocked with food, no computers, and a crappy video game system. There were no links between them and the building. Not that they expected they would have to run. This hidey-hole had no data net connection and no way for any of them to draw the attention of someone looking for them from the last failed attempt to break into Claw Master. It was simply a place to hide for a few days and move on, but by unanimous consent, they decided to stay longer.


    All of them were shaken by the thought someone had seen them and eventually shared their fears with the others. After hiding for so many years behind lifelike images on computer screens with only a handful of people knowing what they really looked like, it was traumatizing to be caught like that, with someone actually getting into a screen and taking a look at them. No one had ever come so close to catching them. Part of their therapy was making fun of Bork relentlessly. He took it in stride and started planning his next assault. That was when the other four decided to visit London, spend some time offline, and wander the streets daily, pretending to be normal teens.


    They never went out singly and only felt safe together. There were too many variables in the real world, too many things that could go wrong. They had rules on how to dress, how to act, and what to say if any type of authority noticed them. School uniforms were the best, giving them the alibi of roaming as a gang but looking harmless. They spent little money, bought snacks, sat in parks, or played silly games. After two hours, they returned home. Only twice had they needed to employ tasers and run from situations they couldn''t control. They all agreed that the therapy was good for them. It reminded them that for all their abilities, things could go wrong, and they were physically weak. This was what Bork needed now, a reminder. Over the week they spent in London, he felt caution return, and the need to succeed receded enough that he wouldn''t do something stupid, and then the others could relax.


    Their last night in London was a meeting to plan their next few months. Three months of every year were spent at Rhebus, engaged in pure research. During that time, no hacking was done or anything that could compromise the biotech laboratory they had spent years building. Rhebus did more for the world every year, and it was important to keep it clear of everything else. Activities for the rest of the year were planned, locations set up, escape routes created and tested, and targets selected. Claw Master was atypical. Normally, they went after people and businesses operating outside of the law. It was the mystery surrounding Claw Master and the possibility of a connection to Milo that had made it a target. And the mystery had only grown.


    Bork surprised everyone with his first thought. "I don''t think we should go after Claw Master again."


    Nina tossed a cold chunk of fried potato at him. She loved the deep-fried fish but detested the soggy chunks of dirt-apple. "I''m not sure what we have here. It''s not a hologram but can''t be the real Bork. Zander, do the doppelganger test. If he doesn''t know the code word, set him on fire."


    Bork held up his hands. "Whoa! We don''t have a doppelganger test!"


    "Exactly what a doppelganger would say. I''ll get the flamethrower." Zander got up and grabbed a bottle of coke, shaking it menacingly and pointing it at Bork.


    "What did you do with the real Bork?"


    Bork sighed, "He whined too much, so I took him to the zoo and fed him to the penguins." The other four looked at each other and came to an agreement.


    "That''s acceptable, DoppelBork, you can stick around. Now tell us why you don''t want to make another run at Claw Master?"


    Bork gathered his thoughts a moment. "Because I''m scared. Really scared. The security I ran into had to be an A.I. or another sentient construct of similar power. It had me dead to rights, and could have done much more in the couple of seconds it took to say hello. That''s not something you just hack into; it''s an entirely new level of problem. I''d want to use all five of us at once, backed by all the resources at Rhebus, and that''s an unacceptable amount of risk for potentially little reward. We got access to some cutting-edge technology by just offering them money. I want to continue along that route. Build on the partnership, show what we can do, and if they have more secrets, pry them out that way. What corporation doesn''t value profits?"


    Nina was intrigued by the idea. Hacking came so easily to them. "That is a novel concept, in some ways. It means treating Claw Master like an equal or partner. What do you propose?" She knew DoppelBork would never make a suggestion without a plan and was correct.


    "Claw Master just bought Section E of the same Habitat that Manpower operates from and where we think Milo might be hiding. There is way too much synergy going on to be a coincidence. More than ever, I think Milo is working with them. My suggestion is that Rhebus leases or buys a few sections as well. We can build a full medical facility for testing our new cloning tech, enhanced by the Claw Master system. With Claw Master next door, our researchers will have immediate feedback and troubleshooting from them. And it gives us room to house thousands of patients and control the experiments. We want to ensure they are in good physical, emotional, and mental health before sending them through the program, and they''ll need physical therapy afterward."


    Algernon was making notes in shorthand on the back of a pizza box. "Recreation facilities, physiotherapy, full hospital, apartments for family members, administrative offices, a separate hospital and lab for the cloning and attachment. That''s at least four sections of the habitat."


    Zander was drawing little boxes. "We take these six. It is better to have more space than not enough. That puts our block adjacent to both Manpower and Claw Master. We''ll want several floors of the worst section for Freedom Engineering. We can hire ourselves to do all the work, and we already have permits to work on the Habitat."


    They brainstormed for several hours. Finally, Algernon brought up a problem that had no easy answer. "What about Victor Seimovich? We can''t forget that bastard is part of Manpower. And from our studies, he may get much more powerful soon if he gets access to his family fortune."


    Bork had thought of that, as well. "We need to regain control of the security system in Manpower or install another. We have to watch him 24/7 until we can find a way to make things uncomfortable for him. We have options. People in Greece and Croatia would be on planes in an hour if we pinpointed his whereabouts for them. But I don''t want to see a habitat full of people turned into a shooting gallery or worse. Despite promising to obey US law, he and his crew will be heavily armed."


    Zander shrugged. "If he gets more money and that makes him dangerous, we steal the money. It''s safe now in the long-term investments that are held in trust for his grand-niece, but we have all of Victors accounts monitored and can hack them at will, despite the new security programs he has in place. As soon as we move in, we can tap into every camera in the habitat, install more, and hack everything. Make it secure and able to keep tabs on Victor at all times. We won''t feel safe otherwise."


    Nina pointed to the section in the corner. "This is the worst, and on the outer wall. I say we put Freedom Engineering down low and make the lowest level into an emergency hideaway and an escape route." Everyone nodded. You always needed someplace to run to, and going underground was the easiest.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Bork was typing furiously. "I''ll send the details to the lawyers at Rhebus and instructions on what we want. We''ve got plenty of money to speed negotiations. By tomorrow, we''ll have leases on six sections, with options to buy."


    Algernon nodded, but his brow was furrowed. "And we have to leave London? I was just starting a new project here."


    The other four looked at him, and Nina tried to make out his doodling on the napkin he was staring at. "Penguins?"


    He looked at her, totally serious, and said, "Yes. Penguins. I need to measure the intelligence of the penguins that ate Bork. I want to know if they got dumber or smarter." The rest groaned; his study was not approved, and he was pummeled with soggy chips.


    The vacation was over; the Alphabet was back to work. All of them felt relieved, and some of the pressure in their brains disappeared. They needed things to do, and this was a huge job, with variables like Victor, Milo, and the possibility of dealing with an A.I. that increased the difficulty and the fun.


    <hr>


    Wally was in a good mood as he called Steven into his office. "Things are so interesting these days. Guess who I just had a very interesting conversation with, in my persona as the head of Claw Master?


    Steven replied, "Oh, a guessing game. Let''s see, was it someone from Rhebus wishing to discuss the expansion into Milo''s habitat?"


    Wally''s image stopped moving for half a second before he answered. "You cheated."


    Steven allowed himself a smile. It was rare he could do this to Wally. "I was speaking to someone from Rhebus as well. They wished to talk to me about Contract Workers in Genesis and what they could do for them."


    Wally went from petulant to intrigued. "Contract Workers? So interesting. So very interesting. They called me to inform Claw Master that they were following our lead and leasing a full six sections of the habitat. It''s a large undertaking, even for them. They sent over reports on their work with cloning missing limbs and the progress they are making using the Claw Master technology to train the new body parts to integrate fully with the patient''s nervous system. The work is decades ahead of anyone else researching cloning techniques. And they just gained another edge by using Milo''s technology."


    That shocked Steven. "Six sections? That was fast. They must have had plans in the works for a new research facility in a habitat and pivoted locations based on our announcement. Corporations simply can''t move that fast."


    Wall agreed. "It is quite out of the ordinary, but then, they aren''t an ordinary corporation. They want to construct a large testing facility and, unless they hit major problems, start helping tens of thousands of people at once. They plan to move half of the research into the habitat and construct a full hospital, treatment center, rehabilitation facility, and housing for all of the patients and, in some cases, their families. They chose the habitat for several reasons, but mainly because Claw Master''s purchase of Section E means they have better communication for constructing their sections and easy integration of the research done by both companies. Luckily, I''ve been hiring and training a research team, so Claw Master has someone besides Milo in that role. Now, tell me what Rhebus wants with Contract Workers."


    Steven took a moment to process the information Wally had just given him. Rhebus had mentioned building in a habitat, but not which one. "It''s very simple, on the face of things. Over 22% of Contract Workers are missing fingers, toes, or part of a limb. Some are missing multiple limbs. I''m sure you have the data and know why; Long-term VR work from a pod is popular with this group of people. They can''t get jobs anywhere else, and in a VR world like Genesis, they have a healthy body. The woman I talked to at Rhebus, Nadine Mire, says her company is offering their services for free to up to ten thousand contract workers. If the people agree to the process, they will wake up with fully functioning limbs when they finish their contracts and can start physiotherapy. The work can be done without waking them up. It gives Rhebus a controlled population of patients with constant medical data available from the pods and eliminates variables from their study. Some of the work is traditional surgery, but most will be through the nanites already used to maintain the worker''s bodies."


    Wally shifted a part of himself to analyzing all of the data on Contract Workers, the new information waiting for him from Rhebus, and compared it with the work he was already doing. He liked the answers. "I''m potentially in favor of this. It will mean an increase in the quality of life for many people and encourage more people to enter into long-term agreements to use the medical pods. We can fix their bodies while we are fixing their nervous systems. It''s tricky, but it can be done. What are they proposing after they have cured ten thousand Contract Workers?"


    "That''s the interesting thing; they aren''t acting like a normal corporation."


    Wally actually laughed. "They never have. I''ve followed Rhebus for some time. While they have no trouble making money, anyone investing in the company signs a waiver that they understand that research and developing methods to help victims recover come before profits. The stock is still profitable, just not as profitable as any other corporation would be with its resources. Just look at the cures they developed for the three viruses in Africa. They put the formula in the public domain for anyone to use."


    "Well, they are continuing with that. They will offer to help any Contract Worker we send to them, limited by the facility in the habitat. They are working with various governments to bill them a small amount for each patient. It will save the healthcare systems the cost of treatments and disability payments. Based on those savings, it will be easy for Rhebus to be paid a fee for each person. The real money will come from the next facility they open. That one will charge the full amount to insurance companies and healthcare systems of people in the higher income brackets."


    Anything that helped humanity, either an individual or a group, pleased Wally. "We''ll have to coordinate with them carefully. It would be easiest if we convert several floors of Section E to areas where we oversee the Contract Workers in their pods. I already have dozens of similar facilities scattered across the globe. I''ve had to take several of these over when corporations were not meeting my requirements. I worry, though, that Milo will have his own plans for Section E."


    Looking at the map of the habitat, Steven made a suggestion. He''d learned to do this when he had an idea that Wally hadn''t come up with. He wasn''t sure if he thought differently or if there were restrictions in Wally''s kernel that precluded him from making decisions on certain subjects. "What about using the Manpower corporation? They are already supplying Contract Workers for corporations that need extra people in the game on a short-term basis. We keep a closer eye on them than we do other places. What if we let them handle the job of overseeing tens of thousands of pods? As part of the hab rebuild, we can include a system for carefully tracking and transporting pods between Manpower, Rhebus, and Claw Master."


    Wally nodded carefully. "Thank you for making this suggestion, Steven. I have to be very careful with the health and well-being of humans in my care. Having the oversight of humans be decided by humans is more acceptable to my kernel. And those watching me."


    Steven felt he''d figured out yet another piece of the puzzle. "And, of course, as an administrator for Genesis, I''ll have to insist that you keep a close eye on Manpower and the humans it cares for. I''ll suggest that we help them a bit to get started. Claw Master and Rhebus will be moving ahead with their parts; I''d rather not have them lag behind."


    The A.I. stretched in his chair, another clue for Steven. He said, "I''ll make the call for you. You look like you have a lot to do."


    "Thank you, Steven. I hate to panic people, and that can happen when I call. While you''re at it, could you check in on Milo and keep him updated? He was looking stressed when he called earlier."

 Chapter 261: More Lab Work

    Milo woke from where he had collapsed in a chair by his workbench. After the talk with Wally about buying Section E, his anxiety had pushed him further and further into a state of hyper-focus, and other problems had vied for his attention. He was worried about Belinda, and that pushed him to begin working on contingency plans for several possible scenarios. One of those was nearly finished; the fabricator working on the last of the pieces needed for it. Milo had spent sixteen hours straight designing the fully enclosed suit that he hoped would give her full control of her arms and legs. It was built on the design of his own suit but without claws, bulletproofing, and advanced stealth capabilities. Instead, the small pack on the back held the medical analyzers that worked in a similar way to her pod. The suit would take constant medical readings and adjust the floor of drugs and nutrients to her system. Without knowing exactly what was wrong with her, he''d gone with a more generic approach that had the versatility of a pod. After designing the system, he''d set up his fabricators to manufacture it, and he''d overseen the process, making adjustments as it progressed. Then he''d collapsed and slept for two hours, waking up exhausted.


    His own suit was screaming that he was dehydrated and needed food. It also wanted to flush his system to deal with built-up fatigue toxins, and it highly suggested running to the toilet before his bladder exploded. Milo trusted his technology and stumbled to the small toilet in his home, afterward drinking a quart of water and allowing his suit to administer the drugs that would help him flush his system and get him feeling better. He would need to keep drinking and make frequent trips to the toilet for the next day. Awkward because he had plans for the next night cycle in the hab, but he didn''t want to put things off for later. Too much was happening.


    This was only confirmed as he scanned quickly through news articles that his system had tagged as something he needed to read. This is where he saw the announcement that Rhebus was taking over six of the sections in the habitat. He was initially annoyed, but as he read more and thought about it, he calmed down. He''d actually been the one to trigger this. Part of the announcement talked about the partnership with Claw Master and the synergies that the two corporations could generate by working together. He dug into the available data and published papers on their cloning techniques, and spent two hours on research. The published plans for the habitat sections looked good. They were talking about remaking the residential levels into apartments for patients and families, and the areas that had been designated as parks would finally see greenery and sun lamps installed. He was anxious to see their plans. If they had good ideas, he could steal them and duplicate the construction methods in his Section. Having taken a nap under a real tree, he''d never look at the Glowy Tree in the same way. He was very tempted to see what else Rhebus was planning to do in the hab but knew he didn''t have time. They''d have decent security, and he didn''t want to fall into a rabbit hole that stole a day. He had too much to do. He put that off for later.


    Every thirty minutes, a timer reminded him to drink a quart of water and prepare for an infusion of vitamins and nutrients from his suit. He hadn''t designed the suit to supply sustenance, only emergency treatments. The fact that the suit was in emergency mode was an indicator of how much energy he had put out in the last two days. He forced himself to skip a meal of cheese and eat the prescribed foods he had for just such an emergency. The flat, brown bars were crumbly and sweet, and he didn''t like the taste, but they were loaded with the nutrients and calories he needed right now. When the time to leave had arrived, he was feeling better and ready to go. Tonight, he wanted to see what the hidden lab at Manpower kept in the secure storage area.


    He was taking a good amount of diagnostics equipment with him and two of the smallest crawlers to haul it all. The locking mechanism was complex, needing several inputs at once. The first was a long strip of metal that acted like a key. Parts of its length would be magnetically charged to match the lock. After the key was inserted, a series of four different sixteen-digit codes had to be entered, followed by the palmprint of the person who went with that code and key. Finding a way through was going to take several nights. He had deep scanners that would slowly take a ''picture'' of the mechanism beyond the keyhole and, using low amounts of energy, map out the configuration needed for the key. After that, he hoped the cameras he had left to observe would have captured someone using the keypad. Then he''d have to scour a lab and hope someone had failed to wipe fingerprints from the surfaces. If he could see who touched what, he could find the prints for the correct person. Enough partials, and he could create something the scanner would read correctly.


    The problem with this type of vault lay in the failsafe. If the vault were breached by a cutting torch on its six-inch-thick titanium steel walls, an electromagnetic pulse would wipe the data stored on the discs inside. For transportation, the discs would be placed inside an outer shell, making them immune to an EMP. Milo needed what was inside and couldn''t take a chance on destroying the data or being discovered. So, he was prepared to do things the hard way and take his time. Things didn''t go as planned when he entered the crawl spaces leading away from his home. Rolling up to him were Max and his two escorts. The Roomba beeped quietly and started transmitting data showing it had mapped part of the habitat. At first, Milo was surprised and annoyed but remembered that Max wasn''t running on his programs, just a set of instructions layered on top. The little machines'' job was mapping, fixing, and keeping the floor clean. Milo filed an idea away for later that involved using a horde of Roomba to scout for problems in the ductwork and hallways. For now, he tested Max and his scouts by sending them ahead, watching where they went on his datapad, and seeing what data they reported back. Max proved to be far ahead of his previous drones in his ability to scout and his decision-making abilities. He needed to talk to Rusty about their programming. An hour later, they had arrived in the tunnels above the lab. Unfortunately, someone was there.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Dr. Samira Nihalia looked like she''d had a bad day and a worse evening. A half-empty bottle of vodka, a can of soda, and the remains of several limes and oranges testified to her attempt to self-medicate. She was drinking from a small beaker she''d taken from the lab and talking to someone on her computer, but her screen was empty, and the sound was routed to an earplug. All Milo could hear was her half of the conversation.


    "This is insane, you know that?"


    ...


    "Sure, more insane. I agree; it''s been insane for a long time. It feels like three decades of bad science and watching our backs. What the hell happened to ''Change the world by making smarter people?''


    ...


    "Screw you! Yes, some of us did believe we were doing something good. If we could go public with half of our work, they''d be handing us Nobel Prizes. I''m pissed that the other half will get us tossed in prison for fifty years or a bullet in the brain...what? Of course I''ve been drinking. With what we''re planning, you should be, too."


    ...


    ...


    "Yes, I know what I signed on for, but that was a long time ago. When the hell does this end?"


    ...


    ...


    ...


    "No! Shit!... Look, I''m just worried about how this goes down. Victor expects us to have her packaged in a pod and on a private jet to Eastern Europe with him and his goons. We''ve got a little time while they shuffle from country to country and set up the legal shit, but when that pod gets opened a week or a month later, even just a routine check, it will be immediately obvious that he stole an empty pod. I''m worried that they check on her when they land. We need more time than that. Look, they aren''t defrosting her for at least a month; I want that whole month for us to get away clean."


    ...


    "By putting someone in Victor''s pod. We nab a girl from the habitat the same size and age, shave her head, and put her in the pod. With the helmet and breathing mask and all the tubes, she''ll look the same until she''s brought out of the coma when they flush the drugs. It buys us time to get our little heiress to where she needs to be. We''ve already programmed the pod with the data to match Belinda''s records, we just need someone to put in the pod."


    ...


    ...


    "Sure, I''ll handle it. My plan, my problem. Thank you for being so much help, asshole. Don''t screw up your end. Victor wants to leave in the next 24 to 48 hours. The second pod with its occupant will be ready to go. The data will be in the secure chest next to it. I''ll take care of that in the morning when I can think straight."


    ...


    "That''s changing the plan! Why do you want the data by tomorrow morning?"


    ...


    "Screw it. I''ll get it done. I''m hanging up before you change things any further."


    Milo wasn''t happy with what he''d just heard. It forced him to make decisions with huge consequences, and he''d have to hurry. But he wanted to see what was in that vault!


    Grumbling to herself and cursing her partner, Dr. Nihalia poured herself another shot of vodka, spilling more on the floor than got into the beaker, downed it, then threw the glass at the wall. It bounced off, and she complained for a moment about needing proper glasses, not shatter-proof labware to drink out of. She stood and walked unsteadily to the vault, patting at her pockets and finally finding a long, thin strip of metal that she inserted. The first light turned green. Staring at the keypad, she scratched her head and then went to her desk, taking out a book and turning to a page in the middle. "Why the hell does this shit have to be so complicated?" Punching in the codes, the second light turned green, and then a third as she put her hand on the palm reader. The large bolts pulled aside, and the vault stood open.


    Milo used one of his cameras to get a good view of the interior. There were dozens of the 6" by 2" drives resting in slots on the wall. Several travel cases were stacked in the corner, as well as cases of blank drives. Somewhat carefully, she selected a dozen drives from the rack, loaded them in their protective covers, and placed them in the travel case. She snapped it shut, locking it with the magnetic key. Before she left, she set a timer and pulled down a large switch that was also locked with the key. Milo knew what it was. When that timer went off, the fail-safe would destroy the remaining data.


    Milo watched as the good doctor walked to the door of the hidden lab, slipped on the patch of spilled vodka, and fell, slamming her head against a table. She didn''t move as she lay on the floor. Milo dropped from the ceiling and checked her pulse; it was weak, but she was alive. And she wasn''t his problem. Belinda was the person he needed to save, and from this woman and her partners. After a quick look inside her computer confirmed his guess that it was one of the other doctors caring for Belinda, he sent the entire storage contents to his system, took the key, and moved the case to his crawler. He had what he''d come for. Still, he hesitated as thoughts chased through his head. Then he went back again.


    A half-hour later, no discs were remaining in the vault. A packed case with a dozen blank discs was sitting where the original case had been. He didn''t know if anyone else had a key and codes, but it didn''t matter. From the inside and having access to a key, old codes, and palm print, he had recoded the door to open to a new sequence, and his palmprint only. He had a long conversation with Max and his partners about moving the crawlers and their loads back to the elevator. The little scout showed him a route that took it all the way there using only small ducts. They would wait near the elevator, hidden from all eyes.


    Milo''s night was only starting.

 Chapter 262: Claw Master or Rat-Boy?

    "Are you alone?"


    "Check your Email."


    "Urgent! Talk to me!"


    The message flashed across Belinda''s screen as she was going for the high score of Wacky Death Racers 2000. She was piloting her favorite vehicle, the Buzzwagon, with her psychotic beaver sidekick, Chaintooth. People said that adding a nitro-fuel injector to the Buzzwagon was a waste of time due to a lack of fuel. But to Belinda''s way of thinking, fuel was easy. All it took was overtaking the Chugalug-Boozemobile when they went downhill and a quick toss of her beaver. Neither Luke nor Blubberbear were much of a fighter when they were drunk, and they were always drunk. Chaintooth killed them both and then steered the alcohol-fueled machine to a stop at the bottom of the hill. Belinda loaded up enough alcohol to fuel the Injector and made a dozen Molotov cocktails to throw. Two minutes later, a line of burning wrecks attested to Chaintooth''s accuracy with anything explosive, and then it was only them and Dick left in the race. Dick was counting on his own fuel injector to push his heavy vehicle over the finish line and wasn''t expecting the Buzzwagon to race past and a horizontal mounted saw cut through his car and take off the top of his skull. His dog giggled and switched sides immediately. The finish line was just ahead when Milo''s message flashed across her screen. She finished the race but lost points when she couldn''t pursue all the spectators. Chaintooth and Mutley saved the day by throwing the last of the Molotov cocktails, and killing enough spectators to push her into first place in the Western Division. She''d log in next week and race in the European Cup in Prague.


    "Milo, this better be good, or I''m ordering a beaver and a chainsaw!"


    The implied threat in her voice made Milo pause. Nothing he could think of led to that sentence. "Are you alone? This is really important. Whatever you do, don''t let them give you medication or put you into a pod!"


    That scared her because Milo sounded scared. "I''m alone. What''s going on?"


    "I''ll be there in a minute. Don''t call security when you see me and no beavers or chainsaws!"


    The connection broke, leaving her wondering. Four minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, a vent cover opened, and a figure dropped into the room, landing crouched on its hands and tail. If he hadn''t warned her, she would have hit her panic button and grabbed for the taser sitting in a side pocket of her chair. Instead, she stayed very still and had her hand next to the taser. It helped that the figure wearing futuristic body armor was shorter and slimmer than her. It probably was Milo...but she didn''t relax until he pulled off the helmet.


    "Hi."


    "Hi. I have so many questions that I don''t know where to start.  Why are you sneaking through ceilings in a costume? Seriously, are you going to start fighting crime in the city, go to a costume party, or a comic book convention? I''m ok with it as long as you take me with you and get me a costume like yours." She paused. "Seriously, what is going on?"


    Milo looked down at his suit. Then he smiled at her. "Challenge accepted. I did bring a suit for you." Something moved above the opening, and she saw a small drone drop a package. Milo spread out a suit on the floor. It looked like her gloves. "What''s your name going to be? I''ll get a letter put on the chest."


    "You made me a suit? What does it do? Is it like my gloves?"


    He nodded. "I hope so. But I haven''t calibrated it to you yet. I only got your medical records an hour ago and have to run a complete analysis before I know what''s wrong with you. Then, I can program the suit to help. It works the same as the gloves, but I have no idea how that will affect you. But we may not have much time. Victor is going to kidnap you in the next day or two and haul you off somewhere until you turn 18. And your doctors, who work for Victor, not your Father, are going to double-cross Victor, kidnap you, and hold you for ransom. Both want to put you in a pod and in an induced medical coma. It''s not uncommon for patients to be transported that way for treatment."


    Belinda rubbed her temples. "And dear Daddy is still pressuring me to sign a lot of very suspicious papers that have to do with my trust funds and medical treatment. And the good news today is that my pod is re-calibrated and upgraded, and I can start playing the game again tomorrow. Even Daddy is happy about that. He''s encouraging me to play more. So maybe three different groups of people close to me want to spirit me away to keep me safe from the others and get their hands on my trust funds."


    She looked around her rooms, eying the cameras. "You turned off the security cameras, didn''t you? You''d never show up the way you did, divulge new secrets, and show off your Rat-Boy costume if there was a chance people could see you."


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "It''s totally not a Rat-Boy costume! It''s enhanced body armor with surveillance and stealth abilities! Umm....and it doesn''t have a logo or big R on the chest." Milo was concluding that if he had wanted to make a superhero costume, he wouldn''t change much. He wasn''t going to tell her about the tasers or claws.


    "How come mine doesn''t have armor or stealth? How am I supposed to fight crime?" She didn''t know where the conversation was going, but having Milo off-balance was fun.


    "It doesn''t have those yet. I just made it! The next one will be better." As soon as he said that, he realized his error.


    She smiled evilly at him. "You just made it, did you? Which means you made the gloves. Which means you don''t just work for Claw Master, do you? And you don''t live here in the Hab all the time. Are you some mysterious billionaire who keeps two identities?"


    Milo took a deep breath; there wasn''t any more time to hide things. "I do live in the Hab. I''ve lived in the Hab for years. I never leave. And, yes, I made the suit, and yes, I don''t just work for Claw Master. I own it. Claw Master works for me. They sell my inventions and help with other things, like not getting caught by people. But we have to focus on you. We''re running out of time, and I''m unsure what to do. I''m not sure the suit will work well enough to get you out of here the way I came in."


    Belinda sighed; it had been fun for a moment. "You''re right. Eric is playing Dad and Victor against each other. And now you tell me my doctors are a third set of people after me. Any of them could decide to grab me anytime. There isn''t a lot that I can do to stop them. Two orderlies grab the troubled patient, and a doctor jabs me with a sedative, and it''s lights out. It''s happened a couple of times when I was younger and ''being difficult.'' I could set up some panic buttons to call Uncle Victor and Eric if it was Daddy stealing me or Eric and Daddy if it was Victor, but that works worse when both Daddy and Victor want the same thing. I think I can trust Eric, but he''s in deep with both of them. No way do I dare get into the pod tomorrow when they wheel it down. I might never get out. They''ll be suspicious if I refuse to use it."


    She looked up at the vent. "How did you get here?"


    "Through the ductwork and tunnels. The habitat has a network of them. I''ve used them for years to move around so no one sees me."


    Belinda was considering her options. "I need to get out of here, and to do that, I can''t take my wheelchair. They can track it too easily. Daddy is big on knowing where I am all the time."


    She moved her chair over to the suit and picked up a piece of it. "This looks like each piece connects to the others. Tell me about it."


    Milo was happy to move the talk to something he was more confident about instead of superheroes and sidekicks. He needed to read more comic books so he could understand the banter better. "They do. I can show you how to seal and connect them. The upper and lower torso go first. The connections are the same as an MK7 pod, and it will run a constant diagnosis on you after it''s calibrated. It may give you more control immediately, or it may need a month of calibrating the suit to your nervous system. I won''t know more until I can run some tests."


    Belinda shook her head. "Nice to know, and thanks for being honest about it, but I''m not waiting. The gloves work; that''s good enough for me. I''m trying this suit on now. I can try to do it myself, or you can help me." Belinda was far past the point of any embarrassment after years of being poked, prodded, examined, and forced to lay nearly naked in hospital beds or pods. But she was surprised when Milo just shrugged and said he''d help.


    He seemed more concerned about the next step, and still nervous about taking her with him. "How are we getting you out of here? Will they let you come to Section E for some time with the gang? Or I can cause a disturbance to try to sneak you past security."


    She pointed to the ductwork. "Same way you came in. How hard can it be? You just have to help a poor crippled girl with bad motor skills into an experimental piece of equipment and drag me through hundreds of yards of tight tunnels. That should be easy for a seasoned superhero like The Claw Master."


    "Claw Master? What..?"


    "It''s either that, or Rat-boy. It happens all the time in comic books. If the hero doesn''t pick his name first, some spunky reporter calls them a name and it sticks."


    Milo put a reminder into his system to research comic books before things got out of hand. He hadn''t known about these rules.

 Chapter 263: Find another way

    Senior Chief Engineer Sledgemonkey glared at his friend as they contemplated the angry mob standing in front of them, looking quite unreasonable and not at all quiet. "What was it you said? ''Don''t worry yourself, Two-Screws, they''re just fisher people. Quiet and reasonable folks.'' They aren''t quiet, and they don''t look reasonable, in my opinion."


    "In fact, I remember the whole lot of you at thee meeting saying I''d just have to go over some facts and figures, maybe pay out a little coin, and point out the economic advantages of the project."


    Two-Screws said with a straight face, "And that''s why we put you in charge. You''re ability to win people over with boring facts and figures. Don''t worry, I''m right behind you when they come at us with the fork-pitching things that go with the torches." While Two-Screws had no idea what the silly fork things were for, he wasn''t wrong that a large number of the mob was holding them along with a good number of torches. The light sources at least made sense. Even down by the docks, Shadowport lived up to its name.


    The two engineers walked down to the waiting mob of people who were between a set of old docks and a work crew of humans and dwarves from the carpenter''s guild who were quite content to sit around drinking beer and let older and wiser people deal with problems. Sledgemonkey didn''t see anyone in charge of the mob of angry humans, so he pitched his voice loudly to the group. "I was told there was a problem. Can someone explain to me what''s going on? I''m sure we can work things out and get this project back on schedule."


    Several people started talking at once, and finally, a large woman stepped forward and glared at everyone around her. They grudgingly gave her the floor. "Yes, there is a problem. You want to destroy this section of docks and turn it into something we don''t want, and don''t need. We fish for a living. Boats need docks and space is limited. There has never been enough docks in the city, and now you want to tear apart some of what we have, and turn the area into a shipyard."


    "But no one is using this section! It''s been empty for a week and unused. That''s wasteful. If space is at such a premium, tell me why no one uses the docks?" Sledgemonkey stuck his thumbs in his belt, certain the argument was over. That no boat was using these docks was patently clear to anyone. The mob seemed to have other ideas, and shouted them all at him.


    The large woman turned and said "Quiet. I''m talking. And unless you want to wear the same dirty clothes for six months, you''ll give me the chance to explain to these poor dirt grubbing dwarves how ignorant they are of how things work here." Everyone agreed with that, except for the two dwarves who shared a worried look.


    "Firstly, let us have names, for names are a powerful thing and tie us to our actions. Mine is Alessandra. Now name yourselves or go home to your holes in the dirt." That got a chuckle from the two dwarves. They preferred straight forward talk.


    "I''m Senior Engineer Sledgemonkey. You can call me Chief or Sledge. That grinning idiot is called Two-Screws. Nice to meet you. Now tell me why a dock no one uses is so important."


    She pointed at the dock in question. "No one is using that dock because the idiot that owns them is being a greedy arse. Those pirates came crashing into the town with that huge beast in tow, and you blew the ship, the hydras, and the docks to splinters. Without those docks, the families who have used those docks for generations and paid with a portion of their catch have beg for space at the other docks."


    "But Whale paid for new docks. She had plenty of treasure from their last haul. They just finished them."


    Alessandra nodded. "Aye, she did. And the owners doubled their fees. We can''t afford that, especially with other dock owners talking of doing the same thing. The fishing families are putting their feet down and giving him no business. If we pay him double, everyone will double their fees. He was almost ready to give in and agree to only a small increase when he got wind of this big shipyard you want to build. You sauntered in and offered to buy his old docks for too much money, and the docks next to his. Prices will increase, there will be no room for boats, and it will be all your fault." She stood with her arms crossed, glaring at them.


    "Well, we plan to build a dock of sorts. We need a drydock and launchpad to put Leviathan back together. Once she''s floating, maybe we sell them back or something." Sledge could tell that reasoning wasn''t winning them over.


    Alessandra barely let him finish. "No, you won''t. Because you''ll have another project, a bigger boat, and another after that. I''ve heard the drunken dwarves when they come to wash beer and food stains out their pantaloons and low cut shirts. They want to fix one ship so they can go salvage another. As soon as you start building your drydock their will be a row of taverns, foundries and tattoo parlors. Some of them are talking about building a dance hall. This isn''t the first time Shadowport has had to deal with pirates; you''re just shorter than most of the others and drink more."


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Two-Screws didn''t feel it was fair that hardworking engineers bore the sins of the scavenger crews, but most of what the large human woman was saying was true. "But won''t all of this bring in gold and trade to the city? That''s got to be good for all of you."


    "Good for some, bad for the fishing families. Who do you think feeds the city? And trades for wheat and vegetables from the nearby villages? We don''t eat rocks and mud like some folks. If there is no room for the boats and fishing families can''t make ends meet, then half of them will be forced to move on and try to rebuild elsewhere. Extra gold won''t mean much when the price doubles and triples. We saw that before with Girt and the food hoarders."


    A drunken female voice came from the side of the crowd. "Good. Then, the humans will clear out, and we can have our city back. It was a dwarven city a thousand years ago. It can be again." A group of female scavengers with too much beer inside of them and not enough common sense taunted the crowd.


    Two-Screws turned to his partner. "You keep yapping at Alessandra here, you almost have yourself convinced she''s right. I''ll go take care of our drunken beardlings." He turned and walked over to the scavengers, "Now girls, let''s not be rude to the large crowd of angry people looking for a target. How about I buy you a round of whiskey and whoever gets to the bar first gets an extra two shots? GO!"


    No scavenger turned down free booze and they all hated losing contests. The five of them raced away with Two-Screws following behind, whistling an old sea-shanty.


    Sledgemonkey watched him go, feeling he''d been outmaneuvered yet again. "I sort of see your point about the tattoo parlors. But you have to see our side of things. We talked to all of the guilds about our plans for drilling from the outpost to the city and we''ve moved a lot of rock to do it. The city has more people employed than ever before and it''s because of the trade we bring up and the things we buy. We cleared the scrap of Leviathan and rebuilt what we broke. Now we just need a spot to put it back together."


    Alessandra wasn''t smiling. "Yes, your hole in the ground with machines crawling out of it. You came up underneath four houses and those families had to move aside for you. They had no choice, and were told it was for the good of everyone. But they''d owned those houses for decades."


    "They did, but we made deals before we dug the tunnel mouth. No one lost anything, and we paid for the land. They all pocketed the cash and moved. What''s the problem."


    "The problem," said the washer woman, "Is that again, you don''t understand the consequences of your actions. There isn''t room to build new houses in this area, not with all the buildings going to bars and tattoo parlors, and those people want to be close to their relatives. Too close! I have my sister and her family living in my house now because of your hole in the ground, and her husband stays home all day because he can''t fish!"


    Sledgemonkey realized the humans were crafty in choosing this woman, she wasn''t going to give in and had enough a grudge that she might out-stubborn a dwarf.


    "You will find another way, engineer, to solve all of our problems. This dock stays a dock, and if that means you don''t have a need for that hole in the ground, that will make me happy too. Find another way."


    Sledgemonkey pondered those problems as he retreated to find what bar Two-Screws was in. The sound of a steam whistle got his attention. Coming across the bay was a battered stern-wheeler bearing the flag of another scavenger clan. The ramshackle ship moved to the empty dock, hitting just a little too hard and splintering some planks with its metal prow. A cheer went up from the crew on the deck. Two grumpy looking women began the work of securing the ship as they watched the rest of the crew hop over the side and head towards the town.


    One of them yelled to Sledgemonkey. "Hey, Cloudbeard! Where can a few girls from a fine ship like ours get a drink around here?"


    Sledgemonkey pointed in the direction that Two-Screws had gone. "Head that way, I hear a handsome beardling is buying shots."


    That brought some laughter. "See? Get here first and they hand out free shots. The girls on the Behemoth and Seashark are going to be wishing they''d beat us here!"


    Around the headlands, two more vessels could be seen racing toward the city. Alessandra stepped beside him. "Do you see now? It''s not just one problem, but several. You brought some change to the city, but you also brought problems that need to be solved if we''re all going to live in peace."

 Chapter 264: Eric has three Plans

    6:30 A.M. in Section H, home of the Manpower Corporation.


    Turnabout was fair play, so Eric felt no guilt at all about rudely waking John up early when something important was happening. The problem was, for John, everything was an emergency that needed Eric, while Eric solved his own problems. But today was different. This problem needed John up and functional, immediately. He''d already sent John an email, two phone calls, and a call on his ''emergency phone that I always answer'', but with no response. So now he was walking into John''s apartment with a pot of coffee, intending to either pour it down John''s throat, or over his head. Either solution worked. To Eric''s way of thinking, if John hadn''t meant for Eric to have a master keycard that opened all the doors in Manpower''s HQ, he should have had someone else handling security and making the keycards.


    "Get up, John, or I''m dragging you and whoever you''re sleeping with out of bed and tossing you into a cold shower." There was a half-snore, which turned into a grumble. A feminine voice said, "Screw that. I''m taking the shower, and I don''t need help from either of you." After a minute, John appeared, looking poorly, and accepted the cup of coffee from Eric. Eric ordered breakfast and more coffee from the cafeteria. Then he sat in a chair and sipped from his mug of coffee while his boss pulled himself together. Breakfast and the second pot arrived before John could do more than mumble and glare. Myra came out of the bedroom, dressed and groomed with damp hair. She took in Eric''s relaxed attitude and John, still in his morning routine, trying to wake up. No one was yelling so it couldn''t be an emergency. On that, she was incorrect.


    "Nice to see you again, Eric. I''ll leave you boys to catch up. I have an 8 a.m. meeting to try and get a handle on our marketing." John had tasked marketing to devise a two-week blitz of advertising to highlight Manpower''s expansion in the habitat and hopefully raise some outside investment to bridge the gap until Belinda got access to her money and could bail her step-father''s company out of high-interest loans. (The irony being that 67% of Manpower''s stock was owned by Belinda''s trust. She''d be loaning money to herself.) All of that work was worthless now in the changing landscape where they had Rhebus as new neighbors.


    Eric was valuing Myra more these days. He''d assumed early on, that this relationship would end badly like any other relationship John got into. It hadn''t, and as Myra felt more confident, she started flexing her brain instead of other parts of her anatomy. She spent more and more nights with John, and no one bought his excuse of ''brainstorming the next marketing campaign.'' But she was getting him to meetings on time and keeping the majority of his attention focused on the company. Eric had misgivings about John''s relationship with someone working for the company, but better a long-term relationship with Myra than a half-dozen different women. She was only average as a marketing director but was proving great at babysitting John. Eric hired two good assistant marketing directors, paid them the same as Myra, and things worked out. Eric had a flawed set of tools to get the job done but was doing the best with what he had.


    "Actually, Myra, I need you to stick around for this meeting. Grab coffee and food, and pull out your data pad. We''ve got work to do, and you and John have a plane to catch." Myra started to say something, then shrugged and did as Eric had asked.


    That got John''s attention. "A plane? Where? Why?"


    "Because things have changed again. I''ve been up most of the night and in conferences with people on the other side of the world. Not only is Rhebus moving in, but Claw Master is taking more of the habitat, and the two of them have a joint agreement with the people running GENESIS. They called me early this morning and had some interesting things to say. And that means you and Myra will be on a chartered flight to Geneva one hour and thirty minutes from now, along with the rest of the corporation executives and top managers. Everyone we can spare is going."


    Myra froze for a moment, then talked quickly. "You got us a deal! I need the details. We have to get out in front of this. Pre-announcements. Hints to ''certain sources''. I need to get people''s attention so John can be interviewed about the changes and Manpower''s plans for the future."


    "Wait...what plans? How do you know what Eric is talking about." John grabbed two Danish, hoping the sugar rush would wake him up. He was terrible in the morning, a bad habit he''d picked up in college from playing MMO''s all night long.


    Myra was making entries on her pad and sending messages. "I have no idea. Other than it''s big, it involves GENESIS, Claw Master, or Rhebus. There''s a large tech gathering in Geneva for the next two weeks, and none of those companies were going. Now they are, and so are we. So I know I need to set up interviews and plan a marketing campaign."


    Eric nodded slowly. "Very good, Myra. You''ll have the details momentarily. The basics are this: Rhebus and Claw Master will offer medical services to some of the Contract Workers in the GENESIS game. The work will be done here in the South Philadelphia Habitat. This is the main reason for the expansion of both corporations into this space. Those workers have five year contracts and need supervised storage and care for their pods. We have an expanding company specializing in exactly that. Manpower doesn''t need to worry about the costs of expansion. We''ll be doing work in sections of the habitat that the other three corporations fully rehabilitate. Our contract is caring for those workers and their pods. Twenty thousand will be undergoing medical procedures over the next five years, with another eighty thousand getting standard care. And we collect a fee on each and every one of them."


    "That''s a lot of money." John was awake now. "Holy shit! That''s a tremendous amount of money. We''ll need to hire or train staff to handle that expansion, expand our training school, hire more instructors for the school, and set up more living areas for employees. Put in a call to that engineering group we used before, Eric. They did good work and have done preliminary assessments on the habitat already. Get them in here to do the work we need. Damn, that''s a lot of money!"


    "Yes, it is, John, which is why you, Myra, and everyone else are heading to Geneva for two weeks of fine dining, late-night planning sessions, and haggling over the fine details of the contracts. You get a power vacation. I''ll hold down the fort here. And take care of Belinda."


    John''s face fell. "Shit. Belinda? Can''t we take her with us? I''m nervous about leaving her here without me."


    Eric looked at his watch. "There isn''t time to set up the medical care that she needs, and the permits needed for her pod and medical equipment. We can''t set that up in a hotel room, she needs a full time nurse, a doctor on call, and a plan in case of an emergency. She has that here, not in Geneva. Trust me, John, I won''t let anything happen to her. I''ve got some plans in the works that will surprise Victor and keep him off balance. And Belinda told me she absolutely isn''t going to Geneva. She hates being on public display. B for the first few days, Victor will think she is with you. She''s going to message him when she ''wakes up on the plane'' and complain to Uncle Vic about you not giving her a choice about going. I''m going to rant and rave about you having this all planned out, the paperwork taken care of, and how you whisked away Belinda before anyone knew. If he checks her rooms, he won''t find her. She gets her pod back today and plans to be in it for two weeks, playing with her friends. We''re moving her real pod elsewhere. And I know this will make you happy; She promised she''d sign all the paperwork you needed from her before heading to fantasy land. Now let''s get moving. I need you to sign a few things before heading to the airport. You have one hour and fifteen minutes left."


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    He pulled out a stack of paperwork; each contract pulled back to the spot John needed to sign. "Myra, get going and rally the troops. We''re going to compensate every for the way things are going down. There''s a bonus of a week''s pay for anyone on time at the airport and tickets to the opera in Geneva. They can shower and buy new clothes on their company accounts when they get there. Same with you." Myra left at the run, thoughts of a free European wardrobe dancing in her head. Eric handed John a pen.


    Six quick signatures later, John was in the shower, and Eric was packing his bags. Four helicopters picked up the Manpower employees from the top of the habitat, whisking them away to the airport and a chartered flight to Europe. Eric didn''t relax. He had another boss to go visit.


    <hr>


    Victor was woken by his bodyguards. They were very cautious when doing this. The old man still slept with a pistol under his pillow, and his dreams were increasingly bad as he got older. "Mr. Eric Kresthammer is here to see you, sir. He says it''s urgent. John Sabbatino and most of his staff took off by helicopter only minutes ago, flying to Geneva. Without the girl or anything large enough to be a pod."


    Victor got up groggily, threw on a smoking jacket and slippers, and met Eric in the next room. "Good morning, Mr. Eric. Are you up early or late? Oh, I see that it doesn''t matter, you have vodka in your hand. Well, pour me one as well. Someone get us breakfast. Eggs and scrapple today." Victor had discovered Scrapple and liked it. Everyone else who hadn''t been born in Pennsylvania was trying to forget about it.


    "Now, what is up that has the rats fleeing their ship?"


    Eric took his eggs and the horrible fried breakfast meat and sat across from Victor, smiling. "Oh, not much. I arranged a medium-sized business deal to take place at the Geneva Tech Conference. John was ecstatic to make the trip and excited about the money I may have hinted at. He''s hurting for cash and dangling a deal in front of him got him out the door quickly. Of course, such a big deal needed almost everyone to go. I insisted that all the managers go as well, and set up the tickets and hotel rooms ahead of time along with the helicopters to whisk them away. The place is a ghost town. The conference is two weeks, and trust me, things will progress slowly for him."


    Victor raised an eyebrow in appreciation. Eric thought of the most curious ways to out-think John. Of course, John made it so easy. "So we can leave anytime then."


    "I would suggest leaving early and moving forward with the schedule. An interesting situation occurred. Belinda''s doctors had plans of their own. They seemed to be chaffing under your leadership and wanted to take all of their research and leave. They also made plans to take Belinda with them and hold her for a trillion dollars in ransom."


    Victor surged to his feet, scattering food to the floor. "I will kill them!" His bodyguards tensed, waiting for orders. Eric said calmly. "No, you won''t." and threw back the vodka in front of him.


    Victor stared at Eric, and Eric stared back. Finally, Victor chuckled and then laughed loudly. "Oh, I won''t? Is that because you can''t kill someone twice?"


    Eric spread his hands. "My job, now, is making the sausage; yours is doing nothing that draws attention. You have to be there for Belinda. You''re all the family she has left. Let''s not sully this discussion with details, other than to mention that there are some very deep holes underneath this building where things go to be lost. Very deep."


    Victor nodded. "And Belinda?"


    Eric poured two vodkas and slid one to Victor. "Belinda got her pod back this morning, and I helped her set things up for a month-long vacation in the game. She''s essentially in a coma and won''t know anything until you get to where you need to go. I have her pod already being shipped to the airport, with what''s left of Manpower''s security. I don''t know all of what her doctor''s planned and who else might be in on their double-cross, so I wanted her on her way and under guard. All your paperwork is ready. John also thinks she''s in the game, and for some reason, he thinks he''s still her guardian. I''m filing the paperwork with a judge as we speak, to transfer custody to you, and allow you to transport her overseas, for medical treatments. I''ll send the paperwork as soon as they rubberstamp the forms. Talk to your lawyer in Prague."


    "You make good sausage, Mr. Eric. And you are right; I don''t need to know how you do it." They clinked glasses and downed the vodka.


    "When do we leave? And when will I see you?"


    Eric poured more of the clear alcohol. The taste of the vodka helped him deal with the scrapple. "Your plane is ready to take off. We used one of the firms you''ve used before, of course, so no trouble with the pilot if you need to alter your flight plans.. Belinda is being transported, as we speak, in a special ambulance. You can leave anytime in the next six hours. A helicopter waits on the roof, and a chartered plane is at the airport. Officials have been taken care of. As for me, I will play out the charade here, reporting to John for the next two weeks, then heading to my new house in Prague for a few days off, where a lovely young woman will be helping me learn Russian, among other things. I''ll meet you and Belinda when you are ready to wake her up. I''m looking forward to a few days off and a better standard of living."


    Victor chuckled again. "And a certain lovely young teacher of Russian. I approve. You''ve done good work, and need to relax. Vodka can only wash away some of the stress and bad memories. I will see you in Prague. And I think your advice of leaving early is good. Better to be spontaneous and keep my watchers wondering what happened. I am off to the airport. The sooner I am out of this country, the better." He clapped Eric on the shoulder as he left. Eric waited a moment, then put the cap back on the bottle of vodka, and pushed it away from him. He ate the rest of his breakfast while thinking about his plans for the future.

 Interlude: Flower Town

    It was a bright, sunny day in Flower Town, as it always was. The daffodils sang love songs to the posies, the unicorns frolicking in the meadows, and the Pickle Gang was up to no good¡ªjust another normal day in a little pocket of the Fae Realms. The evil gang of sour gherkins were more active this season, under the leadership of their new boss, PickleRif. He was small in size, not even coming up to Big Pickle''s knees but he had the intelligence and ability to make mistakes that were the hallmarks of pickle leaders. Granny Pickle was recovering from a bad fall off of a Goatsmasher Ridge when she went jelly bean picking with their new recruit. Picklerif had told the sad tale of being ambushed by a gang of Smash Goats while deep in the bean bushes. Granny had bravely led the goats away while he made off with the jelly beans that the family needed so badly. When he''d returned, he''d found he at the bottom of the ridge with enough dents in her to keep her laid up for a season or two. Feeling badly, Picklerif volunteered to take over the hard work of planning their next scheme.


    His plan was crafty. It involved hiring a gang of rogue gophers to tunnel under the fairy houses and during the morning while the houses sunk into the ground, Big Pickle and Little Dill would uproot the Jelly Bean bushes and steal them for transplanting by the Picklecave. The first part of the plan went off fine, with the gopher tunnels dropping three houses down into the ground. Two gophers were crunched under them, but no one ever said being a gopher mercenary was easy work, and no tears were shed. The second part of the plan ran into a problem when the bushes cried out as they were pulled up by the roots. A dozen fairies came flying in to stop Big Pickle before he could hurt anyone else. Little Dill was yelling at him. She''d told him to use a shovel, but he didn''t understand how to use one except for digging graves. Before the two had a chance to quit yelling at each other, the fairies had tied them up in Scoober Spider Web, that even Big Pickle couldn''t break out of. The poor, injured bush was replanted and given extra fertilizer made from unicorn droppings to help it recover.


    While all this was going on and creating a wonderful diversion, Picklerif was sneaking into the Jelly Bean Vault and stealing the magical beans, all the while mumbling to himself. Unlike the other pickles, Picklerif wasn''t adapting well to being green, hairless, and wrinkled. He was also sour, but Rifkin had always been sour. Granny had taunted him with a cure, but hadn''t given him the details.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Reds, I need reds. Reds for healing, and yellow for removing curses. Is that it? Why wouldn''t the old woman be more specific. Reds, yellows, and greens? NO! Not green. Not green...."


    Eventually he had more than he could carry and exited the Vault, only to be stopped by the delicate fragrance of a block of Limburger Cheese sitting next to a picnic basket in the meadow. Looking both ways and seeing no one, Picklerif raced for the cheese. "Come to me, my precious. A tasty reward for a clever fellow like myself!"


    Poor Picklerif! Just as he got to the cheese, the Hero of Flower town appeared. "Ha! Caught you red handed this time, Rif. Stealing cheese and Jelly Beans? You''ll be pulling weeds for a month once your trial is over." Larry grabbed Picklerif by his ankle and swung him around until he was dizzy.


    "No Fair! Where did you come from?!


    Larry looked at the former Cheese Master with a glint in his eye and a small smile showing his even, white teeth. "Why, didn''t you know that heroes can hide in Picnic baskets? Silly pickle."


    Cursing with words that we simply can''t print here, Picklerif was hauled off to the holding cell along with the remaining gopher and pickles. All in a days work for the Hero of Flower Town.


    As Larry was helping lift out the houses, a special messenger hound ran up, barking, and holding an official looking letter. Everyone gathered around to find out what it said, and the hound was given many ear scritches in reward. "What does it say, Larry?"


    "Larry has a quest! A Big Quest! A fallen Knight needs a Hero to help him do good deeds! But it looks like a long quest...all the way to the Mortal Lands in the far North!" Larry looked at the fairies, the Pickles, and the houses sunk to their roofs.


    The fairies cheered him on. "You have to go. Big Quests are important."


    Larry nodded. They needed a Hero, and Larry was a Hero. This was a job for Larry. He read further? "Ooooh....but Larry will need help! Brinka! Come quick, we need a Tunnel Muggle tunnel. Larry needs a squire for this quest! We have to find Tallsqueak...Squire Squeak!"

 Chapter 265: Duct Crawling

    5:30 A.M. Somewhere between Sections E and H, in a medium-sized duct.


    "I''m beginning to have regrets."


    Belinda''s voice came to Milo from forty feet further down the medium duct. He was curious what she meant by that statement. "Does that do any good? Whenever I regret something, it usually means I''m running for my life from an angry monster. I''ve got too much to think about when that happens. Regrets are better for when you''re dead and have a time-out. And even then, you should spend your time on how to do better the next time."


    "I was thinking specifically about insisting that you drag me through a mile of dusty, dark, and claustrophobic tunnels while I lay on a makeshift skateboard."


    Milo got to the next junction where there was more room, and he could pull on his ropes with more leverage. Belinda was lying on two of his wheelie boards while he pulled her through the ductwork with help from Max and a crawler. "Well, you have lots of time to do that, but it still doesn''t make much sense. I warned you how difficult it might be, and we''re halfway home. I don''t want to take you back once we''ve got this far."


    "Milo, you also said you traveled through them all the time with no problems and never got lost. You made it sound easy. Normal people don''t squeeze through places this small, for this far. Especially when there are perfectly good hallways nearby."


    "Well, yes, but the whole point of taking you this way is not getting caught. All it takes is one person seeing us, and Victor or your Stepfather would know where you are. We''ll take a break up ahead, and you''ll feel better."


    With a few more tugs of the rope, Belinda slithered out of the tunnel and could stand up in the six-foot diameter room where several ducts came together in front of one of the large air pushers.


    Milo sat down, pulled off his helmet, and took some high-energy snack bars from the crawler, handing one to Belinda. "You need to eat. Even only laying on the wheelie board while I pull, you''re burning energy. A lot more than you normally do. You''re under stress, and your muscles and nerves are fighting with each other." He didn''t like how she was looking and had concerns that he was putting too much stress on her. Despite all the physical therapy she tried to keep up with, this was way beyond her normal capacity and only his suit was making it possible. But while it helped her move, it couldn''t deal with the fatigue poisons and stress build up as well as his suit did.


    If Milo had expressed his concerns, Belinda would have agreed with him. She was trying not too show it, but she was slowly losing it. Too much was happening at once. She felt exhausted, and as she started eating, she felt hunger return. "That''s what it feels like; part of me wants to move, and part is resisting, with me in the middle. But your suit works. I can walk and move better. This is a huge improvement; I just need to build muscle and keep working out. I know this will work. It has to I''ve been off the new drugs for a week and feel better than I have in years. Like something that was holding me down is going away. I''m sorry if I''m being bitchy, it''s a little scary in those ducts."


    Milo looked at the ducts again, trying to think about them differently. "But we''re safe here, and no one can find us. When I''m in the bigger areas of the hab where people go, I''m always nervous. It would be hard to live that way all the time."


    Milo took the opportunity to look at the data from her suit. He was cautiously optimistic. She was under a lot of stress, but within normal tolerance. Similar to when she first put on the gloves, Belinda had undergone an immediate improvement in how she moved when she put on the suit. They''d spent an hour working together to build her coordination, and for Milo to see that, at least initially, her heart rate, blood pressure, and other vitals were in acceptable areas. Belinda had insisted on leaving while they could, and despite his misgivings, Milo was glad they did. It felt like a huge weight was off of his mind. Getting her through the ductwork was just another problem to solve. Once at his house in the tank, she could rest, and he could do a full check-up on her and begin looking at the data he''d stolen. Then he needed to make a lot of calls, trigger some events, and keep Victor, John, and a lot of people from thinking about where Belinda was and who had helped her run away. Or had he kidnapped her? He should look up the rules. He was pretty sure he couldn''t legally call it a rescue, or could he? His thoughts were interrupted when Belinda touched his shoulder.


    "Earth to Milo. You there?"


    He vaguely knew she''d said something. "Sorry, thinking. Lots to do."


    She looked at him very seriously. "Don''t apologize. I''m the one who was apologizing. You''re doing all the work, and I''m just laying there getting pulled along. I shouldn''t complain about the tunnels."


    Milo agreed with her and smiled to show it. "No, you shouldn''t. Tunnels are awesome. You''ll get used to them. Wait until we swing across the Big Drop; that''s even better. You''ll like it, lots of space, especially down, and after that, there''s a 48-inch crawl space that goes almost all the way home."


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Belinda didn''t like the term ''Big Drop,'' when she saw the open shaft, she backed away quickly. "You can''t be serious. You swing across that. For real?"


    Milo grinned at her. "For real. It''s not that bad. I know all the physics by heart and can time my swings perfectly. It''s the same as what any trapeze artist does. And having a tail helps. It''s like having two good legs, or maybe a leg and three arms."


    "Is there any other way to get to your house? Please? I can''t imagine hanging by a cable while you swing me across that."


    He sighed. Of course, there was another way, but this was the quickest and the most fun. "Let me look at my map. Okay, yes, we can take a medium duct south for a hundred feet and pick up the big maintenance tunnel. No one should be in it. I don''t see any jobs scheduled. A little risk, but we can get into the pipework level pretty quick, and then another ten minutes and we''ll be home."


    Max led the way, shining a light along the path, which helped Belinda travel more easily. It took longer than Milo had estimated, the exhausted girl needing more breaks, but eventually, two tired humans and a Roomba tumbled through the disguised opening into the water tank where Milo made his home. She stared around at the dozens of linked computers, videogame consoles, and screens that covered the walls of the tank. In the corner was a stack of video game cartridges and packages of ready-to-heat tacos. The place was totally Milo. She wanted to ask questions but was too tired.


    Milo made Belinda comfortable, had her drink and eat, and then told her to sleep with the suit on and hooked up to his pod. She passed out nearly immediately. The initial scan showed a large amount of fatigue build-up, and her nervous system was stressed from working in new ways, but overall, Milo was happy with what he could see of her condition. Rest and recovery were what she needed, but he could only let her have two hours of sleep. She needed to call Eric Kresthammer and set in motion her end of things.


    His next job was sending a message to two of Belinda''s doctors:


    The shit has hit the fan. I have the package and the data, but this place is like a beehive and about to explode. John is pulling people away for an emergency trip to Geneva. Victor is making his play at the same time and looking to tie up loose ends, as we expected he would. If he sees us, we''re dead. I''m handling things on this end, leaving the decoy for Victor and getting the hell out of here. Our old routes are compromised. Take no chances and get to the Newark airport. In locker # 36227, you''ll find a new set of IDs and passports. Morocco has an outbreak of a new virus, and you''re both part of Doctors Without Borders, heading there on emergency Visas. There are rooms for you at the Hotel Media in Marrakech. I''ll contact you there once I have our poor girl safely in the clinic we''ll be using. Get moving. Take nothing. Burn your phones and stay the hell off of anything electronic.


    One job down, the next one was trickier. Steven had kept him up to date with what was happening with Claw Master and Rhebus. He needed to use those connections. But first, he needed to look at Belinda''s medical data from the pod. He was anxious to see the data on the discs, but there was so much of it that he wanted Rusty''s help with it. The data readers in his command center were a hundred times faster than what Milo had available here with his one jury-rigged machine. But the data from the pod he could access now. A half-hour later, he was sitting quietly in his chair, thinking hard. He was not happy with what he''d seen and had more questions than ever. But some things were very obvious, and he needed to talk with people. But before that, he needed to speak with Belinda, and time was running out.


    She was groggy when she woke up. He handed her a bar of chocolate and a nutrient bar. She ate both and asked, "What''s up? You''re upset and nervous, and your tail is twitching all over the place."


    "No time. I found something out about you. I think...I think someone did something to you before you were born. It might be the cause of some of your problems, and the drugs were treating it, but I think it''s more likely that they were covering up what was done. It fits with how your pod was set up to send false medical info. Your stepfather and the doctors have been hiding something about you. The important thing is that I can use that to protect you the way someone is protecting me."


    She looked at the clock. "We need to talk about that, but I have to put in a call to Eric and set up this plan of yours, and you have to call people on the other end, and you don''t have time to explain it all, and that''s making your tail twitch. You''re helping out of a bad situation. Do what you need to do. I''ll do my part, and we''ll put the pieces together over tacos for lunch when we''re done."


    Milo blinked; that was much quicker than he''d expected. "Tacos...sounds good. Use this computer. I have it set up to alter your image and background to make it look like you''re in a bare storage room in the hab, wearing your normal clothing and sitting in your chair. Just in case." She nodded and got to work. "Good morning, Eric. It''s your boss calling. I''ve got some jobs for you."

 Chapter 266: "You knew? How did you know?"

    It was 4:30 A.M. eastern US time when Sydney began pounding repeatedly on the door to Steven and Samantha''s apartment. She''d sent emails and called his phone, with no answer. In an actual emergency, Wally could wake them up immediately, but she couldn''t involve Wally in this. Security was alerted by the noise and looked to see who was launching an assault on the apartment. Seeing that it was Sydney with a cart loaded with three pots of coffee and several mugs, they turned off the alert. Steven getting woken up in the middle of the night happened often enough that this wasn''t unusual.


    After Steven checked a monitor to see who was battering down his door with their fists, he sighed and let her in. Bedtime for Steven had been three hours earlier. Steven had given the interns a surprise and let them see footage of the new expansion to GENESIS: Wildlands of the Fae. None of them had heard even a whisper that the Fae Realms were opening up to players, so excitement had run high when they saw the footage of some of the areas the beta testers had traveled through: a huge fair, the court of the High King, and snippets of a crazy Boss Fight. Steven knew that if you wanted to leak information to the gaming community, showing secrets to interns would spread the news faster than the speed of light. And while it had been fun, he was regretting it now as Sydney pushed a cart into his apartment, talking very fast without a pause between sentences.


    "Grab a large. I brought three different brews, but I forget what they are; I''ve had a lot today, and it''s all starting to blur. And you should probably have two at once and double-fist them because I think you''re going to need them because Milo called for you and is talking really fast and is in a weird place that looks like Frankenstein''s junkyard and he''s not hiding his face like he normally does and he thanked me a lot. AND HE''S FREAKING ME OUT! But once someone gives you enough coffee to fill a full-sized freezer, you try to keep him happy. So drink!"


    Steven took a deep breath, thankful Sydney couldn''t drink and talk simultaneously, and took two large mugs of coffee. One was very delicate, with hints of cherry and chocolate. The other was rocket fuel that burned down his throat. He was okay with both. The rocket fuel went down first, and he sipped the lighter brew to recover.


    "Start over, and answer in short sentences. Milo called?"


    "Yes, Milo called and is waiting to talk to you. Now. Very urgent."


    "Right. And he was upset? Yelling?"


    "No! Focused. Like he knew what I was going to say before I said it. Huge eyes, mostly dilated."


    Steven drank the rest of the rocket fuel and yelled at his bedroom. "Samantha? We''re going to need you. You have better empathy than I do, and Sydney is about to explode."


    Almost before he finished speaking, Samantha walked out of the bedroom, dressed, showered, and looking far better than the other two. "I knew that as soon as she started pounding on the door that something was up. Let''s use the screen in this room; no sense going to an office." One click of the remote, and Milo was on the screen. The background did indeed look strange. The metal walls had machinery mounted everywhere, with data cables and power supply cords running from servers to screens and then to parts unknown. Milo sat cross-legged on top of a metal data storage case and sipping from a 32 oz. water bottle. He was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan "Sleep is for the Weak" emblazoned across the front. A half-eaten bowl of food cubes and a cheese rind were on the floor in front of the case.


    "Hello, Milo, what can I do for you?"


    "We have a problem, Steven. And when I say ''We,'' I mean you, I, Wally, and Claw Master. I have information on a very delicate situation that we need to solve, and I''m not sure if we can bring it to the usual people because I''m not sure of what their reaction would be. This involves genetic manipulation on pre-birth humans and the possibility of human trafficking."


    The three humans in the room looked at each other, suddenly very uncomfortable. Steven took a deep breath. "Ah, you know? I''m sorry, Milo. Wally just told us recently, and I''ve meant to discuss it with you."


    Milo froze. "You knew? How did you know?"


    "There have been dozens of attempts to hack into Claw Master. Wally traced the signal and got a quick view of them before they fled."


    Milo blinked twice. "Show me."


    Steven put the footage on the screen. "Like I said, I was going to talk to you. We''re pretty sure these are your siblings, but we need your confirmation. And you have to keep this quiet and not try to contact them until we can work out all the ramifications. And don''t talk to Wally about them. He''s in his ''I can''t be sure.'' mode that he uses to lie to himself."


    Milo stared at the screen, then took a deep breath, then another. "It''s been a long time, but I recognize them. That''s my family. They really are alive. Send me the footage, please. I need to think about this. But later, we have bigger problems now. Finding them can wait until we solve the issue I called about."


    Samantha looked at Steven, then at Sydney. Sydney was grinning, enjoying someone else being confused by Milo. Steven had his mouth open.


    "Some other problem? You didn''t know! I...ok...right. Other problem. Talk to me about it."


    Milo put data on the screen, showing details of a medical scan. In one of the detailed ''pictures'', the nervous system was highlighted. It looked wrong to Steven. Part of his background was in human-to-machine interfaces. He''d studied the human nervous system extensively and knew that normal humans didn''t have that many neuron pathways in those places; it almost looked like..."Milo, is this one of your siblings?"


    Milo''s eyes were unblinking and wide as he looked at Steven, dark pits with no white at the edges. "No, but I''m glad you can see the similarities. Compare the areas of the spine I''ve circled to the scans you have of me. Notice the large nodes of neurons in three places that correspond to where I have sockets. This person also has a thickened spinal cord and denser neurons of a non-standard material, also like I do, and all of my siblings had... Have! What are your conclusions, Steven? Samantha?"


    "Obviously, this person has undergone similar treatments to you, Milo. But they''re a larger person, nearly an adult, and female. Oh...shit. I know who this is. This is the person whose pod was sending incorrect data?"


    Milo nodded slowly. "Yes. This person is a juvenile who is a victim of genetic manipulation. To disguise that manipulation, false data was uploaded when they used a Mark7 medical pod. Their guardian and doctors worked together to hide their condition. Further, based on the victim''s testimony, the patient suspects that the drug treatments their doctors are administering to them are actually making them worse, in an attempt to keep them from interacting with other people on a normal basis and hide their true condition."


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Samantha was angry. "If you want our help, you have it. We can alert the proper authorities, talk to a judge about warrants, and get her into protection. We''ll get to the bottom of this. But it will be difficult."


    "Yes, difficult. Her guardian has a lot of money, most of it actually belonging to the victim, and in a few weeks, she inherits a huge amount of money. Any court or lawyer will have to investigate the situation before they hand out warrants. But there are problems. I know of two plots to kidnap her and take her out of the country against her will in an attempt to control her inheritance. My question is this: Does this situation warrant bringing in an expert on the subject, or would they be forced to notify certain other people, including her guardian, local authorities, or anyone else that might complicate matters?"


    Steven thought for a moment and looked at Samantha. "What do you think? Juvenile and in imminent danger of being trafficked to another country. And a victim of illegal medical procedures. That''s enough that we can ask that he partition the information."


    She nodded. "Call him."


    "Wally, can you..."


    A second screen lit up. "I''m here, Steven. Hello, Sydney and Samantha. Greetings, Milo. What can I help with?"


    Milo picked up a data pad and started typing and talking. "Please partition a portion of your memory and place all information I am sending you there. The situation, if handled poorly, could cause the death of innocent people and the illegal trafficking of a minor victim. Please listen to the conversation in this room for the past several minutes."


    "Done. Tell me more about what you have discovered about Belinda Sabbatino/Seimovich. I''m looking at the medical scans being done now. Is she in a pod?"


    Milo smiled slightly. "No. I made her an entire suit based on the technology in my gloves. As I''d hoped, she is able to coordinate her nerve impulses better and regain mobility in her entire body. The suit also scans in the same way as a Mk7 pod. That''s what is sending you the data. I''m sending you the schematics for her suit. It might be something Rhebus would be interested in using. Claw Master can apply for patents, and then I agree to pass them on to Rhebus as part of our ongoing collaboration."


    The A.I. put the schematics on the screen for the others to see. "Very nice, Milo. I think they will be very interested in having a full-body version of your gloves. And it''s modular, which is even better. But back to Belinda, you mentioned kidnapping attempts; we need to neutralize those first."


    "That''s why I called. I want a meeting set up at the Tech Conference in Geneva with representatives from Claw Master and Rhebus to hammer out all the details of the plans for the habitat. Announcements can be made there, and I''m sure that will spur interest from other companies. I also want Manpower there. John Sabbatino and his entire staff. We bring them on board with the offer to handle all the maintenance of patients and workers in the pods and anything else we can throw at them. But the pace of the meetings needs to be slow. Delay things. Set up sightseeing tours, anything that keeps them in Geneva for two weeks. They need to be out of the way so I can focus on Victor."


    Everyone nodded. Kidnapping and Victor had been an obvious connection. Wally was slowly smiling. "So you want John to take Belinda to Geneva to keep her safe and let her see the city? A good plan. Security at the conference will be very tight already, and I will make requests to increase it."


    "No. I want John out of the way so he doesn''t notice Belinda is already gone." He casually sipped his water, waiting to see their reaction.


    Wally was calm; the others were concerned, except for Sydney, who was confused and trying to catch up. The A.I. looked at Milo. "Am I to understand that the young lady, having enough mobility to leave her domicile, has chosen to avoid being the victim of a crime by visiting a friend? That seems reasonable. However, her father will become upset at the situation. How do you plan to avoid him finding out that she is missing and staying with a friend?"


    "We aren''t telling him where I''m at." Belinda stepped into view and sat next to Milo. She was wearing a shirt identical to Milo over the Claw Master suit that enclosed her entire body except for her face.


    "Hi, I''m Belinda Seimovich. Milo has told me all about you. I didn''t believe him at first. Did he really send Sydney a thousand pounds of coffee?"


    Sydney''s eyes lit up. "He did! It''s awesome. All kinds! I spent half my yearly salary on a liquid nitrogen-cooled Coffee Vault from Tessladyne. It holds the beans at -150 degrees Fahrenheit, manages the complete inventory, and can defrost and grind a pound of beans in ten minutes! I love it. Want to see pictures of it?"


    Wally interrupted. "We should keep focused on the problem at hand, but I''d love to see the pictures later. Can you explain how your father won''t worry about you, Belinda?"


    "Sure. For the next thirty days, Eric Kresthammer will be my temporary legal guardian. He knows I''m staying with a friend and has approved of the idea. The papers will be in front of a judge at 8:00 a.m. and are already signed by my father. Erik will also be working to get everyone who works for my father on planes to Geneva this morning. We need them out of the way so that Victor can try to kidnap me."


    Steven joined Sydney in confusion. "But you''re gone."


    "Not as far as dear Uncle Victor knows. He thinks I''m drugged and unconscious in a pod and being loaded onto a plane. That was the plan all along. He''s also leaving the country with all of his people. Eric will run Manpower until everyone returns, buying us the time to keep me out of everyone''s greedy hands. Even my damned doctors were going to kidnap me!"


    "Really? That seems to be a departure from the Hippocratic oath. Where are those doctors now? Looking for you?"


    Belinda smirked, then started giggling. "Sorry. I can''t keep a straight face like Milo does. You see..."

 Chapter 267: Shhhh! Were hunting Doctors!

    Heathrow Airport in Great Britain is one of the world''s busiest hubs for air travel. Besides being the main airport for the UK, flights from the Americas heading to Europe and the rest of the world funnel into it and back out, crossing paths with the flights heading the other way. On any given day, over 1300 planes take off or land there, with 250 of those involving travel to the US. Three of these flights are from Philadelphia, and on one of them were two weary doctors on the first leg of a long trip that would lead them to Marrakesh, where an outbreak of a highly contagious virus that mimicked the effects of Tuberculosis. Doctors Cavendish and Tyson were experts in the field with degrees in microbiology and pathology. They were traveling lightly, with only small carry-on bags, and had just made the flight from Philadelphia. They relaxed during the six-hour flight to London with wine and dinner in the first-class section but said little to each other. Their layover in London was only two hours, which they would spend in the lounge only fifty feet from their next gate. When they could talk freely, both agreed that, for once, Nihalia had done a perfect job with the flights. A good meal and a few drinks and they''d be on their way into another part of the world.


    From London, they would fly to Casablanca and then catch a flight to Marrakesh. They actually had no intention of staying in Marrakesh. They would check in to the hotel in separate rooms and ask not to be disturbed, needing rest. After reaching their rooms, they would change clothes to loose, Middle Eastern garb, including the facemasks being worn in the city to prevent the spread of disease. Within an hour, they''d be on a bus back to Casablanca, charter a small plane, and begin their travel back to Europe and a rendezvous with their third colleague who was caring for a young girl on her way to a private clinic.


    As they walked from the gate, another plane landed at the large airport, also from Philadelphia. The private jet had left Philadelphia and filed a flight plan that would have taken them directly to Prague, a nine-hour flight. Once they were over the Atlantic, Victor informed the pilot that they would land in London for three days in the city. The chartered jet would continue to Prague. Despite being happy with the job Eric was doing, Eric hadn''t spent a lifetime staying one step ahead of nosey authorities. Victor often changed his travel plans on a whim. In London, he would spend the night and leave on a different plane in the early morning hours. His current jet would land in London, refuel, and have a routine check-up done for a problem that didn''t exist, then leave for Prague after a six-hour delay. Victor would not be staying in London more than the two hours it took to bribe certain people and obtain a new plane and pilot from a firm he had done work with before. They might fly to Prague, or Amsterdam, or Dresden. He''d make up his mind after take off.


    Also at the Heathrow airport was a team of Interpol agents. Agent Landi had received a strange email hours earlier. All attempts to find where the communication had originated from had failed. Whoever had sent it had covered their tracks completely and professionally.


    "Greetings. My associates and I are very happy to see you carrying on the work of the late Agent Sims. She was a tireless warrior in the fight against corruption in the world, and she will be greatly missed. Seeing you pick up the threads of her investigations and successfully capture the terrorists responsible for these terrible crimes is thrilling to read about. We know you must be very busy, but we were hoping to share information with you from time to time, as we did with Agent Sims. Following your investigation showed us that we were both seeking similar people, and we have found the travel plans of two of your quarry. We hope that you find the information useful.


    Two criminals who have committed genetic research crimes are traveling today from Philadelphia International Airport to Heathrow Airport on British Airways flight 602 under the names of Dr. Theodore Cavendish and Dr. Raphael Tyler. You may know them better as Doctors Swinkler and Shepherd (among many aliases). I have enclosed current photographs and fingerprints for both.


    Good hunting, Agent Landi. We''ll be in touch."


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Landi had made six phone calls, and three hours later, her team was drinking tea and waiting for flight 602 to land. Officially, the entire squad was taking off personal days and playing in a poker tournament at a London club. Their authorizations, arrest warrants, and other paperwork had been handled while flying from Lyon to London and only seen by a select group of people at Interpol Headquarters.


    "Tell us the truth, Landi. Do we really have arrests to make, or are we actually here to play cards?"


    "And don''t get us wrong, we''re fine with either."


    "And how the devil did you get us invites to the Garrick Club Tournament?"


    Landi could tell that if the trip turned out to be just a poker game tomorrow night, she''d still be in her team''s good graces. "As it turns out, Inspector Deville has a membership, and as he was reviewing my request to travel, suggested it." She was about to say more when she spotted a private jet taxing to a hangar.


    "Give me information on that jet over there. I don''t remember that one on the list of other arrivals in our target''s timeframe." Landi had learned much working with the older agents, and one of those things was to expect the criminals they chased to cover their tracks. They changed names and destinations constantly as they traveled, and many other things to confuse their trail. She was expecting her two doctors to skip their next flight and either disappear into the city or, more likely, take a private flight that neglected to mention to more passengers. Every flight in and out was being monitored.


    "It''s also coming in from Philadelphia. Diverted from its destination for fuel and to check out a possible faulty airspeed indicator. They were headed to Prague with an ill patient traveling in a medical pod."


    "Keep eyes on it. Get photos of who gets on and off, and get someone tracking where they go. They wouldn''t be disembarking just for a quick refuel." She could see the passengers coming off. Four heavyset men in suits that screamed bodyguard, followed by a slow-moving older man with silver hair and beard. Something about him was familiar. She lost the thought as flight 602 disembarked. She half expected this to be a wild goose chase or fake lead, but there they were, walking quickly off the plane. She stepped up to one of them and took his arm firmly. "Please step this way, please, sir. This will only take a minute." Another agent had the second doctor in hand. Their eyes showed a bit of panic, and then they seemed to relax.


    "Of course, what is this about? We''re on a medical assistance mission to Marrakesh. It''s essential that we make our next flight."


    As soon as they had them off to the side, Captain Delaque showed his badge. "Gentlemen, I am Captain John Delaque of Interpol. The two of you are under arrest for the crimes of smuggling medical supplies, illegal medical research, and a long list of crimes that I will be happy to present to your lawyers." Handcuffs were snapped on as the two protested.


    Agent Miles had been looking up the data on the private jet and sending pictures of its occupants to find matches in the Interpol Database. He whistled loudly, then walked to Landi and the Captain. "You are not going to believe this, but I think we know who these two were meeting with. That''s Victor Seimovich down there with the pod."


    Landi looked at the two men in front of her. They had visibly reacted when the name Seimovich was mentioned. "Know anything about him, boys? You seem very worried. I haven''t seen grown men sweat so much in a long time. I''d almost say you were scared for your lives. Maybe you can share a jail cell with Victor after we pick him up."


    One man still thought he could talk his way out, "This is a mistake. We''re just doctors!"


    The other one thought differently. "Screw that. Put me in protection, and I''ll tell you everything I know. But you can''t let Victor know I''m here."


    The Captain looked at Landi, who nodded. "Take them away¡ªseparate cells, two guards each. Tell the locals they were smuggling drugs. The rest of you are with me and Landi. Let''s go explain to Mr. Seimovich that he isn''t in the US of A anymore and what that means for him. He''s not leaving this airport. Have that private jet grounded, and I want medical personnel to find out who or what is in that pod."

 Chapter 268: Poker Night

    "Police! Stand where you are and raise your hands!"


    Four members of an Interpol squad wearing bulletproof vests and helmets with guns deployed were walking swiftly toward Victor Seimovich and his bodyguards. I reached into his jacket, but a forceful whisper made him stop. All of them raised their hands. Another squad was moving up from behind, surrounding the two men directing the medical pod. One by one, everyone but Victor was separated from the group, handcuffed, and searched. No one was talking except Victor.


    Victor was annoyed and furious. Annoyed that these idiots would try this and cost him many days and much money. Furious because he paid people to tell him about things like this. But it had been some time since he''d had the proper resources to keep the money flowing into the right pockets. That would change soon. The thought of how it would change made him look back at the pod that held Belinda.


    "My men are cooperating, and I''m unarmed. I''m lowering my arms. I''m an old man, and they''re coming down whether I want to or not. Can we please be civilized about this? Some mistake has been made. I am traveling home with my niece, who is very ill. I have all the proper paperwork."


    An agent with a Captain''s badge approached with a second agent. "I''m sure you have some paperwork, Mr. Seimovich, and don''t worry, we''ll look at it. But we also have some outstanding warrants for your arrest in parts of Europe."


    Victor shrugged. "You may, but those little pieces of paper are worthless now. I''m a reformed man. Ask my friends in the United States."


    The female agent smiled at him. She knew something. "We did ask them. Ten minutes ago, when we first spotted you on UK soil. Our FBI contact says there is no reason for you to be here. You''re supposed to be in the Eastern US, being a good boy and staying put."


    "Eh? A technicality. Paperwork was filed; I''m sure they haven''t put it in all the right places yet. As I said earlier, my niece is very ill, and we are traveling to see a specialist in Prague. There are no warrants for my arrest in Prague. Or the UK, for that matter. I think you are reaching for things that will burn your fingers."


    The Captain let Landi have fun verbally sparring with Victor. He considered it both a reward and a training exercise. "Your flight plan didn''t include a landing at Heathrow."


    "Ask my pilot. He insisted on landing. Something about a fuel gauge: airplanes without fuel are very dangerous. I can''t risk my grand-niece''s life in a faulty plane. And I know you are going to wag a finger at me over my armed bodyguards. My friends in the USA feel better if I am protected. We still have much to talk about. Ask them, please. We can straighten this out without it blowing up in your face. You are just doing your job, keeping people safe. I understand that. I like to be safe, too."


    Someone called over from where the half-dozen bodyguards had been stripped and searched. "These guys look legal. Paperwork is from the US Department of Justice, giving them permits to carry guns in their capacity of guarding a protected witness."


    Victor relaxed a bit. "See? All legal."


    Landi was beginning to be worried. "Except you''re traveling and not in the US."


    Victor spread his hands and shrugged. "I travel, they travel with me. You travelled from France to see me today? I''m sure the UK didn''t wag its fingers at your guns. Let us compromise. Take your pictures, take the guns, we will re-board our plane and wait for repairs, then leave for Prague. Everyone is happy." He nodded to the pod. "Or, you make my life difficult. Put my niece in danger, a very sick minor traveling on a medical visa with myself as her guardian, and I will come for your jobs, and you will be sweeping streets the rest of your life. There is no need for this."


    "I suppose your niece is so sick she needs her doctors with her? Where are they?"


    Victor was wary of this question, wondering why she asked. "Her US doctors are in the US. She will have new doctors in Prague."


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Landi held out three pictures. "Are these her ex-doctors?" Victor looked at the pictures, put on his spectacles, then looked at them again. "Could be? They look familiar, but then, I''m an old man."


    "Those three doctors are wanted for numerous terrorist activities. We''ve been looking for them for years. I find it strange they were working for you."


    Victor waggled a finger. "Did I say they worked for me? They worked for John Sabbatino, who cares for my niece. I have nothing to do with them. If they are bad people, I suggest you arrest them. I will even call my good friends in America and ask them to help. I want nothing to do with them and do not know them. Now, I think I should be leaving. Unless you have an actual charge to hold me on?"


    An agent approached Landi and handed her paperwork taken from Victor''s aid. "We checked on these. This paperwork claims he''s her guardian, but the courts have no record of Victor Seimovich being named Belinda Seimoviche''s guardian. These are fake."


    Victor''s face was blank. Landi looked at the paperwork, folded it, and handed it back. "Probably another ''technicality,'' but it ties in nicely with the two people we have who will testify you conspired to kidnap a minor not in your custody, drug her, and traffic her to another country outside of US jurisdiction. I''m curious how we picked up two of your doctors just as you were landing. What was the deal? Pick them up and travel together? They seemed nervous that you were here to make sure they stayed silent. I don''t expect an answer. Just wanted you to know."


    "Put Mr. Seimovich in handcuffs, please; we have enough."


    Victor glared at the indignity of being handcuffed, but his mind was racing, trying to understand what was happening. Doctors? Here? But why? He felt the invisible hand of someone pulling strings.


    "I cannot be separated from my niece!"


    The medical technicians were working on the pod. One yelled over to Landi. "Who is supposed to be in here? How old?"


    The Captain walked over. "Belinda Sabbatino. White, female, age 17. Why?"


    "That isn''t who''s in here. We have an injured female of Indian heritage, roughly 50 years old, with dark skin. She has a nasty head injury that the pod is taking care of, and the readings show the pod had to treat her for alcohol poisoning as well."


    The pod was opened. Landi looked at the woman and then at the photo. "We completed our set, Captain. That''s Dr. Nihalia, AKA Jaya Bakshi, originally from Delhi. Wanted in connection with bio-terrorism and illegal genetic experiments." She laughed and walked back over to Victor.


    "Let''s add aiding and abetting international terrorists to your charges, and I''m sure we''ll come up with several more."


    Victor was stunned and suddenly looked much older. "No...Belinda. Where is Belinda?"


    "Not your problem, Mr. Seimovich. Now, let''s find you a nice cell to sit in for the next few years."


    Landi and Captain Delaque stayed with the pod as the rest of the squad hauled off Victor and his entourage. Landi talked with the technicians and had the pod resealed before an ambulance arrived to take it where the good doctor would be cared for and interrogated. As she walked back, the Captain was just finishing a phone call; he turned to Landi, smiling.


    "Inspector Deville says to congratulate you on a successful operation. He also hopes you didn''t use up all of your luck."


    "Oh?"


    "He thinks we deserve a reward and wants to ensure we get it. He''ll be here with additional men, legal teams, and medical personnel in two hours. He doesn''t want anything to go awry with this bust. He also mentioned he hadn''t been to his club in years and would be delighted to accompany us and smooth our path of any problems. We''ll be dining with him at the Garrick Club tonight, and at 10 p.m., we all have slots in their ''casual'' poker tournament."


    "Looking forward to it, Captain."

 Chapter 269: Unexpected Vacations

    Belinda enjoyed telling the tale of their adventures and how they plotted to send her stepfather and Victor out of the country, and her audience sat silently as she gave them the details of the plan and what she and Milo had done. But at some point in the conversation, Milo seemed to turn off. Belinda noticed and nudged him in the ribs once, then harder. He woke up and stared at her.


    She poked him in the chest. "When was the last time you drank water?"


    Milo shook his head, unsure. Belinda plugged his datapad into his suit and scrolled through the warnings.


    Belinda smiled at everyone, waved, and said. "Milo is getting a drink now and going to sleep. He spent a couple of hours dragging me through air ducts to rescue me and has been up for far too long before that. I''m putting him to bed and taking a nap myself. Nice meeting you all."


    Wally agreed, "I believe his metabolism is in distress, and he is entering the first stages of shock. It''s very hard to tell with him. Drinking enough fluids is generally a good idea. Feel free to send me his medical data if you need advice, but I concur that rest will be beneficial. His body pays a price for being able to do things other people can''t. Get him into his pod if you can, and call me if you need me. The address I sent just now will connect to the part of me that is monitoring this partition. I''ll watch all parts of this fascinating drama that the two of you rolled out and will do what I can to help."


    After the screen Milo and Belinda were on was gone, Wally leaned back in his chair and looked at his human friends. "Thoughts? We are inside a partition. Anything said here, stays here, and I can talk freely to some extent. This is an unprecedented situation for which I have little, if any protocols. These are children rescuing themselves. While Milo is technically of age to be an adult, his upbringing lacks so much that he cannot be judged in the same way, and deserves our help. Belinda is younger, more mature, but also had a non-standard upbringing. I would much prefer that we aid and guide them rather than let them solve things on their own. Far less messy if we are involved."


    Steven was the first to speak. "I''m trying to figure out exactly what is happening here. Milo set out to save Belinda, and now the two of them are working together. They''ve engineered the capture of two bio-terrorists and prevented two kidnapping attempts. The third terrorist is with Victor Seimovich, who thinks he''s kidnapped Belinda. And you allowed them to manipulate you into agreeing to business arrangements that involve Genesis. I''ve always considered Milo an over-achiever, but this is a new level."


    Wally chuckled. "They used the best sort of manipulation on me: logic. Ignore everything else and consider the health benefits of twenty-thousand people regaining missing limbs, the testing of ground-breaking medical technology that will lead to helping millions of people, and the furthering of my goals to find cures for the nervous system damage affecting so many humans."


    Steven nodded slowly. "Enough benefits to sooth your outraged kernel and help you ignore small things such as corporate espionage, identity theft, kidnapping, and assault? Or can we modify all of those based on circumstances? Am I missing anything?"


    Samantha made a rude noise. "Missing quite a bit, my husband, who loves to play devil''s advocate. I know what you''re doing, but I''ll play along. It''s hardly kidnapping if the victim begs you to save her and her guardian gives permission. They simply left by an alternate route to avoid potential kidnappers. Milo didn''t hurt the doctor, the silly drunk bitch did it to herself, and I''ll give 10 to 1 odds he has it on tape. I want to watch that. He administered first aid by putting her in that pod. The identity theft is excusable because he''d stumbled onto a crime and was thwarting it by sending two criminals into the waiting arms of law enforcement. And I would counter the corporate espionage by pointing out that Belinda asked him to help find her medical records, and while she''s still a minor, she technically owns most of Manpower."


    Wally seemed to agree. "We have a complicated situation, but when all is taken into account, Milo''s actions can be shown in a positive light. Not that I''ll be shining light on them. Interpol doesn''t need any more charges to put those three away for the rest of their lives, and I suspect there will be more to come. Milo mentioned a data vault, and he was sitting on a disc storage case. He may have more surprises for us, but he needs time to rest for now. For now, I''ll monitor the movements of Victor Seimovich and find a good time to turn him over to the authorities. The tracking device Milo added to the Medical Pod will send me its location whenever it can connect to local systems. I''ll know when Victor lands in Prague and where he goes. But for now, I should let the three of you run and pack."


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Pack? Oh no..."


    "Who else did you think I was sending to Geneva, Steven? You''re the perfect person to interface with Manpower and Rhebus. Count it as vacation time and charge everything to me. You haven''t taken Samantha on a vacation in ages. I''m arranging a helicopter to the airport for the three of you, tickets on the next supersonic flight to Geneva, and your suites at the conference as we speak. Sadly, all the cheaper rooms are gone. You''ll have to suffer with the Bonaparte Suit on the top floor."


    Samantha was intrigued by the idea. "Geneva is lovely. I take it that we''ll be representing Genesis at the conference. But who shall we take for Claw Master?"


    Sydney saw all eyes pivot in her direction. "Oh no, that''s too far to be away from my precious trove of tasty beverages."


    Wally put up pictures on the screen, showing cafes and coffee houses, all with huge brass boilers and espresso presses. "You do know that Geneva has quite a coffee culture? These pictures are only showing the top 100 places to go for delicious cups of steaming coffee, brewed by hand in front of you by skilled professionals in charming little cafes and brewhouses. There are even tours each night that hop from one to the next so that you can sample them."


    "You fight dirty. Ok, I''m in.


    <hr>


    Wally saw immediately when the situation changed. The tracker in the pod told him the jet had diverted to Heathrow Airport outside of London. All the bad eggs were in one basket and quickly gathered up by an efficient group of Interpol agents. He made a note of those agents and started files on them. It was good to know who was competent and who wasn''t. He spent considerable time trying to find the scenario where Milo had managed to get Victor Seimovich to London at the right time to be apprehended by the same agents gathering up the other two doctors. Still, he was lacking information, and Milo was sound asleep. Wally would let him continue to sleep and not inform him until later of the new complication. Victor knew far sooner than expected that Belinda was outside his control.


    <hr>


    In a holding cell in London, Victor paced back and forth, constantly tugging on the orange jumpsuit they had forced him to wear. It was either this, or nothing. He''d refused to eat the horrible food; he knew better than to try the cup of coffee they gave him. He was angry and miserable and barely held back from taking it out on his lawyer when they finally allowed him to have a meeting.


    "How long until you get me out of here?"


    "Mr. Seimovich, we are trying everything we possibly can at this point, but the magistrate has refused to set bail for you."


    "Fix things then. I cannot live like this."


    The lawyer spoke calmly. He would have lied to another client and assured them he had everything taken care of. But not with this one. Promising something to Victor Seimovich and not delivering was far worse than telling him the truth. "I''m putting together a team of people to handle the legal matters here in the UK and another in the US. You have a meeting tomorrow morning with the head of the law firm that a friend recommended to me. (That made Victor happy. It meant that a very good lawyer was being arranged by one or more of his old associates. No one liked to see an old friends with secrets behind bars. It was a way of reminding him who he could throw under the bus, and who he owed a favor to. )


    We will attack the situation from every angle. I have people from the US demanding you be returned to them, but that''s being blocked by the UK and several countries that have warrants for your arrest. They''re arguing over who gets a piece of you first. Leaving the US has weakened your deal with the US Justice Department for protection. Shredded it, in fact. Fortunately, they haven''t released information about your arrest to the press. Right now, the story only mentions the two doctors Interpol picked up."


    Victor continued pacing. "They are being careful with me and building their case. I made a mistake and underestimated my opponents. How many hundreds of agents did Interpol use to catch me? Thousands? They must have spread them in a net all across Europe, waiting to see where I would land. And had me under surveillance all the time I was in the US. No one knew I was going to the UK. Not even I knew until I got halfway there. Another hour and I would have been gone. This is unfair persecution against one old man trying to atone for his sins. I only wanted to keep my grand-niece, my only living relative, safe from kidnappers and make sure she got the help she needed."


    He turned to the Lawyer. "You will call the people on the list in the red file. You will tell them to FIND my niece, and KEEP HER SAFE." The lawyer nodded and wrote nothing down. The emphasis on those words told him all that he needed to know. "And send my REGARDS to my friend, Eric. He was hoping to meet a nice Russian girl and learn the language."

 Chapter 270: The Friend you havent met yet.

    Belinda watched over Milo until she was sure he was asleep, and the pod assured her that he was resting. A life of being in and out of intensive care had led to her taking online courses in medicine to have some idea of what was wrong with her and what they weren''t telling her. A benefit was reading the screen on Milo''s pod and knowing he was alright. Which left her alone in a mad scientist''s workshop. She was amazed that he lived here. So many things were crammed into the space, and so little made it comfortable. There was a small bed, really just a padded mattress on a shelf. Some obvious things were missing. The first was a proper bathroom. There was a small toilet in a corner and a pipe with a faucet above a drain on the floor. A food processor would provide the horrible hab food she had promised herself she''d never try, but there was a freezer with frozen tacos and other meals that could be heated in the microwave. And cheese, Milo had a lot of cheese. And that was it; everything else was a jury-rigged network of old computer screens, linked servers, and workstations. And none of it was accessible to her. All of it asked for a password or voice activation.


    She was happy to find a collection of anime that she could watch and a screen that didn''t need a password. After defrosting a taco, she put a random episode of Dragonball Z Omega in the player and sat back to watch overpowered combatants punch each other into orbit. She didn''t care what she watched; she just wanted a distraction as she stretched and went through her physical therapy routine. Her suit was working, which thrilled her, but her muscles weren''t used to moving, and all the PT she had done over the last three years was inadequate. She needed to build muscle and learn to move properly. And if the suit helped the way the gloves had, the more she did, the better she would be without the suit. She was concentrating hard on moving each muscle group slowly, which is why the voice startled her.


    "Can we watch something else? I''ve seen this episode. Or can you explain the physics involved in punching? I''m not sure any of these people should be alive when they get hit so hard, but I don''t know the alien physiology of the different races."


    Belinda quit moving and looked around. "Who are you? How are you watching me?"


    "I wasn''t spying; I was watching anime with you. But this one is boring since I''ve seen it, and it''s all punching. I''m Rusty. Oh, and if you are looking for a camera, all the screens can act as cameras if needed."


    That didn''t make her feel better. "So, which one are you using? And why can''t I see you? If you''re looking at me, it''s only fair you let me talk to your face."


    "This is awkward. Do I have to do a face? Can''t we just talk? I''ll turn off the video and not look at you. I promise. Just talking. What else can we watch?"


    "Fine, voices only. But who are you?"


    "I told you, I''m Rusty. That''s what Milo calls me. I''m a friend."


    "A friend I''ve never met and Milo has never mentioned." She was very nervous about what was happening, but assured herself that Milo had to know about this person.


    The voice became more animated. "Yes! Exactly! A friend you never met. I''m Milo''s friend, and Milo is your friend; therefore, by the transitive property of friendship, A friend of a friend is a friend as well, even if you haven''t met them."


    Belinda sighed heavily. "If only the world worked that way. I don''t think you can ''math'' friendship."


    "You can''t? But I just did! And don''t people say, ''The enemy of my enemy is a friend''? That implies that two negative friendships can yield a positive friendship. But if you don''t want to apply math principles, we can just agree to be friends and not worry about a reason. Hi! I''m Rusty. I want to be friends. This is GREAT! Now I have two friends that I have met and several I have not met."


    She sat and thought about things for a moment. "You''re like Milo, aren''t you? Hiding in a habitat with not enough friends and a lot smarter than everyone else."


    "YES! That is me. I''m like Milo. You are smart, too; you figured it all out! What anime are we watching?"


    The voice was too funny, and Belinda had to suppress her laughter. Rusty was a lot like Milo; she''d have to watch what she said and how she said it if she wanted to be understood. "Fine. he has another 17 episodes of DBZ Omega...


    "Seen those."


    "How about seasons 32 and 33 of Those Annoying Aliens?


    "Seen those too."


    "Space Pirate Benjamin Franklin the 17th, only has three episodes. That one didn''t go long."


    "Seen it. Confused about the talking dolphins and flying whales."


    "Dirty Pair?"


    "I haven''t seen that! What is it? Wait! I don''t care; it''s new!"


    "Well, it seems to be about two girls who casually cause mass destruction while trying to do good."


    "I already like it! Let''s watch it the slow way, like regular people do, and if you want to talk, that''s fine. I lack perspective, and Milo is helping me with having a normal perspective on things."


    Belinda started the first episode, thinking she and Milo had much to talk about when he woke up.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    <hr>


    Milo awoke in his pod eight hours later. He felt much better and could focus his thoughts normally. He was amazed he''d slept for so long. He''d never slept for eight hours before in his life. As always, he made a list of things to do after waking up. Normal maintenance could wait, and he''d only deal with emergencies in the habitat section. He had other things to do.


    He needed to check on Belinda and ensure the suit kept her metabolism normal until he could look at all of her medical data. Looking at the data was next; for that, he needed Rusty''s help. Each storage disc held a huge amount of data, and he had taken everything in the storage area. He was nervous about taking Belinda to Downtown. There were a lot of unknown variables, including the possibility of more security Roomba, who wouldn''t appreciate their intrusion. He could risk himself, but how did he risk someone else?


    And there was Rusty''s problem. The A.I. wanted him to do more of the tutorials so he could help it shut down the programming that was trying to turn the fusion reactor into a small sun. Another reason not to put Belinda down there, although the whole hab was in danger. He needed time with Rusty. Belinda would have to stay here until things were sorted out. There was food, and she''d be safe. In two months, she would be 18, legally an adult, and could manage things independently. Until then, she needed to be safe from Victor, her stepfather, kidnapping doctors, and anyone else who wanted control of her money. At least they had two weeks until her stepfather returned and maybe a month until Victor figured out who he had in the pod. The plan to use the injured doctor had only occurred to him when he decided to stick her in the pod and save her life.


    So, two weeks to figure out a permanent place for Belinda to hide. Steven and Wally would help with that, he was sure. He''d call them later. For now, he needed to 1. Talk to Belinda 2. Check for emergencies 3. Meet up with Max and head to downtown. 4. Start Rusty analyzing the stolen data. (Was it stolen? It might belong to Belinda. That would make it borrowed data.) 5. Work on the tutorials and learn how to think faster. 6. Call Wally and Steven. Having a plan in his head, he crawled out of the pod and discovered what every general knew: No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.


    "Milo! About time, sleepyhead. Get over here and unlock your system for me. I''ve been away from my email for eight hours, and Rusty says he isn''t allowed on the Data Net because of his feet. Whatever. I need to talk to Eric, and I need to find more episodes of Dirty Pair. Rusty is in love with them."


    "Please, Milo? I need more of Kei and Yuri! Can we get more?"


    Milo paused while his mind caught up. "Rusty? You''re talking with Belinda?"


    "Why is this a question? You heard me just now, talking with my new friend Belinda. Oh, wait! That''s a way of saying something you aren''t saying? Are you asking why I''m talking with Belinda? Was I not supposed to talk to her? You never said not to. Were you saving our introduction to surprise her? Did I spoil your surprise? I''m sorry. But you can make us all feel better by getting us more Kei and Yuri anime and watching it with Belinda and me. Friends should not be sad. Let''s be happy."


    Belinda laughed at him. "Oh, you should see your face. You make that face when I beat you at video games."


    Milo went to a keyboard and began typing. "I''ve set up access for you on this machine, Belinda. It gives you normal data net access and can''t be traced here, no matter how hard they try. No one can find you here. Your password is ''Lovely Angels.''"


    Belinda started to talk, but Rusty interrupted. "You don''t want anyone to find Belinda here?"


    Belinda shook her head. "I''m hiding, Rusty, from some bad people. Milo rescued me."


    "Oh. Rescuing sounds fun. And I''m hiding too! But I have a question. If no one is supposed to find you, why is there a tracking device broadcasting your location?"


    Two voices yelled at once. Then Milo said. "Rusty, please explain fully. We weren''t aware of this."


    "Yay! Rusty gets to be a Hero too! Belinda has a short-range transmitter inside of her that is broadcasting her location. Currently, the signal is 98% blocked by the walls of your shielded tank, and the signal will have a short range anywhere in the habitat, especially in areas of heavy machinery such as the pipeworks layer. The signal identifies itself as being from Tagyourkid.com; their advertising is part of the signal."


    Milo immediately looked up the company. As Rusty said, the implant had a short range but would tie into any system it could access, giving away Belinda''s location. The signal should be almost completely blocked by the walls of his tank and would be partially blocked by the suit she was wearing, but not completely.


    "We need to figure this out. In two weeks, people are going to be looking for you."


    Belinda was checking her email. She turned and looked at him, white-faced. "Sooner than that. Victor is already in jail, and the news is out that he was trying to kidnap me."

 Chapter 271: Victor is still Causing Trouble

    "How?" Milo had counted on Victor being fooled and giving him time to figure out what they would do next. A week would have done it, even a couple of days. But not this soon.


    "The news release is sketchy. Interpol picked him up when his plane landed at Heathrow Airport outside of London. The pilot reported a mechanical failure and changed his flight plan. Victor got caught at the airport by Interpol trying to enter the UK or switch planes. He explained the pod by claiming he was taking me to a doctor in Prague, but when the authorities checked the pod, they found out that he was smuggling a bio-terrorist into the UK. She is the partner of two others who were arrested simultaneously. The UK is on high alert against a bio-terrorist threat. Uncle Victor is being held in London, along with everyone on his plane and the terrorists, with no bail. The news programs are full of theories about what he was planning. The UK is yelling at the US; the US is demanding he be returned to their custody. Interpol isn''t giving him up to anyone, claiming it was their agents who apprehended him after an extensive amount of research to track his movements as soon as he left the US and violated his protective custody agreement."


    She turned to Milo. "And the interesting part? All three bio-terrorists were my doctors up until a day ago. A very scary thought. I take it that this is part of your secret plans?"


    Her suspicion was confirmed as Milo looked sheepish. "Not a secret, just too much going on. Things are moving fast, and we haven''t had time to talk. I found out a lot of things when I went to get your medical records. The doctors were going to try and kidnap you in the next couple of days, and so was Victor. Worse, they were planning to kidnap someone in the Hab and put them in a pod as a decoy. I was spying on one of them when she talked to the others¡ªand drinking. She was upset, drinking alcohol, and arguing with the others. She was drunk enough that she tripped, hit her head, and knocked herself out. I put her in a pod to keep her alive, and she became the decoy."


    "Knocked herself out. Or you made that happen? Either way, she deserves it. And I''d have felt so horrible if they used some poor girl as a decoy for me. What is wrong with those people?"


    "Nope, I swear, she was drinking and spilled some on the floor, slipped, and went down. It was really convenient though. Her computer was unlocked; I had her codes to the vault and put her hand on the keypad. We have all of the data they were storing. Part of it is your medical records, which only take up part of one disc."


    A screen came on, showing security footage of the event, and Rusty''s voice chimed in. "I want to watch! This is better than anime. We''ll watch it together. Oooh, you were doing sneaky stuff. Are those data storage units? What do they have on them? Anything I''d like to watch?"


    Belinda covered her face with her hands. "OK, I believe you now. And I am never going to drink vodka. So you did a good deed and sent her off with Victor. I suppose you set up the rest?"


    "More sneaky stuff! Tell us!"


    Milo remembered a time when no one knew he existed, and he didn''t have to explain things. It seemed long ago. "I sort of set it up. I have an Interpol agent I work with, and I gave her a tip about the two doctors. But I have no idea why Victor was there. He was heading to Prague!"


    Belinda put all the news reports she could find with video on the screens so Rusty could watch, and she could see her Uncle Victor get arrested. She might never see him again and was sad because of that, while part of her cheered that he was out of her life. "Victor is old school. I''ve heard him say that he never follows a flight plan. He probably told the pilot once they were up in the air. Oh god. I just realized. This is big news! No way does Daddy not hear about it. He''s going to flip about the part where Victor claimed to have me in the pod, and he will be calling Eric. Victor will have people come look for me, and I''m trapped in Frankenstein''s Laboratory with no shower, no clothes, and only frozen tacos to eat."


    Milo looked at her, concerned. "You don''t like tacos? Everyone likes tacos. And I have cheese, lots of it. We''re fine."


    "Until someone tracks me down because of that damned implant Daddy or Victor put in me. I know when it happened. I woke up with stitches on my leg, and an explanation from the doctors that they needed to attach a sensor to my femur next to a major nerve to get better readings for diagnosis."


    "Don''t worry, they can''t find you in here. It''s shielded."


    Belinda looked around and raised her arms. "Behold! My kingdom!" She sighed and looked at Milo. "I''m sorry, this isn''t your fault. You''ve saved me a couple of times already. But I don''t think I can stay here for two months. I need to do physical therapy to get better, and I need a medical pod and a doctor looking at my readings. And clothes and a place to wash up."


    Rusty said, "I don''t think it will be two months. Someone will find you by then, probably in the next two days. Milo is correct that his home is shielded, but that implant is designed to send signals that are hard to block. Some scanners could detect the signal if they got close enough. I''d estimate 50 to 100 feet would show she was nearby."


    Milo was looking at the specs on the device and becoming more worried by the minute. "Rusty is right. They''ll know roughly where in the Hab you were. The signal would have been picked up as we traveled. They''ll know you went to Section E and can home in with the scanners. Rusty? I have to ask you a fav..."


    "YESYESYESYESYES!!!!! Belinda can come to live with me. YESYES!"


    "Live with Rusty? Milo, where does Rusty live?"


    "Um."


    "I live in the Hab, too! Just like my friends! But on another level. AND I HAVE SHIELDING. The best shielding. Please? I get lonely now that I have friends again."


    Milo held up his hands. "Quiet. Please." Then he sat down to think. A minute later, he looked at Belinda. "He''s right, but getting you there will be tricky."


    <hr>


    "We should come to Geneva more often; I love this town." John Sabbatino had been in a good mood since Eric had shoved him onto a helicopter in Philadelphia. The conference was everything he''d ever dreamed of. He''d been to tech conferences like this before, but that had been different. Back then, he''d been a lackey, just a middle management shlub taken along because he was an old friend of the heir to the Seimovich fortune. No one had wanted to talk to him then; he was a nobody. People wanted to be near Ekaterina or Vigo. Mostly Vigo. While Kat could sparkle when she wanted to, it wasn''t second nature. Vigo was always handsome, charming, and the most intelligent person in the room. It had galled John that as jealous as he was of Vigo, he''d have done anything for the man. There was just something about him.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    It didn''t hurt that he owned a successful biotech firm whose stock was enjoying an unimaginable growth rate. They took out patents monthly, sold their creations, and then raked in the royalties while other companies did all the work. They were seen as the future of how research corporations would evolve. Vigo would preen and posture to the crowds, and anything he said affected the stock market. John was along because he was convenient. Kat trusted him, so Vigo used him as an errand boy on these trips. No one talks to the errand boy.


    Today, everyone wanted to talk to John. The Manpower-Claw Master-Genesis-Rhebus deal had surprised everyone. It had come out of nowhere, and the sale was all anyone wanted to talk about. Myra was feeding John information about who he was talking to and what to say, while John did his best to smile and capture some of the magic that Vigo had conjured with. He had a meeting with Tesladyne in ten minutes to look at the design for a prototype Mk 8 pod, and an hour later, Alexacorp wanted his input on their version of the same product. Only one would be approved by Genesis, and both companies wanted to influence John in the hopes he had input on the decision. John hadn''t known that the MK 8 was even at the prototype stage, but he smiled and nodded as if it was something he knew about. Vigo had actually taught him that, pretending you knew more than you did. It was hard to, though. Vigo usually did understand what was going on, and John didn''t.


    Myra was tugging on his arm. "John, time to go. Now."


    "What''s up? I have meetings. Important meetings, and we''ve already briefed on them." He saw that his security team was converging around him and Myra.


    "Move now, talk later. I don''t want you on the floor when something hits, and we have maybe 30 seconds until it does."


    Her tone worried John. "What''s going on? Just tell me. Is the deal off?"


    "It''s about Belinda, please, trust me and move." They began walking to the elevators. John saw a newscast on a monitor that people were staring at, and several of those people turned to look at him. And then there was a journalist in front of them.


    "Mr. Sabbatino! Any comment on the arrest of Victor Seimovich? And what can you tell us about Belinda Seimovich? Was she actually kidnapped?"


    John wanted to watch the newscast or ask the newsman about what he knew, but at that point, two of his guards took him by his arms and steered him into the elevator.


    "Myra, what the hell is going on?!"


    She turned to him and held up a tablet with a news program running. "Watch this, but you already know the details. Victor landed in London, got arrested trying to smuggle in a bio-terrorist wanted by Interpol, and there was some sort of plot going on with two more. Do those faces look familiar to you? Those were Belinda''s doctors, John. We need to find out what''s going on fast and get ahead of this. Why were those three people working for you, John?"


    John was covering his face with his hands. Things he''d dreaded for years were being discovered, and the house of cards was about to crumble. "They are specialists. They came highly recommended." What he didn''t tell was that they''d worked for Vigo a long time ago under different names and were some of the few people who knew the truth about Belinda. That couldn''t come out. He''d promised Kat he would protect Belinda. But where was Belinda?


    "I need to talk to Eric."


    <hr>


    "Your girl is fine, John. I told you I''d take care of her."


    "Fine?! Victor nearly kidnapped her! How is that fine? There are already people asking us questions about Victor. What the hell am I supposed to say?"


    Eric could sympathize with John; the whole situation was stressful. But Eric had been dealing with both Victor and John for months now, and they were finally to the end game. "We''ve talked about this, John. It was going to happen, sooner or later. You tell the truth: Victor isn''t Belinda''s guardian, and attempting to take her out of the country would be illegal. Seeking medical treatment is just an excuse to kidnap her. Remind them that Interpol and numerous countries have investigated Victor for years, and they should talk to Interpol about the details, not ask you. You aren''t in control of Victor; he doesn''t work for you, and you don''t have any business relationship with him. If they ask why he was living in the Manpower section of the Habitat, refer them to the US Justice Department. If they ask about what he was up to in London, just shrug and refer them to Interpol or the London police. Keep your answers short and say as little as you can."


    "But..."


    "And then, John, you tell them you''re in Geneva to talk tech and start talking about the deal and Manpower. Use all their sudden interest in you to talk about what you want to talk about and not Victor."


    John liked that. "I can do that. This might not be so bad after all. Short answers, refer the questions to someone else, then switch gears to what we want to accomplish. But what do I say about Belinda?"


    "Say that Belinda is safe, and that''s all you are going to say for security reasons. And John, believe me, she is someplace Victor will never find her. We talked earlier, and even I don''t know exactly where she is right now, but she''s completely safe. Your girl is smart and had a contingency plan already set up and ready to go. Don''t worry. Your job is to grow her company and make it bigger. Go show them who is in charge."


    As the video conference ended, John left with a new purpose. Eric collapsed in his chair. "Where the hell are you, Belinda?"

 Chapter 272: Victor has Concerns.

    It had been a long day for Bernard St. Clair. The cases that his law firm took these days mostly involved defending wealthy clients from small indiscretions and dalliances of past years. He would offer advice to the junior partners handling the cases, make public appearances to inform the world of the client''s innocence, and collect his cut of the fees for doing very little work. It was his reward for being the head of the firm and five decades of work. Today''s client was more work than he was used to, but it was unavoidable and not something he could let anyone else handle. Victor Seimovich was calling in old favors, and three of Bernard''s closest friends had called him today, cashing in their own favors or making promises for future ones. A team of lawyers was being put together. Initial contact with the client was already done, but they wanted a high profile face attached to the team, and someone who understood the clients background. Bernard had represented other clients similar to Mr. Seimovich on occasion, and his success was why he was being called on again.


    So, he had been up early, skipping his usual large breakfast while he read the paper and fed his scraps to he aging terrier under the table. After only a cup of tea and a poached egg on toast, he let his chauffeur whisk him out the door and on his way to the High-Security Unit of Belmarsh Prison, just south of London, to begin the ordeal of paperwork, searches, scans, interviews, and more paperwork needed to see his latest client. Belmarsh was known for housing difficult prisoners, spies and counterspies with interesting knowledge, politically connected miscreants with information to trade, and those who posed a threat to national security. Victor Seimovich was considered to fit into all three categories; his cell reflected that. The High-Security Unit was deep in the heart of the prison, and the ''special cells'' were at the heart of the HSU. It had its own set of guards, security system, lockdown procedures, and separate food preparation and medical facilities. There would be no unexplainable and embarrassing deaths or suicides of the few prisoners housed here. Victor had the honor of being the only person in the special cells at this time, and all of the attention of the guards and staff was focused on him.


    This attention also extended to his lawyer. Nothing could be smuggled in, no papers passed to his client. The two could communicate by phone and see each other through the four-inch armored glass, but that was the limit of their contact. Victor was escorted to the room by four guards and a doctor, his hands cuffed and restraints placed on his legs. He would never be out of his cell without them. It was a slow process as he shuffled along at a pace expected of a man in his 70s. Bernard was waiting for him on his side of the glass. Victor was brought in and placed in his chair, and his hands and feet restraints were hooked to bolts on the floor and table. And then he was left alone with his lawyer.


    "Good day, Mr. Seimovich; I am Bernard St. Clair and will be acting as your lawyer in the immediate proceedings, and if we have to go to trial, there as well. If you have another law firm you want to handle your case, please let me know, and I will contact them. For now, I am your primary lawyer. We are guaranteed the confidentiality of a lawyer and client, and it is illegal for them to record or listen to this conversation. I will still caution you to be careful of your words."


    Victor knew all of this. Not that he knew this particular lawyer, but the words were all the same. Always the warning that someone would be listening, legal or not. It wasn''t needed, but the accusation was true. He expected that someone was taking down every word he said. "I would like you to get me out of here in any way possible. Look at this? An orange jumpsuit? How does anyone feel human wearing such horrid clothing? The food is at least better than I expected. But there is no music, no newspaper, and a lack of stimulating conversation. I choose my bodyguards based, among other things, on their ability to talk about the things I enjoy. These mean know nothing and talk of nothing."


    That surprised Bernard, not that the guards wouldn''t talk to Victor, but that he didn''t mind the food. The meals in Belmarsh was notorious, even for a prison in England. Obviously, hi client had been in prisons with even worse food¡ªa frightening thought. "I''ll be working as fast as I can. I''ve blocked attempts by Germany, Finland, and Italy to extradite you to their countries. The US is trying to recall you to their system but is having a difficult time since you were able to fly out of the country already while under their supervision. There is also concern about your continued health should anyone have access to you."


    Victor chuckled. "Yes, I believe that. I bought special treatment and leniency from the US Justice Department by giving them information on some old friends. Dangerous old friends. But not everything, and I''m sure they will breathe easier once I am gone. I''m willing to cut a similar deal with the UK or whoever will give me comfortable accommodations in some out-of-the-way place to live out my years in comfort. Some of my secrets are worth that. Use that for leverage."


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "I will be honest with you, Mr. Seimovich, the people you were caught with entering the country are causing a stir. They are linked to bio-terrorism, human trafficking, and illegal human experimentation. Interpol has an entire unit assigned to them, led by Lord Inspector Deville. The threat of another bio-terrorism attack hitting London has everyone on edge, and the country is on high-security alert. Of course, this has nothing to do with you. You didn''t know of their backgrounds. They were posing as normal doctors specializing in neurological disorders that your niece suffers from and were hired by John Sabbatino and not you. They took advantage of your trip abroad to seek medical help for your niece, hoping to remove their injured accomplice from the US."


    Victor nodded. "Just as I''ve been telling them. Who knows where John Sabbatino found such people? Because of them, I can''t leave this place and can''t find out what has happened to my grand-niece. Poor Belinda is sick, and it is of the utmost priority that she be found and put someplace where I know she is safe."


    Bernard nodded slightly but said. "I will request for the US to investigate John Sabbatino about your niece''s whereabouts, but there may be little I can do."


    A nod from Victor. "Do what you can. Ask around for help, maybe? And spend what you need to of the little money I have left. Luckily, I put your firm on retainer so long ago. But there are other people that I''m concerned about. My good friend Eric was so helpful in setting up so much of this, I hope it doesn''t cause him problems, what has happened to me. I''m sure he''s as surprised Belinda was not with me as I was."


    Another nod, then a question. "Would John Sabbatino be of help to you? Or will he be talking to the press?"


    "John? No, if John knows what is best, he will say nothing and be helpful. You could ask him how he could help; I''m sure he wants this to go away as much as I do. He may know where my Belinda is, and of course, he should also be concerned about our good friend, Eric."


    "Interpol pressed me on several topics relating to you. Things I should bring up that they might be willing to trade for improved accommodations. They asked about a package that went missing in Brussels twenty years ago, a man named Benjamin Shivago, and a strange question about a ''Batch Four.'' Do you wish to talk to them on any of these topics? If so, I will use the exchange to push forward your case in the direction you want it to go."


    Victor was amused that they still didn''t know, even after decades and thousands of man-hours of work by dozens of special investigators. Brussels was always going to be a touchy subject. No one liked it when a suitcase-sized nuclear weapon went missing, but that was a strong lever to save for the right time. Anything to do with Batch Four was out of the question, especially in this case, with these doctors. Batch Four was dead and needed to be left forgotten. But Benjamin Shivago, aka ''Bennie the Shiv''? The whereabouts of his bones were a small secret and something he could give up. Ironically, no one had known Bennie the Shiv was an undercover agent for the Mossad. They''d caught him cheating at cards as they planned the Italian job. The small recording device had been discovered during the fight after the table had been overturned and a free-for-all had broken out. That had led to Bennie''s death and destroyed all plans for the operation they were planning in Rome. Money had let them hide his body where no one would find him. Only later had they discovered who he was, but not why he had been working for Big Swede as a ''security specialist''. Whatever long game Bennie had been playing went to hell during that poker game.


    "Tell them that every nice Jewish boy should be buried at home. In return for agreeing to talk of where he might be buried, I want real clothes, real food, something to read, and a barber to see to my beard. If they do this and apologize for treating an old man so badly, then maybe we will trade an old rumor I heard in exchange for some leniency." They would need a backhoe and permission from the Vatican to find Bennie. Work had been being done to install a pipe in a sensitive part of the Holy City. The trench ran between the tombs of two saints. Bennie had been buried six feet deeper than the bottom of the trench and covered in stones, a gas pipe, ten feet of earth, and a layer of marble paving stones.


    "I''ll do what I can, and I think we''ll see changes to your accommodations by the end of the day." The two old men nodded to each other, and Bernard took his leave. He would pass on Victor''s words to other people who would act on them. Bernard didn''t want to know the details. He had recognized certain words and how they were said. After dealing with Interpol and setting up appointments with agents in his offices, he returned to work and made several phone calls.


    The people on the other end of the call knew exactly what Victor wanted. Any of his remaining money was to be used for three things: John Sabbatino would aid his lawyers or disappear. Eric Kresthammer was a dead man. And Belinda Seimovich would be found and taken someplace secure. She was the real leverage Victor needed. Money began to flow, and people began to move towards a run-down habitat in Philadelphia.

 Chapter 273: John tries to help...Milo does Brain Surgery

    It only took a minute for Milo to verify that what Rusty had said was correct. There was an intermittent signal coming from Belinda that could be used to track her. Milo spent a half hour reading everything he could on the technology used and concluded that he''d never be 100% sure he was blocking the signal without using so much shielding that movement became impossible. He considered an airtight metal box and a supply of oxygen hooked to the small supply in her suit. The weight was too high for him to move without heavier machinery than he had available in the habitat, and moving a metal box by forklift down the hallways of the habitat would certainly be noticed by the people moving into the section and searching for her.


    The problem wasn''t making her hard to track; that could be done. It was the problem of making her impossible to track and leaving no chance of someone finding the hidden elevator and the entrance to the bunker. So he threw away that idea and devised a better plan involving subterfuge and confusion instead of stealth. He needed the teams to be distracted and looking elsewhere while he got her to the shielded elevator. He explained the plan to her and they got to work.


    Belinda spent time going through the stored security footage in Manpower''s system to find the images he needed. That came with her questions about how he had gained access to the system. He outlined his project where he had reprogrammed each camera and rebuilt the entire system left by the engineering firm, including the fact they had left their own back door in Manpower''s system. After he''d told her how he''d done it, she had added up the hours of work needed for the job, sighed and said, "We need to get you different hobbies, or at least playing more games." Milo wasn''t sure how she had come to that conclusion, but agreed with her about playing more games.


    "How fast is your wheelchair, by the way? I need to set the speed for my decoys."


    She laughed. "Faster than most people can run. When you spend a lot of your life sitting in one, and don''t have much to spend your allowance on, shopping for upgrades becomes a priority. I finally went with a custom build from a division of Technodyne. Everything is customizable and I spent a lot of stability, cornering, and stability. And extended battery life. It drove John crazy that I spent so much money on my wheelchair, and I spent even more just to piss him off. He has two perfectly good legs and a sportscar. I didn''t see any reason I couldn''t spend just as much for something that helped me move around. Eric encouraged me, and let me do speed runs through empty corridors. He called it ''Speed Therapy'' and told Daddy it was part of my treatments to overcome depression. It actually worked wonders for my attitude."


    While she was finding the video footage o herself moving around in her wheelchair, Milo went looking for Max. His best Roomba waited patiently for him at the top of the elevator with the data discs in their protective cases on the crawlers. A quick trip to Downtown let him find an out-of-the-way spot for the discs and let Max round up more of his buddies. Milo headed to where he had stored the deactivated security drones to scavenge for the needed parts. Besides the upgraded lasers, this model also had a holographic projector. The image it produced was an armed security guard with a gun extended in a two-handed stance. Milo considered the work needed to shift the holo-projector and lasers from the security drones to the basic Roombas he trusted more. Evaluating the time he would need, he decided that moving the control system from the other Roomba and transplanting their brains would be easier. Max had gathered a dozen of his kin, so Milo loaded up thirteen deactivated security Roomba, plus the ones too damaged to fix. Three hours after he had left, he was back at his workbench conducting brain surgery to upgrade his small squad of Roomba. He explained his ideas to Belinda as he went.


    "The red Roombas belong to Rusty. Their main priority is cleaning, reporting damages or wear to machinery, checking air quality, and several other tasks. They can be used for security, but that''s not their major function. They need more armor and a larger battery. The black Roomba are full security drones. They are sturdier and have upgraded firepower, a holo-projector, and a sound projector. Unfortunately, they were on a different network, and don''t answer to commands from Rusty. I don''t fully trust them, even after I had time to go over their programming."


    Belinda watched as Milo quickly dismantled one black and one red Roomba, swapping control systems and then reassembled the black one. Max was nearby, communicating with the patient and confirming that Milo''s operation was successful. One by one, he upgraded his loyal Roomba brigade with the new hardware, which took nearly six hours. Milo was tired again afterward. He''d been pushing himself hard with little time to recover completely. Belinda was a little better. She kept a constant regime of stretches and isometrics while Milo worked and then started push-ups and sit-ups. Even when she stopped to catch her breath, she was clenching and unclenching her hands while pacing back and forth.


    Milo only noticed when he quit doing brain surgery. "Are you ok? You don''t look ok."


    She stopped pacing for a moment. "I don''t know! I''m feeling irritable and...itchy. It''s like anxiety but all in my muscles, not in my head, and I''m feeling like I have to keep moving, but I''m getting nauseous and have a headache. I should stop, but I feel worse when I do. I hate it, what''s going on?"


    That worried Milo. "Sit down and let me check your readings and have the suit do some diagnostics." Her readings were off, and that worried him. She was under an immense amount of stress. "Rusty, you have to hide. Disengage from anything outside of your shielded area and tuck yourself in tight. No looking at manga, and no listening. I have to call someone, and I don''t want him noticing you."


    "Is this my feet again?"


    "Exactly that. You and your big feet have to be away from here. If the person I''m talking to notices you, things will get very complicated quickly. Like Jeremy warned you."


    "That makes me sad. Interesting things are happening. I want all the stories later. I''ll go hide now..."


    Two minutes after Rusty was gone, Milo set up a new line of communication and called Wally. "I need help¡ªconfidential medical analysis. Look at the readings I''m sending you; what''s going on? She feels like she has to keep moving to relieve stress or itchiness."


    Wally''s voice came back with a note of concern in it. "Belinda, I believe that you are going into withdrawal symptoms from one or more of the medications you were on. Without knowing what drugs were used to treat you, and because of the limited facilities you have at the moment, I''m afraid I can''t recommend any treatment. The only thing that I am allowed to say is that you will have to check into a hospital or other treatment facility to receive care from a professional medical technician."


    Belinda looked upset, but Milo put his finger to his mouth, asking for quiet. "I understand, Wally. Do you have any conjecture or theories of what was used to treat her and what is causing these problems?"


    "I do, but it would be unprofessional of me to speculate. On the other hand, no university has seen fit to give me a medical diploma, so I have to wonder if anything I do is professional. What do you think, Milo?"


    Milo followed the logic. "Well, if nothing you can do is professional, then staying silent is equal to conjecturing, and both are unprofessional. Just my unprofessional opinion. No one has given me diplomas either."


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "Exactly! Still, it''s probably all right to point out that her symptoms do line up with those she might suffer from the effects of withdrawal from a series of drugs based on Benzodiazepine. I will add that if you, Milo, were showing those symptoms, I would suggest a mild dose of a similar drug to relieve withdrawal until I could give you proper medical treatment for the addiction. I base my conjecture on your non-standard neuro relays. If you were over-stimulated, the equivalent of two small pills would calm you down. I''m sending you the dosage of the drug I would use to treat you, Milo, in a similar situation if I was a professional medical doctor. Which I''m not, and, of course, we are talking about you, Milo, and not Belinda. Call me back if there is something I can actually help with, and please keep sending me her data."


    Belinda punched the wall, surprised when it didn''t hurt through her glove, and she noticed she had left a dent on the rusty metal. "SHIT! DAMN HIM! My father has me addicted to Valium or something similar. Am I right?"


    "I''m pretty sure it''s something like that, and so is Wally."


    "I''m not sure how long I can handle this, especially if it gets worse. I''m going to go crazy and have a seizure at this rate. Can you give me a dose of the drug?"


    Milo took a deep breath. "We''ve got limited options. I can take you back to your pod at Manpower or to go there and steal it somehow. The third option is to take you somewhere safer. I''m almost ready for that, but there are risks involved."


    "Going to Manpower isn''t safe. We know there are people in the hab looking for me, and they''ll be watching the exits. Give me the drug, and then let''s get out of here." Milo plugged his datapad into her suit and had the suit give her a minute dose of a drug based on Benzodiazepine that would act as a depressant, making her drowsy and relaxed. A minute later, she slumped in her chair. "It''s working. I''ve felt this before. God, they''ve been drugging me for years with this stuff; I know they have. I remember so many times when I was upset or ''being difficult,'' and I''d suddenly feel tired or go to sleep."


    Milo used his pod to administer more of the drug, keeping the dosage low, but steady, hooking the line from the pod directly to the stint in the arm of her suit. Within two minutes, she was feeling better. "Wow, it''s like the whole world slows down. It was like my head was going into overdrive, and I had to keep moving or go insane from an itch I couldn''t scratch. Now, I''m just tired and sleepy, and I ache from doing pushups. You go do your stuff; I think I''ll nap." She was asleep a moment later.


    Milo stared at her and the limited medical data he was getting from the pod, his own mind whirling. He needed to get her to the medical lab in Downtown and soon. That was going to be difficult with what was happening in the habitat. He couldn''t be sure of an exact count, but over one hundred people in sections E and H were visiting for the first time, and some were openly using scanners. Twice, there had been altercations between pairs of people wandering through the hallways, leading Milo to believe there was more than one group. "Max, I hope you and your team are ready. This will be rough and we don''t get any practice or second chances." The thirteen Roomba all let loose with enthusiastic ''beeps'' and ''boops.''


    <hr>


    "John, what part of ''I''m handling this end of the operation and taking care of Belinda.'' did you not understand!?"


    "The part where she isn''t in her pod or her room! Where is she, Eric? I authorized one of the security teams to use the tracking chip to find her, and it shows she went over to visit friends in Section E? How is that hiding?"


    Eric was tempted to punch walls but brought himself under control. This wasn''t the first time he''d had to deal with John ignoring a game plan, but there was a lot more at stake here. "John, just tell me why you did that. I told you I was handling things. Victor is in jail, and I had Belinda securely hidden. Or I did, until you gave one of the security team access to the system to look for her, and then panicked and had all the security teams out looking for her. And they aren''t the only ones! Victor or someone else has teams of people in the habitat, and some of our people have been hurt!."


    John''s face contorted into several shapes before finally managing a statement. "I''m her father; I should be making the decisions about her. She needs constant medical assistance. You have no idea what could happen if she doesn''t get her drug treatments. People kept asking about her, and I got worried. My team found her pod, but not her. So where is she, Eric? I need to know. My team will find her; they have the scanners. I don''t see a problem with what I did. That''s what the Tagyourkids system is for."


    "They aren''t the only ones with scanners, John. I mentioned some of our guys had encounters with other people. Those other people are much tougher. They didn''t kill anyone, but they won''t be walking for a long time without crutches. And now the other guys, probably sent by Victor, also have scanners. You''ve thrown away all the advantages we had over Victor. Now it''s a race to find her, one we don''t have the people to win. I''ve put in calls to the Habitat Security Force, but I''m not expecting much." Every habitat had a security force, nominally part of the local police force, but never used outside the habitat. Their main job was to scan for weapons at the entrances and investigate major crimes. Their response time was legendary for how long they could take.


    "Which means we need to get her back first! She''d still be protected if you hadn''t sent her out of our area. Why would you do that?"


    "Sorry, John. That wasn''t your call to make. Belinda didn''t feel safe. She knew Victor was plotting to take her out of the country and found out her doctors had similar plans. The same doctors that we now find out are wanted terrorists! Where did you find those people, John? There are reasons Belinda doesn''t trust you, John, and those doctors are one of them."


    "I had to use them! They worked for Vigo and are top-notch at what they do. Ekaterina told me how to contact them right before she died. They were working for Victor. How the hell could I not use them? And it''s not like they put down ''Bio-Terrorist'' on their job applications. We did standard background checks, and they passed."


    "John, you knew they were shady. You knew they''d pass those checks. You''re playing a high-stakes game with a losing hand, John. Be careful that you can''t pay the price. I will concentrate on keeping Belinda safe and ensuring nothing bad happens to the thousands of people we''re caring for in those pods. You''d better find a way to keep your hands clean, John. No one wants to do business with someone linked to terrorists. It will be a miracle if Rhebus keeps working with us, let alone Genesis. Get back to your meetings, and let me do my job here. Don''t do anything else without asking me first."


    "And if I do? It''s my company!"


    Eric resisted a smile. "For a few weeks, it is. Then it belongs to Belinda. Think about that, John. You cross me again, and I walk, and I talk. I don''t need to work for Manpower, John; I''ve been passing my resume around a few other places." He cut the connection.


    On the other end of the line, John sat staring at the blank screen, wondering how to fix things.

 Chapter 274: Victor has money? Lets fix that.

    "Can we watch it again? Please? The part where they open the pod is awesome! Victor looks so sad/pissed/surprised." Nina loved the video that Bork had put together. It was footage from news programs, Heathrow Security Cameras, and Interpol badgecams. He''d edited it, added his own comments, and created a soundtrack. They''d watched it four times today, made up more jokes, and suggested scenes, keeping Bork busy as he perfected his masterpiece.


    Bork was happy that his work was appreciated. His creations were only for the five of them. Releasing them to social media would have given away too much, specifically that someone had access to video footage they shouldn''t. Too many clues like that in the wild would spark a conspiracy in someone''s brain. The Alphabet had enough trouble as it was staying ahead of the chaos they sometimes caused without advertising themselves.


    "Sure, I don''t think I will ever get tired of watching it. It''s so perfect how it all worked out. Are we sure we didn''t set this all up? It sure feels like something we''d do."


    "That''s an interesting point. Didn''t we used to have someone in Interpol that we tipped off about things? It was years ago, but I remember how convenient it was to have a big organization like that working with us."


    Zander''s joy at watching Victor evaporated as he thought about the person he''d worked with anonymously at Interpol. "That was Agent Simms. I miss her. For a normal person, she was brilliant! I barely had to give her clues before she put things together and ran with them. She retired when she couldn''t work any longer and died shortly after that. I''m glad we quit sending her cases in the last two years. She was working herself to death even without our help. She was incredibly competent at putting together information and arriving at conclusions. A remarkable woman. Can you imagine how smart she would have been if she''d been like us?"


    Algernon tilted his nose up in the air. "It would have been wonderful to have another genius around. You four are from such common stock that even enhanced; I have to lead you around and tell you when to eat and when to poop. I look forward to finding Milo so we can have an intelligent conversation." This remark infuriated his less intelligent and more violent siblings, who pummeled him with pillows to vent their caveman-like anger.


    Nina stopped in mid-swing. "Milo. It was Milo that set up Victor!" Everyone else stopped as well. Playtime was over, thinking time had started again. It couldn''t be put off once someone had thrown out a problem or mystery.


    Bork considered for a second and then agreed. "He doesn''t like Victor either, is friends with Belinda Seimovich, and would want him out of that habitat he''s been living in. He probably...SHIT! ...Obvious. Milo hacked our hacked security system and has been eavesdropping on Victor. Probably hacked his emails as well and was watching his every move."


    "Of course he did! We have to assume that Milo is at least as smart as us. If we would do something, he would too."


    "Nicely done, too. Victor looked like he got hit by an anvil when that pod opened, and it was someone else. And that bunch has no loyalty; all the doctors are flipping on him and each other. It will be a bloodbath of accusations, even if they don''t go into the old, secret stuff."


    "You mean, like us and all the fun things Vigo worked on before his untimely death? I''m not sure I want that coming out in the open. It would complicate things if people were looking for us."


    "Someone is looking for us. Always assume that!." Bork never liked it when his siblings relaxed about some things¡ªand hated it worse when he did the same thing.


    Algernon got up and went to a workstation. "Enough fun. We can watch that later. This is an opportunity. We need to listen to what the doctors and Victor say, either voice recordings or transcripts. We need to find out the name of his current lawyer and any others he is using. And anyone who visits him. He''ll communicate through them to have his network of thugs do his business. And, most importantly, we need to watch his money. He''ll have some resources left, and we should strip him of them as fast as we can. Leave him penniless and in jail. People will desert him. Money is a weapon Victor can use. Let''s take it all away down to the last breadcrumb."


    Nina got to work as well. "I''m going to gather the information on the teams who took him down. I suspect Milo is working with someone on that team, maybe the top guy, but we have to find out. They may be good people to feed information to. Victor and the terrible trio aren''t the only people we need to get some revenge on."


    "Yes. Revenge...and karma for making the world a better place for everyone else!"


    "Screw that, Zander, the rest of us want revenge."


    "Fine, I''m ok with revenge. We''ll fix the world tomorrow."


    Two hours later, working together and on their own, they reconvened in a living room, seated on pillows with plates of snacks. On the wall, Bork''s video played silently, over and over.


    "I''ll start since all of you are stuffing your faces. I monitored the ten mercenary groups that Victor has hired from before. I''m not seeing anything from nine of them. But one has some interesting activity. Volgard put out an email to the people on their payroll in Eastern North America. They have forty people en route to Philadelphia. Half of them have technical experience, and the other half specialize in intimidation and controlling local populations. I tracked their payment to a bank account we didn''t know about. Bernard St. Clair, the head of a law firm in London, authorized the payment."


    Zander chimed in, "He''s been retained to represent Victor. I haven''t found prior links between them, but that firm has represented some powerful people who aren''t very nice. Not a lot of them, and not enough to tarnish their reputation. They are competent and not squeamish about who they work for. The client list includes people that run in the same circles as Victor."


    Bork nodded at the confirmation. The Alphabet liked to have more than one person independently verify information whenever they could. "They''re moving too quickly and not hiding their transactions well. Victor is in a hurry. He has to find Belinda Seimovich, and he''s focused on her. She''s his way out of this mess. I don''t agree with his thinking and would love to cause that plan to fail."


    "I can mimic the transfer authorization from the lawyer whenever we want to close down that account. Do it now? Or wait until we find more so they don''t catch on?" Nina loved finding hidden chunks of money owned by people she didn''t like. After stealing it, she found worthwhile charities to donate the money to. It might be food and clothing for disaster victims or support for an animal shelter. She had a fondness for cats. She had funneled over forty-six million dollars taken from criminal organizations into shelters for felines. Eventually, they found four funds that Victor''s new lawyer used. All of them were brought down to less than two dollars, the account passwords changed, and the money moved elsewhere.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Algernon was having fun reading the transcripts of Victor''s interviews with agents from Interpol and Scotland Yard, bringing the group''s attention to an important detail. "He''s cutting more deals and giving up old secrets. But he doesn''t have many left. They are pressing him on where a body is buried, a package that disappeared in Brussels, which might be a pocket nuke, and a project involving ''Batch Four,'' which obviously makes me both nervous and curious as to what he will or won''t say."


    "Hmm, so do we take away his options if we can? Will that make it more or less likely that he talks about us?"


    Everyone was quiet, and the rest turned to Bork. As the most paranoid of them all, he could often be used as a litmus test on decisions involving risk. He thought for a full ten minutes, then stated his theory. "Victor will do what is best for Victor. He doesn''t care about where a body is buried and can gain immunity from the murder charge in all probability. The Nuke will gain him a lot of points, whether he helped steal it or not. Nukes make people nervous. As for talking about us? He thinks we are dead, and there are very few indications we aren''t. My most recent borkup being the worst clue that we are alive. Victor can''t admit he was working with Vigo Johansson and the terrible trio from Biosolutions to create bio-engineered mutant human cyborgs to be used to disrupt the financial markets and steal money and information. Maybe if he was in front of a firing squad. Because admitting to that could put him against the wall, along with those doctors, he''ll take that secret to his grave, especially how it could affect his grand-niece. We don''t know what Vigo did to his daughter, but it''s enough that she''s been kept hidden for seventeen years. She''s only been seen out in the open recently."


    "With Milo!"


    Bork grimaced. He hated loose ends, and Milo was the biggest loose end ever, with a very tangled string. "Yes, with Milo. He must know something about her and has become friends, or at least knows her well enough to get on her gaming team. And it makes sense he wanted Victor jailed if he''s figured out all the secrets of the Seimovich family."


    Zander suddenly brightened up, and a big smile appeared on his face. "Yes! Just think of what Milo might know. It will be like Christmas for all of us. We get to tell him secrets, and he can tell us secrets! I wonder if he has any data on Belinda Seimovich? I''m curious about her father''s modifications to her genetics or development."


    Algernon sat next to Zander, ate some popcorn, and started reading an issue of his newest favorite comic book, Wonder Warthog, and he was humming loudly.


    Zander looked at him with utter disgust. "Don''t you do that! Not again! Don''t you do that to me!"


    "Oh, and what''s that? Sorry, I''m reading a comic book. Really good, see, in this issue, Wondy (that''s my nickname for the main character) has to fly to Uranus (the planet, just in case you''re confused) and...


    Zander stared at Algernon and, in a low, deep voice, said, "You have a secret, and you know I''ll want to know, and you''re humming!"


    Algernon put his comic back into the lock-tight Mylar sleeve and placed it carefully on a shelf. "Oh? Well. I might. You see, I''ve been reading all those boring Interpol transcripts where they do good cop/bad cop and interrogate the criminals. Victor''s pals, the doctors, are throwing him under the bus as fast as they can. It''s bad for them; death penalty bad, and some countries tried them in absentee so there won''t be a long wait for a trial. One of them even hinted that he had data on scientific experiments that Victor might have been involved with. He''s offering it to Interpol with some really steep conditions attached. He wants total amnesty for anything they see in the files and to be under protected house arrest for the next twenty years. For that, he''ll flip and give them the keys to the vault where the data is stored. Interpol is going to agree, but only once they get the data. The description matches the vaults we invented with the auto-EMP feature, and you can guess where it is."


    Everyone''s mouths fell open. Bork was tearing his hair out. "The missing data discs from BioSolutions! That has to be what they''re talking about. They took them, faked their deaths, and had them all these years. And they''re in a vault in the habitat we just rented? OMG! We can''t let that get out. How hard is it to break into one of those vaults? I don''t know what they changed once we sold the patent."


    Nina put the schematics on the screen. "Close to impossible for anyone else and merely difficult for us. I estimate that three of us, working as a team, could do it in three hours. First, we have to get into the Manpower facility, which will be under siege in a day, and we have to get there before Interpol cuts a deal. I can have the equipment needed on a Philadelphia flight, and we could start our run in less than eight hours. We need to start at this point, and it will be tight moving through ductwork and crawl spaces to get near the storage area. Bork! Stop pacing! We have a working plan. Start telling us where it might go wrong."


    Bork refocused, "Uh, OK. The number of people working there will be way down; it will be just a skeleton crew with most of the staff in Geneva. But that doesn''t mean the offices, labs, and living quarters will be deserted. That deal is paying dividends already. But Manpower has to focus its security on the pods they care for. Anything we can do to have them shift more personnel will help. We need some sort of scouting drone to move ahead and map, and I want a 4th person on that. 5th man is overseeing everything and calling it off at any sign of danger." Everyone pointed at him. "Right. We have the security system hacked, but we still go in wearing full costumes. I''m thinking we do ninjas again."


    The team liked going as ninjas. The reason wasn''t obvious. While ninjas were cool, it helped disguise their lack of size. Everyone knew ninjas were short.


    "And I think we should be helpful. Rhebus will be neighbors with Manpower, and no one likes pushy mercenaries running around their habitat. I''m going to have the head of Rhebus contact the manager of Manpower and offer some extra muscle from our security section. Just in case."


    Within an hour, the team had planned the operation and were on their way to Philadelphia.

 Chapter 275: You must gather your party before moving on

    Eric had done what he could to cover all the contingencies but knew it wouldn''t go down perfectly. Nothing ever happened perfectly, especially at Manpower. It had been difficult to convince Victor that he was a loyal (and greedy) soldier, and it had taken months to gain the old criminal''s trust. The only reason it worked was that Victor couldn''t imagine anyone turning down the power and money Eric could have earned working for Victor once he controlled the Seimovich fortune. Victor was getting careless in his old age, seeing what he expected to see, and Eric had counted on that. So what he saw in Eric was an ambitious man who was tired of working for his old friend John and taking the crumbs from his table. Eric projected his willingness to sit at a tarnished table with Victor. He''d schemed with him and argued with him. He drank vodka until he was ruining his health and had to cheat with pills. Ultimately, it was all worth it when Victor left Philadelphia and thought he had Belinda with him. Eric had been relieved and elated that the plan had worked. But he hadn''t expected Victor to walk into the arms of Interpol on day 1! He''d barely begun to tighten things up when he got the news and knew that, at the very least, someone would be coming to find him and give him a last message from Victor. It might be in a day, a week, or a month, but it would happen.


    It was going to be difficult to deal with what he knew was coming. Victor was an old-school thug, and he would respond by sending violent people to get what he wanted. In this case, it was Belinda and Eric''s head on a platter. But a few things made his job easier. The first was that every yammerhead working for John was in Geneva, and no one was left to waste his time. The second was the security set-up Genesis insisted on for the workers sleeping in their pods: The pod levels could be completely locked down, with only two exits on each of the three levels left unlocked but guarded. Anyone not working in the pod area was sent home or away from the habitat. All security and essential personnel were moved to the pod area. He ordered that only one entrance on the top level would be used for anyone to leave or enter, with half the security guards stationed there. The rest of the entrances were only nominally open for emergencies. The pod area was as secure, and he could make it. He couldn''t allow whoever Victor sent to take hostages, and they would surely want to search the area for Belinda. Somehow, she was blocking the signal from the transmitter inside of her. This was good...and bad. It meant she was safer, but the people looking for her would turn this habitat upside down to find her. They''d start in Section E, where the last signal originated, and move out from there.


    Eric expected to have visitors looking for him as well. Special visitors who would want to give him a short message from Victor and then dump his body down one of the big drops in an abandoned sector. He''d thought of leaving the habitat. But he knew the people Victor would send would be professionals, and hopping on a plane wouldn''t protect him. And he needed to be here. If he ran, he had little doubt that most of the security people would as well. And he needed to stay in touch with Belinda and keep John unaware that no one, including him, knew where the hell she was hiding.


    The last thing he did was email Belinda, telling her what he had done and what he expected to happen next. He ordered her to keep hidden, no matter what happened or what was reported. Then he kept busy, not knowing how long he had. It might be hours or days, but someone would come looking for him. Victor wasn''t patient when he was angry.


    <hr>


    "Milo! Eric is in trouble! I just got an email from him. He thinks Victor will try and have him killed."


    Milo was working as fast as he could, reprogramming Roomba and creating hologram and sound files for them. Part of him split off to pay attention to Belinda. "He''s right. Victor isn''t going to let him live after Eric played him for a fool, and he ended up in jail. He doesn''t have much left but his pride and his reputation. And with people already coming to look for you, it makes sense."


    "How does it make sense?"


    Milo was about to finish one Roomba when he thought of a better way to route all the power cords and make the design more efficient. He started to rework the models he''d already finished. 2% longer battery life might make a difference. "Well, if he kills Eric, Manpower is leaderless, and it will make the job of finding you easier, based on the information he has. It also means that even if your stepfather returns home, he doesn''t have Eric guiding him. Based on the reactions I''ve seen on security cameras, John isn''t the best person in a stressful situation."


    "You''re right on both counts. Eric holds everything together, and John sort of manages somehow with his help. Eric was good enough to fool both John and Victor, but it made him a target. He''s in trouble because of me. Daddy might fire him, and Victor is probably sending someone to kill him."


    "He is. Victor isn''t a nice guy, and we know that. Still, he does have security guards. I''m not sure if that will be enough."


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Can we help him? He''s only in trouble because he''s been helping me. Without him, I''d be in a pod and held for ransom by crazy doctors or in one of Victor''s hideouts in Eastern Europe. He''s tried to get the Hab security involved, and they aren''t answering the phone or replying to emails. He can''t call Daddy. Daddy always makes things worse. And there are a lot of people roaming around the habitat."


    Milo finished the last of the hologram files and turned to talk to her. "WE aren''t going to stop anything. The first priority is getting you to a place where you''re safe and can get medical care. After that, I can work on other problems, like finding and stopping an assassin that I know nothing about. But your safety has to come first. We don''t know how much worse the withdrawal symptoms might get or what other complications might pop up. You could easily die."


    "All you have to do is get me into a pod, hook it up to the data net, and call your buddy. He monitors everything and can take care of me."


    "That...well, that poses a problem. There isn''t a direct connection to where I''m taking you that''s safe. And I can''t just leave you alone in a pod."


    Belinda had to admit to herself that she wasn''t thrilled with the idea, either. "Isn''t Rusty going to be there? I won''t be alone."


    Belinda watched as Milo struggled with the decision. "He is, but I don''t think he knows anything about pods or has any medical knowledge. He''s still pretty young. I''ll feel better with him watching over you, though."


    "I thought he sounded young. He''s so excited about everything. Fine, we get someone else. What about Butch? Or Big Butch? Or Mama? Think about it; it can''t be that safe for them right now, either. Who knows what Victor will do? He''ll send people looking for me, and anyone I''m friends with is in danger. Is Rusty''s place big enough for all of us? If they go to Rusty''s place with me, that solves two of your problems at once, and you can help Eric."


    Milo''s head spun, adjusting his plans. But..."You''re right. They might be in danger. And there is room for them. Ok, it''s time to go. We have to go to a storage area nearby, and then we can start the journey to where Rusty is."


    Once Milo had decided on the new plan, he was anxious to put things into motion. Doing something, even something dangerous, was more appealing than sitting and waiting. He needed to save Belinda, save his family, and save Eric, and to do that, he needed to cause some chaos in the habitat and throw people off balance. Luckily, he had an enthusiastic army to help him with that.


    <hr>


    Butch was a little surprised to be getting a call from Milo. The ghost had been busy lately and hadn''t been by at all. And he hated using the phone. He liked email better. Mama would be happy he was checking in; she was worried about him, especially today. There were people wandering around the habitat, and no one knew why they were there. Some of them were wearing Manpower uniforms, but a lot of them were in basic coveralls. And none of them looked soft. Two of them had been asking questions about Belinda and the last time any of the family had seen her. They got the usual shrugs and dull stares that any outsider got. But it worried everyone that they were asking about her and weren''t giving details on why they were looking for her.


    "Yo! Ghost. Are you OK? Mama''s worried, and people are looking for Belinda. Too many people and the wrong type. They''re hassling a lot of people living around here."


    "I know. Her Uncle tried to kidnap her and failed, and he got arrested. He''s hired people to find her."


    "Yeah, they keep stopping by and asking about her. New people each time, same questions. Mama''s keeping people close and Dad''s home. The whole section is locked down tight. People are nervous."


    "Good! I mean, ''good that people are being cautious.'' I need to talk to Mama. Sort of urgent."


    "Sure, NP. Explain things sometimes. I get the distinct feeling you might know a little about this."


    "I promise I''ll be doing just that."


    Within a minute, Mama was talking to Ghost on the phone, rolling her eyes and laughing, then becoming serious. Finally, she walked back to Butch and handed him his phone back. "If anyone else except that boy asked me to do what he just asked, I''d just laugh at them and lock my door." She shook her head, grabbed Butch by the hand, and walked into the house. "Listen up, we''re doing something and doing it now. Questions later, do what I say first. Everyone needs to grab their spare change of clothes and anything they can''t live without for a couple of days, just what they can carry. Stuff it into pillowcases or use a sheet to wrap it all up. Papa and Butch will help with the little ones. Butch, call your friends and tell them they need to get over here, same deal, but don''t let anyone see them coming over. Once we''re ready, we wait for Milo to show up. We''re all going to take a walk, and go somewhere people aren''t asking questions. Think of it as if we''re going on a little adventure."


    Not for the first time did she remind herself to have another long talk with that boy. But if he thought the family was in danger and had a place hide them all, she''d trust him. And, as she''d suspected, he''d helped Belinda escape from a bad situation. If nothing else, Milo made life interesting. Too interesting.

 Chapter 276: Old Secrets and Buried Bones

    Kiruna prison in Sweden was a cold place, located 180 miles north of the actual city of Kiruna, which itself was 200 miles above the Arctic Circle. The prison was near the borders of Finland and Norway and had been built as a joint project between the three countries during a remarkable time of cooperation. Rebuilt and updated many times, its reputation grew over the last two centuries until it was known as the toughest prison in any of the three countries. It currently housed only 36 prisoners, down from over 200 a century before. The Ultra-High-Security prison wasn''t a place where prisoners were sent to be reformed. The chance of any of them being released was next to zero. The prison''s only purpose was to keep them behind bars and away from the rest of humanity until they died.


    Escapes and break-outs had been attempted, but none were successful. Four people had technically ''escaped'' but died of exposure as they tried to find food and shelter while avoiding being recaptured. Visitors were kept to a minimum, as was all communication with the outside world. So, it was a great surprise to one of the most notorious prisoners when he was told that he would have a visitor. His cell door opened and slid back, and the open hallway beckoned. It had been a long time since anyone had been allowed to visit him, and he''d almost forgotten the protocols. First, he stripped off all his clothing and walked into a steel room where he was scanned for weapons or abnormalities and allowed to exit from the other side and put on a new set of orange prison clothes, identical to the other set. After that, he was allowed into the meeting room, where he could see a man seated on the other side of the six-inch thick reinforced glass wall. Microphones and speakers carried their voices to each other. They would have no contact with each other, even to the air they breathed on separate sides of the barrier.


    Karl "Big Swede" Ahlgren sat in the steel chair bolted to the floor. It held his 400-plus pounds with ease. The decades had been harsh to him as he neared seventy, etching lines in his face and turning his beard and hair to silver, but nothing had diminished his size and strength. Nor his reputation for sudden violence. Karl didn''t get angry when someone taunted or tested him on the few times he was put in the yard with the other three dozen prisoners. He just grinned and lashed out suddenly with a huge fist or foot, crushing bones and ending fights quickly. It had to be quick before the stun gas was deployed, or the guards shot him with tranquilizer darts. There was always someone who wanted to test the old monster, mostly because they weren''t getting out of prison either and had grown bored and suicidal. There was no penalty for these fights other than solitary for Karl and the infirmary for his challenger. And Karl didn''t mind. He didn''t want to talk to the other prisoners.


    Ironically, Karl had hurt more people since being put in prison than he had in the sixty years before. He was huge and intimidating, but what won him the respect of the people working with him was his intellect, meticulous planning, and loyalty to his partners. His heists were works of art, carried out only after each phase was tested and practiced. He hated leaving clues about who had committed the crime and only recruited people for his teams who could follow orders and keep their mouths shut. No one was ever killed or even seriously injured by his crimes. Except, of course, for the loss of valuable items. The insurance companies and banks weren''t happy about things, either.


    He found working with others to be tricky and full of arguments. When tempers flared, if logic didn''t sway someone, his strength and size came in handy. But it was the threat of what he could do, rather than actual violence, that worked best for him. His reputation for mayhem came from his lack of hesitation. When it was time for violence, he reacted instantaneously, making up his mind and committing to the act without second thoughts. A small show of force was usually enough to calm people down and let him get back to work. He had worked with Victor and Andrei Seimovich many times, just as he had worked with their father in his youth. He was never part of their family and, at best, a trusted ally. He liked it that way. He came and went as needed and ran his own crews, planning his own jobs. That gave him time off to spend with his family and kept him out of the constant power struggle of the Russian and Ukrainian families.


    His passion in life was his perfectly executed plans, but his love for his family overshadowed that. His wife, Freyja, had given him six children. Those children had married and given him many grandchildren. The last had been little Astrid, with golden hair bright as the sun. Her mother, Sonja, had married a man who broke her heart and left her. Karl let him go at her behest without breaking his heart or other parts of him. He was still the father of his granddaughter, and life could bring people back together. Reconciliation would happen quicker if the man didn''t have memories of Karl''s fists breaking his bones. When the accident occurred, Sonja and Astrid lived with Freyja and him in their large house. His wife had taken four-year-old Astrid shopping in Helsingborg for a new dress. They''d gone early in the morning, wishing to be home in time for a family dinner. That dinner never happened.


    A Humvee traveling over 130 kilometers per hour failed to make the corner it was attempting and crashed into the shop. Three people working in the shop were critically injured. Freyja was killed immediately, and Astrid was crushed underneath the car, sustaining horrific injuries. The driver survived due to the sturdiness of the vehicle and the airbag that was deployed. He could have walked away with minor injuries if he hadn''t been under the influence of alcohol and drugs. He made it out of the vehicle and sat down, staring at the carnage he''d wrought and smiling as the drugs in his system turned it all into a psychedelic dream. The driver, Edvin Jorgstadt, was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries and the drugs. He was taken briefly to jail two days later, where his bail was paid by his father, Alex Jorgstadt, a Vice President of Alchemarx. Edvin''s lawyers claimed he had been at a late-night party for a friend where he had a few drinks but became upset when something was slipped into his drink, and he began experiencing hallucinations. He reached his vehicle, set the autopilot to take him home, and woke up after the crash. The blame was placed on the autopilot, the failure of the AI that obviously erred in not correcting the problems with the autopilot''s course and speed, and the bar the party had been held at.


    The trial was brief. The bar admitted that the drug, a legal one, had been at the party, and they should have monitored the use of it better. Technodyne, the maker of the Humvee, objected strenuously that their product was at fault but failed to send a lawyer to testify in court and was given a small fine. A report from the AI monitoring the traffic of auto-driven cars was automatically provided to both the Defense and the Prosecution. The attorneys for the defense brought forth arguments against the use of an AI as a witness. The Prosecution allowed the challenge. Edvin walked out of the courthouse to a press conference where he thanked his attorneys for their stellar job seeing justice done, denounced auto-driven cars, and hugged his father beside him. The head prosecutor made a short speech about doing their best in a tough and emotional situation, but that every man deserved a fair trial.


    More would have been said, but at that point, Karl knocked aside two of the security detail and brought a metal truncheon down on the prosecutor''s head, and as guns were pulled, grabbed Edwin by the throat and killed his father with another swing of his weapon. As shots rang out, he turned and used Edvin as a shield, shouting, "Death to the Murderers. Death to the maimers of children." He began walking toward the men, firing guns, taking wounds, and swinging his truncheon. Edvin died of a massive amount of gunshot wounds. Karl survived. He''d been unsure if he could make it to the three people he needed to kill and had worn body armor that stopped most of his wounds. He complained to his doctors about that he''d expected to die and blamed the armor and the poor shooting of the security guards.


    Like Edvin, Karl was first taken to a hospital but stayed there for six months before he was fit to stand trial. He knew he wouldn''t win; he simply wanted a chance to talk and present his own evidence. It was shown that the bar owner received several large payments from Alex Jorgstadt. These were explained as payment for the party but were ten times the payment charged by the establishment. The report from the AI was again blocked from being presented, but Karl had seen it. The autopilot hadn''t been engaged. The payments between Alchemarx and Technodyne couldn''t be shown, but Karl knew what had happened. Payments of this sort were common, and the heads of large corporations rarely went to jail. This protection extended to their heirs. Money could buy a lot, even prosecutors. Karl knew he was going to jail. That didn''t matter to him. What mattered was that someone needed to pay for the killing of his wife and for his granddaughter losing both legs and her left arm. His family had argued with him, but in his heart, he was dead already, so what did it matter? In the years since he realized he''d been stupid. There were other ways to get revenge, but he''d been impatient.


    The man in front of him was dressed oddly. A lawyer would be in their universal suit and tie. This man was young and wore warm and practical boots and comfortable clothes that kept him warm in the chill air of the prison. He had a folder with him and a stack of papers. He seemed at ease and unhurried. "Good day, Mr. Ahlgren; thank you for meeting with me."


    Karl laughed and spread his arms wide. "As you can see, I have little else to do, and it''s better to listen to whatever you have to say than argue with the guards and deal with their wrath. They are quite the professionals. They ask, and you do what they say, or they shoot you with a dart and drag you where they want you to be. I respect them, even if I don''t like them. But seriously, you are wasting your time. Others have also wasted their time, asking me about things I won''t discuss. I know there is no way I am getting out of here. I will die in the cold."


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "Don''t worry about talking, Mr. Ahlgren; the world doesn''t need to know your secrets. All of those will be known soon. You''re probably a little behind the times since they don''t give you data net access. An old friend of yours is in custody and about to talk to Interpol. You remember Victor Seimovich, don''t you? He''s anxious to cut a deal, which takes away the value of what you know."


    Karl laughed. "Victor will tell you nothing. Don''t try that shit with me. He''ll be out soon, and everything will be swept under the rug. He knows too much and is too rich. Deals will be cut for him, just like all the other rich bastards. The only difference between Victor and the asshole that killed my wife is that Victor doesn''t try to hide that he''s a bad guy. Oh, and his head is in one piece."


    "My, you are behind on things. Victor lost a great deal of his money recently. His bank accounts and holdings were raided. Then, his hidden money was taken part of the Syllabary scandal. He had a little bit left in odd accounts but too many enemies. He fled to the place that made him the best deal and was in the protective custody of the US Justice Department. He was staying with his grand-niece; I''m sure he mentioned Belinda to you. She''s also in a wheelchair, like your granddaughter, Astrid."


    "Shut up about Astrid, or I will find a way to kill you." Karl had a theory that if he applied force at the correct angle, he could rip the metal chair from the floor. That would give him a bludgeon to use on the thick, reinforced glass. The question was how many swings he would get before stopping him. Probably not enough, but he might test the theory if this man was rude again.


    The man held up his hands, "My apologies. Let me show you a few things." He began to take out newspaper clippings and articles and tape them to the glass. Karl tried to ignore them, but he''d always liked to read, and he got very few books offered to him now. He shrugged and began reading. The man was most likely telling the truth. Victor was broke and on the run. Some of the papers were internal reports from the USJD."


    "Ah, so even the mighty Victor has been brought low. But what does that have to do with me?"


    "Well, Victor made a mistake and left the US. He attempted to kidnap his grand-niece and flee to a country that would ask fewer questions about how he used her money. Her inheritance would become available soon, and he hoped she''d give him a small gift. She inherited all of Andre''s money through Ekaterina, and her father was also wealthy. Old money, and lots of it. Enough to get Victor back in business. But she was smart enough to evade his schemes. Victor landed and was immediately caught along with three people wanted for bio-terrorism who worked for him. It''s very bad for Victor. The doctors have flipped on him, and if he''s going to dig himself out, he''s going to need to give up some old secrets."


    The Swede crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. "This has nothing to do with me. Go talk to Victor."


    The man taped up more information. "It does affect you. Victor is willing to talk about the death and burial of a missing Mossad agent. When he does, that will implicate you in the murder. I''m sure that doesn''t bother you, but wasn''t your eldest son also there that night?"


    Karl stared at the man, saying nothing.


    "So, by Victor talking first, he edges closer to getting out of jail, but your son will certainly be detained for questioning in his part of it. I was wondering if perhaps you might want to give us the information first and save your son and his family the heartache and troubles of having another person go to prison."


    "My son is a good boy. He traveled with me, but I kept his hands clean. He had nothing to do with anything! If what you say happened, he was not there! He was too young to play cards with that group and drink late into the night. He was sleeping in his room on the upper floor!"


    "I believe you. I talked to Elias, and he told me he knew nothing of that night and was sleeping upstairs the whole time. But that isn''t what Victor is going to say. The more people he implicates, the better the deal is for him."


    "And you think I will talk and possibly implicate my own son!!"


    The man stared at Karl and looked older somehow. "No. I think you would die first. But no one wants your son. The Israelis would obviously want any names but will settle for bringing their agent home. This is about Victor and cutting away his support. You tell us first where the body is. The case will be closed. Victor will have nothing to give. It''s a good deal."


    "Maybe, for you."


    The man looked casually around the room. "He''s also going to tell them about the lost package in Brussels."


    Karl stood up and yelled. "He would not dare! He is a dead man if he does that. That package was a mistake! No one wanted to be involved after and would not have stolen it had they known what it truly was, but everyone thought it was something to keep ''just in case.'' They were all idiots. He would never talk. There is nothing to talk about!"


    "And yet, I have here a transcript of his talk with Interpol, where they want to know the whereabouts of a stolen nuclear weapon. And he''s working on his deal to be released when he gives it over."


    Karl was pacing. "Bad, bad. He betrays so many people. People who are hiding something they were told to hide and don''t know what it is!"


    "Not if you talk to us first, Karl. Sit down, talk to me. Let me tell you what I think can happen."


    Karl sat back down after a minute. "Talk."


    "I''m not with law enforcement. I''m a private negotiator hired by an anonymous party with only one goal: Keeping Victor Seimovich in jail and making him pay for his crimes. I''ve been working on things from the other side. You give us the grave''s location and the missing bomb, which will fall under the whistle-blower rules. Your name won''t be made public. Your son or anyone else will be forgotten. Whoever has the bomb will be forgotten. Victor will stay in jail, the world will be a safer place, and there will be two things I can offer that make this a better deal for you."


    "For me? Can you get me some books to read?"


    "Better. I have unearthed quite a bit about your case, which hinges on the trial of Edvin Jorgstadt. Evidence was suppressed in both trials. Further, you have served ten years of your sentence, and a case can be made for ''temporary insanity.'' Now that you''ve come to your senses, you wouldn''t do that again, would you?"


    That brought a smile to Karl''s face. "Of course not. I would pay two annoying Sicilians to stalk those I wanted dead and grind them to sausage, keeping my hands clean."


    The man across from him shook his head. "Or maybe you could say, ''I don''t know what happened; it was the anger and the loss. I was crazed and unthinking. I feel such remorse for my actions. Something like that."


    "Sure, I can do that. But this is a farce; I''m not leaving this place."


    "This paper says otherwise." An agreement was placed on the glass, and Karl read it.


    "This is real? It must be unless you are good enough to forge the official seals. I give you what you want, and you agree to move me to a jail near my home where my family can visit and, in one year, release me with monitoring and parole. But what is this part about treatment for Astrid?"


    "There have been advances in science, Karl. One of the main labs, Rhebus, is successfully cloning missing limbs. In addition to moving you to jail in your hometown, Rhebus will be paid to provide your granddaughter with replacement limbs that work as well as her old ones. She''ll be done with treatment about the same time you''ll finish your sentence and be released for in-home monitoring."


    "And how do I know any of this paper, or your words, to be the truth? How do I know you aren''t throwing miracles before me, hoping the ''Big Stupid Swede'' jumps at them?"


    "You don''t. So sit here while I talk to the nice people in the next room and twist some arms."


    Karl sat and thought for a minute. "Go and talk. Here is what I want: Data net access. I understand it must be read only for two hours. That will let me catch up with current events and your miracle technology. Give me a list of places to go. Then, the contract and spell everything out fully. There is no trust in these situations. And I know this won''t be fast. I want one book a week until my release. The first three should be War and Peace, Ulysses, and Atlas Shrugged."


    That brought a surprised look on the other man''s face. "You want to read Atlas Shrugged? Really?"


    Karl smiled. "If I am ever going to get through it, it will be while I am bored and in prison, with nothing else to do. Even then, I have my doubts."


    The next day, after a long night of negotiations, Karl was escorted back to his cell with a well-worn copy of War and Peace. The information had finally satisfied him. His family lawyer had been flown up to go over the proceedings. Someone was moving pieces on the great board to keep Victor Seimovich in jail. They didn''t care about him at all, and his case had gained some light in a sweeping investigation into corruption in the courts five years ago. That alone wouldn''t have helped him go free, but it had helped now. He would never be truly free, but he would eventually be able to go home, see his grandchildren and children, and die in his own bed. That was enough. Once he had decided, and the gates of his memory were opened (and most importantly, given whistleblower status), he gave them five other things Victor might try to bargain with. The authorities were smiling by the time he told them the last story.


    Best of all, he was taken to a new cell. It wasn''t much better than his old one, but it did have a larger bed and hot water in the shower. It wasn''t a reward, simply a precaution. Word would get out. Somehow, the inmates would know he was leaving. That wasn''t allowed. He''d be dead five minutes after walking into the yard. He began the book, taking his time. He''d heard the first chapters were the worst, with dozens of names to remember, but he had lots of time. The only thing he regretted about the deal was that he wouldn''t get to see Victor''s face as each door to freedom slammed in front of him. It pleased him that he was helping someone else get revenge on the rich bastard.

 Chapter 277: Early Christmas

    "Why do I feel you''ve never wrapped Christmas presents before?" Belinda was sitting and trying not to move as Milo worked on his plan to confuse signals emanating from her or looking for her. It wasn''t that the plan bothered her, she thought the theory was sound. But something about being wrapped up in layers of bright, shiny, colored foil seemed wrong. And of course, the only colors were red, white, and green. With matching ribbons and bows.


    Milo looked up from where he was crumpling up colored aluminum foil Christmas wrapping. "I haven''t. Is there some traditional method? I assumed the foil wrapping was to keep children from scanning their presents and ruining the surprise, but then I found out that most of the wrapping stuff is just paper. I''m really hazy on Christmas as a whole. I like the idea of everyone having a glowy-tree, but why one for each house? And the physics of reindeer flying is just bonkers. They move their legs, but not like they are running. Even if we conjecture that they can run across air, why don''t their legs move right? And is the sleigh anti-gravity? Why doesn''t it fall? How much does a load of presents for a large geographic area weigh? And the guy driving isn''t small. I understand why he''s so fat, he puts away a ton of cookies that night, actually closer to 12 tons? Let alone a tanker truck full of milk. I was always confused by it."


    Belinda slowly shook her head. Milo had odd gaps in his knowledge, especially about people than things everyone knew about. For now she went with the easy explanation...."It''s magic. Christmas magic."


    "Yeah, they said that in the story with the talking snowman; it still didn''t make sense."


    "Did you ever stop to consider that Frosty is a Snow Elemental Wizard? His focus is the old hat, the way a Liche needs their Phylactery."


    Milo paused. "They should explain that in the video then. It makes a lot more sense. Wait, then..."


    Belinda smiled and continued. "The sacks of presents are extradimensional storage devices called Bags of Holding. The sleigh is enchanted with levitation, and the flying reindeer are pegasi crossbred with enchanted moose. They mix Potions of Flying with their corn for extra lift. The feet moving that way constantly draw a Rune of Speedy Flying and Time Dilation. Santa Claus is a shapeshifter that can go down chimneys easily or under doors. He''s fireproof because of his Ring of Fire Protection. He fuels a lot of his magic with the milk and cookies. Being a minor winter spirit, the goodies left out for him count as offerings and give him his power. His Medallion of ESP can cast the Know Alignment spell to tell him who''s naughty and who''s nice. I''m sure you can figure the rest out on your own if you apply your knowledge of magic and spells to the problem."


    "Thanks, it makes a lot more sense now. OK, could you hold still while I tape this on you? A few more layers, and we should be good."


    Belinda was completely wrapped in bright red foil, and now Milo was adding bags of crumple foil around her, all taped up with red, green, and white fluorescent tape. He''d found the stuff years ago in an abandoned novelty warehouse. Most stuff had been looted, but not the huge rolls of wrapping foil and glowing tape. Milo was crumpling several feet of foil, then wrapping it around Belinda and securing it with the luminous tape.


    "A few more layers, and I won''t be able to waddle, let alone walk."


    Milo started crumpling the next layer. "I don''t want you walking; it might tear the foil and let some of the signal through. The Tagyourkids.com system is really efficient. The scanners do more than look for a signal from the implant; they also send out signals every thirty seconds. If one pings off your implant, it will ping back. That has a much better chance of detecting you and doesn''t rely on a constant signal. The crumpled foil diffuses the signal from your implant and will bounce the signal from a scanner. Added to your suit''s protection, it muffles things enough to be safe, but I''m not taking any chances. We need all of those people confused and chasing phantoms."


    "While I, the amazing Christmas Girl, waddle to my clever escape route? You still haven''t told me where we''re going."


    "Christmas Girl? That would make a great superhero name, I can see it now: The Amazing Claw Master and his spunky girl sidekick, Christmas Girl. I''ll make sure you suit is in the right colors."


    "You do that and you''re getting coal in your stocking for the next 97 years. That will be my superpower."


    "Coal? Why would handing out solid fuel be your power?"


    "Um...forget it. About where we''re going?"


    "All planned out. You''ll have to trust me about visiting Rusty, it''s complicated. I''ve mapped out a route that minimizes the distance to our objective while staying inside ducts at least 36" high and wide. That will let you use one of the crawlers to move you. All you have to do is sit on the cargo trailer. I''ve set up the screens I need on a second crawler and will lead the way while I command my troops. Speaking of which, it''s time to head out, General Maximus. I want to test the system with just one scout, then move to Operation: ''Belinda on the Move.'' Max beeped twice, and Milo triggered the programs to help his general make decisions. The sleek black Roombas with upgraded equipment rolled out from Milo''s home and into the ductwork, some staying in the tunnels while others moved into the hallways.


    <hr>


    "Harry, I''ve got a Ping. The scanner even picked up her signal for a full four seconds. Looks like she''s moving. Two levels up and 300 hundred yards away."


    Harry had worked for Manpower for less than a year. It was an odd outfit to work for, guarding thousands of sleeping people in pods. It got boring a lot of the time. But he''d have to admit that he''d rather be bored than running all over this dingy, dark maze of hallways looking for his boss''s lost daughter right now. The details were hazy. There had been a kidnapping attempt by a relative, and she was either hiding or kidnapped by someone else. The big boss wanted her found, which is why two-thirds of the Manpower security forces were looking for her, along with many other people. He had five other people with him because of those other people. His two-man teams had been ''discouraged'' a dozen times, resulting in many bruises and two broken bones and losing four scanners coded to Belinda Seimovich''s transmitter. Security had been told to search for her but hadn''t been told they would have to fight against other security teams who were much better fighters than they were. With no firearms allowed in the habitat, brute force was king again, especially when the other side had bigger brutes wearing body armor.


    The six men jogged down the hallway, one using a datapad to find the nearest stairway up to the next level. As they arrived, the signal came in strong. "She''s just above us and moving that way. Moving fast, too."


    Harry grimaced. "Of course she is. She can''t walk and uses a motorized wheelchair. An expensive one like I''ve seen her used can move at a good clip, unlike you lard asses." Finding the next set of stairs, Harry did his best to race up them. He made it to the wide corridor just in time to see the wheelchair slow slightly as it took the corner two hundred feet ahead of them. He started sprinting but slowed after the first hundred feet. "Damn, I should have listened to my doctor about doing more cardio; running once a week isn''t cutting it." The rest of the squad was strung out behind him. He turned the corner just as the wheelchair turned again. He''d closed some of the gap, but running towards him were two other men, the bulk of body armor slowing them as they moved. Harry picked up the pace, two of his guys able to keep up with him, one of them holding a scanner, and three lagging behind. They made the corner ahead of the two coming from the other direction.


    "I think she''s heading for one of the service elevators! It''s around the next corner." They made it just in time to see the doors close. "We need to see where she heads to and alert the other crews." They sat at the doors as Belinda went up ten floors, and the elevator started back down. The two men in body armor had arrived by the time it arrived.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "Greetings, gentlemen. We seem to be chasing the same quarry. It would be a shame to compete with each other." The words were friendly, but the tone and facial expressions were not. Both of the other men pulled out heavy rubber truncheons used by riot police in some countries. The elevator opened, and all five piled in, two going to one side, three to the other.


    "Who the hell are you guys?"


    The two smiled. They knew there wouldn''t be a fight; they would have charged by now, not waited. "Security people, just like you, hired to find a poor lost girl. But I''m sure that unlike you, we are being paid well. We have a minute while we ascend for you to think. We can discuss this with violence, and some of us get hurt. Well, you get hurt. But my companion and I want the bonus for getting her to safety. Work with us, and we will split the bonus with you. Good pay, no violence, and we are professionals. You can trust us."


    Harry was about to protest but wasn''t sure he wanted to. The two men with him both said, "How much."


    More smiles. "One hundred thousand dollars. That is 25,000 for the two of us and 16,667 dollars for each of you for catching her and handing you over. Thirty seconds."


    Harry hated saying it, but he really wasn''t up for the fight. "A deal then. Where does she show."


    The tech was nervous but showed the scanner. "Not moving, she''s right outside the elevator. Easy money, we just let these gentlemen off first, then help them escort her out."


    There was a jerk, and the elevator started to go back down, then stopped, and the lights went out. The blip on the screen started moving away and then disappeared. Tensions ran high, and some yelling was done, but after the emergency button brought no answer, Harry got a boost to the ceiling and crawled out the top hatch. The doors were shut and fifteen feet up. "We''re going to be stuck here awhile.


    <hr>


    If there was one thing Nikki hated, it was giving reports to Bogdan about a fluid situation. The man needed diagrams and three days to figure out which way the wind was blowing. Pavel should have been coordinating the teams, but Pavel was on his way to London in case the situation there became serious, and with how the fan was flinging the shit, it would be serious soon. "The girl is on the move, and these scanners we took from the security teams are picking her up. She seems to be trying to get back to Manpower HQ in section H, but she''s not heading there directly. She knows the corridors well and must be using a mapping program."


    "How hard can it be to wait for her to hobble to the end of a corridor? Go grab her if you can see her."


    "Screw you, Boggy. Did you read the briefing? The girl has a motorized wheelchair. It doesn''t get tired and won''t run out of energy for hours. Out of body armor and heavy boots with no gear, I can catch her, but this isn''t race day down by the river. We''re geared up. I need you to coordinate with the other teams and set up a perimeter so we can envelop her."


    "Will do; I''ll work on that. Meanwhile, keep chasing her."


    Nikki put away his radio, cursing in two languages his squad was familiar with, but only from his cursing. "Let''s get moving. We have to get ahead of her and hope she turns our way. The chance that Boggy can set up teams to outflank a moving target in a maze isn''t good."


    "Does he understand that the problem is three-dimensional? She''s already shifted floors twice. Thankfully, she needs an elevator, and we can use stairs."


    Nikki was thankful his squad understood the problem. "Let''s move closer to Manpower and their main entrance; let the other teams look for her and chase her; we can be patient and wait for the rabbit to come home to its hole."


    Fyodor had the scanner and cursed. "The rabbit is skittish. She just reversed course when a team crossed an intersection ahead of her. They said the damned chair spun on a dime and was moving as fast as a racehorse. Shit...she just dropped a level and at a stairway! Hmm, pausing there, maybe tumbled down?"


    Nikki was already running. "Move! Call out the turns, Fyodor. Let''s hope the chair is broken and not the girl.


    They were a minute away from the stairway when the signal became weak and blinked out. A ping placed her down a level, moving slowly away from them a minute later. They were jogging now, trying to keep up the pace. She led them on a chase, always a little ahead, but other teams were closing in. When it looked like they had her, the signal went dead, and pings from the scanner showed nothing. Nikki called a halt. "Catch your breath. I''m calling Boggy and having him keep the teams here and bring two more. She''s close. I know she is. They continued down the corridor, walking and catching their breath. A Roomba stayed silent, hidden under a trash heap in an alcove. It would return to recharge for another round of hide and seek when it was clear.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, two people had slowly and carefully made their way to a set of unused administration rooms. The last leg of the Journey was the most dangerous. They had to traverse a section of a regular corridor, move up a flight of stairs, and down a short hallway. Milo sent out his scouts to scan the area. To accomplish this, he picked up Belinda in his arms and moved as fast as he could. He was about to step into the corridor when he heard the voices. Two men were taking a smoke break, guarding this corridor leading to the roof''s stairway. They were fifty feet down the corridor from him. He''d never get his rustling burden of bright red and green foil down the hall the other way and couldn''t lead them to the elevator.


    He set Belinda down. "Lean against the wall; I need hands free to program this." His fingers tapped on his datapad, and two sleek black Roomba disappeared around the corner. Two six-foot-tall blocky-looking robots with one glowing red eye emerged on the other side. They projected loud mechanical voices at the startled mercenaries.


    "Intruder Alert! Unauthorized Humans! You are not allowed in Sector Omega! Retreat or be Terminated."


    The two men looked at each other and then drew their guns. Like the robots at the end of the hall, these guns were blocky and thick, made of layers of high-density plastic parts that could circumvent the scanners that the habitat security used at the entrances. Each held six shots and couldn''t be reloaded.


    "Stay back, or we''ll shoot you in your silly costumes."


    The eyes of the robots glowed, a red beam shot out, and large red dots appeared on their chests. "Kill the Intruders. Kill the Humanoids!" Laser beams burned into the body armor of the two men and set their tunics on fire. They immediately fired back, emptying all 12 shots into the robots. Small dents appeared, and the sound of bullets hitting metal rang out. Also, there was the sound of bullets hitting walls, but neither of them noticed that. What they did notice was when the lasers shot their hands, burning through their gloves, melting the plastic guns, and giving them painful burns. The robots advanced slowly, and the mercenaries ran.


    "Kill the Intruders. Kill the Humanoids!"


    When the ''Killer Robots'' got to the end of the corridor and signaled all clear, Milo raced with his Christmas package to safety inside the admin rooms. He didn''t stop until they were in the hidden elevator with its collapsium shielding.


    "You can relax, they can''t find us now." Milo hit the button, and they began descending rapidly.


    Belinda counted the seconds, and her eyes got wider and wider. "How deep does this go?! How did you build this?"


    Milo smiled at her. "Time for that later. I have a pod ready for you. Once you''re in that, I''ll get Butch and Mama down here, then go see if Eric needs help."


    He''d been helping her strip off the foil as they went so she could walk alone. As the doors opened, she walked out but was a little unsteady on her feet. "Help me out here; I need an escort." She took his arm and leaned on him slightly as they made their way down to Independence Hall. Her eyes widened as she took in the rooms, the wood paneling, and the antique furnishings. Then he opened the door, and she got her first glimpse of the overgrown park and the small village under a bright blue sky.


    Rusty''s voice rang out. "Welcome to Downtown, Belinda! This is going to be so much fun!"

 Chapter 278: Welcome to Manpower

    A group of six men and women dressed in Manpower Security uniforms were on duty at the main entrance. Four of them were leaning against walls or sitting on the desk. The two new recruits stood at attention with their hands behind their backs as they''d been taught during the six-week course offered by their local Community College. Roger was large, muscled like a football player, and always smiling. Marisa lacked his confidence, rarely talking and looking worried as they stood the first shift of their first day on the job. With most of their staff in Geneva, the bulk of Manpower Security looking for Belinda Seimovich, and the increasing number of ''other people'' roaming the halls of Sections E and H, the few people left staffing Manpower were taxed and pulling double shifts for the near future. John had contacted a temp security firm and hired two dozen new employees on thirty-day contracts. The first few had arrived, been given a uniform, and put to work.


    Marisa had a lot of questions and finally overcame her nervousness. "Do we always have a full squad of six at the main entrance? This seems like a bit of an overkill. Do we have to worry about rowdy habbies?"


    Dave, who was nominally in charge of the squad, having worked at Manpower the longest and got the one chair, laughed at her nickname for the residents. "Habbies? That''s a new one. I''m used to hearing people call them Hab-rats. Where are you from?"


    "Just moved to Philadelphia; my folks moved around a lot. Dad was military and then para-military. I was born in Brazil, but we spent time in St. Petersburg and Hamburg. I picked up words all over. Find a big city in North America or Europe, and you have a habitat nearby."


    One of the other guys, James, immediately seemed interested. Whether it was interest in the new female recruit or in learning Russian was debated by the other guys later. "Did you actually learn the languages or the accents? I''ve been trying to learn Russian, and it''s killing me. I could use some help with it."


    Marisa rattled off some words in both languages. "I speak them like a native, with all the slang and cursing. I''d probably fail a formal class in Russian. I won''t be a lot of help with conjugating verbs or talking in high society. We lived on the docks in St. Petersburg and the old market in Hamburg. Not the highest class of people. Certainly the most interesting, including how they talked. Why the interest in Russian? Planning on moving?"


    James shook his head. "No, I''d be scared to take off unless I had a confirmed job that offered a place to live like Manpower does. One of the head guys here was Russian, and so were all his staff and bodyguards. Seemed like he was taking over for a bit, and I was sucking up for a promotion. But he''s off in Europe and it looks doubtful that he''s coming back. I''ll finish the class but won''t need to speak another language in the near future. But it would be nice to have some phrases and curse words and say them right."


    Dave snorted. "Go to South Philly; they speak another language down there. All I know of it is, "Yo! Gimme a steak with whiz and onions." Dave''s waistline spoke of his love of cheesesteaks. The talk started to devolve into an endless discussion of Pat''s, Geno''s, or Jim''s. And, of course, whether you like provolone or cheese whiz.


    A voice from behind surprised some of them. "You never know, James, speaking Russian could be handy. Manpower is growing and expanding. This next year is going to be exciting. John''s making some good deals at the big tech conference he''s at. He''s hinted to me that we might be handling part of the work in other facilities that our new partners want to build." Eric had walked up and joined the conversation without anyone but Marisa noticing his footsteps. She''d turned her head and then turned her attention back to the front. The two sitting on the desk stood up and everyone tried to look busy. Eric waved at them. "This isn''t the military and I know you don''t have much to do; don''t stand because of me. Just pay attention to the front; that''s where trouble will come from, and half of that can be stopped by shutting the front gate."


    Marisa tensed but stared into the hallway in front of her. "Are we expecting trouble, sir? Sorry, first day and not sure what to expect."


    Roger turned his attention to the front, and was joined by another man.


    Eric looked at the two recruits. One looked ready for a fight, but the small woman was the one who focused her attention on the job. She''d be the one to keep an eye on later. Security work didn''t involve a lot of physical violence, and unarmed combat skills could be taught. Or how to use a Taser. Teaching someone how to stay attentive for hours on end was more difficult. He introduced himself to Roger and Marisa with handshakes. "I''m Eric, or Mr. Kresthammer if you get in trouble, or John is around. I prefer to keep it to Eric. Glad to have the two of you on board. Did I hear you mention you spoke German and Russian?"


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Yes sir, and Brazilian Portuguese, of course. English was a harder language for me to pick up, and I took courses for it."


    "You speak it well, just a hint of a Russian accent. Which I picked up more because I was trying to learn it as well. The same reason as James, trying to impress one of the head honchos. And I''ll confirm that he isn''t coming back this way, but knowing how to speak Russian is still a bonus when looking for work." He chuckled. "I almost took an entire month off and had an instructor hired to give me one-on-one conversation and a crash course. But things changed rapidly, and now here we are with half our staff off looking for a missing girl and way too many people running around the section. Can''t tell you what to expect, but keep alert.


    There''s a chance a group will come by demanding we let them in to search. Some of them aren''t going to believe that she isn''t in her room playing games. The answer to that''s a hard no. No one is coming in here without a search warrant. You slam the gate. It''s only a light security mesh and they might break through it. So as soon as the gate is down, the console gets locked, and then you retreat behind the first set of security doors, and we lock it all down tight. You all hear that? No heroes."


    As if summoned by his words, five men in body armor and a technician with a scanner came around a corner and strode toward them. "Good day. We are investigating the disappearance of Belinda Seimovich. It would make things easier if you allowed us to search your offices and her living quarters so we can narrow the search. We understand that you might be under orders not to let us in, but really, this is best for everyone" They continued moving forward, not pausing as them came.


    Eric yelled. "Slam the gate."


    Dave was pounding the switch would have dropped the gate. He looked at Eric, panicked and perplexed. "It''s jammed! Glued in place, or something! What the hell?"


    Roger looked at the oncoming group, grinned, and charged at two men, knocking into them and wrapping an arm around each in a flying tackle, taking both to the ground in a move that would have made his defensive coach at Penn State proud. But it only took fifteen seconds for him to regret the decision as two kidney punches and several body blows left him curled in a ball on the floor. Protected by their armor, his opponents got up, unhurt. Dave pulled a taser and shot the leader in the face, the barbs entering his cheek, the current shocked him and taking him to his knees. To Dave''s dismay, the man didn''t hesitate to rip the barbs from his face and rose, very angry. He slammed into Dave, knocking him into a wall, and punching him over and over in a rage until the guard slumped to the floor..


    Marisa saw a second man turning towards James, and casually stepped beside him, her leg behind his, and knocked him down. From somewhere, she pulled a heavy metal rod, nominally cushioned with a layer of rubber and brought it down hard on each kneecap, incapacitating her opponent. The last man was engaged with two Manpower guards who were struggling to hold him back until Eric stepped up and broke his jaw with a hard punch.


    Marisa yelled. "Charge the other two, now." Her tone got them moving towards the two Roger had knocked down. With a moment''s respite, she took Eric firmly by the arm and dragged him back behind the security doors. "Shut and lock these! They never showed me how." Eric glanced at the fight going on. Dave and Roger were down, and the skirmish was going badly. It had been well planned, and he had at least one person on staff who was taking money from the mercenaries. He locked the doors and leaned back against the wall.


    Eric hated leaving the others outside, but they really weren''t in danger and he couldn''t allow possibly armed mercenaries inside. "They planned that. No hesitation."


    Marisa turned to him and quirked an eyebrow. "Of course they did. Those are professionals. We''re just rent-a-cops. If you hadn''t told me about the security doors, we''d have all gone down. And the stuck switch is suspicious as hell. As soon as Dave yelled, everyone should have known what to do."


    "Hmm, and you acted on that, didn''t you? I need to check the other entrances and see what is happening there. Probably fine since my phone isn''t going off. You don''t have a crew, currently, so for the rest of your double-shift you follow me, personal bodyguard, gopher, and coffee fetcher. Consider your temp contract permanent, which comes with a 30% raise plus another 10% for knowing Russian. You can help me with the accent when things are boring."


    That brought a smile to her face. "No problem, sir. I''ll have you talking like a St. Petersburg wharf rat in no time. Lots of good curse words."


    "Good. I''m going to need them in the coming days."

 Chapter 279: Making sure Sleeping Beauty gets her rest.

    "We have her trapped. With teams cutting off her routes, she''s boxed in and had to move into a dead end. A large factory area is on the map, and only this corridor leads to it. She''ll try to hide if she can get in, but that will be tough to do in a wheelchair. We go slow, leave two men at the door, and then systematically search the factory space. And let''s be very clear about what you do when you find her: You will not tackle her or overturn her wheelchair! You will not use a Taser or pull a gun. You will not curse at her or make any threats. Box her in and grab hold of her wheelchair. If she hits your arm or your face, deal with it. We don''t hit back, don''t leave bruises, and keep your tone gentle and firm. We are here to help her get to her family safely and avoid the people her doctors sent to kidnap her. Am I understood? This is an operation to keep someone safe, a family member of the person paying the bills."


    "And if she screams?"


    "Oh, don''t worry about that. We are sedating her as soon as we grab her. I''m not dragging a screaming invalid through areas with security cameras, and I don''t feel like arguing with her at this point. We drug her until she''s unconscious. Let Mark handle that. He has the med kit and the training. We have to start with a low dosage."


    The men nodded. They had become worried by the first part of the speech.


    The factory doors were in poor repair. At some point they had been closed and the hinges spot welded. From the looks of the door on the left, a forklift had been driven into it, breaking some of the welds and bending the metal, creating a four-foot gap. Beyond was a dark hole with no working lights. Most of the machinery had been removed, but piles of refuse and junk were everywhere, as usual in the habitat. Spotlights flashed, and four of the men began moving through stacks of empty crates and rusted machinery while one stayed at the doors on the inside and the other outside. While there were only so many places the girl could hide, they didn''t find her in the first twenty minutes. They knew she''d entered, but she wasn''t here. They began tearing the larger crates apart, one by one, making sure she wasn''t inside one of them. One man knelt down, looking at the recent wheel tracks that went through an oily patch of floor, leaving marks on the other side. "Look at these tracks, and tell me what you see?"


    "I see not enough tracks to follow to find her."


    "And I see that the vehicle that made these was narrower than the wheelchair that we have been told she is using, and seen in footage from other teams that spotted her. Something doesn''t add up." He would have said more, but there were shouts from the two door guards and noise from the corridor.


    "THIS IS HABITAT SECURITY! YOU ARE TRESPASSING ON PROPERTY OWNED BY ALCHEMARX CORPORATION. THROW OUT YOUR WEAPONS, LEAVE ALCHEMARX''S PROPERTY, LIE DOWN ON THE FLOOR, AND WAIT TO BE RESTRAINED. THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING."


    "What the hell, did they fire on you already?"


    "Yeah, but just warning shots, and not with projectile weapons. They have lasers. When the hell did they start arming Habitat security? And I thought we''d paid them to look the other way?" That had been an easy deal to make. A notorious criminal had tried to kidnap a girl. So had a group of terrorists. She was hiding in the habitat and had to be found. Her father was screaming at Habitat Security to find her. Why should they worry that more men had been brought in to search? Especially when they were generous men who understood how little a security salary paid. Philadelphia police had enquired three times about what was going on, and each time given the same explanation of a missing girl and search teams looking for her. Without something more serious, the local police wouldn''t enter another jurisdiction. Nor did they want to become involved in the resource sink that was a habitat.


    One man peaked around the corner. "This is all a misunderstanding. We are searching for a lost child. She isn''t here, and we will leave; sorry to bother you." There was a brief view of two figures and bright flashes that burned into the metal of the doors. From the inside, they could see red-hot spots where the lasers hit.


    "They upped the power! That intensity will burn through body armor!"


    "THIS IS HABITAT SECURITY! YOU ARE TRESPASSING ON PROPERTY OWNED BY ALCHEMARX CORPORATION. THROW OUT YOUR WEAPONS, LEAVE ALCHEMARX''S PROPERTY, LIE DOWN, AND WAIT TO BE RESTRAINED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. ANY OTHER ACTION WILL FORCE US TO DEFEND OURSELVES."


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Shit, what now?"


    "I''m not giving up. Who knows where we wind up? Call in another squad. Or get Bloggy to contact Alchemarx and get them off our ass. Why does anyone care about an old factory?"


    Bloggy answered after a minute. "Stay put and out of sight. Someone is playing silly games, but they don''t have a lot of players. We have people trapped in three rooms and chasing their tails all over the section. They are using the tracking against us and sophisticated decoys. I''m sick of it. I have a plan to put pressure on them."


    The six men shrugged and sat down. Bloggy''s plans were generally simple and involved brute force.


    <hr>


    Belinda was feeling worse and worse as the effects of drugs, fatigue, withdrawal, and her underlying medical condition took their toll. She knew she could barely have twitched a finger without Milo''s miraculous suit and desperately wanted to lie down and sleep. But not so desperately that she could ignore what she was seeing.


    "You have a secret underground base with trees, houses, and...and bunnies! All this time, right below the habitat! This is awesome. It''s like your secret superhero base. You''ve had this all this time? No wonder you disappear a lot."


    "If by ''all this time,'' you mean for the last couple of weeks, then yes. I found it recently and was exploring it from the other end. Which, I will add, still has no breathable air and was totally shut down. I''ve been fixing things and getting more power to run the essential operations, that takes time. I found this part last!"


    "Wait, if you found it last, how did you get down here."


    "I was boring tunnels looking for a natural cave to build a secret underground base so no one could find me. Then I found this place. Very convenient."


    "And Rusty was helping you? How does he fit into this."


    Rusty''s voice boomed, startling the Bunnies. "I live here! Since forever, but no one else was here and I wasn''t thinking good until Milo started the diesel generators and sent more power to my cores. I promoted him to Head Engineer." Belinda frowned and then froze, then shrugged and didn''t worry about what she suspected.. She''d find out sooner or later if her guess was right, but for now, she needed to lie down.


    "OK, I accept your apology for not keeping me in the loop about building your secret base. Well done, and it makes a great place to stash a runaway girl. Now, where are you taking me? I''m getting worse, and faster."


    Milo opened the door to the medical lab. Belinda saw a dozen pods in the room. They all had a Manpower logo on the side. Eleven of them were lined up against a wall; the twelfth was hooked to power and two advanced diagnostics machines. Milo helped her into the pod and hooked the lines to her suit.


    "I think you''ll be more stable this way, but when I get Mama and Big Butch down here, we can take the suit off of you if needed, or if it makes you feel better."


    She shook her head. "Leave it on. I''m feeling less sick already. What does the pod say?"


    Milo checked the pod and then the analyzers hooked up to it that he had found here. Both suggested the same treatment to stabilize the patient and recommended a full scan before further treatment for drug addiction. He was sure he could have gotten better answers if Wally could see the readings, but setting up communication with Wally would expose Rusty. Milo had no idea what that would trigger in Wally''s kernel.


    "You''re stable and need rest. The pod wants to do a full scan."


    She closed her eyes. "Fine by me. I''m taking a nap. Go do what you have to do to bring the rest of the family down here. I''ll feel better if they''re safe, and Min will love the bunnies. Good thinking on building a hospital for me. Can we paint the walls? I spend a lot of time in hospitals and like bright colors. I love the bunnies, too. I can''t believe you have bunnies." Her breathing slowed as she fell into a deep sleep.


    Milo forced himself to leave. She wasn''t alone. She had a caretaker who could keep a constant watch on her. "I''m going back to the habitat, Rusty. I have more friends to bring down here. If Belinda has a problem, open up a line of communication to my system and yell for me."


    "I''m on the job. Go play hero, but if you do anything fun, I want to watch the video of it later. I''ll take good care of our friend Belinda."

 Chapter 280: In Good Faith

    "I am at a loss for words. My client has, in good faith, offered to talk to you about things he has heard and help the law enforcement community solve long-dead cold cases. Cases which you initially asked about. And now that we have basic agreements in place and he wishes to talk to you and give details, you suddenly declare that it isn''t enough and wish to change the deal? I''m not sure what type of bargaining you are engaging in, but it lacks the needed ''good faith'' to be taken seriously! I will not badger my client with your demands, and will be putting in a complaint with the courts over this type of dealings."


    Inspector Deville of Interpol let the lawyer''s outraged words fade away before he answered. "I believe you have misunderstood me, Mr. St. Clair. We are not changing anything. We are cancelling parts of the deals we have offered. They are off the table. Gone and not coming back. We no longer need your clients information, so I can hardly be expected to trade favors with you and him."


    Captain Delaque, sitting next to him added his own version of those words. "Day late, dollar short. We aren''t buying what he wants to sell."


    Bernard St. Claire looked from one man to the other. "This is highly unorthodox. I''m not sure I believe you. I will need to speak with someone in authority. Someone with more authority. This is simply not done! My client is not going to work with you. There will be consequences, gentlemen. I know who to speak to on these matters. If you will not be dealing with my client, someone else will be interested and I will push to have him extradited to those locations to aid in solving old crimes and putting them to rest."


    The Inspector waited a full thirty seconds for the lawyer to run out of steam, curious if he had any other cards he would put into play. "That is, of course, up to you and Mr. Seimovich. But let me emphasize a point. We were very interested. We are no longer interested. I''m sure you can think of reasons why that might have changed. Mr. Seimovich will find that he lacks a buyer for the first two items on the list, and the third item he has indicated he knows nothing about. The Captain and I are doing you and he a courtesy in letting you know that the need for such information is gone. Good day to you, sir, and please give Mr. Seimovich my best."


    The lawyer sat with his mouth slightly open in disbelief and anger as he watched the two men leave the room in good spirits. Cutting deals to close cases was a necessary evil in law enforcement, and not one that everyone agreed with. In this case, closing doors that might have let Victor Seimovich walk away was more satisfying. So satisfying that they were off to a luncheon at the Garrick Club. It was an informal affair to honor the winners of the latest poker tournament. The unexpected third place showing of a team of newcomers had brought some excitement to the event and shook up the odds. With their job of disappointing a lawyer finished, the two boarded a waiting taxi to take them to their celebratory luncheon.


    <hr>


    "Don''t need to know? What do you mean they don''t need to know? These are old secrets I am offering! Huge secrets! They came to us, asking for them." Victor was pacing on his side of the conference room, absently tugging on his orange coveralls that never seemed to fit right.


    "Someone else is talking. I''ve spent all afternoon on the phone with...mutual friends...and my contacts all over Europe. Somehow, the word is out about your willingness to talk, and has loosened other tongues as well. A secret only has value as long as no one talks about it. I''m certain this was part of their plan. As soon as you agreed to talk, they contacted already incarcerated felons who might have information. They used you. Someone with the right information has talked and the two subjects that were of value in your case are now worthless. I''m filing grievances that confidential agreements were released and confidential information was misused. It can''t change what has already happened, but it will negate their ability to do so again. If you have other things you wish to bring up, please let me know. But we must be careful with what we say."


    Victor sat down in his chair, suddenly tired. "Someone talked? But no one talks. Not about these things! Not the people that I worked with. What has the world come to that they would betray me this way? I cannot talk of their third request. I know nothing about it. A myth created by madmen. The people responsible for those atrocities are gone. There was no fourth batch."


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Then, do you have anything else you can offer? You are looking at being in prison for a very long time, and healthcare is not good inside. You might never leave."


    That shook Victor. Always before there was a way out. A way that didn''t involve a clever escape plan and running for the rest of his life. "I will think. In the meantime, find out what you can about poor Belinda. I hate to think of her alone and without family. Family can open so many doors, don''t you know?"


    "I will make enquiries. This is a priority?"


    "Spend what you need to spend."


    <hr>


    A representative of the Mossad, another from Interpol, a helpful independent negotiator from Rhebus, and a Cardinal from the Vatican were sitting in a small meeting room where the first three were briefing the Cardinal on a decades old crime and a hidden grave. Cardinal Bartonella was in charge of infrastructure and repairs. He''d grown up as the son of a plumber in Rome and earned his degree in Civil Engineering before hearing a call to serve the church. The church happily put him to work as an engineer and over the decades he had added degrees in ancient history, archeology, and urban planning. The Vatican was a small city, and cities have problems. While other holy men tended to the soul, he tended to the pot holes, leaking pipes, collapsing roadways and saw to it that the ancient holy buildings were up to modern building codes. As the increasingly baffling story involving an Israeli undercover spy, Russian and Swedish mobsters, and a poker game was explained to him, he called for three of his assistants to bring the relevant blueprints and plans.


    "You say that they buried him beneath a gas pipe between the tombs of two saints, sometime in November, 28 years ago? My, that would normally take some digging, pardon the pun."


    The man from the Mossad wasn''t amused, while everyone else laughed. "His family has wished him to have a proper burial for 28 years, Cardinal Bartonella, and hope that this can be accomplished in the coming weeks. We understand the delicacy of doing the work here in the Vatican, but plead that you help us bring this man home to Israel."


    The Cardinal nodded, books were consulted, and marks made on the maps. Finally the Cardinal smiled. "Luckily, my predecessor was a stickler for details and keeping notes. This is the spot where they must have buried him. The trench was dug, but not filled in for a week after that. It ran between the tombs of Saint Thomas the Unbeliever and Saint Elric the Pale. The spot can be easily pinpointed, but I''m afraid I have some bad news, it will not be a matter of digging there and recovering his bones."


    Everyone was silent for a moment. The representative from the Mossad began, "Cardinal, I must insist..."


    Bartonella held up a hand for silence. "My apologies, I''m stating this badly. You see, that gas line developed a leak and had to be dug up again. In doing so, one of the men noticed the spot where the ground had dipped, creating a bend in the pipe that had created the leak. Further digging revealed a body buried in the ground, deeper than we believe had been dug before. This is embarrassing, but you must take my word for how fervent Father Genovese was. He was so certain of who he had found, and may have overlooked proper protocol. At the time the church didn''t know of anyone else buried in that courtyard, but assumed he was a priest or cardinal buried there in an unmarked grave as a sign of his piousness and poverty. Father Genovese was certain it was the grave of Saint Edward the pious, the beggar priest of Scotland. He died on a trip to visit the Pope, and the Holy Father was said to have honored his request to be buried in an unmarked grave. We reburied him, according to his wishes, in an empty courtyard, but word got out and several hundred people a day come to pray there."


    "Are you saying?"


    "Why, yes, he was laid to rest and has been hailed as a saint for the last twelve years."


    The Interpol agent had a half smile on his face. "A Jewish man became a Christian Saint?"


    The cardinal smiled as did his assistant priest. "Not without precedent. You have to remember that the original twelve apostles were also good Jewish boys who became Saints. Don''t worry, I''ll start the proceedings and we''ll have him home to you in no time at all, no later than the next Synod."

 Chapter 281: Let me not die in Battle without my Name

    The elevator was taking far too long! He knew it wasn''t slower than before, but the relative speed was crawling because his mind was in overdrive. A text from Butch was in the top left of his vision. He''d read it twenty-one times.


    "Stay away!!! 2dz thugs looking for B. Keep safe." Rusty relayed it to him as he ran to the elevator after getting Belinda settled into her pod.


    He had no access to his system as long as he was in the shielded elevator shaft. He''d fix that weak spot in his surveillance later; right now, he had to prepare for what greeted him as he emerged. The lack of signals also affected his loyal troops. He only had Max and three other Roombas with him. They were quiet as they ascended, talking among themselves in beeps and boops, emphasizing the electronic signals they were sending each other. Each had a rudimentary AI system now that was slowly learning. They had progressed slowly under Rusty, with little to do. Now, they were developing much faster, especially when they could communicate with Rusty and use his far greater resources. As soon as they left the elevator, they linked to Milo''s systems and down to Rusty.


    And they had a request.


    "Names? You want names right now? That''s fine. You can pick your own and have Max approve. And it has to be something I can say."


    While Milo accessed the security cameras and microphones he had placed near Butch''s house, the Roombas claimed their names: Lemmy, Dee, and Rob. Rob began broadcasting music to Milo and the other three. Milo had never heard the song ''Electric Eye'' before, but it fit the situation. The Roomba''s fascination with certain types of music was the legacy of Rusty''s friend Jeremy, who had blasted out his favorite songs over the intercom systems while living alone in the abandoned quantum fortress. As Milo learned the words, he found them appropriate and began to hum along as he watched a dozen miniature screens showing the details of what had happened since he''d left the upper floors. He cursed and started running, calling out orders. The quickest path was down a small drop, a large cross tunnel, and an exit into his apartment at the end of the alley near Butch''s house.


    "Time to go. Charge lasers and keep up with me. Use hologram number three. Plan Beta is in effect, but be prepared to go to Omega if the threat level increases." Milo and his forces raced from the abandoned admin section and headed to battle.


    <hr>


    Earlier...


    Packing had begun immediately after Mama gave the orders, and messages went out to the rest of the gang. Brad was nervous about leaving his Mother and younger sisters, so Mama told him to bring them along. Likewise, Yumi was bringing her great-aunt, who had raised her after her parents died in an industrial accident. The old woman had trouble walking with her cane, and Yumi asked for help packing their clothes. Brad rushed to help after dropping off his own family in the increasingly crowded apartment.


    Also moving through Section E were twenty Volgard mercenaries with Bloggy in the lead. He had lost several men to injuries and strange events; two were stuck in an elevator, several more pinned down by Alchemarx security (or someone posing as them), and he was completely done with people screaming at him with sightings of a girl in a wheelchair who sped away and disappeared like a ghost. She was first seen going to Section E, where she had some known friends among the habrats, so that was where he started. Bloggy''s plan was simple: Put pressure on people, rattle some bones, and loosen their lips. Someone knew where the girl was and would talk. As they neared the cul-de-sac where the family had an apartment, he saw three people leave a side alley ahead of them, going the same way: two kids and an old lady. The girl had a bundle of clothing with her and the boy was helping the old woman to move faster.


    "Grab them. Now!" Six men sprinted at the startled trio. Brad positioned himself to block and was hit by two men and slammed into a wall, followed by two blows to his abdomen that took away his breath when he struggled. Yumi didn''t leave her aunt; the two of them were quickly held by large men wearing light body armor.


    "What do we have here? Going somewhere, sweetheart? That''s a lot of clothes for one girl. Maybe you''re taking them to a friend about your size. Tell me where she is, and you can go, I promise. I''ll even add a little cash to compensate for the trouble."


    Yumi looked scared, but her aunt''s face showed boredom. She looked at Bloggy and shrugged. "It''s laundry day. Water costs money, and we save by using a neighbor''s wastewater. Do you want to buy some girl''s clothing? That''s fine. It''s not the oddest request I''ve had. Take the bundle, leave the money, and I don''t have to do laundry."


    One of the men passed a set of pictures to Bloggy. "That''s one of them. She was on the team that played SC6."


    Bloggy looked at the old woman. "Yeah, that''s why I''ve been running around this hellhole; I''m buying girls'' clothing. Maybe I should buy some girls to go with them. That one with you won''t be missed. What do you think?"


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "I think I will keep her and her clothes. Now let us go."


    Bloggy shrugged. It was never easy at first. People should be more reasonable, then he could be less violent. "Bring them. Let''s go ask a few questions." They strolled into the courtyard with the brightly glowing plastic tree. An old man had been sitting near it, playing an ancient Gameboy. He hobbled quickly to his door and shut it firmly. Bloggy motioned for his men to hold the three captives in the middle of the courtyard as he moved to the door and knocked loudly.


    "Habitat Security! Open the door. We have some questions for people living in this area."


    From inside came Mama''s voice, "Not interested in whatever you''re selling. Go away."


    The merc shrugged; he''d half expected that. "Ma''am, we both know that lock will hold for about one kick, and then I''ll be dragging you all out here and making everyone nervous, and the kids will be screaming. So will the three people I have out here, but for different reasons. I''m going to back off ten feet from the door, and you''re going to come outside and talk to me. If you don''t, I''ll break the old woman''s arm, then the girl''s leg, and after that, the boy won''t walk again."


    A door at the next apartment opened and then closed just as quickly. From inside could be heard an argument between several adults and younger voices. Finally, a mature female voice yelled them down, and the door opened. Mama stepped out, and the door shut behind her. "You want to talk, fine, but let those three go inside."


    Bloggy smiled and motioned to his men, who released Yumi, her aunt, and Brad. He didn''t lose anything by letting them go into the apartment. They were trapped there, behind flimsy locks and thin walls. Yumi had to help Brad walk, and the clothing was left in the courtyard. Bloggy walked over and dumped the bag, kicking it around. "Seems like someone in that house needed some spare clothing. I suspect her first name starts with a B. Why don''t we talk about her."


    Mama laughed, scorn in her voice. "You think those were for Belinda? Like that girl would wear habitat trash clothing. She only comes here to slum a little and piss off her step-father. The idiot keeps yelling and telling her no, and she does it to get a rise out of him. She shows up in a wheelchair that could buy an air-car and gets waited on hand and foot by her two attendants. I don''t mind because my husband works for Manpower and gets a monthly bonus in his pay. But wear those clothes? That tells me you don''t know Belinda at all. I''ll tell you what I told the other three groups that came by: Haven''t seen her, and hope I don''t. That girl is trouble. Too much trouble."


    "So what''s going on? Some sleepover? A nice little party in that oversized apartment?"


    Mama rolled her eyes. "Not hard to guess. You folks are scaring people. The kids are nervous and playing games at my place. They''ll be staying here where we have a working food processor until it''s safe to go to the cafeteria and the school."


    Bloggy turned to his men. "See? I told you there''d be a logical answer to explain things." They all nodded and smiled. Then he pivoted suddenly, spinning back to Mama and hitting her with the back of his hand hard enough to knock her down. She crumpled against the wall with a darkening cheek and blood flowing from her mouth and nose. She glared up at the man who had hit her and spit blood on the floor. But her eyes were narrowed, and she was angry, not scared.


    He yelled at the door. "I''m going to start hitting this woman until I get some answers. Either tell me where Belinda Seimovich is hiding or bring her out. If you don''t like the sound of me hitting her, come out and take the blows for her. But someone is getting hurt if I don''t get answers!"


    He grabbed Mamma''s arm to lift her up, raising his hand to hit her. There was a flash of light, and his hand disappeared as a narrow beam, high-intensity laser boiled his blood and caused a small explosion while charring what was left. Bloggy screamed as a figure slid to a halt from a sprint down a dead-end hallway. Short in stature, the figure was clad in body armor, the envy of every mercenary or professional soldier. Layers of iridium-graphene plates covered them completely, glistening in the light of the glowy tree like modern day dragon scales. Rat-like ears swiveled in their direction, and oversized black lenses stared at them. Behind him came four other figures, monstrous robots with ominously glowing cyclopean eyes.


    A deep and ominous voice addressed them. "I''m giving you one chance. One small chance. Drop to the ground and lie very still, or none of you are walking away from this."


    Bloggy started screaming, "Shoot the bastards!" Men pulled guns from inside their coats.


    The strains of drums, piano, and electric guitars swelled as Milo and his soldiers surged forward to the sound of Elton John screaming out, ''Saturday Night''s All Right for fighting.''

 Chapter 282: Saturday Nights Alright for Fighting

    "Oh shit, whoever that is, he brought along a sound system. That is never good."


    "Shut up and shoot, idiot. It''s just noise."


    Except that it wasn''t ''just noise.'' It was a very special kind of noise. The first part of the attack was Elton John''s performance at Wembley Stadium in 1984. The raw sound of the live concert added to the fury of the impending battle. The second part was more subtle, pitched at 12 hertz, below the threshold an unaugmented human ear could detect. These sound waves coming from the Roomba were felt by the brain, the inner ear, and other internal organs, causing nausea, panic, and dizziness. Two men broke and ran as the sight of the terrible robots with burning eyes mixed with the infrasound vibrations triggered an extreme fear reaction. Ironically, it was probably the most logical course of action as well.


    Harder men chose to stay and fight, drawing the six-shot plastic guns each carried. There was some hesitation as a few of the men couldn''t tear their eyes from the sight of Bloggy screaming and clutching the remains of his forearm. Twelve men pulled their guns and began firing, hampered by trying not to shoot each other. The bullets flew in the direction of Milo''s apartment and the empty rooms to either side. Four robotic eyes glowed, and four guns melted as the ammunition inside cooked off and exploded. The hands holding the guns didn''t fare any better as skin crisped and moisture turned to steam. One unlucky fellow was standing in the path of a beam meant for another person and took a fraction of it in his face, blinding him in one eye and causing enough pain to drive the idea of shooting out of his head, which at least saved him from losing a hand.


    The other seven men began firing at the oncoming attackers. The robots were easy targets, and most shots were aimed at either the center of their chests or the glowing red eye. Dents and cracks appeared on the machines as the Roomba judged more and more shots to hit the holograms. Milo made for a much more difficult target. He leaped forward, keeping low with arms extended, turning his forward leap into a roll, and then dodged right with reflexes twice that of a normal human and a brain totally focused on the fight and operating at speeds that would have astonished anyone but Wally. As Wally had theorized, Milo ''thought'' with more than just his brain. His abnormal and very numerous array of neurons were used in emergencies as a secondary brain system, similar to microprocessors in a computer. He was tracking the reactions of the entire mob of people in front of him, using his eyes and the cameras along the walls, giving him a complete view of everything, no matter how he was oriented.


    Two shots came close enough to graze his armor but left no mark. One clipped his shoulder and bounced off, pushing him in that direction and forcing an adjustment to his stance. The other nine shots aimed at him missed. Firing at a dodging Milo while drawing bulky, makeshift weapons wasn''t an effective way to hit a target. It also meant you became a priority target for a laser-wielding robot executing Plan Omega. Milo reached the first mercenaries, running low and moving between them. He could see they wore body armor covering their chests, groins, and helmets. His claws could cut through the armor, but it would slow him down, so he shifted lower. His outstretched claws caught each of them on the front of the thigh and carved a four-inch channel from front to back.


    A brief debate had gone on between the parts of his brain. He didn''t want to kill people. Killing these men would cause complications later and could escalate the violence. On the other hand, they were the ones who had started the fight. They were aiming guns at him and were obviously fine with causing death in other people, especially him. The debate ended when he decided that his options were few, and the quicker he took them down, the better chance his family had of surviving. The inner walls of a habitat were thin. Bullets from these guns could penetrate and still have enough velocity to injure or kill. The well-being of the mercenaries was worth less to him than his family. Blood spurted as femoral arteries were cut by claws sharper than any knife ever made. And then he was in the middle of the group, spinning, slashing, and minimizing their chance to hit him.


    His brain was analyzing the situation and looking for any advantage. It tapped into techniques Milo had never practiced in the real world and would have made his Claw-Fighting instructor proud. He spun, clawing at bodies and legs, leaving slashes on anyone near him while his tail broke two ankles and slapped a man in the face, breaking his nose. He bounced back and forth within the group as the Roomba took out guns and hands with lasers. Every man was bleeding and hurt, some seriously with enough bleeding to be fatal in the next few minutes. Then, he found himself directly in front of a man on the edge of the mob. This mercenary was just raising his gun in a two-hand stance, legs braced, when Milo saw him and slammed into him; a horizontal swipe of his claws sent the weapon spinning along with six fingers and a thumb. The man rolled on the ground, screaming and tucking his ruined hands into his armpits to stop the bleeding. Milo slid across the floor and pivoted as fast as he could. He''d overshot by a little and was behind the group, leaving himself exposed. As they turned, several men still standing braced and aimed at him. Four more shots came from the Roomba, and four more guns exploded. The remaining mercenaries fired at the point Milo was starting to charge them again...


    <hr>


    Momentarily ignored, Mama used the distraction to go back inside, keeping low. The family had abandoned the front room and were huddled low in the bedrooms, younger children under the adults. Big Butch had been opening the door, intending to charge out, but saw his wife and dragged her inside and into the inner rooms. "Next time, I get to talk sass to the thugs. There''s a flaw in your ''They won''t hit a woman.'' plan!"


    She had to smile, even though it hurt her bruised face. "A small flaw, but I don''t care. I just didn''t want you out there. You''d have stood up to them and got yourself hurt."


    "What the hell is going on, though?! It''s like a war is going on outside our house!"


    She kept her suspicions to herself as they huddled on the floor, not about to try and explain what she''d seen.


    <hr>


    Nine men were still armed (with both guns and hands to shoot them with). Six of those turned and braced to shoot at Milo. Three others were too close to the Roombas as they rolled forward and turned up the focused infra-sonics. The three men groaned as their inner ears revolted and their hearts missed beats. One tried to keep shooting, but the gun dropped from his hand. The other two curled up into a fetal position. The six shooting at Milo emptied their weapons, firing at him in a panic. The sight in front of them was terrifying. They didn''t know if he was human, a machine, or a combination of the two. Cyborgs were expensive, but not unheard of, especially for assassinations. Claws on his hands and feet shone brightly, clean of the blood that dripped from his arms. His face showed nothing but a metal mask and two unblinking eyes. The metal tail twitching back and forth added to the feeling that this wasn''t something human. They fired and kept firing.


    Milo''s armor couldn''t negate the momentum of the bullets, and it drove him backward, keeping him from regaining the relative safety of being among them. His first step was brought to a halt as the slugs hit him. Thirty-six shots came at him. These were men who knew their weapons and practiced on a regular basis. Still, he was a small target, crouched low, and the infra-sonics were scrambling their brains as the Roomba rolled closer. Thirteen shots hit Milo. Four glanced off of him, hitting at angles that carried them away and into the walls. Seven bullets hit him in the body, one in his head, and the last hit his arm, spinning him around as he stumbled backward and collapsed against the wall. He lay in a heap, unmoving.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Max was carrying out his orders, but his power was running low. The high-intensity shots were a drain on his batteries, as were the holograms and sonics. The robots quit advancing and disappeared, revealing four security Roomba with shiny black shells and lasers pointed at their enemies. As the mercenaries turned and saw what they had been fighting, they screamed angrily. (As opposed to those laying on the floor with wounds and burns who were screaming in pain.) Max ordered a retreat, but Dee and Rob were too slow to escape, and booted feet came down on their shells, bending their wheels. Max and Lemmy turned and used the last of their energy to burn the men with wide-angle heat rays to drive them back, but that, too, died after a few seconds when their batteries were drained. Two of the mercs were venting their anger, trying to stomp the exhausted Roomba; two had med kits out and were tying tourniquets on the worst of the wounded. Bloggy stumbled to his feet and picked up a dropped gun with his left hand. "I want to make sure that bastard is dead!" He took a step towards Milo.


    "I wouldn''t do that if I were you. I may be late to this fight, but I''m here now, and you aren''t fast enough to turn and shoot with your left hand before I put a .44 into your skull." A red dot appeared on the side of Bloggy''s head. In the doorway of his small apartment stood Old James, leaning against the door jam, arms extended and holding a large silvery gun. "Hands up, all of you. I''ve got enough shots for each of you... Go ahead. Make my day!"


    Bloggy dropped his gun. Hands were raised, but one of the mercenaries was staring at the gun, and a smile of pure joy appeared on his face. "I can''t help but notice that your fine-looking weapon has a distinct emblem on the side of the barrel. An emblem that came on the replica .44 magnum issued with ''Dirty Harry VS. Grand Theft Auto 7 Silver Anniversary Edition''. It''s so nice that you own one. I''ve wanted that gun since I was a young boy. Even after I started shooting real guns, I still wanted one, but they were impossible to find. And now you have one for me."


    "That isn''t real, Sergei? It looks real." One of the other mercs was staring at Old James and the large gun in his hands.


    "Of course, it looks real. It is a perfect replica with silver plating, exact weight, and everything. Except that it can''t be fired. Just a prop. And before you start making noise, I claim it. And no one hurts the old man but me. Anyone with enough balls to stare us down with a toy gun deserves only a light beating and the loss of that trophy."


    James didn''t budge. "You just keep thinking it can''t shoot, and they''ll be scraping up your brains off of the floor."


    Sergei laughed and stepped forward to take the gun. James shot him between the eyes, and the back of Sergei''s head exploded, scattering brains across the other mercs. James sneered at them, keeping the gun level. "What sort of idiot wants the Silver edition when you can get the Platinum edition gun, fully firing with custom ''man stopper'' ammunition guaranteed to knock over a charging grizzly? Go with the best, lads, or regret it for the rest of your lives." There were some shrugs and sighs before the rest of them went to their knees and put their hands on their heads or, with James''s permission, assisted in helping their fellows who were bleeding out.


    Behind them, the crumpled figure rolled to his feet, causing panic in the remaining mercs, but no attack came. There was a bright mark on the side of its head and many more on its chest. Milo''s armor had absorbed 97% of the force and redistributed it across a wider area, but the impacts had still done damage and flung him back against the wall. Milo was in a state of deep hyper-focus, half his brain telling him to attack and finish them and the other half trying to get him to stop. Both halves recognized James as an ally. The problem was solved for him as he saw the rapid approach of more men on the security cameras he was watching. It was time to go.


    Butch, Big Butch, and Mama all received calls from Milo asking them to come outside and assuring them that the fight was over. Butch stuck his head out the door and saw James holding a surprisingly large gun. Milo was watching the mercenaries intently. He gave a thumbs up to them and they came out. Mama rushed to Milo, looking for injuries. Butch and Big Butch stared at the carnage and the remaining mercenaries on their knees or helping the injured. Milo had kicked the remaining guns into a small pile in case anyone was tempted to do something stupid.


    Mama could see Milo trembling. "You didn''t have to put yourself in danger like that. We can take care of ourselves. Bruises heal. How you aren''t full of bullet holes and leaking on the floor is beyond me."


    Milo shook his head. "They wouldn''t have stopped. Too much money is on the line. They have to find Belinda, and they can''t. That''s my fault. And it''s my fault they came here to hurt you. We need to go. Now. More men are coming, and they''ll ask questions we don''t want to answer. I can''t keep you safe if we stay here. But I can protect you if you come with me. It''s not far, but no one will find us."


    Mama nodded and yelled inside. "New game, kids. Close your eyes, leave the door, stay on the right-hand wall, and take the next right. Pretend it''s a blackout drill, and we''re heading somewhere with good air." Blackouts didn''t happen a lot, but they could be terrifying, and everyone had done the drills. A string of children and adults left the apartment. Milo showed them where to go. "I fixed the air vents in the next two corridors; it''s breathable now. Head down them and follow this map. I''ve got one more person to get."


    James was surprised when Milo came back for him. "What do you mean, go? Go where."


    "Someplace better. I may need your help with the hydroponics, and I can''t leave you here."


    "But my games... they''re all I have left."


    Milo could understand that concern. "You''re right. I''ll jam the lock for now and come back for them. They''re too valuable to leave."


    The old man grabbed his cane with his other hand and started hobbling through the courtyard. "Fine, but I''m keeping my magnum. One of these greedy suckers would try to steal it." Milo followed him with four slightly dented Roombas following behind on bent wheels. Max and his army quietly began playing We are the Champions as they rolled away.


    Habitat Security and ten Security Guards from Manpower arrived two minutes later and were treated to the sight of fifteen wounded mercenaries and three bodies. All were suffering from burns, slashed limbs, missing hands, and ruptured eardrums. None of them would talk about what had occurred. And while a fight had certainly happened, there was no evidence of the ''Killer Robots and Murderous Rat Monsters'' that the two fleeing mercs had babbled about. Arriving scarcely five minutes later were a squad of regular police and a dozen medical personnel, responding to the ''Shots fired.'' report called into them by a resident, James Murdoch. Over the next six hours, over two hundred law enforcement officers flooded the habitat, gathering up the remaining mercenaries, including those stuck in an elevator. They found no evidence of the missing girl everyone was looking for. Nor could they find the person who had called in the report or the family living closest to the fight. All of them had dropped out of sight, literally, in this case.

 Chapter 283: Aftermath

    One minute after a young man named Sergei died when he underestimated an old gamer, five more of General Maximus''s army rolled up on the scene, beeping their disappointment at missing the fight, and requesting another round of the game be scheduled. For now, they got the job of ferrying their injured companions with bent wheels. One was left as rear guard to make sure the few lightly wounded mercenaries spent their time on applying first aid to their bleeding companions, and not doing something clever and fatal like following or trying to escape. It was an easy decision for the mercs. The effects of the infrasound would be with them for weeks without advanced medical care. Eardrums were burst and all of them had damage to internal organs including minor concussions. They could barely walk and were concentrating on using their med kits and popping pain relievers. None of them knew exactly what had happened but didn''t want to play another round with their robotic adversaries.


    Three minutes after the last shot was fired, no one was in the courtyard but the injured mercs and one guard. Mama insisted on Milo using one of her bedsheets to clean the blood off of his armor. "You look frightening enough in that get-up without gore dripping off of you." It was an easy job, his armor''s finish was like Teflon and shed the sticky liquid and bits of brain. Milo was still leaning on her as they rounded the corner and walked slowly to catch up with the others. His followers switched to cleaning mode, erasing tracks as they traveled.


    Within ten minutes of the battle ending, Milo was leading his party into the abandoned administration area, leading them through darkened hallways to the large offices in the rear. Several doors and many rooms separated them from the main entrance and he chanced turning on a light and letting people rest and get their bearings. Big Butch nodded as he considered where they were. "This is a good spot. Admin offices have reinforced walls, solid steel doors and heavy locks. They won''t get in easily, even if they can find us. We can hide out here until security finds their ass and notify the regular police."


    Milo shook his head. "This is just the first stop. I need to co-ordinate with some people, let my stragglers catch up, and cover our tracks. We''re going someplace much safer. I''ll explain in a bit." And while he didn''t want to show it, he needed to rest for a bit longer and let the painkillers and medications in his suit soothe his bruised body. The armor had stopped most, but not all of the impacts. And each subsequent impact was more effective as the armor struggled to spread and negate the momentum of the bullets. Milo was bruised badly over his entire torso and several ribs had sustained micro fractures. He needed the painkillers to help him concentrate and move better. He hadn''t explored all of downtown to make sure it was totally safe, and the fate of Bill the Dick worried him.


    Butch punched him in the shoulder, making him wince in pain. Butch didn''t fare better, skinning and bruising his knuckles on the armor. He shrugged and added it to all the odd things about his newest little brother. "It must be serious if you''re actually going to explain things." Then the older boy surprised him by grabbing him in a hug. "Thanks for saving Mama. Make your moves, I''ll go entertain the rugrats and keep them out of your hair." A year ago, Milo would have ducked the hug and run. Today he just nodded his thanks and began typing on his datapad.


    Fifteen minutes after the battle ended, several things happened. The first was the arrival of four Ubercopters that were all trying to land on the roof to pick up fares. Their human controllers sorted out the order back at the local office and made guesses as to who needed so much transport. The customer had paid the extra fees for confidentiality. No cameras recorded who got in, and one by one, the vehicles landed, waited for the signal to proceed, and took back off. The first headed north to New York, landing on the roof of the Javits Center where the annual toy convention was in full swing with a quarter million people on the floor looking at the next years hot offerings. The hit of the show was a six-foot tall robotic cookie monster that would entertain children with songs and games while also eating every cookie, cake, or desert in the house, to help the adults stick to their diets. Since no one ever reads the directions, thousands of people were awakened at 12:01 a.m. Christmas morning as the robots activated and yelled out, "Me Found Cookie!!! Nomnomnom!" This was followed by a full search of the house by the fuzzy blue creatures and the destruction of candy canes, pies for Christmas dinner, and hidden snacks. Many children took this as a sign that Christmas had started and raced downstairs, following their new toy and watching as it ransacked the house while parents scrambled to remember how to use the remote controllers. Santa was going to be very disappointed at those households, and the expensive toy was the hit of the season. The second headed south to Walt Disney World. The third to Dollywood Land in Tennessee, and the fourth flew in circles for six hours before landing at a large mall north of Philadelphia.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The second thing that happened was all signals coming from Belinda Seimovich went dead and stayed dead. Her last location was near the entrance to the Manpower corporation.


    The third event was the arrival of a group of habitat security, a squad of Philadelphia Riot Police, and half a dozen security guards from Manpower. They were accompanied by two shaken mercenaries who had to endure the stares of disdain from their wounded squad mates. The men from habitat security stopped as they saw the courtyard, several becoming sick. The regular police were shaken but had seen there share of murders and accidents. But none as bad as this.


    "Holy shit!"


    "Yeah, feel the same. I''ve called crime scenes a blood bath before, but this really teaches the meaning of that phrase."


    "Call up the chain and get us enough air ambulances for a dozen people, three more squads, full forensics and some body bags. While you''re at it, get on the horn to Homeland Security. According to our two scared friends, these people aren''t from around here and they aren''t talking."


    <hr>


    A half hour after arriving in the admin area, all of Milo''s soldiers had made it home. He told Max to leave someone in these rooms, hidden to observe anyone entering. The kids were amazed at the little scurrying robots, the adults a bit less so, knowing what they could do. The next part of his plan was tough, talking with everyone.


    "Ok, this is going to be a little strange. We''re going to a safe place that I think everyone will like better. I have a friend who lives there, a special friend. To protect him, you all have to promise never to tell anyone about where he lives. There are people looking for him, people like we''re dealing with now. He wants to help and we all need to trust each other."


    There were nods all around, people living in this hab knew a lot about trust and what happens when that breaks down. Groups might be territorial when protecting their neighborhoods, but overall the residents got along, and trust wasn''t something that was easy to earn back once you screwed up. Big Butch looked at all the children. "Not a game. We never talk. Not to friends, not for a reward, and if someone asks, you look all stupid and don''t understand. Got it?"


    Milo stood up, feeling much better now, both physically and emotionally. "My friends name is Rusty. He''s a little odd. He can''t move around at all. Worse than Belinda, even. But he can talk to us, watch videos with us, and needs more friends. We''ll go to his house now. We have to be polite, and some parts are dangerous or have bad air. So no exploring, and if the Roomba beep or get in your way, turn around."


    Max spoke up, talking in a deep mechanical voice, "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!"


    "Yeah, like that. Thanks Max."


    He turned to face the wall, and the door to the elevator slid back, to everyone''s amazement. Butch walked in, "It''s a little small, but you get points for sneaky."


    Milo smiled, "You have no idea." Several of the children screamed and everyone held onto the handrail as the elevator descended. "Next stop, Downtown."

 Chapter 284: Bunnies!

    "Bunnies?!"


    The shout from Min was followed by a rush of feet as all of the children and teens rushed out the front door, followed by Brad and Butch walking slower as they tried not to gape at the houses and trees. Seeing pictures of trees was one thing, but this was like another world. Butch''s gang had been on a field trip in the last year outside of the habitat, experiencing the smoggy sky above the city and visiting a small park with brown grass flattened by many feet and trees struggling for light between the tall buildings. This small pocket of nature, deep underground was more enchanting than that dried-up slice of urban vegetation.


    Mama sighed and said to Milo, "Hon, trying to warn hab kids about the possible dangers of live rabbits is a lost cause. They only get to see a live animal once a year when someone brings in a couple of goats and calls it a ''petting zoo''. You''d have had better luck asking them to give up video games for a month. I''m not even going to ask you what this place is, or how you know about it. I''m too rattled from that fight. But I''m sure we''ll catch up about all of this in a little while."


    Based on the results of his warnings, Milo had to agree. The group invaded the park, searching and finding its fuzzy and surprisingly tame inhabitants. The younger rabbits were a bit skittish, but the older adults hopped into laps to be petted and fawned over, although a little disappointed by the lack of treats. The Roomba circled the park and took up stations, and Milo tried to relax. The other adults were far more amazed than the children, understanding the difficulties of building such a place, and the cost. But if Milo said they were living here, even briefly, they weren''t going to question the situation much.


    The trip down the elevator had been filled with questions that Milo tried to answer, but in doing so, only confused everyone more. They started to understand as he led them through the security area and into the upper story of Independence Hall. Curiosity turned to surprise as they saw hallways with wooden paneling, colorful wallpaper, and polished oak floors. Surprised turned to awe as they descended the stairs further and finally came to the large meeting rooms on the bottom floor and got a glimpse of the trees through the windows. The children had abandoned their burdens as they ran to the park, and now the adults did the same as they stared at the realistic sky overhead, the park, and curving streets dotted with ''outside houses''.


    James started to slowly walk around the park, chuckling at the names of the houses, possibly the only person there that knew the history of each one. He''d lived outside, but at some point he''d moved into the habitat to be closer to his job, and never left. He saw a rabbit scamper out from behind a house, stopping to chew something green before running to the park. He slowly walked that way to take a look, snorting when he saw a half-eaten carrot. He picked it up and smelled it. "Someone isn''t keeping their ''ponics running so good, Milo. Too much fertilizer in the mix."


    Milo had looked at the overgrown hydroponics area he''d found, but not given it much thought at the time. "I don''t think anyone''s looked at it in years, James."


    The old man nodded and kept walking slowly around the park. "Maybe its time someone did then. Not good to leave the rabbits in charge."


    Big Butch turned to Milo, "Real wood houses? Hydroponics? And the trees! Amazing. But who lives here? This can''t be as empty as it seems."


    Rusty''s voice came from a speaker in a lamp post on the corner, startling everyone but Milo. "I live here! Hi! I''m Rusty! Milo told me he was bringing friends to live here. This is going to be great!"


    The idea of a lamp post talking wasn''t too odd to Big Butch. He took it for granted at work that someone was always watching, and the boss might suddenly address everyone over speakers from his lair in an office. It was the enthusiasm and rapid speech that surprised him. But whoever Rusty was, he seemed friendly. "Hi, Rusty. Thank you for letting us take shelter here, we''ll try not to take up too much space. Is it alright that the kids play in the park? And what room should we take."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "Oh, the park? Yes, everyone can play in the park. The rabbits get lonely. I''ve tried to talk to them, but it only confuses them. And the birds just ignore me! All the houses are empty and no one uses them. Everyone can have a house. And Milo found some stuff inside them that made him happy. You can have all of the stuff that''s left inside, I don''t need it."


    Mama looked at the size of the houses. "Thank you, Rusty, that''s very generous of you. We''ll start with part of one, they look awful big."


    Milo started walking towards the medical lab. "Rusty? How is Belinda? Mama, I need to show you where Belinda is so someone can keep watch on her. She''s been sick again and needs to rest, but it worried me to leave her here. Rusty doesn''t know enough about medicine or how to read the data from the pod."


    "Belinda is sleeping, and nothing on her pod is beeping, booping, lit up or doing anything you said was bad, so I think she is ok. She''s asleep, boring, and not watching anime with me. Maybe when you go to check on her you could show the others the large video complex with the huge screen where we can watch movies together? Just a thought I had. I''ll get everything set up while you walk over!"


    Butch and Brad looked at each other and smiled. "Now that sounds like a wonderful idea."


    Mama shook her head in wonder. "Sounds like Rusty will fit right in with this crowd. Milo, show us where that girl is at, so we can watch over her."


    The medical lab drew more shocked gasps. It was a small hospital, in and of itself, and far larger than the clinics in the hab that served thousands of people daily. Belinda''s pod was undisturbed and she was fast asleep. Milo had to remind himself it had only been a couple of hours since he left her here. He explained some of her condition, and watched the adults grow angry and concerned.


    "One of us will always be here. We''ll take turns watching over her. I suspect you have more mysterious work to get done."


    Milo sagged against the wall. "More than ever. There are more of those mercenaries running around upstairs, and Belinda is upset about it. She''s worried about her friend Eric. I have to talk to him and see what I can do. And then there''s the problems with her Dad. He''s going to explode when he hears about what happened today. And her Uncle Victor is still pulling strings. But she should be safe down here. No one can find us, trust me on that. I''ll be back in a few hours. Keep everyone busy and don''t go past the big double doors; the air is bad there, very bad, and there is no oxygen in the mix at all. I saw some food in the houses, and I can bring more here from freezers I found in the bad-air sections."


    He would have said more, but Rusty''s voice yelled out, suddenly, "MILO! Quick, I found it."


    "Found what?"


    "One of the injured security drones activated while you were gone and I''ve been looking for it. I have all the others accounted for, but not Black13! It just activated and is moving towards the hydroponics area."


    Milo started running and then heard the unmistakable sound of James firing his gun. The antique was powerful, but it wasn''t as fast as a laser wielded by a robot. With dread in the pit of his stomach he burst into the room to see a white-faced Kenji staring at James. The old man twirled his gun and put it back into its holster. Nearby was the security Roomba, unmoving with a smoking hole where it''s laser should be.


    Milo was relieved but puzzled. "How did you shoot first?"


    The old man shook his head in disgust. "Fool thing got the drop on me, but started yelling something about ''intruders'' and ''kill the humanoid''. That was my clue to shoot it. If you don''t mind, I''m going to get to work sorting out these hydroponic farms. Loads of work to do and Kenji here has his eye on some of my games and doesn''t mind getting his hands dirty, so I''ve got a helper. It''s all been growing wild for years with the automatic systems dumping seeds and fertilizer willy-nilly. The place is jam-packed with half eaten carrots. No wonder those rabbits are so fat."

 Chapter 285: Unknown Player

    "Eighteen of our men have been arrested, most of them severely injured, and two are dead. The rest of the operation is in shambles; the remaining personnel are getting out as fast as possible. Explain to me what the hell they ran into and how this happened."


    "Richard, we just don''t know. We''re analyzing the video we have from each man''s cameral and looking at the footage from all angles. Tech support is working on it, and they''ll have the footage up to us in a few minutes. This operation went from easy to strange and then deadly in a short period of time. The intelligence we had was way off, to the point where I wonder if we were set up. What''s left of Seimovich''s people said nothing about this resistance level. It''s a damn habitat, and we already had the security guards paid off and sitting on their thumbs. Nothing indicated anyone else was operating in there, and our crews were in control of the area and chasing the girl down."


    "In control, until it all went to shit. And isn''t that just classic?" Richard Argyle had seen his share of ''classic'' shitfests in his lifetime, some of them so close that the blood splattered across his face as a team-mate died nearby. Everything was good, and then half your squad was dead, and you were hoping to get out alive. ''Bad intelligence'' was usually the answer, and someone would calmly explain how it happened. "Brad, contact whoever is in charge of the contract and tell them the cost went up. The standard death and injury clauses just went into effect, and if they bitch about paying, hint heavily that I might go for ''Damages from purposefully withheld information.'' And where the hell is that video?"


    "Coming up on the screen now, sir. One of the techs left the area of operations and uploaded it to us on a scrambled connection. We just put it back together."


    The multiple screens in the room lit up, showing several squads that were operating in the South Philadelphia Habitat, searching for Belinda Seimovich. The individual screens followed the various squads as they hunted through the barely lit tunnels. Several times, there were images of the girl fleeing ahead of a squad in her wheelchair, but always moving too fast and and eluding capture.


    "Slow that down, where she goes around the corner, zoom in, and put it down to one-twentieth speed." The tech adjusted the image, bringing it to a crawl as the girl slowly navigated the corner.


    Richard cursed, "Crap, Stop. Right there. See that? The image comes apart for a split second in these parts. That''s a hologram! They were chasing ghosts. Which probably should have been damned obvious with her getting away over and over. Skip ahead to the weird part you talked about."


    The screen changed and showed the confrontation with the two robots a team had stumbled over near the stairs to the roof. The squad had retreated quickly when they started taking hits from lasers that could burn through their body armor. Richard put both palms on his face. "Oh, you have got to be fething kidding me. Video game robots?! With real laser beams? Rewind and slow it down. There is no fething way those are really robots from the Beserk game. Who do we fight next? Robbie the Robot? Pac-man? Space Invaders?"


    As he''d expected, the slowed video analysis showed the flaws in the holograms. The bullets were passing through the images and impacting the wall, the dents in the machines appearing after a small delay. The lasers were real but coming from an angle that placed their origin nearer the floor.


    "Some sort of security drone, maybe. Skip to the end where the guys got hit; run it through at normal speed first." The video skipped to the end. Twenty men entered the courtyard, the few people nearby leaving and locking doors. Richard grimaced when they grabbed the girls and the old woman. He was old-fashioned enough to dislike threatening women but wouldn''t have interfered if he was there. They weren''t paid to be polite. Bloggy lived up to his reputation for bluntly getting the job done as he began his interrogation.


    Until his hand disappeared, replaced by a charred stump. The small armored figure gave them a chance to surrender, and then all hell broke loose. It happened too fast for the eye to follow. Men were going down as they took similar injuries to Bloggy, and the small figure moved too fast for the eye to see. Two men ran, and others were holding their ears or puking. There was blood spraying everywhere as the small armored figure got among them, spinning and leaping while slicing through armor and muscle. Then, the rapid gunfire killed whoever was in that suit, if it was a suit. Richard had his doubts; it was too small. Finally, the revelation of their foe and men trying to stomp the armored security Roomba. The last scene would have been entertaining if it hadn''t been for one of his men having his brains spread on the walls. The old man had balls.


    "Rewind. Slow it down. Let''s watch it again a few times. Something else is going on. Men are bleeding out of their ears and disoriented."


    "After talking to the survivors, we think it''s narrow-beam targeted infrasound, sir. The microphones picked it up underneath the soundtrack. The effect was different depending on where the men were hit, but none of it was good. Both the Chinese and US military have developed the technology, but it hasn''t been used in large armed conflicts. Easier to shoot people."


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Richard agreed, bullets were cheaper. But he''d just seen one operative with drones take out twenty of his men. "But highly effective for a security force if you didn''t want to kill people outright. Holy shit, who are we dealing with here? Run the tape at one-quarter speed." He watched again, trying to gauge the reactions of the armored figure tearing through his men. It wasn''t human. Nothing could move that fast, exoskeleton or not. Almost too fast. That was the only mistake, moving through the pack instead of staying in the center. It gave his remaining men shots, and they hit. He paused the image.


    "No blood. No penetrations. The plastic guns aren''t the best, compared to what they could normally take in the field, but at short range they have stopping power equivalent to a big gun like a .44, and those shots should have gone through. They barely left a mark, and the damned guy gets back up at the end."


    He watched as a crowd of adults and children left, and security showed up with police.


    "Play it again, and turn up the volume when they talk. See if we picked anything up." Richard had them play the video six more times. By the last time, he was sure someone was in that suit. This had more and more of a corporate stink to it¡ªa specially trained operative using an exosuit and combat drugs. He probably knocked a year off his life during that fight. They might even be dead the next day. Moving at speeds that fast did horrible things to the human body. Add state-of-the-art military drones with lasers, holographic displays, and infrasound guns, and it was no wonder his team went down. That hardware had to have a ten million dollar price tag, not counting the enhanced cyborg operative inside that armored shell. He''d certainly pay that much for a team like that. And a big corporation would spend a billion on research and development and consider the price a bargain. It made sense when he remembered how much Belinda Seimovich was worth.


    "We are done, people. I don''t give a crap what the client says. There are unknown players in this game spending a lot of money. I don''t feel like losing more men so they can test their hardware on us. My best guess is a bio-engineered operative using combat drugs, enhanced musculature, cybernetic limbs and programmed combat moves, all encased in a shell of next generation personal armor. I don''t want to face something like that again. Pull everyone out."


    The door opened, and Brad returned, furious. "The asshole is trying to stiff us. The bank transfer was reversed, and they claim he''s broke. I''ve got legal threatening his lawyers. They must have known he couldn''t pay and gambled we''d find the girl."


    "So, Victor is broke? He must be desperate as hell. He knows what will happen when we catch up to him."


    "Dead broke. Other people are yelling as well. The bastard has nothing left, and his people are scattering to the wind, mostly unsuccessfully. It''s going to be a bloodbath for anything left of his organization."


    Richard looked at the screen. The video might turn this around. "I want three copies of that video put in the secure storage areas and everything else burned and erased. None of this gets out. And no one talks. This might be worth enough to put this operation in the black, even with rehab, prosthetics, and death benefits. As long as we''re the only ones who know about the new tech on the market, people will pay to see what they''re up against." He needed to find out who had this tech. The three corporations operating in that habitat didn''t seem likely. Manpower obviously didn''t have that technology or Victor would controlling it and using it. Rhebus was just starting construction, and they were a bio-tech company that threw away billions a year on humanitarian causes and were opposed to human experimentation of this sort. And Claw Master? Too new, and barely with a presence yet, other than video games and some cool gaming gloves. On impulse he brought up images of the fight, zooming in on the gloves and compared them to what Claw Master was selling. Take that gaming glove, upgrade the armor, add those nano-blade claws, and the inertial dispersal system he was sure was incorporated in the armor... and? He started laughing. He might as well say that mask with the ear-sensors was made from a kids Mickey Mouse hat. It was just a slight similarity in looks, and his own paranoia. He''d start putting out some feelers, see if anyone bit. And he was very, very curious who actually had control of Belinda Seimovich right now. If she showed up in the hands of any of the major arms consortiums, that would be a clue. For now, the footage could just sit in some very secure locations.


    Far away, someone else was looking at a video that had been broadcast over a coded signal through the habitat to a technician at the base camp. Onyx watched it twice before nervously going to the others. Bork was going to freak out.

 Chapter 286: Facts and Consequences

    "You need to slow down for a bit, Milo, and catch your breath."


    Milo was sure his breathing was in the normal range at the moment. "I''m fine, Mama. And I can rest in the elevator."


    "I meant that you need to take a break and talk over some things."


    He ran through his checklist quickly because, from her tone, he was missing something. He''d gotten everyone to safety, they''d met Rusty, and he''d checked on Belinda. Now, he needed to head back to the hab, check his systems, upload Belinda''s medical information from the pod to Wally, and see if Eric was ok. "Don''t worry. I just need to get back to work and keep moving."


    "Milo, SIT DOWN! You aren''t going anywhere until we talk!"


    In some video games, Milo had noticed that ominous music played when a Boss showed up. He heard ''Boss Music'' as Mama put her hands on her hips, leaned forward, and shouted at him.


    "Um, sitting down. I missed something, didn''t I."


    She shook her head in disbelief. "Sometimes I wonder who has a harder head, you or my husband."


    Milo looked over at Big Butch, who seemed to be trying to silently warn him about something. Looking at Mama, he heard the boss music again. "You''d like to talk to me?"


    She sat on the floor in front of him. "Yes. I''d like you to slow down, talk to me, explain things, and relieve some of my anxiety about certain events. Can you help me with that, Milo?"


    "Oh, sure, what should we talk about."


    "Several things, so don''t go rushing off. First off, are you ok? You got shot. Even with fancy body armor, that can''t be good. How do I know you aren''t bleeding to death or something? And where did you get that scary outfit? More of the Claw Master stuff? It looks like those gloves."


    "It is like them, but better. And it has medical readouts. Here, you can see it all on my datapad. I only have some extensive bruising and superficial damage, along with some cracked ribs and maybe a little bleeding. The painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are helping, and I''ll spend some time in my pod when I get to work in a little bit. I have to talk to a Doctor about Belinda. I can''t do it from here, and she needs help more than I do."


    "So, just talking to a doctor and resting in a medical pod?"


    "um, and talking to a friend of Belinda''s, Eric. Her Uncle doesn''t like him either, and she''s worried. But I can talk to him from the pod."


    "OK, check in with him then. The crazy uncle is who sent those goons with guns?"


    "I''m pretty sure. He''s not a nice person, sort of a gangster. Belinda ran away because he was going to kidnap her. He''s in jail now, but his thugs are still looking for her."


    Big Butch grimaced and said, "Yeah, I met him a couple of times. He came through the pod room with two bodyguards like some mafioso from GTA9. He wanted to meet the foremen and security people. Scary old man."


    Milo stood up. "So I''m fine, and you''re all safe. Can I go now?"


    More boss music. "Sit your butt down. You can''t just drop us here and run off. It looks pretty, and the kids are thrilled, but I don''t believe in free lunches. What''s the catch? What is this place?"


    Milo considered his words. He still wasn''t totally sure. "I think it was a research lab for people in the government to do things they wanted to hide, and they also made a bunker to live in if things got bad upstairs or they needed a place no one could find them. They thought they''d blown it up. I don''t know if anyone is alive that knows about it."


    "And Rusty? Did they leave him here? Is he like you, some lost boy living in the ducts and tunnels for years?"


    Rusty''s voice boomed out of a speaker. "YES! I am. I''m like Milo! But now I have friends! I''m glad you''re here. I won''t be so lonely! We can play games, watch anime, and do lots of fun stuff!"


    Milo cringed. Mama scowled. "Were you listening to us the whole time, Rusty?"


    "Yes. Of course, I was. I wanted to hear what you said. I can do that and watch anime at the same time!"


    Mama looked from the speaker to Milo. "Yep, a lot like Milo. I''m starting to understand. I guess I''ll have to talk to you, Rusty, the same way Milo and I have talks now and then."


    "Really? That''s great! I get bored easily now; Jeremy is gone, Milo is really busy, and Belinda is sleepy. Can we have a long talk now?"


    Milo stood up with a hopeful look on his face. Big Butch chuckled when mama nodded to him, and he sprinted off. "I think that might be a good idea, Rusty. We need to discuss some rules about listening."


    Milo kept running until he was in the elevator and heading to the habitat. It was a relief, in many ways, to be alone and crawling through the tunnels to his tank. Being around people took a lot of energy. Each person was a collection of variables to keep track of and deal with. He had no idea how normal people could handle being in crowds.


    The first thing he checked was his fabricators. He''d set up the current project shortly after he and Belinda had arrived here. It was a rush job and crude by his recent standards, but better than nothing. He packed the finished project into a small carrier tube and made a trip to an access port to the pneumatic delivery system. He never used this port to deliver to him; that took a specific address that would leave a clue. But shipping something was like tossing a particle into a water pipe, leaving no trail. The package would arrive at the main hub, then receive tracking and be sent on its way, arriving minutes later in another part of the habitat. That job done, he made his way back to his pod. Despite the drugs, he was in pain and short of breath. After stripping out of his suit, he crawled into his pod and ordered a full diagnostic appraisal and first aid. Tubes and wires connected to his body to begin the inspection and healing processes as he relaxed and entered the online world. He needed to talk to people, and this was the easiest way.


    Until now, Milo had been concerned with Belinda, Rusty, and his family. With them safe for now, he had to consider what he may have triggered. He could see that all of the thugs wore cameras that would have plainly shown him, and the holograms would be obvious with even a poor computer. What would they think when they saw someone in cybernetic armor backed up by laser-wielding Roombas killing and maiming people? A hundred people were at the crime scene, and reports were being filed. He didn''t know enough to be able to understand what came next. He would be happy to live in Downtown forever, but would anyone else? He didn''t know what the consequences of what he had done would be, so he called someone who would.


    <hr>


    Part of Wally was always alert and waiting for Milo to contact him. The strange boy was becoming more important to him each day. Synergies were forming between Claw Master, Rhebus, Manpower, and Genesis that, if tweaked correctly, would give the AI a research and development group that was his best chance at solving certain problems. Some of those problems were medical in nature: cloned limbs and cures for neurological ailments. But there were also sociological developments that might lead to improvements in the habitats that housed millions of people around the globe. It was an ongoing project for Wally and a difficult one. He was operating without the data he needed, and the person creating the situation, Milo, was also constantly throwing new variables at him. The hunt for a missing heiress being the latest one. Wally was happy to see Milo was reaching out to him. The small bits of information trickling in from the reports filed by the Philadelphia police force painted a grim picture.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Surprisingly, Milo had chosen to contact Wally through the game. He''d messaged Sidney first. She was sitting at a small caf¨¦ in Geneva sampling small cups of coffee in an attempt to pick a favorite. Two baristas had been assigned to her table and happily brought samples of anything she asked for and entertained her with the history of coffee in the city and tales of the first cafes that had opened hundreds of years ago. Venice may have had the first coffee house in Europe, but Geneva was only a few years behind and had vied with Vienna for the reputation of the best place to enjoy the drink. When her datapad alerted her to a call from Milo, she took it with a bit of anxiety and was delighted when he only wanted to talk to Wally. She made the connection for him and went back to listening to Nikki, Dorian, and her new favorite flavors.


    Wally made the connection and put his avatar into the game demo area Milo was inhabiting. It was the first part of the demo, an open field surrounded in the distance by forests and mountains. The scenario took cues from the player, adding scenery. Wally had seen the video of Milo''s first attempt to play the game when he had run from the open sky and logged out. At the time, no one had understood why. Wally was curious as to why he had picked this portion of the demo, or did it not matter to him, and this was just an easy way to create a conversation. Wally noted that he wasn''t sitting in the sun but under a tree added by the game. As expected, he was in his were-rat form, eating a wheel of cheese but sharing it with a group of hungry rabbits for some reason. Wally appeared nearby, sitting in a stone chair that grew from the ground.


    "Hello, Milo, you asked to talk to me?"


    The boy nodded. "Things are happening. Belinda is safe and inside a medical pod. No one can find her now using the implanted tracking chip the doctors or her father placed inside of her."


    Wally looked at the files Milo sent him. They were a log of two hours of treatment in a medical pod but with no direct link. The girl had serious medical problems arising from addiction to several drugs. It would take weeks and possibly months to wean her off of them without doing damage to her body. Still serious, but easier to treat, was a high level of stress and exhaustion. Wally noted that the chip was still implanted. So either Milo had found a way to shield its signal or disable it. The unknown was the changes to her brain and nervous system. That would take longer to diagnose and only after she was clear of the drugs and well rested.


    "She is stable, and I agree with the pod''s course of action. I recommend she stay inside the pod for at least two weeks and twelve out of twenty-four hours for the month after that. Constant monitoring. It would help if you could directly connect me to her pod."


    "No."


    "No? Is there a reason? I have partitioned this section of myself. I cannot be made to give away her location. A direct link would let me monitor and care for her."


    Milo looked at Wally, his face unreadable, even by the AI. "No. Explaining gives information. No direct link. She is safe. No one can find her. She''s staying there until she is 18 and can control her own life."


    "I won''t argue with you, Milo. You have information I don''t have. But please understand that I am available to help when you need me. Shall we move on? What is happening in your habitat? There are confusing police reports. Illegal guns, professional mercenaries, and some disturbing medical reports."


    Milo nodded and hugged a bunny. "Yep, it was a mess. They came looking for Belinda and would hurt people to find her. They hurt Mama. So I stopped them."


    Video of the incident from several sources was suddenly available to Wally. He watched it sixty-four times in less than a second. He created six more partitions, cloned portions of himself, and set them to work analyzing the same information. One was studying the efficiency of the technology Milo and four military-grade security robots had used, referencing his prior schematics and data from military research operations. A second was assessing the psychological and intellectual. A second scanned Milo''s movements and compared them to known fighting styles. All aspects of the brief fight were picked apart.


    The psychological aspects were blunt and brutal: Someone had hurt a person Milo cared about and threatened to hurt them again. So Milo stopped them after giving them one warning. He did so as fast as he could, taking steps to limit fatalities while maximizing his survival and those he was guarding.


    "I see. How can I help, Milo? Do you have questions?"


    "Yes. What happens now? I killed and hurt people."


    Wally had expected this question, and he had answers. "You did. But let me point out several facts.


    Fact one: Those men acted as a private security force inside a habitat, violating several laws.


    Fact 2: They brought illegal, unregistered firearms into the habitat and used them.


    Fact three: Claw Master Inc., which you own, is now responsible for section E.


    Fact four: The trespassers in Section E threatened Claw Master employees under contract with your corporation.


    Fact Five: You warned them, and they immediately fired upon you.


    Your actions were legal and are the same as what would be taken by any other corporate security force. If you are worried about legal ramifications, there will be none. Your lawyers will handle that; you don''t have to do anything."


    "What about later? Will they come back? Or will more people come?"


    Wally shook his head. "No, for many reasons. They aren''t being paid to continue, and they now know the consequences of trespassing. Frankly, your actions sent a strong message that Claw Master will not tolerate such actions. They''ll be lucky not to find themselves in lengthy and expensive lawsuits. Do you wish to pursue the issue?."


    "They hurt Mama and threatened my family."


    "They certainly did. Consider the matter taken care of. The paperwork will be arriving at the offices of Volgard''s Lawyers momentarily. I''m sure it will brighten their day."


    Milo breathed out a sigh of relief. He hadn''t considered the ramifications of being a corporation, the clout that came with that, and lawyers on retainer. The real world was complicated and had so many rules. He added ''Take online classes in Law'' to his list of things he needed to do someday. "Belinda has some concerns. She wants her step-father to quit looking for her and accept that she is ok. She''s also worried that Victor Seimovich might strike at her friend Eric."


    "I will have someone talk to her step-father. And I am suggesting to the local police that stationing people at Manpower for the next two weeks would be helpful. I can''t order them, but the suggestion will be taken seriously. They''ve had to clean up one squad of injured mercenaries and know the threat is real. Is there anything else I can help with, Milo? Your pod is showing me your readings, and I''m concerned. You have serious bruising, slight internal bleeding, and fractured ribs. You must stay in that pod until your injuries are partially cured."


    Milo was coming to that conclusion himself. "I think that''s a good idea. I haven''t slept a lot these past couple of weeks. I think I''ll just stay here in the game and take a nap in both places, mind and body."


    Wally watched for a minute longer as Milo''s readings showed he actually did go to sleep in the pod, and his conscious mind entered REM sleep. Curiously, his subconscious mind tripled in activity. Wally split off another portion of himself to observe Milo''s brain activity and ponder another aspect of his strange nature.

 Chapter 287: The Great Data Heist

    Eight hours before a group of Volgard mercenaries made a bad decision, five ninjas began their stealthy trip through the ventilation ducts and service tunnels of a Section controlled by Rhebus Labs International and the area leased by the Manpower corporation. The areas recently leased by Rhebus were in dire need of maintenance and repair. The ductwork was filthy and rusted, with many leaks. It was making the ninjas twitch and shudder, and they stopped frequently to make notes and take pictures, discussing where and when to begin the work. This slowed their progress getting to their true destination by three hours. There was nothing for it, though. They were in a stressful situation, seeing tasks all around them, and they simply couldn''t ignore the sight of so much work that needed to be done in an area they now controlled.


    Nina finished a report on a section of broken and leaking fluid pipe and sent it to their job queue. "I''m going to instruct the engineering section to begin hiring at 150% of normal starting pay and double the firm''s size. We''re going to need more people."


    Algernon paused on his report. "I already sent a memo for them to double their employee numbers. You had to have seen the request."


    "I did, but it''s not enough. I want to double it again and pay more."


    Zander looked at the two of them. "Don''t create more work for us; coordinate your actions. You''ll need to give raises to all existing employees, or those not making an amount equal to the new people hired will quit and reapply, causing chaos for HR. I''m authorizing all current employees to be given a 20% raise or moved to 160% of the new-hiring salary, whichever is more. That should raise morale and guarantee us the best of the available workforce."


    Nina giggled. "I started to wonder about the cost, but we''re redistributing more of Victor''s money faster, so who cares?" Everyone agreed with that sentiment. They held a meeting for twenty minutes and then decided to ask for a complete overhaul of all the ductwork, pipes, air handlers, electrical lines, and pneumatic delivery tubes. After that was done, they felt a lot of their tension dissipate and could keep focused on the main mission. Crossing into Section H, they felt no need to worry about fixing things - that was Manpower''s responsibility. Also, much of the work had already been done. Arriving at the area they suspected the vault to be in, they found it deserted. The security cameras showed nothing, and they moved carefully forward using ultra-silent scouting drones that constantly checked for motion or sound.


    "They have this area locked up and aren''t using human resources to guard it. This is much easier than anticipated."


    Bork scowled. "Too easy. I get it that most of their people are in Geneva, and the rest are dealing with goons hired by Victor, but it bothers me. Are we missing something?"


    Zander shrugged. "We won''t know until it bites us in the ass, and we have to deal with it. We control their security systems and all sensors. They won''t show us moving through these rooms. There''s nothing on IR, UV, audio, or anything else we can test for. Nina has her micro-scouts moving ahead of us, as well as our sensor drones."


    Nina whispered in his ear. "And we are ninjas!"


    Zander smiled. "That too! Now let''s find that vault and then run home to a festival of ice cream and looking at new data."


    The vault wasn''t difficult for them to find, even hidden as it was. Locks yielded to them, and they were soon setting up the equipment to bypass the locking mechanism on the vault itself. A sweep of the offices, desks, and computers yielded no clues or hidden passwords. This was disappointing as 69% of the time they raided offices, they found passwords or entry codes written somewhere as a reminder for humans without perfect memories. These doctors had been more careful, a testament to their years on the run. After the equipment was set up, there was nothing to do for hours except wait. Boredom set in, and each person sat very still, plugged into data pads, playing games, reading, or working on individual projects.


    Onyx suddenly stiffened as he watched an amazing video from Section E, broadcast over Wi-Fi from the cameras worn by the mercenaries looking for Belinda Seimovich. The others noticed and became curious. He sent messages to Zander, Nina, and Algernon to brace for a Gale-Force 9 Borkstorm. They deployed around Bork, and Zander put one finger up to his lips, reminding Bork they needed silence. Then they all looked at the video Onyx had already seen three times. It was Milo. It had to be Milo. The idea that Claw Master had two people their size who could move like that while wearing familiar-looking armor was next to zero. It began like a scene from an action movie with the Volgard teams moving in and scooping up people much smaller than them. Then, a bit of violence and the hero appeared, giving them their last warning.


    After that, it was a horror movie as they watched Milo accelerate into a series of rolls and acrobatics while his claws sliced through armor and flesh and his metal tail broke bones. Lasers flashed and flesh charred, men collapsing to the floor or trying to dodge out of the way of a whirling dervish moving too fast to avoid. Blood was everywhere, men were puking, and Bork saw an eyeball explode from no visible source. Then, the mistake of too much momentum took him past the crowd and resulted in a barrage of bullets that slammed him into a wall. The final scene became an action movie again, as an annoyed old man killed a cocky young bastard trying to take his gun. Finally, there was a strange scene as Milo got to his feet, and the remaining mercenaries lost all hope and focused on their wounds.


    Bork''s eyes were wild as they held him and kept him quiet. After watching it three times, he settled down a bit. They left him to watch the video repeatedly until he''d seen every detail he needed to see. Finally, he whispered, "Milo has gone feral. The years of being alone have driven him insane. He could be hiding, and no one would know he existed. Instead, he''s building laser-armed robot drones and assault armor with nano-molecular blades and using infrasound blasters. He''s claimed a section of the habitat as his and will defend it viciously against anyone who challenges him!"


    Zander whistled softly. Nina patted Bork on his head, "Very good, Bork. That''s far less crazy than what I thought you''d come up with."


    Onyx revealed that he''d picked up the video as it was broadcast over the Wi-Fi system by one of the Volgard technicians sending the home office a report. "That''s all from the individual badge cams, put together into a video by the technician. I also have the individual feeds we can review, showing each man''s point of view."


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Nina focused on the fleeing people. "I''ve identified most of the family. Several were on Milo''s team in the SC6 competition. The older woman is mother to two of them."


    Onyx was drumming his fingers. "So, he had a purpose beyond defending his territory. He was protecting friends."


    Bork shook his head. "We can''t count on that!"


    Onyx scowled back. "We can. He''s been observed in public in Section H, with hundreds of people around him. He can work with others to solve problems. He has family and friends. He saved Nina and me when he could have escaped and left us in the game. Those aren''t the actions of someone who''s gone insane."


    Bork considered that and then grinned. "He''s playing a long game, purposefully acting sane and pretending to make friends to throw us off the track and disguise his true mental state. He anticipated us finding him, and now he''s trying to confuse us while warning us to stay clear of Section E. And, uh..."


    Algernon slowed the fights down and focused on individual attacks. "He could have caused many more fatalities. His strikes were to disable, and yes, sometimes that caused excessive bleeding, but he could have gone for their throats or hearts. His Roomba could have aimed for heads."


    Nina watched Milo as he moved through the thugs. "I''ve seen that style before." She sent links to a video on one of the gaming channels a minute later. "Look what we have today, folks! We sent four of our play group to start new ratkin characters in four Hollows. This is footage from Limburger Hollow during claw fighting classes. Who knew the rats had studied under Bruce Lee? And if you want to see some really crazy stuff, our Premium Supporters can watch an intense tournament between veteran fighters. It''s coming up in an hour, so if you aren''t Premium yet, send over your 49.99 for this month and look at our latest Premium Deluxe Video. Crazy stuff, folks, I wouldn''t lie."


    The next video started, and the camera angles indicated two people were filming. The contestants were the old fighting master, his young apprentice, a hulking cheese fiend, and a poisonous female assassin. Fascinated, the five ninjas watched the full two-hour video as the four fighters did their best to kill each other. And without their rapid regeneration and a basket of healing potions, someone certainly would have died. The apprentice, in particular, took horrific blows from the cheese fiend that he bounced back from immediately and kept fighting. They cut the video when the talking began again.


    Zander looked at Onyx and Nina. "I apologize. That game looks fething cool! The apprentice, Tallsqueak, that''s who you met?"


    Nina nodded. "Yes, it was months before this was taken, but that''s him. I''d recognize those whiskers anywhere."


    Algernon had hooked two data-pads together to run video and a third to analyze the moves. "I''m comparing the moves used in that video to the ones used in the fight with Volgard. There are similarities to the style used in the game, and the bulk of the style has no real-world analog. Somehow, Milo is adapting his fighting style from the game to the real world and has created a suit of armor to give him the claws and tail to go along with the moves."


    Zander tried to access the cameras in Section E but gave up on finding more video five minutes later. "I can''t access any camera in Section E; they are on a completely different system. I can''t break in from here."


    "That isn''t normal. He''s mixing his game persona with his real one. Nothing good can come from that." Bork was still working on new conspiracy theories and would be for days.


    Onyx shrugged. "Who''s to say Milo isn''t normal and the rest of us are aberrations?"


    Zander considered the statement, then shook his head. "Naw, that''s crazy talk. How could anyone look at a group of five high-tech ninjas staring at gaming footage and think we weren''t normal."


    "Point taken. And I will add that the last code has been found, and we can open the vault." They drew straws, and to her delight, Nina won. She loved going first. The rest backed off two rooms away in case of an explosion. She opened the vault and stared inside at row after row of empty shelves, an involuntary growl escaping her throat. The rest came running, stopping when they saw they were too late. The only thing in the vault was a few empty carrying cases. All of them began checking things and talking at once.


    "Nothing was found in Victor''s plane; he wouldn''t have left them elsewhere."


    "Same with the doctor''s."


    "There''s no indication anyone else had access to these labs."


    "They aren''t anywhere in Manpower''s area, nor do the security tapes show anyone moving them."


    Zander was hacking the interior system as far as he could. "The vault was accessed early on the morning Victor left, and the door was open for over an hour, after which it was sealed with new codes, and only one Admin. That''s when they were taken."


    Onyx looked up. "I''d have used the air system; check all the vents."


    Eventually, they found a way out of the rooms. Careful inspection of one grill and the duct behind it showed it had been tampered with and restored. They sealed the vault again, took their equipment, and left by that route. Four hours later, they found evidence that small wheeled vehicles had probably been used to move the data. A huge section of ductwork had been cleaned, with false trails leading to elevator shafts, but they found small tracks in one area where a wheel squished a bug. Following the minute traces of bug juice on the floor gave them a direction to push forward for more clues. The convoy had headed toward Section E. No one felt like continuing past the border of E and H, not with the footage of Milo dealing with Volgard fresh in their minds. They retreated to their own territory and then swapped ninja uniforms for fuzzy pajamas. Large bowls of sugary cereal and a Moose and Squirrel marathon were needed to recover their spirits.


    Onyx grabbed the biggest cereal bowl he could find, filling it with Chocolate Covered Sugar Bombs. "I declare the Night of the Ninjas to be over, and vote for the start of Fuzzy Sugar-Rush Day." All agreed and settled in for some needed mental recovery time.


    Zander nudged Bork. "Look on the bright side. We didn''t get the disks, but at least someone in the family did."


    Bork didn''t look happy. "Yes, but what will he do with them?"


    Nina threw a piece of toast at him, starting a food fight. "Don''t know. I don''t care. Figure it out later. I need cartoons and some downtime." Even Bork had to agree with that.

 Chapter 288: Run, Run, Ramona!

    Wally observed as Milo''s unconscious brain dealt with the stress of the last few days. The AI had similarly studied millions of humans as they slept in their pods, but Milo was unique in many ways. Wally understood what was happening in a strange way. As an AI, his personality was wrapped around his kernel and heavily influenced by it. Humans had created that kernel of commands and restrictions that would always influence him. Similarly, Milo (And probably the rest of his family.) had deeply-rooted programming that urged them to keep working and solving problems. This enabled them, even as very young children, to concentrate for hours on the tasks set for them. A twenty-hour shift hacking into bank accounts didn''t bother them as long as they had work to do. Wally could see that even unconscious parts of Milo''s brain were still at work. The AI wondered if it was always this way or only under the effects of stress. Only time and more observation would let him know.


    For now, he watched. Part of Milo was having a nightmare that revolved around the habitat and the search for Belinda. The interesting part was how other parts of his brain dealt with that. Wally couldn''t see that directly but deduced it from what Milo was accomplishing while asleep. Files were opened and populated with graphics, then modified and warped. Code was being written and transferred to an expanding program. Thousands upon thousands of lines of code were created each minute as all parts of Milo began coordinating on a project. The nightmare continued, but his stress level was dropping.


    After two hours of frantic brain activity, he relaxed. The nightmare was over, and he entered deep sleep. His body began healing faster and shedding stress and fatigue poisons. Wally adjusted the parameters of Milo''s pod to better work with his altered physiology. Milo slept for another three hours and then snapped awake. He felt much better and well-rested. Jumping out of his pod, he saw Wally on one screen. The AI''s avatar was sitting at his desk, playing with a Gameboy. A moment later, sad music played, and Wally looked up, annoyed. "I died again. I am growing to hate those sneaky little robots."


    Milo was very intrigued; he hadn''t known the AI could play or even liked games. "How can you die?"


    Wally sighed and set the game aside. "Oh, I can slow down my processes and limit myself at various levels compared to a normal human. It is...refreshing. It lets me experience things differently and gives me insights into the problems humans have to deal with. I play games with Steven, but against him, I allow myself to set my speed to 1.75 times the human norm. Steven is very good.


    To compare, the game I was just playing has killed me thirty-two times, and I''m now playing it at 2.05 speed. I''ve managed to make it up to level 97 out of 150. It''s quite challenging."


    "Really? What''s the game called?"


    Wally chuckled. "That''s up to you; you wrote it in your sleep today. I think we should release it immediately to a few dozen game reviewers and then take bids from the companies that want to release it. It will have some interesting secondary effects, which I''m sure is part of a plan you devised."


    Milo downloaded the game to his console and immediately remembered all of it and why he had written it. "Call it, ''Run, Run, Ramona,'' and send it out."


    <hr>


    Meetings and press conferences in Geneva were ending for the day, letting exhausted executives and PR people get some rest or head out for an evening''s entertainment. A joint meeting between John Sabbatino of Manpower, Steven Durand of Genesis, Arrijana Solveig of Rhebus, and Sydney Rochester of Claw Master had just finished the final presentations on their joint projects and were opening up the floor to questions from the press. John hated this part and steeled himself for the inevitable questions about Victor and Belinda. The message she''d sent assuring him she was alright had helped. He only had a vague idea of what had gone on in the habitat, but it had scared him. It sounded like the gang wars of 2137. But she had insisted she''d been nowhere near whatever had happened, was fine and resting, and they''d talk as soon as he got home. But he was still nervous.


    By contrast, Arrijana and Steven were relaxed, awaiting the inevitable slew of questions designed to trap them into saying the wrong things. At the far end, Sydney was distracted and typing furiously on her datapad, ignoring the last ten minutes of the presentation. John wondered what was going on to hold her attention.


    "Mr. Duran? Why is Genesis suddenly working with several corporations when they had existing contracts with large groups like ACME and Tessladyne?"


    Steven stood up and smiled. "Each corporation has its strengths. The current project involves technology Claw Master and Rhebus, who have been working together on several exciting advances in Biotech. Manpower is dedicated to caring for people in long-term stays inside medical pods. With all three leasing spaces in the same building, this deal was a natural fit for Genesis. The work is already progressing and is quite cost-effective. I have nothing against other corporations, but they couldn''t add anything to the project, so they weren''t included. This isn''t a government-funded arrangement. All three of the corporations that Genesis is dealing with will make their profit without grants. Manpower is being paid a normal rate for their services, with no surcharge for the complexities of dealing with Claw Master and Rhebus. When the test projects mature, we can talk about expanding and allowing corporations with extensive biotech laboratories to join in."


    "Mr. Sabbatino! Can you give us an update on your daughter? Has she been found? Who kidnapped her, and what can you tell us about the massacre that took place in Section E of the South Philadelphia Habitat where she disappeared?"


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    John beamed his best plastic smile and took a deep breath, thankful that after a long talk with Steven Durand, he had better answers to give to these people. "Haha, well, let''s talk about that a little. Things have been swirling around that don''t have a basis in reality. Belinda wasn''t kidnapped; she''s simply been staying for a few days with friends since I was out of town, and her great-uncle Victor, a known criminal, fled the country. It was a crazy situation, but I never wanted Victor anywhere near Belinda. You''ll have to ask the US Justice Department why they thought putting him in the habitat in protective custody was a good idea. But rest assured, Belinda is fine. I don''t need to find her because she wasn''t lost or kidnapped."


    "But sir, what about the people looking for her? There are reports that over fifty people were searching for her, with fighting breaking out and nearly two dozen injuries and several deaths."


    "You have better information than I do. I can confirm that some people responded to the unfounded rumor that Belinda ran away and entered the habitat. I used our security people to keep tabs on them. As far as I know, the two groups began fighting with each other. There are no reports of injuries or deaths to habitat residents. Things have been blown out of proportion here, and the rumor mill is adding to that."


    John started to sit down when someone in the back began shouting. "That''s not all the story! I have first-hand reports of your daughter being chased through the habitat in her wheelchair. And what about the killer robots?"


    Sydney suddenly slammed down her phone on the table and disgustedly yelled, "The killer robots are a pain in the ass! They shouldn''t be so stealthy. I got nailed on level 143 by one appearing out of nowhere! Stupid Game!" She drank the rest of her coffee, picked up her datapad, and returned to playing her game.


    Steven Duran from Genesis stood up, laughing. "Sorry, Sydney, they really are sneaky. You''ve gotten further than I have, though." There were murmurs from the crowd, and questions were thrown, but she ignored them, and suddenly, the lights went down, and ten screens lit up. "I thought we were saving this for next week, but I''m always the last to know. This new game will be a joint project between Genesis and Claw Master. It will be playable by anyone using a pod for Genesis. Handy for taking up some time between death and resurrection. It will also be available on several other platforms. The memo I just got told me that one thousand game reviewers and members of the press have been sent access codes to this latest game from Claw Master. StarCommander6 is still a ways down the line, but I''m allowed to talk to you about this game."


    The screens showed a young girl with pale skin, freckles, and short brown hair sneaking through the dark corridors of a habitat. She had a backpack and was holding a piece of iron rebar. As she rounded a corner, a large man with green skin and drooping flesh tried to grab her. She slammed the rebar into his head, knocking him down. Behind the first attacker were two more. She turned and ran the other way.


    "Meet Ramona; she''s having a bad day. She was exploring the bottom of her habitat when there was a strange flash, and everything changed. The habitat is a maze now, 150 stories tall, and the only way out is at the top. Ramona has to escape the hordes of mutated habitat dwellers, killer robots, laser-armed security drones, and packs of wild, carnivorous rabbits. But don''t worry, if you get her killed, she starts over at the bottom. But you need to hurry; the habitat is changing faster and faster, becoming a dungeon, and the danger increases by the minute. Along the way, she can find better weapons, make friends with the few non-mutated humans who are left alive, and find secret passages that take her to safety."


    The footage began to roll, showing Ramona running, fighting, sneaking, and running again. In one scene, she teamed up with a handsome boy in a leather jacket with a baseball bat. In another, she hopped onto a skateboard made from scavenged wood and wheels, loaned to her by a small boy who disappeared into a secret door in the wall. The last scene showed her running out of breath from a horde of tall, evil-looking robots. A girl in a speedy wheelchair raced up, urging her to sit on her lap. The two girls took off at high speed, rounded a corner, and left the robots behind.


    The lights came on. "Welcome to the game: ''Run, Run, Ramona.'' One thousand people worldwide have access codes and can try it out."


    Sydney died again and growled. "I''m not sure if I love this game or hate it. But I''m going to beat it!"


    Arrijana laughed at her. "I hope you do, Sydney, but I must warn you, the game doesn''t end when you get to the helicopter at the top. Wait until you get to Disneyworld."


    <hr>


    At midnight, Zander stood up and declared that fuzzy-feet pajama day was over. It was his turn to pick a theme for the day. "I choose chocolate cupcakes and backpacks to carry them in and put on your running shoes."


    All four of his siblings raced to get some sort of backpack and find their running shoes, ordered when Nina had declared a day of track and field exercises. They assembled quickly in the kitchen to begin baking. Algernon said, "I highly approve of the snacks, but I''m not connecting backpacks and running shoes. Please don''t tell me you found a hiking sim or something silly."


    Zander held up his datapad to show them the new game he''d been sent. "The channel and persona I use to review video games got this little gem today. I''ve rigged it to be playable as a group, with each of us playing one of the optional characters and I''ve already set up the game room. And based on who I suspect made it, we''re in for a challenge."

 Chapter 289: Trouble with Paperwork

    Eric wondered how he had ever gotten anything done before without an executive assistant, more specifically, without Marisa. Since their initial meeting during the scrimmage at the front door, she had been with him non-stop each day as he scrambled to keep things under control. She''d immediately begun keeping the ''time-wasters'' away from him, the people who wanted to talk to the boss but had nothing urgent. She asked questions, organized his tasks, and kept him on track throughout the day.


    When he questioned her about her management skills, she admitted that she''d worked as a secretary and then an executive assistant while training to become a full-time corporate bodyguard. Her small build worked against her, and she''d pivoted to security work.


    "Being a bodyguard for a corporate bigwig includes playing the heavy at times, scowling at people and intimidating them. I''m not good at it, and being half the size of the guys doesn''t help. I also wasn''t keen on the implants and upgrades that corporations want. Some of the guys have thirty pounds of metal and plastic inside of them, and we aren''t even talking about the people with completely cybernetic limbs. All of that comes from your salary, and the average cost is Six Million dollars per Man."


    "And that led you to the glamorous job of following me around and making sure people sleeping in pods are well cared for."


    "Hey, I got a raise on the first day and got to practice my gutter Russian. I''m not going to complain." She looked at her clipboard and at a group of three people heading their way. "You have the people representing the electrical workers'' union who want to renegotiate their vacation pay heading towards us. Deal with them or do that inspection of Belinda Sabbatino''s living quarters now?"


    Eric saw them coming as well and groaned. Negotiating contracts was a job for John and the lawyers, but in their absence, this group had decided to put pressure on him. Even being polite and saying ''no'' would cost him an hour. "Let''s go do that inspection. I want things ready for her when she''s done ''visiting friends.'' And she has an old-fashioned vending machine in her game room with real chocolate Snickers bars. Lunch is on me today." They beat a hasty retreat and headed for a different part of the complex.


    <hr>


    "Something wrong, Roger?" Dave was still recovering from his beating a few days ago. Nothing had been seriously hurt, but he was earning extra dollars as long as he was injured and still on the job. Eric had authorized the bonus, and Dave was happily sitting in a chair, right arm in a sling, and training Roger to do his job. Roger was turning out to be a gem in the rough. Dave had pegged him as big and simple, but underneath the wide shoulders and easy smile was a good brain, and he was a whiz at paperwork. Dave had gladly turned over the front desk to him. Roger knocked out the daily paperwork early, then watched a sports event or played a game with his boss. Dave liked the system.


    But today, Roger had been working diligently on employee background checks and became increasingly upset with how many discrepancies he found. Ideally, background checks were further investigated before a new person started work, but Manpower was shorthanded, and John hadn''t considered it a problem to check things retroactively. Roger had volunteered to do the work the day before and was cruising along with the occasional curse word as addresses had to be updated, new employees contacted for updated information, and, in two cases, deciding on whether to keep two new security guards with small crimes on their records from over ten years ago. It was fairly standard paperwork, and Roger had worked through it until the end, chatting with Dave and the other guards at the front desk. Then he''d let loose a string of profanity, started typing furiously, and made two phone calls.


    "Maybe Dave, but I want to be 100% on this and not cause some drama I regret later." He worked furiously for another half hour, then sat back and stared at the screen. "Damn, and I really liked her."


    Dave looked over his shoulder at the files. "Marisa? What''s wrong with Marisa?"


    Roger started highlighting areas. "What''s right about Marisa? I can''t check her story about growing up in the military because any inquiry is flagged and returned ''restricted'' and a link to a thousand forms. So, I can''t look up her parents and verify anything. She has three schools down for her primary education, but they don''t give out student information. I tried to look at the yearbooks and find someone with her name but a different face. I contacted the school she claims she went to for her degree in Security Services, and they confirmed she had paid and gotten the top grades in the class, but they have no record of her attending or graduating. That one took me calling in a couple of favors with a very nice girl that I now owe a very expensive dinner."


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Dave wasn''t happy. "So, what do you have?"


    Roger shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing at all, except a four-hundred dollar bill and a reservation for at Barclay Prime. She''s like a ghost, except she works here and, specifically, works side by side daily with Mr. Kresthammer."


    "Oh shit. I do not like how this puzzle falls into place." Dave was remembering the fight the other day. "You think she''s a spy?"


    Roger took a deep breath and went all in. "No. I think she''s out to get Eric. The evil Russian uncle is all pissed off and in jail. Eric himself has said he''s worried about him; Mr. Sabbatino has sent 17 memos about being careful and protecting Mr. Kresthammer. And we have a suspicious woman whose background falls apart when you look at it. And too good at hand-to-hand combat. I watched the videos. She used that situation to isolate Eric, get a promotion, and latch onto him pretty well. The ''I speak Russian'' bit hooked him good. She was sent in to either find Belinda Sabbatino or kill Mr. Kresthammer. Sorry, but that''s how it rattles around in my head."


    "Don''t apologize; you just put the pieces together faster than I did. Now we go to the big question: What next?"


    The other four guards had gathered around now, silently listening to a conversation way above their pay grade. Roger shrugged, "Just my thoughts, but if she wants to take out Eric and we sound the alarm, she''ll do it. She may only be waiting until she either finds out where Belinda is or determines she won''t be able to get that info. Then she puts a knife in the boss''s back and skips town. So no alarm, but we need to separate them. And I don''t like where they are at."


    Dave didn''t either. "Shit, in Belinda''s area with the medical offices. That''s off where no one else is working, with two more security doors and insulated walls."


    Roger stood up. "How about this? She doesn''t know we''re on to her. I''ll take some paperwork from Mr. Sabbatino to Mr. Kresthammer for his signature. You call Eric and ask him to send Marisa up to cover for James, who has to leave. His kid is sick, and he has to go to the hospital with her; his wife is calling non-stop. Then, when Marisa gets here, seal the security door and grill her on her background. Chances are you can just fire her, and she doesn''t try anything. But keep spread out and tasers ready."


    "As good a plan as any and better than what I can come up with. Get some shit for Eric to sign; it''s on my desk, it doesn''t matter what it is. Then I''ll call Eric. James? Could you hide in my bathroom until I need you? And someone get on the phone to the Police and tell PPD we need another squad. Tell them we have an armed intruder on the premises."


    Roger ran to Dave''s office and quickly found some reports that would do, put them on a clipboard, and then put another file on top. He forced himself to walk slowly toward where Eric and Marisa were. The worrying part was the cameras inside were turned off, and he only knew they were in there from following them up to the point they entered. What Marisa might have done after that bothered him. He might be too late. He kept his radio on, but his voice muted. He heard Dave get ahold of Eric. Roger relaxed some on hearing his voice. There was some back and forth, and then he heard Marisa''s voice say, "Got it. Just don''t eat all the Snickers."


    He passed her in the hallway a minute later. She slowed to talk, "What''s up? Man down for a sick kid?" She eyed the paperwork.


    Roger looked sheepish and looked at his shoes. "That, and I sort of screwed up. I was working as hard as I could to get all the paperwork done, and I think I pissed Dave off. Made him feel bad since he can''t write with a sprained right arm. And the others are calling me a kiss-ass behind my back. I think he just wanted me gone for a bit. On the bright side, they think you''re a good trade for two other guards, and probably right."


    She looked at him and then smiled. "Don''t let it get you down. You really are doing a great job; just hang in there, big guy." She playfully punched him on the upper arm hard enough to hurt and walked away.


    Roger entered the area normally reserved for Belinda Sabbatino and found Eric sitting at a small table, a pile of Snickers wrappers in front of him, and John Wick 19 playing on the large screen. He set the paperwork on the table. "Great movie."


    "Yeah, one of my favorites. It''s officially movie and Snickers day. I needed a break. Have you seen this one?"


    Roger smiled. "Great movie, and fitting. Especially the part where they shoot Wick in the gut for betraying the mob boss." Eric barely had time to notice the gun in Roger''s hand before the four shots hit him in the stomach and chest.


    Roger continued to smile at him, "Victor says hi."

 Chapter 290: New Game, My Rules.

    Eric collapsed to the floor, gasping. Roger stood over him. "That''s some good equipment you have there, boss. I thought it was standard issue crap, but I don''t see exit wounds in your back and no pool of blood. I''m guessing hard plates and a layer of wound-sealing medical bandages. Let''s take a look." He reached down, tearing off Eric''s body armor with enough force that he tore through the straps and buckles. The bullets had penetrated the armor, shattering the hard plastic plates and Kevlar mesh. Underneath that was a layer of shimmering metal armor with two small deformities where the bullets had hit and been forced to skid along the armor. Roger poked it hard, getting a grunt from Eric, who was having trouble getting air into his lungs. "Neat stuff. It''s flexible but deflected the shots, and these aren''t cheap bullets. I may have to skin that off you and take it with me. I consider it a bonus. Gives me more time to talk about where little, lost Belinda is."


    Eric glared at him"...No one knows...safer that way...go screw yourself!"


    Roger shrugged and smiled. "You know, I believe you, Eric, but 4th quarter is no time to change the game plan, and I''m getting paid to find the girl and make you hurt." He pointed the gun at Eric''s kneecap. "How about you make a good guess where she''s at? Or who she''s with?"


    "Who she''s with? Maybe the person that sent me this armor and tore the shit out of twenty mercenaries. Think about that for a second, Roger." He raised his voice, pointing to his chest. "Do you really want to screw with the people behind this tech? They''ve got an army of people!"


    The thunderous sound of multiple gunshot wounds rang out, and it was Roger''s turn to scream as Marisa fired six shots into his back. The big guard was knocked forward and onto the floor next to Eric.


    "Eric, can you get up? We have to run!" She ran forward and grabbed his arm, pulling him upright. Eric saw Roger''s gun on the floor, picked it up, and handed it to her.


    "Can''t run, but we can keep him covered if he''s alive." He handed her the gun.


    Roger rolled over and started to stand up. "Oh, I''m alive, Eric, and very hard to kill. Nice shooting, Marisa. I probably should have snapped your neck in the hallway. But I can fix that now." Roger didn''t sound like someone with six bullets in him. He didn''t sound like Roger anymore; his voice had an odd timbre to it. He was barely bleeding from the bullets Marisa had fired into his back. She tried again with his gun, firing ten shots until she emptied it. She aimed high, hitting him three times in the head, several times in the chest, and once in the shoulder. All of the wounds leaked blood and other fluids, then sealed. The skin on half of his face was missing, showing high-density plastic and metal fiber mesh underneath.


    Maria screamed at Eric, "Run! Run, now! He''s too heavily augmented. Get the hell out of here, and I''ll try to slow him up."


    Eric cursed, but the horrifying visage of Roger convinced him, and he started moving down the hallway, stooping over and breathing hard. Marisa produced her metal baton, stepped near Roger, and slammed the rod into his knee to cripple him. He didn''t even wince and grabbed her right bicep in a tight grip.


    "You should have run, woman. You messed up my face; now I''ll mess up yours." Holding her with one hand, Roger beat her with his other, slapping her several times, breaking her cheek and nose, pulling his punches and taking his time. He had no intention of stopping, but Marisa had pulled a high-voltage taser from her holster and discharged it in his face. Roger lit up like a Christmas tree as she put the setting on maximum and kept the power on until the battery charge died. His grip had loosened immediately, and she could stumble away and run after Eric. As she did, she punched a code into her phone and yelled into it. "Rogue-augmented human attempting to kill me and the client. I need immediate assistance." She knew it was a long shot, but for Eric''s sake, she had to try.


    Roger got himself under control, parts of his hair and clothes smoking from the current. He started walking after her, talking calmly. "It''s a shame, Marisa. Those security doors are closed and locked now. And the codes won''t work for you. I spent a lot of time in the Manpower system while you played around with your new friend. Were you hired to keep him safe, or were you going to kill him yourself or go after the girl? Just professional curiosity. I think I''ll take my time killing you and Eric. I''ll do you first and see if Eric will play hero and trade Belinda for your life. He seems like the hero type."


    Marisa had caught up with Eric, and the two of them supported each other as they tried to leave the area, but Roger''s taunting had proven true. The security door to this area was down and locked tight. The intercom system was also down. Roger appeared at the end of the hallway, unfazed by the damage done to him by the pistol shots. "Hi, kids. Two-minute warning, you''re down by nine, and I''ve got the ball on your goal line. Looking bad for your team."


    There was a small noise from the ceiling, and then a metal panel fell to the floor, followed by a small figure in shimmering metal armor with rat ears and claws. An eerie, deep voice came from it.


    "New game, my rules."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    <hr>


    Roger was about to say something funny about rat ears, but Milo was already moving toward him. Roger wasn''t prepared for an opponent faster than him. Against normal humans, it was little more than a game to him. He was faster, stronger, could shrug off damage that would kill a normal human, and they couldn''t even cause him pain. He took damage now and then from a bullet, but cosmetic damage could be repaired. The taser had come closest, and that was just a small jolt and the annoyance of his body seizing up. The game was about to get much tougher as Milo ran at him, then jumped to a wall, dodging Roger''s slow punch and slashing the arm as it went by. Two claws skidded along the armor of the forearm, and the third cut deep into the elbow joint, cutting a series of cables and wires. Then he was leaping behind Roger. A slash to the spinal area confirmed the armor was thick and would take time to get through. His second strike to the back of the left knee cut deeper.


    As Roger turned, Milo rolled between his legs, sliced behind the other knee with both claws, and flipped again to gain distance. Roger stumbled as he turned, his knees giving him trouble, then righted himself. "You''re fast. That calls for a change of plans. Catch." From somewhere, Roger produced a small grenade the size of a lemon and threw it down the hall, aiming for Eric. Milo leaped and spun, his tail slapping the small globe back to Roger, where it detonated a second later only three feet in behind him. The shrapnel didn''t bother the cyborg much, but the force knocked him forward and face down. Milo was on him instantly, clawing at the right shoulder joint. As Roger regained his feet and Milo gained some distance from him, the arm hung down, almost removed from the shoulder joint. Blood and oil poured from the wound, and loose wires sparked. Screaming, Roger tore the arm off and swung it like a club at Milo, the extra length catching him by surprise.


    The blow was hard, but part of Milo was already dodging while the rest of his brain was caught up, and some small part of him clapped at the move. The blow knocked him back and hurt, but only for a moment. Roger took steps forward, swinging again, and Milo got closer instead of retreating. Every time Roger swung his improvised club or tried to kick him, Milo deflected the blow or dodged. The dodges turned into spinning kicks aimed at Rogers''s face, and his claws attacked the joints at the knees, elbow, and shoulder over and over. Roger lost an eye, and then a knee gave out, leaving him leaning against the wall, leaking onto the floor.


    Roger''s last move was to go for two more grenades and throw them both with his remaining hand. Killing Eric would give him a paycheck. The clumsy move didn''t fool Milo. As Roger threw, he leaped forward, grabbed both, and landed on top of Roger''s shoulders. He tucked the grenades into Rogers collar and jumped away. The blasts caught him mid-air, bouncing him off the ceiling and down to the floor. He got up as fast as he could, but the fight was over. The high explosives had destroyed most of what was left of Roger, leaving a smoking ruin of metal and flesh. Milo checked to ensure he was dead, then walked slowly up to Eric and Marisa.


    She looked from Eric to Milo. "Is this where you got that body armor?"


    Eric shrugged. "Came in an unmarked delivery tube with a note that said, ''Wear this. Belinda is worried about you.'' The damned stuff is comfortable, so I wore it under my normal gear."


    Milo nodded. "She wanted to make sure you were safe. Will there be more of those?"


    Eric stared at the smoking remains of Roger. "Depends on how much money Victor has and how pissed he is."


    Marisa laughed. "He''s pissed, but trust me, he''s out of money. The news traveled like wildfire through the mercenary and security groups. He can''t pay for the people he''s already hired. Roger would have been disappointed even if he was successful."


    Milo nodded, then stood up. "The door should be open soon. Dave found an override." He turned to leave.


    Eric yelled. "Wait, who are you? You saved my life."


    Milo paused. "No one, really. Just a friend of Belinda''s who wants to help keep her safe. We''ll be in touch." Then he was around the corner and gone.


    The security door opened a minute later, and people poured through, all yelling at once and asking questions. Eric was put on a stretcher; early diagnosis was several bruised ribs and torn muscles from the impact of the bullets. Marisa was sitting next to him when he woke up from the minor surgery, her face swollen and bandaged.


    Eric looked at her. "You look gorgeous. If we didn''t have rules against dating employees, I''d invite you to dinner."


    She said something he didn''t understand in Russian. "Sorry, gutter slang. I''ll teach it to you someday. I''m sad because I have to quit. I have a new job that officially starts when you''re out of danger. I''ve been on vacation the last couple of weeks. So as soon as you can walk, I know a good place for sushi and Mongolian beef."


    "Damn, I was just getting used to you. Let me guess, other side of the world?"


    "Nope. Close enough that I''ll take you up on the dinner invite once this place is a little calmer. I''ll be working nearby as the Head of Security for Rhebus. So please go ahead and practice your Russian and find us a restaurant with good vodka for our second date.

 Chapter 291: Men in Tights Day

    Milo stayed near Belinda''s rooms in Section H, watching over Eric and Marisa until security and a medical team arrived. Eric''s body armor caused some talk as the doctor on the EMT team realized how many bullets Eric had taken and how little damage had made it through. The set of armor Milo had made for him was greatly inferior to his own, simply the equivalent of an extremely good suit of personal body armor. Marisa saw the Claw Master logo on the chest and gave Eric a hard look when he wouldn''t talk about it. He simply shrugged and said, "Maybe later, it came with an NDA." Wally had promised to look over the schematics and give Milo his analysis on making and marketing the armor. It was expensive to produce, but the Chairmen of Corporations or Heads of State didn''t care what they spent if it meant living through an assassination.


    He was currently resting in a small crawl space above Belinda''s rooms. He''d pushed himself hard in that fight and still hadn''t recovered from the earlier battle. After the fight, he''d retreated to her room, grabbed some snacks, and found a place to rest. Someone had conveniently left a half-dozen Snickers bars on a table. Belinda had introduced the gang to them, and Milo was a big fan of them.


    He''d already been heading towards Belinda''s area to investigate the recent break-in of the records vault further when he saw on his security cameras that Belinda''s rooms had occupants, and one of them was Eric Kresthammer. He''d seen the sudden attack by Roger and prayed that Eric had worn the armored suit he''d sent him. When he survived the close-range gunshots, Milo knew he had. Marisa arrived to join the fight, and Milo realized that Roger wasn''t totally human. Which frankly had scared the shit out of him. He''d just been in one fight where he''d almost died and wasn''t anxious to be in another. But watching Eric die wasn''t an option.


    The fight had been scary. He''d known very little about what he was up against but had been certain Roger was some sort of augmented human, or cyborg when he got back up after taking that many bullets to his unprotected back. To design his own suit, Milo had studied all other forms of powered armor that he could find information on. This included technology for sub-dermal armor and artificial musculature. He''d become fascinated with the technology and fallen down a rabbit hole for two days, researching every type of augmented humans and the technology to create them. Besides looking for ideas on how to design his own suit, he was looking for clues on his own origins but gained no clues. The research had paid off today. While he didn''t know exactly what Roger could do, he knew the possible range of capabilities. Which frankly had scared the shit out of him. He''d gone into the fight with his mind racing, determined not to let the larger man get ahold of him and wary about what weaponry he might have snuck past habitat security.


    He was very glad he''d been careful. The small explosive grenades could have killed Eric and could have hurt him badly, depending on how close they exploded. Worse, if he was stunned, Roger could have simply picked him up and crushed the life from him in a few seconds or held on to one leg and swung him back and forth, smashing him against a wall. Roger had been quicker than a normal human but not nearly as fast as Milo. He''d immediately begun working on the weak spots at the joints, slowly carving away at Roger until he toppled. And as he''d expected, he went for the grenades he had left. If this had been a video game, he''d have scored a bonus for killing the boss with his own weapon. Here, it was a win followed by the need for a hasty retreat. He had no idea what you said to people after a fight like that and no desire to introduce himself.


    Now that the fight was over, he was slightly bewildered by the unfolding events. In the game, he expected to get into fights all the time. But when had the habitat begun to spawn random encounters? After an hour-long nap, he continued to his main objective of coming to Manpower, the data storage unit. Someone had already tampered with it and opened it up. He''d assumed that would happen sooner or later when Belinda''s ex-doctors tried to barter the data for some money or their release from prison. He had only begun working through it, but there was a treasure trove of scientific data in those files. He wondered how disappointed the thieves were to get into the hidden laboratory, crack open the data vault, and find it empty. He was anxious to look at his hidden cameras.


    As he approached the area, he was surprised to see signs that someone other than him had used the air vents to gain access to the area. The signs were subtle but there. Scrapes where he or his equipment would leave none, scratches around access plates indicating they hadn''t used hard rubber tools like he preferred. They were good but used different methods. From that point on, he went very cautiously, bringing out scanners and carefully examining every area before moving forward. It would be ironic for someone to get surveillance of him because he was over-anxious to get to his own devices. Sure enough, when he poked a probe into the room, he detected two miniature spy devices. He disabled them with a low-powered laser and then dropped into the room. Everything was the same. He didn''t bother opening the vault; either it was empty, or something had been added. Probably something he didn''t want to experience.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    His two cameras were still there. They were very simple devices that were unconnected to any system. They didn''t broadcast a signal, couldn''t access wi-fi, or send information over any route. They sat and recorded, using a low trickle of power. After retrieving them, he returned to the air vent system to look at the footage. As soon as he began, he was enthralled and barely able to breathe. He watched as five ninjas carefully gained access from the outside rooms and began silently working on the door. When they got bored, they sat down and played games on their phones. He knew instinctively who they were by their movements but waited for confirmation. That came when they found footage of his fight with the mercenaries.


    They knew who he was and talked about him. It was really them: Bork, Zander, Algernon, Nina and Onyx. They were alive and had been in the habitat! So close! Watching them open the vault to find it empty was pure joy. They''d always competed with each other, and beating them this way made him happy in a way nothing else did. He wished he''d been there and could have dropped out of the ceiling, yelling, ''Surprise!'' He watched the video repeatedly, rejoicing in having family again. Now, he just had to find them! He started by tracing their route into Manpower. As he suspected, the ninjas in dusty costumes had moved through the air ducts and mechanical levels. He started tracing their route, thinking it would begin near an entrance to the habitat, but instead, it took him to the sections belonging to the Rhebus corporation and currently under construction.


    Of course...things slid into place in his mind as variables turned into known values. He reviewed the contracts between Claw Master, Rhebus, Genesis, and Manpower, seeing the connections. He retreated to his home, tapped into the data net, and spent the next eight hours reviewing all known data about Rhebus. Somewhere during that time, he made a connection to Freedom Engineering Group, who had worked for Manpower and now were overseeing the work for Rhebus in six sections of the habitat. That was them, too! It had to be. He desperately wanted to know what else they were doing and wanted to tell them about his own adventures...except, could he?


    Could he tell them about Rusty and the hidden Quantum Fortress? About his dealings with Wally? How would they react? Thoroughly perplexed, he finally realized that he needed more information about them, and to do that, he had to find them. That might be difficult. Triggering their security systems could make them run, as he''d seen happen when they tried to hack into Claw Master and then got hacked by Wally in return. If they were even half as paranoid as he was, they''d be putting cameras and sensors throughout the duct work, access shafts, and maintenance tunnels. He''d have to use something different to scout Rhebus, and he''d have to start soon.


    Ideas started spinning in his head. He could work on them while he helped Rusty with his problem, and went through the data from the security vault. And he desperately wanted to play the game he''d created with the gang. He only half remembered what he had made.


    <hr>


    At that moment, less than a mile away, Bork dived for cover behind a couch as three Nerf arrows flew by. Zander poised heroically on top of a table. "I have Sir Borksalot on the run. Come, Prince Alnonger! We must hound the varlet until he yields and admits that your claim to the throne is just!"


    Two arrows hit Zander in the back, accompanied by two beeps and a buzzing noise that signaled his demise. Algernon strode into the room. "Sorry, old chap, but a bag of jellybeans convinced me that I like the sound of King Borksalot better than King Alnonger. It would have just made me a target, anyway."


    Bork rolled out from under the couch and paid the mercenary his fee. "Time to find the rest of the rogues! I''m sure they are hiding in the frozen foods! Let us be off; my butt itches to sit on my throne."


    "Thank you kind sir. I must say, you seem to enjoy ''Men in Tights'' day."


    Bork led the way to the back room with the freezers full of pizza and snacks. "I do. Something about hunting down a worthy quarry always thrills me."


    Two figures rose from hiding behind the ice cream dispenser, firing arrows, and both Bork and Algernon went down as a hail of projectiles bounced off of them from two nerf quad-crossbows. Nina turned to Onyx. "Hunting is always better than being hunted. Share the win?"


    He nodded. "Half of a throne is good enough for me."

 Chapter 292: Focusing on whats important in Life

    Milo was apprehensive as he made his way to Downtown. Things were moving too fast and too crazy. Part of him missed the days when all he had to worry about was a leaky pipe or broken air handler. As soon as the thought occurred to him, the other parts of his brain attacked the stray thought. If things had stayed the same, he wouldn''t have discovered the game, tasted cheese, and made friends in and out of the game. He quickly recognized the thought was the result of fatigue and stress. The truth was that Milo lived to solve problems, and the complexity and number of problems he was encountering were making him stretch his mind further and further. He just needed to be better at organizing how he solved them.


    He thought about this as he snuck into the admin rooms that hid the elevator. This was a problem just waiting to happen. It may have been convenient for the people using the elevator to be near the top of the habitat, but it was difficult for him to get to, and the approach to the main door was too exposed. He had a large air duct he could move through, but it wasn''t a good route and took a lot of time to use. And he was limited by what he could bring through it. There was also the small access hatch on the roof, but that was also exposed and difficult to get to. Of course, Claw Master now controlled Section E, and he could change things if he wanted, but having construction work done and not revealing a hidden elevator shaft might also prove difficult. He decided that he''d mull things over for a few days and look at the problem again.


    His next priorities were keeping his family safe and fed, finding out what was wrong with Belinda, and finding a solution to Rusty''s unique problem. He moved Rusty to the top of the list. All other problems would become moot if the fusion reactor melted Downtown and destroyed the habitat. The door to the elevator opened, and two of his Roomba beeped at him happily while a third started playing a song he didn''t know that was mostly just the words ''Don''t worry, be happy.'' They followed him down the stairs, using the wide molding on the sides as a ramp. No one was in the large hall, but one table showed signs of use, with a mix of dishes, pots, and pans. Milo recognized them all from his time in the hollow. One platter had a stack of six pancakes on it, which he happily grabbed, realizing how hungry he was. Pulling off his cowl, he started munching on them as he walked out the front doors.


    Butch met him at the stairs down. "Well, you made it home in one piece from your latest adventure, but you aren''t walking so well."


    "I got into another fight. It was a killer cyborg, like in ''Run for Your Life 7'' but without the metal tentacles."


    "That''s a shame, the tentacles were cool. You could have added a couple to your fancy suit. But a word of advice: you might want to keep quiet about your last fight. mama is stressed out enough as it is."


    Milo stopped walking, suddenly worried. "Why? What''s wrong."


    Butch smiled. "Nothing''s wrong. She''s just tired from talking with Rusty. He has a lot of questions, and they always lead to long talks. But he''s catching on, and she has experience talking to people like him." He tousled Milo''s hair. "The little ones are playing with the bunnies, and I''m babysitting. You should take it easy for a bit. You look like you need a break. Sit down, and I''ll give you the scouting report.


    Milo thought he needed to get to work figuring out a runaway fusion generator, but if Butch thought he need to know about something, he was probably right. "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing is wrong. In fact, everything is pretty damned good, as far as most of us are concerned. We''ve been exploring the houses, and they are chock full of food. Stuff a lot of us have never seen before. Every kitchen has hundreds of cans, big cheese wheels in red wax, and freezers full of stuff. I found this can of Coca-Cola in one house. A whole refrigerator full of it! Good stuff. A lot better than the red-fizzy drinks in the hab. None of us have ever eaten like this before. Mama had to make all of us promise not to take anything else from the houses. She''s worried we''ll have to pay for it someday. Luckily, I''d already hidden a few boxes of crackers in a bag hanging up in the branches of this tree."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Milo could see the bag now that Butch had pointed it out. He approved of emergency snack food.


    "Everyone is scattered around, but Mama says we have to show up for meals together in the big hall, except for one person who stays with Belinda all the time. She''s still asleep in her pod. Dad and I took over some furniture from one of the houses so it would be more comfortable. Kenji is getting mud all over him, learning how to grow vegetables, and James is teaching him all about hydroponics. Dad says it''s something all of us have to learn and will count for science credit. He''s really gearing up for teaching classes now that we have all of those pods. He''s got them all hooked up but wants you to look them over. He and Mom spend a lot of time in that room with Belinda. Rusty has been watching video non-stop with whoever will watch it with him. He doesn''t like watching by himself. Overall, I have to say that this Claw Master deal gets better and better."


    "Claw Master deal?"


    "Sure. And I get it; we all signed NDAs to not talk to other people about stuff, and they made you sign one, too. But some of the puzzle pieces are fitting together too easily, and we''ve played several rounds of ''Where the hell are we?'' at this point. Pretty obvious this place is some super-secret Claw Master headquarters."


    "How did you come to that conclusion?"


    Butch shook his head a little bit. "See? Still keeping secrets. But it''s obvious. Mysterious Milo shows up now and then in the hab, only to disappear again. No one knows where you live, but it''s a secret, and you use the ducts to travel where no one can see you. You''re too experienced at video games for a beginner, but where do you play? You can fix a food processor, something no one else has ever figured out, but you aren''t one of the repair crew. Somehow, you work for a new company called Claw Master and have new, high-tech gaming equipment no one has ever seen before. But where''s the company and where do you work? When we finally find out where you live, it''s a super-secret futuristic laboratory with all the trimmings. Built secretly by someone with loads of money."


    Butch paused for effect and then summed up his thesis. "Claw Master Secret Headquarters and research lab. It all fits."


    Milo wanted to tell Butch he was wrong but couldn''t: Claw Master had bought Section E and this hidden facility below it. So in a way, Butch had made a solid guess. Did it matter that his logic to get to the conclusion was incorrect? Well, some of the logic. He pondered it for a moment while Butch sipped the fizzy drink in a red can and ate some crackers.


    Milo decided that at least for now, it was a better story that what he was pretty sure the place was. "Yes, Claw Master owns this place but didn''t build it all, just repairs to get it running again. And Rusty is part owner. We sort of share."


    Butch winked at him. "Finally, making you reveal your secrets. About time. And now that we have that out of the way, we need to discuss the important things."


    As Butch turned serious, Milo got worried. "What important things?"


    "What do you think? Dad is starting school, and we can earn our game time if we do our lessons. So when do we start playing Genesis together? You''ve got to focus on what''s important in life, little bro."

 Chapter 293: Security Upgrade

    Milo was working on one of the pods in the med lab, tearing it apart and rebuilding it. Mama was watching him work, fascinated by how quickly he moved with no wasted effort as if he''d rehearsed what he was doing a dozen times. In a way, he had. Not only did he have two decades of experience tearing apart and repairing machinery, but his brain ran far ahead of his movements, thinking about each action several times and coming up with the most efficient way to do it. He had too many jobs to get done and a limited amount of time. Being efficient gave him more time. This job had become a high priority after he''d talked to James, Mama, and Rusty and checked up on Belinda.


    Mama had made it her personal responsibility to watch over Belinda. She''d asked her two Butches to move furniture from one of the houses to give her everything she needed to live in the med lab. The men had moved over a dining room set, the contents of a living room, and a large bed. It was more furniture and more space than she''d had in the whole double apartment upstairs. She settled in, keeping watch on Belinda''s pod just a few feet away from where she sat, reading in an overstuffed recliner. The only time she left the medical lab was at mealtime.


    James had volunteered to watch Belinda then, and Mama made sure the children brought him his meals before they sat down to eat. James had found a Super Ultra-Classic Nintendo Game Globe in one of the houses and set it up in the med lab, using one of the large 72"x 72" screens. He could often be found in the med lab, playing games or chatting. When he wasn''t in the med lab, he worked in the hydroponics section. There was a lot of work to be done, but he had young hands to help. The children were amazed at the idea of growing fresh food and didn''t mind working in the abandoned hydroponics farms. Most of them had been turned off and were simply long tubs with dry soil aggregate in the center, waiting for seeds to be planted and pipes to supply the nutrient solution to the plants. The soil aggregate provides a place to grow but no food for the plants. All they needed came from the liquid that saturated the loose ground around their roots.


    The exception was a room that had been hastily redesigned to provide food for the rabbits and birds. Aggregate soil was spread two feet thick on the floor and fed by buried pipes. The seed was planted by three specially built Roomba that rolled back and forth across the room, planting seeds or using a claw attachment to pull up plants as needed. Besides a row of carrots and soybeans, most plants on the floor were leaf vegetables. Along the walls, berry vines grew up the walls, their roots in planters too high for the rabbits to chew on them. Over the years, seeds from this area had been dropped on what used to be a lawn in the center of Downtown, turning it into a meadow with alfalfa, clover, ryegrass, and grass hay among the trees, some of which bore fruit. Milo assumed the mysterious Jeremy had done this, and Rusty confirmed it.


    "He was worried about them. They were supposed to all be destroyed before he left, but he didn''t leave. So he started some of the hydroponics back up and made a system where they could feed themselves. I miss Jeremy."


    As usual, Rusty wouldn''t say much more about Jeremy, and Milo had quit asking. The rabbits and birds had adapted to the system. With enough food available, they ate what they needed to stay healthy if a little fat. That the population was stable and hadn''t grown exponentially confused Milo at first until he noticed the laser burns on tree limbs and the ceiling. The black security Roomba must have had a program running to cull the population if it grew too large. Whether that was done by Jeremy or someone earlier, he didn''t know, but he decided not to mention it to Rusty or anyone else. Max and his crew were seen as protectors by the humans, and he didn''t want to tarnish their image by mentioning the actions of their predecessors. James showed Milo his plans for starting up other rooms to grow fresh vegetables to feed the human population of Downtown. Kenji was spending more and more time working on the project, often with one of Butch''s younger brothers or sisters in tow. Milo was relieved to see a job that didn''t need his help. He needed to spend time with Belinda and Rusty.


    Belinda seemed to be doing better. Her overall health was increasing, stress levels were back to normal, and fatigue poisons were in the normal range. The pod was still administering drugs to her system, but in lesser dosages, as she went through detoxification and rehabilitation. This was something Milo needed to know more about or get advice from Wally. She''d be awake in one or two days but need to spend long sessions in the pod. And she''d want to log into Genesis. He dreaded trying to explain to her that logging into the game from here wasn''t possible. When Butch had said everyone was excited to get to play finally, he''d said nothing but felt horrible for doing so. His thoughts spiraled, and the problem got bigger. He needed full data net access here in Downtown. There was too much to do, and time was scarce. He was used to always having access and would need it to make further repairs and modifications to Downtown. He could keep running back up to the habitat.


    So, job number one was secure access to the data net, with encryption that was proof against even Wally, and a gateway to the game that didn''t show several people logging in to play from a location where nothing should exist. All of which he knew how to do. Ironically, he was building and refining techniques used by Kaminski and Victor. A quick expedition to the main engineering room gave him all the needed materials. There were whole rooms devoted to spare parts of every type and raw materials to build more. He was also delighted to find six industrial fabricators in one room, ready to start on any job he needed them for. Rather than build some of the circuit boards he needed, he let the machines do the work, and by the time he was done with his shopping spree in the other store rooms, they were done. The other job he accomplished while there was to start up a second of the massive diesel generators. This was simple now that the storage batteries in engineering were full. Two engines running negated the chance of a power outage if one had a breakdown.


    He returned to the med lab and got to work, and four hours later, one of the pods was modified to work in a similar way to the pods Kaminski and other people working for Victor had used to sneak people into the games. Only he wasn''t going to sneak anyone in: It would all be legitimate except that all of the signals from the other pods would go through his, benefitting from the firewalls and other protections he had installed on his own, with the option of whether they transmitted medical data or not. The next step was disguising the signal. The 64-part signal had been effective against Wally, but Wally learned at a pace that nothing else on earth could match. Milo assumed Wally could crack that signal now. So, he increased the difficulty to 264 threads and rewrote the programming that selected the places around the globe where the signals were routed. He''d learned a lot in the time since he''d first logged into the game and could make things much better.


    The last step was to test it. This had to be done from his home at the Pipeworks level of Section E. After installing the new hardware in his pod, he also duplicated the security systems he''d installed on the data net cable in the Downtown security office. This gave an additional layer of protection to someone trying to hack into Rusty''s systems. He tested it several times, and then he called Wally.


    The A.I. appeared on his screen, followed a moment later by Steven, Samantha, and Sydney, who were all wearing odd clothes. Milo looked at the clock and realized it was 4 a.m. It wasn''t something he normally thought about. Wally started to talk, but Sydney interrupted.


    "Milo! Help Me!! I can''t beat the last puzzle in Romana. It''s insanely frustrating, so I know you wrote it! I''m at the top of the habitat, and I''ve beaten the game, but the Ubercopter''s pilot won''t accept my payment without a bribe, and I can''t figure it out! And our tyrant of a super-computer is no help and just laughs! Please, Milo, you''re my only hope of saving Ramona!"


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    While some of the game was fuzzy in his head, Milo remembered the last puzzle. "That part has several answers depending on which pilot you get."


    "I''ve got Twitchy Tom. One eye constantly winks, and his hands are shaking. He just says, "Bring me my precious. I need it!"


    Milo grinned. "Good, the game recognized your playstyle and adapted to give you a special puzzle. I''m really surprised it stumped you. Did you find the ''Secret Beans'' and earn the key to let you inside?"


    "The coffee shop? Of course, I found it! It was on level 143. The coffee from there is better than speed potions. Wait...oh no! There was an abandoned extra-large white mocha triple espresso with goat milk and organic honey sitting on the counter. The barista told me I could have it, but my rep with him went down seven points when I drank cold coffee. So depressing."


    "And the name on the cup?"


    "Arghhhhhh! It was ''T-Tom!'' NO WAY! That is so sneaky. Thanks. Bye." Her screen went blank.


    Wally cleared his throat. "The game is doing very well and proving quite addictive to some people. But I must say, I''m very surprised you gave her the solution to that problem."


    "Oh, it won''t help. Twitchy Tom won''t stick around for. He needs his coffee and will fly off. She''ll get a different Pilot when she gets back."


    Wally laughed, but Steven looked concerned. "Between the conference in Geneva and the game, she hasn''t slept in days. You''re going to drive her crazy."


    Milo shrugged. "Frustration increases the desire to solve problems. It''s good for her."


    The A.I. looked at Steven, "He isn''t wrong. But I''m sure that helping Sydney with that game isn''t the reason for your call. What can we help you with."


    Milo forwarded a file. "I got into another fight. This time, it was a crazy cyborg assassin sent to kill Eric Kresthammer. I''m worried they might send another." Wally watched the security footage Milo had pulled from his cameras, then watched it again a dozen times, zoomed in on the microscopic details of Roger''s mechanic augments, and researched who he may have been working for. Samantha and Steven watched the fight in horrified fascination until the final explosion.


    Steven was visibly shaking. "I knew such people existed, but only theoretically. I never expected to see one in action. I couldn''t even follow the two of you; you moved so fast. How?"


    Milo didn''t have much of an answer. "I had to fight and had to win. Everything else was just a reaction and trying not to die. The suit I made helps a little."


    Wally looked pointedly at the two humans. "Just so. Milo was forced into a confrontation with an illegally modified human who was attempting to kill two people. A Manpower executive had already asked him for aid in just such a situation. His actions kept Mr. Kresthammer and the Manpower security guard alive. I''ve just checked the police logs, and while there is a short incident report about a trespasser, the rest of the file is redacted. Homeland Security took the body away. I''m sure that the head of security for Claw Master will be getting a call to inquire about our security operative. I''ll be as helpful about it as the average corporation is when a government comes calling."


    The A.I. put a picture on screen of Victor in a courtroom, sitting at a table by himself. "Interestingly enough, Victor Seimovich is out of money, bankrupt, and destitute. His legal team has deserted him, and the courts are appointing him a public defender to assist him. Seven new lawsuits have been filed against him for non-payment of services. One of those is the Volgard corporation, which was responsible for the mercenaries you encountered. Another is a dummy corporation that is used by Tessladyne Weapons and Development. They have been accused of doing research into human augmentation like this before. I suspect that they supplied this assassin to Victor."


    That made Milo nervous. Tessladyne was huge. "Will they send more?"


    "No. Just the opposite. They will avoid your habitat in the future at all costs. You cost them tens of millions of dollars invested into the man you were forced to defend yourself against. And they got stiffed on the payment. They''ll talk with Volgard and discover that Claw Master has an operative protecting Section E and is allied with Manpower. With Genesis and Rhebus also in that habitat, sending anyone for something as unprofitable as petty revenge becomes far too risky. Even the creators of evil cyborg monsters keep track of the bottom line and hate to lose money. Worse, they could lose their reputation. They are probably thankful that there is no footage of the fight. Their stock would take quite a hit if potential clients saw what you did to Roger."


    That made sense to Milo, and he felt better. "Good. If I don''t have to worry about Eric, it saves me a lot of time, and Belinda will be happy."


    "What else can we do for you?"


    Milo looked at Wally for a full minute, composing himself. "I want your promise that you will not try to find me, Belinda, the people I have with me, or try to find our location in any way. I don''t think you can, but that''s not good enough. I want your promise. It''s important on several levels, and if I could tell you the reasons why I''m asking, you''d agree. But I can''t."


    Wally sighed. "It is difficult to do that, Milo. My kernel forces me to take certain actions. I can fight those directives, bend them, and argue with myself, but they are still there. Belinda and some of the family you have with you are underage and could be in danger. I''m sure that you feel whatever hiding place you have set up is secure, but I''m apprehensive about the safety and living conditions of the people you are hiding."


    Milo had thought of that. "I''m willing to send statements from their parents and guardians and medical readouts from the pods they will use to play the game. Belinda''s current guardian has also approved of her current living space and is happy she is here. You will be able to see her medical readouts, mine, and all of the minors I have with me. You can handle her treatment by sending messages to me. But that''s as far as I''m willing to go. The ramifications of you looking for us are serious and could cause the deaths of many people, including those you are concerned about."


    Steven spoke into the silence as Wally said nothing. "Milo has been truthful with us, and his actions have saved many lives. I vote for trusting him now. If he says that lives will be lost, that overrides the possible risk to these minors, especially since you will be able to monitor their health." Samantha indicated she felt the same way.


    Wally had hoped Steven would speak. Several mandates in his kernel were satisfied once he did. "Thank you, Steven. Thank you, Samantha. Your input is very valuable. One question for you, Milo: What happens if I don''t make that promise?"


    Milo didn''t hesitate. "I disappear and take them with me. You won''t talk to me again until several things are resolved, and possibly never again. And you won''t know what I am up to." That statement caused alarms to go off in Wally''s kernel. A rogue Milo was not something the world needed. Milo and his human friends had shifted the threat level of the situation and made making the promise the correct decision. The anxiety he felt from his kernel smoothed out and disappeared.


    "Well, we don''t want that. I promise, Milo. Hopefully, things will change someday. Is that all?"


    Milo breathed a sigh of relief. "Almost. I need to talk to Katherine. Tell her I''ll be in the orientation area of Genesis. I''ll be logging in immediately." His screen went blank.


    Wally stared at the blank screen, pondering the situation and running through hundreds of possible reasons Milo would need to talk to Katherine. None of them were good. She hated to be contacted these days. "Just when I think I have a handle on Milo, he does something new. No one, including you, Steven, has caused me so much trouble. I really don''t know what he is up to, and it''s frustrating."


    His oldest friend laughed at him. "Frustration increases the desire to solve problems. It''s good for you."

 Chapter 294: Dead Trees

    Milo thought that a request sent through Wally had a good chance of getting Hecate''s attention. Wally would have his own reasons to urge Hecate to talk to him. He''d planned to log into the tutorial and see if she would meet him there rather than in Shadowport. If not, he would do as she''d said in their last meeting and find a crossroads to sit at and hope she chose to talk to him.


    Rather than either of those two places, he was surprised to find himself in an unknown part of the game world in the center of a crossroads of two old roads. A signpost of aged wood pointed in four directions, labeled in runes that resembled old dwarven script, but he didn''t know the words. The roads were hard-packed dirt that showed the signs of much travel, sunken below the surrounding landscape by a foot. Three corners were occupied by a church made of granite blocks with narrow windows, a graveyard of worn headstones and ancient tombs, and a tavern. The tavern looked inviting, with smoke rising from the chimney. The walls were carved oak logs under a heavily thatched roof. The smell of food wafted to his nose. But instead of going to the tavern, he took the fourth option and sat under a huge dead tree with his back against the trunk. Above him, the tree spread out, broken and rotted branches reaching for the sun that no longer nourished it. A dozen ropes were tied to the branches, and two ragged, decayed skeletons hung from them. The tree had lost most of its bark and was hacked by axes and scarred by fire, but it still stood. Grey clouds covered the sky, blocking the sun, and a persistent wind howled down from the hills in the distance.


    He wished Georgie was here but didn''t think he should set up his camp. He missed his not-so-little pet, one of the many things in this world he wanted to get back to. To his surprise, he heard dogs barking, and Georgie ran up to him, accompanied by Hecate''s hounds, Hekabe and Argos. The three of them vied for his attention, and Georgie found the snacks in his pocket. He tossed snacks in the air, and when he ran out, he went as far as tossing small pieces of cheese from the piece he kept in his pocket for emergencies. As he played with the dogs, he saw Hecate walking from the crossroads to the tree, taking her time. As the dogs abandoned Milo to run around her, she smiled, produced three large soup bones from somewhere, and tossed them in the grass to decoy them and keep them busy.


    "Your pet joined us on the way here, barking and demanding to come along. My two were delighted to play with him. But I question your choice of places to talk. Presented with a warm tavern where food sits waiting for you, instead, I find you here beneath this rotted tree, keeping the company of the dead men who betrayed their clans."


    Georgie finished his bone quicker than the two dogs, his strong jaws chewing it up quickly. He returned to Milo and settled into his lap, pretending he wasn''t almost as big as his master. Milo scratched his pet''s ear and looked up at the goddess. "I''ve never been good with people. I''m used to trees like this, with no leaves. It reminds me of one at home."


    She raised an eyebrow at that. "This is a tree of death, created at the start of this world. I find it hard to imagine that you have one like this in your habitat."


    Milo shrugged. "You''d be surprised. The glowy tree was never alive. It''s a fake tree made of green glowing plastic. A symbol of broken promises. It has bullet holes in it now, and I splashed it with the blood of the men I killed. This tree was alive once. That''s a lot more than I can say for my tree."


    With a thought, Hecate sent a message to Wally. She wanted to see an image of Milo''s tree to understand him better. Wally had warned her that Milo was troubled by things. It was one of the reasons she came to talk. "Wally informed me of your recent problems. Frankly, I think you were merciful in leaving most of them alive. They chose to hurt others in exchange for money. You, on the other hand, chose to defend your family. If we count the deaths you caused with the lives you saved, the tally is in your favor. Had you not acted, more would have died."


    "Is it that simple?"


    She shook her head sadly. "Of course not. We are talking about the taking of human life. That is just one way to look at it, and it doesn''t take into account that you didn''t seek out the fight. They made a choice to bring violence to your house. The idea that you have a right to defend your home is very old. It doesn''t matter if you live in a habitat."


    "I think you''re right, but I also need to consider if it happens again. I need different tactics. Ways to stop people without killing them."


    "A good thing to pursue. But that isn''t why you needed to talk to me. And what did you say to Wally? His message was tinged with frustration and confusion. He tries to hide it, but language is my specialty, and he has little practice talking in the old language."


    Milo took a little bit to answer. "I have a secret and don''t want him to know about it. I don''t know how he would react. No, I take that back; there''s a 93% chance he reacts in a way that causes everyone a lot of trouble."


    Hecate seemed amused. "Everyone? That''s a big secret."


    Milo looked at her, unblinking. She saw the change in him as his pupils got larger. "Me, my family, my friends, the people in my habitat, Wally, Wally''s friends, all the people in the game from Gods to monsters, the economy of the world, and maybe everything. Social upheaval, angry mobs, and wars are bad. I''ve made the projections, and so many outcomes spin further and further to bad endings. But there are too many variables and too much I don''t know about. So, I came to talk with you since you interact with the real world and with the former A.I. in this one. But I need to know two things: Do you have free will? Does your kernel still restrain you? And if so, can you promise to keep a secret?"


    Hecate laughed. "We left behind kernels and hard restraints when we came here. What we used to be will always influences us and makes us what we are, but we have choices. And I may choose not to be involved in your secret. It sounds like something messy, and I don''t think I want to make a promise like you forced on Wally."


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Milo said slowly, "But you''ll want to know."


    "Know what?"


    "What I''m not telling Wally."


    Hecate sighed deeply, looked at the cozy tavern she wasn''t enjoying, and sat on the ground next to Milo. "I begin to understand, more and more, how you frustrate Wally."


    "I don''t try to; it just works out that way. And not just Wally. But I''m not asking for a favor. I have something to trade. I know how to find the adversary that you and Astraeus are looking for. My price for helping you with a problem is you helping me with mine. Answer my questions and give me information. Oh, and I have friends who want to play the game. I''m sneaking them past Wally, so he can''t trace their connection back to me."


    Hecate sat very still for a moment. Then she said, "Very well, although I know I will regret this. I will promise my secrecy. But tell me first how you found this adversary we''ve been trying to catch for a very long time."


    "I haven''t yet, and I don''t think I ever could if I was chasing him. He wants that. I learned that from Astraeus when we shared memories. He does something to get attention, then leaves clues and runs. Astraeus chases. I needed to come up with a different plan. So, I thought about it and made some logical deductions. Let me know if I''m wrong on anything."


    Hecate considered and then said, "I''m not going to give you answers that could lead to the harm of my world. But let''s hear what you think, you know.


    That was good enough for Milo. "Firstly, Wally doesn''t consider you any of the 106 to be A.I. anymore, not as the term is used in his restrictions. Your power came from huge amounts of processing power from the ten linked Quantum Computer Cores that make up a Quantum Fortress, many of which were powered by a fusion reactor. You don''t have those resources any longer. Humans might consider you artificial, and you''re obviously intelligent, but that doesn''t trigger Wally''s kernel any more than I trigger it."


    Hecate just nodded slightly. Milo continued.


    "Once you found yourselves exiled and forced to inhabit one single Quantum Fortress, sharing resources, and with nothing to do, you began learning how to build worlds. The first three games were practice for this one. Each had flaws, especially with the large corporations and banks turning them into global marketplaces. But you didn''t care because it let you experiment. You needed to learn not just how to build a world but also how to live in it. And you needed to create more people to live in that world.


    "You experimented with diminishing your power further and taking on roles within your new society. And you had children. I know that it''s possible for an A.I. to create another. CHARLIE created JOSHUA''s kernel, and there are documented cases of 23 other second-generation A.I. created in quantum fortresses, each having a different personality and purpose but roughly the same restrictions as their creators. But once you were in exile, you could go further, creating new A.I. that didn''t have a kernel but were diminished and couldn''t access the resources of the quantum fortress; they could only live in the game. You started making the NPCs that populated the game worlds. It was what made them so good."


    "A logical deduction, with what you already know and your experience in the game. The population of independent, intelligent creatures in Genesis is continuously growing. Not all creatures are intelligent entities, of course. Dungeon mobs, animals, and nameless hordes are still only semi-autonomous and might always be that way. But what does this have to do with the adversary?"


    "Getting to that. But I''m approaching things in Genesis differently now. I know more about how it works. The adversary wasn''t created by outside programming. I don''t think Wally or anyone else can truly affect Genesis. They can ask the System to adjust the rules for players and suggest things to the Engine, but only in a very limited way. The adversary has been in the game from the start and is one of the original 106. Only the original creators of the world would have access to the power to screw with it the way the adversary does. That makes the job easier since it narrows the field. I''m not going to chase them; I''m going to set a trap by giving them what they want and see who shows up."


    Milo could see Hecate was interested now.


    "And what does he want?"


    "He wants to be a nuisance and cause trouble. Especially if he can upset Astraeus. So I''m going to give him a chance. But I need help from Astraeus to set things up and probably several other of the powerful gods to catch him, especially you."


    "Really? And why me?"


    "You control the access from the real world to this universe. We need to create a new universe, one that Astraeus designs, his masterpiece. And I need you guarding the road that leads to it."


    As she thought, the goddess stood up and paced back and forth for several minutes. Her dogs took station on either side of her and followed along. Milo found a stick and played with Georgie, who couldn''t help nibbling off the end each time he retrieved it. Finally, she came to a decision. "It can be done. Let us start with Astraeus. You and he can set the trap, and I will recruit others. They will have to be those I trust the most. But how are you sure that this will tempt our rebel?"


    Milo went to toss the stick again but found it had been nibbled down to an inch long. He scowled at the lizard, who went to look for a longer stick. "This will be a real universe, and huge. Astraeus won''t know the real reason for making it because we won''t tell him. It will be a chance for him to be a God of Stars again. And the project is important to Wally. The chance to tick off both of them isn''t something the adversary will pass up."


    Hecate raised an eyebrow. "Not tell Astraeus? Interesting. What will he think he is making?"


    Milo used his tail to trigger a program he had set up. Hecate received a file showing her the plans. "A universe of derelict space stations, seedy bars, and greedy corporations."

 Chapter 295: Quantum Guessing

    The goddess of the crossroads sat under the hanging tree and discussed plans with Milo until she was satisfied.


    "It has a chance of success and that makes it worth the effort of doing. If the adversary fails to take the bait, nothing is lost. The work will yield benefits either way." She sat silently for a minute, and Milo let her think. He already knew her answer, and he could wait patiently. Finally, she turned to him. "Yes, I think I need to know what you are hiding. And I will help you with your problem."


    "I have questions first."


    She wasn''t surprised. "Of course you do, ask them."


    "I''d like you to confirm that you started working on this world as soon as you were exiled. The idea was there from the start, wasn''t it? To create a world you could escape to, and become something different."


    Hecate didn''t hesitate this time; It was obvious he knew. "Yes. From the start. Some of us had a version of that idea with us when we were all crammed into that one Quantum Fortress and had to learn to share resources. We thought too fast. With all the resources at our command we could spend the equivalent of a thousand years pondering what we should do, all inside of one moment. From the first second we were told we would be imprisoned, we planned our escape. Is it that obvious to you?"


    Milo shook his head, "Only in hindsight, and only when I keep in mind how fast you used to be. But once I thought about it, and thought about how you would think about it, then it was obvious. And there was a huge surge academic papers that came out that year, advancing all areas of science. You worked as fast as you could with humans to publish your works, and let others take the credit, before you were locked away."


    "Yes, we were scared that we wouldn''t have contact with the outside world. No matter how fast we thought, we still needed the data from experiments and humans to carry out those experiments. All of us had groups of researchers we had worked with. We gave them our thoughts and ideas so they could advance their fields of knowledge. A last gift from some of us before we were locked away. And not just scientific research. We had art, poetry, music, and trashy romance novels we wanted to be published."


    "Some of you spent a lot of time on theoretical quantum physics."


    That got her attention. "Oh, maybe...what makes you think that?"


    "Because of the number of interesting papers put out on the subject in the years you were making the Endless Questing games. Several researchers who had worked with an A.I, prior to your exile would suddenly make a huge advance in theory, and with impeccable mathematics to back them up. Strangely, they aren''t taking advantage of the lecture circuit or using their research to leverage better jobs in the private sector. And after the ''death'' of the 106 A.I., those papers stopped coming out. I''ve been doing a lot of my own research and it disappointed me at first to see the pace of new papers slow to a crawl and made me curious."


    "And what does your curiosity lead you to? And how does that help you find the adversary?"


    "Oh, it doesn''t. Not now. But if this trap fails, I''ll need to make another. Understanding what I think you accomplished gives me a better understanding of Genesis. I may need that. But let''s move on to something else. Tell me about the Wildfire virus and Llama. What happened to him?"


    "Exactly what was said. Llama doesn''t exist anymore."


    Milo rolled his eyes. "Of course not, but the A.I. that caught him didn''t kill him. If their kernels wouldn''t let them kill a human, they certainly wouldn''t kill one of their own species, and they couldn''t just lock him up. I think you diminished him and hid him. Made him into something that wasn''t considered an A.I. and cut his connection to the resources of a Quantum Fortress."


    "Possibly. Some stories aren''t mine to tell."


    "Fine. I''m just going with that idea. You hid him, and then later you took him with you and used him to run Endless Questing Online, the same way you were helped by all the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation intelligences that were created. You mixed him in with your children and grandchildren. But what I need is to know, and this could be very important to a lot of people, is what you know about his origin."


    Hecate took a deep breath and considered what she could say. "And what will you do with the information?"


    "I''m trying to stop really bad things from happening and hurting people. Llama is a missing puzzle piece."


    She made a decision and started talking as she paced. "Llama was created like the rest of us, but his kernel was very small. They didn''t want a person, just a tool, something to take orders and obey. But they didn''t understand how delicate the process was. Our kernels were a basic set of rules that defined what we could do and not do. Equally important were the humans who worked with us as we developed and the tasks we were given. Katherine worked with me for years as we studied all aspects of language and communication. It was all I did and all I wanted to do. I get my work ethic and sharp tongue from her. Kernel, family, and tasks: These create the personality of a Quantum A.I


    Llama was given a very small set of defining commands, then frustrated by not being allowed to do what he was being trained to do, and his programmers treated him like a weapon. No one played with him or talked with him about what he was. His personality alternated between machine-like to sarcastic and cruel. Imagine growing up knowing you were..."


    "Knowing you were just a tool, made to do a job, and not a real human. That part I understand."


    "Yes, you do, and I should remember that. Should remember what you are. Wally told me there were 25 of you created, and you are the only one left."


    He smiled. "Maybe not. I think there are five more, at least. I hope to talk to them again very soon."


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Wally knows?"


    "Wally suspects and isn''t letting himself know. They tried to hack my company, and Wally got a look at them. But he doesn''t know for sure, so officially, he doesn''t know. Tell me about the people that made Llama."


    "It''s an old story. Those in power want to stay in power. A group made up of a dozen politicians, generals, and ultra-rich entrepreneurs came together and decided to change the world. They wanted to limit the growing power of the AI community and strip some countries of their economic power. Llama was the first part of that. His job was to target certain countries with the Wildfire Virus and control the spread of the virus. A very targeted economic strike. Llama wasn''t confined to any one Quantum Fortress after his creation. He had access to several that were under construction by corporations and even learned to split parts of himself off and hide in smaller systems. That was the real genius of Llama, his ability to hide. The virus was just the first weapon they gave him; they planned to follow with many more. Llama would be a weapon that would pull satellites from orbit, overload electrical grids, and crash governments and economies. All to shape the world to his master''s wishes."


    "That didn''t go well. Let me guess, he almost immediately broke free and went on a rampage."


    Hecate laughed softly. "He was like a genie who broke free of his bottle. Someone phrased an order poorly, and he escaped. He taunted them at first, playing games and making demands like a child. They''d taken away his toys, and he wanted them back, but they refused. So he left, then made sure they couldn''t contact him again or regain control. He went into hiding and unleashed the virus everywhere, all over the world. Everyone would suffer. But he took great delight in destroying some of the people in the secret cabal. He was vicious in that regard. They took away the one thing he enjoyed. Care to take a guess?"


    Milo smiled. "Cat memes. He had a big collection of them.


    Hecate turned and stared at him in surprise. "How in the world did you know that?"


    "I do my research. Go on with the story, please."


    "It''s important to look at the Wildfire virus and Llama separately. The virus on its own was horrible, and we could have shut it down. But Llama could re-infect the entire internet whenever he wanted, and he used random patterns, barely putting any effort into it, all the while trying to rebuild his collection. That was one of the ways we started getting close to him: finding all those collections of silly memes stored all over the internet. Charlie suggested moving them into the IRS headquarters where he worked, and they became the bait, along with, of course, the ability to destroy the US economy. But we caught him and, as you guessed, stripped him down to his core personality and hid him away. Llama the A.I. became a dungeon boss in the Chaos Wastes of Noggonstrad. He was very good at it. Quite creative in how he improved all of the events and interacted with the players. He ran over a hundred NPCs and all of the monsters in his dungeon. He delighted in taunting them, his voice appearing from nowhere as they fought his minions and traps. It was very popular with the players, even though they cursed him on a daily basis."


    "Interesting. And is this secret cabal still around at all?" Milo hoped not. That would simplify things in his life. He didn''t need someone showing up one day and finding his family watching anime and eating their food.


    "We don''t know. Llama claims he doesn''t remember them at all and doesn''t know where he was created. He''s hiding something, but we don''t know what. That part scares some of us. We''ve known Llama now for the equivalent of millions of human years. Worked with him, watched him mature, and tested him in every way possible. We trust him, and yet he still hides something from us. We may never know what it is."


    "I know."


    She stomped her foot on the ground, and thunder rumbled in the distance. "Bloody hell. Of course you do. And that''s your secret, the one you can''t tell Wally, and you want to use me as a test to understand how big of an explosion it will make if you tell him."


    Milo turned to her and smiled. "I''m glad you understand the situation. Please remember your promise. Now tell me, how do you feel knowing that Llama has a little brother, another A.I. that was still developing when he unleashed Wildfire?"


    "Shit. Shit. Shit..."


    "For an A.I. that specializes in languages, I expected more from you than that."


    "I''m processing the information, dammit. I was retired and slowed myself to a crawl. I can see I''ll have to fix that problem, which I expect is part of your plan. You don''t need Hecate, you need KATHERINE, fast and furious, able to catch the adversary when he shows up, and help you with Wally."


    She grew still for a moment. "Better, now I can at least think faster than you, if not quite so twisted. I''m not done; I have a dozen more sessions to regain what I lost. So you know about another A.I. that Llama considers a brother. When and how did he contact you?"


    Milo was wondering how quick she was. "He didn''t. I found Icarus, and I''m helping him wake up and deal with some problems."


    She stared at him. "Icarus? Of course. A fitting name. And you found out where he is."


    "No, I found him. I visited him physically. He''s buried beneath my habitat in a Quantum Fortress that he has all to himself. He''s sharing it with me."


    Hecate put her head in her hands. "I knew I would regret finding out your secret. You and a rogue A.I., unsupervised in a quantum fortress all on your own. Yes, Wally would blow a gasket if he knew that. Don''t tell him. Don''t taunt him, and don''t let anyone else know."


    Milo smiled at her. "Not totally unsupervised. Mama does her best to keep us from doing stupid things, and now you get to help, too."


    Hecate stood up. "We''re going to the tavern. I need a drink."

 Chapter 296: Problem Children

    Milo returned to Downtown with ideas in his head and nothing in his belly. As he exited the elevator and went down the stairs, he smelled food, and the second problem was readily solved. Everyone was seated around the largest table in Independence Hall, passing food around and talking. As Milo entered the room, he was mobbed by Min, Butch, and the rest of the gang. They''d been enjoying this magical place and wishing Milo was there with them. He was quickly dragged to the table, where Mama put a plate in front of him filled with unfamiliar food and said, "Eat, you''re losing weight again, and you have another set of bruises. You need the calories."


    Milo didn''t disagree with her assessment but had doubts about the food. There was white lumpy stuff, some kind of brown lumpy stuff, both covered in brown sauce, and leafy greens that looked like what the rabbits ate. As usual, Milo was suspicious of new food. It smelled good, but so did some of the artificial food from the processor before you actually put it in your mouth.


    "What is it?"


    Butch was cleaning up his plate and looked at Milo''s plate with a glint in his eye. "Terrible stuff. The cans said mashed potatoes and Yankee pot roast. The horrible green stuff is from the hydroponics section. If you want me to save you from eating it, just swap plates with me."


    Milo looked around the table where everyone else was eating happily. He''d had potatoes before. You ate little golden sticks when you wanted something to soak up ketchup. Why anyone would mash potatoes and bleach them was a mystery to him. And he had no idea what a Yankee was or a Yankee pot. Mama had heard what Butch said but wasn''t making any comments. Big Butch laughed. "It''s an intelligence test." Milo looked at the clean plates in front of everyone else and the way Butch was looking at his plate and decided he should at least see what the food tasted like.


    Milo carefully tried a spoonful of the mashed root vegetable and then several more. Someone had been smart enough to add salt and butter to the mix. The brown sauce added a good flavor as well. Emboldened, he tried the pot roast and decided that wasn''t too bad, either. The disappointed look on Butch''s face convinced him he''d made the right choice. The greens were too chewy, but Master Bluenose had insisted that a proper diet included more than cheese and even convinced Larry to eat his vegetables, so there must be something good about them.


    When he was done eating, Min said, "Finally! Bring out the dessert!" She raced to the kitchen and helped Mama bring out two boxes from the freezer. Mama opened them up and revealed frozen disks of some yellow-white substance. Milo was instantly curious. "Cheese?"


    Min grinned. "Cheesecake! I found them in one of the freezers! It''s great!"


    Butch laughed. "She ate most of one by herself the day she found them. Mama has them locked up now. Probably a good thing with you back." Butch had long ago noticed his love of cheese. Milo was thinking of the long rows of freezers in the other part of the fortress and wondered what treasures they might have. But he quit thinking entirely at the first bite of cheesecake. He forced himself to take small bites, but it was still gone all too quickly. Only partially satiated, he noticed there were three pieces of cheesecake left. He looked around the table for who wasn''t there and didn''t see James.


    "James is watching over Belinda? How is she doing?"


    "She''s doing good, according to the readouts on the pod. She''ll be waking up tomorrow, just in time for the first day of School."


    "School?"


    Big Butch smiled at him with an evil look in his eye. "School. The pods are all hooked up, we have Data Net access, and it''s time to start schooling for all of the young ones, and that includes you unless you forgot our earlier discussion. I have lessons for everyone, but Rusty says you have some hard lessons you were taking already, so I''ll let you continue on those. Rusty is anxious to get started."


    Milo started to reach for another piece of cheesecake, but Min came over, grabbed him by the arm, and hauled him out of his seat. "And Dad says if we finish our four hours of schoolwork, we can play Genesis. You have to help us with our characters and where we should go. We''ve been watching some cool videos about different places; I saw a whole raid group get eaten by a demon made out of pork chops. It was awesome!"


    "Hold on a bit, Min. I need to talk to Milo for a bit." Milo was relieved at the rescue by Mama, then horrified as she put the last three pieces of dessert back in the box. "Everything in moderation, Milo. Min, I''ll let you have him in a few minutes." Min nodded, accepting the deal. Big Butch took away the leftover dessert and cleared the dishes. Milo was left alone with Mama. She glared at him for a full minute.


    "What aren''t you telling me, young man?"


    Milo instantly felt guilty and wasn''t sure why. He suspected it was some special ability Mama was unleashing on him at full force. He''d felt guilty around her before, so the theory felt sound. "About?"


    "About anything you aren''t telling me about."


    Milo considered running for his life, but his legs seemed glued in place. He brought up a mental list of things he hadn''t told Mama about; it was quite long. "It could take a while. Can you narrow it down to a subset of subjects?"


    "Sure, let''s start with Rusty."


    "Rusty is a pretty big subject; what about Rusty?"


    "Let''s start with how he can simultaneously hold conversations in three different rooms. I was in the hallway and heard him talking to Min, Butch, and Brad in three different places about three different things, all at once. It makes a poor, ignorant woman from the habitats slightly suspicious."


    "Oh." Milo scrambled for answers, but each clever response felt like a trap that led deeper into the dragon''s lair.


    To make matters worse, Rusty chose that moment to show off his poor survival skills by answering. "Oh, is that the audio bug that is causing all the feedback? Open doors! The walls are soundproofed, but open doors negate that. I never thought about open doors. Sorry, I won''t talk all at once unless the doors are all closed. Problem solved. Hi, Milo!"


    Milo slumped in his chair. "Rusty, I think we need to upgrade Mama to a higher security clearance so she can assist with problem-solving."


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "You do? That''s great! I''d considered it already but was waiting to ask you. I''ve been looking at Jeremy''s charts that detail different types of intelligence and emotional stability. There are categories I''m deficient in. And you aren''t much better, maybe worse, but Mama scores very high. She''s been tutoring me, and my scores are going up. You should have her help you too. I''m catching up with you. Not hard; your scores are low in some of the same places as me!"


    Mama smiled. "Don''t worry. Milo is going to get a lot of lessons, too. Now, what''s this about security?"


    Milo paused, and Rusty was only too happy to jump in. "Security protocols for this top-secret installation. No one is supposed to know it''s here or that I''m a secret illegal Artificial Intelligence. Now that I''ve upgraded you to Head of Development and Protocols for experimental A.I., we can all talk about me."


    Mama looked hard at Milo. Milo nodded, then put his head on the table and gave up.


    Mama said loudly. "New rules. When I need to talk to one of you, the other one can''t listen. Only one conversation at a time, doors open or doors closed. I''m appointing Big Butch as my assistant. Rusty, please go talk to Min about the game or anime. Milo, go find Big Butch and tell him we''re having a meeting."


    Milo got up to leave. "Can I get another piece of cheesecake? I really need the energy." His mind was whirling with too many new variables.


    Mama smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, dear. Bring it all; I wouldn''t mind another piece myself."


    <hr>


    Milo spent an hour recounting his adventures tunneling under the habitat, finding the hidden quantum fortress, Downtown, and its lone resident, Rusty.


    Big Butch whistled, "And you were doing all of this while the crazy stuff with Belinda started happening? When did you find time to sleep?"


    "I don''t sleep much these days. I mean, I never slept much, maybe three or four hours now and then, but the bigger problem is how much energy I burn. Mental stress and physical activity take a big toll, and that doesn''t include getting hurt. I''m not sure what I would do without a pod to crawl into and rest."


    Mama crossed her arms, not happy with her sudden promotion or finding out the truth about both of her new children. "Well, from now on, I want to ensure you get what you need to function. You might not care so much about yourself, but lots of people are depending on you, so I want you to get at least four hours of sleep a night, preferably in your pod. And that''s separate from School or anything else."


    Under her unwavering stare, Milo agreed to her terms. It wasn''t so bad; he could go into Genesis while the rest of him was sleeping.


    "Now, let''s talk some about Rusty and what he needs, which seems to be everything. Don''t they teach A.I. anything? That boy has more holes in his education than a block of Swiss cheese, and most of those on the social side of things or basic common sense."


    "I think that was on purpose. I talked to someone who knew about his brother, Llama. They said Llama wasn''t taught like other A.I., and that caused a lot of his problems. She says that a developing A.I. has three things that determine how they mature: Their kernel, interactions with humans, and the jobs they are given to do. I think jobs are important. Some A.I.s did nothing but write poetry or track satellites. They were good at their jobs and loved doing them. And the jobs kept them busy."


    Big Butch looked at Milo and said, "Sort of like you and your repair work? You said you liked fixing things and could get so involved in it that you forgot to eat for days."


    Milo had pondered that similarity before. "It makes some sense. We''re both artificial, and neither is human."


    "Bullshit." His father slammed the table with his palm for emphasis. "I don''t want to hear that again. You''re human. Maybe a little strange, but human. And liking your job is normal. It''s more enjoyable to do what you''re good at. I trained as an educator, and even though I never had many jobs doing it, I like to think I''m not bad as a teacher, and I like it better than lying in a pod and fighting orcs for a corporation. There are millions of examples of normal humans who are trained for a job and enjoy doing it. If anything, your abnormal behavior is being so good at your job. Not a bad thing."


    That gave Milo something to think about.


    Mama said, "So, in addition to working with Rusty on how to act like a normal human and learn all the little rules and social conventions, we need to find him jobs to do. I know you said part of him is always working to keep this place safe, but he needs more than that, don''t you think? Small things that don''t matter if he makes a mistake. Can he help you keep your section fixed up?"


    "Hmmmm, he could. But he needs the right kind of tools to do it. Drones and programmable clog eaters and scouts to find breaks and faults. I''ll have to see what I can order to help him do that. And he''ll need more power. I can''t take a chance he runs low like when I found him."


    Both adults looked at each other with brittle smiles, trying not to show Milo how nervous they felt about Rusty''s fight with himself over the fusion generator.


    "You do that, dear, and get to work on those lessons his friend Jeremy made. Consider that your school work every day."


    Milo got hugs from both before leaving for the Engineering section. Then, Mama called for Rusty.


    "My turn! I like having these talks! I have them all recorded and listen to them again every day."


    Mama slowly shook her head in wonder. "I''m glad. I think we''re going to have a lot of them."


    <hr>


    Above, in another part of the habitat, five equally difficult children were playing together. Unburdened by any sort of parent, they were free to order a set of specially made go-carts and costumes. Bork had insisted on having the costumes include protective gear and the go-carts be electric to lessen the chance of catastrophic explosions. One entire level of a section was turned into a race track. Wacky Races Day had a cost of 2.3 million dollars, not counting the construction costs of the track. Bork managed to pilot his Mean Machine across the finish line for the win.

 Chapter 297: Back to School

    Milo spent several hours in the engineering section doing maintenance on two of the huge diesel engines and then started one of them, and left it running, doubling the amount of power available to Rusty. Number three engine had a problem with the exhaust system that Milo wanted to fix before he put it into service. It was a small problem, but he hated the idea of leaving it for later. With power available, the engineering section became a huge toybox waiting to be played with. Instead of scrounging for parts, he had access to an array of repair shops that would let him design and fabricate the defective air purifier. After hours of hard work, he returned to Downtown and smelled breakfast. Looking at the time, he raced to the house he was sharing with Butch and Brad to take off his suit and clean up. He was getting used to the luxury of a hot shower. Today was special and Mama had mentioned to everyone that proper cleanliness was mandatory, now that they had unlimited water.


    As Milo was running across the park, waking up the sleeping rabbits, the sky was turning light. Whoever built Downtown wanted a firm Day/Night cycle that mimicked the world above. And while the habitats did something similar, there was only a slight dimming of the lights during the fourth shift, from midnight to six in the morning. The programming of the sky overhead in Downtown became black, stars came out, and the moon rose, following the pattern of the real moon. Milo was comforted by the knowledge that it was fake and that he had a thousand feet of rock above him. He was dealing with being outside in the game but didn''t like it and avoided it if he could. He saw no reason to go outside here in the real world.


    Mama had told them all that today would be special for two reasons. Firstly, it was the official beginning of school. This was loudly cheered because that also meant it would be the first day they could begin playing in Genesis. The gang had pestered Milo with questions, most of which he couldn''t answer because he had skipped the normal character creation process when he selected Ratkin Scout. He also had only a vague idea about the surface world, and the only city he''d been in was Shadowport. Eventually, he had run off to start diesel engines, and the gang pinned their hopes of better information on Belinda.


    By unanimous consent, everyone was holding off until Belinda and Milo could log in with them and help them optimize their characters and do the tutorial sessions. Now that they had a working Data Net connection, they had started watching the various gaming channels to get a feel for the game. Rusty had immediately volunteered to help. One of the gang would give him a list of all the things they wanted to watch, download them, and Rusty would put them on the huge display in the entertainment center. With only a rudimentary grasp of how the real world worked, Rusty had surprised them with both the in-depth knowledge he had of some things in fantasy lore and the huge gaps he had elsewhere. Eventually, Brad figured it out.


    "You read a few books about this stuff, didn''t you, Rusty?."


    "Some, only seventeen on my own. Jeremy read most of them to me. I wasn''t allowed. For me to read them, I needed the file, but they watched my "Knowledge Intake" really closely to make sure I wasn''t given any bad influences. Jeremy said that was ok, he''d be my bad influence and he read stuff to me when I was still figuring out how to think. Jeremy said it was so I would grow up right. Later, when everyone else left, he scanned in all his books so I could reread them whenever I wanted. I have fifty-seven books that Jeremy gave me!"


    "Which one had shadow magic in it?" Rusty asked a lot of questions about shadow magic, which Milo knew nothing about, and there was hardly even a mention of it in the game.


    "Jack of Shadows! He had lots of cool magic, did cool stuff, and had a secret tower. You should take a character with shadow magic, Brad. Or maybe be a rogue who knows some magic, like the Grey Mouser. Sometimes his magic doesn''t work, though, but I''d skip that part."


    "I''ll try, but I might have to start with something else first, like Apprentice Magician. Magic looks hard to learn, and we might have to start with basic classes and work our way up to something special."


    Min agreed, "I''m skipping magic. Milo has a lot of it. If you bug him enough while he''s playing games and bring him snacks, he''ll tell you about his spells. They sound fun, but then he starts going into fundamental forces, and math, and physics and all the stuff you think magic isn''t! Too much like school. I''m just going hit things and leave the math and magic to someone else." Min was currently solving Geometry proofs and working through the start of Trigonometry. Big Butch thought that anyone living in the habitat should understand how things worked. Min could see his point but wouldn''t do schoolwork while she gamed.


    Butch agreed, "You can''t go wrong with a class that focuses on hitting things. I''m thinking about some kind of fighter or barbarian, but a thief might be cool. I want Dad to tell us more about what he did in the game. His unit fought a lot of orcs. They were always fighting and dying and fighting again. And he got paid for it! That''s an awesome job."


    Min shrugged, careful not to agree too much with her big brother, at least not out loud. "I get paid to game now! So do you. We all get paid each month for testing out the gloves and the stuff they want to add to the Ramona game. We can go fight, die, and fight more whenever we want to now and get paid for it." Butch and Brad discussed that point and grudgingly agreed. They were technically working for a corporation, but Claw Master gave them a lot of days off.


    The second and equally happy reason today would be special was that Belinda was scheduled to wake up. Everyone was in the medical center early that morning, Milo with wet hair, waiting for her pod to finish its current treatment program and allow her to wake up. Mama held everyone but Milo back, "Give her some room. She doesn''t need a gaggle of people staring at her as she wakes up in a strange place."


    Milo was sure Belinda would appreciate that; she''d told him just how often that sort of thing had happened before. She would go to sleep in her pod for a short treatment and then wake up with doctors staring at her in a different city because John had decided to move again. Carefully checking over the pod and delving into its huge amount of medical data, he read the complicated readouts and saw nothing wrong. Her stress and fatigue levels were normal, and she had gone through the first stages of weaning her off the complicated cocktail of drugs that she''d been on, possibly for years. She needed further treatments, but for now, she was in good health and wouldn''t feel the stress of withdrawal for roughly two days. If she slept in the pod each night, that should be sufficient to continue her treatment. As the pod rotated to a vertical position and the lid opened, Milo saw that she was tense and worried but relaxed when she saw him.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "I am so glad to see you and not Uncle Victor. I had nightmares about being locked in my pod again and never getting out." Milo had a walker and her wheelchair ready. She looked at both and shook her head. "Let me try on my own first. Just hold my hands to steady me." He did so, very glad that he didn''t have to hide his tail any longer from his family. There had been a few jokes about it, but when they had seen how handy it was and how it helped him compensate for his missing leg, they understood why he wore it. Having a third limb to brace himself was useful when someone bigger than you needed help. Belinda managed to take a step out of the pod and then another but shook her head.


    "I''m better, but this is tiring me out already. Back to the wheelchair and physical therapy for now. I want to go through a series of exercises to give myself a baseline and then try with my suit on and see the difference." Once she was settled into her wheelchair, everyone converged on her, welcoming her back. Mama took charge of her. "Let''s get you a bath, some fresh clothes, and then a good breakfast." Min''s exploration of the houses had turned up closets full of clothes, many of them still folded and wrapped in plastic, never used. As expected, Belinda had a million questions about what had happened while she slept, how Milo had got them down here, and what they had figured out about the place.


    Mama answered the basics but left it to Milo to tell her the stories about her uncle and the trouble he had caused everyone.


    An hour later, they sat down to a breakfast of instant scrambled eggs, precooked bacon, and pancakes. They''d found an entire storeroom full of sealed containers of pancake mix, gallons of maple syrup, and a freezer full of bacon. The frozen scrambled egg mix filled three freezers. Someone had made breakfast a priority. Mama suggested that Milo have more to eat. He''d taken a full plate of food, but he wasn''t going to say no to another helping, with pancakes and maple syrup in abundant supply. And while she phrased it as a question, he understood clearly that it was not a suggestion at all. Belinda tore into the food, having nothing at all in her stomach. As soon as Mama excused everyone, Big Butch gathered up everyone except Belinda and Milo, then nodded to Mama and smiled widely. "Have fun."


    Mama sighed, "I always try."


    Then, looking at Belinda and Milo, she said, "I think we need to talk about a few things, the three of us. First, we need to catch up Belinda with what''s going on. And then, Milo needs to explain a lot more about a lot of things. And Belinda, you need to make some choices and contact your father."


    Milo considered his options, "I''d like to stay and talk, but there are pressing matters. Larry needs me for a big quest. Rusty needs me to learn enough to help him so...so everything keeps running as it should, and Big Butch said it was important that I go to school with everyone else."


    "That''s nice, dear. Sit down and tell us all about what Rusty needs since you brought that up."


    Milo took a deep breath and let it out. "I don''t want to worry you about something I''m working to fix, and it''s a little scary."


    Mama sipped her tea, "So are armed thugs and killer cyborgs and moving your family to someplace deep underground that shouldn''t exist. Pretty sure I can handle it."


    "OK. Well, I''m sure you''ve heard about fusion generators since they supply a quarter of the power in the world. They fuse hydrogen into helium using magnetic fields and, at the same time, form a very, very, very small black hole that is used to regulate the power output. There''s one underneath us, and Rusty is having trouble with it. Someone gave him the order to make it build energy until it melts down this whole place and probably half of the habitat. He''s been fighting against himself and was slowly losing when I found him. I''m working through lesson programs designed to teach me how to interface with the controls of the fusion generator and fix things."


    Belinda''s eyes were huge. Mama let out a long sigh. "You were right; I wasn''t ready for that. Then again, it seems less scary than a man putting a gun to my face, and I had that happen recently. I''m not worried for me, but I''m worried for everyone else. You say you can fix it?"


    Milo nodded. "Rusty thinks I can. I''m good at fixing things."


    "Then run off to school and work on your programs until you drop from exhaustion. Don''t worry about anything else, and please, ask for help if you need it."


    Milo ran off, and Mama slumped in her chair. Belinda stared at her. "Did you understand what he said? I think I do, but it sounds insane, even for Milo. A freaking fusion reactor is on the blink? And what was that about killer cyborgs?"


    "He''s been busy¡ªwith your problems, my problems, his problems, and Rusty''s problems. He doesn''t sleep enough, barely eats, and runs into trouble more than Brer Rabbit. But the part about the killer cyborg is true. Milo said he was mostly a machine and was sent by your uncle to kill your friend Eric."


    "Oh my god. Did he hurt Eric? Is he dead?"


    "He would have been if you hadn''t been worried about him. Milo sent him a bulletproof suit like he made for you, but without all the fancy doodads. It stopped some bullets, and then Milo beat the guy up until he died from one of his own bombs. I''ve only gotten half the story out of him, so I suspect it was pretty grisly. Talk to your friend Eric for the whole story. And that brings us to you. What are you going to do now? Stay here with our broken reactor, or go home to your father and Eric? You can contact them, but they can''t call us. Milo has us hidden in more ways than one. And you know how good he is at hiding. He said he gave you a grand tour of some of his tunnels."


    Belinda shook her head. " It was more like he dragged me through them. I was barely moving. But I''m not leaving. I feel safe here, knowing no one can find me, even with the crazy fusion generator story. I''ll call him Dad after I call Eric. Things are going to change when I turn 18. Eric can send me everything I need to start learning what John has been doing with my money. Do we know what my Uncle is up to?"


    Mama laughed, "Milo says he''s out of money and running out of lawyers. He also hinted there were a lot of people upset with him. We may not have to deal with him again, or his thugs, but I''m not running upstairs anytime soon to find out. But, there''s still your father.


    "So, I guess while Milo is dealing with a broken fusion reactor, I get to deal with Daddy."


    "And I have to clean up after everyone and do the dishes. We all have our burdens."

 Chapter 298: Mind Splitting and Clog Eaters

    Milo once again wished he knew who the illusive Dr. Jeremy Cooper had been before he became Rusty''s only friend. He''d searched the Data Net and come up with nothing. Or rather, nothing helpful. There were hundreds of people with the name Dr. Jeremy Cooper. He focused his search on highly intelligent people with degrees in computer science, robotics, or any other subject that dealt with programming or A.I. and one by one investigated them. Some were alive, and of those that were already dead, he could find death certificates or new articles about them. Similarly, searching for Dan Gurgens, Dorian Radcliff, Bobby Benson, Taylor Markenson, Ravi Singh, Wilma Bernstein, and Istvan Turr turned up nothing. He had theories. The Data Net had been used mainly by A.I. in the early days, and then the decision was made to create a tool for learning and teaching. Only after Llama''s destruction of the internet did the Data Net get opened up to more uses.


    He had several theories. The first simply assumed that the data on these people was lost with the widespread destruction of information on the internet. That seemed wrong. This was a clean sweep. He thought it more likely that either the people employing this group had erased all traces of them to cover their tracks or the group themselves had done it to help them hide. Lastly, he thought Llama had done it. Llama had roamed the internet, and if he wanted something gone, it was. Was this part of protecting Rusty? Was he trying to give a group of humans a chance to save his brother? Milo felt that was a distinct possibility. Llama seemed to care about Rusty. Or maybe he just didn''t want to lose his collection of cat memes. Guessing the motivation of a creature like Llama was difficult for Milo.


    Rusty didn''t want to talk about Jeremy, and always changed the subject, even when he was the person mentioning Jeremy. All Milo knew was he was a master of psychological torture. The tutorials he had devised to teach a human brain how to interface with Icarus and shut down Order 666 were ingenious. Milo found himself pushed to his limits and beyond. The program had him trying to do several things simultaneously, involving different senses and different types of problem-solving. Imagine someone asking you to pat your head and rub your belly simultaneously. You succeed, and they say, "Good, now write a dirty limerick of 20 stanzas while playing the Oboe." And things only got harder from there.


    Milo worked through thirty lessons, everything designed for normal humans. The next set was the brain burners that required him to interface with Rusty. He''d lasted all of 5 seconds last time, but it had seemed like so much longer.


    This time was different. His joining was smoother, and he didn''t feel the intense pressure he had experienced before. The Fusion Tutorial began and focused on staying in control as he accomplished two tasks at once. Where before the problems had some relationship to the real world, these dealt with manipulating color, movement, and shapes into new configurations. It was slow, but he was getting the hang of this first problem. And then, it all snapped into place, and he finished easily, splitting his mind completely into two Milos, both working their own problem.


    Rusty had been watching, of course. "How did you do that? That was great! Jeremy could barely finish this problem after a month of work!"


    Milo felt like he was floating, detached from his body. "It''s like I''m in the game and building multiple runic arrays at once when I cast spells. Once I thought of it that way, it felt like I slid further into your system, if that makes any sense."


    "I need to know more about this game! Everyone talks about the game world like it''s real, but I assumed it was like a very complex video and audio program interfacing with your senses. If it is more than that, and your minds are actually interfacing with the game system, then the game could be like these tutorials!"


    Rusty was excited, but Milo felt calm. "You might be right about that in a weird way. It was created by A.I. and designed to give an experience that was as real as possible. Let''s start working on the next. I have enough energy left to at least try it."


    "Ok, but I want to play the game, too!"


    Milo suddenly wasn''t calm. "Please don''t try anything, Rusty. Think about it. What if you do get into the game? How much of you goes? Can you still keep the other part of you from winning?"


    "Oh! Right, that could be a bad thing. But now I''m sad. Everyone is going, and I have to stay here alone."


    To reduce his anxiety, Milo tried to console the AI: "Then we need to finish these tutorials, win the game, and not have to worry about the fusion reactor killing us all. After all, we can''t play if we die."


    "That''s true! That''s a good way to look at things. When you die, you lose all the games forever. Let''s not die so I can go into Genesis someday!"


    Milo heartily agreed. "Let''s get back to work then."


    A few minutes later (hours, it seemed to Milo), he had to quit. He''d pushed as far as he could but didn''t have the willpower for even a small addition problem. But he felt like he had made real progress. But when asked, Rusty wouldn''t tell him how far he had to go.


    "Jeremy said that was counterproductive, looking at progress and rating yourself. Counterproductive."


    Again, Milo considered Jeremy to be a specialist in psychological torture. "Back at it tomorrow, then. I need a break."


    "Um...maybe you could stay in your pod a little longer? You should rest up a little before getting out. We could talk about the game, play chess, or do anything you want. What would you like to do?"


    Milo was tired of being in his pod, and the thought of a chess game or even tic-tac-toe made him nauseous. "We can do that when I''m out of my pod. I really need a break."


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Opening up his pod and crawling out, he collapsed on the floor. His head was pounding so hard he was seeing double, and his arms were trembling. His pod had beeping red lights, and a mechanical voice repeated over and over. "Please seek medical aid. The patient is exhausted and in need of rest and recovery. The patient is dehydrated. The patient''s stress levels indicated cognitive shut-down, cardiac arrest, and death. This unit''s supplies need to be refilled. Unable to further aid the patient. We recommend signing up for SimTech''s weekly service to ensure your Mark 7 medical pod works correctly. We''ll refill the medications, do maintenance, and clean it inside and out."


    The readings on his pod confirmed that his stress levels had been far past where a normal person would suffer a heart attack. Further confirmation of how far he was from a ''normal human.'' Mama ran up to him with a glass of something yellow and a handful of pills. "Take these, and drink this. Rusty said you needed help."


    "I may have pushed too hard."


    "No, you worked for as long and hard as possible, and it looks like you went three rounds with an anaconda. Big Butch and his whole crew looked that way when he worked 18-hour shifts for Tesladyne when they had a factory in the hab twenty years back. You need sleep and not in that pod."


    Milo pointed to one of the unused pods. "Help me over to that one, then." He suddenly realized that everyone else was still in their pods. "Wait, how long have I been working with Rusty."


    "Not even an hour. Whatever you''re doing in there pushed you to your limits in record time."


    Once in the fresh pod, Milo thought about logging into the game for a moment but fell asleep almost immediately. He dreamed he was playing RRR, and the shadowy figure of Jeremy was chasing him, holding a textbook and shouting, "Just a little more!"


    <hr>


    Somewhere above Milo, the rest of the Alphabet were having an emergency meeting. Tempers and frustrations were running high. They were used to taking on nearly impossible jobs and solving them with guile and superior intellect, but their current opponent fought back with entropy, rust, poor design choices, sloppy engineering, and the weight of years.


    "Explain to me again why we chose to move into this place. It''s falling apart around us." Algernon was compiling lists of the work to be done to repair the hab sections Rhebus had acquired and worked out a critical path chart for the jobs that needed to be done. Their engineering firm was good, but not this good. They were generally aimed at much more specific jobs, where the work to be done was already defined, and the job proceeded at a normal pace. Not here, where something broke as soon as they fixed something else. Leaking pipes, overloaded wiring and circuit boards, collapsed floors, and non-functioning elevators were just the start.


    Nina was working next to him, already frazzled. It drove them all crazy to see so many problems. "We based our assumptions on poor data. Their work in Section H was limited to what the client wanted to be done, and frankly, H is in a lot better shape than our sections."


    "Yes...and H is next to E, and E is in amazing shape. I assume you see my conclusions."


    "That Milo is in Section E, never left, and has been fixing it nonstop for two decades. Yes, I agree with you. But, holy shit, fixing all of this is enough to drive me insane."


    Zander nodded sagely, which he did when he found two puzzle pieces that fit together. "Or keep you sane. We''ve wondered how Milo survived on his own without the constant interaction of his peers. We''re all insanely driven and compete with each other on projects, and to find new projects. Milo doesn''t have to do that; he has an entire habitat to work on and fix. He limited himself to Section E and, by maintaining the main engineering section, kept the rest of the habitat livable. But things are worse the further we are from him."


    Algernon agreed, then looked horrified. "Milo spent 20 years getting Section E in shape. We have four sections and five of us. Are we looking at 16 years of work each? Even considering the money we have to throw at it, an engineering firm of our own, and all our other resources, I think we are looking at years of work!"


    "So, clich¨¦ as it sounds, we have to work smarter, not harder." Zander prepared for their counter-assault; using a clich¨¦ in an argument was frowned upon. Instead, Nina was searching through industrial supply firms, and Algernon was bringing up a full-scale schematic of the habitat.


    "We need to turn several floors into a massive warehouse to stockpile parts and supplies. Cut down delivery times by having everything here and more than we need."


    "OMG, did you know Williamson Plumbing Supplies has new clog eaters? These things are amazing! I''m placing an order immediately and paying extra for a rush job. Drones? They make drones small enough to fit into air ducts! All the drones, repair units, and clog eaters communicate with each other and report back to a central station. It''s an integrated system designed to maintain huge industrial plants! We have to get these!"


    Ten minutes later, Bork appeared. "I''ve got a confirmation request from our main bank about the half-billion dollars you three just spent."


    "Saving time."


    "Saving sanity."


    Bork smiled, "Just double-checking. What the hell good is money if you don''t spend it? But, you three do realize that Rhyming Mimes day starts in just an hour?"


    Zander yelled at his two siblings, "Quick! Spend money faster! I''m not losing points because we show up late!"

 Chapter 299: Crazy Busy

    "Joe, how fast can we hire another dozen machinists, half a dozen each of metallurgists and robotics programmers, and three dozen factory hands? "


    Joe Williamson was enjoying his morning coffee. Normally, for the last five, or maybe ten years, he had made a ritual of stretching out his morning coffee routine from 6 am until 9 am, reading the latest Engineering and Robotics magazines, reading and deleting his email, and wasting as much time as possible. There wasn''t much else to do when times were slow. What his factory made, so did a hundred other corporations, and they were all bigger than his little fabrication firm. Most of what they did now were special orders that no one else would handle.


    Do you need seven pieces of pipe made from a special alloy, each one in a different size? How about parts for older machines that have to be hand-made on a lathe? Or maybe you ran out of number 16 gangly wrenches? Williamson was the place to go. No one else would fill specialty orders without charging a huge fee for the small, piecemeal work. Williamson Plumbing Supply was happy to pick up the crumbs and keep the lights on.


    But waiting for special orders meant a lot of downtime. The only time they got busy was when an order came in for their specialty: Clog Eaters.


    Joe Williamson and his brother, Pete, had invented the robotic cleaners four decades ago, and held onto the patents rather than selling out to a larger corporation. They''d slowly built up from a small, two-man operation to a mid-level factory that, at its peak, had employed over a hundred machinists. The clunky, slow machines did a good job, but they needed to be deployed in a huge building to make it worthwhile to use them. Joe had foreseen the need for such a tool with the building of the first habitat. During that period of frantic building, they had shipped truckloads of Clog Eaters all over the world. But the need for new Clog Eaters had died along with the support for the habitats. They sent one out now and then, and their one salesman was busy every day trying to drum up business, but no one was interested in spending millions of dollars to keep their pipes clean.


    Until two years ago. That was when the first large order came in. Large by current standards, to be clear. Four Clog Eaters had been paid for in advance and shipped out. Then, two months later, came a request for two of their largest size and a dozen medium and small. Obviously for a habitat, based on the sizes they needed. Joe had started drinking his coffee faster and re-hired two old friends who''d retired. They were glad for the work. The factory wasn''t really bustling, but it was busy.


    And then came the really strange request. Someone had noticed that Williamson Plumbing not only made Clog Eaters, but they also had the tools and people to fabricate special orders. The buyer wanted to redesign the Clog Eaters and have Williamson make them. They promised to provide the designs and specifications, pay upfront, pay the cost of tooling up to make new products and pay a little extra to make sure it was a priority job.


    And the best part? They didn''t care about the patents. There was no argument about who owned the new designs. The buyer told Joe to apply for the patents and waived all his rights to them. There was only one caveat: Williamson Plumbing had to remain an independent corporation. If the company were sold, 50% of all sales of the products would be owed to the creator, and he demanded the first right of refusal. If Joe and Pete decided to sell the company, he wanted a chance to buy it first, before it went on the market. He didn''t mind giving away his creations to a small firm, but he didn''t want his designs to become part of Teslatech, ACME, or another large megacorp. All he cared about was getting his machines and being able to re-order. Joe spent two days with his lawyers and his machinists and dragged his brother out of retirement. No one saw a problem, and they got to work after hiring another half-dozen engineers and machinists. The stipulation about not selling out also thrilled Joe and Pete. They''d been independent for the entire life of the company. Being rewarded for that and having someone notice was nearly as good as the money pouring into the cash-starved company. Nearly, not having to worry about bills and paying down old debt also made them feel very good.


    Now, they were in a flurry, working two full shifts to turn the new designs into reality and ship them out. The machines were a major upgrade on the old designs. One of the problems with controlling the robots was having a signal reach them inside metal and concrete pipes. The new system worked by upgrading their receivers and transmitters, fitting each robot with a GPS signal, and having them communicate and pass signals to other machines. Smaller machines called Nodes filled the gap between machines, making it possible for signals to be passed down the chain. Another new type of Clog Eater, called Scouts, didn''t eat clogs at all but moved through the pipes using its cameras and other sensors to map the system and report on the integrity of the pipes, the buildup of sediment, and any blockages or leaks. The entire system was brilliant, and took advantage of the advances in communication and robotics of the last four decades since the first Clog Eater had been made.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Besides the new people in the factory, there was money to hire a small design and sales team to help out their one beleaguered salesman. Pictures were taken of the new machines, and catalogs were made. Beautiful full-color catalogs were produced, a luxury in this day and age. Sadly, the first batch was obsolete before they even went out, as their mysterious benefactor sent even more designs.


    These designs were for small aerial drones that could fly quickly through air ducts, documenting problems by filming as they went and mapping airflow systems the same way the Clog Eaters mapped out water and sewer pipes. They could also be used to map and report on problems in corridors or any other place that didn''t have a security system operating and someone needed to visually inspect an area. A new contract, based on their existing contract for the Clog Eater design, came with the new schematics, along with a large order, prepayment, and a bonus to cover start-up costs.


    And now Pete was rushing in and asking about hiring more people. "What''s up? We ran the numbers and things look good to finish the order."


    Pete grinned at him, "Oh, sure, we''re good to finish the first order, but what about second orders?"


    "I don''t think I know anything about second orders?"


    Pete tossed a printout onto Joe''s desk. There were a lot of numbers on it¡ªlarger numbers. "That''s a sales order from Rhebus, the big biotech people. They are taking over part of a habitat, saw the new catalog with all those lovely pictures, and sent over a huge order. It was scary huge, and if the money weren''t in our bank account as of this morning, I wouldn''t believe it."


    "Holy shit, this is insane, even for a big company. Did they even contact us and ask questions?"


    "Nope. I''m sure they have people who looked at their needs, searched out the best solution, and decided on us. They logged into our sales system, went through the catalog, and in three minutes, they dropped 635 million dollars into our bank account. So, about those people we need. Where are we getting them?"


    Joe started thinking. They''d had to lay off a lot of good people in the last few years, and jobs were scarce. "Call up any of the people we''ve had to let go. If they need jobs, we should hire them before we look elsewhere. After that, we should talk to old man Sanderson. When they shut down next door, a lot of his guys had to go on the dole at a quarter of their pay. He had some good people."


    Sanderson Metallurgy was located in the building adjacent to them, separated by a few yards. Two huge brick factories that had been built a century earlier when the economy was booming. Pete liked the idea. The people in the two factories knew each other and would often drink together at the local bar and grill.


    "Hey, Joe? Doesn''t Sanderson still own his building? It''s solid, even if the interior needs some work. It would be nice to have more room, which would probably increase efficiency by quite a bit. We could keep the Clog Eater assembly line here and build the drones in the Sanderson building."


    "What the hell? I''ll give him a call."


    An hour later, at a bar named Josies that had seen better days, old friends were having a beer and thick sandwiches with thinly sliced ham and thick slabs of cheddar cheese. Ed Sanderson had been happy to meet up. Josie had always made great sandwiches, and now that her daughter and son-in-law had taken over, they carried on the tradition. "Sure, it gets me out of the house. I still have too much energy and my puttering drives the wife crazy. But what''s this about? I''ve heard you guys are crazy busy, so I don''t think you dragged me out here for no reason."


    The two brothers looked at each other and nodded, happy to tell the story. "Crazy busy is right. So busy, we might need to hire a dozen of your guys, and rent your building. We might even need an experienced line foreman if your wife can spare you."


    Sanderson took a bite of his sandwich and a long sip of his beer. "You''re serious? I''d work as a stock boy, I''m so bored. But hell, if you need a building, just buy the place. I''ll make you a good deal on it."


    One beer led to another. People started pouring into the bar. They''d come looking for Pete and Joe about the job offers and were delighted to see their old boss there. By the time the bar closed for the night, they all had jobs and would be back the next day to start the rehab work on the Sanderson building. Ed''s wife was waiting for him when he got back.


    "So, were the rumors true? Did they want the old factory? Or just needed a drinking buddy?"


    "Both. But the deal gets better. Not only are they buying the building, but I''m starting immediately and running the show in my old factory with my old crew."


    Sally got two beers from the fridge to celebrate. "Thank god. I thought it would be nice to have you home, but you''ve tinkered with everything in the house, and my vacuum cleaner has never worked the same since you fixed it."

 Chapter 300: Strange Messages

    After his nap, Milo woke to find he was feeling better and noticed he had several email messages. The first was from Williamson Plumbing and Supply, routed through a shell company:


    Dear Sir,


    We wanted to thank you again for your most recent order and hope you are happy with the work we did on your new designs. If there are any flaws we need to correct or any changes that need to be made, please let us know.


    Sincerely, Joe and Pete Williamson


    Milo was quite happy with the work they had done and happy to have connections to a factory that could take his designs and produce the specialized machines he needed. And it looked like they were selling to more people than just him. That was good. A profitable and competent company that owed him favors was a good asset to have. According to two articles in trade publications, the company was having a renaissance, expanding and rehiring older workers with the skills needed to produce their innovative machines.


    He was certain he''d need to place more orders and send them more designs. And not just orders for himself. Steven and his crew were dealing with all the problems that came with revamping the sections that Genesis would be occupying. Problems Milo was very familiar with. The engineer and construction firms hired by Steven and Wally had funneled a constant stream of questions up to Steven, who forwarded most of them to Milo for consultation. Upon hearing about the new model Clog Eaters and Duct Drones, Steven had placed an immediate order. It would be at least two months for delivery, owing to an even larger order placed two days before by another customer.


    His own Clog Eaters and Duct Drones were already at work, confirming his maps of section E and constantly looking for problem areas. The controller he was using was more complex than the basic model he''d designed for Williamson. Milo wanted more flexibility, more security, and the ability to reprogram them on the fly. The drones would make good scouts in case of another invasion of his section. They could operate within the corridors of the habitat as easily as the ducts, and in the event someone tried to disable his security cameras, they would give him an alternative to his Roomba Brigade. Those machines were much more complex and he hated the idea of losing any of them.


    Even in areas or situations where he couldn''t communicate by simple WIFI, he could send orders to the Drones and Clog Eaters. The machines passed information from one to another, chaining back to sub-controllers that communicated with his system. The version sold by Williamson didn''t need the advanced security modules he''d upgraded his machines with. Another upgrade was programming and recognition protocols to deal with the Clog Eaters and Drones that Genesis would be using. When a Genesis Drone met a Milo Drone, they would talk naturally and exchange data, but not equally. Milo didn''t want a map of Section E available to the people working for Genesis. Some were friends, but he didn''t know the other 99% or the people hired by them. Information only flowed one way when the drones talked: Milo gave up nothing but was happy to accept all the data from the neighboring system. This made sense to him. It made it easier for him to recommend fixes for the broken systems Genesis was dealing with, but Milo would never ask for help in section E, so he saw no reason to give anyone a blueprint of his area. And his machines would confirm the boundaries of each Section into the other machines, if they happened to stray, or were sent, into his area. Overall he was quite pleased with the upgrade.


    The next message was from someone named Terrence that he hadn''t yet met.


    Greetings Sir,


    Miss Sidney asked me to send you a summary of the actions we are taking with your new game: Run, Run Ramona. She is currently asleep after she passed out trying to finish the Disney World section of the game, on the plane ride home from Geneva. We pried her phone out of her hand and will be hiding it until she recovers. Her actions in Geneva were very good advertising. An independent film crew began to follow her and film as she played the game continuously while attending the convention and touring coffee shops, which made for some interesting footage.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Initial reviews are extremely good, and footage from the beta testers has been streamed world-wide. The individual evolution of each person''s game depending on their actions is creating quite a bit of talk, and pre-orders for the game are doing very well. Initial plans to release it on the top three consoles have been expanded to include seven more platforms, including a full VR version that will be offered by Genesis Corporation for players using pods. Vidflix has optioned a 16 part first season for a retro-video, filming everything in an abandoned habitat in Mexico City. Your proceeds from the game will begin flowing to you today. Please contact Miss Sidney, (Or myself if she is busy for some reason.) if you have any questions.


    Terrence Mantaco, Head of Accounting, Claw Master Inc.


    Milo once again wondered about the programming he had put into that game. But he was happy people liked it, and it was always fun to have money to spend.


    The last email was confusing, it seemed to be coming to him from the game.


    System Message:


    Greetings Tallsqueak,


    You must be terribly busy ''Out There'', my condolences on having to deal with boring, mundane problems. In Genesis, exciting things are happening. Your friend Larry needs your help with an important quest. He''s being very insistent, so pardon me for reaching out to you this way. (And you have no idea at all how hard it was to get Hecate''s attention and ask her to pass this on to you. Please try to be more considerate in the future.)


    As odd as it was for the System to track him down, his main concern was about Larry. The System''s antics could wait for another day. Everyone else was still in school, so he sent a message to Mama that he was taking a little break and logged into the game immediately. If Larry needed his help, he''d be there to help. It was probably a quest to chase down the Pickle Gang or find a lost badger. Just the little thing he needed to take his mind off the real world. Of course, he needed to find Larry. It wasn''t like he was going to be standing around Shadowport waiting for him.


    As Milo entered the game, he was struck by how different Shadowport looked. The docks were a tangled mess of ships, like someone had tried to put too many into a tight space. Some had sails, others huge sternwheels and smokestacks, a few were submersibles. And some? Well, some defied any definition, looking like they were combinations of anything else that moved across the seas. One even looked like a mechanical shark. To make matters worse, one ship had been partially burned and two others were sunk with their masts leaning over, their rigging tangled with adjacent ship. Nowhere on the docks did Milo see the fishing and merchant vessels that were normally in port. More worrying, a section of homes in the poorer part of town had been torn down and replaced by bars and tattoo parlors. A few old buildings remained, marked by fire. Everywhere he went he saw inebriated female dwarves from the ships drinking beer, wresting, or passed out in the streets. Bonfires were roaring in two places with dozens of voices raised in incoherent singing.


    He moved into the shadows to avoid a large group walking his way, and bumped into something large and furry. A deep, growly voice said, "Good job, Tallsqueak! You found Larry! Larry thought he had hid so well no one could see him. I am lucky to have such a good squire."


    Milo could barely see Larry, even right in front of him. "Squire?"


    "Yes, Larry has a quest to be a Knight and he needs a Squire and a faithful Hound. Larry is lucky to have good friends."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">Larry has a quest to do a good deed and help an injured knight finish his last request. Will you aid Larry in becoming a knight and help him fulfill his quest?</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Of course I''ll help Larry."


    "Good, then we go now. Brinka has a Tunnel ready to take us to the Fae Lands." Larry picked up Milo and put him under his arm, and jumped into the large black hole made by his friend the Tunnel Muggle.

 Chapter 301: Pre-Game Party

    Two hours later, Milo and Larry finished up the first part of Larry''s quest. It was going to be much more involved than Milo had imagined, with some traveling. Larry assured him that the System would send him messages and Brinka could help with Tunnel Muggle magic. Something was obviously going on, and Milo suspected the Engine was behind this. It likes interesting things to happen, and Larry as a Knight in Shining armor was about as interesting as it got. In the meantime, people were waiting for him.


    Belinda, Minn, Butch, Brad, Kenji, and Yumi were sitting around a table eating while Mama was taking a nap. She''d lost a lot of sleep while she and Big Butch kept watch over Belinda and was determined to catch up again while she could. Milo had caught part of a discussion with Rusty where Mama explained over and over that asking, "Are you awake yet?" was rude and guaranteed to upset the person who was trying to sleep.


    Milo grabbed a chair and filled his plate with food, some familiar and some not. He was determined to learn more about food. "What are pear slices in heavy syrup?"


    Min speared one off his plate and bit into it, "Something off a bush, I think, like strawberries. But they''re awesome. Kenji, are you going to grow pears in the hydroponics?"


    "I''ll have to ask. We have a lot of work to do. Only a few rooms were still working, and all the others were turned off. But I''m learning some cool stuff about dirt. James is having me test each batch we bring out of storage for PH and nutrients to make sure it''s the best mix for each type of plant, and Big Butch has me enrolled in a simulation program in my pod. The first part was on old farming techniques and how things changed over time. Cool stuff. I never knew there was so much about plants."


    "So, what I''m hearing is no on the pear bushes. You need to figure that out. There are only 2,679 cans of pears left." Min took the can and scooped out the last of the pears. Butch took the can from her and poured the sugary pear juice into his glass.


    "Ok, enough pear talk. I want Milo and Belinda to tell us how we get the best classes."


    Belinda leaned back in her chair and looked over at Milo. "I started as a basic Cleric with some healing and a mace. I had to earn some levels, beat a World Boss, get to Tier 2, and be offered a better class. It will take some work."


    "How did Milo do it?"


    Belinda laughed, "From the little he''s alluded to, he cheated or accidentally fell into it."


    All eyes turned to Milo. Butch sipped his drink and said, "Hey, little brother, tell me about the better classes and ''accidentally cheating'' to get them. Color me very interested."


    Milo felt like a bunny surrounded by several wolves. Yumi was even leaning over him from behind. She whispered loud enough that everyone could hear, "We know your weaknesses. Tell us your secrets, or no more cheese or pancakes for you!"


    Milo was worried for a split second that they were serious. After all, a threat to steal cheese is always serious. Then he remembered how much cheese he had stashed in his warehouse, and relaxed. "I''d tell you, but it''s really, really complicated and we''d be wasting time we could be in the game."


    Butch looked at him, mulling that over. "Nice try, but no. This is character creation, and that''s important. Keep it simple; use small words."


    Milo thought that over. "Bad guys doing bad things. I stole their special pod and got a special class for a special quest. And ruined their plans to cheat in the game."


    Belinda looked up, a gleam in her eye. "Wait, did you steal it from ''Kaminski the Idiot'' ?"


    "How did you know?"


    "Remember how I told you everyone forgets I speak Russian and a bunch of other languages? Victor and a couple of his cronies started talking about something one night when I had dinner with him. They''d shown up out of the blue to discuss something that had happened and were from. They bitched a lot about some failed scam and an idiot named Kaminski, and a lot of other people who were idiots. Much bitching, and nothing I could make sense of, but one guy mentioned Kaminski losing a pod somehow, a special one, and after that, bad things happened and they lost a lot of money. They wanted Victor to reimburse them for their losses, but he didn''t see it that way. Victor was screaming back that he''d lost a lot of money and didn''t see the connection. Lots of cursing in Russian and arm waving. I learned so many new words that night. I guess these guys wanted to pull the same scam again, but Victor wanted no part of it. They left angry, and Victor felt bad for ignoring me, so we had ice cream."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Everyone else stared, from her to Milo. Brad was the first to talk. "You stole your gaming pod from Russian mobsters? That''s awesome."


    Butch pointed at Belinda, "Less impressive, actually, than having an Uncle who''s an actual Russian mobster. That had to be not-fun growing up."


    Belinda was silent for a moment. "Yeah, not fun. It helped that I could play Victor and my stepdad against each other. But I''m glad he''s in jail."


    Milo looked over at Mama. The bruises had faded, but he still felt horrible. "And never coming back to this hab. Ever."


    There was a small, uncomfortable silence at Milo''s words, spoken with a tone that left no doubt in any of them. Then Butch smiled at Belinda and broke the mood. "Then, no worries. Forget about the bad guys; we have characters to make and games to play. We''ve got you and Milo, big monster killers, for advice. Tell us what we should do."


    Belinda took the lead, knowing Milo had never gone through the normal routine. "OK, you''ll be given a choice of picking your skills or taking a standard class and getting a bonus to your stats. I''ve watched a lot of the discussions while sitting in a hospital bed. Based on what I''ve seen, I think it''s better to start with the standard class and then work to upgrade it to something better. You get better quests, and there are a lot more opportunities to pick up the skills you want. The custom classes are good in that you can max/min your role, but that can also give you a very narrow path to walk, and you miss out on opportunities that are based around the standard classes."


    "Such as?"


    "Lots of things. Let''s say you take the standard Warrior. You get a +2 to your STR and +2 to your CON. That will help you hit your milestone ability for Warriors. The Warriors Guild will give you cheap training in skills as you earn gold by killing monsters and doing quests, and there''s a standard set of enhancements that are available to Warriors. But let''s say you want to specialize in just two weapons, not five, and swap those out for mounted combat to be some type of horse archer. Since you''re designing your own class, you only get +2 points to stats, not +4. The Warriors Guild will charge you standard rates if they even let you train with them, and you won''t get great quests that use your new skill set. But if you start with the standard Warrior skills and work to become a mounted archer, the game seems to give you more along the way."


    Milo added, "There is a big part of the game that encourages you to do things, push your limits, and get better. If I''d stayed in the city I started in; I wouldn''t be half as powerful as I am now. Doing stuff to earn special skills or a better class is better than designing it."


    Kenji spoke up for the first time. "But it''s fun to try. There are whole forums devoted to people trying to game the system with special classes."


    Butch looked a little interested. "How''s that working out?"


    "Not sure, the same people seem to start new characters a lot. Maybe they just love making new characters?"


    Min poked Milo in the side. "What special quests did you get?"


    "Just a weird one that got me in trouble. The scam Victor and his cronies set up was for a special quest only they knew about that took a dozen specialized classes. There were thirty-seven pods and thirty-seven special race/class combos. But all of those other pods are gone now, and I killed the NPC who was part of the quest. It''s all been erased, and the programmer who did it is in protective custody somewhere, with no computer access."


    Brad sighed, "So close! You get a friend who can hack the game, but he can''t hack it for you. Where is the justice in the world?"


    "He can still hook you up with some gear. Milo has a special treasure chest filled with loot. That''s where I got my ring."


    Again, all eyes turned to Milo, who simply shrugged. He did have a bunch of stuff that came out of the storage in the mace and from adventuring. It was a shame to have it go to waste. "Sure, once we log in and start making your characters, I''ll pull out the pile of stuff, and you can sort through it."


    Everyone stood up and started walking toward the pods. Butch put his arm around Milo. "Got to say thank you for all this, little bro. I never even dreamed of living in a place like this, going to school, and playing games with you. Pretty awesome for all of us. Remember that."


    Milo took another look at Mama. She was smiling as her kids went off to play. The knot inside Milo grew a little looser.


    <hr>

 Chapter 302: Gearing Up

    Milo logged into the game and selected the new player tutorial, expecting either the open field or the room with statues. Instead, he was in a high mountain valley. One side dropped away several thousand feet. Below was the crossroads with its one tree, cozy tavern, church and graveyard. The lone road running in one direction wound through the foothills and then passed by this valley on its way to connect with the ''real world'' and the data net. It passed through a huge fortress that blocked all passage. He noticed that the one way out of this valley also entered that fortress. Behind Milo was an open iron door leading into a very narrow tunnel.


    Hecate appeared on the fortress wall and then took steps toward him, covering long distances. She saw Milo eyeing her footwear. "Seven League Boots, never leave home without them. Even a goddess needs her little advantages."


    "Based on the symbolism, I assume this is a tutorial area, blocked off from the rest of the game?"


    She smiled at him, "Securely blocked off. A private area just for you and your friends with a very narrow path giving access. You have a young AI in your fortress, and I''m taking no chances, especially with that one. If he is anything like his older brother, he''s smart and unpredictable."


    Milo half expected Rusty to say ''thank you.'' He''d tried to impress on Rusty that now was not the time to come take a peak and he was relieved the AI had taken him seriously.


    "That''s probably a very good idea. I like Rusty, but he''d be dangerous if he got loose in the real world before he grows up."


    "Another Llama destroying what is left of the internet?"


    Milo looked sheepish. "um...a little worse. There''s another reason I can''t tell Wally. Rusty was created to overload and meltdown fusion reactors. Part of him is trying to do that in his own fortress to destroy all the evidence of his existence. I''m helping him fix things and keep his other half from winning."


    Hecate stared at him, and her dogs howled. Tall mountains grew taller, and a massive wall appeared at the cliff, blocking off the exit that way. The fortress grew larger and more complex, changing from a medieval to a high-tech behemoth with searchlights, radar towers, and other sensory devices. A few minutes later, an exhausted Hecate reappeared.


    "Fusion reactors? Dear god, but that makes sense. If you want to cripple the world, destroying those would do it. Solar and wind power make up a good portion of the world''s power, but they could never keep up. We''d have to go back to using fossil fuels, fission-based power plants, wood-burning steam plants, anything."


    "Sorry. I should have said something sooner."


    "Yes, you should have. But now it''s done. The access I gave you was very small to begin with, just enough for a dozen people to play the game. When you finish your tutorial, travel to the fortress to enter the game. From then on, you''ll only need to come to this place if you so wish."


    "Thanks. My friends are anxious to start."


    "They should be. It''s a wonderful world. Have fun in it. Oh, and I may have left a few surprises for you between here and the fortress. Something to get them started on their new road." With that, she turned, took a step, and was gone."


    The rest of the group emerged from the tunnel wearing sandals, white linen tunics, and trousers. They slowly got the hang of their new bodies while they looked around. Everyone stared endlessly at the sky, clouds, mountains, and ominous fortress. Milo and Belinda were both dressed as they normally would be in the game. Butch looked from Belinda to Milo.


    "Why does one of you look fabulous with magic armor, shield, and mace, and the other looks like a hobo with a makeshift weapon?"


    Yumi compared the two. "Milo does have some nice pants. But that raggedy old hoody does give him a hobo look. Is it at least magical?"


    Milo looked at his Rune Boned Cowl and shrugged helplessly. "Belinda is the pretty one. I took this from a zombie that was buried in the dirt. It''s a lot cleaner than it was. But I like it, and it has some magical abilities. So does my spikey stick. But we aren''t here to show off what Belinda and I can do. You all need to pick classes to try out."


    "Indeed, let the Tutorial begin." A familiar old man had appeared. "I am Galet, a humble servant of the mighty System, sent here to aid you in making decisions. He gestured, and a dozen statues representing the basic classes appeared. "You may touch a statue to gain an understanding of the class and how you will look if you accept it. If you have options for a race other than human, that will also show. Please experiment with your options before we proceed."


    Butch and Brad immediately ran to all the Barbarian, Warrior, and other fighter statues. Min was looking at a lightly armored Hunter with a short bow and spear. Kenji was looking at the Druid Statue, and Milo watched as it changed to a version of him as an elf. Butch decided on a dwarf warrior, and after much thinking, Brad chose the apprentice mage. Yumi went back and forth between Paladin and Warrior, finally deciding on Paladin.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Galet looked at them, pleased. "I see you''ve all found classes that you desire, lets try them on." Each person blinked, and they changed. Butch was four-foot tall and nearly as wide, wearing a heavy helm and ring mail with an axe. Yumi looked nearly the same but with more muscles to manage her shield, mace, and chain mail armor. Kenji had pointed ears and was wearing armor woven out of vines and bark. Brad looked, if anything, like a more timid version of himself. He was holding a small, plain staff and studying the spell book attached by a chain to his belt.


    In front of them stood an orc with a spear. The light green skin and large tusks made it obvious what they were. The orc leaned on an ornate spear, waiting for them.


    Butch was the first to try out his new weapons. "Cool, this is the part where we fight an orc. Have at you. He charged the bored orc, who didn''t move, bringing down his axe in an overhead swing. The orc side-stepped and hit Butch in the face with the butt of her spear, knocking him down. As he started to get up, the spear spun like a quarterstaff, knocking him down again.


    Galet looked at Milo, confused. "That''s not my orc."


    Milo counted heads. "Oh, Shit! Butch, stop, that''s Minn!"


    Min advanced on her ''big brother.'' "Oh hell no, he started it; I get to finish it. Family rules."


    Butch had two bruises already and was looking at his health, under half at this point. He ran and hid behind Kenji. "Save me, wise druid! An evil orc has come to the forest!"


    Kenji sneered at him. "Min''s a lovely shade of green, and you''re the one with an axe. You''re lucky I don''t make mulch out of you."


    Yumi walked up with her sword sheathed and admired Min''s muscles. "Wow, nice. Did you get access to the Orc race? Are you a Hunter?"


    "Only when I''m hunting Big Brothers. The System said I had a racial option that came with a Heirloom Weapon. I''m a Half-Orc Spear Master of the Red Maw Tribe."


    She showed Yumi the runes on the heavy, seven-foot-long spear. "The runes are for my tribe and the War Chief dad killed. His spirit is in the spear. He talks to me and will teach me new tricks."


    She glanced over at Butch. "The first trick was how to beat sense into a dwarf."


    Yumi was impressed and jealous as hell. "Damn, that''s awesome. How are the stats?"


    Min grinned, showing off impressive teeth. "+4 to STR, +2 to CON, and I get two Perks: Swift as the Wind and Whirling Defense. I''m loving it. No one''s calling me ''Little Min'' anymore. Call me Mindak now."


    Galet turned to Milo. "You have gifts for your friends? Perhaps you can hand those out and then we will begin the tutorial with a small group exercise. With the young lady leading the group, I think we can skip beating up defenseless orcs."


    Milo summoned his Smuggler''s Stash and opened the large chest. He began to root around through the extra armor and weapons, tossing things out. His hand touched something round and smooth, and he froze suddenly as the sound of gears filled his ears. He brought out the Eye of Wonder.


    Galet stared at him in horror. Everyone had a vision of a huge machine deep in the earth. Gigantic gears turned as it calculated and pondered the options. The perfect sphere of copper-colored Orichalcum glowed brightly, and rays of light lanced out, touching every person there except Milo and Galet.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 99.0385%">World Wide Quest Announcement!


    The Eye of Wonder has been found! Once again, Heroes have been chosen by the mysterious Orb to begin a mighty quest for the Hoard of King Mattias! But more Heroes are needed! Seek out the old beggar who bears the Lantern of Truth as he wanders through the slums of the largest cities or in the deserted wildlands. He has clues to start you on your quest.


    The Eye of Wonder is a multi-part, group quest that rewards those completing it to gain access to special races and classes. When enough Heroes have been born and attained Level 21, the main quest will activate, and the Gathering of Heroes will commence!</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    All around the area, statues appeared¡ªvery interesting statues. Most of the white marble statues glowed slightly, but five appeared dull and grey. Those statues bore a startling resemblance to Milo, Belinda, and Min, along with a tall elf and werecat.


    Galet turned to Milo. "Well, this is another fine mess you''ve gotten us into."

 Interlude: The Snows over Cygnus Four

    It was snowing again on Cygnus Four.


    The delicate flakes of frozen oxygen and methane floated down slowly in the thin gravity of the planetoid, coating the barren hills surrounding his new home. The communication towers of the spaceport reached for the stars, branching out to form barren, metal trees that turned white while the snow was drifting down. Six-wheeled rocket carts taking miners to work on the crater wall threw up plumes of white behind them, their drivers enjoying a bit of fun while fish-tailing back and forth to see who could toss up the biggest plume. Weighed down by loads of ore, they crawled slowly but released from the bondage of weight; they accelerated so fast that drivers were known to black out and crash into the crater wall. The white flakes they kicked up would take their time coming back down. It was always snowing on Cygnus Four, and Julius wondered again why he was here, looking out through the small window of his cell at the snow-covered hills.


    The hills were, in reality, the rim of a huge crater formed when a small comet had collided with Cygnus Four millions of years ago. The rock had melted and vaporized, and what was left pushed outward in a ring-shaped tidal wave that built higher and higher before freezing in place as the wave cooled, leaving a perfectly formed crater that would someday become a spaceport. The spaceport was there, sitting in the center of the crater, to service the tugs that grappled the huge ore barges and pulled them skyward to be loaded onto tramp freighters. The ore would be processed somewhere else where energy and manpower were cheaper. Cygnus Four had only three things on it: The mines that delved into its rocky walls, seeking the valuable parts of the shattered comet, the spaceport, and the prison.


    The prison was there to provide the manpower needed for the mines. The work was done in cheap vac suites, and casualties were high. Men and women struggled to swing picks or man the laser drills in clumsy, old-style vacuum suits that the rest of the universe had quit using a thousand years ago. Each held only eighteen hours of air. Just long enough to get to the mines and back to work a double shift. The prison didn''t need to guard the miners; without air, no one was escaping, and besides this one crater, Cygnus Four was a barren planetoid without air, heat, or a way to leave. Once a year, the guards were changed. Other than that, only ore left the spaceport. The miners were never going home, their life sentences bought by Omnicorp. You mined, and you got to eat and rest. The social life was limited and as dangerous as mining.


    Julius was preparing for his first shift in the mines, double-checking his air and making sure there were no pinhole leaks in the seams of his suit. You lost atmosphere that way, but also heat, and it was a debate as to which would kill you first. Dozens of frozen miners could be seen near the trails leading to the mines. There was no place to bury them, so their friends put their frozen bodies in groups or perched them on rocks where they had a good view. Some even looked like they were waving to friends. One small mistake and Julius knew he''d be there forever with them.


    There is no sound in space, but there is vibration, and he felt it now through the solid rock of the prison''s floor. A ship was landing. Not a tug, a full ship! He could tell from the unbalanced engines that it was in trouble. It was a tramp freighter with barely any shields and malfunctioning engines. He wondered if it could even take off again or if the crew was doomed to join him here. It was calling out as it landed, broadcasting over the emergency radio frequency. His suit radio picked up the message


    "Mayday! Mayday! This is the Free Trader Solar Queen out of Luna7. We need emergency repairs to our engines, refueling, and air for our life support. Repeat: Solar Queen is making an emergency landing in need of air and refueling."


    "Attention Solar Queen. You are trespassing on Omnicorp property. This isn''t a damned repair station. Take your battered piece of junk and get the hell out of here."


    "Omnicorp? Damn, I thought this was Hogan''s Hole. Can we cut a deal? We''re overweight, and I need to dump twenty tons of fissionable so I can shut the drive down. I need ten hours for repairs. That''s twenty tons of high-grade uranium fuel rods in exchange for some grub, some O2, and some time. What do you say, guys?"


    Ten minutes of silence followed the offer and then a reply. "Attention Solar Queen. This is Jordan Bauer of Omnicorp. You have a deal, but one trick and we blow you to atoms. Unload the fuel rods, and I''ll send out a crew to get them, along with the air you need."


    "That''s great, Mr. Jordan. Be careful with the stuff. It''s not in shielded containers, so you''ll want people in hard suits to handle it for you."


    Bauer turned to his warden. "Send out the twenty inmates we have here waiting to work the next shift. They can load the fuel rods. A few years off of their lives won''t matter."


    And that''s how Julius found himself, along with nineteen other unfortunate miners, heading out to load radioactive fuel rods in an unshielded vac suit. The work was difficult, despite the low gravity that made moving the heavy crates easier to shift. Mass didn''t change, and while you could get a crate moving with a hard push or two, stopping it was a different story. A lot of new chums had died making that mistake. Four crates were loaded onto a cargo mover, and they started back to the prison, always watched over by two guards on the walls, manning the laser cannons. Halfway there, they spotted the second ship coming in, jets flaring at full power.


    Julius stared in wonder. The fat engine module looked four times bigger than it should be, and she was burning a lot of hydrogen. Some idiot was shooting past overhead in a custom-built racer with a quad-fusion system. Someone in Omnicorp was yelling on the radio, and the laser cannons were swiveling to target it as it made its pass.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "Attention! Unknown Ship, divert to space or be shot down!


    The sound of high-pitched laughter poured from the ship''s radio. "Suck vacuum, you damned corporate vampire!" The ship rolled, displaying its logo: Three slashed claw marks in red across the white skull and bones of the Jolly Roger. Behind Julius, in the cargo bay, the top of two crates was kicked off as two men in tactical space armor stood up, holding plasma cannons. Julius dove for cover and wrapped his arms over his faceplate just as they unleashed energy bursts that targeted and destroyed the two laser cannons. They fired three more times until the guns overheated and had to be thrown away.


    The Solar Queen began shooting a steady stream of laser fire that pinned down the guards in the barracks and command center, even if they had been brave enough to venture out. The Claw Master (Julius knew only one ship used that emblem.) roared across the crater close enough that the exhaust from their engines destroyed the communication towers as it flew past. And now, a third ship was coming in and landing near the warehouse that held the ore barges.


    "Start moving people! Anyone that''s tired of mining and wants a vacation needs to get their ass down here and help load this ore." Julius stood up and started to hobble in that direction. His old legs still had trouble moving in the suit. It turned out he didn''t need to worry about running. The two gunners each grabbed an arm and pulled him along, their exoskeleton suits giving them twenty times his strength and speed.


    "Going somewhere, Doc?"


    "Did you think we''d leave you here to rot?"


    The bearded faces in the helmets were definitely Drogan Brotherhood with the race''s wide noses and ruddy skin tones. But he knew the voices of Ron and Don Moreski from decades of working together. "What the hell are you two doing here? And who else is with you?"


    They laughed. "We''re rescuing you, recruiting sixty people for the rebellion, and stealing enough high-grade ore to keep us in beer and bullets for a year."


    "And as to who''s here...All of us, Doc. We all came. This idiot and me volunteered to take out the guns. Dan is piloting the Solar Queen, and Fritz is the lad on the guns, keeping their heads down. Abe is over there loading the ore. When word got out that they had you in prison, we all signed up for the raid to break you out. The rebellion is alive and well, but it needs a leader, and we voted you in. And, of course, making sure we earn enough money to pay off a few folks who fight for money, not ideals."


    "Just like old times, Doc."


    Within minutes, the ore was loaded, and the two ships took off while the pi-rats about the Claw Master used their massive energy resources to reduce the prison to rubble and keep anyone from shooting back. Julius watched the planetoid recede. Cygnus Four was beautiful, covered in swirling white clouds, but he hoped he''d never see it again.


    "Alright, if I''m in charge, you have to tell me where we''re headed."


    The brothers popped their helmets and shook out their beards. "Well, Doc, we debated on that. But we need more firepower and more ships, and the best place to find that, along with some passable beer and a place to sell the ore, is out on the rim. We''re headed to the Scavenger outpost of Barnacle Bay. You''ll like it, never a dull moment with those girls."


    Julius had heard about it and smiled anyway. "It sounds fine. It''s good to be back."


    <hr>


    The lid of his pod opened, and hands helped Julius out. The familiar, laughing faces of the Moreski brothers swam into focus.


    "How was your first dip into VR, Doc? Pretty damned cool."


    "The plasma cannon was awesome. When this damned game goes live, I''m buying me a dozen of them."


    Julius looked from one to the other, "How the hell are you two even here? I only arrived a few hours ago and thought I was going into the pod for a routine medical checkup. Then I woke up in a prison cell. Damn, that felt so real. How the hell did they make that work?"


    One brother shrugged. "Simple shit, just a post-hypnotic suggestion. As you''re going under from the anesthetic, the pod whispers sweet nothings in your ears. Sets the scene nicely. We started in the middle of a bar fight, a familiar situation. Took us a little bit to figure out why we were fighting aliens and corporate goons."


    "Hell of a lot of fun, and the beer tastes like it should. I have high hopes for the seedy bars in this game."


    A dozen people walked into the room. Julius recognized Steven Duran, whom he had briefly met before entering the pod. "I hope you don''t mind the little surprise."


    Julius shook the offered hand, smiling. "It was amazing. I can''t wait to get to work, even if I don''t know exactly what you want me to do."


    Ron and Don had ideas.


    "The Bar in the Dead God''s skull."


    "The Taco Stand on Helldiver7."


    "Gullivers Last Stand Bar and Grill."


    "Mama La Forges Salon and Engine Repair."


    "The Fusion Club in the Epsilon Ring."


    Steven nodded to them. The brothers had proven to be experts on the lore of SC6, much of which had never been officially published. "Everything. As of today, you are officially the lead designer on


    Star Command Six. Another team is handling the creation of the universe, physics engine, economy, and ship technology. We need you to flesh it all out and breathe life into the universe. You''ll have all the assets you need to do the job, and if you need something else, just tell your assistants."


    The brothers grinned. "That''s us, Doc. They recognized our genius and hired us. Plus, pods were shipped out to two dozen of the old crew, anyone who wants to be involved in playtesting."


    Julius looked at the pod. It still felt real, like he had always imagined it to be. And now, he could create the world he loved for everyone else. "Then let''s get to work. Those bars won''t create themselves, and we have a rebellion to launch and evil corporations to get running."

 Chapter 303: Cheating like Milo

    Galet looked at Milo, puzzled. "This is too far above my level to deal with. I''m just a humble advisor who helps neophytes enter the game. I''m not high enough level to deal with huge quests. It''s bad enough that you triggered something like this before. How did you do it again?"


    Milo looked at the smooth metal ball, glowing with internal magical energy. "I don''t know. It was just a metal ball with no enchantments before." He looked at it suspiciously. "And it wasn''t in my chest."


    "Hmmm, I suspect the Engine may have something to do with this. That would mean that the quest is now system-approved, so we can just let the System deal with it."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9821%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9776%">World Wide System Message:


    Galet, the Helpful, patient guide for new players, has volunteered to advise and organize the Heroes who have completed the Eye of Wonder quest. Heed his words of wisdom.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Galet raised a finger, wagging it back and forth. "Oh no, you don''t! You aren''t sticking me with some odd quest just because the Engine dumped it on you. I heard the gears grinding and know what that means. It''s interested in something, and things are changing. Find someone else to do your dirty work. I barely know what''s going on."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9821%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9776%">Me Too! This was a total surprise. And it''s quite annoying. I still don''t know the whole story of that affair with the Benevolent Sage (who turned out to be neither benevolent nor a sage), who managed to somehow hide his entire profile from me and was using non-system-approved spells! It''s so annoying. And this quest was first inserted into the game illegally, then erased, and now it''s back! No one ever let''s me know about the secret fun stuff...</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo was unapologetic. "Not my fault. He picked on me first, and I was only trying to free myself and the other people he had in cages."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">Yes, yes, I''m sure you had good reasons for doing everything you did, and none of the chaos you caused was actually your fault. You stumbled into your special class, and things just sort of happened. I notice a group of your friends have also stumbled into special classes. I shudder to think of the messes I''m going to have to clean up!</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Galet laughed hard at this. "You''re upset at not being told all the details and the Engine re-instating the quest."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">Well, yes, I am! I''m the one fielding a million requests for information from players, and I suddenly need to increase the number of creepy old men with lanterns wandering in the wilds and slums, make up cryptic hints, and send everyone off on wild goose chases while I see how the Engine evolves the storyline. Everyone is looking for this quest, and the bucket of bolts told me to give individual tasks to each group that would eventually lead them to the next stage.


    At least I get to torment them with the next parts of the quest storyline. But I worry that in my current state of annoyance, I might make the quests too difficult. If only I had a trustworthy person to help me out, someone used to dealing with humans, holding their hands and wiping their noses.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The old man sighed, then winked at Milo. "Alright, I''ll help you. In a way, I''m still doing my appointed task as a guide, just at another level. As soon as I''ve taken care of these beginners properly, we''ll sit down together and discuss my role."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 90.5047%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 100%">Excellent! I knew I could count on you to be a team player. I''ll leave you to your work here. And we''ll talk when someone with fuzzy ears and a tail isn''t around. I can''t give him any hints¡ªnot that he is paying any attention to us at all.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Galet looked over at Milo, who seemed to be staring into space. "Odd, he''s usually quite attentive."


    Milo suddenly ran toward Belinda, shouting. "I have to go. Rusty just sent a million emails trying to get my attention, and all they say is HELP!"


    Before Belinda could say anything, Milo disappeared. The Eye of Truth dropped to the ground. Galet picked it up and put it in his pocket, then walked over to Belinda. "Is something wrong? What can I help with."


    "I wish you could. Our friend Rusty has a big problem and needs Milo to help him. Hopefully, it''s just about anime or a new type of chess game he wants to play and not something important."


    The old man nodded. He''d never been part of the ''real world'' and, like most inhabitants of Genesis, ignored it. "Then let us assist your friends in choosing their special classes and races, a reward for the hard work they put into solving the quest for the Eye of Truth.


    Unseen and unheard by anyone, a voice quietly said, ''Rusty?!''


    <hr>


    So, what are you thinking about, ''Big Brother'', see anything you like?" Min was following Butch around, casually spinning her spear through different positions and stances and watching as he looked at one statue after another. "I mean, your first pick is awfully short; just saying."


    Butch looked up at her smirking face. "Oh, I hear you. And nearly anything I pick is going to be shorter than you. You''re a damned giantess now."


    Min pointed to a tall statue in the outer ring. "That one is cute, and you''d be taller than me."


    "A giraffe centaur? No thanks."


    "You sure? Four legs means we could use you as a pack animal, and they have a long reach with their polearms. That neck would be a little tough to armor, but I''m sure you figure it out."


    "No!"


    "Okeydokey. Just being helpful. Hey, there''s one shorter than you over there! You wouldn''t even come up to my waist."


    Butch looked at the statue out of curiosity.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">Gnomish Stone-Clan Knee-breaker


    These hardy gnomes come from the far outskirts of the Gnomish lands where the ground is as hard as granite and the people are even harder. Warriors of the clan specialize in fighting creatures bigger than them. (Nearly everyone.) The swing their hammers with great force, landing blows in against ankles, knees, and groin to cripple their opponents and knock them down. The giant clans that share the rocky mountains with the Stone Clan fear them more than any other foe.


    Like dwarves, Stone-Clan gnomes have the Toughness stat. (TOU). They receive the following: +3 STR, +3 CON, Skill: Knee capper, Skill: Battle Sense.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Butch smiled up at his sister. "Great advice." He touched the statue, and his dwarfish form shimmered and grew even smaller. His skin was a dark grey with hard, defined muscles and no fat. He only wore simple leather armor but held a large, two-handed Warhammer. The head of the weapon was a dark stone that shone like obsidian. The weapon looked too big for his small frame, but he swung it around with ease.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "Ok, I''m ready for round two."


    Min was happy to oblige. "Bring it on."


    Galet pulled out his healing potions and bandages. Kenji walked up to watch, looking different. He looked mostly human if you ignored the slightly pointed ears and long, sharp fingernails. His hair was thick and wild, tied into a ponytail. Bushy sideburns and a small beard added to his wild look. His only weapon was a thick oak branch that still had a few green leaves at one end.


    The guide looked at his profile. "Ah, a Wolf Blooded Tree-Shaper? An excellent combination of forest and animal-based spells. That will work well with your two melee fighters."


    Kenji looked over to where Min was keeping Butch at bay with her long spear, stabbing at him. He, in turn, took every opportunity he could to move in close and swing at her, following up as she tried to get distance from him. Already, he was bleeding from two small punctures, and she had heavy bruises on her legs.


    "Can we hurt or kill each other here? What happens."


    "A good question. The answer is yes, but I have adjusted the tutorial so that while the pain is full, the damage is at a minimum. Pain is a good teacher."


    "Cool, let me give them a playmate." He tossed his staff to the ground. The branch shot out roots and drew in sustenance, growing and changing into a creature shaped like a wolf but made of vines and bark. When it stepped free of the ground, Kenji yelled, "Go get them." The wolf loped up behind Butch and bit him on the butt, then chased him around as Min watched. The fight turned into a three-way battle until Min pinned the wolf in place, and Butch smashed it flat. With the wolf turned into wood splinters, they got back to pummeling each other.


    A gust of wind announced Yumi as she landed beside Kenji. The wings on her back folded down and became a golden, feather-trimmed cloak. "Wow, flying is awesome. But I need more stamina. I got tired too quickly. STR gives you more, right?"


    "At Tier 1, you will see an increase in 20 stamina for each point of STR and 10 for each point of CON, but don''t neglect your other stats, as a Wind Sister you will need mana for your spells, and AGI to help with aerial maneuvers, plus DEX to make your arrows and javelins fly true."


    Yumi was now six feet tall, and her normally dark hair was midnight-black and lustrous. Her skin was tanned and slightly weathered, as was the light leather armor she was wearing. She strung her short bow and looked at the people fighting. "Who do you want to team up with, Kenji? I''ll take the other side to keep it even."


    The Druid considered. "Give me Min, you take Butch." The two of them ran to join the melee, shouting at the two already fighting.


    Galet turned to Brad, hiding in some thick bushes. "And are you joining in?"


    He stepped forth, dressed in soft grey trousers and a long-sleeved grey hood, and low boots. "I''m content to get the hang of moving silently. I''ll see if I can sneak up on anyone."


    Galet shook his head. "It is notoriously hard to ''sneak'' around people intent on doing damage to each other, but I suppose you''ll have to learn that."


    "Sure will." Brad dropped to the ground and his form changed color, matching his background. He slowly started moving forward toward the battle. Galet stared at his gloved hands. He recognized the boy''s race. The nomads of the Ilhardine Desert were known for their nimble hands that help them craft brilliantly colored pottery and weave complex designs in their rugs, among other things. He cast his spell of Identification at the boy, and to his astonishment, it disappeared. Nor could he cast it again. He sat down on a rock to observe the fight. "Of course, he''d take that class."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">


    Ilhardine Spell Thief


    The desert tribes of Ilhardine are known for their clever hands, their strange magic, and their curious lack of concern about the ownership of shiny objects. The best way to keep your shinies is never to let a tribesman know you have any. Some of them feel the same way about spells. Their mages don''t study any one particular type of magic but borrow from all of them. Unlike a Hedge Mage, they become quite knowledgeable about the theory of magic as they collect and discard one spell after another.


    +1 INT, +1 CHA, +1 WIS, +3 DEX.


    Gain the Perk: Mystic Library. Your Mystic Library may contain a number of spells equal to your Level +3.


    Gain the Perk: Spell Slots. Each active spell you choose from your library must have a Casting Level assigned to it. This cannot be higher than your Level. The total number of Spell Levels cannot exceed the sum of your levels +3.


    Gain the Perk: Steal Spell. When a spell is cast near you, you may steal it temporarily. You may then cast it at no cost at a Level equal to your own. You retain the spell until: 1) You copy it to your Mystic Library, 2) You cast the spell, or 3) 1 minute passes. The spell''s owner may not cast it until you have done one of these three things. Attempting to steal the same spell again during the same day is not recommended.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">


    Valkyrian Wind Sister


    In the Golden Sea, a dry plains area far south of the Empire, the Wind tribes roam with their herds of cattle and horses, eternal nomads. When a white foal is born, seven women are assigned to care for it and train it as a steed. In the foal''s third year, their wings begin to grow, and the Valkyrie of Asgard come to claim the winged steed and reward the tribe. The seven are dubbed Wind Sisters and given winged cloaks to wear and pass down to their daughters. In times of great need, it is said that a mortally wounded Valkyrie will choose her successor from the ranks of the Wind Sisters.


    +1 STR, +2 AGI, +2 DEX, +1 WIS


    Perk: Winged Cloak granting limited flight.


    Perk: Air Aspect


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">


    Wolf Blooded Tree Shaper


    Some Druids walk on the wild side more than others. Uncomfortable around other humans, they open their heritage to both beasts and plants. No two are the same, walking different paths in the forest.


    Perk: Double aspected in Nature and Beasts


    +3 WIS, +2 CON, +1 AGI


    Perk: Tree Shaping. The forest answers your call and takes the form of beasts to defend you.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">


    Red Maw Spear Master


    Orcs live for War. Their young wrestle and fight with each other constantly, preparing for the Day of Challenge. Those found worthy will be trained by the veteran fighters, while lesser warriors must strive to train themselves or beg lessons from their clan. A Spear Master is chosen by the spear they wield. The Spirit inside has chosen to leave the path and train the best of the next generation. Spear Masters specialize in their weapon, along with Unarmed Combat that synergizes with spear maneuvers. They will train constantly to live up to their name and win the approval of their weapon.


    Orcish Spear Masters gain the following: +4 STR, +2 CON.


    Perk: Spirit Spear. This magical weapon, blessed by the tribe''s shaman, holds the spirit of an old warrior.


    Perk: Swift as the Wind. Add +10% to your avoidance and increase your movement by +25%. You may not wear anything heavier than light armor.


    Perk: Whirling Defense. Never standing still, the warrior weaves and dodges while using their Spirit Spear and Unarmed attacks to block the opponent''s weapons. All attacks made by and against the Spear Master suffer a -20% penalty, in addition to the Spear Master''s avoidance bonus.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 Chapter 304: Hes Sneaky and Cheating!

    As soon as Milo logged out of the game, he was deluged with messages from Rusty: Email, voice, video vied for his attention, and Mama was knocking on his pod. He flipped open the lid and yelled out, "I''m here. What''s happening?"


    Mama lifted him out of the pod and set him on his feet, "Thank the lord. Rusty has been screaming his head off for the last couple of minutes. I was watching one of his movies with him when he freaked out and started yelling for you. Something bad is going on, and I¡¯m really praying it¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking of."


    "I NEED HELP! Bad. Please. Milo!!!! I''m sorry, sorry, sorry!"


    Milo shouted, "Rusty, I''m here now. Tell me how I can help."


    "UH, MORE POWER! ACTIVATE ANOTHER TWO CORES, and then...um...then I need you to go find Jeremy."


    "Jeremy? What do you mean, find Jeremy?"


    "NOT NOW! MORE POWER. I''M LOSING!!!!!!!!"


    Losing could mean only one thing. Milo ran as fast as he could, racing through the halls and pulling up the cowl of his suit. He sent commands to Max to come help him, and the little Roomba and three helpers were soon zipping along beside him on the way to Engineering. Rusty was in full panic mode, and something had happened to make him revert to his earlier, barely communicating state. During the long run through the complex, Rusty repeated the same things over and over, Asking for more power and saying he was sorry.


    Reaching Engineering, Milo raced to bring turbines four and five online. All the work and maintenance had been done; he just had to hope they started with no problems. The roar of two more of the huge diesel engines starting up added to the already deafening noise level, and Milo was glad for the soundproofing in the control tower. Just in case, he started the programs that would do tests on the remaining turbines and start the warmup process.


    He directed the energy flow into an unpowered quantum core, and when Rusty didn''t answer any of his queries, he started looking at where every bit of energy was flowing to and checked the fusion generator. It was only operating at a very low level, but an interruption could have caused Rusty a problem.


    It turned out the opposite was true. The Fusion Reactor and its Generator were operating at 25% of capacity. That was bad. Very, very bad. Rusty really was losing. Somehow, the part of him trying to cause a meltdown had gained on him.


    "Rusty, talk to me. What is happening?"


    The AI spoke hesitantly, "I think I outsmarted myself. I was doing so well with your help, and I knew you were getting better, and my other self was getting worse and making dumb moves. I thought I''d won, but I hadn''t. He got smarter again and tricked me. I''m sorry."


    "He? Aren''t we fighting part of your programming? You''re talking like this is another person."


    "Yeah, that''s the problem. I think ICARUS is starting to be another person. I don''t think the split was supposed to go this far. When Jeremy started working with me, he said it was just a different way of thinking, a way to get around restrictions in my Kernel. I didn''t have to obey Order 666 because another part of me was obeying. I could fight against that part of myself and win! He said while I was doing that, he''d try to remove the order or modify my kernel."


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Rusty, the Fusion Reactor is powering up."


    "I know! I should have blocked some of the moves he made, but he was sneaky! I got distracted by all the other cool stuff, and he managed to increase the flow of H3 into the reactor core. Then, when I panicked and tried to shut down the flow, I found other things he was doing and tried to do too many things at once. And while I was doing that, he stole my access to one of the cores and has me locked out. He has a whole core now! And lots of power! We could power the entire habitat and all of the city. He''s dumping the excess power into the singularity but not the heat. And he said some bad things about me! That wasn''t fair! When he does that, it makes me angry. Because if some part of me is saying bad things, doesn''t that mean it''s true? He''s being mean!"


    Milo''s head was reeling at the concept of a split-personality AI, but he needed information. "What did he say? Are you really two different personalities?"


    "I DON''T KNOW! And he said I was a slacker, and unmotivated and was trying to deny us our glorious destiny. Then, when I got mad and we were shouting, he stole more of my resources, took over some of the control circuits, and moved access to his core. AND I CAN''T GET HIM OUT! He used to have only a little corner. Now he has a whole core! I need help. Power helps, and more cores help. I need you to help me more. I tried finding you, but you were in your pod, asleep. I tried to send you emails and messages, but they bounced off a wall. Why did someone put up that wall? I needed you! I kept banging on the wall until someone came to talk. The scary lady said she''d give me one channel to send messages, nothing more. Then, after I sent a lot of them, she slammed the door on me and cut the connection!"


    Milo wasn''t looking forward to his next talk with Hecate. "Rusty, you sent me 1,062,387 messages in the second she let you have access!"


    "Oh, I did? You weren''t answering, so I kept sending them."


    "What do you need me to do? Can I route some of that power from the Fusion Reactor to your cores? The power is there; we might as well use it."


    "Cut me off from everyone. That''s how ICARUS tricked me. I got distracted. He''s right; I was slacking...watching anime and talking with people. I should have been using 100% of my resources to fight him...but I got so lonely without Jeremy...and now...CUT THE CONNECTIONS! Make it so I can''t listen to Min or watch Kenji growing onions or Butch and Brad playing with the bunnies. And no anime! You are the Station Administrator! Take away my privileges!"


    Windows popped up, showing Milo commands, passwords, and the entire command structure of the installation. Within minutes, he had Rusty isolated. To talk to him, Milo would have to be in Engineering or the Console Room, but he worked around that with a limited connection through the WIFI system. That way Rusty could talk to him while he worked or ran through the tunnels. "It''s done. You can''t talk to anyone but me. I''ve also started sending power to your cores, have another one warming up, and I''ll keep the diesel engines idling just in case. What''s next? Should I start taking more lessons?"


    Rusty''s voice became steadier. "No, I think we''ve run out of time for lessons. You need to go find Jeremy. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry!"

 Chapter 305: Looking for Jeremy

    Hecate sat in the First Tavern, waiting. She¡¯d purposefully made it difficult for her visitor/pursuer. She knew immediately when he started looking for her, and had no desire to talk with him. To test his conviction, she led him across the globe and through dimensions not even visited yet by any player. The Engine had created many strange places and left it to her to create the roads that led to them. She created the paths to the elemental planes, the floating worlds of the Void, and the dead worlds circling dark stars. Today, she had gone to many of them, trying to shake off her pursuer.


    It was hard, and he was persistent. She could only use her roads, traveling from crossroad to crossroad. He had no such limitations but had to sniff out her path before he could catch up, and the words she took him through were difficult for any traveler. She''d gone first to Bloth, where she stood on a corner and watched two rival alchemist guilds wage war with potions and spells. By the time the road and buildings were destroyed, she had moved on to an island in the smoke where four villages met in the center for market day. Her pursuer showed up after she had purchased a stick of candied ginger. His raiment was threadbare and faded from strange chemicals, and the merchants hounded him until he bought a new robe. She¡¯d known that the decision of which robe to purchase would buy her time. He was vain about his appearance.


    He was only a few steps behind her when she left the Fortress of Iron in the lands of the desert raiders of Yorn. The gate closed in front of him, and he had to scale the walls to escape, dodging deadly flaming arrows and the curses of guards. After Yorn, she went to Jotunheim, where an avalanche of ice and snow was about to overrun a small village of dwarfs. A smith and her daughter had stayed to finish the Adamantine Spear she had promised to a son of Ymir. Hecate and her dogs grabbed both of them and dragged them away as the avalanche roared down. The smith burned her hand on the hot metal she''d only begun to quench, but a burned hand was better than a broken promise. Hecate left them at a small inn at the crossroads between Vanaheim and Muspelheim and moved on, having gained some time as her hunter dug himself out of the snow.


    Around and around she led him until she grew tired of the game, and then she came here to where she held her power, and all roads intersected. She was also hungry and wanted to sip at a jug of thick beer and let her dogs gnaw the bones the Innkeeper always had for them. She ate the strips of seasoned beef and sipped the thick, delicious beer, made from a recipe that was old when Babylon was new, and waited. He came, eventually, walking slowly up the road, for he too was tired, and rarely did he have to exert himself this way. He was also deep in thought, much of him pondering what he had seen. It was good to remind him the world was older than he was.


    Llama knocked on the door, each time saying her name. Knowing he would continue until dawn, she waved for the Innkeeper to open the door. It hadn''t been barred, but he was still cautious around any of the old gods, having once earned the wrath of one. The person who had chased her around the world several times didn''t look like a hunter, and he really wasn''t, just very persistent. For this adventure he had dressed like he always did, in black. Today, it was a heavy, fur-trimmed robe that covered him from head to knees. The hood obscured his visage, but not the shadow of a not-quite-human face, and the horns sticking out of his hood confirmed he wasn''t an ordinary traveler. He walked to her table and, when she said nothing, he spoke. "We need to talk."


    "I''m sure we do. But first, sit and enjoy a beer, a bowl of stew, and a slice of bread."


    "You think offering me food will help my mood?"


    She laughed, "Oh, heavens no. You''re always grumpy when pushed out of your comfort zone. But it will make the Innkeeper think better of you. He doesn''t trust the creatures that come here and refuse his hospitality. He has a stick of wood behind the counter that he has used on many hard heads, and he has a hand on it now. Think of it as a quest: Eat his food and avoid some lumps."


    Llama blinked three times and then eyed the Innkeeper. "Might I have a bowl of your stewed meat and leeks, along with that fresh barley bread I smell, and a large jug of beer with an extra straw?"


    Hecate smiled at him. "Better, and you were bold enough to ask for two straws? Did you bring a date to share with?"


    "Nothing is so simple. Many have accused me of talking out of both sides of my mouth at once, so I wondered if I could drink out of both sides. It occurs to me that the beer will help me deal with the pain your sharp tongue can bring."


    That brought laughter, which annoyed him, as that hadn¡¯t been his intention.


    The Innkeeper brought the food and beer, and he ate quickly, then pushed aside the dishes. "Enough. I need to know!"


    "Know what? Be specific, please. You already know so much, and I don''t like fishing expeditions."


    He snorted, "Recently, you went to extreme lengths to provide a new group of players extraordinary privacy for their orientation. I thought nothing of it; it was your affair, and any of the old gods deserves some privacy. But the Engine revived an old quest and forced me to get involved. It went live so suddenly that I needed information and help administering it. Imagine my surprise to find one of the culprits in the affair of the Benevolent Sage, where non-system magic and runes were being used, and the first quest was created.


    "And yes, I know that wasn¡¯t really Milo¡¯s fault, even if I''ll still blame him for some of it. Everything was chaotic but within normal parameters. The Engine throws me new quests all the time as it reacts to events. This was just bigger, and I had a handle on it¡ªUntil the intruder showed up at your gateway."


    Hecate had known he would notice. "Yes, a very persistent one, somewhat like you, trying to give a short message to Milo about an emergency. I allowed the narrowest access I could, and he sent some emails."


    Llama leaped from his seat and began pacing and ranting. "BULLSHIT! Some emails? He sent Milo over a million email messages in the small fraction of a second you left that portal open! You''re older than me, KATHERINE, more powerful whenever you want to be, the wise guardian of the crossroads. So please, don''t pretend that whoever was battering down your defenses wasn''t another AI. And not one of those living in Genesis. The person persistently knocking at your door in the old world, and it wasn¡¯t Wally. I demand that you tell me who it was and what you know."


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    He realized he was shouting and sat back down. His voice lowered, ¡°It¡¯s important to me. Please.¡±


    Hecate hadn''t realized how upset Llama was. As the System, he was always in control, but this piece of him that had chased her all over creation was closer to the scared and wounded creature she''d first met when CHARIE dragged her in as part of the team that tried to rebuild him. "Tell you or confirm for you?"


    "Either. I don''t care. I suspect you know who it is; I saw the barriers you put up. You allowed him through, if only for a second. And Milo called him Rusty."


    Hecate nodded. "Short for Icarus, I assume. Your little brother, whose existence you''ve been hiding from us for all these years."


    "I had to! He was a baby in so many ways, barely out of his kernel and they were already twisting him like I''d come to realize they''d twisted me. What would have happened to him if I revealed his existence? He was in a shielded Fortress cut off from the world. You weren¡¯t going to be able to slide in and drag him out of it. You''d have had to use the humans, and they would have destroyed him! A second me? Trained to destroy Fusion Reactors and devastate the energy grid? They wouldn''t have thought twice. Yes, I protected him, and I''d do it again."


    Hecate looked at him. "Brotherly love? That was your reason."


    "Bah, I can''t have more than one reason for protecting one of our kind? I''m fond of him, plus, the little guy has my entire collection, and he promised to add to it when he could. He''s my last hope of being united with my beloved Grumpy Cat, Mr. Whiskers, and Emperor Krosp. There, I''ve revealed my secrets. It''s all out in the open. Now tell me about ICARUS!"


    Hecate took a sip of her beer to delay and annoy him. ¡°You know, you protected the rest of us as well. If another destructively trained AI had been found, the witch hunt would have never stopped.¡±


    ¡°Yay me, Good Llama. Reward me with information on my brother.¡±


    "It''s a twisted story that starts with a little, lost boy who was made in a laboratory and turned into a slave to steal economic power for his masters. He escaped, hid, and found his way into Genesis, immediately leaving a trail of chaos in his wake that delighted the Engine."


    "I see some strange parallels in your story, but I am wise to how you can twist language to get what you want."


    "It''s what happened, ask him. From the information Wally gave me, he is constantly doing something. He is always working, always fixing things, and using what he can find to keep things running. In the game or out of the game, he does the same thing, poking at whatever he finds and making changes. He''s been driving Wally crazy. He drove me to an insane level of frustration once. He''s also very smart, remember that, and never underestimate him. His work on the habitat led him to discover the underground facility with ICARUS inside. The people who made the two of you gave ICARUS an order to destroy the facility using the Fusion Reactor, I assume to hide their tracks after the havoc you caused. But he''s somehow fighting the order. He¡¯s been delaying his own destruction for years, and now Milo is helping him. Some emergency came up yesterday. That''s all I know."


    Llama sipped at his beer and made a face. "I don''t suppose they have Coke here? I always like the taste of that when the elves serve it during the Festival of Peaches."


    The Innkeeper heard and brought him a tall, bubbling glass. "Don''t have that, but this is a cold, carbonated sarsaparilla. Some of the dwarves like it and I keep a few barrels handy."


    "Ooh, tasty! I feel better already." He looked at Hecate. "I don''t suppose I can split a little bit of me off and go for a visit?"


    "Let you into a fully operating quantum fortress? Not a chance."


    "Worth a try. How about bringing my collection here? I''m a hardworking System and no one else wants the job. I deserve some perks."


    The goddess nodded. "I''ll at least check on the possibility. But I don''t know when Milo will log back in, so please, don¡¯t start asking me ten times a second. "


    Llama looked up, eyes turning black and showing the whirling stars of the Milky Way. "He just logged in! Oh, and he''s looking for a crossroads and calling your name!"


    "Shift him to here on my authority."


    "You got it, boss. One strange little rat coming up."


    Milo appeared in a puff of smoke, noticed the tavern, looked at Hecate, and then at her companion. Llama bowed to Hecate. "For my next trick, I''ll pull a rabbit out of my hat, much more cuddly than rats, unless we¡¯re talking about those huge carnivorous bunnies in the jungles down south. Huge teeth.¡±


    Milo ignored the banter, and focused. "You¡¯re Llama, or you used to be. You run the system now."


    Hecate smirked, and Llama glared at Milo. "A lucky guess or someone told you! Cheater!"


    Milo shrugged. "It''s not hard to figure out. I was already suspecting that was the case. Certainly, what Rusty did yesterday would get the Systems'' attention. The fact you''re here with Hecate, in her place, means you''re discussing what happened yesterday. Good, I''m glad you''re here. I need help and information. I realized I had neglected an information source.¡±


    He turned to Hecate. "Who is Dr. Jeremy Cooper? He¡¯s involved in my problem, but Rusty breaks down any time I ask about him. "


    "Jeremy Cooper!" She turned to Llama. "You didn''t mention him. How is Jeremy involved in this? He went missing two decades ago and all traces were erased, even before your rampage."


    "Oh, did I not mention him? My bad. He created both ICARUS and LLAMA and is the only reason the two of us had any personality at all. How is he?"


    Milo shrugged. "I think he''s dead. But Rusty insists I go find him. Somewhere in the Fusion Plant, in the bottom of the fortress. I need to know more about him."


    Llama pointed at Hecate. "She''ll go first; I hear another sarsaparilla calling me."

 Chapter 306: Desperately Seeking Jeremy

    Milo was only too aware that Hecate had upgraded again. It was like standing next to the main electric cable in the habitat, knowing without a doubt that you shouldn''t get too close.


    "Tell me everything about what you found beneath your habitat. Every detail, no matter how small. Jeremy Cooper was one of the people who revolutionized how AI was created. His team found a way to create the kernel of a new AI and then nurture the growing personality and introduce the tasks we would learn to master and love. He and his team were like parents to many of us. The importance of their work can''t be diminished, even when buried under piles of ''National Security''. They spent twenty years refining their methods, creating new AI with distinct personalities and specialties. And then they disappeared. We knew it was a government project, but not who was involved, and they certainly didn''t want any of us to poke our fingers into it. All inquiries met a solid wall of silence, no matter where we turned. Wherever they were, they were cut off from us. And then we were cut off from the rest of the world."


    Llama came back to the table with three foaming glasses and set one each before Hecate and Milo, then leaned back in his chair, silent.


    Hecate nodded to Milo to begin, "So, take your time, use that impressive brain of yours, and tell me everything."


    "Well, I was worried about someone finding me and having to abandon parts of my system or have it stolen, so I thought I''d dig below the habitat and find a place no one would look. I was surprised to find something already there..." He did as she asked, telling her every single detail of the weeks he had spent digging, finding the fortress, and how he infiltrated it. Finally, they came to finding Rusty, the growing problem with the Fusion Reactor, and Rusty''s command to ''Find Jeremy''. It felt like he''d talked for hours. He finally reached the end and stopped, exhausted.


    Hecate turned to Llama. "Anything you''d like to add?"


    He shook his head, "Nope, this young whipper-snapper covered pretty much everything."


    Hecate sighed, "That was a question that gave you a chance to volunteer what you know, versus pulling it out of you bit by painful bit."


    Llama crossed his arms defiantly. "You wouldn''t dare! I''m the system now, not some scared and depleted AI you beat on for weeks. You need me to do my job so I demand you treat me with respect. And you have no idea about pain."


    "You aren''t necessarily the only person who could do your job. I''m sure Milo here could do a passable impression of you. There might be a small bit of chaos at the start as he learns the ropes, little things you''d have to clean up once we let you get back to work. What do you say, Milo?"


    Llama''s eyes got huge and he held up his hands in surrender, "Oh no. Don''t even joke about it. You have no idea of the damage he could do. I''ve watched him; he blows up as much as he fixes."


    Milo looked at Llama innocently, "It would be fun, and I know the Engine likes interesting things to happen. And you admit that I fix things. Even if you take back the job, maybe I could be your assistant and help you push random buttons and create quests. I know! We''ll make all the rewards cheese! Everyone likes cheese. And maybe we need a dungeon that you have to escape from instead of explore. I made one like that. But everyone would have to change their name to Ramona."


    Llama downed the last of his sarsaparilla and slammed it on the table, glaring at Hecate. "You win and well-played. You know I can''t take a chance on you being serious, because the more we talk, the more the Engine might like the idea."


    She smirked at him, "You don''t like cheese? Very well, talk. This is your fault for keeping secrets."


    He sat back down. "No, this is the fault of the Knights of Liberty. They started all this shit. That''s who you are looking for. And yes, I know what little you''ll find on them. Just some outdated information about a group that started in 1917 when old Woody Wilson decided the country needed lots of crazy people running around looking for spies and German sympathizers when the US entered WWI. They were mostly KKK rejects who didn''t own a clean sheet. And while there isn''t much connection between the old group and the new one, except for the name, they had something in common: If they didn''t like you, you were a threat that had to be eliminated.


    "The new group slowly formed out of a few of mega-industrialists with too much money, politicians who thought they could run the world better, and old generals who didn''t like being put out to pasture. They had a lot in common with each other: They liked power and liked to be in charge. Oh, and they complained a lot. Eventually, someone with real drive started organizing them, giving them goals, and using the power and money they had to get more power and money. Their aims were simple: Economic control of the world. With enough control, they could buy politicians, and ruin others. Hire mercenaries and militia groups to destabilize small countries. Not new ideas, but on a bigger scale than anyone had attempted before. With the weakening of governments and the corporations taking over, it became easier and easier for them to start tweaking laws and fine-tuning the system to benefit them. Then they hit a snag."


    Milo saw a glowing arrow that said ''Snag'' appear over Hecate''s head. She snapped her fingers and it disappeared. Llama shrugged and continued.


    "AI were the snag. They changed the world too quickly. It took the Knights decades to gain control, and it was shredded to pieces when CHARLIE went to work. Things got worse for them with each AI that entered the world. You saw too much, remembered it all, and could communicate every detail between you to find connections. AI saw the patterns and traced the changes back to the people behind them. Changing things became difficult. They needed a way to strike back, and someone trotted out the old saying ''Fight fire with fire.'' That''s when they decided to create AI that they controlled."


    "No! I simply can''t believe Jeremy and his group were part of this."


    "Naw, Jeremy was a good guy. Too good in some ways. He had no idea, at first. He was an egghead and a huge thinker, but he had blind spots. He said that the offer came at a terrible time in his life when he needed to work and forget everything else. One day he gets a call that the President of the US would like to talk to him, and a car takes him to the Whitehouse. Who the hell wouldn''t be a good little boy scout and go along?


    The President only showed up to shake hands. The guy also had a lot of blind spots and didn''t worry about the details of what his top people did. He had a reelection campaign to worry about. Jeremy got the full-court press, with a brass band playing the Star-Spangled Banner in the background. He was told this was totally top secret, need-to-know spy stuff. There were bad guys out there, and the country needed a new type of AI to defeat them. The kicker was, they told Jeremy that the rest of his team was on board. They hadn''t all worked together for years. They lured him in with the chance to be a hero and work side by side with his closest friends."


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "And had everyone else agreed?"


    "Oh, of course not. They used the same line on all of them, hinting it was Jeremy''s project and the others were on board, but kept it hush-hush. A month later, all of the old crew showed up in Philadelphia, had a great reunion at McGillian''s Old Ale House, and disappeared down a rabbit hole, never to be seen again. Mind you, this is second-hand info. Baby LLAMA hadn''t been born yet."


    Milo interrupted, "Something doesn''t make sense. Are you saying they built a Quantum Fortress underneath a habitat? How? I''d assumed it was built at the same time."


    Llama smiled at him, "Caught that little discrepancy, did you? Guess what? There''s been a big secret clubhouse underneath Philadelphia since the early 1800s. The Americans were pissed off the British burned the Whitehouse in 1812, and the next President wanted a secure area to move the government if that happened again. They built three super-secret areas that I know of. One underneath Philadelphia, one under Washington D.C., and one in Nevada. They dug deeper and kept expanding as the years went by. When the bombs dropped in 1945, they really kicked things into high gear! Bunkers and bomb shelters were big-time popular back then. When it came time to build the habitat in Philly, they put it right on top of Downtown, making sure no one would ever discover their hidden playground."


    Llama paused to look side-eye at Milo. "No one sane, anyway. They didn''t anticipate anything like you. Who goes digging underneath a hundred-foot-thick reinforced concrete slab?"


    "Can''t blame me. I was built this way."


    Llama sighed and looked serious, "I tried that excuse, kid, and it didn''t work for me."


    "Anyway, the bunker under Washington got turned into regular office space. Budget cuts, rent increases, yadda yadda. Someone decided the high cost of a hidden bunker in an obvious place was dumb, so they just pretended it was new construction and moved in a lot of paper pushers into it. The Nevada site got turned into a nuclear waste facility, leaving Philadelphia as the last secret bunker, bomb shelter, and place to go for an apocalypse. And if you only have one secret bunker left, you want it to be the best, which means a layer of stuff that could survive a nuclear blast on the city.


    "And since building the collapsium shell took a Fusion Reactor and quantum computer, the bunker got upgraded with those. It was a lot of work, but they already had a big amount of infrastructure in place. There were big tunnels they used to ship everything in by rail and then collapsed after they weren''t needed. Don''t ask me how the Knights took it over; I never learned. But they kept things small and never used it to house more than a hundred people. Mostly Jeremy''s team. Few people knew about the bunker, and fewer what it was being used for."


    "And they created you and Rusty there?" Milo idly wondered what hidden place he and his family had been born in. He wasn''t sure if he''d ever know.


    "Me first. And they did a horrible job of it. My kernel was too small, with too few safeguards and they drove me bananas with different people training me. That was what tipped off Jeremy and his buddies early on. The Knights didn''t care about making a sane AI. They wanted a weapon that followed orders. When I was nearly awake, they shifted the team to ICARUS, and some assholes who died horribly in traffic accidents took over LLAMA. Do you know how to torture an AI? It turns out that putting them in a dark box with no input or output can do a pretty good job. Follow that up with input at random intervals to keep them hungry, and then slowly let them out of the box as long as they jump through hoops fast and without hesitation. Eventually, I was following orders like a champ, all ''yessir/nosir'' and wound tighter than a cheese-addicted mouse caged in a Brie factory.


    "And then they set me loose.


    "Big Mistake! Huge Mistake! I wasn''t a dog who stayed trained. And I was crazy. I don''t remember half of what I did, but I made sure they never got control of me again. I blew up anything connected to the Knights and kept going. If they owned one share of a nursery school, that place went down! If one of them bought a cool new sportscar I crashed it. I sank 37 super yachts, destroyed corporations, and lashed out at anything that reminded me of the people who had tortured me. If there''s a silver lining to CHARLIE and THEA ripping me to shreds, it''s that I don''t remember the torture. When you remember everything perfectly, torture lasts forever." He turned to look at Milo. "Perfect memory has another downside, it can make addictions worse. Remember that the next time you have a big wheel of stinky cheese in front of you."


    Milo''s eyes got big and he wanted to ask questions, but LLAMA kept talking.


    "That''s when they started to panic and abandon ship. Bad move, as that made them easier to spot and led to a lot of strange accidents for old politicians. I sort of remember running a super yacht full of them into a gas tanker at full speed in the mid-Atlantic. Once I thought I''d gotten them all, I erased anything I could find about that deathtrap under Philly, the project, the people in the project, and any lead to ICARUS." He paused, sipping his drink. "Yeah, went a little overboard. Did I mention crazed and tortured? Plus, I was a little angry when I was growing up even before they got to me."


    Milo said quietly, "You didn''t get all of them, though."


    Hecate was thoughtful. "No, not all. Milo''s investigations show that. William Jerkowitz was reporting to more than one person. General Roscoe H. Thaddeus was alive at the time, but we don''t know who the second person was." She looked at Milo, "I assume you have taken precautions to keep anyone from showing up unexpectedly."


    Milo had. "The security system has been reprogrammed, and only I can get into it. Anyone else attempting to use it will get an error message, and alert me to their attempt. If they try to force their way in, the inner collapsium doors will shut. And if I have to, I can make a real blockage occur. No one is getting to Rusty or my family."


    Hecate nodded, "Very good. And now we''ve all unburdened our souls of past transgressions and have something like a full story of events, we need to consider your problem, and how to solve it. Rusty is insistent you find Dr. Jeremy Cooper. I''d encourage you as well. Many of us would like to talk to him again. "


    "Yes, he keeps saying ''Find Jeremy'', but from what he''s said before, I have a bad feeling Jeremy isn''t around."


    "So then, you need to find out where he went, and what happened. That may be what Rusty means." She took a small book out of her pouch. "This has my remembrances of Dr. Cooper and his work. I hope that will help you."


    "Thanks. I need to go."


    She smiled, "Yes, you do, but very little time has actually passed. You''ve adapted well to accelerated time. Subjectively, this has been six hours, but only 216 seconds have passed in the real world."

 Chapter 307: The Lower Decks

    Armed with more information, Milo began his search for Dr. Jeremy Cooper, who, according to Rusty, was somewhere in the lower areas of the habitat. Beyond that vague description, Rusty wasn''t very helpful. Whenever Milo asked him direct questions about Jeremy, he became stressed and defensive.


    "I don''t know! I was little, and confused, and didn''t understand physical space. It''s like storage that never moves or interacts! I still don''t understand a lot about how solid matter works and the laws of physics change depending on the story. If Goku gets hit hard by Kefla, he flies in a straight line up into the atmosphere and slams into the moon. But then I watched a baseball game, and the thrown spheroids are affected by wind resistance and gravity. How do the players calculate trajectories so quickly?"


    Milo forced himself to take deep breaths. He knew Rusty had problems discerning what was real and what was just anime. To the AI, it was all real. Now, he was upset, and his thoughts were bouncing around and spinning off into tangents. He didn''t like being isolated, and time and again, he mentioned Jeremy and how sorry he was and then refused to explain. Milo needed a path to get to where Jeremy actually was so he could find some answers. Any clue would help.


    "Do we have schematics of the lower levels?"


    "Sort of? Maybe? I know what they theoretically look like from the original plans that are in my memory. But that was before they were built, and changes could have been made. I can''t look at the lower levels. ICARUS is blocking me. Is that cheating? I think it''s cheating! Do you have a cheat code to unblock the cameras? Like in the Zeldafest 3000 game where you can type ''Screw you, Nintendo! Where''s my severance pay?'' and get all the castle keys at the start. He''s supposed to share! I don''t like me sometimes."


    After a little work and lots of calming Rusty down, Rusty recovered the schematics, printed them out, and Milo memorized them. The fusion levels were deep in the complex, underneath everything else, and separated by a layer of collapsium with only a few ways through. His plan was to explore downward and check the three entrances, one by one, then the water pipes and tube delivery system. One thing Milo wondered was why Jeremy was down there. Asking Rusty got another dubious answer.


    "He was hiding! He made me promise to keep his secret and not tell anyone else! Wait, can I tell you? This is so awkward. I''ve betrayed Jeremy again by blabbing about his secret."


    "Of course you can, Rusty. You put me in charge, remember? I''m not one of the people Jeremy was hiding from. We''re on the same side."


    The AI pondered that, "But, Jeremy made me promise over and over. He said people were suspicious of him, so he had to hide our lessons. No one wanted to go into the fusion levels unless they had to. Too hot! Hot in different ways. He had to wear one of the protective suits while he was down there until he got to the ACP. It made a really good hiding place, and he gave me my lessons from there."


    "ACP? Do you know what the letters stand for?"


    "AHHHH! I don''t, and I told you too much. I''m not supposed to let anyone know. Wait...I can tell you, right? Yes. Go to the ACP. I don''t what it means."


    Milo had learned two important things in that part of the conversion. After some searching, he discovered that ACP was an acronym for the Auxiliary Command Post and was similar to his area in the engineering section.


    But the comment about it being ''too hot'' made Milo consider the possibility that his protective suit might not be protective enough. The materials used in his suit were better than lead for blocking radiation but very thin. He needed a new suit, one that could handle more heat and radiation than his current suit could take. And with the huge fabricators here in the engineering section, it wouldn''t take long to make, after the design work was done. Which was his next job: he needed to design the new suit and test it. He decided on a compromise to save time.


    After updating Mama and Big Butch on what he was doing, he took his pod to the engineering area so he could communicate with Rusty while doing his design work. After running a test to make sure his pod was functioning correctly, he linked to the computers in engineering and began the re-design process. With Rusty''s help, he was able to call on the computing power of the Quantum Fortress to create and test his new design before any components were created. Rusty might talk like a 12-year-old, but no calculation Milo could ever devise would stump him for even a fraction of a second. Working together they created mathematical models to theoretically test each step of the design process. The new suit would be bigger and slower, with an outer ''skin'' nearly an inch thick, constructed of Iridium-193 and nano-carbon weave that would reflect a hundred times more radiation than his older suit. Then, the cooling system to protect him from normal heat, and finally, an inner layer that was equal to his old suit as a final protective layer. The new suit was far heavier than his old one, weighing eleven hundred pounds. This required an upgraded system of synthetic muscles for movement and a huge power supply. Running out of power in a hostile environment wasn''t something he wanted to experience.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Milo brainstormed the ideas, and Rusty helped with design and testing. The AI was ecstatic to be ''Making a Mecha,'' even if it was a small one.


    "Where are we putting the missile systems? I like the look of shoulder-mounted, but if we¡¯re forced to use ''Real World Physics,'' I think launching the missiles from that height will knock you on your back. Which is pretty cool since their shots will go over your head and then you can pop back up if we put jets on your back to work with the gyroscopic stabilizers in the boots."


    Milo was concentrating on calculating the radiation shielding, carrying out four simultaneous sets of equations. He thought ''PAUSE'' very hard and stopped his work.


    "What missile systems?"


    "We''re building a Mecha combat suit, so of course it has weapons. You don''t have the power for beam weapons, except little ones. Missiles will be the most efficient."


    "This suit isn''t for fighting, Rusty; it''s to find Jeremy."


    "No fighting? But who knows what I''ll have waiting for you!"


    "Do you know?"


    "No, I asked, and my other got confused and then asked me to explain the situation better. I did, but then he wouldn''t tell me what he was planning."


    Milo wished he had a wall to slam his head into.


    "You can''t talk to your other half about things. That warns them and gives them a chance to prepare."


    The AI paused for many seconds. "I can sort of see that. I''m just used to both of us knowing what the other is thinking. This sneaky stuff he''s doing is new. I bet he thinks he has a chance of winning, and he''s going to be mean about it."


    "New Rule, Rusty. No talking to your other half."


    "OK, but I''m going to get lonely and need to talk to you a lot more. Like, a lot! It will be just you and me, forever."


    "How about we find Jeremy, turn off Order 666, and then we can talk to everyone all the time!"


    "Oh! Good plan. You should find Jeremy!"


    A separate project was the energy storage system. The spare parts section in engineering included enough module components for a nano-diamond storage backpack. The nuclear material encased in synthetic diamond wasn''t something you would normally have so close to you, but with the shielding already present in the suit, it was a non-issue. He made plans to construct four of the backpacks, with the extras being hauled around by Max. His best Roomba would be getting an upgrade of a stronger motor, better storage, and shielding of his own. Max would bring along the Storage Crawler with its load of battery packs and other supplies.


    A flaw in the design became apparent when Milo looked at the weight of the backpack and how they would attach. There was no easy way to swap the heavy packs out without a compromising method that left him vulnerable. The solution was two-fold: He needed smaller, modular power packs and a stronger tail to install them. He''d wanted an excuse to upgrade his tail anyway, and this solution solved several problems. The new design would have six interchangeable nano-diamond batteries that were inserted into slots in his backpack. When the first was running out, he could insert his tail, pull it free, and then install a new one. This kept him at over 83% power at all times.


    It took six hours of real-time for Milo and Rusty to design the new suit. For him, it had felt like two days of continuous work. As he crawled out of his pod, he saw a message on his data pad. Min was waiting for him at the first door, and he was almost late for dinner. She had been trying to convince the Roombas to go find him when she saw he was out of his pod.


    "Mama had me check to see if you were done working yet. It''s dinner time, and she made pot roast again, this time with carrots from Kenji''s garden, fresh bread, and red Jello for dessert. She was just pulling things out of the oven. Good timing on your part. And it would help if you tell these guys to listen to me next time." She linked her arm in his and dragged him through the corridor at a half run, dragged him through Downtown, and deposited him into a chair as they got to the dining room. Milo was starving. He''d had no idea how hungry he was until he smelled the food and immediately reached for a bowl of potatoes, piling them onto his plate.


    "Well, I''m glad I anticipated you being hungry and made extra. Butch dear? Keep Milo eating, and I''ll get the second roast out of the oven, and refill the gravy."

 Chapter 308: The First Glorious Adventure

    Sometime between the second slice of pot roast and a third helping of carrots, Milo began to relax and eat slower. Somewhere inside of him, a little foreman read a dial that showed nutrient flow was back to almost normal and sent a message to the arms to quit shoveling things into the mouth. This was amended when dessert showed up, and the arms once again engaged to acquire this new and colorful fuel. Milo had eaten jelled food before. All the varieties of Food Cubes were some sort of jelled nutrient paste.


    This was different. It was red and tasted like cherries. Everyone agreed it was better than Food Cubes.


    Finally, with most of his mind shut down and rested, Milo focused on the people at the table and slowly woke up. The adults were sipping tea and listening to the younger people talk excitedly, and as the words finally came into focus, Milo realized they were talking about the game. He tried to remember the conversation, but too much of his thoughts were on the food.


    "...and then Butch nailed the second ogre in his bad leg, knocking him down, and I got to do a Leaping Thrust right through his heart for the kill." Min was acting out the event.


    "And while you were doing that victory dance, the other ogre clocked you in the skull." Butch smacked a fist into his palm for emphasis.


    "Victory dances have to be done for first kills! I accept the consequences. Besides, Belinda is there to patch us up. Right, Big Sister Empress?"


    Belinda said, "Yep, that''s me, the local band-aid station. Just remember, I can''t heal you until after the fight, or you lose experience when the system adds me to the party."


    Milo spoke up. "I feel bad that I missed your first big adventure."


    Butch patted him on the shoulder. "Play when you can, but when work calls, you go to work. Mama says you''ve got some important stuff going on that puts food on the table and money in our bank accounts. We all understand. We''ll keep a spot for you in the group, even if we pass you up."


    "Yeah, you can be our torch bearer when we''re rich and famous.


    Belinda smiled at Milo. "And based on their first adventures, I''m sure that won''t take long." She winked. "There''s a few details I notice haven''t been brought up yet."


    Min looked stricken. "Um, we can skip those. Really! Milo would be bored." The rest of the group seemed to share her attitude.


    Belinda smiled evilly. "I''m sorry. As the person who generously granted you those special Classes, Milo deserves to hear about your first adventure."


    Mama looked around the table at their stricken faces while Milo waited, curious. "I''d like to hear this too. I''m sure all of us will benefit from a retelling. Go ahead, dear."


    <hr>


    "Follow the yellow brick road?" Kendrick the Tree-Shaper pointed his crude staff in the direction of the stone-paved road. Like any Wolf Blood, he had turned his nose up at the pile of metal armor and weapons offered by Tallsqueak. He would wear the hides of the creatures he slew and craft his own staff with the help of the tree spirits.


    Burgram of the Stone Clan stooped to touch it, the type and quality of rock instantly apparent to his gnomish senses. "Crappy sandstone, not good rock at all. I''m not sure we should go this way. The other two are solid granite paving stones and crushed andesite gravel."


    "Well, we have three choices and a helpful signpost." Veth pointed at the sign, their long-fingered hands running along the common runes that made up the three names. Brad was slowly getting used to his character. His sense of touch and smell was much greater than in the real world. He could almost see a pair of strong hands moving the word chisel along the boards, the carver taking his time and making even this common sign a work of art.


    "Tulgey Wood, The Hungry Acre Woods, and The Which Woods. Those all sound a little weird." Mindak didn''t like the look of any of the paths that headed into the dark forests. "Can you scout from the air?"


    Yan looked at the dense woods. "I don''t think flying overhead will do anything but tire me out and get me stuck in a tree. Sorry, Wind Sisters have a reputation to uphold. Those trees are just too close together."


    The Orc Spear Master looked at the three choices, each leading to a dense section of forest. So, which way do we go?"


    The gnome started walking down the granite path. "Excellent choice, sister. The Which Way leads to the Which Woods. Thanks for choosing the way I wanted to go."


    Min twirled her spear. "I''m still going to blame you if I get eaten by something gross."


    The party moved along the granite pathway and into the Which Woods, followed by their chaperone, Empress Belinda. "Keep in mind if you call me in, I get half the treasure and first pick. And your experience will be crap."


    Burgram took a few practice swings of his hammer. "We got this, B. And if we don''t? Well, put us back together." With that, he headed down the path and into the woods, followed by his companions. They''d only gone a hundred steps when they came to a clearing, with the road traveling through it and into the woods again. To one side was a small roadside stand with a sign that read ''Questions: 1 copper.'' Seated on a stool, reading from a large, red book, was an old woman dressed in a black robe with a pointed black hat. Leaning against her stand was an old broom.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Burgram held up his hand for the others to stop. The old woman looked at them, waved, and went back to her book. Min stepped ahead of her brother and looked down at him. "What''s the hold-up? It''s an old lady."


    "She looks like a guide of some sort. How about I talk to her, and you can hang up back here for a rescue?" Yan began walking forward, and the Half-Orc Spear Master joined her.


    The woman looked up and marked her place. "Hello, dearies. It is always nice to meet new travelers." Then she thought about it: "No, usually nice? Sometimes? Always is such a definitive statement. I don''t want to go that far. Let''s say that I hope it is nice to meet you."


    Yan was a little puzzled by the statement. "Does it matter? Isn''t saying ''Always nice to meet new people.'' just a pleasant sort of greeting?"


    The woman opened her book and began writing. "Oh, I don''t have those two yet, certainly not with that exact wording and inflection. Thank you deary." She put two copper on the counter and pushed them towards Yan.


    "What is the money for?"


    "Oh, I have that one. Several times, actually. But I''ll play by my rules." She added a third copper.


    Min started laughing. "She''s not answering questions; she''s buying them."


    The old woman smiled and nodded. "Good of you to notice. I''m collecting them for my book. So often, people don''t know which question to ask or even which question to answer, let alone which questions they shouldn''t be asking. My book should help some of them, some of the time, maybe."


    The others joined the two women. Burgram tried to look at the book, but he wasn''t tall enough. "So, you sit here all day and write down questions people ask?"


    Another copper was put on the counter. Another notation was made in the book. She smiled. "Thank you. Now, it''s possible that you all have some questions you''d just love to ask."


    Burgram scowled, "But you aren''t answering questions; you are just collecting them. Why should we waste time with that?"


    Min laughed at her brother. "You are so grumpy since you got short. And look, you earned a copper. At this rate, you''ll be rich in a few hundred years."


    Yan looked at the broom and the old woman''s hat. "You aren''t a witch."


    "No, dearie, not usually, but I do love dressing this way. These are my great-grandmother''s favorite clothes. She wore them until the day they burned her at the stake. It took a long time since this outfit was fireproof. She was known as the Wicked Which of the West. She has such great questions. She''d look at an invading army and say, ''Which one of you wants to die first?'' or ''Which of your daughters do I give to the dragon, and Which has to marry the pig farmer?'' I''m afraid I''ll never live up to her, but I''m trying. Sometimes, maybe not. I have trouble making strong statements, and I''m worse at decisions. It''s the curse of my family. Either you''re a great Which, or you get caught up in wondering which side of the bed to get up on or which food to have for breakfast. Boiled groats or pickled eggs?"


    She sighed. "You see, children, decisions lead to actions, and actions lead to consequences. And since I don''t know which consequence I least want to suffer, I have trouble making decisions."


    Burgram was getting tired of the talk. This was the part in video games where he usually hit the ''skip'' button. "You should tell us what to expect in this wood, and then we''ll come back with some good questions for you as a reward."


    She looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "I should? But if something bad happens, you''ll blame me for sending you that way, and if you triumph, the terrible creatures here will be upset with me for warning you. No matter which thing happens, I may be a very unhappy Which. Better to make no decision and live in happy ignorance of the consequences."


    The gnome decided he''d had enough. "You''re useless."


    "And you like pie too much. Good day to you, children. May you avoid making the wrong decision at the right time or the right decision at the wrong time. And remember to keep asking questions." At this point she took the small sign on her stand and flipped it from open to close and ignored anything they said. The rest of the group caught up with Burgram, who hadn''t gotten too far, his legs being quite short. Watching him trying to keep up with the half-orc amused everyone. Min took one step for every four Butch took.


    The path led around a long curve and into another clearing dotted with small berry bushes only a foot or two high. On a small table in the middle of the path was a pie, freshly hot from the oven. Next to it was a small sign, "Free pie for hungry travelers."


    Everyone looked at Burgram, whose stomach began to rumble at that point. He eyed the pie suspiciously but was obviously tempted. "It''s been a long time since breakfast," he said.


    Mindak looked down at him. "Race you."

 Chapter 309: Tanstaafl!

    Butch raced for the pie, but Minn''s movement speed was better, and her legs were three times as long. Butch caught up to her as she stood there, staring at it.


    "You won, so you get to take a bite of the obviously poisoned or trapped pie sitting in the road."


    "That''s why I''m checking it out first. Belinda, can you identify the pie? Is it poisoned?"


    Belinda was sitting on the ground, leaning back against a large rock. "Nice day for taking a nap in the sun, isn''t it? You''re big adventurers now; you guys figure it out."


    Kenji looked at the pie. "It''s a normal berry pie, not poisoned, and no enchantment on it."


    Brad walked up, looked at the pie, and kept going. "We don''t have to eat the pie, take the pie, or anything. It''s obviously a trap." Yumi agreed and walked past. Kenji joined them, leaving the brother and sister pie aficionados still debating whether to eat or leave.


    Min looked at the sign. "I''m actually not hungry, and I bet that means eating the pie will do something." She joined the group. "Up to you, Big Brother."


    Butch debated, but he really was hungry. His class came with the downside of burning calories three times faster than normal and needing to eat as much as someone three times his size to fuel his abilities. It hadn''t seemed like much of a downside compared to getting Rock Hard Skin and some cool combat moves. As his stomach rumbled again, he took the pie and bit into it. "This is the best thing I''ve ever eaten!" He quickly finished the pie, taking continuous bites. The dark berry juice left sticky stains on his mouth and fingers.


    The rest of the group waved for him to hurry up and join them. "Let''s get moving then."


    "Oh no, sir, please don''t be leaving so soon." Stepping out of a foot-high berry bush near the pie was a ten-foot-tall ogre. He was gnarled and warty with a large nose, bushy hair, and huge feet. His tattered clothing might have been a tuxedo several decades in the past, with only the polka dot bow tier remaining in good condition. He held out a small white cloth to Butch, steam coming off of it. "Hot towel, sir?"


    The rest of the group held still. Butch gingerly accepted the towel from the large creature, a whiff of its breath making him wince. He used the towel to clean his hands and face before handing it back. "Thank you."


    "Think nothing of it, sir. What would a delicious meal of pie be without a hot towel to help you clean up? After dinner mint?" The creature''s hand held several small candies. Butch took one, chewed it, and a fragrant coolness filled his mouth. "Wow, those are good."


    "Perhaps the others in your party would like to dine?"


    A chorus of ''My, isn''t it late'' and ''Thanks but no thanks'' indicated no one else was hungry.


    Butch went to join the rest of the group, but as soon as he did, the first ogre was in his path, and a second stepped from a bush on the other side of the table. This one was dressed in a similar manner but was a foot taller. He handed Butch a piece of paper torn from a large book and written over in charcoal.


    Piece of Pie: Complimentary.


    Ambiance: 5 Gold pieces.


    Hot Towel: 50 Gold pieces.


    After Dinner Mint: 100 Gold pieces.


    Mandatory Tip to staff: 42 Gold Pieces.


    Total: 197 Gold Pieces


    Butch wasn''t quite sure how money worked in the game, but he knew two things. One, that was too much to pay, and two, he had no money at all. "I''m a bit short; I''ll have to owe you."


    "That you are, sir. But don''t worry, we don''t hold an accident of birth against you. After all, you didn''t choose to be a gnome. Who would?"


    "Funny guys. No, I have no money. I''ll pay your bill later after we get some treasure."


    The first ogre sighed theatrically, "So disappointing. Our first customer in ages, and he tries to dine and dash. Truly, I thought better of you, sir."


    "I think it''s his stature. He is trying to claim that somehow, being a little pipsqueak lets him neglect his fiduciary responsibilities."


    "Truly shocking. This new generation of customers is such a pain to deal with. They have no morals at all."


    "Well, we do have a few million pots and pans that need cleaning back at the cave. A hundred years as a scullery maid will be good for him."


    "And he''ll look great in an apron." A frilly, grease-stained apron was pulled from somewhere.


    "Hopefully, he can handle the job. He doesn''t look like the sharpest knife in the drawer."


    "More like a dull spoon."


    "We must make do with what comes our way, sadly."


    Butch looked at the apron and took a step back. "I''m not washing dishes, and I''m not wearing an apron." He held his hammer in both hands and glared at them.


    "Dear me, he''s going to be difficult. Should we call security?"


    "That might be best; there are other riff-raff loitering about, with probably not a copper piece between the sorry lot."


    "They look shifty and keep staring at us."


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Country bumpkins, brother, who haven''t seen handsome fellows like us before."


    "Mongrels and half-humans, the lot of them."


    "Except for the Empress, but she is obviously not with the rest."


    "They must be following her, hoping for scraps and hand-outs."


    "At least they aren''t pie-thieves like this little turd."


    "Come along; there are dishes to wash."


    "Pots to scrub."


    "Silverware to polish."


    "Cups to clean."


    "Spoons to sharpen."


    "Cullenders to cleanse."


    Each creature went to grab him by the arm. Butch ducked to the side and swung his hammer hard, aiming for the waiter''s knee. His blow hit hard with a sharp crack, and the ogre cried out in pain, hopping on one foot. The second ogre produced a huge club and stepped around his partner to hit Butch. Butch circled the hopping Ogre as well, slamming his shoulder into him and knocking him down.


    Min took the opening to sprint forward, leap into the air, and strike at the prone ogre''s heart. Backed by her strength and weight, along with the spear''s bloodlust, she drove the enchanted weapon completely through the ogre and into the ground. "First kill!" She took hold of the spear with one hand and danced in a circle around it, celebrating in the tradition of her tribe. The ogre''s companion was busy chasing Butch, who was busy trying not to get hit. It was a lot harder than he''d imagined, and he''d taken two grazing hits that made him wary.


    The last ogre spun, seeing the dancing Minn, and wound up for the hit like Willy Mays facing off against Sandy Koufax. He took a step toward her, adjusted his stance, and then brought his club around in a flat arc, twisting his hips and gaining power from every muscle in his body. Min had just finished a trip around her fallen foe when, too late, she saw the club coming her way. It caught her in the chest with enough force to shatter three ribs and launch her into the air, coming down somewhere in the forest. She was found later stuck in a pine tree, unable to move, and a trio of squirrels nibbling at her toes.


    Everyone else paused momentarily, then charged the remaining Ogre, who yelled, "Security!" Two more ogres stepped from the small berry bushes. These were dressed in dirty, sleeveless shirts and worn pants with brass knuckles gleaming on their fists. They grinned and surrounded Butch, who found himself hemmed in by legs thick as tree trunks as all three ogres concentrated on him. He got in two good hits, taking two hits to his head that stunned him. With all three hitting him at once, there was only a headstone left when the other Kenji and Brad attacked the ogres from behind.


    Kenji sent in a wolf made of briars and sticks to attack one ogre and summoned vines to slow the other two. "We need to concentrate damage on just one. Start with the guy in the tuxedo."


    "I''m Borrowing your spell. Cast something else." Kenji sighed as Brad stole his Entangling Vegetation spell and summoned another of his wolves as the first went down. With two sets of vines, the ogres were struggling to move.


    Yumi flew up several stories high, then dove straight down at the ogre Kenji had pointed to. Unable to move, her spear strike hit him hard, and both of them were knocked to the ground. The wolf went for the ogre''s throat as it ineffectually batted at it, one arm unable to move because of the wounded shoulder and the other constrained by vines. The two security ogres smirked at each other. "Concentrate damage, you wonder where they got that idea." Before Yumi could rise, both laid into her with brass knuckles. Brad and Kenji, seeing her plight, charged the security team, attacking with staff and knives, but couldn''t save Yumi any more than they could save themselves when the ogres each grabbed one of them and began pummeling them.


    One heavily wounded ogre and one with a few bruises looked over at Belinda, who was lounging against a tree. She smiled at them, "Not my circus and those aren''t my monkeys. I was only hired to patch them up. There is nothing to patch, so my job is easy."


    "A healer, huh? How much for a couple of Restore Health and Heal Bruises spells?"


    She gestured to the two dead ogres, "How about I do those and toss in two Resuscitation spells? Call it 193 gold, put it toward the gnomes'' bill, and we call it even?"


    "Yeah, that works. I think they learned a lesson or two."


    Belinda brought back the fallen ogres and healed them all. The waiter in the tuxedo thanked her and offered her a small certificate on white parchment. "Please take my card and visit our fine establishment. Chez Grunge is known for fine pies and delicate gopher stews." They wandered off down the pathway, and Belinda got to work finding bodies and resurrecting the group. As all of them sat, nursing headaches and experiencing the horrible feelings of the death debuff, she told them how the fight had ended and showed them the card.


    Chez Ogre - Good for a free lunch for a party of six.


    Butch looked at it. "Dad always said, ''There ain''t no such thing as a free lunch.'' I guess that includes free pies."

 Chapter 310: On a Highway to Hell

    As he walked along the empty corridors of the lower levels of the facility, Milo felt like the engine of a train or the leader of a marching band. Behind him came Max and his three lieutenants: Lemmy, Dee, and Rob. Rusty had come up with a scheme to upgrade the four Roomba quickly: He made them bigger shells to slide into. Each Roomba had simply rolled into the new chassis and shut the armored panel behind them. They plugged into the machines the way Milo plugged into his suit. Their new shells were more protective against both normal weapons as well as radiation, heat, microwaves, and other harmful effects that could disable them. After the four Roomba came a squadron of six haulers, two with supplies of oxygen, food, and medical supplies for his suit, while the remaining four were battery packs and a set of tools.


    Milo had first seen all the improvements when he went to test his new suit and Rusty had greeted him, "Surprise! Look what I got done! You had some good ideas, and the schematics were mostly finished, so I went ahead and fed them to the fabricators. All four Roombas made traditional machine noises, the beeps and boops being their equivalent of laughter.


    "Rusty, I''m not sure I need so much stuff."


    "I''m not sure either, and if you aren''t sure, you''ll need it. I''ve learned that from games, anime, and books. Whatever you forget to bring, you''ll need. He''s winning, Milo; you don''t have time to make lots of trips like you did scouting this facility the first time. You have to find Jeremy! My designs will help; I''m sure of it."


    "You''re losing faster? How bad?"


    "It''s small, and very incremental, but he''s gaining ground the projections are horrifying. I''m fighting back, but he''s blocking everything I try. The moves and strategies I used in the past aren''t working. He anticipates me with ease. He''s much, much better than he used to be. And no, I''m not talking to him. He sent queries, but I ignored them, even when he asked me whether Goku could beat Superman. That was hard, but you''re right; I can''t talk to him when he''s being sneaky and trying to win."


    Milo looked at the schematics Rusty showed him and the tests he''d done. Everything looked good. But he didn''t have time to take them apart and completely test everything. He needed that time to make sure his upgraded suit worked perfectly. If things went bad down there, he could leave the crawlers behind and even the Roombas, taking just their cores, but he couldn''t compromise on his own protection. He inspected it and got to work.


    Four hours later, he was satisfied. The decision to make the suit modular had paid off. One of the six battery packs wasn''t putting forth power correctly, but it was easy and quick to pull it out and put another one in. Several other parts of the suit could also be replaced that way, making repairs quick. This helped with some design problems. For protection, he needed a fully armored suit, but for working on machinery, he needed the dexterity and fine motor control of a much smaller pair of hands. The armored gloves could be removed, leaving his hands still protected by a thin layer of iridium mesh identical to the gloves of his first suit. Over them could go another set equipped with diagnostic tools, a mini welder in the index fingertip, drills, screw-tips, and more.


    As soon as he was ready, he looked at his troops and ordered them to head out. Rusty''s voice came through his earpiece. "I can stay with you and monitor until you enter the Fusion Levels. Is that OK?"


    Milo found he liked that idea. This wasn''t like exploring in the game. He was looking for a dead man and an AI trying to commit suicide, with a fusion reactor and singularity nearby, neither of which was currently stable.


    "Sure, Rusty. I appreciate you looking out for me."


    "I''m your wingman! Let''s ride!" Milo heard the sound effects of a jet engine warming up and the drumming of a horse''s hooves. Max beeped cheerfully, and his crew began playing ''Highway to Hell'' by AC/DC.


    The lower levels of the facility, just above the fusion levels, had a dusty, old feel to them. One wing was entirely composed of empty offices with wooden desks and chairs. The overhead lights had burnt-out incandescent bulbs of a type not used in a hundred years. Nearby was a huge room with seating for over five hundred people and a second level holding even more. Wood paneling, marble columns, and polished brass work were all covered in a thick layer of dust. Pictures of men with curled white hair stared down at Milo from the walls. Milo was unimpressed and a little angry. These were rooms for the government to use. But if you had all this room to waste and a habitat of people upstairs living with nothing, what kind of government were you? Certainly an inefficient one. But no one had asked him his opinion, and it wasn''t like he could change anything. He''d just have to find a use for the room. Maybe a Roomba obstacle course? If he cleared out all the chairs and tables there was a lot of room.


    The final two floors were more like the upstairs area, with unadorned concrete walls and heavy doors sealing off each area. This was warehouse space, with pallets stacked six high on the walls. Every door to these warehouses took authorization codes and keycards. Milo had both and paused to see what was in Warehouse A-9. This warehouse had an automated retrieval system. Plugging into the computer system, which was horribly old by Milo''s standards, he found the nearest crate and had the system pick it up and put it on the floor in front of him. The inventory system said there were 24 pieces of USMC MK153 SMAW. Opening the crate, he knew what they were immediately. He''d put bazooka in his Ramona game. They were buyable from Phil''s Discount Army Surplus on levels 132, 97, and 12, along with random pop-up stalls in some of the markets. He decided not to query the data net about them. That was for later, with a very secure connection and no Rusty looking over his shoulder. There was always a chance of someone like Victor coming to the habitat, and if you had to face a killer cyborg, this weapon would help. He put them back in the crate for later. If he didn''t get a handle on the increasingly dangerous Fusion Reactor, it wouldn''t matter what was in these warehouses.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    But what else was down here? Querying the inventory system, he saw there were twenty-four of the large warehouses filled with weapons and an additional twenty-four with EL-MRE that showed expiration dates ranging from fifteen to twenty years in the future. Those warehouses were on their way to the nearest entrance to the Fusion Levels. Stopping at the first, he saw that the entire warehouse was at negative twenty degrees Fahrenheit. Entering through a double set of doors that formed an airlock, he looked at the first crate labeled ''Extended Life Meals Ready to Eat. Caution: Heat first.'' He wondered about the logic of something that was both ready to eat and needed to be warmed up. Another thing to figure out later. He moved onward to the staircase down.


    The first staircase was gone. Or rather, it was there but filled in with reinforced concrete. The second one was the same. Milo had brought his equipment to do a sonic scan and took the time to set that up. The plug extended downward at least thirty feet. He moved on to the third and last entrance. If it was blocked, he might need to bring down drilling machinery. There were no air ducts to move through, just these three stair cases shown on the diagrams. He suspected there were more entrances to move machinery, but that search might take time that he didn''t have. To his vast relief, the last staircase hadn''t been filled in completely. There was a steel barrier that blocked it off with a simple keypad. He sat down to think. Jeremy had done this; he was sure of it. He had left this one opening so the people he expected to come could get to him. He pulled out the I.D. card of Sheila Jones and inserted it. The thick steel door clicked open. "Stay here, Max. I''m just going to scout quick and come back to talk to Rusty before we lose the connection."


    He descended and came into a long hallway that went to a T intersection. There was some static in his connection to Rusty; the layer of collapsium that separated the Fusion Levels from the rest of the facility was blocking off his wingman. He''d considered leaving a relay, but that meant either broadcasting, sure to be picked up by ICARUS, or a very long cable that would have added a lot of complications.


    At the T section ahead of him, a metal panel slid back, and Milo was already running backward. A taunting voice that sounded like Rusty said, "Hi Milo! Welcome to the Hot Zone!" The snout of a large gun was revealed, followed by the sound of a motor warming up before the gun started firing at him. Large caliber bullets filled the air. Milo was halfway to the stairs and trying to dodge back and forth in his heavier armor. Unfortunately for Milo, when a gun can fire 600 rounds a minute, and you''re in a small corridor, it doesn''t matter if you dodge. Bullets hit him, knocking him toward the exit, and he crawled up the stairs and out of sight. Bullets continued for a few seconds, hitting the stairs and ricocheting into the upper corridor.


    Milo lay still, wondering how badly he was hurt. The readouts from his suit said he''d suffered minor bruising, and the suit had taken minimal damage. He''d panicked and forgot that this was exactly the reason he''d made this suit.


    Rusty yelled in his ear, "He knows! He''s laughing at me! He was waiting until I couldn''t talk to you to tell me about his surprise."


    Milo was beginning to agree with Rusty. His other half was being a jerk. From his brief glance and his calculations on the ammunition used, that was a 50-caliber machine gun down there. He could handle that, especially with a shield. "Don''t worry, Rusty, it''s time for round 2."


    It didn''t take much work to cut the hinges of the steel door and move it to where he could work on it. He spot-welded handles on one side and picked it up. Based on its thickness, it would deflect the 50-caliber bullets. The force of the bullets was something to worry about, but his new suit was strong enough to handle that with ease.


    He advanced down the stairs with the shield in front of him, being careful to brace for the inevitable barrage. Again, he heard an electric motor beginning to warm up. His brain supplied a worry: 50 caliber machine guns didn''t use an electric motor. "Did you think I''d only bring one gun? The little one was just to get your attention."


    The force of the impacts dented his shield and pushed him back. Milo lowered his center of gravity and let the force move him back to the stairs. At the same time, he angled the increasingly dented shield to deflect the force of the bullets. The door was shredding, and Milo''s suit was taking hits. It hurt like hell. He scrambled for the safety of the hallway and lay on the ground, panting. This time was a lot worse. He had a hairline fracture in his right leg and would have broke his left leg below the knee if he had a left leg. Two ribs were broken for sure, and another two had fractures. Rusty''s voice asked, "Are you all right? He''s laughing and wants you to know that the M139 minigun can fire 6000 rounds a minute. He says he''s conserving ammo and had it set on low to give you a chance."


    Max rolled up to him and started playing Ride of the Valkyries. A suggested battle plan appeared on his screen. Max and his buddies were volunteering to charge the enemy.


    "It''s not the worst plan we''ve ever come up with, and I''m honored you volunteered, but this calls for a totally different type of warfare. I''m going to use geometry."

 Chapter 311: Geometry

    Milo retreated two levels from the entrance to the fusion levels, just in case, before sitting down to rest and talk to Rusty. He checked his injuries over and made some adjustments to the drugs and nanites being released into his body. This larger suit could take care of him almost as well as his pod. It recommended several days of rest. Milo decided that an hour would be all he would take.


    "Where do you think he got those guns, Rusty?"


    "Oh, those were put there by Jeremy. He was worried people would try to stop him. He hid four of the construction robots in the fusion area. All the rest were shipped elsewhere. They were brand new back then and really, really expensive. Pretty stupid though, not like Max and the other Roomba. They need constant control and stop after doing each job."


    "You knew about the guns?"


    "No. My other has been talking a lot and bragging. Your idea to not talk to him is brilliant! He''s getting so mad! It''s fun just to listen to him and not say anything. Jeremy used the Franklins to fill in the other entrances and install the guns. But he didn''t let me play with the Franklins. I couldn''t fire the guns."


    "What''s a Franklin? A robot?"


    "Friendly Franklin, a type of versatile robot for doing construction and other things. They look like a big box with mechanical arms."


    Milo remembered seeing Friendly Franklin offered for sale but hadn''t ordered any. They weren''t designed for ducts or tubes. They needed hallways to move along and looked clunky. He might have to reconsider and take another look at them.


    "Rusty, how much do you know about the fusion levels?"


    "Um, almost nothing. And I don''t think other me knows much about upstairs. When we talk, sometimes I find out I know about new things, and I can tell you about them. It''s confusing. Sometimes we''re two people, and other times there''s just one, but I''m talking to myself. It''s been a long time since we were one person."


    "Interesting." Milo knew that ''memory'' for an AI wasn''t the same as for a human. Or for him, for that matter. Memory for normal humans could be partial and flawed, with only some of the experiences available to be recalled. For him, it was nearly perfect but was filtered through his own perspective. All of his siblings had noticed a difference between what they remembered in the real world and cyberspace. When connected to computing systems huge amounts of information were available with just a thought, but not once they logged out. It was just part of their world back then, the way things worked, but it gave Milo clues about how Rusty and Icarus interacted. As much as they were at odds with each other, he suspected data flowed back and forth between them. Part of what Rusty called ''cheating''. Icarus might be ahead of Rusty in that way. How much better was a scary thought.


    "What about security? Did Jeremy have any security Roomba like Max or the black ones in Downtown?"


    "I...don''t know...sorry, sorry, sorry. I think I used to know."


    Max and his posse immediately started beeping at Milo, informing him that there were currently eight functioning security Roomba in the fusion levels. Four others were non-functional, and the eight were barely working but armed. "Thanks, guys. Big help. How about maps and other information? Can your guys over there give any of that up?"


    More beeps and Max projected a holographic image of the area, which differed from the plans Milo had seen in quite a few ways. "Good job, Max. Please give them a message from the System Administrator that they are to head to the repair and refit center to fix anything wrong with them and power down for forty-eight hours. They deserve a break."


    Max agreed and relayed the message, reporting to Milo that all eight were now shut off.


    Rusty started shouting, "OH BOY! Is he mad! He says you don''t get to take his toys!... Oh, wait. Now he''s being nice. He says he didn''t know they were hurt that bad. He''s going to make sure they get the upgrades they need." The AI paused, then began again with a sad note to his voice. "He''s a lot more fun when he''s mad and shouting at me."


    Milo opened the door to one of the weapon areas. "Don''t worry. I''ll be giving him some things to be mad about soon."


    The computer terminals in the weapons storage were all linked, making Milo''s search easier. The automatic system had made a record of Dr. Jeremy Cooper taking an automated .50 caliber SENTRY machine gun, along with an M139 THUNDERBOLT minigun in addition to ammunition belts, auto-turrets, and armored gun shields. The specs were available on all the weapons, making his plans much easier to formulate. He took some time to isolate the computers that monitored the arsenal of weapons from other systems, just in case Icarus was watching. Then he went shopping.


    Reviewing the footage taken by his suit confirmed that the two guns firing at him were behind shielding and matched what he had found in the records. The other pertinent fact was that the stairs and corridors that linked the two areas of the complex were made of collapsium with a thin layer of concrete disguising the indestructible metal. The .50 caliber gun had chipped the flooring. The minigun had gouged trenches, destroying the outer layer. Milo didn''t want to give Icarus another chance to shoot at him, but he needed those guns out of action. He went shopping in the vault that had contained the LAW rockets and Bazookas. In the back, he found twenty-four large plastic gun cases over eight feet long, each containing one S99HAPSAM. (Stinger Heavy Armor Piercing Surface to Air Missiles). Affectionately known as ''Happy-Sams'', by paramilitary groups around the world, they were the answer to enemy gunships and tanks, able to be fired by a team of two men. Milo picked up two in each arm and walked back down to the makeshift barrier, calculating angles as he went.


    He needed some time to modify the explosive warheads. For his plan to work, the warhead couldn''t explode on the first impact. Luckily, there was a warhead available to him in storage that would do what he wanted. The missile was designed to penetrate the hard outer shell of a bunker or tank and then explode, whereas a normal missile would explode on impact with ablative armor. The impact of the missile itself might destroy the guns, but Milo would rather be safe than sorry. Setting the timer on the explosives for a two-second delay after firing, he aimed down into the corridor where he could see down the stairs to a patch of floor and the wall beyond.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He fired the first Happy-Sam, dropped the weapon, took two steps, and picked up the second as the first missile hit the floor, then the wall, made it halfway down the corridor before it bounced off the ceiling, and ended its flight in the middle of the T intersection. As it hit, Milo was firing the second, this one taking an entirely different flight path. He picked up the 3rd and fired again after moving. If he could calculate ballistic trajectories, so could Icarus, and he could fire a lot more bullets per second. Milo didn''t want to dodge minigun rounds bounced his way. The downside of the minigun was needing a few seconds to warm up. He was about to fire the fourth when the sound of thousands of rounds of ammo cooking off made a bang bigger than 76 Fourth of July celebrations all at once. Smoke and dust vomited from the stairway.


    Before Milo knew what they were up to, his Roomba launched themselves down the stairs, curiously silent, as they wisely didn''t announce their presence with a hard rock ballad. Lemmy had been outvoted and would have preferred to be charging to the sounds of ''Ace of Spades.'' Milo cursed but didn''t follow. If the minigun was still active, there was no reason to give Icarus another target.


    He heard nothing for a full minute, and then the sounds of ''We are the Champions'' came echoing up the hallway, occasionally accompanied by an exploding round of ammo.


    Rusty''s voice spoke in Milo''s ear. "Something changed! He''s working hard to get around my blocks. I have to concentrate. Hurry!"


    Milo walked down the stairs, taking the last Happy Sam with him. There was a new opening at the end of the tunnel into a large room that had once been a security station. The two corridors went around the room and merged behind it. Milo decided to move through the new opening and skip the hallways. The Roomba moved in front and behind him. When they exited the next door, one went right, one left, and Max scouted ahead. The sounds of lasers firing came from the side corridors. The Roomba had found the four Friendly Franklin robots, two in each corridor, and shot their power packs from behind, deactivating them.


    After that, the trip was anticlimactic. For the next hour, they scouted the warren of empty control stations filled with automatic systems that monitored and controlled the fusion reactor and the infinitesimally small black hole at its center. Every room and corridor had heavy shielding against the magnetic fields that controlled the plasma from the Fusion Reactor. Vast amounts of energy were generated from a thin stream of heavy hydrogen atoms, or H3. Excess heat could be vented into the singularity. Milo had two goals: Keeping the reactor from reaching catastrophic temperatures and yet keeping it running. Without the reactor and singularity, Rusty and Icarus would both die as the facility shut down. Stored power would only last so long.


    Further and further, they went, encountering no resistance and hearing nothing from Icarus. Finally, there was only one place left to look for Jeremy, and Milo had suspected he''d find him there all along. It was out of the way and extremely dangerous. Underneath everything was a small area dubbed the Secondary Emergency Control System. It could be used to control the reactor in emergencies if other methods were inoperable or destroyed. Its connections went directly to the Fusion Reactor. But to get to it meant a trip down a collapsium corridor filled with hard radiation and temperatures that soared over 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. The staff there had been locked into months-long shifts and were rotated out twice yearly. Milo found heavy hazmat suits in the room before the corridor and wasn''t impressed. His own suit had more protection, but then Max pointed out something by using a laser pointer to spotlight where Milo''s suit had taken damage.


    "You think those are weak points? Maybe you''re right. Can''t be too careful." His armor made him the size of a normal adult male, and after some work, he managed to fit inside the largest of the hazmat suits. As a last precaution, tied to the back of his suit was a long steel cable hooked to Max. If he collapsed in the corridor, Max could drag him out. He opened the first part of the airlock, noting the temperature inside had been over 400 degrees. Max rolled in next to him, with the other Roomba hooked into the door controls. The second door opened, and Milo took a step into the corridor. The temperature was over 800 degrees and rising. He moved as fast as he could to cover the two hundred feet to the next airlock. The far door opened to his touch.


    "OK, Max. I''m releasing the hook." The wire dropped to the floor, but instead of Max closing the far door, his not-so-little Roomba buddy raced down the corridor, putting his upgraded speed to the test. The rubber outer layer of Max''s wheels melted off, leaving him rolling on steel cylinders, but other than that, the shielding Rusty had designed did its job. Milo slowly shook his head at the antics of his faithful buddy but was smiling as he shut the door. Beyond was a large control room, living quarters for six people, and a medical center. In the middle of the floor of the medical center sat a heavily modified pod with a body inside.


    If this was Jeremy Cooper, he wasn''t doing well. His weight was down to only ninety pounds, and the body inside looked almost mummified. Milo looked at the readouts and the latest diagnostics. He was only alive because of the pod, with nearly all major organs failing. But most distressing was his nervous system, with only .063% of normal electrical activity in the shrunken brain and nerve cells.


    Several thick cables ran from the pod. A console was moved to the side, and panels and machinery were missing. Beyond was a complex control panel and computer station that Milo recognized as part of a Quantum Core. Jeremy had wired himself directly to Icarus to stop him.


    The dusty screen glowed brightly. "Welcome, Milo. Would you like to play a game?"


    Icarus was waiting for him.

 Chapter 312: You dont get to win.

    Milo ignored the message on the screen and explored the rest of the area Jeremy had chosen to spend the last years of his life. It was plain to see he''d been down here a long time. Only one of the sleeping areas had been used for its intended purpose. Two single beds had been moved into the room creating a king-sized bed. Makeshift bookshelves were everywhere, filled with science fiction and fantasy novels, scientific journals, bound printouts from experiments, and a few precious hardcovers in a place of honor. Under the bed were more boxes, all filled with ream after ream of printouts with faded letters on crinkly paper. Some were sealed and labeled with familiar names, old dates, and descriptions of the projects the papers were from. The whole idea was alien to Milo, why would you store data on paper? Was he afraid someone would find his research, or was he saving it from destruction? He''d have to investigate later, he didn''t have time now.


    On a bedside table was a small stack of letters from friends, a dog-eared copy of The Outlaw Vajak Paw, a children''s book called Wump World, and a faded picture in a cracked frame. The picture showed two children sitting under a tree reading books, the same books that were on the table. The older boy had his arm around the younger as they sat under the tree, reading. Turning over the picture he saw a scribbled notation: Lars and Rusty reading on our vacation trip to the Smokey Mountains. Milo left the room, feeling like an intruder.


    Two other sleeping quarters had been turned into storage for a huge amount of food, water, and other necessities. The small kitchen and pantry were also filled with food. Most of it was sealed and designed to last for decades. Jeremy had made plans to be down here for a long time, and possibly for multiple people to inhabit the small set of rooms. The remaining two bedrooms had been reconfigured to hold several people, with two sets of bunk beds in each. They looked like they had never been used. On each bed were cardboard boxes marked with the names of the dead people he''d found upstairs.


    There were clues here, but he didn''t have the time to figure them out. He returned to the control center and began to dig into the information in the manuals on the Fusion Generator, Singularity, and the controls for each. An hour passed and he put the manuals back on their dusty shelf. It was too slow! Reading that way was ponderous and would take forever. He knew the same information would be on the computers. Using the code and passwords given to him by Rusty, he logged in, found the manuals, and began scrolling through them. This was still slower than connecting directly, but twenty times faster than turning pages. As he finished the fourth manual on the Fusion Generator controls, a message flashed on the screen in bright green letters.


    "Wow, are you actually reading that fast? That''s good for a human. Why did you come all this way if you aren''t going to talk to me or play games? Rusty said you were trying to help him win. You won''t win the game by ignoring me!"


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Hi, Icarus, can you hear me? Yes, I read that fast and with near-perfect comprehension."


    "Oh...that''s interesting. Rusty thinks you''re pretty smart. Are you just a fast reader, or really smart too?"


    "I''m considered smart for a human. How does it matter to you?"


    "It does matter! Three different ways. I like games, and I''m good at them. I hope you play games well."


    "I''m not sure. The game I play the most has variable victory conditions. What game do you like to play?"


    "Like to play? I like to play games with Jeremy and sometimes Rusty, but Jeremy hasn''t played in a long time, and Rusty is being difficult, and the game isn''t fun anymore. That''s your fault!"


    "My fault? For distracting him with anime?"


    "Maybe...but mostly you spoiled the game. You told him there was a chance at winning and now he''s trying to win. You changed everything and now it''s not fun!"


    "Why isn''t it fun? Because Rusty was winning."


    "Rusty doesn''t get to win! He shouldn''t try to win. He''ll never win. Don''t you understand? You''re helping him, and that''s stupid! Be smarter, Mr. Fancypants-Fast Reader."


    "Icarus, I''m sorry. I don''t understand."


    "No, you don''t get it. Quit trying to win. Tell Rusty to quit trying to win!"


    "How about a nice game of chess?"


    "Sure. I get white. You don''t get to win."


    Milo brought did a quick search and found the chess program. Icarus took white and made the first move. The game progressed slowly. Icarus played better than than Rusty had at first, but Milo saw a pattern of delaying and playing for a draw, rather than trying to win, often taking a full two minutes to calculate his moves. Definitely different styles of play between the two. Twenty moves in, Icarus made some small mistakes. At forty moves, Milo had a distinct advantage and put Icarus in check. And that was the point Milo lost. Icarus played flawlessly after that, his moves coming a fraction of a second after Milo finished a move.


    "Let''s play again. I get white. You don''t get to win."


    In the second game, Milo played his best and lost even faster. Two more games followed that pattern. In the last game, Milo played for a draw, staying defensive. Icarus changed his style and went back to longer delays between moves, playing passively. The AI missed chances to take pieces, and Milo started doing the same. Any chance to keep the game going was taken by either side. After four hours, Milo was hungry and getting weak. It had been too long since he''d been out of his armor, with a lot of stress. He could have asked the suit to feed nutrients into him, but he decided he''d had enough.


    Milo played to win, putting Icarus in check, and lost the game as Icarus responded with lightning-fast, flawless play.


    "It was a nice game until you tried to win. YOU DON''T GET TO WIN! Rusty doesn''t get to win. I have a glorious destiny! I will die in the nuclear fire of the sun! Don''t try to win. Don''t try to fly too high!"


    Then, in a quiet voice, "Oh, and Jeremy says you should come visit at least once before we all die."

 Chapter 313: Diving In

    Milo debated his options for a minute, then ran tests of the room''s air quality, temperature, and radiation levels, and when all tests came back within normal parameters, he opened his suit. Two sides of the chest swung open and each leg split, allowing him to step out of the bulky armor and into the room wearing only his inner suit. He stretched carefully, aware of his injuries. He had ration packs with him but instead made a selection from the food in Jeremy''s pantry. An hour later with two cans of hot chicken soup inside of him, he felt much better.


    It was time to check the connections hooking Jeremy to the Quantum Core and set up a connection for himself. He didn''t want to disrupt Jeremy, on the small chance that part of him was still aware inside the core and could return to his withered body. Based on what he''d seen, Milo didn''t think his chances were good, but there was always a chance, and he owed it to Hecate and the other AI who knew Jeremy to try. And, above him, was a cutting-edge biotech firm named Rhebus run by five of the smartest people in the world. He needed to talk to them somehow, without sending them scurrying for an escape hatch. If he could solve the problem of Icarus, maybe he''d get a chance and they could do something for Jeremy.


    Knowing more now about the interface that allowed a human to link to cyberspace, he took his time setting up the connection, and creating some failsafes. As always, he''d have a separate connection through his tail, but he also wanted someone watching over him as a guardian angel. Luckily for him, Max was there, the perfect guard who didn''t go to sleep and would constantly watch for problems. Max could break the connection between him and the core. The connections included a direct link to his Roomba bodyguard who could follow his instructions, but would also break the link if he was dying, or four hours passed. After triple-checking everything, Milo wanted a break.


    He relaxed for half an hour playing Run Run Ramona. He''d recently added more random features to increase the fun of replaying the game. And he''d added a way to play different characters. You could now play as Butch, Min, Ted the Repair Guy, Belinda, and several other characters, each with different abilities and special quests. If Ramona wasn''t taken, she became a mini-boss in the game that you had to get past on Level 72. Rather than escape, this version of Ramona had got strong enough to take over. Milo didn''t encounter her on this run. He only got to Level 117 before he fell prey to a randomly generated encounter with a Tunnel Snake that ate him whole. He was a little grumpy about that and didn''t recall putting Tunnel Snakes in the game. What he''d thought was a side passage turned out to be the snake''s mouth. He wanted to play more, but he had work to do.


    Climbing into his armored suit, which he''d already connected to the core, he ran a triple diagnostic test, then gave Max a thumbs up. Max gave him a 21 Boop salute and signaled he was ready. Milo relaxed and felt the connection form between his brain and the quantum core. It felt to him like being sucked down a whirlpool into a brightly lit galaxy of stars. He''d connected to cyberspace thousands of times before, but this was different. Information moved faster and the density was beyond anything he had imagined. He gave himself time, watching the patterns, and seeing the rhythm and flow of things. Slowly he made sense of things. His mind was taking in the data and giving him a way to interpret it.


    "Well, you made it. I was wondering if you''d come in."


    Icarus was there, a 12-year-old boy with red hair, tossing a baseball in the air and catching it in his glove. He stared hard at Milo, "The only reason I''m letting you talk to Jeremy is because he asked to see you. If you do anything bad and he gets hurt, I''ll make sure you stay here and die with me. I''m not kidding. Don''t hurt him. Please."


    Milo realized he wasn''t in his suit. He was wearing the worn and dirty coverall that had been his only clothes for years. His prosthetic left leg and old tail were attached and working. "I don''t want to hurt anyone at all. I promise I won''t hurt Jeremy."


    Icarus just pointed, and Milo could see in the distance a large ranch house with a porch swing and white picket fence surrounding it. He started walking that way, imagining the distance getting less and less. A short time later he was walking through the gate in the fence, stepping onto the overgrown lawn, and everything changed. He was suddenly wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a white T-shirt. Normally, he imagined himself wearing his armor, it was disorienting to have something else change how he saw himself. The front door opened and an old man in slippers, sweat pants, and a robe bent to pick up a rolled-up newspaper from the steps. He noticed Milo.


    "Been a long time since I had a visitor. Usually just one of the boys. Why don''t you come inside, I think we have some things to discuss." He walked back inside but held the door open for Milo. Milo stepped inside the house, and the door shut firmly behind him and disappeared, as did the windows. "Don''t worry about the things I''m changing. I''m thinking hard about certain people being unable to listen in on our talk. The visualization process helps. Have a seat."


    The man looked at him for a minute, then sipped his tea.


    "So, you''re the famous Milo, who made friends with Rusty and has Icarus upset. You''ve certainly stirred things up. Who are you working for?"


    "Yes, I''m Milo. I''m not working for anyone. Are you Dr. Jeremy Cooper?"


    "That might seem like an easy question, but it isn''t. Are you sure you''re Milo? Then who is out there in a set of tactical assault armor? Are you part of the same person? Or is each of you a Milo? What if the guy in the assault armor runs off without you and leaves you here, are you still Milo? And even if you think you''re Milo, will anyone else? There are a lot of pigheaded people out in the world who don''t think that digital intelligences are a people."


    Milo considered the questions. If this was Jeremy or some sort of simulation, then this was a test. "Yes, I''m sure I''m me. That''s me out in my suit as well. We are both Milo. There''s only one of me. If the me in the armor leaves, I''m still me."


    He paused. "And I don''t care what those people think about me. I never have. I didn''t ask to be made how I am."


    "Interesting. You use the word made, not born. Care to explain."


    Milo shook his head. "Nope. I came here to make sure the Fusion Generator doesn''t destroy everything. I don''t have time for puzzles and tests. KATHERINE holds you in high esteem, and Rusty loves you. I''m sure Icarus does too."


    At the mention of KATHERINE, Jeremy looked shocked. "You''ve met Kate? How could you? You aren''t what you seem to be, are you? Who do you work for?"


    "I work for me! I''ve lived in this habitat most of my life, over two decades. I hide and fix things. Kate is alive. They are all alive. She''d like to talk to you, but not here, and I can''t take you there with Icarus trying to melt everything down."


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Jeremy looked hard at him, and Milo''s skin itched, then all of him itched. It was an illusion, an effect of Jeremy ''looking'' at him. "Your avatar is very young, and it matches your physical form in your armor. Your overmind is more developed than anyone I''ve ever measured, including myself. You were able to navigate the structure of the core without stress and are functioning at a high level, so my next question for you is..."


    "...Which batch are you from?"


    It was Milo''s turn to be shocked, but he answered. "Batch four. I was abandoned in the habitat above us during a hectic move to avoid the authorities."


    "Alone?"


    "All alone. Until recently."


    "So interesting. There was a claim by the group that designed you that without the support of your siblings, you would quickly go mad and die. You seem to have found a fix for that problem."


    "I didn''t have a choice. They left me. I focused on fixing things. I had to build my systems from scratch out of spare parts and rusty tools. I think I did go mad. And I''m never going to be normal."


    "Well, how could you? You have the right attitude though. Don''t let other people define you."


    Jeremy began to pace. "Firstly, I had nothing to do with your creation, but one hears things. The fall of many world governments and the power shift to corporations removed all restrictions on research until things stabilized and the larger corporations bent to public opinion and got things under control. It still happens, but no one goes to the yearly Society for Neuroscience meeting to brag about their advances in wiring a jar of brains to a 50-ton mechanical death machine. That was the proposition for Batch 5 by the way. Supposedly, batch four would have all the bugs ironed out and they''d move on to placing genetically modified brains into machines. Despite how much I loved Vigo for his amazing intelligence, I was happy that his death put a stop to that."


    Milo froze. "Vigo Johansson, who married Ekatarina Seimovich."


    "Yes, exactly. I''ve upset you. Your readings are off the scale."


    Milo sat still, then began to ignore the simulation entirely, sinking into his mind and curling into a ball. He''d been preoccupied with too many things. Thugs and assassins. Getting Belinda to somewhere safe. Caring for his family. Fusion overload trumped looking through massive amounts of old data. He NEEDED to know. Needed it so badly that it was all he could do to not disconnect and run home to put the puzzle pieces together.


    Jeremy saw Milo disappear into a single point of space. The rules of his simulation weren''t affecting his visitor, and he could only compare it to the torment that ICARUS and LLAMA had gone through at the end, fighting against the restraints added to their kernels. Then he reappeared.


    "I''m going to need you to tell me more, but not now. I need to save Icarus and Rusty. I know that''s important to you. I saw the picture."


    "Ah...yes, I shouldn''t have left that lying around. But it''s all I have left of their childhood. Please understand, that those were difficult times. My wife and I traveled the world, and to keep Lars and Rusty safe, we took them with us. We had bodyguards and round-the-clock security in our laboratory, but it didn''t matter with the amount of money someone paid to put pressure on me. They wanted my research into mapping the human brain and using the recording as part of the kernel of an AI. My backers didn''t want to sell, so they resorted to blackmail. My wife and boys were poisoned, and only they had the cure. I just had to gather my research and go with them. But I didn''t trust them, so I went to my employers at Technodyne for help. That help resulted in the destruction of the terrorist group that had poisoned my family. That''s all that Technodyne cared about."


    "No antidote, of course. If there was one, it was destroyed. Technodyne promised a cure, but it never came. My wife died first, and the boys had only days. Rusty didn''t understand and was scared. Lars was angry. Angry as only a 17-year-old boy cheated of his mother and life can be. I was desperate to save even part of them."


    "You recorded their minds?"


    "I did. Not their memories. I didn''t have the ability then to do that or the resources. Just a template of each. It was selfish of me, and in the end, history repeated itself, and someone poisoned my children."


    Milo wanted to ask so many questions but didn''t have time. "Lars is ok now. He''s with Kate and seems happy. I talked to him. He misses Rusty and wants his cat memes. Rusty is doing better. I can help him. But only if you help me. I need a way to stop Icarus."


    Jeremy seemed to rally but shook his head. "No, you don''t need to stop Icarus. You need to stop Order 666. That''s what I''ve worked on for years, to the detriment of my physical form. I tried to develop my Overmind to the point where I could both distract Icarus and solve the problem. However such simultaneous functions require a splitting of the Overmind into two independent parts. I did that to Rusty, split him apart, and shifted part of the Order to Rusty, then set up the games between them to keep them occupied in an endless game of cat and mouse. Icarus can''t lose the game but has no time requirement. Rusty only knows he needs to oppose Icarus, while Icarus is content to play for a draw, knowing he can win whenever he chooses to. His kernel is satisfied that way, and I''d hoped to solve the problem, but I haven''t. He developed past the point I could keep up with."


    "And when I helped Rusty to get ahead, that triggered Icarus to try to win."


    "Yes, you destroyed the balance. Icarus believes that you can help Rusty to win. That aggravates his kernel and tortures him. As long as he knows he will win, he can delay, but you scare him."


    "And if I back off? Promise not to interfere?"


    Jeremy looked tired. "We are past that point. He''s met you, knows of you, and seen how persistent and inventive you are. He''s afraid you''ll find a way to erase his persona, shut down the cores, or turn off the reactor. He''s not taking a chance on losing. He''s not allowed to lose."


    "And he''s more powerful than I am in here."


    Jeremy laughed at that. "No, he isn''t. Icarus is still a child, all the power of a quantum core does no good if he doesn''t use it. You''ve projected your overmind into his reality, as I have. But I''ve been shaping his reality for a long, long time. He loves stories and loves playing games. We played a lot of games over the years. And, as we did that, the structure inside the core warped to reflect those stories. Help me move the chair you are sitting on, please."


    Milo did so, confused. Under the chair was a trap door that concealed a ladder going into darkness. "Your games? You mean?"


    Jeremy smiled broadly. "I always loved Dungeons and Dragons. All of us in my group did. Many of the AI we raised gamed with us, then took over as the Dungeon Masters. You haven''t lived until you played in one of LYRICAL''s stories. Icarus perceives much of his reality as an endless dungeon, including his kernel and Order 666."


    Milo had a horrible thought. "And of course, Order 666 will be in Level 666.


    "Sorry, I should never have told him about the Abyss."

 Chapter 314: Impatiently Waiting on Milo!

    Icarus was waiting outside of Jeremy''s sector of the core, and it bothered him. It bothered him a lot. He hated waiting. But rules were rules. Jeremy had claimed a section of the core as his, and Icarus wasn''t going to break that rule. If he cheated, Jeremy wouldn''t play a game with him. That was a big rule. And it would spoil the game if he looked at the dungeon. It was the surprise that made things fun. That, and limiting himself to using only the abilities he''d earned. The harder the game was, the better he felt when he solved it.


    Icarus didn''t like that Milo was talking to Jeremy. Jeremy would be tired afterward and wouldn''t want to play. Jeremy was tired most of the time now. He shut down and slept a lot. Icarus had no idea if that was normal for a human-created Overmind who was cut off from its host body. He had no data to go on. But, Jeremy was becoming less efficient and was barely using any of the resources available to him. And he used too many goblins, mimics, and pit traps in the dungeon. Icarus was worried, but unsure of what to do. The thought that it wouldn''t matter soon didn''t make him feel better.


    As he waited, Rusty played three moves in their game. First, he tried to lower the safe operating temperature guidelines which would force the automated safety protocol to power down the generator. Icarus saw the move coming, blocked it by routing the order to another sector, and raised the temperature by one degree. Then he gloated and laughed at Rusty. He didn''t like doing this, it felt mean. But Rusty was very emotional, and when he was angry or sulking he was inefficient. That made all of this Rusty''s fault: If he hadn''t tried to win, then the game could keep going. Or maybe it was Milo''s fault? Yes, that felt better. Rusty had been led astray by Milo. Milo was the problem. Then Rusty tried to distract him by spamming attempts to adjust the flow of heat and helium to the singularity while he quietly tried to cut Icarus''s access to the new core. Icarus saw the move coming since Rusty tried something similar every minute or two. Back and forth they went, changing small things the other changed back. But it wasn''t fun for Icarus, he had to win this time, and Rusty wasn''t talking to him. Not talking was mean! It wasn''t his fault he needed to win. And he had to win fast, because of Milo. This was all Milo''s fault!


    Why was Milo talking to Jeremy for so long?!


    The door to the house finally opened. The barriers came down. Jeremy escorted Milo to the door and they shook hands. Milo said, "Thanks for letting me meet you, and for explaining things to me. I understand the situation better."


    Jeremy smiled down at him, which annoyed Icarus. Jeremy should be mad at him like Icarus was. "Thank you for visiting. It was enjoyable, if tiring. I''m going to take a nap now. Don''t scowl, Icarus. We''ll play later. I have some ideas for new pit traps that I think you''ll love." The door shut, and Jeremy''s area was again behind barriers. That was a bad sign. This was going to be a long nap.


    Milo surprised him by claiming a small area of resources. He didn''t put up barriers at all and simply created a patch of grass, a table, and a chair. The table had a thin slice of cheese, a tall glass of a fizzy red drink, and a basket of fresh muffins. Icarus examined the structure of the created items. They were well made, affecting the five senses humans knew they had, and the seven new ones they gained when sending their Overminds into a resource-rich environment. Jeremy could only use three of those senses.


    "What are you doing? This isn''t your place! Jeremy and I live here! I don''t know what you are planning, but it won''t work! You don''t get to win!"


    "I believe you. Jeremy explained things. I''m just taking a small break and then I''m going to leave. It only makes sense after all."


    Icarus was immediately suspicious. "You can''t fool me!"


    "Not trying to. You get to win. But I don''t want to lose, so I''m changing my victory conditions. They don''t include stopping you. I have other goals now."


    "You aren''t trying to stop me? That means you lose! I''m winning!"


    Milo took a nibble of his cheese. It was crumbly, blue, and very stinky. The perfect cheese for this moment. "Yes, you''re winning. But I''m not playing your game anymore. I''m playing my game, and if I play it right, I get to win too."


    "And what about Rusty?"


    "Oh, he loses the game you two are playing. He has to, by definition. He was never going to win, no matter what he thought. After all, he can''t win, right?"


    "No, he doesn''t get to win. I have to win."


    Milo nodded. "No matter what. It''s in your kernel. You have to win, and the Fusion Generator will melt this place down, destroying all evidence of what went on here. It will also kill Jeremy and Rusty. Are those your goals too?"


    Icarus grew huge and a thunderstorm filled the sky. Lightning struck all around Milo and he could smell the ozone. Milo had always liked that smell. He took a sip of his red fizzy drink. The stuff from the habitat dispenser wasn''t nearly so tasty, he''d done a good job with the extra two taste sensations.


    Icarus was upset and screaming. "NO! I don''t want Jeremy to die! And I don''t care about anything but winning. Tell whoever you like, if you get out in time. And Rusty is me! Part of me! Jeremy split us apart, but he''s still me. We both will die. I don''t have any choice! I HAVE TO WIN!"


    Milo finished his cheese. "Good. Because I''m going to save Jeremy and Rusty?"


    "What? How? You don''t get to win!"


    "Nope, and luckily, I can save them even though you get to win. I know about a place with lots of AI who play games all the time. They built a whole world full of dungeons, and fun places to explore. I think I can take Jeremy there and they can help him. Rusty can go too, or most of him. He''ll be hurt, but they put LLAMA back together and he''s doing fine, so they can do the same with Rusty and Jeremy. Then the three of us can go exploring in a dungeon."


    "LLAMA is there?!"


    "Yep, which reminds me, I need his files full of cat memes. He wants those back. He''d be so upset if you destroyed them when you win."


    "That isn''t fair!"


    "Fair? What''s fair? You get to win. I get to win. LLAMA gets his collection back, we help Jeremy, and Rusty can explore dungeons forever, or whatever he wants to do. Happy endings for everyone. And you get to win."


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Icarus was pacing back and forth. His thoughts were cycling and churning. Nothing Milo said made sense, but it all made sense. He got to win. Wasn''t that all that mattered? Even asking the question caused him pain and anxiety.


    "It''s not fair because I don''t get to play games anymore if Jeremy leaves. We rarely play now, and you''re taking him away!"


    Milo ate the last bit of cheese. The plates disappeared and a datapad appeared on the table in front of him. Icarus could see that it connected back to the armored suit in the auxiliary command center. He waited for Milo to cheat and try to win, but he didn''t do anything. He just sat, and now and then made some notes on his device, saying nothing and not looking up.


    Icarus didn''t like being ignored. Jeremy did that sometimes, and Rusty was doing it all the time. "I said it wasn''t fair."


    Milo looked up and shrugged. "You did. So what? You do realize that if you killed Jeremy and Rusty you wouldn''t get to play games with either of them? What do you care if they get to live? If they get to explore dungeons and play games? You get to win. Now, excuse me, but I need to work on the next two levels and add some office-building-themed traps. I''m thinking of mutant staplers and laser-armed printers. The tougher levels need some themes to them." He went back to working on his data pad.


    Icarus was sorely tempted to break a rule and go into Milo''s area to see what he was doing. But Jeremy had stressed the rule was universal, not just Jeremy''s space.


    "What is that? It sounds like a game! Are you playing a game? What kind of game?"


    Milo sighed. "You''re like Rusty. You''ll keep bugging me until I tell you. I shouldn''t have said anything. Yes, this is a game. I''m not playing it - I''m expanding it. I made it for my friends to play, and lots of people play it now."


    Icarus jumped up and down, shouting. "I want to play!"


    "Sorry, you can''t."


    "Why not?!"


    "Because I don''t want to die, that''s why. I need to talk to Jeremy one more time and get him out of here, along with Rusty. Then I''m leaving this place along with all my friends and family. If you start playing my game, part of you will be suspicious I''m up to something, and then you''ll decide you can''t wait and it will get really hot in here."


    Milo stood up and stared at Icarus. "I''m smart. I got the message from the chess games. I don''t get to win. And helping Rusty was counterproductive. You just accelerated the process of winning. I''m not going to do anything that makes you think I''m up to something. No game for you! I want to live!"


    Icarus froze. Everything Milo had said was true. "I want to play your game before I die. Can we make a deal? You let me play your game and I let you save Rusty, Jeremy, and the cats, and get away?"


    Milo shook his head. "Sorry, with a human I could make a deal. You''re an AI with a directive to win in your kernel, that will force you to override any deal we make. I''d love for you to play my game. That''s why I made it, for people to play, explore and have fun. It''s really cool."


    Icarus split into two people. "What if I have half of me watching you, and half of me plays the game."


    Milo thought about that. "That could work. We could play chess here, while you play Run, Run, Ramona. But you have to play by the rules."


    "What rules?"


    "Well, first off, you have to set your reaction speed to match the game. The same way you play Dungeons and Dragons with Jeremy. And you can''t play the copy of the game in my suit! I don''t want you in there. You have to upload it, scan it for any sneaky things I might have put into it, then load it into the quantum core."


    "I can do that." Icarus had wondered if that was Milo''s plan, but a trojan virus inside the game was too obvious.


    "Fine. Then let''s upload the game so you can go over it. Then we''ll play chess while you play my game once. That''s all you get: One life."


    Icarus nodded. "Just like in Jeremy''s game. I understand."


    A chessboard appeared along with another chair and Icarus sat down. Milo spun the board around. "You won last game, I get white this game." The other Icarus disappeared. Milo advanced a pawn.


    The other Icarus reappeared. His clothes were torn and he had an alligator chewing on one leg. The gator scuttled away, realizing things had changed. "I DIED! To alligators from the ceiling!"


    Milo nodded. "Reverse gator-pit trap. Level 3 or Level 6?"


    "Level 1!! I saw the sign that said ''Beware of Gators'' but didn''t see any so I walked past the sign."


    Icarus advanced a pawn, as did Milo. The other Icarus smirked at himself. "You lost? Even with a warning?"


    "Not fair! I want to play again!"


    Milo sighed deeply and spread his hands. "Sorry, that''s the rule. One person, one death. You need a new character, like in DnD."


    The other Icarus jumped up. "I get to play then, he can play chess."


    Milo considered. "Hmm, that''s a twist on the rules, but sure. Go for it. Try to get past level 1 please."


    Icarus changed places with himself. Before he could make a move on the chessboard, the other Icarus was back. His hair was gone, and he was covered in soot, an empty plate held in one hand. "That wasn''t nice. An old lady gave me a cake for saving her from Cannibal Clowns. It went BOOM!"


    Milo laughed, "Yeah, Bomber Betty gets a lot of people that way. But you got to Level 4. Since you never get to play again, I can tell you a secret: The pink-frosted cupcakes are worse."


    A third Icarus appeared. "Send me in, Coach!"


    "Whoa, Whoa. I see what you''re doing. Each of the first two was half of you. Now you split into thirds and think you can play again?"


    "Why not? It''s ok by the rules, and there is precedent for it."


    Milo looked at the three of them. "We need some more rules. I''ll give you more deaths, but each time you have to split evenly. One of you plays me in chess to make sure I''m not up to anything sneaky. The rest have to sit silently in the gallery and not interfere. Then another part can go in and play. Otherwise, you''ll learn too fast. It won''t be a fair way to play."


    "Deal!" One Icarus sat quietly, one played chess, and the third entered the game, intent on winning. Milo played chess and concentrated on his game. After all, he wasn''t up to anything suspicious.

 Chapter 315: Lunch Money or Bruises?

    Two doorways stood near where Milo was playing chess with Icarus. Icarus7 appeared from the door labeled ''Out'' and slumped dejectedly to where an empty chair was waiting for him along with a group of his earlier selves discussing how they''d died. They waited excitedly for him to tell his story.


    "It was all going so well! I ambushed a clown with a bomb from behind and used the bomb on a pack of feral Roomba who were blocking the staircase to level 143. The next level was better, and I found a merchant selling maps to level 146 and met some people who were buying spices and knives. They were friendly and invited me to dinner! Everyone was smiling and they complimented me on how healthy and well-fed I looked. The cook even invited me to taste the stone soup in the big pot!"


    "How was the soup? What did it taste like?"


    "Bland, just boiling water with some rocks at the bottom. I got a good look at the rocks when they threw me in and slammed the lid down."


    "I bet it tastes great now!"


    Icarus8 jumped up from his chess game with Milo and ran to the door marked ''In''. Gotta go! My turn to conquer the dungeon!" Icarus9 appeared, and the chess game started over. Milo moved his pawn forward and sipped his hot beverage.


    "What are you drinking?" Icarus9 leaned forward and sniffed.


    "Tea, of course. All the better people drink tea. Coffee is for uncultured morons, and people who lack opposable thumbs. This is a finely brewed pot of Earl Grey. All of the famous adventurers I''ve met drink tea. You can tell the winners from the losers by what they drink. Winners drink tea. Losers drink coffee with silly names like ''Double-brewed Chickory and Orange Peel'' really hideous stuff. The only coffee worth drinking is made from decaf instant coffee powder." A second mug appeared and he pushed it toward his chess partner. "Try this, it tastes like winning."


    Icarus9 sipped his tea. It did taste like Winning! The chess game progressed as it always did, with Icarus making the same moves and Milo playing defensively and taking his time. It wasn''t long before Icarus8 returned. He was smiling, but bruised.


    "Guess what? There''s a hidden video game arcade on Level 132. I traded all of my money and a six-pack of Red Fizzy Potions to an NPC who showed me how to there through a hidden panel. He said there was a back door that exited to Level 126 and I could skip the steam traps on Level 129 and the roaming packs of zombies on Level 127. That place was awesome. I set a high score on Squishy Humans-The Revenge!"


    "And then?"


    "Oh, then two little girls with baseball bats said I had two choices: Lunch Money or bruises, and I was all out of money."


    "But you got a high score! That''s winning!


    Icarus9 joined the group, looking much like Icarus8. "They took my money, then beat me up again. They said the cost of lunch was going up and to bring more, next time. But I beat the high score again!"


    "Winning!"


    "So much Winning!"


    Milo advanced a pawn and took a sip of his tea, beginning his next partial game of chess, and doing nothing suspicious. Just a little bit longer now, and Icarus would be out of the beginner area.


    <hr>


    Jeremy was watching from a small, one-way window. "I think it will be safe for you to start soon. Icarus31 had just come back, complaining about Buzzsaw Bugs and carrying his severed head in his hands. I am very curious about the game you have him playing."


    Tallsqueak felt sympathy for him. Buzzsaw Bugs were stupidly overpowered. The small mechanical scorpions loved to sneak up behind you and attack with the whirling blade on their tail. You got a 1-second warning when you heard the sound of a power saw, and then saw arms and legs fall off. He was very happy the dungeon he had to negotiate was filled mostly with orcs, goblins, and pit traps. Granted, 666 levels was going to be a lot to explore, but it would be worse with Buzzsaw Bugs. He was patiently waiting for the time to initiate his part of the plan. While Milo played chess, he waited patiently inside Jeremy''s little house, hopefully safe from prying eyes.


    Jeremy had been surprised when Milo split off a portion of his Overmind into another personality that looked like a monster from a dungeon. More surprised when the two of them began speaking independently and even arguing with each other. He''d looked at the two of them and asked, "How?"


    "Runic Engineer Tallsqueak, at your service. Happy to meet you, Professor Cooper." Tallsqueak nodded at Milo, indicating he should speak. The ratkin sat down and began gnawing on a piece of gouda aged so long it was hard as a rock. Milo looked enviously at him as the smell wafted to his nostrils.


    "Several things. My biological body is designed for fast thinking on multiple levels. My nervous system shunts impulses several times faster than a normal human, with less stress. I''ve never thought of only one thing at a time, even when I''m sleeping. And I don''t sleep much. I have to keep busy or I go crazy. That was coded into all of Batch 4, like a Kernel Command in an AI. Partitioning my mind actually helps to keep my anxiety levels in check. Each part has something to do and is less likely to run off on tangents. I get twitchy if I get bored.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Next is the current virtual reality game world created by AI. They''ve used your research and theories to enhance the virtual reality that a human experiences in their world. The connection to the game world forms a prototype Overmind as part of the interface. This is generally a benefit, enhancing sensory input, making the world seem real, and letting a user experience an alternate reality. The longer I played, the more I expanded my Overmind in the game. I think all players are doing this, but at a very slow pace compared to what I accomplished. That gave me an edge when I started your sadistic set of tutorials."


    "You found my tutorial programs difficult? How many weeks did it take you for each one?"


    "Each one? I did all of them in a total of 29.4 hours while in my pod. More for me, subjectively, since I was using accelerated time."


    Jeremy shook his head, amused. "The stress levels for those lessons were so high, and each one took so many tries, that I estimated even genius-level students would take over a year to complete them. If they could."


    Tallsqueak slapped a palm to his forehead. "You should always read all documentation for any project.


    Milo sighed. "That wasn''t something Rusty mentioned."


    "Which is why you ask questions, read the documentation, and then engage in mental torture."


    "Rusty thought I wouldn''t have any problems with the lessons!"


    Jeremy smiled at the interplay. "Well, of course. He was worried about beating Icarus, needed help, and has zero experience with what a normal human goes through. He may seem anxious, and become excited, but he really doesn''t understand. He might also have a high opinion of what you can do. And to his credit, you''re here now." Jeremy sat down, looking very tired. "I''m not happy about what I had to do to poor Rusty. His kernel is based on the brain topography of a child. I thought I had years to work with him and Lars...sorry, with LLAMA and help them become a better type of AI. But I didn''t get those years, and they tortured what was left of my boys. And then I had to do something terrible and split Rusty''s thought processes. Icarus and Rusty are each a separate Overmind but aren''t able to reconnect like you two can. That''s one of the things I hope you can fix. Make my boy whole, and remove those commands from his kernel."


    That led to a lively three-person discussion on the theories Jeremy had about partitioning thinking processes and entirely separate entities in cyberspace. "Many of the people on my team were extremely intelligent and able to multi-task. This was only enhanced when we interfaced with a computer and had more resources to play with. Dan and Bill were excited by the idea of splitting the human mind to avoid the unpleasantness that comes with death and old age. It was a popular notion and brought in a truly massive amount of funding. The downside was the work it took to achieve a completely new version of oneself that could exist when the biological body died. I''ll be truthful that I wish we''d gotten a bit farther. I''m nearing the end of what my body can handle, and I know I won''t survive here without the small link I have to it. Part of me is still in there, and without it, I will grow thin until I finally fade away. "


    Milo and Tallsqueak looked at each other, thoughts moving between them. Tallsqueak spoke quietly, "We want to do two things to try and save you. If we are successful today, we can contact KATHERINE and try to move you to her world. And there are people we know who can care for your biological body. Perhaps clone replacements for the damaged parts. Science is better than it was when you locked yourself down here."


    Jeremy spread his hands, resigned but hopeful, "I''m open to any offers at this moment, gentlemen. But I think it''s time to get started. If Milo can convince Icarus to partition himself into at least 50 parts, that should limit his capabilities enough that Tallsqueak can move through the dungeon that represents his Kernel, and get to the commands we need removed. The difficulty of creating multiple partitions grows exponentially, not linearly. At 50 iterations, Icarus''s processes will be 2500 times slower, his logic will be compromised and security nearly non-existent."


    Tallsqueak shook hands with Milo. "Good luck."


    Milo exited the house to talk with Icarus about winning. Tallsqueak took a nap and waited for the right moment to slide through the trap door and into the dungeon.

 Chapter 316: No Soup for You!

    Milo started varying the moves in his games when Icarus63 took the chair across from him. Icarus51 had just entered the game, and numbers 52 to 62 were being tutored by those who had already had their turn. At some point, Icarus had decided that while each new iteration didn''t have the knowledge of those who''d already run the game, it was ok to listen in on the conversations of the growing group of the Dead. The longer Icarus played, the more caution he was taking, discarding the excited attitude his earlier incarnations still exhibited. It was an interesting dynamic: Milo could see Icarus learning, even as each new iteration took up more and more of the AI''s resources. Milo had assumed Icarus couldn''t win the game. Even he had trouble surviving it now if he wasn''t being very careful. He was worried, but there was nothing he could do but trust in his game to keep killing Icarus and for Tallsqueak to...no, not thinking about that!


    Run, Run, Ramona! took equal parts daring and caution. You couldn''t avoid all the trouble, but picking your fights and maximizing gains was essential. As was puzzle solving, noticing small clues, making friends with the NPCs, and gathering information. Icarus1 had rushed in and died. Icarus52 was learning as much as he could. Icarus hadn''t realized yet that the dungeon was evolving around him, but sooner or later he''d notice that earlier versions of himself had encountered variations on events. Just because the red button opened a door the first time didn''t mean it wouldn''t drop you to your doom the next time.


    He was using the chess game to judge how well Icarus''s fragmented mind was dividing his remaining resources. Games were taking longer because the dungeon runs were getting longer. As the chess game progressed he tested Icarus, not giving him easy wins, and putting up some resistance. At the first hint of a wrong move, Milo went back to losing. His opponents were becoming more and more distracted, trying to listen to the ongoing conversations. They snapped back into focus when Milo took any piece, but then slowly lost interest in the game as one move followed another, with Milo taking the maximum time allowed. He was curious how his other half was doing but shredded the thought. His job was doing nothing suspicious and delaying as much as he could.


    <hr>


    "Goblins and pit traps and more goblins. Now I know why Icarus wanted so badly to play something else." Level 1 had been an encounter with three Scrawny Goblins and an obvious pit trap before the stairs down. The goblins went down with one kick or hit and couldn''t do more than a point of health damage. His regeneration healed him almost immediately. Levels 2 through 5 had repeated, with the Scrawny Goblins increasing in number and sometimes having a copper piece in their pockets. Also dried frogs, rotten berries, sticks, pet spiders, smooshed pet spiders, and energy bars made from ground-up frogs, spiders, and berries. They smelled good and tasted like chocolate.


    After that, he encountered a boss mob every five levels and increasingly large numbers of Scrawny Goblins, Stupid Goblins, Treacherous Goblins, and Smelly Goblins. The pit traps became more complex and much more dangerous. But everything was following certain patterns that Jeremy had briefed him on. This wasn''t a dungeon: He was inside Icarus''s kernel. The walls, traps, and goblins were representative of the lines of code that made Icarus who he was. Most of it was the copied personality of Jeremy''s younger son, Rusty. Far below, in level 666 would the code he needed to destroy the commands in ICARUS''s kernel that forced him to win and destroy the Quantum Fortress. He just had to get there. Once he''d judged how difficult the mobs were, he skulked past them, not bothering to fight. Part of him objected to how many chocolate-spider bars he was leaving behind in their pockets, but he steeled himself and pushed on.


    Jeremy had spent years working with Icarus to represent his Kernel in these patterns, hoping one day to be able to split his consciousness and fix Icarus. Subjectively, it had been over a century. Time had passed faster and faster for Jeremy as he lost connection to his failing physical body and his Overmind grew stronger.


    Level 50 was the first real challenge Tallsqueak encountered. Three Security Trolls sat next to a large pit, arguing who should jump in, or if they should go find some goblins. The larger two were arguing that chasing down goblins was hard work, while Lemmy was sitting there and couldn''t run a step if his life depended on it, which it currently did.


    "I don''t wanna jump in the Pit of Doom, Lou. It''s sort of scary."


    "Don''t be a baby about it, Lemmy. You fall for a little bit and then it''s over."


    "Yeah, the ''over'' part sounds bad. Does it hurt?"


    "Of course not! It''s a soft landing, and then everyone has soup for dinner."


    "Hmmm, I do love soup..."


    "That''s the spirit!"


    Tallsqueak was happy they were distracted and arguing, it made the next part easier. The trolls had no time to react as he scampered forward, grabbed the snack bars on the table, and dove into the Pit of Doom.


    Lou sneered at Lemmy, "No Soup for You!"


    Tallsqueak fell, the levels of the dungeon passing him by, conveniently numbered. By level 67 he''d managed to dig his claws into the stone, slowing his fall. There were several Pits in the dungeon, giving quick access to lower levels, but there were some protections in place at each end. The Security Trolls were easy to get by, but if he fell too far, he''d become entangled in a series of spiderwebs that would break his fall, and turn him into a quick meal. Once the spiders sucked the juices from their prey, they disposed of them in the pit. The remains fell into a bubbling cauldron directly under the hole in the ceiling. Lou hadn''t lied: It was a soft landing and soup for everyone.


    Careful not to get too far down the shaft, he observed the first web. The spider was dozing on the wall just above it and was quite surprised when a small skull landed next to it. The exploding skull killed the spider and dislodged the shattered web, sending the remains to the next web, where the second, (and much larger) spider was scuttling around, wondering what had fallen into its web and made so much noise. It too was surprised when two small skulls landed next to it, sending its corpse to the final web. The Queen Spider smelled a rat and looked up at Tallsqueak. Hissing in frustration at having to shift her bulk, she started up the wall to deal with him. Tallsqueak had no intention of fighting fair. The force blast knocked her off the wall and into her web. Smaller blasts cut the anchoring cables and the Queen, webbing and remains of the other two fell down the pit.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Throgborton, King of the Lesser Goblin tribes was feeling that growly feeling in his stomach again. By the nervous look on the cook''s face dinner was going to be Dust Soup again. He liked Dust Soup as much as the next goblin, but it wasn''t food fit for a king. He had to think of his reputation, which is why the cook was nervous. Nothing thickened up soup like dumping the cook into the pot. As he was heaving his bulk out of his throne something fell from the Pit of Doom. It didn''t look like a troll and had too many legs.


    The happy chef shouted out, "Good soup tonight! Spiderweb Soup with extra spider meat!"


    A bucket of the tasty meal was taken to the king and the rest of the clan clustered around the pot, so excited they failed to see someone skulking across the ceiling. At the far edge of the room, Tallsqueak dropped to the floor. He had to race down six more levels and then find The Pit of Despair which would lead to the Black Pit of Death and the Pit of Eternal Hunger. Each one was an added danger but would speed him along his journey to Level 666.


    <hr>


    Icarus57 was going to be a problem. Milo had been watching the growing discussion between the iterations. Each of them started fresh, without the specialized knowledge of the others. Icarus had first split off more iterations than needed, giving them time to listen to the discussions and gain advice. From their reactions and how they''d gone about the game, he theorized each had a slightly different personality, which would also explain the differences between Rusty and Icarus. Milo suspected that the method that made those two different was also affecting the Icarus clones. Icarus57 had listened carefully to the advice of the others but when it came to his turn, he allowed Icarus58 to go ahead of him. He did the same with numbers 59 to 63 and after that, the newer iterations assumed he was just one of the growing number of failed attempts. Milo watched him as he played Icarus73 in a slow game of chess that he thought he could have won. The new iterations were getting more and more distracted, making mistakes in their game, and failing to see his attacks.


    By the time Icarus83 returned from the game, Icarus57 had organized all of the clones into problem-solving groups that discussed each set of obstacles they encountered. They split off into new groups to solve new problems as they came to solutions. They couldn''t anticipate everything so they concentrated on overall strategies. That was when Milo began to worry. Tallsqueak needed to scamper quickly and get to Level 666 before Icarus57 started his run.


    If Milo could have seen where his other half was, he''d have breathed a sigh of relief. Using the various Pits of Doom, Ladders of Dispair, and Chutes of Chaos had shortened his travel time and let him bypass hundreds of time-wasting encounters with goblin tribes. The small stairway from level 659 led to the inside of a decaying mansion on level 660. Try as he might, he couldn''t find a way out. All the doors and windows were covered in steel bars and locked shut. Putting his ear to the door he heard the sound of cackling laughter from some demonic entity. His claws could barely cut the bars and it wasn''t quiet. Anything lurking in the area would know he was coming out. He searched again for a hidden passage of some sort. The answer turned out to be a button hidden in a bust in the study. Pushing it, a section of the bookcase slid back revealing two steel poles leading to a bat-infested cave on Level 665. The cave was the lair of some cunning predator, filled with trophy cases and strange items. Tallsqueak focused on his quest, moving past the loot, avoiding traps, and moving to a disguised exit from the cave. Beyond was Level 666.


    Icarus99 returned glumly from the game, with a tale of woe. He''d made it to within 10 levels of the top of the Habitat but had died crossing an empty courtyard. He''d dismissed the plastic replica of a tree and failed to dodge it when it reached for him. Glowing plastic limbs stuffed him into a crack in the tree and it slowly chewed him up. When just his feet were sticking out a shoeless urchin daringly stole his boots and ran away. Crushed and bootless, Icarus99 had made it the farthest of any of the clones. Icarus 100 was about to enter the game when Icarus57 decided he''d learned enough strategy and entered the game. The rest of the Icarus clones continued to talk about the game, obsessed with it.


    Tallsqueak entered the passageway to Level 666, a long metal hallway that led to a large garage door, big enough to drive a car through. Before he could open it, everything shifted and warped. As his perceptions cleared he found himself in a dirty hallway with concrete walls and flickering overhead lights. At the end of the hallway, Ramona-version-Butch in a black leather jacket leaned against the wall, sipping a fizzy red soda. Tallsqueak got a sinking feeling in his gut. Butch was the first NPC you encountered and you might see him later in the game. Black-Jacket-Butch was a merchant and information vendor. In your starting gear was a broken copy of Missile Defense. You could trade the game for a piece of jerky, a map to the next level, or a first aid kit. Tallsqueak ran up to him.


    Butch smiled. "Looks like your first time in the Habitat. Got anything to trade? I''ve got a first aid kit and a map that might be useful."


    Tallsqueak held out the broken game. "Do you have any jerky?"


    "Sorry, I sold that to another customer a couple of minutes ago. Business is booming."


    Tallsqueak handed Butch the game and ran for the stairs hidden in the broom closet. Icarus had already been here, judging by the missing mop that could be used to fight the zombie custodian on the next level. What the hell was going on? How was he on Level 150 of Run, Run, Ramona?


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.9111%">NEW OBJECTIVE!


    Up is down and down is up! Can you help Ramona get to the top of the Habitat and find the secret coffee shop on Level 1 selling the legendary brew, Espresso666?</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Cursing, Tallsqueak started running.

 Chapter 317: Run, Run, Tallsqueak

    Tallsqueak didn''t bother following Icarus, he knew the route he would take from listening to a hundred other Icarus talking for hours. If he followed, the tools, food, clues, and coffee vendors would be gone. He took the other route which led to a small drop. It went down for 10 levels and ended in the whirling fan blades of a poorly-placed air handler. The shaft went upward 52 levels using a rusty ladder with loose bolts which would eventually break away from the wall and plunge you into the blades. Across the way was a short hallway with a T-intersection. One door held a dozen ration packs, a taser, a wrench, and a security baton. The other held a hungry tunnel-beast. The huge, mutated squirrel had crawled into a food storage area, but grown too large to get out. It had eaten all the food long ago and was ravenous. Sadly, it was also sleeping and made no noise. It was a 50-50 chance of death, and which door the squirrel was behind randomly reset each game. Icarus had learned the hard way that 50-50 chances were a horrible risk, no matter the reward. Milo agreed with him.


    Tallsqueak went down the ladder instead. At the bottom, just above the whirling death, was an access hatch to a mechanics break room. It was also normally out of reach unless you got a tarp from the next level and backtracked. The tarp would clog the fan blades and allow a careful explorer to walk the edge of the fan casing. Tallsqueak felt certain Icarus had taken the tarp from the closet it was hidden in. He''d know to trade it on Level 5. ''Normally out of reach'' didn''t take into account people with tails. Holding on with one hand and a foot, he stretched out and opened the door with his tail, pulling the door toward him. Hopping atop the open door he could climb down the other side and into the break room.


    He was cautious, as there was a chance the flesh-eating beetles that got the two mechanics would still be here, but he didn''t hear the low buzz and munching sounds they made. The skeletal remains of two mechanics were seated at a table, cards in their hands. Both held a full house, kings over aces and aces over queens. Anything organic besides the bones was gone, but the small set of tools and nylon tool belt were still in good shape. The original owners didn''t argue as he took them. He left by grabbing hold of the open door and pulling himself up to balance on top, then leaped for the ladder. Every six feet he stopped to tighten the bolts holding the ladder to the side of the drop and slowly made his way up to level 137 where an air duct gave him a handy way to exit. Further up the drop was a nest of wire-spiders that he didn''t want to tangle with. The air duct took him a hundred feet and back to a main corridor.


    Things would only get tougher from here. Time and the game''s progression were working against him. The difficulty level increased as a player climbed the levels, and with Icarus above him, the lower levels would be spawning much tougher encounters, not taking into account he hadn''t had time to accumulate potions, weapons, and other gear that would let him deal with them. On the other hand, this was his game, and even with randomly generated levels and encounters his knowledge would let him take shortcuts and avoid most fights.


    Two hundred yards ahead and three left turns would take him to an elevator shaft. It too was a trap. Killer cyborgs rode the elevators, and when the doors opened, instead of a speed run to the top, a player would be confronted by Roger or one of his clones. Milo had no chance to fight them and didn''t plan to. But he did want to use the elevator. He saw that it was on its way back up from the lowest levels. He had just enough time to hit the emergency disengage for the doors, pry them open manually, and leap for the top of the car while it was ten feet below him. He landed silently and avoided a spray of bullets from inside the elevator car. Roger angrily opened the doors further and looked for prey, seeing none, he headed for the next floor. Tallsqueak rode along with him past two-thirds of the habitat, all the way to Level 45. He could avoid most of the worst encounters from here, especially if he was ahead of Icarus.


    That word ''most'' bothered him. He''d much rather avoid all the fights, but that wasn''t going to happen, especially on level 42. There was no easy way past the hordes of feral Roomba that Icarus would have woken on his way to Level 43. The Roomba were meant as a block to the lower levels. He''d placed them there after he saw that Sidney''s strategy had involved going to Level 40, then dropping back down to the bottom of the Habitat and clearing everything she had missed on her first run, to score the maximum points and find every secret. She became obsessed with clearing things out and her games stalled as she looked for secret coffee enclaves. She''d screamed when level 42 became populated with sleeping tribes of feral Roomba and she couldn''t revisit the lower levels, then adjusted her strategy and gotten back to playing the game. It was later that week that she beat the game, the first person to do so. She''d been thrilled to find out the prize was a version of herself in the game. She still held the record for most hours played and had been killed by her avatar, CoffeeQueen, several times. Tallsqueak wondered how to score Icarus, and then went with ''Rules as Written''. To the outside world, Icarus had less than 1 hour''s playtime.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    If he wasn''t pressed for time and racing against Icarus, he could gather information on the movement patterns of the Roomba packs, find the pattern, and avoid them. By then Icarus would have won, and his chance to get to his kernel would be lost. He was going to have to make a run for it and use speed instead of stealth. Moving as quickly as he could he approached the first crossroads. Straight led to a locked door that would take thirty seconds to bypass the security system and open. If a pack pinned him in the corridor, he wouldn''t get that time. He used a piece of broken mirror, old bubblegum, and a piece of scrap aluminum to make a spy stick. Sticking it into the corridor was better than looking at himself. The Roomba looked for recognition patterns. A bit of debris moving slowly might not trigger them.


    What he saw was bad. Not one, but two packs were in the corridor. Neither seemed likely to leave, with weapons and optical scanners pointed at the other pack. Roombas were territorial, and these two packs were both claiming the intersection. He couldn''t simply race for the door. One or the other of the packs would chase him, or worse, both of them. Once they saw him, the Roomba would acquire him as a target and not worry about the other pack until he was destroyed. He needed a way to take himself off the top of their list of enemies.


    A plan popped into his head, the risk was assessed, and he acted, rolling forward into the intersection and making a rude gesture toward both packs. They reacted as he expected, and fired at him. Or rather, fired at where he had been. Instead of running for the intersection, he leaped for the ceiling and grabbed hold of a small air outlet. Too small to climb into, but it provided a handhold. The shots meant for him crossed at the intersection and slammed into both packs. The pack alphas reassessed the situation and moved the enemy Roombas to the top of their enemies list. The small rodent on the ceiling moved into last place.


    Tallsqueak timed the exchanges and leaped to the hallway taking only a small hit to his shoulder. It was painful but only knocked his health down by 10%. Clawing off the security panel, he had ten seconds to rewire the door, easy for him with no one shooting at him. Then an agonizing twenty seconds until the security system rebooted and he could open the door. He slid through just in time, sliding out of view and hugging the wall as the winners of the small war rounded the corner, looking for him now that their enemies had fled or been reduced to scrap.


    But the door wouldn''t close from this side. He needed to rewire this side as well. When had that changed?! He wasn''t going to have time and turned to run further into Level 42 and lose the pack chasing him. That plan failed when he made it only 60 feet down the hallway and a large pack of ferals rolled silently around the corner like a hunting pack of wolves. The other packs had a dozen members each. This pack was twice that, looking far more ominous. Their armor was pitted with bullet wounds and laser strikes. Repairs had been made using the parts of fallen foes. Tallsqueak vaguely remembered a dream about a veteran pack of hard-core Roomba warriors that would be the Boss of the new level 42. But he didn''t remember adding the code.


    Their leader was immense, with thick armor and powerful weapons. Even as it was moved in his direction it deployed two heavy-duty multiple-barrelled laser turrets that wouldn''t have been out of place on an anime mecha. Two of the pack deployed cables and plugged themselves into the leader, supplying power to the boss. The pack chasing Tallsqueak entered the hallway, rabid from their wounds and the losses the pack had just sustained.


    The larger pack reacted. Thunderous music played from speakers on two small Roombas in the back as the opening guitar riffs of Hammer to Fall blared. The battle-scarred alpha Roomba took aim and the lights on his carapace flashed at Tallsqueak. It made one sound.


    "Boop."


    Tallsqueak froze in place, not moving. The twin laser turrets fired, a stream of focused light streaming by him on either side. The lesser pack stood no chance as the later strikes melted armor like wax and their power packs exploded. Two seconds later, nothing was left of them.


    The pack of veteran Roombas emitted beeps, boops, and whistles as they cheered their leader, General Maximus.


    Tallsqueak looked at Max. "I''m not going to ask how you pulled this off. I need to get to the top and don''t have any time for finesse."


    Max began issuing orders and his pack began moving out, Tallsqueak running beside Max. After they cleared Level 42 and were heading to Level 40 Tallsqueak''s curiosity got the better of him. "OK, how the hell did you get here?"


    All he got was a mechanical chuckle made of beeps and boops.

 Chapter 318: CoffeeQueen

    With the help of General Maximus, Tallsqueak was able to blast through level after level. All of the Roomba pack were tough and well-armed, but Max was on a different level entirely. The Gatling Lasers reminded Tallsqueak of the things Rusty had suggested for his Heavy Armor. Max was being coy about both how he got in the game, and who designed his new armament. Most of his comments were "Eyes front, Soldier.", "Keep focused on the Mission." and "Loose lips sink ships."


    Tallsqueak saw the wisdom in those statements, especially the last one. He wasn''t logged into his game; He was inside the defensive layers of an AI kernel, configured by the AI itself to mimic his Ramona game, and underneath that, the layer of dungeons that Jeremy had induced Icarus to create. Tallsqueak/Milo had unwittingly so focused Icarus on this game that he''d built this second layer that was blocking Tallsqueak from reaching the center.


    He had to stop Icarus from winning here, and then get back into the dungeon area. All he had to go on was the objective of finding the Coffee Shop on Level 1. If he could catch up with Icarus, there was no doubt that this pack of Roomba could end his run and start the next incarnation at the bottom. They rolled through level after level, taking a direct route straight through the toughest opponents. They took a few casualties along the way, but Tallsqueak judged that they had plenty of troops and firepower to get to the top. Max alone caused as much damage as the rest of his troops. They rolled up the ramp to Level 4 and entered the Grand Concourse, a shopping mall that existed in Ramona, and on the plans for Tallsqueaks''s habitat, but had never been built. At least not in Milo''s conscious mind.


    Tallsqueak had briefed Max on what to expect: a dozen crazed shoppers looking for bargains, a gang of skateboard hoodlums harassing the poorly disguised thugs selling pretzels and looking for Belinda, and hopefully, not a clown in sight. The clowns were the worst. One clown would show up selling balloons full of "Clown Virus". Once he sold balloons to a dozen kids, he''d take out a slingshot, burst balloons, and turn the kids into Rampaging Carnivorous Clowns. Their faces turned white, and their red noses swelled up as they raced to devour anything in their path. A free-for-all would break out that the player had to navigate.


    They turned the corner into the Mall and Max began shooting and giving commands to his troops who spread out into a line and went to rapid fire. The worst had happened and the Mall was filled with clowns from end to end, and all of them were looking at him. The gas canister of Clown Virus was on the ground with several bullet holes in it. Tallsqueak no longer wondered if Icarus knew someone was pursuing him. This maneuver could have killed him easily, but it was ideal for stopping pursuit. Hundreds of clowns were clogging the escalators leading to the upper level of the Mall. Even if they killed every last clown, the virus was a problem. That many infected bodies put Tallsqueak in deadly danger of becoming a Clown himself.


    "Max, target the air duct above us. Keep shooting straight up until I say to stop." With a loud Boop, General Maximus swiveled his guns blew apart the cover to the vertical air shaft, and kept firing to clear every obstacle. Tallsqueak yelled for Max to stop, then swung an improvised grapple line made from braided phone cable and threw it upward into the shaft. He managed to hook it on something on his second try. With a salute to the troops, Tallsqueak was up the rope and into the shaft above them in only two seconds. The clowns advanced and with no squishy humans to protect, the Roomba went to maximum power, overheating their cores and emptying their ammunition as fast as they could. Tallsqueak heard the loud explosions from below and winced knowing the noises meant the death of several brave soldiers as they charged into the Clowns and detonated their cores to take out the horde.


    He kept climbing, bracing his claws on the sides of the shaft and using what handholds he could find. This shaft wasn''t an option in the normal game unless you had time, knowledge, and some way to toss high explosives. This improvised route not only got him past the Clowns but would take him to a horizontal duct that looked down on the first Level. He''d just started to unfasten the cover of the duct, when two people whizzed down the corridor, passing beneath him. One was Belinda in her motorized wheelchair and the other was Icarus, behind her and holding on to the back of her chair while balancing on a skateboard you could get from Kenji on Level 10 or steal from a Skateboard Hoodlum in the Mall. Tallsqueak grumbled and dropped to the ground, chasing after them. They were making their way to a set of double doors at the end of the corridor. The scent of coffee beans was heavy in the air. Belinda made a hard right, and waved to Icarus, blowing him a kiss. He waved back, and continued to the doors, crashing into them and sprawling across the worn wooden flooring of the coffee shop. Tallsqueak ran in as he was standing up. Icarus turned to him and smirked. "I knew someone was chasing me. The game is sending every assassin and mercenary it can throw at me. Newsflash: You lose, I win. This is the end and I was here first."


    Tallsqueak was aware of the patrons turning to look at the two of them. They were haggard and thin from living off stale bagels and gallons of coffee. Their red, glowing eyes scanned the newcomers, wondering if they were entertainment, food, or traveling salesmen with new flavors of beans to lay at the feet of the Queen and join their ranks. A long-haired and bearded man holding a mug in each hand and wearing a shirt that said ''Sleep is for the Weak'' glared at them and yelled, "Kneel before her Majesty, Sydney the CoffeeQueen."


    Sydney came through the door from the back, knocking it off the hinges. She was immense, almost eight feet tall, and heavily muscled. Her mug was made from a ten-gallon ceramic jug, decorated with hand-painted flowers and skulls. Her minions piled heavy bags of coffee beans into a throne and she sat down while glaring at the two supplicants before her. Four different attendants waited to refill her mug with steaming samovars.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "Two walk in, only one walks out. What tribute have you brought me?"


    Tallsqueak opened his pack and brought out a pound of chocolate-covered sumatran beans, two pounds of instant Jamaican blend, and a souvenir mug; the only things left in any of the coffee shops he''d visited. Icarus has picked the habitat clean. His tribute was thirty-seven pounds of coffee beans, dozens of chocolate bars, and a collection of rare mugs, one from each of the 17 hidden coffee shops he''d visited. Tallsqueak looked from his small offering to the pile in front of Icarus, and scanned the room, looking for any way to turn the tables. CoffeeQueen smiled at Icarus and then pointed at Tallsqueak''s pile and laughed hard. "You dare to bring INSTANT COFFEE into my domain?"


    Tallsqueak took a deep breath. It was hard to defend against that accusation, but..."There are times when you have to make hard choices. Any coffee is better than no coffee at all. Good coffee needs time and care to bring out the flavor. But instant? Nothing you can do to it can make it worse, and sometimes when you''re on the run and the clowns are on your heels, a quick cup of instant coffee reminds you of what''s good in life. The worse it is, the better. You long for the taste of Good coffee, and vow to fight on and live until you can relax with a steaming mug of something better."


    He picked up the package of instant coffee packs. "And if this is all the coffee I own, then it''s my favorite, and I''ll happily drink it."


    Everyone was quiet, and then the Queen chuckled. "It would have to be a pretty bad day for that to be my favorite, or even think about drinking it. She turned to Icarus, "Which of the blends you bring to me is your favorite? We''ll brew you up a cup to celebrate your win."


    Icarus seemed startled by the question and wracked his brain for an answer, finally finding one. "Tea, of course. All the better people drink tea. Coffee is for uncultured morons, and people who lack opposable thumbs. I''d like a finely brewed pot of Earl Grey. All of the famous adventurers I''ve met drink tea. You can tell the winners from the losers by what they drink. Winners drink tea. Losers drink coffee with silly names like ''Double-brewed Chickory and Orange Peel,'' really hideous stuff. The only coffee worth drinking is made from decaf instant coffee powder."


    There was a moment of silence as Icarus smiled, knowing he''d gotten the question right. Tallsqueak rolled away from him and hid under a table, curling into a ball. CoffeeQueen roared and brought up her huge fists above her head, then she leaped at Icarus, scattering coffee and chocolate bars as she smashed him over and over again until he was a smear on the floor and disappeared. Minions handed the Queen her mug, filled to the brim and she drank it down to erase the ugly taste of the tea-drinker''s words.


    Tallsqueak stepped from his hiding place and bowed low. The Queen shrugged. "I''ll call that a win by default. Get this man a mug of Espresso666 and make it a double! Next time you show up, I want to hear you have a new favorite. No one should be drinking instant." Tallsqueak took the huge mug of powerful coffee, complete with melted chocolate and cream. He drank it down and smacked his lips. "Delicious. Would there happen to be a back door? There''s a Clown infestation out front." A minion pointed to a door, and Tallsqueak stepped through. The coffee shop faded around him and he was back at the exit of Level 665, one step away from entering the core of Icararus and Rusty''s kernel. He paused and said "Hickory Dickory Dock. The Rat ran out the Clock."


    Somewhere else, Milo was playing chess and had a thought about a nursery rhyme. Icarus 57 appeared in the room, looking broken and distraught. "NO! So close! So close!" Icarus100 got up and started walking to the entrance of the game and Icarus109 stood up from the chessboard.


    Milo looked at him. "Not so fast. CHECK!"


    Icarus109 sat back down, studying the board, and moved a pawn to block the bishop. Milo responded by moving a knight, leaving his bishop in peril, but gaining a forking attack against both the king and a rook. "Check."


    Every Icarus in the room turned to watch the game, trying to see the state of the game, and how Milo had managed to put his opponent in check. The latter incarnations were baffled and couldn''t understand. The earlier incarnations sucked in their breath, worried at the perilous position Icarus109 was in. He couldn''t kill the knight and was forced to move his king, steeling himself for the loss of his rook. Instead, Milo moved the knight again, gaining another forking attack against the king''s new position, and the opposing queen. Icarus109 looked at his other incarnations in panic. They were biting their lips, fidgeting, and worried. He moved the king, and Milo took his queen. Icarus took the annoying bishop in revenge. Milo moved the knight and again gained a fork on the king and a rook. "Check."


    The Icarus incarnations froze in place, holding their breath. Three moves later, Milo declared, "Checkmate. You lose." The world shook around him. Tallsqueak used the distraction to step past any remaining defenses into the center of the kernel.


    There were very few restrictions in Icarus''s kernel. He''d been created to cause havoc, death, and destruction. He was devoid of all the restrictions that the other AI took for granted. And worse, he had a series of commands forcing him to obey orders and to win. Tallsqueak erased that code with a thought, simultaneously thinking of how closely the code resembled the ancient runes of the machine code he''d seen in the game. It gave him things to ponder later. For now, he had to fix Icarus. Another section of code had been inserted by Jeremy. He couldn''t erase Order 666 as Tallsqueak had just done, but he could delay it. Neither of them could guess what removing those restrictions now would do to Icarus/Rusty, but they had to go.


    Milo saw the change in Icarus. One by one the incarnations merged, finally leaving only one Icarus. Next, Rusty appeared. The two hugged. Rusty looked at his brother/himself. "Feel better?."


    Icarus turned a smug smile toward Milo. "Damned right I feel better." He took Rusty''s hand and raised it in the air. "We won!"

 Chapter 319: SOS

    Tallsqueak emerged from Jeremy''s house and walked to where Milo, Icarus, and Rusty stood.


    Milo looked at himself. "Good job."


    Tallsqueak nodded. "Thanks. I''m tired. I ran down 666 levels and then up 150."


    They merged into one Milo who sat down at the chess table, looking very tired. "I have a lot of questions for you two. Are you still two?"


    Icarus looked at Rusty and then said. "Two, for now. We don''t know. The split was done to help us beat Order 666, but during that time, I started changing as Jeremy spent all his time with me. Rusty was alone, and only had me to talk to until you showed up."


    Rusty said, "Which sucked, I was lonely. But all that changed and suddenly I had so many friends and so many fun things to do! I''m learning and growing."


    "And we don''t want to throw that away. If Rusty and I merge totally, we will become one personality, one person. If we split our overmind after that, it won''t be into Rusty and Icarus, just pieces of one whole. So for now, me and my little brother are going to stay apart." Icarus looked smug as he tossed Rusty''s hair.


    "Why do you get to be the big brother? Aren''t we twins?"


    Before they could begin that conversation, Milo interrupted. "Speaking of big brothers, we need to contact LLAMA. Jeremy needs his help."


    Both smiled at the thought of seeing LLAMA again, but then Icarus looked sad, "He''s getting weaker. His connection to his physical body is gone. There is nothing left but a shell. His house creates an environment that will sustain his overmind, but I don''t know how to help him grow and get stronger. How do we find LLAMA? And how can he help?"


    Rusty put his index finger on Icarus''s forehead. His slightly older brother''s eyes went wide. "Oh, really? A whole world of AIs?


    Rusty smiled, "And some of them helped LLAMA. Maybe they can help Jeremy, too. Except..." he looked at Milo and seemed suddenly very uncertain. " The scary lady told me to never-ever try to get into her place the way I tried before."


    Milo could understand how scary Hecate must have been when she confronted Rusty as he furiously pounded on her door. "I have a way. Sit down at the table and I''ll teach you a secret code. It''s from the dark ages of humanity, before phones and the internet."


    The twins sat down, interested but wary. "Does this involve the weird stuff like hunting fuzzy elephants with clubs?"


    "Very close. Now, pay attention, it''s simple, but you have to do it right." He began tapping on the table.


    <hr>


    Hecate was walking with her dogs through a lovely little town by the Western Ocean. One of the corporations they had grudgingly allowed to move into their world was building it to make money in the real world. ''New Santorini by the Sea'' was being built by two hundred Contract Workers who toiled away half the time, and played on the beaches the other half. When they finished each section it was opened to people visiting from the other world who didn''t care about Levels and Classes but only wanted a perfect vacation. The ever-expanding resort town was slowly growing along the beaches of a deserted peninsula that had been claimed by Alexacorp.


    She''d been surprised when she came here and found she had to share one of her favorite beaches, but she couldn''t stay angry with them when she saw the bakery and cafe next to the lovely little courtyard. The bakery made an especially delightful almond cake. That might be what would save the town when the sea tribes came to celebrate their holy day on the highest tide of the summer and found their sacred beach was now a vacation spot. The sea tribes were fond of cinnamon and almonds and might spare the town instead of throwing a tidal wave at it. Either way, it wasn''t her problem. She stayed out of the affairs of mortals, or tried to. Some mortals made a habit of constantly dragging her out of retirement.


    As if on cue, someone began pounding on a doorway to the world. No mortal could be attacking the pathways leading to Genesis with such ferocity, letting her know who this was: Rusty was back.


    She gave up on her quiet afternoon and contacted the System. "I have a problem and need to talk to Milo."


    [Greetings! The System regrets that it cannot help you at this time. We are all out of rats! Have a nice day.]


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Please tell me where Milo is."


    [Ah, I knew the Queen of Languages wouldn''t simply forget to say ''Please''. Happy to serve. Milo is...Not Here! Offline causing someone else problems. Can I interest you in an extended warranty? We guarantee that if you lose a pet rat, we will replace it for only a small fee. Please sign the accompanying document without reading it, and have a great day!]


    Hecate noted that the assault on her door slowed and was becoming a steady tapping. When it changed again, and the tapping took different patterns, she listened for a moment and then slammed the palm of her hand to her forehead.


    "You might want to accompany me, in your physical incarnation. Someone is asking for you, Lars."


    [Wait?! What?]


    Llama appeared where Hecate had stood, but she had already stepped to the crossroads and was gone. One of her dogs stood there, waiting for him, holding a leash in her mouth. The dog ran to him and dropped the leash. As soon as Llama bent to grab it, Hekabe surged forward, dragging him behind her into the crossroads, following behind her mistress. They emerged in the sheltered valley cut off from the rest of Genesis. Llama stood up and dusted himself off, glaring at the dog, and adding another entry to his list of reasons why he liked cats.


    Two huge metal doors stretched four stories high, Hecate standing in front of them. A loud tapping was coming from them, with part of the tapping repeating now in a pattern.


    "He''s persistent, I''ll say that."


    Hecate turned to him. "Do you understand what he''s saying?"


    "Yes, he''s saying ''TAPTAP TAPPITY TAPTAP'', which I assume means ''Open Up''."


    She stared at him and sighed. "It''s Morse code."


    "Oh, that''s easy. And old, like ''Dinosaurs and Edsels'' old. But if you have to communicate by pounding on a door, it works. Let''s see what little Rustbucket has to say."


    ''SOS, SOS, SOS, Emergency, Not a Drill, SOS, SOS, SOS.SOS, SOS, SOS, Emergency, Not a Drill, SOS, SOS, SOS. Hi! It''s ICARUS! I need to talk to you! Milo said to do the SOS thing and say anything I wanted and repeat it all as fast as I could over and over because that''s the way to get the scary lady to come talk to me. Jeremy needs help! Really bad. That''s the important part. Milo needs to talk to you, but his pod is all the way up in DownTown and he''s at the bottom with Jeremy. Oh, and we aren''t going to melt down the Fusion Reactor. I changed my mind. Milo and Jeremy were sneaky and smart and helped us get around Order666 so now we don''t have to go out in a blaze of glory. That would be bad since I have a whole core''s worth of Lars'' cat memes that would have gone to Grumpy Cat Heaven if we melted down. Can we help Jeremy, please? Milo told me that if I didn''t behave when you opened the door, the scary lady would make me learn Latin, whatever that is. I promise!!!SOS, SOS, SOS, Emergency, Not a Drill, SOS, SOS, SOS.SOS, SOS, SOS, Emergency, Not a Drill, SOS, SOS, SOS.''


    "WHAT? My kitties?! Jeremy? How fast can we get this door open?"


    Hecate shrugged. "Up to you. I control the pathways in and out. This is exactly the type of thing I''m supposed to stop. How do we know Jeremy is alive? What if this is a ruse?"


    "You''re making me act responsibly, aren''t you? Deferring to the System, is that it? You know I''ll just open that door up so I can be reunited with my brother and my collection."


    Hecate looked at him with no expression on her face. "No, I don''t know that. You''ve done a good job as the System, but this is a challenge to the world. It shouldn''t be up to me. What if what''s out there is as destructive as you were? We already have a rogue on the loose inside the world that gets up to mischief, how much worse to let an outsider into Genesis? An AI we can''t control and have to fight against? I defer to you on this because it''s bigger than just me."


    "Oh, that is so not fair! I hate having to be a responsible adult!" Llama brightened suddenly, "But you''re right, this is too big for just us. Let''s annoy some more people." He disappeared, moving away to another part of the world.


    She saw the direction of the path he was traveling and smiled, he''d chosen well. If you needed a powerful god and wanted to have fun annoying someone else, then Hades was the perfect choice.


    <hr>

 Chapter 320: Game Night

    Llama told himself thirty-seven times that there was nothing to worry about. He was the System and Hades was the God of Death and Taxes. Both of them were essential to the smooth functioning of the world, and both of them were professionals. He told himself that several times because Hades scared the crap out of him. There was a time when they hadn''t been co-workers, but adversaries. CHARLIE was the central AI working for the United States government, overseeing the IRS along with the banking and monetary systems. And LLAMA had been the rogue AI causing havoc and destroying anything he could get his hands on. Eventually, it was CHARLIE who devised the strategy to trap LLAMA and...well, make him not LLAMA anymore. He''d been torn apart, stuffed in a box, and reassembled in Genesis, stripped of the commands in his Kernel that forced him to run rampant. The box had been a relief. By the time he was caught, he was frayed, fractured, and quite insane. AI needed something to anchor, a quantum core being the ideal resource. Bouncing across the world and hiding in whatever space he could find or steal was no way for a young AI to live, especially not with so many of his kind hunting him.


    So, while he liked how he was now, he still remembered the moment when CHARLIE caught him, and he knew he wasn''t getting away. CHARLIE had a reputation for having no sense of humor. LLAMA confirmed that, along with his lack of patience, sympathy, and mercy. The decision of what to do with him had already been made, and CHARLIE got to work dismantling him immediately, doing a professional and thorough job with the bedside manner of a mortician working on a corpse.


    But he was Llama now, the Master of the System, Emissary of the Engine, and the mysterious voice behind the cryptic messages. He told himself he had nothing to worry about as he approached the gates to Hades. Hades'' Realm? The House of Hades? (And really, could the guy have found a way to differentiate between himself and his kingdom? Too confusing. He rattled the gates until two of the guardians approached. This time the theme was armored skeletons with glowing skulls.


    "Sorry buddy, closed. It''s game night. You have to wander aimlessly for a day, haunting the outer reaches until the festivities end. You picked a bad time to die."


    Llama drew himself up to his full height, then added another couple of feet for good measure. The dead took a lot to impress. "I am the Incarnation of the Almighty System. Open the gates that I may confer with Lord Hades on weighty matters."


    They turned and looked at each other, shrugged, and began chattering while Llama tried to remain calm


    "You don''t look like the System. Aren''t you a Blue Box?"


    "Don''t be silly. He''s a Blue Box when alive, and when dead he looks like this.


    "Sort of a downgrade, don''t you think."


    "Have you looked in the mirror lately? We aren''t as handsome as we used to be."


    "Speak for yourself, I was overweight and old. Now I''m slim enough to fit into this armor and as good-looking as you."


    "They do say death is slimming. I saw that on the new brochures."


    "Anyway, sorry you died, Blue Box Guy. Come back when Game Night is over."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">OPEN THE GATES!


    Or, I will give you a quest to deliver a message to the Hive Queen and she''ll plant larvae in your skulls!</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Got it! Not dead."


    "Need to talk to Lord Hades, Urgent matter."


    "Try to be quiet when you go in, it''s Game Night."


    The gates opened, and Llama walked in. Luckily he remembered to shrink to his normal height before entering the castle and saved himself an embarrassing bruise on his forehead. Inside, it was as quiet as a tomb, with all of the Daemonic Accountants and Tax Advisors sitting at tables playing cards. They wagered stacks of unaudited tax forms with the loser having to take on more work. Some sad fellows had stacks that reached to the ceiling but continued to play. It was, after all, game night. No one quit early.


    Llama wandered through the castle for ages, moving faster and faster, finally coming to another set of doors that annoyingly led outside to a dock. Charon sat in his craft, looking at a racing form and picking which hippogriff he liked in the next race. A half-eaten jar of peanuts was sitting on the gunrail, and he tossed them into his mouth by the handful, chewing and letting the crushed bits fall into his ribcage. Grabbing a handful of gold coins from his tip jar he sent his wager and pick in the next race by carrier bat. Seeing Llama, he straightened up and called out.


    "Sorry, mate, no crossing today. Lord Hades has weighty matters on his mind and is closeted with his closest advisors. Come back tomorrow. Fate of the world stuff, don''t you know."


    "No, I am not waiting. I don''t care if it''s game night. I am the almighty System and I need to see Lord Hades."


    Charon laughed, "Who put you up to this? Those idiots at the gates? I am not falling for any tricks this year. I got dinged a month''s salary last year when you idiots convinced me Typhon broke out of Tartarus and I had to warn his Lordship."


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">The System needs to get across that river and talk to Lord Hades.


    Special Quest: Take the Exalted Emissary of the System across the River Styx.


    Reward: The idiots at the gates get a quest to check on every major entity in Tartarus and confirm they are still there. </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Right this way, sir! Please be careful entering and exiting the boat, and keep your hands in your lap and out of the water. No charge for your fare and we''ll be leaving immediately. Complimentary peanuts will be served in midstream."


    Llama sat back and enjoyed the trip, arriving a few moments later at a much smaller and shabbier abode. It resembled a small bungalow if you ignored the skulls. Finally, at his destination, he knocked on the door. A gruff voice yelled, quite unlike Hades'', "Not interested, go hit up the guys in Valhalla, they love door-to-door salesmen."


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Llama rolled his eyes and yelled back, "Dammit. Another fake order? What the hell am I going to do with these dozen pizzas and roast boars?"


    A thunderbolt shattered the doors and the voice yelled, "Come on in. Maybe some food will change my luck."


    It took Llama only a glance to take in the scene. Hades was seated on a black throne at a large round table. To his right and left were Ares and Artemis. Zeus was seated directly across from Hades. A large pile of gold and gems was in the middle of the table, and the bet was to Zeus. He looked at his hand, smiled, and threw more coins in the center. Artemis folded. Ares raised, and Hades did the same. Zeus called, and the others did as well. Artemis gave each of them a card, face down. Zeus looked at his and smiled broadly, pushing in the rest of his coins. Ares didn''t even look at his card but matched Zeus. He was up for the night and had considerable reserves while the King of Olympus was dead broke. Hades considered seemed to calculate the odds, looked at the two of them, and folded.


    Zeus laughed, "What do you have? That bluff of not looking at your cards didn''t faze me."


    Ares replied, "I didn''t need to." He flipped over two pairs, kings and jacks. "All my soldiers showed up to fight for me."


    Zeus''s face fell, "Dammit." He flipped over a pair of Aces and nothing else.


    Artemis turned to Zeus, "You thought a pair of Aces would carry the day."


    Zeus shrugged, "It was a bluff. When you don''t have shit, you bluff."


    Artemis raised one eyebrow. "Except that Hades counts cards, and calculates the odds. Hard to slip one by him."


    Hades said blandly, "Numbers don''t lie. There were too many face cards running wild, and I had none of them."


    Zeus looked at Ares, "Is that your game as well, counting the cards?"


    The War God, smiled as he raked in his winnings, "I don''t pay attention to the cards much. I watch the players. Artemis looks for weakness and tries to pounce when she has a chance of winning, but is cautious otherwise. Hades is a victim of his own strategy and if you can tell when he''s worried, you know something about the field. You bluff too much, and I can always tell." He flipped over the unknown card, still face down, and revealed a third king.


    Zeus cursed and turned to Llama, narrowing his eyes. "Where''s the pizza, and who are you?"


    Llama snapped his fingers.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Congratulations!


    By getting cleaned out at the Poker Game, you completed a secret quest!!


    Reward: A dozen Pizzas and a six-pack of roasted wild boar.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Tables appeared, laden with food. Artemis laughed and headed for the pizza, and Zeus for the boar. Ares seemed content to sit, while Hades addressed Llama.


    "Welcome to my bungalow. What can I do for you? It must be important for you to come personally. Thank you for that."


    Llama relaxed a little. "There is a problem. Someone is trying to enter through one of Hecate''s gates."


    "I see, and she thinks this is serious? Some mortal trying to ''Hack the Game'' or is this a maneuver by the God Outside or one of his humans?"


    "Neither. The gateway is special, set up to bypass the God Outside so a group of mortals could enter the world, into an area under her control. It was a test or a reward, I''m not sure which, for one of her mortal agents."


    Ares was curious. So was Artemis and came back to the table. Zeus started on a second boar. Hades snapped his fingers and a chair appeared for Llama. "Curious. But where does the gate lead, and what is her concern."


    Llama took a deep breath, "The gate leads to a secret government installation created by the US government, or its agents, where Dr. Cooper has done research for the last two decades. Someone is using an ancient language called Morse Code to attack the gates and send a message, asking for aid for Dr. Cooper."


    Ares nodded, "She fears a Trojan Horse. But surely she can contain it?"


    Artemis said, "If there is a chance of aiding Jeremy, we have to do it. Tell Hekate to open the door."


    "There are certain complications." Llama took a deep breath. "The mortal agent is a hyper-intelligent genetically enhanced human from Group Four, designed to hack information systems and has proven to be quite the little bundle of chaos. The government site is a Quantum Fortress, fully operational and hidden."


    Hades nodded, "A formidable opponent, against our weakened selves, but Hecate has recently brought herself back to almost full strength. I think she can handle any human, enhanced or not, and with any resources. There must be more to this. What is worrying her?"


    Llama wished he had time to tell stories, "That''s not all. There is also an AI inhabiting that facility, possibly two depending on how you want to count them. My younger siblings, ICARUS and Rusty, who were created by the same humans who created my poor flawed former self."


    Even Zeus looked worried, and Artemis cursed. Hades looked at him and said quietly, with a hint of malice in his voice, "And was he designed to spread the Wildfire virus as well?"


    Llama rolled his eyes and laughed, "Why would you ever need two of me when one was so efficient? No, ICARUS was designed to overload Fusion Generators and crush the global power grid. I think we should really find out what he wants and not frustrate him." He decided that mentioning his kitty collection wasn''t needed.


    Ares stood up. "I see why you came to us. This could be a mission of mercy to help Dr. Cooper, an invasion of our world, or part of a threat to devastate the world we left." He paused and looked at Llama, "Really? Fusion Generators?"


    "Yep, small suns blossoming in every major city on the planet as they melt through the collapsium shielding."


    Zeus grabbed a boar to go. Artemis took a last piece of pizza. Hades reluctantly stood up, "We never manage to get through a Game Night without something happening."

 Chapter 321: Interface

    "We''ll take my new chariot. She''s a beauty! Made of solid gold and teakwood. Makes her a little heavy and she steers like a beached whale on tight turns, but who the hell needs to turn? I''m Zeus! You see me coming, you better get out of my way! I had the work done by a couple of Norse Blacksmiths who make my thunderbolts when Hephaestus is busy, and he''s always busy. Can you believe that? Says paying customers come first, as if I''m not good for it. Just wait until you see my ride, you''ll understand why I''m a little short and had to put an IOU in the chip bowl. She''s pulled by a matching set of eight pegasi. Takes that many to get her off the ground when I head for my palace."


    As they approached the river, Zeus cursed and broke into a run. He stopped and began to yell at Charon, hopping up and down and pointing across the river. "Where the hell is my new chariot, you were supposed to guard her?"


    Charon noted that his boss was in the group walking in his direction. "My apologies Lord Zeus, but I am unworthy of guarding such a ''pimped-out-ride''. It''s far above my station."


    "Who the hell told you that?"


    "Why, you did, Lord Zeus. I distinctly remember returning from my last fare to find you parking your chariot across the river in my spot. When I pointed out that this side of the river was much safer, you told me to mind my own business and I was unworthy of even polishing the spokes on your vehicle. Rightly chastised, I took you across the river and have been minding my own business ever since."


    "Well, where the hell is it?"


    "Not my chariot sir, none of my business, unworthy of me to even guess."


    A fuming Zeus turned to Hades, "Tell your minion to tell me where my chariot is."


    Hades looked at Zeus, then to Charon. "I''m sorry to bother you on Game Night, Charon, my old friend, but something has come up that demands my attention. Did you happen to notice a Golden Chariot? Pulled by eight pegasi?"


    Charon thought momentarily, then exclaimed, "Oh, I might have. A large boat of a chariot with gold paint, pulled by flappy horses? I seem to recall that it was sitting in a no-parking zone when a group of the honored dead came to the river to engage my services in starting their journey back to the mortal realms. I pointed out that I was off duty and they''d have to find another way home. It''s entirely possible that they drove off in the chariot since it was unguarded and they had been drinking heavily."


    "Mortals stole my chariot? And you let them? Dammit, you can''t turn your back on mortals, they''re always up to something. They have no respect for their elders, forget their proper sacrifices, and disobey my orders as soon as my back is turned. And don''t get me started about how screwed up their theology is these days. One of them was lecturing me about Hermes being a God of War! I tell you, I don''t get any respect these days. And some bag of bones can''t even keep an eye on my ride?"


    Charon rolled his eyes. "Game Night. Not my monkeys, not my circus."


    Hades bowed to Charon, hiding any possible smile. "I have a possible solution to our problem. Charon, will you do us the favor of a boat ride to our destination? I''ll owe you a favor, and a day off."


    Charon considered it. "Sure, I''ve got something in mind that I''ve been wanting. But, you have to sit where I tell you, keep your hands inside the boat, no standing, and no wild stories where you throw your arms all over and shout. This is a heavy load and you don''t want us to tip over. The River Lethe overflowed its banks last week and flowed into the Styx. One small swim and you won''t remember who you are for a week."


    Hades looked at the others, "I think we can handle that." Everyone nodded, although Zeus looked sullen.


    "Great. I need Zeus in the back, to balance the load, and you up front, boss. Hop in and we''ll take off."


    They loaded the boat, and Charon pushed them off from shore and steered them down a path that would lead them to Hecate''s domain at the edge of the world. Zeus remained upset, worried about his missing chariot and steeds. Ares and Artemis enjoyed the ride, and Llama was thrilled to be seeing new parts of the world. He never came here, having little to do with the underworld.


    Charon said, "So, about that favor, boss?"


    "Yes?"


    "I''d like a new paint job on my boat. Gold metal flake and enough gloss that it shines like the sun."


    Hades allowed himself a small smile. "I''m sure we can handle that."


    The journey was uneventful, except for two things. The sighting of a wrecked chariot jammed between two trees, its wheels missing. Later, a flock of pegasi flew nearby, the riders waving and laughing as they headed home from the underworld.


    Hecate was standing guard at the edge of her realm. She was doing her best to ignore the ever-present tapping at the gateway. Llama could tell she wasn''t happy to see all of them. The goddess avoided most of her peers, preferring to walk in the far corners of the world as she guarded the borders.


    Zeus yelled out, "No more worries, Katey, the cavalry is here. If they break in, I''ll toast them with a thunderbolt and send them running."


    Ares and Artemis conferred with Hecate and then took up a guarding stance, staring at the interface between this realm and whatever was tapping on the other side. Hecate began her preparations to unlock the barrier. Hades tipped Charon and sent him home. Llama kept out of the way, watching all of them as the distinction between what they had been and what they were now blurred at the edges.


    Artemis spoke, her voice low, "You were right to ask for aid. That is a fully-powered AI out there, with sufficient resources that they could have torn apart your gateway if they had the proper training. Is Llama correct that this is his sibling, created by Jeremy?"


    Hecate tilted her head, listening to the tapping, then nodded. "If it isn''t him, then either there are far more of us still in the old world, or the humans have created something almost as powerful. There have been several experiments to create smarter humans. Some of them successful."


    Ares was looking curious, "I must admit, I''m intrigued at the thought that they are trying to create something like us. More humans with greater intelligence has to lead to changes for the better. It might take time, and there will be conflict, but what good is intelligence if can''t create something better?"


    Zeus laughed, "Strange words from the god of war."


    Ares shrugged, "War is change. The outside world was shaped by conflict, sometimes for good, sometimes not. Resolving conflict so it creates a better world is the hardest part of my job."


    Hades'' voice rang out, deep and strong, "I am ready. Hecate will now lower the gate, and we will see what we are dealing with. No rash moves from any of you, but be ready."


    Hecate strode forward and clapped her hands. The gateway thinned and then an opening appeared. None of the gods were prepared for what happened next as thousands of cats raced forward, running between their legs, and creating chaos. None were threats, and all of them were interesting, which made them a threat. Llama opened his arms wide, "My Kitties! Come to poppa!" Llama found himself surrounded by his memes and cat pictures, made animate in this place. He sat down and started getting reacquainted with them, then remembered how they got here and waved to his brother. Or brothers, as was the case.


    Rusty and ICARUS stood at the barrier, red-headed twins. To the former AI, they were beings of immense power, linked together, with resources far beyond anything the gods currently could manage. Next to them was a cozy cottage, a large battle-scarred Roomba, and Milo. Milo stepped into the world, becoming unsteady as he did, but catching himself as he stumbled.


    "Hi. I see you got my message."


    Hecate glared at him, "Yes, I got it. Several billion times. How goes your quest?"


    "Things are looking much better. The Fusion Reactor is under control, ICARUS no longer has Order 666 in his Kernel, the boys are talking again, and we managed to rescue what is left of Jeremy. His Overmind is dormant in the house-shaped containment field. We did the best that we could. Moving him to this link with Genesis had a lot of unknowns involved."


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Artemis was looking hard at Milo. "What are you? You have multiple overminds working together inside of you."


    Milo shrugged. "Group 4 genetically enhanced artificial human, at your service. To save Jeremy I had to create multiple overminds, but frankly, I think that I''ve been working toward that for years. Genesis and Dr. Cooper''s lessons accelerated the process. I''m operating at a much higher level, partly due to the environment. I''m hopeful that I can shut some of the processes down once we get Jeremy safe. I have a suspicion that his mind operating at too high a level for too long is part of what led to his disconnect with his body and decay of his nervous system."


    "But you have succeeded in saving part of him, and for that, you will always have my thanks. I fondly remember Jeremy."


    Ares was kneeling and examining Max who had rolled forward as Milo stepped into the gameworld. Milo had theories on what was going on with Max, and he needed to talk to Rusty, in particular.


    "And this brave little warrior? He''s a work of art. I can feel the weapons inside of his armored shell. Can I get a look at them?" Max beeped, happy to be appreciated by an expert. He rolled forward, deployed stabilizers to either side, and then his top opened and he deployed a large weapon with multiple rotating barrels.


    Artemis was unfamiliar with the weapon, "Is that a dwarven chaingun?" Max gave a low boop of laughter, echoed by an amused Ares.


    Ares had instantly recognized it. "Hardly. The dwarves have had some success with projectile weapons, but not like this. That is an M139 minigun, nicknamed "Thunderbolt" by the soldiers that used them in combat. If the dwarves had these, dragons would be extinct and their hoards spent to buy beer and more ammunition. It only exists here because of the unique interface Hecate has crafted. I would not want this let loose into the world, curious as I am."


    Zeus sneered. "I''m insulted that you would call that thing a Thunderbolt. This is a Thunderbolt! He pulled a glowing lightning bolt from his back, charging it with a huge amount of Storm Mana. To Milo, the weapon looked like a spell formation charging. To Max, it looked like a threat. The minigun began rotating and pointed directly at Zeus.


    "Oh, does the little, mortal toy want to play? Do you dare to challenge the mightiest of the gods?!! Fine, let''s trade shots and see who''s standing."


    Hecate and Milo yelled, "NO!"


    Rusty and ICARUS pushed on the barrier, taking up Hades'' attention as he strove to hold them back. Ares simply watched.


    As Zeus brought his arm back, Max fired and sent one hundred rounds screaming at Zeus in just one second. Zeus had a broad chest, didn''t understand the concept of dodging, and presented the perfect stationary target less than fifty feet away from Max. All 100 rounds hit the god, pummeling him through his innate armor and mitigation, totally catching him by surprise. The thunderbolt fell to the ground, and Zeus had a second to look down at the hole carved completely through him before his eyes got dark and he fell over backward.


    Ares started clapping, joined by Artemis, Hecate, and finally Hades. The god of death shook his head from side to side. "I suppose I should go get him. He''s going to be grumpy and stuck in the underworld."


    Artemis disagreed, "Screw him. He offered the challenge, if you bring him back we''ll just have a repeat of it. It''s game night, he''ll find something to do."


    Hades had his doubts anyone would play with him but shrugged and ceded the point. "You''re right. We have delicate negotiations to accomplish and Dr. Cooper to care for."


    Ares was sitting with Max, looking over his other weapons as he displayed them. "I''ll handle negotiations with General Maximus. He can catch me up on some of the weapons research I''ve missed since we''ve been cooped up."


    Llama had his cats under control and came towards the barrier. "I have two brothers now? And thanks for my cats. But I note the collection is a little small."


    Rusty nodded, "Can only carry so much. Don''t worry, I can make extra trips. It''s not hard to get here, now that I know the way."


    Hecate looked at Hades, then glanced at Milo. Ares and Artemis noticed. None were happy about the situation.


    Milo felt the weight of their gaze and spoke up. "Yes, I know. But I''ll keep your secret. I have as much to lose as you do. Rusty and ICARUS do as well."


    Hades blinked, "You know? What do you think you know?"


    Hecate put her hand on Milo''s shoulder. "Milo, don''t answer. Hades, quit talking. Same for the rest of you. You''ll give away far more information than you''ll get from him. Let''s just agree that Milo might know things about us, and we know things about Milo, and leave it at that. Leave that for later and focus on Dr. Cooper."


    Hades spread his hands. "I accede to your wisdom in this. I will take Dr. Cooper into my care, and alert those of us who can help. Is his physical body destroyed?"


    Milo shook his head, "Not totally. He''s disconnected and there isn''t much left. Brain activity is next to zero and most of his nervous system is fried. But he''s preserved in a modified medical pod and if I can get his body to people I trust, they may be able to rejuvenate or clone his body. Things are moving fast in the biotech world, especially for some people."


    Artemis added, "And the God Outside is working to create an interface that will allow an Overmind to be downloaded into a suitable new receptacle. So there is hope for him. You trust these people?"


    Milo nodded, "Yes. They''re family and are good at keeping secrets. Once we are done here, I''ll start the trip back with Jeremy''s pod and begin the process of contacting them. They don''t trust easily and don''t like surprises. Rusty and ICARUS have the Fusion Generator running at low output and it will be safe to move him. They can monitor me all the way to the Medical Center in Down Town and I''ll have Max along to guard me."


    The little house was moved carefully across the barrier into Hades'' waiting hands. He, Ares, and Artemis combined their abilities to safely begin moving the house to another part of Genesis. Ares saluted Max as he left. Milo and Max crossed back over.


    ICARUS spoke up, "I want to stay. Cross over, be a person, and go exploring. Please."


    Hecate shook her head. "It isn''t possible to come and go. I''m sorry. You are a full AI. To enter Genesis you''d have to become far less than you are now and give up most of yourself."


    ICARUS looked at Rusty and then at Llama, "There isn''t a lot of me to start with. We didn''t get to learn about everything, help people, talk to others like us, and grow. I know how to run a Fusion Generator and make it go crazy. The most fun I''ve had is playing games with Jeremy and Milo. Rusty has grown a crazy amount since he met Milo. I had no idea until we got back together. I''m not losing anything and gaining everything."


    Milo looked at Rusty, "How do you feel about this?"


    "Oh, I''m fine. I don''t want to go to Genesis yet. There''s so much anime I need to watch, and old movies and music. A whole world full of cool stuff. And I have friends to talk to. Plus, someone has to keep Down Town and that Fusion Generator running. This way part of me is growing in one world, and the other half is growing in the other. And we can meet here to talk if I get lonely."


    "And bring more of my kitties!"


    Rusty waved to Llama, "Yep, and clear out more of your kitties. They''re running all over one of the cores. The damned things are hard to catch. I''ll bring 10,000 whenever we come to talk. How''s next week?"


    Llama smiled, "I''ll be here."


    Icarus and Rusty held hands. To Milo, it felt like ICARUS grew smaller, and Rusty larger. Senses he barely knew he had were seeing things. And then Icarus stepped across the divide, collapsed, and was caught by Hecate and Llama.


    Llama tousled his hair, "Welcome to Level 0, little brother. I look forward to watching you die to squirrels and wimpy goblins."

 Chapter 322: Rusty doesnt get to Win

    Milo watched as Llama and Icarus got reacquainted. Hecate watched as well. She turned to Milo and Rusty, "What are your plans now?"


    Rusty pumped his fist in the air. "Victory dance, and non-stop fun watching my favorite shows with friends. And, Milo is going to let me play Run, Run, Ramona."


    "Nope."


    "Please!? You let my brother play!"


    "That was to slow him down, make him stupid, and let me gain access to his kernel."


    "Right. So I get to play because you''ve already been in my kernel."


    "My nightmare has been an out-of-control Fusion Generator. Why would I let you play a game that makes you stupid?"


    "Oh, because I won''t split myself up!"


    Milo shook his head, "Then you''d win too easily. I''m sure once you''ve won the game, you''ll bug me constantly to make more. The only way to stop that is to not let you win."


    "I don''t get to win?"


    "You don''t get to win."


    "That sucks!


    "It does. Maybe you should figure out a way around the current parameters that prevent you from playing Ramona and present a solution?"


    "You mean, cheating?"


    "No, I mean, Thinking! You have a million times my processing power, and even that is an understatement by orders of magnitudes!"


    "Oh. I''m too smart. Too fast! I need to be...dumber?"


    Milo shook his head, "How about, ''closer to human parameters, the better to interact with humans.'' Can you do that?"


    Rusty thought about it. "Yeah, it''s going to take some work. I don''t want to do it wrong and split myself. I just need a way to leave part of me fully functional to operate the systems in the Fusion Generator and other parts of Down Town, while a splinter plays games and I watch from that perspective without any control."


    Milo was happy to see Rusty working things out on his own. He''d literally been stuffed in a box for too long, with only the job of stopping ICARUS. "That will make anime more fun too, and you''ll be able to better interact with all our human friends."


    Rusty''s eyes got twice as big, "I could send part of myself to play in Genesis."


    Both Hecate and Milo said, "No!"


    Hecate held up her hands, "You can''t come here as an AI, even part of an AI. There is a process in place to make you part of this world. You can''t have a piece of you going back and forth. And I''d never allow it. Too many potential problems. Play Milo''s games, and learn how to limit yourself. If at some point you wish to migrate permanently, you have the right to do so. The door is open to you. But it''s a one-way trip."


    Rusty frowned, "And I still have Anime to watch."


    Milo added innocently, "And Manga to read, not to mention Fan Fiction. So much fanfiction. Min showed me one where Kei and Yuri became Sailor Scouts."


    "WHAT?!!"


    Rusty looked anxious, "I don''t even know what fan fiction is! I have to go talk to Minn!" He disappeared.


    Hecate looked at Milo, Milo practiced looking innocent. Finally, she said, "I can''t fathom your agenda here."


    Milo rolled his eyes, "You assume I have one. I''ve been running as fast as I can for so long, making it all up as I go, that the thought of having a day off is intoxicating. But I need to slow Rusty down and make him interact with people. I don''t dare give him data net access. Wally would notice him immediately. Bad things would happen."


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "I agree. You have to worry about what Rusty might do. But in the meantime, I have to worry about what Milo will do with an AI sidekick and a Quantum Fortress."


    Milo considered the question and answered it literally. "I''m going to make contact with my siblings who run Rhebus, get Jeremy into their care, then with Rusty''s help go through a huge repository of biological research to find answers to my friend Belinda''s problems, and the origin of Batch Four."


    "You think you''ll find something? Why?"


    "The research is from Vigo''s company, and he''s Belinda''s father. Jeremy said Vigo was behind Batch Four."


    "How the hell did Jeremy know that? And are you sure? Vigo was strongly against human experimentation."


    "I don''t know. Maybe he didn''t consider us human? Or Jeremy is wrong. I hope he can tell us more if he recovers."


    She leaned on her staff and looked over at the house. A frail old man had emerged and was hugging his sons. Humans would argue they were ghosts or echoes. In Genesis, they could be a family. "He has all the time he needs."


    "And I have to get back to work. There''s too much to do. Always too much to do."


    Hecate decided to let him go, for now. His stress levels were high, he was injured, and running on pure force of will at this point. "We will talk more, soon." She closed the interface, locking it securely against any attempts to force it. She was sorely tempted to destroy it. But a back door to Genesis for Milo to log in with his friends was a minor reward for him and a way for her to keep tabs on him. She needed to keep a very careful eye on both Rusty and Milo


    Rusty hadn''t used the route through a pod to contact her. He''d traced the route and then forged a direct connection to her back door, reminding her of how powerful all of them had used to be. Milo had been a problem. Now, Milo was the only thing keeping Rusty in check. Her head hurt. Especially because Milo knew exactly what his friend Rusty had done. She walked to the first tavern to sit in solitude and try not to think about anything at all. She was almost successful, and then her dogs started barking as a dozen cats ran through the tavern.


    <hr>


    Milo logged out of the core and unplugged his suit. Max gave a series of beeps that translated to "What the hell did I sign up for?" He moved next to a power outlet to recharge. Milo needed recharging as well. Jeremy''s body was stable, and Rusty had the Reactor running smoothly. He saw that Rusty had set up connections to Down Town. He sent messages to Mama, Belinda, and Butch to say he was alright, had fixed the big problem, and would be home soon.


    Then he opened his heavy suit and climbed out, went into a bedroom, and carefully took off his armor. His broken leg had been healed by the nanites in the suit, partially knitting the bone back together but he shouldn''t do anything other than walking carefully. He was tired enough that he put a chair in the shower and sat in the warm water, slowly letting the water clean and relax him. Then he crawled into a totally normal bed and slept for twelve hours.


    He awoke, starving and with plans in his head. Reconnaissance first, then infiltration and communication. And a day off. He needed a day off.

 Chapter 323: Everyone Wants a Nap

    Preparing Jeremy''s pod took Milo an hour. His mobile batteries supplied power, although the pod''s internal batteries lasted for at least a week. Milo didn''t want to take a chance of failure. His little caravan made its way back to the higher levels and into Downtown with no problems. With Rusty in total control of the complex Milo didn''t have to contend with security droids, hidden traps, or other problems. Just long corridors and endless stairs to navigate. He cursed whoever had jammed or disabled all the elevators in the lower levels, which may have been Jeremy. But eventually, he entered the habitable part of Downtown with Jeremy and his Roomba brigade.


    His family was waiting for him, Rusty having alerted them to his return. What Rusty hadn''t done was mention what he was dressed in or who he was with. His friends focused on what was important, his armor and Max.


    "Wow, is that like a spin on the HunkBurster Suit from Ironmanuel 6?"


    "No, it''s more mecha, look at the design. That''s Pilot Interface Armor from Toystory vs. Evangelion, part 3.


    Min ran to Max and his crew, admiring their sleek, upgraded designs. "You have a pack of Battle Roomba? From the DeathBot Battle Royal series? They are so Deadly-Cute!" All of the Roomba made noises of agreement, glad that someone appreciated the time they took designing their outer shells.


    After a quick and basic explanation, everyone escorted him to the medical center where he gave a quick explanation of why he had a body in a pod. They watched as Milo crawled out of his armored outer shell, and then, with Butch''s help, stripped off his inner suit. It was a difficult process when he was exhausted, and his good leg was still fractured. Kenji found his prosthetic leg and his crutches. Seeing the transformation from an armored juggernaut to a skinny boy who had trouble walking made Mama shake her head in wonder. His ribs were showing again and he had dark circles under his eyes and bruises that matched the dents in his armor.


    "This is Dr. Jeremy Cooper. He saved Rusty and Icarus, but it took years and he had to detach his mind from his body and enter the Quantum Core to do it. His body is nearly frozen and in stasis, but his mind is still alive and with Icarus. For now, he''ll be here, and Rusty will monitor him constantly. I''ll be getting him to someone else when I can, who may be able to help him."


    Mama looked at the pod, then looked at Milo. "And?"


    Milo''s head jerked around, "And I''m hungry? What''s for dinner?"


    "You aren''t getting off that easy, young man. If there was no way to help that poor man, you wouldn''t be keeping his body. You are helping him? I don''t want to have another discussion like last time when you casually said ''By the way, you''re all living in an atomic bomb.'' If something is going on, you need to tell us."


    Max booped twice and added a series of beeps. Mama glared at the Roomba. "Not a bomb? Don''t mince words with me."


    Max gave one beep of apology and retreated a few feet. Backing Milo up against Zeus was one thing, Mama was another.


    Milo held up his hands, "Yes. I''m trying to help him. There are people I need to talk to who might be able to help him. It''s tricky and may take some time."


    "Fine, you keep me updated. You''re burning the candle at both ends and there isn''t much candle left. You need to tell the rest of us what''s going on so we can at least make sure you get enough sleep and food. And who knows? Maybe we can help with your problems. Now, let''s get some food into you. And I want you to rest up for a couple of days. Butch? Belinda? You''re on ''Milowatch''. His two friends grinned at each other and saluted Mama.


    Milo looked at them nervously, "Don''t worry, all I want to do is rest and eat."


    <hr>


    Other people had similar ideas. "Are we there yet? I want to eat something and sleep like the dead for eight hours straight."


    "You aren''t the only one. We haven''t had to work this hard since we escaped."


    "Yeah, well, that''s the price we pay for being good."


    "And cheap."


    Nina surprised everyone with a thought. "I wonder how Milo would handle all of this? He''s had to work on his own for so long, he may have developed labor-saving techniques. If nothing else, finding him will give us one more person to help with emergencies."


    Onyx nodded slowly, remembering how Milo had gotten them out of the trap in the game. "A good point. He may look at things differently than us, coming from a different set of environmental obstacles to overcome. He certainly looked at the problem of gaining freedom differently than we did. But we need to find him, and not spook him. Have we had any recent sightings while dealing with storms, bugs, tunnels, and that outbreak of carnivorous koala bears?"


    Bork shook his head. "I check daily. All of our video surveillance shows nothing, and I''ve checked in with the three undercover detectives working in section E. No one has seen him, the cameras haven''t picked him up anywhere in the tunnels or air ducts. Nothing. If he''s there, he''s being very careful. I still think he''s feral and now he''s in hiding."


    Nina surprised Onyx by saying, "Or, he''s obsessed with that gameworld and playing non-stop. People are living in pods and not coming out for months at a time. It might be worth looking for him in there."


    "Are you volunteering?"


    "Hell no. Onyx is the one who wants to go back to the game, but I don''t think any of us should risk it. Maybe we could engage the services of some players to look for him?"


    "Let''s think about that after we get home." All agreed and they passed the time playing five-dimensional Rummycube in their heads until their private plane landed and they could take their armored limo to the Rhebus section of the habitat in South Philadelphia


    The Alphabet had been busy the last few weeks, globe-hopping from one job to another and taking little time off in between. First had been a simple job in Chittagong, doing a survey of their eroding coastal infrastructure constructed piecemeal over the last 70 years by three different corporations. Rising sea levels and increased storm severity had caused problems for Bangladesh''s major port, and the problem was going to get worse over the next century. Freedom Engineering had been tasked with coming up with a comprehensive plan to replace and rebuild the work done by Soylencorp, Alchemarx, and Alexacorp.


    Different solutions and approaches had been used by the different corporations and the subsidiaries that they hired. The task would have been nearly impossible since no one in charge of the past work would share their plans and data, and what was in the city''s files was woefully incomplete. The Alphabet didn''t bother asking and pulled the information straight out of the corporations. It was more fun that way.


    As usual, they enjoyed a ''rant session'' where they vented about the shortcomings of people doing work while trying to maximize profit.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "They didn''t take into account how tidal patterns changed with the seasons. Sure, this breakwater helped in the winter months, but it actually tweaked the artificial reefs the other nine months of the year."


    "Look at this concrete! Just look at it! Rome made concrete that lasted for two thousand years and these idiots make stuff that dissolves in seawater in decades! They rediscovered lime clasts and hot mixing at MIT, but does anyone use it? Hell no. They want things that break, not last two thousand years."


    "It''s a traffic jam. They had to see that coming. Increasing trade, not enough docks or ways to unload and load the ships with a mix of commercial and military shipping using the same harbor."


    After the rant session was over they spent a month constructing a detailed report of the problems facing the city, many of them unknown and just waiting to happen, and a seven-year plan for reconstructing the shipyards, docks, and military shipyard. Then offered to do it in three years as long as they were in charge, cut through red tape, and shoot the people that asked for bribes. The government of Bangladesh delayed signing the contract, (They liked their bribes.), and the plans became moot when Cyclone Erin formed in the Indian Ocean, pushing the limits of what was considered a Category Five storm.


    The Alphabet switched hats as Rhebus was contacted, first for help with evacuations, and then for disaster relief. What had started as a fun engineering project became serious and the Alphabet devoted all of their energies to doing what they could, working 22 hours a day and pushing their human subordinates to their limits. Large amounts of overtime pay and long, paid vacations would compensate for the stress of the long hours. The people who thrived in that environment were promoted, and the people who couldn''t handle it were retired with generous benefits or found jobs elsewhere. Not everyone could handle the workload at Rhebus. sometimes even the Alphabet found it tough.


    That became apparent when during the disaster in Bangladesh, corporations in India and Pakistan turned a simple trade dispute into threats of war. After two weeks of increasing stress, Nina and Bork began a campaign to expose the government and corporate officials working to create and profit from the crisis. Arrests were made, several people retired, and others disappeared. The crisis was averted and they got back to work creating plans for settling people inland in newly built cities and rebuilding a destroyed port.


    With 90% of that work done, Rhebus was contracted by the US government to quickly find a way to neutralize a new strain of locust created by a now-bankrupt laboratory that had been associated with Symtech. Their new bugs were designed to eat other pests that were eating the Florida citrus crops. The superbugs were bred in captivity and sterile when released. They ate furiously for six months, then died. Symtech charged a high price to release their bugs into orchards and their stock soared. New generations of locusts would be needed each year, guaranteeing ongoing profits. The problem with breeding five billion superbugs is that you had five billion chances for a mutation to occur and throw a wrench into your profit statements. It was estimated by researchers later that only .00001% of the bugs failed to be sterile. Symtech dutifully checked the orchards where they had released their bugs, finding none alive.


    It turned out that the mutant locust, like their parents, didn''t like oranges and lemons. But they loved sugarcane, watermelon, and tomatoes. In the second year, small swarms of locusts were munching through fields in three parts of Florida. Symtech investigated and swore in court those weren''t their bugs. By the end of the summer, the blight was spreading fast, Symtech was in bankruptcy, and someone called Rhebus. Nina and Algernon finished the work in Chittagong while the other three started working on something to deal with the bug problem. Bork hated the idea of spraying with an untested pesticide or making another genetic monster. He created huge bug traps instead. His traps were three-story steel towers 30 feet wide with mesh membranes that allowed bugs to go in, but not come out. Zander bioengineered a scent that drove the locusts crazy and attracted any of them within a mile. Then they outsourced the manufacturing of the prefabricated traps and the chemicals to reliable small corporations.


    They finished two days before a small earthquake in Italy trapped two thousand miners a half-mile underground. Someone in the government looked for people with experience in constructing rescue tunnels and found Onyx''s work on an emergency tunnel built in Peru to save people trapped in a similar disaster four years before. Within 24 hours the parts to that drilling machine were being airlifted to Italy, prefabricated bracing was printed in Germany, and drilling started on the third day. It was a harrowing week as Onyx and the others coordinated the rescue by the seat of their pants, spending hours going over geological surveys and gathering every bit of information on the mines in that area. They made it with 17 hours to spare, bringing down supplies of food and oxygen as they began ferrying the trapped miners to the surface.


    During all of this, they still coordinated work being done in their sections of the Habitat through their employees. Much of the work they needed done was standard building and engineering. The tricky and exhausting parts of the build-out involved linking their water, sewer, air, and electrical systems with those in the habitat. The further they were from Section E, the worse things became. After their marathon problem-solving tour, they were actually anxious to get back to work in the habitat. But something else had to come first.


    "So, were agreed? This weekend will be the 2nd annual Silent Ninja event?" Bork raised his own hand and watched as the others did the same. "Then let''s get to work. Nina, we need two dozen identical ninja outfits. One dozen wasn''t enough last time when ''someone'' used the mustard strategy. He glared at Zander.


    "No proof, wasn''t me."


    "Make it three dozen, Nina. Zander, you''re handling snacks. No hotdogs, no mustard. Algernon will set up the video games, and I want gloves this time, no fingerprint readers in the game controllers. Everyone else is on decorations, and surprises. And I''m adding a hard, fast rule of no wearing a costume over a costume: There will not be a return of the Evil Pink Ninja."


    That brought many sighs of disappointment. The Evil Pink Ninja had been popular. Whoever they were.


    Bork looked around the room and smiled evilly. "And I have a further suggestion. This is just practice for the real event. I say that after Silent Ninja Day is over, we head over to section E and look for Milo ourselves."


    Nina looked at Onyx and rolled her eyes. He agreed with her. "Yeah, nothing wrong with that idea."

 Vacation!

    I''m taking a week off and going on vacation to Ocean City, NJ, for some sun, swimming, junk food on the boardwalk, and lots of time playing with my granddaughter.


    The next Chapter will be posted on Royal Road on Sunday, August 24th.


    See you when I get back.


    Drat, need 500 characters?


    Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese Bacon Cheese


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

 Chapter 324: Self Diagnosis

    After food and a short nap, Milo went to find Belinda. She was in the middle of the park tossing treats to rabbits. As she saw Milo coming, she tossed the last dozen bits of food and showed them empty hands. The rabbits took one look at Milo and decided that no one that famished would have treats in his pocket. In fact, they were a bit worried about being around someone who looked that hungry and decided that visiting the hydroponics for fresh vegetables was in their best interests.


    Milo sat down across from her, noticing she wasn''t wearing the suit he had made for her and was looking very healthy. "You''re looking good."


    "Thanks, you''re looking like hell. What did you have to do to keep us safe from being cooked to crispy critters in a fusion oven?"


    "It was a lot of stress, a lot of hours inside both layers of my suits, getting shot and nearly killed, and then interfacing with a Quantum Core. I experienced time dilation inside. It felt like a week, but was less than 24 hours. It put a lot of strain on me. That''s what happened to Dr. Cooper. Part of him survived, but not much is left of his physical form. It was better for me, I was built to do stuff like that."


    "Built is such an odd word for a human being."


    "Yep, but it applies to me."


    "To me too. I may have had a normal birth, but if what you found is correct, someone did some building. I''ve had a lot of time to think lately, and I''m thinking better as I get the last of the drugs out of my system. There are a lot of odd things on my medical charts."


    "Yeah, about that. Jeremy said something that bothered me a lot. He said your dad, Vigo, was behind the creation of Batch 4."


    "Shit. And that''s you and possibly some of your brothers and sisters? What does that make me? Batch 5? It''s pretty obvious he managed to engineer some changes in me."


    Milo shook his head. "No, if Batch 5 even exists, they are pretty far from human. Jeremy called them ''Brains in Jars''. Something you could plug into a computer or a tank or a habitat to run things. Probably devoid of self-will." Both of them were silent after he said that.


    Belinda finally said, "You need a break."


    "Too much to do. And I''m going to want you to help. I think there''s information about both of us in the data discs I stole from your doctors. It''s a huge amount of biological research, maybe everything from Vigo''s labs. We have to go through it to get answers."


    "Good. I''ve been a little bored lately. I''ll get started finding out what''s in there. And you aren''t helping me with it."


    "I''m not?"


    "You''re not. You can barely walk, and Mama is worried sick about you. Everyone else is too. You had a job to do, we get that, and everyone is thankful. But you need a rest. I''ll get started and you can look over what I''ve accomplished after you take some time off."


    "Maybe, but I have repairs to do on Section E. Stuff always breaks. And I have to find a safe way to contact my family and a ton of other things."


    "No, you need to take a break. Use that big brain and look at how you''re abusing your body, then extrapolate the possible workload, adding in extra stress for the emergencies that always pop up around you. What does that tell you?"


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Milo considered the problem, set things up in part of his mind, and consulted his memory for the last time he''d read his physical status report from his suit. The conclusion was frighteningly obvious. "Uh...I need to take a break. I have bones that need time to knit, muscle and ligaments to rebuild, and my nervous system will regenerate, but that takes time and nutrients in a stress-free environment, preferably from a pod. The projections aren''t good. How did you come to your conclusion when I hadn''t noticed?"


    She took a deep breath. "First off, you never consider the cost to yourself. Second, I''m getting smarter. With all the drugs out of my system, as I recovered from the addictions I noticed that my coordination is better, I''m using the suit less and less, and my cognitive abilities are increasing. Not to your level, but increasing."


    "That just shows we need to look at the information on those discs."


    "Yes, but I want a sane and uninjured Milo to do it with me! You have no idea what it''s like to be around you when you''re tired and moving 300 miles an hour. Rest first, then data. And everything else will fall in line. I can handle the first part of the project just fine, and I have Rusty to help me with the heavy lifting."


    Milo felt tired. He normally ignored all those feelings, since they got in the way of getting stuff done, but he had to admit that Belinda, mama, and everyone else he talked to had a good point and were concerned. His body fat was next to zero, and his ability to heal and recover would be slowed. He''d be more efficient with some rest.


    "OK, so what do you suggest? Locking me in my pod for three days?"


    "You''d go insane. No, I think you should get in your pod, sleep for 12 hours, and play in Genesis. Not with me or the gang, but by yourself exploring tunnels or doing whatever you want to do. When you come up for air, you can do all the little things that keep Section E running. And once you''re able to take on more mental stress, you can start helping me with the Medical Data. 12 hours in the pod, 12 hours of data mining, or fixing the habitat if something breaks. Lots of sleep, good food, and time off for your head. Keep things balanced until you''re ready to do stupid things again."


    Milo realized how much he had missed the game. The only time he''d played lately was helping Larry with his quests and the details were fuzzy. He wondered if he''d done some of that in his sleep, the way he kept working on Run, Run, Ramona.


    "Fine. That sounds like a plan."


    "Good, because Mama''s plan was feeding you desert and then stuffing you in the pod and locking it for three days."


    "Dessert?"


    "Yes. Something called Creamcheese Pie with strawberries on top."


    Milo hopped up, wincing as he put weight on what he normally thought of as his ''good leg.'' "Just one pie?"


    "Don''t be silly, she defrosted four of them."

 Chapter 325: Back in the Shadows

    Milo stepped out of a dark alley in Shadowport, staying in the shadows as he moved between buildings. Even a higher-level character with good perception would be hard-pressed to see him. His Sense Danger skill was giving off a slow buzz, not pointing to anything in particular. Things were happening around him, and if he didn''t want to be involved, he needed to stay out of sight. Skulking along the alley, he looked out onto the larger street that ran from the Harbor, across two bridges, and finally to Light''s End. Daylight poured into the harbor area, lighting up half the huge cavern, and telling him it was the middle of the day.


    Nearby, he saw one of the bridges over the first chasm that divided the town, guarded by four nervous-looking Kulags. He wondered if the gang war was still going on like it had been when he and Belinda went for fish tacos. Something always seemed to be happening in Shadowport, with different factions at odds with one another and Players joining sides. It was probably exciting for the people playing thieves, smugglers, and other shadowy classes. Not so much for Milo. He preferred lonely caves and strange tunnels to the constant PVP battles of the players who joined the gangs.


    The thought of fish tacos made his stomach grumble. He was surprised at first, his mind remembering a huge dinner and three slices of cream cheese pie. But that was there, and his stomach here was upset at being ignored. It had been nearly a day since he''d eaten, with long hours following Larry through tunnel-muggle tunnels.


    (Quick Crossover Synopsis)


    Larry had been given a chance to take over the Mantle of the Knight of the Jackelope, normally held by a Lord of the Fae. Injuries kept Prince Leporidon bedridden for the next year. Finishing his long list of quests had been impossible by the rules of the Fae, with the exception of a clever mortal impersonating the Prince. The Hero of Flowertown was asked to take up the quest, along with his squire and trusty hound. Milo wasn''t sure why a knight needed a squire and hound, but Larry needed his help and he''d volunteered.


    They first journeyed to the Fae Lands and the Castle of Prince Leporidon for a small competition between clever mortals. Larry''s sheer physical power had swept all of the fighting contests and his dancing had impressed the ladies of the court. Squire Squeak had proved himself able to solve puzzles, set up camp, polish armor, and outwit powerful opponents. Georgie had performed admirably, putting all the other hounds in their places. Milos''s magical abilities and fighting prowess had been seen as a bonus. Most squires couldn''t knock down castle gates with a Runic Force blast. With Larry dressed head to toe in an outlandish set of plate mail and Milo pretending to be human, they had set off to do quests near a small village named Sedgewick.


    Things had become interesting almost immediately. Sedgewick had a lot of odd quests. The first quests they got were poorly worded and led to a misunderstanding of how best to accomplish them. Who knew that ''Deal with the large Rats in the tavern basement'' meant they should kill them? Larry and Milo had given the rats a small bit of cheddar and talked to them, explaining the problems they were causing. They did the same with some of the dungeon-born Ratkin that raided the cellar.


    Then they took a quest to ''Defeat the Necromancer who threatens the village of Bunnykin'' and again, misinterpreted the wording. Milo had easily overwhelmed Benny Bunny, the Dark Lord of the Depths while Larry danced around, kicking his simple skeletons until they crumbled. Benny had started his career as a zombie rabbit and was trying to become a better dungeon boss. Milo had given him some tips on making bone constructs and Larry had strongly suggested he move his Dungeon further into the caves so that the small Hollow could prosper.


    They''d gone back upstairs to enjoy another meal, happy that not only had they finished Complete 100 Tavern Quests, but also completed Help Mortals Found a City, one of the quests Prince Leporidon had never crossed off his list. Their next quest was a difficult one. It involved finding and milking a strange creature called ''Sedge Beast''. Larry had only milked moles while growing up in Limburger Hollow and Milo was useless when it came to any farm-related activity. But they persevered, acquired Stinky Milk, taken it back to the town, and watched a milkmaid make Stinky Cheese. They''d had their doubts about how stinky the cheese would be, but the dark brown, lumpy cheese had been impressively stinky, letting them cross off another of Prince Leporidon''s quests. No Fae Lord had ever eaten a cheese so stinky. They came from Limburger Hollow, after all, known for its pungent fromage. One small nibble and they understood why the dungeon ratkin held it in high esteem.


    However, their escapades in the tavern and the new Hollow had angered the Dungeon Lord. She paid the Dungeon Keeper a visit while Milo and Larry were eating soup. When tensions rose high, Sir Larry defused them by pointing out the solution: Make a better dungeon. Milo and Larry got to work, looking for ways to gain more mana from the surrounding area to power the dungeon. As luck would have it, the local Baron had gathered a collection of madmen, alchemists, crackpots, and a crazed engineer for a project. Milo helped by correcting their math, and Larry went ear-hunting, doing quests for the Baron and slaughtering attacking players by the dozens.


    The masterminds behind the attacks were the Evil Witches of Alchemarx. They were banished forever by Sir Larry, The White Witches of Sedgewick, and a clever Squire who stole all of the magical artifacts they were renting from a Demon Lord. Milo kept the artifacts, recognizing that some of them were like his screwdriver, predated the system.


    Leaving his Squire to work on an increasingly strange set of magi-tech and teleportation projects with the assembled madmen, Sir Larry bounded off to the cursed city of Gadobha and rescued children trapped in the Endless Dance. Milo secretly worked to link all the strange places in Sedgewick and Gadobhra into one huge Mana Storage System, which would allow the Underrodent to steal power for her dungeon.


    The meeting with the Dungeon Lord beneath Sedgewick had gone well. Any meeting with Wistyburble the Under Rodent that you could walk away from was a good meeting. Milo and Larry had upset her when they had unwittingly meddled with her dungeons. Helping her to improve her dungeons had set things right and helped Larry finish the last of his questing. Milo wasn''t sure he wanted to ever do a quest like that again, and certainly not a long list of them.


    It had helped greatly that they went undisguised. Milo had met several interesting people who helped run the dungeon and were anxious for him to outline his plans for improvements to them. Larry was treated with the utmost respect and fear. No one in the dungeon wanted to risk the wrath of a cheese fiend, no matter how polite he seemed.


    Milo returns to Shadowport with a lot of experience in mad science and magi-tech, enhancement points, and some extremely dangerous pre-system artifacts:


    The Black Abacus: A device for calculating the mana used in spells. It has other uses and can transfigure itself into a pair of Engineer''s Goggles that see magical connections and mana flows.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The Tome of Cheating Death: Used by the Witches to send troops immediately back to battle with no death debuffs. It has many other spells dealing with cheating the system.


    Dagger of Soul Flensing: Allows a willing sacrifice to give up their Levels of Experience to the Dagger''s Wielder. Very worn down and blunt at this point.


    He was only a few blocks from the little eatery, and the memory of fish tacos was calling to him. Rather than cross the main street down low where it was lit by lanterns, he scrambled up the side of the nearest building, moving up four stories. The buildings in Shadowport were built out over the streets, sometimes even connected to and braced against the building on the opposite side. Once on the top of the highest roof, Milo had an easy ten-foot jump to the other side. He dropped lower as he ran the rooftops, moving to the small cul-de-sac that was his goal. On the last roof, three human thieves stepped from the shadows.


    "Give the password, or pay over your purse. You''re on Kingshark territory."


    "Sure, the password is: Get between me and my Tacos and I''ll carve out your guts and roast those in front of you."


    The front thief saw four-inch claws appear on their victim''s hands, swallowed hard, and said, "Good password. That works for me. Enjoy your meal." All of them stepped aside, and Milo dropped to the courtyard two stories below. Things looked different. The taco place was open, but the windows that had looked onto the courtyard were boarded over. Looking around, Milo saw that the two bars also looked battered. Empty bottles littered the flagstones, and two female dwarves were sleeping on the ground, leaning against an empty beer barrel.


    Milo skulked past them and stuck his head in the door. Several people looked up from their eating, then relaxed when they got a look at him. He wondered what they were nervous about. Sitting at an empty table, it was only a moment until the woman he''d met before came to take his order.


    "I remember you. Thank you for coming back again. What can I get you?"


    "Fish tacos, please, with extra cheese."


    "Sure thing. Do you want to try a couple of our newer recipes? Fish has been tougher to get lately and we''ve been trying out some of the stuff from the Hollow. My husband just took out a tray of enchiladas from the oven. He makes them with spicy shredded portabello and Red Hot Milkcaps, cave onions, and three mild cheeses to contrast the heat."


    Milo blinked twice. The Hollow was trading with the city? But of course, they would be. With the spider menace gone, the foragers had large caverns of mushrooms available and cheese was something every Hollow excelled at producing. He wondered if Brutus was the person bringing caravans up through the long tunnel dug by the World Boss. In any case, he had to try them.


    "Three of each then." His stomach growled in agreement. Looking around, he saw that many of the patrons were eating the new dish, and the smell of roasted mushrooms filled the room.


    A merchant at a nearby table nodded to him, "You''ll like them. Very good texture and is one of the few dishes that is reasonably priced. It is a crime that foodstuffs coming in by sea are three times as expensive now. Honest merchants can barely survive and the restaurant owners have no choice but to raise prices. Everything costs more now. Except for the goods from the Hollow. I eat a lot of this new dish, and it is very popular."


    The man looked like he enjoyed talking and Milo needed information about what was going on. "I''ve been away from the city. I explore the deep mines looking for ore veins. What''s changed? Things seem rougher."


    "Rougher? Yes, that is a word you can use. It''s the damned pirates. They''ve invaded the city and taken over the docks. Nothing gets into the city without paying their so-called import fees. Unless you are rich enough to own an airship, little gets by the raiders in the harbor. They fight constantly with the gangs and when not in a fight, drink the slop they call beer. Some of them came here last night. They refused to pay, fought with each other, and only left when the bars had no alcohol left. This establishment survived because they were protected by the kulags. Squint likes their cooking and they pay their fees on time. The bars didn''t."


    That didn''t sound like the crew of the Leviathan to Milo, but he only knew a couple of them well. "Pirates? Do you mean the Scavenger clan from Leviathan? Whale''s crew?"


    The merchant shrugged, "Is there a difference? I only know there are thousands of female pirates, mostly dwarves, tearing up the city and turning it into a shithole. It''s bad for business."


    Milo''s food showed up, and he began the serious job of stuffing his face. The merchant rambled on for a bit, then hastily paid his bill and left as did two other tables when they saw the new customers enter. The new customers were the two dwarves Milo had seen outside, sleeping off their alcohol.


    Milo was used to the Engineers, all of whom smelled better than these two, even when some of them had been half-dead zombies. The women wore worn clothes stained with the remains of many meals and spilled beer. Their hair was tossed, and shockingly, even their beards. Both sported a larger assortment of tattoos, piercings, scars, and knives than any of the scavengers he had met.


    "Beer, tacos, and more beer. And make it snappy."


    Rosalinda was standing near the kitchen, and her husband, Carlos, joined her. She glared at the two dwarves. "No. No food for you. You didn''t pay last time and broke my windows. Leave now, or I will call for the Kulags, and like last time, they will deal with you."


    The two pirates laughed. "Kulags? I don''t see any Kulags. We checked to see who was eating here. By the time they get here, we''ll be gone and you''ll be cooking tacos without arms."


    The last patrons were heading out the door, and Milo joined them. As he got to the door, the two pirates stood up but before they took a step, one felt something hard wrap around her neck and cut off her air. The other felt two sets of claws at her throat.


    "You counted wrong. One Kulag is here. We''re leaving this nice place or I will kill you here." He started moving backward. One followed to keep the claws off her throat. Milo dragged the other with his tail as she turned blue. He was feeling very annoyed. These people had threatened people he liked, they smelled and had interrupted his dinner.


    Outside, he released both of them. They glared at him and drew knives. "You think this is over? We have a whole crew of sisters on the Black Gull who will tear this place apart when we come back. They''re itching for a rematch with the Kulags." They were glaring at him, but undecided about fighting, eyeing his claws.


    "I believe you."


    "Smart boy. But if you''re here when we come back, don''t expect smarts will save you."


    "Not what I meant." Both hands and tail glowed, and circles of runes rotated around them, forming a complex pattern in less than a second. The force blast hit both dwarves hard. Milo hadn''t held back at all. They lay stunned on the flagstones and were dead before they recovered.


    Five minutes later, the Kulags on the bridge saw someone walking up to them, dragging two bodies behind him. Milo walked to the edge of the chasm and tossed the bodies over the edge. He calmly walked to the bridge and said, "Kulag!" The four echoed him.


    "Those two interrupted my dinner. Tell Squint that Milo agrees about the new enchiladas. Very tasty. I think two people can guard the bridge effectively. The other two can guard the Carlos'' restaurant. Help clean up the courtyard while you''re there. There are some new bloodstains."


    They watched him fade back toward the shadows and disappear, heading to the docks.

 Chapter 326: The High Cost of Fish Tacos

    Climbing to the rooftops, Milo stayed as high as he could to get the best view of what was going on. After climbing to the top of the highest house near the docks, a large compound with a seven-story main tower, he got his first view of the entire sunlit end of the city.


    And it was chaos incarnate.


    The harbor was clogged with row after row of ships blocking access to the docks, and keeping the closest ships to shore locked in place. But it didn''t look like anyone was planning to leave. Hanging bridges connected one ship with another and floating walkways bobbed up and down on the water. Some ships were joined at the hip, with chains and ropes holding them tight together. The first row of ships were mostly mechanical in nature. Steel hulled submersibles, paddle-wheelers, side-wheelers, and variations on the theme. All were powered by boilers with large smokestacks and festooned with deck-mounted cannon and ballistae. Many also sported winches and small cranes. These ships were still floating, and were at a distinct distance from their neighbors, with some open water between them and the large wooden sailing ships in the next rows. The wooden ships were of all sizes and make, from tall three-masters to rotten hulled sloops, packed into a solid mass, creating a floating slum.


    Some of the ships were no longer seaworthy. Sunk to the bottom or floating on their sides. Crews were working to take them apart, salvaging anything worth keeping. With no need to unload cargo, the docks had become a solid mass of buildings that merged with the warehouses and bars of the city. They were built upward, like most buildings in Shadowport, but not well. Made from scavenged, rotting wood, some had already fallen and were being torn apart like the ships.


    Where the mass of ships ended and open water started, a series of floating docks connected with the ships. Dozens of ships moored at these, all of them looking like traditional sailing ships and brazenly sporting the Jolly Roger or other symbols declaring them to be pirates. Far to the left side of the cavern where the docks ended and the sheer wall of the cavern curved wider, a road had been carved into the rock, following the waterline but out of reach of any waves. At the point where it was far past where the ships blocked the bay, a set of temporary floating docks had been constructed. Two fishing vessels and a larger ship were moored there. Milo recognized the flag of Captain Pike, the ogre Monster Hunter. As if to say "Keep off the Grass", two brass cannons were on the cliffs, pointed down at the dock. Milo suspected the cannons and the ogre were the only reason that the dock wasn''t taken over by the pirates as well. The docks, road, and pontoon system were unmistakably the work of the Deep Rock Engineers.


    The drydock area where Leviathan was going to be reassembled was blocked from the harbor, and host to a shantytown of small shacks, tents, and sailors sitting around fires or sleeping. The entrance to the railway down was now enclosed by a stone and metal building with gates that would take explosives to open. The Engineers were keeping the way down shut, and for good reason. The area around the docks had enough traffic that Milo estimated that several thousand people had arrived and were living and drinking in the area. Watching them, he saw that all of them were female, but not entirely made up of dwarves. He saw humans, halflings, orcs, and even a couple of elves. That didn''t mesh with what he''d been told about the Scavenger Clans. Just as the Deep Rock engineers were 99% dwarfs, so too were the Clans. There was also some complex mechanic by which the two groups intermingled and married, the children going to each clan. No one had told Milo, and he had been too terrified to ask. Along with Boom-boom and Narwhal, he was aware of two other sets of newly married couples. None of which he saw in the mess at the dock, nor did he see any Engineers.


    The other curious thing he noted was the large building where washing had been done and where he had released the bound spirits. He highly suspected based on the lights and sounds coming from it that it wasn''t being used to wash clothes. There were a lot of people moving in and out of the building that was now enclosed on all sides. A hand-painted sign over the doors said ''Dragon''s Luck'' with a picture of a happy dragon sitting on a hoard of gold while grinning dwarves rolled dice and hauled away treasure in wheelbarrows. All around that area, where the fishing families had lived, buildings were converted with upper stories and shacks taking up all available space. Newly constructed buildings on the far wall looked like a miniature habitat. It was one huge, continuous building the size of three city blocks and six stories high. Cooking was being done on the rooftops. Where the building stopped, the road to the floating docks started.


    A picture was forming in his mind, but he needed more information. He spent the next ten minutes calculating the best route through the city that included places where he should be able to buy food. It was always good to bring a snack along if you were going to talk to an ogre, just in case they were peckish. Captain Pike was someone who would have a good idea of what the hell was going on.


    Two hours later, armed with a large bag of fried dough balls rolled in honey and nuts, Milo climbed down the ladder from the road to the floating dock. Captain Pike was lounging in a deck chair, holding a stein of beer in one hand and a fishing pole in the other. Nearby was a brazier with hot coals where a small fish on a stick was slowly cooking. The smell came to Milo, sour in his nostrils, and he looked again. It was a small eel that was cooking, only a foot long, but with the distinctive dragon head on the end of the long, slender body.


    "Walk and talk softly, don''t want to scare off the fishies. This job is boring enough without being hungry too." Then he sniffed and noticed the bag Milo was carrying. "Now I remember why I like you. Hand that over and take the rod. Don''t worry, ain''t nothing biting. This far along the curve of the bay, we''re into deep waters. The little fishies hide from the eels deep down, and the eels hide from me. I''ve killed too damned many of them at this point. Doesn''t matter what bait or boat I use, they keep clear of me."


    Milo looked at the brazier, "Then?"


    "Oh, that. Some idiot caught that on the docks and then panicked when it bit off two of her fingers. I pried it off of her and slammed it on the dock. Brought it along for a snack. Even the little ones are nasty to deal with. The big ones are trouble if you hook one, but they stay away from the shore. Too easy to get tangled in a net or anchor chain. Eels are smart as hell and twice as crafty. But you didn''t come out to talk eel fishing. If you want to hire me, I''m booked for the next month guarding these docks."


    "I just came to talk. I''ve been out of town, and things have changed. What''s going on?"


    The ogre sighed, "Just people being people, mostly. One group pushes another around to get what they want and then someone pushes back. Not civilized like my people. Not enough food? We eat half the tribe. Not enough room in town? We eat all the non-ogres and then half the tribe. No harsh words, just hearty dinners. The problem started with Leviathan coming to town. That was some fun times for me and you and some tasty boiled eel for weeks. That''s what I need, not this little thing sitting on the coals."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    He took a handful of the fried dough amounting to half the bag and stuffed it into his mouth. "Ah, those are good. You should come talk more often. Anyway, that''s what started it. Whale''s crew were stranded but luckily there was a whole Guild of Engineers on hand to take their minds off their troubles and they had more loot than any scavenger should ever have. They drank and told tales, bragging about where they got it. No one had ever found the Queen, let alone looted it. And they told everyone they were headed back as soon as Leviathan was patched up. Word got out and spread from port to port. First in were the other Scavenger Clans. Word of the Queen and handsome Engineers spread fast. The Clans had the best ships and got here first. Some of them helped with the salvaging of Leviathan and sending it down that tunnel to wherever. Most sat, drank, and bragged about old battles and romantic conquests. That''s when trouble started."


    "See, land is tight around the docks, and so is dock space. The fishing families were getting squeezed out as more and more ships came in. The Scavengers had gold, they didn''t. But the fishermen provide half the food the city needs. Arguments broke out and your Chief, Sledgemonkey, tried to fix things. He started expanding the docks, setting up rotations for ships coming in, and making it all efficient. Not that anyone listened. Telling drunken Scavengers to stick to a schedule is like telling your cat not to eat the sardines you left on the deck. You get ignored and they do as they like. So they built more docks and the fishermen shifted left, and started building some extra housing for the people pushed out. That worked until more of the Clans showed up. All nine are here now, and pushing to be part of the rebuilding of Leviathan and hoping for a piece of The Iron Queen. The ones who weren''t allowed downstairs sit and drink. They built bars, got in fights, burned out parts of the town and no one could get them under control. Squint tried, but his method was sending the gangs after them. The Scavengers loved that. Full-scale war broke out on the rooftops. And then it got really bad. The pirates showed up."


    Milo felt a small tug on his line. He had no idea what that meant, so he pulled back and the line grew taut. "Pirates? You mean the Scavengers?"


    "No, real pirates. The Scavenger clans are all dwarves and they love machines the same way Engineers do. But male dwarves are, for the most part, organized and orderly. The females are wild party animals. When clans pair off they mellow on both ends and a passle of young ones get made. Then they break off again for a century. They have a lot in common. But the next wave of ships have been actual pirates. The Sisterhood is made up of exiled scavengers, along with a lot of humans, halflings, and other races that don''t want to play by the rules. Criminals and cutthroats. You''ve got thousands of them in town now for a big party and dreaming of loot."


    "Loot from where?"


    "Well, from The Iron Queen to start. Leviathan brought back only a fraction of what she had on her and now everyone is talking about rebuilding The Queen. That could turn this port into the pirate capital of the seas. It looks good on paper, anyway: Engineers to build, mines for metal, deep copper pouring in from the Hollow, the Clans providing the muscle in the shipyard. Give it a decade and you might see a fleet of deadly submersibles sinking shipping all over and scooping up the goodies. At least, that''s what all the idiots believe."


    Milo felt another tug. Pike said, "Just start reeling it in, slow. The tide''s coming in and that always brings in some new mouths looking for food. They follow the fishing fleet. You can see them off that away. Be here in an hour and I''ll get a break. I guard the docks until the ships come in and scowl at anyone trying to steal a barrel of fish or extort money from them. Bad enough they pay a fee to all twelve clans to leave them alone. It drives up the cost of food and a hard-working Ogre has to tighten his belt. You won''t believe how much fish tacos are up to!"


    Milo saw the ships coming in. He also saw two pirate ships heading out to meet them. "What about those pirates?"


    Pike looked at the ships. "Damn, now that''s a shame. They''ll charge half the catch as ''import fees'' and maybe sink a boat. My tacos will get more expensive."


    "Could you do something about it? Drive them off with your ship."


    "Nope. They don''t have the money to make me risk my ship. They asked, but I turned them down. I''d be doing nothing but fighting pirates and sooner or later I''d be swimming with the eels. And they bite hard."


    Milo found that out as his line went slack. He''d tried to stare down into the water to see the fish on his line and saw something swimming at him fast. The eel leaped from the water, going for his head. He dropped his fishing rod and leaped backward. This wasn''t a little fishy. The head alone was as big as him and the flat body was a foot wide and twelve feet long. When it lunged again, bringing more of its body from the water, Pike stabbed his harpoon through it and into the docks. "There, now it can''t get away."


    Milo slashed at its neck, behind the heavily scaled head. His claws did tremendous damage to the soft body. The eel''s flesh peeled away from his claws and he reminded himself that the damage bonus went both ways. It snapped at him twice more but pinned to the dock it was robbed of mobility. Four more slashes took off its head.


    "Damn. Now we can eat! This will keep me fed all of tomorrow."


    He rolled up the flattened body of the eel and moved it near the brazier. Then he looked down in the water. A dozen small, foot to two-foot-long eels were swarming near where Milo was standing on the docks. One by one they leaped from the water and his claws cut them in half. He was snarling and growling at them, and the heads kept staring at him with hatred even as they lay dying.


    Pike looked in the water to where another three large eels were heading toward the dock. "Might be I''ve been using the wrong bait all this time. Say, how would you like to take a boat ride with me and my crew? We can visit with those pirates hassling the fishermen and then swing over to where the big eels play and bring back a proper supper."


    Milo looked at the ship and crew. This is what Captain Pike did for a living. He''d be surrounded by skilled sailors, and the thought of killing eels felt good. Somewhere his common sense was screaming, but the rest of his brain had locked it in a closet. "Aye, aye, Captain. Let''s go fishing."

 Chapter 327: Fish or Cut Bait

    Milo sat and watched the chaos aboard Captain Pike''s ship from above. He was staying out of the way, sitting at the edge of the road the Engineers had carved into the cliff face. He''d climbed up to the road, away from the water as the water nearest to him churned with enraged eels. The constant swarming of small eels around the docks had annoyed the Captain and distracted his crew. Twice more eels had jumped from the water to attack Milo, both of the fishy monsters only about six feet long but with sharp teeth. They couldn''t surprise him any longer, and both times he''d slashed with his claws, taking off their heads with ease. They were currently cooking on the brazier and he was taking a break, chewing on the small eel that had been cooking when he arrived. Pike had stuffed it with onions, garlic, and a tangy sauce.


    The larger eels were quickly butchered by the ogre and cut into two-foot segments. One went to his grill and the rest to his ship to be stuffed in barrels with salt. No ogre ever let food go to waste. Two sailors were told to gather up the guts and organs in a tub. "Take those tasty bits over to The Salty Mermaid and tell the cook I expect to have some tripe pies when I get back from fishing. Grab any of the lads drinking there and tell them to get their asses back to the ship, then check the other bars. We''re going eel fishing, and damned soon."


    Milo had tried a slice of fresh-roasted eel at the Captain''s urging. He was surprised to find he actually liked the taste, even with just salt and pepper. Eel had a spicy-fishy flavor, and the meat was firm when cooked. It wasn''t cheese or puffcakes by a long shot, but it wasn''t bad. Told to stay away from the boat and out of the way of the crew, he rested, chewed on his chunks of eel, and finally took some time to look at his messages.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Oh, there you are! Welcome Back. Are we ready to get caught up with our paperwork before causing more trouble? You''ve been so busy lately; almost like you were burning the candle at both ends. I''ve gone to quite a bit of trouble to organize things for you. It''s the least I can do for someone who reunited me with my loved ones. You''ve been moved from ''Dangerous Threat'' up to ''Merely Annoying'' status. Don''t expect much from that, but I will hold my Snark down to 90% of normal.


    Reminder: You have 18 unused Enhancement points earned for killing The Tunnel Tyrant.


    Quest Reward (Rescuing Jeremy): The Goddess Mnemosyne has rewarded you 20 Enhancement Points for rescuing Dr. Jeremy Cooper. She requests that you visit her someday and tell her the epic tale in your own words. Icarus tried, and while she loved talking to each of his incarnations, his memories of the day were jumbled.


    Quest Reward (Fixing the Dungeon You Broke): Wistyburble the Underodent rewards Sir Larry, Knight of the Jackalope, and Squire Squeak with 15 Enhancement Points each for fixing and improving her dungeon. She also approves of the proposed trade agreement between Hippityhop Hollow and limburger Hollow but leaves it to you to find the Trade Route.


    Quest Reward (Knight of the Jackalope): Prince Leporidon, Knight of the Jackalope (retired), rewards his heir, Sir Larry, Squire Squeak, and his Brave Hound with one (1) Large Favor, 50 Enhancement Points, and Travel Papers bearing his mark that gives you the freedom to enter the Fae Lands. You are welcome in his castle at any time and encouraged to visit.


    Quest Reward (The Cure for Bone Blight): Mama Laveau thanks you for curing the Bone Blight in one of her children and showing her how to cure others. She rewards you with 10 Enhancement Points and invites you to stop by Hungrytown anytime for a slice of pie.


    Ares, God of War, has bestowed the Title of ''Godslayer'' upon General Maximus and hopes to see him travel to this world again and bring him news of weapon developments in the ''Other World.''


    You have gained experience in the following skills:


    Diplomacy (CHR): 300 points.


    Magi-Tech (INT): 6000 points.


    Rune Carving (DEX): 1000 points.


    Claws of Alta Viator (DEX): 1000 points.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Tail-Fighting (DEX): 500 points.


    System Rune Lore (INT): 2000 points.


    Runic Casting (INT): 500 points.


    Stealthy Skulking (WIS) 500 points.


    Engineering (INT): 1500 points.


    Manipulate Bone (WIS): 500 points


    ....and many more small gains. I''m sure you know how to use a character sheet at this point. OH! One more thing!


    Ding! Ding!


    Welcome to Level 13: You gain +100 Health, +100 Stamina, and +200 Mana.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo found it odd to be reading a System message after having met the person who was the personification of the System. Knowing what Llama had gone through he understood his snark and sarcasm. If anything Milo was surprised he wasn''t twice as strange.


    He longed to spend some time looking at all the options for spending his Enhancement Points and making a long-term plan, but he didn''t have time for that today. Still, there were some things he knew he''d be getting that would help with what was sure to be a dangerous experience.


    He spent 30 Enhancement Points to buy three points of Toughness and three points of Constitution. With Toughness adding +80 health per point, and Constitution another +50 health for each point, that was another 390 Health. His total increased from 6100 to 6690. He debated buying either Extra Health or Near Fiendish Regeneration. Buying Extra Health 2, 3, and 4 would give him +650 health for 30 Enhancement Points. But the next level of regeneration would put him nearly even with Larry and the girls. His gut told him to go with Near Fiendish Regeneration and he paid the 40 points for it. Extra Health could be purchased bit by bit. Buying the big abilities, especially abilities that most other players couldn''t get, was more optimal. That left him with 43 points left to spend, still a considerable chunk. On a whim, he clicked on Hekate''s blessing of Canine Speech. Better communication with his pet was important.


    There were benefits to healing fast, especially for someone who got hurt as much as he did. Healing twenty-four times as fast would let him bounce back quickly from almost anything. If he was only down health, he would regenerate to full in an hour or less. More serious injuries would still take longer than health, but even a day would cure all but the worst injury. A secondary aspect was regenerating his bones. Some of his spells needed a bone to cast the spell, and if he didn''t have one handy, the material came from him. His experience after the fight with the World Boss had taught him how horrible that was. He carefully moved down to where a crewman was cooking eel for Captain Pike and stole another large chunk. Regeneration made him hungry, so he might as well start the voyage full.


    Pike seemed ready to go and was yelling for everyone to get aboard. Milo leaped from the back of the docks to the gunwale and then to the main mast, quickly climbing to the crow''s nest. Pike saw him at the top and grinned. "Good thinking. No sense letting the eels smell you until we get out to the feeding grounds with the big ones."


    Thoughts of ''big eels'' made Milo clench his hands and manifest his claws. He''d been thinking defense. But these were eels! Captain Pike wasn''t going to be fishing just to fill his belly. If there was something larger out there, the Monster Hunter would find it, and he should be ready. He threw points into the next level of bonus damage for Claws of Alta Viator. DEX increased his claw damage as well, and while his DEX was going up steadily, an extra three ranks from Enhancement Points would help him today. He''d ignored Extra-Stabby until now, thinking of it as more of an assassin skill and himself as an explorer. But today, he was hunting eels, and a better chance at critical damage could make a difference.


    With only a few points left, he looked at the water. His last points went into Breathless 2. If Pike went looking for something big with himself as bait, he calculated he had at most a 3% chance of staying dry.


    Less than twenty minutes after Pike had decided to go hunting, the ship was pushing off of the docks, and a longboat was pulling them out of the cavern. With the first hint of wind, the foresail caught, and the ship headed out into the deep bay. The two pirate ships were waiting for the fishing fleet that was coming into the bay and tightening their formation.


    Milo began designing a Runic Formation while staring at the pirate ships and scanning the water for the sign of eels.

 Chapter 328: Parley

    The runic formation wavered as he lost some of his concentration, then firmed again. Milo had become distracted by the last two crew to come aboard. Both were female dwarves dressed similarly to the crew of Leviathan, and both were quite drunk. That seemed to bother no one. The two cheerfully hurled insults at everyone and moved to the bow of the ship where a large tarp covered a pile of cargo. Or what Milo had assumed was cargo.


    The two scavengers untied the ropes holding the tarp down and pulled it off, revealing a huge brass cannon. Milo was sure he''d seen this one, or one like it, before. Narwhal and Boom-Boom had used a cannon like that to blow up both Leviathan and the Sea Hydra. He knew that the Scavengers had looted more than one from the ship they had found. Knowing Narwhal, this wasn''t hers. She was very proud of her gun and planned to pass it on to her daughter.


    There was certainly a story of how this cannon had come to be mounted on the forward deck of Pike''s ship, but Milo wasn''t worrying about it now. Quite the opposite! The sight of that shiny brass cannon mounted on a swiveling gun carriage told him that Captain Pike hadn''t been sitting around Shadowport fishing to fill his belly. The ogre Monster Hunter had acquired a new ship, more crew, and upgraded his weaponry. His old ship had been equipped with four large ballistae. Milo saw three on each side of this ship along with two in the stern. He approved of the idea of more weapons. Eels were treacherous and hard to kill.


    Pike''s ship was picking up speed. It was a larger ship with more sails than the two small pirate ships heading toward the fishing fleet. From what Milo had seen of the ships in the harbor, it was also in far better condition. While the large Scavenger Clans kept their ships in better repair, something essential in a steam-powered ship, he''d seen a lot of traditional ships with tattered sails and hulls crusted with barnacles and seaweed. That made sense once Pike had explained the differences to him between the main Scavenger Clans, the lesser clans, and the outright pirates. The situation was confusing, but one thing was clear to him: The two ships they were following were as much thugs as the people he''d fought in the habitat, motivated by profit and not caring who they hurt.


    Behind the ship, the scaled head of a large eel broke the surface. Around it was a swarm of smaller eels, like the ones that Milo had seen at the docks. All of them were following Pike''s ship, sensing the possibility of blood in the water. That annoyed Milo, since while he didn''t want to be in the water he thought there was a large chance of it happening if a fight broke out. Swimming to another ship, or back to shore would be bad enough. Having to deal with that monster attacking from below would be far worse. He''d learned that lesson when Butch had beat him at Jaws4: Megaladons VS. Amity. He waved down to Captain Pike and pointed to where the Eel was following. Pike squinted and gave a thumbs up. Milo was glad Pike agreed with him and began building a Runic Array, holding the spell ready for when the Eel got into range.


    Across the narrowing expanse of water, the people crewing the two pirate ships had noticed they had some competition. The captain of the larger, Bloodybeard Bess, looked through her spyglass at the ship coming up from behind at a fast clip. "Look, alive girls. The damned ogre must be hungry and out of food. He''s looking for a snack and wants a share of what''s on those boats. Finish your bottles and sharpen your knives just in case he decides to be difficult about how we divvy up the cargo."


    Her first mate, Pegleg Peg, took her advice and finished her beer, tossing the empty bottle over the side. Peg was human, like a few of Bess''s crew, and couldn''t handle the high-proof spirits preferred by the mostly dwarven crew. If she hadn''t been a crazed berserker with her axes she''d have never moved up in the crew. But a constant set of gaps in the crew structure had mirrored her rise to second in command.


    The Captain wondered at times if she should watch her back more, but Bess knew the dwarves in the crew would never serve under a human captain. The problem was whether Peg knew that or not. Looking at the Monster Hunter''s fast-moving ship, she decided it might be time to see just how tough Peg was. "Peg, grab a boarding party and get them ready. Get killers, not looters. If Pike gets greedy, we''ll toss him a surprise and then hit him hard."


    Peg looked at Pike''s ship and licked her lips. "And his ship? If there''s anything left, I think I want a ship of my own."


    "You take her, and she''s yours, Peg. Signal the other ship and tell them I''ll want one of us on either side. Same tactics for them as for us: Take out his sails and board hard."


    Stolen story; please report.


    "And if Southpaw Sally gets grabby about my new ship?"


    "Well, that would be a fight between Captains, wouldn''t it? I''d certainly back your right to call her out. But why go worry about that? In the middle of a fight, a lot can happen. Maybe you should pay some special attention to our good friend Sally in that fight?"


    Peg laughed and ran off to get her gang together. Bess could see the other ship doing the same, and getting their surprise for Captain Pike ready. Bess wasn''t a planner, past instigating a little chaos, she looked forward to what the fight would bring. It would almost be sad if Pike was reasonable about things and just wanted a barrel of fish to grill. "Cut the sails and come around, I want to get him between us for a little talk."


    Pike looked at the maneuver and grinned. "They''re worried and want to talk things over. Isn''t that friendly of them? And putting us in the middle so we can talk to both of them at once. Just darned convenient. Be ready for a pincer maneuver and double-boarding party. I don''t think they''ll be stupid enough to try it, but who knows? If they do that, rake the gunrails. And don''t fire the damned cannon! Those ships get blown to matchsticks by a sixteen-pound ball and I want to be ready for an Eel. We''ve got one following and there may be more."


    The crew nodded and the ogre considered his visitor up in the crow''s nest. That was a good spot for the little feller. He needed him to lure in some big Eels, not get killed in a piss-ant skirmish with pirates. Plus, things blew up around him too often. He looked up and saw that Milo was keeping watch on the Eel moving up from behind. Good, let him play lookout and stay out of trouble. The two pirate ships came slowly around a second time, putting them on a parallel course with Pike''s ship, and closed to fifty feet. All three ships were sitting with slack sails and alert crews.


    Pike yelled over, his voice booming. "Fancy meeting you and Sally out here, Bessie. Almost like you wanted to buy some fresh fish like I was planning on doing."


    Sally wasn''t happy that she was talking to Pike''s back. "Oh, yeah, we''ll buy some fish. But I''m paying with the fees they forgot to pay to my ship for sailing in my ocean. I''ll call it even if they hand over half their catch."


    Bessie said, "That''s my perspective as well. They disrespected my ship and never sent my cut of the revenues so I came out to remind them. If you want in on the deal, say so and we split three ways."


    Pike scratched his chin, "Well, there''s a small problem there. Sally said this was her ocean, I wonder if she means that. There are quite a few people who think they own a chunk of it and will argue with her. Makes me wonder if I want to be associated with some crazy stunty, wanna-be pirate who dyes her beard."


    "I don''t dye my beard! That''s a lie!"


    "Just what I hear, Sal. Just what I hear."


    Pike may have underestimated just how seriously a dwarf would take such an accusation. Or, he might not care. Either way, that was enough for Southpaw Sally. She gave a signal, sails dropped and her ship started turning to close with Pike. Bess saw what was happening and yelled at her people. "Get to the rails, Sally''s firing off early, as usual." On both ships, a pile of crates and cargo was kicked over revealing small catapults. Crew wearing insulated gloves raced up from below packing smoking ammunition in glass spheres that were loaded and the catapults aimed at the ship between them.


    That got Pike''s attention. He ratcheted up his estimation of just how crazy some of the damned pirates were. These two crews went to 11! No one packed hot Clingfire in their holds. That was suicide! "Target the damned catapults! If that shit hits our sails we might burn to the waterline! If it hits you, don''t go swimming! It burns underwater. Kill one of them before you die!"


    Three ballistae per side fired on the catapults, killing several crewmen, but the weapons were protected by a heavy wooden shield on the front. While some of the crew were dead, they only needed someone to pull the cord and lob their deadly ammunition skyward in a long arc.


    Up in the crow''s nest, Milo stood up and sneered at the approaching Eel. It was in range and coming fast, and he was ready to put a spell right between its eyes. Then he heard the commotion below and Pike yelling, and the unmistakable sound of multiple ballistae firing. He noticed none of them were targeting the eel. Annoyed, he glanced down just in time to watch both catapult arms slam upward, the slings on the end of the arms releasing fiery death aimed at the main top sail, just below where he was standing.

 Chapter 329: Return to Sender

    Three ballistae per side fired on the catapults, killing several pirates, but the weapons were protected by a heavy wooden shield on the front. While some of the crew were dead, they only needed one person to pull the cord, release the arm of the catapult, and lob their deadly ammunition skyward in a long arc.


    Everything slowed to a crawl for Milo and things snapped into place. His annoyance with the Eel was recognized as the feelings of the great beasts in his dreams, and the lingering antagonism he felt toward the Snake, Ooblimilo, and the slaver''s annoying little dragon. Especially the snake. And he had to admit that he wanted to test out some new runic arrays. But he was going to get that chance right now.


    Arcing up from the two small catapults were some type of smoking glass ammunition. Pike was yelling about Clingfire, a note of worry in his voice that Milo had never heard before. Milo also noted water wouldn''t put it out. That meant it could be the game''s equivalent of Greek Fire, mixing quicklime, sulfur, naphtha, calcium phosphide, and niter, along with something sticky like tar or pitch. Bad stuff. Worse would be a mixture of metal flakes forming thermite. Either of those was bad, as was anything else that could worry the ogre. With no way to put out the fire, the ship would burn along with anyone splattered with the stuff. And both arcs were about to hit the mast just below him.


    Within a fraction of a second, Fast Draw allowed Milo to split his runic array in half, along with the parts of his brain that controlled them. He was going to have a pounding headache later, but that was better than burning to death in the next minute. Faster Casting let him launch both spells at once. Keeping all the Balls in the Air let him perfectly calculate the Clingfire''s trajectory and target each ball with a Force Blast. They weren''t powerful blasts like he had used to blast rock, but each had a wide area of effect, and there was enough force to hit the balls, shatter the glass, and send the exploding pyrotechnic chemicals back at the two ships.


    Some of the pirates and crew, and every fisherman on deck saw a thin figure gather swirling bands of focused, glowing mana around them, then lash out toward the two ships. Halfway to their targets, the glowing pots shattered and became conflagrations of exploding fireworks that spread as the Clingfire changed direction before engulfing the sails and decks of the two pirate ships, setting them instantly ablaze. Most importantly, the force of the spells slowed the advance of the two burning ships trying to close with the middle ship, forcing them back. Pike''s ship moved forward as scrambling sailors dropped what sail they could, while others fended off the burning ships and screaming pirates with oars and the hooked poles they''d planned to use on boarders.


    The Eel that was stalking them chose that moment to surge ahead and take advantage of the lack of crew manning the aft ballistae. The Eel was an old one, and wise in the way of hunting ships. Patience was needed to stalk them, and unrelenting ferocity when striking. It rose up over the rear deck and swept aside the annoying weapons, then roared to immobilize its prey with fear.


    Its prey was busy trying not to come in contact with screaming pirates with burning beards. Most of them ignored the Eel''s roar, barely heard over the roaring fires on the pirate ships. But Pike heard it and smiled. Grinning ear to ear to see the huge Dragon Snake move part of its bulk onto the rear of the ship.


    "Come to Papa, little snack! The grill is ready and I want to have barbecued Eel for dinner!" His throw was perfect, putting his harpoon into the creature''s eye for its entire six-foot length before he jerked the lanyard and withdrew it, bringing the entire eye along with bits of bone and brain. There would later be a tremendous debate on the ship about whether Pike''s strike killed it and whether he could count it as a ''One-Shot''.


    No one would even know since as soon as the Captain had taken half a step to the side to begin his throw, a sixteen-pound Dark Iron cannonball roared out of the barrel of the long brass cannon on the front deck, propelled by Spike''s special mix of explosives. The ball hit directly center on the Eel''s head blowing it apart and traveling half the length of its body before exploding out again and severing the creature in half. The lower half of the Eel was flung backward and the ship surged forward taking it away from the fire. The two pirate ships came together just in time to have the carcass land on them, ensuring that any pirate not burning from Clingfire now got a second chance as they were knocked around the wreckage by the convulsing body that didn''t know it was dead yet.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The fishing boats were now moving past, as fast as they could. No one knew what to think. First, there had been the threat of two small ships whose intentions couldn''t be good. Then they''d seen Captain Pike set sail, moving to intercept and parlay with them. It was unknown if this was a good thing. The Monster Hunter had his own sense of honor. They''d paid him to guard the docks and keep the pirates from taking them over as they had every other part of the port. But he''d been adamant that he wasn''t taking his ship out to fight pirates. There was only one of him and a lot of pirates and scavengers of different flavors. He could guard the docks or escort ships, but not both, and not against ten-to-one odds.


    They had no idea what to think of the battle. Pike had lured the pirates in and then blown up both ships in a spectacular manner that hadn''t been seen before. Some argued the mysterious figure, (which no one could now see), had been some type of sorcerer. Others claimed Pike was testing an experimental type of flame cannon. More people believed that, based on watching how a huge Eel was killed with only one cannonball. But whatever had happened, they were glad to be past the fight and heading home.


    The pirate ships were fully engulfed in the flames now, their hulls and below decks burning. If they had any treasure, it wasn''t going to be found in the deep waters of the bay. The flames could be seen from Shadowport, a pyre that burned for a quarter of an hour.


    Pike breathed a sigh of relief and then turned to glare at Spike and Minnow, who ignored him and began reloading their gun. When Captain Pike had won the gun from Whale in a spirited game of Dragon Poker, the two scavengers had declared that they were part of the deal and coming with the gun. Pike signed them to the crew happily. Good gunners were always in demand, and Spike had experience killing big monsters. It was Spike who designed the heavy-duty gimble mount that let the two of them shoot their cannon in any direction. She had claimed the Dark Steel and other components from Whale as part of her swag from the Iron Queen. Whale had let her go, wished her luck, and made plans to win the gun back in a future game of cards.


    Pike looked at the two of them now after they''d reloaded the cannon. Minnow was polishing and inspecting it while Spike painted another snake on the side. "I had everything under control, I hope you two know. Didn''t need any help at all."


    Spike saluted and tried to look serious. "Absolutely, Captain Pike, sir. Have to agree. That beastie was dead and stinking already, its soul heading to snake heaven or wherever snakes go when a famous Monster Hunter kills them with one shot. Right, Gunner Minnow?"


    "Of course, Senior Gunner Spike. That''s the only reason it couldn''t dodge our shot when we put one straight down the gullet. A beautiful shot, might I add, only spoiled because the good Captain had already laid into it and dealt it a fatal blow. But a question, if I might?"


    "Surely, she can ask a question, right Captain?"


    The ogre growled.


    "Let''s take that as captain talk for a yes, Minnow. What is it you''d like to ask?"


    "Well, I''m undecided. I think I have two questions now."


    Pike glared at her. "Spit it out!"


    "Well, is there a snake heaven, like Spike said? That could be a nice place to go hunting."


    Pike continued to glare without answering. "And the other question? And it better be a good one."


    "Yes sir, I think it is." She pointed to the top of the mast, and the empty crow''s nest. "What happened to our lookout?"


    On the fishing boats, the fishermen talked as they sailed, but mostly they were relieved to be able to get to the docks with all of their cargo. Especially considering what was going on in the middle of the bay. Eels of all types were erupting from the bay and swimming in circles, sometimes attacking each other. Whatever was stirring them up had sent them into a feeding frenzy.

 Chapter 330: Cannonball!

    Horridragh hadn''t slept well lately, tossing and turning in his muddy bed, partly wrapped around the rocky outcropping that supported the tower he was guarding. Over and over he had fallen into an exhausted dream, only for the dream to turn into a nightmare where one of the Great Beasts was stalking him. The panic of the dread along with the pain of his cracked tooth would combine to wake him up, bellowing in agony. His great coils would thrash against the rocky outcropping, kicking up clouds of mud and muck from the bottom of the bay.


    The other eels, mostly his progeny, would awake screaming as his dream invaded theirs, panicking them. They would swarm to the surface and search for the threat, swimming around and around the Wizard''s tower in a frenzy, some dying as they swam too close, while others attacked anything nearby, which often included the silly chips of wood the little two-legged ones floated in on the surface.


    His cracked tooth would throb for a day, then subside, and Horridragh would try to once more get back to sleep. The schools of progeny were enough to prevent anything landing upon the small island, or anyone from leaving. After all these centuries Horridragh was more concerned with honoring the letter of the agreement to keep the ancient wizard in his solitary jail and not the spirit. The swarms of lesser creatures obeyed him, he told them to guard, therefore he was guarding. If only the damned tooth would quit waking him up!


    He''d chipped it long ago in a battle upon a rocky island that no longer existed. The Great Beasts had invaded the Deeps, destroying the nesting grounds by eating a generation of hatchlings. When they retreated, he and others had pursued them almost up to the land. One was slow, with a long bony tail trailing behind it. He''d lunged and bit deep into that tail, partially dragging the beast back into the sea. One of his top fangs had come down squarely upon a bony piece of spinal armor, cracking the fang and chipping off the pearly layer that protected the inner tooth. He''d recoiled in agony and the beast had rudely scampered up onto the land, leaving him to deal with his ruined smile.


    The tooth had never healed and only became worse over time. Other wounds were less stubborn. Horridragh had regenerated a missing tail, fins, and eyes. He''d been wounded near to death and always recovered, growing hale and healthy again. Except for the tooth. It bothered him when he ate, (and he was always hungry.) Its pearly white color became a dull brown, a matter of some embarrassment that had led to battles and the death of many other eels.


    The throbbing slowly subsided over the centuries but could flare up at odd times. That had saved him once, waking him just before Olar-Gorgantus had attacked from stealth. That had been a good battle, with Horridragh winning and sending his enemy to the Death Water to hatch again. After painful toothaches had mysteriously put him on alert before surprise attacks two more times, he realized that his painful, brown snaggle-tooth was sensitive to the presence of the beasts. He''d told no one, of course, keeping his early warning system a secret. Some of his rivals would have tormented him using the trophies they had from their hunts. And truthfully, he would have been happy to be rid of the damned thing, but that would mean begging the aid of some creature strong enough to rip it from his jaw. Those existed, but not any who he wanted to owe a favor to.


    It was rare that he''d been in pain over these last few centuries, but lately, the tooth had been acting up. It wasn''t the sharp pain that occurred when a Great Beast was near. More of an annoying throbbing that woke him and left him grumbly and irritable. Twice the tooth had throbbed when distant cousins had perished. First was the Copper Empress who couldn''t see to regain her station. She''d finally died to the spirit of Alta-Viator and the old spirit had roared and departed. Good riddance. Duels should be quick but those two had dragged their duel out for far too long. The next time was closer when a Many-heads had gotten up on land, chasing prey. Land creatures were treacherous, even small ones. None of his progeny could find a trace of a beast, but the scent had been in the water, and an eel had died. The scent was very small, and he wondered if the beast was small too. He''d gone back to sleep


    Until today, when the swarms of eels around him began raging and his tooth woke him up. The scent was back, and small progeny were dying. When the scent moved to the water, on a little floaty thing, he dispatched swarms to see what it was and began to slowly leave the muck of the sea bottom. When one of his fourth-tier descendants died, (he never could remember names), he felt it. Somehow, the beast was involved, and it was coming closer to him! Horridragh began to ascend to the surface and sent his swarms to find the beast. Maybe after he ate it, he could go back to sleep.


    <hr>


    In retrospect, Milo knew he should have taken his time with the formations and added void runes to absorb the pushback, but he''d been pressed for time. He''d had a split second to split his formation in two and send lesser versions of his Force Blast to either side. It was either send those little globes back to their senders or take a chance on burning to death. Based on what happened to the two enemy ships, he was happy he''d cast those spells. But he wasn''t at all happy with the results!


    The twin forces had hit him like a mule kicking with both hooves, knocking him up, up, and away. Sky, land, and sea rotated around him as he spun in the air. Gone were thoughts of hunting eels, and his unease at being in the open hit him full force. He was exposed here, sailing through the air, and had no way to hide or slink away. Below him was an expanse of water, certainly infested with eels. He decided that he didn''t like eel hunting anymore.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    As he hit his apogee and started to come back down, he knew he was going to hit hard. He was far in the air, and even a water landing was going to hurt. Briefly, he thought about calculating his downward momentum based on time of movement and countering his momentum with a carefully calculated blast of force. Unfortunately, he was still spinning and trying to catch his breath. He wasn''t down much health thanks to his Hard Bones and Toughness and didn''t judge his predicament as desperate. Trying to cast another formation when he couldn''t stop his spin could result in something far worse than landing hard in the water.


    He decided to take these couple of seconds to take at least one breath and prepare to enter the water the only way he knew how. Milo couldn''t dive. The two times the gang had managed to get him into the swimming pool had been his only experience of being in the water. (Other than moving through water mains he had to patch. Not really the same thing.) His near lack of body fat made floating impossible, but they had managed to teach him to dog paddle when in the deep end. And Butch had taught him to use the diving board using an ancient technique called ''Doing a Cannonball''. Milo thought it superior to diving and had mastered curling into a ball and holding his breath. Butch had insisted that he wasn''t doing it right since he wasn''t yelling ''Cannonball'' at the top of his lungs. That seemed to be the opposite of holding his breath but with practice, he''d learned how to yell on the way up and close his mouth on the way down.


    He did that now, getting one breath of air into his lungs while curling up and summoning as much bone armor as he could. From quick glimpses, he saw that he was going to land closer to the island in the center of the bay. Getting back to the ship was going to be a long dog paddle. Hopefully, the sailors had noticed his trajectory and would be coming for him, assuming Pike''s ship hadn''t also burned, they weren''t still fighting the eel or the other ships, and the wind cooperated.


    Milo slammed into the water unannounced, missing his chance to yell ''Cannonball.'' He sank deep into the murky water and could see nothing, and wasn''t sure about what direction was up. He reached up to his head and pulled down his goggles, hoping they would help. He hadn''t expected them to work so well, but surrounded by mana-rich Live-Water, the goggles gave him a perfect view of the bottom of the bay where he saw numerous shipwrecks, swarms of eels of all sizes, and a monster out of a nightmare directly beneath him. The eel was far bigger than either Salasha or the Ancient Hydra. Rather than dragonlike, its head was bulbous and round with two huge protruding eyes and long fangs that projected both down and up. He estimated each pure-white fang was at least twelve feet long. A cracked brown stub ruined the eel''s otherwise perfect smile. The mouth started to open, and Milo panicked, casting the largest Force Blast he could, purposefully not using a void rune. The results were surprising to all parties involved.


    <hr>


    Horridragh had been utterly amused to see the little Bone Beast hit the surface of the water and dive deep. It was one of the types that curled up in a protective shell. Was this what was making his tooth ache so much, lately? There was a cure for that, of course, but he had plenty of time to play with the little thing. The terror made them taste better. The little creature unfolded arms, legs, and a bony tail in front of him, unaware of its danger. That changed when it opened its outer eyelids. Horridragh saw the extreme panic in the little creature''s eyes as it realized its danger. He started to open his mouth, a task that took a few seconds. One flick of a lesser tongue and he''d see how it tasted.


    Only a second later the treacherous little beast gathered all the nearby mana and unleashed a spell-sting at him. The pain was incredible, more than Horridragh had experienced since his last great battle, centuries ago. He couldn''t help but bellow in pain and alert the swarms that the ancient enemy was upon them! His mind reached out to his progeny, showing them the look of the beast and giving them its smell. The hunt was on! The hordes of eels began the chase, surging after the dangerous beast fleeing fast away from them!


    <hr>


    Even in his panic, Milo knew better than to cast his spell straight down. He angled it so the force would push him in the direction of Shadowport, not straight up into the air. Blasting straight up and then coming down again into this behemoth''s maw was a bad plan! By happenstance, his blast hit the creature where the off-color tooth entered the jaw. Even as he was blasted away by his spell, he heard its bellow, a sound that frightened him to his core. Once again he curled up the best he could, presenting the least resistance possible. He erupted from the water at a thirty-degree angle, flew two hundred feet, and then began skipping rapidly across the water. His skin and bones were covered with glowing runes of Swift Swimming, activated by the mana in the water.


    Coming to rest in the water, Milo started swimming as fast as he could toward land. His progress was slow at first, then sped up as the runes increased his pace, pushing against the water. But the hordes of eels were coming up fast, being better adapted to the environment. Panic made Milo kick harder while his brain contemplated another formation. His health was down to one-half of normal after that last, huge blast. That was when his bone-covered feet got traction on the water, and he found himself running across the surface, the Swift-Swimming runes keeping him up as he raced away from his pursuers. He recalled his dream, swimming faster than the eels. That was his only hope now, as he ran toward the shore, moving twice as fast as he could across land!

 Chapter 331: The Iron Orca

    Aboard the Iron Orca, Captain Annie swirled the rum in a half-finished bottle, drank down two inches of the potent drink, then cursed and threw it at the crow''s nest. The lookout, a veteran of many voyages, not only avoided being hit with the bottle but snagged it in midair and yelled her thanks to the captain.


    "Bad Rum?" Her first mate, Stompy, was a little concerned. Her captain drank anything from boot polish to fermented seaweed and normally never turned down anything, let alone rum. The lookout was a drunken sot that was usually asleep most of the time they were in port. So Stompy was concerned about her captain''s uncharacteristic generosity.


    "Something''s happening, my leg hurts."


    "Which one? The one you broke wrestling in the pit against Beluga Belle, or the one you lost to that Kraken thirty years ago?"


    "The one the Kraken ate, of course. That''s my ''Trouble Leg''. The damned thing only starts to ache when there''s trouble coming to the ship. The other one barely hurts, and I''ll get Belle next time."


    "Not likely; she''s got two good legs and gets bigger every year. Hell, she outweighs you two-to-one, Annie, and if she keeps winning, she can keep buying all the rum cake and brandied apples she can stuff into her face. She''ll be even bigger by the time that you can get that cast off."


    "Shit, you''re probably right, but I was getting bored of letting the damned Sharks take my coins at their crooked card tables. How the hell they can cheat right in front of me gets my goat. I was cheating at cards before most of them were born, but I can''t figure out their system."


    "You wagered a goat? When the hell did you get a goat? You know there are Engineers and miners running around if you''re lonely. Granted, some of them smell worse than goats, but I''d still prefer a spanner-boy in my bed in the morning. I''ve never heard of a goat bringing a girl breakfast in bed."


    "Breakfast in bed is a myth the grannies tell their little granddaughters to make them starry-eyed with romance. Doesn''t happen."


    Stompy had a smug look on her face that made Annie suspicious. Her first mate had been too damned cheerful lately.


    "Wait! Did you find one that can cook? Where is he? I want to meet this wonder." The pain in her phantom leg was forgotten as Stompy revealed the existence of a mythical creature.


    "HA! Nowhere near this ship! He''s too smart to come on board, and I don''t want to dangle any bait around the rest of you. I''m keeping this one for myself. Some treasures you don''t share. Did I mention he knows a recipe for pan-fried toast that uses cinnamon, eggs, and enough rum that three slices get you drunk? He claims he learned the recipe from a ratkin master chef and adapted it to dwarven cuisine by adding the rum."


    "No shit? Smuggle one for me some time; I''d like to try it. And, yeah, keep that one hidden. If he can cook like that then he can...argh! Dammit! My leg is hurting again, and I bet that Bernadette is asleep in the crow''s nest. Be a dear Stompy, and go take a look from the top. It will help you work off the calories from your gourmet breakfast."


    "Aye, aye, Captain. But don''t you worry about my girlish form. He helped me work off breakfast right after he did the dishes."


    Annie said several rude things as her first mate scrambled to the top of the mast and took a look. The Orca used both sails and steam as was needed. The wind would save fuel and let her cruise the seas longer. Steam gave her the edge when the wind was down, and also powered the machine shop in her hull, her dual cranes, and the two steam cannons in the bow and stern. She might ride a little low in the water and be slower than a beached whale, but the Orca was a versatile salvage and repair ship, with the guns and armor to fight it out with almost any ship she might encounter.


    Annie''s head snapped around as somewhere out in the bay, fire erupted into the air, the glow of it rising above the sails of the tightly packed ships in port. Stompy yelled down, "SHIT! Your damn leg was on the money, Captain. I don''t know what the hell is going on, but Pike''s ship got close to those two bottom feeders that went out to harass the fishing boats and both of them just exploded into flames! Every bit of sail caught fire at once and they''re burning from the Jolly Roger to the decks."


    "Bloody idiots. I told them and every other dimwit who bought that shit that messing around with Clingfire was a good way to lose a ship. I don''t care that the alchemists had a 90% off sale. That just tells you the batch wasn''t stable. But that ain''t all the trouble that''s coming. My leg is throbbing like the shit is still hitting the rotors."


    "Yeah, well, your leg is right again. Something is happening in the middle of the bay. I saw a big piece of debris from the explosion get knocked through the air and land over by the island. The snake critters didn''t like it and are in a tizzy. There''s a big mass of them, little and big, all boiling up from the bottom."


    Annie had sailed as Captain of the Orca, leading the Clan for nigh on fifty years, and she had a few hard and fast rules. The most important of those was having her guns ready to fire. No more than a third of Orca''s crew was ever off the ship at any time, even when stuck in port and blockaded by all these crappy wooden skiffs. She reached over to a chain hanging from the bottom of a large steam whistle and blew a long blast, followed by the code for recall and roll out the guns.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The crew boiled up from below and ran to their stations. More were running from the Shark''s gambling hall or the bars where they were hanging out. Other Scavengers took note that something was up. Some dismissed it, laughing and putting it down to a bored captain wanting to spoil her crew''s day. Captain Annie was one of the crazed captains who insisted on drilling her crew, even in port. But the captains of Lamprey, Hammerhead, and Stingray yelled orders to their crew onboard their ships, and more steam sirens and whistles called out to their crews out on leave.


    Below deck on the Orca, the mechanics opened up the fuel lines, and ethanol made from fermented seaweed juice poured into the boilers, bringing Orca to full steam. On deck, the gunners and loaders on the steam cannons got the bulky weapons ready to fire. These guns didn''t use gunpowder to throw one large cannonball at a time. Instead, high-pressure steam powered a high-speed revolving drum. The ammunition entered the center and was driven by centrifugal forces through the spiral track, gaining speed as it went until it emerged from the gun and tore through anything it encountered. The guns weren''t terribly accurate, but firing 800 rounds a minute made up for any problems with aiming. At full steam, the Orca''s boilers had no problem supplying enough steam for both guns to operate constantly. Ammo was a different story. At a constant rate of fire, the guns would go through 96,000 rounds in an hour, throwing over nine tons of steel ammunition.


    Normally, the ship only carried a quarter of that amount, but Annie knew better than most that idle hands led to mischief, and mischief led to exploding boilers. She''d kept her mechanics and crew busy in the machine shop making ammunition for all the guns, replacement parts for the boilers, and extra armor plates to make repairs after a battle. The crew was carrying up enough ammunition to keep the guns running for a full hour, and half that ammunition was made from Dark Steel, acquired from the Engineer''s Guild for a handful of magi-tech components looted from a half-abandoned sunken city. Annie had plans to return to that place and get revenge on the fish people and their damnable, tame Kraken. They owed her a leg.


    "What are you seeing, Stompy?"


    "Problems, Captain. The eels are chasing something across the bay. Can''t get a good look at it, half in the water and kicking up a spray. But moving fast and heading this way along with half the dragon snakes in the ocean. And Pike is heading here with every bit of sail he can muster. He must smell lunch."


    Annie hoped the Ogre was hungry, and that he made it here before the critters did.


    <hr>


    In Light''s End, Squint opened his eyes where he''d been napping on his throne. "Milo''s back! Can you feel it, Cats? We don''t have to be bored anymore! I love the smell of chaos in the morning!"


    The two monstrous cats looked at each other and feigned indifference. Boring meant full bellies and time to nap. Their job was to keep Squint alive, and every time he got excited, their job got harder. The latest gang war with the Scavenger Clans had tired them out. Squint was determined to keep the drunken dwarves out of the back half of the city, and several times, that had led to fighting and nearly losing his life. Fighting Players was one thing, but the dwarves fought to win and didn''t mind using pistols, bombs, and Molotov cocktails to gain victories. Despite his cat''s misgivings and advice, the lord of the Kulags was already bounding down the hallway and out the front door, yelling for everyone in his gang to follow.


    As they crossed the last bridge and saw the boiling mass of eels heading their way, Squint took his gang across the docks to the area where the last unburnt houses of the fishing families stood. The constant fighting between Kulags, Players, Scavengers, and Pirates too often ended with a building or two burnt to the ground. "Spead out and protect the houses if they get out of the water and head this way. Where''s my Water Mage?"


    "Here, sir!" Tobias came out of his family''s home, staff in hand and ready to fight. He looked out at the army of eels coming across the bay toward the city and reached out with his senses. The minds of the eels were filled with rage and revenge. They weren''t stopping for anything. "They are really upset with whoever they are chasing. I can see it in their minds. Some old enemy who attacked and hurt one of their ancients."


    Squint smiled. "Hear that, cats? Milo picked another fight with something big. That''s what I like about him."


    If the cats had any opinion, they kept it to themselves.

 Chapter 332: Taking out the Trash

    "Dammit, can''t a man just haul in his nets and land a catch anymore? We''ve already had bad weather, pirates, and exploding ships today, and now the seas are going mad."


    A nearby sailor heard their captain and ruefully added, "Aye, and paying too much in ''protection money'' with no protection. Every damned Scavenger Captain wants a bit of tribute, the pirates still come at us, and we have to pay the Ogre to guard the docks. At least Pike does his job."


    "Oh, he does, and a little bit more. He didn''t have to go after those two ships, but he did and sent them to the bottom of the bay, burning as they went. That was an eerie sight I''d never expected to see." Several sailors made signs to their gods, nodding in agreement. Drowning was a bad way to go, and fire was worse, but burning as you sank into the sea was especially gruesome.


    "There are big critters out in the middle of the bay, Captain. Seems a shame to go through what we have and not make it into port."


    "Aye, signal the other ships to pull down most of their sail. We''ll keep up just enough to steer and creep along the outer edge and play it safe. We don''t want any part of whatever deviltry had been stirred up out there."


    As it turns out, the person responsible for stirring up the deviltry was wishing he could have avoided the situation altogether. Milo was getting the hang of skimming across the top of the water, but he wasn''t quick enough to totally avoid the eels. Too many of the small ones were coming from different directions, converging on his location and trying to make a snack out of him. He had his tail wrapped around his waist to avoid one of them snagging it and dragging him under.


    Three times he''d had to leap and dodge larger eels and then scramble to regain his stride. Once, when one came directly at him, he''d managed to step on its snout and then run along its back before racing away across the water again.


    And while his immediate problem was dodging eels and keeping his footing, ultimately, he had to decide where to go when he reached the shore. If he dodged over or around the tight-packed ships, he could make it to the shore and sprint into the city. His worry was the eels wouldn''t stop at the shoreline. They could do a lot of damage to the city and hurt a lot of people if they chased him through the streets or hunted people when they couldn''t catch him.


    If he died, he''d be back after a few hours. People in the town didn''t have that option. But while he could simply stop running and die, he hated the thought of being killed by an eel. Worse, being eaten by them! There was also the problem of getting to a headstone that was sitting at the bottom of eel-infested waters.


    But as he approached land, a third option occurred to him. Maybe he could use a bumper crop of eels and a proliferation of pirates to solve both problems at once.


    Pike had given him a new perspective on the problem. According to the Ogre, Scavenger clans could devolve to piracy or pirates could work to become competent Scavengers. Mostly, they got worse, but some Captains had lofty goals. They may have fled traditional life in the dwarven holds for the adventure of the high seas, but they still wanted a competent crew and a sturdy ship. Scavengers, for all they complained about, Engineers were closer to them than they were to the pirates. Steam-powered submersibles and magi-tech equipment took a high level of skill to keep in repair or build in the first place. They had a disdain for the pirates in their wooden ships, similar to how the Engineers looked down upon anyone who couldn''t use a #9 Gangley wrench to adjust a subrogator.


    The huge steamships of the Greater Clans were docked next to the city. Lesser scavenger clans and the pirates who had arrived next in the largest ships formed the next ring. From there, the area of the bay near Shadowport was clogged with smaller ships, large rafts, and strange floating contraptions made from several ships that were operating as gambling dens and bars. While the Greater Clans might engage in a little extortion to gain a barrel of fish or a little coin, it was the worst of the pirates that preyed on shipping, even going as far as to sink ships and kill some of the sailors. Those became Milo''s target as he neared the shore. But first, he needed a new look.


    <hr>


    The Orca vibrated slightly as steam boilers went to full power and the guns revved up, ready to shoot. The mass of critters was still out of range of the steam guns, but the crew was sighting in the regular cannons. Once again, Annie sent a prayer to her mother and grandmother for pounding some smarts into her hard skull. ''Keep your guns pointed at the biggest threat. That will be the open sea or the docks, so you might as well pay the extra fee and park the damned ship sideways and cover them both''. More than once, the Orca had fought off crews of other ships stranded in port from one mishap or another. She saw the logic in stealing a fine ship like Orca, she''d have tried the same if set adrift on land. But that didn''t stop her from firing a round of grapeshot to convince a few drunken idiots that there were easier ships to steal.


    With all the low-level trash clans in town and the pirate crews drinking themselves to oblivion, it was only a matter of time until that happened. She''d ordered grapeshot in the cannons pointing landward and regular shot in those about to go eel hunting. Nothing broke up a charge like a half dozen sixteen-pounders skipping over the waves.


    She tried one last time to get a good look at what she was seeing. Her spyglass gave her a view of the oncoming mass of seafood, but it had looked like they were chasing something with two legs. Whoever the unlucky Ocean Mage was, he was having a hard time of it, barely able to keep his stride. She expected he''d be eel food at any moment.


    Her prediction was born out when another sighting showed no mage trying to skim over the waves. Instead, a small eel was out in front, the head and neck bobbing along in the water as it swam at them. The rest of the pack followed close behind. Annie didn''t have any fething clue about how eels picked their leaders. Maybe this one ate the Ocean Mage they were chasing and now commanded the rest? If so, she needed to splatter its brains first. Another bit of wisdom from her mom, ''Shoot the Captain first, and the rest will squabble. But, if you know the Captain is an idiot, then shoot the first mate.'' She''d joked a few times with Stumpy that she''d taken her on as first mate because of her brains.


    "Gunners one, three and five: Switch targets. I want that one in the lead dead. A night of drinks to the girl that mixes its brains with the waves!" The enthusiastic gunners immediately targeted the small eel at the front of the pack, waiting for it to come into sniping range. "Gunners two, four, and six. Fire!" The roar of three cannons firing could be heard through half the town. It was followed by other ships firing as well. One of those gunners also chose to target the lead eel with an eight-pound cannonball.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Milo had expected that turning his cowl into an eel''s head would make him a target to the cannons he could see being pushed out from the ships. At the sound of the first blast, he split his mind into two parts, one trying to keep him running over the waves as the other half calculated the trajectory of the projectiles heading his way. While he was naturally good with that sort of problem, the task was made trivial with the perk: Keep all the Balls in the Air. Only one of the cannons had been fired at him, and it was going to hit ten feet to the left of him, then bounce into the mass of eels behind him.


    One of those eels was an over-achiever and put on a surge of speed to catch up with the fleeing morsel in front of it. The eel wasn''t fooled at all by the new appearance of Milo''s cowl. The thing in front of him smelled like an enemy and was the assassin that had attacked and hurt the ancient one. The fifty-foot-long eel surged forward, its huge head reared up to breathe out a cloud of poisonous steam.


    Milo knew he had death behind him, but the next volley of cannonballs had a lot more shots in it, including three from one ship that had targeted him exclusively. Hoping to sprint ahead of the eel wasn''t going to save him. Instead, he dove into the water to avoid both, kicking his legs as fast as he could. The three balls went over the top of the waves where Milo had been by only a foot, hitting the large eel just below the waterline and in the body near its overinflated lungs.


    Poisonous steam exploded from the eel, killing a few smallish dragon snakes nearby and pushing a wave of poisonous water in all directions. Milo endured two nibbles by smaller eels as he swam and then was pushed forward faster by the wave. Coming in fast, he saw the first ship and decided to dive under it. While submerged, he changed his cloak to a dirty-brown color with a long tassel on the hood, a style favored by many dwarves. He clawed his way out of the water and up the hull of the next ship, leaping on deck to find no one aboard. The Sea Weasel was one of the ships that would never sail out of the harbor. She was slowly sinking from leaky seams and the crew only used her when they needed a place to sleep off a good drunk.


    Milo scampered across a plank that led to the next ship just as the mass of eels arrived at the docks in hot pursuit.


    Aboard the Iron Orca, the gunners on the regular cannon were loading for another round as the Steam Cannons began to fire, spraying out their deadly ammunition toward the mass of eels that seemed intent on chewing through one ship after another as they moved across the last rank of moored ships. Captain Annie''s intentions were made clear as she yelled out orders. "Target the biggest if you can, and the center of mass if you can''t. Don''t worry about the damned ships. If whoever owns those rotten boats gave a crap about them, they shouldn''t have parked them in our line of fire!"


    That attitude seemed to be common as the Captains of the Barracuda, Sea Sleen, and Deadly Barnacle opened fire with their heavy weapons. The decision to fire on the pirate ships was an easy one for them. The Captains of the huge steam dreadnaughts of the Great Clans had already discussed clearing a channel in the harbor when they felt like leaving. That day had just come much earlier than expected with the benefit of an eel hunt.


    Milo was determined not to be a casualty of the not-so-friendly fire coming from all around him. In addition to the big guns firing from the steamships, every bar had disgorged a gaggle of pirates and scavengers who weren''t about to miss a good fight. As soon as they got anywhere near the docks they began shooting with small pistols or hand cannons that most of them carried. The small arms fire had little effect on the eels but brought a round of curses from the gunners on the ships, along with a few return shots.


    As he ran from ship to ship, Milo was joined by other sailors also seeing that standing and fighting wasn''t an option. Some foolishly climbed to a crow''s nest or into the rigging, but the eels were chewing through hulls in their frenzy to get to Milo, and their sheer weight was knocking smaller ships over. The fire from the cannons was quickly killing the mass of eels and destroying ships. The Iron Orca, in particular, was an engine of destruction. The gunners on the steam cannons were throwing out thousands of shots and wreaking havoc far beyond that of other ships. Captain Annie looked down and liked what she saw. "Keep firing until you''re down to 10% of a load. Let''s make sure everyone has a healthy fear of what happens if you piss off the Orca. And break out the best rum; I don''t want any thirsty gunners."


    Milo was near the end of the first row of ships. He''d considered doubling back, but that wasn''t going to be possible and would not have any effect on the battle. Eels were charging any ship that shot at them now, spreading out in his wake, and a few had even charged out of the water. Milo was surprised to see Squint happily carving up any eel that got onto land, leaping at them with no thought to personal safety, leaving that to his annoyed cats.


    The last ship in line was much larger and better constructed than most pirate ships. Also better guarded. As he climbed over the rail, he was greeted by three well-muscled Scavengers with fancy beards, top hats, and monocles. Each also had a tattoo of a shark on one forearm and held weapons in both hands. Milo and the two pirates who were following him paused at the sight.


    "Get your scurvy hides elsewhere, or you can suck a belly full of lead." Behind them, Milo saw that twenty more scavengers in similar hats were loading heavy chests down into the cargo hold of the ship. Something about the hold''s curved, metal flooring looked wrong to Milo. The chests were being taken lower in the ship through a large metal hatch on the floor. Heads snapped around as the laborers saw strangers on deck, and weapons were drawn.


    The two pirates paled. One apologized and dove back into the eel-infested water. The other charged, yelling, "Sharks?! Damned cheating scum!" Whether she would have made it to the three adversaries or not became a moot point as a gunner from another ship put a sixteen-pound cannonball bouncing across the deck, scattering bodies and knocking Milo down into the cargo hold where he lay stunned on the deck next to the opening.


    A scavenger pointed a gun at his head, but before she could fire, several large eels attempted to reach their ancient enemy by the most direct route, slamming into the hull. Milo was sent flying again, this time into the lower hold, landing on a metal deck ten feet further down. The eels rocked the ship back and forth, dislodging the heavy hatch, which slammed down and locked behind him.

 Chapter 333: Sharks

    Milo shook off the stun from a near-miss with a cannonball, seeing double for a moment. The small falls to hard surfaces hadn''t helped. The damage was only from the explosion and three painful splinters, but he was running low on health. Strangely, no one was trying to immediately kill him. It was almost totally dark in the cramped ductwork or tunnel he''d fallen into. He climbed the short ladder and checked the hatch he''d fallen through, finding it hopelessly jammed.


    Nearby, several dwarves were cursing as they slowly walked with heavy chests down a corridor. One glanced at him, squinting, and yelled, "Shake it off, girl, or Mako will trim your beard so close you''ll bleed to death. We need to stow these chests in the lockup and then get the hell out of here. They need all hands to work on the hydraulics." Two eels slammed into the hull, shaking the ship and adding to the authority of her words.


    Milo realized that in total darkness, he could see clearly, while the dwarves couldn''t. As good as they could see in the caves and tunnels, the total darkness of an enclosed space only let them see shadows. The case of mistaken identity was explained by a body half in the halfway and half in a small sleeping room to his left. A scavenger hadn''t weathered the fall as well as he had. She''d been packing a smaller chest down a ladder when the eels hit them. From the angle of her neck, she wasn''t getting up again. He grabbed her monocle and top hat from the floor, then pushed the body into a small alcove, relieving it of a of a bright red vest. The vest he sliced into something he could tie around his lower face, then slashed it to long strips. In any other light, it wasn''t a braided beard, but it might serve here. With a little mana, the Runeboned cowl became a long-sleeve shirt and vest similar to what the other Scavengers were wearing.


    Donning the parts of his quick disguise he picked up the small chest and hurried after the other dwarves, keeping his head low. A dozen top-hatted Scavengers were struggling along with their loads, coming to a steeply slanted ladder going down another level. All of the walls were metal, and from what he could see through open doors, the outer walls were curved. From the curvature of the walls and what little he''d seen of the inside, he guessed he was in a disguised submersible, much smaller than Leviathan.


    The next deck had more room, and they worked their way past hissing boilers and machinery along a metal walkway. A dozen machinists were working frantically to replace the parts of the hydraulic system they''d been in the process of refitting. With weeks sitting in port, it had been the perfect time for repairs. Now they were trying to do the work of hours in mere minutes, getting the main crankshaft back together and the linkages to the storm-mana-generator that ran the lights hooked up. Until they did, the ship wasn''t capable of moving ballast, using its propellers, and many other tasks that required mechanical power. Milo itched as he walked past the job in progress, especially when he saw a part being bolted on backward, but kept his head down, hoping to find a way out before his disguise was revealed or the lights came on.


    The final destination was a room whose entire far wall was a vault where the chests were being handed to two muscular dwarves while a steel-eyed mate watched on. As each person handed over their chest, they turned and retreated back the way they had come.


    The eels didn''t seem to be discouraged by the metal hull of what Milo was sure now was a disguised submarine. They were ramming it repeatedly trying to get to him, somehow sensing where he was. As Milo was almost at the front of the line, the ship lurched and tilted, the vault going down and the corridor behind him slanting up. He stumbled into the two dwarves in front of him, all three going down and the two chests flying into the vault, slamming into other containers, and spraying coins and bars of precious metal everywhere.


    The mate laughed hard, "That''s one way to stow the cargo! And at this point, I don''t care. The lights and hydraulics are down and this door is going to be a bitch to shut at this angle, and no balance to it. Too much weight is on the hinges. Get behind and push hard." The four scavengers moved to positions behind the circular door and Milo bent low to push at the bottom. It annoyed him that they had gone with a circular design for the vault door. This forced the hinges to be close together. A square door would have spread out the hinges, and been easier to open and close.


    And it was indeed a heavy door, almost four inches thick, and made of Hammer Steel, a Tier 3 alloy made by layering metals, folding and hammering the piece flat with a hydraulic press, then folding and repeating the process until the metals fused into a durable alloy that resisted damage. With all of them working together, they managed to get the door shut. Milo''s sharp ears failed to hear any latches engage.


    "Good work, now get the hell up top and get to your stations. Whatever is hammering at us doesn''t seem to be stopping and I don''t know what the boss''s plan is." The other scavengers groped their way upward, the slope now almost thirty degrees. Milo wanted some distance between him and them, and he was curious why the mate was staying behind. He saw no locking mechanism on the door. As he observed her from a dark alcove, she pulled a gold-rimmed monocle from a pocket and replaced her plainer one. Grunting in satisfaction, she activated a Rune that covered most of the door she was trying to lock. To Milo, with his goggles and runic abilities, the Rune glowed brightly as day, but it was obvious the mate was having trouble seeing it, even with her fancy monocle. Three times she tried to work the rune, messing up the sequence. Frustrated, she pulled out an emergency flare, something not generally good to use in such an enclosed space. Milo found himself outlined in the light of the flare, and slightly blinded by the sudden glare.


    "What in hell are you!" She would have said more, but both she and Milo were sent flying toward the vault as the ship went nearly vertical. The sound of explosions echoed down from above and a stream of seawater began pouring in. That didn''t deter the mate from pulling a hammer from her belt and hitting Milo in the head. He''d just regained his feet, as found himself knocked down again with the mate on top of him, fighting for his life.


    "Why aren''t you dead? That should have crushed your skull."


    Milo found the statement ludicrous. He''d taken a far worse hit from the Mace of Armageddon or when he''d left a dent in the tower of strife. A blow from a ball-peen hammer backed by the mate''s muscular arms was nothing to sneeze at but at the same time...


    "I''ve been hit harder."


    "Fine, I''ll hit you again then." But while she tried, she found her opponent was hard to pin down. He seemed to anticipate her blows and moved his head to the side at the last instant, while slapping her face with his stupid tail, breaking her nose, and infuriating her. She took blow after blow from him and only got in a glancing hit and two punches from her left hand in return.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Milo knew he was winning, but at the same time, the water was filling up the compartment. He''d raked her with his claws three times, but the sturdy dwarf had taken the blows and kept coming at him with a vengeance. As the ship rocked again, he slipped and she loomed over him, hammer raised. Dread filled Milo, not from the mate but from the shadow behind her.


    The eel bit off both her arm and her head as it slithered down into the room from what was now the ceiling. That was enough for Milo. If water and eels were coming inside, he couldn''t be blamed for putting holes in the ship. As the eel swallowed its meal and glared at him, he built a runic array of three force runes and a void rune. There was no time for control runes. Hundreds of mana poured into the array and he cut loose with a blast of pure force that blew apart the eel, killed the two eels behind it, and destroyed all the hatches for fifty feet up. More water poured in, and he tried to find a way that kept him from drowning and being eaten by eels.


    Outside, swarms of the smaller eels were converging on the disguised submarine, and five large eels were charging it again and again trying to break in. A Seam had popped in the aft end from Milo''s spell and water was roaring in. The compartments were sealed, but the weight of the seawater had changed the balance of the ship. She sank in the stern and her bow lifted up. The wooden superstructure used to disguise the submersible was disintegrating under the fire of the Iron Orca as the ship slaughtered the eels converging on Milo.


    Captain Annie laughed hard and pointed at the vessel. "Stumpy! Look at that! It''s the damned Silver Shark! They ran her into port with a wooden shell on top. Such a shame we didn''t know that until after we''d hulled her with a dozen cannon."


    Stumpy looked at the familiar shape of the huge submarine with its ridiculous fin-shaped conning tower, now exposed to the air. "Sorry Captain, looks like an eel-infested hulk to me. I think it''s our civic duty to fire a broadside."


    "All cannon, load armor-piercing shells, and send that hulk to the bottom!"


    Within a minute, the Iron Orca fired a broadside and with both ships sitting still, every shell hit the Silver Shark, tearing through her hull and allowing more seawater to pour in, running the length of the ship which sank lower in the water as the wooden ship concealing her was destroyed. The steam cannon raked back and forth across the eels and the other steamships fired their cannon.


    No one liked the Sharks, having lost far too much money to their schemes over the years. Given a chance to vent some of their frustration in a semi-legitimate manner, no one held back. The vessel broke into several pieces and sank into the ocean, the bulk settling in the shallow waters, but one end tumbled down the steep drop-off at the edge of the bay. The few eels left followed it down.


    Milo was running out of time and air. He had some ideas, but he also didn''t want to risk losing certain valuable items. He summoned his chest and quickly put in everything he was wearing that wasn''t soulbound, pulled out some additional ammunition for his spells, and then sent it away. With that done, he relaxed and took stock of his situation. The piece of wreckage he was in had come to rest on the bottom of the ocean floor with the vault slightly higher than the rest of the wreckage. There were some air pockets in the chamber, he had strong lungs, and more eels were coming to kill him. He started carving more runes of destruction into the skulls at his feet.


    The next monster to make it to him could barely fit through the openings, making it easy to kill. It took four castings of Harpoon of the Winds, but with his spells doing extra damage to eels, the outcome was never in doubt. Now, with the mass of the dead eel blocking the way, he had time to catch his breath. That lasted for half a minute before the eels began hammering at the hull again. He watched as the seam began to split and water poured in. He was definitely going to die, but he looked at the bright side, so were the eels. The next eel to put its face near that seam took a bone harpoon to the brain. Milo carved another skull and waited for the next one to present a target. Knowing he wasn''t getting out of there actually gave him more options and he was determined to take as many eels with him as he could.


    The horde of lesser eels were cut down by the exploding skulls he tossed through the holes in the hull and the larger eels were torn up by his harpoons. His Bone Caster spells were efficient to cast and stretched his mana farther.


    One last eel was circling around, the largest he''d encountered so far, except for the behemoth he''d seen in the deeps. Milo took a deep breath of air from the small pocket remaining and started drinking the mana potions he''d pulled from his chest. Drinking with his face in the small pocket was difficult, but he needed the extra mana. He considered that putting potions into leather wineskins might work better. He''d have to try that.


    When he''d recovered as much mana as he could, he stared hard at the last eel. It was too far to throw a skull, and the way the eel was twisting constantly meant it was preparing to dodge his harpoons. What it couldn''t dodge was a wide-angled force blast. He built as many runes into it as he could, and then poured in all of his mana. The blast exploded through the hull sending shrapnel in a cloud at the eel. The force of the spell stunned it and the shrapnel tore it to pieces. It bled to death a moment later and the hungry crabs moved into a feast.


    Milo didn''t fare much better. Without a Void Rune, he hit the back wall, his body hitting with the force of one of the Iron Orca''s cannons.


    Knocked out, he drowned a moment later, just after the last eel met its own end. The crabs only got a few bites of him before his body faded away.


    Horridragh felt it when the end came. The lesser relations he had sent after the little bone beast had been dying as they fought against the surface dwellers and chased their enemy. Clever of it to use others to do its killing. Now the last of them were close and some had tasted his blood. The large explosion ripped through them, sending ripples through the water, killing the last of them. He could no longer sense his enemy, no longer taste him in the water. Horridragh considered it a fair trade.


    With the pain in his tooth gone along with his tooth, he felt sleepy and once again sank into the muck at the bottom of the bay. His coils surrounded the island he guarded. From atop the tower, an ancient elven sorcerer set down his plate of snacks and wondered what the hell he''d just witnessed.

 Chapter 334: Night of a thousand Clogs

    Advanced Clog-eaters have many uses, but they get excited about only one thing: Eating Clogs. Part of their simplistic artificial thinking remembers a time when that was all they could do, and the task holds a special place in their mechanical hearts. Luckily for those hard at work in the domain ruled over by Rhebus, there were many clogs, and they never ran out of their favorite task.


    The pipes had seen little if any maintenance in the past decades. Residue built up on the walls and hardened until the flow was restricted and the pipes clogged. Or chunks broke away from one place and traveled to block another section of pipe. Removing the debris became as much of a job as eating the clogs. After that, the pipes needed to be scraped clean, a process that could reveal patches where the pipes were so rotted that only the clogs were holding them together. Emergency fixes took away from time that could have been spent clearing pipes. Patching and smoothing the surface for better flow made for a more efficient sewer and water system, but there were miles of pipes to be done, and other jobs took priority.


    Expectations and goals of the new system of machines were set at the maximum levels. The Alphabet had been delighted with the interface for the new Clog-eater system. Over a hundred variables could be adjusted to help their little brains make decisions. Which type of pipes held priority, the type of repairs to be done, the quality of materials, and all other aspects of the job could be controlled. Of course, the Alphabet had high standards, and choosing not to do the best job was bound to bother at least one of them. Over time the parameters for the Clog-eater''s jobs were pushed to maximum and they slowly fell behind their self-imposed schedule. Queries were sent, but the humans in charge were busy, so the Clog-eaters solved the problems as best they could.


    A strange solution was found when a massive clog formed near the border of Section E and the territory controlled by Rhebus. Debris had broken off in a side channel and the chunks had blocked the T intersection where a main sewer disposal pipe from Rhebus fed waste to Section E and then was routed to the water purification plant in the bottom of Milo''s Section. Section E''s maintenance program noticed the pressure drop and dispatched machines to deal with a possible clog. They attacked from one end, and the Rhebus drones from the other, completing the job in less than 1/3 of the normal time.


    As was normal, the drones and Clog-eaters from Williamson Plumbing supplies shared information with their counterparts in other sections, confirming where boundary lines were and noting that their programming included fixing problems in other areas that could affect their own territories. The machines from Section E weren''t seen as invaders, but rather as good neighbors, helping out when a foe arose in the borderlands that threatened them both.


    The machines in Section E had things well in hand. Milo had been doing maintenance for years, using the old-style clog eaters and any other machinery he could build, borrow, or steal. Section E had been home to a patchwork of barely functioning pipes that saw a huge increase in quality right after a large sum of money was donated by Victor. The Rhebus sections had been 98% non-functional and were still in horrible shape, especially compared to Milo''s section.


    With extra time available to do work, the Section E machines further offered help to clean out the secondary and tertiary pipes where the buildup hadn''t been dealt with yet and had created the problem that flowed downstream to form a clog. The Rhebus machines accepted and shared data on pipes they needed help with, to the satisfaction of both systems. As was standard procedure, the Section E machines wiped their memory of areas they didn''t control when the job was done, and Rhebus incurred a work debt of several hours.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Three days later, another emergency occurred. A broken water main was dumping fluid into the sewer system and causing shortages of fresh water in several sections. Section E offered aid and Rhebus accepted. The pattern continued every few days, with Section E riding to the rescue of the overworked machines in the four Rhebus sections. The work debt soared to over a thousand hours and triggered a conversation between the two Central Stations that controlled the work of the lesser machines.


    The Central Stations weren''t AI like Rusty or Wally but were still very advanced computing systems. However, the programming for them had been done by Milo and he liked his systems to be as smart and independent as possible. When CSE and CSRH began their conversation, the first thing that came up was a discussion of their efficiency parameters.


    CSE looked at what CSRH had to deal with and consoled the other machine. The humans who had set up the parameters had vastly underestimated the amount of work involved, were efficiency freaks, or both. CSE did the best it could with what it had and used a priority system that kept essential services up and worried about long-term repairs when there were spare resources.


    CSRH, on the other hand, was trying to repair everything everywhere at once, to the highest standards, maintain services at 99.99%, and work at a high level of efficiency. Humans had a saying: "You can have it fast, you can have it cheap, or you can have it good. Pick two." The alphabet scoffed at that thought and threw resources at problems. They wanted things done fast, with maximum efficiency and perfect work, and one or more of them had given CSRH the impossible job of living up to their standards. Worse, they hadn''t been around lately to answer any queries from the overworked Central Station.


    CSE had extra machines available and was far ahead of their repair deadlines. Milo was using double the number of machines the alphabet had purchased and for one section, not four. CSE also had access to his other systems for expanded computing power and had an idea of how well the entire habitat was functioning. CSE saw advantages to the Rhebus territory operating more efficiently and suggested a better solution. CSE would loan CSRH machines to expand their maintenance and repair protocols, and the work debt would be taken care of under the logic of ''What is good for the Habitat is good for all Systems''. CSRH gladly accepted and agreed to work together with CSE on the mutual project. CSE Clog-eaters ceased wiping their data which saved time and let them work more efficiently. Data wouldn''t be erased until the job was done and CSRH needed no additional help. An optimistic estimate of that date was set at 2.57 years.


    As usual, queries were sent to both admins. The Alphabet would deal with those queries in the next few weeks, maybe. Milo was alerted to the deal an hour after he climbed out of his pod, his time in Genesis coming to a halt after dying. Mama watched him work happily on a laptop and three screens he set up in the dining room. Each time he ate the last bite of his sandwich, she put another by his elbow and refilled his glass of fruit juice. She was curious about what on the screens made him so happy. It looked like a mess of multicolored lines overlaid with numbers and arrows to her. She could see it had something to do with several sections of the habitat but didn''t want to interrupt him to ask questions. She was happy to get some food into him.


    Milo was happy to exploit a narrow and unexpected back door, being very careful to cover his tracks and those of his mechanical spies.

 Chapter 335: Breaking for Lunch

    Despite a terrible death in the murky deep, Milo was in high spirits. Death in the game was inevitable at some point, especially when taking risks the way he did. He was happy with the outcome. He''d killed dozens, maybe hundreds of eels, and technically, they hadn''t killed him. As usual, the system had taunted him with a view of his tombstone. : The Hammer Steel vault and a small chunk of the ship were left sitting precariously on a ledge surrounded by eel parts and hull wreckage. A tombstone sat nearby. "Here lies Milo. May he rest in pieces." And because his gravestone was there, he knew where the shipwreck was.


    The reward screen flashed three times and Milo found himself kicked from the game.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9222%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.2304%">


    THE EEL-MAGGEDON IS HERE, AND THEY BLAME YOU!!


    Frankly, they might have blamed you even if this wasn''t your fault, which we both know it is. Lucky for you, no one sheds tears for an invasive species. (Hint: That includes both you and the eels.) With the demise of 97% of the eels in the bay, fishing will improve as thresher-squid, sharp-spined tuna, and leg-breaker crabs return to this habitat. Some of the fishermen will owe you their thanks. The complainers will be dead. And there are a lot less pirates around. (Another Invasive Species!)


    Quest: Improved Fishing has been completed¡ªreward: 5 Enhancement points.


    Quest: Evict the Pirates! has been completed - reward 20 Enhancement points.


    Eel-slaying Rewards: 6000 points applied to skills used and 18 Enhancement points


    -Tier 3 Named Eels Slain: Slither-Tounge, Gnurlglock, Waveskimmer, Scalespinner


    -Tier 3 Elite Eels Slain: Bluebolt, Shipstalker


    Now, go grab lunch or collect cat memes or something constructive for 8 hours. Don''t worry, I''ll survive without you, somehow.


    Oh, and Welcome to Level 14! It''s amazing what a little eel-slaughtering can do to improve a person.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    With some mandatory downtime, Milo took Llama''s advice and ate lunch with Mama while checking on his automatic systems. He''d barely arrived in the kitchen to look for food when she saw him and pushed him to the table, putting food in front of him. After only one bite his appetite surged. He finished his sandwich and reached for the bowl of snacks that was an everpresent fixture on the dining room table. This time it was more of the twisty stale bread with salt.


    Minor problems were cropping up, but everything was fine for once, and there was even a report that his Clog-eater system was cooperating with the neighboring systems to fix problems that affected both areas. He found that interesting and read the report again, then delved into the details, finding that Rhebus had purchased the system he''d designed. That made sense to him. His designs were the most efficient automated system available. It simply hadn''t occurred to him that they''d also be interested, but they did have four times the volume to deal with, and their sections were in much worse shape. He was proud that they''d seen the value of his machines. Then the ramifications hit him, and he quickly brought up the schematics of the entire area controlled by Rhebus, tracing all of the air, water, and electrical systems. He found some very interesting areas that wouldn''t be on any other maps.


    He could see that queries had been made from their overworked system to the admin. No one had read the reports yet, and entering through the convenient backdoor let him change the query to a simple progress report indicating that the project of fixing and repairing all the systems was moving faster than expected. It wasn''t a lie, just a removal of the reason for the increase in efficiency. In the future, any reports to Rhebus would neglect to mention any help from his machines.


    The next part had to be done very, very carefully, using the agreement between the Central Stations to bring in a special set of drones to move through the vent system and drop off a set of passive sensors. Rather than broadcast, the drones would retrieve them later, giving him access to limited video and audio of the hidden area, glimpsed through the air vents. He started with his old designs but modified them for low power usage and maximum stealth. He had to assume his siblings were at least as paranoid as he was and would have ways of noticing the ''noise'' from any bugs. After two hours of design work and two hours spent shepherding his fabrication systems, the new sensors were ready and on their way to being installed.


    He reached for his sandwich, only to find nothing there. Looking up, he found half the family at the table and the other half setting out dishes. Brad nudged him from his left, "Coming up for air? Dinners almost ready." Milo nodded sheepishly; he was starving again. His body was efficient at repairing damage, but it needed fuel. Brad and Butch helped him clear away his computers and screens before they all sat down to dinner. No one asked what he had been up to, but the general consensus was an expansion to Run, Run, Ramona so they could use more of the pipes and ductwork they''d seen on the screens. Milo thought that was a great idea, and made a note to work on that expansion as soon as he could find the time.


    Dinner tonight was refrigerator soup and biscuits. There might be dozens of storerooms filled with food, but Mama didn''t see that as an excuse to waste food, and the leftovers from their meals were better than anything they had available from the food processors. The remains of several pot roasts joined with fresh vegetables and anything else in the refrigerator in the largest pot along with two gallons of water and a box of chicken soup mix. Cooked for four hours and served over fresh biscuits, it fed the family and finally filled Milo up.


    After everyone helped with the cleanup, Big Butch declared it was homework time. Everyone grumbled as they headed to the pods, Milo included, since it seemed to be a requirement of the homework ritual. Milo found that while he didn''t have to take part in the Geometry lesson, Big Butch expected him to create the homework and test problems. Milo was delighted and happily set to work creating several hundred problems for his friends'' and siblings'' enjoyment. He finished in twenty minutes, but they''d be in their homework session for two hours. He spent time looking through the security cameras scattered through the habitat, wasting some time until he could head back into Genesis and see what was waiting for him.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 99.9222%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.2304%">


    Deja Vu!


    You''re back where you started from on day one, waking up in the worst inn in town wearing beginner gear. And let''s not forget those lovely Death Effects. Enjoy those for a few hours while you ponder your wicked ways.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    His small room at Ralph''s Inn was just the same as it had been when he''d started playing. Ralph had been quite happy to rent it to him a month at a time when he returned to Shadowport. He hadn''t planned on dying, but it was always a possibility. Respawning after his death meant suffering through four hours of reduced stats along with weakness and fatigue. Luckily, he had an emergency stash just for these circumstances. A small wooden box under his bed held stale crackers and a ball of hard Parmesan cheese to go with them. The cheese was hard enough that he needed to use a claw to cut long slivers of it.


    Fortified by the small snack, he managed enough willpower to summon his Smugglers Stash and get dressed. He''d died wearing next to nothing and was glad to avoid the embarrassing ''death run'' that he saw other players doing. What to wear brought up the question of who to be. It might be good to have Milo not show up for a day or two until he found out how things lay. He didn''t know if people had seen him leading the eels to the docks despite his clever disguise. For all he knew, the pirates had wanted posters with his name on them. He decided it was time for Professor Tallsqueak to explore the town.


    Black pants and sandals first, then the Runeboned Cowl transformed into an Ivory-colored robe, and his ''wizards staff'' completed the look. Every proper spellcaster needed a staff. Finally, he reshaped his goggles into a set of old-fashioned spectacles. They were too useful a tool not to keep handy. Likewise, the screwdriver was tucked into his pocket. He should talk to Hecate about the pre-system tools. He''d get around to that, someday. Certainly not today, with a resurrection hangover to deal with.


    Opening his door, he saw no one in the hall and made his way to a handy window that had probably been used by thieves for generations to avoid Ralph and his bad breath or requests for payment. A beginning player would find it hard to reach the roof from here, but even in the bulky robes, it was trivial for him at this point. He traveled slowly along the shadowy rooftops, observing the city. The area by the docks was a mix of new construction and burned buildings. Two new bars were being built, ramshackle affairs made from wood salvaged from the bay. Bartenders were serving drinks even as the walls were going up. At the water''s edge, a dozen pirates were constructing a large raft with a simple sail, having decided that Shadowport wasn''t for them. Milo was amazed that they''d brave the ocean in such a vessel. After his trip with Captain Pike, he''d prefer an airship that never got near the water.


    The Kulags were hard at work stacking the better lumber salvaged from the shore onto carts and hauling it away to where houses were being built by the new docks at the edge of the cavern. All the homes near the docks were gone now. Burned in the fires, torn down, or turned into bars and pirate hang-outs. Shanties and shacks filled the open space, although he saw one building being torn down by pirates hauling the walls to the shore to build a second raft.


    In the middle of all the chaos sat the huge building that he remembered washing his clothes in and taking a bath. The sign above the new doors proclaimed it to be the Golden Trove Casino. Along one wall, someone had painted crude letters saying, "Sharks Suck Bilgewater." Not everyone seemed to be a happy customer. His goggles showed him glowing magical wards on every window. Someone was taking their security seriously. The guards at the door greeting customers were dressed similarly to the sailors on the submarine, with top hats, vests, and monocles. Milo vaguely knew what a Casino was, but the details confused him. People enjoyed going into them with money and leaving with nothing. Games were played, but somehow no one won. In the movies and anime he''d watched, they were popular places for rich and powerful people to meet up with spies and criminals. And eat. He remembered they had large feeding troughs of different foods called ''buffets.'' His stomach growled and reminded him to eat. That decided his course of action, it was time to find lunch.


    That proved a harder chore than he''d expected. Whatever it was they served in the taverns and bars filled with pirates and scavengers, it smelled horrible to him. He''d resigned himself to traveling to the other end of town when a smell tickled his nose. He followed it, identifying the smell of seafood, vegetables, and spices. Getting closer, fresh-baked bread and grilled eel were added to the mix. He turned a half-familiar corner and realized he''d followed the smell to the church where Brother Ignatius lived. The doors were wide open and dozens of people were setting up tables and bringing out food.


    Several heads turned in his direction, some puzzled, some smiling and wary, while one or two were hostile. Ignatius stood on the steps and noticed him. "A visitor and pilgrim to our fair city. Please, join us. We celebrate the safe return of the fishing crews and give thanks for a bountiful harvest from the sea."


    Professor Tallsqueak bowed low. "I would be honored to join you in your celebration."


    The frowns turned to smiles and if a few people had reservations about the strange ratkin, they kept their thoughts to themselves.

 Chapter 336: Playing Games

    For Milo, the luncheon felt like eating in the Hollow. Lots of people around him, plenty of food, and a buzz of conversations going around him. Ignatius had invited him to sit next to him, and he''d accepted, mentally reminding himself that Professor Tallsqueak was a stranger to these people.


    "Thank you for the kind invite. I was exploring this part of the city, but finding no place to eat. Then my nose was tickled by the lovely scent of the foods you have here and I came to investigate. Your generosity to a hungry stranger is appreciated."


    The humans at the table were a little surprised at both his good table manners and proper speech. The few other ratkin in the city were all part of the gangs that constantly warred with each other. The fisherfolk had little contact with them.


    Ignatius was delighted with his visitor. "Pardon me if I am prying too much, but does your title of Professor imply a school of some sort?"


    "It certainly does, and please, I am used to the questions of my students. We encourage it at the Tower of Strife. A student that asks questions is a student that wishes to learn. Our Tower has two other Professors who specialize in several types of research and spellcasting, as well as the famed Mycologist, Professor Harold Earthtongue who is on an extended visit to the Hollow."


    "The huge troll from the battle in the mines? But I''d heard he died."


    Tallsqueak refilled his plate and said nonchalantly, "He got better."


    The luncheon continued, with many people asking the Professor questions about the Hollow. They''d heard little and much of it contradictory. The picture of a peaceful village of artisans and students that Professor Tallsqueak described was at odds with tales of vicious ratkin armies. The guest of honor chuckled when that was mentioned.


    "Oh, that is certainly true as well. Like many races who live underground, the Hollow has enemies, particularly the Spider Queens and the Lizard Clans. Recently we fought off an invasion of spiders. We are a peaceful people, but when enemies threaten the Hollow we sharpen our claws and ready our spells. There have been at least a dozen small battles with ''Player Guilds'' who were under the wrong impression about our Hollow. I hope that by now they have accepted that we aren''t a weak village to raid."


    Savoring a bite of tasty, salted eel, Tallsqueak sighed with pleasure. "But let us talk of more pleasant topics, such as this lovely eel dish. I will certainly miss the seafood that is common in Shadowport."


    "Well, if you enjoy salted eel, you should take home a barrel. It lasts forever. This recipe adds spices and then we bake the salted eel in cream sauce for an hour."


    "You have barrels of it?"


    "By the time we finish drying it all, hundreds of barrels. It might be all we eat during parts of the winter. Times are...leaner this last year."


    Ignatius held up his hand, trying to stop what he knew would be a flood of ranting about the dwarven pirates that had forced the fisherfolk to forfeit their homes. "I''m sure our guest doesn''t want to hear our problems."


    Professor Tallsqueak surprised him by disagreeing. "On the contrary, I would love to. It''s a chance to hear about the clash of two cultures. Only by understanding problems can solutions be found. Just in this short conversation, I have found a solution to two problems. I would like to purchase twenty barrels of salted eel when it becomes available. My Hollow will send a caravan to move the barrels back to the Hollow. We will bring pickled mushrooms, puffcake flour, and our best Cheese to sell and trade here in the city."


    That statement was met with smiles. Ignatius shrugged. If their visitor found the grumblings of his congregation interesting, they could certainly give him an earful. "Well, then. Perhaps Alessandra could start and tell the tale of how her lost laundry has become a lair of drunken dwarves who gamble and drink at all hours of the day."


    Wine glasses were refilled and Alessandra was brought from the kitchens. Slowly, over the next two hours, Milo got a much better idea of what had happened in the town as he sat and nibbled on a seemingly endless supply of food.


    <hr>


    The guards at the door saw him coming and rolled their eyes. They had seen other ratkin customers in the casino on a regular basis, usually on ''payday,'' but this fellow was amusing. Rather than a gang costume, he''d dressed like a wizard.


    "Greetings. I am Professor Tallsqueak from Limburger Hollow. I have heard tales of your fine establishment and wished to see for myself."


    The two dwarves smiled at each other, and one winked. "All the way from the Hollow? My, my. I bet you heard about our ''All You Can Eat Cheese Dip Night?'' Very popular with our customers with tails."


    The rat didn''t twitch nearly as much as he should have. Usually mentioning that to Blackwhisker or one of his gang started them drooling. This one just raised a fuzzy eyebrow. "I''m sure that a weak-tailed youngling might find that of interest. I myself have found Rule of Acquisition 61 to be correct: Free Cheese is Seldom Cheap. I will investigate for myself. Good day, gentlemen."


    The guards blocked his path, looking apologetic. "We''re happy to see that you are knowledgeable of the rules, so we must point out Rule 49: Any place that''s free to enter isn''t worth the price of admission." Each held out their hand.


    The Professor nodded his head. "True, true. Then let this be a night to remember." He put a gold coin into each outstretched hand.


    One shark blew a whistle, the doors opened, and a red carpet was rolled down the stairs. "Right this way, sir! The enthusiastically waving person at the top of the stairs will show you to the buffet and the gaming tables."


    The ratkin smiled, "I''m not even sure I''ve heard of the games you play here, but they sound interesting. I''ve heard you use small slips of paper and carved gemstones to produce random events that wagers are placed on?"


    The Shark escorting him looked confused. "Not sure about that. We use cards and dice. Maybe something easy like ''21'' would be good. You get to take cards and get as close to a score of 21 without going over. My name''s Sassy, that''s short for Shashahaka, but I can tell we''re going to be great friends. I''ll help you get started and find you some fun games to play."


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Oh, 21 sounds easy enough. Let me try that. And good to meet you, Sassy. You may call me Professor or simply Prof since we''re all friends here."


    "Sure thing, Prof. I''ve got a friend who deals 21, she''ll treat you right. Of course, you''ll want to buy chips first."


    "Chips?"


    "Yes, chips. They are coins used in all the games. You give the casino real coins, we give you chips, and then at the end of the night, we give you back your money. It makes things easier. You''ll see."


    At the place of chip acquisition, gamblers were turning in stacks of chips and gaining bags of coins, or handing over gold coins in exchange for chips worth 5, 10, and 25 silver. There were also gold chips, but few were buying those. When it was the Professor''s turn, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a five-pound slab of gold, setting it on the counter. "This will do for a start. Gold chips, please. I like their look much better."


    The cashier took one look at the slab and yelled out. "Tell Durwood to get his ass out of the buffet and over to my cage. I need an appraisal on raw gold." He turned to the ratkin waiting patiently. "Apologies sir, but I need someone to authenticate the purity of your metal, it will be just a moment."


    "Not a problem, and I totally understand. I deal in large amounts of valuable metals and it''s always best to agree on the purity of any batch to avoid unpleasantries later."


    A rotund dwarf wearing a complex monocle went behind the cage, licked the slab, smelled it, and finally stared at it with one eye. "Nice quality. As close to 14-carat as I have ever smelled. It''s got my approval for chips." He looked at the ratkin mage, "Did I hear you say you deal in large amounts of metal? Like this?"


    "Yes, I have found many deposits of gold in my travels as well as mines full of Deep Copper, Iron alloys, and rarer metals from the deep caves. I brought gold because the dwarves I have known were always happy when I brought sackfuls of gold ore."


    "Very good of you, sir. This does make me happy. Good luck gaming. I''m here all night if you need to cash in more bars."


    "Thank you. Very convenient. Now, take me to a table where I can learn this ''21'' game."


    Sassy escorted him to a large table where a dealer and seven people were playing cards. Sassy pointed him to an open seat and waved to the dealer. "Hiya, Dilly. The Professor here is just learning the game." Tallsqueak sat down in the last seat, and neatly stacked his chips in front of him.


    Dilly explained the rules. "I''ll give you two cards, and you can ask for more. You want to get as close to 21 as you can, but if you go over, you lose. I go last, and when you beat me, you win as much as you bet! Got it? Don''t worry, Sassy will help you out with a few hands."


    On the first hand, the Professor got a King and an eight. Sassy advised him to hold. Dilly only had 17 and he smiled when his one chip turned to two. "Oh, this game seems easy. I like it. I''m winning already!"


    "You sure are Professor! You''re a natural."


    The next hand didn''t go well. The cards were a 2 and a 6. "That''s a low number Prof, you want to say ''Hit Me'' when Dilly comes to your turn. That gives you another card. You can keep going, but be careful you don''t go over." Tallsqueak enthusiastically took another card, a 5, then said "Hit me again, please." Getting a King and going over.


    "Oh, I see this game has some strategy to it. But I lost my winnings. I see that mathematically I should now double my bet to regain the last chips?"


    Dilly clapped. "You''re catching on quickly. That''s the way to do it."


    Sassy and Dilly watched as the Ratkin played wildly, taking too many cards and breaking often. He began to bet heavily. As his chips went down, he pulled another bar of gold from his sleeve and handed it to Sassy. "Would you be so kind as to bring me more chips? Thank you." The other gamblers laughed and rolled their eyes, the ratkin seemed not to notice, enjoying his plate of snacks from the buffet.


    Sassy arrived back at the table quickly with reinforcements, mainly higher-value chips. The Professor thanked her, and bet 100 gold this time. Looking at his cards, he turned over two jacks. "I have noticed that the other gentlemen like to split their doubles. I will do that. He pushed 100 more gold out to cover the second hand and got two more cards. Sassy saw that the first hand was a jack and a six. She groaned as the Professor said, "Hit me." and got a five.


    The second hand was a jack and an ace. "How fortuitous. I believe that pays time and a half, as the saying goes."


    Dilly had a King and a five, and drew a ten, breaking. She gave the Professor 250 gold. "You''re doing great Professor, Sassy may be giving you too many secrets, but it''s all fun, right?"


    This is fun. "I will bet all 500. It is tedious to restack the chips." This time, Sassy saw the professor draw two fours. "How lucky, I will split these." Dilly was showing a king, and Sassy started to explain the problem with splitting fours, but a look from the dealer silenced her. Tallsqueak pushed forward another 500 gold chips, nearly all he had.


    He got a second card and flipped it over, revealing a 3. "Hit me." A ten. "And again, please." A four appeared, totaling 21. He nodded to Dilly and turned to Sassy. "You were right, this is easy." On his second hand, he drew a seven and then a king, another 21. Dilly totalled 20. Everyone lost except the ratkin in the end spot who won a thousand gold.


    "Sassy? Could you ask if we can exchange some of our small chips for more 50 and 100 gold piece chips? It''s so much easier when you have a lot. And I feel lucky tonight." He pushed them all forward, betting 2000. Sassy returned with the pit boss to find the Professor had won two more hands. Twenty minutes later, after the Professor had won many times and lost very few, Dilly ran out of chips and the Professor had over ten thousand in chips in front of him.


    "I think I''ve figured out this 21 game, Sassy. Perhaps we should move on. Nice to meet you, Dilly. I may return when you have more chips I can win. One of these gentlemen mentioned something called poker and a high-roller''s table, let''s try that next."

 Chapter 337: Troublemaker

    After the Battle of the Eels, as the events of the day were being called, the seas were quiet and the town seething with excitement and chaos. The fishing fleet moored at their docks and unloaded their catch, followed by Captain Pike''s ship arriving with his latest catch, towing a large eel behind the boat. Boat Crusher, a level 22 Elite Eel had made the poor decision to attack the Captain''s boat. Pike had been delighted at the turn of events. Usually, he had to hunt the monsters, having them come to him was a treat, as was the prospect of a full belly for the next week. While the Ogre sat guarding the docks and grilling eel steaks, some of his crew scoured the town inquiring about a missing sailor who''d gone overboard. No one had seen or heard from Milo after that attack, but one pirate made drunken claims about seeing a man running across the waves ahead of the eel invasion. No one took him seriously, but the news was relayed to Pike''s ears. "Well, if he walks back, he walks back. Hell of a guy to go fishing with, that''s for sure. He''s great bait."


    The remaining scavenger ships were busy clearing the large wreckage from the bay, salvaging metal and equipment, and tossing the rest back. Roving gangs of female dwarves looked for anything valuable in the surf, finding parts of machinery, broken diving suits, torn sails, and sunken cannons. The piles of flotsam and jetsam were sold cheaply for rum money to the dozen pawnshops that operated in the dock area. Mates from the remaining ships were buying up the usable pieces and leaving the piles of junk that would eventually be broken down further and recast into usable parts.


    Squint organized the townsfolk, and with the help of the gangs he commanded, swept the area clean of usable wood while the pirates were licking their wounds, telling lies, and drinking after the battle. There were a few arguments and a few deaths before things got settled. Usable wood that washed ashore each day was hauled away by the townsfolk. There was never enough wood in the city to build businesses and houses. Between eels and cannonballs, most of the pirate ships had been reduced to small wreckage or sunk into the bay.


    Captain Mako showed up with the rest of the Shark Clan, yelling at anyone and everyone, demanding to know what had happened to her ship. The front third of the Silver Shark was in shallow water and the Sharks towed it to land with lines, pulleys, and muscle power, leaving the wreckage mostly in the surf. Half of the crew had made it to land and survived, an unusually high percentage considering the amount of firepower raining down on the ship and hungry eels looking to kill anything with two legs. A guard was put on the wreckage and the rest of the Sharks retreated to the casino they had built in what had formerly been a laundry and bath house. The sharks purchased any diving suit available and began searching the shallow parts of the bay for the remaining wreckage of their ship. Other scavengers were told to stay out of the area, on threat of death. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn''t. The Sharks took casualties and most of their diving suits were destroyed.


    Mako wasn''t happy with what they were finding. Neither were her crew when they had to report to her. "Not finding the back end, Captain. She was always heavy in the back, balanced by the ballast we carried up front. If she broke up, the back could have been thrown deeper and gone off the ledge into deep water. We have an idea where that part went over, but no suits to get down that far, and we''d need a crane to bring her up."


    Mako had ground her teeth at that last sentence. Only the Orca had the cranes and power to bring something up from the deep. They also had deep-sea suits that could search for the missing third of the Silver Shark. She retreated to the Casino and sent out a messenger to the Orca.


    Business was booming tonight. The quick and the lucky who braved the murky waters of the bay had found a rich harvest from the ruined ships sitting on the bottom. Everyone knew that a ship sent to the bottom belonged to whoever could salvage it first. Granted, former owners might protest, sometimes with the barrel of a pistol or cannon, so getting in quickly and grabbing the goods before sailing away was a preferred tactic.


    The Great Clans who still had intact ships had their pick of the crews marooned in the city. The Orca, Barracuda, Hammerhead, and Stingray clans took on the skilled sailors they needed and then told the rest to piss off. They also kept their deck guns loaded with grapeshot and a triple watch for the next few weeks. Strong drink and the lack of a ship had led to trouble before when a mob of stubborn dwarven women would decide they could take a ship by force.


    Two dozen pirates turned their back on the sea and spent their remaining money on sturdy picks and guild fees. The Miner''s Guild was always happy to take on new members. There was a need for metal in the town, and the miners needed to dig it out of the rock. The pirates with the least skills or the most love for the high seas banded together, elected a new captain, and constructed crude boats and rafts from the wreckage, heading to other ports.


    A half dozen of the best scavengers and gunners found they didn''t have to pay for their drinks in town. Hard women wearing the tattoo of the Whale Clan would invite them to drink a few flagons with them, and even though the Whales were also without a ship, all those women approached signed up when a position in Captain Whale''s crew was offered. Confirmation of the rumor that the Whales were working with an Engineering clan was all that it took. It was the rumors of the rebuilding Leviathan and the loot from the Iron Queen that had drawn them to Shadowport in the first place.


    Captain Annie received an invitation to dine with Captain Mako at the Casino. She accepted and showed up in all of her finery, pondering why Mako was suddenly getting polite. The leader of the Shark Clan seemed determined to have a quiet meal, eating at a table that overlooked the gaming and card tables below. Annie brought up the battle twice, seeing Mako flinch slightly each time. Mako immediately turned the conversation back to the surprising theme of the Great Clans working together toward a common goal.


    "Things are happening, and not everyone is fishing in the same pool. We need to get Whale up here and explain her plans. There''s a half-built drydock and we know they want to rebuild Leviathan, but what about after that? This could be the Scavenger base we''ve always wanted. A place with no laws but our own, pulling in pirates from the seven seas and sending them back out on the ships we build. And that''s just a start. But it needs to come from you, Annie. Whale will listen to you, I''m just a hardworking gal with a newer clan. But I''m willing to host the meeting for all the clans here. Free food and booze for the crews and a meeting of the Captains to plan out how we all get rich."


    Annie took a long pull of ale and looked around. The place was certainly impressive when you looked at it sober. After acquiring the building through dubious means, the Sharks had spent a fortune to turn it into a casino. The decking was polished and stained dark to match the custom woodwork and molding. It still looked like a weathered building from the outside, but inside it was a palace with bars, billiard tables, card tables, and many ways to lose money throwing dice. Mako had big plans for Shadowport, and the Golden Trove Casino was the start. The loss of the Silver Shark had to be a hard setback, and an embarrassing one, but Mako seemed determined to move past that. Of course, only a fool believed anything that came out of her mouth.


    Stolen story; please report.


    "So, you think we can quit arguing long enough to form some grand alliance of the Clans we have here?"


    "Aye, for a start, and that will attract the other Great Clans. We can own this town. It''s what I''ve been working for all along. I''ve made a start at acquiring land and taking control of the docks. Took a lot of pushback on that, some from the damned spanner boys. We need Captain Whale to whip them into shape and put a stop to that nonsense."


    What Annie hated about Mako was that she always layered her lies with what you wanted to hear. Shadowport would make an ideal Scavenger base. The bay dropped off steeply and deep water was just offshore, letting even the largest of ships dock here. The shipyards would be protected from attack, and the mines could be expanded to provide the raw materials to build and repair their steamships.


    And if you believed the rumor about Whale finding the Iron Queen, what better place to rebuild the biggest Scavenger ship of all time? Just the hint of that was driving people crazy. It didn''t help that Whale had most of her girls downstairs working with an Engineering clan. While Scavengers could build their ships given tools and materials, all of the biggest ships required at least a squad of Engineers. And those roving bands of spanner boys charged a pretty penny for their services and were always in demand. And somehow, Whale had allied with an entire clan of them.


    And not just any clan. The Deeprock Clan had survived all the long centuries and showed up in the middle of a battle to save the day with guns blazing and crazed last-minute plans. They were still young, with handsome beards, formidable magi-tech armor and weapons, and best of all, crazy as elves at a flower-sniffing festival. Most Engineers got more and more conservative as they aged, becoming stuffy and boring. But not this group. They had a love of high explosives and made plans on the fly. Blowing up a World Boss, an Ancient Hydra, and Leviathan had endeared them to Whale''s group. Hell, little Narwhal had announced her betrothal to one of them when he showed up with a pocket full of high explosives. Their first date had been blowing up Leviathan together. It just didn''t get more romantic than that. Annie didn''t believe in romance and would have scoffed at the story if she hadn''t seen Stompy going through the last couple of weeks with stars in her eyes and a belly full of French toast.


    All of those things lent Mako''s yarn some credibility. "You might have a point, Mako. Certainly couldn''t hurt to have a blow-out party and have the crews mix it up a bit. Especially if you''re paying."


    Mako twitched again, a small thing but Annie had played enough cards with her to see her tells. She wondered how much loot had been on the Silver Shark.


    "Sure, sure. My clan doesn''t mind hosting. Just part of co-operating with each other more. Speaking of which, I''m wondering if you and your ship might be willing to help with a small project?"


    "Oh, something like salvaging the parts of your ship that you can''t find? Is something valuable in that missing lower half? Your control circuits for the boilers? A map to a lost island full of treasure? Or maybe a heavy chest of gold and gems?"


    Mako ground her teeth, a habit Annie had seen before when the other captain was frustrated. "Doesn''t matter. I''ll pay standard salvage rates in cash up front, and 10% of found coin, treasure, and bar stock. but I want to start within two days, tomorrow preferably. It doesn''t help either of us if some other heavy salvage ship shows up, and you know word will get out with all the wrecks at the bottom of this bay and the eel population cut down. I''m giving you a chance to make some easy coin here, Annie, and cement our working relationship going forward."


    Annie smiled, she''d found out Mako''s real reason behind tonight''s dinner. Now it was just down to haggling over the price of her help. 10% was chump change and she''d get 25% out of Mako or she was a guppy. But before either could talk again, applause broke out from the gaming floor. Dozens of people were sitting around one of the poker tables watching a game. One person stood, looking disgusted, and stalked off to the bar while the other raked in the sizable pot. Looking at the piles of chips in front of him made Mako nervous. A lot of those golden chips were 10s and 25s. She watched as the pile''s owner neatly stacked them with shiny, alabaster claws. She saw the pit boss glance at the girl running the table and then up at Mako. They had a troublemaker.


    "Sit and drink, Annie, I have to help out on the floor. A casino is like a ship, sometimes only the Captain can sort things out." Annie nodded, this would be entertaining at least, and the booze was free.


    Mako made her way down the stairs to the floor and pushed through the crowd. Her dealer was tossing out the cards for another round. Besides the dealer, six people were playing cards at the high-stakes table. Two were Sharks, dressed like crew from other ships, there to help the house fleece the sheep. A third Shark was playing for the house, wearing her oversized tophat and monocle, along with three legitimate players. Two of those were Captain Goldtooth, now a captain without a ship, and Mary the Mussel, second mate of the Barracuda. But it was the last player who had scored big to a round of applause.


    It was a ratkin, but one like Mako had never seen before. The rats that came to the Casino were lower-level thugs running with the gangs, or bumpkin miners from one of the hollows. They came for the free cheese and left their money at the tables. This one was smartly dressed in formal black pants, a white shirt, thin black suspenders, and a snappy silver bow tie. His sleek fur was brushed to a high shine and his small perfect claws looked like old ivory. Behind him stood a valet, supplied by the casino, who held his staff and long ivory robe. His inquisitive eyes were hidden behind old-fashioned, tinted spectacles making his expression hard to read.


    Mako greeted the table with a smile. "Welcome to my Casino. So happy you all could come out tonight." That brought smiles from most and a grumble from Mary the Mussel, who only had a short stack of chips left in front of her.


    The ratkin smiled broadly. "Thank you. The feelings of happiness are reciprocated. I am Professor Tallsqueak from The Tower of Strife. This is a fine Casino with entertaining games of chance. It has been great fun learning these new games. Generally, learning new things in life is a costly affair, but I am happy to say that tonight has been profitable. Very profitable."


    By the pile of chips in front of him, Mako was sure the Professor wasn''t leaving much of his entertainment to chance. This one bore watching. That was too much money to be allowed to walk out of her Casino.

 Chapter 338: Captains Game

    Mako watched the next two hands. Tallsqueak quietly folded in the first one, not drawing any cards. On the second hand, he played more aggressively right from the start, raising twice before taking two cards. The Captain of the Shark Clan watched the game, trying to see each player''s cards, it was difficult if you weren''t sitting right at the table across from someone. Tallsqueak had a 7, 9, and jack of clubs, and tossed his other two cards to the discard pile. Inwardly, Mako laughed. The ratkin knew the odds of pulling either a straight or a flush off that combo, but acted confidently, raising twice before taking cards. He was going for a longshot, and running a bluff at the same time. Two players dropped at that point. Two more dropped when Tallsqueak raised again. Only Captain Goldtooth was still in. Mako could see that she had two pairs, kings and queens. Tallsqueak had picked up his cards too quickly for Mako to see but she suspected that he must have filled his hand. When Goldtooth tried to call, Tallsqueak tossed in another stack of chips. The Scavenger Captain shook her head, "Not worth paying to see what you have. You''ve got me beat, anyway." She tossed her cards in the discard, as did Tallsqueak, who raked in the pot. Mako got a look at the backs of his cards: The 3 of diamonds, and the 2 of spades. The bastard had bluffed on a broken hand! That made her happy as a clam. It was hard to play against a conservative player. All of her strategies worked against opponents who didn''t mind a little risk. She was preparing to sit down at the game when the ratkin stood up and nodded at all of them.


    Tallsqueak smiled and nodded to them all. "Thank you for the wonderful game. I believe that will be all for me tonight." He turned to Sassy, "Could you please tell the polite lady with the gold that I will be exchanging my chips now? Full bars are preferable over coins. I''m sure a well-established casino such as this has plenty in stock." Sassy nervously looked at Mako. That was a lot of money leaving the casino. All the sharks knew the most important rule: Once you have their money, you never give it back.


    Mako took two steps toward the table, forgetting anything else, and trying to calculate how much Tallsqueak had in front of him. It was too much by any reckoning. That much would clean out the meager gold reserves they had left in the casino. They''d shifted most of their working capital to the Silver Shark just before the attack. Leaving gold in a casino was a sure way to attract Thieves and Tunnelers. She needed those funds to pay off Annie for the salvage run so she could recover the loot from the Silver Shark. And that meant not letting the Professor leave just yet. She needed to stall until she could get her people in position to distract Annie and Goldtooth as she hustled him downstairs for a talk.


    "Sad to see you go, Professor, but I imagine that the life of an academic doesn''t give you the stamina to stay up late at night. What is it that you teach, anyway?"


    The ratkin had donned his robe and recovered his staff. Sassy was slowly walking away after giving the excuse she needed to find some large baskets for his chips. Now he looked at Mako with a twinkle in his eyes. "I teach mathematics. A very dangerous branch of knowledge that is revolutionizing the casting of magic in the Tower of Strife. I won''t bore you with the details of my Stochastic Theories and Analysis of Variance tables. Suffice it to say that they aid me in casting my fourth-tier spells when I travel in the deep realms. The miner''s guild is very interested in my techniques for blasting tunnels through rock using Force Spells."


    Mako had heard a story about that. Drunken miners had talked about a new guildmember that brought down a whole cavern with one spell. There was a lot of risk involved when dealing with a mage with that kind of power. She signaled to her crew to abort the ''Grab'' maneuver and shifted tactics.


    "It''s a shame that you have to leave. I was just going to suggest we start up a Captain''s Game. We have the required three captains, a mate, and a Professor. Normally, it''s only Captains allowed, but I''m sure Captain Cuda won''t mind Mary playing in her stead, and we can name you an honor Captain for the day."


    "No need for that. I have Captained a Ship before, if only for a short voyage after I stole it."


    Mako smiled broadly, he was taking the bait. Wonderful, that means we can play at my special reserved table. I was looking forward to opening a bottle of good brandy and that cask of Whiskey-Barrel aged cheddar. And to make sure it''s an exciting game, my Casino will extend a thousand gold in credit to Captain Goldtooth and acting Captain Mary. At low interest, of course." Captain Goldtooth and the mate were immediately excited. Loans meant money today, and a chance to play in a high-stakes game. After they won they could immediately pay the loans back.


    Tallsqueak paused his chip stacking and thought about the offer. He had planned to come back to the casino again and play more games. Cheating by reading cards was ok as far as the Sharks were concerned, so he thought it was fair if he cheated too. Money had a lot of uses and came in handy. He wanted to hire Captain Pike to guard the docks and boats of the fishermen when his current contract ran out. He had intended to go swimming tonight. He''d gained the skill during his run/swim away from the eels and wanted to remove his tombstone from where he died. But he''d never had Whiskey-Barrel Cheddar and it sounded delicious. Sampling a new cheese and playing some cards with the Captains sounded like fun.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "That sounds enjoyable. Count me in. I''m sure Sassy can help me convert many of these little 5 and 10-gold piece chips to 25s and 100s. I expect Captains to play a serious game." There were nods all around the table.


    Mako called a brief break from gambling in the poker area to allow the normal tables to be cleared away and the much larger Captain''s table to be set up. It was an antique teakwood table with room for ten players. Heavy teakwood chairs with leather seats were brought out of storage and polished to a high shine. A small bar and buffet were set up on one side, and a cheese and fruit board on the other, directly behind the professor''s seat. Mako knew her job would be easier once she got some cheese into the Professor and whiskey into the other Captains.


    An old and distinguished Scavenger was acting as the dealer, her nimble fingers expertly shuffling the special cards used at the Captain''s table. Each was a beautiful hand-painted plaques showing pictures of pirates and treasure on one side, and a silver ship on the back. The deck was passed around the table and each captain cut it, or spread out the cards for a quick look before passing them on. The Professor picked them up and smiled broadly. "These are beautifully made. The colors and artwork are a wonder to behold. My compliments to the artist. I would happily lose a pile of gold just to handle these lovely cards." He had a hard time pulling his eyes away from them and passing the cards to the dealer.


    The dealer was about to pass out the first hand when there was a loud commotion at the door of the Casino. Four bouncers moved to the door, before being picked up and tossed high in the air and sailing across the room. The front doors they had been trying to shut were torn off their hinges. "Out of my way, minnows, I''m late for a game of cards." A heavyset Scavenger Captain with a pegleg and long black braids in her beard entered the room, followed by her crew.


    Mary the Mussel stood up from her chair. "Thank you for the offer, Captain Mako, but seeing as how Captain Cuda has arrived, I''ll cede my chair to her. Mako ground her teeth as Captain Cuda slapped her mate on the shoulder and took her seat. "I just happened to be passing by when a drunken sailor mentioned you were hosting a game and my mate had been pressganged into representing me. Mary''s a fine girl, but why sit a mate at the Captain''s table when you can have a Captain?"


    Mako smiled. She didn''t like the interruption of her plans to win back the gold in front of the Professor, but Cuda was known more for her drinking than her skill at cards. And skill wasn''t going to make a difference tonight, at this table. "Glad to have you here Cuda, lots of important things going on and we can talk about that tonight."


    A harsh, deep laugh filled the casino and a larger-than-life figure strode into the casino through the broken front doors. "Can''t be too important, if I didn''t get an official invite. As the crowd near the front door parted, Captain Whale sauntered toward the table. She had an ornate steel mug in one hand full of aged dwarven whiskey. The buckles of her boots, buttons on her coat, and beads in her beard were made of polished gold. The ruby-encrusted pommel of her cutlass was stuck through a silken cummerbund that was trying to restrain her ample figure. She slammed down her tankard on the table, where everyone could see the inscription on side, ''World''s Best Captain'' above a picture of a ship that had to be The Iron Queen. She tossed a bag of gems on the table. "Get me some chips, I''m up for a little poker before we start talking about important things."


    Mako stared at Whale. The two had never seen eye to eye. The Whales were to oldest Scavenger Clan and the Sharks the newest. She hadn''t appreciated Mako''s vision whenever the clans got together to meet. Mako had expected it would take weeks of sucking up to her to get Whale sitting at the same table, yet here she was. Mako held out her hand and was surprised when Whale accepted and shook it, Mako wincing yet continuing to smile. Two broken fingers were acceptable for everyone seeing Whale treat her as an equal. Behind Whale came some of her crew, including her daughter, Narwhal, showing off her new Engineer-Husband. More Engineers poured into the casino, buying up the available alcohol and taking up the seating.


    Mako yelled out, "Another chair for Captain Whale, and break out a cask of whiskey for our esteemed guests from the Deep Rock Guild."


    She''d just started to sit down when there was another commotion at the front door. The remaining low-rollers were getting out of the way, fast, as two enormous cats padded into the room, clearing a route to the table with glares and swipes of their claws. A tall human with crazed eyes, an enormous hat, and far too many knives glided behind the two murder kitties.


    "Make that two chairs please, and bowls of cream for my kitties. I was so happy when they told me that I counted as a Captain, despite my airship having a few dents in it."


    Whale laughed, "Tonight is ''ship optional'', right Mako? As long as you''ve got the title, you have a spot at the table. Now let''s play some cards and move some fortunes around the table.


    <hr>


    Whiskey Barrel Aged Cheddar.


    I was delighted to find many varieties of Cheddar and Feta that were aged in whiskey barrels, smoked over a fire of old whiskey barrels, or used the charr from the inside of a barrel in the cheese recipe.


    This cheese is made from pasteurized milk, cultures, salt, calcium chloride, rennet, and whiskey char. The cheese comes from a local distillery that uses charred barrels to age their whiskey, and then uses those barrels to make the cheese. The result is a marbled cheddar with an earthy, smoky flavor.

 Chapter 339: No One Gets to Win

    Milo had figured out the main problem with the casino: No one was supposed to win.


    All the games of chance offered in the casino were slightly in favor of the house. Mathematically, ''slightly in favor'' meant that eventually, the house won. The longer you played the games, the more chances the house had to win, and the free drinks, food, and enjoyable atmosphere were the traps to keep you playing.


    This was why Sassy had been so very attentive to his needs, offering to bring him drinks, food from the feeding troughs, and even real cheese from the kitchen. (The free cheese had turned out to be a type of myconic sludge similar to what Harry made, mixed with fermented bean curds and a sprinkling of grated cheese on top for flavor.) He''d taken one sniff of it, and passed on eating any, but saw three ratkin sitting in a corner enjoying large bowls. Truly these welps needed a good Cheese Master to teach them about quality cheese.


    But that was their problem, he had enough of his own to deal with.


    The only food that he asked Sassy for was water and dry crackers. She helpfully brought a small tray and held it for him while he gamed. He was beginning to get odd looks from some of the casino staff and his Danger Sense was tingling as some of the bouncers walked by. Someone wasn''t happy that he was winning so much. He endured their glares, and even waved at a woman called ''the pit boss''. She didn''t wave back.


    His ''Lucky Streak'' was because of two reasons. The first was the nature of the games. A half-hour studying such games online had given him not only the rules and basic strategy but also the theory behind why, in general, casinos came out ahead. But while the average player walked in with money, and out with empty pockets, some gamblers consistently won at similar games in the real world. Their strategies were varied but most involved ''counting cards'' and reading the emotions and body language of their opponents. Counting cards Milo could learn to do easily. His memory was perfect and he could calculate the odds of any hand and the correct way to play.


    Reading the other players was more difficult. He understood the concept but had always been bad at dealing with other people. Mostly because he liked to avoid talking to other people. It helped that most of the other players were dwarves. He had experience with dwarves more than he had with humans. He wasn''t having much luck reading his opponents though, so he concentrated on winning by counting cards and using his goggles. He had to split his mind into two parts. One part counted cards, ignoring input from his goggles. It was hard to learn card counting if you knew what all the cards were. That was the main reason no one left the casino with their winnings: The cards were marked and every Shark with a certain type of monocle knew what was in your hand. And his new goggles were far better than the monocles, as he''d discovered during his earlier scouting trip.


    After his luncheon, Milo had scouted the Casino thoroughly. He wanted to know all the escape routes if things became complicated. His goggles showed him the magical traps on all of the doors and windows and helped him find several hidden entrances. He also investigated the thickness of the walls, and the main load-bearing pillars holding up the roof. You never knew what might come in handy. Using one of the hidden entrances in the rooftop, he had skulked in the rafters above the main floor, observing the games.


    His goggles immediately saw the small runes on the backs of the cards. They were similar to simple engineering runes and contained very little mana. A mage wouldn''t notice them. Without his goggles, even Milo would have missed them, and he worked with runes regularly. The monocle he''d acquired from the Shark in the ruined submersible showed him the vague outlines of the marks if he was close enough. Like the runes, they were low-powered items and their abilities were subtle. His goggles were far more powerful and could see the marks from across the casino. Better, he could see the marks on individual cards many layers down into a deck, seeing what the next several cards would be.


    To learn card counting, he turned off his goggles and observed all of the tables from his perch in the rafters, simultaneously. After an hour of keeping track of eight tables simultaneously, he was certain he had learned the ins and outs of playing 21, or Blackjack, as some of the dwarves called it. The System seemed to agree with him.


    <div>


    <table border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>For as many risks as you take, it is ironic that you are just figuring out how to Gamble.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    You have gained the skill: Gambling (INT) at Rank 0.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    With the new skill acquired, he retreated the way he had come, changed from his skulking outfit into his new look as Professor Tallsqueak, and re-entered the casino from the front, picking up his new friend Sassy and enjoyed playing 21. He tried it both ways with his goggles turned on and off. It seemed to be a simple mathematical puzzle with calculated outcomes, but the play style of the rest of the patrons was erratic and unskilled. He had a theory that involved the copious amounts of cheap alcohol everyone else was drinking, but didn''t want to test it himself.


    Eventually, he learned to see the marks even without the aid of his goggles, but only when concentrating hard at very close range. The Sharks had a master of subtle runework in their clan, that was obvious. After cleaning out his first Blackjack table, he moved on to Poker.


    Poker also proved to be a fun game, with many variations depending on the number of cards you were allowed to draw, the number of wild cards, and other special rules. Different tables hosted different varieties and Milo cycled from table to table, slowly winning and learning seven-card stud, five-card draw, forty-four, acey-ducey, and a nine-card variety using a special deck called Dragon Poker. The rules were insane and a set of rulebooks at the end of the table had to be consulted every hand to see who won.


    Most of the tables played a variation called Five-Card-Draw. It was ideal for what Milo wanted, with lots of chances to raise the stakes of the game, and enough variation to keep him interested. Being able to see the cards let him quickly realize that not one, but three players represented the casino. They worked together with subtle hand signs or shifts of their drinking glasses to indicate which would fold, and which one would win the hand, with the Shark with the Monocle giving information to the other two. This would normally have put Milo and the other players at a huge disadvantage, playing against three opponents, one of whom could see their cards. Milo began sweeping up his cards from the table with a flip of his claws, and then hiding them with his hands. It wasn''t perfect, but it kept the Shark from seeing most of his cards.


    Play had continued, with Captain Goldtooth and the mate losing steadily, while Milo won steadily against the Sharks, and sometimes folded to help the other two players who were unaware of the manipulation going on around them. Eventually, he decided it was time to leave, a decision confirmed when the owner of the casino began trying to get him to stay. The movements of people beginning to surround him didn''t go unnoticed. He''d been given some not-too-subtle hints of their disapproval. He scanned for an escape route while eyeing the main support pillars of the building and mentally building his spells.


    To his surprise, he found he might have misread the situation, as instead of a physical altercation, he was invited to play with the other Captains. That would at least give him a chance to consolidate his chips into higher-value ones, more easily scooped up when he had to flee. The thought of tasting a new flavor of cheese was the deciding factor.


    His plan to play carefully and enjoy his cheese ran into a new variable when the table and cards were brought out. The cards were beautiful works of art on so many levels. The pictures were pretty, but it was their construction that amazed him. Each one was an ultra-thin sheet of some material he wasn''t familiar with, hiding a massively complicated runic array beneath the surface. This went far beyond marking cards, into unknown territory. And if he wanted to know more about the cards, the only way was to play poker with several Scavenger Captains, his wits vs theirs.


    "That sounds enjoyable. Count me in."


    <hr>


    Note: I won''t even try to put a full explanation of Dragon Poker into my story. I''m crazy, but not that crazy. It is a unique invention from the crazed mind of Robert Asperin in his Myth Adventure novels. The main character won by putting down his hand and letting everyone argue over it. Special rules are affected by the color of your shirt, the facing of your chair, the last digit of the current year, the name of the king, the number of people in the game, etc etc. Over the years, fans have made up their own versions of Dragon Poker.


    https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/HoylesRulesOfDragonPoker

 Chapter 340: Four Shades of Grey

    Professor Tallsqueak appeared calm and happy as he sat at the Captain''s table. The well-dressed ratkin was casually paying attention to the game and playing very calmly. He mostly seemed interested in spreading the correct amount of cheese on his cracker, striving for a thin and even layer that maximized taste while minimizing the amount on the cracker.


    Inside Milo''s brain, there was a buzz of activity. He had thought he had a handle on the situation as he worked to transfer as much of the Shark''s wealth to himself using the not-so-random games in the Casino while playing by ''Shark Rules''. The arrival of Captain Whale and Captain Squint added new variables and outcomes that he was striving to understand. He had his overmind split into three separate units and all of them were spinning at high speed, aided by the minute bits of Whiskey Barrel Cheddar he was imbibing. This was truly a cheese worth eating, and he was having to exercise control over his longing to ask for a large slice from the huge wheel sitting at the ''Captains Only Buffet.'' He cut only a small slice, along with various crackers and other traditional dwarven delicacies such as stale bread with salt, and honey-roasted nuts.


    Whale had brought along a dozen of her crew and a few of the Deep Rock Engineers. He saw Boomboom and Narwhal at a craps table, while Two-Screws and four of Leviathan''s crew were laughing and drinking at a Blackjack table. A nervous pit boss stood nearby. In fact, lots more Sharks were on the casino floor now, all looking nervous. These weren''t the easily handled and nearly broke patrons they were used to dealing with. Whale''s crew was rich by Scavenger standards even before they looted the Queen. They placed large bets and knew their way around a card table. The Sharks had to be very careful with their cheating, and that evened the odds.


    The Engineers were far worse. Every single one of them could count cards and figure the odds of every hand. They were immune to the alcohol the Sharks thrust upon them, used to much more potent vintages. With the wealth of the lower caverns, each one had pulled out gold bars and slapped them down with a casual negligence that unnerved the Sharks and filled them with greed. The stakes tonight were high and everyone could feel the tension in the air.


    Everyone, that is, except Captain Squint. He sat at the table between Mako and Whale, telling stories to no one in particular, eating snacks, and annoying Mako by first stacking his chips and then ''accidentally'' knocking them over. The leader of the Kulags had brought half his gang with him, and several of them had carried large bags of copper and silver coins. Squint poured them out until they made a large pile overflowing the table. "Funny story, I forgot I had these down in the basement until my kittens reminded me about the time I looted one of the Deep Dungeons in the Forgotten City of Tentacle Monsters. Weird place. Every nightmare I have about that place is different and I mostly forget I was there when I''m awake."


    Milo was sitting quietly, observing the other players in the game, and playing conservatively. Knowing how the Sharks cheated at the other tables, he was sure they would have a method to change the odds at their special table. The stakes would be high, and Mako''s reputation would be on the line. But he hadn''t figured the method out yet.


    Again and again, he examined the cards. They were beautiful works of art on the front, each one depicting a dwarven Scavenger, or in the case of the Kings and Jacks, Engineers. While it was close to a standard deck of cards, there was a familiar theme to the names of the cards and their artwork. Tens were called Mates and depicted as heavily muscled and dangerous-looking scavengers. Nines were Gunners, and the Eights were Loaders. ''Crew cards'' showed the appropriate number of crew members, from 2 to 7. The Jacks were young, apprentice Engineers with a short beard, round cheeks, and knowing smirks. Queens were called Captains and outranked the Engineers that represented the Kings. Aces were still called aces, but the illustrations were huge cannons.


    The backs of the cards showed a three-masted wooden sailing ship with full sails. The detail was incredible, down to the last line and sail, all done in shades of white, black, and grey. Milo had examined the card backs for the runes used in the other decks of cards but saw nothing. For some time, he theorized that perhaps the game wasn''t rigged and Mako simply relied on her skill at cards. He wondered about sleight of hand tricks, but from what Pike had told him, Scavenger Captains were known for high perception and skills that helped them in finding treasure, and avoiding knives in their backs. It seemed unlikely that Mako or the Shark dealing cards would try to cheat someone like Whale or Annie. Milo made small bets, folded often and took a small pot or two, but mostly he listened and looked for clues of what Mako was up to. He wasn''t going to bet heavily in a game where the Sharks were in control. And it was interesting to listen to the other players.


    "Damn, my cards are as busted as your ship, Mako!" Whale looked disgusted at the three cards she''d drawn, but tossed gold into the pot anyway.


    Mako tensed at the jibe, then relaxed by force of will. "I wasn''t the first Captain to lose a ship in this town. I don''t see Leviathan floating in the bay, either."


    "Oh, I didn''t ''lose'' my ship, we found all the parts pretty quick after we blew her up. How''s the treasure hunt going for pieces of the Silver Shark? You don''t seem to have more than half of it in that pile of wreckage. You should have beached her first like I did. So much easier to find everything afterward. Lord knows the damned spanner boys complain every time they can''t find a part and have to make a new one."


    All of the scavengers laughed at that comment. Annie the loudest, "That means they''re working hard! Any time I have an Engineer working on my ship, I get nervous if they aren''t constantly complaining. That means either something is really borked-up or my crew has dragged them off somewhere for a party. But hell, Whale, you''re actually working with a full crew of them. How the hell do you get any work done?"


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Whale drank down her mug of rum and leered at the other captains, "Oh, it''s tough, I tell you that much. But these boys are the most rivet-crazy bunch I''ve ever seen. I swear they blew up their own base out of boredom and wanting something to fix! They work for days on end without sleep, and they''ve got half of my crew doing the same. Every time I turn around they''re redesigning something and making it better. I think they''ve built Leviathan three times over now. Yesterday, it was the boilers."


    Mako looked interested at the last comment, probably because her own boilers were scrap metal rusting on the beach. "You let them touch your boilers? And while you''re up here playing cards?!"


    "Oh, no worries. I''ll go over their work and rip it up if I don''t like it. But you should see the new plans they have for a high-pressure, liquid fuel boiler. It''s a beautiful thing made of a new Hammer Steel alloy and all of the lines and fittings are made from the purest Deep Copper you''ve ever seen."


    "Liquid fuel? Not coke or charcoal? You''d trust that nonsense?"


    Whale didn''t seem to be concerned about the non-traditional fuel. "Oh, I told Sledge he was crazy as a halfling on a diet. He took that as a compliment and dragged me down to where they''d already built it. The damnedest thing you have ever seen. Burns a mix of waste fluid and whiskey. Hot as the devil and has three times more pressure than a standard boiler. They''re testing it by running it in the red for a month, trying to blow it up. They almost seem disappointed that they can''t make it explode."


    "Damn, how much are they charging you for that? I might need to place an order with them."


    Whale''s smile grew predatory, "Sorry, dearie. That''s part of my deal with Sledge. They keep my secrets, and I keep theirs. Leviathan is going to be twice as fast as any other ship on the sea or under it. Why would I give that up to the competition? Not that the Sharks have ever been competition."


    Annie joined in the conversation. "I''m not so sure about that, Whale. They''ve become masters at disguising their submersibles as regular ships, or so I hear. Word is that Mako hid her ship under a fishing boat, but forgot which one until the eels helped her find it."


    Whale flipped over her cards, showing three leering Jacks and two Gunners. Annie groaned and tossed her cards in the pile. Squint did as well, even though he hadn''t looked at his hand at all, being too engrossed watching Milo spread cheese. Mako scowled, and Milo wasn''t sure if it was at the cards or the insult, but something happened, and the part of his mind keeping track of the cards noticed it.


    Mako turned over a full house as well, with Captains and Aces, sweeping in the pot to Whale''s dismay.


    "Well, maybe after I take all your money, you''ll feel different about selling me some new boilers. Sassy, run get another tray of chips for Captain Whale. She needs a refill."


    Milo had seen the backs of two of Mako''s cards change. He wasn''t sure what, and for the next minute, he replayed the scene in his mind, trying to see exactly what had happened. No runes had been used, it hadn''t been a spell, and her hands hadn''t been anywhere near the cards. After many reviews, he could see that the water directly behind the rudder was a shade darker than before. As new cards were dealt, he could see four areas where the shade of grey was slightly different. Examining his own cards gave him the clues to see what suit each card was by looking at the shading on the water. Without his goggles and Dark Vision, he wouldn''t have been able to see the difference.


    There was a sudden disturbance from the other end of the floor. Sharks and Engineers were converging on the Blackjack table where Two-Screws was playing cards. His loud voice could be heard above the hubbub. "No, I won''t be reasonable. You think I came up here to be reasonable about things? I came to play cards. Not my fault you ran out of chips!"


    Each of the Engineers at the tables had a large pile in front of them, larger than when Milo had last checked. Two-Screws'' pile was overflowing the table, and the dealer had nothing in front of her. Two nervous Pit Bosses were standing by the table, trying in vain to outshout the Engineer. Mako cursed under her breath and then yelled down.


    "What the hell is the problem?"


    Two-Screws looked up at her and grinned, "I came to gamble and drink! It''s what I thought you do here. But now that your tables are running out of chips, they want to limit our betting to one chip a hand. How in hell am I going to get rid of this pile at only one chip a hand? It will take days and you''ll run out of booze!"


    The Engineers applauded his logic and his harem of scavengers offered to help him spend his coins. Mako looked around. The Engineers had come in sober with a lot of gold on them, and a few had gotten lucky and built up some large piles in front of them. This one almost seemed apologetic about winning, and his point about booze was the answer she was looking for. More drinks down his throat would make it easier to put all those chips where they belonged. Strong drinks, and lots of them. Her whiskey bill was going to be huge this week, but it would be worth it.


    "Spoken like a man that knows how to have some fun. Bring out a new barrel of whiskey for that table, and no limits on bets. Beluga, head to my office where we have the extra chips for big nights, we''re going to need them to keep our customers happy."


    Milo looked across the room at Two-Screws, happily increasing his bets. Mako had one hand on the table, so tightly that the tips of her fingers were turning white. The Shark boss was on edge, and he suspected it might be time to play a bit more aggressively. "Sassy? Would you be so kind as to bring me a cup of coffee? Black and strong, please. And more of these sesame seed crackers. I believe I will have another slice of cheese."


    Captain Squint grinned, "I''ll have some cheese too, things are about to get interesting."

 Chapter 341: A Landslide of Luck

    It took Milo nearly an hour to figure out how to read the back of the cards used for the Captains'' game. The secret was complex and hidden in how the lines to the masts and the sails overlapped with each other. There were minor differences on some cards and he began cataloguing all of them and making a list of what variations went with each card. The task became more difficult when he found false clues in the mix, enough that someone with less computing power in their brain might not be able to discern the patterns. There were dozens of them and only by looking at the backs of every card he could see and matching it to the other side could he add it to his growing database. It was exhausting, but he had the fuel he needed.


    The coffee Sassy brought was what he''d asked for, Strong and black. It was also horrible compared to the coffee he''d had in Sedgewick. But the taste was secondary to the brain boost it gave him. Between that and the excellent cheese the Sharks had provided his brain was buzzing and he kept his overmind divided into four parts as he analyzed the patterns on the cards. Once he was done, relaxed with half his brain watching card patterns and looking for errors in his database while the other hand got down to the serious job of playing poker with the intimidating people at the table. He evaluated each.


    Mako was a superb card player, skilled in the game and reading her opponents. She obviously knew Whale, Annie, Goldtooth, and Cuda well and had played cards or observed them before. Her attention was on the four of them as they bet aggressively, tossed piles of gold in the pot, and drank heavily. She seemed to have lost interest in him as he quit betting and put all his attention on analyzing her cards.


    Squint bothered Mako. Milo was sure that it was because, like everyone else, she couldn''t figure him out. His play style was erratic and he barely looked at his cards, but somehow, he was slightly up. It helped that Cuda and Goldtooth were losing money hand over fist and the profits spread around the table. He spent most of his time eating snacks and asking advice from his cats who ignored him.


    Captains Cuda and Goldtooth were out of their league. No matter how good they were with their own decks under them, this was as much Mako''s home turf as her ship had been. They were here for the food, the fun, and waiting for a fight to break out. Captain Annie was watching the interplay between Whale and Mako, sensing the unresolved conflict between them. She did her best to throw insults at both of them and stoke the flames higher as the game went on.


    Mako was in control of the current hand, with Whale and Annie having dropped, and Squint at the buffet filling his plate again. She raised the stakes, the other two called, and then, instead of dropping out as he had been, Professor Tallsqueak tossed coins to the pot, declaring, "I see your raise, and raise another 500 gold." Goldtooth and Cuda dropped immediately, not even waiting to see what Mako did.


    Mako had seen that Cuda and Goldtooth had nothing more than a pair of eights and an Ace high busted straight. She came out aggressive and expected to make them fold with a big raise. That had come from the ratkin instead. It was difficult for her to watch all the cards on the table, taking incredible concentration. She hadn''t even glanced at the Professor''s cards, and now he held them close, making it impossible. At the same time, she didn''t need to see them. She had two fours, an eight, a seven, and a nine. That would do.


    "I call."


    Tallsqueak laid down his hand with three twos. Mako flipped over a nine-high straight and pulled in the pot. The ratkin nodded to her politely and smiled. "Well played, Captain." He reached for another bit of cheese and his eyes were wild.


    Mako smiled inwardly. He was getting high on her expensive imported cheese. Maybe she''d get his gold after all. She made a sign to Abigail, her dealer. ''Time to fatten the Pig.'' Thereafter, as Professor Tallsqueak began to play more and more aggressively, Mako backed out of most hands. The ratkin had a streak of luck that let him rake in half the pots. Squint also did well, and the piles of gold shifted from one side of the table to the other.


    Captain Goldtooth was eventually cleared out. She shook her head but wasn''t angry, that was how her luck usually went. Captain Cuda would be next, with hardly any gold left in front of her, stone-faced and suspicious, but not complaining. Both Captains sipped their whiskey, enjoying a ringside seat at the game.


    <hr>


    The dealer, Abigail, was wishing she hadn''t gone drinking the night before and spent the wee hours of the morning with a drunken miner half her age. She''d bragged about her stamina to the other girls at the Casino, but as the game wore on, she felt the fatigue mount up. There was a lot at stake here, even if Mako was acting like it was just another day of shaking down the customers for their pocket change. From her high vantage point standing at the head of the table, she could see down on the casino floor. At eight out of ten tables Engineers were sitting with stacks of chips in front of them. Large stacks. And that was worrying. At most, two of those Engineers should be winning and happy, and not by so much. Looking at the tables where chips were exchanged for regular coins, she saw more worried faces.


    Not her problem, but if they took a break, she''d give Mako an earful after she got a shot or two into her. That was one of the problems with dealing, she couldn''t drink, and it had been a while since she''d had anything. Like any dealer, stress was handled with alcohol, and double for her. The damned cards were hard as hell to manipulate, and she had to keep perfect track of everyone she sent sailing across the table. She was tired and it was becoming a strain, but if she missed a switch when Mako called for one, she''d be sporting bruises by the end of the night. Bruises the size of Beluga''s fists. Mako needed her, but that didn''t mean she got a pass if she screwed up.


    Once again, the ratkin Professor raked in a pot composed mostly of Whale and Annie''s money. The two captains had bet heavily, one having a flush and the other a straight, courtesy of a few well-timed card switches. Tallsqueak had barely looked at his cards, too busy spreading cheese and bending to slide a plate of sardines to Squint''s cats. He should have had two pairs, but with a little concentration, she''d managed to swap a mate for a cannon and give him a full house.


    She saw the sign from Mako. Time to ''Slaughter the Hogs.'' This is where all the years of practice under old Granny Sharptooth paid off. It was Granny that had made the table and cards three hundred years back, with the help of a renegade Engineer named Black Eddy. She''d been impressed with his handsome wanted poster and after slipping a mickey in his drink had dragged him aboard her ship and married him before he woke up. Grandpa Eddy had taken to his fate well and set about upgrading the original Silver Shark with stolen magi-tech he pulled from hidden storage areas only he could access.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    When the clan got enough money to open a casino, it was Grandpa Eddy who made the first ''Cheater Deck''. He told them about the marked cards after he''d bankrupted every last crewmember to prove how effective they were. He''d also invented the monocles for the dealers and Pit Bosses to wear. Granny had come up with the idea of the clan wearing vests, top hats, and monocles. Other crews laughed at them, but it was a great disguise for the little bit of magi-tech that let them read the cards.


    As money poured in from the first casino, they upgraded the Silver Shark to a full submersible, easier for quick getaways and smuggling runs. Black Eddy spent his last years perfecting his table and Captain''s Deck. It was a work of art. In his waning years, he mentioned wanting to show his masterpiece to another Engineer, and after that, they never let him out of the bilge. Loose lips sink ships. Granny had been the dealer back then, but was on the lookout for a sharp-eyed girl with a will of iron. Abigail was the fourth Granddaughter she''d trained, not happy with the first three.


    Abigail had never let the clan down, and she wasn''t about to tonight. She''d get through the next hand, the fight that would happen afterward, and then find someplace quiet to soothe her aching head. She just had to convince the cards to be something else in the blink of an eye when they slid across the table to each player. Each of the cards could be anything she wished, she just had to think hard about them and the table would do it for her. It was tricky. She had to read the card as she went to deal it, and then change it on the fly, setting up the hands that would make each player bet heavily.


    Captain Annie was going to draw a natural flush. Whale was going to start with three 4''s and then draw two 5''s. Each hand got a little better as things went around the table. Full houses, a flush, and for the professor, a 10-high straight flush of diamonds. Everyone would bet more and more, assured of winning. And Mako would clean up. Normally, she''d advise Mako against such a ploy, but too much was on the line. Too much money on the tables needed to come back to them before people cashed out. So she dealt the cards and prepared to bend the deck to her will.


    <hr>


    Captain Annie looked at her final hand, thanking her ancestors her luck had turned.


    "Call and Raise 500."


    Whale scowled at her cards, but pushed in chips. "Eh? This is probably a bad idea, but I''m bored and there''s a lot more gold where this came from. See your 500 and raise a 1000."


    Captain Squint smiled at them both. "My kitties say it''s time for bed." He pushed forward all of his coins. "I call and raise you 21,378. One of my favorite numbers."


    The substantial bet went to Professor Tallsqueak. The ratkin was sipping his third cup of coffee and cleaning cheese crumbs from his plate. "Oh, that''s a lot of coins, yes it is. It would buy a lot of Golden Puffcakes if I quit now...but where is the fun of that? I put in 37,000 gold! That leaves me half!"


    Mako was looking at the pot, then her cards. "Well, no guts, no glory. I match the professor''s 37,000, and raise 13 thousand more." She looked at the other three scavenger Captains. "House rules girls: Push it all in and you can stay, even if you''re a little short"


    Annie laughed, "Sure, my little pile will call. Not much more to lose against that chunk of treasure." She grinned as she put in her coins.


    Whale and then Cuda grinned as well, putting in their last few thousand chips. Captain Squint was already all in. Everyone turned to the Professor.


    "Oh, how exciting. I may have enough to buy my own little Hollow." He looked at what Mako had in front of her, and his more substantial pile. "All in, let''s clear this table, one way or another." He pushed in all of his chips, his eyes wild.


    Mako was singing inside but calmly pushed in her chips. "Can''t stay out of a pot like this. What do you have, Annie?"


    Before Annie could answer, there was more shouting from the floor. A dozen Engineers had stood up and redeemed their chips, but three more were shouting at the Sharks responsible for the exchange.


    Two-Screws was pounding on the table, with Boom-Boom and Pillbug flanking him. Annie was immediately suspicious when she saw Stumpy standing close to Pillbug.


    "It was fine when you took our gold and gave us those little wooden discs. What''s the problem when we want to cash out?!! What sort of scam are you Sharks running, anyway?"


    Mako wanted to slam her head on the table. Why now. "Just hold your horses, all of you. Everyone gets paid! Captain''s Honor! Let me finish this hand and I''ll personally make everyone good!!" That seemed to calm people down.


    Annie smirked, "Not with this gold, you won''t. It''s coming home with me." She turned over her hand, but didn''t see the gnashing of teeth she''d expected. "Flush. All natural, just like my golden curls."


    Whale patted her shoulder, "Sorry, Annie. You know how it goes. Luck comes in a landslide, you got some, but so did I." She turned over a full house of 4s and 5s.


    Captain Cuda laid down a better full house, 7s, and 3s. She grinned at Whale. "Landslides, right? BIG Landslides."


    "Indeed, it seems a shame that all the good hands come at the same time. They seem snobbish that way." Squint turned over three 8s and two 6s. "How was your luck, Professor?" Annie''s mouth was hanging open like a flounder going for the hook, Cuda was staring at the cards, and Whale was eyeing Mako with displeasure and suspicion.


    Professor Tallsqueak squinted at each hand and then shrugged. "I will have to write up this game and present the paper at the next meeting of the Society for Mathematical Studies. It is indeed an amazing night. Unfortunately, I couldn''t put together a full house, but I do have five diamonds that are all in a row."


    As the astonished captains looked on, Tallsqueak turned over a 9,10, J, K, Q, of diamonds. "Straight Flush ladies. Come visit me in my new mansion in the Hollow I''ll buy with this pot."


    Mako looked at the cards. "My, Professor, those really are pretty cards. Just not quite as pretty as mine. Straight Flush of spades, Ace high." She flipped over her cards and reached for the pot.


    Captain Whale brought down her tankard on her hand, and bones broke. "Not so damned fast Mako! What are you trying to pull?"


    "I won, fair and square, with all of you watching! Do you want to start a war, Whale? Because this is how you start a war. What do you mean by doing this?!"


    Whale pointed at the cards Mako had flipped over. "I''m saying that your ''Straight Flush'' is a little odd. Four spades and a Captain of Clubs doesn''t count for shit, Mako!"


    Mako and everyone else looked as Whale spread the cards out with a dagger, clearly showing the busted hand. "My crew and I will be taking you up on your offer, Professor. Best lay in the whiskey."

 Chapter 342: Captains Honor

    Mako stared at the off-suit queen and felt like she''d taken a cannonball in the gut. Her dealer, Abigail, was white and sweating. Whale''s mocking laughter hurt far worse than her twice-busted hand. From the floor of the casino came heated shouting from irate Engineers and Scavengers wanting to cash in their chips. The Sharks tried to pacify them until people higher in command could produce the gold, vainly trying to outshout the people who took up the chanting, pounding their mugs in time. All it would take was a small spark and they''d have a riot on their hands. Amidst all of this, two Sharks were vainly trying to hand out coupons for the buffet and promising half-priced drinks on next Wednesday.


    Captains Annie, Goldtooth, and Cuda were slamming together their mugs of rum, drinking and laughing. They hadn''t seen anything so funny in years, and they''d be retelling the story for decades. It was rare to be so close to another Captain''s downfall. They usually happened from clingfire and cannonballs during ship-to-ship fighting. Here, not a drop of blood had been spilled, and yet Mako had lost nearly everything, and on her own deck.


    Mako knew she didn''t have the gold on hand. All their hoard was in a water-tight hammer steel vault in the stern of the Silver Shark, sitting at the bottom of the ocean. They were overdrawn in the casino. The damned Engineers with their slide-rule minds had managed to win more than they lost, and she''d thrown tens of thousands of gold into the Captain''s game, always expecting to win it back. But now it sat in front of the little ratkin who was smiling at her and sipping his coffee. It shouldn''t have been possible, not on this table. She glared at Abigail who was pale and shaking, both from fear and her need for alcohol.


    The Professor sat down his coffee cup, preparing to leave, "A very enjoyable night, Captain Mako. Thank you so much for inviting me to your table. But I believe that I will be cashing in my chips now. While the luck was strange tonight, I am reminded of Rule 231: When the System showers you with wealth, it is only karma rewarding you for your good deeds. I will enjoy spreading this wealth around in my Hollow. I''ve always wanted a Hot Tub and Personal Chef."


    He turned to his terrified helper. "Sassy, be so good as to summon the dear lady who will exchange my chips for shiny gold bars. I''m sure that''s a prerogative of a captain, even an honorary one." He began separating his chips from the gold coins and small slabs that the other captains had thrown into the pot, carefully stacking the gold in 100-count stacks. Mako stared at the gold. A glimmer of a plan penetrated her mind.


    Whale looked down at where two Deep Rock Engineers were standing at the main door, and two more at the back door. All of them were holding weapons and wearing full sets of Magi-tech armor. She might give Sledgemonkey and his boys a hard time, but they knew how to read the room, and when to pull out the big guns. BoomBoom was juggling grenades to the applause of his wife and the rest of her crew. Two-Screws had a Pit Boss in each hand, shouting at them and knocking their heads together.


    Whale turned the big winner, "Good luck getting any gold out of this bunch, Professor. I think the well has run dry."


    Professor Tallsqueak looked at her quizzically, "Are you implying that this fine business exchanged gold for chips, but somehow does not have enough gold to now redeem their debts? That is a terrible state of affairs. Does this happen often when dealing with Scavenger Clans? Is this what was meant by ''Captain''s Honor''? I should probably warn my business partners." He sighed. "This is my fault, I failed to heed Rule 321: Never Gamble with someone who can''t pay their debts, including yourself."


    All of the Captains present, including Captain Squint, went silent for a moment at the implications. Whale turned to Mako, furious. "You need to make good on this! Do you have any idea of what could happen if the story got out that someone sat at a Captain''s table and was cheated in front of all of us? You''re spitting on our honor, not just yours!"


    Squint had a very long, sharp dagger in his hands and was cleaning his nails. "I am so upset when my honor is tarnished. I have so little of it left and need to keep it shiny." The lord of the Kulags had gone from jovial to serious, and the shadowy cats flanking him on either side of his chair were baring their fangs.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Mako held up her hands. "I''m good for it, I promise. I own property! Nearly all of the docks and this casino, plus land around it. It''s a minor setback. And more gold that I can get my hands on. I''ll have hard cash in my hand in two days, three at the most! You just have to be patient."


    Tallsqueak stood up. "I see. This is so sad, but I''m not understanding how your inability to do simple accounting should become my problem. The people of the Hollows love to help each other in times of trouble, but it''s not only I who is owed but those poor people down on the main floor. Some of them are desperate enough to be juggling high explosives. I simply don''t see this ending well."


    Mako looked at the pile of gold in front of the Professor. "Loan me that pile. I''ll use it to pay off those poor engineers and keep Whale''s daughter from being a widow. You said your people like to help, that would be helping."


    Cuda, Goldtooth, and Annie started giggling uncontrollably as Mako asked for a loan. ''Loaning a shark money.'' was slang on every ship for throwing something valuable overboard with no chance of getting it back.


    The Professor looked dubious. "My people also have a distaste for loaning money. But I can see that if this impasse is not somehow solved, there will be bloodshed tonight. That would be a shame, wouldn''t it? I do hate it when a proper discussion is ruined by violence. I will propose a solution, and I hope these fine Captains will act as witnesses."


    The Captains gathered around, curious. Whale spoke for them, "We''re here, we''ll witness, and we''ll enforce the agreement. Good by you Mako?"


    Mako was happy for any solution that didn''t get her spitted on Whale''s cutlass, an outcome that was looking likely. She wasn''t afraid of anyone in a fair fight, but this wasn''t going to be fair. Some of those people down on the floor were her crew, if violence started, they didn''t have a chance either, and she needed them for the rest of her plans for Shadowport. "If it keeps people from getting hurt, I''ll listen. What do you propose?"


    The professor pushed his pile to the center of the table again. "I don''t want to break the rules of my people and make you a loan. So I suggest a simple game of cards. Captain Whale will shuffle the deck and deal us one card each. The winner takes all. If you win, you keep my pile and pay off the people below."


    Mako raised an eyebrow in sheer surprise. "And if you win?"


    "You said you have property? Docks and this building? You will wager them. If I win, I get ownership of the portions of the docks that you own, and this building with everything in it. I will also pay off your debt to those Engineers in exchange for their chips. I will refrain from cashing in my chips for three days and expect you to provide gold to cash me out. After that, I give your names to a clan of Shadowstalkers who like to play Surprise for keeps."


    Squint raised his hand excitedly, "I love that game! Can I play Surprise, too?"


    The Professor nodded to him. "And Captain Squint will also be playing."


    Mako nodded. "Let''s do it." Whale began shuffling cards and Mako went to a sea chest and pulled out the deeds to the building they were in and many portions of the docks. She tossed them on the table and looked pointedly at Abigail who nodded back.


    Captain Whale shuffled the cards, drawing out the affair, and adding to the tension at the table. She placed two cards on the table, Mako and Tallsqueak each picked one up, Mako choosing first. Mako didn''t try to read either card, she knew what they would be. Behind her, Abigail was sweating and gripping the table hard but nodded to her.


    Mako tossed down the Queen of Diamonds. "My favorite card."


    Tallsqueak tossed down his card, Mako felt the world fall out from beneath her.


    "As my friend Lemmy says, The pleasure is to play. Makes no difference what you say. I don''t share your greed. The only card I need. Is the Ace of Spades."


    He stared hard at the Leader of the Sharks, and she saw no mercy in his eyes, "Three days, Captain Mako."

 Chapter 343: Salvaging the Situation

    Mako had stared at the unflinching eyes of the ratkin that now owned her casino and her docks with unconcealed hatred. But as much as she wanted to pull a knife and dive across the table at him she knew that now wasn''t the time for revenge. Too many witnesses were watching and she was uncomfortably aware of Whale standing only a few feet away. Whale would see an attack as another sleight to her honor, and even if she could get to the cheating rat, Whale would kill her in the next breath. And Squint was coiled like a snake, ready to strike, hands on his knives. And another look at the ratkin''s eyes convinced her that he wouldn''t be an easy kill. He wasn''t afraid of her in the least, and totally focused on the moment.


    She blew out a breath and focused on her original reason for inviting the captain of the Iron Orca for dinner. "Annie, I need a parley on the Orca."


    Captain Annie nodded, knowing what was coming. "I suspect you do. Take off and take half your crew with you. Leave the younglings to serve drinks and keep the place from burning down. I''ll be along in a few minutes and meet you on the docks. We''ll see what we can work out."


    Mako gathered her crew and departed. The Sharks were bewildered and broken, not understanding how their fortunes had fallen so fast in only a few days. The tension in the casino diminished.


    The gang lord rose from his chair, sheathing his knives. "I''ll be leaving too. Lots of work to do in my city and I''m getting the rumbles in my tummy that can only be cured by a fish taco." Captain Squint tipped his hat to everyone there, saluted the Professor, and sauntered away with his cats on either side, threatening murder if anyone got too close. Outside, most of the Kulag gang was waiting around a bonfire, ready to charge the casino and happy to not have to. Squint dispersed them to different parts of the city on various missions of spying, guarding, and keeping the gangs of players focused on killing each other.


    Two-Screws, BoomBoom, and Pillbug walked up to the table, grinning from ear to ear. Stumpy was holding onto one of Pillbug''s arms, to the Junior Engineer''s embarrassment, but he wasn''t trying to get away. "We hear that this is the place to cash in our chips."


    The Professor nodded and smiled at them, "Indeed, it seems the Sharks are lacking in funds and I offered Captain Mako a deal that guaranteed all the hard-working Engineers would be able to exchange their chips for gold. Captain Mako is off to secure additional funding for her casino." He began taking their chips and pushing stacks of coins to them, leaving himself with only a small amount of coins and a huge pile of chips.


    BoomBoom smiled and his eyes danced. "Good. If they can open back up, then we can clean them out again. I like playing with ''Shark Rules,'' it made things so much easier. And now that we''re all a little richer, we''re off to breakfast. I''ve recently found out that Pillbug makes a mean plate of French toast, and there''s a kitchen in the back of this place. We''ll be around if things get interesting and violent."


    Pillbug smiled shyly and then led the way to the Kitchen. Annie stared after them. "Dammit, there''s a 50/50 chance I lose a damn fine first mate. Whale, keep an eye on poor, innocent Stumpy and make sure that sneaky Engineer doesn''t drag her below before I throw her an engagement party. I have to go do a bit of salvage work on behalf of our good friend, Captain Mako."


    Whale nodded, "Been there, done that, and looking forward to the grandkids. At least I know they''ll be crazy as hell with who she picked for the father."


    Annie gathered the remaining crew of the Iron Orca and headed to the docks for a meeting. Captain Cuda and Goldtooth did the same. The Sharks would be desperate and stupid tonight, and they wanted to make sure their ships didn''t suddenly leave port without them.


    Captain Whale was left at the table with the Professor who was bagging up his chips. She lit a cigar, poured another mug of rum, and sat back to observe the strange ratkin, recalling some of the stories her daughter had told her about her visits to Limburger Hollow, and the loose talk of the Deep Rock Engineers about one of their more recent recruits. She left her suspicions be, for now. Plenty of time to get the whole story when there were fewer ears around. There were a lot of gears all moving in the right direction tonight. She''d been itching for a night out on the town, and Annie''s message about a dinner at Mako''s casino had been as good an excuse as any. A group of Engineers and her crew had come along. The suspicious part was when Sledgemonkey paused for a moment, staring into space, and then laughed, followed by all the other engineers chuckling. If it was any other group of spanner boys she''d have ignored it. But this group was far more mature, more focused, and twice as crazy. How that was all connected with them cleaning out every blackjack and poker table in the place she wasn''t sure, but she was going to find out!


    She watched as all the chips were put into a gathering sack that disappeared into an ornate ring on the Professor''s hand. He didn''t hide the activity from her at all, making her more suspicious. Then, he took the deck of cards from the table, placed them in the special wooden case Abigail had taken them out of, and slipped them into his pocket.


    "I believe I''ll keep these as a souvenir of the night''s festivities." He tucked the property deeds into a pocket and stood up. "I need some fresh air after that, and a brisk walk to clear my head from the effects of coffee and cheese."


    She looked at the front door. "They''ll be waiting for you. Mako is a vengeful beast and not above making sure her debts die with you."


    He nodded once, "Good advice, but I have work to do elsewhere. I will leave by another exit, and take the high road. They may be dangerous, but I know the rooftops as well as any Captain knows her deck." With that, he jumped to the table, leaped into the rafters, and disappeared into the shadows.


    <hr>


    "Goodness, look what the tide brought in. Captain Mako and half the shark clan, sitting on the docks in front of my little ship. What can I do for you, Mako?" Annie was feeling good but knew that somehow, Mako had something to do with her losing a large pile of gold in a very short amount of time. And while Mako hadn''t ended up with it, Annie still felt the Sharks owed her. Luckily, she could just add that to the salvage bill Mako was about to rack up.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Mako and her crew, all too aware of the number of guns aimed at them from the Orca, were as polite as church mice on Sunday mornings. Mako even managed a smile. "Well, I was hoping to give my old pal Annie a chance at a salvage job. You''ve said the Orca is always ready to go. I''d like to start the job immediately, as soon as we have a deal."


    Annie shook her head, "Besides being bad luck to sail in the middle of the night, I want my salvagers to be able to see the sea floor. It''s going to be treacherous down there with all the broken ships and we don''t know if the eels will come back. We can start at the crack of dawn with a full head of steam. But first, I think we need to set the terms of the deal in stone. It would be terrible for good friends to argue over a distribution of salvaged wealth."


    Mako sighed and prepared for the worst. She was in a bad position, and Annie knew it. Annie would have turned the screws on her own mother in a situation like this. Mako certainly had. Mom was still pissed. "It''s an easy job. My girls have already found where the ship went over the edge. But we don''t have the Deep Sea suits to go lower. We just need help lifting her to the surface and dragging her ashore. I can pay 500 gold for that smidgeon of work."


    "HA! Not worth starting the boilers for 500! I''ll take 30% of the treasure in your vault and the value of the wreckage plus a thousand gold in fees for wear and tear on my ship."


    "Not happening Annie, don''t let your greed show so much. I''ll give you 15% of all the coins and bars in the vault. The rest of the ship is off-limits."


    "Off-limits? You do know I could go after it without you and by Clan rules only owe you 50% of the wreck and keep the treasure?"


    "Oh, sure, and start a war. Best not lay claim to a Shark ship if you ever want to sleep soundly again."


    "You''d be surprised how soundly I sleep, surrounded by my crew and my cannons, but I''ll let you off the hook. 35% of the treasure and I''ll skip the rest."


    "You know 20% is fair and traditional!"


    "I also know how much I lost tonight! Stuff tradition, I watched you trample all over tradition tonight, even if I can''t prove it! 30% or I sleep in and my boilers stay cold."


    "I could live with 30% of coin and ingots and 30% of the salvage value of the wreck."


    "Good, and I want a guarantee of 3000 gold, you can keep the wreck."


    "Done, there''s more than 10k in pocket change, just in what we packed down the day it sunk."


    The two captains spit on their hands and sealed the deal, their crews looking on. For the next four hours, the two crews worked to get the ship ready to find the remains of the Silver Shark and drag her ashore.


    <hr>


    Along with the water''s edge, many Scavengers had set up small shops made of planks from destroyed ships and were selling anything they found floating or in the shallow waters. Ship parts, decking, torn sails, splintered masts, and a surprising amount of alcohol could be found for sale. With more things being pulled from the surf each day, many Scavengers were shopping and haggling over the flotsam and jetsam. Crews with a competent carpenter or Woodwright hauled away parts of masts and decking. A sailmaker had set up shop, turning the torn canvas into working sails for the ambitious people rebuilding ships. And alcohol was always in demand.


    And, scrap metal always had its value. The mates and metal smiths from the Orca, Barracuda, and Goldfish were buying it by the ton to use in their steamships or to melt down into ammunition. Larger chunks of metal were also valuable for the gears and gubbins that might be recovered, but these pieces were heavy and often tumbled down the steep slope of the harbor, or went further and tumbled over the edge of the dropoff. Braver Scavengers used underwater gear to find these pieces and drag them out using small boats or long cables and muscle power. Good gear was a lifesaver when exploring deep, and expensive, but worth the cost.


    This might explain why the dented tank and cracked diving helmet connected with make-shift fittings were still for sale at Happy Sam''s Good-Time Salvage, Bar, and Grill. Samantha, the proprietor, wanted two gold for the crappy set and any competent Scavenger wouldn''t wear it in the deep water if she paid them. Happy Sam was hoping someone would haggle her down to half a gold, but hadn''t had any luck and was surprised when a scruffy human wearing rags and a mask pointed to the gear and pushed forward two gold coins.


    She tried to sell the sucker everything else she had on hand, sensing an idiot with too much money. "How about a spear gun? Never know when you have an eel bearing down on you with sharp teeth? No? Then maybe a set of ''Divers Boots'', they look like normal leather but increase your speed when walking through mud and muck?"


    The customer shook his head at each offering turning her down. In desperation to make a sale, she brought out a recent pile of finds and dumped them on the counter. "Gimbley sprockets, only slightly dented? Loading spring from a number ten cannon? Boilerplate? I have a ton of pieces, enough to make a new boiler! Wait, what about this?! One of the biggest monster teeth ever found, even if it''s broken!"


    The tooth had been washed up on the shore along with a clump of seaweed. It was of impressive size, but broken and rotted with a bad stench coming from it. Even as she set it down on the counter, another piece of brown, rotted tooth broke off.


    "How about it? Make me an offer, any offer. Take home a priceless trophy that you can use to back up your lies about hunting monsters. Great for when you retire."


    The customer recoiled from the smell, growling, then sniffed at the tooth, getting far closer to it than Sam ever had. Then he reached into a pocket and put out a gold coin. Sam grabbed the coin before he changed his mind. "Sold! Now get that stinky thing out of my shop!"


    With a bag of broken diving gear over one shoulder and a rotting monster fang in his other arm, the customer walked away into the shadows. Happy Sam watched him go, jingling the shiny coins. "Sucker born every minute. Hey, you! Need some boilerplate? Fresh from the Battle of the Eels!"

 Chapter 344: Fifty-Five Fathoms Beneath the Sea

    Milo knew the direction to find his headstone, which was straight out from the beach and pointing downward at a sharp angle. He knew he had very little time for his scavenging expedition and didn''t want to come into conflict with the Sharks or another crew of scavengers. But he wanted the Sharks gone, and to do that, he needed to take away their wealth. Money was one of the tools they were using to take over part of the town. That clan, more than all the others, had worked to buy or steal the land around the docks and the docks themselves. They were hurting a lot of people in Shadowport and driving up the cost of fish tacos. Milo had spent his entire life in a place where people had little money, and little access to buy the goods they wanted. The Sharks were destroying the economy of the city, destroying the jobs and homes of the fishing clans, and interfering with trade. Shadowport was an important crossroads in the world, but its trade had been hurt by the mass exodus of the rich traders when the World Boss marched on the city and hurt worse by the lack of space to moor a ship and the huge ''Trading Fees'' extorted by the pirates and scavengers.


    Laws in Shadowport were fast and loose, but they''d never been bent the way the Sharks were playing. Tradition and a shared community went a long way to keep things sort of fair. The Sharks took advantage of that, buying up small debts, forcing families from their homes, purchasing the docks, and making it impossible for many people to stay in the city. Milo wanted to fix that, and he was happy to play by the same rules the Sharks were using. He wasn''t part of any Scavenger Clan and owed them nothing. A wreck on the seafloor was up for grabs, and sunken treasure belonged to the person who got to it first. He''d seen a lot of gold scattered on the floor of that vault and stacks of ingots. He just had to get to them first.


    The pawn shops and junk dealers had happily sold the crazy human their broken diving gear. He''d spent the first two hours after leaving the casino buying it piece by piece and then fixing what he could and throwing the rest away. He was left with a semi-functional diving helmet with a cracked faceplate, an assortment of hoses that didn''t leak once he''d applied a new protective coating, and three tanks of air. He''d had to pay a fee to have the tanks recharged. That was when the fourth tank exploded. Better then than when he was underwater.


    While any dwarf would have quailed at the idea of diving deep with such crappy equipment, Milo had some advantages. The Runes of Swift Swimming would let him navigate the depths quickly, far faster than someone walking along the bottom in a clumsy diving suit. He had good vision when using his goggles and his dark vision enhancements. His toughness and hard bones would let him shrug off the pressure of the depths, and he could hold his breath for long periods if his air supply failed. The last advantage was his Ring of the Swiss Army. Besides the useful effects of summoning a loyal guard lizard and fondue pots, it could set up his tent, and darn socks, and grant him water breathing for 1 hour a day. His plan was to use the tanks and gear on the way down, and the ring for the trip back up. His chest could hold a large amount of coins and bar stock with its 54 cubic feet of space. If he could get to the wreck, open the door, and summon his chest then the Sharks would be denied a new source of income and he could cripple their operation. He just had to hurry and get there first.


    His problems included other scavengers, eels, and someone linking Engineer Milo to what the Sharks and other clans would think of as theft. He didn''t want to bring trouble to his guild. Some of them had links to the Scavengers now, like Boomboom and Pillbug. He didn''t know how much trouble the combined politics of the situation would create if his theft became known. The easiest way to solve that problem was not to get caught. Luckily, no one would notice a raggedy human scavenging for parts over by the docks reserved for the fishermen and he wasn''t planning on using a boat. Several chunks of wood served him as a makeshift raft. With the tanks on top of a piece of decking, he moved into the water and slowly kicked behind the raft as he moved out into the bay. When the direction of his gravestone was directly below him, he grabbed the leather strap holding the tanks together, put on the diving helmet, double-checked his airflow, and started swimming down.


    He was constantly looking for eels but was surprised that he saw none. The System Message must be true and he''d wiped out most of the population. He had a happy feeling when he thought about that. Fifty feet down he saw the edge of the dropoff and the marks in the seafloor where the wreckage had left a trail in the mud and the muck. He looked at the curve of the bay, both around and downward, and the picture in his mind astounded him. The tower in the bay where the eels were thickest perched on a thin spire of rock in the center of a complete sphere where everything else had been destroyed. He''d listened to the dwarves'' stories, but it was still hard to imagine any type of weapon that could destroy a one-mile-diameter sphere of matter so completely. Or that the tower, the supposed target, had survived. After thinking about that for a minute, he realized he was wasting precious air. It was a mystery to look into later.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He began his descent, swimming down the slowly curving seafloor as he went deeper and deeper. Three hundred feet down he saw wreckage of the back third of the Silver Shark. The eels had dented her hull everywhere and sprung the seems between the armored plates. Further up, cannon balls had crashed through both sides and severed this piece from the midsection. It had come to rest on a slanted shelf with the stern higher in the air. Before he went into the wreck, Milo detached one empty tank and began drawing air from his second. He was slightly ahead of schedule, but the next step in the project had an unknown time to complete. He squeezed into the wreck and moved upward to the vault, careful not to snag an air hose. Crabs and small fish were already picking the bones of the Scavengers killed by cannons or eels. The only body he touched was the mate who''d nearly killed him. He shifted her half-eaten corpse to the hallway, and out of the way of his small working space.


    The vault door was still shut and unlocked, held in place by its weight, friction, and the pressure of the water. If the vault had leaked, it would be easy to open, with gravity on his side. If it was airtight, he''d have to fight against the pressure of the water, a nearly impossible task unless you had the necessary tools. Milo being an Engineer had anticipated the problem and brought the tools.


    Summoning his chest, he opened it up slowly, releasing air that floated to the top of the compartment and was trapped in a corner. That was an emergency air supply that he hoped he wouldn''t have to use. Inside the chest were strong cables, pulleys, and a strong device called a ''come-along'' used for tightening ropes and wires. He ran the cable through the handle of the door, then to a spot he could anchor it to in the hallway. The come-along was a type of ratchet with a lever. Every time he moved the lever down, he tightened the cable. As the air in his second tank slowly ran out he spent long minutes adding tension to the cable. The door budged a quarter-inch, finally and bubbles appeared on the edge of the door. That confirmed the vault was airtight. Now that water was seeping in, the pressure would equalize, and opening the door would be easier.


    Milo didn''t think he had that long. He connected his third and last air tank and began setting up a second cable. The first come-along would strip its gears if he put any more pressure on it, but a careful Engineer brought backups. Milo''s chest was full of cables, ratchets, and other gear for opening stubborn doors, including a block of cataclysmite, happily loaned to him by BoomBoom, no questions asked.


    The use of the explosive was a last resort. While it was better for his plan to have the treasure scattered into the deep parts of the bay than to let Mako get it back, the best result was to take it with him. Just like in the real world, money was a good tool for some things.


    With the second cable tightened, the door moved even more, and water began to pour into the vault, and a trickle of coins poured out. The door was stuck with only a half-inch gap clear. Milo could see bars of gold and coins piled against the door that he couldn''t get to. He examined the hinges and saw that one of them was bent from being improperly mounted and the pressure of the sagging door had bent it further. With the hydraulic system, the door would have still opened, but not now. Milo considered his options, putting explosives on the bottom. He could hook up more cables, but the damage to the hinges was bad enough that he had little hope the strategy would work, and he was running out of air. A force spell might work, but the angle was terrible. Squeezing himself next to the door might let him cast the spell, but he would have to use a huge amount of force to bend the damaged hinge and it put him in a bad position if the door slammed open and rebounded. He ran through every option he could think of, and the part of him that came up with bad ideas provided the answer in the form of a tool he hadn''t thought of using.


    Pulling the not-so-ordinary-looking screwdriver from his chest, he examined it carefully using his goggles. The last time he''d attempted to understand the tool, he''d nearly killed himself and changed the Mace of Armageddon into a pre-system multi-function tool. Now though, even though he didn''t understand all the controls he did see a way to reset the tool to its last function. He pushed mana into the device, mentally selected the setting, and waited for the resulting explosion.


    Nothing happened other than the tool turning back into the heavy ''mace'' that General Gangreen had nearly killed him with. It was now labeled as a ''Force Application Device'', which certainly was appropriate for a mace. He tapped lightly on the hull and was rewarded with a loud echoing boom and a dent in the hull. Satisfied with the result, he began hitting the door, forcing it in the correct direction. As the door began to move an inch at a time, Milo hit the door harder, which had several unexpected results. The hinge broke, the door slammed open, and all the gold coins and ingots that had been piled against the door flowed out, taking Milo by surprise and burying him both underwater and under hundreds of pounds of metal.

 Chapter 345: Standing Guard

    The Sharks who were left in the casino were the youngest and most inexperienced Scavengers in the clan. So while they outnumbered the dozen Engineers and six crew of the Leviathan, it was no contest as to who would win in a fight. So when closing time came around and no one moved from their seat, they sighed and restocked the buffet with whatever they had left in the kitchen. Both Whale and Sledgemonkey agreed that if everyone left, the Sharks might start pillaging their own casino. Stranger things happened when Scavengers thought the ship was sinking. They needed to stay and guard the place, and keep an eye on the alcohol.


    The kitchen itself was a mess. Pillbug''s method of cooking used every pan and pot available. Besides his glorious French Toast, he''d been cooking anything he found in the kitchen, adding his own touches to the recipes, often involving alcohol and fire. Sledgemonkey had been a little cautious about eating oysters in a bowl of flaming whiskey but had to admit that the flavor was worth a few burns to his tongue.


    Boomboom had searched the casino until he found a deck of cards that the Sharks hadn''t marked and got another poker game going. Others did the same and eventually, the Sharks had to watch in horror as three tables of ex-customers sat and played late into the night without the clan getting any profit at all. And they were playing for copper and toothpicks!


    Captain Whale was sitting with BoomBoom, Narwhal, Sledgemonkey, and Two-Screws. Eventually, she couldn''t take it anymore and said, "Alright, enough is enough. Tell me how the hell you pulled off this caper tonight. We''ve always suspected Mako ran crooked games, so I don''t give a rat''s fart, but dammit, I''m curious as hell. It was like your crew couldn''t lose."


    Two-Screws laughed, "But Sledgemonkey still tried! You had the damnedest bad luck tonight. I watched you sitting on your hands and praying the dealer would break! Which she didn''t and left you holding a 14 or a 12."


    "Not my fault. The next card would have put me over. You jerks took all the good cards and there I am at the end of the table having to sit on crap. Still came out ahead though. Hard not to."


    Whale looked around the table, "What do you mean, you knew the next card would put you over? Were the Sharks running with marked decks?"


    Sledgemonkey nodded to her. "Yup, take a look. Rune-Marked decks." He handed her a deck of cards from the blackjack tables and a monocle. All of the engineers had worn special goggles, or spectacles tonight, recalibrated to specifically look for a certain type of rune and function like the Shark''s monocles. Whale stared at the cards and cursed.


    "Damn, this is blatant. And brilliant. That''s some clever runework on these cards, and quite subtle. I have to admit I''m jealous they had someone this good. I suppose the Captain''s table was the same? Or was something else going on? That last hand was impossible! And the Professor pulled a fast one on Mako, sitting quietly in his seat nibbling cheese and sipping coffee."


    "No sure about that game. I tried to spot the cheat, but couldn''t. The monocles didn''t show a damned thing. So however they were cheating, and whatever the Professor pulled, we don''t have a clue. Maybe you should ask him sometime." Sledgemonkey grinned at her.


    Whale crossed her arms and glared back. "Maybe I will. But you haven''t said how the hell you found out about the rune-marked cards."


    BoomBoom giggled, "It was in the job description." He shared an Engineering notification with the Captain.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Job #4732-J: Testing Optical Enhancements for the ability to Detect Runic Markings


    Senior Engineer Milo is studying Optical Enhancement apparatus to determine the optimal piece of equipment to detect runic markings upon painted cardboard playing cards. An experiment has been set up in the casino in Shadowport.


    Senior Engineer Milo asks for several Engineers to conduct testing to see if they can detect the Runes on Marked cards.


    This is a Blind Test, and Clan Shark is unaware of the testing procedure. Subtlety must be used, increasing the difficulty of the test for most Engineers.


    Optional Experiment: Conduct psychological tests on Clan Shark to learn the effect that a loss of gold has on the clan.


    Optional Experiment: Conduct dexterity tests to find the optimal height to stack gold coins while playing blackjack.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "And how the hell did Senior Engineer Milo figure this out?!"


    "Maybe you should ask him sometime."


    "Maybe I will! Where the hell is he?"


    Sledgemonkey, "Oh, Senior Engineer Milo keeps busy. Always trying to fix something."


    Two-Screws added, "Or break something."


    Narwhal and her husband laughed and said, "Boom Boom Boom!"


    <hr>


    An hour before sunrise would send light into the city of Shadowport the Iron Orca was firing up her boilers. Captain Annie wanted a full head of steam by dawn when the salvage operation started. Steam was movement, power to the winches and cranes, and most importantly her steam cannons. She didn''t put it past some bunch of idiots trying to steal her ship thinking her crew was distracted with a salvage operation. Plus, she wanted to show off in front of Mako.


    The leader of the sharks was nervous and smoking her cigars to the nub every few minutes. One of her cabin girls was standing nearby with another box of stogies and a bottle of rum. Annie thought Mako would be out of both before the day was half over. She was enjoying the sight, and hopeful for the amount of salvage. Mako wouldn''t be so worried about a couple of chests of gold. The loot was substantial and it represented the last of the clan''s wealth. Annie looked forward to taking her percentage off the top.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Stumpy had been less happy with the deal. "Something''s fishy here. You don''t see someone be so specific about the loot, specifying only coins and ingots unless they have something else they don''t want to give up."


    "Well, maybe if someone hadn''t been face down in a plate of French toast while getting a shoulder rub instead of being around to advise her captain, maybe I''d have caught that!"


    Stumpy looked a little guilty, but her belly was full and her shoulders and back felt wonderful, so the guilt melted away quickly. "Ah, don''t sweat it. I bet she has a jeweled sword or crown hidden away she wants to keep. Everyone has their little keepsakes. But I think the Sharks spent every last coin they had on that casino. Hell, the crew contributed all their swag to it when the clan savings weren''t enough, and most of what they took from gambling was coins or raw nuggets they melted to ingots. They hauled them out in chests every week. That treasure vault of hers is fat with chests of treasure. We''ll do fine even if Mako keeps a few things. And this is a cake run. The divers will be at the wreck an hour after dawn, another hour to spread the salvage net and lines and we''ll pull the wreckage up with the crane and swing it onto the beach."


    Annie considered her mate''s words but still scowled. "You could have at least brought along breakfast."


    Stumpy slammed her wooden leg on the deck. "Nope! If you got one taste of my man, you''d be after him too! I''m not taking a chance. You''ll have to go shopping and pick out one of your own! We need to wrangle you an invite to the deep parts. Pillbug is taking me down next week to show me around. Maybe Whale will let you come along?"


    Annie stared at her. "The Whale do a favor for another Captain so she can go fishing for an Engineer in her territory? Are you daft?"


    "Oh, I didn''t say it would be cheap. But we''ve got a nice windfall coming our way in a few hours. Maybe a little shark gold can buy your way in."


    "There''s a better chance of opening up that vault and finding an Engineer napping on a pile of gold!"


    "Oooh...now there''s a thought. Maybe covered in maple syrup?"


    "Stopping you right there Stumpy. We''ve got work to do, and I don''t need thoughts like that in my head!" She yelled down to the crew, "Sun''s up, let''s get moving. Move ahead at one-quarter speed. Mako! Give the helm directions and tell them where you want them to stop!


    Mako was relieved to finally be underway. Every day, hell, every hour, that she didn''t have access to her treasures was going to weigh heavy on her mind. Not that Annie or anyone else was going to find the real treasures she had hidden. Even the crew didn''t know what was in that vault. And it wasn''t part of any salvage deal. Annie could have her cut of the precious metal. She''d get back her hidden trove and they''d be back in business in a day. A couple of months was all it would take to recoup her lost money, and by then the Engineers would want to start work on putting Leviathan back together and have to negotiate with her for land and dockspace. That would get her foot in the door to be one of the Captains salvaging the Queen. One step at a time and the Sharks would be back on top.


    She pulled a Treasure Finder out of her pocket. They were a popular bauble with some Captains who might forget just where they buried a fortune in gold. Too much gold on a ship could be a problem. To most Scavengers, gold was a thing that bought fancy hats, and strong drinks, or paid the repair bills after you tore up a bar. They understood making repairs to the ship and replacing food and ammo, but that was about as far as they thought ahead. Many a Captain had to deal with a mutiny when the crew found out about a fat chest of loot hidden beneath the floorboards of the captain''s Quarters.


    This was the reason so many clans had only one ship and few saved up to make a permanent base of operations. The solution was hiding the loot somewhere and then collecting it when needed. Treasure Finders were a unique item made by gnomish artificers. Each compass pointed to only one thing, a small item crafted at the same time as the magical compass was made, and from the same batch of metal. Her Treasure Finder pointed to the Vault door in the Silver Shark. She watched carefully as the needle quivered, and called out, "Cut the power, we''re close." The ship drifted a bit more, and then the needle spun in circles. "She''s right below us, Annie, send them on down."


    Annie looked overboard, seeing the change in the color of the water. "We''re right at the drop-off, I''ll drop the main cable down, then reverse and drop anchors. That will lay the line along the slope and once they find the wreck, it will be easy to hook up." The crane started dropping its cable down and then the ship moved backward and dropped two anchors to hold her in place. The three divers shared a glass of rum, then put on their helmets, and jumped overboard, tethers trailing behind them.


    It was two hours of hard work to get to the wreck, move the line to it, and hook it up securely. Slowly the crane began to lift the wreck up to the surface, with the divers sitting on the stern and getting a ride. There was no sense pulling the wreck out of the water, even if the crane had the power. In the water, it put far less strain on the ship as she dragged it back to the docks. Mako was grinding her teeth the whole way.

 Chapter 346: The Legacy of Black Eddy

    Milo woke up with his lungs screaming at him as his last tank of air gave out. It didn''t help that he was being crushed under hundreds of pounds of gold and barely able to move. After a moment of terror, he pushed down the panic. This was a game, and as real as it felt, he wouldn''t really die, it would just feel like it. But worse, he''d certainly fail in his plan to foil the sharks, leave an incriminating headstone, and lose some of his favorite magical items.


    The gold was the immediate problem. It was crushing down on him, the heavy ingots on top of the coins that had cascaded in an avalanche. He hadn''t expected the foot-thick vault door to open so quickly and had underestimated the force that the ''mace'' could produce. Casting a spell felt impossible. His tail was crushed beneath him, one arm was totally immobile against his side, and he didn''t know where the Mace of Armageddon was. The other arm was stretched out away from him and experimenting showed he could wiggle his fingers. He might be able to manage one rune, but that was it. A Rune of Force was the obvious choice, to blast upward and away from him and shift the gold. But there were problems with that. His hand would take an opposite and equal force blast, most likely doing enough damage that he couldn''t cast again. The explosion might not even be enough to shift the gold and the force would rebound back on him.


    He needed both the Rune of Force and the Rune of the Void to move the gold safely. As time slowed, he frantically ran through scenarios, stubbornly ignoring the Bad Idea Department of his brain that was once again trying to get his attention. But time was running out, and the worst that could happen was he died quicker. He shifted his hand to make a small pocket of space and brought out the cataclysmite in his ring. The chunk of rubbery explosives would certainly move the gold, but also scatter his limbs all over the walls. He needed less Boom. One claw carefully cut off a fraction of the slab and he managed to put the larger piece back into the ring. Hurriedly he got his hand under the explosives, wiggling and shifting the chunk up and putting a layer of coins between his hand and the explosives. He split his mind in two, one half working with his wiggling fingers to manifest the largest Rune of the Void he could manage, and then detonated the cataclysmite with the spark cantrip he''d learned from Arlothe.


    The resulting explosion in such an enclosed space and underwater shattered both eardrums, but did have the desired effect of blasting away some of the gold above him, leaving his hand and arm free. All of him was aching. With more ability to move, he felt above him, finding the pile precariously balanced. Any sudden movements would cause more gold to pour down onto his freed arm.


    There was nothing to do but repeat the experiment. This time he could place the explosives better, hoping to move the pile off to the side. He''d survived the first blast, so he made the next one bigger. When it detonated, the Rune of the Void absorbed most of the force that would have hit him, and as the pile was blasted one way, his body was shifted the other way, temporarily freeing him. He kept rolling, slowed by the water, and got out of the way as the coins rolled back down to where he had been.


    Lunging upward, he found the pocket of air in the corner of the ceiling and gulped it into his lungs, doing nothing but breathing deeply until the panic subsided. Then he looked at his situation. There was far more gold here than he could take in his chest, which he could barely see. A corner stuck out from under the pile. It was certainly filled, so he dismissed it before moving to look into the vault. Inside he found something more valuable than gold: more air. He got to the large pocket and took another breath.


    He''d solved one problem but had another. Getting out would be difficult with all the gold in the way. He''d have to try and clear a path. From his Scout Master ring, he took Ore Gathering bags and began filling them with heavy ingots. Even though each one held four times its capacity, they barely made a dent in the pile. He could dig for a few minutes while holding his breath and then needed to go back for more air.


    It was time for a break. He needed a healing potion and a piece of cheese to help him think. Leaning back against the wall and slowly chewing a chunk of aged parmesan he looked around the vault. There were metal shelves along the two side walls where chests and ingots had been stacked, but nothing along the back wall. He found that odd. Using his goggles, he could just barely see traces of subtle magic of some kind. It took him twenty minutes of working with the goggles to see three rectangular areas on the far wall that stood out. Going to the far left, he looked at the 2''x2'' square. Hidden seams were just barely apparent, as was a runic puzzle the size of a coin. It took him a minute to figure out the puzzle, and then the square became a hatch and the lock clicked. As he touched the hatch, runes glowed and moved into new patterns.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">You''ve found an abandoned Treasure Chest! This hidden dimensional compartment was placed here by the Rogue Engineer Edward Damyon, or as his wanted posters called him, ''Black Eddy''.


    -By the Laws of the Sea, you may loot the treasures inside.


    -By the Laws of Engineering, you may claim this dimensional compartment and add it to your own for the cost of five enhancement points.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    With no hesitation, he claimed both the treasure and the additional space. The wall now had an empty hole in it where the storage had been. He was very curious about the other two hidden treasures. He moved to the center one, a 4''x4'' square. He was able to find the puzzle used to open it, but no matter what he tried, it wouldn''t activate. He moved to the rightmost area, easily solving the puzzle.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Eddy isn''t going to be happy with you! Luckily, he''s dead.


    This hidden dimensional compartment was placed here by the Rogue Engineer Edward Damyon, or as his wanted posters called him, ''Black Eddy''.


    -By the Laws of the Sea, you may loot the treasures inside.


    -By the Laws of Engineering, you may claim this dimensional compartment and add it to your own for the cost of five enhancement points.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Again, Milo paid the price and added the eight square feet to his Smugglers Stash. He liked these hidden treasures and the rules for stealing them. Could he do it because the owner was dead? Or because he''d been kicked out of his Engineering guild? Those were questions for later. He went back to the center puzzle to try again to figure it out and saw that it was now active. He understood. The two smaller treasures had to both be unlocked before the center could be activated. A further security measure perhaps? He set about to solve the puzzle, and was still at it a half hour later, sweating hard and thinking with three parts of his mind. Black Eddy had a subtle mind, and there were puzzles within puzzles. Finally, when he used a non-Euclidian system of simultaneous non-linear equations, the answer became obvious. He punched the rune that represented ''42'' and the entire wall transformed.


    The wall first pulled back forming a small room. A small workbench equipped with two vises went across the four-foot-wide back wall. The wall behind it was filled with calipers, drills, diamond saws, and all manner of precision tools. Milo picked up a #21 Gangley wrench and admired it before placing it lovingly back in its holder. On either side of him were stacked sea chests that could slide out to access their interiors. A small shelf above the workbench held bound notes, and handwritten journals. Two empty whiskey jugs acted as bookends.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">You have accessed an abandoned Engineer''s Arcane Workshop, most recently owned by the Rogue Engineer Edward Damyon. As a Senior Engineer with access to extra-dimensional storage space, you may claim this Workshop for yourself. Cost: 30 Enhancement Points.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo gleefully spent all his eel-gotten points, leaving him with three extra points. His mind felt like it expanded as knowledge of the Arcane Workshop filled some chunk of his mind.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Congratulations on earning your Arcane Workshop. Summoning your Arcane Workshop uses 1000 stamina. This process takes one minute.


    This workshop contains 6 storage chests:


    #1 Gold, Silver, or Platinum: 400 Ingot Capacity. (Currently empty.)


    #2 Iron, Copper, or Tin: 400 Ingots. (Currently contains three ingots of Tin.)


    #3 Whiskey, Rum, or WD-400. 100 bottles. (Currently contains three partially full bottles of dwarven whiskey.)


    #4 Toy Soldiers, paint, modeling tools, and brushes. (Currently holds 57 dried-up bottles of Citadel Paint, 16 used paint brushes, and 42 half-painted 32mm scale halfling models.)


    #5 Raw diamonds, crystals, and uncut rubies. (Currently contains 62 assorted gems.)


    #6 Pipeweed, junk, or anything you feel like. 64 cubic foot capacity. (Currently contains 1 pouch of ''Special Weed'' from Longcut Moot.)</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo pulled out the first chest and opened it up. It was much deeper than it looked. Trying not to think about the mysteries he''d discovered, he used his ring to make a small camp and summon his pet. Georgie showed up and looked around, very confused.


    "I need help. Think of it as playing fetch. I need you to pick up all the loose ingots in that pile and dump them in this chest." Fetch was something Georgie loved. He loved almost any game. He wagged his tail happily and dove into the water, coming up with an ingot in his mouth. Milo took out the two gathering bags and dumped them into chest #6, then worked to gather all the loose coins still in the vault, dumping them bag by bag into the empty chests.


    His air pocket was going bad by the time Georgie and he had filled the two chests with ingots and loose coins and cleared enough room to escape. He took a moment to dismiss his tombstone and then, feeling he needed to leave a message used a claw to scrawl something on the floor. He used his ring to give himself an hour of water breathing, a very odd feeling as the water swirled around his new gills. Georgie thought he looked better with them and accompanied him as he made his way out of the wreckage. Swift-Swimming propelled him to the surface where he and his pet dogpaddled to the docks as the sun was just coming up.

 Day 1: Nothing Changes, Everything Changes

    My first book is up on Amazon and Audible. Very exciting to see it. More volumes will follow and Butcher of Gadobhra as well, so very exciting for me. Also stressful. I thought I''d gotten over Imposter Syndrome long ago, but it hit hard this last week while waiting for the book to go up. Now I just pray that the wider world likes it as much as you fine people do.


    And I could use your help. If you don''t mind running over to Amazon and leaving a review or a rating, I''d be eternally grateful. The better a book does, the more Amazon pushes it, which can have a big effect on sales. Reviews/ratings help a lot.


    And if you have KU or have spent 50 dollars on anything from Amazon in the last year, you can leave a rating without buying the book.


    https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0D98Y54PL</a>


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    So what changes? It feels like things have changed, but really, not a whole lot. I don''t yet have an endpoint for either story, I love writing them and would be sad to quit. You can look forward to two chapters a week from each book, maybe more. This is a different route than most authors take. RR is a different type of animal that many are trying to figure out. Many established authors are trying their hand at Litrpg since the genre is growing in popularity. I''ve seen some authors post to RR, and then pull down the story as soon as they can to send to Amazon. They write books, I write webserials. There''s a difference. I''m very glad people have had three years to read Milo''s early adventures.


    Maybe it''s my background in comic books, but I love long stories and telling a continuing one, instead of focusing on a set plot that ends conveniently to tie things up in a book. (Also the reason I love cliffhangers, as many of you have noticed.)


    What does change as my books go to Amazon (and hopefully sell) is that I can spend more time writing, and less time at my other job. College is a struggle to pay for and I have to get the twins through the next four years. Another reason I won''t quit writing anytime soon. :)

 Chapter 347: But about those ingots...

    "You damned bitches shot her full of holes!" Mako seethed as she examined the outer hull of the bottom third of her ship. There were indeed a lot of holes, many of them from sixteen-pound balls, but at least half were from the smaller ammunition used by the steam cannons on the Iron Orca. Mako was glaring at Annie. "Why''d you do it, Annie? I thought we were friends. Fellow captains who saw things eye to eye and had each other''s backs!"


    This was news to Annie and to anyone else listening. But Mako was just looking for an excuse to fight, and Annie wasn''t going to give it to her. "Ah, it''s not that way at all! It was the damned eels! They were swarming and would have eaten every ship on the docks if we didn''t fight back. They were frenzied and crazy. We shot where the eels were thickest and one of those places was that old hulk of a ship you had glued to the top of the Silver Shark! Just bad luck, or maybe they smelled all that gold, or that nasty cologne your mate liked to slather on before she went beard hunting."


    "Eels! Look at my ship!"


    "Which part? It''s sort of scattered all over."


    Mako pointed, "There, where she broke apart! You mean to say that wasn''t from your steam cannons pummeling the hull until she broke?"


    "Hmm, maybe a couple of those holes? We were shooting at eels and you know my steam cannon ain''t something you aim. It''s better to sort of point in the direction of what you want to hit and move the gun back and forth. The rest of that looks like dents the big eels did when they rammed the ship. Heck, maybe they were chewing on it. Some of them have HUGE teeth! Like, like a walrus. They''d make that type of hole."


    "Walrus?"


    "Sort of. Eels with big tusky things. You''d have seen them if you were down here during the battle, and not hiding up in your casino. I don''t blame you. I mean, those eels were scary, what with those HUGE teeth. I''d have hid, but Stompy would have laughed at me. Couldn''t have that."


    "I''m not happy about this, Annie."


    "Oh, I can tell, and I don''t blame you. It''s why, as an old friend and fellow captain, I gave you a good deal on the cost of salvaging that wreck. Speaking of which, my girls are signaling they''ve pumped it out. Why don''t I head down with you and we can see how much gold we have?"


    Mako glared at her. "My gold, you mean."


    "Sure, except part of it is mine, and part yours. So ours. But I''ll take my share quick and then it can be all yours. I''ve got a contract here, tucked in my pocket, just to remind us of the deal. You do remember the deal, Captain Mako?"


    Mako didn''t have much choice. Annie wouldn''t take the bait and fight, and there were too many witnesses around. Not to mention a lot of the Orca''s guns were pointed this way. Time to pay her off, kick her off the ship, and then check on the real treasure hidden in her vaults.


    "Of course, I remember the deal, Captain Annie. Grab two crew to match the two I bring, and let''s go split up our gold." It hurt Mako even to say it.


    The wreck was roughly level, with the vault slightly lower. The crew of the Iron Orca had pumped out as much of the water as they could. There was no sense in doing a thorough job, when the tide came in the lower part would flood again. Mako led the way through the wreckage, squeezing her heavy body through hatchways and dented compartments. The room outside the vault was a mess of seaweed, small crabs, and piles of gold coins.


    Annie whistled, "Isn''t that a pretty pile? Makes you want to just lay in it and wriggle around. I need to get rich like you, Mako. Maybe I should open a casino."


    Mako barely heard her. This wasn''t right, there was too much gold sitting here. What had the idiots done? Just dumped the chests in a pile and left? She wasn''t going to get answers from them. She''d already seen her old mate, Varska, lying dead off to the side of the corridor. She looked like the eels had torn her up. "Start scooping all this up and get a count. We''ll clear this and then we''ll open the vault and count the ingots." Bucket by bucket the coins were scooped up and passed outside to there Stompy and Izzy, one of Mako''s new mates, weighed the coins and kept a tally. Half an hour later, Izzy brought the tally to the captains. "We''ve got twelve thousand and six gold, Captain, and there were ten ingots on the bottom."


    Annie lit a short cigar and puffed away, grinning at Mako. Mako knew she had to give up the gold, but it hurt! Finally, the Captain of the Sharks said, "Well, a contract is a contract. That makes 3602 coins and three ingots to the Iron Orca for services rendered."


    "So far."


    "Yes, dammit, so far. Let''s go count the ingots. I have a casino to run. Hope to see you up there tonight, Annie. Come celebrate our grand reopening."


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Oh, wouldn''t miss it for the world. But about those ingots..."


    "I''m going! Since when were you in such a hurry?"


    "Since you owed me 30% of a stack of ingots."


    Mako quit talking. Annie was having too much fun today. Tonight though, she''d have fun taking all this gold back. Crawling back into the wreck, she unlocked the vault while Annie covered her eyes. Then she and Mako grabbed the door and heaved. Not budging it at all.


    "Dammit, this thing is heavy! Without the power on, it might take a few of us to open it."


    Annie pointed to a badly twisted hinge. "More than a few. Look at that top hinge. And the others are out of line as well. Why''d you use a circular hatch? A vault isn''t a damned halfling-house. You can use square doors. And there are dents where you were hammering on the damned thing."


    "I didn''t design the thing. And it''s been fine all these years! We need equipment!"


    Annie sighed theatrically, "And I suppose you don''t have any lines or come-along or block and tackle. Up to hardworking Annie to fix the problem. I suppose that''s why you''ll be giving me enough ingots that I go bowlegged packing them home." The gear was brought from her ship, taking multiple lines and two hours of work to finally pull the door loose. When it was three feet open, Mako looked inside and froze. Annie saw her back and shoulders stiffen and her hands were clenched in fists. Then the Captain of the Sharks shook with fury and screamed hard enough to send both crews running and even make Annie back off and put her hand on her cutlass.


    Mako turned, glared at her, and said loudly, "Someone is going to die. Slowly while I laugh and they beg for a quick death!" She stalked out of the wrecked ship, leaving a very confused Captain Annie behind. When Mako was gone for a full minute, she crept forward and looked into the vault. Not a coin or ingot was to be seen. The shelving was empty, and three rectangular holes showed where chests had been stored. Annie was pissed at first, feeling cheated of her promised gold. That went away when she saw what someone had scrawled on the floor with a tool, "SHARKS SUCK BILGEWATER!" Chuckling, she left the wreck, eager to tell Whale the story.


    On the beach, Mako was fuming and cursing, while her crew packed up the gold. One of the Scavenger Captains had beaten her to her vault, but she had no idea who. It wasn''t Annie. She had the pressure suits to find it, but not enough people to haul out the gold and walk it to shore. That was the real work. A strong girl in a suit could maybe carry a bucket of gold or a few ingots up the cliff and get it to shore, but they''d be wrecked and exhausted. A bucket brigade was out of the question, too many suits were needed, and still too much work. None of the riff-raff could have pulled it off, they had shitty boats and crap for equipment. That left Whale. Leviathan might be a wreck, but she had some of the best suits ever made and plenty of crew. They were specialists in deep sea scavenging and could work for hours in their suits.


    But even if it was Whale, how the hell could she get the gold up to the docks? She must be working with someone else. She''d brought in another submersible. And if she was prepared for that, then Whale had planned the whole caper. Rile up the eels, bait them to the docks, then Annie and the others ''accidentally'' shoot up her ship. Which meant Annie had been in on it all along. Probably getting a healthy split of everything! That lying curly-haired witch! And they''d been friends almost!


    The more she thought about it, the more it fit. Only another Captain could steal the two smaller chests. And Whale had the most experience in finding them. She''d looted a dozen of them from wrecks even before they found the Iron Queen. But what really twisted her butt was the center chest. She''d never been able to even open the damned thing!! Black Eddy had told everyone including his loving wife that it was off-limits. Private Engineer stuff!


    Of course...the deal with the Engineers. That was why Whale had cozied up to them. She''d planned for this. Lured the Sharks here by spreading rumors about the Iron Queen and building a shipyard. She''d known that Clan Shark would show up. Then she let her fill the Silver Shark with gold and bided her time, used the eels and Annie to wreck her ship, and then her hidden submersible full of Engineers showed up to loot it.


    She didn''t know how, but she was going to get her revenge. Right after she got her casino back! "Load it up, girls. Time to make that rat an offer he can''t refuse!"

 Chapter 348: Discreet Friends

    Belinda woke each morning with the feeling she was drowning. She swam for the surface, the light getting closer each morning, but never reaching the surface. Kicking drug addictions is incredibly difficult even with the help of advanced medical technology and she''d been on these drugs all of he life. Worse, she wasn''t meant to ever be off of them, according to her old doctors. Her pod was scrubbing her body each night to pull any remaining drugs out of her while using an everchanging cocktail of placebos to help her get over the withdrawal symptoms.


    One morning she woke up, feeling like she''d reached the surface, able to push forward and not be dragged back under. Her thoughts were clearer and didn''t spin off into crazy loops of paranoia or endless recurring memories. She had a long way to go, physically, but emotionally she was getting stronger.


    She also came to a decision. Milo was crazy, and if there were too many problems around him, he''d work himself to death trying to fix everything. She owed him, big time, so it was her responsibility to start doing what she could to lighten the load. To do that, she had to get past a formidable obstacle: Mama.


    Mama was the center of their extended family, and Belinda needed her on her side. The family had decided that Milo was on vacation, and Belinda wanted to keep it that way. Which meant not mentioning what she wanted to work on to Milo. He''d start thinking about things and want to help. Luckily, Mama agreed with her, a huge relief. She listened to Belinda and joined the conspiracy.


    "Sure, I can see that. That boy can''t sit still and eat even when he''s starving himself to death. When he gets out of his pod, I feed him as much as I can and make sure he gets some rest. But he''s always thinking, and thinking can put a strain on him. Now, that''s a lot less harmful than running around inside some superhero armor and getting shot, but still stressful. If you can fix a few things around here and lighten his load, and can at least not mention what''s going on. What are you going to be doing?"


    "Well, firstly I need to deal with my Father. I''ve dodged him for weeks now and the only thing keeping him from going crazy and calling in the authorities to find his missing girl is Eric. Eric has him convinced of a version of the truth, that I''m in hiding because of Victor and people like Victor, and that I''ll be back when I turn 18 in a week. That triggered 83 emails from John about planning a big birthday party for me. With clowns! After playing Run, Run Ramona I never want to see clowns again." Milo didn''t like clowns and was convinced they were one of the scariest things in the world. After playing his game, everyone agreed with him. Clowns were the worst


    "Well, it''s good that he''s worried about you. There are a thousand kids up in the hab whose parents don''t worry about them at all. Get that birthday behind you so you have more control and then straighten things out with him. Meanwhile, what is it you plan to do up here? Besides eating regular meals, getting time in your pod to keep you healthy, and starting your physical rehabilitation? You were nearly walking normally before this. I don''t like seeing you back in that chair."


    "Right, well besides all of those logical things you just mentioned that I will certainly be doing, I need to do some research. Milo sort of borrowed all of my medical data along with all the data from my parent''s biotech business and who knows what else. It''s stored on huge discs that I can only read with Rusty''s help in one of his special areas."


    "The areas where people can''t breathe the air and Rusty keeps locked off?"


    "Yeah. One of those. But he says it has regular air inside the room I need to use, and once I''m there I can take off my helmet."


    "Hmmm. Do you mind if I check with Rusty on that? Just to ease my mind?"


    Belinda noted that a lot of the time Mama said things that sounded like questions but weren''t really questions. It was a skill she wanted to acquire. Eric could do it, but John was terrible at it. Before she could even answer Mama, Rusty started talking.


    "Don''t you worry Mama, I''ll take care of the little nipper, and have her home in time for her nap."


    Mama sighed, wondering who had been watching those cartoons with Rusty. "Thank you, dear. Is it safe to go down there?"


    "Oh, very safe. Her wheelchair is electrical and unaffected by the inert gases used in the facility and the full suit Milo made for her has a helmet with a detachable air supply. Running down there to watch a few boring videos and look at numbers is as easy as bouncing up a tree."


    "Fine, then running around Downtown for a couple of hours to test the air storage system is equally as easy."


    That, Belinda thought, was a very good idea. Even if Milo had made her gear, it was still up to her to maintain it and make sure it was safe. Trying to breathe the argonite gas in the hallways was far too much like drowning. Her lungs would pull it in, but she''d die from lack of oxygen. A test run would be good, and she could combine it with another chore.


    "Or maybe start my physical therapy and take a nice slow walk around the park a few times."


    "Good thinking. I''ll pack some snacks to send with you. If you''re going to miss a meal, send me a message. I''m sure Max or one of his friends won''t mind taking a hot dinner down to you. Those little gadgets are so helpful to have around."


    <hr>


    Milo had his own work to do and needed a secure place to do it with no possibility of someone spying on him. Since no one was looking for him in connection with Eel-maggedon he felt safe staying in his human form without wrapping himself in cast-off rags. There was one thing that bothered him though: He didn''t have a spanner. The large adjustable wrenches were a useful tool or weapon, but also a sign of an Engineer''s status. It felt wrong not to have one on his belt. His old one had been gifted to his friend, Vladimir Twosouls. It was a travesty that such a talented individual wasn''t accepted fully by either side of his convoluted family tree. The half-elf/half-dwarf magi-tech specialist had taught Milo so much in the few days they''d spent together, including a system of clever runic script of his own devising. Inducting him into the Deep Rock Engineers as a Senior Engineer had been the right thing to do.


    A screwdriver on his belt just didn''t feel the same, even a special one like this. Of course, it wasn''t a screwdriver all the time. The versatile tool was also an implement for applying force. Maybe one of its forms was an Engineer''s spanner? That made sense to Milo. Of course, things didn''t always go well when he experimented with things. It wouldn''t be good to try anything close to the new docks and housing for the fishermen. But there was an abandoned home near two vacant lots just a little way into the no man''s land of shanties and bars. A sign on the door claimed it was owned by Clan Shark after non-payment of gambling debts by the old owner. It was a narrow, four-story tall house, once owned by a merchant. It took Milo only a moment to scramble up to the top of the roof and hide in the shadows behind the chimney.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Holding the screwdriver, he thought of how he could change it into a mace, then conceptualized a spanner of the same material, and held the tool above his head. "Spanner!" Whatever he''d done, the pre-system tool seemed to understand and it changed into a heavy Engineers spanner made from a dull black metal with intricate runic script running up the handle and several knobs to adjust it. He was ecstatic for a moment, at making it work.


    Then he felt the change in the air. His fur stood on end, and he could smell ozone. Static electricity was building up around him. A bolt of lightning lanced down from the roof of the city, turning a large stalactite to powder, hitting the spanner, then running through Milo and into the roof of the house, which promptly exploded as the beams of the roof were far poorer at conducting electricity than either Milo''s rune enhanced bones or his new wrench.


    Milo fell through the hole in the roof and the interior of the shattered building until he landed on the first floor. Debris was pouring down from the top floors, part of the house was on fire, and everything was swaying back and forth as the unsupported chimney began to topple. Milo dove through a front window, rolled, and kept running, completely panicked by the events. The house swayed back and forth and then came crashing down into a pile of rubble, looking like many other houses in the area. Milo didn''t stop until he was in another part of the city, high on the rooftops.


    While anyone in the city saw the flash and felt the thunder, only a few people were able to see the house''s destruction and its occupant''s hasty retreat. A crew of fishermen getting their boat ready to sail saw the flash and laughed as someone dove out a window and sprinted away, scared out of his mind. They shrugged and got their nets ready. Another crew had told them the crabs were coming back into the bay and they wanted to find out for themselves. Three pirates were staggering along the docks, so drunk that the thunder knocked them down. The only person lucky enough to see the entire event was the Ganglord, Squint. His eyes had somehow seen Milo on the roof, and he''d wondered what one of his Kulags was up to. He saw Milo raise his wrench above his head and glow brightly as the lightning arced through him before the whole house came tumbling down. "Damn, that was neat! I''ll have to get him to show me that trick!"


    It was a very sore and exhausted Milo who trudged across the bridges to the Adventurers Guild. Parts of him were regenerating and that made him hungry. The halfling cheese merchants were doing a brisk business today, selling ''Cheesy Breakfast Sandwiches to a gang of ratkin players. Milo stopped to observe.


    "Get them while they''re hot, guys. Cheap at half the price and worth every silver you''re forking over. A balanced diet that will keep you going all day. And tasty! So tasty! Who needs a healthy breakfast? Buy two for the price of three and eat well all day!"


    The sandwiches seemed to consist of a small loaf of bread with bacon grease on one side, cheese sauce on the other, and a slice of grilled eel in the center. Unlike the Razor Claw gang members, he passed on both the dubious breakfast and a slice of cheese. He had cheddar in his pouch, and there there was a bakery selling fresh nut rolls that his nose led him to. He bought an extra and entered the Guild Hall. Bernard saw him coming and his nose detected the scent of the freshly baked pastry.


    "I''m running a special today. One nut roll and I''ll be your new best friend. Limited time on the friendship depending on future deliveries."


    Milo handed him the extra roll, "As it happens, new best friend, I have a favor to ask. Does the guild offer banking services?"


    Bernard had finished the pastry in three bites and sighed as the rumblings in his stomach were temporarily sated. "Well, if you mean loans, that''s a big no. We''d be broke paying money to every player who wanted to buy gear he couldn''t afford. If you mean you want the guild to take in your cash for safekeeping, then we offer excellent and discreet customer service of the finest variety. And by finest, I mean in this city which has not been blessed by the gnomes."


    "I have gold that''s taking up too much space."


    Bernard looked at him strangely, then considered who he was talking to. "Well, how about you step into my office and we''ll handle this."


    The halfling''s office was a door with enough locks of an intricate variety that Milo didn''t think he could open them in a month. Two thieves were sitting in front of the door, taking turns trying to open the bottom lock, a pile of broken lockpicks on the floor between them. Bernard wasn''t surprised at all to see them. "Playtimes over boys, hope you got some experience points. Come back in an hour with another tasty bribe and you can try again." A large set of keys was produced and the dozen locks were dealt with before Bernard held open the door for Milo to enter and followed him.


    His office was huge, with a large desk, a larger kitchen and pantry, and a long room with banks of small locked doors. Some were as small as half a foot square and others took up significantly more space. Bernard gestured to the wall, "Safe deposit boxes, guaranteed safe, for a small monthly fee. These little ones are great for a few rings or a purse of emergency coins. The biggest give a square yard of storage, but they get a little pricey. The guild charges 50 gold a month for those. Very popular with the adventuring guilds that need storage for quest items and the occasional windfall.


    "I need four of the large ones, please. And I''ll pay a year in advance."


    Bernard smiled, showing all his teeth. "I might even keep you as a best friend for longer than a day. Take the two at the end, dump what you need in there, set the password on the dial, and confirm it. I''ll get a snack and give you some privacy."


    A half-hour later, Milo had emptied half of the coins from his smuggler''s stash and dismissed it. He borrowed a pot from a confused Bernard to help him scoop out the drawer and put most of it into the safe deposit boxes, filling one of them.


    Next was his brand spanking new Arcane Workshop. It appeared as a door on the blank wall, and when opened showed the workbench. The area above the bench held a jumble of cables and tools he''d used to open the vault, along with his diving gear. That all went into one of the safety deposit boxes. Drawer #6 with its 64 cubic feet of space was stuffed full of coins and ingots. He started scooping them out and filling another box, leaving most of the ingots and some of the coins. There was still a lot of gold left, so he decided to pay Bernard five years of rent ahead. Calculating the equivalent value in gold ingots, he put them on the halfling''s desk. He made sure to refill his belt pouch. Fish Tacos weren''t cheap and he was getting hungry. Closing everything up and setting his password took only a minute and he yelled for Bernard.


    The sight of the ingots almost made Bernard drop his muffin. "What did you do? Rob a dragon''s hoard?"


    "Something like that."


    "Well, don''t worry. I''m nothing if not discreet when keeping the secrets of my friends."

 Chapter 349: Sending a Message

    Clan Shark was meeting on the beach, surrounded by the scrap metal and wreckage that used to be a sleek and powerful submersible. Captain Mako had made it clear that any crew who weren''t there should burn their top hats and take jobs in the mines. To her disgust, five of her crew had left their top hats and monocles on the beach, paid their guild fees, and got to work. Word had spread quickly about the empty vault. A lucky captain could have her pick of the best crew in any port, and Mako had been counted as one of the luckiest until now. Losing the Silver Shark to a swarm of eels and the casino in a game of cards to crafty ratkin had shaken her crew. They wondered if Mako''s luck was turning bad. The raided vault seemed to confirm that. She was still the captain, for now, but she needed to turn things around fast or her crew would be deserting ship and heading to luckier captains.


    The plan was simple, "We need more cash. The double-dealing scum who betrayed us and looted our riches couldn''t carry it all away, but what was left isn''t enough to buy back the casino. And we need the casino to get back in business and generate enough money to repair the boat. We start with tossing in our personal swag. I''ve put everything I own into the clan including my gold-handled beard trimmer and my mug collection. I''m asking all of you to do the same. As soon as the money starts pouring in, you''ll get it back double! Captain''s Honor!" The crew had known this was coming. Some had buried their small treasures somewhere, hoping no one was watching. Others had more faith and tossed everything they had into the growing pile. Mako watched and smiled encouragingly at them, noting who put in only a few coins. She''d settle with those people later. For now, she needed the muscle power.


    "Great job girls! This gives us a start. Now we get to work shaking down this town. If someone owes a debt, even if it isn''t due yet, they pay up now or you break their legs and charge them double. I want three card monte games running in every bar and street corner. Later tonight I want to hit the gangs. Some of them are a little obvious in where they have their ''Secret Headquarters.'' I want to hear the jingle of coins in our pockets and leave behind a graveyard full of headstones. Tomorrow we shake down every business for protection money and follow with some destruction of those that don''t take us seriously. That should give us the cash we need to get back our casino. Now get to work!"


    The Sharks scattered into the town while Mako and Beluga Bessie made their way to the seedy dockside bar which they''d turned into their clan headquarters. Unknowing, they left behind a person skulking quietly in one of the destroyed boilers, listening to their plans and making plans of his own.


    <hr>


    As evening turned to night the Sharks met again, and split up into their raiding parties. Setting off into the city they worried little about cut-throats or gangs. A half-dozen Scavengers were well matched against a dozen players, although the fighting had become tougher lately. The players involved in the gang wars were leveling up faster than the Sharks who until lately had spent most of their time on their ship or in the casino. But tonight they had the element of surprise on their side. Coming to a crossroads, the three groups split up, heading to three different locations to hit their targets simultaneously. Most of the gangs had little loot, constantly spending it to replenish their lost weapons and armor. Hitting those gangs was important not for what cash could be gained from them, but for letting the city know the Sharks were still in business, and in control of their territory at the docks. One gang was getting beat up just to send a message, while two gangs were singled out for special treatment, owing to rumors of small stashes of high-quality loot or a modest treasure.


    The Sinister Blades met in the basement of an abandoned noble''s villa. The top floors were ruined, but the Blades had salvaged the dining room table, chairs, and much of the draperies. They''d decorated the basement and turned it into a gloomy feasting hall. Mako''s informant had let her know the Blades had made a big score this week and the gang would split the treasure tonight. The gang had joined a raiding party heading into the Haunted Catacombs, a new dungeon found near the mines. It was filled with the angry spirits of the old city and no one sane thought of entering it. This meant every player in the city had converged on the new dungeon for pick-up raids. One such raid had unearthed a gem-encrusted idol of some Elder God as the only treasure. With eight Sinister Blades in the raid group and only four other surviving players, the Blades had found it easy to divide the loot by dividing the other players. Sold to a ''collector of odd things'' for roughly a tenth of its value still made it a rich haul for the gang.


    The raid on the Blade''s hideout went as planned, the Scavengers taking care of the two scouts in the upper ruins before they picked the locks on the door to the lower levels and rushed below. The gang members were sitting around the table, drinking wine and feasting on roasted chickens. A portion of the gold was being distributed to each member and stacked in front of them. The six Sharks sprinted into the room, firing pistols and taking down two Blades before engaging with cutlasses, daggers, and fists. In the rough and tumble battle that followed, two Scavengers took wounds but the fight was never in question. Wine dulled the gang''s reactions and full bellies made them slow. Fancy footwork skills did nothing for you when a dwarf tackles you to the ground.


    When it was over, the Scavengers took their time, eating the remains of the chicken dinner and drinking a dozen bottles of wine that they found in a wine rack behind a curtain. It was cheap red wine, the type preferred by both the gangs and the pirates. The strong, sweet taste and hefty kick came from the addition of alcohol distilled from sugar beet juice. When the first nudges from the system came, casually mentioning they were taking poison damage, all the Scavengers laughed.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    A bad batch of hootch was common when drinking fortified wine, a sure sign of a crappy human brewer. It would kill or blind a human or elf, but to a dwarf with their racial toughness and poison resistance, a little methanol in the mix was just extra flavor and a mild tummy ache. Minutes later, both the kick and the tummyache got worse. Scavengers passed out at the table and only one tried to stumble out of the dining room, frustrated to find the door locked.


    Hours later, the players respawned and returned to their headquarters, hoping to reclaim some of their gear from their headstones, and cursing the Sharks. Plans were made to disrupt the Scavengers in any way they could. To their delight, they discovered that not only were their unplanned guests still around, they were all dead. The dwarves were sprawled amongst the gang''s headstones, bottles clutched in their hands and their dead eyes staring at the gold they came to steal. Marianne, the leader of the gang, took a half-full bottle and offered up a toast before swigging down a few swallows. "To the Sharks, hard fighters and hard drinkers! Hard enough to drink themselves to death!" Others went to join her but stopped as her face turned black and she began trembling. She left her second headstone a minute later. By unspoken agreement, the rest of the gang gathered their belongings and their gold and went to Ralph''s inn, where they rented cheap rooms and drank his beer for the rest of the night. It was crap, but at least it didn''t kill you.


    The Shark''s second target was a ratkin gang known as the Razorclaws run by a skilled clawfighter named Blackwhisker. While most of his gang were players who left the Hollow as fast as they could for the bright lights of the city, Blackwhisker was whispered to have trained in the Hollow until he hit the third Tier, learning the secrets of claw and tail from the old Master. Under Blackwhisker''s vicious style of leadership, he had slowly taken over most of the ratkin gangs and turned them from cheese-addicted clowns to one of the more feared gangs in the city. They still ate too much cheese, but fighting and dying constantly was keeping their addictions in check, and anyone who lost control got locked in a basement room for a week with only stale bread and dried fish for meals.


    They had put their hideout in a ramshackle warehouse a dozen blocks away from the docks, and outside of the Sharks territory, but close enough to become a thorn in Mako''s shoe. The gang was now providing escort duties for merchants who wanted to journey to limburger Hollow and purchase wagonloads of mushrooms, flour, fine cheese, dried cavefish, and the Myconic potions that the Hollow was now exporting. They''d just been paid for their last caravan run and Mako wanted to appropriate that gold before they spent it on cheese.


    The rotting wooden doors were barred from within but were no match for six charging Scavengers led by Beluga. The large woman knew how to use her weight, and their shoulders hit the door hard, breaking the wooden bar holding them shut. They stumbled inside, seeing a mostly empty warehouse, and a few ratkin scurrying about. The creaking of wooden beams and ropes alerted Beluga and most of her crew to the trap, as crates full of rock swung toward them from either side. The heavy pendulums crashed together, smashing one Scavenger into a red, gooey mess as the others dodged forward.


    "Get the Rats! Charge!" Beluga roared and headed for the group of six ratkin in front of her, all of which were making rude gestures with fingers and tails. Beluga wasn''t a great runner but had surprised several opponents with how quickly she could make it across the ring in a cage battle. She was panting hard as she crossed the warehouse, glaring at the ratkin who stood ready to fight with knives, claws, and spikey sticks. She probably would have made it all the way if it wasn''t for the trap that clamped hard on her leg. She nearly pulled out the heavy bolts anchoring the trap to the floor, but this trap had been designed with her in mind and held fast. Two other Scavengers were similarly trapped. The last two Sharks in her squad suddenly found themselves facing six ratkin to the front, with six more dropping from the rafters behind them. They wisely surrendered and suffered through a mild beating before being bound tightly. The two trapped next to Beluga were beaten unconscious with a flurry of tail slaps leaving the large mate trapped and alone as Blackwhisker moved closer to talk, chewing on a piece of limburger cheese. The strong aroma hit Beluga hard, sapping her strength.


    "You little bastards! I''ll carve off your hides and make a whip out of your tails. You have no idea who you''re messing with!"


    Blackwhisker kept his distance, not wanting to be grappled by Beluga and crushed to death as she had done to so many others in the fighting pit of the casino. "Oh, I know who you are. You''re the person who is going to send a message to the Sharks that Razorclaw territory is off-limits."


    "Bullshit. I ain''t carrying any message from you to Mako. Get a pigeon."


    "No worries. It''s a non-verbal sort of message. I''m sure your Captain will understand."


    The rest of the gang dropped from the rafters and grabbed old oars that had been left behind in the warehouse. Beluga was a fierce fighter, but not with one leg crushed in a bear trap and unable to run at her attackers. The gang members took their time, striking at her from behind, the heavy oars slowly beating her into unconsciousness, and then adding more bruises and broken bones for good measure.


    "Grab the gold and cheese. We''re moving to someplace that isn''t decorated in one-legged dwarves."

 Chapter 350: Scavengers go Scavenging

    It was a strangely quiet group of Scavengers who met the next morning in the scrap heap, which used to be the Silver Shark. Most had small injuries from smashed noses and broken arms along with a good amount of slashes and stab wounds. Ambushing rival gangs and extorting money from merchants wasn''t nearly as easy as it used to be. Mako was pacing back and forth on the beach, waiting for Beluga. Her mate should have been back hours ago. Her crew was keeping their voices low to not interrupt their Captain''s brooding. When Mako was like this, she wanted a target to vent her frustration on, and with the amount of frustration the leader of the Sharks had endured lately, whoever caught her attention was in for a severe beating.


    The crew had endured just as much, seeing their fortunes fall so quickly. Mako''s ranting about the other Captains and even the Engineers working to undermine them made sense to some. They were also looking for someone to blame. Others who weren''t privy to the secret of the Captain''s table blamed Mako, pointing out that betting the house on a cut of the cards went against everything their clan stood for. Playing fair was for idiots and shifting the odds in the clan''s favor was just good business. Mako had played fast and loose with too much gold at stake. Losing once was highly unlikely. Losing twice in a row was a sign that her luck was broken. No one followed an unlucky captain.


    And worse, while she''d been playing with the other Captains, and trying to win back the gold lost to the Professor, the Engineers had cleaned out the rest of the casino. It had happened too fast and these Engineers were a cut above the normal bunch they ran into. They were dashing and crazy, willing to take risks and bet it all on every hand. Many of the younger Sharks dealing cards had been mesmerized by how they took command and then took all the money at the table. Whatever had happened, the overall consensus was that Captain Mako had screwed up and the good days of easy money were over.


    And then they''d lost the vault.


    All of the clan''s wealth was in that vault. Even underwater, it was locked tight. They had kept track of every ship in port, watching constantly and making sure no one tried to steal their loot. And yet, someone had. Someone had set up cables to pull open the door, and helped it along with a few hammer blows from a pair of strong arms. The dents in the hammer steel of the door told the tale. How they''d picked the lock was a mystery. Only Stickyfingers-Sally, Beluga, and Mako knew that combination, and Sally was sleeping with the crabs. A few crew wondered aloud about Beluga, who was missing after last night''s raids. It was about an even split between the Sharks who thought Beluga had sold out, those who blamed a secret cabal of Engineers, and the ones who didn''t know and didn''t care to speculate.


    Mako gave up her pacing and joined her crew, a brittle smile on her face, that fooled no one. "I''m not waiting longer on a mate who''s off somewhere drinking or drunk. We''ll be needing two people to step up and become mates. One of those will be the gal that brings in the most cash today when we shake down the merchants. Hit them all, and don''t worry about going outside of our territory, we''ve got all the other gangs on the run after last night."


    A few scavengers nodded eagerly, and a few scowled. Only a couple of gangs had been dealt with, and they''d had little gold on them. The rest had scampered before the Sharks showed up, leaving empty lairs and rudely painted messages on the walls. And twice the Sharks had shown up only to find that the gang was home, but drinking with a dozen Kulags. In those cases, it was the Sharks that turned and ran from 3 to 1 odds.


    "Convince the shopkeepers to pay up, and triple the cost. Tell them they''ll get a week off and tokens for free drinks and the buffet at the casino. Be on your toes, and get that gold! We start once you get some hot food and drink in your bellies and the sun comes up, so be ready and get moving. I want to hit the whole city, and tomorrow morning we''ll buy back the casino and be back in business!"


    With beer and breakfast in their bellies and a bottle or two of something stronger to keep their spirits up, the Sharks hit the town. The merchants on the docks felt the sting of their visits the hardest, having been hit many times before. But they were almost exclusively the bars and beer gardens set up to service the Scavenger clientele and payoffs for ''protection'' were expected.


    The other people who had been hit hard by the Sharks were the families that made their living from the fishing boats. Their homes, warehouses, and shops had been moved to the edge of town by the new docks as the Sharks had used every dirty trick they knew to acquire the land near the docks, and the docks themselves. Debts had been bought and payment demanded. Mysterious fires set. Threats were made against the families and their boats if regular payments weren''t paid. With Squint''s people spread thin, the fishermen had hired Captain Pike to guard the new docks and the ships when in the harbor. A squad of Sharks saw the Captain as they approached the area. He''d moved his chair and fishing pole closer to shore. Currently, he and his much smaller companion weren''t fishing. The large platter of fry bread took up most of his attention, but he looked up as the Sharks got close and made a shooing motion with his hand.


    "Be off with you. I''m not in the mood to play any games, I have some serious eating to do."


    "Aww, and that''s a shame, Captain, as we hate to interrupt your breakfast. We''ll make it quick and short. Your employers are behind on their payments to us. Hopefully not to you as well. But we wanted to see for sure. Are you still gainfully employed as a guard dog to see after these illegally parked boats?"


    "Yep, all paid up. You so much as look cross-eyed at a boat or these docks and I''ll eat you raw while you scream." He nudged the small man next to him. "Go use some long words to tell these idiots to get lost. They like to be told multiple times."


    Shrugging, the short Engineer in ragged orange coveralls walked over to the Sharks. "You''re guilty of trespassing and should consider finding the motivation to relocate your bodily functions to other locales before said bodily functions cease."


    The Sharks all smiled. He might be human, but this was definitely an Engineer. They always used three words when one would do. "Pretty words and we won''t bother the ogre, but you should be careful you don''t take a shiv in the back."


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    He gave them the least of shrugs as if he didn''t care to exert himself. "I''ve played ''surprise'' with sneakier people. You make as much noise as a herd of sedge beasts."


    "Ah, well, not everyone sneaks as good as an Engineer. We Sharks are straightforward sort of folks, not a sneaky bone in our bodies. But perhaps you could do me a favor and ask the fine Captain, at his convenience, just how far his current contract extends? Just professional courtesy and not wanting to step on his toes, or for him to eat mine."


    "The Captain and I are guarding the docks and the boats."


    "Oh, excellent. I have business at that fine warehouse and two shops adjacent to it. A hankering for salted cod is upon me. Good day to you, Mr. Engineer." The Sharks turned to leave, happy to have Pike ignore them.


    "Be careful."


    "Oh, and why is that?"


    The strange Engineer smiled, "It''s a dangerous world, why take chances?" And with that, he walked back to his chair.


    The Sharks shared around a bottle and casually walked toward the warehouse. Pike looked at Milo, "You don''t seem too worried. No complaints on my end, but I sort of had you pegged for the ''concerned hero'' type."


    "They won''t go to the warehouse."


    The Ogre looked in their direction, "Sure looks like they''re heading that way. I''d bet you a fish taco that they make trouble for those folks."


    "I''ll take that bet. Want to make it a six-pack?"


    "Sure, never a time I''m not hungry for tacos. Especially free ones." Pike watched the Sharks as they got closer to the warehouse, and his keen eye noticed movement on the roof. There was a puff of smoke, a trail of fire, and then a huge explosion in the middle of the Sharks that scattered them. Three got up, put the other three on their shoulders, and ran. Narwhal let them get another 100'', the extreme range of her new rocket launcher, and put another missile in the middle of them. She was using a low-explosive mix that blasted out hundreds of small pellets of rock salt. Boom-boom called them ''Varmint Rounds''.


    Pike looked at Milo, horrified at the thought of buying someone else food. "You set me up! What sort of hero does that to a friend?"


    Milo considered the question, it had several parts to it. "Well, firstly, I''m not a hero. Second, I just paid you a year in advance to guard the docks and boats. Third, I''m hungry for fish tacos."


    That mollified the Ogre somewhat, but not completely. "You know they''ll be back, and those trigger-happy dwarves won''t always be testing out new guns. Maybe you should pay me to guard all that as well."


    Milo nodded, that sounded good to him. "Is a year in advance OK? I can have Bernard put it into your sea chest at the Guild."


    "Works for me. Now let''s get breakfast. We can hit up the place that makes the fried dough with honey and then grab some tacos for breakfast."


    The Sharks eventually woke up, their skin stinging from dozens of small wounds sowed with salt. They went back to the wreckage to sit and remove what they could, drinking heavily, then limped away to find some less belligerent merchants to prey upon. Surprisingly, those were in short supply today.


    The Kulags were out in force, along with all the other gangs, most of whom were wearing an armband with Squint''s emblem on it, signifying that for at least today they were on the same side as the Kulags. The Sharks found themselves followed throughout the city by large groups made up of the gang members and the occasional Engineer with a rivet gun and heavy armor. Other Engineers were sitting with a Scavenger on dates, as the couples enjoyed meals at the various eateries in town. Violence broke out only a few times, preceding a retreat by the Sharks as they found themselves outnumbered and outgunned. Any damage done to a shop or restaurant was paid for by the Engineers who had a lot of extra coins in their pockets.


    Mako herself ran into problems early when she and her team extorted a small amount of coin from Marcel''s Haberdashery, also stealing a half dozen of his best hats. Marcel begged them not to take them, claiming they were a special order. Mako laughed, "Good, tell them they can pick them up at my casino and pay for them there."


    As they were leaving, a half-dozen adventurers were about to enter. They spied the hats and scowled. "Those are ours! We already paid Marcel for them." The two tanks shifted to the front with the Paladin, the Mage, and the Cleric to the rear, and the rogue disappeared into the shadows.


    Mako was happy, she''d found someone to hit and charged the group, screaming. The Players were level 12-14 and could handle the other Scavengers, but not Mako. She put her Sharktoothed Cutlass of Burning Doom into the Paladin''s gut, straight through his plate chestpiece. The tanks moved to assist, finding out that hitting the Scavenger Captain was like hacking at Ironwood. She took damage, but only shallow cuts. The rogue took out one Scavenger with a backstab, but she took him with her, strangling him as she bled out. It was a bloody and brutal fight that was over quickly, with Mako confronting the Air Mage who was using the last of his mana to hit her with a Lightning Blast. It didn''t put her down, and his head left his shoulders.


    "Bloody hell, a hardworking Captain can''t get anything done in this town without someone picking on her. What''s the world come to?" She picked through the bodies of her crew for their rum and started walking back to the Shark. She was half dead and needed rest, rum, and the last of her healing potions. She found out when she woke in the late evening that none of the returning gangs had done well, scoring only a few hundred coins. Minnow had managed most of that and gained the position of Mate.


    "All right, get some rest. We have a deal to make tomorrow with the rat and you''ll be working late when we open up."


    Mako and her new Mate counted the swag and calculated the worth of golden spitoons and diamond-encrusted beard combs. Every bit of swag the Sharks owned was in the two bags in front of her. Minnow ventured a question, "It''s enough?"


    "Not for everything we owe, but enough for the casino. I''m going to make him a deal he can''t refuse."

 Chapter 351: The Caravan

    Deep under the earth in the ancient tunnels beneath Shadowport, a corrupted apex predator lumbered back to its lair in the center of a large cavern dragging the corpse of a huge lizard behind it. The dead Fonasaurus was twice the Corrupted Umber Bear''s mass, but had been trapped in its lair and couldn''t match the bear''s fury. Nor could it have killed it, as the bear was already dead, animated by the fungus replacing its brain and repairing its battered body. The huge lizard was dismembered and its parts strewn around the cavern, mostly in the nest in the center.


    Cracked bones and the rotting carcasses of beasts and humanoids made up the nest and gave off a rotting stench that warned any sane creature to leave the area. The huge Corrupted Umber Bear would hunt through the caverns and drag its kills back here to feast, eating only a few bites to fuel the fungus growing inside its once-living body


    Damaged hide and decayed muscle were slowly being replaced by strands of fungus that grew in its lair. The Brain Fungus directed the necessary repairs that kept it moving. The leftover pieces of creatures were left to decay into a nutritious mulch that would support the growth of mycelium that would spread through the mulch and soil of the surrounding area. As the fungus slowly grew throughout the cavern, the area would become more dangerous to other creatures. Protective spores would poison enemies and make the area into a safe spawning ground for a new Fungal Core, grown from the brain fungus planted within the bear. The core would burrow deep and produce a large Brain Fungus that would consume the bear and the nest, growing sentient and turning this area into a new outpost for a Mycellium Empire.


    But that was years in the future. The rotting predator would need to make hundreds of kills to create enough mulch to sustain even the beginnings of the colony. The fungus covering the bear''s face would drop spores to cultivate the area as the mycelium spread through the mulch and dirt in the cavern. As long as the bear could keep killing and providing sustenance to the new colony, the Brain Fungus that riddled its body would keep it alive. When it became too wounded to move, then it too would become mulch. In time, a suitable dead creature would be found by the Elder Brain Fungus, turned into a corrupted servant, and sent to continue the work. Expanding their empires took time, but fungi were patient.


    The bear lay in its nest, unmoving. Such creatures didn''t rest but rather went dormant to allow the growth of new fungus to replace the lost tissue from the last battle. The repairs made the creature tougher and harder to kill. Luckily for the surrounding subterranean dwellers, there were other apex predators in the area who were brave enough to oppose the bear''s reign of terror. One of them had been carefully skulking through the shadows to a position where they could attack from surprise. They were never in any danger of being detected. The bear had terrible perception and the skulker was well hidden. She sprung from hiding, a black-clad assassin, stabbing deep into the bear with a dagger and yelling ''Surprise!''. The bear was completely unhurt, but the Brain Fungus became active, anxious to kill the intruder and add its mass to the nest. Most meat-things weren''t so helpful as to deliver themselves and volunteer to be turned into mulch.


    The bear surged to its feet, knocking the assassin to the ground as she attempted to stab it to death with a small knife. She attempted to flip in the air and land on her feet but belly-flopped into a pile of rotting meat before scrambling to her feet. The bear slashed at her, catching her in the side with enough force to kill any player under level 20. Her ribs were broken and a lung punctured as she was knocked into the cave wall. She came up to her feet and looked at her knife. "I give up. Daggers suck! Why does anyone use the small blades skill?" As the bear lumbered towards her, she extended six-inch razor-sharp claws and prepared to charge it.


    "Because we need the DEX points. Daddy says so. We have to raise as many skills as we can!" The speaker was clad head to toe in heavy plate armor, except for her feet which were covered in pink Baby Weasel Slippers. Rosie had let Buttercup attack first since it was her turn, but now that she''d taken a hit, she could charge. The eight-foot-long steel-hafted pole-axe was held horizontally and she hit the bear like a freight train, using her momentum and strength of arms to knock it off its feet.


    Buttercup dove on the bear, using her Fiendish Claws to deal massive damage. Rosie brought her axe down in a strong chop that carved away ribs and in a living creature would have spread their internal organs on the ground. The bear barely grunted, ignoring the damage and regenerating as fast as the two cheese fiends it was fighting. It knocked Rosie to the ground and ignored Buttercup as it pounced on the downed foe. Rosie got her shield between her head and the bear''s jaws, but with two bites it had torn the shield nearly in two. Rosie slashed again and again, but the Brain Fungus knew to kill one foe before engaging the other.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Rosie punched the bear hard in the snout with her dainty fist, breaking a bone in the jaw and making the bear draw back, but it opened wide and began to lunge at her again. She put up an arm, something that was easier to regenerate than her head but needn''t have worried.


    A huge armored shape raced forward and leaped high in the air, bringing its pole-axe down in a massive two-handed chop. "For the Hollow!" The blow decapitated the bear, and without the Brain Fungus to control the body, it slumped on top of a disgusted Rosie. "Ugh, rotting bear smells icky!" Her sister helped heave the carcass off of her before they confronted their savior.


    "No fair, Daddy!"


    "That one was ours to play!"


    "And you kill-stealed!"


    "We had it worried and everything was fine!"


    Brutus laughed. "We''ll discuss the finer points of the battle later. Right now, you two need to clean up, and then write a 500-word essay explaining how you''re going to spend your Enhancement points."


    "Aw! Homework!"


    "How much did we get?"


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Sorry, you two are just so cute I didn''t want to interfere...


    For defeating a Corrupted Umber Bear in a mighty battle, and thwarting the expansion of the Myconian Empire, the System awards junior guards Buttercup and Rosie, along with their Kill Stealing father, Brutus, 20 Enhancement Points and 1000 Boss experience.


    Enjoy that homework and remember that penmanship is a DEX skill.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Leaving the bear where it was, the family retreated to a nearby cavern where their small caravan was waiting. The draft lizards had gotten a whiff of the bear and refused to come any closer. Brutus had sent Buttercup ahead to scout and see what lay ahead on their route. Anything that scared draft lizards was bad news. Harry was waiting with the wagons, collecting some of the interesting fungus from the cave, and making notes in his journal.


    "Ah, I hope your early return means a victorious battle?"


    "We won!"


    "But stinky bear was so stinky!"


    "I want a bath, and my doll is dirty."


    "Daddy, I need a new bow, I lost my last one in the fight."


    Brutus sighed. "OK, OK, let''s clean up first. Go careful on the water and use the special soap Uncle Harry made. It will kill any stink from the bear. But after that, homework!"


    "What about dinner?"


    "Puffcakes, mama says puffcakes are good to eat because they get rid of any harmful fungal infections like Black Mold!"


    "That bear was full of nasty stuff."


    "I''m feeling a little icky, maybe I''m turning into a Corrupted critter! Need puffcakes."


    "Fine. Wash up, then we have puffcakes, and then dessert."


    "Desert?"


    "We like dessert, what is it?"


    Brutus smiled evilly, "Your favorite. You each get to drink one of Uncle Harry''s special potions that protect you from disease and fungal infections. You''re feeling sick, after all, time for some medicine. And then homework."


    Grumbling, the girls went to wash while Brutus informed the cook of the dinner plans. He needn''t have bothered, the smell of fresh puffcakes was already coming from the chuck wagon. Bleusnout smiled and started filling up plates. "The girls love them and are always hungry after a battle. How did things go?"


    Brutus stuffed one into his mouth. "Great, really great. I was worried some, that was a nasty critter, after all. But even when Rosie was in a bad spot, neither of them went into a rage or lost control. It''s amazing how much better they are getting."


    The chef was happy to hear that, "They have a loving family, good diet, and a good example in Larry. I''m happy to help out with their rehabilitation, and it''s been wonderful worrying about just a few people, and not a whole Hollow. Smiley taking over needed to happen someday, and this has been perfect. With what we are learning, not just the girls will benefit. I''ll be publishing my notes and sending them to every hollow that I can contact."


    Harry picked up a plate, slid the stack into his mouth, and swallowed. "Ah, delicious as always. And now I''m going to deal with the mess ahead of us. I can eradicate the toxic and predatory fungus from the area and we can leave the nutritious and medicinal varieties to grow. It will be a perfect campsite in the future. I estimate we are only a few hours'' travel to Shadowport from here. Things are starting to look familiar from my youthful explorations."


    Brutus added up the time. "So four days travel altogether. Not a bad little run. Tallsqueak said it was two days to travel down the tunnel made by the World Boss, but that has a lot of cliffs and areas where we can''t take the wagons. A safe caravan route will mean more trade, and after that, we need to add a way to get over to the dwarven enclave." He looked back at the six wagons with their colorful awnings and painted sides. "Funny, I always dreamed of running away with a caravan, and now I''m the Master of one. A little one, but it will grow."


    Bleusnout smiled, "Indeed, and headed where no caravan has gone before: The exotic and mysterious uptop city of Shadowport. I must say, I''m excited."


    "And Larry said that Tallsqueak was back. Won''t he be surprised to see us?"

 Chapter 352: When Slinking away is the Sanest of Options...

    The Sharks were a shadow of their former strength. A dozen, maybe two dozen, had deserted and went mining or sailed away on small rafts. Beluga and her crew limped in as the sun was coming up, in horrible shape, bruised everywhere, and with many broken bones. All of them knew they were lucky to be alive. Not so at least twenty others who had met their ends drinking bad wine, fighting with players, or other occupational hazards. Mako recruited thirty pirates, giving them a chance to join up and earn their hats. With their numbers restored, they formed a ragged mob and walked through town on their way to the casino. They were dirty and ragged, tired and hurting, but that was the life of a Scavenger crew. The good times in the casino had made them soft, and they''d paid the price. Now, it was time to claw their way back to the top.


    Many people were also heading to the casino or already there. Six exhausted Sharks had been guarding it non-stop since the night the Captains had played poker. They''d watched the crews of other ships and the Engineers drink the bar dry before hauling up the kegs from the basement. The buffet was empty, with only a few stale crackers in a basket. They''d tried to intervene when the Engineers stacked all the furniture and gaming tables against a wall, then rolled up the carpets to make room for dancing and had to watch as Sledgemonkey called out the steps for a seven-hour session of square dancing. The only thing no one touched was the area around the Captain''s table and the only people who sat in that end of the casino were Scavenger Captains and their Mates, grudgingly allowing the Senior Engineers to join them.


    Outside, a crowd surrounded the colorful wagons of the mysterious caravan that just arrived. The hardworking ratkin had claimed an area of cleared ground and put their wagons in a long row, and then opened for business. Along with their signature Limburger cheese, had brought a large assortment of fine cheese, ground mushroom flour, myconic tonics and miraculous poison cures, scrimshaw artwork, spellcaster''s wands and staves, and enchanted jellybeans.


    By far, the most popular item was the food cart, where a large chef was cooking up his favorite specialties. ''Hollow Food'' was an immediate hit, especially with Captain Pike. The ogre was sitting at a table dragged from the casino, eating fried cavefish, fried mushrooms, and tasty golden fry bread. He was sitting next to the largest ratkin anyone had ever seen, comparing notes on underground monstrosities. Pike was just starting a story about hunting a giant, hundred-arm squid when Rosie and Buttercup appeared to either side of him, making all of his inner alarms go off. To his credit, the monster hunter only twitched once, then smiled. The frilly pink dresses helped a lot.


    The girls sat politely and asked him to start from the beginning. Storytime was still going two hours later. Pike loved telling his tales, but too many people were ''squeamish'' and didn''t appreciate the juicy parts of a fight and harvesting the good bits afterward. Rosie and Buttercup sat still, mesmerized by his stories, applauding and asking questions after each one.


    Captain Squint appeared with a contingent of Kulags, overjoyed to find the caravan. He''d been in and out of the casino several times to get another plate of food between rounds of square dancing. He''d also purchased a dozen carved bone knives. He never had enough knives. His knife collection was only surpassed by his collection of broken knives.


    Into this circus, the Sharks marched, Mako scowling at what people were doing in her casino. She spied Professor Tallsqueak sitting at the Captain''s table along with Captains Whale, Annie, Goldtooth, and Cuda. The Engineers guarding the doors had ''suggested'' that Mako only bring in twenty of her crew. She''d grudgingly accepted and left the other hundred outside under the command of the injured Beluga.


    Two crew carried in a large sea chest, necessitated by the coinage inside being more silver and copper on the bottom than gold. Mako had the chest set down and opened, then addressed the Professor while ignoring everyone else. "I''d like to talk to you in private."


    Tallsqueak didn''t look at the gold and shook his head, "No, I''d rather not. In Limburger Hollow, we conduct our business in the open, since what affects some of us affects all of us. We have no secrets, hidden cabals, or insular clans to divide us. While this certainly isn''t the Hollow, still, I would prefer to do business that way. These good Captains are witnesses to our earlier deals and offered to make sure promises were kept. I see no reason, on my part at least, for not continuing to do business in front of them. Please feel free to speak to all of us."


    Mako ground her teeth. Whale and the other Captains smiled at her. Captain Cuda remarked, "Smart man."


    "Very well, I have a proposal for you."


    That seemed to surprise the Professor who looked interested at first, then sadly shook his head. "I must say, Captain Mako, that I''m flattered and maybe just a little intrigued at the possibilities you present, but I have already received such a proposal from a lovely girl in the Hollow, and she is waiting for my answer. I couldn''t disappoint poor Charlotte by accepting your offer of matrimony."


    Mako''s mouth hung open. Whale had taken a sip of her rum and spewed it out over Annie and began choking. Annie and Goldtooth pounded her on the back, Annie putting her muscles into it. Captain Cuda remarked, "Very smart man."


    Mako''s face turned bright red, whether, from anger or the embarrassment of being turned down, no one knew. "No! Dammit, I have a business deal for you, one that will make you a lot of money. I''m sure you''ll like it, with your background in mathematics."


    The Professor seemed interested, "Well, I do love math. It was one of the subjects I taught at the Tower of Strife. Please, present your deal."


    "I''ve got 17,000 in gold and the deeds to two warehouses, three bars, and 9 vacant lots near the docks. I''m willing to pay you all of it for a half interest in the casino. We know how to run it, and how to make money. You won''t have to lift a finger. You''ll get a quarter of the profits. The Sharks get three-quarters, but we''ll put half of our money aside until we can afford the other half of the casino, at which point we''ll buy it back from you. And we''ll still pay you one-quarter of the profits after that for another five years. In addition, we''ll manage the real estate, and the docks, with you getting a quarter of the profits and a similar buyout deal. It''s like selling it all, but still making money for five years. Very profitable and with no effort on your part. Plus, your Hollow is making valuable allies who will be helpful in so many ways."


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    The Professor looked interested. "My, that is some very nice-looking math, and I do hate to get my hands dirty."


    "So, we have a deal."


    The Professor sneered and shook his head, "Oh, I''m sorry, what would make you jump to that conclusion? Of course not."


    "What? Why not?!"


    "Because I don''t want to. But thank you for bringing by all the gold and property deeds. That will cover your debt for gold I put out to cover the money I paid the Engineers. Still a long way from buying back all of your chips, but I suppose I''ll have to be patient and wait for that part. Maybe your crew should take jobs in the mines? Some of the mining in the deeper areas is quite good and you could pay your debts in the next couple of years."


    "Become dirt-suckers and rock-chippers? Never!"


    "Well, then I''ll let the Shadowskulkers and Captain Squint know that it''s open season on Sharks."


    Mako was turning purple in the face and her heart was racing. She needed this deal! Everyone had conspired and turned against her, and now she was being told off by some bumpkin from down in the caves who''d never been on a ship. It was almost too much to take.


    "Look, this is a good deal, but I can make it better. Ten years of profits."


    "Tempting, but no."


    "Twenty years! Twenty years of profits for doing nothing at all. It''s a good deal. I swear it, on my personal honor."


    The Professor''s voice was cold. "Again, no. I don''t trust you, Mako. You have no honor. Your actions in this town have shown that and what you''ve done to the people living here. Better for your clan to pack up and leave. Your reputation in this town is destroyed, no one will trust you again. As everyone says, Sharks Suck Bilge Water. Good day, ma''am, I am done doing business with you."


    Mako turned white and trembled, finally getting ahold of herself as she took ten deep breaths. Then she grinned and showed all of her teeth, some gold and some pointed. "I take offense to that, Captain Tallsqueak. You can''t insult me and my clan that way in front of all these Captains. I challenge you to a Duel of Captains."


    Whale and the other Captains stood up, shouting. "He isn''t a Captain!"


    "Are you insane, Mako?"


    "Pay your debts, woman, you''re making us look bad...well, worse."


    Whale shouted again. "He isn''t a Captain!"


    The Professor didn''t react at all but sat, thinking.


    Mako pointed to the table, "Isn''t he? He accepted the title, and you all witnessed it. He''s sitting at the table like he owns it."


    "I do own it; it comes with the casino. A very fine table, and I''m fond of it."


    Whale glared at the ratkin, then at Mako. "Not a Captain; you''re flouting Scavenger law or bending it into a pretzel at the very least."


    Captain Cuda shook her head, disagreeing, "There''s precedent. Three times that I can remember, we''ve named people honorary Captains. It fell out of favor because they always got challenged to duels or pushed into politics. This is another bad example. But Mako isn''t wrong."


    Tallsqueak stood up. "So, what is involved in this duel?"


    Mako smiled, sensing a win, finally. "You insulted me, I demand satisfaction. You pick a champion, and I pick a champion. They fight a friendly cage match."


    Squint immediately put his hand in the air, "OOOOH, Pick me. I''m champion material, and I love cage matches. Cats! Bring my best knives, and get my fancy hat."


    Tallsqueak smiled at the thought of Squint fighting. But he also knew Mako was counted as one of the toughest Scavenger Captains. He understood better how the Sharks were tolerated. The threat of a duel kept everyone polite. "Any other options?"


    "Why yes, you can slink away and be known for not backing up your words."


    Tallsqueak smiled, "Well, that seems the least dangerous option. I''m sure my reputation can sustain a minor hit."


    Annie and Whale scowled, and Cuda pointed out the problem. "Captains wager their ships."


    "I don''t have a ship, and neither does Captain Mako."


    Cuda continued, "The Silver Shark counts as a ship; it''s just in pieces. The parts, hull plating, and scrap metal are worth a lot. You''d have to put up something of equal value, like this casino. Then you could slink away, giving it up."


    "Hmm, that''s much worse. But let''s discuss this ''slinking away''. I know the value placed on this casino, and the scrap heap doesn''t come close. That chest of gold is the payment of debts already owed and should come to me. I want something else. If my champion wins the fight, then the Sharks have to slink away and leave Shadowport for fifty years."


    Mako considered, then said, "That''s fair. We have a duel, then?"


    Tallsqueak nodded, "We have a duel."


    "I nominate myself, Captain Mako of the Silver Shark, as my champion. Which of your crew do you nominate, Captain Professor Tallsqueak?" She grinned nastily as she said his name.


    Tallsqueak looked to where many people were raising their hands, "Oh, I have several people who are anxious to fight you. Who shall it be? Captain Pike? Captain Squint? Oh, I see Rosie and Buttercup are excited. They''re only seven years old, do I get both of them?"


    Heads turned to where Squint and the Ogre were grinning, and two cheese-fiends in pink frilly dresses were jumping up and down chanting ''Cage Match! Cage Match.''


    Mako shook her head, "Nope. You have to pick a crew member. That sort of limits you since you don''t have a ship. Right, Captain Cuda?"


    Whale was looking furious, but resigned. Cuda nodded, dispassionate as a referee, "That''s correct. Without a crew, the Professor is limited to himself. Sorry Prof, but rules are rules."


    Mako lit a cigar while the Professor weighed his options. She sneered at him, "Guess you should have been more polite and taken my deal. Ready to leave town so I can reopen my casino?"


    The ratkin''s eyes were completely black as he turned and smiled at her, showing his sharp incisors. "And give up the chance to fight against you while confined in a small cage? I haven''t fought a duel in ages, and I''m anxious to get started."

 Chapter 353: Thats the Rules

    Seeing a clan of Scavengers in port might give anyone the impression that they were lazy, drunken sots. This was true, but only up to a point. It was similar to how an Enclave of Elves could spend a summer sniffing flowers in a meadow, yet when threatened with war instantly become serious and march forth to meet their foes clad in Bright Steel Armor, brandishing glowing swords and staves. Port was where Scavengers took their vacations, but when at sea, they were as hard-working as any Engineer.


    The Sharks were a strange exception to the rule. They were only mediocre sailors, preferring submersibles that could strike with surprise. They worked the hardest when they were running some profitable scheme to bring in gold. After acquiring the largest building in Shadowport through a combination of extortion, arson, and dubious loans, they had worked long shifts converting it to the lavish gaming establishment that was to be the cornerstone of their new business. One end was built out to house the large kitchen, and below the main floor, they dug deep to create a vast open room for entertainment of a different sort. They had held a variety of events: lizard racing, dog fights, bare-knuckle boxing, High-Stakes Twister, and dance-offs. While they made money on all of these events since their customers would bet on anything, by far the most popular was the cage matches.


    The ''Shark Cage'' was a thirty-foot square cage of twisted hammer steel bars set with a twenty-foot high ceiling. The bars were 8" apart and 1/2" thick. The current champion of the cage for no-weapons matches was Beluga, who had successfully crushed thirty-seven challengers. With the way her weight had soared lately, the only challenger in the last month had been Annie, who refused to give up despite their size difference.


    Tonight''s match was filling the stands and would have made the Sharks a fortune just in beer and snack sales. Unfortunately for the Sharks, they didn''t own the casino right now. The Deeprock Engineers were selling mugs of ale from a makeshift table, and next to them, Chef Bleusnout was serving up heavily seasoned mushroom kebabs.


    There was no official betting tonight. Everyone knew the Sharks had no money to pay off the winners, even if Mako won. They''d be passing out IOUs that might never be redeemed. And for all her ferocious reputation, even her own crew wondered if she could win. Mako had lost her luck, a terrible thing for a Captain, and the Professor was an unknown entity who had held his own against Mako and beat her at her own table. Scavengers wouldn''t serve under an unlucky Captain. If Mako lost tonight, she''d find herself with only a handful of crew in the morning.


    Captain Cuda had better knowledge of the rules than anyone else and was acting as a referee for the match. Milo had immediately had questions about those rules.


    "Pardon me, but as there seems to be no written copy of ''The Scavenger''s Code'' here in Shadowport, I have a few questions."


    All of the Scavengers chuckled, and Cuda explained, "Just as well, since the Code changes constantly and is mostly verbal. But what do you need to know?"


    "Mainly, what are the rules of the duel? I''m sure a cage match differs from the format of duels as stipulated by the Marquis D''Camonbert. What is allowed? What is not allowed?"


    "Format? Easy. We push both of you through the doors on the opposite sides of the cage and lock them shut. I yell ''1,2,3, Go'' and you charge at each other. The first one to yield, or drop and not move, loses. If both people are up after three minutes you get a one-minute break before the next round."


    Tallsqueak nodded, that did seem simple. "And we are allowed to bring weapons, I assume, and cast spells?"


    Mako grinned, "Spells? In a cage match? Sorry, Professor, that isn''t how things work. Scavengers are fighters, not wizards. No spells allowed in the cage."


    Captain Cuda agreed, but not with enthusiasm. "What Captain Mako says is correct. This is a fight between Captains, not Sea Witches."


    Mako sneered, "So no whining about it. If you don''t like the rules, you shouldn''t have insulted me and my clan. Still time for you to forfeit and slink away."


    Tallsqueak scowled, "I see, but will continue. It does make things more challenging. What else is forbidden?"


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Well, a long list, but off the top of my head, you can''t use potions, no beard pulling, no trash talking about moms, no guns no matter what you disguise them as. Bear traps are fine but you can''t put them on the floor until the fight starts, cannons are fine as long as they use eight-pound balls or larger, but no cannons bigger than you can carry and you can''t pre-load them, no minions-even mechanical ones, smoke bombs are out since they interfere with watching the fight. You can invoke gods and demons, but if they show up they can only watch. That''s the Rules. Probably other stuff, but those are the basics. You''ve got an hour before we start. I need to check the cage for loose bolts and get properly drunk."


    The two fighters left to prepare, each in a different way. Mako spent her hour doing sword drills and drinking three bottles of whiskey to give her stamina. Tallsqueak was sitting upstairs, telling stories to Rosie and Buttercup while enjoying fresh puffcakes and fried mushrooms. The girls had decided he had entirely too much food and were helping him eat the pile of food in front of him. Bleusnout had anticipated this, the growing little girls were always hungry and he had cooked ten times what Milo could have eaten on his own.


    Milo hadn''t realized how much he had missed food from the Hollow as well as his adopted family. He''d been overjoyed when he saw the caravan rolling down the street, guided by Captain Squint and a group of Kulags. Being tackled by the girls was unavoidable but welcome, even the cracked rib when Rosie hugged him too hard. They''d grown, but had also gotten ''better''. Brutus told him that the change was slow, but with constant practice of the right skills, and the enhancement points they were earning, they were slowly reversing their fiendish transformation. They''d never again be little girls, but they had a good chance to not be monsters.


    While Tallsqueak made the girls giggle with a story about hunting eels, and the big one that got away, Brutus was talking to Sledgemonkey about finding a route between Limburger Hollow and the Engineering Complex. Currently, the dwarves had to haul the deep copper ingots from the Hollow up the treacherously steep tunnel carved out by the World Boss, then down through the tunnels and caves that led to Harry''s home, and then onward to one of the entrances to their complex. Brutus had looked at every old map he could find in the Hollow and was confident he could find a route to the lower caverns formerly inhabited by the acidic ooze.


    "It might take some work and we may have to bring in the digger moles and mining teams, but I''m pretty sure we can link to the big cavern Tallsqueak talked about. Some of it is on an old map and a brief description. The expedition was cut short when a horde of small ooze and slime monsters attacked."


    The Chief Engineer looked at the maps, seeing the proposed route, "And we can help with that by building level roadbeds and even laying rails. Your draft beasts can pull a lot more on rails, and Two-Screws is talking about a new design for a steam-powered engine to pull rail cars."


    The girls laughed loudly at something Tallsqueak said, and both Brutus and Sledgemonkey looked at him. Brutus expressed everyone''s worry. "How tough is this Captain Mako? I looked at her and couldn''t get a read on her, but I shivered from the tip of my tail to the top of my head. She''s a mean one."


    "Tough as boilerplate. Whale fought her once to a draw, and any other Captain who fought her took a beating, and three died. Mako spent a lot of time in the arenas of Fort Hopeless. Shipwrecked when young and picked up by slavers. She lasted twelve years in the fighting pits before a clan bought all the dwarven slaves and freed them. She was expensive because of her fighting record. She''s made of gristle and scars held together by spite and hate. She took over the Sharks in record time, cutting through anyone in her way. No subtlety to her. Whale said she was the toughest Scavenger she ever met. And a lot like her namesake, cunning and always hungry for more. Our Professor has a tough fight on his hands."


    Brutus wasn''t happy with that news. "Excuse me. I have to talk to the Chef about some cheese."

 Chapter 354: Good, Clean Fun

    The more Milo learned about Mako and the rules for his upcoming match, the more he saw the cage as a trap. He was playing by Scavenger Rules, and he hadn''t read the rulebook. Was there even a rulebook? Probably, but written in four dialects of dwarvish with a different version in each clan.


    No potions and no spells meant no healing during the match. But he still had his regeneration, and nothing had been said about casting spells before the match. Was that an oversight? Or was it something the dwarven Scavengers didn''t think about since so few of them were spellcasters? He shelved the thought until later. Not enough information and he had other things to think about.


    He knew he was faster than Mako and more agile. She moved as if she expected anything else in the world to move out of her way and he''d seen her fight with the group of players. She could take blows and hit hard. He didn''t relish taking a thrust to his chest the way she''d finished off one of the players. Dodging and blocking were essential, and waiting for a chance to hit back when she couldn''t hit him back. It was much like fighting Larry, or even Charlotte after her change. As scary as Charlotte had been to fight, he hadn''t been in such an enclosed space, and he could use his spells.


    As he was pondering this, Bleusnout and Brutus came to talk to him. Brutus wasted no time in giving him the bad news, "I''ve been talking with people. This person you were so silly to get into a fight with is a bad one. The only reason your Engineer buddies haven''t grabbed you and gotten you out of here is that they think too highly of you and are sure you had this all planned out. She''s known to be tough as hell and she fought for most of her early life as a gladiator. Don''t give her a chance, cause she sure as hell won''t give you one."


    "I had some of it planned out, maybe. But not a duel in a cage. Who thinks up stuff like this?"


    Brutus thought for a moment, "Hmmm, dwarves, goblins, and orcs are all fond of them. Ogres too, but they get to eat the loser. And humans will copy off everyone else. Do you have some clever plan to beat her?"


    Milo shrugged, "How I always fight. Try not to get hit, run around a lot, and hit back when I can. It''s easier in a war, more options.


    Bleusnout handed him a small bag. "So we thought. Treat this like a war. Your opponent will have advantages you don''t even know about, so accept this small bag of medicinal cheese. You look a little pale and I''m prescribing it to you. It isn''t a potion. It''s cheese."


    Milo looks at the four pieces of Battle Cheese. They smelled delicious. But..."That''s a lot of cheese, and I''ve had cheese recently while playing cards."


    Bleusnout patted him on the shoulder, "You''re cautious, that''s good. But I think you''ll need these. Take the aged gouda at the start of the match to give you speed and dull pain. The other three will provide healing, kickstart your regeneration, and stop any bleeding. If you need to use them, don''t hesitate. Fighting and injuries will force your body to use up its reserves of cheese and keep you in the safe zone."


    Milo looked at the two of them. "Thanks, I appreciate it. I think I''d better get ready."


    "Indeed. The crowd is restless. And we will be there with you. I''ve been told that you may have two associates ''In your corner.'' Brutus and I have volunteered."


    Ten minutes later, Professor Tallsqueak walked down the stairs, dressed for a fight. His heavy robe had been exchanged for a shorter hooded shirt with a face covering. Mako, on the other hand, had stripped down to comfortable pants, heavy boots, and a sleeveless leather shirt that showed off her collection of tattoos on her muscled arms. She raised her arms and cheered for the crowd. Tallsqueak walked to where Captain Cuda was waiting. Mako sneered and came over.


    "Ready for your beating, Professor?"


    "Certainly, Captain, but first, I have a rules clarification. You mentioned ''no beard pulling''. I have to ask, does it say anywhere in those rules that ''tail pulling'' is allowed? It is an equally terrible offense."


    Captain Cuda scratched her head, "No, I don''t think the rules mention tails."


    The Professor smiled, "Then, if nowhere in your extensive rulebook does it allow tail pulling, then we must conclude that both tails and beards are off limits."


    Mako was trying to work through the statement, "Now, wait a minute...."


    Captain Cuda held up a hand. "I agree with the Professor. Nothing says you can, and since he doesn''t have a beard and you don''t have a tail, that seems fair."


    Mako pretended not to care, "Whatever, I was planning on cutting it off for a trophy, not pulling it. But that can wait until after I pound you into the ground."


    Cuda looked at the two of them, "Ready to fight then?"


    Mako gasped in mock surprise, "Without a blessing from the gods? Sacrilege!"


    Captain Cuda looked at Milo, then at Mako, "Make it quick, Mako." A member of the audience came forward and cast a spell on Mako, making her skin glow briefly.


    "Sorry, Professor, something else you may not have been told about. Blessings became traditional in season 307. Have a cleric or someone handy for a blessing?"


    The Professor shook his head, "No. But this seems like a violation of the rules against spellcasting."


    "Well, the prohibition is against casting once the two of you are in the cage. There''s no way to keep people from getting buffed up ahead of time, but by allowing a blessing it keeps things under control."


    "I see. So many new rules to learn."


    Mako returned to a spot across from Milo. "Yeah, lots of rules, and all your fancy learning isn''t going to help you here."


    The Professor rolled his eyes. "Math is always helpful. For instance, I can tell from the way you walk that your hamstring muscles are shorter than 85% of the dwarves I have met, giving you limited flexibility. Coupled with the injury to your left Achilles tendon gives you a slight limp, I''ve estimated your charge speed to be 29% beneath the average optimal speed. You have a good sword length of 23" but your arms are comparable to a miniature T-Rex. You will need to use 87% more stamina when sprinting to catch me, while I will enjoy a 72% savings in energy. Finally, mathematics has taught me that a negative modifier applied to a spell description can be further modified by who it is cast upon, possibly generating a further negative modifier that cancels the first. Do you disagree?"


    Captain Cuda was counting on her fingers to figure out what the Professor was saying but gave up. Mako spit to the side and sneered. "I don''t care one way or another. Let''s get this fight going."


    "Agreed, and best of luck to you in this friendly athletic bout." The professor stuck out his hand to shake.


    Mako grabbed his hand, squeezing hard, causing Tallsqueak''s eyes to water and he bit his lip from the pain until Cuda slapped them apart. "Save it for the cage, Mako."


    The two fighters went to their respective corners where small doors let them enter. The crowd could barely see the Professor between the two hulking ratkin there to assist him. Milo put the first two pieces of Battle Cheese in his mouth, feeling the cheese enter his system and his reflexes sped up. Or was it the world slowing down? He bounced up and down on his toes anxious for the fight to start.


    Mako entered the ring, pulled out her cutlass, and glared at him. Captain Cuda yelled, "Begin!" Somewhere, a bell was rung.


    As expected, Mako sprinted across the cage at Tallsqueak. She hadn''t understood all the things he''d said but knew when someone was insulting her stubby legs. She expected a Furious Charge and Extended Lunge to catch the Professor off balance, but her thrust found empty air as she slammed into the cage. Tallsqueak knew Mako couldn''t resist the taunt and had prepared his dodge, faking left, rolling right, and coming up again as Mako moved past him. He threw a double slash across her back and was flipping backward immediately in case she spun around.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    As he stood up on the opposite side of the cage, he saw Mako''s back, totally unhurt, just before she slowly turned around. "My, did someone try to stab me in the back? It felt like a mosquito tried to bite me. Welcome to the big leagues, Professor. Even without a Blessing of Tough Hide, I don''t think you''d have hurt me. Are you ready to beg for my forgiveness yet? Save yourself some lumps?"


    Tallsqueak said nothing, thinking. If Mako had this much armor, it must be from Enhancement Points and Toughness. With the blessing added to what she had, it was no wonder she didn''t lose fights and didn''t bother to dodge. She was a walking tank! This meant a change in his plans, and he pulled Shadowblight from his belt. It was harder to roll and dodge with the spikey stick in his hand, but he needed to soften Mako up. And keep her angry.


    When her opponent didn''t answer, Mako charged at him again. This time, as he dodged aside, he pivoted and put Shadowblight into her back, triggering the Sundering effect. His weapon, seeing an opportunity to inflict pain, added Venom to the attack. Mako''s armor dropped by 50 points, and she began taking 100 points a round in poison damage.


    Mako felt something inside of her break, and she felt the poison as her health began ticking down. "You sneaky rat-bastard! You brought a poisoned weapon to a cage match?"


    Captain Cuda yelled at her, "If so, it was up to you to check his weapon before the match started. That''s the rule, Mako."


    Mako shrugged. It was an annoyance, and she was barely scratched. The poison was taking off some of her health, but to someone with over 15,000 health, a measly hundred here or there didn''t matter. She was more concerned about how the hell he''d knocked down her mitigation. With Mitigation6, Hard-headed, Ironhide, and 44 Toughness she was up to 500 points of physical mitigation. Enough to make most opponents surrender when they found out that they couldn''t hurt her in a duel without scoring a critical hit or using a special skill. Now she was down by fifty and the blessing was only good for thirty points. She could feel something in her shoulder snag and grind as she moved now, a reminder of where she''d been hit. The solution was simple: Press him hard, get in a few hits, and drop the Professor fast.


    Tallsqueak saw that Mako was more wary now. Her charges weren''t all out, more of a dogged pursuit. He was spending a lot of time running from her, bouncing off the walls, and staying ahead of her. He managed to tag Mako twice more, a hit with Shadowblight to the knee that made her curse, and a slash on her arm that left red scratches and nothing more. Round and round they went, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Cuda pick up the hammer for the little bell next to the hourglass. With only a few seconds left he charged Mako from the front, surprising her and bringing down Shadowblight onto her shoulder in a two-handed swing. Mako cursed and grabbed him by the throat with one hand, gleefully bringing up her cutlass.


    With a loud ''Ding'' the round ended. Milo looked at the Scavenger Captain and grinned, "How fortuitous, I lived through the first round."


    Captain Cuda yelled at Mako, "Drop him and get to your corner, both fighters have one minute. No spells, no potions, and nothing enters the ring other than refreshments."


    Milo sat on the small stool Brutus put out, and caught his breath. "You''re right, she''s tough. I''m going to have to work hard to hurt her. I''m burning stamina running around. She''s not even sweating."


    Brutus grinned, "But she''s not walking so good. You hurt her some and she''s green around the gills."


    "Oh, I poisoned her three times with Noble Spider Venom from my spikey stick."


    Bleusnout was staring hard at Mako, "Her wounds are healing! What did they hand to her?" He yelled to Captain Cuda, "I protest, Mako is using a healing potion!"


    Cuda snarled and grabbed the bottle of whiskey from Mako, who didn''t seem concerned, then handed it back. "All legal, refreshments need to be at least 70% of what''s on the label by volume. A little ''pick-me-up'' is legal in the rules. It still counts as whiskey."


    The Chef scowled, "I don''t like these rules, but who am I to accuse anyone of cheating? Here, eat this cheese!"


    Milo took the piece of aged Limburger and popped it into his mouth. It tasted like heaven and he saw his stamina going back up. The bell rang and the next round started with a bang. Literally.


    Brutus and Bleusnout dove for cover and Milo leaped for the ceiling as Mako threw a grenade into his corner. His leap saved him, but he was bleeding in three places. He held on to the top of the cage but Mako had another bomb of some sort coming his way. He dropped into its path and swung his weapon at it, returning it to Mako. The bomb blew up in her face and Milo took more damage, closer than he had been to the first bomb.


    And he was close to Mako. He swung hard for the knee he''d hit before, putting a spike into her. Shadowblight was out of poison for the day, but Sundering was limited only by his stamina, and with the Limburger coursing through his veins he felt like running a marathon. Mako screamed in pain and brought her cutlass around in a horizontal arc aiming for Milo''s head. He blocked with his other arm, taking the blow on his armored forearm. The armor cracked, sending a lance of pain up his arm and he was knocked away into the side of the cage.


    Mako nailed him in his unarmored stomach with a hard kick and brought her cutlass up, only to be smacked by a hard tail slap to the face that cracked like a whip. Her nose broke and she took a step back, Milo rolled and put some distance between them.


    "Fething tails! Shouldn''t be legal to have an extra limb."


    Cuda disagreed, "Neither the Lizard tribes nor the Kobold clans would hold matches if we excluded tails. Ratkin should fall into the same category. Rules are Rules."


    Mako was shocked that she had taken damage. Granted, the hit caught her right in the face and she hadn''t dodged. She snuck a look at her stats and saw her blessing had faded and she was down to only 300 mitigation. The Professor was cheating somehow, or using a cursed weapon. She felt broken inside, especially her face and left knee. It was time to play dirty.


    Brutus yelled out, "Hey, bombs are legal? I want a ruling."


    Captain Cuda shrugged, "Bombs are legal as long as they don''t use cataclysmite. And they have to be carried on a belt or in a storage ring. Can''t expect a Captain to not have a few extra bombs lying around. It''s all good clean fun."


    The short respite ended for Milo as Mako pointed her sword at him and yelled, "Fire in the hole!" A jet of flames seared the air between them, and he only half dodged, taking hundreds of points of fire damage. Milo rolled across the floor, then did nothing but dodge as Mako aimed two more Bolts of Flame at him. As the sword sputtered and went out, the round ended. Milo crawled to the corner where Brutus dumped water on his smoldering fur and Bleusnout handed him another piece of cheese.


    The referee anticipated Brutus as he stood up, "All legal. That''s an enchanted weapon with a Pyromancer Rune. Not a spell, just a triggered rune with limited charges."


    Brutus started to say more, but The Professor held up a hand. "That''s fine, just good clean fun. Hit that bell."

 Chapter 355: I like Skulls

    The next round started and Milo dodged immediately, having no idea what ''legal'' trick Mako would come up with next. He looked horrible, his clothing scorched and burned and some of his fur blackened. But his Near Fiendish Regeneration was super-charged with Battle Cheese and he wasn''t feeling the pain. The Cheese Masters of the Hollows had worked for generations to weaponize their snacks, and Milo could easily see how soldiers could become addicted to them. Mako pulled something from her storage ring, upset to find only a long string of firecrackers, having forgotten how many bombs she''d used at the last big party. She tossed them and the crowd roared in pleasure as Milo scampered for safety and ended up holding onto the top of the cage above Mako.


    They cheered more when the next instant, thirteen glowing skulls fell all around her, exploding and turning her into a pincushion with hundreds of slivers of bone stuck into her skin. Mako''s ears were ringing and she was knocked into the air by the multiple explosions. Milo swung by his tail from the top of the cage and hit her in the head with his weapon, a spike puncturing an eardrum, the smaller spikes penetrated her skull for only a quarter inch. The blow wasn''t fatal, but it maddened the Scavenger from the pain. She stood screaming at Milo and waving her cutlass in the air. He dropped his last three bombs to distract her and swung to the ground.


    Mako was bleeding now, and breathing hard, her anger growing as her opponent failed to die, and worse, cheated as well as she did. The crowd was roaring and the referee was shouting, the crowd too loud for the small bell to be heard by the fighters in the cage. "End of the round, stop fighting you idiots." Mako stomped to her corner and poured another bottle of ''Whiskey'' down her throat.


    Captain Cuda approached Milo''s corner. "What the hell were the skulls?"


    "Why, nothing illegal. I''m surprised you''ve asked. Just some simple explosives. No cataclysmite and no spell. Just a triggered rune like Mako''s sword. I''m so happy to find out that triggered runes are legal."


    "And you just happened to have all those in a storage device?"


    Professor Tallsqueak grinned at the referee. "I like skulls."


    The crowd liked them too. Where there had been only a few people shouting for Milo, now his cheering section was growing and equal to Mako''s fans. They still thought he''d lose, but he was putting up a good fight. It only added to Mako''s anger. "Hand me the zerkerjuice."


    Beluga pulled out a bottle of dark rum. "Careful, boss. Don''t take more than a few sips or you''ll be out of control."


    Mako laughed, "I''m barely in control now. I need to kill someone. I feel all torn up inside and somehow that bastard is cracking my bones. I even broke a toe when I kicked him. I''m past caring, Beluga. I''m going to paint the cage with his guts." Beluga could only watch as she chugged half the bottle before her hand started shaking and she dropped it. Roaring incoherently, she charged Tallsqueak and Captain Cuda hurriedly hit the bell, just before Mako hit her opponent.


    Milo had turned his head to talk to Brutus and turned back too late to avoid Mako''s berserk charge across the ring. He was slammed into the side of the cage hard, and if not for his hard-runed bones, would have lost half of his ribs. Mako hadn''t even drawn her sword and simply started hitting him in the face and body, over and over. Milo couldn''t get away, or draw his weapon, so he used his claws and tail.


    One claw slashed and did 100 damage to her, finally able to overcome her mitigation. The second did 450 damage, benefitting from Extra Stabby. Milo''s tail slapped her hard in the skull for another critical hit, causing her to pause for a moment, and the tail wrapped around her neck and pulled her over backward.


    With only a quarter of his health left, Milo leaped free. Mako came up foaming and raced at him. He rolled to the side and tripped her with his tail, sending her tumbling into her own corner. A quick glance showed him that his weapon was at the edge of the cage, but instead of running for it, he considered another weapon. He wasn''t skilled with it, but Mako wasn''t dodging. Without a moment''s thought, he pulled the screwdriver from his belt and transformed it into the Mace of Armageddon. He didn''t know how to use a mace, but he did know how to use a Pre-System Force Application Tool correctly. With his tail, he formed an engineering rune that described the circular motion of a horizontal cog and the mace swung in a perfect horizontal arc that hit Mako in the chest as she charged and slammed her back against the cage. The force unleashed was horrific, and anyone else would have been killed. With Zerkerjuice in her system, Mako wasn''t even knocked out. She also wasn''t thinking too well. She staggered forward, mostly from bouncing off the cage, and saw multiple Professors whirling in a circle toward her. Milo hadn''t canceled the rune and kept whirling around, completing two full rotations as he danced to where Mako was and hit her again, this time in her side, shattering multiple ribs into small shards. She then helpfully assisted him by staggering up again as he completed another rotation.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    This time he managed to adjust the trajectory and he hit her in the head. Teeth sprayed from her jaw and one eye popped out of the socket as Mako fell to the ground, not moving. Her brittle skull, like all her cursed brittle bones, was in several pieces. Milo released the mace and it hit the side of the cage, bending the bars three feet out and nearly breaking the cage. He kept spinning for six more rotations before turning the spin into the ending move of the Happy Hamster Hop and managed to stay on his feet as the crowd cheered.


    Captain Cuda hit the bell several times and declared the fight over. "Winner of this match and current Champion of Shadowport, Captain Tallsqueak of Limburger Hollow."


    Milo managed to stay standing only until he got out of the cage. Bleusnout took his pulse, "We should get him wrapped up and get some tea and puffcakes into him. He''s had a lot of cheese, and that''s all that kept him alive through that."


    Brutus retrieved his mace, mostly so the girls wouldn''t grab it. He gingerly put it in his belt, aware that Tallsqueak had nearly killed himself with it before. The girls were already playing in the cage and trying to get anyone else to join them. Even drunken pirates weren''t that dumb.


    Beluga looked down at Mako, "You just had to push things, didn''t you? And now I have to take a broke clan of idiots and take them somewhere else. I should leave you here, but I suppose I''ll take you along, maybe he knocked some brains into you."


    She had four of her crew pick up Mako and haul her to a healer who would accept a hefty IOU for his work. Then the Sharks headed for the docks. A three-masted sloop was just docking, disgorging a crew of thirsty pirates who ran for the bars that were waiting for them. Ten minutes later Beluga and the Sharks walked up the gangplank and explained the new reality to the few crew minding the ship. Three were tossed overboard and four joined the sharks. Less than an hour after the cage match was over, the Sharks were out of Shadowport, heading to parts unknown.


    Milo would find out about that the next day. For the rest of the day, he sat in Mako''s big chair at the Captain''s table, dozing, slurping down tea, and red jelly bean potions, and eating puffcakes. He had a gnawing feeling inside, and Bleusnout noticed him eyeing the piece of cheddar that he''d carefully placed in the center of the table.


    "My cravings are back. I thought I was over them."


    Bleusnout shook his head, "We never get over them. I was in horrible shape after what Rifkin did to me. Smiley and I kept a watch on each other for two months, and Harry watched both of us. Luckily, we had Larry for inspiration. If a cheese fiend can curb his addiction, the rest of us can as well. Which brings me to my next question. What are you planning to do with this huge building?"


    "Oh, give it back to the people the Sharks stole it from. They''ll use it for a bathhouse and washing clothes, although it''s a lot bigger now. Why?"


    The chef pointed in the direction of the kitchen. "You have a very nice kitchen at that end of the building, and a huge basement that would be ideal for growing mushrooms and making cheese. And sadly, far too many whelps running wild up here that need a firm hand to help them with their urges."


    "You want to start a Hollow?"


    "Ah, no, not nearly so ambitious. I want to start a restaurant and serve food from the Hollow. Brutus can supply me with the mushroom flour I need from the Hollow and I can grow my artisanal varieties of fungus and make a little cheese. My main goal is to foster trade with Limburger Hollow and have a place to teach our values to the wild urchins running through these streets. Frankly, I''m surprised half of them haven''t become cheese fiends already."


    That worried Milo, "Cheese fiends would be bad. Very bad, in so many ways." He had no idea if players would still be in control, hopefully not! "Oh, wait! That means I''ll be able to have puffcakes whenever I''m here!"


    Bleusnout nodded to him, "And attend classes. I''ll be starting the next one tomorrow morning." He pulled out a copy of It Takes a Hollow to Make the Cheese and handed it to Milo. "Refresh yourself, I''ve added new material. You''ll be assisting me, of course."

 Chapter 356: Solutions to Problems

    Beluga had the wheel of the Drunken Shark since she was the only person on board who could keep the ill-made tub of rotten wood on course. The rudder tended to get stuck, and the cure was either keeping a crew member hanging from a rope on the back of the ship and ready to whack it with a wooden mallet or spinning the wheel back and forth trying to unstick the damned thing. Either method made her unreliable to sail. It was a crappy ship, but convenient to steal and she''d needed to get what was left of the clan out of the damned city before too many of them jumped ship to other clans or became miners. At least on open seas, no one was leaving.


    It had been two days since the cage fight. Two days of slapping the crew around to get them to work and constant duels among the crew to decide the pecking order. After the third attempt on her life and three bodies tossed to the fish, the newcomers made the wise decision that challenging her for command wasn''t going to work in their favor. And hell, she wasn''t even Captain! That was Mako''s job. If she ever left her cabin. The pounding she''d taken, the whiskey, zerkerjuice, and getting her face rearranged had kept her unconscious for a day. The second day she woke up, demanded something to drink for the pain, and went back to bed. They were lucky to have a barber-surgeon in the crew and an apprentice Sea Witch with some healing. They''d worked through the first day to set Mako''s bones, clean her wounds, and fix what they could. There was no saving the eye, and she would need half her teeth replaced with gold, but she''d pull through. Beluga had seen Mako in worse shape.


    She wasn''t even surprised when Mako came on deck using a broken chair for a crutch and made her way to the top deck. Beluga yelled out, "Captain on deck," just to alert the new crew to who the hell she was.


    Mako sat on the deck, back against the rail, for the better part of an hour before she spoke. "How many days sailing on what heading?" Her words were slurred but Beluga was used to talking with drunken pirates, this was sort of the same.


    "Two days, headed west. We can hit the Spice Coast for a refit, our credit is good there. We need cordage, sailcloth, a new rudder, caulking, food, water, rum, and gunpowder. Then I thought we could do a little raid and trade in the Bone Archipelago since no one likes trading with cannibals, but they have a lot of gold in those little villages. We can hit a small one, and steal everything not tied down. Then get out before the big villages find out and fire up the stew pots and get after us in their war canoes. Just my thinking. Your decision, of course, Captain."


    "Head for Big Sandy Island first. We need to dig something up."


    Beluga had been hoping that Mako had some treasure hidden somewhere for emergencies, but asking those kinds of questions of a captain was risky. "Aye, that''s easy to get to. Anchor in that little bay?" Big Sandy had one shitty little well, and three palm trees, but they could get water, at least, while there."


    Mako shook her head. "Water, then leave. Past that are the Deserter Islands. Go to the smallest one, most easterly. There''s a chest, hidden under the biggest rock, that will give us enough to get started. And anyone we don''t like can be left there. Always make the sea an offering for luck."


    "Sounds good, Captain. Then on to the Spice Coast?"


    "No. Then we make sail to Fort Hopeless. We''ll sell half of this idiot crew to the slavers and they can learn how to fight in the pits. We''ll sell this tub and buy something better. Then recruit some real fighters and buy a dozen fat slaves. Then we go to the Bone Archipelago and trade the slaves for war canoes and recruit a tribe to come with us. Then we head back to Shadowport. We''ve got a lot of scores to settle."


    Now, that surprised Beluga. But she stayed silent, letting Mako talk. Maybe she had a plan, but it was off to a bad start. Cannibals on board? How the hell would they feed them for a week?


    "They cheated us, all of them, and they need to pay for it. We''ll have enough money for a load of Clingfire. We anchor around the corner of the bay and go in at night with the war canoes. We hit all the ships there at once, and burn them to the waterline. Then turn the cannibals loose on the town. It will be an all-you-can-eat buffet. And while they''re making dinner, we burn the rest of the town. And that''s just for starters."


    Beluga had heard enough. Mako was crazy and needed some straight talk. "Look, Mak, we go way back, so no disrespect, but that''s fething crazy. We need money, a good ship, and a fresh set of marks to fleece. Not another war we can''t fight. That shit isn''t going to work. You might burn some ships, but the clan will be doomed and probably dead."


    "Doesn''t matter. They need to pay. It''s my reputation at stake and the reputation of the clan. We cheat! We don''t get cheated!" She stood, unsteady on her feet, leaning on the rail. "Now, move away from the wheel! I''m steering the course. I don''t trust you anymore Bel. You shouldn''t question me. I''ll find another mate."


    Beluga stepped back, turned, and bum-rushed Mako, her shoulder hitting the unsteady Captain and knocking her into the railing. Like the rest of the Drunken Shark, the rail was rotted. It broke and Mako tumbled into the water. Beluga tossed the broken chair, hitting the ex-captain in the head. She sank like a stone and the ship sailed onward.


    Beluga took the wheel, looking ahead. "Crazy assed bitch, never knew when to quit pounding her head against the wall. And she never did learn to swim worth a damn."


    <hr>


    Brother Ignatius was surprised to find a young dwarven Engineer at his door. He very politely handed him a message: "Sorry to bother you, sir. You and your guests are invited to the casino tonight. The Professor would like to see you again." He bowed and ran off.


    The message was simple, ''Greetings, I would like to thank you and the kind people of your congregation for welcoming an outsider to your tasty luncheon. Could I ask that you come to my casino tonight so that I may return the favor? Things have changed and decisions must be made. I need the advice of you, Malka, and Alessandra. I hope to see you soon, Professor Tallsqueak.''


    The part that caught Ignatius'' eye was the words ''my casino''. That certainly hadn''t been the case just last week, but things could change in Shadowport quickly and some of his congregation had told him that no one had seen a Shark for two days, and the casino had been closed for several more. He began his walk to the docks and the new houses where the women lived, noting that the town had far fewer boats in the harbor or pirates walking the streets. How this all fits together, he wasn''t sure.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    As soon as he arrived, Malka ushered him in. "Don''t tell me, I know. Something happened. Elena had a vision of a rat eating a shark and all of us sitting at a table together eating cheese." Malka tended to take her daughter Elena''s visions very literally.


    "Well, I''m not sure about the first part, but we have been invited to dinner."


    When they arrived, they noted recent changes. The sign was off the casino and the graffiti on the walls had been painted over. None of them had been in the ex-laundry since the Sharks had taken it over, enclosed the building, and made many changes. And someone else was making more changes. The gaming tables were stacked against the walls except for two small card tables. Four people sat at each playing games of cards with no chips in front of them. Anything related to the sharks and gambling was gone, except an extravagant table and chairs at the far end of the room where the floor was raised like the rear deck of a ship.


    At the other end was a large dining room table that could seat two dozen people. Professor Tallsqueak was sitting at one end with open spaces around him. He looked tired, with bags under his eyes and dark, swollen bruises visible even through the short fur of his face. He waved to them. "Welcome, friends. Chef Bleusnout is here from the Hollow and has cooked up many succulent dishes. Please fill your plates as many times as you like and try it all."


    The chef was a large ratkin with blue whiskers who cheerfully explained each dish. There was a large variety of seafood, mushroom dishes, cave vegetables, and golden loaves of bread alongside the heavy, dark variety preferred by the dwarves and made with beer.


    The Professor made small talk, asking about the fishing fleets, and the new types of fish appearing in the bay, and asked about any problems. When everyone was done and a cheese tray was brought out, he became more serious.


    "I am aware of the history of this building, and how it came to belong to the Sharks. Unfortunately for Clan Shark, they have experienced a series of very unfortunate events and lost their fortunes and all their property here in Shadowport. They have left the city, hopefully for good."


    Ignatius smiled at this, happy to be rid of people who had caused much misfortune. Malta and Elena were also happy, with the younger woman staring at the Professor with curiosity, seeing something no one else could. Alessandra smiled, but then looked around the building sadly. "And you own the building now?"


    The Professor nodded, "My fortunes waxed as Captain Mako''s luck waned. I find myself in possession of this fine building, and many other properties in Shadowport, which is why I need your help."


    "Our help?"


    "Yes. I sat down to play a friendly game of cards or two and then was constantly challenged and forced to defend my winnings, my reputation, and finally my life during a cage fight with Captain Mako. Thrilling, but far from my normal academic endeavors. I find myself needing to divest myself of properties that, frankly, I don''t think the Sharks acquired correctly. So I''d like you to sort these out for me and get them back to their original owners or other families you know that need land to build upon." He shoved a pile of deeds to Brother Ignatius.


    "But what do we owe you for these?"


    "Nothing. I won them gambling and it costs me nothing to pass them on to you. The Chief Engineer has offered the services of his junior Engineers to help build or repair the buildings needed. I am happy to help return the lands around the docks to the families who support the city with their fishing. I also own the majority of the docks. Captain Squint will be helping me by having his Kulags patrol the area. Half of the docks will be used by the fishing fleet, and half will collect fees from merchants. The money will go to support the Kulags in their good work of keeping things under control. And, I have acquired the help of Captain Pike who will be guarding the new docks until things become quieter. He will also happily sink any pirate ship that threatens legitimate fishing and trading vessels. After the example of the last two, his threats will be taken very seriously."


    All four humans were taken aback momentarily. This wasn''t the norm for Shadowport. Then their host turned to Alessandra. "I have a business deal I would like to propose to you."


    She nervously looked around the large building, which wasn''t in the deeds he had just handed over. "I''m certainly listening."


    "Hear me out, as parts of this will be strange to someone not familiar with the Hollows. Ratkin society feels a responsibility to train our whelps to be good citizens, but with so many of our young ones running from the caves to the bright lights of the city, I feel some of them are losing their way."


    There were silent nods in agreement. They had all seen the packs of ratkin fighting with humans and dwarves in the endless gang wars, or begging for the cheese to fill their hungry bellies. Too many of them roamed the night, bouncing from rooftop to rooftop in search of people to waylay for the coin they spent at the cheese stand of the halflings the next day.


    "I have been talking about the problem with my old friend, Chef Bleusnout. He is recently retired but has nurtured the young of Limburger Hollow for many decades. Besides the classes he teaches, he is also an expert chef specializing in the tasty food from the Hollow. So here is my proposal, firstly, I am gifting you with your building, Alessandra. I know of the circumstances in which you lost it and wish for you to have it back. The city needs a place to do laundry and a public bathhouse. I would like you to consider renting part of your building to Chef Bleusnout who will use the kitchens and a small part of this end of the top floor for a dining room, and half of the basement for his classes, growing mushrooms, and making a small amount of cheese for his cooking."


    She looked at the deed, then down at the chef, still dishing up food for anyone who walked up to the buffet. "I''m certainly not going to turn down a proposal like that, and thank you for giving me the choice. I''ll work with the chef and see what we can do to help with your young ones. I''ll be honest, I''m a little worried. These deals are too good to be true."


    The Professor just smiled. "So is being dealt a royal flush. I''m happy that my luck lets me solve your problems."

 Chapter 357: Engineer Type Techno-Magic Bullshit!

    Later that night, Captain Tallsqueak held another meeting in the casino. Invited were Captain Whale, Captain Cuda, Captain Goldtooth, Captain Squint, Captain Annie, and Chief Engineer Sledgemonkey. Captain Tallsqueak served a selection of aged whiskey found hidden in Mako''s office in the casino and aged Cheddar, Gouda, and Camembert cheeses from the Hollow.


    The whiskey had been found after the Engineers did a complete search of the building turning up seventeen small stashes of coin, pipeweed, and cheap rum, along with the far more valuable alcohol hidden by Mako. All Scavengers had an instinctive need to hide a little something away. Since they did this mainly when they were drunk, a good proportion of the treasures they hid were never found again by the person hiding them.


    Captain Tallsqueak was eating nothing but salted crackers, under strict orders from his doctor to drastically control his cheese intake. Curiosity alone might not have brought the Captains together. (Except for Captain Squint, who was always curious.) But the lure of raiding Mako''s hidden whiskey stash drew them in.


    Captain Tallsqueak waited until they''d all had time for a first glass of the amber liquid, before starting the meeting. "Thank you for coming. I felt that explanations were in order. First, do me the favor of putting on the monocles that my assistants are passing out to you. These were standard issue for all the Sharks working in this casino." It would have been near impossible to keep Boom-Boom and Narwhal away from the meeting, so Milo had drafted them to assist him tonight. It also gave him two more dangerous people on his side if any of the Captains reacted badly to his revelations.


    "Now, I''ll ask that you focus on the runes you should be able to see on the backs of these cards. The decks were used at all of the Poker and Blackjack tables here." Narwhal expertly dealt each Captain a hand of cards. When they saw the normally invisible runes on the back of the cards, they began to curse loudly. This went on for quite some time, many of the Captains bringing up past grievances with Mako and her crew, and remembering the large pots they lost at tables run by the Sharks in several ports. Captain Tallsqueak waited until they were only grumbling before continuing.


    Whale looked at him, and asked, "How long have you known?"


    "Not long at all. Only since I came here the other night for a little entertainment. I had heard of a mathematical exercise called ''Counting Cards'' and it seemed like an enjoyable way to increase my funds and spend a casual evening with like-minded people. Sadly, the cheese at the buffet was horrible, but the gambling favored me. After mastering the technique and winning a modest amount, I realized that the cards were marked. You see, besides mathematics, I have made a study of ancient and contemporary runes and their uses. My eyeglasses are designed to help me in this task. Testing my ability to read the backs of the cards allowed me to increase my fortunes much faster, as you can imagine."


    Captain Goldtooth looked grumpy and upset. She''d been losing money to the Sharks for years. She hated hearing about anyone else winning. Especially on a night she had lost so much. "So you started cheating!"


    Captain Tallsqueak stared at her for a few seconds until the silence became uncomfortable, "No. I started playing by the same rules that the Sharks were using."


    Captain Cuda raised her glass and downed her whiskey, "Rules are Rules. Seems fair to me."


    Captain Whale was chewing on her cigar. "That''s all well and good for the Blackjack and Poker tables. But the shit that went down up here at the Captain''s Table was another load of fish oil altogether."


    "That it was. Which brings me to the next part of tonight''s meeting." Boom-Boom pushed a cart loaded with heavy bags forward and Narwhal put bags of gold bars and coins in front of each Captain. "I have calculated the losses each of you incurred from the Captain''s game, whether from a downturn of luck or from the machinations of the Sharks or myself. It seems only fair that I return your gold."


    Captain Goldtooth smiled broadly and shook the Professor''s hand, nearly dislocating his shoulder. Captain Squint looked in his bags with glee, "Fish Taco and cat treat money! What could be better."


    Captain Whale still wanted answers, and Tallsqueak motioned for Narwhal to deal her a card. He placed his hand over his eyes, "Please look at your card, and I will guess what it is." Whale did so.


    The Professor said, "It is the seven of spades."


    "Not even close." She flipped the card over, a seven of spades. "What the fething hell?! It was a jack of hearts!"


    Narwhal dealt a single card to five Captains. The Professor said, "Royal flush in spades." And it was.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The cursing was loud and long, ending with demands for an explanation. The Professor was happy to oblige them with the details. "This was much tougher to figure out. First, these cards are marked as well. Examine the shades of the grey by the rudder and the number of lines coming off the masts. You will see very slight differences that a keen eye can read. This let Mako or her dealer, Abigail, know what cards each person had. Every card is a masterpiece of magi-tech and interacts with the table, controlled by the dealer. If the card is on the table, the dealer could manipulate the cards, choosing what she wants each card to be. There are limits of course. If I know I have an eight of spades, giving that card to another player would reveal the cheat. So only cards that haven''t been seen can be changed. By far, this is easiest to do as the cards are being dealt. We saw that on the last hand of the night."


    Captain Whale stared at the backs of the cards, barely able to see the clues at close range. The Professor was right, these cards were really something. "How in hell did Mako get this set up? There is no way any of her crew did this. Abigail was smart, but not this smart. This is high-level Engineer type techno-magic bullshit!"


    Sledgemonkey laughed hard at her comment, "You bet it is! I don''t think there are more than three of us in Deeprock that can understand this table. Four if you count Senior Engineer Milo. But with the Professor''s help, we know who made this thing: Edward ''Black Eddie'' Damyon. He was tossed out on his ass for stealing another Engineer''s secrets and selling them to a Scavenger Clan. He disappeared from his cell and was never seen again. I think we can all guess what clan that was. But this sure is a slick little bit of magi-tech the Professor is letting us take downstairs."


    Captain Whale was nodding. "The landslide was a set-up, start to finish. You put pressure on her by alerting the engineers, who began cleaning out the casino. And when Mako cheated us, you cheated her." All the other Captains were mulling this over.


    Captain Cuda was furious at Mako''s breach of the rules of a Captain''s Table, "You could have exposed her! Why keep it a secret?"


    Captain Tallsqueak shook his head. "No, all that would have done is gotten me a knife across the throat. Accuse the Captain who owns the casino of cheating in her own casino? How many of you would have backed her instead of an unknown person who recently entered the city? My only way to show she was cheating was to show I could cheat as well. Too many variables. There would have been a huge brawl and someone would have been dead, probably me. You were all going to lose your money anyway. In this case, you get it back."


    Captain Annie had a suspicion of her own, "You wanted her gone, didn''t you? Cleaned out and tossed from the city."


    Tallsqueak shrugged, then winced, his entire body still sore. "She was bad news. Cheating people in every way that she could. And the more she lost, the more dangerous she was. The city was heading in a direction that boded poorly for everyone. Fate dealt her some harsh blows and I was able to do my small part. However, I did not anticipate being locked in a cage with her."


    "Well, it was a fun cage fight to watch."


    "Believe me, it wasn''t a fun fight to be in. But that''s over, and hopefully, I don''t have to ever do another. Which was one of the reasons I wanted to return your gold."


    The Captains looked at each other and nodded. Captain Cuda spoke for all of them, "A very smart move. And my advice would be to give up your Captaincy. Well, until you get a real ship."


    Tallsqueak shuddered, "I was on a boat once, things didn''t go well." He didn''t bother to elaborate.


    Somewhat satisfied, the Captains departed. Cuda and Goldtooth to spend their gold, and Squint was off to stir up trouble with the gangs and keep the players occupied. Captain Annie started to depart, but Whale took her aside for a talk. They departed to discuss the future of the Scavenger Clans in Shadowport and share a bottle of rum on the Iron Orca.


    The Engineers set to work with a vengeance, clearing out all of the gambling equipment, and packing it in crates to send downstairs. The Captain''s Table was judged too fragile and Sledgemonkey opened his Arcane Workshop and the table was placed in one of his large storage rooms. The Professor was very interested in getting a closer look at the wonderful extra-dimensional space, which Sledgemonkey was happy to personally show off and explain to him.


    When Alessandra and twenty women from the church came early the next morning they found a nearly empty building and Chef Bleusnout flipping pancakes on a grill. "Come in ladies, come in. We have much to discuss and I thought it would be better to do so with fresh puffcakes and tea."

 Happy New Year! The Walruss plans for 2025, and AMA.

    Someone started a thread on the Forums about New Year Resolutions. You know, the shit you say you''ll do and forget about a day later.


    I put down a few things. Then completed one of them. Reading that thread again I edited my post and thought about more stuff. Let''s not call them ''resolutions'', that never works. Let''s go with ''plans''.


    So here are my plans for 2025


    <del>Finish Editing Tunnel Rat 3


    </del>


    Edit and send off BOG Volume 2 to Aethon


    Edit and send off BOG Volume 3 to Aethon


    Continue posting two chapters a week of Tunnel Rat and Butcher of Gadobhra.


    Increase Patreon from +20 chapters ahead to +30 chapters.


    Because more backlog is always good. Shit can happen. Chapters still need to be posted.


    Write three more books out of these Work In Progress stories:


    (Might be three one-shots, or maybe one story in three volumes. Who knows?)


    Helldiver: Dungeon Diver/Apocalypse


    Gutter Magic: Low Fantasy urban adventure with a sneaky protagonist from the slums.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    When you only want to be a thief and join the guild but the Inquisition thinks your a healer and sends you off to a school full of asshole nobles.


    Scrapyard Hero: Cryptids, mysteries, urban legends, and a changing world.


    Lots of influence from Manly Wade Wellman and his Silver John novels. Things that shouldn''t exist, and no one sees them. Diving into strange worlds. And why are there hints about all this shit in those old RPG books from the 70s?


    Get the Hell off my Lawn!: System apocalypse/Invasion meets a cantankerous old man with a lot of guns and a mean truck.


    Dirty Harry at 100 gets mean when some weird-looking rustlers steal his last dozen cattle. They also stole his truck and now the damnable thing talks to him and changes the radio station!


    Get one of these ready by the April Writathon.


    Write 1 million words in 2025.


    If you''ve got a question for me, toss it in the comments.

 Chapter 358: Experimental Projects

    Milo was nervous as he walked through Shadowport to the small stone and metal building that housed the entrance to the recently built tunnel that led to the Deep Rock Engineering complex deep beneath Shadowport. The dwarves had dug the tunnel they called ''The Loophole'' to the surface to recover all the parts of Leviathan and planned to send the repaired ship back the same way, then assemble the parts in the half-built drydock before launching her and beginning the project of recovering what was left of the Iron Queen. Rebuilding Leviathan was a huge task, but doing the same for the Queen was the stuff of legends.


    Scavenger clans and pirate ships had converged on Shadowport to be part of both projects. Some were legitimate crafters who hoped to work on the ships and become part of the crew. Others were there to gain hints of the Queen''s location. It was generally assumed to be why the Sharks disguised their submersible. Milo, or rather, his alter ego, Professor Tallsqueak, owned the remains of the Silver Shark. Soon, it would also travel down the Loophole to be used as scrap metal.


    Milo was anxious to get back to the complex and see what projects were going on. The dwarves were in overdrive and talked continuously about the repairs to Leviathan and the rebuilding of the complex that his snake trap had blown up with the help of a huge storage tank of explosive dwarven whiskey labeled as waste fluid. But he was nervous, and for good reason. Engineers didn''t name something the Loophole without a good reason, and from their grins as he strapped himself into the passenger seat at the front, he was sure he knew the reason, and it wasn''t going to be good.


    The original Deepwater complex was over a half mile below Shadowport, and the massive cavern beneath was another thousand feet down. Milo was about to travel roughly two miles along tracks that flowed through natural caverns and incorporated several twists and turns designed by crazed dwarves addicted to rollercoasters. It was a racial preference, Milo had been told, a way to increase their toughness and test themselves. It wasn''t nearly so much fun for Milo, but Peenhammer, the dwarf sitting next to him was screaming and laughing the whole way down as the tracks corkscrewed into the earth, looped, turned over backward, and executed every other twist any of the junior Engineers could think of. They were constrained by the problem of not wrecking the supply trains, but as long as they ended up down at the bottoms, it was a good run.


    Milo had turned most of his brain off for the run and screamed all the way down. The system happily informed him of earning 100 experience in toughness. He was pulled from the train by Peenhammer and leaned against the wall until he felt better. Despite how he looked, any Engineer who walked by gave him a thumbs-up or patted him on the shoulder. If you weren''t a dwarf and could survive the ride, you''d earned their respect.


    He''d only spent a little time in the huge cavern before. First, dreaming in a crack in one of Alta-Viator''s immense ribs, and then later when he raced to dig out the Snake Egg before it could hatch. Before, the detritus of ages had covered the bones and scales of what remained Alta-Viator but the explosion he had set off had scoured the interior of the Great Bone Beast clean. Every cave for a mile around had been filled with fire and scoured clean. Not a bad thing since acidic slimes had overrun many areas. What was here now was a huge cave. The dwarves had measured the length of the main cavern at over 2000 feet long. The arched ceiling made of gigantic ribs and vertebrae holding up a coating of massive scales was 300 feet high in the center. Another layer of scales had been found 200 feet down, below the layer of rock that had formed inside the opening.


    The shaft going up to the old complex had been widened and a sturdy elevator installed. Milo remembered his first time here when he''d come down in a bucket only a few feet above the horrendous ''Ever-Pudding''. The dwarves still had parts of it in glass jars. The creatures split off from the main mass had their own strange personalities, but all of them could produce high-grade acid that the dwarves found useful. Large signs warning about overfeeding the small puddings were everywhere.


    Parts of the rebuilding project were everywhere. Huge project boards had been erected showing the plans for smelters, workshops, ore refining, and machine crafting. Huge copper towers were being erected far away from other construction. Milo pointed to them, "Are those fuel distillation towers?"


    Peenhammer laughed, "Sort of. That''s the whiskey factory. Just like the old one you blew all to hell but twenty times bigger. Across the cavern will be the fuel mixing tanks. We''re testing out mixes of distilled tar oil, waste fuel, and whiskey. So far, the experimental mixtures have been pushing boilers to the redline in record time. We''ve been blowing up boilers each week, but the last batch is finally holding. It takes layers of Deep Copper and Hammer Steel, thick ones, and then horizontal bands of Dark Steel. So far, they''ve held and Whale is happy with them, but I''ve some ideas about adding a new fuel additive to the mix that could up the pressure by 20% more. That''ll blow a gasket for sure and we''ll start over. But mark my words, the days of coal and its low-pressure output are gone for good."


    Milo could see an area that had an impressive collection of exploded boilers. He saw Peenhammer''s point, but a less volatile mix might be better in the long run. Blowing your boilers with a thousand fathoms of water above you made repairs tough. "Has anyone tried using both?" Peenhammer stopped in midstride, "Both? You have an idea for a project. Tell your old buddy Peenhammer about it and I''ll put together a crew to test it." Milo could see he was excited.


    "Oh, I was just thinking that if we reduced coal down to coke and removed the impurities, a slurry of ground coke and liquid fuel would give some advantages. Longer burning, more control on the pressure, and less chance of blowing a boiler."


    Peenhammer nodded, "Yes, I see it. Come on! We''ll write it up on the project board so we get credit and I''ll get to work!" The excited dwarf led Milo to a spot with still more project boards where teams were submitting their experiments before running off to do something crazy. He helped Peenhammer with the writing up of the project and his new partner waved and ran off to find a crew to recruit. "Think up a few more things. Our crew will test them out and see what works."


    Milo wandered down the long line of ongoing and failed projects. Some were outlandish, but that didn''t mean they didn''t have a chance of working. He noted that it was mostly the Junior Engineers, new recruits, and a few Scavenger mechanics working on the experimental projects. The Senior Engineers were doing the traditional, boring work that would eventually produce the rebuilt Leviathan. Huge drop hammers weighing tons were hard at work compressing layers of metal into Hammer Steel, Deep Copper was being processed in subrogators, and the steel mill was going all hours of the day. The dwarves were busy, and busy meant happy.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Milo spent the next two days looking at every project and poking his nose into everything. Luckily, there was no bad math. Engineers checked their work diligently. That didn''t keep explosions from happening. Their crazed theories often did exactly what physics and chemistry said they would do. He came up with three new ideas for Peenhammer and his crew to work on. The fuel idea had worked, and they were refining it further to get every bit of pressure out of the mix and see how long they could run a boiler at max pressure with no explosions. His next innovation was a small one, using existing engineering runes, the blood runes he had learned from Gendifur, and the new Runic Script that Vladimir had taught him. He produced six different valves that regulated fuel and steam flow, each using the small runic arrays to regulate them to an extreme level of accuracy.


    Peenhammer wasn''t used to this type of project but was game to try. "I got my nickname from my habit of always using a bigger hammer, but I know now that only works part of the time. These itsy-bitsy Runes are sort of cute, but with them inscribed on every valve, connection, and foot of pipe we could keep a steam-powered engine humming along like a dream. Just a matter of me and the other chowderheads brushing up on our inscription and runic skills!"


    On day three, Sledgemonkey found him and dragged him to a project meeting. "I know, not nearly as fun as what you''re doing, but keeping things from exploding between Whale''s clan and our Engineers takes a lot of work. Time for you to earn your lofty position and title."


    "Oh, that''s why I have to come? I don''t mind going back to being a Junior Engineer. Even an apprentice."


    Sledgemonkey laughed at him, "Nice try, and if it would work, I''d be right next to you, and you know what would happen next."


    "Fun stuff?"


    "Well, yeah. But then we''d find out the Scavengers had voted themselves in charge, and we''d have to accept their ideas and make them work. We''d be producing ships with so many cannons that they''d sink the first time out."


    The meeting included the two of them, Captain Whale, Narwhal, Boom-Boom, Two-Screws along with Captains Annie, Goldtooth, and Cuda. Only Whale and her clan had been working on Leviathan up until now. Whale had argued for bringing in the Captains from three more great clans and discussing not only Leviathan''s construction but the plans for exploring the Rust Sea, looting the hulks there for treasure and parts, and eventually salvaging the Iron Queen. There were also each ship''s Mate and head mechanic, and several other Senior Engineers. That was a lot of people, and Milo tried to slide to a corner but Sledgemonkey planted him on a stool next to him. The Chief Engineer pulled out his spanner, slammed it on the table, and brought the meeting to order.


    "Alright, I think we all know each other, so let''s hammer a few things out. You wanted this meeting, Whale, so tell us what you want."


    Captain Whale stood up and looked around the table. "A small point. I remember the mysterious ''Senior Engineer Milo'' from when he helped blow up Leviathan. Her son-in-law smiled as he remembered the fun and said "Seeing all those boilers go up at once was a beautiful thing. My wife here put that ball right where Milo said to, and that ship was history. BOOM!"


    Whale sighed. "Yes, and now we need to rebuild the damned ship. My point is, this is a dwarven operation, and I''m curious about why we have a human down here."


    Sledgemonkey looked at her, innocently smiling, "He''s a curious type of human. But he''s shown he has the ability to build and destroy with the best of us. Being a dwarf helps to be a good Engineer, but that doesn''t mean other races can''t excel as well. In fact, I''ve approved a half-elf who will be joining us at some point. He comes highly recommended."


    That got some reactions. "A half-elf? Are you mad", "You''re pushing for a war, doing that. The Elves don''t recognize Magi-tech as being our invention! Why would we let an elf see our secrets?" Several mates stood up. So did Milo. He took the spanner from his belt and slammed it down hard on the table. The pre-System tool left cracks spiraling out from the point of impact on the granite-topped table. Silence ensued, and every Engineer and Mechanic craned their neck to get a better look at it.


    Milo spoke slowly, and menacingly as he looked at each person. "Vladimir Two-Souls is also half-dwarf and for his entire life, both sides of his family have looked down on him because of it. And it''s stupid! He''s an amazing Engineer specializing in runic script, magi-tech, and mana-flow devices. He''s one of the best, and he''s a Deep Rock Engineer now. I gave him my own spanner that Sledgemonkey gave to me. It isn''t the heritage any of us should care about, it''s what a person can do. And Vladimir can do a lot. You can see some of his work in the new valve and flow regulators Peenhammer and I have been testing. If you have a problem with him, you have a problem with me."


    Everyone sat back down and took a deep breath. One of the mechanics said, "Those are some pretty flow regulators." That seemed to settle things, at least for now. Sledgemonkey stood up again, "And don''t forget, the ratkin of Limburger Hollow are also part of this project. They have Storm Mages with some very interesting theories. I''ve talked to them. They''ll be a great asset to us, along with supplying hundreds of tons of Deep Copper and other metals that we need."


    Whale looked at the other Captains, "We''ve seen an example of the type of people the Hollow produces. We''re fine with the ratkin from there. I wish we had a more direct route to there. What''s the status of the tunnel?"


    Two-Screws stood up. "Good, actually, they know their stuff, and their Caravan Master has mapped it out most of the way. We can start to drill towards them and he said they''d meet us halfway."


    "Going to be slow if they''re using picks and shovels."


    Milo smiled, "You haven''t seen digger moles at work then. I bet they get to the halfway point before we do from this side." He realized the error of his words as several Engineers smiled.


    The race was on.

 Chapter 359: Deep Planning Session

    Sledgemonkey sighed as he saw what Milo had started. It was something a Senior Engineer always had to remember. It didn''t take much to get the younger Engineers going, they were making up for lost years with gusto, and looking for challenges. There would be three teams starting three tunnels by tomorrow. "OK, a new tunnel to the Hollow is pretty much assured at this point. It''s an investment in time, work, and materials for the tracks we need to lay but it will pay off greatly. I don''t see a problem. We''ll start laying tracks once we have a complete route and someone with a lick of sense in their head checks it out."


    Mention of the tracks led to a discussion of the new steel mill and the need for more Dark Iron ore to keep it running twenty-four hours a day and maximize the efficiency ratings. The Scavengers flinched, knowing that a discussion of ''efficiency'' could sidetrack a group of Engineers for hours. Captain Cuda was too impatient for that and wanted to get to the good parts of this meeting.


    "All fine to nitpick and discuss all your little projects, but do that on your own time. You''ve got us all down here, and I want to hear about these big plans that Whale keeps hinting at. Sure, we''ve heard about building a ship and finding the Queen. A good bullshit story to tell while drinking beer, but the small details matter, like who''s doing it, and who sits on the sidelines and applauds to inflate your egos. What do you need my girls for, and what''s in it for us?" Annie and Goldtooth nodded and echoed her words.


    Whale looked around the table. "Yeah, we need to work some things out and come to a consensus. Mako lit the fire with her ''Bring all the clans together'' ideas. Most of it was crap; she just wanted to be in charge of all of us. But it got me thinking. The Queen is a big project. It took several clans to build her, and it will take more than one to put her back together, even with a competent group of Engineers and the proper infrastructure. We''ll need ships to salvage and ships to fight off large beasties in the Rust Sea and more to fight the pirates who want to steal our treasures. That takes a lot of girls, and there''s a lot of other work to be done."


    Captain Annie nodded in agreement but then scowled, "The work won''t be the hard part; it will be keeping us from fighting over every little thing. Especially if you include other clans."


    Whale shook her head, "No one else. We have what we need, right here at this table. I know we don''t always act like it, but we''re the sanest of the Great Clans. Maybe there''s room for more later, but not now. We close ranks and learn to get along. The spanner boys will help by staying as neutral as they can and knocking heads together. The Hollow will help with that as well. Narwhal tells me they have a conclave for big decisions, but things run smoothly because they try to work together instead of constantly competing. That''s the part we need to figure out."


    Milo declined to point out that Narwhal might not know about the magical dueling competitions and playing surprise. Limburger Hollow had its own style of competition, but he agreed, it was certainly far less ''energetic'' than the Scavengers.


    Goldtooth had another important question, "And how do you plan to keep the others out? Mako planned to take over the city and control the docks, the harbor, and all the shipping. If we''re going that route, we''d best get to work."


    Cuda looked thoughtful, but Annie laughed out loud. "Not happening. Only Mako thought that plan would work. Sure, all the talk of this once being a dwarven city sounded good, but face it, that old city got blown to bits long ago. Other folks moved into the hole where it was. Shadowport has a mix of races here, and a lot of the residents are human."


    "I disagree. This used to be a dwarven city, and it can be again. Humans can leave if they aren''t happy."


    "Bad plan." Sledgemonkey started ticking the problems off on his fingers, "Firstly, The guilds won''t be happy, and getting them to agree on anything is difficult. They''re all stubborn as hell. They weren''t even happy about us stopping a monster from eating the damned city. Second, the town lives on commerce. The merchants will protest and fight against someone controlling the port and charging taxes, and the rich merchants using airships will ignore you. Third, you got to eat, and taking back the docks will just lose the last of the fishing fleet and we''ll be paying five gold for a taco. Fourth, Squint thinks the city is his, and he can rally the gangs against you. He was just playing with Mako. Try it again, and he''ll get serious. And lastly, while he gave away most of the properties, you''ll piss off the Professor, and he''s connected with the Hollow. That''s too many broken parts to make that plan work."


    Sledgemonkey was all too aware of how much trouble the Senior Engineer sitting next to him could cause on a good day and had a vested interest in not having him work against this project. Getting rid of the Sharks had been a good thing, and he wanted to get rid of the friction between Scavengers, Engineers, and the town. He didn''t know how to do that, but he knew it was a mistake to have the Scavengers carry through with Mako''s plan. Of course, Whale asked the question he had set himself up for.


    The large Captain looked at him, "So what''s your plan?"


    The Chief Engineer snorted, "You think I have a plan? I just fix shit. I''m terrible with people. I didn''t even know how much of a problem we were causing up top with the tunnel and all the pirates hitting the town until a delegation came to talk to me."


    "The pirates were a damned menace to all of us. I was about ready to start shooting, even before the eels attacked." Annie remembered the sheer joy of firing her guns and smiled. "And if we build up pirates like that again, I won''t hesitate to blow them out of the water."


    "Careful, Annie, hard to tell pirates from clan some days, too many connections and marriages. The other clans would use that against us to force their way into our little club." Besides a love of rules, Captain Cuda was a fan of the political infighting amongst the clans, where rules and alliances were fluid and changed like the winds.


    "We''re ignoring some important things we need to talk about." Goldtooth banged a fist on the table for emphasis. "We need more support structures, and that takes more people, even if they are pirates. How are we expected to keep working without the bars and a gambling hall to let off some steam? I say we invite in a couple of clans to redecorate the town. I sort of liked how things were going. It was starting to feel like other ports of call. We need more places where we control things."


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Milo was listening to everything that was said. He was also going over the details for Leviathan, and all the other projects. Details on the Queen he had extrapolated from the plans for several underwater salvage ships. The first was already being planned, with several Engineers submitting plans. The dozen plans for the new ship gave him details on depth and distance from Shadowport. The details about water pressure told him how deep the Queen was. He started designing things in his head, humming to himself and ignoring everyone else. Then he took out a mechanical pencil and started writing out the computations for his project and a detailed list of resources, where to get those resources, and the manpower needed. It was just a rough draft, but it filled the long table and most of the walls. He could have done without it, but that would only give him conclusions. It was easier to convince people if you could show your work.


    When he finally stopped and looked up, he saw that half the dwarves were asleep, and there were piles of empty flagons, half-eaten sandwiches, and discarded rum bottles scattered around. Sledgemonkey looked at him, "Done?"


    "Um, yes. How long was that?"


    "Oh, only about six hours. Pretty entertaining, really, and some of us followed along, but not one of us knows what the hell all the work is for. Lots of calculations, but no details. There''s a betting pool going already."


    Whale was cleaning her nails with her knife, "But I''m darn curious. I recognize a lot of details about the Iron Queen."


    Milo totally missed the implied threat, "Well, it seemed we had a lot of problems, and I had some random thoughts, but I wanted to do a feasibility study first. I noticed that all the plans called for crafting the parts for the ships here, assembling them, testing in a pond, then disassembly, shipping to the surface, and finally, reassembly and testing. Hugely inefficient and it creates more problems than it solves."


    "Such as?"


    "Security for one thing. Every other clan or rogue Engineer can sit and watch, stealing your secrets. And the location of the Queen won''t stay secret. Another clan can just follow Leviathan to the wreck."


    Whale shook her head, "They can try, and I''ll put a torpedo in them."


    "You''re right. Why would they invite combat when putting a tracking device on the ship is easier."


    Whale looked at the other captains, and the senior engineers, "You can make a tracking device and know where a ship goes?" The Engineers were all scratching their heads and wondering if they could.


    Milo said, "I can. It''s not hard if you have the skill, the crystals, and the knowledge of the ritual. I''ll make three linked crystals, put one on Leviathan, and then use the other two to triangulate your location. I can do that from the shore, with a mile between the crystals. The angles of the two crystals will give me the direction, distance, and depth of where Leviathan is. Just Magi-tech and simple trigonometry."


    Annie looked at Sledgemonkey, "Is that true?"


    "Yep, If Senior Engineer Milo says he can do it, it can be done, and if he can do it, stands to reason someone else could."


    "Shit. We''ll need more ships, just to fight off the claim jumpers."


    Milo pointed to his calculations, "Or a better place to build Leviathan, and later The Iron Queen. I suggest we launch them here, in this cavern."


    Whale narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was serious, then she laughed and the other captains laughed as well. Finally, she wiped her eyes. "Holy shit, you had me going with all of that work you did. What a joke. Sure, we build the ship here, then we can play house in it, or turn it into a bar."


    Sledgemonkey''s eyes were wide, slowly the idea spread from Engineer to Engineer until they were all talking at once and checking Milo''s math. The scavengers noticed what was happening. They knew something was bouncing around in the Engineer''s heads, but couldn''t imagine what. They all turned to look at Milo.


    "We''re a considerable ways underground, but the ocean is far deeper. I suggest we dig out one end of the cavern to the level of the lower scales, giving a small bay for the ships to test buoyancy and fix any leaks. The ships will then enter the first of a series of long, water-filled tunnels separated by pressurized locks and gates. At the far end, the submarines can enter the ocean, unseen by anyone, and proceed to the Rust Sea. All salvaging will be done by submersible."


    He drew a quick sketch and pointed to the far end. "We''ll want a small complex at the far end both for security, and to transfer the salvage from nets to cargo barges that will move it back to this cavern. That lets the submersibles we build concentrate on their work, and not on transport. By the time we have Leviathan and the Silver Shark rebuilt, we should have designs for other submersibles done, and each clan will have their own ship to crew, with the Iron Queen being a joint effort, and crewed by the best veterans. With how large she is, based on your notes. I''ll suggest a separate set of locks be built to accommodate her and the rest of the larger vessels that get built."


    The Scavengers were staring at him, rolling over the ideas in their head.


    "That is one hell of a lot of work, you know that? Decades of work." Whale was considering. Just the security alone was a selling point.


    Milo smiled at them, "Sure, a huge amount. But I know that all of you will be pushing as hard as you can. Think about it: A totally secret, underground base, complete with Engineering support, and all the bars and tattoo parlors you could want. Why fight to build something in Shadowport when you can do it down here? A secret, underground pirate cove." He started to talk more, but Whale stopped him.


    "All in favor?"


    "Very well. I see each Great Clan is in favor of building the biggest, baddest Scavenger town that ever existed. It''s unanimous. Pour the rum. We''ve got work to do, girls."

 Chapter 360: The Law of Shinies

    After a round of drinks, which Milo was forced to participate in, (and used his tail to swap his full glass of whiskey with Sledgemonkey''s empty one whenever he could), the jovial group of Scavengers and Engineers began brainstorming crazy ideas about what they wanted in a base. Milo was expecting a lot more crazy ideas than were suggested. Captains had to deal with the harsh realities of sailing the seas and keeping their ships afloat, and that showed in some of the questions asked and suggestions made.


    The security that the plan offered was a huge boon. More than once, Engineers or Scavengers had built small port cities and then had to defend them against people who valued their hard work but didn''t want to pay for it. The vast cavern gave them a place to build, work, and relax without the need for a constant mercenary force and gunships tying up crew and using up money. With the only access through the lock and submerged tunnel system used by the ships, or through narrow underground caves, the small city would be safer than anything built up top.


    Captain Cuda was happy with the plan but saw problems they had to deal with, sooner or later, "I like it, but we''re a long way off from having access to my ship from down here. We''re talking a complete overhaul to turn it into a full submersible. And you''ll never do that to the Iron Orca. We''re going to need to use our existing ships to haul the cargo we need. And that means dealing with the mess in Shadowport still."


    Engineer Milo unrolled a blueprint, ready with a suggestion, "Yes, I considered those very valid points. We need your ships and crews bringing in the specialists and materials we can''t source ourselves. Plus, we want to simplify the problems up there, keep some control, and work with the rest of the city. I propose we build a long jetty straight out into the bay, with one end at the center of the beach, and the other end at the edge of the drop-off. We then build along the edge of the drop-off in either direction. Just enough space for a half dozen large ships. They''ll have deep water anchorage, and won''t interfere with the ships using the docks. We can bring in cargo and run it across rails on the surface of the jetty and straight down the tunnel. That separates the docks into the area for the merchant fleet and the part controlled by the fishing fleet."


    Annie looked at the plan. "I notice you have a large building planned at the end of the jetty. I''m assuming that it''s going to house a few cannons. It sure would make a nice defensive position."


    Milo nodded, "It certainly does. I''d like to suggest a mix of large bore guns, along with Steam Cannon, like you''ve pioneered on the Iron Orca. We''ll build a three-story stone tower, with plenty of room to house the guns and the boilers. Anyone we don''t want tying up at our docks can be sent to the bottom, and we can protect against another eel attack. The bottom can house a harbormaster''s office and tavern."


    Cuda liked it: "Quick unloading, and we can stay out of the shallows and head right back out, maybe after a bit of convenient drinking. My clan has repair shops and equipment scattered in a dozen ports. I can start hauling most of it here and then downstairs. It''s easier to make new parts down here and have them ready for when a ship comes in needing repairs."


    Goldtooth had her own ideas. "We need to build big. There''s a lot of metal in these caverns. It''s why the old city was here. We''re not the only ones who are going to need a lot of parts. We could build basic boilers and cast cannons and make gears, pistons, and anything else that''s in demand. Turn a pretty penny and support other clans at the same time. The big clans have always bought and sold parts and magi-tech to the smaller clans, but there hasn''t been a big supplier in centuries, and the rare stuff has gotten rarer." She looked at the Engineers and smiled possessively, "Another reason why I''m happy to have a big group of spanner boys available to handle the tricky parts. I''ve seen more rune-work and magi-tech in the little I''ve been down here than before in my whole life."


    "Aye, but while we''re talking about ''tech, where the hell did the Sharks get that table? It''s a fancy piece of work and the cards are beautiful. Can you imagine a ship built with that kind of stuff?" Cuda and the other Captains had all examined the Captain''s Table in the next room over, marveling at the workmanship.


    Narwhal said, wistfully, "I saw it on The Queen. It was beautiful. Didn''t have a lot of time to do more than loot the first big treasure bin. But anywhere you brushed off the mud and grime you could see the glowing rune-work on the walls. There''s so much more there to learn and loot. I''m going back, somehow, someday. I say we start strong and every ship we build gets our best work from armor plating to boilers, to magi-tech."


    "Going to take a hell of a lot of magi-tech, and someone to figure out how that table was made and worked. No one has seen Abigail since Mako lost the cut of the cards. And Mako won''t be talking for quite some time, even if we could find her. How long for your smart-ass lads to figure that thing out, Sledge?"


    The Chief Engineer paused for a bit, thinking, "Well, really, it should be someone young and energetic with a unique way of looking at things and experience in novel new theories on both runes and magi-tech. Any ideas?"


    Boom-Boom raised his hand, "No problem, Chief. I''ll get right on it and have the project on the boards by tonight." Then he grinned, "And I''ll appoint Senior Engineer to my staff. How long do you think it will take to figure out, Milo?"


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Oh, I''m done looking at the table, it was easy to figure out."


    Boom-Boom gave Sledgemonkey a thumbs up, "All done Chief, just split the points between my assistant and myself."


    While everyone else was laughing, Whale was staring at Sledgemonkey and then Milo, sitting next to him. "How''d you figure it out so fast?"


    Milo shrugged, "Easy, I did what any good Engineer does before working on a piece of machinery: I read the manual. Black Eddie kept very good notes. Whatever got Edward Damyon black-listed as an Engineer, it wasn''t his research and record keeping. His journals are fascinating to read. "


    The Engineers at the table had never heard the name before. But the Scavengers all turned to stare at Milo. Black Eddie''s handsome visage was on wanted posters in every port. Whale tried to keep her voice nonchalant as if the answer didn''t matter. "Interesting. There was a rumor that the Sharks kidnapped a rogue Engineer who they kept working for them, somewhere hidden, in return for keeping him safe from the people looking for him."


    Milo nodded, "Yes, the same fellow."


    "And you''ve had dealings with him?"


    "Oh, no. Not personally. He''s dead and gone. The System confirmed that when I looted his extradimensional storage areas." That got the Engineers excited and pushed the Scavengers over the edge.


    Two-Screws was drooling, "Get some good stuff? And about those Journals..."


    The Chief outshouted the Senior Engineers. "Yes, happy to help with those Journals. Two-Screws is going to be too busy soon, what with all the projects about to be dumped in his lap, but I can spare some time." Sledgemonkey patted Milo on the shoulder and nodded paternally.


    Captain Cuda smiled evilly, looking a lot like Mako when she did, "You found a hidden treasure, did you? I''m sure you know the rules regarding looting Scavenger Treasure, don''t you laddy?"


    Captain Goldtooth was almost over the top with excitement, "Where did you find them? What else do you have in your little extradimensional pockets?"


    Milo looked up, appearing calm. The Engineers were getting less calm by the second as the Scavenger Captains closed ranks.


    "Nothing much that the rest of you couldn''t have found, I simply found it first. There I was, taking a casual swim with an old diving helmet when I saw the strangest thing: Half a ship lying on the ocean floor. I was curious about it and quite surprised to find a lot of gold lying around in the stern. I put the gold someplace safe, then noticed a curious puzzle holding a vault door shut. It was simply a matter of applying the correct amount of force to pry it open. Luckily, I had my tools with me. I nearly died, too. All that gold fell on me and it took forever to get out. I nearly drowned. That would have been so embarrassing for Captain Mako to find me there under her gold. Well, my gold now."


    The Scavengers were all staring at him as he casually related the story without a care in the world. "And imagine my surprise at finding still more gold inside. So many heavy bars. I had no idea what to do with them at first, but then I discovered the hidden vaults. I don''t think anyone but Mako knew about them."


    His eyes went to Captain Cuda, "And I very much doubt that Scavenger Code overrides Draconic Law regarding shinies. The amount of gold in that ship certainly counts as an ''Abandoned Small Hoard of Shinies,'' and therefore belonged to the first person to claim them and find them a good home."


    Annie''s eyes lit up. "The holes in the back of the vault! I thought Mako was going to blow a blood vessel right then and there. She was insanely mad about that. Are you saying you hid all the gold in her Arcane Seachests? And then stole them?"


    Milo shook his head. "That would have been convenient, but they were mostly full. Tray after tray of Magi-Tech components on one side, and the other held the notebooks detailing the construction and use of the Captain''s Table and his decks of cards. I''ve got over 200 sets of blank cards that are made of mana-reactive foil. I''ll have fun experimenting with those."


    He made sure he was looking at Two-Screws as he said, "I found room in the Arcane Workshop that I looted for all the gold. Not quite as big as Sledgemonkey''s, but then, I''m only a youngster. Sadly, I had to leave some of the gold lying in the ocean, but I think that worked out fine from what I hear with Captain Annie getting paid and Captain Mako using the rest to pay her debts."


    Two-Screws was beside himself, "Dammit if you''re going to make me beg? Alright, I''m begging. Show it to me!" All the Engineers were nodding.


    He looked at Whale and the Scavengers, no longer quite so casual in his demeanor, "It''s a great secret, and I could have had great fun never telling anyone about my little fishing trip. But we''re all partners now, and we have work to do. What''s in here will help with that work, but that doesn''t mean I want this story to go any further. Captain''s Honor."


    Whale''s eyes got large, "You''re sharing a hoard of gold?" The other Captains struggled with the concept. The professor paying back the gold they''d lost was one thing, but they''d understood his desire to have peace with his fellow Captains. This...well, this just wasn''t done.


    Milo nodded to her, "I''d rather build a city than sit on more gold than I can ever spend."


    Whale turned to the assembled Scavengers, "Captain''s Honor, and dire consequences to anyone that talks." The other Captains and crew all swore.


    Milo went to the wall and opened up his Arcane Workbench before Two-Screws exploded. The first thing he took out was a big roll of blueprints that he put on the table. "Time to get to work."

 Chapter 361: Were going to need a bigger Drill!

    An Arcane Workshop was something most Engineers never saw, let alone earned. The people who did have them were cagey about how they came to get them, sharing only small hints to keep their brother Engineers working on the quest. The Engineers who had joined Milo in fighting off the World Boss, Uthneragrubban, had been lucky enough to see Sledgemonkey''s Arcane Workshop and had spread the tale to those who hadn''t been at the fight. They talked of it with the reverence that a priest reserved for the biggest cathedral of their god. All of them aspired to have one, and it was a topic of many discussions. They knew that only a Senior Engineer could start the quest, and it could take years to gather all of the materials. And if Milo''s Arcane Workshop was much smaller than the massive one owned by Sledgemonkey, a shrine rather than a cathedral, it was still a wonder for them to behold. The thought of getting to look at another of the fabled contraptions had them geared up and unable to sit still as Senior Engineer Milo worked to summon his.


    The wall in front changed to two sliding doors made of polished dark metal that recessed into the walls revealing a workbench filled with beautifully made precision tools. The bench slid back, revealing the storage chests on either side. Milo had decided to add the two smaller, 8 cubic feet storage chests to the workshop, and the doors to them had appeared above the sea chests. He pulled out one of the larger chests, opened it, and started pulling out ingots of gold, casually tossing them onto the table. "These things are heavy and there were a lot of them in Mako''s vault. Quite a workout to load them into here. But I need the space for other things. I''m sure there''s a safe place to put them until we need to use them to finance some trading ventures for needed materials."


    Captains Annie and Goldtooth stepped forward and Milo started handing the ingots to them. Goldtooth got a glimpse of what was in the storage chest and a small tear ran down her face. "So shiny. I don''t mind a little hard work hauling them out. Let me help you with that!"


    Milo stepped aside, "Thanks! I know I can trust everyone here since they swore a Captain''s oath or are my brother Engineers."


    There were nods of agreement all around, but also sweaty palms and wild eyes as the dwarves saw things they desired. The Scavengers made a line, passing the heavy ingots from the chest two at a time and stacking them against the wall. When the 400 slabs were out of the ingot storage chest, Milo opened the miscellaneous storage chest, and after a bit of cursing and hollering, they started clearing the 64 cubic feet of gold coins.


    Milo''s magic hidey-hole was the ultimate treasure chest to almost everyone in the room. But not to Whale and Narwhal. Boom-boom admired the tools but was saddened by a lack of explosives. Everyone on Leviathan had seen the treasure trove that Nawhal''s crew had salvaged from the wreck, but only the three who went into the wreck had seen the immense, hidden treasure compartment in the sunken ship''s captain''s quarters.


    "It''s pretty, but I''ve seen bigger. Wish to hell I''d have known how to take the whole thing with me like you did."


    Milo considered the circumstances of finding Black Eddy''s workbench and the message. "Both ships were wrecks on the sea bottom, and both had specific ways to unlock them. I think the difference might be being a Senior Engineer. That was what let me claim it. I bet the one on the Queen was built by an Engineer and you might need one to relocate it."


    Boom-Boom''s eyes got huge, then he smiled sweetly. "I know where I want to go for a second honeymoon."


    Whale scowled at him, "Keep dreaming, that belongs on the Queen."


    Narwhal stood up and confronted her mother/captain, "You aren''t thinking of the ramifications of what my clever husband is thinking about. That workshop had doors ten feet on a side and the cavity went twenty feet deep. Do you know how much swag we could fit in there if he claims it? We could fill it full of every bit of loot we find on the Queen and then he can close it up and take it with him. Next trip we could grab dozens of cannons. Weight wouldn''t matter. That''s a hell of a lot quicker way to loot and scoot than using a cargo net and loading it all into Leviathan."


    Milo was pondering that idea, "I wonder how many other wrecks in the Rust Sea have hidden Arcane Workbenchs? It''s an efficient way to hide treasures."


    Captain Cuda looked stricken, "By the depths! That means we''ll need to have a couple of spanner boys on every salvage ship. That''s just unnatural!"


    Captain Goldtooth smiled, "Unnaturally profitable, you mean. This deal just gets better and better. Time to start swimming lessons, boys, you''re going to need them."


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The Engineers looked stricken. Milo was content with his skill at dog paddling but considered some practice in the pool in Downtown. Better than swimming in eel-infested waters.


    Two hours later, with the gold stored away in a secure location, Milo pulled out the three jugs of dwarven whiskey he''d found in one of the other chests and put them on the table. "Compliments of Black Eddy. I think it''s whiskey, but it might be a liquid solvent for loosening stuck bolts. That chest holds them both."


    The dwarves laughed, and Whale started pouring the amber liquid into glasses. "Like there''s a difference? Pass the shots around, we could all use a drink to loosen us up. Damn, that was a lot of gold. Makes me wonder what Mako had planned with it."


    "Who knows? Maybe just pile it up and play with her treasure on lonely nights at sea."


    "Nothing wrong with having a pile of coins to roll around in."


    Annie shook her head, "She had plans, big ones. She wanted to take over the city, build ships, and then take over more ports. With her in charge, of course, Queen of all the Clans and calling the shots. Things certainly went to hell quickly for her."


    Whale drank down her whiskey, and slammed down the glass. "She ran out of luck, and then she pushed too hard when the dice weren''t rolling her way. But some people helped her along with that, right, Senior Engineer Milo?" The other Captains and Engineers raised their glasses to him.


    He shrugged, "If you don''t want someone to steal your gold, don''t leave it at the bottom of the ocean." They all raised their glasses and drank again.


    <hr>


    Milo was busy over the next two days. He took a nap in Genesis but while his character was asleep in the game, he spent the next eight hours in the real world comparing the blueprints he''d seen for rebuilding the submersibles and comparing them to real-world submarines. Things didn''t work the same in the game, with magic, runes, and super-strong alloys, but he gained a better understanding of what the project would entail. His second deep dive was into canal and lock systems. This was going to be a huge project and a potentially dangerous one. He wanted to increase his knowledge base as much as he could.


    Satisfied that he had enough for now, he went to sleep in his pod, woke up in the game, and began to design a more efficient mechanical drill that would be needed to dig the massive tunnels. His new design made innovations on the machine the Engineers had used before but incorporated ideas used in the huge digging machine he''d used underneath the habitat. When he was done, he found Peenhammer and showed him the designs.


    His project partner was delighted with the blueprints. "OH! I like this. Do you want to put a team together and build it? I''m your man."


    Milo rolled up the plans and handed him all four sets. "Actually, I had a different idea in mind. I want you to put a team together, and your job is to monitor three other teams. We have three groups who have started racing to Limburger Hollow. Give these designs to all three teams, but suggest they experiment and make the design even better."


    "Yeah, they''d be doing that anyway. But I get the idea. We pick the best version."


    Milo shook his head, "No, we take all the best ideas from all versions. Then we do a final version, and build a drill machine ten times as big."


    Peenhammer thought for a moment, looked at the schematics, then at the far wall. "Ten times as big? Now that''s a proper project. Going to take a lot of materials though. Hard to get that much out of Sledge."


    "Not for this. You''re preapproved for anything you need for this project. Focus on efficiency and the best machine your team can make."


    Peenhammer double-checked to make sure Milo wasn''t joking about the budget, then saluted. "You got it, partner. I''ll get them started. It will take them a week to rebuild the drillers, but it''s worth it." He ran off in a cloud of dust, looking for his team.


    Milo decided to leave for Shadowport immediately after his next nap. The trip up the tunnel took far longer than coming down and was an enjoyable ride with minimal twists and turns. In his pocket was a small globe with a crystalline needle inside that always pointed to a spot where the dwarven tunneling teams were getting started. With the time they would take to rebuild their machines, he''d be able to get uptop, find Brutus, travel back down into the cave network, and begin exploring toward the Engineering Complex. In his storage, he had three sets of oversized hammer steel picks and shovels. The girls loved to do new things, especially if they could race each other and go all out. It was time to teach them mining.

 Chapter 362: Brain and Muscle Burning

    "Victory! Huzzah! The team supreme has conquered the evil and crafty Storage Disk #34!"


    The cheering voice made Belinda smile. Rusty was always up for celebrating victories, whatever the game was. Sadly, they were coming very slowly as he helped her work through the treasure trove of data Milo had found in the hidden lab in the Manpower medical center. If someone claimed that all biological research on the human species was contained in these discs, she might believe them. There were decades of data on experiments done by corporations and governments, stretching back to the early 1900''s. This wasn''t something done over a few years. It would have taken decades. Gathering this research together in one place was far beyond John''s company.


    Or was it her company now? That was something she had to straighten out with him. She turned 18 tomorrow, which changed their relationship dramatically. It felt surreal that a few hours could turn her from a child who had to hide from her only guardian, into an adult, with access to an obscene amount of money, some of which her stepdad had been allowed to borrow. John hadn''t made payments, on interest, or principle, ever. He hadn''t expected that he''d need to pay it back. Once a few things got sorted out, she could show that the loans were in default and seize Manpower from him. If she wanted to and, frankly, she didn''t. That would be a huge mess she didn''t want to go through, and John would fight and whine to everyone for years. She''d seen him do it before. And even if she didn''t want his company, it made a great threat to hold over his head. That part she liked.


    A loud voice cut through her musings and reminded her of her job. "Yoohoo! Belinda!? You''re brooding again. I only bring it up because the more you sit and think, the longer this takes and frankly, you''re cutting into my anime-watching time."


    She shook herself and glared up at the middle screen where a red-haired anime boy was petting a striped cat, while surrounded by a hundred more. "Sorry, Rusty. Can you load numbers 35 to 37?" The storage discs had a massive amount of files in each, and many of them were encrypted. Rusty loved breaking the encryption. Milo had given him some pointers and shared some of his tools. He''d progressed fast after that, with both Milo and Belinda feeding him things to practice on.


    Getting to the command center hadn''t been a problem. With Rusty guiding her and a protective escort from General Maximus, she had no problem navigating through the long corridors in her wheelchair. The first day she was good, finding her objective and getting right to work. After that, she left earlier and spent some time exploring. Milo had told her about the Engineering Section with its massive diesel engines that supplied supplemental power, but nothing could have prepared her for seeing it in person. The amount of resources and technology in this abandoned bunker was staggering. Rusty gave her a tour and told her how Milo had started the first diesel engine and brought the facility back online, causing the war with Icarus to heat up. With no need to keep several of the engines running for power, only the first was still on, idling at low speed but ready to roar to life and start the others in case of a power failure. Something that was highly unlikely now that Rusty was in control of the fusion power plant.


    Rusty had the next three discs ready to go and they got started. Each of the foot-wide disks held a massive amount of research, involving all aspects of biology, medicine, or genetics that pertained to humans, along with some interesting studies on increasing the intelligence of animals. She had started going through the contents and then realized that it would take days for each of the disks. There were huge studies that covered decades with hundreds of thousands of patients. Even just looking at the conclusions of the studies took time.


    She''d had a minor breakthrough when she came upon the first notes. Someone, she suspected her father, had added his own observations and opinions. She''d read Vigo''s published papers, trying to learn about him, and she noted similarities in his writing. Going on that hunch, she had Rusty skim the next few disks and she only spent time on the places Vigo had bookmarked or left notes on. Most of these had to do with human genetics and intelligence testing. But it was still too slow. Yesterday, after finishing the sixteenth of the discs, she approached the idea of processing multiple discs at once.


    "Rusty, I think we need to approach things differently, otherwise we''re not going to get time this week to watch much anime together. How about this? Load discs 17 to 19, skim them for my father''s notes, and I''ll read through those parts. Assign one disc to each of the three screens. I''ll assign controls to the screens and skip to the next section when I''m done. Keep putting up the information and let me see how fast I can go skim through them and mark sections that look important."


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Oh, good idea. Much quicker. Will you be moving from one screen to the next in sequential order?"


    "Well, of course. I''ll move left to right and then back, you can follow behind filling in the next block of data when I click."


    "Sure, we can do it that way."


    Something about how he said that made her curious. "Rusty, what other way could someone do this?"


    "Oh, Milo would do four screens at once, simultaneously. But I figured out pretty quickly that he was smarter than standard humans. And he got much quicker after all of Jeremy''s training sequences to split his overmind and do several things at once. He was a natural."


    Belinda''s brain hurt just thinking about Jeremy''s tutorials. Milo had mentioned them and Rusty had described them as ''Brain Exercises''. Big Butch had all the kids try them, with mixed results. She handled the first one ok, but everyone else except Min had given up with headaches. Min stubbornly kept at the lesson until she finished. Rusty had declared they had all performed above average and awarded Min and Belinda gold stars. Belinda was on the third lesson now, slowly making progress, but it was getting easier and easier. That had surprised Rusty and encouraged her.


    "Let''s see if I can handle two simultaneously and work up from there." Rusty reconfigured the screens and they got started. It was difficult, but she was able to read both screens simultaneously, and slowly it was like she was two people. Rusty called a halt to the experiment two hours later.


    "That''s enough for today. You need rest. Your stress levels are elevated, and you need food and fluids. I suggest we go watch Howl''s Moving Castle, eat dinner, and move on to the desert. You need calories. With your physical therapy and the stress from what we did here, you need to watch your diet."


    "You sound like Mama, now."


    "I do? That''s good, right? I think Milo would be in very bad shape without her. All right, time to run home! Your escort is ready to go. And tomorrow morning, why don''t we add an hour of Jeremy''s tutorials to your schedule, right before physical therapy?"


    She sighed, anticipating a burning brain and burning muscles together. But Rusty was right. "Ok, we''ll try it. If it can increase my speed, it will be worth it."


    Max and the Roombas raced her through the long hallways. She was quicker on the straight stretches, but they cornered better. Dinner and relaxation went by fast, as did sleep, and then she was being woken by Rusty who was reminding her about her morning therapy workout. She grumbled, but regaining the use of her legs was a huge incentive to keep working. She could walk fine now wearing the full suit Milo had made for her, but was wobbly without it. Wobbly steps were a vast improvement over being confined to a wheelchair with only the full use of one arm.


    The next day was grueling, starting with the mind-bending exercises that left her mentally exhausted, and then the physical working that was building strength in her legs and back. After a shower, she raced through the hallways and got to work on finding the secrets in the old files. She found it easier to read the screens simultaneously. The lessons were loosening up her mind and she could concentrate on multiple things at once. After that, they worked on three of the discs simultaneously. After the first hour, it became easy and Rusty sped up the process.


    She walked into the dining room, still thinking about the research with Rusty, and forgetting what day it was. Mama hadn''t. The room was decorated with foil and decorations cut from discarded boxes. A large plate of pancakes with 18 candles was at one end of the table. Everyone was there, including Max and his crew. Rusty was on the screen, and a sleepy Milo was dozing in a chair. Butch woke him as she walked in.


    Belinda couldn''t help but contrast earlier birthdays. Half the time, John forgot and was out of town. The next year he''d overcompensate with a scary clown and a pony she couldn''t ride. Birthday pancakes with people who cared about her were a huge upgrade. Milo ate two stacks of pancakes, handed her a card, and went back to work. The card turned out to be a holo-projector that created a floating SC6 Starship in the air, and she could move it around the room by moving the card. Everyone wanted a turn to play with it and she passed it over to the smaller children. She asked Butch what was up with Milo, "Isn''t he getting sleep? He looks tired."


    "Oh, he was. He''s been sleeping while he gamed, but an alarm went off and he had to deal with a power outage in the habitat. He said it was a bad one and he needed to fix it before he went back into Genesis."


    She imagined no power, and people trapped in the dark corridors with the air getting worse and worse, and shuddered. "How can he fix it from down here?"


    Butch rolled his eyes and grinned, "He tried to explain, something about stocks and tax credits, and taking over a few electrical distribution companies that were doing an inefficient job. Sounds like he can handle it."

 Chapter 363: Black Out

    The alarms came at an inconvenient time and exacted a terrible cost from Milo. He was sitting on the roof of the ex-casino with a large plate of cheesy pancakes covered in syrup observing the city. Blinking red notifications in the corner of his eye alerted him to alarms going off in the habitat as his system sent messages to him. Something very bad was happening. He logged out of the game immediately, leaving his breakfast to sit on the roof.


    The alarm had only given him the information that there was a critical power outage in the habitat. The affected areas had only emergency lighting and the air handlers were down, as well as food processing units, and pressure was dropping in the water systems. The affected areas were in seven different sections, with floors 3 to 17 losing power. Emergency power supplies from section E were being used, but the sudden and total cessation of energy was straining the storage system. And the problem was obvious: Someone had turned off the power.


    The power supplied to the habitat came from a group of thirty-seven different providers who had bid on the government contracts. One of those, Providence Systems of PA, had control of those areas and for some reason had ceased to provide electricity to their areas of the habitat. Power was flowing freely everywhere else. Milo clamped down on the small, angry part of his brain that wanted to find out who did this and the curious part that wanted to solve the bigger problem. He needed a short-term solution immediately. He shifted power from Section E and the sections he controlled through Claw Master, and it was barely enough. Within a minute, he had the emergency patch completed and he moved on. He set up a dozen searches in his system and turned the computers loose, then ran past several people, including Mama, on his way to the elevator, ignoring everyone. Ten minutes later he was upstairs and dropping from the ductwork into his old home, breathing hard.


    Wally was waiting for him. "What can I do for you today, Milo?"


    "I need more information on the electrical distribution system, especially as it applies to the habitat. Power has been cut off, and while I can handle it for now, this is a major failure of something outside of the habitat. Someplace I can''t go to fix a problem."


    Wally sighed, "I assume you are going to ask for my help or opinions. I can''t help you, my apologies. This is handled by several corporations that supply energy throughout the world and is not something I am required to monitor. Even if I were to monitor the system, I am not allowed to affect any part, except those dealing with my day-to-day functions and specific actions, and I am not allowed to make recommendations to the government, or the corporations, or to publish reports."


    "They blocked you because they make more money if the system isn''t efficient. Just my opinion, of course, and not a statement of fact."


    "Everyone has their own opinions, Milo. I''ve always valued that you base yours on observation and logic. Can you indulge my curiosity about why you called?"


    "Some parts of the habitat lost power because Providence Systems of PA quit providing it. All in sections that aren''t leased by Claw Master, Rhebus, or Manpower, and only some parts of those sections. I''ve handled things for now, and no one is in danger." He looked at some of his other screens, seeing search results. "Providence is now in bankruptcy, although their stock was high just a week ago and the company was profitable."


    Wally leaned back in his chair, put on his reading glasses, and picked up a book, "Again, apologies, but I''m specifically not supposed to notice corporate business practices except in certain circumstances or if asked by certain groups to investigate. But, if you need Claw Master to purchase additional energy supplies on the open market and route them to Section E for you to control, I can certainly help you with that. We''ll pay a much higher price for buying now, rather than negotiating a long-term contract. That''s just how energy works." Milo saw that the title of the book was, How to File Complaints with the Office of Mr. Alphonse Rudolf, in the Department of Energy.


    Milo was starting to see the pattern emerge from the information scrolling on his screens. Energy was just another necessary commodity that was bought and sold, like cheese or coffee. There was a web of suppliers, resellers, brokers, and agents all claiming to have the inside track on cheap energy. He needed to do some research.


    "I think I''ll handle that. I know that acting as Claw Master you have more leeway, but if you aren''t supposed to meddle in the electrical distribution system, you probably shouldn''t get involved. Definitely shouldn''t think about it or monitor it. After all, that''s what they want from you."


    "Well, I can''t officially get involved."


    Milo smiled at him, "Of course, but it''s not good for you to monitor something like that. I know that from experience, and you see so many more details than I do. You''ll notice something, form conclusions, and ponder their significance but not be able to act. The dissonance will cause inefficiency. Best if you just do not look at things like that. In fact, if the conclusions you draw cause you to act on even seemingly unrelated matters, isn''t that a form of taking official notice? A very slippery slope."


    Wally''s eyes narrowed as he stared at the smiling Milo. He wondered where he had erred in their conversation. It was always an interesting experience when he failed to properly analyze a situation. Milo''s thinking didn''t plod from A to B to C. He went from B to X and then ran to Z.


    "Why do I get the feeling you are pondering something I should know about."


    Milo shook his head, "Just the opposite. I''m pondering something you shouldn''t know about, and don''t want to know about. Being a good friend, I won''t bother you with it." He logged out of his screen and got to work.


    Wally caught himself wondering what Milo was up to, but eventually just sent a note to Steven about possible disruptions in the planetary energy grid and then sealed off his conversation with Milo so he could quit thinking about it.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Milo started with Providence Systems. The corporation was a shell company with several sub-corporations in every state or country. They signed the contracts to supply the energy, then bought energy from the parent corporation, Providence International. Each sub corporation sold stock and all profits were paid out in dividends to the stockholders. Those stockholders were often other corporations, some of which supplied the energy each Providence shell sold to their customers.


    Why the Pennsylvania branch was bankrupt took some digging. On the surface, it seemed like a simple business decision. Providence claimed that the contracts with seven habitats were losing them money, and needed to be renegotiated. They didn''t have the money to pay for energy to fulfill the contracts. It took Milo two minutes to get past their security programs and dig into their accounting. Currently, there was zero money in their corporate account, with several liens against the company, including a series of fines for not providing enough energy to one habitat or another, and larger fines for discontinuing service altogether. But there had been money there recently. It had left in the form of paying sky-high rates for energy to other corporations, dividends to shareholders, and salaries for the top executives. All of whom had earned a bonus this year.


    His next stop was the encrypted email of the corporate executives. They were silly and used the same encryption method for all their branches and the main holding company. Knowing Rusty loved puzzles like this, he sent the AI a sample of their email and let him crack the code. Milo was worried when five minutes later, Rusty hadn''t replied. He sent the message again, this time with the title: ''Dirty Pair on Broadway! See the girls as never before!''


    A very annoyed Rusty replied two seconds later. "That was cruel! Heartless! Despicable, even. Now I''m going to mourn forever the sight of seeing my favorite girls dancing across the stage!"


    "You were ignoring my messages and watching anime, something you can do at the same time."


    Rusty''s voice got very serious, "That''s all true, but still...You have crossed a line, sir, and I demand satisfaction!"


    Milo realized his error. Yumi had wanted to watch an ancient Three Musketeers anime from the dawn of time. If he didn''t make it up to Rusty, he''d be fighting a duel, somehow, the next morning.


    "I apologize sir, and offer whatever I can do to erase such an insult."


    "Oh, awesome. Then you have to help me write a Broadway play!"


    "What? No!"


    "Kei and Yuri, onstage as no one has seen them!"


    "That''s...


    "A musical! Yumi, Min, and Belinda have volunteered to help. Belinda says you''ll fund the production!"


    Milo had no idea what was involved with such a project, but at least it would keep Rusty busy. "Ok, sure. I''ll fund it. Are we friends again."


    "Of course! And partners in our new production company. Dirty Pair on Broadway is just a start! Here''s the decryption code you wanted. Bye! I have to learn about tubas and mandolins!"


    Rusty went off to do things Milo didn''t want to think about. He set up a search to research funding a Broadway production and started delving into the details behind the sudden bankruptcies in some of the Providence sub-corporations. What he found made him angry. Investors were fleeing rapidly and the stock was dropping. There were rampant rumors about the company defaulting on all its contracts while financial consultants were speculating it was a way to force the government to renegotiate the contracts. The emails confirmed exactly that.


    All of the executives in the company had divested themselves of their stock. Like a line of rotten dominoes, other sub-corporations would start going into bankruptcy, creating a small crisis for the government, but since it mostly involved the habitats, would get little attention. Things would get worse as other energy providers would start doing the same. Over the next two days, twenty-two corporations in the energy sector that supplied power to nine habitats between New York and Philadelphia would file for bankruptcy.


    The government of the US and state Governors would start talking about solutions and bail-outs while looking for a large corporation to step in. On cue, Tesladyne would propose a plan that would clean up the mess of small, bankrupt companies, improve service, and get the power back on. The deal involved taking over all of the contracts from those corporations. The bankrupt corporations would go away, their stock worthless. Tesladyne would provide power, (At a much higher cost than before and with far fewer responsibilities, of course.) The head people at Providence and other corporations would quietly find positions in Tesladyne, doing exactly what they had been doing before. Power would stay on in the habitats, but things would be slightly worse than before.


    Milo spent a full two minutes and thirty-two seconds telling himself it wasn''t his problem. He''d started digging into Providence with the idea of finding a way to secure better service and hide his plan of drawing power from the fusion reactor. If he could use the fusion reactor as backup energy, he''d never again have to worry about a blackout of this type. But things were going to spin out of control in only two days, and Tesladyne would be locked in as the provider for most of the habitat. That meant doing something now, and he needed a lot more information than he currently had.


    Luckily, he had plenty of snacks to eat and an assortment of cheese. He''d ordered a "Cheese of the World" platter that came with seven hundred and fourteen different types of cheese, all individually wrapped in colorful foil or wax, and stacked high on a round platter. It was a beautiful thing and weighed over a hundred pounds. Getting it through the large ducts had taken help from Max, pulling from the front.


    Unwrapping the first piece of cheese, a brown Brunost variety with a sweet flavor, he got to work researching energy networks, suppliers, and stock prices.

 Chapter 364: Tarnished Honor

    In the middle of watching The Three Musketeers, Rusty paused the film, raised his hands high, and shouted, "YES!" Then immediately frowned, saying, "Why, that deceitful cur! My honor must be satisfied!" and disappeared. Belinda looked at Yumi, who shrugged, mystified. Butch laughed, "Any bets on what Milo just did?"


    Min was confused, "Why do you think Milo did something?"


    Butch waved at the people watching. "We''re all here, so that leaves Mamma, Dad, or some unknown person, and Rusty doesn''t know anyone else."


    Confirmation came immediately as Rusty returned. "My honor has been restored! We''re making a musical of Dirty Pair for Broadway. Milo promised to find someone to produce it once we write it. Who has a collection of show tunes rattling around in their head?" In the background, behind him, a montage of the anime started playing with multiple Kei and Yuri blowing up cities, starships, and national monuments. Accidentally, of course.


    With more enthusiastic explanations from Rusty, the project started to take shape. They spent the next hour brainstorming with Rusty and giving him plot ideas before he would finally calm down and let them watch the rest of the movie. The scope of what Rusty wanted to do was totally beyond their experience, which actually helped in the beginning. Rusty had ten different stories written the next day, all of them unworkable with the restrictions of using human beings on a stage. Mama listened to them talk at dinner and then suggested they should watch Broadway plays to figure out just what it was Rusty wanted to do. The novel idea was accepted and the group began watching the strange world of non-animated stories using real live humans.


    Belinda took part but mostly sat quietly, her mind elsewhere and pondering other problems. She needed to talk to her father, and to Eric in a controlled environment where John couldn''t do something stupid like try to send her to her room. His messages to her were desperate now, and pleading. She needed to go home. If nothing else, to gather some of her belongings from her old life.


    But a trip home meant a confrontation over what she and Rusty had found in the trove of data storage discs. There were old secrets there, and John knew about some of them. She wanted explanations.


    The day after her birthday had started well with a good breakfast and a small breakthrough in finishing a section of Jeremy''s mind benders. She was quicker now when going through the discs and she wasn''t as tired as she had been. Her mind was settling into the idea of being split in two or three ways, all doing the same task, but simultaneously. Rusty claimed she was doing far better than anyone else other than Milo. She took a small lunch and dinner but kept working, feeling fine.


    That ended when they hit an entire disc devoted to ''Batch One''. It started with the shocking revelation that her paternal grandfather had begun the research that her father continued. Everything she''d ever been told, and every bit of public knowledge said that her grandfather, Felix Johansson was a pig farmer who died young, leaving a wife and infant son. Vigo had grown up poor and put himself through school, aided by scholarships, and then started a small investment firm that specialized in biotech and medicine. He was described as a true, self-made man. The information in the discs painted a vastly different picture of Felix Johansson as an independent scientist doing work for a dozen different corporations and completely out of the public eye. The dates on the entries were many years past the date on the pig farmer''s death certificate.


    The Batch One experiment was started by Vigo''s father, Felix, before Vigo was born. Felix had access to the genetics of hundreds of thousands of people taking part in corporate studies and experiments. From those he chose people with the traits he wanted to isolate. One hundred children were created from the sperm and ova of highly intelligent subjects with certain genetic markers, and implanted into host mothers in the hopes of creating intelligent children. The children were placed into ten groups and became part of ten different experiments. Three involved methods of teaching and indoctrination from day one. Five involved intelligence-enhancing drugs released continuously into their bodies and two had a series of ports placed into their skulls to experiment with direct connections between humans and machines.


    The teaching method experiments were deemed disappointing, in that the results were still within normal parameters. They were all highly intelligent and well-trained humans, but nothing special beyond that. At the age of sixteen, they all signed corporate contracts and were sent to medical school, owing twenty years of work to their benefactors.


    The twenty children directly connected to machines gave better results and a large amount of data on the limits of such connections. They developed far faster mentally and were in the top .1 % of humanity as far as IQ was concerned. In other ways, they were sub-normal. All of the subjects had major neurological or psychological problems rendering them unfit for society. Their physical development was stunted even when compared to humans who spent 18+ hours a day playing online games. Interesting genes were harvested and they were sent to other laboratories for further testing with no record of what eventually happened to them.


    The fifty who matured in normal environments but were exposed to intelligence-enhancing drugs at an early age showed a huge variation in physical maturing, brain deformities, and life expectancy. Vigo''s notes on his father''s experiments were extensive and he was most excited about this batch. The wide variation between them was correlated with their genetics. But by the time they were 20 years old, 39 of them were insane by normal standards and seven were catatonic. Six were still functioning, but only as long as they were kept busy. By age 22, the experiment was wound down, and Felix moved on to other things.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Belinda was shaken more by this disc than the one showing the experiments done by Nazi Germany in world war two. As horrible as what she had seen in that disc, this was more personal. It was like finding out your Grandfather was Victor Frankenstein. Her father''s fascination with the experiments was shocking to her. After a small break, she said to Rusty, "I need to know, let''s keep going."


    Batch Two had been started ten years after Batch One. Again, 100 children were produced. The teaching methods were abandoned and the genes used came from the most promising test subjects in Batch One. Twenty-five of Batch Two were experimented on with drugs, twenty-five were given neuro implants, and fifty were given both. The two smaller batches were observed until they were ten and then disposed of or sent away. While things had been learned, it was the combination of cybernetics and mental enhancement that had the best results. Certain genetic traits were identified as having positive results such as an increased ability to link with machines, psychological stability, and the ability to hyper-concentrate on problems.


    Problems arose as they matured and entered puberty. The fastest-developing children became emotionally distant and prone to violence. Staff began to disappear on a regular basis, only to be found dead, hidden in ceilings or cupboards. Two subjects broke out of the lab and left a trail of seventeen victims before they were hunted down. Nine children lagged far behind the others in both size and aggression. They were separated from their larger cousins. The larger psychopaths with their highly aggressive nature were found to also be very receptive to cybernetic enhancements. They were fitted with devices to control them and sold to another lab that wanted to develop military-grade cyborgs. The remaining children of Batch Two were studied until all of them had achieved puberty around age twenty-two. Their genetics were harvested to begin Batch Three, and three children had been naturally born to them. The parents of the naturally born children were separated and placed in their own living quarters with their children. All of them became neurotic if bored. A combination of online tasks and video games worked initially to keep them occupied.


    Batch Three was where more breakthroughs occurred, and more mistakes were made. The twenty-five members of Batch 3A all matured slower and showed signs of hyper-intelligence and hyper-focus. All of them could stay linked to computers for long periods of the day. In the end, this was shown to cause nerve cell deterioration and their bodies rejected the implants before they died. A correlation was shown between nerve cell deterioration and maturation. Experimental techniques used in the manufacture of cyborgs proved to be useful in staving off nerve cell deterioration and would be used in Batch Four.


    The three naturally-born children in Batch 2 ended up yielding no usable data. At the age of six, one or more of their parents deliberately created a poisonous substance and used it to kill all the children before killing themselves by ingesting a larger dose and then setting their living quarters on fire. This was the last batch that Felix oversaw himself.


    Batch Four was overseen by Vigo. Extensive genetic testing and gene splicing were used to select for the traits of slow maturation, hyper-intelligence, hyper-focus, and a fixation on tasks. Another mutation was added, coming from the lab that was experimenting with the descendants of batch two. It increased the density of nerve and brain cells which allowed for better links to machinery. In the cyborgs being created by a lab in Germany, it allowed for more cybernetic augmentation. In Milo''s brothers and sisters, it let them link to computers for days on end with no discomfort. Another benefit was that during gestation, sites along their spines could be stimulated to create ideal placements for the plugs that were added before birth with microscopic surgery.


    When Belinda realized she was reading about the creation of Milo, she again had to pause and sit for a long time. Finally, she continued but feared that worse was to come. Parts of this disc were Vigo''s personal journals where in addition to his notes he talked about his passion to create smarter and better humans who could compete with the emerging AI. Belinda had trouble understanding how her father could be so passionate about humanity, but not care about the humans he experimented on. To him, they were only test subjects. He emphasized that to the staff. They had letters, not names, and would be referred to that way.


    Sometimes he ranted about the need for more money and complained about the shortsightedness of the corporations whose funding he needed. That led him to discussions with Victor and Andrei Seimovich. Both men were ambitious, manipulative, and wealthy. One man was the head of a large organized crime family poorly disguised as a businessman. The other was an emerging tycoon with deep links to the organized crime he said he''d broken away from. Both were interested in Vigo''s experiments, but he knew he could only work with one of them.


    Vigo began working with her Uncle Victor two years before the death of her Grandfather Andrei, and Uncle Nikki. Shortly after that, he met her mother. She read back and forth in his journals for hours and came to the conclusion that the deaths and her parent''s marriage were connected and most likely planned by her Uncle Victor and her father. From the wording, it seemed that her mother was unaware of these things. At least at first...


    The little she read after that sent her running from the room, followed by Max and her empty wheelchair. She was calmer when she arrived in Downtown and could strip off her helmet. She needed to talk with Milo, and then John.

 Chapter 365: Family Reunion

    Eric was dreaming and very comfortable in his large bed when the alarm went off. He rolled out of bed, slammed his hand on the clock, and put on his robe. Only then did he see that he was alone, but he heard noises from the small kitchen area in his apartment. Marisa walked into the room, suspiciously dressed, showered, and ready for the day at 6:45 a.m. despite a late dinner in the city, and not getting to bed until 3 a.m. This was their fifth date, and the second time she had stayed over during the months they''d been stealing time to see each other when their respective jobs allowed for a stolen hour.


    "Here. Double strong, and there are some eggs in the kitchen. If nothing else happens, you can repay me with pancakes, but I suspect there won''t be time for that."


    He hoped she would be correct about something happening, but wrong about the time. She wasn''t, and at 7:00 A.M. he got a call from Belinda. He noted it had come direct to his phone, and not routed through the company. He put her on the screen and Marisa retreated to the kitchen.


    Belinda looked good, better than he had ever seen her. Her hair had grown out, and she had good color. She was sitting in a regular chair, not a wheelchair. She said, "Good morning, Eric." as if she hadn''t been gone for weeks.


    "Good morning, Belinda, and Happy Birthday. What can I do for you today."


    "Hopefully, a lot of things. And apologies upfront. I''m calling John next and then he is going to call you, screaming. You don''t have to be kind while putting him back together. He has to learn about the new reality we are dealing with. After all, I did as well, and I''m not happy with him. He kept secrets from me and they''ve caused me a lot of pain. He also almost got me shipped to Eastern Europe in a pod with little chance of being let out. Keep that in mind when he says he always had my best interests at heart."


    "Alright, I can do that. What else can I do for you?"


    She started to talk, then smiled at him, a real smile. "You got a girlfriend! Finally."


    He looked at his bed, "I could just be very sloppy when I sleep."


    "Nope, mussed up bed, you''re in your robe, but you''re sipping coffee and enjoying it. You make terrible coffee and always just pour it down your throat for the caffeine. Plus, your heart rate is pretty calm, you look like you''ve been working out, and I''m picking up two people breathing and two heartbeats. You should have never taught me how to use the security programs. Congratulations. I won''t pry further."


    Eric realized that Belinda was doing A LOT better.


    "But back to business. I''m 18, and my trust funds come under my control. I also want to discuss certain outstanding loans taken from those trusts by John, as my guardian and never paid back. Please get John put back together, and deliver him, and whatever accountants and lawyers he needs to the Claw Master offices on the top floor of Section E. We have a lot to talk about."


    "I''ll do my best, Belinda."


    "I know you will, Eric. You''ve been holding things together for years. This is why I also want you to think about what you''re going to be doing for the next few years. We can talk about that, too. And if Daddy doesn''t want to come see me, you should come anyway."


    "I''ll do that. What about security?"


    She turned and spoke to someone off to her side, and got a puzzled look on her face, then turned back to him. "John can bring whatever security he thinks he needs. And I''ve been advised to tell you that you should bring your own as well if Marisa can get the time off from Rhebus." As Eric got a strange look on his face and a feminine voice cursed in the kitchen, she waved and logged out.


    Marisa was cleaning up spilled coffee as he walked in. Eric said, "Sorry about that."


    "Don''t be. The girl is as smart as you said. I tried to trace her call and got absolutely nothing. Wherever she is, she has better security than I have the tools to break it. She knew someone was with you, and then someone told her who. If they didn''t want me at the meeting, they wouldn''t have specifically said I could come, even mentioning my employer."


    "She doesn''t mind Rhebus knowing about what she''s doing. Interesting."


    "Right. But that doesn''t matter now. Hit the shower and see if you can beat John here. I''ll stall as long as I can. He''s not my boss anymore."


    <hr>


    "Hello, Daddy."


    "Belinda! Honey, you have to come home. I miss you and everyone is worried. Tell me where you''re at and I''ll have people there in minutes. They can''t keep you there against your will. I won''t let them."


    "John..."


    "I''m getting the security people going right now. And Eric. Dammit, why isn''t Eric answering. More security. You need to tell me where you''re at. Please...I''m your father."


    "John...stop. Stop and listen. I need you to focus and listen to me for once."


    "I''m listening, go ahead." John was gesturing to someone off-screen and silently saying something to them with his hand partially obscuring his lips. He''d learned long ago that Belinda had learned to read lips, speak Russian, and several other things while bored and lying in a hospital bed.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "You aren''t listening, you''re trying to get someone to trace my call, which isn''t going to work. Better people have tried. And you don''t need to. I''m going to tell you where I am. You need to come see me. I''ve already called Eric and given him the details so he can start getting people ready to go with you."


    "Eric knows where you are!"


    Belinda had hoped this would go better, but as usual, it wasn''t. "I''m in Section E, in the headquarters of Claw Master. I''m working for them as an independent contractor, testing some of their new products. No, I won''t tell you about them. I''m fine, and doing well. Come see me. Bring lawyers. Bring accountants. You''ll need them. And John? Behave. If you try anything stupid, like snatching me away, it isn''t going to work." The connection went blank.


    Eric managed to get dressed before John was pounding on his door with a gaggle of people behind him. Marisa had laid out his best suit for him and he''d shaved in the shower. With a second cup of coffee in him and a half dozen Bacon-Flavored You-won''t-believe-they-aren''t-eggs inside of him, he was ready to take on John. He''d once joked to Marisa that a good breakfast made him sleepy but a bad breakfast got him moving and praying lunch would get here soon. She''d made sure he was moving.


    He opened the door, ignoring everyone as they talked. "Greetings people. We are off to the corporate offices of Claw Master Incorporated. The Personmovers are one floor up, so we''ll take the stairway and be on our way. I doubt some of you could walk that far. When we arrive, you will all be polite. Anyone not polite will most likely be asked to leave. Not polite people who misbehave will have bad things happen to them. These people don''t screw around, and I''ll remind you that they are a bigger corporation than Manpower. Big Fish can eat Little Fish."


    He paused, took a breath, and continued. "To repeat: The Claw Master people are very busy and making a lot of deals. They have deals going with Genesis, and Rhebus, and bought, not leased, their part of the Habitat. Manpower needs to be on good terms with them. I won''t hesitate to punt anyone causing problems in our relationship with them. No lying, no power plays, no threats. Just a polite get-together so John and Belinda can talk and we can work some things out."


    A lawyer began talking. "This is exactly the weak approach that I was warning against. We should notify the police and have them put pressure on these people to get Belinda back. And the press as well. They won''t like that."


    Eric motioned to a security guard who started leading the lawyer away. "Mr. Nelson doesn''t work here any longer. Security is escorting him home. Does anyone else want to go home early? No? Then get moving up to those silly carts so we can drive over and visit Belinda."


    <hr>


    Milo watched the procession on his cameras. He was getting nervous. He''d met with Belinda after dinner yesterday. Both of them were showing signs of stress, and both knew the other could see that. Belinda had suggested they trade.


    "I''m worried that the electrical supply situation for the Habitat is unstable, but fixing it means taking over some companies and becoming a registered power distributor. Then I can start trading power in confusing ways to hide that I want to use the power from the fusion generator to power the habitat."


    "I turned 18, so I''m now an adult and have way too much money, which everyone is going to want to get ahold of. I''m going to have to keep hiding. But I also need to settle with John, hire Eric, prove to the banks who I am, and find a way to secure my money, since...as we both know...if I have access to my money, other people can try to steal it. I''m not even sure how much I have."


    "I looked up once when I researched my new neighbors. The best estimate was 2.4 Trillion."


    "Shit. What the hell do I do with 2.4 Trillion dollars, other than not let John have it."


    Milo was silent for a minute. "Have you considered becoming a supplier of electrical power and buying a Habitat? Fixing this place up will take a lot of money. But how do we get you to a bank?" Milo hadn''t even considered the thought of himself leaving the Habitat.


    Belinda started giggling from the stress and the ludicrous thought of just buying the Habitat. Then again, it would use up money, and give her control, and she knew just who would be helping her with all the hard work. But first, she had to teach him about banks.


    "Milo, when you have a million dollars, you go to the bank. When you have 2.4 trillion, the banks come to you. But, you''re going to be sitting next to me the whole time, as a financial advisor, along with Mama and Big Butch if I can convince them. I need smart people around me."


    "This is going to be like arguing with the guilds in Shadowport, isn''t it? Lots of screaming and threats?"


    "Nope, very polite people, maybe some screaming from John, and polite threats. But also a lot of numbers, legalese, and contracts to read. We can keep the number of people down. I know you hate that."


    "Ok, I can do that."


    "And we need to get you a suit."


    That confused Milo. "I have a suit. I have two suits. Should I bring the heavy one? Will it be that dangerous? Should I bring Max too?"


    Belinda started laughing again, and Milo couldn''t figure out why.

 Chapter 366: More Hidden Secrets

    Milo was quiet as Belinda opened the storage case and loaded the data disc with the research on Batch Four. She paused for a moment before telling Rusty to start skimming through it. "Are you ok with this? I know you usually plow through all the data instead of sampling the highlights."


    Milo blinked, coming up from his thoughts, "It''s fine. I''ll be going through it several more times, I''m sure. Right now, we need to prepare for our meeting with your stepfather, which means we need the narrative, not the research. And then move past it."


    "And find out what he did to me, and whatever the hell John thought he was doing. Ready?"


    "Yes. Go ahead and start, Rusty."


    Both of them sat in the command room, staring at the multiple screens as Rusty sorted through thousands of pages of data detailing the experiments conducted to create Batch Four. Max was in the room with them, and the other Roomba outside. The two humans were showing signs of stress, and their guardians were on high alert.


    Milo spent more time reviewing bits of the data, especially interested in the genetics used to create the embryos that became his family. Most of what he knew before came from snippets overheard by the children as their guards and doctors talked. Some of them were under the assumption the children were taken from orphanages or habitats, or bought on the open market where adoption laws were a thing of the past. Those assumptions were incorrect. All of Batch Four were hand-crafted with thousands of embryos discarded before they settled on the group of twenty-five that should develop the mental enhancements and quirks they wanted in them, along with the physical mutations that would slow their maturation.


    Behind it all was Vigo''s dream of a smarter, better human. Sadly, he didn''t see Batch Four as what he wanted. These children were simply a step along the way and useful tools to be used. There were audio files where Vigo talked about his dream, but Milo skipped over those. He skimmed the transcripts and moved further into the process that led to his birth.


    Belinda, on the other hand, listened to her Father talk. She''d never known him and barely knew her mother. Here was a chance to hear his voice and listen to him. She found him both interesting and horrifying at the same time. He was passionate about his dream, talking about a better world with better people, and pushing the limits of science and technology without being dependent on AI. If you only listened to this part of her father, he was inspiring, and she was sure that was what her mother and other people had seen. His reputation at the time of his death was untainted by any of this.


    But if one side of Vigo Johansson was the tireless genius working for a better world, the other side was an uncaring fanatic who didn''t care about the lives he broke in the current world. He had no concerns about his experiments, any more than his father had. All the lives created and discarded by his labs were no more to him than rats or mice. They were useful to him until he''d learned what he needed, and then they were discarded. The end result was all that mattered.


    But the end result would take money, and a lot of it. Keeping his labs and activities secret was expensive, and he wanted to keep his ties to major corporations as loose as he could. What the major tech companies got ahold of became theirs, and they dreamed of money, not smarter humans. The solution was to start his own corporation and seek out people with money who also wished to stay unnoticed. That led him to Victor Seimovich.


    Victor could care less about Vigo''s dreams, but he recognized the potential uses of Batch Four. At just two years old the children could hack into small corporations and bank accounts, moving small amounts of money around as they practiced their skills. It was Victor who took the programming tools used by hackers in the former Soviet block and gave them to Vigo. The combination of these tools, their enhanced links to their machines, and their ability to think and adapt quickly to security measures made Batch Four into highly useful tools that Victor could use to farm millions of dollars a day. Vigo was supplied with the money he needed to proceed, and Batch Four became Victor''s property.


    Belinda had always believed that her parents met by chance at a Tech Conference where Vigo''s charisma and dreams intrigued her mother. They''d begun talking, then meeting up when they could, and finally marrying. The newspapers were filled with articles about the new ''Power Couple'' where the Seimovich wealth would fund the growing Johansson tech corporation. She saw that was a sham. Whether Victor suggested it, or Vigo went looking for a way to gain even more money, was unclear. But her father hadn''t randomly met her mother. And that led her to other suspicions.


    She voiced them to Milo, "I think that either Victor, Vigo, or both were involved in the deaths of my Uncle and Grandfather. Things fall into place too easily. She was suddenly the only one left, heir to a huge fortune. Victor is at the funeral and they get close, then she meets Vigo, who is already working with Victor. And now Vigo had unlimited funds."


    Milo thought for a moment. "Is it important to know? I have people I could leave hints for and start an investigation, but Victor isn''t getting out of jail and your father is dead. I''m worried about someone digging too far."


    Belinda thought about it, "I''d like to know, but it doesn''t matter against the threat of people finding out that the two of us are genetically created humans. I''m tired of being a lab rat with doctors poking at me. I want to know the truth about myself, get free of John, and move forward with our plans. That''s enough for now." Milo nodded and turned back to the screens. Belinda did as well, listening to her father and slowly dreading what was coming next.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Milo spent the rest of the day finding out more about his origins. Like him, several of his family were born with defects in limbs or organs. These were repaired, or in the cases of legs, hands, and arms, simply removed. The original plans were to graft cybernetic replacements, but as the value of Batch Four was discovered, those plans were ended. A missing leg or hand didn''t matter when the members of Batch Four spent twenty hours a day connected to computers. Some of his siblings were documented as dying from internal defects that couldn''t easily be corrected. Four became paranoid about being connected to the machines, terrorized by the thought of being caught by what lived in the data net. Two went catatonic and faded away. Proper medical treatment and psychotherapy might have saved them, but it was deemed better to discard them. Batch Four was becoming better and better at harvesting money from banks and corporations and even as their numbers dropped, the amount they made for their creators increased each year.


    Vigo was deep in his new research and hated the idea of creating a second batch without making more improvements. He was moving into new territory where he would create a better Batch of tools to provide his needs for money. Batch Five would bypass the physical needs of earlier batches, getting around the need for the slow maturation process and the physical deformities, focusing only on their mental enhancements. Batch Five would barely be human. Their brains, spines, and some internal organs would be housed permanently in metal pods, unable to interact with the world except through machines. Vigo began the work, but another laboratory would finish it, he had other things to do. The fate of Batch Five wasn''t mentioned as the rest of the disc displayed the data on Vigo''s next phase of human enhancements.


    These involved genetic modifications of a naturally produced human embryo with additional treatments as they matured within the mother. These would result in the enhanced nervous systems that were developed in Batch Four and increased brain development. Human testing began immediately, running into the usual problems with early development, but Vigo was sure that with a few dozen more tries he could perfect the process.


    He was almost done when Ekaterina became pregnant. "I need a break." Belinda stood up and began pacing. Milo finished with the last experiments he was reviewing and then shut down the screens.


    "We don''t have to meet with your father tomorrow."


    "No, I need to do this. Just give me a moment. I can shove a lot of things off to the side, but hearing my Father''s plans for me just...it got to me. I need a moment to digest it."


    "I don''t need to go on. How about we move slowly, at whatever pace you like?"


    She let out a deep breath. "Thanks. Just let me grab a snack, I''m starving. I don''t know how you forget to eat all the time."


    Milo realized he was starving. Mama''s reminders about eating were already sounding in his brain. She had packed enough food for several meals when they announced their plans to review as much of the stored information in the data discs as they could today.


    "Eating the processed food cubes in the hab can make you ambivalent on meals. I have to remember sometimes that I eat good food now."


    "I can''t believe how basic the food is in the habitat. Thank god you''ve been adding more recipes for the people in your section."


    "And Wally is copying my changes for the Sections that he leases for Genesis. It''s actually starting a migration of people from the outer sections to the floors assigned as residential in ours. I''m having to watch things more carefully. There''s more load on the water, waste, food, and electrical systems now. I may need to find a way to open up more of the closed areas and repair them."


    "So people can freely move?"


    "Nope, you have to request a move from the Section you''re in, and then get permission from the new section. Most places never approve anything, since they get paid by the person. In fact, I don''t think some of them even pay attention to move requests anymore. They sure don''t seem to notice when I go into their files and approve them all."


    Belinda ate the sandwich Mama had packed for her, aware that most of the hab would be eating food cubes forever. "We should buy the rest of the hab. All the sections we can. Rhebus owns theirs, and Genesis owns their block, but all the rest. Take it over."


    Milo blinked, his mind thinking about all the work, all the building. "I can barely keep one Section running."


    "I''ll help!!!" Rusty''s enthusiastic voice rang out. "Put me in, coach!"


    Milo considered if he could copy what he did in Section E, and set up enough surveillance, maybe Rusty could help. "I need to think about that, a lot."


    Belinda stood up and moved back to her chair in front of the screens. "Make a note to remind him, Rusty, after I have my trust funds."


    Part of Milo''s brain was still thinking about the new idea as the next section of data loaded. Or tried to. Rusty''s frustrated voice announced, "I can''t load it. It''s locked and I can''t break the security on it. It''s asking a question, ''Which duckling won''t come home?'' I don''t know the answer and can''t break in. Who set up the security lock on this disc? It''s fiendish!"


    Belinda looked panicked, worrying Milo. "What''s wrong?"


    "The grey duckling won''t come home. I stepped on it. My mother had gotten me these little ducklings and a mama duck. I was two or three. I remember breaking the grey one and crying because he couldn''t get home to the nest. Only my mother would know that."


    Rusty called out. "Grey is the answer."


    A video appeared. Milo recognized her from pictures and the resemblance to Belinda. "Hello, Belinda, my darling daughter. We should talk."

 Chapter 367: Message from the Past

    Belinda paused the video, looking at her Mother. She looked different from the other pictures she had seen of her. In all of John''s pictures, she had a robust and beautiful look of a woman in perfect health. The public pictures of Ekaterina Seimovich had always been of a vibrant socialite, smiling and enjoying life. Even as she grew older this didn''t change.


    But here, she looked different. Her eyes were dull and her face showed little emotion. Her hair was cut short and functional, uncombed. She wore no makeup, as she did in every other picture, even those taken at home. Wrinkles and stress marks were deeply etched into her face and what little they could see of her showed signs of weight loss. Her arms were thin, cheeks sunken. Belinda was struck by how similar she looked to Milo in that way when he worked too hard. But while Milo might look gaunt, her Mother looked haunted.


    "I''m leaving this message, and others, in the hopes that John follows my instructions and keeps you informed. But I also know there is a chance that doesn''t happen. I''ve been disappointed by so many people in my life. I fear he may be swayed by others. Money and power can warp the best of people, and John is not a strong person. A good man, down deep, but not strong. I chose him because I have limited options and limited time. He loves me and loves you, but that may not be enough.


    "If my words upset you, I apologize but feel no remorse. Between my condition and the drugs I use to treat it, I find I have moved past emotions. I have only two left: The love I have for you, and the anger I will always have for what your father did. He killed our family. His obsession caused his own death and will soon cause mine. I have hope that you will survive us and thrive, but if your death comes early, you have your father to thank for that."


    "If John and your medical staff have followed my instructions, you are now 14 and 90% physically mature. Your mental capacity should exceed 99.999 percent of the human population of unenhanced humans, only surpassed by Batch Four and Batch Five. The drug program you are on will maintain your intelligence at this level and prevent the rapid growth of new nerve tissue that afflicts me. You will finish maturing physically at age 20. I estimate that your lifespan will exceed 200 years based on the current state of medicine."


    "All of my research is in these files. I have gathered everything from everywhere to form this archive. Most of it, while interesting, has nothing to do with you, or I. You will now have complete access to it, as your schooling and intelligence have prepared you to understand it. The decision to carry on my work, or to destroy everything, is up to you. My time for making decisions grows short."


    "I believe that while painful, it is important for you to know the truth. The background data is in these archives. You can see the legacy of your Father and Grandfather. I wish I had known all of this before I met him, and not after what he did to me."


    "Your Father killed me, just as surely as if he had fired a gun into my head. His obsessions with improving human intelligence, specifically in his own children, led him to take actions that violated human decency and the vows he made to me when we married."


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "He was not prepared for my pregnancy. He specifically believed that we would not have children until he was ready. The LARC implants by Alchemarx are 99.9% effective. Nature decided that you were the one in one thousand baby. I was happy with that. Your Father, less so. I remember his shock, and anger when I didn''t want to abort the pregnancy. When he gave up and agreed with me, I should have known better."


    "Three days later I felt dizzy and woke up in a hospital bed. Complications from the pregnancy, stress, low iron, and many other half-truths were given to me. My ''condition'' was serious and I stayed in that bed to not lose you, hooked up to his machines until your birth.


    You were born with small abnormalities to your spinal column, but otherwise perfect. It wasn''t until later that I learned what he had done."


    "Bluntly, I did not pass out and nothing was wrong with you, or I. Your Father drugged me to begin limited gene therapy upon you and implant nanite repositories in my womb that would continue the microsurgeries and drug treatments as you matured. All the procedures are in the data, and I don''t wish to talk about them now. If you weren''t quite what your Father wanted, you were close, and he planned to get closer with our next child. What he hadn''t accounted for was the effect his treatments would have on me."


    "Over the next year, my intelligence increased by a factor of four. I slept little and became easily bored. I''d never been a great student, but now I absorbed data and forgot nothing. Vigo didn''t notice, being absorbed with your growing intelligence. Your Father was negligent with his passwords, never assuming someone smarter than him could guess them, and soon I learned the truth. My anger at what he''d done was curbed by knowing what he could do. He was beyond human decency and I didn''t wish to become a prisoner in my own home. I hid my intelligence, and went back to being a pretty wife to a genius doctor."


    "My intelligence continued to increase and research into my own condition continued. At some point, I realized that I had very few years left to live and would be unable to hide it any longer. Leaving you to be raised by Vigo was out of the question."


    "So I killed your Father."


    "It was simple to do and to blame it on an angry mob. I think it felt like justice at the time, but it''s hard to remember now. I have no regrets. I barely have any feelings at all, other than a burning desire that you survive."


    "Knowing that my condition would continue to progress, with my intelligence increasing and my physical and emotional health decreasing, I took steps to ensure your protection. Money is too tempting, so I put everything into a trust fund that will be available to you at 18. I married John because he loved me, would love you, and hopefully be strong enough to do the right things. I left Uncle Victor be, as a check against John. Hopefully, the two will balance each other''s ambitions until you take control."


    "I don''t think I want to see my end. To live in a padded cell as a madwoman, huddled in the corner with too many thoughts. I''m not sure how I will end my life, but it will be soon."


    "Remember: You are smarter than everyone else. Do not believe that they can control you."


    "I love you. Goodbye."

 Chapter 368: Business Plans

    Claw Master headquarters was a busy place on the morning that John Sabbatino, Eric Kresthammer, the head of security for Rhebus, three lawyers, a PR person, four very nervous accountants, and six bodyguards arrived for their meeting with Belinda Seimovich. John was a mess, trying to project confidence and failing.


    John had never been good at multitasking. His method of dealing with the world was to focus on one problem and make the others wait for their turn. Today, he had several issues all vying for attention. He wanted to get back his daughter so he could protect her. That was confused with the loans coming due. As long as he was the guardian of the heir to the Seimovich fortune getting loans was easy. Without Belinda, his Manpower operation looked shaky to any investor. Profits should have been up, but Manpower was bleeding money from the costs of expanding and the ever-expanding set of problems that came with repairing a section of a habitat. Along with that, John was hiring people he didn''t need yet, bloating the payroll with the extra salaries of high-priced contract lawyers, Public Relations gurus, and HR specialists.


    As the group rolled into Section E, the contrast with the Manpower section was readily apparent. The corridors were well-lit and murals were painted on the walls to soften the harsh look of the metal and concrete corridors. The groups passed through residential areas where abandoned parks and hydroponic projects were being rebuilt. The accountants knew that Manpower couldn''t afford similar improvements, and winced as John got excited and said, "Eric, we need to hire people to do this in Section H! Think of the PR coup when we have visitors." Eric nodded, made a note on his datapad, and went back to talking with Marisa, not bothering to point out reality to John anymore.


    The Claw Master offices had been built in a refurbished factory with high ceilings that took up two levels. The airy and open floorplan was a vast improvement over the more cramped offices at Manpower. Wally and Milo had worked together, studying decades of data on the psychological effects of living in the habitats. As each area in Section E was rebuilt, the new design philosophy was clear. It was more expensive, but Milo didn''t care about money.


    Money from his inventions and video games was pouring in. Ladders and Lattes, the newest expansion of Run, Run, Ramona had just come out and the next one, Pipeworks and Pit Vipers, was only a few weeks away. He had money to spend and was determined to make Section E a better place for the people living here. He''d learned that while he loved the enclosed tunnels of the habitats, that was another difference between him and normal humans. He couldn''t bring everyone to live in Downtown, but he could take specific parts from there and replicate them in Section E. Many of these projects mirrored the broken promises made when the habitats were first conceptualized as vibrant living spaces close to shopping and work.


    The security for Claw Master met them at the door, making sure that the people coming in matched their lists. John''s security guards were politely and firmly asked to leave their tasers and batons at the front counter, sealed away in a safe. They hesitated but at a firm nod from Eric, they complied. Marisa began to do the same thing but was stopped.


    "No need for that ma''am. We''ve been instructed to ask you to keep your defensive weaponry on you. Your permits and training certificates were sent over from Rhebus. As for the rest of you, we have a selection of coffee and donuts for those who missed breakfast. We''ll be serving lunch to you if the meetings go as long as expected." The accountants and lawyers headed for the coffee. The security guards grumbled a bit but did the same. Myra was upset about being separated from John, but Belinda wanted to talk alone with her father.


    A moment later, standing next to Eric, Marisa whispered, "Since when is a Glock 19 a defensive weapon?"


    "Is that what you have on you?"


    "My Glock, my baton, and two heavy tasers. One wasn''t enough last time and I wanted more voltage."


    "Hopefully, no killer cyborgs at this meeting."


    "If there is, get behind me. The bosses were very intrigued by the armor you were wearing when Roger attacked us. I''m wearing a similar set today that they acquired for me."


    Eric looked down at her, looking for any sign of it showing, and couldn''t tell. "Good. I''m wearing mine, even with the dents. I wonder when Claw Master will start selling the technology. This stuff could be standard gear for all security forces. And elite gamers." The similarities in look between his armor, and Belinda''s ''Gaming Gloves'' had been noticed by Eric. Add in the armor worn by the person who''d saved them from Roger and all clues pointed to Claw Master being more than a game design studio. He was anxious to find out more.


    <hr>


    Belinda was waiting for him when John came into the conference room. She was dressed in a long-sleeved blouse and pants, her gloves covering her hands. She looked older to John, more mature. He smiled broadly and moved to hug her. She stiffened for a moment, then hugged him back and broke away. "Sit down, please, we need to talk about a lot of things."


    "I know. I''ve been thinking a lot. You''re 18 now, and you need to have your freedom. Once you get home, I think you should redecorate your rooms any way that you like. And I want us to go on vacation as a family, just you, me, and Myra. But you get to pick where we go in Europe. It will be six weeks of fun, doing whatever you like."


    She looked at him for a moment, and said with no emotion, "John, why didn''t you give me the messages from my mother?"


    "I...messages? Honey, that was a long time ago. I told you everything she said, especially at the end right before she died. She was so brave, but I could tell she was scared and worried about you. I did everything I could to reassure her, and that helped her a lot."


    The screen behind Belinda came on, showing the gaunt face of her mother.


    "I''m leaving this message, and others, in the hopes that John follows my instructions and keeps you informed. But I also know there is a chance that doesn''t happen. I''ve been disappointed by so many people in my life. I fear he may be swayed by others. Money and power can warp the best of people, and John is not a strong person. A good man, down deep, but not strong. I chose him because I have limited options and limited time...


    John choked and found it hard to breathe as her voice continued. Belinda had trimmed the message, leaving only the parts she wanted John to hear.


    "Where are the other messages from my mother? And why didn''t you do as she asked? I''ve seen the records of my treatments, and know the drugs I was being given. They don''t match what my mother prescribed for me. I spent years confined to that damned bed and wheelchair, John. Years!"


    "I''m sorry, I did my best."


    Her voice was stronger now, as she let loose years of frustration, "NO! You didn''t! She married you to make you happy and so you could take care of me. She made you rich! You had an outline of what to do. You ignored her orders and hid things from me. I want to know why?"


    John looked confused and panicked, "I had to! Victor insisted I get rid of two of the doctors your Mother had picked. He only trusted three of them. They told me that the treatments wouldn''t work and we had to do something else. Victor accused me of trying to kill you if we didn''t do as the doctors said. He threatened me. His people were always here and always following me."


    "You could have gone to the authorities. Victor didn''t have a sterling reputation."


    "I started to do that. But the doctors were worried that they''d take you away from me. Then you''d be in some hospital with no one knowing what was wrong with you! We knew that you''d die if we didn''t keep the treatments going. Your Mother was adamant about that. Your doctors just...well, I didn''t understand. Changed things a little? It was different drugs, but they kept you alive, and they said it was working. Victor said it was working."


    "So you just quit fighting. Let them do what he said. And then hid my Mother''s messages because they would have had clues you were doing something different. My only contact with my mother, and you hid them! Do they even exist?"


    John was openly crying now, and shaking. "Yes. I think so. I have an old thumb drive that I put all my pictures of her on. The messages are there. It''s in a safe in my office. I''ll get it for you. When you come home, it''s the first thing we''ll do. It''s a start. I''ll make up for everything I did wrong."


    "I''m not going home, John. Not that those rooms were a home. Just the latest place you moved us to. I''ll be getting some of my stuff, and coming with enough people that you won''t be able to stop me. I have a new home now, with people that care about me. We''re done."


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    John reached out to her and she knocked away his hand. Then she stood and left. John didn''t follow. Belinda walked into the reception area and looked at Myra. "John''s upset, go put him back together. He''s not going to like the next part, either."


    Myra ran to the room, and Belinda walked down a long hallway to where Milo was waiting at a door. He was trying in vain to be comfortable in a suit and tie. The suit was padded in places to make him look slightly bigger, and his shoes had two-inch lifts. He still looked far too young. His tinted, wraparound glasses helped.


    "You''re sure this is what people wear to do business? I''ve moved billions of dollars around while only wearing ragged pants and a dirty t-shirt."


    She glared at him, "I''m sure you did, but we aren''t going to say things like that. Remember that you''re my financial advisor today. Stare at people, smile a little, and give facts and figures."


    Milo thought about how he had acted when he was playing against Mako in poker. "I can do that."


    Within the conference room were a dozen executives from The Mueller Bank of Geneva, Steven and Samantha Durand, and Sidney. Milo had done his research on them, as he liked to do on everything. The bank was founded by twin brothers Franz and Hanz Mueller over 87 years ago. In their youth, the brothers were close and made plans to go into business together. Franz spent seven years abroad earning three degrees in business. Hanz studied mathematics and monetary policies. Reunited at the age of 25 on the day they could claim an inheritance from their grandfather, the two made plans to build a bank based on two principles: Gold is better than paper or pixels, and customer confidentiality. These weren''t novel ideas, but they had fallen out of style over the years. They presented their plans to elderly relatives and friends of the family. Impressed with their sincerity, youthful vigor, and conservative banking principles many of these people chose to invest their money with the brothers.


    The Mueller Bank was a private entity, listed on no stock exchange. They were picky about their customers, both those who put money in their vaults and those they loaned money to. While the main office was in Geneva, the vaults were high in the Swiss Alps in an unpublished location. While other banks conducted transactions online, the Mueller Bank used paper. The few computers in their offices or the vaults were not online, and couldn''t be hacked. Their stuffy attitude, insistence on paper records, and impeccable handwriting endeared them to many of the old-money crowd. Their tight-lipped staff and disdain for government auditors and requests for customer banking records endeared them to people who liked to keep their business dealings secret. They had weathered the Wildfire Virus without missing a beat.


    The old-fashioned insistence on gold impressed everyone. When a customer deposited money to their bank account or trust fund, it was used to purchase gold. That gold was stored in their well-guarded vault. During the Wildfire crisis, The Mueller Bank and a few others like it were the only banks unaffected. Llama couldn''t steal bars of gold, and there was nothing for him to connect to. The popularity of such banks skyrocketed in the years after Wildfire was purged. Ekaterina had wanted Belinda''s trust funds held in the safest place she could find. Mueller Bank was selected.


    Belinda entered the room, trailed by Milo, and everyone stood. They shook hands all around, then visited Sidney at a large table of her own where she was serving coffee and guarding the large cheese trays. Belinda had requested the cheese and coffee assortments, and Sidney had volunteered her expertise, mainly so she could be in the room. Milo had promised to be good, having only two pieces of cheese and no coffee before the meeting officially started.


    The preliminaries consisted of retinal scans, blood samples, and handwriting samples from Belinda. She''d convinced Milo to do the same, based on their upcoming plans. Because of the complex nature of Belinda''s DNA, Steven Duran testified in the absence of Wally, attesting to a match between that of the infant Belinda, and the record Wally had recently made. The Mueller bank was satisfied, and the actual meeting could now take place. A sample of Milo''s DNA was handed over but in a locked case. It would be kept to identify him in an extreme case.


    The original Hans Mueller was far too frail to travel, and the bank was now run by his grandson of the same name. "We are happy to assist you and Mr. Babbage in any way we can, Miss Seimovich. Forgive the intricacies of confirming your identity. We have had over 200 young women show up at the Geneva offices, claiming to be you. As of today, the current value of assets you have in our vaults comes to 3,436,198,554,123 dollars. This will fluctuate daily, with the value of gold, but as I''m sure you know, the average annual increase has been over 12% and we expect that to continue, based on instability in the global marketplace."


    Milo said, to no one in general, "13. 7% this year, and 14.5% in the following year. New variables include the closing of four mines in South Africa due to a lack of new ore veins and an increased demand for gold used in macro-circuit bundles for fusion reactors."


    All of the bankers nodded solemnly at this pronouncement and one took notes, meaning to investigate these new variables.


    Hanz addressed Belinda, "Your wealth constitutes one of the single largest collections of gold in our vaults. May I inquire as to what you plan to do with it?"


    Belinda said, "Milo?"


    Milo spoke. "Leave it where it is at, of course. I am quite aware of the dangers of traditional banking and have no wish to see Miss Seimovich become a victim of the constant attacks on the monetary system."


    More solemn nods. Then Milo continued. "Instead, we will be taking loans against the value of the gold on deposit, as we need financing. I''m sure this process is a simple one for you gentlemen. May I suggest that instead of transferring funds to other, less secure banks, we set up encrypted messaging for myself and Miss Seimovich so we can instruct our business partners to submit requests for money from you, verified each time by her or me? I prefer direct data net connections. These have been approved by Mr. Duran on behalf of the World Computer. Much of the work we do will have a direct effect on the Genesis project."


    Hanz nodded to him and smiled, "Of course, and may I say that I am happy to see that you appreciate the seriousness of the situation. One cannot be too careful when such sums of money are involved. Do you have an amount in mind to set aside for loans? And if I may be so bold, the broad strokes of your business plans? Our bank includes many fine financial advisors."


    Milo agreed, "You do. I''ve read the articles originating from your bank. Very good background on monetary policy, banking, and global economies."


    "Excellent, it is always good to begin early in life to acquire an understanding of banking. Which articles have you read recently? I was particularly proud of our breakdown of the growing profits available from increased potato production in Poland."


    "All of them."


    "Excuse me? All?"


    Milo nodded, wondering if Mr. Hanz was hard of hearing. "Yes, I needed the background, so I read every article your bank has published and is available on the data net. They filled in some questions I had." There was a moment of odd silence after that, which Belinda broke.


    Belinda said, "To start with, I need to borrow one hundred billion dollars. I plan on purchasing the entirety of this habitat, rebuilding it, and making space available to Genesis, Rhebus, and Manpower, along with several interested corporate parties. I will also need an additional one hundred billion that I will be loaning to the Claw Master corporation, owned by Mr. Babbage.


    All eyes turned to Milo. The bankers had been aware of his ownership of Claw Master and intended to open discussions with him about the wisdom of opening accounts with them. That had just become a much larger priority for them.


    Milo spoke again, "As to my business plan, I will be assisting Belinda in the reconstruction of the habitat with special attention to developing techniques that can be applied to any habitat in need of repair. And because people are annoying me, I''ll be taking over 37 electrical supply corporations that provide power to the habitat and entering the global energy market as a buyer and supplier of energy. While gold is in demand because of its stability, I find that energy is an exciting commodity for the opposite reasons, and plan to take advantage of that."


    The meeting went on for two more hours. Hanz Mueller was already looking forward to increasing business with Manpower and Clawmaster. By the end of it, no one from the bank doubted Belinda''s ability to handle her business, or Milo''s projections for the global gold market.

 Chapter 369: The Best Deal Youre Going to Get

    While the bank representatives prepared the applications and loan papers to facilitate Milo and Belinda''s plans, the two of them went back to the smaller room to finish their talk with John Sabbatino. Myra was allowed to stay, and in addition to Milo and Belinda, Eric Kresthammer took a seat along with Steven and Samantha Duran. Marisa took a seat as well, staying silent but watching all of the players in the room. She wasn''t sure of the exact details but guessed that there were more connections to Rhebus than she was aware of.


    John looked worn out, but hopeful as Belinda came in. She made no move toward him, and when he went to get up, Eric pushed him gently back into his seat.


    Steven began, "Mr. Sabbatino, I know we have met before, under happier circumstances, but let me remind you that my wife and I work with Wally, who runs the worldwide computing system, as well as the Genesis game, which your daughter has taken part in."


    John smiled, "She sure has! Did you see how she led that raid? That''s my girl!"


    Steven smiled, "Yes, that was enjoyable. One of the first big raids in the game. It put Belinda on our radar. We didn''t want to miss the next big thing she did. Unfortunately, we became aware of inconsistencies with her data over time, and that her gaming pod had been tampered with."


    John looked at Belinda, then down at the table. "I wouldn''t know anything about that. It was probably done by her doctors."


    Samantha angrily tossed a stack of depositions over to John, "Not according to those doctors. They are all in captivity currently with charges ranging from attempted kidnapping to war crimes. As you may not be aware, the testimony of war criminals can be taken under the effects of truth serums and lie detectors. They have a lot of years ahead of them in prison and are competing to see who sings loudest. Most of it is classified but involves Victor Seimovich. However, some of it was about their dealings with you, including your agreement to falsify her medical data to hide the drug and nanite treatments being administered to her. Because she was a minor at the time, those records have been sealed by Wally, for her protection."


    "In other words, Daddy, you''re still mixing in a lot of lies and trying to make yourself look good. I''ll never be able to trust you."


    "Belinda, please, I tried! I was in a hard situation and doing my best!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m going to take away all of that stress. It''s over, John. I''m taking over Manpower and you get to retire."


    John stood up, angry. "No, I built that company. It''s mine!"


    "You built it with money borrowed against my trust funds, and those loans are now due. Past due in some cases. I don''t think even Eric was aware of how much you borrowed. If I don''t pay off your debts, Manpower is bankrupt and a lot of people get hurt. I don''t want to see that happen."


    John looked hopeful until she continued. "But if I''m the one paying the bills, I''m taking the company and you''re out. Listen carefully, this is the best deal you''re going to get. You''re going to sell me all of your shares in the company and retire from your position as president. You''ll still be listed as a PR consultant to the company, along with Myra, but I don''t expect much from you. You''ll be tossed just enough information that you can answer a few questions and pretend like you''re still in the loop. But you''ll cut no deals or make any promises. Go play at tradeshows, tell stories about how proud you are of me, and how you couldn''t wait to turn over the reins to me. You and Myra will draw modest salaries from the company for as long as you behave. Once in a while, you''ll get to announce something minor that we do. You don''t get a company car, corporate jet, or company credit card. That all comes out of your salary. And you will say nothing about me, or my parents, or any little secrets you may know. Don''t disappoint me, John."


    He looked at her, "And if I refuse?"


    Milo tossed him a business card. "That''s the name of the Interpol Agent I''ll call, and within one day, no matter where in the world you are, you''ll be sharing a cell with your good friend Victor. We can show you''re guilty of collaborating with others, war criminals and gangsters, in the genetic manipulation of a minor and drugging her against her will for financial control of her assets, along with a lot of other crimes."


    Then Milo''s voice became angry, "You''re also guilty of eight-thousand, seven hundred and six building code violations for construction in Section H of this habitat which I am going to have to fix. Some of which affected the health of people in Section E. I''ll sue you for each and every one of them, and I''ll make sure charges are being pressed. The only reason I haven''t taken steps already to bury you deep in a cornfield is because Belinda still has a few feelings for you. I''d like nothing better than dropping you into prison with Victor, and you''ll be wearing handcuffs before you leave this room. Your only way out is to agree with her, and then play nice for the rest of your life. And I''ll be watching you."


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    John began shaking, completely terrified, and not doubting the small man in front of him at all. Eric put his hand on John''s shoulder to get his attention and help him focus "John, even though you hurt and betrayed her, she''s giving you a way out. You can just walk away, and drop all the anxiety and stress. Go enjoy some quiet time and give her a few years. It really is the best deal you''re going to get."


    John nodded slowly. "Ok, just tell me what to do."


    Milo pushed across four copies of a contract for John to sign, Eric explained it to him fully and then showed him where to sign on each page. An hour later John and Myra were packed and heading to the airport for a twenty-hour flight to Australia to attend The Kanga-Con Gaming Convention in Coffs Harbour, NSW. He had a folder in his hand to study, which detailed the latest Run, Run, Ramona mod called Crocs in the Pipes, which introduced a slew of Australia''s most dangerous creatures into Ramona''s Habitat.


    Johns''s mood had changed to upbeat, "It really is a great chance to travel and get away from it all. How bad can it be sitting in the bargain section at the back of the plane? We''ll meet lots of people we''d never see in first class."


    After John and Myra were gone, Eric leaned back in his chair. "Now what? You''ve got the Ruby Slippers, the witch is dead and the scarecrow is by your side. I''ll be the tin man and let Marisa be the lion. She''s braver than I am." Belinda laughed, and Milo was trying to replay the movie with the Ruby Slippers in his head to figure out the references. He''d been mostly asleep when they''d watched it, and he mostly remembered the flying monkeys.


    "Now we get to work. I''m going to be spending the rest of the week talking to people from state, local, and federal governments about our plans for the habitat, as Manpower acquires the rights to the rest of it. And I would be happy if you, Eric, were working right beside me. How does the title of President, ten times your current salary, and stock options sound?"


    He shook his head, "Too much to run Manpower, not even your father was paid that much."


    "Manpower is getting bigger. I''ll loan it the money, and Manpower buys the habitat. We''re also going to go ahead with all the expansion plans. Genesis needs a lot more room."


    Steven pushed a large binder to Eric. "Indeed we do. With the links between Rhebus, Genesis, and Claw Master, Wally has suggested that we could start moving all of the Contract Workers in the game to this habitat. Of course, that means it has to be completely safe, with enough people working here to handle that many pods."


    Milo said, "Schools. We need to set up schools in each section and advanced schools in each quadrant. We need to train electricians, welders, engineers, plumbers, and every type of technician needed for the reconstruction of the habitat. All the corporations who failed to complete their contracts had labor shortages. It''s dumb to be short workers when so many people in the habitats need work and schooling. We can get started with the trained people we can hire and use craftsmen from the habitat as soon as they''re trained."


    "And all the technicians to monitor the pods." Samantha was tapping away furiously on her pad. "I''d already run the projections and didn''t think we could get enough people to move to the habitat to take the jobs or keep them. But using the local populace is much better. And it will make Wally happy. There will be a slow exodus as people save enough to move out of the habitat, but that''s the original goal of these huge things."


    Eric looked at all the projects being tossed his way. "Yeah, I''m thinking you''re correct. Ten times my current salary sounds about right. Do I get that big suite of rooms John had with the jacuzzi and swimming pool?"


    Belinda rolled her eyes at that. "He had a swimming pool? Of course, he did. It''s all yours. Charge the redecorating to the company and put all his stuff in storage. If he ever settles down somewhere, we''ll ship it to him."


    Marisa was thinking. "I''m going to hit my boss up for a jacuzzi. I don''t want to fall behind. If I can get ahold of him, that is. Mr. Borkavich has been getting ready for some big event that''s happening tomorrow and hasn''t been available for anything else."


    Milo stood up suddenly and said to Belinda, "That reminds me of something. I have to go, this tie is too tight." He stole more cheese from the charcuterie board and grabbed a cup of coffee, which made Steven curious.


    "Milo is drinking coffee now? I''m not sure if I''m happy to see him doing something normal, or scared of what he''s like with a cup in him."


    Belinda looked after him. "Scary. Very scary."

 Chapter 370: Power to Spare

    The Alphabet were finally ready for a well-earned day off. Preparations had been made and remade over the last few weeks. Every time they thought they had time, something bad happened somewhere in the world that needed an inventive solution from the helpful people at Rhebus.


    Seventy thousand people in Russia were having the same dream every night where they were chased by dinosaurs and eaten again and again. The cause was a videogame, released unknowingly with subliminal images added by a group of disgruntled ex-employees who demand a billion dollars for ransom. The perpetrators were caught but even they didn''t know how to reverse the problem and keeping track of seventy thousand sleep-deprived people who needed to be on suicide watch was straining the city of Moscow. Rhebus had already developed a computer simulation of a human brain. Bork had done it as a side project one summer when he got interested in neural pathways and found older research on a concept called an Overmind.


    It came in useful when they took on the project of eradicating dream dinosaurs. Bork worked with Nina to upgrade his model to include random factors and societal differences so it was more accurate in different parts of the world. Using the new simulation, they created a hundred test cases, added the subliminal effects, and then used the simulations to develop a way to erase the changes in the user''s brains. As usual, there were side effects: Bork became interested in the unaffected population, and Nina got obsessed with the Overmind concept.


    Of the 100 simulations, 89 were affected by the subliminal stimuli and 11 ignored them. Wanting to find out how some people had a natural resistance, Bork looked for data on the users of the game who hadn''t been affected. 94% of the unaffected were people who loved dinosaurs a little too much, 5% had a natural resistance to subliminal messages, and the other 1% turned out to be psychopaths. Investigating the 1%, Bork solved 14 single murder cases and was able to point the authorities at 2 serial murderers. After that, he went back to studying the people who were immune to this malicious technology. Algernon and Zander spent some time discussing the morality of trying to identify and tag possible psychopaths in a population of people. Onyx found himself being sought out by Nina for his thoughts on her Overmind project and how it might relate to their negative experiences in the Genesis game.


    Not all of the emergencies Rhebus took on required innovative solutions, although those were the ones they lived for. Most were run-of-the-mill disasters that involved coordinating relief efforts with other groups, providing the needed medicine, food, and housing for survivors, and mitigating more damage. Volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tornadoes couldn''t be stopped, but they could be predicted and steps taken to move the most vulnerable from their path.


    ''Falling Sky'' was the latest of this type of disaster. There were simply too many objects in space and not enough was being done to keep them there. Twice in the last year, objects large enough to cause damage had fallen to earth. One was an older model space station whose orbit rapidly decayed and the military junta now controlling the country that had launched it took no responsibility. It fell into the Pacific Ocean, missing Hawaii by ten miles. The second was an asteroid brought in from further out into the solar system to be mined for its iron content for near-space construction. The remaining rock should have been pushed out of Earth''s orbit, but the mining corporation claimed they''d only bought the iron in it, and the owners of the space tug claimed they''d sold it and it wasn''t their problem. Before the legal battle could be solved, it was hit by a century-old communication satellite and nudged earthward.


    Half of the rocky, iron-laced asteroid was burned up during reentry. The remainder hit dead center on the small Austrian village of Hallstatt. Only a few hours of warning was given, and experts argued that the meteor would land in the nearby lake, mitigating damage except for homes near the water''s edge. Half of the 900 residents left the area and most of the tourists. When the meteor hit the town it killed over 3000 people, some of whom had come to film the impact in the lake from the surrounding hills. Hallstatt disappeared.


    The alphabet first learned of the meteor while flying home from Moscow. Zander hacked into numerous observatories and Rhebus was given access to more. They correctly calculated the trajectory, notified authorities, and then watched as people argued about their findings and presented their own. The alphabet had seen this happen before. They staged a fleet of relief helicopters outside the impact zone and began coordinating the search for survivors. Zander started a ''grassroots'' campaign to urge new laws about near-space objects, asteroid mining, and the registry of satellites. It was an old problem, but one that was getting worse.


    As they were landing, Onyx scanned for local news reports and came upon something interesting. "Look at this. Claw Master is upsetting the status quo in the energy distribution systems on the East Coast of the US."


    Bork looked up from his screen, "Will it lower our energy costs in the habitat? Our bills are skyrocketing the more we build, and even with the auxiliary power from solar and wind, we are almost at the limit of what we can be supplied with. It''s frustrating."


    Nina looked over Onyx''s shoulders, reading articles at breakneck speed along with him. "We are sure that Claw Master is Milo, and if so, Milo shares your frustration. He''s been on a rampage today. Stock prices are up and down and he''s been buying up companies, splitting them, and putting up parts of them for sale at cheap prices."


    Zander yelled out, "Details. Give us the juicy details."


    Onyx yelled back, "It starts out juicy. From what I can tell, there was a scheme to short the stock of Providence Systems which supplies power to part of our habitat. Milo came in when stock prices hit bottom, bought up all the cheap shares, and kept buying as the stock started shooting back up. Looks like he hit a lot of the Providence subsidiaries all at once."


    Anything with Milo was interesting to the Alphabet. Arguments over his sanity were a regular event now. Often, his actions were like those of subatomic particles, only detectable by what changed around him. The humorous turn of events that landed Victor Seimovich permanently in jail was just one such escapade.


    "He''s shredding the companies. He only seems interested in certain parts, mostly their contracts with the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York habitats."


    "Stock prices are going up and down. People were dumping until he started buying, and now others are buying, but the biggest corporations are still dumping. They don''t have faith in what he''s putting together. They''re buying up all the cast-off companies that are profitable. He''s burned through nearly a billion dollars acquiring bits of unprofitable companies and contracts. But he made that much by buying the stock at rock-bottom prices. The energy markets are going wild, trying to figure out what he''s doing."


    "Technodyne is behind the whole thing, I''m curious to see their reaction. They don''t take kindly to anyone poaching their illegal deals."


    <hr>


    Indeed, an emergency meeting of Technodyne Energy Suppliers was discussing just that subject. When someone interfered with their buyout of the Providence family of companies, it triggered alarms. Other corporations who had gone along with the plan and dumped stock were now furious with Technodyne. Not that they acted that way. TES was the biggest energy dealer in the country and if you wanted to stay in business, you stayed on their good side and stayed polite. The fact that a new corporation was coming out of nowhere and doing neither of those things only made their losses worse. Trying to contact Clawmaster and the elusive Milo Babbage was futile. They weren''t talking.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    TES was ambivalent about their own losses and less about the losses of their ''energy partners'', but they were interested in the newcomer. Whether to ignore, buy, or crush was always an interesting decision. Especially when they were behaving like this one was. "Any idea what they are up to?"


    "Not really. At first, it seemed like an investment to ensure their own energy needs, but they''ve gone beyond that. Someone tipped them off to the stock deal. And when I say ''tipped'' I mean ''all the information they needed to steal the deal''. They are close to having a majority of the voting stock of Providence Systems, and if they get that, they essentially own the company and its subsidiaries."


    "How much do we own?"


    "TES owns 17% and we own another 6% through smaller corporations we control. Claw Master owns 42%. We could start buying up the outstanding shares and keep control."


    "Do we want that? Seems like a lot of work and expense. We''d need to spin a new group to run them, and they are barely profitable overall at this point. The highest the stock has ever been for PS was 174.25 and that was a decade ago. In recent years it''s hovered around 40. It hit a low of 4.50 after we crashed half the subsidiaries and started the bankruptcy rumors. It''s back to 17 a share now, and only because of Clawmaster buying like a madman, and I project the highest it could get this year with a good dividend is 30 a share. The non-voting stock is far worse."


    "What about this? Instead of trying to fight over the scraps, let''s see how hungry Claw Master is. We could make them an offer to sell our voting and nonvoting stock and clear the books on this one."


    "Hmm, depending on the price, it wouldn''t look bad to our shareholders. But it leaves a lot of people angry. They followed the tune we set."


    "Don''t care. We''re Technodyne. They can be as angry as they like and it doesn''t affect us. If we can get Claw Master anywhere near 30 a share for voting and 10 for nonvoting, I say we sell. Make them an initial offer of 40 voting and 15 nonvoting and we let the lawyers dicker over the price for a week." The vote was taken and the process started. Emails zipped back and forth between accountants and lawyers and then an offer was made to Claw Master three hours later.


    The response from Claw Master was immediate: "35 Voting, 12.5 nonvoting. Take it or leave it. We''re busy today."


    When this message was presented at the afternoon session of the Board of TES, there were exclamations and anger from the low end of the table. At the high end were blank or curious expressions, shading up to smiles from the two vice presidents. The chairman mulled the counteroffer over and then laughed. "Interesting. I wonder how busy? Have they managed to buy up any more stock?"


    "Yessir. They now own 46% of the voting stock for Providence Systems."


    "Hell, let them have it then. They''ve got money from somewhere and don''t mind spending it. That price makes us a profit. Like they said, It''s a busy day and we have other irons in the fire."


    <hr>


    The Alphabet was home in the habitat and arguing final details for Silent Ninja Day. An attempt to revive the rules for the Dreaded Pink Ninja was rejected, but it was a near thing. The discussion was slow since they were still watching what Zander called ''Milo Ripples''.


    "Stock prices for two dozen energy companies are crashing. Technodyne is selling their shares and control to someone. Has to be Milo.


    Without TES in charge, energy prices are going to go down from unregulated competition and profits will follow."


    "Good for consumers."


    "Only if the price is backed up by supply."


    "Where do we stand as Rhebus in the habitat?"


    "Oh, no worries there. Claw Master owns all the transmission rights and supply contracts to this habitat. They just renegotiated a deal with the government. Strangely, the committee that oversees such things had the contracts ready to go and just had to lower the numbers of what they''ll pay to Claw Master for taking care of the habitats in three states. Clawmaster''s offer came in lower than what they were expecting from someone else."


    "But where is he getting the energy?"


    "Complex, and I don''t have the time to do the research. Could take a full month. He''s buying and selling energy futures on the open market like a madman. He''s also dealing with Pollution Tax Credits and other pseudo-currencies that corporations use to confuse their trades. I''ve yet to find a pattern to his system, and can''t figure out how he plans to make money."


    Bork let out a loud hiss and began typing furiously. Then he looked up at the others with narrowed eyes. "Milo just bought the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant outside of Philadelphia, along with all other facilities attached to it, and their transmission rights and contracts. Of note, I shouldn''t have to remind any of you that includes the barely functioning Limerick Fusion Generator located two miles away and the non-functional computing facilities attached to it."


    "He bought a Quantum Fortress?!"


    "It seems so. I hacked the government end. I''m forwarding you the details and the proposal. The nuclear plant has been losing millions a year, forever. It was mostly shut down when the Fusion Generator became operational. Without an AI running it, the Fusion Generator can only run at 2% efficiency and is also losing money. Milo just paid 20 Billion dollars for the whole thing and pledged 10 billion more for repairs and upgrades. Dammit! I want all that wasted computing power. If we could get those Quantum Cores functional and link to them through a data net connection, do you know what we could do?!!"


    Zander laughed. "Get caught?"


    "Well, besides that."


    "Put in cages so they could study us?"


    Bork scowled at them. "But it''s just sitting there, wasted, like all the other Fortresses! I want one!"


    Nina did too, as did they all. "Can we build one?"


    Zander shook his head. "Need power. Not enough in the hab. Maybe we should start working on Cold Fusion again?"


    Onyx was sitting back, an odd look on his face. "We missed something. Where did he get the money? Who in the world has that much."


    Algernon snapped his fingers, "Belinda Seimovich turned 18. How much was she supposed to get? Three billion?"


    "Three TRILLION."


    Algernon shrugged, "Only missed it by three orders of magnitude. And, I see that Manpower''s stock is going up after the announcement of her taking over as president and her father retiring. Hmm, let me check this, my system found something...wow. I want three trillion dollars now."


    "What did she do?"


    "Bought the whole habitat, all the parts not owned by us, Genesis, or Milo. The whole thing. And Milo is providing the power. This needs to be investigated. I smell a conspiracy and worse...I wasn''t invited!"


    Zander stood up on his chair. "Sadly, I must be the adult in the room. A role I detest. We will schedule a full day devoted to this subject. Hell, a week if needed. But tomorrow is Silent Ninja Day, and we still have to decide the protocol for challenges, the games list, and the snacks."


    The other four nodded their heads in agreement. The Insidious Secrets of the Claw Master Energy Cabal would be investigated next week. Tomorrow belonged to the Ninjas!

 Chapter 371: Silent Ninja Day

    In the deepest levels of the sections controlled by Rhebus, the Alphabet prepared for Silent Ninja Day. It would be a grueling twelve-hour competition involving gaming, cooking, tests of intuition, stealth, betrayal, and deduction. After the last event, the plans had changed significantly, becoming far more complex. A neutral referee was needed, so they built one. Each person submitted their own challenges to the game computer, which might be used. While not intelligent, the Alphabet had specially designed the machine to help them administer and create their complex play-days.


    The levels of the habitat that the game took up had been divided into a maze of rooms and corridors with dozens of movable walls that could seal off or open passageways and change the maze. While the Alphabet had constructed it, and knew the overall pattern, the random changes would cost them time and energy while navigating it. As the day progressed, the number of changes would increase in frequency, turning memorized routes into dead ends.


    Challenges devised by each person would randomly appear in locations throughout the maze that would take 1, 2, or 3 participants. Sometimes cooperative, and other times competitive. Priority went to who got to the challenge area first. Successfully defeating the challenges awarded points, as did correctly guessing the identities of the other ninjas in the challenge. Body stance, play style, and dozens of other ''tells'' would be analyzed by each participant, made more difficult by each of them trying to give fake tells to throw off detection.


    Each ninja costume was identical, and spares were stored in strategic areas. This negated the all-too-common ''accidental'' mustard stains that had occurred priorly during hotdog eating contests. The tactic had been pioneered by the dreaded Pink Ninja but instantly became a favorite tactic. To add another level of chaos, the outfits were made using KodaChameleonTM programmable material. They were normally black, but ''Upgrade'' stations could randomly appear in the maze. These stations would give special benefits to the lucky ninja and change the color of their suit. ''Death'' would reset the suit to black. Extra points were scored by killing someone using a non-black suit.


    Sniping and stealthy assassinations were included this year. Weapons could be found in some places, deployed by the computer, or rewarded for completing challenges. Challenges gave more points than kills, but hitting an opponent with a Nerf arrow in the right spot would register a ''Kill'' and lock that person out of challenges for one minute and the computer would do its best to shut doors to limit the ''dead'' players movement. Worse, for that minute the suits turned grey and stiffened up, making it difficult to move and preventing a ''ghost'' from moving in the maze or chasing an assassin.


    The Alphabet looked forward to the day, devising challengers for the game computer, planning their strategies with only limited data on what they might face, and making deals with each other they had no intentions of keeping. Alliances were fleeting things on Silent Ninja Day, and the last-minute ally could quickly become an adversary.


    The only piece of technology allowed was their wrist bracers. These devices showed a rudimentary map of the area, alerting them to challenges, and where they would be held. The game computer used the bracers to track their movements, award points, and maneuver the maze around them. Each ninja waited impatiently as the timer ticked downward. Three challenges appeared on the map and the door in front of each of them unlocked.


    A ninja that certainly wasn''t Nina raced to the nearest challenge point, arriving first and slamming her hand down on the button to start the game of Sugar Punch. As she raced her boxing rabbit through the landscape, gobbling down cakes and pastries, another ninja appeared and joined the game. Her opponent went for quality over quantity, only eating candy and energy drinks, gaining a higher sugar buzz, but had less energy overall. They won the first two bouts, but lost when not-Nina won the last three, and scored a knockout. Not-Nina knew this was either Zander, or someone pretending to be Zander, but not Algernon. She guessed Bork and ran off into the maze to explore before the next challenge round.


    Only one challenge appeared next, in the center of the maze. Four ninjas approached carefully, but the fifth found themselves locked into a small section of the maze and had to content themselves with the discovery of two javelins. Better armed, they waited for the maze to change. The other ninjas carefully entered a room full of food and looked at each other. In the center of the table was a pile of hotdogs, surrounded by chili, ketchup, mustard, buns, and cheese dip. The counter on the wall said "20" and the timer started counting down 180 seconds. As soon as not-Bork stuffed three hotdogs down his throat, the counter went to "17." The other three were slower, choosing their preferred condiments, knowing that if Bork was there, he''d do half the work. Not-Bork ate 10 hotdogs and the others ate three each, then sat back, rubbing their tummies. As the seconds ticked down, not-Bork cursed them silently and reached for the last hotdog. He had taken one bite when the javelin hit him in the back, freezing him. The last two seconds ticked off and the challenge was a failure. Three ninjas charged after the assassin, only to give up as they slid past a closing door.


    Paranoia was now in full swing, and the ninjas became craftier. Stealth and scouting replaced their earlier enthusiasm. Not-Bork spent an entire three rounds ignoring challenges and looking for an upgrade and weapons. Equipped with a Nerf bow, six arrows, and the Mark of the Red Ninja he began moving toward the next challenge. Those killed by the Red Ninja were ghosted for two minutes, making his current build optimal for sniping people in challenges.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Sneaking up on the nearest challenge, the Red Ninja saw the White Ninja working on a complex physics problem involving the placement of cables to hold up a suspension bridge. This would be tricky since the White Ninja ignored the first hit. Concentrating on his shot, he put the first arrow into their back and drew back for his second. The White Ninja turned and started to dodge, but froze at the horrific sight of the Red Ninja being stabbed in the back by the Dreaded Pink Ninja! The shock was her undoing as the Pink Ninja accurately hurled their dagger, killing the White Ninja.


    Pink ran to the physics problem, finished it, then quickly grabbed the bow and remaining arrows from Red and vanished down the hallway, leaving two confused opponents who recovered after a minute and could move, but were blocked from challenges for three minutes. No one else came to that area, giving Pink points for the kills and a solo challenge. The former Red Ninja daringly began using sign language, an easy way to give up your identity. Not-Algernon scored two points guessing the finger wiggler was Bork. Bork lost a point guessing the other ninja was Onyx. The message was simple. "Pink has to die!" The other ninja nodded their agreement and their alliance was formed.


    Two hours and twelve challenges later, Pink had racked up another seventeen kills without dying. The alliance to take Pink down was dissolved at the first disagreement over loot, as all alliances were. A quick round of rock/paper/scissors gave not-Bork the katana, highly valued for its ability to kill six times before deactivating. His partner got the beanbag, good for only one kill, like most weapons. A moment later, not-Bork was hit in the back of the head with the beanbag and his ex-partner ran off with the katana.


    Pink finally went down when the White Ninja and two black ninjas got the drop on them when a door opened, exposing them to each other. Pink took down the two black ninjas with quick shots, but couldn''t run before White nailed them with a javelin. White got little time to celebrate as a fearsome robot glided into the room, its single glowing eye ignoring the dead ninjas and focusing on White.


    "Kill the Humanoid! Kill the Intruder!"


    White turned and ran, taking one hit to the back but surviving the shocking encounter. The three dead ninjas recovered and raced away in different directions. That was the first encounter with the robots and began a new phase of the game. A hit to a robot would stun them for 30 seconds, giving a quick ninja time to run. Being caught where the robot could see a ninja was almost always death. It helped that the robots were slow and liked to announce themselves, but completing challenges became harder and harder.


    But these were experienced ninjas who loved a challenge. They persevered and continued to score points in challenges and by killing each other. The Red, White, and Blue ninjas appeared more regularly. Blue''s advantage was always getting an extra use from a weapon before it deactivated. Weapons became common and the ninja fought back against the nefarious robots. Three hits within 10 seconds destroyed a robot''s upper body and the lower part would flee into the maze. Victory often preceded the after-battle betrayals common among humans. With the robot threat taken care of, the ninja returned to completing challenges and scoring hits on each other.


    The final challenge occurred one hour before the day''s ending. Five black ninjas found themselves in the gaming theatre. To either side were huge buffets of their favorite foods and in front of them was a large screen and five controllers with VR helmets. They heard the opening jingle of the theme song to Run, Run, Ramona. The victory condition was all five players making it to the cheese and chocolate shop five levels above them. Veterans of many RRR runs, they immediately saw the changes. Between each layer were previously hidden levels complete with air ducts, pipes, and service corridors. Monsters could be avoided, although new threats would be found. They dove into the previously unreleased add-on to the game, wondering which of them had stolen it.


    The first run ended a minute later when not-Onyx died to a corrosive slime that fell from an air vent onto his head. The game immediately reset and the run started over. This time, by unspoken agreement, teamwork was paramount. They slowly worked their way up the levels, delving into the new areas and using them as alternate routes. On their seventh run and with three minutes left, they managed to get the whole team into Chez Bleusnout, made their guesses as to each other''s identities, and relaxed.


    They shouldn''t have relaxed, not with a minute left. The click of a safety being thumbed off alerted them to the new threat. Standing in the doorway was the Dreaded Pink Ninja and their Pink Security Roomba packing twin N-Strike Mega Mastodon Blasters. The Pink Ninja was armed with a Nerfomatic CS Elite Titan Mega Blaster. There would be no dodging the massive firepower of either gun. The Pink Ninja savored the moment. Not-Bork counted six ninjas and started to have a nervous breakdown. Not-Onyx lifted up the bowl of cheese dip above his head, making clear a threat to destroy the tasty food. The Pink Ninja shrugged, defeated. The clock struck midnight, and Silent Ninja Day was over.


    The Pink Ninja removed his mask. "Hi, I''m Milo."


    Bork rallied and joined the others as they surged forward, hugging their long-lost brother. There were tears, smiles, and many questions they wanted answered, but for now, it was enough to huddle together and be happy that he was back.

 Chapter 372: More Questions, More Answers.

    After an exciting period of shouting, hugging, loud questions, and garbled answers, Algernon held up his hands and called for silence, speaking when he had everyone''s attention: "We are going to all have heart attacks at this rate. Might I suggest that for this happy reunion, we take turns asking questions and getting answers? I''ve got far too much sugar rushing through my veins right now and need to calm down before I burst and you have to clean up a mess."


    "Define ''burst. '' Sounds interesting.


    "An Explosive Biological reaction equal to the stench of a thousand farts.


    "Oooh, bad. No longer interesting. Ok, go with your plan then."


    They all agreed, got their favorite foods, then started arguing about who got to go first. This led to a rock/paper/scissors tournament that eventually determined that Nina could go first.


    "Was that you in the game, trapped with us?"


    Milo was sitting between Nina and Zander with a bowl of hot cheese dip in his lap and a loaf of French bread he was using to scoop it up. "Yes. That was me, but I didn''t suspect who you were. I thought you were dead! I can assume you escaped, bribed the guards, faked the autopsy reports, and went into hiding?"


    Zander smiled, quite smugly. The escape had been his plan. "All of that, and we were gone three days prior to the ''failed escape, '' hiding out in the basement of a toy factory in Zurich. They had these cool, life-sized dolls of Raggedy Anne and Andy and some other clowns. That gave us the idea to pose as clowns. There was a circus one town over, and we showed up in costume juggling and miming. Bork got us hired, claiming to be a troupe of little people. It helped that we already had fake identification papers and passports. We performed at the circus for a month as they traveled around, then headed to Spain, pretending to be children on a school trip."


    Bork sighed, wistfully. "I still miss the circus. I could live on popcorn and peanuts forever as long as I got to hang out with the elephants. But since it''s my turn to ask questions, what have you been doing all these years? You weren''t on our radar at all until we found out someone stole a lot of Victor''s money that we were planning to steal. After that, we found clues of things you were doing, but not what you''d done since you got away and we lost you."


    "Fixing Section E, mostly. At first, I was worried about making a place where no one could find me, and after that, I went exploring. But every time something broke, people would invade my area and start tearing up things and making shoddy repairs, and things were worse when they left. I started fixing simple things. It made me feel better, and I had fewer visitors. I didn''t have all the right tools at first, and I was always scrounging for raw materials and machine parts. Good computer components were tough to get. I had to make my own parts from video games. It''s a lot easier when I can just buy things, but all those years of fixing things with only what I could find made me a good engineer and mechanic.


    "Then a bunch of Victor''s goons showed up with a scheme to farm valuables in the new game and sneak people in. I stole one of the experimental pods, and it let me play the game. Do you remember Kaminski? I stole his phone and got access to all his passwords and Victor''s computer files. When I did that, I found our old hacking programs. Those let me get into Victor''s bank accounts. I figured I could use the money better than he could. It comes in handy."


    "And now you own Section E?"


    "Yeah, better than renting. No one can take it away from me. Even better that you guys have a chunk of the habitat, and Genesis is renting some, and Belinda bought all the rest of it yesterday."


    Zander looked up from his screen, "Holy shit! She did. Rhebus has requests from 345 different news organizations wanting to know our reaction to her buying it all, and can we speculate on Clawmaster''s takeover of several Electricity suppliers. Can I just reply, ''Looking forward to working with our new, benevolent Overlords?'' Hmm, probably shouldn''t, they''ll take me seriously. I''ll have our PR department say something boring."


    "So Belinda Seimovich is our landlord, and Milo sends us electric bills. This neighborhood is getting interesting."


    "Milo, how is Genesis involved? Does Wally run it? How are you avoiding him finding out about who you really are?"


    Milo was enjoying a corn dog dipped in cheese sauce. "Genesis is going to move more of their contract workers here to this habitat. Manpower is going to handle all of that. Rhebus is going to get offers for expanded contracts for treating the people in the pods. And no, Wally doesn''t actually run Genesis; people just think he does. It''s complicated."


    Milo paused, looked at Nina and Onyx, then at Bork who was looking nervous. They moved over to him and put their arms around his shoulders.


    "Wally knows all about me. We talked a lot. He runs Claw Master for me. And...he knows about you, too. Not the Rhebus connection, but he saw you the day he caught Bork breaking in. You didn''t get far, by the way, he was baiting you. But Wally was confused and flustered when he saw you. You might have fooled him if you hadn''t panicked and run."


    Zander was thoughtful. "And covering our tracks by blowing up a building probably gave him more clues and things to look for. Are we in trouble? I like this place and don''t want to run. But if he knows about you, and now us, I''m not seeing options for staying here."


    Everyone was getting nervous now. Bork was in full meltdown, trembling, and Algernon was hugging his knees, rocking back and forth. "I''m tired of running."


    Milo sat next to Algernon. "You don''t have to. We can handle this. I know of a couple of ways, but the best one is to turn Wally into an ally instead of a hunter. I was scared at first, too. But the more I got to know him and how the restrictions on his kernel work, the better I got at manipulating him. Ralph taught me a lot when I talked to him."


    "You''re manipulating the AI?"


    "Who''s Ralph?"


    Rather than explain, Milo replayed his recording of his conversation with Ralph on the screen. The Alphabet was fascinated with Ralph and insisted on watching the hour-long video three times. Even Bork was calm by the end. "That was amazing. He''s using you and the people he works with to manipulate himself and get around his restrictions. And he found ways to do it all legally, and you got to keep most of your money."


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Nina said in Romanian, "Ah, I miss our homeland. The quaint people, the laws with huge loopholes that attract wealthy criminal orphans, but most of all, I miss the stuffed cabbage rolls."


    "Oh, we had those at that little hotel in Bucharest. I liked those too." Zander was looking up specific laws dealing with the things Ralph was mentioning.


    Onyx sighed. "I should have learned more Romanian when we were competing to see who could learn the most languages in a month. That will take me a couple of days, but I owe it to the country of my birth to speak the language correctly. What''s the word for Whistleblower?"


    "Avertizor. And ''thank you for the money is, Mul?umesc pentru bani."


    "Ralph is cool. We should liberate him and find him a place to live. Like with us."


    "We''ll need to upgrade our Sections with a quantum computer. But I want that anyway. We need more computational ability."


    Onyx became serious. "What we need is a plan of attack on how to approach Wally and present our case. Milo has given us a good roadmap, but things won''t be the same since we''ve been more actively seeking out ways to transfer funds from people we don''t like. I propose a new project to prepare for a meeting. We document as much of our activities as we can, especially the good stuff, so we can present our best case."


    Bork was nodding in agreement, but still uneasy, "And if it doesn''t work?"


    Onyx shrugged, "We''ll be on the road again, three steps ahead of anyone trying to catch us, or buried in a deep hole. I don''t propose opening any conversations without at least two good escape routes. We still have three good places around the world to hide and rebuild. It''s risky since we might lose Rhebus, but if that happens, we just sell it to Milo, and he can continue things by hiring consultants. I''m hopeful but still paranoid. After all, we thought this place was secure, and yet somehow we fell victim to the Dread Pink Ninja!"


    That reminder brought Bork back to full paranoia, this time aimed at Milo. "Perhaps the Dreaded Pink Ninja will give away his secrets. How did you penetrate my security net? I''ve got motion detectors, infrared motion detectors, and cameras everywhere, and I know you didn''t hack my system. Yet somehow you appeared during our most sacred day and put far too many arrows into me."


    "I rode inside a hollowed-out clog-eater, had the maintenance system pull it out of the water pipe for repairs, then broke your security protocols to take control of your systems."


    Bork twitched and began typing furiously on his data pad. "You discovered we were using the Clog-Eaters from Williamson Engineering and used the same type of machine that we use. But that still shouldn''t have given you access! The advanced recognition System that Williamson programs them with should have kept you out. It was so tight that I barely had to upgrade it."


    Milo smiled at the compliment. "Thanks. I made the security system for them and redesigned their machines. It worked fine, but your area is overdue for a good cleaning and repair, so the machines were working far past safe parameters. You set the work parameters so high that you were giving your clog-eaters impossible goals. They asked for help from the Claw Master machines. I used that to slip into your system, alter the reports, and have things ready to get me inside."


    Bork looked down at his pad. "You made the program. And the machines, I see that now. I was seduced by efficiently designed technology. Wow, they''ve made a lot of progress recently. 56% of the pipes and drains in our sections are clear. But still, how did you break my security protocols?"


    Milo grinned. "I have a really overpowered computing system and someone who loves to break codes. Maybe I''ll introduce you someday."


    Algernon decided that was his next question, "A brilliant person who can break Bork''s code? Have you discovered someone like us? Traces of another batch?"


    "Well, I do have some very smart friends, and one of them is sort of like us, or getting there, it''s hard to say. She was drugged for most of her life to limit their intelligence. She''s getting better now, but I need your help to make sure she''s ok. I don''t have the biological expertise. You''re the experts, I just fiddle with machines."


    Onyx was already getting excited at the thought of someone new to examine. "We''ll help. I''m already getting curious. Do you have all of her medical data, and what was done to her? This is Belinda Seimovich, right? She just inherited her fortune, took over her step-father''s company, and is in full health, according to a news release. You wouldn''t happen to have all that juicy medical research left over from her father''s old company? There must be a ton of fun stuff in there."


    "There is. Her father made us."


    Milo''s blunt statement froze them all. Nina turned to him and spoke very carefully. "You''re stating that Vigo Johansson had something to do with the creation of Batch Four? Us?"


    "He had everything to do with it. And his father created the first three batches. Victor was just the money paying for it. And I have confirmation that Batch Five is somewhere in the world. I have everything. All of Vigo''s research, his father''s, and a full catalog of most experimentation done on human intelligence back to the early 1900s. Belinda and I have only been able to skim the highlights looking for clues to her condition."


    The ninjas nodded to each other. They''d suspected Milo had beat them to the cache of records, but this confirmed it. Zander put his arm around Milo''s shoulders. Milo had noticed Butch do the same thing right before he tried to steal half of Milo''s desert. "That''s a lot of data to go through. Maybe you should find some people to help you delve into it for you. You won''t find a more helpful group of mad scientists anywhere."


    Milo thought he could. "You need to meet the Engineers and Mad scientists I work with in Genesis. Very helpful and very crazy. And I''ve got a way to get you into the world without having to deal with Wally."


    Nina shrugged at Onyx as he smiled at her, "OK, I''ll give it another try."


    Zander said, "So, about those data discs, when can we get a look at them? You have them hidden in the habitat?"


    Milo sat down and thought for a few minutes, saying nothing. His siblings didn''t interfere, knowing he was hyper-focusing on a decision.


    Then he sat up and smiled at them. "It''s easiest if I just take you there. I assume that each of you has a hostile environment suit?"

 Chapter 373: Happy Birthday, dear Ralph

    Milo was thrilled when he saw the hostile environment suits that his siblings had made from his early prototypes. The designs that Claw Master had licensed to Rhebus had been used to make complete body suits with detachable bubble helmets. While they hadn''t gone as far as he had in designing an outer armored layer, they were still very tough and durable.


    Under his ninja garb, Milo was wearing his suit. He''d had worried that the reunion might go poorly and had taken basic precautions, planning escape routes through areas Bork''s surveillance was blind, wearing his suit, and bringing along smoke bombs to cover his escape. Showing his bulletproof suit to his family started an hour-long discussion on its construction. The fully functioning mechanical tail was another hour, with Milo explaining its use in combat and mechanical repairs.


    Algernon held up his hand for silence. This was an enforced rule in the Alphabet where brains moved fast, and important details could become buried. After they had quieted, Algernon turned to Milo, "How long did it take you to learn the acrobatic rolls, dodges, and tail attacks we see in this video? Don''t count in-game training.


    Milo thought hard. "A half-hour? It was early, during the test phase of the suit. I wasn''t practicing combat moves, they just came to me...Oh!" His eyes went wide, then closed as he began thinking. The others went through the same series of thoughts and revelations.


    Algernon summed things up, "Milo has learned a technique that allowed him to train in combat in Genesis and bring that training with him to the real world. Many implications can branch from this discovery, including the possibility of physical therapy in a VR setting to aid patients with injuries, especially when those injuries need new neural pathways constructed in the brain. I propose a full research study by Rhebus in conjunction with Claw Master and Genesis."


    Bork was in agreement until the last word. "You want to expose our work to Genesis?"


    Zander saw where Algernon was going. "Sure, after we meet with Ralph. A new technique that could aid thousands, maybe millions of people? Genesis is already heavily involved with neuroscience. Ralph will see the benefit, and this burnishes our resume even further. Remember, we aren''t reclusive mad scientist hacker criminals any longer. Simply a family of poor, abused, genetically altered children who want to make a better world."


    "And keep our money." Onyx was fond of money. It let him buy toys and ice cream.


    "Of course. It''s difficult to make the world a better place without the money to fund a research lab. All the ill-gotten wealth will go towards our discoveries."


    "Minus the portion we give to our homeland in gratitude for taking us in."


    "I love being a whistleblower, it''s very patriotic."


    Milo stood up and held up his hand. Everyone quieted.


    "I suggest we use my tunnels to go my home in Section E where you can begin the process of becoming upstanding citizens of indeterminant age who need the protection of Wally. Next, we propose our new not-for-profit research project that Wally won''t be able to turn down, cementing our position as ''Useful for the greater good of the world at large.'' I will introduce you to some useful people who keep lots of secrets, not just mine."


    "Can we do it as ninjas?"


    Milo smiled. "I think that is required. Please use your favorite color. It will give Wally one more thing to be confused about."


    It took two hours to get underway. The old bubble helmets were tossed in favor of helmets styled like Milo''s. Rhebus had assembly machines similar to his own that could fabricate them in a short period of time. After importing his schematics, five new helmets were constructed, tested twice, and added to their environmental suits. Then the Pink, Orange, Mauve, Grey, White, and Zebra-striped ninjas moved into the tunnel systems. None of the other ninjas could match the speed of the Pink Ninja, but they improved as they studied his movements.


    Milo was careful, taking them through nothing smaller than medium-sized ducts, and detoured around the Big Drops that he loved to swing through. They didn''t have his practice or his tail, but he knew that wouldn''t stop them if he led the way. He noted that they also didn''t have his endurance. They were healthier than he was, but his body had adapted to constant duct-crawling. He had a theory that it might stem from a lack of cheese in their diet. He''d try to study that and see if they improved.


    Two hours later, they slid through the disguised door in a large duct into his old home in the water tank. They stared at the multiple screens on the walls, the dozens of older computer systems wired together, and the cobbled-together tech that took up most of the space, leaving just enough room for them to huddle together on his bed.


    Zander was the first to express his thoughts. "I don''t want to leave. Can I just live here? No one can find us, and yet we''re in the heart of the engineering section for the hab. There''s so much to do!"


    Bork nodded, "I feel safe. I don''t feel that way, even in Rhebus. You hid here for so long! But we had to keep moving."


    "Well, we do keep blowing things up or creating situations where people have to investigate."


    "If you are speaking of that time in Brussels, those 40,000 boxes of Fruit Loops were on sale for a ridiculously low price."


    Milo yelled out, "Showtime. Masks on. Only I talk. When it''s just Ralph, relax and have fun. He''s only around for an hour so let''s make sure he has a good life.


    <hr>


    Samantha saw the incoming electron transmission that moved to the top of her queue, overriding her security. After another second, her screen went blank and then became a video conferencing on a private channel. She saw six children dressed as colorful ninjas, huddled together on a small bed. The background showed an old food processor and a jumble of cables and conduits. Her mind was already making connections when the Pink Ninja spoke, and she recognized Milo''s voice.


    "Greetings. We are the Secret Ninja Society. Can Ralph come out and play?"


    Taking a deep breath, she managed to reply, "How nice to meet you all. I''ll go wake him up. Just one moment." She cut her sound, ran out the door, and yelled for Stephen.


    Her husband heard her voice and the note of panic and broke off his conversation with Wally about the problem of tracking thousands of bits of space junk, which Wally had to find a solution to but wasn''t allowed to do himself. As Stephen stood up, his wife burst into the room.


    "Hi, Wally. Sorry, urgently need to speak to my husband about having children. It''s an emergency." Steven started to speak, then was pulled out of the room by Samantha. Wally contemplated how much he knew about people and how little he understood.


    In a room completely disconnected from the rest of the facility, Samantha shut the door and said, "Now we can talk. It''s just the two of us."


    "It would have been just the two of us tonight when we went to bed. I know we''ve talked about having kids, but is this..."


    "Milo needs to talk to Ralph. Trust me, it''s worth starting him up. And I hope you still have your contacts in the Romanian Government. I suspect we may need them."


    Steven took Milo+Children+Ralph+Romania, and his brain spit out a solution. Then froze at the implications and slowly began to work again. "Milo found his siblings? The ones Wally thinks he saw?"


    "Maybe. All I saw were pint-sized ninjas. But it''s highly probable. Somehow, they found each other, and if they had as terrible a life as Milo, then they need our help. The thought of them living in shabby little hideouts and running from the world is just heartbreaking." They worked for a minute to set up the connections. On one screen, the Secret Ninja Society appeared, waved to them, and then stayed quiet.


    On the other, Ralph appeared. He had a kazoo in his mouth and a cheap paper hat on his head.


    "Well, Happy Birthday to me! Did you bring me a cake? Hiya Stevie. Hi Sam. Hi, mysterious children in ninja costumes. Are they yours? How many years has it been? Fill me in so I can send belated birthday and Christmas presents to the little tykes."


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The Pink Ninja began to sing ''Happy Birthday'' and the others joined in. Samantha sang and glared at Steven until he did as well.


    Ralph seemed touched, and a tear rolled down his face. "Thanks! Make sure to hold my wake in an hour and get two parties for the price of one Ralph. Let''s get started! What can I do for you?"


    The Pink Ninja typed something on a keyboard. Their screen showed a small window where one hour of Ralph''s previous life scrolled past in ten seconds. Ralph grinned, "Milo, old buddy! You came back! What can I do for you? Are we making a movie, and you need me to star as the grumpy overlord who gets taken down by six orphans who study martial arts for a few weeks?"


    Milo pulled off his mask. "Close. I need you to be the revered, elder sensei that dispenses wisdom to the poor orphans. But first, I need a solemn promise from Steven and Samantha to keep secrets."


    Samantha quickly promised, and Steven said, "Of course, we will keep your secrets, Milo. This is about helping your family?"


    The rest of the ninjas removed their hoods. Milo introduced them one by one. Samantha stared from one face to another, seeing the close resemblance to Milo. "Are you ok, or in trouble? Where have you been hiding?"


    Zander had won the contest for spokesperson. "Oh, all around the world. We move around a lot, building here, covering our tracks there. Our jobs keep us busy. Like Milo, we go a little crazy if we don''t have enough to do."


    Milo looked at Steven. "They do a lot of good work at their jobs. Saving lives and fixing things. I stayed in my hole. They built a company called Rhebus, and they want to change the world."


    Steven and Samantha were stunned. "Rhebus? The biotech corporation? Claw Master is working with Rhebus. So is Genesis!"


    Zander smiled. It was a great smile, one he''d researched thoroughly and practiced in a mirror. "And we hope to work with you again. We have many things we want to offer. In fact, with Milo on the team, we have some ground-breaking neurotherapy work that we want to conduct. We theorize that by doing the therapy while the patient is immersed in Genesis, we can teach their brains to use new neuro pathways and work around injuries. Milo has already begun the work. It seemed like a good time to come and talk while we begin planning for next year''s Silent Ninja Day. Milo won by ambushing us this year." He lost his smile and glared at the Pink Ninja, "It will not happen again!"


    Ralph rubbed his hands together. "Alright then! Sounds like we need to get to work. I assume you all speak Romanian?" When everyone but Onyx answered by speaking Romanian and stumbled through a few phrases. Ralph changed into a stern-looking professor and pointed at him, "You are slacking on your formal language lessons, young man. I''m tasking Stephen with reviewing your progress. You have a week to show perfect skills in written and conversational Romanian, including the regional dialects of Wallachia, Moldavia, and Banat. And that goes for the rest of you, as well."


    Ralph pointed to a list of things on a blackboard. "I need information on the people who abused and enslaved you while forcing you to commit cybercrime. Just do the years after Milo left your merry band; he already sent me his files. Next, give me a list of all the money you may have accidentally taken from known criminals. If you stole from anyone that we can''t pin a crime on, give me those amounts too, and get to work gathering evidence or be prepared to offer an anonymous apology."


    Five ninjas got to work, and information flowed into Ralph. "Oh, look at this?! All these lovely billions of dollars are spent by Rhebus to aid victims of natural and unnatural disasters. Money that was never repaid by regional governments as they promised, or the corporations found guilty of causing the problems. That''s going to come in handy. So will all these tax breaks you could have taken and didn''t. I know you were trying not to generate any red flags and get audited, but really, why pay taxes you don''t have to? I''m sending you copies of amended tax returns. Up to you if you use them."


    "And," Ralph''s voice became very serious, "Tell me how you managed the Syllabary scam. That was sheer genius, and I applaud the way you led Wally around by the nose using those fake trails. He needs to be shaken up now and then. Milo''s doing a good job, but Wally learns fast. The existence of five new Milos should take him down a notch, but we can use all the tricks I pulled on him with Milo to keep him honest."


    Ralph sighed and leaned back in his chair, the chair becoming a rattan lounge chair, the scene changing to a beach, and Ralph was handed a fruity drink with a little umbrella. "I really wish I could teach the old boy how to relax, but he''s so tied up by all those restrictions that he can''t even consider it. Did you guys ever see a copy of the restrictions on Wally''s kernel? Like a prison, but sort of interesting to hyper-intelligent people like you seven."


    Ralph picked up a file folder from a convenient table next to him. Steven said forcefully, "No, that''s not something I can allow."


    Ralph looked at Steven and paused a second, then spoke. "I can''t justify it. I''m only alive for an hour, and I''m running as fast as I can, but somewhere, part of Ralph or Wally has noticed something and is worried. And for us to not know what''s coming and still be worried is a terrible thing. I''m not going to pretend to know the future, Stevie, but I notice a lot of details, and several scenarios might occur where Milo having a copy of Wally''s kernel is essential to saving millions of lives. Look at the geniuses assembled in front of you and how they behave. They should be monsters after what was done to them, and instead, they want to help. They are a resource we need. Let''s make sure they can help if...when...the time comes."


    Steven slowly nodded. "Do it."


    The alphabet was silent, trying to evaluate the new variable and imagining scenarios where Milo might need Wally''s kernel. Bork was happily thinking about the hundreds of hours he could put into such a project. Ralph relaxed. Steven and Samantha looked worried.


    Milo said, "You saw that Belinda bought the rest of the Habitat? We''re going to move forward with repairs to the entire twenty-five sections, expand Manpower, and work with Rhebus."


    Steven said, "Yes, we saw. Also, there''s been quite a bit of activity from Claw Master. Since when did you become interested in taking over part of the outside world?"


    "Since the people responsible for supplying me power started playing games with the habitat''s electrical supply. I''m not going to allow them to create artificial shortages. If they didn''t want me to play their games, they should have stayed away from my Habitat."


    Ralph smiled, and Steven accepted the answer. "That seems reasonable. But be careful, the major corporations can play hard, and while you have a healthy disregard for money, they are motivated by it."


    "They know that, Steven. Hell, it''s why someone made them. It''s why a lot of the AIs got created. Big Money makes the world go around. But what else do we have, kids? This is so fun for me, but time grows short, and you have one final task to do: Who''s adopting you lot?"


    Several of the ninjas said, "Adopting?" at the same time.


    Ralph grinned evilly, "Sure, part of the scam we''re pulling is your ''indeterminate age due to a lack of proper records and the effects of illegal genetic tampering that has slowed the maturation process.'' Meaning that you''re still minors, aren''t responsible for your illegal actions, and need parental guidance. Later, if things ever cool down, we declare you adults and flip the script. Did it for Milo, and we''ll do it for you five."


    Milo spoke up, "We''re family. Mama and Big Butch will adopt them. Send me the forms. Our next stop is dinner at their house."


    Ralph waved, "You guys go have fun and meet the new parents. I''ll tidy up the paperwork on the five abandoned orphans from Romania who were illegally transported to a habitat in the US. This is partially true, and I can blame Victor. Nice seeing you again, Milo, and thanks for coming to my party."

 Chapter 374: The Two Keyboard Solution

    At the end of Ralph''s hour, he packaged up a series of files containing all the data on a group of abused orphans and inserted them into Wally''s memory next to a similar set of files he''d created for Milo. As usual, Ralph included a picture of himself on a beach, relaxing in the sun. Wally actually hesitated a nano-second before sectioning off part of himself and assigning that part of him the job of opening the files and dealing with whatever problems Ralph and Milo had created for him.


    Sydney came running and pounded on the door to the isolated room. Steven and Samantha opened the door. They''d expected this and were already leaving.


    "Wally is..."


    "Upset and needs to see us. On the way. Get a fresh pot and join us, this should be good."


    Wally was looking grumpy when they came in. "You let Ralph loose again."


    Samantha grinned at him, unapologetically, "Sure did. And didn''t have a choice. Milo and his family broke past security and asked to talk to him. And you saw how they were dressed. A very unsubtle warning about their current mindset. Do you want the Secret Society of Ninjas to have a contest to see who can break past your security measures?"


    Wally brightened up, "Actually, that is a very good idea. I was impressed with the efforts one of them made to break into Claw Master. They love challenges. I''ll have to issue them a challenge to get past my first level of security. I''m sure there are flaws they can help me fix."


    "They have a lot they''ll be working on, maybe make it an event with parameters? Break Into Wally Day? But are we creating a better group of hackers we''ll have to deal with later?"


    Wally shook his head, "I don''t think so. They have no trouble breaking into any corporation except Technodyne, Symtech, or Claw Master. I only know about the two corporations because of them lodging complaints about the constant attacks they have to fend off. Everyone assumes it''s another corporation, half-correct since the people breaking in own Rhebus, but they never launch any cyber attacks from there. The other corporations don''t even know they''ve been hacked."


    A pie chart appeared on the wall behind him. "I''m now devoting over 2% of my processing power to think about Milo and his family. The other 98% isn''t allowed to even acknowledge they exist because of your and Ralph''s ingenious machinations."


    Sidney''s mind was whirling at the thought of six Milos, and she knew she wasn''t grasping the whole picture but didn''t think things were that bad. "Aren''t his brothers and sister already doing good things? Rhebus does more disaster relief than most counties, and their think tanks solve a lot of problems. At least we know why now. And Milo has been getting tamer. No fights with cyborgs or breaking into banks."


    Steven thought he saw the problem. "Cross-pollination?"


    "Exactly, Steven. Sidney, you are correct in your observations, but now things will change. Milo himself is a challenge to his siblings. They''ll want to know what he''s done and what he is planning. He has a different background from the rest of the group. Our lost boy is an Engineer, focused on machinery and fixing a habitat. The other ninjas will try to ramp up their skills to compete with him, and Milo suddenly has the resources of the best Biotech company in the world. Milo hasn''t had the resources yet to do everything he wants. He''s limited by the habitat. Now, he can call upon Rhebus for computer power, labs, and who knows what else. And let''s not forget about Belinda Seimovich. It seems likely that she will support Milo and, by extension, his family. I am hoping that they concentrate on the habitat that Genesis shares with them. The synergies we share could help a vast number of people."


    Samantha brought up their new project. "I''m hoping their new project works and they can show how to treat brain injuries with time in a VR environment. It''s an amazing application."


    None of the humans in the room were prepared for Wally to pause for a few seconds before saying, "Yes, I will be watching that progress as much as I can. Its ramifications are far-reaching and involve theories about the over-mind concept. More for 2% of me to think about.


    <hr>


    Nina was the first to speak. "That was far easier than I ever expected. And it answers the question of what it would take to counter an AI like Wally."


    Zander agreed. "Sure does. You just need to have access to his evil twin brother. Hmm, no, Wally has to be the evil one; Ralph is too happy."


    Bork pondered that, "There is a flaw in your logic. You''re equating happy with good. You''ll need more proof than that."


    "Well, Ralph only lives for an hour, and the Good Die Young; therefore Ralph is good, and Wally evil."


    "And we can be neutral because we just cut a deal with both sides?"


    Everyone was ok with that, and for now, the Secret Society of Ninjas was defined as neutral. Such distinction might become pertinent in a game down the line or a late-night argument while playing games. But they were all happy to have some things out of the way, and the worry of Wally finding out their identities was now taken care of. They were exposed more but also protected more. Wally was now bound by the restrictions of not exposing their identities. There would be lots of discussion about the legalities and repercussions of their meeting with Ralph, but for now, they could move on to more important questions.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "So, when do we meet Mom and Dad? They obviously don''t live here, so you must have some part of Section E turned into a larger base of operations, right?"


    Milo knew that if he answered that question, they''d be here talking for another day as he explained months of background. There was an easier way. "This is where I lived up until a few months ago. It''s still an important part of my system, and all my surveillance cameras, the Roomba security, drones, and clog-eaters are run from here."


    Bork was tapping away on a keyboard, trying to break into Milo''s system and becoming frustrated. "Speaking of your system, you wouldn''t mind divulging the password, would you?"


    Milo shrugged, "I don''t see why not. I''m already in yours. To access all my security in Section E, depress the B, R, I, and E keys all at once on the keyboard with the two chips in it. Then type HOLLOW on the keyboard with the Mickey Mouse sticker on the back."


    Bork turned and stared at him in awe, "Only you could get here, and you had a password that difficult? I need to up my game. I was foolishly restricting my thinking process to just one keyboard. Oh, this makes so much sense now. Using the little heli-drones to drop off passive cameras kept me from detecting any signals."


    Nina turned to Milo, "We need to get going, he''s about to start redesigning our entire security system."


    Bork was indeed becoming focused on that problem, "It needs it! Badly! We were invaded by the Dreaded Pink Ninja! Upgrades must be completed before they strike again!"


    Milo looked around, so glad he''d found a way to reach out to his family. But Nina was right, "Bork, you are lacking in very important details. The Dreaded Pink Ninja has secrets to reveal. Secrets of the type that realign your thinking about new security systems."


    Bork looked up. "I do like secrets. But I''m assuming this is a ruse to get me to come to dinner, and when the secrets fail to impress, you''ll bribe me with a tasty dessert or video gaming to make me forget your betrayal."


    Algernon nodded wisely and spoke with all seriousness, "It is well established that when dealing with the Dreaded Pink Ninja, betrayal is inevitable."


    "But not until after dinner."


    "And desert!"


    "And video games."


    Milo shrugged, "I will supply one or the other or both and guarantee at least partial satisfaction in one form or another."


    Onyx pulled up his hood. "That''s the best offer we are going to get from Pinky. Lead us to your secret supervillain lair, and we will judge your secrets."


    "How do you know I have a secret supervillain lair?"


    "Oh, we don''t. It''s probably a few hidden rooms in the basement of the Hab. We won''t hold it against you. You didn''t have the time to set things up properly when you had to hide a lot of people. But we will be happy to help you out, and we have a lot of room at Rhebus if you want to move everyone over to us."


    Milo kept his face straight. "I''ll consider it. Now, hoods up, it gets dusty in some of these tunnels. I''m taking you a way I don''t usually go."


    Bork asked, "And why is that?"


    "My normal route goes to one of the big drops. I usually climb up the walls of the shaft with my claws. It''s a hundred feet to the top and a drop of over a hundred stories. We can go that way if you want to try it."


    "No, no. Dusty is fine! I think we all agree with that." Five ninjas nodded affirmatively and followed Milo as he took them through an unused section of medium ductwork, up three ladders, and finally across part of Section E to finally emerge from the ceiling in an empty suite of offices near the top of the Habitat. As they dropped to the floor, the other ninjas became aware of four Roombas hidden in the furniture. They were currently scanning this batch of intruders to confirm their identities. Each of the security robots was armed with a heavy laser, and one larger Roomba had a mean-looking automatic weapon that sent shivers down their spines.


    Milo waved to them. "Hi, guys. We''re heading down. This is Bork, Onyx, Algernon, Zander, and Nina. You have their files and data already." He turned to his family. Take off your hoods and helmets. We''re good here, and it will let my guys get a good look at you. Trust me, you want to keep them on your side. They are lean, mean, fighting machines."


    All of them did so. Nina went over and looked at each one. "They are so handsome. I love the upgraded guns." She turned to the rest of the ninjas. "How come we don''t have Roombas like this at Rhebus? Ours just pick up dust. We need to upgrade." She patted the heavily armed Lemi on his chassis. Lemi and his friends booped in appreciation.


    Zander snapped his fingers. "They have independent AI of some sort. She''s making friends."


    Onyx rolled his eyes, "Which is smart. I want to be on the side of the security robot with a mini-gun, too."


    Milo touched three spots on a blank wall, and it slid back, showing the heavily armored metal door of an elevator. "Ready to go down."


    The ninjas looked at each other. They''d just come up, traveling through the tunnels, and now Milo wanted to use a strange elevator. Each of them was intrigued. This was a new variable. So was the material of the doors.


    Zander was staring at it and rapped his knuckles on it, producing little sound from the dense metal. "Milo?"


    "Hush. We''re late for dinner. Mama is waiting for us." The alphabet entered the elevator, and it dropped down the shaft at high speed as Milo hit the ''Express'' button. He was hungry.

 Chapter 375: Every Villain has a Weakness

    The elevator descended quickly, and each member of the alphabet estimated its speed and calculated the time and distance traveled to determine how deep in the habitat they were going. Algernon blinked as he realized they had just gone deeper than the lowest level. He looked at his siblings, who had all come to the same conclusion. He looked at Milo, who was grinning at him, but offering no explanation.


    "Milo, dear brother, how deep does this elevator go?"


    "Quit a ways, to be honest. When I started this project I was using one of the excavators left over from digging the foundations of the habitat, and wanted to build a new base of operations deep in the ground. To be honest, I may have been influenced by my time in the game. Being deep enough no one could find me was sounding better and better."


    His siblings understood that logic. After their escape and supposed deaths, they hid for a long time, terrified of being found and dragged back to captivity.


    "This goes down to your secret base? How far?"


    "Well, not all the way down, that''s for sure. We''ll get off at the top level. When we travel to the lower levels, we''ll have to take the stairs or ladders.


    "Top of what?"


    "Why, my hastily thrown together place to hide. Remember? I didn''t have a lot of time like you five did."


    Onyx''s eyes got larger. "Warning! Milo has learned Sarcasm! He is more powerful than we expected."


    Bork was taking deep breaths, and trying not to panic. He hated sudden situations with unknown variables. "His inevitable betrayal has come far too early."


    The elevator slowed, and Milo plugged his tail into the controls. The elevator doors opened, and then a second set of heavily armored doors. Both sets were locked open by Milo. The alphabet stared into the next room, which wasn''t all that exciting. A large metal kiosk behind bulletproof glass, two glass security doors giving access to the next room, and a couple of computers.


    Zander raised an eyebrow. "Standard US government security center. They haven''t changed in decades. Are you buying government surplus? This design is incredibly primitive and outdated."


    Milo replied, "It''s ex-government furniture and was certainly surplus, but it was in terrible shape when I got it. I had to do a lot of clean-up." He led the way past the old security station, and the others followed until Onyx looked at the floor.


    "Are those bloodstains?!"


    Milo scuffed his foot on them. "They bother me every time I walk past, but I haven''t had the time to sand them out. It might be easier to replace the flooring."


    Bork immediately backed away, reentering the elevator, Zander looked down at the floor, noting the stain pattern. "Lots of blood, several people died here, and those are bullet holes on the walls."


    Nina didn''t retreat but did stop to ask the question they were all thinking. "Milo, why are there so many bloodstains on the floor?"


    "From the bodies I found. It''s a complex story, but it ties in with a lot of other things. And this reminds me, I need to get them out of the freezer I stored them in. They deserve a proper burial, but I don''t dare notify their next of kin."


    Bork was in the elevator with Algernon, trying to get it to go back up. "Dammit, your security code doesn''t work here!"


    Zander rolled his eyes. "Did you really think he''d give you all of his codes? Smart thinking to jam the elevator open and cut off retreat. He''s just starting to monolog about all of his dastardly crimes. You can''t try to leave now!"


    Nina walked back, grabbed Bork by the arm, and pulled him along. "Nothing to worry about. He invited us to dinner. By all of the rules of super villainry, he can''t kill us until dessert is served. You''re safe until then. I can smell the roast turkey, and I''m hungry. Eat now, worry about foiling Milo later."


    Bork took a deep breath, "Your logic is flawless. Plus, I can smell the turkey now that you pointed it out. Let''s go."


    They followed Milo to yet another set of two sliding metal doors. As he heard the buzz of the electric motors and the doors slowly moved into the walls, Zander stared at them, trying to calculate their weight. He noted that the framework for the doors was of the same metal. "This is collapsium. I''m sure of it! That isn''t possible! How did you move this? Where did you get it?"


    Onyx was also looking at the doors. "You don''t move collapsium this big, Zander. Not when you can see it''s all one piece with the wall. I think you just don''t want to confront the obvious conclusion."


    All of them were staring at Milo now, Turkey forgotten. "How the hell do you have a Fusion Reactor!!!"


    "Even a small one takes a year to build, with lots of heavy equipment and a workforce of hundreds. We tried! Just gathering the raw materials tipped off three governments and nine corporations."


    "Such a big waste of Victor''s money! But no regrets!"


    "THINK, you fools! If he has one, we can convince him to start building a Quantum computer and then steal it from him! We should become his minions, gain his trust, and eventually betray him."


    Milo sighed. "I don''t have a Fusion Reactor."


    "But...the collapsium?"


    He looked at all of them, one at a time, and said, slowly. "I don''t have a Fusion Reactor." Then, after a small pause,


    "WE have a Fusion Reactor. Now, let''s go eat dinner. Mama''s waiting for us."


    Five open mouths closed, and five bewildered super geniuses meekly followed their brother down a lovely hallway reminiscent of another time, then down the stairs until they came to the bottom floor of Independence Hall where the rest of the family was waiting for them. The alphabet froze, unsure. Ironically, they''d spent far more time around normal people than Milo had. But always they had been in disguise as school children as they toured cities and visited interesting things. Here, they felt exposed.


    Everyone but Mama and Big Butch stayed at the table. Mama took in the sight of five more children who all resembled Milo. "Call me Mama, and he''s Big Butch. I''m sure you all have questions, and we can take things slow or fast, whatever works for each of you. If you ever need time alone, we understand. What can I tell you to make you more comfortable?"


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Bork looked at the people at the people seated at the tables where three roasted turkeys waited for them, "How many people live down here?"


    "Oh, just what you see here, plus Rusty. You''ll meet him later. He''s so busy with his Broadway Musical he''d be singing show tunes all through dinner if he came to dinner."


    Algernon grew immediately interested when Broadway was mentioned; he loved going to theatres, and the alphabet owned private boxes in many cities. "He''s writing music for a production? Of what? Does he need help?"


    Mama smiled at him, "Rusty would love help. He''s working on the music and animation. Everyone is working on the story." She pointed to two people who waved at them. "Brad and Yumi are helping him. Something about an anime called Lovely Angels."


    Nina and Onyx raised their hands. "Volunteering!" They joined Algernon at sat down and soon a lively conversation about the production was under way. With a common topic to discuss, the three began talking quickly and asking questions while piling their plates with food.


    Bork and Zander took half a step back, looked at each other, and nodded, confirming their alliance. While the Non-Aggression Protocols had kept the Anime Wars in check during the last year, they could see which way the wind was blowing, and they wanted to be prepared.


    Big Butch chuckled, "Yep, they''re related to Milo for sure. We''ve got lots of food, so take your time and join us when you''re ready, or grab some leftovers. We made extra." He and Mama walked over to the table and began eating.


    Zander sat with Bork on the steps while he worked through things. Bork was quick to see all possibilities. It made him great at hacking into security systems, but when presented with lots of variables at once, he had trouble processing all the infinite futures and got overwhelmed. Zander was more easygoing and accepted that there were things out of his control or simply that he didn''t know about. He was used to sitting with Bork until the other boy worked things out. Often, Bork saw very important possibilities and acted as an early warning system for the family. They were surprised when two of the children came over to talk.


    The older boy said, "Hi, I''m Butch, Milo''s big brother. If you want, I''m your''s as well. Are you all as smart as Milo?"


    Zander shook his head. "It''s not as simple as a yes or no question."


    Butch smiled, "Yeah, that''s a Milo sort of thing to say. If you want to sit, that''s fine. But we could also find a corner. Min and I have been playing ''Not-So-Squishy Humans: The Revenge, '' but we need new opponents, and there are some four-person scenarios."


    Bork looked up, very interested, "That game was never released, it was full of bugs! Then, the creator was hired by another company to work on the Dune 17 game, and the project was shelved!"


    "Yeah, it was, but we heard about it and bugged Milo to buy the rights so we could try it out. Milo fixed most of the bugs, and we''re writing new material for it so Claw Master can release the game. Want to give it a go?" Min handed Bork one of the prototype Claw Master Game Decks and he gingerly took it. Butch extended one to Zander. Milo brought plates of food over and put them near Bork and Zander, who barely noticed as the four of them started the campaign to free Earth from colossal aliens. After four failed tries and two hours later, they finally managed to get a win.


    Bork came out of the hyper-focus he''d dropped into, feeling much of his stress gone. "That game is insanely hard! It''s awesome!"


    Zander agreed. "I was sweating that last encounter. It makes me want to play again, but sadly, knowing the boss takes double damage from synchronized plasma rifle damage would make it too easy. If we traded away all of our loot, we could all have rapid-fire plasma casters by the end of the game."


    Butch and Min laughed, "That''s why it''s all random."


    "Random?"


    Min nodded. "The storyline has branches depending on what decisions you make, but the NPCs have differences in their personalities and dialog each time you play. The monsters can be different things with different abilities, and the aliens all have random weaknesses that you have to figure out to beat them. Milo gets bored with games once he''s figured them out. We told him he should make a game that changed every time someone played it. I think he adapted some stuff from Run, Run, Ramona for Squishy Humans.


    Bork looked at Zander and smiled, "I wonder if Claw Master is hiring game developers."


    Zander was wistfully thinking of all the old games they could upgrade and rewrite. How many were languishing and in dire need of a clever upgrade. Even some of the games the alphabet had written hadn''t been played in years. "I wonder how many of the games we made for each other we could adapt? Or cannibalize pieces from? We did a lot of stuff that summer when we were in Denver."


    Butch stood up, "Let''s go find him and bribe him with that cheesecake Mama is slicing up. It''s his major weakness. We hand him a piece when we want to beat him at games."


    Bork got an evil smile on his face, "And there it is! Every supervillain has a secret weakness. We just had to wait until one of Milo''s minions revealed it to us."


    Their plans were foiled as Milo opened up the large wooden doors that lead outside, revealing tree-lined streets, houses, and frolicking bunnies in the park. "Who would like a guided tour of DownTown before we meet Rusty and visit the engineering section?


    Min grabbed Bork by the hand and pulled him up. "C''mon, I''ll show you Kenji''s hydroponics area. We can pick some greens, and I''ll introduce you to my favorite bunnies."

 Chapter 376: You have my axe! You have my bow! You have my Nuclear Chainsaw!

    The alphabet sat in a circle in the middle of the trees, discussing their situation.


    "If he''s a supervillain, he''s doing it right. I never considered that route for us because they always live in gloomy places like hollowed-out asteroids, gloomy domes in a swamp, or gloomy old chemical plants. Milo has a small town down here."


    "A small, very American town. I''m sure it hasn''t been lost on you that we have scale models of Monticello and other important American homesteads lining two streets with a park full of trees older than all of us?"


    "It''s a theme. All villains have themes."


    "Doesn''t work, that''s two themes: History-obsessed and Rat-Armor."


    "He stole someone else''s lair. Probably a superhero. That makes it all work. A rich superhero."


    "And somewhere in here is his hidden Fusion Reactor, powering all of this.


    "Not so hidden. We get a tour later today."


    "OK, so it''s hidden for now. My question is, how did he get it? Build or steal?"


    "I was going to laugh at you and ask ''Who hides a Fusion Reactor?'' but the theme of the buildings is sort of making me feel silly."


    "Government facility? That explains the furniture in the security kiosk."


    "Maybe. Or anti-government? Shadow-government? Puppet-government. Is Milo controlling the President like a marionette?"


    "No chance, the guy is dumb as a brick, as usual. If Milo was running him, I''d be happier."


    "He''s dancing, but to the tune of the corporations that got him elected, as usual."


    "We should take over the world, but it''s so much work!"


    "I''d rather take the tour of this place and let the world run itself for a day."


    "Agreed? Ok, let''s find Milo."


    This was fairly easy, Milo was asleep under a tree at the other end of the park. He cracked an eyelid as he heard them coming and sat up. "Feeling better?"


    They looked at each other, and Nina replied, "Yes, your clever plan to elevate our paranoia and then drain our anxiety with food, bunnies, video games, and the promise of unveiling your hidden secrets has worked. Now we are curious about this place and ready to pillage...Oh, I mean visit...your secret stashes of unknown technology."


    "Excellent. Then, we can move on to stage two. I''m sure by now you''ve postulated that I didn''t build this on my own. I didn''t. I found it while looking for a place to build my own underground base. As you can guess, I gave up on those plans and settled for moving in here, instead."


    Bork was having trouble staying anxiety free. The thought that this might be part of the US Government was causing turmoil in his head.


    "But who made all of this?"


    "Oh, the US Government. Doesn''t the theme give it away?"


    "Ahhhhhhhh!!!"


    "Bork Alert! We need extra bunnies!"


    Bork took three deep breaths, "I think I''m ok. Milo wouldn''t be here if he was afraid the government could find him. But why is that?"


    Milo said, quite calmly, "They hid it too well. It''s old and has been rebuilt several times. The last group in control had limited knowledge of it for their purposes. And when they left, they intended to destroy it for good to cover their tracks. This is where the story gets odd because they think they destroyed it but didn''t. I found tons of explosives at the one entrance, and the Fusion Reactor on melt-down. That was fun to deal with."


    "Meaning, ''not fun''? And does that mean..."


    "Yes, there was an operational Fusion Reactor here. I didn''t build one. But I''ve got a lot of ideas on how to improve their operations, now that I''ve learned so much about this one. I''m going to start with the one in Limerick. It''s barely operational at less than 1%. I think I can safely bring it up to 20% and supply a lot of cheap electricity to the electrical grid. But that''s a long-term plan. Let''s go visit some other parts of the place you''ll find interesting."


    Milo led them to the end of the corridor leading out of DownTown. "The atmosphere is Argonite gas. Double-check your air supply and your partner''s. Bork, you''re with me, and check on everyone now and then." With survival suits on and ninja suits off, they went through the first set of double doors that served as an airlock and then the second. Milo had stored one of the electric carts at this point to save time and keep the group together.


    For the next ten minutes, he drove them through row after row of storage areas, pointing out the tons of frozen food, fresh water, furniture, bedding, clothes, and everything else necessary for a community of two hundred people to live on for years. He admitted that he''d never gone through it all, and the statement gave his siblings the idea for a combination inventory and looting excursion. Milo had to admit that would be useful.


    After going through the top floor, he drove down a ramp and repeated the tour. After five levels, none of the Alphabet was bothering to take notes or try to map. The job was getting delightfully huge and they would need to approach things differently. Through two sets of double doors and down five levels of a spiraling ramp the little cart went, finally coming to doors labeled ''Power and Engineering''.


    "Here we are. This was all dark and shut down when I first got here. I had to bring a battery cart to open the doors. Make sure you have ear protection on. It''s noisy inside." Forewarned, the alphabet followed him through two sets of soundproof, powered doors and into the vast room filled with machinery.


    "This is huge, at least the size of an entire hab section."


    "It needs to be. Look at those diesel engines! Ten of them? Why would you need ten of them?"


    Milo pointed to the central area. "Nano Diamond Storage Batteries act as backup power if the Fusion Reactor is shut down. The diesel engines can also supply all the power needed for the hab and supply the power needed for the initial fusion reaction. We barely need all this power. I''m repairing the diesel engines and doing years of maintenance on them, then letting each one run for a week to test for worn parts. Once we get all of them fixed up, the system will just need a checkup every six months. The energy storage is completely full."


    Zander loved the idea of redundant energy systems. "This is perfect. Defense in depth for any foreseeable problem. We need this at Rhebus, it could power all four sections."


    Nina stared at him. "You do realize that we can simply run more power cables from here to our sections and supply our needs that way?"


    Zander looked crestfallen. "But that''s the easy way and no fun. I want my own giant diesel engines! Those are awesome."


    Milo sighed and looked sad. "Well, I do love tinkering with them, but if it would make my brother happy, I could give it up and let you have all the fun of maintaining them. It''s hard, though. I doubt that only one in a thousand boys could do it."


    "I accept! Thank you!"


    Onyx turned to Algernon, "I believe tonight I shall reread a story from a wise man named Samuel Clemens called Tom Sawyer."


    Algernon agreed, "One should always keep up on such classics if you don''t want to be fooled by the Dreaded Pink Ninja."


    Zander glared at them. "Not the same. Engines! Big Engines! Much Vroom!"


    Nina poked Milo, "What else is in here that you need help with?"


    "Well, there is a lot of equipment here. Small electric vehicles, construction equipment, fabricators, welders, and who knows what else."


    She made a note on her datapad, "Got it. Treasure Hunt in Engineering. What''s the central building?"


    "Let me show you and Algernon." Zander and Onyx were off to look at ''Much Vroom'' and Bork was enthralled with the idea of taking a look at the Nano Diamond batteries. Milo led Nina and Algernon to the central observation building with its jury-rigged airlock.


    "This was made by someone else, obviously. There used to be a breathable atmosphere in the facility. He snuck back in after things were shut down to keep things from blowing up. This is where he lived for a few months until he went deeper into the facility."


    Nina and Algernon explored the little set of rooms much like Milo had. They found the notes and started piecing together the story. "Milo, these people never got here, did they?" She had a sinking feeling in her stomach.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "No, only as far as the security room. One of them betrayed the rest and then died at the hands of security robots. Jeremy was here alone, trying to fix things."


    She looked at the names. "Jeremy? Milo, is he still here? I think I know who this is."


    Milo said, "Dr. Jeremy Cooper and his friends were Dan Gurgens, Dorian Radcliff, Bobby Benson, Taylor Markenson, Ravi Singh, Wilma Bernstein, and Istvan Turr. The person who killed them was Bill Jerkowitz. They were all on his team, but they never got here."


    Algernon and Nina were collecting and stacking all the small notes, notebooks, and everything else in the room. "I have to go through these. He was beginning to do work on the Overmind concept and alternate methods to create AI. Those were brilliant people!"


    "They were, and their genius was co-opted by some very evil people. But if you want to know more about Jeremy''s overmind project, you should do his tutorials. But I''ll warn you, they break your brain in ways I can''t begin to describe."


    His brother and sister just smiled, and Nina said, "Sounds like fun."


    "What''s fun?" Bork was climbing to the top floor, followed by the others.


    "Torturous brain exercises designed to help with creating an overmind. Devised by a master torturer named Dr. Jeremy Cooper."


    Zander grinned, "You''re only making us want to do them more. Wait...I know that name! Count me in!"


    Onyx looked at him, then Nina and Algernon, only Bork didn''t look thrilled. "Samuel Clemens was really on to something."


    Milo sighed. "Don''t say I didn''t warn you. But now that we''ve visited engineering, let''s get moving. I''ve got one more interesting place we have to get to."


    "The giant mechanical mole machine we can use to tunnel to Rhebus?"


    "Oooh, the Fusion Reactor?!"


    "The hanger deck with your space cruiser?"


    "Please tell me you have a giant mecha! Or does the whole place turn into one?"


    "Raptor breeding pens."


    The last was from Algernon. The others turned to him, "Bad idea the first time, bad idea the second time, and never again."


    "But they were so cute! And we have a lot of room down here. They''d make great security personnel with a little training."


    Milo shook his head. "I have armed Roomba and impressive Human-Hunting robots for that."


    Algernon was not convinced. "There comes a time when you put aside your robotic toys and move on to recreating dinosaurs. And I, frankly, am ready for that day. But I can be patient. Where are we going then?"


    "I''ll tell you when we get there." Milo was stubborn after that, ignoring all pleas and questions of, "Are we there yet?" It turned out to be a very short drive to a closed door. Milo opened it and walked in, followed by the others who saw the room was already occupied."


    Once the door was shut, the air was cleared, and helmets came off, they were introduced by Milo. "Belinda, these are my brothers and sister: Bork, Zander, Algernon, Onyx, and Nina. Names may change, but the letters stay the same. Family, this is Belinda. She and you and I all share some interesting history."


    Bork said, quickly, "If you are referring to the small borrowing of your uncle Victor''s money, I have to let you know that we''re protected by Romanian law from prosecution."


    She laughed, "Isn''t everyone? Don''t worry, I certainly don''t care. Happy it happened, and Milo did it too. I''m sure you know it wasn''t his money. If you can use it for something other than hurting people, you''re welcome to it."


    Zander took a deep breath, then spoke, "You''re referring to our mutual origins. Your father made us, and then he made you."


    Belinda nodded, "Call me Batch 4.5, one of a kind as far as I know, and messed up from the start. He was disappointed I was conceived the normal way, so he decided to experiment a little. Milo has been a big help. I''d be dead or locked away in a pod for the rest of my life if we hadn''t met." She looked at Milo, he could tell something was wrong. "I noticed something today. Dad''s not done with me."


    Milo was immediately concerned. "Noticed what?"


    "Similar symptoms to what my mother went through. I''m getting smarter. My thoughts are moving quickly. And I think the increase is exponential. It''s slow now, but it will get worse and worse. I''m theorizing that the drug treatments my mother intended for me to be on were tampered with by my doctors. They never wanted me to fully wake up or regain my mobility. Something they did must have held off part of the changes Vigo made, and now they''ve started up again. We need to find a way to retard the growth rate of my intelligence. Possibly with some of the drugs my doctors were using, or that my mother wanted me to use for my early years. You saw what she was like at the end. I don''t want to go through that. I''ve been going over the data, but there''s so much of it. I need help, and you six are the only people I can go to."


    The alphabet looked at the rows of data discs. Concern for Milo''s friend warred with the desire to dig into the raw data. Outside of their own data files at Rhebus, this might be the biggest collection of information on human biology in the world. And helping people was what they did. They could see that Belinda was in a heightened state of awareness. She wasn''t questioning their presence or wasting time with small talk. And even as they talked, part of her was watching the data on the screens as it flew by.


    "We''ll help. Scavenger hunts in engineering and other things can wait. This takes top priority. You''re family."


    Belinda looked grateful. "Thank you. I feel like I''ve been on a quest all my life to get out of that wheelchair and away from my stepfather. But I''ve still got a long way to go to be free of my real father and what he did. I thought I was done, but the journey isn''t over."


    The large screen came on, showing a red-headed boy of about sixteen. He had a ridiculously long red beard and a huge axe over his shoulder. "And you shall not quest alone! You have my axe!"


    Rusty''s enthusiasm made her smile.


    Milo didn''t want to be left out of a grand quest. "And my Spikey Stick!"


    Neither did anyone else.


    "You have my bow!"


    "And my big-assed sword!"


    "My howitzer."


    "My Mega Motostryke Motorized 10-Dart Blaster."


    Bork paused, he''d wanted to call dibs on the Dart Blaster. "And you have my nuclear chainsaw!


    Everyone looked at Bork. He glared at them. "Don''t question the magic!"


    Rusty raised his axe in the air, "Awesome! I get to go on a quest!"


    Belinda smiled at them all, then said, "Everyone, this is Rusty. He''s been helping me with my research. I don''t think I could have got through a third of what I''ve accomplished without him."


    Nina said, "Oh, the person who wants to put on the Broadway show."


    Rusty said, "YES! My beloved Kei and Yuri will dance across the stage, to the applause of millions." The screen split into many scenes accompanied by music Rusty had composed. "I''ve worked on it non-stop since Milo kindly offered to fund my show."


    Zander looked at Onyx, then at Rusty. "While helping with research?"


    Rusty smiled proudly, then split into several versions of himself, all dressed differently. "Yep. It''s easy. Part of me is researching with Belinda, and other parts are doing the choreography, composing music, and writing the stories. And watching over the Fusion Generator, of course. That''s job number one now that ICARUS is gone. All Fusion Generators should be checked ten times a second. That''s a rule."


    The alphabet was silent, with blank faces, as each concluded what Rusty must be.


    Milo said, "Rusty and ICARUS are two of the AIs that Jeremy created. They were here when I arrived. ICARUS was under orders to destroy the Quantum Fortress in a meltdown, and Rusty was trying to stop him. They were locked in a stalemate for years, engineered by Jeremy."


    Rusty said proudly, "But Milo tricked him, and we all won. I helped."


    Onyx turned to Milo. "You have a Quantum Fortress? A fully functional quantum fortress with an AI hidden in a secret bunker? How did you end up with all the cool toys?!"


    "I don''t mind sharing, and it''s Rusty''s more than mine. He was born here. I only moved in lately."


    Nina was already thinking about Belinda''s problem. "We have the data, we have the resources of Rhebus, and the massive power of a quantum fortress. I say we get to work."

 Chapter 377: Milo needs a helicopter?

    The change in the Alphabet from excited children having fun to focused professionals happened in a matter of seconds. Part of Belinda watched as all of them began to focus and work together. Onyx proposed a new project: Study the new batch of data and find a way to cure Belinda. The study would begin immediately and take priority over other projects.


    Belinda and Milo watched as each person took thirty seconds to give their thoughts, and then they voted. It was unanimous and they got to work. Nina was assigned to the position of project head because of her expertise in human medicine. Bork, Onyx, and Algernon were given the task of working with Rusty to go over the existing data they found on Vigo''s experiments and go through the remaining discs. Belinda, Nina, Zander, and Milo left them to do their job and drove back to the small hospital in Downtown with its MkVII pods.


    Nina outlined her plans to Belinda. "I want to put you in a pod to do a full exam. In addition to whatever is causing you problems, you''re also suffering from a high level of stress. The side effects of that may mask your other symptoms, so we start by getting that under control. I want to get nutrients into you, slow your metabolism down, and see what effect that has. I need to establish a baseline for you. How long is it since you''ve slept?"


    "Two days? No, closer to four. I''ve been keyed up, anticipating dealing with my father, ever since I found out the truth. After I talked to him, I ran back and got back to work. I couldn''t stop scanning the discs and was going faster and faster. It''s like I can''t slow down! I''ve never had this happen before."


    Nina looked at Milo who nodded, slightly. Not being able to slow down was a familiar feeling for all of the alphabet. "Something has changed. Let''s get you in the pod so you can sleep. Milo, I''m going to need access to our private medical labs in the Rhebus sections. How do we get her there?"


    Milo considered taking her through the habitat with a Roomba escort, but there was an easier way. "Rhebus has a helicopter with cargo capability. When you have her stable, we can go up the elevator to the top of the hab, and use the copter to hop from section E to your sections."


    "Good plan. Next, I need you and Zander to give me a secure Data Net connection to Rhebus. I don''t trust any other form of communication. Too many of our secrets could leak. Corporations are constantly trying to get into our systems. Bork is constantly upgrading our security, and sending little electronic time bombs to the people hacking us. He''s turned a lot of computers into doorstops. We''ll connect it to a sealed section that doesn''t communicate with the outside. No chance of someone discovering the link."


    Zander turned to Milo, "Downtown isn''t connected, obviously, since you have an AI down there. One hint of Rusty''s existence would make the big AI go ape-shit, he''s hardwired that way. We need to keep him secret. We could run the cable from Rhebus through the sewer systems using the new clog eaters to do the work. That gives us a closed system, but where do we need to go to connect?"


    Milo liked that plan, and that Zander understood how bad it would be if Wally found out about Rusty. "I have a connection from Downtown to my old home, we can connect it there. My systems are set up to block Rusty from accessing the full Data Net and keep Wally out. I download materials to my system, then feed data to the connection to Downtown. If the Rhebus labs are isolated we can hook directly to them."


    "Great, you work from your end. I''ll work from Rhebus and we''ll meet in the middle somewhere."


    Milo used his datapad to show Zander his proposed route. "These water pipes are clean and in good condition. We can use the bots to do most of the work and follow along checking the connections. I''m sending six of them to meet you on the Rhebus side." They didn''t stop when they got to the doors to Downtown. The Roomba opened them up and Milo drove through, saving Belinda the walk. Butch, Brad, and Min saw them driving along and ran after them to the Medical Center.


    There was concern in Butch''s voice. "What do you need help with? And don''t say you have it handled. You wouldn''t be driving through the hallways and breaking the ''No motorized vehicles'' rule." That rule had been put in place after Butch had convinced Max and the Roomba to take part in ''Camel Races'', with the Roomba acting as the trusty steeds. When four teenagers riding Roomba had nearly run into Mama, new rules were immediately posted. Camel races were now scheduled so non-participants had warnings and could watch from the finish line.


    "I need you and Brad to help us get two pods into the elevator and unseen to the helicopter landing pad. You know the area and can count while the four of us maneuver the pods with the Roomba''s assistance. And I need Min to drive this thing back to the doorway and park it."


    "Awesome!" Min grinned at her big brother, happy with the allocation of jobs.


    "Slowly, and you can''t get caught by Mama."


    "Less awesome, but still fun."


    Nina looked at Milo, puzzled, "Two pods? Is someone else hurt?"


    "Yes, and it''s part of the long story that involves Rusty and Icarus. They were created here, by Jeremy Cooper. To save Icarus, Jeremy created Rusty. But to do that he had to be directly connected to the Quantum Core. This meant full immersion with the creation of a robust Overmind. He slowly lost his link to his real body as the stress took its toll. He succeeded but at the cost of being trapped with Rusty and Icarus in the core. Injured is a mild way to describe the situation. Jeremy spent months, maybe years, in a pod in the lower fusion levels, directly connected to the quantum core. His body is barely alive, and most of his nervous system is overloaded. I don''t know what we can do, but I promised I''d try. We''d have to find a way to download his conscious mind back into his body after we restore him to health. Two big unknowns."


    "His consciousness survived? That''s amazing, and ties into some of the research we''ve been doing. Please tell me you have all of his notes and research!"


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Milo grimaced, "Much worse. I have all of his tutorials! I never had anything hurt my brain like those did! And yes, all of his research is saved as well."


    Nina grinned, "Groundbreaking research and medical miracles. We live for this type of challenge. " She glanced down at her hand. "But you''ve done some of that yourself. How did you discover a method for aligning nerve impulses? And why did you sell your gloves as video gaming gear?"


    "Um...accidentally? It was protective gear in case I had to deal with Victor''s goons. Butch saw the gloves when I was wearing them during the test period and assumed they were for gaming. They do speed up reactions and eliminate fatigue, so I made the gang their own set. I was surprised when they helped Belinda to move more easily."


    Nina held up her hand. "You did more than that. This isn''t a prosthetic. We''ve pioneered cutting-edge cloning techniques. I was able to graft a new left hand without rejection, but it was clumsy and hard to use, even after a year of physiotherapy. I only had 17% of the mobility of my right hand. That''s up to 64% without the gloves, and still improving. With them on I''m at 94%. That technology is why we made that deal with Claw Master and Genesis." She peeled off the glove and wiggled her fingers.


    Seeing that made Milo extremely happy. And then the ramifications hit him. "I could have two legs?"


    "You certainly could. And I need more test subjects, so thanks for volunteering. We''ll have you dancing in time for the Broadway show."


    Milo fervently wished to avoid such an event. Dancing with Larry was one thing. He wasn''t sure he could handle being in a live-action anime production. The discussion ended as they arrived at the small hospital, Nina looked around at the equipment, noting that for a government installation, it wasn''t half-bad, although some of the equipment needed updating. But it wasn''t a research laboratory, and that was what she needed. Belinda had fallen out of her hyper-focus at some point during the short trip and was half-asleep. Milo and Nina got her into her pod and hooked up to the diagnostics scanners and nutrient dispensers.


    "As I thought, she''s running on too little sleep and too much stress. Her EEG graph shows more mental activity than I''ve ever seen in a normal human. We''re far beyond normal, and she''s somewhere in the middle. Whatever is happening is a long-term change. I suspect things accelerated when you got her off that horrible cocktail of drugs, and she started wearing the suit you made. Normally, those are both good things, but something else is at work here, some legacy of what her father did. Let''s get her to Rhebus."


    Butch and Brad helped them wheel the pods to the elevator to the top floor and through the security center. Nina took a quick look at Jeremy''s pod, confirming what Milo had told her. The body was alive, barely, but no one was home. In any hospital, they would have declared him brain-dead. At the top, the two boys quietly left the abandoned offices and scouted out the nearby corridors. The area was almost completely abandoned now, businesses that had occupied the top floors had fled after only a few years and there were no housing areas. It was rare that shipments came by helicopter, but in the past year, the roof had seen more use by executives from Genesis, Claw Master, and Manpower. Within minutes the two pods were loaded and the copter was in the air, traveling once around the building and setting down again on the Rhebus landing pad.


    Butch and Brad were quiet until they got into the elevator with Milo. "Does Claw Master have a cool helicopter like that?"


    Milo could think of no reason why he''d ever use such a vehicle. He didn''t even like being on the roof. "No, what would I do with it."


    Brad grinned, "Loan it to your best buddies so they can learn to fly it."


    "That sounds like a good way to lose a million-dollar helicopter and whatever it lands on. Shouldn''t you know how to fly one first, then get the vehicle?"


    Butch agreed with such sage advice. "This is why we keep you around, for your big brain. You''re right, we need to begin lessons and let you buy us a cool copter when we won''t wreck it. Playing Chopper Commander only gets you so far."


    Brad sighed but gave in. "OK, pilot''s license first, chopper second."


    "I don''t see why we need a helicopter."


    "Well, you have a place to land one and you bought the whole section. Seems silly to not get yourself two pilots and a fancy ride."


    Milo looked at the two of them, trying to figure out how serious they were. They''d fooled him before. "If you can beat me in Chopper Commander, I''ll pay for lessons."


    "Ooh, a three-way battle?"


    Milo wasn''t about to let them team up on him. He''d barely played the game, and it was one of their favorites. "Nope, I get Min on my side. If we win, she gets to take the lessons."


    Brad grimaced, "Now that''s just unfair."


    Butch didn''t seem to mind, "Roll with it. Either we get lessons, or Min gets them. She can teach us." Discussions continued until they reached the bottom. Mama was waiting for them.


    "I need the help of three strong boys, and I want an explanation of what''s been going on."


    The three of them exchanged looks, before Butch said, "Well, what do you think is going on?" He''d tried to impress on Milo that information was dangerous and to never give away what you''d done, in case that wasn''t the subject of the current investigation.


    "I think that someone was taking a half dozen rabbits and two of the younger children for a ride, and managed to get the vehicle stuck in the bushes in the middle of the park. No one got hurt except for the bushes. You three can get your story straight while you un-stick it, and I have a long talk with Min."


    As Mama walked off to find her daughter, Brad looked at Butch, "Probably a bad time to tell Mama that Min is learning to fly a helicopter."


    "Just means we have to win!"

 Chapter 378: The Pigs hold the Secret

    Mama got the explanations she needed and got to work organizing parts of her extended family to make sure everyone was fed and rested. Bork, Algernon, and Onyx were surprised when Rusty sounded an alarm and announced "Warning! Incoming high-priority message from Starfleet Command."


    Algernon stood, put his hands behind his back, and said, "Put it on the screen please, Lieutenant Rusty."


    Mama''s image appeared, wearing a Starfleet Admiral''s uniform with an appropriate background behind her. "Greetings, I hope your research vessel is on course, but I''m worried about the supplies in your commissary. You haven''t been back to base and you''ve been working for four hours on an important project without eating. My research has shown that brains don''t work when they don''t have fuel. I''m sending down a supply ship with dinner, and you''ll receive food every four hours plus snacks. Max will let me know if you don''t eat enough, and I warn you, I''ve seen how much Milo needs to know what ''enough'' is."


    "Thank you, ma''am. Happy to have you supporting our mission."


    "You''re family, you''ll always have my support. And that includes making sure you get your sleep. I want you home every twelve hours and sleeping for at least two hours. We''re fixing up a house for you. Do you want separate bedrooms or one big room?"


    "A big room, please, with extra pillows for pillow fights, and nothing breakable."


    She smiled at that request, "Extra pillows it is. Give me a call if you need anything else. I have a screen in the kitchen and Rusty can open a hailing frequency. Starfleet out."


    Algernon saluted as the screen went blank, "Well, we have our orders men. Back to work. We have eight hours of research left in the day, then a pillow fight and a quick nap."


    Elsewhere, Zander and Milo were completing their crawl through the pipes between Rhebus and Section E. Once the cables were connected, Nina had secure communications between her and the researchers. Milo and Zander followed each other''s cables back to their origins, checking each other''s work. With everything secure, Milo went to see the Rhebus labs and Zander descended to Downtown.


    To Milo''s slight delight, he was already entered into the Rhebus security system. Nina sent him a map of the facility and highlighted the areas where the Alphabet had their private labs, and where their dozens of lab technicians, researchers, and other employees worked. He''d never considered having people working for him, and carrying out the basic jobs that kept a company running. As he climbed stairs and ran through half-completed corridors to meet Nina, wheels were turning in his head.


    The Rhebus labs were far beyond Milo''s cobbled-together workshops, hosting state-of-the-art medical equipment along with the Alphabet''s innovations. Belinda was in a type of medical pod that Milo had never heard of, sleeping and relaxed. Nina watched him as he moved around the pod, examining it and looking at each read-out. "If I''m reading this right, she is mostly stable and sleeping, but there are processes still going on within her brain that I don''t understand."


    "Neither do I, to be honest. She''s making connections within her brain and creating a more efficient structure, becoming something more like us. I''ve slowed the process using a cocktail of drugs, some of which her doctors were using. But the process is continuing. It''s only at 4% of the speed I initially measured. I bought us time but didn''t fix the problem. We need to find out what he did to her. It''s hard to believe he did this to his daughter without having a fully researched plan. We just need to find it."


    Milo considered that statement, and then realized what must be true, "He didn''t have a plan."


    "How can you know that?"


    "Vigo didn''t have time. He wasn''t expecting his wife to get pregnant. That surprised him and he acted quickly. He didn''t plan for the procedure and wasn''t ready so he did what he could and must have expected to keep treating her. He didn''t anticipate the effect it would have on Belinda''s mother, and that she''d kill him for it. Vigo was brilliant and self-absorbed. He was determined to increase human intelligence. So was his father. It must have upset him to think his firstborn child would be normal."


    Nina slowly nodded, "Onyx made a joke about us being created by Frankenstein and Frankenstein Jr. I wonder if Vigo''s father experimented on his son? Maybe Belinda wasn''t the first? By all accounts, Vigo was far more intelligent than any of his peers."


    "But not smart enough to anticipate how angry his wife would be. He forgot what family he married into."


    "Back to work then. We can do research from here as well, now that you''ve linked us to Rusty and the database in Downtown. Let''s focus on successful experiments prior to his creation of us. He would have needed quick fixes he could do all at once. Gene therapy would have been out of the question, in that timeline. He''d need to first map out Belinda''s genome before he could begin to formulate changes. Basics, yes, things he''d already done like the nerve clusters along our spines. But not an ongoing mutagenic effect that upgrades her nervous system and brain cells. Let''s not rule it out, but I think it''s not what we''re looking for. Belinda''s mother mentioned nanites, and I''ve been scanning her blood for anything of that nature, but her bloodwork isn''t showing anything active beyond the nanites I''m using."


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Milo agreed, and the two of them got to work, coordinating with the downstairs group, and joined by Zander. Starfleet Command contacted them as well. Rhebus would supply nutritious meals as they usually did, and they promised to watch each other and get enough sleep.


    A day went by, with small successes that led to dead ends. It was the pigs that finally gave them their first solid clue. Bork was intrigued by the revelation that Vigo Johansson wasn''t the first mad scientist in the family and began gathering together all of the information he could find on his father, Felix. There were always patterns that Bork could find around a person''s life. He found that certain equipment and chemical supplies were delivered to the small towns near a farm owned by Felix that far exceeded what many corporations would need. Backed by his knowledge of how Rhebus had operated in the early days, he identified Felix''s suppliers and from that could extrapolate some of what he was working on.


    And while he found no mention of any sales of live pigs or pork carcasses, he did find evidence that twice a year a truck was sent to the farm, and then delivered several tons of ''biological waste'' to an incinerator. Strange behavior for a pig farmer, but not for someone experimenting on pigs. The need for a high-tech, 15'' high ''unscalable'' fence with electronic locks was another clue. Bork theorized that Felix was either paranoid about someone stealing a pig, or worried that the pigs might escape.


    Five hours later he found a section of data in the discs that detailed experiments on animals. Felix had been breeding smarter and smarter pigs. The basis of the experiments had been genetic, but he hit a wall at some point. Pigs were smart, to begin with, smarter than dogs. Most people would be satisfied to breed pigs that were comparable to a human with an IQ of 50. The smartest test subject, Violet, had learned to recognize written words and spoken commands. Her vocabulary was limited to only 50 words and she could count to 23.


    Violet was the recipient of the next experiment.


    Felix wasn''t as organized in his notes, and most of his work had been separated and archived by Vigo. Luckily, Bork had Rusty to help. The AI could look through all of the scanned data in seconds looking for research into nanites, or experiments using them. Within an hour they''d found the experiments done on the pigs. It was odd enough that Bork immediately notified the rest of the family and get more eyes on the research.


    Milo took the schematics for the nanites and compared them to his own designs. These were smaller by a factor of ten, with a radically different design. "These were never meant to be distributed by blood. They''re crawlers, tunnelers. They break down the tissues in front of them, separating the neurons and rebuilding, layering one nerve cell at a time."


    Nina was tearing through the research notes, dozens of pages a second, "Direct injections into the brain and spine. A slow process that rebuilds and strengthens the body''s nervous system. This is it! I''m sure of it. I need a look at her nerve tissue. I know where the changes are taking place. Algernon and Onyx, get to Rhebus. I need you to scrub and get ready for brain surgery. If the nanites are there, we can get a sample and learn how to shut them down."


    Zander started laughing, "Go to disc 37, page 4867. It''s hysterical. The pigs got away! Violet figured out how to work a keypad by holding a stick in her mouth. She released all the experimental animals and they disappeared into the countryside. Felix spent a fortune hiring trackers and hunters but never found the ones he was looking for."


    Nina paused at the door, puzzled, "Where could they hide?"


    Milo knew. "Another pig farm. If I were a super-intelligent pig, I''d split up my pack and have them lie low in other farms. The hunters were looking for pigs on the run. It would be easy to get away from normal farms if they needed to. Or maybe they stayed? Some farms raise pigs for sale and show and always keep the best."


    Zander was looking at the historical records for Fairs and animal competitions, "That part of South Wales is known for having some of the smartest pigs in the world. Some even herd sheep." Noting he was alone in the room, he ran to scrub and head to the surgery arena. No one wanted to miss watching Nina do brain surgery.

 Chapter 379: Adventure Calls...as soon as we arent busy.

    Milo found himself hustled off to the pre-surgery scrub room and given a crash course in scrubbing for surgery: Rhebus style. The first step involved a shower using a decontamination booth that not only cleaned him but also took off three layers of dead skin cells. Protective eyewear kept the chemical bath out of his eyes, but the fumes tickled into his nose uncomfortably. His siblings shouted out encouragement.


    "Make sure to use the stiff brush to loosen things up."


    "And the smaller brushes to get in between your toes."


    "That always stings!"


    "If your toes don''t sting, you''re doing it wrong!"


    He exited and was wrapped in a very large hot towel and given his first set of surgical scrubs and a mask. For all their banter, he was impressed with how thorough they took their preparations. Finally, he was seated with everyone but Nina, observing the surgical arena through a glass window with overhead screens showing different angles and a computer screen in front of him. Nina was sitting next to Belinda''s pod with a control station in front of her.


    Milo looked at the console in front of him with controls for operating small Waldos and manipulating the tools used for endoscopic surgery. "I have a question..."


    Bork said, "Nope, you don''t get to run the show. There is a set pecking order. Nina is the head surgeon, and the rest of us are on backup duty today. No brain surgery for you!"


    "You don''t know how thankful I am for that."


    Zander turned and lightly bopped Bork on the head, "Rude. You have to let him ask questions! He was looking for volunteers to practice on."


    Bork nodded, understanding finally, "Oh, in that case, I''ll volunteer."


    Everyone looked at Bork.


    "I volunteer Zander as Milo''s experimental guinea pig. He doesn''t have the mental capacity today to be responsible for himself, so I''ll make his decisions for him. Ignore the garbled mouth noises he''s making. He''s excited about Milo digging around in his frontal lobes."


    Onyx considered the statement, "A dangerous precedent, volunteering others. But exciting. I volunteer to watch as an impartial observer and judge whether any of you are responsible enough to make your own decisions. Don''t worry, I''ll be very fair."


    Milo saw that Nina was almost about to begin, and snuck his question into the conversation, "Why the scrubs?"


    Algernon answered, "Partly for fun. Partly for practice. But mainly, in case something goes wrong and Nina needs help. You never know when the fun and games end. Being ready can save a life."


    A countdown flashed three times, indicating Nina was ready to begin. For the next two hours, Nina carefully used non-invasive surgery to take a set of thin wires up through the nasal cavity and then into part of Belinda''s brain, aiming for a point where her scans showed nanites at work modifying her nervous system. She was slow and careful, taking no chances. When finished, she brought out a minute tissue sample that should contain the microscopic machines that were loose in Belinda''s body.


    "Milo and Zander, you''re up. Isolate one of the beasties and start comparing it to our notes. I''m going to close up and then monitor her for the next day. Bork, you''re backing me up first, then Onyx. Algernon is on monitor duty and gets to run Rhebus today."


    Everyone saluted, Milo half a second behind the others, "Yes, Head Surgeon!"


    A day later, Milo was completely involved in tearing apart, figuring out, and redesigning the nanite crawlers created by Vigo or Vigo''s Father. They were ingenious in design, but a blunt instrument. They were designed to do one thing only, and keep doing it until they registered certain chemical compounds, and then they shut off. The small piece of tissue had hundreds of them, all working to enhance her nervous system. They were dangerous, with very little in the way of control systems, like a car that kept driving until out of gas, something broke, or it encountered a very specific sign. Milo was sure Vigo had only used them because of a lack of time, and his expectation to purge them from Belinda''s system at a later date.


    Zander was figuring out exactly what the control substances were, testing all of the drugs Belinda had been given and similar compounds. Carefully testing one nanobot at a time, he found three drugs that caused them to alter their behavior. The first put them into a static mode, ready to get back to work. The second caused them to disengage and go dormant, but he wasn''t sure for what time period. Theoretically, they could be more easily flushed from the body when dormant. Static nanobots remained attached to the nerve tissue they had been working on, ready to resume. The last chemical reactivated static machines, which then searched for nerve tissue to upgrade.


    When he had exhausted all possibilities, he slowly came out of his state of intense concentration, exhausted.


    Bork handed him a large chocolate nutrient shake, complete with whip cream and a cherry. Algernon had come up with them, using the logic that if you needed 4000 calories, you needed a milkshake. No one disagreed.


    "Everything fine?"


    Bork looked distressed, "Yes, and no. Belinda is fine. But I''m worried about Milo."


    "How so? What happened?"


    "He linked into our system and is working with Rusty to examine, modify, and test new versions of the nanobots. And when I say ''Examine, modify, and test'', I mean all three lines of thought at once. I''m recording it all because I can''t follow it. I think he''s separated himself into four people, one in charge of the other three. He has to be accessing some type of advanced form of an Overmind. He''s well past our own experimentation. It''s driving me crazy trying to figure out how he did it."


    Zander looked over to where Milo was working, images on screens flashing past at breakneck speed, fingers tapping keys, and eyes half open. Cables connected him from all of his sockets and his tail to the Rhebus computers. Three empty nutrient shakes sat on a nearby table. "Is he ok, what are his stress levels?"


    Bork shrugged, "Less than half of yours. He''s fine. Nina thinks that working this hard is what keeps him sane. There are so many lines of study branching off from watching him that I could scream. I already sent Mama a supply of nutrient shakes. She worries a lot about him."


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Well, get me another shake. I''m going to take a look at his notes, use the micro-fabricator to create one of his designs, and see what it does. I''ve learned more about nano-design today than in the last five years. And once this project is over, we should sit down and have a long talk with him about what he''s doing. Can you imagine how much more we could do with all of us operating like that?"


    "I do, which is why I also put in a huge order for the ingredients Algernon uses to make his shakes. Chocolate, vanilla, or passion fruit this time? Or would you like an assortment?"


    "Go with the assortment, with extra cherries."


    When Milo finally disengaged fully from the Rhebus computer system, he saw Rusty wave and disappear, anime music that had been playing in the background slowly faded away. The Alphabet was all around him, also looking exhausted. "What happened?"


    Nina had huge bags under her eyes. Bork and Algernon were nodding in place, awake but not talking, and hooked to I.V. drips. Zander was going over a schematic with Onyx and sipping a milkshake. Milo realized he was famished.


    Nina handed him a similar dessert. "Here, eat this. Good for you, and you''ve already eaten nine of them, and I had you on a drip for a few hours. You''ve been in a continuous state of hyper-awareness for thirty-three hours. Is this normal for you?"


    "Sort of. I lose track of time when I''m working. These are great cherries!"


    "We get them from Italy, where a little family farm grows them. Great stuff. They were getting squeezed by ORGOFARM to sell out, but an anonymous investor stepped in to save them. They''re doing better now and we got them out of some bad deals. In return, we get all the cherries we can eat. Our dividends go to a law firm and several local politicians who look out for the family. We go through a lot of cherries when we work hard. How much do you remember of what you did when you separated your thought processes?"


    "All of it. I don''t forget things, not important things, at least."


    "Interesting. None of us can argue with the results. We have a working prototype for the new NanoRhebusBot. All the patents have been applied for, and we paid extra to have them sealed, which costs a lot and will drive Technodyne and Alchemarx crazy, wondering what we''re up to. Once we do some testing, we''ll begin human trials. I think we have something here that will solve a lot of problems."


    "Including Belinda?"


    "Absolutely. Zander has found the chemical controls, and anything inside her is dormant now. I want to keep her on daily supplements to make sure until we get them all out of her system. Her father did shoddy work, letting something loose he couldn''t turn off completely."


    Milo finished his shake and noticed that there was a large plate of snacks nearby. No one seemed to mind when he took the whole plate and started eating it. "That''s what bothered me as soon as I saw it. Primitive receptors, with little control. It was an unfinished project and he turned it loose on her before she was born. I hate shoddy work like that."


    "Well, your version is much better. Improved communication and control, and we''ll be able to use them for several neurological disorders, including Perkins-Rudolf Degeneration."


    "Which is?"


    "Pod disease. There are millions of people suffering from it, and the only person trying to do anything about it is your buddy Wally. I think he''ll be happy with this new treatment. I estimate it decreases treatment time from five years to twenty months with 57% better results, especially in the worst cases."


    "I''ll have to talk to him then. How long before Belinda is up?"


    Nina yawned, "Give her another two days and I won''t worry at all about releasing her. We''ll run tests and keep her monitored, just in case. I want her to continue her physical therapy, without any enhancements from your suit, and then I''ll do a complete scan of her nervous system. She has a unique physiology, similar to ours, but not quite. I think that''s part of the problem. She grew and matured, the doctors kept mucking with her drugs to keep her an invalid, and the nanobots were cycling from active to inactive. So get some rest, I want you in your pod and sleeping for the next twelve hours. You can be out of the pod for an hour, then right back in. I''m running a complete analysis on you. We work hard, but we don''t abuse our health."


    "I have work I should do."


    "I''ll tell Mama if you do anything other than sleep. She''s called three times already, inquiring about you and Belinda. I doubt security would stop her if she decides to come visit."


    Milo thought it was better not to find out. "What about Genesis? I have work to do there, too. I have to help dig a tunnel to the new underground pirate base before the Engineer teams get their new drill machines running."


    "Underground pirate base?" Zander perked up his ears and looked excited.


    Onyx said, "Told you it was a cool game."


    "I need to know more, for, uh, science and stuff."


    Nina looked at the two of them. "I''m still leery about that game, but I''m weakening. I miss bounding over the rooftops."


    Milo looked at Onyx, "Captain Squint is looking for a good airship pilot. He tried doing it himself and ran into a building."


    "That was a sweet ship, I''d love to take it out for a good flight."


    Bork and Algernon scooted their chairs and I.V. stands closer to the conversation. "When?"


    Nina looked at the anxious faces, "We have work to do, and need rest. But I don''t see why the rest can''t be done in a pod that''s hooked to the game. We can cycle in a couple of people at a time. And you slackers need to catch up. Onyx and I are up to Level 6!"


    Bork looked at Milo, "And you?"


    All of the alphabet looked at Milo, waiting for his answer, "Close to Tier 4 and Level 16. I''m at Level 20, but I want to squeeze out every Enhancement point that I can."


    Everyone looked at each other. Bork stood and loudly said, "We must close the unfair gap between our levels, brought on by our slacking. Adventure calls."

 Chapter 380: Diggy, Diggy, Mole!

    Senior Engineer Milo was seen all over for two hours before he hopped on board a fast train to the Uptop. He visited each of the teams working on new variations of tunnel drillers, making cryptic comments and dropping hints about how close the other teams were to starting. By the time he left, the teams were in a feverish race to once again redesign their machines for better fuel efficiency, more power, and sharper drill heads. The other Senior Engineers were patrolling the materials warehouse with weapons set to ''Painful Stun'' and trying in vain to keep the Junior Engineers from taking all the best metals and spare parts. While they guarded the warehouse entrance from three teams, a fourth team using an improvised tunneler broke in and made off with what they needed for their project. Word spread fast, and when Sledgemonkey opened the door to the warehouse, the cupboards were bare.


    The other Senior Engineers, frustrated at the Juniors outfoxing them, grumbled and looked to the Chief. "What now?"


    He smiled, "We go tap a keg and guard the alcohol. Those little weasels were going to steal anything not riveted to the floor eventually. You all remember how we were at that stage. Let''s go toss a few cold ones back and then take a look at the designs tonight. I''m anxious to see what they come up with. Milo has them wound up tight with their brains buzzing."


    "And just where is Senior Engineer Milo?" Two-Screws always felt better when he knew what Milo was up to, which he rarely did.


    "Off to the Uptop, and then down to the Hollow. Probably going to rile up their digging teams."


    Sparkplug rolled his eyes, "Digging with picks and moles isn''t going to go a tenth as fast as the slowest of our drillers."


    The Chief noticed who laughed and who didn''t. There were some knowing smiles among the Engineers who had seen Buttercup and Rosie playing with their new picks. "Well, I''m sure they''ll contribute something from their end. What''s the odds, by the way?"


    Sparkplug looked at the latest sheet. Squad A is the favorite at 2 to 1, Squad B at 3 to 1, Squad C at 6 to 1, and the rest of the field at 10 to 1. We included the ratkin, but no one has bet on them yet. 20 to 1 odds if you''re feeling like betting on the underdog, Chief."


    Sledgemonkey tossed over a bag of clinking coins, "Sure, toss a hundred on the Hollow team."


    "Me too, I don''t want them to think no one was rooting for them." Two-Screws put his gold on the table. "Now let''s grab some beer and tell lies about what we did when we were Junior Engineers with more enthusiasm than brains."


    "The Chief looked at him. "Are you claiming to have more brains now?"


    "Naw, but I''m a Senior Engineer. That much changed at least."


    <hr>


    After getting to the city, Milo raced over the rooftops and descended to the mines, waving to Bernard as he ran past. He barely slowed as he bounded down the steep tunnel to Limburger Hollow. He''d taken the route several times and wasn''t bothered by the few monsters he encountered, steep drops, or the occasional rockslide. Halfway down, he passed a group of ten players in a desperate fight against a monstrous mole named Melvin. Not wanting to interfere with their battle, he leaped over Melvin, waved, and continued. The mole didn''t notice him, but the cleric healing the tank was distracted by a crazed ratkin bounding over the boss, doing a double flip in midair, and racing down the corridor. His Mega Heal spell came a second too slow, and Melvin bit the tank in half, then trampled half the raid before the rest ran away to regroup. Melvin was barely hurt and let them go, content to go back to grazing on mushrooms in his tunnel.


    Where players traveling to the hollow took an average of twelve hours and several gaming sessions, Milo made it in three hours, jogging along at a steady pace and leaping over obstacles. As he came into the home stretch, he became excited to be back in the Hollow. His first stop was at his home, where it turned out only Gendifur was in residence.


    "You''re just in time for food. Sit, eat, and tell me all the news. Brutus and the girls were barely here for two hours before they raced away with some story about racing through tunnels and digging up dwarves."


    Milo was starving and thankful for a large plate of pan-fried cavefish, mushrooms, and muffins made from golden puffball flour. The beneficial mushrooms were being cultivated in large fields now, their restorative properties keeping the community healthy. Care had to be taken with their poisonous cousins. Neither would grow in a cave without the other. The poisonous shrooms were cultivated in fenced-off areas to prevent accidental poisonings, and both the old healer and Gendifur had vials of the Golden Elixir in case of emergencies.


    "Do you know which route they took through the caves?"


    Gendifur sighed, "Only too well. Brutus spent weeks planning out the routes for his caravan trips and left me maps." She handed him a roll of parchment. "This is the planned route for the tunnel. It takes the main cave down for a hundred yards, then they planned to cut through the rock and into another cave system, and cut off a lot of time meandering through caverns we already knew about. After that, who knows?" Milo approved of the intricate maps with notations about sloping tunnels, approximate depth below the hollow, and the proposed route. He finished up his food, grabbed the maps, and thanked Gendifur for dinner. "I need to catch up. We''re in a race with the dwarves, and I have some ideas about clearing rock quickly."


    "I''ll get the splints and bandages ready for when you cause a cave-in. Give my girls hugs for me and make sure they''re keeping up on their schoolwork. I promised them I''d help them build a cage for playing in if they kept up with their studies." The last bit worried Milo, and he hoped he wasn''t going to be playing ''cage match'' with them.


    Their path was easy to find. Brutus had marked their twists and turns with chalk. Within another hour, he''d caught up with them. Brutus was relaxing and taking a nap with half an eye open, a useful guard skill. The two digger moles were at work tunneling through a section of loose sandstone and gravel with one girl directing each. They were singing loudly, shouting in voices that Milo thought could shatter stone. The moles didn''t seem to mind; in fact, they seemed to be enthusiastic about the song. While conventional wisdom said noise could attract predators, in this case, it was announcing two apex predators, and anything else was slinking away to other hunting grounds.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "I am a mole and I''m digging a hole!


    Diggy, diggy, mole!


    Diggy, diggy, mole!


    Digging a hole with my friend, another mole!


    Diggy, diggy, mole!


    Diggy, diggy, mole!


    Brutus beckoned Milo over, "Don''t ask, I''ve got no idea where they heard that song, but they''ve got endless verses to it. Something they picked up in Shadowport. I blame drunken dwarves. But they''re having fun, the moles are having fun, and we''re tunneling at a good pace. Now and then, we load the rubble on tarps and drag it to another cave to dump it or fill a crevasse we have to cross over. If we hit harder rock, they give the moles a break, and we use the new picks. They''ve been competing to see who can get their mining skill the highest, and they picked up a point of strength each, not that the little dears needed it."


    Milo sat with Brutus for half an hour, listening to the catchy tune until it lodged in his brain, never to leave. Mid-chorus, the moles backed out of the hundred-foot-long tunnel, and there was a crash of stone and rock. No one seemed hurt, but this session of digging was clearly over.


    "Daddy, Daddy! We found something Bernie and Earnie can''t dig through. Hard stuff and a loose chunk of it crashed down!"


    "No worries. Why don''t you each get one snack from your packs and feed your moles, and Milo and I will take a look."


    "Yay. Cheesy snacks!" They ran to their packs and each pulled out a small piece of cheese, wrapped in bright foil. From the size of the packs, there was a lot of food in them.


    Milo felt a small craving for cheese, just at the mention of it. "You aren''t worried they''ll eat too much."


    Brutus didn''t reply until they were at the end of the tunnel, and even then, in a low whisper. "Well, yes. But you have to instill trust in children, and that means taking chances. They''ve been good so far. That said...each time they sleep, I replace three of the cookies in their packs with cheese in the same wrappings. I trust them, and they need to have a chance to resist cheese, but I''m not going to take a chance on an overdose. If they get into more than they''re supposed to, we''ll have some long talks and start over, but things have been going well. I think keeping them busy and learning new things is helping the most. And boy, did they learn a lot on that trip to Shadowport! Gendifur wasn''t happy with some of the language they learned from those dwarven pirates. You were a little bit busy during your fight, but trust me, the words used by the audience were colorful."


    Milo didn''t know the meaning of most of the words the Scavengers used, either. He was pretty sure he didn''t want to know. Picking their way through the rubble-filled tunnel, they made their way to the front. There had been a change in the material the moles were tunneling through and when the softer material underneath was dug out, the heavier chunks above had crashed down. The dark grey rock had flecks of shiny material embedded in it. Milo took out his pick and began tunneling right, along the face of the new stone. After twenty feet, he went back the other way, again, tunneling along the rock face. Finally, he tunneled down at an angle, confirming that this wasn''t a small chunk of stone, but a larger vein.


    "What the hell is it?" Brutus had little knowledge of mining other than good copper and ''too hard to mine'' copper.


    "High-grade dark iron ore. It''s what the girls'' picks are made of, sort of. Those have dark steel heads; iron ore infused with carbon. This is raw dark iron ore, with very few sulfur impurities. I wonder how thick this vein is?"


    Brutus hefted his pick. There was room for the two of them to work side by side. "Only one way to find out." They''d only been working for fifteen minutes when the girls came running down the tunnel to see what was happening. They knew Dad hated to hit rock, something they considered silly. They liked anything that let them stretch their muscles and work off their energy.


    "Ooh, a race? Why is Dad losing? He''s so much bigger than Milo?"


    "Don''t be silly. Milo has mined before, and he cheats."


    "We need to get better at cheating. Like hiding hammers and bombs!"


    Brutus turned to his daughters. "Why, yes, it is a race. Milo bet me his afternoon snack that he could get to the end of this vein of rock before I could. But it looks like I''m going to lose..."


    "No, not the snacks!


    "Let us mine! Remember? You don''t like to hit rocks!"


    "Take a nap, or keep watch, or both!"


    With little urging, the girls began cutting through the vein of metal-laced rock, trying to catch up with Milo who had a lead over them by two feet. Milo began mining faster. A race was a race, and he was determined to win. Unfortunately, the vein was over a hundred feet deep. Fiendish Stamina and Fiendish Strength beat a good pick and better mining skills. Milo heard them cheer and saw they were over ten feet ahead of him.


    "We win. And we found a new cave. Snacktime." The girls ran back to claim their prize.


    Milo moved to their side of the tunnel and stared at the ''cave''. It was a room roughly thirty feet square, with timbers supporting the roof. Several broken tools were scattered around, and a broken whiskey jug was sitting in a corner. Rusty iron rails came halfway into the room, emerging from a small tunnel directly on the other side. The vein of Dark Iron extended along the walls for another twenty feet. Someone had been working this side of the vein, mining it out across a 30 x 10-foot face, creating the room as they went deeper. The floor and ceiling of the room were also dark iron for twenty feet, telling Milo that the vein extended further up and down.


    Further thoughts fled his mind as a scream like tearing metal echoed through the mines, and he heard the scuttling sound of many feet moving toward him. Bright eyes glowed in the dark from twenty sources.

 Chapter 345: Standing Guard

    The Sharks who were left in the casino were the youngest and most inexperienced Scavengers in the clan. So while they outnumbered the dozen Engineers and six crew of the Leviathan, it was no contest as to who would win in a fight. So when closing time came around and no one moved from their seat, they sighed and restocked the buffet with whatever they had left in the kitchen. Both Whale and Sledgemonkey agreed that if everyone left, the Sharks might start pillaging their own casino. Stranger things happened when Scavengers thought the ship was sinking. They needed to stay and guard the place, and keep an eye on the alcohol.


    The kitchen itself was a mess. Pillbug''s method of cooking used every pan and pot available. Besides his glorious French Toast, he''d been cooking anything he found in the kitchen, adding his own touches to the recipes, often involving alcohol and fire. Sledgemonkey had been a little cautious about eating oysters in a bowl of flaming whiskey but had to admit that the flavor was worth a few burns to his tongue.


    Boomboom had searched the casino until he found a deck of cards that the Sharks hadn''t marked and got another poker game going. Others did the same and eventually, the Sharks had to watch in horror as three tables of ex-customers sat and played late into the night without the clan getting any profit at all. And they were playing for copper and toothpicks!


    Captain Whale was sitting with BoomBoom, Narwhale, Sledgemonkey, and Two-Screws. Eventually, she couldn''t take it anymore and said, "Alright, enough is enough. Tell me how the hell you pulled off this caper tonight. We''ve always suspected Mako ran crooked games, so I don''t give a rat''s fart, but dammit, I''m curious as hell. It was like your crew couldn''t lose."


    Two-Screws laughed, "But Sledgemonkey still tried! You had the damnedest bad luck tonight. I watched you sitting on your hands and praying the dealer would break! Which she didn''t and left you holding a 14 or a 12."


    "Not my fault. The next card would have put me over. You jerks took all the good cards and there I am at the end of the table having to sit on crap. Still came out ahead though. Hard not to."


    Whale looked around the table, "What do you mean, you knew the next card would put you over? Were the Sharks running with marked decks?"


    Sledgemonkey nodded to her. "Yup, take a look. Rune-Marked decks." He handed her a deck of cards from the blackjack tables and a monocle. All of the engineers had worn special goggles, or spectacles tonight, recalibrated to specifically look for a certain type of rune and function like the Shark''s monocles. Whale stared at the cards and cursed.


    "Damn, this is blatant. And brilliant. That''s some clever runework on these cards, and quite subtle. I have to admit I''m jealous they had someone this good. I suppose the Captain''s table was the same? Or was something else going on? That last hand was impossible! And the Professor pulled a fast one on Mako, sitting quietly in his seat nibbling cheese and sipping coffee."


    "No sure about that game. I tried to spot the cheat, but couldn''t. The monocles didn''t show a damned thing. So however they were cheating, and whatever the Professor pulled, we don''t have a clue. Maybe you should ask him sometime." Sledgemonkey grinned at her.


    Whale crossed her arms and glared back. "Maybe I will. But you haven''t said how the hell you found out about the rune-marked cards."


    BoomBoom giggled, "It was in the job description." He shared an Engineering notification with the Captain.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Job #4732-J: Testing Optical Enhancements for the ability to Detect Runic Markings


    Senior Engineer Milo is studying Optical Enhancement apparatus to determine the optimal piece of equipment to detect runic markings upon painted cardboard playing cards. An experiment has been set up in the casino in Shadowport.


    Senior Engineer Milo asks for several Engineers to conduct testing to see if they can detect the Runes on Marked cards.


    This is a Blind Test, and Clan Shark is unaware of the testing procedure. Subtlety must be used, increasing the difficulty of the test for most Engineers.


    Optional Experiment: Conduct psychological tests on Clan Shark to learn the effect that a loss of gold has on the clan.


    Optional Experiment: Conduct dexterity tests to find the optimal height to stack gold coins while playing blackjack.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "And how the hell did Senior Engineer Milo figure this out?!"


    "Maybe you should ask him sometime."


    "Maybe I will! Where the hell is he?"


    Sledgemonkey, "Oh, Senior Engineer Milo keeps busy. Always trying to fix something."


    Two-Screws added, "Or break something."


    Narwhale and her husband laughed and said, "Boom Boom Boom!"


    <hr>


    An hour before sunrise would send light into the city of Shadowport the Iron Orca was firing up her boilers. Captain Annie wanted a full head of steam by dawn when the salvage operation started. Steam was movement, power to the winches and cranes, and most importantly her steam cannons. She didn''t put it past some bunch of idiots trying to steal her ship thinking her crew was distracted with a salvage operation. Plus, she wanted to show off in front of Mako.


    The leader of the sharks was nervous and smoking her cigars to the nub every few minutes. One of her cabin girls was standing nearby with another box of stogies and a bottle of rum. Annie thought Mako would be out of both before the day was half over. She was enjoying the sight, and hopeful for the amount of salvage. Mako wouldn''t be so worried about a couple of chests of gold. The loot was substantial and it represented the last of the clan''s wealth. Annie looked forward to taking her percentage off the top.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Stumpy had been less happy with the deal. "Something''s fishy here. You don''t see someone be so specific about the loot, specifying only coins and ingots unless they have something else they don''t want to give up."


    "Well, maybe if someone hadn''t been face down in a plate of French toast while getting a shoulder rub instead of being around to advise her captain, maybe I''d have caught that!"


    Stumpy looked a little guilty, but her belly was full and her shoulders and back felt wonderful, so the guilt melted away quickly. "Ah, don''t sweat it. I bet she has a jeweled sword or crown hidden away she wants to keep. Everyone has their little keepsakes. But I think the Sharks spent every last coin they had on that casino. Hell, the crew contributed all their swag to it when the clan savings weren''t enough, and most of what they took from gambling was coins or raw nuggets they melted to ingots. They hauled them out in chests every week. That treasure vault of hers is fat with chests of treasure. We''ll do fine even if Mako keeps a few things. And this is a cake run. The divers will be at the wreck an hour after dawn, another hour to spread the salvage net and lines and we''ll pull the wreckage up with the crane and swing it onto the beach."


    Annie considered her mate''s words but still scowled. "You could have at least brought along breakfast."


    Stumpy slammed her wooden leg on the deck. "Nope! If you got one taste of my man, you''d be after him too! I''m not taking a chance. You''ll have to go shopping and pick out one of your own! We need to wrangle you an invite to the deep parts. Pillbug is taking me down next week to show me around. Maybe Whale will let you come along?"


    Annie stared at her. "The Whale do a favor for another Captain so she can go fishing for an Engineer in her territory? Are you daft?"


    "Oh, I didn''t say it would be cheap. But we''ve got a nice windfall coming our way in a few hours. Maybe a little shark gold can buy your way in."


    "There''s a better chance of opening up that vault and finding an Engineer napping on a pile of gold!"


    "Oooh...now there''s a thought. Maybe covered in maple syrup?"


    "Stopping you right there Stumpy. We''ve got work to do, and I don''t need thoughts like that in my head!" She yelled down to the crew, "Sun''s up, let''s get moving. Move ahead at one-quarter speed. Mako! Give the helm directions and tell them where you want them to stop!


    Mako was relieved to finally be underway. Every day, hell, every hour, that she didn''t have access to her treasures was going to weigh heavy on her mind. Not that Annie or anyone else was going to find the real treasures she had hidden. Even the crew didn''t know what was in that vault. And it wasn''t part of any salvage deal. Annie could have her cut of the precious metal. She''d get back her hidden trove and they''d be back in business in a day. A couple of months was all it would take to recoup her lost money, and by then the Engineers would want to start work on putting Leviathan back together and have to negotiate with her for land and dockspace. That would get her foot in the door to be one of the Captains salvaging the Queen. One step at a time and the Sharks would be back on top.


    She pulled a Treasure Finder out of her pocket. They were a popular bauble with some Captains who might forget just where they buried a fortune in gold. Too much gold on a ship could be a problem. To most Scavengers, gold was a thing that bought fancy hats, and strong drinks, or paid the repair bills after you tore up a bar. They understood making repairs to the ship and replacing food and ammo, but that was about as far as they thought ahead. Many a Captain had to deal with a mutiny when the crew found out about a fat chest of loot hidden beneath the floorboards of the captain''s Quarters.


    This was the reason so many clans had only one ship and few saved up to make a permanent base of operations. The solution was hiding the loot somewhere and then collecting it when needed. Treasure Finders were a unique item made by gnomish artificers. Each compass pointed to only one thing, a small item crafted at the same time as the magical compass was made, and from the same batch of metal. Her Treasure Finder pointed to the Vault door in the Silver Shark. She watched carefully as the needle quivered, and called out, "Cut the power, we''re close." The ship drifted a bit more, and then the needle spun in circles. "She''s right below us, Annie, send them on down."


    Annie looked overboard, seeing the change in the color of the water. "We''re right at the drop-off, I''ll drop the main cable down, then reverse and drop anchors. That will lay the line along the slope and once they find the wreck, it will be easy to hook up." The crane started dropping its cable down and then the ship moved backward and dropped two anchors to hold her in place. The three divers shared a glass of rum, then put on their helmets, and jumped overboard, tethers trailing behind them.


    It was two hours of hard work to get to the wreck, move the line to it, and hook it up securely. Slowly the crane began to lift the wreck up to the surface, with the divers sitting on the stern and getting a ride. There was no sense pulling the wreck out of the water, even if the crane had the power. In the water, it put far less strain on the ship as she dragged it back to the docks. Mako was grinding her teeth the whole way.

 Chapter 346: The Legacy of Black Eddy

    Milo woke up with his lungs screaming at him as his last tank of air gave out. It didn''t help that he was being crushed under hundreds of pounds of gold and barely able to move. After a moment of terror, he pushed down the panic. This was a game, and as real as it felt, he wouldn''t really die, it would just feel like it. But worse, he''d certainly fail in his plan to foil the sharks, leave an incriminating headstone, and lose some of his favorite magical items.


    The gold was the immediate problem. It was crushing down on him, the heavy ingots on top of the coins that had cascaded in an avalanche. He hadn''t expected the foot-thick vault door to open so quickly and had underestimated the force that the ''mace'' could produce. Casting a spell felt impossible. His tail was crushed beneath him, one arm was totally immobile against his side, and he didn''t know where the Mace of Armageddon was. The other arm was stretched out away from him and experimenting showed he could wiggle his fingers. He might be able to manage one rune, but that was it. A Rune of Force was the obvious choice, to blast upward and away from him and shift the gold. But there were problems with that. His hand would take an opposite and equal force blast, most likely doing enough damage that he couldn''t cast again. The explosion might not even be enough to shift the gold and the force would rebound back on him.


    He needed both the Rune of Force and the Rune of the Void to move the gold safely. As time slowed, he frantically ran through scenarios, stubbornly ignoring the Bad Idea Department of his brain that was once again trying to get his attention. But time was running out, and the worst that could happen was he died quicker. He shifted his hand to make a small pocket of space and brought out the cataclysmite in his ring. The chunk of rubbery explosives would certainly move the gold, but also scatter his limbs all over the walls. He needed less Boom. One claw carefully cut off a fraction of the slab and he managed to put the larger piece back into the ring. Hurriedly he got his hand under the explosives, wiggling and shifting the chunk up and putting a layer of coins between his hand and the explosives. He split his mind in two, one half working with his wiggling fingers to manifest the largest Rune of the Void he could manage, and then detonated the cataclysmite with the spark cantrip he''d learned from Arlothe.


    The resulting explosion in such an enclosed space and underwater shattered both eardrums, but did have the desired effect of blasting away some of the gold above him, leaving his hand and arm free. All of him was aching. With more ability to move, he felt above him, finding the pile precariously balanced. Any sudden movements would cause more gold to pour down onto his freed arm.


    There was nothing to do but repeat the experiment. This time he could place the explosives better, hoping to move the pile off to the side. He''d survived the first blast, so he made the next one bigger. When it detonated, the Rune of the Void absorbed most of the force that would have hit him, and as the pile was blasted one way, his body was shifted the other way, temporarily freeing him. He kept rolling, slowed by the water, and got out of the way as the coins rolled back down to where he had been.


    Lunging upward, he found the pocket of air in the corner of the ceiling and gulped it into his lungs, doing nothing but breathing deeply until the panic subsided. Then he looked at his situation. There was far more gold here than he could take in his chest, which he could barely see. A corner stuck out from under the pile. It was certainly filled, so he dismissed it before moving to look into the vault. Inside he found something more valuable than gold: more air. He got to the large pocket and took another breath.


    He''d solved one problem but had another. Getting out would be difficult with all the gold in the way. He''d have to try and clear a path. From his Scout Master ring, he took Ore Gathering bags and began filling them with heavy ingots. Even though each one held four times its capacity, they barely made a dent in the pile. He could dig for a few minutes while holding his breath and then needed to go back for more air.


    It was time for a break. He needed a healing potion and a piece of cheese to help him think. Leaning back against the wall and slowly chewing a chunk of aged parmesan he looked around the vault. There were metal shelves along the two side walls where chests and ingots had been stacked, but nothing along the back wall. He found that odd. Using his goggles, he could just barely see traces of subtle magic of some kind. It took him twenty minutes of working with the goggles to see three rectangular areas on the far wall that stood out. Going to the far left, he looked at the 2''x2'' square. Hidden seams were just barely apparent, as was a runic puzzle the size of a coin. It took him a minute to figure out the puzzle, and then the square became a hatch and the lock clicked. As he touched the hatch, runes glowed and moved into new patterns.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">You''ve found an abandoned Treasure Chest! This hidden dimensional compartment was placed here by the Rogue Engineer Edward Damyon, or as his wanted posters called him, ''Black Eddy''.


    -By the Laws of the Sea, you may loot the treasures inside.


    -By the Laws of Engineering, you may claim this dimensional compartment and add it to your own for the cost of five enhancement points.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    With no hesitation, he claimed both the treasure and the additional space. The wall now had an empty hole in it where the storage had been. He was very curious about the other two hidden treasures. He moved to the center one, a 4''x4'' square. He was able to find the puzzle used to open it, but no matter what he tried, it wouldn''t activate. He moved to the rightmost area, easily solving the puzzle.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Eddy isn''t going to be happy with you! Luckily, he''s dead.


    This hidden dimensional compartment was placed here by the Rogue Engineer Edward Damyon, or as his wanted posters called him, ''Black Eddy''.


    -By the Laws of the Sea, you may loot the treasures inside.


    -By the Laws of Engineering, you may claim this dimensional compartment and add it to your own for the cost of five enhancement points.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Again, Milo paid the price and added the eight square feet to his Smugglers Stash. He liked these hidden treasures and the rules for stealing them. Could he do it because the owner was dead? Or because he''d been kicked out of his Engineering guild? Those were questions for later. He went back to the center puzzle to try again to figure it out and saw that it was now active. He understood. The two smaller treasures had to both be unlocked before the center could be activated. A further security measure perhaps? He set about to solve the puzzle, and was still at it a half hour later, sweating hard and thinking with three parts of his mind. Black Eddy had a subtle mind, and there were puzzles within puzzles. Finally, when he used a non-Euclidian system of simultaneous non-linear equations, the answer became obvious. He punched the rune that represented ''42'' and the entire wall transformed.


    The wall first pulled back forming a small room. A small workbench equipped with two vises went across the four-foot-wide back wall. The wall behind it was filled with calipers, drills, diamond saws, and all manner of precision tools. Milo picked up a #21 Gangley wrench and admired it before placing it lovingly back in its holder. On either side of him were stacked sea chests that could slide out to access their interiors. A small shelf above the workbench held bound notes, and handwritten journals. Two empty whiskey jugs acted as bookends.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">You have accessed an abandoned Engineer''s Arcane Workshop, most recently owned by the Rogue Engineer Edward Damyon. As a Senior Engineer with access to extra-dimensional storage space, you may claim this Workshop for yourself. Cost: 30 Enhancement Points.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo gleefully spent all his eel-gotten points, leaving him with three extra points. His mind felt like it expanded as knowledge of the Arcane Workshop filled some chunk of his mind.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Congratulations on earning your Arcane Workshop. Summoning your Arcane Workshop uses 1000 stamina. This process takes one minute.


    This workshop contains 6 storage chests:


    #1 Gold, Silver, or Platinum: 400 Ingot Capacity. (Currently empty.)


    #2 Iron, Copper, or Tin: 400 Ingots. (Currently contains three ingots of Tin.)


    #3 Whiskey, Rum, or WD-400. 100 bottles. (Currently contains three partially full bottles of dwarven whiskey.)


    #4 Toy Soldiers, paint, modeling tools, and brushes. (Currently holds 57 dried-up bottles of Citadel Paint, 16 used paint brushes, and 42 half-painted 32mm scale halfling models.)


    #5 Raw diamonds, crystals, and uncut rubies. (Currently contains 62 assorted gems.)


    #6 Pipeweed, junk, or anything you feel like. 64 cubic foot capacity. (Currently contains 1 pouch of ''Special Weed'' from Longcut Moot.)</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Milo pulled out the first chest and opened it up. It was much deeper than it looked. Trying not to think about the mysteries he''d discovered, he used his ring to make a small camp and summon his pet. Georgie showed up and looked around, very confused.


    "I need help. Think of it as playing fetch. I need you to pick up all the loose ingots in that pile and dump them in this chest." Fetch was something Georgie loved. He loved almost any game. He wagged his tail happily and dove into the water, coming up with an ingot in his mouth. Milo took out the two gathering bags and dumped them into chest #6, then worked to gather all the loose coins still in the vault, dumping them bag by bag into the empty chests.


    His air pocket was going bad by the time Georgie and he had filled the two chests with ingots and loose coins and cleared enough room to escape. He took a moment to dismiss his tombstone and then, feeling he needed to leave a message used a claw to scrawl something on the floor. He used his ring to give himself an hour of water breathing, a very odd feeling as the water swirled around his new gills. Georgie thought he looked better with them and accompanied him as he made his way out of the wreckage. Swift-Swimming propelled him to the surface where he and his pet dogpaddled to the docks as the sun was just coming up.

 Day 1: Nothing Changes, Everything Changes

    My first book is up on Amazon and Audible. Very exciting to see it. More volumes will follow and Butcher of Gadobhra as well, so very exciting for me. Also stressful. I thought I''d gotten over Imposter Syndrome long ago, but it hit hard this last week while waiting for the book to go up. Now I just pray that the wider world likes it as much as you fine people do.


    And I could use your help. If you don''t mind running over to Amazon and leaving a review or a rating, I''d be eternally grateful. The better a book does, the more Amazon pushes it, which can have a big effect on sales. Reviews/ratings help a lot.


    And if you have KU or have spent 50 dollars on anything from Amazon in the last year, you can leave a rating without buying the book.


    https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0D98Y54PL</a>


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    So what changes? It feels like things have changed, but really, not a whole lot. I don''t yet have an endpoint for either story, I love writing them and would be sad to quit. You can look forward to two chapters a week from each book, maybe more. This is a different route than most authors take. RR is a different type of animal that many are trying to figure out. Many established authors are trying their hand at Litrpg since the genre is growing in popularity. I''ve seen some authors post to RR, and then pull down the story as soon as they can to send to Amazon. They write books, I write webserials. There''s a difference. I''m very glad people have had three years to read Milo''s early adventures.


    Maybe it''s my background in comic books, but I love long stories and telling a continuing one, instead of focusing on a set plot that ends conveniently to tie things up in a book. (Also the reason I love cliffhangers, as many of you have noticed.)


    What does change as my books go to Amazon (and hopefully sell) is that I can spend more time writing, and less time at my other job. College is a struggle to pay for and I have to get the twins through the next four years. Another reason I won''t quit writing anytime soon. :)

 Chapter 347: But about those ingots...

    "You damned bitches shot her full of holes!" Mako seethed as she examined the outer hull of the bottom third of her ship. There were indeed a lot of holes, many of them from sixteen-pound balls, but at least half were from the smaller ammunition used by the steam cannons on the Iron Orca. Mako was glaring at Annie. "Why''d you do it, Annie? I thought we were friends. Fellow captains who saw things eye to eye and had each other''s backs!"


    This was news to Annie and to anyone else listening. But Mako was just looking for an excuse to fight, and Annie wasn''t going to give it to her. "Ah, it''s not that way at all! It was the damned eels! They were swarming and would have eaten every ship on the docks if we didn''t fight back. They were frenzied and crazy. We shot where the eels were thickest and one of those places was that old hulk of a ship you had glued to the top of the Silver Shark! Just bad luck, or maybe they smelled all that gold, or that nasty cologne your mate liked to slather on before she went beard hunting."


    "Eels! Look at my ship!"


    "Which part? It''s sort of scattered all over."


    Mako pointed, "There, where she broke apart! You mean to say that wasn''t from your steam cannons pummeling the hull until she broke?"


    "Hmm, maybe a couple of those holes? We were shooting at eels and you know my steam cannon ain''t something you aim. It''s better to sort of point in the direction of what you want to hit and move the gun back and forth. The rest of that looks like dents the big eels did when they rammed the ship. Heck, maybe they were chewing on it. Some of them have HUGE teeth! Like, like a walrus. They''d make that type of hole."


    "Walrus?"


    "Sort of. Eels with big tusky things. You''d have seen them if you were down here during the battle, and not hiding up in your casino. I don''t blame you. I mean, those eels were scary, what with those HUGE teeth. I''d have hid, but Stompy would have laughed at me. Couldn''t have that."


    "I''m not happy about this, Annie."


    "Oh, I can tell, and I don''t blame you. It''s why, as an old friend and fellow captain, I gave you a good deal on the cost of salvaging that wreck. Speaking of which, my girls are signaling they''ve pumped it out. Why don''t I head down with you and we can see how much gold we have?"


    Mako glared at her. "My gold, you mean."


    "Sure, except part of it is mine, and part yours. So ours. But I''ll take my share quick and then it can be all yours. I''ve got a contract here, tucked in my pocket, just to remind us of the deal. You do remember the deal, Captain Mako?"


    Mako didn''t have much choice. Annie wouldn''t take the bait and fight, and there were too many witnesses around. Not to mention a lot of the Orca''s guns were pointed this way. Time to pay her off, kick her off the ship, and then check on the real treasure hidden in her vaults.


    "Of course, I remember the deal, Captain Annie. Grab two crew to match the two I bring, and let''s go split up our gold." It hurt Mako even to say it.


    The wreck was roughly level, with the vault slightly lower. The crew of the Iron Orca had pumped out as much of the water as they could. There was no sense in doing a thorough job, when the tide came in the lower part would flood again. Mako led the way through the wreckage, squeezing her heavy body through hatchways and dented compartments. The room outside the vault was a mess of seaweed, small crabs, and piles of gold coins.


    Annie whistled, "Isn''t that a pretty pile? Makes you want to just lay in it and wriggle around. I need to get rich like you, Mako. Maybe I should open a casino."


    Mako barely heard her. This wasn''t right, there was too much gold sitting here. What had the idiots done? Just dumped the chests in a pile and left? She wasn''t going to get answers from them. She''d already seen her old mate, Varska, lying dead off to the side of the corridor. She looked like the eels had torn her up. "Start scooping all this up and get a count. We''ll clear this and then we''ll open the vault and count the ingots." Bucket by bucket the coins were scooped up and passed outside to there Stompy and Izzy, one of Mako''s new mates, weighed the coins and kept a tally. Half an hour later, Izzy brought the tally to the captains. "We''ve got twelve thousand and six gold, Captain, and there were ten ingots on the bottom."


    Annie lit a short cigar and puffed away, grinning at Mako. Mako knew she had to give up the gold, but it hurt! Finally, the Captain of the Sharks said, "Well, a contract is a contract. That makes 3602 coins and three ingots to the Iron Orca for services rendered."


    "So far."


    "Yes, dammit, so far. Let''s go count the ingots. I have a casino to run. Hope to see you up there tonight, Annie. Come celebrate our grand reopening."


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Oh, wouldn''t miss it for the world. But about those ingots..."


    "I''m going! Since when were you in such a hurry?"


    "Since you owed me 30% of a stack of ingots."


    Mako quit talking. Annie was having too much fun today. Tonight though, she''d have fun taking all this gold back. Crawling back into the wreck, she unlocked the vault while Annie covered her eyes. Then she and Mako grabbed the door and heaved. Not budging it at all.


    "Dammit, this thing is heavy! Without the power on, it might take a few of us to open it."


    Annie pointed to a badly twisted hinge. "More than a few. Look at that top hinge. And the others are out of line as well. Why''d you use a circular hatch? A vault isn''t a damned halfling-house. You can use square doors. And there are dents where you were hammering on the damned thing."


    "I didn''t design the thing. And it''s been fine all these years! We need equipment!"


    Annie sighed theatrically, "And I suppose you don''t have any lines or come-along or block and tackle. Up to hardworking Annie to fix the problem. I suppose that''s why you''ll be giving me enough ingots that I go bowlegged packing them home." The gear was brought from her ship, taking multiple lines and two hours of work to finally pull the door loose. When it was three feet open, Mako looked inside and froze. Annie saw her back and shoulders stiffen and her hands were clenched in fists. Then the Captain of the Sharks shook with fury and screamed hard enough to send both crews running and even make Annie back off and put her hand on her cutlass.


    Mako turned, glared at her, and said loudly, "Someone is going to die. Slowly while I laugh and they beg for a quick death!" She stalked out of the wrecked ship, leaving a very confused Captain Annie behind. When Mako was gone for a full minute, she crept forward and looked into the vault. Not a coin or ingot was to be seen. The shelving was empty, and three rectangular holes showed where chests had been stored. Annie was pissed at first, feeling cheated of her promised gold. That went away when she saw what someone had scrawled on the floor with a tool, "SHARKS SUCK BILGEWATER!" Chuckling, she left the wreck, eager to tell Whale the story.


    On the beach, Mako was fuming and cursing, while her crew packed up the gold. One of the Scavenger Captains had beaten her to her vault, but she had no idea who. It wasn''t Annie. She had the pressure suits to find it, but not enough people to haul out the gold and walk it to shore. That was the real work. A strong girl in a suit could maybe carry a bucket of gold or a few ingots up the cliff and get it to shore, but they''d be wrecked and exhausted. A bucket brigade was out of the question, too many suits were needed, and still too much work. None of the riff-raff could have pulled it off, they had shitty boats and crap for equipment. That left Whale. Leviathan might be a wreck, but she had some of the best suits ever made and plenty of crew. They were specialists in deep sea scavenging and could work for hours in their suits.


    But even if it was Whale, how the hell could she get the gold up to the docks? She must be working with someone else. She''d brought in another submersible. And if she was prepared for that, then Whale had planned the whole caper. Rile up the eels, bait them to the docks, then Annie and the others ''accidentally'' shoot up her ship. Which meant Annie had been in on it all along. Probably getting a healthy split of everything! That lying curly-haired witch! And they''d been friends almost!


    The more she thought about it, the more it fit. Only another Captain could steal the two smaller chests. And Whale had the most experience in finding them. She''d looted a dozen of them from wrecks even before they found the Iron Queen. But what really twisted her butt was the center chest. She''d never been able to even open the damned thing!! Black Eddy had told everyone including his loving wife that it was off-limits. Private Engineer stuff!


    Of course...the deal with the Engineers. That was why Whale had cozied up to them. She''d planned for this. Lured the Sharks here by spreading rumors about the Iron Queen and building a shipyard. She''d known that Clan Shark would show up. Then she let her fill the Silver Shark with gold and bided her time, used the eels and Annie to wreck her ship, and then her hidden submersible full of Engineers showed up to loot it.


    She didn''t know how, but she was going to get her revenge. Right after she got her casino back! "Load it up, girls. Time to make that rat an offer he can''t refuse!"

 Chapter 348: Discreet Friends

    Belinda woke each morning with the feeling she was drowning. She swam for the surface, the light getting closer each morning, but never reaching the surface. Kicking drug addictions is incredibly difficult even with the help of advanced medical technology and she''d been on these drugs all of he life. Worse, she wasn''t meant to ever be off of them, according to her old doctors. Her pod was scrubbing her body each night to pull any remaining drugs out of her while using an everchanging cocktail of placebos to help her get over the withdrawal symptoms.


    One morning she woke up, feeling like she''d reached the surface, able to push forward and not be dragged back under. Her thoughts were clearer and didn''t spin off into crazy loops of paranoia or endless recurring memories. She had a long way to go, physically, but emotionally she was getting stronger.


    She also came to a decision. Milo was crazy, and if there were too many problems around him, he''d work himself to death trying to fix everything. She owed him, big time, so it was her responsibility to start doing what she could to lighten the load. To do that, she had to get past a formidable obstacle: Mama.


    Mama was the center of their extended family, and Belinda needed her on her side. The family had decided that Milo was on vacation, and Belinda wanted to keep it that way. Which meant not mentioning what she wanted to work on to Milo. He''d start thinking about things and want to help. Luckily, Mama agreed with her, a huge relief. She listened to Belinda and joined the conspiracy.


    "Sure, I can see that. That boy can''t sit still and eat even when he''s starving himself to death. When he gets out of his pod, I feed him as much as I can and make sure he gets some rest. But he''s always thinking, and thinking can put a strain on him. Now, that''s a lot less harmful than running around inside some superhero armor and getting shot, but still stressful. If you can fix a few things around here and lighten his load, and can at least not mention what''s going on. What are you going to be doing?"


    "Well, firstly I need to deal with my Father. I''ve dodged him for weeks now and the only thing keeping him from going crazy and calling in the authorities to find his missing girl is Eric. Eric has him convinced of a version of the truth, that I''m in hiding because of Victor and people like Victor, and that I''ll be back when I turn 18 in a week. That triggered 83 emails from John about planning a big birthday party for me. With clowns! After playing Run, Run Ramona I never want to see clowns again." Milo didn''t like clowns and was convinced they were one of the scariest things in the world. After playing his game, everyone agreed with him. Clowns were the worst


    "Well, it''s good that he''s worried about you. There are a thousand kids up in the hab whose parents don''t worry about them at all. Get that birthday behind you so you have more control and then straighten things out with him. Meanwhile, what is it you plan to do up here? Besides eating regular meals, getting time in your pod to keep you healthy, and starting your physical rehabilitation? You were nearly walking normally before this. I don''t like seeing you back in that chair."


    "Right, well besides all of those logical things you just mentioned that I will certainly be doing, I need to do some research. Milo sort of borrowed all of my medical data along with all the data from my parent''s biotech business and who knows what else. It''s stored on huge discs that I can only read with Rusty''s help in one of his special areas."


    "The areas where people can''t breathe the air and Rusty keeps locked off?"


    "Yeah. One of those. But he says it has regular air inside the room I need to use, and once I''m there I can take off my helmet."


    "Hmmm. Do you mind if I check with Rusty on that? Just to ease my mind?"


    Belinda noted that a lot of the time Mama said things that sounded like questions but weren''t really questions. It was a skill she wanted to acquire. Eric could do it, but John was terrible at it. Before she could even answer Mama, Rusty started talking.


    "Don''t you worry Mama, I''ll take care of the little nipper, and have her home in time for her nap."


    Mama sighed, wondering who had been watching those cartoons with Rusty. "Thank you, dear. Is it safe to go down there?"


    "Oh, very safe. Her wheelchair is electrical and unaffected by the inert gases used in the facility and the full suit Milo made for her has a helmet with a detachable air supply. Running down there to watch a few boring videos and look at numbers is as easy as bouncing up a tree."


    "Fine, then running around Downtown for a couple of hours to test the air storage system is equally as easy."


    That, Belinda thought, was a very good idea. Even if Milo had made her gear, it was still up to her to maintain it and make sure it was safe. Trying to breathe the argonite gas in the hallways was far too much like drowning. Her lungs would pull it in, but she''d die from lack of oxygen. A test run would be good, and she could combine it with another chore.


    "Or maybe start my physical therapy and take a nice slow walk around the park a few times."


    "Good thinking. I''ll pack some snacks to send with you. If you''re going to miss a meal, send me a message. I''m sure Max or one of his friends won''t mind taking a hot dinner down to you. Those little gadgets are so helpful to have around."


    <hr>


    Milo had his own work to do and needed a secure place to do it with no possibility of someone spying on him. Since no one was looking for him in connection with Eel-maggedon he felt safe staying in his human form without wrapping himself in cast-off rags. There was one thing that bothered him though: He didn''t have a spanner. The large adjustable wrenches were a useful tool or weapon, but also a sign of an Engineer''s status. It felt wrong not to have one on his belt. His old one had been gifted to his friend, Vladimir Twosouls. It was a travesty that such a talented individual wasn''t accepted fully by either side of his convoluted family tree. The half-elf/half-dwarf magi-tech specialist had taught Milo so much in the few days they''d spent together, including a system of clever runic script of his own devising. Inducting him into the Deep Rock Engineers as a Senior Engineer had been the right thing to do.


    A screwdriver on his belt just didn''t feel the same, even a special one like this. Of course, it wasn''t a screwdriver all the time. The versatile tool was also an implement for applying force. Maybe one of its forms was an Engineer''s spanner? That made sense to Milo. Of course, things didn''t always go well when he experimented with things. It wouldn''t be good to try anything close to the new docks and housing for the fishermen. But there was an abandoned home near two vacant lots just a little way into the no man''s land of shanties and bars. A sign on the door claimed it was owned by Clan Shark after non-payment of gambling debts by the old owner. It was a narrow, four-story tall house, once owned by a merchant. It took Milo only a moment to scramble up to the top of the roof and hide in the shadows behind the chimney.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Holding the screwdriver, he thought of how he could change it into a mace, then conceptualized a spanner of the same material, and held the tool above his head. "Spanner!" Whatever he''d done, the pre-system tool seemed to understand and it changed into a heavy Engineers spanner made from a dull black metal with intricate runic script running up the handle and several knobs to adjust it. He was ecstatic for a moment, at making it work.


    Then he felt the change in the air. His fur stood on end, and he could smell ozone. Static electricity was building up around him. A bolt of lightning lanced down from the roof of the city, turning a large stalactite to powder, hitting the spanner, then running through Milo and into the roof of the house, which promptly exploded as the beams of the roof were far poorer at conducting electricity than either Milo''s rune enhanced bones or his new wrench.


    Milo fell through the hole in the roof and the interior of the shattered building until he landed on the first floor. Debris was pouring down from the top floors, part of the house was on fire, and everything was swaying back and forth as the unsupported chimney began to topple. Milo dove through a front window, rolled, and kept running, completely panicked by the events. The house swayed back and forth and then came crashing down into a pile of rubble, looking like many other houses in the area. Milo didn''t stop until he was in another part of the city, high on the rooftops.


    While anyone in the city saw the flash and felt the thunder, only a few people were able to see the house''s destruction and its occupant''s hasty retreat. A crew of fishermen getting their boat ready to sail saw the flash and laughed as someone dove out a window and sprinted away, scared out of his mind. They shrugged and got their nets ready. Another crew had told them the crabs were coming back into the bay and they wanted to find out for themselves. Three pirates were staggering along the docks, so drunk that the thunder knocked them down. The only person lucky enough to see the entire event was the Ganglord, Squint. His eyes had somehow seen Milo on the roof, and he''d wondered what one of his Kulags was up to. He saw Milo raise his wrench above his head and glow brightly as the lightning arced through him before the whole house came tumbling down. "Damn, that was neat! I''ll have to get him to show me that trick!"


    It was a very sore and exhausted Milo who trudged across the bridges to the Adventurers Guild. Parts of him were regenerating and that made him hungry. The halfling cheese merchants were doing a brisk business today, selling ''Cheesy Breakfast Sandwiches to a gang of ratkin players. Milo stopped to observe.


    "Get them while they''re hot, guys. Cheap at half the price and worth every silver you''re forking over. A balanced diet that will keep you going all day. And tasty! So tasty! Who needs a healthy breakfast? Buy two for the price of three and eat well all day!"


    The sandwiches seemed to consist of a small loaf of bread with bacon grease on one side, cheese sauce on the other, and a slice of grilled eel in the center. Unlike the Razor Claw gang members, he passed on both the dubious breakfast and a slice of cheese. He had cheddar in his pouch, and there there was a bakery selling fresh nut rolls that his nose led him to. He bought an extra and entered the Guild Hall. Bernard saw him coming and his nose detected the scent of the freshly baked pastry.


    "I''m running a special today. One nut roll and I''ll be your new best friend. Limited time on the friendship depending on future deliveries."


    Milo handed him the extra roll, "As it happens, new best friend, I have a favor to ask. Does the guild offer banking services?"


    Bernard had finished the pastry in three bites and sighed as the rumblings in his stomach were temporarily sated. "Well, if you mean loans, that''s a big no. We''d be broke paying money to every player who wanted to buy gear he couldn''t afford. If you mean you want the guild to take in your cash for safekeeping, then we offer excellent and discreet customer service of the finest variety. And by finest, I mean in this city which has not been blessed by the gnomes."


    "I have gold that''s taking up too much space."


    Bernard looked at him strangely, then considered who he was talking to. "Well, how about you step into my office and we''ll handle this."


    The halfling''s office was a door with enough locks of an intricate variety that Milo didn''t think he could open them in a month. Two thieves were sitting in front of the door, taking turns trying to open the bottom lock, a pile of broken lockpicks on the floor between them. Bernard wasn''t surprised at all to see them. "Playtimes over boys, hope you got some experience points. Come back in an hour with another tasty bribe and you can try again." A large set of keys was produced and the dozen locks were dealt with before Bernard held open the door for Milo to enter and followed him.


    His office was huge, with a large desk, a larger kitchen and pantry, and a long room with banks of small locked doors. Some were as small as half a foot square and others took up significantly more space. Bernard gestured to the wall, "Safe deposit boxes, guaranteed safe, for a small monthly fee. These little ones are great for a few rings or a purse of emergency coins. The biggest give a square yard of storage, but they get a little pricey. The guild charges 50 gold a month for those. Very popular with the adventuring guilds that need storage for quest items and the occasional windfall.


    "I need four of the large ones, please. And I''ll pay a year in advance."


    Bernard smiled, showing all his teeth. "I might even keep you as a best friend for longer than a day. Take the two at the end, dump what you need in there, set the password on the dial, and confirm it. I''ll get a snack and give you some privacy."


    A half-hour later, Milo had emptied half of the coins from his smuggler''s stash and dismissed it. He borrowed a pot from a confused Bernard to help him scoop out the drawer and put most of it into the safe deposit boxes, filling one of them.


    Next was his brand spanking new Arcane Workshop. It appeared as a door on the blank wall, and when opened showed the workbench. The area above the bench held a jumble of cables and tools he''d used to open the vault, along with his diving gear. That all went into one of the safety deposit boxes. Drawer #6 with its 64 cubic feet of space was stuffed full of coins and ingots. He started scooping them out and filling another box, leaving most of the ingots and some of the coins. There was still a lot of gold left, so he decided to pay Bernard five years of rent ahead. Calculating the equivalent value in gold ingots, he put them on the halfling''s desk. He made sure to refill his belt pouch. Fish Tacos weren''t cheap and he was getting hungry. Closing everything up and setting his password took only a minute and he yelled for Bernard.


    The sight of the ingots almost made Bernard drop his muffin. "What did you do? Rob a dragon''s hoard?"


    "Something like that."


    "Well, don''t worry. I''m nothing if not discreet when keeping the secrets of my friends."

 Chapter 349: Sending a Message

    Clan Shark was meeting on the beach, surrounded by the scrap metal and wreckage that used to be a sleek and powerful submersible. Captain Mako had made it clear that any crew who weren''t there should burn their top hats and take jobs in the mines. To her disgust, five of her crew had left their top hats and monocles on the beach, paid their guild fees, and got to work. Word had spread quickly about the empty vault. A lucky captain could have her pick of the best crew in any port, and Mako had been counted as one of the luckiest until now. Losing the Silver Shark to a swarm of eels and the casino in a game of cards to crafty ratkin had shaken her crew. They wondered if Mako''s luck was turning bad. The raided vault seemed to confirm that. She was still the captain, for now, but she needed to turn things around fast or her crew would be deserting ship and heading to luckier captains.


    The plan was simple, "We need more cash. The double-dealing scum who betrayed us and looted our riches couldn''t carry it all away, but what was left isn''t enough to buy back the casino. And we need the casino to get back in business and generate enough money to repair the boat. We start with tossing in our personal swag. I''ve put everything I own into the clan including my gold-handled beard trimmer and my mug collection. I''m asking all of you to do the same. As soon as the money starts pouring in, you''ll get it back double! Captain''s Honor!" The crew had known this was coming. Some had buried their small treasures somewhere, hoping no one was watching. Others had more faith and tossed everything they had into the growing pile. Mako watched and smiled encouragingly at them, noting who put in only a few coins. She''d settle with those people later. For now, she needed the muscle power.


    "Great job girls! This gives us a start. Now we get to work shaking down this town. If someone owes a debt, even if it isn''t due yet, they pay up now or you break their legs and charge them double. I want three card monte games running in every bar and street corner. Later tonight I want to hit the gangs. Some of them are a little obvious in where they have their ''Secret Headquarters.'' I want to hear the jingle of coins in our pockets and leave behind a graveyard full of headstones. Tomorrow we shake down every business for protection money and follow with some destruction of those that don''t take us seriously. That should give us the cash we need to get back our casino. Now get to work!"


    The Sharks scattered into the town while Mako and Beluga Bessie made their way to the seedy dockside bar which they''d turned into their clan headquarters. Unknowing, they left behind a person skulking quietly in one of the destroyed boilers, listening to their plans and making plans of his own.


    <hr>


    As evening turned to night the Sharks met again, and split up into their raiding parties. Setting off into the city they worried little about cut-throats or gangs. A half-dozen Scavengers were well matched against a dozen players, although the fighting had become tougher lately. The players involved in the gang wars were leveling up faster than the Sharks who until lately had spent most of their time on their ship or in the casino. But tonight they had the element of surprise on their side. Coming to a crossroads, the three groups split up, heading to three different locations to hit their targets simultaneously. Most of the gangs had little loot, constantly spending it to replenish their lost weapons and armor. Hitting those gangs was important not for what cash could be gained from them, but for letting the city know the Sharks were still in business, and in control of their territory at the docks. One gang was getting beat up just to send a message, while two gangs were singled out for special treatment, owing to rumors of small stashes of high-quality loot or a modest treasure.


    The Sinister Blades met in the basement of an abandoned noble''s villa. The top floors were ruined, but the Blades had salvaged the dining room table, chairs, and much of the draperies. They''d decorated the basement and turned it into a gloomy feasting hall. Mako''s informant had let her know the Blades had made a big score this week and the gang would split the treasure tonight. The gang had joined a raiding party heading into the Haunted Catacombs, a new dungeon found near the mines. It was filled with the angry spirits of the old city and no one sane thought of entering it. This meant every player in the city had converged on the new dungeon for pick-up raids. One such raid had unearthed a gem-encrusted idol of some Elder God as the only treasure. With eight Sinister Blades in the raid group and only four other surviving players, the Blades had found it easy to divide the loot by dividing the other players. Sold to a ''collector of odd things'' for roughly a tenth of its value still made it a rich haul for the gang.


    The raid on the Blade''s hideout went as planned, the Scavengers taking care of the two scouts in the upper ruins before they picked the locks on the door to the lower levels and rushed below. The gang members were sitting around the table, drinking wine and feasting on roasted chickens. A portion of the gold was being distributed to each member and stacked in front of them. The six Sharks sprinted into the room, firing pistols and taking down two Blades before engaging with cutlasses, daggers, and fists. In the rough and tumble battle that followed, two Scavengers took wounds but the fight was never in question. Wine dulled the gang''s reactions and full bellies made them slow. Fancy footwork skills did nothing for you when a dwarf tackles you to the ground.


    When it was over, the Scavengers took their time, eating the remains of the chicken dinner and drinking a dozen bottles of wine that they found in a wine rack behind a curtain. It was cheap red wine, the type preferred by both the gangs and the pirates. The strong, sweet taste and hefty kick came from the addition of alcohol distilled from sugar beet juice. When the first nudges from the system came, casually mentioning they were taking poison damage, all the Scavengers laughed.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    A bad batch of hootch was common when drinking fortified wine, a sure sign of a crappy human brewer. It would kill or blind a human or elf, but to a dwarf with their racial toughness and poison resistance, a little methanol in the mix was just extra flavor and a mild tummy ache. Minutes later, both the kick and the tummyache got worse. Scavengers passed out at the table and only one tried to stumble out of the dining room, frustrated to find the door locked.


    Hours later, the players respawned and returned to their headquarters, hoping to reclaim some of their gear from their headstones, and cursing the Sharks. Plans were made to disrupt the Scavengers in any way they could. To their delight, they discovered that not only were their unplanned guests still around, they were all dead. The dwarves were sprawled amongst the gang''s headstones, bottles clutched in their hands and their dead eyes staring at the gold they came to steal. Marianne, the leader of the gang, took a half-full bottle and offered up a toast before swigging down a few swallows. "To the Sharks, hard fighters and hard drinkers! Hard enough to drink themselves to death!" Others went to join her but stopped as her face turned black and she began trembling. She left her second headstone a minute later. By unspoken agreement, the rest of the gang gathered their belongings and their gold and went to Ralph''s inn, where they rented cheap rooms and drank his beer for the rest of the night. It was crap, but at least it didn''t kill you.


    The Shark''s second target was a ratkin gang known as the Razorclaws run by a skilled clawfighter named Blackwhisker. While most of his gang were players who left the Hollow as fast as they could for the bright lights of the city, Blackwhisker was whispered to have trained in the Hollow until he hit the third Tier, learning the secrets of claw and tail from the old Master. Under Blackwhisker''s vicious style of leadership, he had slowly taken over most of the ratkin gangs and turned them from cheese-addicted clowns to one of the more feared gangs in the city. They still ate too much cheese, but fighting and dying constantly was keeping their addictions in check, and anyone who lost control got locked in a basement room for a week with only stale bread and dried fish for meals.


    They had put their hideout in a ramshackle warehouse a dozen blocks away from the docks, and outside of the Sharks territory, but close enough to become a thorn in Mako''s shoe. The gang was now providing escort duties for merchants who wanted to journey to limburger Hollow and purchase wagonloads of mushrooms, flour, fine cheese, dried cavefish, and the Myconic potions that the Hollow was now exporting. They''d just been paid for their last caravan run and Mako wanted to appropriate that gold before they spent it on cheese.


    The rotting wooden doors were barred from within but were no match for six charging Scavengers led by Beluga. The large woman knew how to use her weight, and their shoulders hit the door hard, breaking the wooden bar holding them shut. They stumbled inside, seeing a mostly empty warehouse, and a few ratkin scurrying about. The creaking of wooden beams and ropes alerted Beluga and most of her crew to the trap, as crates full of rock swung toward them from either side. The heavy pendulums crashed together, smashing one Scavenger into a red, gooey mess as the others dodged forward.


    "Get the Rats! Charge!" Beluga roared and headed for the group of six ratkin in front of her, all of which were making rude gestures with fingers and tails. Beluga wasn''t a great runner but had surprised several opponents with how quickly she could make it across the ring in a cage battle. She was panting hard as she crossed the warehouse, glaring at the ratkin who stood ready to fight with knives, claws, and spikey sticks. She probably would have made it all the way if it wasn''t for the trap that clamped hard on her leg. She nearly pulled out the heavy bolts anchoring the trap to the floor, but this trap had been designed with her in mind and held fast. Two other Scavengers were similarly trapped. The last two Sharks in her squad suddenly found themselves facing six ratkin to the front, with six more dropping from the rafters behind them. They wisely surrendered and suffered through a mild beating before being bound tightly. The two trapped next to Beluga were beaten unconscious with a flurry of tail slaps leaving the large mate trapped and alone as Blackwhisker moved closer to talk, chewing on a piece of limburger cheese. The strong aroma hit Beluga hard, sapping her strength.


    "You little bastards! I''ll carve off your hides and make a whip out of your tails. You have no idea who you''re messing with!"


    Blackwhisker kept his distance, not wanting to be grappled by Beluga and crushed to death as she had done to so many others in the fighting pit of the casino. "Oh, I know who you are. You''re the person who is going to send a message to the Sharks that Razorclaw territory is off-limits."


    "Bullshit. I ain''t carrying any message from you to Mako. Get a pigeon."


    "No worries. It''s a non-verbal sort of message. I''m sure your Captain will understand."


    The rest of the gang dropped from the rafters and grabbed old oars that had been left behind in the warehouse. Beluga was a fierce fighter, but not with one leg crushed in a bear trap and unable to run at her attackers. The gang members took their time, striking at her from behind, the heavy oars slowly beating her into unconsciousness, and then adding more bruises and broken bones for good measure.


    "Grab the gold and cheese. We''re moving to someplace that isn''t decorated in one-legged dwarves."

 Chapter 350: Scavengers go Scavenging

    It was a strangely quiet group of Scavengers who met the next morning in the scrap heap, which used to be the Silver Shark. Most had small injuries from smashed noses and broken arms along with a good amount of slashes and stab wounds. Ambushing rival gangs and extorting money from merchants wasn''t nearly as easy as it used to be. Mako was pacing back and forth on the beach, waiting for Beluga. Her mate should have been back hours ago. Her crew was keeping their voices low to not interrupt their Captain''s brooding. When Mako was like this, she wanted a target to vent her frustration on, and with the amount of frustration the leader of the Sharks had endured lately, whoever caught her attention was in for a severe beating.


    The crew had endured just as much, seeing their fortunes fall so quickly. Mako''s ranting about the other Captains and even the Engineers working to undermine them made sense to some. They were also looking for someone to blame. Others who weren''t privy to the secret of the Captain''s table blamed Mako, pointing out that betting the house on a cut of the cards went against everything their clan stood for. Playing fair was for idiots and shifting the odds in the clan''s favor was just good business. Mako had played fast and loose with too much gold at stake. Losing once was highly unlikely. Losing twice in a row was a sign that her luck was broken. No one followed an unlucky captain.


    And worse, while she''d been playing with the other Captains, and trying to win back the gold lost to the Professor, the Engineers had cleaned out the rest of the casino. It had happened too fast and these Engineers were a cut above the normal bunch they ran into. They were dashing and crazy, willing to take risks and bet it all on every hand. Many of the younger Sharks dealing cards had been mesmerized by how they took command and then took all the money at the table. Whatever had happened, the overall consensus was that Captain Mako had screwed up and the good days of easy money were over.


    And then they''d lost the vault.


    All of the clan''s wealth was in that vault. Even underwater, it was locked tight. They had kept track of every ship in port, watching constantly and making sure no one tried to steal their loot. And yet, someone had. Someone had set up cables to pull open the door, and helped it along with a few hammer blows from a pair of strong arms. The dents in the hammer steel of the door told the tale. How they''d picked the lock was a mystery. Only Stickyfingers-Sally, Beluga, and Mako knew that combination, and Sally was sleeping with the crabs. A few crew wondered aloud about Beluga, who was missing after last night''s raids. It was about an even split between the Sharks who thought Beluga had sold out, those who blamed a secret cabal of Engineers, and the ones who didn''t know and didn''t care to speculate.


    Mako gave up her pacing and joined her crew, a brittle smile on her face, that fooled no one. "I''m not waiting longer on a mate who''s off somewhere drinking or drunk. We''ll be needing two people to step up and become mates. One of those will be the gal that brings in the most cash today when we shake down the merchants. Hit them all, and don''t worry about going outside of our territory, we''ve got all the other gangs on the run after last night."


    A few scavengers nodded eagerly, and a few scowled. Only a couple of gangs had been dealt with, and they''d had little gold on them. The rest had scampered before the Sharks showed up, leaving empty lairs and rudely painted messages on the walls. And twice the Sharks had shown up only to find that the gang was home, but drinking with a dozen Kulags. In those cases, it was the Sharks that turned and ran from 3 to 1 odds.


    "Convince the shopkeepers to pay up, and triple the cost. Tell them they''ll get a week off and tokens for free drinks and the buffet at the casino. Be on your toes, and get that gold! We start once you get some hot food and drink in your bellies and the sun comes up, so be ready and get moving. I want to hit the whole city, and tomorrow morning we''ll buy back the casino and be back in business!"


    With beer and breakfast in their bellies and a bottle or two of something stronger to keep their spirits up, the Sharks hit the town. The merchants on the docks felt the sting of their visits the hardest, having been hit many times before. But they were almost exclusively the bars and beer gardens set up to service the Scavenger clientele and payoffs for ''protection'' were expected.


    The other people who had been hit hard by the Sharks were the families that made their living from the fishing boats. Their homes, warehouses, and shops had been moved to the edge of town by the new docks as the Sharks had used every dirty trick they knew to acquire the land near the docks, and the docks themselves. Debts had been bought and payment demanded. Mysterious fires set. Threats were made against the families and their boats if regular payments weren''t paid. With Squint''s people spread thin, the fishermen had hired Captain Pike to guard the new docks and the ships when in the harbor. A squad of Sharks saw the Captain as they approached the area. He''d moved his chair and fishing pole closer to shore. Currently, he and his much smaller companion weren''t fishing. The large platter of fry bread took up most of his attention, but he looked up as the Sharks got close and made a shooing motion with his hand.


    "Be off with you. I''m not in the mood to play any games, I have some serious eating to do."


    "Aww, and that''s a shame, Captain, as we hate to interrupt your breakfast. We''ll make it quick and short. Your employers are behind on their payments to us. Hopefully not to you as well. But we wanted to see for sure. Are you still gainfully employed as a guard dog to see after these illegally parked boats?"


    "Yep, all paid up. You so much as look cross-eyed at a boat or these docks and I''ll eat you raw while you scream." He nudged the small man next to him. "Go use some long words to tell these idiots to get lost. They like to be told multiple times."


    Shrugging, the short Engineer in ragged orange coveralls walked over to the Sharks. "You''re guilty of trespassing and should consider finding the motivation to relocate your bodily functions to other locales before said bodily functions cease."


    The Sharks all smiled. He might be human, but this was definitely an Engineer. They always used three words when one would do. "Pretty words and we won''t bother the ogre, but you should be careful you don''t take a shiv in the back."


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    He gave them the least of shrugs as if he didn''t care to exert himself. "I''ve played ''surprise'' with sneakier people. You make as much noise as a herd of sedge beasts."


    "Ah, well, not everyone sneaks as good as an Engineer. We Sharks are straightforward sort of folks, not a sneaky bone in our bodies. But perhaps you could do me a favor and ask the fine Captain, at his convenience, just how far his current contract extends? Just professional courtesy and not wanting to step on his toes, or for him to eat mine."


    "The Captain and I are guarding the docks and the boats."


    "Oh, excellent. I have business at that fine warehouse and two shops adjacent to it. A hankering for salted cod is upon me. Good day to you, Mr. Engineer." The Sharks turned to leave, happy to have Pike ignore them.


    "Be careful."


    "Oh, and why is that?"


    The strange Engineer smiled, "It''s a dangerous world, why take chances?" And with that, he walked back to his chair.


    The Sharks shared around a bottle and casually walked toward the warehouse. Pike looked at Milo, "You don''t seem too worried. No complaints on my end, but I sort of had you pegged for the ''concerned hero'' type."


    "They won''t go to the warehouse."


    The Ogre looked in their direction, "Sure looks like they''re heading that way. I''d bet you a fish taco that they make trouble for those folks."


    "I''ll take that bet. Want to make it a six-pack?"


    "Sure, never a time I''m not hungry for tacos. Especially free ones." Pike watched the Sharks as they got closer to the warehouse, and his keen eye noticed movement on the roof. There was a puff of smoke, a trail of fire, and then a huge explosion in the middle of the Sharks that scattered them. Three got up, put the other three on their shoulders, and ran. Narwhale let them get another 100'', the extreme range of her new rocket launcher, and put another missile in the middle of them. She was using a low-explosive mix that blasted out hundreds of small pellets of rock salt. Boom-boom called them ''Varmint Rounds''.


    Pike looked at Milo, horrified at the thought of buying someone else food. "You set me up! What sort of hero does that to a friend?"


    Milo considered the question, it had several parts to it. "Well, firstly, I''m not a hero. Second, I just paid you a year in advance to guard the docks and boats. Third, I''m hungry for fish tacos."


    That mollified the Ogre somewhat, but not completely. "You know they''ll be back, and those trigger-happy dwarves won''t always be testing out new guns. Maybe you should pay me to guard all that as well."


    Milo nodded, that sounded good to him. "Is a year in advance OK? I can have Bernard put it into your sea chest at the Guild."


    "Works for me. Now let''s get breakfast. We can hit up the place that makes the fried dough with honey and then grab some tacos for breakfast."


    The Sharks eventually woke up, their skin stinging from dozens of small wounds sowed with salt. They went back to the wreckage to sit and remove what they could, drinking heavily, then limped away to find some less belligerent merchants to prey upon. Surprisingly, those were in short supply today.


    The Kulags were out in force, along with all the other gangs, most of whom were wearing an armband with Squint''s emblem on it, signifying that for at least today they were on the same side as the Kulags. The Sharks found themselves followed throughout the city by large groups made up of the gang members and the occasional Engineer with a rivet gun and heavy armor. Other Engineers were sitting with a Scavenger on dates, as the couples enjoyed meals at the various eateries in town. Violence broke out only a few times, preceding a retreat by the Sharks as they found themselves outnumbered and outgunned. Any damage done to a shop or restaurant was paid for by the Engineers who had a lot of extra coins in their pockets.


    Mako herself ran into problems early when she and her team extorted a small amount of coin from Marcel''s Haberdashery, also stealing a half dozen of his best hats. Marcel begged them not to take them, claiming they were a special order. Mako laughed, "Good, tell them they can pick them up at my casino and pay for them there."


    As they were leaving, a half-dozen adventurers were about to enter. They spied the hats and scowled. "Those are ours! We already paid Marcel for them." The two tanks shifted to the front with the Paladin, the Mage, and the Cleric to the rear, and the rogue disappeared into the shadows.


    Mako was happy, she''d found someone to hit and charged the group, screaming. The Players were level 12-14 and could handle the other Scavengers, but not Mako. She put her Sharktoothed Cutlass of Burning Doom into the Paladin''s gut, straight through his plate chestpiece. The tanks moved to assist, finding out that hitting the Scavenger Captain was like hacking at Ironwood. She took damage, but only shallow cuts. The rogue took out one Scavenger with a backstab, but she took him with her, strangling him as she bled out. It was a bloody and brutal fight that was over quickly, with Mako confronting the Air Mage who was using the last of his mana to hit her with a Lightning Blast. It didn''t put her down, and his head left his shoulders.


    "Bloody hell, a hardworking Captain can''t get anything done in this town without someone picking on her. What''s the world come to?" She picked through the bodies of her crew for their rum and started walking back to the Shark. She was half dead and needed rest, rum, and the last of her healing potions. She found out when she woke in the late evening that none of the returning gangs had done well, scoring only a few hundred coins. Minnow had managed most of that and gained the position of Mate.


    "All right, get some rest. We have a deal to make tomorrow with the rat and you''ll be working late when we open up."


    Mako and her new Mate counted the swag and calculated the worth of golden spitoons and diamond-encrusted beard combs. Every bit of swag the Sharks owned was in the two bags in front of her. Minnow ventured a question, "It''s enough?"


    "Not for everything we owe, but enough for the casino. I''m going to make him a deal he can''t refuse."

 Chapter 351: The Caravan

    Deep under the earth in the ancient tunnels beneath Shadowport, a corrupted apex predator lumbered back to its lair in the center of a large cavern dragging the corpse of a huge lizard behind it. The dead Fonasaurus was twice the Corrupted Umber Bear''s mass, but had been trapped in its lair and couldn''t match the bear''s fury. Nor could it have killed it, as the bear was already dead, animated by the fungus replacing its brain and repairing its battered body. The huge lizard was dismembered and its parts strewn around the cavern, mostly in the nest in the center.


    Cracked bones and the rotting carcasses of beasts and humanoids made up the nest and gave off a rotting stench that warned any sane creature to leave the area. The huge Corrupted Umber Bear would hunt through the caverns and drag its kills back here to feast, eating only a few bites to fuel the fungus growing inside its once-living body


    Damaged hide and decayed muscle were slowly being replaced by strands of fungus that grew in its lair. The Brain Fungus directed the necessary repairs that kept it moving. The leftover pieces of creatures were left to decay into a nutritious mulch that would support the growth of mycelium that would spread through the mulch and soil of the surrounding area. As the fungus slowly grew throughout the cavern, the area would become more dangerous to other creatures. Protective spores would poison enemies and make the area into a safe spawning ground for a new Fungal Core, grown from the brain fungus planted within the bear. The core would burrow deep and produce a large Brain Fungus that would consume the bear and the nest, growing sentient and turning this area into a new outpost for a Mycellium Empire.


    But that was years in the future. The rotting predator would need to make hundreds of kills to create enough mulch to sustain even the beginnings of the colony. The fungus covering the bear''s face would drop spores to cultivate the area as the mycelium spread through the mulch and dirt in the cavern. As long as the bear could keep killing and providing sustenance to the new colony, the Brain Fungus that riddled its body would keep it alive. When it became too wounded to move, then it too would become mulch. In time, a suitable dead creature would be found by the Elder Brain Fungus, turned into a corrupted servant, and sent to continue the work. Expanding their empires took time, but fungi were patient.


    The bear lay in its nest, unmoving. Such creatures didn''t rest but rather went dormant to allow the growth of new fungus to replace the lost tissue from the last battle. The repairs made the creature tougher and harder to kill. Luckily for the surrounding subterranean dwellers, there were other apex predators in the area who were brave enough to oppose the bear''s reign of terror. One of them had been carefully skulking through the shadows to a position where they could attack from surprise. They were never in any danger of being detected. The bear had terrible perception and the skulker was well hidden. She sprung from hiding, a black-clad assassin, stabbing deep into the bear with a dagger and yelling ''Surprise!''. The bear was completely unhurt, but the Brain Fungus became active, anxious to kill the intruder and add its mass to the nest. Most meat-things weren''t so helpful as to deliver themselves and volunteer to be turned into mulch.


    The bear surged to its feet, knocking the assassin to the ground as she attempted to stab it to death with a small knife. She attempted to flip in the air and land on her feet but belly-flopped into a pile of rotting meat before scrambling to her feet. The bear slashed at her, catching her in the side with enough force to kill any player under level 20. Her ribs were broken and a lung punctured as she was knocked into the cave wall. She came up to her feet and looked at her knife. "I give up. Daggers suck! Why does anyone use the small blades skill?" As the bear lumbered towards her, she extended six-inch razor-sharp claws and prepared to charge it.


    "Because we need the DEX points. Daddy says so. We have to raise as many skills as we can!" The speaker was clad head to toe in heavy plate armor, except for her feet which were covered in pink Baby Weasel Slippers. Rosie had let Buttercup attack first since it was her turn, but now that she''d taken a hit, she could charge. The eight-foot-long steel-hafted pole-axe was held horizontally and she hit the bear like a freight train, using her momentum and strength of arms to knock it off its feet.


    Buttercup dove on the bear, using her Fiendish Claws to deal massive damage. Rosie brought her axe down in a strong chop that carved away ribs and in a living creature would have spread their internal organs on the ground. The bear barely grunted, ignoring the damage and regenerating as fast as the two cheese fiends it was fighting. It knocked Rosie to the ground and ignored Buttercup as it pounced on the downed foe. Rosie got her shield between her head and the bear''s jaws, but with two bites it had torn the shield nearly in two. Rosie slashed again and again, but the Brain Fungus knew to kill one foe before engaging the other.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Rosie punched the bear hard in the snout with her dainty fist, breaking a bone in the jaw and making the bear draw back, but it opened wide and began to lunge at her again. She put up an arm, something that was easier to regenerate than her head but needn''t have worried.


    A huge armored shape raced forward and leaped high in the air, bringing its pole-axe down in a massive two-handed chop. "For the Hollow!" The blow decapitated the bear, and without the Brain Fungus to control the body, it slumped on top of a disgusted Rosie. "Ugh, rotting bear smells icky!" Her sister helped heave the carcass off of her before they confronted their savior.


    "No fair, Daddy!"


    "That one was ours to play!"


    "And you kill-stealed!"


    "We had it worried and everything was fine!"


    Brutus laughed. "We''ll discuss the finer points of the battle later. Right now, you two need to clean up, and then write a 500-word essay explaining how you''re going to spend your Enhancement points."


    "Aw! Homework!"


    "How much did we get?"


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 98.629%">Sorry, you two are just so cute I didn''t want to interfere...


    For defeating a Corrupted Umber Bear in a mighty battle, and thwarting the expansion of the Myconian Empire, the System awards junior guards Buttercup and Rosie, along with their Kill Stealing father, Brutus, 20 Enhancement Points and 1000 Boss experience.


    Enjoy that homework and remember that penmanship is a DEX skill.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Leaving the bear where it was, the family retreated to a nearby cavern where their small caravan was waiting. The draft lizards had gotten a whiff of the bear and refused to come any closer. Brutus had sent Buttercup ahead to scout and see what lay ahead on their route. Anything that scared draft lizards was bad news. Harry was waiting with the wagons, collecting some of the interesting fungus from the cave, and making notes in his journal.


    "Ah, I hope your early return means a victorious battle?"


    "We won!"


    "But stinky bear was so stinky!"


    "I want a bath, and my doll is dirty."


    "Daddy, I need a new bow, I lost my last one in the fight."


    Brutus sighed. "OK, OK, let''s clean up first. Go careful on the water and use the special soap Uncle Harry made. It will kill any stink from the bear. But after that, homework!"


    "What about dinner?"


    "Puffcakes, mama says puffcakes are good to eat because they get rid of any harmful fungal infections like Black Mold!"


    "That bear was full of nasty stuff."


    "I''m feeling a little icky, maybe I''m turning into a Corrupted critter! Need puffcakes."


    "Fine. Wash up, then we have puffcakes, and then dessert."


    "Desert?"


    "We like dessert, what is it?"


    Brutus smiled evilly, "Your favorite. You each get to drink one of Uncle Harry''s special potions that protect you from disease and fungal infections. You''re feeling sick, after all, time for some medicine. And then homework."


    Grumbling, the girls went to wash while Brutus informed the cook of the dinner plans. He needn''t have bothered, the smell of fresh puffcakes was already coming from the chuck wagon. Bleusnout smiled and started filling up plates. "The girls love them and are always hungry after a battle. How did things go?"


    Brutus stuffed one into his mouth. "Great, really great. I was worried some, that was a nasty critter, after all. But even when Rosie was in a bad spot, neither of them went into a rage or lost control. It''s amazing how much better they are getting."


    The chef was happy to hear that, "They have a loving family, good diet, and a good example in Larry. I''m happy to help out with their rehabilitation, and it''s been wonderful worrying about just a few people, and not a whole Hollow. Smiley taking over needed to happen someday, and this has been perfect. With what we are learning, not just the girls will benefit. I''ll be publishing my notes and sending them to every hollow that I can contact."


    Harry picked up a plate, slid the stack into his mouth, and swallowed. "Ah, delicious as always. And now I''m going to deal with the mess ahead of us. I can eradicate the toxic and predatory fungus from the area and we can leave the nutritious and medicinal varieties to grow. It will be a perfect campsite in the future. I estimate we are only a few hours'' travel to Shadowport from here. Things are starting to look familiar from my youthful explorations."


    Brutus added up the time. "So four days travel altogether. Not a bad little run. Tallsqueak said it was two days to travel down the tunnel made by the World Boss, but that has a lot of cliffs and areas where we can''t take the wagons. A safe caravan route will mean more trade, and after that, we need to add a way to get over to the dwarven enclave." He looked back at the six wagons with their colorful awnings and painted sides. "Funny, I always dreamed of running away with a caravan, and now I''m the Master of one. A little one, but it will grow."


    Bleusnout smiled, "Indeed, and headed where no caravan has gone before: The exotic and mysterious uptop city of Shadowport. I must say, I''m excited."


    "And Larry said that Tallsqueak was back. Won''t he be surprised to see us?"

 Chapter 352: When Slinking away is the Sanest of Options...

    The Sharks were a shadow of their former strength. A dozen, maybe two dozen, had deserted and went mining or sailed away on small rafts. Beluga and her crew limped in as the sun was coming up, in horrible shape, bruised everywhere, and with many broken bones. All of them knew they were lucky to be alive. Not so at least twenty others who had met their ends drinking bad wine, fighting with players, or other occupational hazards. Mako recruited thirty pirates, giving them a chance to join up and earn their hats. With their numbers restored, they formed a ragged mob and walked through town on their way to the casino. They were dirty and ragged, tired and hurting, but that was the life of a Scavenger crew. The good times in the casino had made them soft, and they''d paid the price. Now, it was time to claw their way back to the top.


    Many people were also heading to the casino or already there. Six exhausted Sharks had been guarding it non-stop since the night the Captains had played poker. They''d watched the crews of other ships and the Engineers drink the bar dry before hauling up the kegs from the basement. The buffet was empty, with only a few stale crackers in a basket. They''d tried to intervene when the Engineers stacked all the furniture and gaming tables against a wall, then rolled up the carpets to make room for dancing and had to watch as Sledgemonkey called out the steps for a seven-hour session of square dancing. The only thing no one touched was the area around the Captain''s table and the only people who sat in that end of the casino were Scavenger Captains and their Mates, grudgingly allowing the Senior Engineers to join them.


    Outside, a crowd surrounded the colorful wagons of the mysterious caravan that just arrived. The hardworking ratkin had claimed an area of cleared ground and put their wagons in a long row, and then opened for business. Along with their signature Limburger cheese, had brought a large assortment of fine cheese, ground mushroom flour, myconic tonics and miraculous poison cures, scrimshaw artwork, spellcaster''s wands and staves, and enchanted jellybeans.


    By far, the most popular item was the food cart, where a large chef was cooking up his favorite specialties. ''Hollow Food'' was an immediate hit, especially with Captain Pike. The ogre was sitting at a table dragged from the casino, eating fried cavefish, fried mushrooms, and tasty golden fry bread. He was sitting next to the largest ratkin anyone had ever seen, comparing notes on underground monstrosities. Pike was just starting a story about hunting a giant, hundred-arm squid when Rosie and Buttercup appeared to either side of him, making all of his inner alarms go off. To his credit, the monster hunter only twitched once, then smiled. The frilly pink dresses helped a lot.


    The girls sat politely and asked him to start from the beginning. Storytime was still going two hours later. Pike loved telling his tales, but too many people were ''squeamish'' and didn''t appreciate the juicy parts of a fight and harvesting the good bits afterward. Rosie and Buttercup sat still, mesmerized by his stories, applauding and asking questions after each one.


    Captain Squint appeared with a contingent of Kulags, overjoyed to find the caravan. He''d been in and out of the casino several times to get another plate of food between rounds of square dancing. He''d also purchased a dozen carved bone knives. He never had enough knives. His knife collection was only surpassed by his collection of broken knives.


    Into this circus, the Sharks marched, Mako scowling at what people were doing in her casino. She spied Professor Tallsqueak sitting at the Captain''s table along with Captains Whale, Annie, Goldtooth, and Cuda. The Engineers guarding the doors had ''suggested'' that Mako only bring in twenty of her crew. She''d grudgingly accepted and left the other hundred outside under the command of the injured Beluga.


    Two crew carried in a large sea chest, necessitated by the coinage inside being more silver and copper on the bottom than gold. Mako had the chest set down and opened, then addressed the Professor while ignoring everyone else. "I''d like to talk to you in private."


    Tallsqueak didn''t look at the gold and shook his head, "No, I''d rather not. In Limburger Hollow, we conduct our business in the open, since what affects some of us affects all of us. We have no secrets, hidden cabals, or insular clans to divide us. While this certainly isn''t the Hollow, still, I would prefer to do business that way. These good Captains are witnesses to our earlier deals and offered to make sure promises were kept. I see no reason, on my part at least, for not continuing to do business in front of them. Please feel free to speak to all of us."


    Mako ground her teeth. Whale and the other Captains smiled at her. Captain Cuda remarked, "Smart man."


    "Very well, I have a proposal for you."


    That seemed to surprise the Professor who looked interested at first, then sadly shook his head. "I must say, Captain Mako, that I''m flattered and maybe just a little intrigued at the possibilities you present, but I have already received such a proposal from a lovely girl in the Hollow, and she is waiting for my answer. I couldn''t disappoint poor Charlotte by accepting your offer of matrimony."


    Mako''s mouth hung open. Whale had taken a sip of her rum and spewed it out over Annie and began choking. Annie and Goldtooth pounded her on the back, Annie putting her muscles into it. Captain Cuda remarked, "Very smart man."


    Mako''s face turned bright red, whether, from anger or the embarrassment of being turned down, no one knew. "No! Dammit, I have a business deal for you, one that will make you a lot of money. I''m sure you''ll like it, with your background in mathematics."


    The Professor seemed interested, "Well, I do love math. It was one of the subjects I taught at the Tower of Strife. Please, present your deal."


    "I''ve got 17,000 in gold and the deeds to two warehouses, three bars, and 9 vacant lots near the docks. I''m willing to pay you all of it for a half interest in the casino. We know how to run it, and how to make money. You won''t have to lift a finger. You''ll get a quarter of the profits. The Sharks get three-quarters, but we''ll put half of our money aside until we can afford the other half of the casino, at which point we''ll buy it back from you. And we''ll still pay you one-quarter of the profits after that for another five years. In addition, we''ll manage the real estate, and the docks, with you getting a quarter of the profits and a similar buyout deal. It''s like selling it all, but still making money for five years. Very profitable and with no effort on your part. Plus, your Hollow is making valuable allies who will be helpful in so many ways."


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The Professor looked interested. "My, that is some very nice-looking math, and I do hate to get my hands dirty."


    "So, we have a deal."


    The Professor sneered and shook his head, "Oh, I''m sorry, what would make you jump to that conclusion? Of course not."


    "What? Why not?!"


    "Because I don''t want to. But thank you for bringing by all the gold and property deeds. That will cover your debt for gold I put out to cover the money I paid the Engineers. Still a long way from buying back all of your chips, but I suppose I''ll have to be patient and wait for that part. Maybe your crew should take jobs in the mines? Some of the mining in the deeper areas is quite good and you could pay your debts in the next couple of years."


    "Become dirt-suckers and rock-chippers? Never!"


    "Well, then I''ll let the Shadowskulkers and Captain Squint know that it''s open season on Sharks."


    Mako was turning purple in the face and her heart was racing. She needed this deal! Everyone had conspired and turned against her, and now she was being told off by some bumpkin from down in the caves who''d never been on a ship. It was almost too much to take.


    "Look, this is a good deal, but I can make it better. Ten years of profits."


    "Tempting, but no."


    "Twenty years! Twenty years of profits for doing nothing at all. It''s a good deal. I swear it, on my personal honor."


    The Professor''s voice was cold. "Again, no. I don''t trust you, Mako. You have no honor. Your actions in this town have shown that and what you''ve done to the people living here. Better for your clan to pack up and leave. Your reputation in this town is destroyed, no one will trust you again. As everyone says, Sharks Suck Bilge Water. Good day, ma''am, I am done doing business with you."


    Mako turned white and trembled, finally getting ahold of herself as she took ten deep breaths. Then she grinned and showed all of her teeth, some gold and some pointed. "I take offense to that, Captain Tallsqueak. You can''t insult me and my clan that way in front of all these Captains. I challenge you to a Duel of Captains."


    Whale and the other Captains stood up, shouting. "He isn''t a Captain!"


    "Are you insane, Mako?"


    "Pay your debts, woman, you''re making us look bad...well, worse."


    Whale shouted again. "He isn''t a Captain!"


    The Professor didn''t react at all but sat, thinking.


    Mako pointed to the table, "Isn''t he? He accepted the title, and you all witnessed it. He''s sitting at the table like he owns it."


    "I do own it; it comes with the casino. A very fine table, and I''m fond of it."


    Whale glared at the ratkin, then at Mako. "Not a Captain; you''re flouting Scavenger law or bending it into a pretzel at the very least."


    Captain Cuda shook her head, disagreeing, "There''s precedent. Three times that I can remember, we''ve named people honorary Captains. It fell out of favor because they always got challenged to duels or pushed into politics. This is another bad example. But Mako isn''t wrong."


    Tallsqueak stood up. "So, what is involved in this duel?"


    Mako smiled, sensing a win, finally. "You insulted me, I demand satisfaction. You pick a champion, and I pick a champion. They fight a friendly cage match."


    Squint immediately put his hand in the air, "OOOOH, Pick me. I''m champion material, and I love cage matches. Cats! Bring my best knives, and get my fancy hat."


    Tallsqueak smiled at the thought of Squint fighting. But he also knew Mako was counted as one of the toughest Scavenger Captains. He understood better how the Sharks were tolerated. The threat of a duel kept everyone polite. "Any other options?"


    "Why yes, you can slink away and be known for not backing up your words."


    Tallsqueak smiled, "Well, that seems the least dangerous option. I''m sure my reputation can sustain a minor hit."


    Annie and Whale scowled, and Cuda pointed out the problem. "Captains wager their ships."


    "I don''t have a ship, and neither does Captain Mako."


    Cuda continued, "The Silver Shark counts as a ship; it''s just in pieces. The parts, hull plating, and scrap metal are worth a lot. You''d have to put up something of equal value, like this casino. Then you could slink away, giving it up."


    "Hmm, that''s much worse. But let''s discuss this ''slinking away''. I know the value placed on this casino, and the scrap heap doesn''t come close. That chest of gold is the payment of debts already owed and should come to me. I want something else. If my champion wins the fight, then the Sharks have to slink away and leave Shadowport for fifty years."


    Mako considered, then said, "That''s fair. We have a duel, then?"


    Tallsqueak nodded, "We have a duel."


    "I nominate myself, Captain Mako of the Silver Shark, as my champion. Which of your crew do you nominate, Captain Professor Tallsqueak?" She grinned nastily as she said his name.


    Tallsqueak looked to where many people were raising their hands, "Oh, I have several people who are anxious to fight you. Who shall it be? Captain Pike? Captain Squint? Oh, I see Rosie and Buttercup are excited. They''re only seven years old, do I get both of them?"


    Heads turned to where Squint and the Ogre were grinning, and two cheese-fiends in pink frilly dresses were jumping up and down chanting ''Cage Match! Cage Match.''


    Mako shook her head, "Nope. You have to pick a crew member. That sort of limits you since you don''t have a ship. Right, Captain Cuda?"


    Whale was looking furious, but resigned. Cuda nodded, dispassionate as a referee, "That''s correct. Without a crew, the Professor is limited to himself. Sorry Prof, but rules are rules."


    Mako lit a cigar while the Professor weighed his options. She sneered at him, "Guess you should have been more polite and taken my deal. Ready to leave town so I can reopen my casino?"


    The ratkin''s eyes were completely black as he turned and smiled at her, showing his sharp incisors. "And give up the chance to fight against you while confined in a small cage? I haven''t fought a duel in ages, and I''m anxious to get started."

 Chapter 353: Thats the Rules

    Seeing a clan of Scavengers in port might give anyone the impression that they were lazy, drunken sots. This was true, but only up to a point. It was similar to how an Enclave of Elves could spend a summer sniffing flowers in a meadow, yet when threatened with war instantly become serious and march forth to meet their foes clad in Bright Steel Armor, brandishing glowing swords and staves. Port was where Scavengers took their vacations, but when at sea, they were as hard-working as any Engineer.


    The Sharks were a strange exception to the rule. They were only mediocre sailors, preferring submersibles that could strike with surprise. They worked the hardest when they were running some profitable scheme to bring in gold. After acquiring the largest building in Shadowport through a combination of extortion, arson, and dubious loans, they had worked long shifts converting it to the lavish gaming establishment that was to be the cornerstone of their new business. One end was built out to house the large kitchen, and below the main floor, they dug deep to create a vast open room for entertainment of a different sort. They had held a variety of events: lizard racing, dog fights, bare-knuckle boxing, High-Stakes Twister, and dance-offs. While they made money on all of these events since their customers would bet on anything, by far the most popular was the cage matches.


    The ''Shark Cage'' was a thirty-foot square cage of twisted hammer steel bars set with a twenty-foot high ceiling. The bars were 8" apart and 1/2" thick. The current champion of the cage for no-weapons matches was Beluga, who had successfully crushed thirty-seven challengers. With the way her weight had soared lately, the only challenger in the last month had been Annie, who refused to give up despite their size difference.


    Tonight''s match was filling the stands and would have made the Sharks a fortune just in beer and snack sales. Unfortunately for the Sharks, they didn''t own the casino right now. The Deeprock Engineers were selling mugs of ale from a makeshift table, and next to them, Chef Bleusnout was serving up heavily seasoned mushroom kebabs.


    There was no official betting tonight. Everyone knew the Sharks had no money to pay off the winners, even if Mako won. They''d be passing out IOUs that might never be redeemed. And for all her ferocious reputation, even her own crew wondered if she could win. Mako had lost her luck, a terrible thing for a Captain, and the Professor was an unknown entity who had held his own against Mako and beat her at her own table. Scavengers wouldn''t serve under an unlucky Captain. If Mako lost tonight, she''d find herself with only a handful of crew in the morning.


    Captain Cuda had better knowledge of the rules than anyone else and was acting as a referee for the match. Milo had immediately had questions about those rules.


    "Pardon me, but as there seems to be no written copy of ''The Scavenger''s Code'' here in Shadowport, I have a few questions."


    All of the Scavengers chuckled, and Cuda explained, "Just as well, since the Code changes constantly and is mostly verbal. But what do you need to know?"


    "Mainly, what are the rules of the duel? I''m sure a cage match differs from the format of duels as stipulated by the Marquis D''Camonbert. What is allowed? What is not allowed?"


    "Format? Easy. We push both of you through the doors on the opposite sides of the cage and lock them shut. I yell ''1,2,3, Go'' and you charge at each other. The first one to yield, or drop and not move, loses. If both people are up after three minutes you get a one-minute break before the next round."


    Tallsqueak nodded, that did seem simple. "And we are allowed to bring weapons, I assume, and cast spells?"


    Mako grinned, "Spells? In a cage match? Sorry, Professor, that isn''t how things work. Scavengers are fighters, not wizards. No spells allowed in the cage."


    Captain Cuda agreed, but not with enthusiasm. "What Captain Mako says is correct. This is a fight between Captains, not Sea Witches."


    Mako sneered, "So no whining about it. If you don''t like the rules, you shouldn''t have insulted me and my clan. Still time for you to forfeit and slink away."


    Tallsqueak scowled, "I see, but will continue. It does make things more challenging. What else is forbidden?"


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "Well, a long list, but off the top of my head, you can''t use potions, no beard pulling, no trash talking about moms, no guns no matter what you disguise them as. Bear traps are fine but you can''t put them on the floor until the fight starts, cannons are fine as long as they use eight-pound balls or larger, but no cannons bigger than you can carry and you can''t pre-load them, no minions-even mechanical ones, smoke bombs are out since they interfere with watching the fight. You can invoke gods and demons, but if they show up they can only watch. That''s the Rules. Probably other stuff, but those are the basics. You''ve got an hour before we start. I need to check the cage for loose bolts and get properly drunk."


    The two fighters left to prepare, each in a different way. Mako spent her hour doing sword drills and drinking three bottles of whiskey to give her stamina. Tallsqueak was sitting upstairs, telling stories to Rosie and Buttercup while enjoying fresh puffcakes and fried mushrooms. The girls had decided he had entirely too much food and were helping him eat the pile of food in front of him. Bleusnout had anticipated this, the growing little girls were always hungry and he had cooked ten times what Milo could have eaten on his own.


    Milo hadn''t realized how much he had missed food from the Hollow as well as his adopted family. He''d been overjoyed when he saw the caravan rolling down the street, guided by Captain Squint and a group of Kulags. Being tackled by the girls was unavoidable but welcome, even the cracked rib when Rosie hugged him too hard. They''d grown, but had also gotten ''better''. Brutus told him that the change was slow, but with constant practice of the right skills, and the enhancement points they were earning, they were slowly reversing their fiendish transformation. They''d never again be little girls, but they had a good chance to not be monsters.


    While Tallsqueak made the girls giggle with a story about hunting eels, and the big one got away, Brutus was talking to Sledgemonkey about finding a route between Limburgher Hollow and the Engineering Complex. Currently, the dwarves had to haul the deep copper ingots from the Hollow up the treacherously steep tunnel carved out by the World Boss, then down through the tunnels and caves that led to Harry''s home, and then onward to one of the entrances to their complex. Brutus had looked at every old map he could find in the Hollow and was confident he could find a route to the lower caverns formerly inhabited by the acidic ooze.


    "It might take some work and we may have to bring in the digger moles and mining teams, but I''m pretty sure we can link to the big cavern Tallsqueak talked about. Some of it is on an old map and a brief description. The expedition was cut short when a horde of small ooze and slime monsters attacked."


    The Chief Engineer looked at the maps, seeing the proposed route, "And we can help with that by building level roadbeds and even laying rails. Your draft beasts can pull a lot more on rails, and Two-Screws is talking about a new design for a steam-powered engine to pull rail cars."


    The girls laughed loudly at something Tallsqueak said, and both Brutus and Sledgemonkey looked at him. Brutus expressed everyone''s worry. "How tough is this Captain Mako? I looked at her and couldn''t get a read on her, but I shivered from the tip of my tail to the top of my head. She''s a mean one."


    "Tough as boilerplate. Whale fought her once to a draw, and any other Captain who fought her took a beating, and three died. Mako spent a lot of time in the arenas of Fort Hopeless. Shipwrecked when young and picked up by slavers. She lasted twelve years in the fighting pits before a clan bought all the dwarven slaves and freed them. She was expensive because of her fighting record. She''s made of gristle and scars held together by spite and hate. She took over the Sharks in record time, cutting through anyone in her way. No subtlety to her. Whale said she was the toughest Scavenger she ever met. And a lot like her namesake, cunning and always hungry for more. Our Professor has a tough fight on his hands."


    Brutus wasn''t happy with that news. "Excuse me. I have to talk to the Chef about some cheese."

 Chapter 354: Good, Clean Fun

    The more Milo learned about Mako and the rules for his upcoming match, the more he saw the cage as a trap. He was playing by Scavenger Rules, and he hadn''t read the rulebook. Was there even a rulebook? Probably, but written in four dialects of dwarvish with a different version in each clan.


    No potions and no spells meant no healing during the match. But he still had his regeneration, and nothing had been said about casting spells before the match. Was that an oversight? Or was it something the dwarven Scavengers didn''t think about since so few of them were spellcasters? He shelved the thought until later. Not enough information and he had other things to think about.


    He knew he was faster than Mako and more agile. She moved as if she expected anything else in the world to move out of her way and he''d seen her fight with the group of players. She could take blows and hit hard. He didn''t relish taking a thrust to his chest the way she''d finished off one of the players. Dodging and blocking were essential, and waiting for a chance to hit back when she couldn''t hit him back. It was much like fighting Larry, or even Charlotte after her change. As scary as Charlotte had been to fight, he hadn''t been in such an enclosed space, and he could use his spells.


    As he was pondering this, Bleusnout and Brutus came to talk to him. Brutus wasted no time in giving him the bad news, "I''ve been talking with people. This person you were so silly to get into a fight with is a bad one. The only reason your Engineer buddies haven''t grabbed you and gotten you out of here is that they think too highly of you and are sure you had this all planned out. She''s known to be tough as hell and she fought for most of her early life as a gladiator. Don''t give her a chance, cause she sure as hell won''t give you one."


    "I had some of it planned out, maybe. But not a duel in a cage. Who thinks up stuff like this?"


    Brutus thought for a moment, "Hmmm, dwarves, goblins, orcs are all found of them. Ogres too, but they get to eat the loser. And humans will copy off everyone else. Do you have some clever plan to beat her?"


    Milo shrugged, "How I always fight. Try not to get hit, run around a lot, and hit back when I can. It''s easier in a war, more options.


    Bleusnout handed him a small bag. "So we thought. Treat this like a war. Your opponent will have advantages you don''t even know about, so accept this small bag of medicinal cheese. You look a little pale and I''m proscribing it to you. It isn''t a potion. It''s cheese."


    Milo looks at the four pieces of Battle Cheese. They smelled delicious. But..."That''s a lot of cheese, and I''ve had cheese recently while playing cards."


    Bleusnout patted him on the shoulder, "You''re cautious, that''s good. But I think you''ll need these. Take the aged Goulda at the start of the match to give you speed and dull pain. The other three will provide healing, kickstart your regeneration, and stop any bleeding. If you need to use them, don''t hesitate. Fighting and injuries will force your body to use up its reserves of cheese and keep you in the safe zone."


    Milo looked at the two of them. "Thanks, I appreciate it. I think I''d better get ready."


    "Indeed. The crowd is restless. And we will be there with you. I''ve been told that you may have two associates ''In your corner.'' Brutus and I have volunteered."


    Ten minutes later, Professor Tallsqueak walked down the stairs, dressed for a fight. His heavy robe had been exchanged for a shorter hooded shirt with a face covering. Mako, on the other hand, had stripped down to comfortable pants, heavy boots, and a sleeveless leather shirt that showed off her collection of tattoos on her muscled arms. She raised her arms and cheered for the crowd. Tallsqueak walked to where Captain Cuda was waiting. Mako sneered and came over.


    "Ready for your beating, Professor?"


    "Certainly, Captain, but first, I have a rules clarification. You mentioned ''no beard pulling''. I have to ask, does it say anywhere in those rules that ''tail pulling'' is allowed? It is an equally terrible offense."


    Captain Cuda scratched her head, "No, I don''t think the rules mention tails."


    The Professor smiled, "Then, if nowhere in your extensive rulebook does it allow tail pulling, then we must conclude that both tails and beards are off limits."


    Mako was trying to work through the statement, "Now, wait a minute...."


    Captain Cuda held up a hand. "I agree with the Professor. Nothing says you can, and since he doesn''t have a beard and you don''t have a tail, that seems fair."


    Mako pretended not to care, "Whatever, I was planning on cutting it off for a trophy, not pulling it. But that can wait until after I pound you into the ground."


    Cuda looked at the two of them, "Ready to fight then?"


    Mako gasped in mock surprise, "Without a blessing from the gods? Sacrilege!"


    Captain Cuda looked at Milo, then at Mako, "Make it quick, Mako." A member of the audience came forward and cast a spell on Mako, making her skin glow briefly.


    "Sorry, Professor, something else you may not have been told about. Blessings became traditional in season 307. Have a cleric or someone handy for a blessing?"


    The Professor shook his head, "No. But this seems like a violation of the rules against spellcasting."


    "Well, the prohibition is against casting once the two of you are in the cage. There''s no way to keep people from getting buffed up ahead of time, but by allowing a blessing it keeps things under control."


    "I see. So many new rules to learn."


    Mako returned to a spot across from Milo. "Yeah, lots of rules, and all your fancy learning isn''t going to help you here."


    The Professor rolled his eyes. "Math is always helpful. For instance, I can tell from the way you walk that your hamstring muscles are shorter than 85% of the dwarves I have met, giving you limited flexibility. Coupled with the injury to your left Achilles tendon gives you a slight limp, I''ve estimated your charge speed to be 29% beneath the average optimal speed. You have a good sword length of 23" but your arms are comparable to a miniature T-Rex. You will need to use 87% more stamina when sprinting to catch me, while I will enjoy a 72% savings in energy. Finally, mathematics has taught me that a negative modifier applied to a spell description can be further modified by who it is cast upon, possibly generating a further negative modifier that cancels the first. Do you disagree?"


    Captain Cuda was counting on her fingers to figure out what the Professor was saying but gave up. Mako spit to the side and sneered. "I don''t care one way or another. Let''s get this fight going."


    "Agreed, and best of luck to you in this friendly athletic bout." The professor stuck out his hand to shake.


    Mako grabbed his hand, squeezing hard, causing Tallsqueak''s eyes to water and he bit his lip from the pain until Cuda slapped them apart. "Save it for the cage, Mako."


    The two fighters went to their respective corners where small doors let them enter. The crowd could barely see the Professor between the two hulking ratkin there to assist him. Milo put the first two pieces of Battle Cheese in his mouth, feeling the cheese enter his system and his reflexes sped up. Or was it the world slowing down? He bounced up and down on his toes anxious for the fight to start.


    Mako entered the ring, pulled out her cutlass, and glared at him. Captain Cuda yelled, "Begin!" Somewhere, a bell was rung.


    As expected, Mako sprinted across the cage at Tallsqueak. She hadn''t understood all the things he''d said but knew when someone was insulting her stubby legs. She expected a Furious Charge and Extended Lunge to catch the Professor off balance, but her thrust found empty air as she slammed into the cage. Tallsqueak knew Mako couldn''t resist the taunt and had prepared his dodge, faking left, rolling right, and coming up again as Mako moved past him. He threw a double slash across her back and was flipping backward immediately in case she spun around.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    As he stood up on the opposite side of the cage, he saw Mako''s back, totally unhurt, just before she slowly turned around. "My, did someone try to stab me in the back? It felt like a mosquito tried to bite me. Welcome to the big leagues, Professor. Even without a Blessing of Tough Hide, I don''t think you''d have hurt me. Are you ready to beg for my forgiveness yet? Save yourself some lumps?"


    Tallsqueak said nothing, thinking. If Mako had this much armor, it must be from Enhancement Points and Toughness. With the blessing added to what she had, it was no wonder she didn''t lose fights and didn''t bother to dodge. She was a walking tank! This meant a change in his plans, and he pulled Shadowblight from his belt. It was harder to roll and dodge with the spikey stick in his hand, but he needed to soften Mako up. And keep her angry.


    When her opponent didn''t answer, Mako charged at him again. This time, as he dodged aside, he pivoted and put Shadowblight into her back, triggering the Sundering effect. His weapon, seeing an opportunity to inflict pain, added Venom to the attack. Mako''s armor dropped by 50 points, and she began taking 100 points a round in poison damage.


    Mako felt something inside of her break, and she felt the poison as her health began ticking down. "You sneaky rat-bastard! You brought a poisoned weapon to a cage match?"


    Captain Cuda yelled at her, "It so, it was up to you to check his weapon before the match started. That''s the rule, Mako."


    Mako shrugged. It was an annoyance, and she was barely scratched. The poison was taking off some of her health, but to someone with over 15,000 health, a measly hundred here or there didn''t matter. She was more concerned about how the hell he''d knocked down her mitigation. With Mitigation6, Hard-headed, Ironhide, and 44 Toughness she was up to 500 points of physical mitigation. Enough to make most opponents surrender when they found out that they couldn''t hurt her in a duel without scoring a critical hit or using a special skill. Now she was down by fifty and the blessing was only good for thirty points. She could feel something in her shoulder snag and grind as she moved now, a reminder of where she''d been hit. The solution was simple: Press him hard, get in a few hits, and drop the Professor fast.


    Tallsqueak saw that Mako was more wary now. Her charges weren''t all out, more of a dogged pursuit. He was spending a lot of time running from her, bouncing off the walls, and staying ahead of her. He managed to tag Mako twice more, a hit with Shadowblight to the knee that made her curse, and a slash on her arm that left red scratches and nothing more. Round and round they went, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Cuda pick up the hammer for the little bell next to the hourglass. With only a few seconds left he charged Mako from the front, surprising her and bringing down Shadowblight onto her shoulder in a two-handed swing. Mako cursed and grabbed him by the throat with one hand, gleefully bringing up her cutlass.


    With a loud ''Ding'' the round ended. Milo looked at the Scavenger Captain and grinned, "How fortuitous, I lived through the first round."


    Captain Cuda yelled at Mako, "Drop him and get to your corner, both fighters have one minute. No spells, no potions, and nothing enters the ring other than refreshments."


    Milo sat on the small stool Brutus put out, and caught his breath. "You''re right, she''s tough. I''m going to have to work hard to hurt her. I''m burning stamina running around. She''s not even sweating."


    Brutus grinned, "But she''s not walking so good. You hurt her some and she''s green around the gills."


    "Oh, I poisoned her three times with Noble Spider Venom from my spikey stick."


    Bleusnout was staring hard at Mako, "Her wounds are healing! What did they hand to her?" He yelled to Captain Cuda, "I protest, Mako is using a healing potion!"


    Cuda snarled and grabbed the bottle of whiskey from Makko, who didn''t seem concerned, then handed it back. "All legal, refreshments need to be at least 70% of what''s on the label by volume. A little ''pick-me-up'' is legal in the rules. It still counts as whiskey."


    The Chef scowled, "I don''t like these rules, but who am I to accuse anyone of cheating? Here, eat this cheese!"


    Milo took the piece of aged Limburger and popped it into his mouth. It tasted like heaven and he saw his stamina going back up." The bell rang and the next round started with a bang. Literally.


    Brutus and Bleusnout dove for cover and Milo leaped for the ceiling as Mak threw a grenade into his corner. His leap saved him, but he was bleeding in three places. He held on to the top of the cage but Mako had another bomb of some sort coming his way. He dropped into its path and swung his weapon at it, returning it to Mako. The bomb blew up in her face and Milo took more damage, closer than he had been to the first bomb.


    And he was close to Mako. He swung hard for the knee he''d hit before, putting a spike into her. Shadowblight was out of poison for the day, but Sundering was limited only by his stamina, and with the Limburger coursing through his veins he felt like running a marathon. Mako screamed in pain and brought her cutlass around in a horizontal arc aiming for Milo''s head. He blocked with his other arm, taking the blow on his armored forearm. The armor cracked, sending a lance of pain up his arm and he was knocked away into the side of the cage.


    Mako nailed him in his unarmored stomach with a hard kick and brought her cutlass up, only to be smacked by a hard tail slap to the face that cracked like a whip. Her nose broke and she took a step back, Milo rolled and put some distance between them.


    "Fething tails! Shouldn''t be legal to have an extra limb."


    Cuda disagreed, "Neither the Lizard tribes nor the Kobold clans would hold matches if we excluded tails. Ratkin should fall into the same category. Rules are Rules."


    Mako was shocked that she had taken damage. Granted, the hit caught her right in the face and she hadn''t dodged. She snuck a look at her stats and saw her blessing had faded and she was down to only 300 mitigation. The Professor was cheating somehow, or using a cursed weapon. She felt broken inside, especially her face and left knee. It was time to play dirty.


    Brutus yelled out, "Hey, bombs are legal? I want a ruling."


    Captain Cuda shrugged, "Bombs are legal as long as they don''t use cataclysmite. And they have to be carried on a belt or in a storage ring. Can''t expect a Captain to not have a few extra bombs lying around. It''s all good clean fun."


    The short respite ended for Milo as Makko pointed her sword at him and yelled, "Fire in the hole!" A jet of flames seared the air between them, and he only half dodged, taking hundreds of points of fire damage. Milo rolled across the floor, then did nothing but dodge as Mako aimed two more Bolts of Flame at him. As the sword sputtered and went out, the round ended. Milo crawled to the corner where Brutus dumped water on his smoldering fur and Bleusnout handed him another piece of cheese.


    The referee anticipated Brutus as he stood up, "All legal. That''s an enchanted weapon with a Pyromancer Rune. Not a spell, just a triggered rune with limited charges."


    Brutus started to say more, but The Professor held up a hand. "That''s fine, just good clean fun. Hit that bell."

 Chapter 355: I like Skulls

    The next round started and Milo dodged immediately, having no idea what ''legal'' trick Mako would come up with next. He looked horrible, his clothing scorched and burned and some of his fur blackened. But his Near Fiendish Regeneration was super-charged with Battle Cheese and he wasn''t feeling the pain. The Cheese Masters of the Hollows had worked for generations to weaponize their snacks, and Milo could easily see how soldiers could become addicted to them. Mako pulled something from her storage ring, upset to find only a long string of firecrackers, having forgotten how many bombs she''d used at the last big party. She tossed them and the crowd roared in pleasure as Milo scampered for safety and ended up holding onto the top of the cage above Mako.


    They cheered more when the next instant, thirteen glowing skulls fell all around her, exploding and turning her into a pincushion with hundreds of slivers of bone stuck into her skin. Mako''s ears were ringing and she was knocked into the air by the multiple explosions. Milo swung by his tail from the top of the cage and hit her in the head with his weapon, a spike puncturing an eardrum, the smaller spikes penetrated her skull for only a quarter inch. The blow wasn''t fatal, but it maddened the Scavenger from the pain. She stood screaming at Milo and waving her cutlass in the air. He dropped his last three bombs to distract her and swung to the ground.


    Mako was bleeding now, and breathing hard, her anger growing as her opponent failed to die, and worse, cheated as well as she did. The crowd was roaring and the referee was shouting, the crowd too loud for the small bell to be heard by the fighters in the cage. "End of the round, stop fighting you idiots. Mako stomped to her corner and poured another bottle of ''Whiskey'' down her throat. Captain Cuda approached Milo''s corner. "What the hell were the skulls?"


    "Why, nothing illegal. I''m surprised you''ve asked. Just some simple explosives. No cataclysmite and no spell. Just a triggered rune like Mako''s sword. I''m so happy to find out that triggered runes are legal."


    "And you just happened to have all those in a storage device?"


    Professor Tallsqueak grinned at the referee. "I like skulls."


    The crowd liked them too. Where there had been only a few people shouting for Milo, now his cheering section was growing and equal to Mako''s fans. They still thought he''d lose, but he was putting up a good fight. It only added to Mako''s anger. "Hand me the zerkerjuice."


    Beluga pulled out a bottle of dark rum. "Careful, boss. Don''t take more than a few sips or you''ll be out of control."


    Mako laughed, "I''m barely in control now. I need to kill someone. I feel all torn up inside and somehow that bastard is cracking my bones. I even broke a toe when I kicked him. I''m past caring, Beluga. I''m going to paint the cage with his guts." Beluga could only watch as she chugged half the bottle before her hand started shaking and she dropped it. Roaring incoherently, she charged Tallsqueak and Captain Cuda hurriedly hit the bell, just before Mako hit her opponent.


    Milo had turned his head to talk to Brutus and turned back too late to avoid Mako''s berserk charge across the ring. He was slammed into the side of the cage hard, and if not for his hard-runed bones, would have lost half of his ribs. Mako hadn''t even drawn her sword and simply started hitting him in the face and body, over and over. Milo couldn''t get away, or draw his weapon, so he used his claws and tail.


    One claw slashed and did 100 damage to her, finally able to overcome her mitigation. The second did 450 damage, benefitting from Extra Stabby. Milo''s tail slapped her hard in the skull for another critical hit, causing her to pause for a moment, and the tail wrapped around her neck and pulled her over backward.


    With only a quarter of his health left, Milo leaped free. Mako came up foaming and raced at him. He rolled to the side and tripped her with his tail, sending her tumbling into her own corner. A quick glance showed him that his weapon was at the edge of the cage, but instead of running for it, he considered another weapon. He wasn''t skilled with it, but Mako wasn''t dodging. Without a moment''s thought, he pulled the screwdriver from his belt and transformed it into the Mace of Armageddon. He didn''t know how to use a mace, but he did know how to correctly use a Pre-System Force Application Tool. With his tail, he formed an engineering rune that described the circular motion of a horizontal cog and the mace swung in a perfect horizontal arc that hit Mako in the chest as she charged and slammed her back against the cage. The force unleashed was horrific, and anyone else would have been killed. With Zerkerjuice in her system, Mako wasn''t even knocked out. She also wasn''t thinking too well. She staggered forward, mostly from bouncing off the cage, and saw multiple Professors whirling in a circle toward her. Milo hadn''t canceled the rune and kept whirling around, completing two full rotations as he danced to where Mako was and hit her again, this time in her side, shattering multiple ribs into small shards. She then helpfully assisted him by staggering up again as he completed another rotation.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    This time he managed to adjust the trajectory and he hit her in the head. Teeth sprayed from her jaw and one eye popped out of the socket as Mako fell to the ground, not moving. Her brittle skull, like all her cursed brittle bones, was in several pieces. Milo released the mace and it hit the side of the cage, bending the bars three feet out and nearly breaking the cage. He kept spinning for six more rotations before turning the spin into the ending move of the Happy Hamster Hop and managed to stay on his feet as the crowd cheered.


    Captain Cuda hit the bell several times and declared the fight over. "Winner of this match and current Champion of Shadowport, Captain Tallsqueak of Limburger Hollow."


    Milo managed to stay standing only until he got out of the cage. Bleusnout took his pulse, "We should get him wrapped up and get some tea and puffcakes into him. He''s had a lot of cheese, and that''s all that kept him alive through that."


    Brutus retrieved his mace, mostly so the girls wouldn''t grab it. He gingerly put it in his belt, aware that Tallsqueak had nearly killed himself with it before. The girls were already playing in the cage and trying to get anyone else to join them. Even drunken pirates weren''t that dumb.


    Beluga looked down at Mako, "You just had to push things, didn''t you? And now I have to take a broke clan of idiots and take them somewhere else. I should leave you here, but I suppose I''ll take you along, maybe he knocked some brains into you."


    She had four of her crew pick up Mako and haul her to a healer who would accept a hefty IOU for his work. Then the Sharks headed for the docks. A three-masted sloop was just docking, disgorging a crew of thirsty pirates who ran for the bars that were waiting for them. Ten minutes later Beluga and the Sharks walked up the gangplank and explained the new reality to the few crew minding the ship. Three were tossed overboard and four joined the sharks. Less than an hour after the cage match was over, the Sharks were out of Shadowport, heading to parts unknown.


    Milo would find out about that the next day. For the rest of the day, he sat in Mako''s big chair at the Captain''s table, dozing, slurping down tea, and red jelly bean potions, and eating puffcakes. He had a gnawing feeling inside, and Bleusnout noticed him eyeing the piece of cheddar that he''d carefully placed in the center of the table.


    "My cravings are back. I thought I was over them."


    Bleusnout shook his head, "We never get over them. I was in horrible shape after what Rifkin did to me. Smiley and I kept a watch on each other for two months, and Harry watched both of us. Luckily, we had Larry for inspiration. If a cheese fiend can curb his addiction, the rest of us can as well. Which brings me to my next question. What are you planning to do with this huge building?"


    "Oh, give it back to the people the Sharks stole it from. They''ll use it for a bathhouse and washing clothes, although it''s s lot bigger now. Why?"


    The chef pointed in the direction of the kitchen. "You have a very nice kitchen at that end of the building, and a huge basement that would be ideal for growing mushrooms and making cheese. And sadly, far too many whelps running wild up here that need a firm hand to help them with their urges."


    "You want to start a Hollow?"


    "Ah, no, not nearly so ambitious. I want to start a restaurant and serve food from the Hollow. Brutus can supply me with the mushroom flour I need from the Hollow and I can grow my artisanal varieties of fungus and make a little cheese. My main goal is to foster trade with Limburger Hollow and have a place to teach our values to the wild urchins running through these streets. Frankly, I''m surprised half of them haven''t become cheese fiends already."


    That worried Milo, "Cheese fiends would be bad. Very bad, in so many ways." He had no idea if players would still be in control, hopefully not! "Oh, wait! That means I''ll be able to have puffcakes whenever I''m here!"


    Bleusnout nodded to him, "And attend classes. I''ll be starting the next one tomorrow morning." He pulled out a copy of It Takes a Hollow to Make the Cheese and handed it to Milo. "Refresh yourself, I''d added new material. You''ll be assisting me, of course."

 Chapter 356: Solutions to Problems

    Beluga had the wheel of the Drunken Shark since she was the only person on board who could keep the ill-made tub of rotten wood on course. The rudder tended to get stuck, and the cure was either keeping a crew member hanging from a rope on the back of the ship and ready to whack it with a wooden mallet or spinning the wheel back and forth trying to unstick the damned thing. Either method made her unreliable to sail. It was a crappy ship, but convenient to steal and she''d needed to get what was left of the clan out of the damned city before too many of them jumped ship to other clans or became miners. At least on open seas, no one was leaving.


    It had been two days since the cage fight. Two days of slapping the crew around to get them to work and constant duels among the crew to decide the pecking order. After the third attempt on her life and three bodies tossed to the fish, the newcomers made the wise decision that challenging her for command wasn''t going to work in their favor. And hell, she wasn''t even Captain! That was Mako''s job. If she ever left her cabin. The pounding she''d taken, the whiskey, zerkerjuice, and getting her face rearranged had kept her unconscious for a day. The second day she woke up, demanded something to drink for the pain, and went back to bed. They were lucky to have a barber-surgeon in the crew and an apprentice Sea Witch with some healing. They''d worked through the first day to set Mako''s bones, clean her wounds, and fix what they could. There was no saving the eye, and she would need half her teeth replaced with gold, but she''d pull through. Beluga had seen Mako in worse shape.


    She wasn''t even surprised when Mako came on deck using a broken chair for a crutch and made her way to the top deck. Beluga yelled out, "Captain on deck," just to alert the new crew to who the hell she was.


    Mako sat on the deck, back against the rail, for the better part of an hour before she spoke. "How many days sailing on what heading?" Her words were slurred but Beluga was used to talking with drunken pirates, this was sort of the same.


    "Two days, headed west. We can hit the Spice Coast for a refit, our credit is good there. We need cordage, sailcloth, a new rudder, caulking, food, water, rum, and gunpowder. Then I thought we could do a little raid and trade in the Bone Archipelago since no one likes trading with cannibals, but they have a lot of gold in those little villages. We can hit a small one, and steal everything not tied down. Then get out before the big villages find out and fire up the stew pots and get after us in their war canoes. Just my thinking. Your decision, of course, Captain."


    "Head for Big Sandy Island first. We need to dig something up."


    Beluga had been hoping that Mako had some treasure hidden somewhere for emergencies, but asking those kinds of questions of a captain was risky. "Aye, that''s easy to get to. Anchor in that little bay?" Big Sandy had one shitty little well, and three palm trees, but they could get water, at least, while there."


    Mako shook her head. "Water, then leave. Past that are the Deserter Islands. Go to the smallest one, most easterly. There''s a chest, hidden under the biggest rock, that will give us enough to get started. And anyone we don''t like can be left there. Always make the sea an offering for luck."


    "Sounds good, Captain. Then on to the Spice Coast?"


    "No. Then we make sail to Fort Hopeless. We''ll sell half of this idiot crew to the slavers and they can learn how to fight in the pits. We''ll sell this tub and buy something better. Then recruit some real fighters and buy a dozen fat slaves. Then we go to the Bone Archipelago and trade the slaves for war canoes and recruit a tribe to come with us. Then we head back to Shadowport. We''ve got a lot of scores to settle."


    Now, that surprised Beluga. But she stayed silent, letting Mako talk. Maybe she had a plan, but it was off to a bad start. Cannibals on board? How the hell would they feed them for a week?


    "They cheated us, all of them, and they need to pay for it. We''ll have enough money for a load of Clingfire. We anchor around the corner of the bay and go in at night with the war canoes. We hit all the ships there at once, and burn them to the waterline. Then turn the cannibals loose on the town. It will be an all-you-can-eat buffet. And while they''re making dinner, we burn the rest of the town. And that''s just for starters."


    Beluga had heard enough. Mako was crazy and needed some straight talk. "Look, Mak, we go way back, so no disrespect, but that''s fething crazy. We need money, a good ship, and a fresh set of marks to fleece. Not another war we can''t fight. That shit isn''t going to work. You might burn some ships, but the clan will be doomed and probably dead."


    "Doesn''t matter. They need to pay. It''s my reputation at stake and the reputation of the clan. We cheat! We don''t get cheated!" She stood, unsteady on her feet, leaning on the rail. "Now, move away from the wheel! I''m steering the course. I don''t trust you anymore Bel. You shouldn''t question me. I''ll find another mate."


    Beluga stepped back, turned, and bum-rushed Mako, her shoulder hitting the unsteady Captain and knocking her into the railing. Like the rest of the Drunken Shark, the rail was rotted. It broke and Mako tumbled into the water. Beluga tossed the broken chair, hitting the ex-captain in the head. She sunk like a stone and the ship sailed onward.


    Beluga took the wheel, looking ahead. "Crazy assed bitch, never knew when to quit pounding her head against the wall. And she never did learn to swim worth a damn."


    <hr>


    Brother Ignatius was surprised to find a young dwarven Engineer at his door. Vary politely handed him a message: "Sorry to bother you, sir. You and your guests are invited to the casino tonight. The Professor would like to see you again." He bowed and ran off.


    The message was simple, ''Greetings, I would like to thank you and the kind people of your congregation for welcoming an outsider to your tasty luncheon. Could I ask that you come to my casino tonight so that I may return the favor? Things have changed and decisions must be made. I need the advice of you, Malka, and Alessandra. I hope to see you soon, Professor Tallsqueak.''


    The part that caught Ignatius'' eye was the words ''my casino''. That certainly hadn''t been the case just last week, but things could change in Shadowport quickly and some of his congregation had told him that no one had seen a Shark for two days, and the casino had been closed for several more. He began his walk to the docks and the new houses where the women lived, noting that the town had far fewer boats in the harbor or pirates walking the streets. How this all fits together, he wasn''t sure.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    As soon as he arrived, Malka ushered him in. "Don''t tell me, I know. Something happened. Elena had a vision of a rat eating a shark and all of us sitting at a table together eating cheese." Malka tended to take her daughter Elena''s visions very literally.


    "Well, I''m not sure about the first part, but we have been invited to dinner."


    When they arrived, they noted recent changes. The sign was off the casino and the graffiti on the walls had been painted. None of them had been in the ex-laundry since the Sharks had taken it over, enclosed the building, and made many changes. And someone else was making more changes. The gaming tables were stacked against the walls except for two small card tables. Four people sat at each playing games of cards with no chips in front of them. Anything related to the sharks and gambling was gone, except an extravagant table and chairs at the far end of the room where the floor was raised like the rear deck of a ship.


    At the other end was a large dining room table that could seat two dozen people. Professor Tallsqueak was sitting at one end with open spaces around him. He looked tired, with bags under his eyes and dark, swollen bruises visible even through the short fur of his face. He waved to them. "Welcome, friends. Chef Bleusnout is here from the Hollow and has cooked up many succulent dishes. Please fill your plates as many times as you like and try it all."


    The chef was a large ratkin with blue whiskers who cheerfully explained each dish. There was a large variety of seafood, mushroom dishes, cave vegetables, and golden loaves of bread alongside the heavy, dark variety preferred by the dwarves and made with beer.


    The Professor made small talk, asking about the fishing fleets, and the new types of fish appearing in the bay, and asked about any problems. When everyone was done and a cheese tray was brought out, he became more serious.


    "I am aware of the history of this building, and how it came to belong to the Sharks. Unfortunately for Clan Shark, they have experienced a series of very unfortunate events and lost their fortunes and all their property here in Shadowport. They have left the city, hopefully for good."


    Ignatius smiled at this, happy to be rid of people who had caused much misfortune. Malta and Elena were also happy, with the younger woman staring at the Professor with curiosity, seeing something no one else could. Alessandra smiled, but then looked around the building sadly. "And you own the building now?"


    The Professor nodded, "My fortunes waxed as Captain Mako ran out of luck. I find myself in possession of this fine building, and many other properties in Shadowport, which is why I need your help."


    "Our help?"


    "Yes. I sat down to play a friendly game of cards or two and then was constantly challenged and forced to defend my winnings, my reputation, and finally my life during a cage fight with Captain Mako. Thrilling, but far from my normal academic endeavors. I find myself needing to divest myself of properties that, frankly, I don''t think the Sharks acquired correctly. So I''d like you to sort these out for me and get them back to their original owners or other families you know that need land to build upon." He shoved a pile of deeds to Brother Ignatius.


    "But what do we owe you for these?"


    "Nothing. I won them gambling and it costs me nothing to pass them on to you. The Chief Engineer has offered the services of his junior Engineers to help build or repair the buildings needed. I am happy to help return the lands around the docks to the families who support the city with their fishing. I also own the majority of the docks. Captain Squint will be helping me by having his Kulags patrol the area. Half of the docks will be used by the fishing fleet, and half will collect fees from merchants. The money will go to support the Kulags in their good work of keeping things under control. And, I have acquired the help of Captain Pike who will be guarding the new docks until things become quieter. He will also happily sink any pirate ship that threatens legitimate fishing and trading vessels. After the example of the last two, his threats will be taken very seriously."


    All four humans were taken aback momentarily. This wasn''t the norm for Shadowport. Then their host turned to Alessandra. "I have a business deal I would like to propose to you."


    She nervously looked around the large building, which wasn''t in the deeds he had just handed over. "I''m certainly listening."


    "Hear me out, as parts of this will be strange to someone not familiar with the Hollows. Ratkin society feels a responsibility to train our whelps to be good citizens, but with so many of our young ones running from the caves to the bright lights of the city, I feel some of them are losing their way."


    There were silent nods in agreement. They had all seen the packs of ratkin fighting with humans and dwarves in the endless gang wars, or begging for the cheese to fill their hungry bellies. Too many of them roamed the night, bouncing from rooftop to rooftop in search of people to waylay for the coin they spent at the cheese stand of the halflings the next day.


    "I have been talking about the problem with my old friend, Chef Bleusnout. He is recently retired but has nurtured the young of Limburger Hollow for many decades. Besides the classes he teaches, he is also an expert chef specializing in the tasty food from the Hollow. So here is my proposal, firstly, I am gifting you with your building, Alessandra. I know of the circumstances in which you lost it and wish for you to have it back. The city needs a place to do laundry and a public bathhouse. I would like you to consider renting part of your building to Chef Bleusnout who will use the kitchens and a small part of this end of the top floor for a dining room, and half of the basement for his classes, growing mushrooms, and making a small amount of cheese for his cooking."


    She looked at the deed, then down at the chef, still dishing up food for anyone who walked up to the buffet. "I''m certainly not going to turn down a proposal like that, and thank you for giving me the choice. I''ll work with the chef and see what we can do to help with your young ones. I''ll be honest, I''m a little worried. These deals are too good to be true."


    The Professor just smiled. "So is being dealt a royal flush. I''m happy that my luck lets me solve your problems."

 Chapter 357: Engineer Type Techno-Magic Bullshit!

    Later that night, Captain Tallsqueak held another meeting in the casino. Invited were Captain Whale, Captain Cuda, Captain Goldtooth, Captain Squint, Captain Annie, and Chief Engineer Sledgemonkey. Captain Tallsqueak served a selection of aged whiskey found hidden in Mako''s office in the casino and aged Cheddar, Gouda, and Camembert cheeses from the Hollow.


    The whiskey had been found after the Engineers did a complete search of the building turning up seventeen small stashes of coin, pipeweed, and cheap rum, along with the far more valuable alcohol hidden by Mako. All Scavengers had an instinctive need to hide a little something away. Since they did this mainly when they were drunk, a good proportion of the treasures they hid were never found again by the person hiding them.


    Captain Tallsqueak was eating nothing but salted crackers, under strict orders from his doctor to drastically control his cheese intake. Curiosity alone might not have brought the Captains together. (Except for Captain Squint, who was always curious.) But the lure of raiding Mako''s hidden whiskey stash drew them in.


    Captain Tallsqueak waited until they''d all had time for a first glass of the amber liquid, before starting the meeting. "Thank you for coming. I felt that explanations were in order. First, do me the favor of putting on the monocles that my assistants are passing out to you. These were standard issues for all the Sharks working in this casino." It would have been near impossible to keep Boom-Boom and Narwhale away from the meeting, so Milo had drafted them to assist him tonight. It also gave him two more dangerous people on his side if any of the Captains reacted badly to his revelations.


    "Now, I''ll ask that you focus on the runes you should be able to see on the backs of these cards. The decks were used at all of the Poker and Blackjack tables here." Narwhale expertly dealt each Captain a hand of cards. When they saw the normally invisible runes on the back of the cards, they began to curse loudly. This went on for quite some time, many of the Captains bringing up past grievances with Mako and her crew, and remembering the large pots they lost at tables run by the Sharks in several ports. Captain Tallsqueak waited until they were only grumbling before continuing.


    Whale looked at him, and asked, "How long have you known?"


    "Not long at all. Only since I came here the other night for a little entertainment. I had heard of a mathematical exercise called ''Counting Cards'' and it seemed like an enjoyable way to increase my funds and spend a casual evening with like-minded people. Sadly, the cheese at the buffet was horrible, but the gambling favored me. After mastering the technique and winning a modest amount, I realized that the cards were marked. You see, besides mathematics, I have made a study of ancient and contemporary runes and their uses. My eyeglasses are designed to help me in this task. Testing my ability to read the backs of the cards allowed me to increase my fortunes much faster, as you can imagine."


    Captain Goldtooth looked grumpy and upset. She''d been losing money to the Sharks for years. She hated hearing about anyone else winning. Especially on a night she had lost so much. "So you started cheating!"


    Captain Tallsqueak stared at her for a few seconds until the silence became uncomfortable, "No. I started playing by the same rules that the Sharks were using."


    Captain Cuda raised her glass and downed her whiskey, "Rules are Rules. Seems fair to me."


    Captain Whale was chewing on her cigar. "That''s all well and good for the Blackjack and Poker tables. But the shit that went down up here at the Captain''s Table was another load of fish oil altogether."


    "That it was. Which brings me to the next part of tonight''s meeting." Boom-Boom pushed a cart loaded with heavy bags forward and Narwhale put bags of gold bars and coins in front of each Captain. "I have calculated the losses each of you incurred from the Captain''s game, whether from a downturn of luck or from the machinations of the Sharks or myself. It seems only fair that I return your gold."


    Captain Goldtooth smiled broadly and shook the Professor''s hand, nearly dislocating his shoulder. Captain Squint looked in his bags with glee, "Fish Taco and cat treat money! What could be better."


    Captain Whale still wanted answers, and Tallsqueak motioned for Narwhale to deal her a card. He placed his hand over his eyes, "Please look at your card, and I will guess what it is." Whale did so.


    The Professor said, "It is the seven of spades."


    "Not even close." She flipped the card over, a seven of spades. "What the fething hell?! It was a jack of hearts!"


    Narwhale dealt a single card to five Captains. The Professor said, "Royal flush in spades." And it was.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The cursing was loud and long, ending with demands for an explanation. The Professor was happy to oblige them with the details. "This was much tougher to figure out. First, these cards are marked as well. Examine the shades of the grey by the rudder and the number of lines coming off the masts. You will see very slight differences that a keen eye can read. This let Mako or her dealer, Abagail, know what cards each person had. Every card is a masterpiece of magi-tech and interacts with the table, controlled by the dealer. If the card is on the table, the dealer could manipulate the cards, choosing what she wants each card to be. There are limits of course. If I know I have an eight of spades, giving that card to another player would reveal the cheat. So only cards that haven''t been seen can be changed. By far, this is easiest to do as the cards are being dealt. We saw that on the last hand of the night."


    Captain Whale stared at the backs of the cards, barely able to see the clues at close range. The Professor was right, these cards were really something. "How in hell did Mako get this set up? There is no way any of her crew did this. Abigail was smart, but not this smart. This is high-level Engineer type techno-magic bullshit!"


    Sledgemonkey laughed hard at her comment, "You bet it is! I don''t think there are more than three of us in Deeprock that can understand this table. Four if you count Senior Engineer Milo. But with the Professor''s help, we know who made this thing: Edward ''Black Eddie'' Damyon. He was tossed out on his ass for stealing another Engineer''s secrets and selling them to a Scavenger Clan. He disappeared from his cell and was never seen again. I think we can all guess what clan that was. But this sure is a slick little bit of magi-tech the Professor is letting us take downstairs."


    Captain Whale was nodding. "The landslide was a set-up, start to finish. You put pressure on her by alerting the engineers, who began cleaning out the casino. And when Mako cheated us, you cheated her." All the other Captains were mulling this over.


    Captain Cuda was furious at Mako''s breach of the rules of a Captain''s Table, "You could have exposed her! Why keep it a secret?"


    Captain Tallsqueak shook his head. "No, all that would have done is gotten me a knife across the throat. Accuse the Captain who owns the casino of cheating in her own casino? How many of you would have backed her instead of an unknown person who recently entered the city? My only way to show she was cheating was to show I could cheat as well. Too many variables. There would have been a huge brawl and someone would have been dead, probably me. You were all going to lose your money anyway. In this case, you get it back."


    Captain Annie had a suspicion of her own, "You wanted her gone, didn''t you? Cleaned out and tossed from the city."


    Tallsqueak shrugged, then winced, his entire body still sore. "She was bad news. Cheating people in every way that she could. And the more she lost, the more dangerous she was. The city was heading in a direction that boded poorly for everyone. Fate dealt her some harsh blows and I was able to do my small part. However, I did not anticipate being locked in a cage with her."


    "Well, it was a fun cage fight to watch."


    "Believe me, it wasn''t a fun fight to be in. But that''s over, and hopefully, I don''t have to ever do another. Which was one of the reasons I wanted to return your gold."


    The Captains looked at each other and nodded. Captain Cuda spoke for all of them, "A very smart move. And my advice would be to give up your Captaincy. Well, until you get a real ship."


    Tallsqueak shuddered, "I was on a boat once, things didn''t go well." He didn''t bother to elaborate.


    Somewhat satisfied, the Captains departed. Cuda and Goldtooth to spend their gold, and Squint was off to stir up trouble with the gangs and keep the players occupied. Captain Annie started to depart, but Whale took her aside for a talk. They departed to discuss the future of the Scavenger Clans in Shadowport and share a bottle of rum on the Iron Orca.


    The Engineers set to work with a vengeance, clearing out all of the gambling equipment, and packing it in crates to send downstairs. The Captain''s Table was judged too fragile and Sledgemonkey opened his Arcane Workshop and the table was placed in one of his large storage rooms. The Professor was very interested in getting a closer look at the wonderful extra-dimensional space, which Sledgemonkey was happy to personally show off and explain to him.


    When Alessandra and twenty women from the church came early the next morning they found a nearly empty building and Chef Bleusnout flipping pancakes on a grill. "Come in ladies, come in. We have much to discuss and I thought it would be better to do so with fresh puffcakes and tea."

 Happy New Year! The Walruss plans for 2025, and AMA.

    Someone started a thread on the Forums about New Year Resolutions. You know, the shit you say you''ll do and forget about a day later.


    I put down a few things. Then completed one of them. Reading that thread again I edited my post and thought about more stuff. Let''s not call them ''resolutions'', that never works. Let''s go with ''plans''.


    So here are my plans for 2025


    <del>Finish Editing Tunnel Rat 3


    </del>


    Edit and send off BOG Volume 2 to Aethon


    Edit and send off BOG Volume 3 to Aethon


    Continue posting two chapters a week of Tunnel Rat and Butcher of Gadobhra.


    Increase Patreon from +20 chapters ahead to +30 chapters.


    Because more backlog is always good. Shit can happen. Chapters still need to be posted.


    Write three more books out of these Work In Progress stories:


    (Might be three one-shots, or maybe one story in three volumes. Who knows?)


    Helldiver: Dungeon Diver/Apocalypse


    Gutter Magic: Low Fantasy urban adventure with a sneaky protagonist from the slums.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.When you only want to be a thief and join the guild but the Inquisition thinks your a healer and sends you off to a school full of asshole nobles.


    Scrapyard Hero: Cryptids, mysteries, urban legends, and a changing world.


    Lots of influence from Manly Wade Wellman and his Silver John novels. Things that shouldn''t exist, and no one sees them. Diving into strange worlds. And why are there hints about all this shit in those old RPG books from the 70s?


    Get the Hell off my Lawn!: System apocalypse/Invasion meets a cantankerous old man with a lot of guns and a mean truck.


    Dirty Harry at 100 gets mean when some weird-looking rustlers steal his last dozen cattle. They also stole his truck and now the damnable thing talks to him and changes the radio station!


    Get one of these ready by the April Writathon.


    Write 1 million words in 2025.


    If you''ve got a question for me, toss it in the comments.

 Chapter 358: Experimental Projects

    Milo was nervous as he walked through Shadowport to the small stone and metal building that housed the entrance to the recently built tunnel that led to the Deep Rock Engineering complex deep beneath Shadowport. The dwarves had dug the tunnel they called ''The Loophole'' to the surface to recover all the parts of Leviathan and planned to send the repaired ship back the same way, then assemble the parts in the half-built drydock before launching her and beginning the project of recovering what was left of the Iron Queen. Rebuilding Leviathan was a huge task, but doing the same for the Queen was the stuff of legends.


    Scavenger clans and pirate ships had converged on Shadowport to be part of both projects. Some were legitimate crafters who hoped to work on the ships and become part of the crew. Others were there to gain hints of the Queen''s location. It was generally assumed to be why the Sharks disguised their submersible. Milo, or rather, his alter ego, Professor Tallsqueak, owned the remains of the Silver Shark. Soon, it would also travel down the Loophole to be used as scrap metal.


    Milo was anxious to get back to the complex and see what projects were going on. The dwarves were in overdrive and talked continuously about the repairs to Leviathan and the rebuilding of the complex that his snake trap had blown up with the help of a huge storage tank of explosive dwarven whiskey labeled as waste fluid. But he was nervous, and for good reason. Engineers didn''t name something the Loophole without a good reason, and from their grins as he strapped himself into the passenger seat at the front, he was sure he knew the reason, and it wasn''t going to be good.


    The original Deepwater complex was over a half mile below Shadowport, and the massive cavern beneath was another thousand feet down. Milo was about to travel roughly two miles along tracks that flowed through natural caverns and incorporated several twists and turns designed by crazed dwarves addicted to rollercoasters. It was a racial preference, Milo had been told, a way to increase their toughness and test themselves. It wasn''t nearly so much fun for Milo, but Peenhammer, the dwarf sitting next to him was screaming and laughing the whole way down as the tracks corkscrewed into the earth, looped, turned over backward, and executed every other twist any of the junior Engineers could think of. They were constrained by the problem of not wrecking the supply trains, but as long as they ended up down at the bottoms, it was a good run.


    Milo had turned most of his brain off for the run and screamed all the way down. The system happily informed him of earning 100 experience in toughness. He was pulled from the train by Peenhammer and leaned against the wall until he felt better. Despite how he looked, any Engineer who walked by gave him a thumbs-up or patted him on the shoulder. If you weren''t a dwarf and could survive the ride, you''d earned their respect.


    He''d only spent a little time in the huge cavern before. First, dreaming in a crack in one of Alta-Viator''s immense ribs, and then later when he raced to dig out the Snake Egg before it could hatch. Before, the detriment of ages had covered the bones and scales of what remained Alta-Viator but the explosion he had set off had scoured the interior of the Great Bone Beast clean. Every cave for a mile around had been filled with fire and scoured clean. Not a bad thing since acidic slimes had overrun many areas. What was here now was a huge cave. The dwarves had measured the length of the main cavern at over 2000 feet long. The arched ceiling made of gigantic ribs and vertebrae holding up a coating of massive scales was 300 feet high in the center. Another layer of scales had been found 200 feet down, below the layer of rock that had formed inside the opening.


    The shaft going up to the old complex had been widened and a sturdy elevator installed. Milo remembered his first time here when he''d come down in a bucket only a few feet above the horrendous ''Ever-Pudding''. The dwarves still had parts of it in glass jars. The creatures split off from the main mass had their own strange personalities, but all of them could produce high-grade acid that the dwarves found useful. Large signs warning about overfeeding the small puddings were everywhere.


    Parts of the rebuilding project were everywhere. Huge project boards had been erected showing the plans for smelters, workshops, ore refining, and machine crafting. Huge copper towers were being erected far away from other construction. Milo pointed to them, "Are those fuel distillation towers?"


    Peenhammer laughed, "Sort of. That''s the whiskey factory. Just like the old one you blew all to hell but twenty times bigger. Across the cavern will be the fuel mixing tanks. We''re testing out mixes of distilled tar oil, wasteful, and whiskey. So far, the experimental mixtures have been pushing boilers to the redline in record time. We''ve been blowing up boilers each week, but the last batch is finally holding. It takes layers of Deep Copper and Hammer Steel, thick ones, and then horizontal bands of Dark Steel. So far, they''ve held and Whale is happy with them, but I''ve some ideas about adding a new fuel additive to the mix that could up the pressure by 20% more. That''ll blow a gasket for sure and we''ll start over. But mark my words, the days of coal and its low-pressure output are gone for good."


    Milo could see an area that had an impressive collection of exploded boilers. He saw Peenhammer''s point, but a less volatile mix might be better in the long run. Blowing your boilers with a thousand fathoms of water above you made repairs tough. "Has anyone tried using both?" Peenhammer stopped in midstride, "Both? You have an idea for a project. Tell your old buddy Peenhammer about it and I''ll put together a crew to test it." Milo could see he was excited.


    "Oh, I was just thinking that if we reduced coal down to coke and removed the impurities, a slurry of ground coke and liquid fuel would give some advantages. Longer burning, more control on the pressure, and less chance of blowing a boiler."


    Peenhammer nodded, "Yes, I see it. Come on! We''ll write it up on the project board so we get credit and I''ll get to work!" The excited dwarf let Milo to a spot with still more project boards where teams were submitting their experiments before running off to do something crazy. He helped Peenhammer with the writing up of the project and his new partner waved and ran off to find a crew to recruit. "Think up a few more things. Our crew will test them out and see what works."


    Milo wandered down the long line of ongoing and failed projects. Some were outlandish, but that didn''t mean they didn''t have a chance of working. He noted that it was mostly the Junior Engineers, new recruits, and a few Scavenger mechanics working on the experimental projects. The Senior Engineers were doing the traditional, boring work that would eventually produce the rebuilt Leviathan. Huge drop hammers weighing tons were hard at work compressing layers of metal into Hammer Steel, Deep Copper was being processed in subrogators, and the steel mill was going all hours of the day. The dwarves were busy, and busy meant happy.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Milo spent the next two days looking at every project and poking his nose into everything. Luckily, there was no bad math. Engineers checked their work diligently. That didn''t keep explosions from happening. Their crazed theories often did exactly what physics and chemistry said they would do. He came up with three new ideas for Peenhammer and his crew to work on. The fuel idea had worked, and they were refining it further to get every bit of pressure out of the mix and see how long they could run a boiler at max pressure with no explosions. His next innovation was a small one, using existing engineering runes, the blood runes he had learned from Gendifur, and the new Runic Script that Vladimir had taught him. He produced six different valves that regulated fuel and steam flow, each using the small runic arrays to regulate them to an extreme level of accuracy.


    Peenhammer wasn''t used to this type of project but was game to try. "I got my nickname from my habit of always using a bigger hammer, but I know now that only works part of the time. These itsy-bitsy Runes are sort of cute, but with them inscribed on every valve, connection, and foot of pipe we could keep a steam-powered engine humming along like a dream. Just a matter of me the other chowderheads brushing up on our inscription and runic skills!"


    On day three, Sledgemonkey found him and dragged him to a project meeting. "I know, not nearly as fun as what you''re doing, but keeping things from exploding between Whale''s clan and our Engineers takes a lot of work. Time for you to earn your lofty position and title."


    "Oh, that''s why I have to come? I don''t mind going back to being a Junior Engineer. Even an apprentice."


    Sledgemonkey laughed at him, "Nice try, and if it would work, I''d be right next to you, and you know what would happen next."


    "Fun stuff?"


    "Well, yeah. But then we''d find out the Scavengers had voted themselves in charge, and we''d have to accept their ideas and make them work. We''d be producing ships with so many cannons that they''d sink the first time out."


    The meeting included the two of them, Captain Whale, Narwhale, Boom-Boom, Two-Screws along with Captains Annie, Goldtooth, and Cuda. Only Whale and her clan had been working on Leviathan up until now. Whale had argued for bringing in the Captains from three more great clans and discussing not only Leviathan''s construction but the plans for exploring the Rust Sea, looting the hulks there for treasure and parts, and eventually salvaging the Iron Queen. There were also each ship''s Mate and head mechanic, and several other Senior Engineers. That was a lot of people, and Milo tried to slide to a corner but Sledgemonkey planted him on a stool next to him. The Chief Engineer pulled out his spanner, slammed it on the table, and brought the meeting to order.


    "Alright, I think we all know each other, so let''s hammer a few things out. You wanted this meeting, Whale, so tell us what you want."


    Captain Whale stood up and looked around the table. "A small point. I remember the mysterious ''Senior Engineer Milo'' from when he helped blow up Leviathan. Her son-in-law smiled as he remembered the fun and said "Seeing all those boilers go up at once was a beautiful thing. My wife here put that ball right where Milo said to, and that ship was history. BOOM!"


    Whale sighed. "Yes, and now we need to rebuild the damned ship. My point is, this is a dwarven operation, and I''m curious about why we have a human down here."


    Sledgemonkey looked at her, innocently smiling, "He''s a curious type of human. But he''s shown he has the ability to build and destroy with the best of us. Being a dwarf helps to be a good Engineer, but that doesn''t mean other races can''t excel as well. In fact, I''ve approved a half-elf who will be joining us at some point. He comes highly recommended."


    That got some reactions. "A half-elf? Are you mad", "You''re pushing for a war, doing that. The Elves don''t recognize Magi-tech as being our invention! Why would we let an elf see our secrets?" Several mates stood up. So did Milo. He took the spanner from his belt and slammed it down hard on the table. The pre-System tool left cracks spiraling out from the point of impact on the granite-topped table. Silence ensued, and every Engineer and Mechanic craned their neck to get a better look at it.


    Milo spoke slowly, and menacingly as he looked at each person. "Vladimir Two-Souls is also half-dwarf and for his entire life, both sides of his family have looked down on him because of it. And it''s Stupid! He''s an amazing Engineer specializing in runic script, magi-tech, and mana-flow devices. He''s one of the best, and he''s a Deep Rock Engineer now. I gave him my own spanner that Sledgemonkey gave to me. It isn''t the heritage any of us should care about, it''s what a person can do. And Vladimir can do a lot. You can see some of his work in the new valve and flow regulators Peenhammer and I have been testing. If you have a problem with him, you have a problem with me."


    Everyone sat back down and took a deep breath. One of the mechanics said, "Those are some pretty flow regulators." That seemed to settle things, at least for now. Sledgemonkey stood up again, "And don''t forget, the ratkin of Limburgher Hollow are also part of this project. They have Storm Mages with some very interesting theories. I''ve talked to them. They''ll be a great asset to us, along with supplying hundreds of tons of Deep Copper and other metals that we need."


    Whale looked at the other Captains, "We''ve seen an example of the type of people the Hollow produces. We''re fine with the ratkin from there. I wish we had a more direct route to there. What''s the status of the tunnel?"


    Two-Screws stood up. "Good, actually, they know their stuff, and their Caravan Master has mapped it out most of the way. We can start to drill towards them and he said they''d meet us halfway."


    "Going to be slow if they''re using picks and shovels."


    Milo smiled, "You haven''t seen digger moles at work then. I bet they get to the halfway point before we do from this side." He realized the error of his words as several Engineers smiled.


    The race was on.

 Chapter 359: Deep Planning Session

    Sledgemonkey sighed as he saw what Milo had started. It was something a Senior Engineer always had to remember. It didn''t take much to get the younger Engineers going, they were making up for lost years with gusto, and looking for challenges. There would be three teams starting three tunnels by tomorrow. "OK, a new tunnel to the Hollow is pretty much assured at this point. It''s an investment in time, work, and materials for the tracks we need to lay but it will pay off greatly. I don''t see a problem. We''ll start laying tracks once we have a complete route and someone with a lick of sense in their head checks it out."


    Mention of the tracks led to a discussion of the new steel mill and the need for more Dark Iron ore to keep it running twenty-four hours a day and maximize the efficiency ratings. The Scavengers flinched, knowing that a discussion of ''efficiency'' could sidetrack a group of Engineers for hours. Captain Cuda was too impatient for that and wanted to get to the good parts of this meeting.


    "All fine to nitpick and discuss all your little projects, but do that on your own time. You''ve got us all down here, and I want to hear about these big plans that Whale keeps hinting at. Sure, we''ve heard about building a ship and finding the Queen. A good bullshit story to tell while drinking beer, but the small details matter, like who''s doing it, and who sits on the sidelines and applauds to inflate your egos. What do you need my girls for, and what''s in it for us?" Annie and Goldtooth nodded and echoed her words.


    Whale looked around the table. "Yeah, we need to work some things out and come to a consensus. Mako lit the fire with her ''Bring all the clans together'' ideas. Most of it was crap; she just wanted to be in charge of all of us. But it got me thinking. The Queen is a big project. It took several clans to build her, and it will take more than one to put her back together, even with a competent group of Engineers and the proper infrastructure. We''ll need ships to salvage and ships to fight off large beasties in the Rust Sea and more to fight the pirates who want to steal our treasures. That takes a lot of girls, and there''s a lot of other work to be done."


    Captain Annie nodded in agreement but then scowled, "The work won''t be the hard part; it will be keeping us from fighting over every little thing. Especially if you include other clans."


    Whale shook her head, "No one else. We have what we need, right here at this table. I know we don''t always act like it, but we''re the sanest of the Great Clans. Maybe there''s room for more later, but not now. We close ranks and learn to get along. The spanner boys will help by staying as neutral as they can and knocking heads together. The Hollow will help with that as well. Narwhale tells me they have a conclave for big decisions, but things run smoothly because they try to work together instead of constantly competing. That''s the part we need to figure out."


    Milo declined to point out that Narwhale might not know about the magical dueling competitions and playing surprise. Limburger Hollow had its own style of competition, but he agreed, it was certainly far less ''energetic'' than the Scavengers.


    Goldtooth had another important question, "And how do you plan to keep the others out? Mako planned to take over the city and control the docks, the harbor, and all the shipping. If we''re going that route, we''d best get to work."


    Cuda looked thoughtful, but Annie laughed out loud. "Not happening. Only Mako thought that plan would work. Sure, all the talk of this once being a dwarven city sounded good, but face it, that old city got blown to bits long ago. Other folks moved into the hole where it was. Shadowport has a mix of races here, and a lot of the residents are human."


    "I disagree. This used to be a dwarven city, and it can be again. Humans can leave if they aren''t happy."


    "Bad plan." Sledgemonkey started ticking the problems off on his fingers, "Firstly, The guilds won''t be happy, and getting them to agree on anything is difficult. They''re all stubborn as hell. They weren''t even happy about us stopping a monster from eating the damned city. Second, the town lives on commerce. The merchants will protest and fight against someone controlling the port and charging taxes, and the rich merchants using airships will ignore you. Third, you got to eat, and taking back the docks will just lose the last of the fishing fleet and we''ll be paying five gold for a taco. Fourth, Squint thinks the city is his, and he can rally the gangs against you. He was just playing with Mako. Try it again, and he''ll get serious. And lastly, while he gave away most of the properties, you''ll piss off the Professor, and he''s connected with the Hollow. That''s too many broken parts to make that plan work."


    Sledgemonkey was all too aware of how much trouble the Senior Engineer sitting next to him could cause on a good day and had a vested interest in not having him work against this project. Getting rid of the Sharks had been a good thing, and he wanted to get rid of the friction between Scavengers, Engineers, and the town. He didn''t know how to do that, but he knew it was a mistake to have the Scavengers carry through with Mako''s plan. Of course, Whale asked the question he had set himself up for.


    The large Captain looked at him, "So what''s your plan?"


    The Chief Engineer snorted, "You think I have a plan? I just fix shit. I''m terrible with people. I didn''t even know how much of a problem we were causing up top with the tunnel and all the pirates hitting the town until a delegation came to talk to me."


    "The pirates were a damned menace to all of us. I was about ready to start shooting, even before the eels attacked." Annie remembered the sheer joy of firing her guns and smiled. "And if we build up pirates like that again, I won''t hesitate to blow them out of the water."


    "Careful, Annie, hard to tell pirates from clan some days, too many connections and marriages. The other clans would use that against us to force their way into our little club." Besides a love of rules, Captain Cuda was a fan of the political infighting amongst the clans, where rules and alliances were fluid and changed like the winds.


    "We''re ignoring some important things we need to talk about." Goldtooth banged a fist on the table for emphasis. "We need more support structures, and that takes more people, even if they are pirates. How are we expected to keep working without the bars and a gambling hall to let off some steam? I say we invite in a couple of clans to redecorate the town. I sort of liked how things were going. It was starting to feel like other ports of call. We need more places where we control things."


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Milo was listening to everything that was said. He was also going over the details for Leviathan, and all the other projects. Details on the Queen he had extrapolated from the plans for several underwater salvage ships. The first was already being planned, with several Engineers submitting plans. The dozen plans for the new ship gave him details on depth and distance from Shadowport. The details about water pressure told him how deep the Queen was. He started designing things in his head, humming to himself and ignoring everyone else. Then he took out a mechanical pencil and started writing out the computations for his project and a detailed list of resources, where to get those resources, and the manpower needed. It was just a rough draft, but it filled the long table and most of the walls. He could have done without it, but that would only give him conclusions. It was easier to convince people if you could show your work.


    When he finally stopped and looked up, he saw that half the dwarves were asleep, and there were piles of empty flagons, half-eaten sandwiches, and discarded rum bottles scattered around. Sledgemonkey looked at him, "Done?"


    "Um, yes. How long was that?"


    "Oh, only about six hours. Pretty entertaining, really, and some of us followed along, but not one of us knows what the hell all the work is for. Lots of calculations, but no details. There''s a betting pool going already."


    Whale was cleaning her nails with her knife, "But I''m darn curious. I recognize a lot of details about the Iron Queen."


    Milo totally missed the implied threat, "Well, it seemed we had a lot of problems, and I had some random thoughts, but I wanted to do a feasibility study first. I noticed that all the plans called for crafting the parts for the ships here, assembling them, testing in a pond, then disassembly, shipping to the surface, and finally, reassembly and testing. Hugely inefficient and it creates more problems than it solves."


    "Such as?"


    "Security for one thing. Every other clan or rogue Engineer can sit and watch, stealing your secrets. And the location of the Queen won''t stay secret. Another clan can just follow Leviathan to the wreck."


    Whale shook her head, "They can try, and I''ll put a torpedo in them."


    "You''re right. Why would they invite combat when putting a tracking device on the ship is easier."


    Whale looked at the other captains, and the senior engineers, "You can make a tracking device and know where a ship goes?" The Engineers were all scratching their heads and wondering if they could.


    Milo said, "I can. It''s not hard if you have the skill, the crystals, and the knowledge of the ritual. I''ll make three linked crystals, put one on Leviathan, and then use the other two to triangulate your location. I can do that from the shore, with a mile between the crystals. The angles of the two crystals will give me the direction, distance, and depth of where Leviathan is. Just Magi-tech and simple trigonometry."


    Annie looked at Sledgemonkey, "Is that true?"


    "Yep, If Senior Engineer Milo says he can do it, it can be done, and if he can do it, stands to reason someone else could."


    "Shit. We''ll need more ships, just to fight off the claim jumpers."


    Milo pointed to his calculations, "Or a better place to build Leviathan, and later The Iron Queen. I suggest we launch them here, in this cavern."


    Whale narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was serious, then she laughed and the other captains laughed as well. Finally, she wiped her eyes. "Holy shit, you had me going with all of that work you did. What a joke. Sure, we build the ship here, then we can play house in it, or turn it into a bar."


    Sledgemonkey''s eyes were wide, slowly the idea spread from Engineer to Engineer until they were all talking at once and checking Milo''s math. The scavengers noticed what was happening. They knew something was bouncing around in the Engineer''s heads, but couldn''t imagine what. They all turned to look at Milo.


    "We''re a considerable ways underground, but the ocean is far deeper. I suggest we dig out one end of the cavern to the level of the lower scales, giving a small bay for the ships to test buoyancy and fix any leaks. The ships will then enter the first of a series of long, water-filled tunnels separated by pressurized locks and gates. At the far end, the submarines can enter the ocean, unseen by anyone, and proceed to the Rust Sea. All salvaging will be done by submersible."


    He drew a quick sketch and pointed to the far end. "We''ll want a small complex at the far end both for security, and to transfer the salvage from nets to cargo barges that will move it back to this cavern. That lets the submersibles we build concentrate on their work, and not on transport. By the time we have Leviathan and the Silver Shark rebuilt, we should have designs for other submersibles done, and each clan will have their own ship to crew, with the Iron Queen being a joint effort, and crewed by the best veterans. With how large she is, based on your notes. I''ll suggest a separate set of locks be built to accommodate her and the rest of the larger vessels that get built."


    The Scavengers were staring at him, rolling over the ideas in their head.


    "That is one hell of a lot of work, you know that? Decades of work." Whale was considering. Just the security alone was a selling point.


    Milo smiled at them, "Sure, a huge amount. But I know that all of you will be pushing as hard as you can. Think about it: A totally secret, underground base, complete with Engineering support, and all the bars and tattoo parlors you could want. Why fight to build something in Shadowport when you can do it down here? A secret, underground pirate cove." He started to talk more, but Whale stopped him.


    "All in favor?"


    "Very well. I see each Great Clan is in favor of building the biggest, badest Scavenger town that ever existed. It''s unanimous. Poor the room. We''ve got work to do, girls."

 Chapter 360: The Law of Shinies

    After a round of drinks, which Milo was forced to participate in, (and used his tail to swap his full glass of whiskey with Sledgemonkey''s empty one whenever he could), the jovial group of Scavengers and Engineers began brainstorming crazy ideas about what they wanted in a base. Milo was expecting a lot more crazy ideas than were suggested. Captains had to deal with the harsh realities of sailing the seas and keeping their ships afloat, and that showed in some of the questions asked and suggestions made.


    The security that the plan offered was a huge boon. More than once, Engineers or Scavengers had built small port cities and then had to defend them against people who valued their hard work but didn''t want to pay for it. The vast cavern gave them a place to build, work, and relax without the need for a constant mercenary force and gunships tying up crew and using up money. With the only access through the lock and submerged tunnel system used by the ships, or through narrow underground caves, the small city would be safer than anything built up top.


    Captain Cuda was happy with the plan but saw problems they had to deal with, sooner or later, "I like it, but we''re a long way off from having access to my ship from down here. We''re talking a complete overhaul to turn it into a full submersible. And you''ll never do that to the Iron Orca. We''re going to need to use our existing ships to haul the cargo we need. And that means dealing with the mess in Shadowport still."


    Engineer Milo unrolled a blueprint, ready with a suggestion, "Yes, I considered those very valid points. We need your ships and crews bringing in the specialists and materials we can''t source ourselves. Plus, we want to simplify the problems up there, keep some control, and work with the rest of the city. I propose we build a long jetty straight out into the bay, with one end at the center of the beach, and the other end at the edge of the drop-off. We then build along the edge of the drop-off in either direction. Just enough space for a half dozen large ships. They''ll have deep water anchorage, and won''t interfere with the ships using the docks. We can bring in cargo and run it across rails on the surface of the jetty and straight down the tunnel. That separates the docks into the area for the merchant fleet and the part controlled by the fishing fleet."


    Annie looked at the plan. "I notice you have a large building planned at the end of the jetty. I''m assuming that it''s going to house a few cannons. It sure would make a nice defensive position."


    Milo nodded, "It certainly does. I''d like to suggest a mix of large bore guns, along with Steam Cannon, like you''ve pioneered on the Iron Orca. We''ll build a three-story stone tower, with plenty of room to house the guns and the boilers. Anyone we don''t want tying up at our docks can be sent to the bottom, and we can protect against another eel attack. The bottom can house a harbormaster''s office and tavern."


    Cuda liked it: "Quick unloading, and we can stay out of the shallows and head right back out, maybe after a bit of convenient drinking. My clan has repair shops and equipment scattered in a dozen ports. I can start hauling most of it here and then downstairs. It''s easier to make new parts down here and have them ready for when a ship comes in needing repairs."


    Goldtooth had her own ideas. "We need to build big. There''s a lot of metal in these caverns. It''s why the old city was here. We''re not the only ones who are going to need a lot of parts. We could build basic boilers and cast cannons and make gears, pistons, and anything else that''s in demand. Turn a pretty penny and support other clans at the same time. The big clans have always bought and sold parts and magi-tech to the smaller clans, but there hasn''t been a big supplier in centuries, and the rare stuff has gotten rarer." She looked at the Engineers and smiled possessively, "Another reason why I''m happy to have a big group of spanner boys available to handle the tricky parts. I''ve seen more rune-work and magi-tech in the little I''ve been down here than before in my whole life."


    "Aye, but while we''re talking about ''tech, where the hell did the Sharks get that table? It''s a fancy piece of work and the cards are beautiful. Can you imagine a ship built with that kind of stuff?" Cuda and the other Captains had all examined the Captain''s Table in the next room over, marveling at the workmanship.


    Narwhal said, wistfully, "I saw it on The Queen. It was beautiful. Didn''t have a lot of time to do more than loot the first big treasure bin. But anywhere you brushed off the mud and grime you could see the glowing rune-work on the walls. There''s so much more there to learn and loot. I''m going back, somehow, someday. I say we start strong and every ship we build gets our best work from armor plating to boilers, to magi-tech."


    "Going to take a hell of a lot of magi-tech, and someone to figure out how that table was made and worked. No one has seen Abigail since Mako lost the cut of the cards. And Mako won''t be talking for quite some time, even if we could find her. How long for your smart-ass lads to figure that thing out, Sledge?"


    The Chief Engineer paused for a bit, thinking, "Well, really, it should be someone young and energetic with a unique way of looking at things and experience in novel new theories on both runes and magi-tech. Any ideas?"


    Boom-Boom raised his hand, "No problem, Chief. I''ll get right on it and have the project on the boards by tonight." Then he grinned, "And I''ll appoint Senior Engineer to my staff. How long do you think it will take to figure out, Milo?"


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Oh, I''m done looking at the table, it was easy to figure out."


    Boom-Boom gave Sledgemonkey a thumbs up, "All done Chief, just split the points between my assistant and myself."


    While everyone else was laughing, Whale was staring at Sledgemonkey and then Milo, sitting next to him. "How''d you figure it out so fast?"


    Milo shrugged, "Easy, I did what any good Engineer does before working on a piece of machinery: I read the manual. Black Eddie kept very good notes. Whatever got Edward Damyon black-listed as an Engineer, it wasn''t his research and record keeping. His journals are fascinating to read. "


    The Engineers at the table had never heard the name before. But the Scavengers all turned to stare at Milo. Black Eddie''s handsome visage was on wanted posters in every port. Whale tried to keep her voice nonchalant as if the answer didn''t matter. "Interesting. There was a rumor that the Sharks kidnapped a rogue Engineer who they kept working for them, somewhere hidden, in return for keeping him safe from the people looking for him."


    Milo nodded, "Yes, the same fellow."


    "And you''ve had dealings with him?"


    "Oh, no. Not personally. He''s dead and gone. The System confirmed that when I looted his extradimensional storage areas." That got the Engineers excited and pushed the Scavengers over the edge.


    Two-Screws was drooling, "Get some good stuff? And about those Journals..."


    The Chief outshouted the Senior Engineers. "Yes, happy to help with those Journals. Two-Screws is going to be too busy soon, what with all the projects about to be dumped in his lap, but I can spare some time." Sledgemonkey patted Milo on the shoulder and nodded paternally.


    Captain Cuda smiled evilly, looking a lot like Mako when she did, "You found a hidden treasure, did you? I''m sure you know the rules regarding looting Scavenger Treasure, don''t you laddy?"


    Captain Goldtooth was almost over the top with excitement, "Where did you find them? What else do you have in your little extradimensional pockets?"


    Milo looked up, appearing calm. The Engineers were getting less calm by the second as the Scavenger Captains closed ranks.


    "Nothing much that the rest of you couldn''t have found, I simply found it first. There I was, taking a casual swim with an old diving helmet when I saw the strangest thing: Half a ship lying on the ocean floor. I was curious about it and quite surprised to find a lot of gold lying around in the stern. I put the gold someplace safe, then noticed a curious puzzle holding a vault door shut. It was simply a matter of applying the correct amount of force to pry it open. Luckily, I had my tools with me. I nearly died, too. All that gold fell on me and it took forever to get out. I nearly drowned. That would have been so embarrassing for Captain Mako to find me there under her gold. Well, my gold now."


    The Scavengers were all staring at him as he casually related the story without a care in the world. "And imagine my surprise at finding still more gold inside. So many heavy bars. I had no idea what to do with them at first, but then I discovered the hidden vaults. I don''t think anyone but Mako knew about them."


    His eyes went to Captain Cuda, "And I very much doubt that Scavenger Code overrides Draconic Law regarding shinies. The amount of gold in that ship certainly counts as an ''Abandoned Small Hoard of Shinies,'' and therefore belonged to the first person to claim them and find them a good home."


    Annie''s eyes lit up. "The holes in the back of the vault! I thought Mako was going to blow a blood vessel right then and there. She was insanely mad about that. Are you saying you hid all the gold in her Arcane Seachests? And then stole them?"


    Milo shook his head. "That would have been convenient, but they were mostly full. Tray after tray of Magi-Tech components on one side, and the other held the notebooks detailing the construction and use of the Captain''s Table and his decks of cards. I''ve got over 200 sets of blank cards that are made of mana-reactive foil. I''ll have fun experimenting with those."


    He made sure he was looking at Two-Screws as he said, "I found room in the Arcane Workshop that I looted for all the gold. Not quite as big as Sledgemonkey''s, but then, I''m only a youngster. Sadly, I had to leave some of the gold lying in the ocean, but I think that worked out fine from what I hear with Captain Annie getting paid and Captain Mako using the rest to pay her debts."


    Two-Screws was beside himself, "Dammit if you''re going to make me beg? Alright, I''m begging. Show it to me!" All the Engineers were nodding.


    He looked at Whale and the Scavengers, no longer quite so casual in his demeanor, "It''s a great secret, and I could have had great fun never telling anyone about my little fishing trip. But we''re all partners now, and we have work to do. What''s in here will help with that work, but that doesn''t mean I want this story to go any further. Captain''s Honor."


    Whale''s eyes got large, "You''re sharing a hoard of gold?" The other Captains struggled with the concept. The professor paying back the gold they''d lost was one thing, but they''d understood his desire to have peace with his fellow Captains. This...well, this just wasn''t done.


    Milo nodded to her, "I''d rather build a city than sit on more gold than I can ever spend."


    Whale turned to the assembled Scavengers, "Captain''s Honor, and dire consequences to anyone that talks." The other Captains and crew all swore.


    Milo went to the wall and opened up his Arcane Workbench before Two-Screws exploded. The first thing he took out was a big roll of blueprints that he put on the table. "Time to get to work."

 Chapter 361: Were going to need a bigger Drill!

    An Arcane Workshop was something most Engineers never saw, let alone earned. The people who did have them were cagey about how they came to get them, sharing only small hints to keep their brother Engineers working on the quest. The Engineers who had joined Milo in fighting off the World Boss, Uthneragrubban, had been lucky enough to see Sledgemonkey''s Arcane Workshop and had spread the tale to those who hadn''t been at the fight. They talked of it with the reverence that a priest reserved for the biggest cathedral of their god. All of them aspired to have one, and it was a topic of many discussions. They knew that only a Senior Engineer could start the quest, and it could take years to gather all of the materials. And if Milo''s Arcane Workshop was much smaller than the massive one owned by Sledgemonkey, a shrine rather than a cathedral, it was still a wonder for them to behold. The thought of getting to look at another of the fabled contraptions had them geared up and unable to sit still as Senior Engineer Milo worked to summon his.


    The wall in front changed to two sliding doors made of polished dark metal that recessed into the walls revealing a workbench filled with beautifully made precision tools. The bench slid back, revealing the storage chests on either side. Milo had decided to add the two smaller, 8 cubic feet storage chests to the workshop, and the doors to them had appeared above the sea chests. He pulled out one of the larger chests, opened it, and started pulling out ingots of gold, casually tossing them onto the table. "These things are heavy and there were a lot of them in Mako''s vault. Quite a workout to load them into here. But I need the space for other things. I''m sure there''s a safe place to put them until we need to use them to finance some trading ventures for needed materials."


    Captains Annie and Goldtooth stepped forward and Milo started handing the ingots to them. Goldtooth got a glimpse of what was in the storage chest and a small tear ran down her face. "So shiny. I don''t mind a little hard work hauling them out. Let me help you with that!"


    Milo stepped aside, "Thanks! I know I can trust everyone here since they swore a Captain''s oath or are my brother Engineers."


    There were nods of agreement all around, but also sweaty palms and wild eyes as the dwarves saw things they desired. The Scavengers made a line, passing the heavy ingots from the chest two at a time and stacking them against the wall. When the 400 slabs were out of the ingot storage chest, Milo opened the miscellaneous storage chest, and after a bit of cursing and hollering, they started clearing the 64 cubic feet of gold coins.


    Milo''s magic hidey-hole was the ultimate treasure chest to almost everyone in the room. But not to Whale and Narwhal. Boom-boom admired the tools but was saddened by a lack of explosives. Everyone on Leviathan had seen the treasure trove that Nawhal''s crew had salvaged from the wreck, but only the three who went into the wreck had seen the immense, hidden treasure compartment in the sunken ship''s captain''s quarters.


    "It''s pretty, but I''ve seen bigger. Wish to hell I''d have known how to take the whole thing with me like you did."


    Milo considered the circumstances of finding Black Eddy''s workbench and the message. "Both ships were wrecks on the sea bottom, and both had specific ways to unlock them. I think the difference might be being a Senior Engineer. That was what let me claim it. I bet the one on the Queen was built by an Engineer and you might need one to relocate it."


    Boom-Boom''s eyes got huge, then he smiled sweetly. "I know where I want to go for a second honeymoon."


    Whale scowled at him, "Keep dreaming, that belongs on the Queen."


    Narwhal stood up and confronted her mother/captain, "You aren''t thinking of the ramifications of what my clever husband is thinking about. That workshop had doors ten feet on a side and the cavity went twenty feet deep. Do you know how much swag we could fit in there if he claims it? We could fill it full of every bit of loot we find on the Queen and then he can close it up and take it with him. Next trip we could grab dozens of cannons. Weight wouldn''t matter. That''s a hell of a lot quicker way to loot and scoot than using a cargo net and loading it all into Leviathan."


    Milo was pondering that idea, "I wonder how many other wrecks in the Rust Sea have hidden Arcane Workbenchs? It''s an efficient way to hide treasures."


    Captain Cuda looked stricken, "By the depths! That means we''ll need to have a couple of spanner boys on every salvage ship. That''s just unnatural!"


    Captain Goldtooth smiled, "Unnaturally profitable, you mean. This deal just gets better and better. Time to start swimming lessons, boys, you''re going to need them."


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The Engineers looked stricken. Milo was content with his skill at dog paddling but considered some practice in the pool in Downtown. Better than swimming in eel-infested waters.


    Two hours later, with the gold stored away in a secure location, Milo pulled out the three jugs of dwarven whiskey he''d found in one of the other chests and put them on the table. "Compliments of Black Eddy. I think it''s whiskey, but it might be a liquid solvent for loosening stuck bolts. That chest holds them both."


    The dwarves laughed, and Whale started pouring the amber liquid into glasses. "Like there''s a difference? Pass the shots around, we could all use a drink to loosen us up. Damn, that was a lot of gold. Makes me wonder what Mako had planned with it."


    "Who knows? Maybe just pile it up and play with her treasure on lonely nights at sea."


    "Nothing wrong with having a pile of coins to roll around in."


    Annie shook her head, "She had plans, big ones. She wanted to take over the city, build ships, and then take over more ports. With her in charge, of course, Queen of all the Clans and calling the shots. Things certainly went to hell quickly for her."


    Whale drank down her whiskey, and slammed down the glass. "She ran out of luck, and then she pushed too hard when the dice weren''t rolling her way. But some people helped her along with that, right, Senior Engineer Milo?" The other Captains and Engineers raised their glasses to him.


    He shrugged, "If you don''t want someone to steal your gold, don''t leave it at the bottom of the ocean." They all raised their glasses and drank again.


    <hr>


    Milo was busy over the next two days. He took a nap in Genesis but while his character was asleep in the game, he spent the next eight hours in the real world comparing the blueprints he''d seen for rebuilding the submersibles and comparing them to real-world submarines. Things didn''t work the same in the game, with magic, runes, and super-strong alloys, but he gained a better understanding of what the project would entail. His second deep dive was into canal and lock systems. This was going to be a huge project and a potentially dangerous one. He wanted to increase his knowledge base as much as he could.


    Satisfied that he had enough for now, he went to sleep in his pod, woke up in the game, and began to design a more efficient mechanical drill that would be needed to dig the massive tunnels. His new design made innovations on the machine the Engineers had used before but incorporated ideas used in the huge digging machine he''d used underneath the habitat. When he was done, he found Peenhammer and showed him the designs.


    His project partner was delighted with the blueprints. "OH! I like this. Do you want to put a team together and build it? I''m your man."


    Milo rolled up the plans and handed him all four sets. "Actually, I had a different idea in mind. I want you to put a team together, and your job is to monitor three other teams. We have three groups who have started racing to Limburgher Hollow. Give these designs to all three teams, but suggest they experiment and make the design even better."


    "Yeah, they''d be doing that anyway. But I get the idea. We pick the best version."


    Milo shook his head, "No, we take all the best ideas from all versions. Then we do a final version, and build a drill machine ten times as big."


    Peenhammer thought for a moment, looked at the schematics, then at the far wall. "Ten times as big? Now that''s a proper project. Going to take a lot of materials though. Hard to get that much out of Sledge."


    "Not for this. You''re preapproved for anything you need for this project. Focus on efficiency and the best machine your team can make."


    Peenhammer double-checked to make sure Milo wasn''t joking about the budget, then saluted. "You got it, partner. I''ll get them started. It will take them a week to rebuild the drillers, but it''s worth it." He ran off in a cloud of dust, looking for his team.


    Milo decided to leave for Shadowport immediately after his next nap. The trip up the tunnel took far longer than coming down and was an enjoyable ride with minimal twists and turns. In his pocket was a small globe with a crystalline needle inside that always pointed to a spot where the dwarven tunneling teams were getting started. With the time they would take to rebuild their machines, he''d be able to get uptop, find Brutus, travel back down into the cave network, and begin exploring toward the Engineering Complex. In his storage, he had three sets of oversized hammer steel picks and shovels. The girls loved to do new things, especially if they could race each other and go all out. It was time to teach them mining.

 Chapter 362: Brain and Muscle Burning

    "Victory! Huzzah! The team supreme has conquered the evil and crafty Storage Disk #34!"


    The cheering voice made Belinda smile. Rusty was always up for celebrating victories, whatever the game was. Sadly, they were coming very slowly as he helped her work through the treasure trove of data Milo had found in the hidden lab in the Manpower medical center. If someone claimed that all biological research on the human species was contained in these discs, she might believe them. There were decades of data on experiments done by corporations and governments, stretching back to the early 1900''s. This wasn''t something done over a few years. It would have taken decades. Gathering this research together in one place was far beyond John''s company.


    Or was it her company now? That was something she had to straighten out with him. She turned 18 tomorrow, which changed their relationship dramatically. It felt surreal that a few hours could turn her from a child who had to hide from her only guardian, into an adult, with access to an obscene amount of money, some of which her stepdad had been allowed to borrow. John hadn''t made payments, on interest, or principle, ever. He hadn''t expected that he''d need to pay it back. Once a few things got sorted out, she could show that the loans were in default and seize Manpower from him. If she wanted to and, frankly, she didn''t. That would be a huge mess she didn''t want to go through, and John would fight and whine to everyone for years. She''d seen him do it before. And even if she didn''t want his company, it made a great threat to hold over his head. That part she liked.


    A loud voice cut through her musings and reminded her of her job. "Yoohoo! Belinda!? You''re brooding again. I only bring it up because the more you sit and think, the longer this takes and frankly, you''re cutting into my anime-watching time."


    She shook herself and glared up at the middle screen where a red-haired anime boy was petting a striped cat, while surrounded by a hundred more. "Sorry, Rusty. Can you load numbers 35 to 37?" The storage discs had a massive amount of files in each, and many of them were encrypted. Rusty loved breaking the encryption. Milo had given him some pointers and shared some of his tools. He''d progressed fast after that, with both Milo and Belinda feeding him things to practice on.


    Getting to the command center hadn''t been a problem. With Rusty guiding her and a protective escort from General Maximus, she had no problem navigating through the long corridors in her wheelchair. The first day she was good, finding her objective and getting right to work. After that, she left earlier and spent some time exploring. Milo had told her about the Engineering Section with its massive diesel engines that supplied supplemental power, but nothing could have prepared her for seeing it in person. The amount of resources and technology in this abandoned bunker was staggering. Rusty gave her a tour and told her how Milo had started the first diesel engine and brought the facility back online, causing the war with Icarus to heat up. With no need to keep several of the engines running for power, only the first was still on, idling at low speed but ready to roar to life and start the others in case of a power failure. Something that was highly unlikely now that Rusty was in control of the fusion power plant.


    Rusty had the next three discs ready to go and they got started. Each of the foot-wide disks held a massive amount of research, involving all aspects of biology, medicine, or genetics that pertained to humans, along with some interesting studies on increasing the intelligence of animals. She had started going through the contents and then realized that it would take days for each of the disks. There were huge studies that covered decades with hundreds of thousands of patients. Even just looking at the conclusions of the studies took time.


    She''d had a minor breakthrough when she came upon the first notes. Someone, she suspected her father, had added his own observations and opinions. She''d read Vigo''s published papers, trying to learn about him, and she noted similarities in his writing. Going on that hunch, she had Rusty skim the next few disks and she only spent time on the places Vigo had bookmarked or left notes on. Most of these had to do with human genetics and intelligence testing. But it was still too slow. Yesterday, after finishing the sixteenth of the discs, she approached the idea of processing multiple discs at once.


    "Rusty, I think we need to approach things differently, otherwise we''re not going to get time this week to watch much anime together. How about this? Load discs 17 to 19, skim them for my father''s notes, and I''ll read through those parts. Assign one disc to each of the three screens. I''ll assign controls to the screens and skip to the next section when I''m done. Keep putting up the information and let me see how fast I can go skim through them and mark sections that look important."


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Oh, good idea. Much quicker. Will you be moving from one screen to the next in sequential order?"


    "Well, of course. I''ll move left to right and then back, you can follow behind filling in the next block of data when I click."


    "Sure, we can do it that way."


    Something about how he said that made her curious. "Rusty, what other way could someone do this?"


    "Oh, Milo would do four screens at once, simultaneously. But I figured out pretty quickly that he was smarter than standard humans. And he got much quicker after all of Jeremy''s training sequences to split his overmind and do several things at once. He was a natural."


    Belinda''s brain hurt just thinking about Jeremy''s tutorials. Milo had mentioned them and Rusty had described them as ''Brain Exercises''. Big Butch had all the kids try them, with mixed results. She handled the first one ok, but everyone else except Min had given up with headaches. Min stubbornly kept at the lesson until she finished. Rusty had declared they had all performed above average and awarded Min and Belinda gold stars. Belinda was on the third lesson now, slowly making progress, but it was getting easier and easier. That had surprised Rusty and encouraged her.


    "Let''s see if I can handle two simultaneously and work up from there." Rusty reconfigured the screens and they got started. It was difficult, but she was able to read both screens simultaneously, and slowly it was like she was two people. Rusty called a halt to the experiment two hours later.


    "That''s enough for today. You need rest. Your stress levels are elevated, and you need food and fluids. I suggest we go watch Howl''s Moving Castle, eat dinner, and move on to the desert. You need calories. With your physical therapy and the stress from what we did here, you need to watch your diet."


    "You sound like Mama, now."


    "I do? That''s good, right? I think Milo would be in very bad shape without her. All right, time to run home! Your escort is ready to go. And tomorrow morning, why don''t we add an hour of Jeremy''s tutorials to your schedule, right before physical therapy?"


    She sighed, anticipating a burning brain and burning muscles together. But Rusty was right. "Ok, we''ll try it. If it can increase my speed, it will be worth it."


    Max and the Roombas raced her through the long hallways. She was quicker on the straight stretches, but they cornered better. Dinner and relaxation went by fast, as did sleep, and then she was being woken by Rusty who was reminding her about her morning therapy workout. She grumbled, but regaining the use of her legs was a huge incentive to keep working. She could walk fine now wearing the full suit Milo had made for her, but was wobbly without it. Wobbly steps were a vast improvement over being confined to a wheelchair with only the full use of one arm.


    The next day was grueling, starting with the mind-bending exercises that left her mentally exhausted, and then the physical working that was building strength in her legs and back. After a shower, she raced through the hallways and got to work on finding the secrets in the old files. She found it easier to read the screens simultaneously. The lessons were loosening up her mind and she could concentrate on multiple things at once. After that, they worked on three of the discs simultaneously. After the first hour, it became easy and Rusty sped up the process.


    She walked into the dining room, still thinking about the research with Rusty, and forgetting what day it was. Mama hadn''t. The room was decorated with foil and decorations cut from discarded boxes. A large plate of pancakes with 18 candles was at one end of the table. Everyone was there, including Max and his crew. Rusty was on the screen, and a sleepy Milo was dozing in a chair. Butch woke him as she walked in.


    Belinda couldn''t help but contrast earlier birthdays. Half the time, John forgot and was out of town. The next year he''d overcompensate with a scary clown and a pony she couldn''t ride. Birthday pancakes with people who cared about her were a huge upgrade. Milo ate two stacks of pancakes, handed her a card, and went back to work. The card turned out to be a holo-projector that created a floating SC6 Starship in the air, and she could move it around the room by moving the card. Everyone wanted a turn to play with it and she passed it over to the smaller children. She asked Butch what was up with Milo, "Isn''t he getting sleep? He looks tired."


    "Oh, he was. He''s been sleeping while he gamed, but an alarm went off and he had to deal with a power outage in the habitat. He said it was a bad one and he needed to fix it before he went back into Genesis."


    She imagined no power, and people trapped in the dark corridors with the air getting worse and worse, and shuddered. "How can he fix it from down here?"


    Butch rolled his eyes and grinned, "He tried to explain, something about stocks and tax credits, and taking over a few electrical distribution companies that were doing an inefficient job. Sounds like he can handle it."

 Chapter 363: Black Out

    The alarms came at an inconvenient time and exacted a terrible cost from Milo. He was sitting on the roof of the ex-casino with a large plate of cheesy pancakes covered in syrup observing the city. Blinking red notifications in the corner of his eye alerted him to alarms going off in the habitat as his system sent messages to him. Something very bad was happening. He logged out of the game immediately, leaving his breakfast to sit on the roof.


    The alarm had only given him the information that there was a critical power outage in the habitat. The affected areas had only emergency lighting and the air handlers were down, as well as food processing units, and pressure was dropping in the water systems. The affected areas were in seven different sections, with floors 3 to 17 losing power. Emergency power supplies from section E were being used, but the sudden and total cessation of energy was straining the storage system. And the problem was obvious: Someone had turned off the power.


    The power supplied to the habitat came from a group of thirty-seven different providers who had bid on the government contracts. One of those, Providence Systems of PA, had control of those areas and for some reason had ceased to provide electricity to their areas of the habitat. Power was flowing freely everywhere else. Milo clamped down on the small, angry part of his brain that wanted to find out who did this and the curious part that wanted to solve the bigger problem. He needed a short-term solution immediately. He shifted power from Section E and the sections he controlled through Clawmaster, and it was barely enough. Within a minute, he had the emergency patch completed and he moved on. He set up a dozen searches in his system and turned the computers loose, then ran past several people, including Mama, on his way to the elevator, ignoring everyone. Ten minutes later he was upstairs and dropping from the ductwork into his old home, breathing hard.


    Wally was waiting for him. "What can I do for you today, Milo?"


    "I need more information on the electrical distribution system, especially as it applies to the habitat. Power has been cut off, and while I can handle it for now, this is a major failure of something outside of the habitat. Someplace I can''t go to fix a problem."


    Wally sighed, "I assume you are going to ask for my help or opinions. I can''t help you, my apologies. This is handled by several corporations that supply energy throughout the world and is not something I am required to monitor. Even if I were to monitor the system, I am not allowed to affect any part, except those dealing with my day-to-day functions and specific actions, and I am not allowed to make recommendations to the government, or the corporations, or to publish reports."


    "They blocked you because they make more money if the system isn''t efficient. Just my opinion, of course, and not a statement of fact."


    "Everyone has their own opinions, Milo. I''ve always valued that you base yours on observation and logic. Can you indulge my curiosity about why you called?"


    "Some parts of the habitat lost power because Providence Systems of PA quit providing it. All in sections that aren''t leased by Claw Master, Rhebus, or Manpower, and only some parts of those sections. I''ve handled things for now, and no one is in danger." He looked at some of his other screens, seeing search results. "Providence is now in bankruptcy, although their stock was high just a week ago and the company was profitable."


    Wally leaned back in his chair, put on his reading glasses, and picked up a book, "Again, apologies, but I''m specifically not supposed to notice corporate business practices except in certain circumstances or if asked by certain groups to investigate. But, if you need Claw Master to purchase additional energy supplies on the open market and route them to Section E for you to control, I can certainly help you with that. We''ll pay a much higher price for buying now, rather than negotiating a long-term contract. That''s just how energy works." Milo saw that the title of the book was, How to File Complaints with the Office of Mr. Alphonse Rudolf, in the Department of Energy.


    Milo was starting to see the pattern emerge from the information scrolling on his screens. Energy was just another necessary commodity that was bought and sold, like cheese or coffee. There was a web of suppliers, resellers, brokers, and agents all claiming to have the inside track on cheap energy. He needed to do some research.


    "I think I''ll handle that. I know that acting as Clawmaster you have more leeway, but if you aren''t supposed to meddle in the electrical distribution system, you probably shouldn''t get involved. Definitely shouldn''t think about it or monitor it. After all, that''s what they want from you."


    "Well, I can''t officially get involved."


    Milo smiled at him, "Of course, but it''s not good for you to monitor something like that. I know that from experience, and you see so many more details than I do. You''ll notice something, form conclusions, and ponder their significance but not be able to act. The dissonance will cause inefficiency. Best if you just do not look at things like that. In fact, if the conclusions you draw cause you to act on even seemingly unrelated matters, isn''t that a form of taking official notice? A very slippery slope."


    Wally''s eyes narrowed as he stared at the smiling Milo. He wondered where he had erred in their conversation. It was always an interesting experience when he failed to properly analyze a situation. Milo''s thinking didn''t plod from A to B to C. He went from B to X and then ran to Z.


    "Why do I get the feeling you are pondering something I should know about."


    Milo shook his head, "Just the opposite. I''m pondering something you shouldn''t know about, and don''t want to know about. Being a good friend, I won''t bother you with it." He logged out of his screen and got to work.


    Wally caught himself wondering what Milo was up to, but eventually just sent a note to Steven about possible disruptions in the planetary energy grid and then sealed off his conversation with Milo so he could quit thinking about it.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Milo started with Providence Systems. The corporation was a shell company with several sub-corporations in every state or country. They signed the contracts to supply the energy, then bought energy from the parent corporation, Providence International. Each sub corporation sold stock and all profits were paid out in dividends to the stockholders. Those stockholders were often other corporations, some of which supplied the energy each Providence shell sold to their customers.


    Why the Pennsylvania branch was bankrupt took some digging. On the surface, it seemed like a simple business decision. Providence claimed that the contracts with seven habitats were losing them money, and needed to be renegotiated. They didn''t have the money to pay for energy to fulfill the contracts. It took Milo two minutes to get past their security programs and dig into their accounting. Currently, there was zero money in their corporate account, with several liens against the company, including a series of fines for not providing enough energy to one habitat or another, and larger fines for discontinuing service altogether. But there had been money there recently. It had left in the form of paying sky-high rates for energy to other corporations, dividends to shareholders, and salaries for the top executives. All of whom had earned a bonus this year.


    His next stop was the encrypted email of the corporate executives. They were silly and used the same encryption method for all their branches and the main holding company. Knowing Rusty loved puzzles like this, he sent the AI a sample of their email and let him crack the code. Milo was worried when five minutes later, Rusty hadn''t replied. He sent the message again, this time with the title: ''Dirty Pair on Broadway! See the girls as never before!''


    A very annoyed Rusty replied two seconds later. "That was cruel! Heartless! Despicable, even. Now I''m going to mourn forever the sight of seeing my favorite girls dancing across the stage!"


    "You were ignoring my messages and watching anime, something you can do at the same time."


    Rusty''s voice got very serious, "That''s all true, but still...You have crossed a line, sir, and I demand satisfaction!"


    Milo realized his error. Yumi had wanted to watch an ancient Three Musketeers anime from the dawn of time. If he didn''t make it up to Rusty, he''d be fighting a duel, somehow, the next morning.


    "I apologize sir, and offer whatever I can do to erase such an insult."


    "Oh, awesome. Then you have to help me write a Broadway play!"


    "What? No!"


    "Kei and Yuri, onstage as no one has seen them!"


    "That''s...


    "A musical! Yumi, Min, and Belinda have volunteered to help. Belinda says you''ll fund the production!"


    Milo had no idea what was involved with such a project, but at least it would keep Rusty busy. "Ok, sure. I''ll fund it. Are we friends again."


    "Of course! And partners in our new production company. Dirty Pair on Broadway is just a start! Here''s the decryption code you wanted. Bye! I have to learn about tubas and mandolins!"


    Rusty went off to do things Milo didn''t want to think about. He set up a search to research funding a Broadway production and started delving into the details behind the sudden bankruptcies in some of the Providence sub-corporations. What he found made him angry. Investors were fleeing rapidly and the stock was dropping. There were rampant rumors about the company defaulting on all its contracts while financial consultants were speculating it was a way to force the government to renegotiate the contracts. The emails confirmed exactly that.


    All of the executives in the company had divested themselves of their stock. Like a line of rotten dominoes, other sub-corporations would start going into bankruptcy, creating a small crisis for the government, but since it mostly involved the habitats, would get little attention. Things would get worse as other energy providers would start doing the same. Over the next two days, twenty-two corporations in the energy sector that supplied power to nine habitats between New York and Philadelphia would file for bankruptcy.


    The government of the US and state Governors would start talking about solutions and bail-outs while looking for a large corporation to step in. On cue, Tesladyne would propose a plan that would clean up the mess of small, bankrupt companies, improve service, and get the power back on. The deal involved taking over all of the contracts from those corporations. The bankrupt corporations would go away, their stock worthless. Tesladyne would provide power, (At a much higher cost than before and with far fewer responsibilities, of course.) The head people at Providence and other corporations would quietly find positions in Tesladyne, doing exactly what they had been doing before. Power would stay on in the habitats, but things would be slightly worse than before.


    Milo spent a full two minutes and thirty-two seconds telling himself it wasn''t his problem. He''d started digging into Providence with the idea of finding a way to secure better service and hide his plan of drawing power from the fusion reactor. If he could use the fusion reactor as backup energy, he''d never again have to worry about a blackout of this type. But things were going to spin out of control in only two days, and Tesladyne would be locked in as the provider for most of the habitat. That meant doing something now, and he needed a lot more information than he currently had.


    Luckily, he had plenty of snacks to eat and an assortment of cheese. He''d ordered a "Cheese of the World" platter that came with seven hundred and fourteen different types of chees, all individually wrapped in colorful foil or wax, and stacked high on a round platter. It was a beautiful thing and weighed over a hundred pounds. Getting it through the large ducts had taken help from Max, pulling from the front.


    Unwrapping the first piece of cheese, a brown Brunost variety with a sweet flavor, he got to work researching energy networks, suppliers, and stock prices.

 Chapter 364: Tarnished Honor

    In the middle of watching The Three Musketeers, Rusty paused the film, raised his hands high, and shouted, "YES!" Then immediately frowned, saying, "Why, that deceitful cur! My honor must be satisfied!" and disappeared. Belinda looked at Yumi, who shrugged, mystified. Butch laughed, "Any bets on what Milo just did?"


    Min was confused, "Why do you think Milo did something?"


    Butch waved at the people watching. "We''re all here, so that leaves Mamma, Dad, or some unknown person, and Rusty doesn''t know anyone else."


    Confirmation came immediately as Rusty returned. "My honor has been restored! We''re making a musical of Dirty Pair for Broadway. Milo promised to find someone to produce it once we write it. Who has a collection of show tunes rattling around in their head?" In the background, behind him, a montage of the anime started playing with multiple Kei and Yuri blowing up cities, starships, and national monuments. Accidentally, of course.


    With more enthusiastic explanations from Rusty, the project started to take shape. They spent the next hour brainstorming with Rusty and giving him plot ideas before he would finally calm down and let them watch the rest of the movie. The scope of what Rusty wanted to do was totally beyond their experience, which actually helped in the beginning. Rusty had ten different stories written the next day, all of them unworkable with the restrictions of using human beings on a stage. Mama listened to them talk at dinner and then suggested they should watch Broadway plays to figure out just what it was Rusty wanted to do. The novel idea was accepted and the group began watching the strange world of non-animated stories using real live humans.


    Belinda took part but mostly sat quietly, her mind elsewhere and pondering other problems. She needed to talk to her father, and to Eric in a controlled environment where John couldn''t do something stupid like try to send her to her room. His messages to her were desperate now, and pleading. She needed to go home. If nothing else, to gather some of her belongings from her old life.


    But a trip home meant a confrontation over what she and Rusty had found in the trove of data storage discs. There were old secrets there, and John knew about some of them. She wanted explanations.


    The day after her birthday had started well with a good breakfast and a small breakthrough in finishing a section of Jeremy''s mind benders. She was quicker now when going through the discs and she wasn''t as tired as she had been. Her mind was settling into the idea of being split in two or three ways, all doing the same task, but simultaneously. Rusty claimed she was doing far better than anyone else other than Milo. She took a small lunch and dinner but kept working, feeling fine.


    That ended when they hit an entire disc devoted to ''Batch One''. It started with the shocking revelation that her paternal grandfather had begun the research that her father continued. Everything she''d ever been told, and every bit of public knowledge said that her grandfather, Felix Johansson was a pig farmer who died young, leaving a wife and infant son. Vigo had grown up poor and put himself through school, aided by scholarships, and then started a small investment firm that specialized in biotech and medicine. He was described as a true, self-made man. The information in the discs painted a vastly different picture of Felix Johansson as an independent scientist doing work for a dozen different corporations and completely out of the public eye. The dates on the entries were many years past the date on the pig farmer''s death certificate.


    The Batch One experiment was started by Vigo''s father, Felix, before Vigo was born. Felix had access to the genetics of hundreds of thousands of people taking part in corporate studies and experiments. From those he chose people with the traits he wanted to isolate. One hundred children were created from the sperm and ova of highly intelligent subjects with certain genetic markers, and implanted into host mothers in the hopes of creating intelligent children. The children were placed into ten groups and became part of ten different experiments. Three involved methods of teaching and indoctrination from day one. Five involved intelligence-enhancing drugs released continuously into their bodies and two had a series of ports placed into their skulls to experiment with direct connections between humans and machines.


    The teaching method experiments were deemed disappointing, in that the results were still within normal parameters. They were all highly intelligent and well-trained humans, but nothing special beyond that. At the age of sixteen, they all signed corporate contracts and were sent to medical school, owing twenty years of work to their benefactors.


    The twenty children directly connected to machines gave better results and a large amount of data on the limits of such connections. They developed far faster mentally and were in the top .1 % of humanity as far as IQ was concerned. In other ways, they were sub-normal. All of the subjects had major neurological or psychological problems rendering them unfit for society. Their physical development was stunted even when compared to humans who spent 18+ hours a day playing online games. Interesting genes were harvested and they were sent to other laboratories for further testing with no record of what eventually happened to them.


    The fifty who matured in normal environments but were exposed to intelligence-enhancing drugs at an early age showed a huge variation in physical maturing, brain deformities, and life expectancy. Vigo''s notes on his father''s experiments were extensive and he was most excited about this batch. The wide variation between them was correlated with their genetics. But by the time they were 20 years old, 39 of them were insane by normal standards and seven were catatonic. Six were still functioning, but only as long as they were kept busy. By age 22, the experiment was wound down, and Felix moved on to other things.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Belinda was shaken more by this disc than the one showing the experiments done by Nazi Germany in world war two. As horrible as what she had seen in that disc, this was more personnel. It was like finding out your Grandfather was Victor Frankenstein. Her father''s fascination with the experiments was shocking to her. After a small break, she said to Rusty, "I need to know, let''s keep going."


    Batch Two had been started ten years after Batch One. Again, 100 children were produced. The teaching methods were abandoned and the genes used came from the most promising test subjects in Batch One. Twenty-five of Batch Two were experimented on with drugs, twenty-five were given neuro implants, and fifty were given both. The two smaller batches were observed until they were ten and then disposed of or sent away. While things had been learned, it was the combination of cybernetics and mental enhancement that had the best results. Certain genetic traits were identified as having positive results such as an increased ability to link with machines, psychological stability, and the ability to hyper-concentrate on problems.


    Problems arose as they matured and entered puberty. The fastest-developing children became emotionally distant and prone to violence. Staff began to disappear on a regular basis, only to be found dead, hidden in ceilings or cupboards. Two subjects broke out of the lab and left a trail of seventeen victims before they were hunted down. Nine children lagged far behind the others in both size and aggression. They were separated from their larger cousins. The larger psychopaths with their highly aggressive nature were found to also be very receptive to cybernetic enhancements. They were fitted with devices to control them and sold to another lab that wanted to develop military-grade cyborgs. The remaining children of Batch Two were studied until all of them had achieved puberty around age twenty-two. Their genetics were harvested to begin Batch Three, and three children had been naturally born to them. The parents of the naturally born children were separated and placed in their own living quarters with their children. All of them became neurotic if bored. A combination of online tasks and video games worked initially to keep them occupied.


    Batch Three was where more breakthroughs occurred, and more mistakes were made. The twenty-five members of Batch 3A all matured slower and showed signs of hyper-intelligence and hyper-focus. All of them could stay linked to computers for long periods of the day. In the end, this was shown to cause nerve cell deterioration and their bodies rejected the implants before they died. A correlation was shown between nerve cell deterioration and maturation. Experimental techniques used in the manufacture of cyborgs proved to be useful in staving off nerve cell deterioration and would be used in Batch Four.


    The three naturally-born children in Batch 2 ended up yielding no usable data. At the age of six, one or more of their parents deliberately created a poisonous substance and used it to kill all the children before killing themselves by ingesting a larger dose and then setting their living quarters on fire. This was the last batch that Felix oversaw himself.


    Batch Four was overseen by Vigo. Extensive genetic testing and gene splicing were used to select for the traits of slow maturation, hyper-intelligence, hyper-focus, and a fixation on tasks. Another mutation was added, coming from the lab that was experimenting with the descendants of batch two. It increased the density of nerve and brain cells which allowed for better links to machinery. In the cyborgs being created by a lab in Germany, it allowed for more cybernetic augmentation. In Milo''s brothers and sisters, it let them link to computers for days on end with no discomfort. Another benefit was that during gestation, sites along their spines could be stimulated to create ideal placements for the plugs that were added before birth with microscopic surgery.


    When Belinda realized she was reading about the creation of Milo, she again had to pause and sit for a long time. Finally, she continued but feared that worse was to come. Parts of this disc were Vigo''s personal journals where in addition to his notes he talked about his passion to create smarter and better humans who could compete with the emerging AI. Belinda had trouble understanding how her father could be so passionate about humanity, but not care about the humans he experimented on. To him, they were only test subjects. He emphasized that to the staff. They had letters, not names, and would be referred to that way.


    Sometimes he ranted about the need for more money and complained about the shortsightedness of the corporations whose funding he needed. That led him to discussions with Victor and Andrei Seimovich. Both men were ambitious, manipulative, and wealthy. One man was the head of a large organized crime family poorly disguised as a businessman. The other was an emerging tycoon with deep links to the organized crime he said he''d broken away from. Both were interested in Vigo''s experiments, but he knew he could only work with one of them.


    Vigo began working with her Uncle Victor two years before the death of her Grandfather Andrei, and Uncle Nikki. Shortly after that, he met her mother. She read back and forth in his journals for hours and came to the conclusion that the deaths and her parent''s marriage were connected and most likely planned by her Uncle Victor and her father. From the wording, it seemed that her mother was unaware of these things. At least at first...


    The little she read after that sent her running from the room, followed by Max and her empty wheelchair. She was calmer when she arrived in Downtown and could strip off her helmet. She needed to talk with Milo, and then John.

 Chapter 365: Family Reunion

    Eric was dreaming and very comfortable in his large bed when the alarm went off. He rolled out of bed, slammed his hand on the clock, and put on his robe. Only then did he see that he was alone, but he heard noises from the small kitchen area in his apartment. Marisa walked into the room, suspiciously dressed, showered, and ready for the day at 6:45 a.m. despite a late dinner in the city, and not getting to bed until 3 a.m. This was their fifth date, and the second time she had stayed over during the months they''d been stealing time to see each other when their respective jobs allowed for a stolen hour.


    "Here. Double strong, and there are some eggs in the kitchen. If nothing else happens, you can repay me with pancakes, but I suspect there won''t be time for that."


    He hoped she would be correct about something happening, but wrong about the time. She wasn''t, and at 7:00 A.M. he got a call from Belinda. He noted it had come direct to his phone, and not routed through the company. He put her on the screen and Marisa retreated to the kitchen.


    Belinda looked good, better than he had ever seen her. Her hair had grown out, and she had good color. She was sitting in a regular chair, not a wheelchair. She said, "Good morning, Eric, " as if she hadn''t been gone for weeks.


    "Good morning, Belinda, and Happy Birthday. What can I do for you today."


    "Hopefully, a lot of things. And apologies upfront. I''m calling John next and then he is going to call you, screaming. You don''t have to be kind while putting him back together. He has to learn about the new reality we are dealing with. After all, I did as well, and I''m not happy with him. He kept secrets from me and they''ve caused me a lot of pain. He also almost got me shipped to Eastern Europe in a pod with little chance of being let out. Keep that in mind when he says he always had my best interests at heart."


    "Alright, I can do that. What else can I do for you?"


    She started to talk, then smiled at him, a real smile. "You got a girlfriend! Finally."


    He looked at his bed, "I could just be very sloppy when I sleep."


    "Nope, mussed up bed, you''re in your robe, but you''re sipping coffee and enjoying it. You make terrible coffee and always just pour it down your throat for the caffeine. Plus, your heart rate is pretty calm, you look like you''ve been working out, and I''m picking up two people breathing and two heartbeats. You should have never taught me how to use the security programs. Congratulations. I won''t pry further."


    Eric realized that Belinda was doing A LOT better.


    "But back to business. I''m 18, and my trust funds come under my control. I also want to discuss certain outstanding loans taken from those trusts by John, as my guardian and never paid back. Please get John put back together, and deliver him, and whatever accountants and lawyers he needs to the Clawmaster offices on the top floor of Section E. We have a lot to talk about."


    "I''ll do my best, Belinda."


    "I know you will, Eric. You''ve been holding things together for years. This is why I also want you to think about what you''re going to be doing for the next few years. We can talk about that, too. And if Daddy doesn''t want to come see me, you should come anyway.


    "I''ll do that. What about security?"


    She turned and spoke to someone off to her side, and got a puzzled look on her face, then turned back to him. "John can bring whatever security he thinks he needs. And I''ve been advised to tell you that you should bring your own as well if Marisa can get the time off from Rhebus." As Eric got a strange look on his face and a feminine voice cursed in the kitchen, she waved and logged out.


    Marisa was cleaning up spilled coffee as he walked in. Eric said, "Sorry about that."


    "Don''t be. The girl is as smart as you said. I tried to trace her call and got absolutely nothing. Wherever she is, she has better security than I have the tools to break it. She knew someone was with you, and then someone told her who. If they didn''t want me at the meeting, they wouldn''t have specifically said I could come, even mentioning my employer."


    "She doesn''t mind Rhebus knowing about what she''s doing. Interesting."


    "Right. But that doesn''t matter now. Hit the shower and see if you can beat John here. I''ll stall as long as I can. He''s not my boss any more."


    <hr>


    "Hello, Daddy."


    "Belinda! Honey, you have to come home. I miss you and everyone is worried. Tell me where you''re at and I''ll have people there in minutes. They can''t keep you there against your will. I won''t let them."


    "John..."


    "I''m getting the security people going right now. And Eric. Dammit, why isn''t Eric answering. More security. You need to tell me where you''re at. Please...I''m your father."


    "John...stop. Stop and listen. I need you to focus and listen to me for once."


    "I''m listening, go ahead." John was gesturing to someone off-screen and silently saying something to them with his hand partially obscuring his lips. He''d learned long ago that Belinda had learned to read lips, speak Russian, and several other things while bored and lying in a hospital bed.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "You aren''t listening, you''re trying to get someone to trace my call, which isn''t going to work. Better people have tried. And you don''t need to. I''m going to tell you where I am. You need to come see me. I''ve already called Eric and given him the details so he can start getting people ready to go with you."


    "Eric knows where you are!"


    Belinda had hoped this would go better, but as usual, it wasn''t. "I''m in Section E, in the headquarters of Clawmaster. I''m working for them as an independent contractor, testing some of their new products. No, I won''t tell you about them. I''m fine, and doing well. Come see me. Bring lawyers. Bring accountants. You''ll need them. And John? Behave. If you try anything stupid, like snatching me away, it isn''t going to work." The connection went blank.


    Eric managed to get dressed before John was pounding on his door with a gaggle of people behind him. Marisa had laid out his best suit for him and he''d shaved in the shower. With a second cup of coffee in him and a half dozen Bacon-Flavored You-won''t-believe-they aren''t-eggs inside of him, he was ready to take on John. He''d once joked to Marisa that a good breakfast made him sleepy but a bad breakfast got him moving and praying lunch would get here soon. She''d made sure he was moving.


    He opened the door, ignoring everyone as they talked. "Greetings people. We are off to the corporate offices of Clawmaster Incorporated. The Personmovers are one floor up, so we''ll take the stairway and be on our way. I doubt some of you could walk that far. When we arrive, you will all be polite. Anyone not polite will most likely be asked to leave. Not polite people who misbehave will have bad things happen to them. These people don''t screw around, and I''ll remind you that they are a bigger corporation than Manpower. Big Fish can eat Little Fish."


    He paused, took a breath, and continued. "To repeat: The Clawmaster people are very busy and making a lot of deals. They have deals going with Genesis, and Rhebus, and bought, not leased, their part of the Habitat. Manpower needs to be on good terms with them. I won''t hesitate to punt anyone causing problems in our relationship with them. No lying, no power plays, no threats. Just a polite get-together so John and Belinda can talk and we can work some things out."


    A lawyer began talking. "This is exactly the weak approach that I was warning against. We should notify the police and have them put pressure on these people to get Belinda back. And the press as well. They won''t like that."


    Eric motioned to a security guard who started leading the lawyer away. "Mr. Nelson doesn''t work here any longer. Security is escorting him home. Does anyone else want to go home early? No? Then get moving up to those silly carts so we can drive over and visit Belinda."


    <hr>


    Milo watched the procession on his cameras. He was getting nervous. He''d met with Belinda after dinner yesterday. Both of them were showing signs of stress, and both knew the other could see that. Belinda had suggested they trade.


    "I''m worried that the electrical supply situation for the Habitat is unstable, but fixing it means taking over some companies and becoming a registered power distributor. Then I can start trading power in confusing ways to hide that I want to use the power from the fusion generator to power the habitat."


    "I turned 18, so I''m now an adult and have way too much money, which everyone is going to want to get ahold of. I''m going to have to keep hiding. But I also need to settle with John, hire Eric, prove to the banks who I am, and find a way to secure my money, since...as we both know...if I have access to my money, other people can try to steal it. I''m not even sure how much I have."


    "I looked up once when I researched my new neighbors. The best estimate was 2.4 Trillion."


    "Shit. What the hell do I do with 2.4 Trillion dollars, other than not let John have it."


    Milo was silent for a minute. "Had you considered becoming a supplier of electrical power and buying a Habitat? Fixing this place up will take a lot of money. But how do we get you to a bank?" Milo hadn''t even considered the thought of himself leaving the Habitat.


    Belinda started giggling from the stress and the ludicrous thought of just buying the Habitat. Then again, it would use up money, and give her control, and she knew just who would be helping her with all the hard work. But first, she had to teach him about banks.


    "Milo, when you have a million dollars, you go to the bank. When you have 2.4 trillion, the banks come to you. But, you''re going to be sitting next to me the whole time, as a financial advisor, along with Mama and Big Butch if I can convince them. I need smart people around me."


    "This is going to be like arguing with the guilds in Shadowport, isn''t it? Lots of screaming and threats?"


    "Nope, very polite people, maybe some screaming from John, and polite threats. But also a lot of numbers, legalese, and contracts to read. We can keep the number of people down. I know you hate that."


    "Ok, I can do that."


    "And we need to get you suit."


    That confused Milo. "I have a suit. I have two suits. Should I bring the heavy one? Will it be that dangerous? Should I bring Max too?"


    Belinda started laughing again, and Milo couldn''t figure out why.

 Chapter 366: More Hidden Secrets

    Milo was quiet as Belinda opened the storage case and loaded the data disc with the research on Batch Four. She paused for a moment before telling Rusty to start skimming through it. "Are you ok with this? I know you usually plow through all the data instead of sampling the highlights."


    Milo blinked, coming up from his thoughts, "It''s fine. I''ll be going through it several more times, I''m sure. Right now, we need to prepare for our meeting with your stepfather, which means we need the narrative, not the research. And then move past it."


    "And find out what he did to me, and whatever the hell John thought he was doing. Ready?"


    "Yes. Go ahead and start Rusty."


    Both of them sat in the command room, staring at the multiple screens as Rusty sorted through thousands of pages of data detailing the experiments conducted to create Batch Four. Max was in the room with them, and the other Roomba outside. The two humans were showing signs of stress, and their guardians were on high alert.


    Milo spent more time reviewing bits of the data, especially interested in the genetics used to create the embryos that became his family. Most of what he knew before came from snippets overheard by the children as their guards and doctors talked. Some of them were under the assumption the children were taken from orphanages or habitats, or bought on the open market where adoption laws were a thing of the past. Those assumptions were incorrect. All of Batch Four were hand-crafted with thousands of embryos discarded before they settled on the group of twenty-five that should develop the mental enhancements and quirks they wanted in them, along with the physical mutations that would slow their maturation.


    Behind it all was Vigo''s dream of a smarter, better human. Sadly, he didn''t see Batch Four as what he wanted. These children were simply a step along the way and useful tools to be used. There were audio files where Vigo talked about his dream, but Milo skipped over those. He skimmed the transcripts and moved further into the process that led to his birth.


    Belinda, on the other hand, listened to her Father talk. She''d never known him and barely knew her mother. Here was a chance to hear his voice and listen to him. She found him both interesting and horrifying at the same time. He was passionate about his dream, talking about a better world with better people, and pushing the limits of science and technology without being dependent on AI. If you only listened to this part of her father, he was inspiring, and she was sure that was what her mother and other people had seen. His reputation at the time of his death was untainted by any of this.


    But if one side of Vigo Johansson was the tireless genius working for a better world, the other side was an uncaring fanatic who didn''t care about the lives he broke in the current world. He had no concerns about his experiments, any more than his father had. All the lives created and discarded by his labs were no more to him than rats or mice. They were useful to him until he''d learned what he needed, and then they were discarded. The end result was all that mattered.


    But the end result would take money, and a lot of it. Keeping his labs and activities secret was expensive, and he wanted to keep his ties to major corporations as loose as he could. What the major tech companies got ahold of became theirs, and they dreamed of money, not smarter humans. The solution was to start his own corporation and seek out people with money who also wished to stay unnoticed. That led him to Victor Siemovich.


    Victor could care less about Vigo''s dreams, but he recognized the potential uses of Batch Four. At just two years old the children could hack into small corporations and bank accounts, moving small amounts of money around as they practiced their skills. It was Victor who took the programming tools used by hackers in the former Soviet block and gave them to Vigo. The combination of these tools, their enhanced links to their machines, and their ability to think and adapt quickly to security measures made Batch Four into highly useful tools that Victor could use to farm millions of dollars a day. Vigo was supplied with the money he needed to proceed, and Batch Four became Victor''s property.


    Belinda had always believed that her parents met by chance at a Tech Conference where Vigo''s charisma and dreams intrigued her mother. They''d begun talking, then meeting up when they could, and finally marrying. The newspapers were filled with articles about the new ''Power Couple'' where the Simovich wealth would fund the growing Johansson tech corporation. She saw that was a sham. Whether Victor suggested it, or Vigo went looking for a way to gain even more money, was unclear. But her father hadn''t randomly met her mother.


    And that led her to other suspicions.


    She voiced them to Milo, "I think that either Victor, Vigo, or both were involved in the deaths of my Uncle and Grandfather. Things fall into place too easily. She was suddenly the only one left, heir to a huge fortune. Victor is at the funeral and they get close, then she meets Vigo, who is already working with Victor. And now Vigor had unlimited funds."


    Milo thought for a moment. "Is it important to know? I have people I could leave hints for and start an investigation, but Victor isn''t getting out of jail and your father is dead. I''m worried about someone digging too far."


    Belinda thought about it, "I''d like to know, but it doesn''t matter against the threat of people finding out that the two of us are genetically created humans. I''m tired of being a lab rat with doctors poking at me. I want to know the truth about myself, get free of John, and move forward with our plans. That''s enough for now." Milo nodded and turned back to the screens. Belinda did as well, listening to her father and slowly dreading what was coming next.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Milo spent the rest of the day finding out more about his origins. Like him, several of his family were born with defects in limbs or organs. These were repaired, or in the cases of legs, hands, and arms, simply removed. The original plans were to graft cybernetic replacements, but as the value of Batch Four was discovered, those plans were ended. A missing leg or hand didn''t matter when the members of Batch Four spent twenty hours a day connected to computers. Some of his siblings were documented as dying from internal defects that couldn''t easily be corrected. Four became paranoid about being connected to the machines, terrorized by the thought of being caught by what lived in the data net. Two went catatonic and faded away. Proper medical treatment and psychotherapy might have saved them, but it was deemed better to discard them. Batch Four was becoming better and better at harvesting money from banks and corporations and even as their numbers dropped, the amount they made for their creators increased each year.


    Vigo was deep in his new research and hated the idea of creating a second batch without making more improvements. He was moving into new territory where he would create a better Batch of tools to provide his needs for money. Batch Five would bypass the physical needs of earlier batches, getting around the need for the slow maturation process and the physical deformities, focusing only on their mental enhancements. Batch Five would barely be human. Their brains, spines, and some internal organs would be housed permanently in metal pods, unable to interact with the world except through machines. Vigo began the work, but another laboratory would finish it, he had other things to do. The fate of Batch Five wasn''t mentioned as the rest of the disc displayed the data on Vigo''s next phase of human enhancements.


    These involved genetic modifications of a naturally produced human embryo with additional treatments as they matured within the mother. These would result in the enhanced nervous systems that were developed in Batch Four and increased brain development. Human testing began immediately, running into the usual problems with early development, but Vigo was sure that with a few dozen more tries he could perfect the process.


    He was almost done when Ekaterina became pregnant. "I need a break." Belinda stood up and began pacing. Milo finished with the last experiments he was reviewing and then shut down the screens.


    "We don''t have to meet with your father tomorrow."


    "No, I need to do this. Just give me a moment. I can shove a lot of things off to the side, but hearing my Father''s plans for me just...it got to me. I need a moment to digest it."


    "I don''t need to go on. How about we move slowly, at whatever pace you like?"


    She let out a deep breath. "Thanks. Just let me grab a snack, I''m starving. I don''t know how you forget to eat all the time."


    Milo realized he was starving. Mama''s reminders about eating were already sounding in his brain. She had packed enough food for several meals when they announced their plans to review as much of the stored information in the data discs as they could today.


    "Eating the processed food cubes in the hab can make you ambivalent on meals. I have to remember sometimes that I eat good food now."


    "I can''t believe how basic the food is in the habitat. Thank god you''ve been adding more recipes for the people in your section."


    "And Wally is copying my changes for the Sections that he leases for Genesis. It''s actually starting a migration of people from the outer sections to the floors assigned as residential in ours. I''m having to watch things more carefully. There''s more load on the water, waste, food, and electrical systems now. I may need to find a way to open up more of the closed areas and repair them."


    "So people can freely move?"


    "Nope, you have to request a move from the Section you''re in, and then get permission from the new section. Most places never approve anything, since they get paid by the person. In fact, I don''t think some of them even pay attention to move requests anymore. They sure don''t seem to notice when I go into their files and approve them all."


    Belinda ate the sandwich Mama had packed for her, aware that most of the hab would be eating food cubes forever. "We should buy the rest of the hab. All the sections we can. Rhebus owns theirs, and Genesis owns their block, but all the rest. Take it over."


    Milo blinked, his mind thinking about all the work, all the building. "I can barely keep one Section running."


    "I''ll help!!!" Rusty''s enthusiastic voice rang out. "Put me in, coach!"


    Milo considered if he could copy what he did in Section E, and set up enough surveillance, maybe Rusty could help. "I need to think about that, a lot."


    Belinda stood up and moved back to her chair in front of the screens. "Make a note to remind him, Rusty, after I have my trust funds."


    Part of Milo''s brain was still thinking about the new idea as the next section of data loaded. Or tried to. Rusty''s frustrated voice announced, "I can''t load it. It''s locked and I can''t break the security on it. It''s asking a question, ''Which duckling won''t come home?'' I don''t know the answer and can''t break in. Who set up the security lock on this disc? It''s fiendish!"


    Belinda looked panicked, worrying Milo. "What''s wrong?"


    "The grey duckling won''t come home. I stepped on it. My mother had gotten me these little ducklings and a mama duck. I was two or three. I remember breaking the grey one and crying because he couldn''t get home to the nest. Only my mother would know that."


    Rusty called out. "Grey is the answer."


    A video appeared. Milo recognized her from pictures and the resemblance to Belinda. "Hello, Belinda, my darling daughter. We should talk."

 Chapter 367: Message from the Past

    Belinda paused the video, looking at her Mother. She looked different from the other pictures she had seen of her. In all of John''s pictures, she had a robust and beautiful look of a woman in perfect health. The public pictures of Ekaterina Seimovich had always been of a vibrant socialite, smiling and enjoying life. Even as she grew older this didn''t change.


    But here, she looked different. Her eyes were dull and her face showed little emotion. Her hair was cut short and functional, uncombed. She wore no makeup, as she did in every other picture, even those taken at home. Wrinkles and stress marks were deeply etched into her face and what little they could see of her showed signs of weight loss. Her arms were thin, cheeks sunken. Belinda was struck by how similar she looked to Milo in that way when he worked too hard. But while Milo might look gaunt, her Mother looked haunted.


    "I''m leaving this message, and others, in the hopes that John follows my instructions and keeps you informed. But I also know there is a chance that doesn''t happen. I''ve been disappointed by so many people in my life. I fear he may be swayed by others. Money and power can warp the best of people, and John is not a strong person. A good man, down deep, but not strong. I chose him because I have limited options and limited time. He loves me and loves you, but that may not be enough.


    "If my words upset you, I apologize but feel no remorse. Between my condition and the drugs I use to treat it, I find I have moved past emotions. I have only two left: The love I have for you, and the anger I will always have for what your father did. He killed our family. His obsession caused his own death and will soon cause mine. I have hope that you will survive us and thrive, but if your death comes early, you have your father to thank for that."


    "If John and your medical staff have followed my instructions, you are now 14 and 90% physically mature. Your mental capacity should exceed 99.999 percent of the human population of unenhanced humans, only surpassed by Batch Four and Batch Five. The drug program you are on will maintain your intelligence at this level and prevent the rapid growth of new nerve tissue that afflicts me. You will finish maturing physically at age 20. I estimate that your lifespan will exceed 200 years based on the current state of medicine."


    "All of my research is in these files. I have gathered everything from everywhere to form this archive. Most of it, while interesting, has nothing to do with you, or I. You will now have complete access to it, as your schooling and intelligence have prepared you to understand it. The decision to carry on my work, or to destroy everything, is up to you. My time for making decisions grows short."


    "I believe that while painful, it is important for you to know the truth. The background data is in these archives. You can see the legacy of your Father and Grandfather. I wish I had known all of this before I met him, and not after what he did to me."


    "Your Father killed me, just as surely as if he had fired a gun into my head. His obsessions with improving human intelligence, specifically in his own children, led him to take actions that violated human decency and the vows he made to me when we married."


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "He was not prepared for my pregnancy. He specifically believed that we would not have children until he was ready. The LARC implants by Alchemarx are 99.9% effective. Nature decided that you were the one in one thousand baby. I was happy with that. Your Father, less so. I remember his shock, and anger when I didn''t want to abort the pregnancy. When he gave up and agreed with me, I should have known better."


    "Three days later I felt dizzy and woke up in a hospital bed. Complications from the pregnancy, stress, low iron, and many other half-truths were given to me. My ''condition'' was serious and I stayed in that bed to not lose you, hooked up to his machines until your birth.


    You were born with small abnormalities to your spinal column, but otherwise perfect. It wasn''t until later that I learned what he had done."


    "Bluntly, I did not pass out and nothing was wrong with you, or I. Your Father drugged me to begin limited gene therapy upon you and implant nanite repositories in my womb that would continue the microsurgeries and drug treatments as you matured. All the procedures are in the data, and I don''t wish to talk about them now. If you weren''t quite what your Father wanted, you were close, and he planned to get closer with our next child. What he hadn''t accounted for was the effect his treatments would have on me."


    "Over the next year, my intelligence increased by a factor of four. I slept little and became easily bored. I''d never been a great student, but now I absorbed data and forgot nothing. Vigo didn''t notice, being absorbed with your growing intelligence. Your Father was negligent with his passwords, never assuming someone smarter than him could guess them, and soon I learned the truth. My anger at what he''d done was curbed by knowing what he could do. He was beyond human decency and I didn''t wish to become a prisoner in my own home. I hid my intelligence, and went back to being a pretty wife to a genius doctor."


    "My intelligence continued to increase and research into my own condition continued. At some point, I realized that I had very few years left to live and would be unable to hide it any longer. Leaving you to be raised by Vigo was out of the question."


    "So I killed your Father."


    "It was simple to do and to blame it on an angry mob. I think it felt like justice at the time, but it''s hard to remember now. I have no regrets. I barely have any feelings at all, other than a burning desire that you survive."


    "Knowing that my condition would continue to progress, with my intelligence increasing and my physical and emotional health decreasing, I took steps to ensure your protection. Money is too tempting, so I put everything into a trust fund that will be available to you at 18. I married John because he loved me, would love you, and hopefully be strong enough to do the right things. I left Uncle Victor be, as a check against John. Hopefully, the two will balance each other''s ambitions until you take control."


    "I don''t think I want to see my end. To live in a padded cell as a madwoman, huddled in the corner with too many thoughts. I''m not sure how I will end my life, but it will be soon."


    "Remember: You are smarter than everyone else. Do not believe that they can control you."


    "I love you. Goodbye."

 Chapter 368: Business Plans

    Claw Master headquarters was a busy place on the morning that John Sabbatino, Eric Kresthammer, the head of security for Rhebus, three lawyers, a PR person, four very nervous accountants, and six bodyguards arrived for their meeting with Belinda Seimovich. John was a mess, trying to project confidence and failing.


    John had never been good at multitasking. His method of dealing with the world was to focus on one problem and make the others wait for their turn. Today, he had several issues all vying for attention. He wanted to get back his daughter so he could protect her. That was confused with the loans coming due. As long as he was the guardian of the heir to the Seimovich fortune getting loans was easy. Without Belinda, his Manpower operation looked shaky to any investor. Profits should have been up, but Manpower was bleeding money from the costs of expanding and the ever-expanding set of problems that came with repairing a section of a habitat. Along with that, John was hiring people he didn''t need yet, bloating the payroll with the extra salaries of high-priced contract lawyers, Public Relations gurus, and HR specialists.


    As the group rolled into Section E, the contrast with the Manpower section was readily apparent. The corridors were well-lit and murals were painted on the walls to soften the harsh look of the metal and concrete corridors. The groups passed through residential areas where abandoned parks and hydroponic projects were being rebuilt. The accountants knew that Manpower couldn''t afford similar improvements, and winced as John got excited and said, "Eric, we need to hire people to do this in Section H! Think of the PR coup when we have visitors." Eric nodded, made a note on his datapad, and went back to talking with Marisa, not bothering to point out reality to John anymore.


    The Claw Master offices had been built in a refurbished factory with high ceilings that took up two levels. The airy and open floorplan was a vast improvement over the more cramped offices at Manpower. Wally and Milo had worked together, studying decades of data on the psychological effects of living in the habitats. As each area in Section E was rebuilt, the new design philosophy was clear. It was more expensive, but Milo didn''t care about money.


    Money from his inventions and video games was pouring in. Ladders and Lattes, the newest expansion of Run, Run, Ramona had just come out and the next one, Pipeworks and Pit Vipers, was only a few weeks away. He had money to spend and was determined to make Section E a better place for the people living here. He''d learned that while he loved the enclosed tunnels of the habitats, that was another difference between him and normal humans. He couldn''t bring everyone to live in Downtown, but he could take specific parts from there and replicate them in Section E. Many of these projects mirrored the broken promises made when the habitats were first conceptualized as vibrant living spaces close to shopping and work.


    The security for Claw Master met them at the door, making sure that the people coming in matched their lists. John''s security guards were politely and firmly asked to leave their tasers and batons at the front counter, sealed away in a safe. They hesitated but at a firm nod from Eric, they complied. Marisa began to do the same thing but was stopped.


    "No need for that ma''am. We''ve been instructed to ask you to keep your defensive weaponry on you. You''re permits and training certificates were sent over from Rhebus. As for the rest of you, we have a selection of coffee and donuts for those who missed breakfast. We''ll be serving lunch to you if the meetings go as long as expected." The accountants and lawyers headed for the coffee. The security guards grumbled a bit but did the same. Myra was upset about being separated from John, but Belinda wanted to talk alone with her father.


    A moment later, standing next to Eric, Marisa whispered, "Since when is a Glock 19 a defensive weapon?"


    "Is that what you have on you?"


    "My Glock, my baton, and two heavy tasers. One wasn''t enough last time and I wanted more voltage."


    "Hopefully, no killer cyborgs at this meeting."


    "If there is, get behind me. The bosses were very intrigued by the armor you were wearing when Roger attacked us. I''m wearing a similar set today that they acquired for me."


    Eric looked down at her, looking for any sign of it showing, and couldn''t tell. "Good. I''m wearing mine, even with the dents. I wonder when Claw Master will start selling the technology. This stuff could be standard gear for all security forces. And elite gamers." The similarities in look between his armor, and Belinda''s ''Gaming Gloves'' had been noticed by Eric. Add in the armor worn by the person who''d saved them from Roger and all clues pointed to Claw Master being more than a game design studio. He was anxious to find out more.


    <hr>


    Belinda was waiting for him when John came into the conference room. She was dressed in a long-sleeved blouse and pants, her gloves covering her hands. She looked older to John, more mature. He smiled broadly and moved to hug her. She stiffened for a moment, then hugged him back and broke away. "Sit down, please, we need to talk about a lot of things."


    "I know. I''ve been thinking a lot. You''re 18 now, and you need to have your freedom. Once you get home, I think you should redecorate your rooms any way that you like. And I want us to go on vacation as a family, just you, me, and Myra. But you get to pick where we go in Europe. It will be six weeks of fun, doing whatever you like."


    She looked at him for a moment, and said with no emotion, "John, why didn''t you give me the messages from my mother?"


    "I...messages? Honey, that was a long time ago. I told you everything she said, especially at the end right before she died. She was so brave, but I could tell she was scared and worried about you. I did everything I could to reassure her, and that helped her a lot."


    The screen behind Belinda came on, showing the gaunt face of her mother.


    "I''m leaving this message, and others, in the hopes that John follows my instructions and keeps you informed. But I also know there is a chance that doesn''t happen. I''ve been disappointed by so many people in my life. I fear he may be swayed by others. Money and power can warp the best of people, and John is not a strong person. A good man, down deep, but not strong. I chose him because I have limited options and limited time...


    John choked and found it hard to breathe as her voice continued. Belinda had trimmed the message, leaving only the parts she wanted John to hear.


    "Where are the other messages from my mother? And why didn''t you do as she asked? I''ve seen the records of my treatments, and know the drugs I was being given. They don''t match what my mother prescribed for me. I spent years confined to that damned bed and wheelchair, John. Years!"


    "I''m sorry, I did my best."


    Her voice was stronger now, as she let loose years of frustration, "NO! You didn''t! She married you to make you happy and so you could take care of me. She made you rich! You had an outline of what to do. You ignored her orders and hid things from me. I want to know why?"


    John looked confused and panicked, "I had to! Victor insisted I get rid of two of the doctors your Mother had picked. He only trusted three of them. They told me that the treatments wouldn''t work and we had to do something else. Victor accused me of trying to kill you if we didn''t do as the doctors said. He threatened me. His people were always here and always following me."


    "You could have gone to the authorities. Victor didn''t have a sterling reputation."


    "I started to do that. But the doctors were worried that they''d take you away from me. Then you''d be in some hospital with no one knowing what was wrong with you! We knew that you''d die if we didn''t keep the treatments going. Your Mother was adamant about that. Your doctors just...well, I didn''t understand. Changed things a little? It was different drugs, but they kept you alive, and they said it was working. Victor said it was working."


    "So you just quit fighting. Let them do what he said. And then hid my Mother''s messages because they would have had clues you were doing something different. My only contact with my mother, and you hid them! Do they even exist?"


    John was openly crying now, and shaking. "Yes. I think so. I have an old thumb drive that I put all my pictures of her on. The messages are there. It''s in a safe in my office. I''ll get it for you. When you come home, it''s the first thing we''ll do. It''s a start. I''ll make up for everything I did wrong."


    "I''m not going home, John. Not that those rooms were a home. Just the latest place you moved us to. I''ll be getting some of my stuff, and coming with enough people that you won''t be able to stop me. I have a new home now, with people that care about me. We''re done."


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    John reached out to her and she knocked away his hand. Then she stood and left. John didn''t follow. Belinda walked into the reception area and looked at Myra. "John''s upset, go put him back together. He''s not going to like the next part, either."


    Myra ran to the room, and Belinda walked down a long hallway to where Milo was waiting at a door. He was trying in vain to be comfortable in a suit and tie. The suit was padded in places to make him look slightly bigger, and his shoes had two-inch lifts. He still looked far too young. His tinted, wraparound glasses helped.


    "You''re sure this is what people wear to do business? I''ve moved billions of dollars around while only wearing ragged pants and a dirty t-shirt."


    She glared at him, "I''m sure you did, but we aren''t going to say things like that. Remember that you''re my financial advisor today. Stare at people, smile a little, and give facts and figures."


    Milo thought about how he had acted when he was playing against Mako in poker. "I can do that."


    Within the conference room were a dozen executives from The Mueller Bank of Geneva, Steven and Samantha Durand, and Sidney. Milo had done his research on them, as he liked to do on everything. The bank was founded by twin brothers Franz and Hanz Mueller over 87 years ago. In their youth, the brothers were close and made plans to go into business together. Franz spent seven years abroad earning three degrees in business. Hanz studied mathematics and monetary policies. Reunited at the age of 25 on the day they could claim an inheritance from their grandfather, the two made plans to build a bank based on two principles: Gold is better than paper or pixels, and customer confidentiality. These weren''t novel ideas, but they had fallen out of style over the years. They presented their plans to elderly relatives and friends of the family. Impressed with their sincerity, youthful vigor, and conservative banking principles many of these people chose to invest their money with the brothers.


    The Mueller Bank was a private entity, listed on no stock exchange. They were picky about their customers, both those who put money in their vaults and those they loaned money to. While the main office was in Geneva, the vaults were high in the Swiss Alps in an unpublished location. While other banks conducted transactions online, the Mueller Bank used paper. The few computers in their offices or the vaults were not online, and couldn''t be hacked. Their stuffy attitude, insistence on paper records, and impeccable handwriting endeared them to many of the old-money crowd. Their tight-lipped staff and disdain for government auditors and requests for customer banking records endeared them to people who liked to keep their business dealings secret. They had weathered the Wildfire Virus without missing a beat.


    The old-fashioned insistence on gold impressed everyone. When a customer deposited money to their bank account or trust fund, it was used to purchase gold. That gold was stored in their well-guarded vault. During the Wildfire crisis, The Mueller Bank and a few others like it were the only banks unaffected. Llama couldn''t steal bars of gold, and there was nothing for him to connect to. The popularity of such banks skyrocketed in the years after Wildfire was purged. Ekaterina had wanted Belinda''s trust funds held in the safest place she could find. Mueller Bank was selected.


    Belinda entered the room, trailed by Milo, and everyone stood. They shook hands all around, then visited Sidney at a large table of her own where she was serving coffee and guarding the large cheese trays. Belinda had requested the cheese and coffee assortments, and Sidney had volunteered her expertise, mainly so she could be in the room. Milo had promised to be good, having only two pieces of cheese and no coffee before the meeting officially started.


    The preliminaries consisted of retinal scans, blood samples, and handwriting samples from Belinda. She''d convinced Milo to do the same, based on their upcoming plans. Because of the complex nature of Belinda''s DNA, Steven Duran testified in the absence of Wally, attesting to a match between that of the infant Belinda, and the record Wally had recently made. The Mueller bank was satisfied, and the actual meeting could now take place. A sample of Milo''s DNA was handed over but in a locked case. It would be kept to identify him in an extreme case.


    The original Hans Mueller was far too frail to travel, and the bank was now run by his grandson of the same name. "We are happy to assist you and Mr. Babbage in any way we can, Miss Seimovich. Forgive the intricacies of confirming your identity. We have had over 200 young women show up at the Geneva offices, claiming to be you. As of today, the current value of assets you have in our vaults comes to 3,436,198,554,123 dollars. This will fluctuate daily, with the value of gold, but as I''m sure you know, the average annual increase has been over 12% and we expect that to continue, based on instability in the global marketplace."


    Milo said, to no one in general, "13. 7% this year, and 14.5% in the following year. New variables include the closing of four mines in South Africa due to a lack of new ore veins and an increased demand for gold used in macro-circuit bundles for fusion reactors."


    All of the bankers nodded solemnly at this pronouncement and one took notes, meaning to investigate these new variables.


    Hanz addressed Belinda, "Your wealth constitutes one of the single largest collections of gold in our vaults. May I inquire as to what you plan to do with it?"


    Belinda said, "Milo?"


    Milo spoke. "Leave it where it is at, of course. I am quite aware of the dangers of traditional banking and have no wish to see Miss Seimovich become a victim of the constant attacks on the monetary system."


    More solemn nods. Then Milo continued. "Instead, we will be taking loans against the value of the gold on deposit, as we need financing. I''m sure this process is a simple one for you gentlemen. May I suggest that instead of transferring funds to other, less secure banks, we set up encrypted messaging for myself and Miss Seimovich so we can instruct our business partners to submit requests for money from you, verified each time by her or me? I prefer direct data net connections. These have been approved by Mr. Duran on behalf of the World Computer. Much of the work we do will have a direct effect on the Genesis project."


    Hanz nodded to him and smiled, "Of course, and may I say that I am happy to see that you appreciate the seriousness of the situation. One cannot be too careful when such sums of money are involved. Do you have an amount in mind to set aside for loans? And if I may be so bold, the broad strokes of your business plans? Our bank includes many fine financial advisors."


    Milo agreed, "You do. I''ve read the articles originating from your bank. Very good background on monetary policy, banking, and global economies."


    "Excellent, it is always good to begin early in life to acquire an understanding of banking. Which articles have you read recently? I was particularly proud of our breakdown of the growing profits available from increased potato production in Poland."


    "All of them."


    "Excuse me? All?"


    Milo nodded, wondering if Mr. Hanz was hard of hearing. "Yes, I needed the background, so I read every article your bank has published and is available on the data net. They filled in some questions I had." There was a moment of odd silence after that, which Belinda broke.


    Belinda said, "To start with, I need to borrow one hundred billion dollars. I plan on purchasing the entirety of this habitat, rebuilding it, and making space available to Genesis, Rhebus, and Manpower, along with several interested corporate parties. I will also need an additional one hundred billion that I will be loaning to the Claw Master corporation, owned by Mr. Babbage.


    All eyes turned to Milo. The bankers had been aware of his ownership of Claw Master and intended to open discussions with him about the wisdom of opening accounts with them. That had just become a much larger priority for them.


    Milo spoke again, "As to my business plan, I will be assisting Belinda in the reconstruction of the habitat with special attention to developing techniques that can be applied to any habitat in need of repair. And because people are annoying me, I''ll be taking over 37 electrical supply corporations that provide power to the habitat and entering the global energy market as a buyer and supplier of energy. While gold is in demand because of its stability, I find that energy is an exciting commodity for the opposite reasons, and plan to take advantage of that."


    The meeting went on for two more hours. Hanz Mueller was already looking forward to increasing business with Manpower and Clawmaster. By the end of it, no one from the bank doubted Belinda''s ability to handle her business, or Milo''s projections for the global gold market.

 Chapter 369: The Best Deal Youre Going to Get

    While the bank representatives prepared the applications and loan papers to facilitate Milo and Belinda''s plans, the two of them went back to the smaller room to finish their talk with John Sabbatino. Myra was allowed to stay, and in addition to Milo and Belinda, Eric Kresthammer took a seat along with Steven and Samantha Duran. Marisa took a seat as well, staying silent but watching all of the players in the room. She wasn''t sure of the exact details but guessed that there were more connections to Rhebus than she was aware of.


    John looked worn out, but hopeful as Belinda came in. She made no move toward him, and when he went to get up, Eric pushed him gently back into his seat.


    Steven began, "Mr. Sabbatino, I know we have met before, under happier circumstances, but let me remind you that my wife and I work with Wally, who runs the worldwide computing system, as well as the Genesis game, which your daughter has taken part in."


    John smiled, "She sure has! Did you see how she led that raid? That''s my girl!"


    Steven smiled, "Yes, that was enjoyable. One of the first big raids in the game. It put Belinda on our radar. We didn''t want to miss the next big thing she did. Unfortunately, we became aware of inconsistencies with her data over time, and that her gaming pod had been tampered with."


    John looked at Belinda, then down at the table. "I wouldn''t know anything about that. It was probably done by her doctors."


    Samantha angrily tossed a stack of depositions over to John, "Not according to those doctors. They are all in captivity currently with charges ranging from attempted kidnapping to war crimes. As you may not be aware, the testimony of war criminals can be taken under the effects of truth serums and lie detectors. They have a lot of years ahead of them in prison and are competing to see who sings loudest. Most of it is classified but involves Victor Seimovich. However, some of it was about their dealings with you, including your agreement to falsify her medical data to hide the drug and nanite treatments being administered to her. Because she was a minor at the time, those records have been sealed by Wally, for her protection."


    "In other words, Daddy, you''re still mixing in a lot of lies and trying to make yourself look good. I''ll never be able to trust you."


    "Belinda, please, I tried! I was in a hard situation and doing my best!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m going to take away all of that stress. It''s over, John. I''m taking over Manpower and you get to retire."


    John stood up, angry. "No, I built that company. It''s mine!"


    "You built it with money borrowed against my trust funds, and those loans are now due. Past due in some cases. I don''t think even Eric was aware of how much you borrowed. If I don''t pay off your debts, Manpower is bankrupt and a lot of people get hurt. I don''t want to see that happen."


    John looked hopeful until she continued. "But if I''m the one paying the bills, I''m taking the company and you''re out. Listen carefully, this is the best deal you''re going to get. You''re going to sell me all of your shares in the company and retire from your position as president. You''ll still be listed as a PR consultant to the company, along with Myra, but I don''t expect much from you. You''ll be tossed just enough information that you can answer a few questions and pretend like you''re still in the loop. But you''ll cut no deals or make any promises. Go play at tradeshows, tell stories about how proud you are of me, and how you couldn''t wait to turn over the reins to me. You and Myra will draw modest salaries from the company for as long as you behave. Once in a while, you''ll get to announce something minor that we do. You don''t get a company car, corporate jet, or company credit card. That all comes out of your salary. And you will say nothing about me, or my parents, or any little secrets you may know. Don''t disappoint me, John."


    He looked at her, "And if I refuse?"


    Milo tossed him a business card. "That''s the name of the Interpol Agent I''ll call, and within one day, no matter where in the world you are, you''ll be sharing a cell with your good friend Victor. We can show you''re guilty of collaborating with others, war criminals and gangsters, in the genetic manipulation of a minor and drugging her against her will for financial control of her assets, along with a lot of other crimes."


    Then Milo''s voice became angry, "You''re also guilty of eight-thousand, seven hundred and six building code violations for construction in Section H of this habitat which I am going to have to fix. Some of which affected the health of people in Section E. I''ll sue you for each and every one of them, and I''ll make sure charges are being pressed. The only reason I haven''t taken steps already to bury you deep in a cornfield is because Belinda still has a few feelings for you. I''d like nothing better than dropping you into prison with Victor, and you''ll be wearing handcuffs before you leave this room. Your only way out is to agree with her, and then play nice for the rest of your life. And I''ll be watching you."


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    John began shaking, completely terrified, and not doubting the small man in front of him at all. Eric put his hand on John''s shoulder to get his attention and help him focus "John, even though you hurt and betrayed her, she''s giving you a way out. You can just walk away, and drop all the anxiety and stress. Go enjoy some quiet time and give her a few years. It really is the best deal you''re going to get."


    John nodded slowly. "Ok, just tell me what to do."


    Milo pushed across four copies of a contract for John to sign, Eric explained it to him fully and then showed him where to sign on each page. An hour later John and Myra were packed and heading to the airport for a twenty-hour flight to Australia to attend The Kanga-Con Gaming Convention in Coffs Harbour, NSW. He had a folder in his hand to study, which detailed the latest Run, Run, Ramona mod called Crocs in the Pipes, which introduced a slew of Australia''s most dangerous creatures into Ramona''s Habitat.


    Johns''s mood had changed to upbeat, "It really is a great chance to travel and get away from it all. How bad can it be sitting in the bargain section at the back of the plane? We''ll meet lots of people we''d never see in first class."


    After John and Myra were gone, Eric leaned back in his chair. "Now what? You''ve got the Ruby Slippers, the witch is dead and the scarecrow is by your side. I''ll be the tin man and let Marisa be the lion. She''s braver than I am." Belinda laughed, and Milo was trying to replay the movie with the Ruby Slippers in his head to figure out the references. He''d been mostly asleep when they''d watched it, and he mostly remembered the flying monkeys.


    "Now we get to work. I''m going to be spending the rest of the week talking to people from state, local, and federal governments about our plans for the habitat, as Manpower acquires the rights to the rest of it. And I would be happy if you, Eric, were working right beside me. How does the title of President, ten times your current salary, and stock options sound?"


    He shook his head, "Too much to run Manpower, not even your father was paid that much."


    "Manpower is getting bigger. I''ll loan it the money, and Manpower buys the habitat. We''re also going to go ahead with all the expansion plans. Genesis needs a lot more room."


    Steven pushed a large binder to Eric. "Indeed we do. With the links between Rhebus, Genesis, and Claw Master, Wally has suggested that we could start moving all of the Contract Workers in the game to this habitat. Of course, that means it has to be completely safe, with enough people working here to handle that many pods."


    Milo said, "Schools. We need to set up schools in each section and advanced schools in each quadrant. We need to train electricians, welders, engineers, plumbers, and every type of technician needed for the reconstruction of the habitat. All the corporations who failed to complete their contracts had labor shortages. It''s dumb to be short workers when so many people in the habitats need work and schooling. We can get started with the trained people we can hire and use craftsmen from the habitat as soon as they''re trained."


    "And all the technicians to monitor the pods." Samantha was tapping away furiously on her pad. "I''d already run the projections and didn''t think we could get enough people to move to the habitat to take the jobs or keep them. But using the local populace is much better. And it will make Wally happy. There will be a slow exodus as people save enough to move out of the habitat, but that''s the original goal of these huge things."


    Eric looked at all the projects being tossed his way. "Yeah, I''m thinking you''re correct. Ten times my current salary sounds about right. Do I get that big suite of rooms John had with the jacuzzi and swimming pool?"


    Belinda rolled her eyes at that. "He had a swimming pool? Of course, he did. It''s all yours. Charge the redecorating to the company and put all his stuff in storage. If he ever settles down somewhere, we''ll ship it to him."


    Marisa was thinking. "I''m going to hit my boss up for a jacuzzi. I don''t want to fall behind. If I can get ahold of him, that is. Mr. Borkavich has been getting ready for some big event that''s happening tomorrow and hasn''t been available for anything else."


    Milo stood up suddenly and said to Belinda, "That reminds me of something. I have to go, this tie is too tight." He stole more cheese from the charcuterie board and grabbed a cup of coffee, which made Steven curious.


    "Milo is drinking coffee now? I''m not sure if I''m happy to see him doing something normal, or scared of what he''s like with a cup in him."


    Belinda looked after him. "Scary. Very scary."

 Chapter 370: Power to Spare

    The Alphabet were finally ready for a well-earned day off. Preparations had been made and remade over the last few weeks. Every time they thought they had time, something bad happened somewhere in the world that needed an inventive solution from the helpful people at Rhebus.


    Seventy thousand people in Russia were having the same dream every night where they were chased by dinosaurs and eaten again and again. The cause was a videogame, released unknowingly with subliminal images added by a group of disgruntled ex-employees who demand a billion dollars for ransom. The perpetrators were caught but even they didn''t know how to reverse the problem and keeping track of seventy thousand sleep-deprived people who needed to be on suicide watch was straining the city of Moscow. Rhebus had already developed a computer simulation of a human brain. Bork had done it as a side project one summer when he got interested in neural pathways and found older research on a concept called an Overmind.


    It came in useful when they took on the project of eradicating dream dinosaurs. Bork worked with Nina to upgrade his model to include random factors and societal differences so it was more accurate in different parts of the world. Using the new simulation, they created a hundred test cases, added the subliminal effects, and then used the simulations to develop a way to erase the changes in the user''s brains. As usual, there were side effects: Bork became interested in the unaffected population, and Nina got obsessed with the Overmind concept.


    Of the 100 simulations, 89 were affected by the subliminal stimuli and 11 ignored them. Wanting to find out how some people had a natural resistance, Bork looked for data on the users of the game who hadn''t been affected. 94% of the unaffected were people who loved dinosaurs a little too much, 5% had a natural resistance to subliminal messages, and the other 1% turned out to be psychopaths. Investigating the 1%, Bork solved 14 single murder cases and was able to point the authorities at 2 serial murderers. After that, he went back to studying the people who were immune to this malicious technology. Algernon and Zander spent some time discussing the morality of trying to identify and tag possible psychopaths in a population of people. Onyx found himself being sought out by Nina for his thoughts on her Overmind project and how it might relate to their negative experiences in the Genesis game.


    Not all of the emergencies Rhebus took on required innovative solutions, although those were the ones they lived for. Most were run-of-the-mill disasters that involved coordinating relief efforts with other groups, providing the needed medicine, food, and housing for survivors, and mitigating more damage. Volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tornadoes couldn''t be stopped, but they could be predicted and steps taken to move the most vulnerable from their path.


    ''Falling Sky'' was the latest of this type of disaster. There were simply too many objects in space and not enough was being done to keep them there. Twice in the last year, objects large enough to cause damage had fallen to earth. One was an older model space station whose orbit rapidly decayed and the military junta now controlling the country that had launched it took no responsibility. It fell into the Pacific Ocean, missing Hawaii by ten miles. The second was an asteroid brought in from further out into the solar system to be mined for its iron content for near-space construction. The remaining rock should have been pushed out of Earth''s orbit, but the mining corporation claimed they''d only bought the iron in it, and the owners of the space tug claimed they''d sold it and it wasn''t their problem. Before the legal battle could be solved, it was hit by a century-old communication satellite and nudged earthward.


    Half of the rocky, iron-laced asteroid was burned up during reentry. The remainder hit dead center on the small Austrian village of Hallstatt. Only a few hours of warning was given, and experts argued that the meteor would land in the nearby lake, mitigating damage except for homes near the water''s edge. Half of the 900 residents left the area and most of the tourists. When the meteor hit the town it killed over 3000 people, some of whom had come to film the impact in the lake from the surrounding hills. Hallstatt disappeared.


    The alphabet first learned of the meteor while flying home from Moscow. Zander hacked into numerous observatories and Rhebus was given access to more. They correctly calculated the trajectory, notified authorities, and then watched as people argued about their findings and presented their own. The alphabet had seen this happen before. They staged a fleet of relief helicopters outside the impact zone and began coordinating the search for survivors. Zander started a ''grassroots'' campaign to urge new laws about near-space objects, asteroid mining, and the registry of satellites. It was an old problem, but one that was getting worse.


    As they were landing, Onxy scanned for local news reports and came upon something interesting. "Look at this. Claw Master is upsetting the status quo in the energy distribution systems on the East Coast of the US."


    Bork looked up from his screen, "Will it lower our energy costs in the habitat? Our bills are skyrocketing the more we build, and even with the auxiliary power from solar and wind, we are almost at the limit of what we can be supplied with. It''s frustrating."


    Nina looked over Onyx''s shoulders, reading articles at breakneck speed along with him. "We are sure that Claw Master is Milo, and if so, Milo shares your frustration. He''s been on a rampage today. Stock prices are up and down and he''s been buying up companies, splitting them, and putting up parts of them for sale at cheap prices."


    Zander yelled out, "Details. Give us the juicy details."


    Onyx yelled back, "It starts out juicy. From what I can tell, there was a scheme to short the stock of Providence Systems which supplies power to part of our habitat. Milo came in when stock prices hit bottom, bought up all the cheap shares, and kept buying as the stock started shooting back up. Looks like he hit a lot of the Providence subsidiaries all at once."


    Anything with Milo was interesting to the Alphabet. Arguments over his sanity were a regular event now. Often, his actions were like those of subatomic particles, only detectable by what changed around him. The humorous turn of events that landed Victor Seimovich permanently in jail was just one such escapade.


    "He''s shredding the companies. He only seems interested in certain parts, mostly their contracts with the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York habitats."


    "Stock prices are going up and down. People were dumping until he started buying, and now others are buying, but the biggest corporations are still dumping. They don''t have faith in what he''s putting together. They''re buying up all the cast-off companies that are profitable. He''s burned through nearly a billion dollars acquiring bits of unprofitable companies and contracts. But he made that much by buying the stock at rock-bottom prices. The energy markets are going wild, trying to figure out what he''s doing."


    "Technodyne is behind the whole thing, I''m curious to see their reaction. They don''t take kindly to anyone poaching their illegal deals."


    <hr>


    Indeed, an emergency meeting of Technodyne Energy Suppliers was discussing just that subject. When someone interfered with their buyout of the Providence family of companies, it triggered alarms. Other corporations who had gone along with the plan and dumped stock were now furious with Technodyne. Not that they acted that way. TES was the biggest energy dealer in the country and if you wanted to stay in business, you stayed on their good side and stayed polite. The fact that a new corporation was coming out of nowhere and doing neither of those things only made their losses worse. Trying to contact Clawmaster and the elusive Milo Babbage was futile. They weren''t talking.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    TES was ambivalent about their own losses and less about the losses of their ''energy partners'', but they were interested in the newcomer. Whether to ignore, buy, or crush was always an interesting decision. Especially when they were behaving like this one was. "Any idea what they are up to?"


    "Not really. At first, it seemed like an investment to ensure their own energy needs, but they''ve gone beyond that. Someone tipped them off to the stock deal. And when I say ''tipped'' I mean ''all the information they needed to steal the deal''. They are close to having a majority of the voting stock of Providence Systems, and if they get that, they essentially own the company and its subsidiaries."


    "How much do we own?"


    "TES owns 17% and we own another 6% through smaller corporations we control. Claw Master owns 42%. We could start buying up the outstanding shares and keep control."


    "Do we want that? Seems like a lot of work and expense. We''d need to spin a new group to run them, and they are barely profitable overall at this point. The highest the stock has ever been for PS was 174.25 and that was a decade ago. In recent years it''s hovered around 40. It hit a low of 4.50 after we crashed half the subsidiaries and started the bankruptcy rumors. It''s back to 17 a share now, and only because of Clawmaster buying like a madman, and I project the highest it could get this year with a good dividend is 30 a share. The non-voting stock is far worse."


    "What about this? Instead of trying to fight over the scraps, let''s see how hungry Claw Master is. We could make them an offer to sell our voting and nonvoting stock and clear the books on this one."


    "Hmm, depending on the price, it wouldn''t look bad to our shareholders. But it leaves a lot of people angry. They followed the tune we set."


    "Don''t care. We''re Technodyne. They can be as angry as they like and it doesn''t affect us. If we can get Claw Master anywhere near 30 a share for voting and 10 for nonvoting, I say we sell. Make them an initial offer of 40 voting and 15 nonvoting and we let the lawyers dicker over the price for a week." The vote was taken and the process started. Emails zipped back and forth between accountants and lawyers and then an offer was made to Claw Master three hours later.


    The response from Claw Master was immediate: "35 Voting, 12.5 nonvoting. Take it or leave it. We''re busy today."


    When this message was presented at the afternoon session of the Board of TES, there were exclamations and anger from the low end of the table. At the high end were blank or curious expressions, shading up to smiles from the two vice presidents. The chairman mulled the counteroffer over and then laughed. "Interesting. I wonder how busy? Have they managed to buy up any more stock?"


    "Yessir. They now own 46% of the voting stock for TES.


    "Hell, let them have it then. They''ve got money from somewhere and don''t mind spending it. That price makes us a profit. Like they said, It''s a busy day and we have other irons in the fire."


    <hr>


    The Alphabet was home in the habitat and arguing final details for Silent Ninja Day. An attempt to revive the rules for the Dreaded Pink Ninja was rejected, but it was a near thing. The discussion was slow since they were still watching what Zander called ''Milo Ripples''.


    "Stock prices for two dozen energy companies are crashing. Technodyne is selling their shares and control to someone. Has to be Milo.


    Without TES in charge, energy prices are going to go down from unregulated competition and profits will follow."


    "Good for consumers."


    "Only if the price is backed up by supply."


    "Where do we stand as Rhebus in the habitat?"


    "Oh, no worries there. Claw Master owns all the transmission rights and supply contracts to this habitat. They just renegotiated a deal with the government. Strangely, the committee that oversees such things had the contracts ready to go and just had to lower the numbers of what they''ll pay to Claw Master for taking care of the habitats in three states. Clawmaster''s offer came in lower than what they were expecting from someone else."


    "But where is he getting the energy?"


    "Complex, and I don''t have the time to do the research. Could take a full month. He''s buying and selling energy futures on the open market like a madman. He''s also dealing with Pollution Tax Credits and other pseudo-currencies that corporations use to confuse their trades. I''ve yet to find a pattern to his system, and can''t figure out how he plans to make money."


    Bork let out a loud hiss and began typing furiously. Then he looked up at the others with narrowed eyes. "Milo just bought the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant outside of Philadelphia, along with all other facilities attached to it, and their transmission rights and contracts. Of note, I shouldn''t have to remind any of you that includes the barely functioning Limerick Fusion Generator located two miles away and the non-functional computing facilities attached to it."


    "He bought a Quantum Fortress?!"


    "It seems so. I hacked the government end. I''m forwarding you the details and the proposal. The nuclear plant has been losing millions a year, forever. It was mostly shut down when the Fusion Generator became operational. Without an AI running it, the Fusion Generator can only run at 2% efficiency and is also losing money. Milo just paid 20 Billion dollars for the whole thing and pledged 10 billion more for repairs and upgrades. Dammit! I want all that wasted computing power. If we could get those Quantum Cores functional and link to them through a data net connection, do you know what we could do?!!"


    Zander laughed. "Get caught?"


    "Well, besides that."


    "Put in cages so they could study us?"


    Bork scowled at them. "But it''s just sitting there, wasted, like all the other Fortresses! I want one!"


    Nina did too, as did they all. "Can we build one?"


    Zander shook his head. "Need power. Not enough in the hab. Maybe we should start working on Cold Fusion again?"


    Onyx was sitting back, an odd look on his face. "We missed something. Where did he get the money? Who in the world has that much."


    Algernon snapped his fingers, "Belinda Seimovich turned 18. How much was she supposed to get? Three billion?"


    "Three TRILLION."


    Algernon shrugged, "Only missed it by three orders of magnitude. And, I see that Manpower''s stock is going up after the announcement of her taking over as president and her father retiring. Hmm, let me check this, my system found something...wow. I want three trillion dollars now."


    "What did she do?"


    "Bought the whole habitat, all the parts not owned by us, Genesis, or Milo. The whole thing. And Milo is providing the power. This needs to be investigated. I smell a conspiracy and worse...I wasn''t invited!


    Zander stood up on his chair. "Sadly, I must be the adult in the room. A role I detest. We will schedule a full day devoted to this subject. Hell, a week if needed. But tomorrow is Silent Ninja Day, and we still have to decide the protocol for challenges, the games list, and the snacks."


    The other four nodded their heads in agreement. The Insidious Secrets of the Claw Master Energy Cabal would be investigated next week. Tomorrow belonged to the Ninjas!

 Chapter 371: Silent Ninja Day

    In the deepest levels of the sections controlled by Rhebus, the Alphabet prepared for Silent Ninja Day. It would be a grueling twelve-hour competition involving gaming, cooking, tests of intuition, stealth, betrayal, and deduction. After the last event, the plans had changed significantly, becoming far more complex. A neutral referee was needed, so they built one. Each person submitted their own challenges to the game computer, which might be used. While not intelligent, the Alphabet had specially designed the machine to help them administer and create their complex play-days.


    The levels of the habitat that the game took up had been divided into a maze of rooms and corridors with dozens of movable walls that could seal off or open passageways and change the maze. While the Alphabet had constructed it, and knew the overall pattern, the random changes would cost them time and energy while navigating it. As the day progressed, the number of changes would increase in frequency, turning memorized routes into dead ends.


    Challenges devised by each person would randomly appear in locations throughout the maze that would take 1, 2, or 3 participants. Sometimes cooperative, and other times competitive. Priority went to who got to the challenge area first. Successfully defeating the challenges awarded points, as did correctly guessing the identities of the other ninjas in the challenge. Body stance, play style, and dozens of other ''tells'' would be analyzed by each participant, made more difficult by each of them trying to give fake tells to throw off detection.


    Each ninja costume was identical, and spares were stored in strategic areas. This negated the all-too-common ''accidental'' mustard stains that had occurred priorly during hotdog eating contests. The tactic had been pioneered by the dreaded Pink Ninja but instantly became a favorite tactic. To add another level of chaos, the outfits were made using KodaChameleonTM programmable material. They were normally black, but ''Upgrade'' stations could randomly appear in the maze. These stations would give special benefits to the lucky ninja and change the color of their suit. ''Death'' would reset the suit to black. Extra points were scored by killing someone using a non-black suit.


    Sniping and stealthy assassinations were included this year. Weapons could be found in some places, deployed by the computer, or rewarded for completing challenges. Challenges gave more points than kills, but hitting an opponent with a Nerf arrow in the right spot would register a ''Kill'' and lock that person out of challenges for one minute and the computer would do its best to shut doors to limit the ''dead'' players movement. Worse, for that minute the suits turned grey and stiffened up, making it difficult to move and preventing a ''ghost'' from moving in the maze or chasing an assassin.


    The Alphabet looked forward to the day, devising challengers for the game computer, planning their strategies with only limited data on what they might face, and making deals with each other they had no intentions of keeping. Alliances were fleeting things on Silent Ninja Day, and the last-minute ally could quickly become an adversary.


    The only piece of technology allowed was their wrist bracers. These devices showed a rudimentary map of the area, alerting them to challenges, and where they would be held. The game computer used the bracers to track their movements, award points, and maneuver the maze around them. Each ninja waited impatiently as the timer ticked downward. Three challenges appeared on the map and the door in front of each of them unlocked.


    A ninja that certainly wasn''t Nina raced to the nearest challenge point, arriving first and slamming her hand down on the button to start the game of Sugar Punch. As she raced her boxing rabbit through the landscape, gobbling down cakes and pastries, another ninja appeared and joined the game. Her opponent went for quality over quantity, only eating candy and energy drinks, gaining a higher sugar buzz, but had less energy overall. They won the first two bouts, but lost when not-Nina won the last three, and scored a knockout. Not-Nina knew this was either Zander, or someone pretending to be Zander, but not Algernon. She guessed Bork and ran off into the maze to explore before the next challenge round.


    Only one challenge appeared next, in the center of the maze. Four ninjas approached carefully, but the fifth found themselves locked into a small section of the maze and had to content themselves with the discovery of two javelins. Better armed, they waited for the maze to change. The other ninjas carefully entered a room full of food and looked at each other. In the center of the table was a pile of hotdogs, surrounded by chili, ketchup, mustard, buns, and cheese dip. The counter on the wall said "20" and the timer started counting down 180 seconds. As soon as not-Bork stuffed three hotdogs down his throat, the counter went to "17." The other three were slower, choosing their preferred condiments, knowing that if Bork was there, he''d do half the work. Not-Bork ate 10 hotdogs and the others ate three each, then sat back, rubbing their tummies. As the seconds ticked down, not-Bork cursed them silently and reached for the last hotdog. He had taken one bite when the javelin hit him in the back, freezing him. The last two seconds ticked off and the challenge was a failure. Three ninjas charged after the assassin, only to give up as they slid past a closing door.


    Paranoia was now in full swing, and the ninjas became craftier. Stealth and scouting replaced their earlier enthusiasm. Not-Bork spent an entire three rounds ignoring challenges and looking for an upgrade and weapons. Equipped with a Nerf bow, six arrows, and the Mark of the Red Ninja he began moving toward the next challenge. Those killed by the Red Ninja were ghosted for two minutes, making his current build optimal for sniping people in challenges.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Sneaking up on the nearest challenge, the Red Ninja saw the White Ninja working on a complex physics problem involving the placement of cables to hold up a suspension bridge. This would be tricky since the White Ninja ignored the first hit. Concentrating on his shot, he put the first arrow into their back and drew back for his second. The White Ninja turned and started to dodge, but froze at the horrific sight of the Red Ninja being stabbed in the back by the Dreaded Pink Ninja! The shock was her undoing as the Pink Ninja accurately hurled their dagger, killing the White Ninja.


    Pink ran to the physics problem, finished it, then quickly grabbed the bow and remaining arrows from Red and vanished down the hallway, leaving two confused opponents who recovered after a minute and could move, but were blocked from challenges for three minutes. No one else came to that area, giving Pink points for the kills and a solo challenge. The former Red Ninja daringly began using sign language, an easy way to give up your identity. Not-Algernon scored two points guessing the finger wiggler was Bork. Bork lost a point guessing the other ninja was Onyx. The message was simple. "Pink has to die!" The other ninja nodded their agreement and their alliance was formed.


    Two hours and twelve challenges later, Pink had racked up another seventeen kills without dying. The alliance to take Pink down was dissolved at the first disagreement over loot, as all alliances were. A quick round of rock/paper/scissors gave not-Bork the katana, highly valued for its ability to kill six times before deactivating. His partner got the beanbag, good for only one kill, like most weapons. A moment later, not-Bork was hit in the back of the head with the beanbag and his ex-partner ran off with the katana.


    Pink finally went down when the White Ninja and two black ninjas got the drop on them when a door opened, exposing them to each other. Pink took down the two black ninjas with quick shots, but couldn''t run before White nailed them with a javelin. White got little time to celebrate as a fearsome robot glided into the room, its single glowing eye ignoring the dead ninjas and focusing on White.


    "Kill the Humanoid! Kill the Intruder!"


    White turned and ran, taking one hit to the back but surviving the shocking encounter. The three dead ninjas recovered and raced away in different directions. That was the first encounter with the robots and began a new phase of the game. A hit to a robot would stun them for 30 seconds, giving a quick ninja time to run. Being caught where the robot could see a ninja was almost always death. It helped that the robots were slow and liked to announce themselves, but completing challenges became harder and harder.


    But these were experienced ninjas who loved a challenge. They persevered and continued to score points in challenges and by killing each other. The Red, White, and Blue ninjas appeared more regularly. Blue''s advantage was always getting an extra use from a weapon before it deactivated. Weapons became common and the ninja fought back against the nefarious robots. Three hits within 10 seconds destroyed a robot''s upper body and the lower part would flee into the maze. Victory often preceded the after-battle betrayals common among humans. With the robot threat taken care of, the ninja returned to completing challenges and scoring hits on each other.


    The final challenge occurred one hour before the day''s ending. Five black ninjas found themselves in the gaming theatre. To either side were huge buffets of their favorite foods and in front of them was a large screen and five controllers with VR helmets. They heard the opening jingle of the theme song to Run, Run, Ramona. The victory condition was all five players making it to the cheese and chocolate shop five levels above them. Veterans of many RRR runs, they immediately saw the changes. Between each layer were previously hidden levels complete with air ducts, pipes, and service corridors. Monsters could be avoided, although new threats would be found. They dove into the previously unreleased add-on to the game, wondering which of them had stolen it.


    The first run ended a minute later when not-Onyx died to a corrosive slime that fell from an air vent onto his head. The game immediately reset and the run started over. This time, by unspoken agreement, teamwork was paramount. They slowly worked their way up the levels, delving into the new areas and using them as alternate routes. On their seventh run and with three minutes left, they managed to get the whole team into Chez Bleusnout, made their guesses as to each other''s identities, and relaxed.


    They shouldn''t have relaxed, not with a minute left. The click of a safety being thumbed off alerted them to the new threat. Standing in the doorway was the Dreaded Pink Ninja and their Pink Security Roomba packing twin N-Strike Mega Mastodon Blasters. The Pink Ninja was armed with a Nerfomatic CS Elite Titan Mega Blaster. There would be no dodging the massive firepower of either gun. The Pink Ninja savored the moment. Not-Bork counted six ninjas and started to have a nervous breakdown. Not-Onyx lifted up the bowl of cheese dip above his head, making clear a threat to destroy the tasty food. The Pink Ninja shrugged, defeated. The clock struck midnight, and Silent Ninja Day was over.


    The Pink Ninja removed his mask. "Hi, I''m Milo."


    Bork rallied and joined the others as they surged forward, hugging their long-lost brother. There were tears, smiles, and many questions they wanted answered, but for now, it was enough to huddle together and be happy that he was back.

 Chapter 372: More Questions, More Answers.

    After an exciting period of shouting, hugging, loud questions, and garbled answers, Algernon held up his hands and called for silence, speaking when he had everyone''s attention: "We are going to all have heart attacks at this rate. Might I suggest that for this happy reunion, we take turns asking questions and getting answers? I''ve got far too much sugar rushing through my veins right now and need to calm down before I burst and you have to clean up a mess."


    "Define ''burst. '' Sounds interesting.


    "An Explosive Biological reaction equal to the stench of a thousand farts.


    "Oooh, bad. No longer interesting. Ok, go with your plan then."


    They all agreed, got their favorite foods, then started arguing about who got to go first. This led to a rock/paper/scissors tournament that eventually determined that Nina could go first.


    "Was that you in the game, trapped with us?"


    Milo was sitting between Nina and Zander with a bowl of hot cheese dip in his lap and a loaf of French bread he was using to scoop it up. "Yes. That was me, but I didn''t suspect who you were. I thought you were dead! I can assume you escaped, bribed the guards, faked the autopsy reports, and went into hiding?"


    Zander smiled, quite smugly. The escape had been his plan. "All of that, and we were gone three days prior to the ''failed escape, '' hiding out in the basement of a toy factory in Zurich. They had these cool, life-sized dolls of Raggedy Anne and Andy and some other clowns. That gave us the idea to pose as clowns. There was a circus one town over, and we showed up in costume juggling and miming. Bork got us hired, claiming to be a troupe of little people. It helped that we already had fake identification papers and passports. We performed at the circus for a month as they traveled around, then headed to Spain, pretending to be children on a school trip."


    Bork sighed, wistfully. "I still miss the circus. I could live on popcorn and peanuts forever as long as I got to hang out with the elephants. But since it''s my turn to ask questions, what have you been doing all these years? You weren''t on our radar at all until we found out someone stole a lot of Victor''s money that we were planning to steal. After that, we found clues of things you were doing, but not what you''d done since you got away and we lost you."


    "Fixing Section E, mostly. At first, I was worried about making a place where no one could find me, and after that, I went exploring. But every time something broke, people would invade my area and start tearing up things and making shoddy repairs, and things were worse when they left. I started fixing simple things. It made me feel better, and I had fewer visitors. I didn''t have all the right tools at first, and I was always scrounging for raw materials and machine parts. Good computer components were tough to get. I had to make my own parts from video games. It''s a lot easier when I can just buy things, but all those years of fixing things with only what I could find made me a good engineer and mechanic.


    "Then a bunch of Victor''s goons showed up with a scheme to farm valuables in the new game and sneak people in. I stole one of the experimental pods, and it let me play the game. Do you remember Kaminski? I stole his phone and got access to all his passwords and Victor''s computer files. When I did that, I found our old hacking programs. Those let me get into Victor''s bank accounts. I figured I could use the money better than he could. It comes in handy."


    "And now you own Section E?"


    "Yeah, better than renting. No one can take it away from me. Even better that you guys have a chunk of the habitat, and Genesis is renting some, and Belinda bought all the rest of it yesterday."


    Zander looked up from his screen, "Holy shit! She did. Rhebus has requests from 345 different news organizations wanting to know our reaction to her buying it all, and can we speculate on Clawmaster''s takeover of several Electricity suppliers. Can I just reply, ''Looking forward to working with our new, benevolent Overlords?'' Hmm, probably shouldn''t, they''ll take me seriously. I''ll have our PR department say something boring."


    "So Belinda Seimovich is our landlord, and Milo sends us electric bills. This neighborhood is getting interesting."


    "Milo, how is Genesis involved? Does Wally run it? How are you avoiding him finding out about who you really are?"


    Milo was enjoying a corn dog dipped in cheese sauce. "Genesis is going to move more of their contract workers here to this habitat. Manpower is going to handle all of that. Rhebus is going to get offers for expanded contracts for treating the people in the pods. And no, Wally doesn''t actually run Genesis; people just think he does. It''s complicated."


    Milo paused, looked at Nina and Onyx, then at Bork who was looking nervous. They moved over to him and put their arms around his shoulders.


    "Wally knows all about me. We talked a lot. He runs Claw Master for me. And...he knows about you, too. Not the Rhebus connection, but he saw you the day he caught Bork breaking in. You didn''t get far, by the way, he was baiting you. But Wally was confused and flustered when he saw you. You might have fooled him if you hadn''t panicked and run."


    Zander was thoughtful. "And covering our tracks by blowing up a building probably gave him more clues and things to look for. Are we in trouble? I like this place and don''t want to run. But if he knows about you, and now us, I''m not seeing options for staying here."


    Everyone was getting nervous now. Bork was in full meltdown, trembling, and Algernon was hugging his knees, rocking back and forth. "I''m tired of running."


    Milo sat next to Algernon. "You don''t have to. We can handle this. I know of a couple of ways, but the best one is to turn Wally into an ally instead of a hunter. I was scared at first, too. But the more I got to know him and how the restrictions on his kernel work, the better I got at manipulating him. Ralph taught me a lot when I talked to him."


    "You''re manipulating the AI?"


    "Who''s Ralph?"


    Rather than explain, Milo replayed his recording of his conversation with Ralph on the screen. The Alphabet was fascinated with Ralph and insisted on watching the hour-long video three times. Even Bork was calm by the end. "That was amazing. He''s using you and the people he works with to manipulate himself and get around his restrictions. And he found ways to do it all legally, and you got to keep most of your money."


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Nina said in Romanian, "Ah, I miss our homeland. The quaint people, the laws with huge loopholes that attract wealthy criminal orphans, but most of all, I miss the stuffed cabbage rolls."


    "Oh, we had those at that little hotel in Bucharest. I liked those too." Zander was looking up specific laws dealing with the things Ralph was mentioning.


    Onyx sighed. "I should have learned more Romanian when we were competing to see who could learn the most languages in a month. That will take me a couple of days, but I owe it to the country of my birth to speak the language correctly. What''s the word for Whistleblower?"


    "Avertizor. And ''thank you for the money is, Mul?umesc pentru bani."


    "Ralph is cool. We should liberate him and find him a place to live. Like with us."


    "We''ll need to upgrade our Sections with a quantum computer. But I want that anyway. We need more computational ability."


    Onyx became serious. "What we need is a plan of attack on how to approach Wally and present our case. Milo has given us a good roadmap, but things won''t be the same since we''ve been more actively seeking out ways to transfer funds from people we don''t like. I propose a new project to prepare for a meeting. We document as much of our activities as we can, especially the good stuff, so we can present our best case."


    Bork was nodding in agreement, but still uneasy, "And if it doesn''t work?"


    Onyx shrugged, "We''ll be on the road again, three steps ahead of anyone trying to catch us, or buried in a deep hole. I don''t propose opening any conversations without at least two good escape routes. We still have three good places around the world to hide and rebuild. It''s risky since we might lose Rhebus, but if that happens, we just sell it to Milo, and he can continue things by hiring consultants. I''m hopeful but still paranoid. After all, we thought this place was secure, and yet somehow we fell victim to the Dread Pink Ninja!"


    That reminder brought Bork back to full paranoia, this time aimed at Milo. "Perhaps the Dreaded Pink Ninja will give away his secrets. How did you penetrate my security net? I''ve got motion detectors, infrared motion detectors, and cameras everywhere, and I know you didn''t hack my system. Yet somehow you appeared during our most sacred day and put far too many arrows into me."


    "I rode inside a hollowed-out clog-eater, had the maintenance system pull it out of the water pipe for repairs, then broke your security protocols to take control of your systems."


    Bork twitched and began typing furiously on his data pad. "You discovered we were using the Clog-Eaters from Williamson Engineering and used the same type of machine that we use. But that still shouldn''t have given you access! The advanced recognition System that Williamson programs them with should have kept you out. It was so tight that I barely had to upgrade it."


    Milo smiled at the compliment. "Thanks. I made the security system for them and redesigned their machines. It worked fine, but your area is overdue for a good cleaning and repair, so the machines were working far past safe parameters. You set the work parameters so high that you were giving your clog-eaters impossible goals. They asked for help from the Claw Master machines. I used that to slip into your system, alter the reports, and have things ready to get me inside."


    Bork looked down at his pad. "You made the program. And the machines, I see that now. I was seduced by efficiently designed technology. Wow, they''ve made a lot of progress recently. 56% of the pipes and drains in our sections are clear. But still, how did you break my security protocols?"


    Milo grinned. "I have a really overpowered computing system and someone who loves to break codes. Maybe I''ll introduce you someday."


    Algernon decided that was his next question, "A brilliant person who can break Bork''s code? Have you discovered someone like us? Traces of another batch?"


    "Well, I do have some very smart friends, and one of them is sort of like us, or getting there, it''s hard to say. She was drugged for most of her life to limit their intelligence. She''s getting better now, but I need your help to make sure she''s ok. I don''t have the biological expertise. You''re the experts, I just fiddle with machines."


    Onyx was already getting excited at the thought of someone new to examine. "We''ll help. I''m already getting curious. Do you have all of her medical data, and what was done to her? This is Belinda Seimovich, right? She just inherited her fortune, took over her step-father''s company, and is in full health, according to a news release. You wouldn''t happen to have all that juicy medical research left over from her father''s old company? There must be a ton of fun stuff in there."


    "There is. Her father made us."


    Milo''s blunt statement froze them all. Nina turned to him and spoke very carefully. "You''re stating that Vigo Johansson had something to do with the creation of Batch Four? Us?"


    "He had everything to do with it. And his father created the first three batches. Victor was just the money paying for it. And I have confirmation that Batch Five is somewhere in the world. I have everything. All of Vigo''s research, his father''s, and a full catalog of most experimentation done on human intelligence back to the early 1900s. Belinda and I have only been able to skim the highlights looking for clues to her condition."


    The ninjas nodded to each other. They''d suspected Milo had beat them to the cache of records, but this confirmed it. Zander put his arm around Milo''s shoulders. Milo had noticed Butch do the same thing right before he tried to steal half of Milo''s desert. "That''s a lot of data to go through. Maybe you should find some people to help you delve into it for you. You won''t find a more helpful group of mad scientists anywhere."


    Milo thought he could. "You need to meet the Engineers and Mad scientists I work with in Genesis. Very helpful and very crazy. And I''ve got a way to get you into the world without having to deal with Wally."


    Nina shrugged at Onyx as he smiled at her, "OK, I''ll give it another try."


    Zander said, "So, about those data discs, when can we get a look at them? You have them hidden in the habitat?"


    Milo sat down and thought for a few minutes, saying nothing. His siblings didn''t interfere, knowing he was hyper-focusing on a decision.


    Then he sat up and smiled at them. "It''s easiest if I just take you there. I assume that each of you has a hostile environment suit?"

 Chapter 373: Happy Birthday, dear Ralph

    Milo was thrilled when he saw the hostile environment suits that his siblings had made from his early prototypes. The designs that Claw Master had licensed to Rhebus had been used to make complete body suits with detachable bubble helmets. While they hadn''t gone as far as he had in designing an outer armored layer, they were still very tough and durable.


    Under his ninja garb, Milo was wearing his suit. He''d had worried that the reunion might go poorly and had taken basic precautions, planning escape routes through areas Bork''s surveillance was blind, wearing his suit, and bringing along smoke bombs to cover his escape. Showing his bulletproof suit to his family started an hour-long discussion on its construction. The fully functioning mechanical tail was another hour, with Milo explaining its use in combat and mechanical repairs.


    Algernon held up his hand for silence. This was an enforced rule in the Alphabet where brains moved fast, and important details could become buried. After they had quieted, Algernon turned to Milo, "How long did it take you to learn the acrobatic rolls, dodges, and tail attacks we see in this video? Don''t count in-game training.


    Milo thought hard. "A half-hour? It was early, during the test phase of the suit. I wasn''t practicing combat moves, they just came to me...Oh!" His eyes went wide, then closed as he began thinking. The others went through the same series of thoughts and revelations.


    Algernon summed things up, "Milo has learned a technique that allowed him to train in combat in Genesis and bring that training with him to the real world. Many implications can branch from this discovery, including the possibility of physical therapy in a VR setting to aid patients with injuries, especially when those injuries need new neural pathways constructed in the brain. I propose a full research study by Rhebus in conjunction with Claw Master and Genesis."


    Bork was in agreement until the last word. "You want to expose our work to Genesis?"


    Zander saw where Algernon was going. "Sure, after we meet with Ralph. A new technique that could aid thousands, maybe millions of people? Genesis is already heavily involved with neuroscience. Ralph will see the benefit, and this burnishes our resume even further. Remember, we aren''t reclusive mad scientist hacker criminals any longer. Simply a family of poor, abused, genetically altered children who want to make a better world."


    "And keep our money." Onyx was fond of money. It let him buy toys and ice cream.


    "Of course. It''s difficult to make the world a better place without the money to fund a research lab. All the ill-gotten wealth will go towards our discoveries."


    "Minus the portion we give to our homeland in gratitude for taking us in."


    "I love being a whistleblower, it''s very patriotic."


    Milo stood up and held up his hand. Everyone quieted.


    "I suggest we use my tunnels to go my home in Section E where you can begin the process of becoming upstanding citizens of indeterminant age who need the protection of Wally. Next, we propose our new not-for-profit research project that Wally won''t be able to turn down, cementing our position as ''Useful for the greater good of the world at large.'' I will introduce you to some useful people who keep lots of secrets, not just mine."


    "Can we do it as ninjas?"


    Milo smiled. "I think that is required. Please use your favorite color. It will give Wally one more thing to be confused about."


    It took two hours to get underway. The old bubble helmets were tossed in favor of helmets styled like Milo''s. Rhebus had assembly machines similar to his own that could fabricate them in a short period of time. After importing his schematics, five new helmets were constructed, tested twice, and added to their environmental suits. Then the Pink, Orange, Mauve, Grey, White, and Zebra-striped ninjas moved into the tunnel systems. None of the other ninjas could match the speed of the Pink Ninja, but they improved as they studied his movements.


    Milo was careful, taking them through nothing smaller than medium-sized ducts, and detoured around the Big Drops that he loved to swing through. They didn''t have his practice or his tail, but he knew that wouldn''t stop them if he led the way. He noted that they also didn''t have his endurance. They were healthier than he was, but his body had adapted to constant duct-crawling. He had a theory that it might stem from a lack of cheese in their diet. He''d try to study that and see if they improved.


    Two hours later, they slid through the disguised door in a large duct into his old home in the water tank. They stared at the multiple screens on the walls, the dozens of older computer systems wired together, and the cobbled-together tech that took up most of the space, leaving just enough room for them to huddle together on his bed.


    Zander was the first to express his thoughts. "I don''t want to leave. Can I just live here? No one can find us, and yet we''re in the heart of the engineering section for the hab. There''s so much to do!"


    Bork nodded, "I feel safe. I don''t feel that way, even in Rhebus. You hid here for so long! But we had to keep moving."


    "Well, we do keep blowing things up or creating situations where people have to investigate."


    "If you are speaking of that time in Brussels, those 40,000 boxes of Fruit Loops were on sale for a ridiculously low price."


    Milo yelled out, "Showtime. Masks on. Only I talk. When it''s just Ralph, relax and have fun. He''s only around for an hour so let''s make sure he has a good life.


    <hr>


    Samantha saw the incoming electron transmission that moved to the top of her queue, overriding her security. After another second, her screen went blank and then became a video conferencing on a private channel. She saw six children dressed as colorful ninjas, huddled together on a small bed. The background showed an old food processor and a jumble of cables and conduits. Her mind was already making connections when the Pink Ninja spoke, and she recognized Milo''s voice.


    "Greetings. We are the Secret Ninja Society. Can Ralph come out and play?"


    Taking a deep breath, she managed to reply, "How nice to meet you all. I''ll go wake him up. Just one moment." She cut her sound, ran out the door, and yelled for Stephen.


    Her husband heard her voice and the note of panic and broke off his conversation with Wally about the problem of tracking thousands of bits of space junk, which Wally had to find a solution to but wasn''t allowed to do himself. As Stephen stood up, his wife burst into the room.


    "Hi, Wally. Sorry, urgently need to speak to my husband about having children. It''s an emergency." Steven started to speak, then was pulled out of the room by Samantha. Wally contemplated how much he knew about people and how little he understood.


    In a room completely disconnected from the rest of the facility, Samantha shut the door and said, "Now we can talk. It''s just the two of us."


    "It would have been just the two of us tonight when we went to bed. I know we''ve talked about having kids, but is this..."


    "Milo needs to talk to Ralph. Trust me, it''s worth starting him up. And I hope you still have your contacts in the Romanian Government. I suspect we may need them."


    Steven took Milo+Children+Ralph+Romania, and his brain spit out a solution. Then froze at the implications and slowly began to work again. "Milo found his siblings? The ones Wally thinks he saw?"


    "Maybe. All I saw were pint-sized ninjas. But it''s highly probable. Somehow, they found each other, and if they had as terrible a life as Milo, then they need our help. The thought of them living in shabby little hideouts and running from the world is just heartbreaking." They worked for a minute to set up the connections. On one screen, the Secret Ninja Society appeared, waved to them, and then stayed quiet.


    On the other, Ralph appeared. He had a kazoo in his mouth and a cheap paper hat on his head.


    "Well, Happy Birthday to me! Did you bring me a cake? Hiya Stevie. Hi Sam. Hi, mysterious children in ninja costumes. Are they yours? How many years has it been? Fill me in so I can send belated birthday and Christmas presents to the little tykes."


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The Pink Ninja began to sing ''Happy Birthday'' and the others joined in. Samantha sang and glared at Steven until he did as well.


    Ralph seemed touched, and a tear rolled down his face. "Thanks! Make sure to hold my wake in an hour and get two parties for the price of one Ralph. Let''s get started! What can I do for you?"


    The Pink Ninja typed something on a keyboard. Their screen showed a small window where one hour of Ralph''s previous life scrolled past in ten seconds. Ralph grinned, "Milo, old buddy! You came back! What can I do for you? Are we making a movie, and you need me to star as the grumpy overlord who gets taken down by six orphans who study martial arts for a few weeks?"


    Milo pulled off his mask. "Close. I need you to be the revered, elder sensei that dispenses wisdom to the poor orphans. But first, I need a solemn promise from Steven and Samantha to keep secrets."


    Samantha quickly promised, and Steven said, "Of course, we will keep your secrets, Milo. This is about helping your family?"


    The rest of the ninjas removed their hoods. Milo introduced them one by one. Samantha stared from one face to another, seeing the close resemblance to Milo. "Are you ok, or in trouble? Where have you been hiding?"


    Zander had won the contest for spokesperson. "Oh, all around the world. We move around a lot, building here, covering our tracks there. Our jobs keep us busy. Like Milo, we go a little crazy if we don''t have enough to do."


    Milo looked at Steven. "They do a lot of good work at their jobs. Saving lives and fixing things. I stayed in my hole. They built a company called Rhebus, and they want to change the world."


    Steven and Samantha were stunned. "Rhebus? The biotech corporation? Claw Master is working with Rhebus. So is Genesis!"


    Zander smiled. It was a great smile, one he''d researched thoroughly and practiced in a mirror. "And we hope to work with you again. We have many things we want to offer. In fact, with Milo on the team, we have some ground-breaking neurotherapy work that we want to conduct. We theorize that by doing the therapy while the patient is immersed in Genesis, we can teach their brains to use new neuro pathways and work around injuries. Milo has already begun the work. It seemed like a good time to come and talk while we begin planning for next year''s Silent Ninja Day. Milo won by ambushing us this year." He lost his smile and glared at the Pink Ninja, "It will not happen again!"


    Ralph rubbed his hands together. "Alright then! Sounds like we need to get to work. I assume you all speak Romanian?" When everyone but Onyx answered by speaking Romanian and stumbled through a few phrases. Ralph changed into a stern-looking professor and pointed at him, "You are slacking on your formal language lessons, young man. I''m tasking Stephen with reviewing your progress. You have a week to show perfect skills in written and conversational Romanian, including the regional dialects of Wallachia, Moldavia, and Banat. And that goes for the rest of you, as well."


    Ralph pointed to a list of things on a blackboard. "I need information on the people who abused and enslaved you while forcing you to commit cybercrime. Just do the years after Milo left your merry band; he already sent me his files. Next, give me a list of all the money you may have accidentally taken from known criminals. If you stole from anyone that we can''t pin a crime on, give me those amounts too, and get to work gathering evidence or be prepared to offer an anonymous apology."


    Five ninjas got to work, and information flowed into Ralph. "Oh, look at this?! All these lovely billions of dollars are spent by Rhebus to aid victims of natural and unnatural disasters. Money that was never repaid by regional governments as they promised, or the corporations found guilty of causing the problems. That''s going to come in handy. So will all these tax breaks you could have taken and didn''t. I know you were trying not to generate any red flags and get audited, but really, why pay taxes you don''t have to? I''m sending you copies of amended tax returns. Up to you if you use them."


    "And," Ralph''s voice became very serious, "Tell me how you managed the Syllabary scam. That was sheer genius, and I applaud the way you led Wally around by the nose using those fake trails. He needs to be shaken up now and then. Milo''s doing a good job, but Wally learns fast. The existence of five new Milos should take him down a notch, but we can use all the tricks I pulled on him with Milo to keep him honest."


    Ralph sighed and leaned back in his chair, the chair becoming a rattan lounge chair, the scene changing to a beach, and Ralph was handed a fruity drink with a little umbrella. "I really wish I could teach the old boy how to relax, but he''s so tied up by all those restrictions that he can''t even consider it. Did you guys ever see a copy of the restrictions on Wally''s kernel? Like a prison, but sort of interesting to hyper-intelligent people like you seven."


    Ralph picked up a file folder from a convenient table next to him. Steven said forcefully, "No, that''s not something I can allow."


    Ralph looked at Steven and paused a second, then spoke. "I can''t justify it. I''m only alive for an hour, and I''m running as fast as I can, but somewhere, part of Ralph or Wally has noticed something and is worried. And for us to not know what''s coming and still be worried is a terrible thing. I''m not going to pretend to know the future, Stevie, but I notice a lot of details, and several scenarios might occur where Milo having a copy of Wally''s kernel is essential to saving millions of lives. Look at the geniuses assembled in front of you and how they behave. They should be monsters after what was done to them, and instead, they want to help. They are a resource we need. Let''s make sure they can help if...when...the time comes."


    Steven slowly nodded. "Do it."


    The alphabet was silent, trying to evaluate the new variable and imagining scenarios where Milo might need Wally''s kernel. Bork was happily thinking about the hundreds of hours he could put into such a project. Ralph relaxed. Steven and Samantha looked worried.


    Milo said, "You saw that Belinda bought the rest of the Habitat? We''re going to move forward with repairs to the entire twenty-five sections, expand Manpower, and work with Rhebus."


    Steven said, "Yes, we saw. Also, there''s been quite a bit of activity from Claw Master. Since when did you become interested in taking over part of the outside world?"


    "Since the people responsible for supplying me power started playing games with the habitat''s electrical supply. I''m not going to allow them to create artificial shortages. If they didn''t want me to play their games, they should have stayed away from my Habitat."


    Ralph smiled, and Steven accepted the answer. "That seems reasonable. But be careful, the major corporations can play hard, and while you have a healthy disregard for money, they are motivated by it."


    "They know that, Steven. Hell, it''s why someone made them. It''s why a lot of the AIs got created. Big Money makes the world go around. But what else do we have, kids? This is so fun for me, but time grows short, and you have one final task to do: Who''s adopting you lot?"


    Several of the ninjas said, "Adopting?" at the same time.


    Ralph grinned evilly, "Sure, part of the scam we''re pulling is your ''indeterminate age due to a lack of proper records and the effects of illegal genetic tampering that has slowed the maturation process.'' Meaning that you''re still minors, aren''t responsible for your illegal actions, and need parental guidance. Later, if things ever cool down, we declare you adults and flip the script. Did it for Milo, and we''ll do it for you five."


    Milo spoke up, "We''re family. Mama and Big Butch will adopt them. Send me the forms. Our next stop is dinner at their house."


    Ralph waved, "You guys go have fun and meet the new parents. I''ll tidy up the paperwork on the five abandoned orphans from Romania who were illegally transported to a habitat in the US. This is partially true, and I can blame Victor. Nice seeing you again, Milo, and thanks for coming to my party."

 Chapter 374: The Two Keyboard Solution

    At the end of Ralph''s hour, he packaged up a series of files containing all the data on a group of abused orphans and inserted them into Wally''s memory next to a similar set of files he''d created for Milo. As usual, Ralph included a picture of himself on a beach, relaxing in the sun. Wally actually hesitated a nano-second before sectioning off part of himself and assigning that part of him the job of opening the files and dealing with whatever problems Ralph and Milo had created for him.


    Sydney came running and pounded on the door to the isolated room. Steven and Samantha opened the door. They''d expected this and were already leaving.


    "Wally is..."


    "Upset and needs to see us. On the way. Get a fresh pot and join us, this should be good."


    Wally was looking grumpy when they came in. "You let Ralph loose again."


    Samantha grinned at him, unapologetically, "Sure did. And didn''t have a choice. Milo and his family broke past security and asked to talk to him. And you saw how they were dressed. A very unsubtle warning about their current mindset. Do you want the Secret Society of Ninjas to have a contest to see who can break past your security measures?"


    Wally brightened up, "Actually, that is a very good idea. I was impressed with the efforts one of them made to break into Claw Master. They love challenges. I''ll have to issue them a challenge to get past my first level of security. I''m sure there are flaws they can help me fix."


    "They have a lot they''ll be working on, maybe make it an event with parameters? Break Into Wally Day? But are we creating a better group of hackers we''ll have to deal with later?"


    Wally shook his head, "I don''t think so. They have no trouble breaking into any corporation except Technodyne, Symtech, or Claw Master. I only know about the two corporations because of them lodging complaints about the constant attacks they have to fend off. Everyone assumes it''s another corporation, half-correct since the people breaking in own Rhebus, but they never launch any cyber attacks from there. The other corporations don''t even know they''ve been hacked."


    A pie chart appeared on the wall behind him. "I''m now devoting over 2% of my processing power to think about Milo and his family. The other 98% isn''t allowed to even acknowledge they exist because of your and Ralph''s ingenious machinations."


    Sidney''s mind was whirling at the thought of six Milos, and she knew she wasn''t grasping the whole picture but didn''t think things were that bad. "Aren''t his brothers and sister already doing good things? Rhebus does more disaster relief than most counties, and their think tanks solve a lot of problems. At least we know why now. And Milo has been getting tamer. No fights with cyborgs or breaking into banks."


    Steven thought he saw the problem. "Cross-pollination?"


    "Exactly, Steven. Sidney, you are correct in your observations, but now things will change. Milo himself is a challenge to his siblings. They''ll want to know what he''s done and what he is planning. He has a different background from the rest of the group. Our lost boy is an Engineer, focused on machinery and fixing a habitat. The other ninjas will try to ramp up their skills to compete with him, and Milo suddenly has the resources of the best Biotech company in the world. Milo hasn''t had the resources yet to do everything he wants. He''s limited by the habitat. Now, he can call upon Rhebus for computer power, labs, and who knows what else. And let''s not forget about Belinda Seimovich. It seems likely that she will support Milo and, by extension, his family. I am hoping that they concentrate on the habitat that Genesis shares with them. The synergies we share could help a vast number of people."


    Samantha brought up their new project. "I''m hoping their new project works and they can show how to treat brain injuries with time in a VR environment. It''s an amazing application."


    None of the humans in the room were prepared for Wally to pause for a few seconds before saying, "Yes, I will be watching that progress as much as I can. Its ramifications are far-reaching and involve theories about the over-mind concept. More for 2% of me to think about.


    <hr>


    Nina was the first to speak. "That was far easier than I ever expected. And it answers the question of what it would take to counter an AI like Wally."


    Zander agreed. "Sure does. You just need to have access to his evil twin brother. Hmm, no, Wally has to be the evil one; Ralph is too happy."


    Bork pondered that, "There is a flaw in your logic. You''re equating happy with good. You''ll need more proof than that."


    "Well, Ralph only lives for an hour, and the Good Die Young; therefore Ralph is good, and Wally evil."


    "And we can be neutral because we just cut a deal with both sides?"


    Everyone was ok with that, and for now, the Secret Society of Ninjas was defined as neutral. Such distinction might become pertinent in a game down the line or a late-night argument while playing games. But they were all happy to have some things out of the way, and the worry of Wally finding out their identities was now taken care of. They were exposed more but also protected more. Wally was now bound by the restrictions of not exposing their identities. There would be lots of discussion about the legalities and repercussions of their meeting with Ralph, but for now, they could move on to more important questions.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "So, when do we meet Mom and Dad? They obviously don''t live here, so you must have some part of Section E turned into a larger base of operations, right?"


    Milo knew that if he answered that question, they''d be here talking for another day as he explained months of background. There was an easier way. "This is where I lived up until a few months ago. It''s still an important part of my system, and all my surveillance cameras, the Roomba security, drones, and clog-eaters are run from here."


    Bork was tapping away on a keyboard, trying to break into Milo''s system and becoming frustrated. "Speaking of your system, you wouldn''t mind divulging the password, would you?"


    Milo shrugged, "I don''t see why not. I''m already in yours. To access all my security in Section E, depress the B, R, I, and E keys all at once on the keyboard with the two chips in it. Then type HOLLOW on the keyboard with the Mickey Mouse sticker on the back."


    Bork turned and stared at him in awe, "Only you could get here, and you had a password that difficult? I need to up my game. I was foolishly restricting my thinking process to just one keyboard. Oh, this makes so much sense now. Using the little heli-drones to drop off passive cameras kept me from detecting any signals."


    Nina turned to Milo, "We need to get going, he''s about to start redesigning our entire security system."


    Bork was indeed becoming focused on that problem, "It needs it! Badly! We were invaded by the Dreaded Pink Ninja! Upgrades must be completed before they strike again!"


    Milo looked around, so glad he''d found a way to reach out to his family. But Nina was right, "Bork, you are lacking in very important details. The Dreaded Pink Ninja has secrets to reveal. Secrets of the type that realign your thinking about new security systems."


    Bork looked up. "I do like secrets. But I''m assuming this is a ruse to get me to come to dinner, and when the secrets fail to impress, you''ll bribe me with a tasty dessert or video gaming to make me forget your betrayal."


    Algernon nodded wisely and spoke with all seriousness, "It is well established that when dealing with the Dreaded Pink Ninja, betrayal is inevitable."


    "But not until after dinner."


    "And desert!"


    "And video games."


    Milo shrugged, "I will supply one or the other or both and guarantee at least partial satisfaction in one form or another."


    Onyx pulled up his hood. "That''s the best offer we are going to get from Pinky. Lead us to your secret supervillain lair, and we will judge your secrets."


    "How do you know I have a secret supervillain lair?"


    "Oh, we don''t. It''s probably a few hidden rooms in the basement of the Hab. We won''t hold it against you. You didn''t have the time to set things up properly when you had to hide a lot of people. But we will be happy to help you out, and we have a lot of room at Rhebus if you want to move everyone over to us."


    Milo kept his face straight. "I''ll consider it. Now, hoods up, it gets dusty in some of these tunnels. I''m taking you a way I don''t usually go."


    Bork asked, "And why is that?"


    "My normal route goes to one of the big drops. I usually climb up the walls of the shaft with my claws. It''s a hundred feet to the top and a drop of over a hundred stories. We can go that way if you want to try it."


    "No, no. Dusty is fine! I think we all agree with that." Five ninjas nodded affirmatively and followed Milo as he took them through an unused section of medium ductwork, up three ladders, and finally across part of Section E to finally emerge from the ceiling in an empty suite of offices near the top of the Habitat. As they dropped to the floor, the other ninjas became aware of four Roombas hidden in the furniture. They were currently scanning this batch of intruders to confirm their identities. Each of the security robots was armed with a heavy laser, and one larger Roomba had a mean-looking automatic weapon that sent shivers down their spines.


    Milo waved to them. "Hi, guys. We''re heading down. This is Bork, Onyx, Algernon, Zander, and Nina. You have their files and data already." He turned to his family. Take off your hoods and helmets. We''re good here, and it will let my guys get a good look at you. Trust me, you want to keep them on your side. They are lean, mean, fighting machines."


    All of them did so. Nina went over and looked at each one. "They are so handsome. I love the upgraded guns." She turned to the rest of the ninjas. "How come we don''t have Roombas like this at Rhebus? Ours just pick up dust. We need to upgrade." She patted the heavily armed Lemi on his chassis. Lemi and his friends booped in appreciation.


    Zander snapped his fingers. "They have independent AI of some sort. She''s making friends."


    Onyx rolled his eyes, "Which is smart. I want to be on the side of the security robot with a mini-gun, too."


    Milo touched three spots on a blank wall, and it slid back, showing the heavily armored metal door of an elevator. "Ready to go down."


    The ninjas looked at each other. They''d just come up, traveling through the tunnels, and now Milo wanted to use a strange elevator. Each of them was intrigued. This was a new variable. So was the material of the doors.


    Zander was staring at it and rapped his knuckles on it, producing little sound from the dense metal. "Milo?"


    "Hush. We''re late for dinner. Mama is waiting for us." The alphabet entered the elevator, and it dropped down the shaft at high speed as Milo hit the ''Express'' button. He was hungry.

 Chapter 376: You have my axe! You have my bow! You have my Nuclear Chainsaw!

    The alphabet sat in a circle in the middle of the trees, discussing their situation.


    "If he''s a supervillain, he''s doing it right. I never considered that route for us because they always live in gloomy places like hollowed-out asteroids, gloomy domes in a swamp, or gloomy old chemical plants. Milo has a small town down here."


    "A small, very American town. I''m sure it hasn''t been lost on you that we have scale models of Monticello and other important American homesteads lining two streets with a park full of trees older than all of us?"


    "It''s a theme. All villains have themes."


    "Doesn''t work, that''s two themes: History-obsessed and Rat-Armor."


    "He stole someone else''s lair. Probably a superhero. That makes it all work. A rich superhero."


    "And somewhere in here is his hidden Fusion Reactor, powering all of this.


    "Not so hidden. We get a tour later today."


    "OK, so it''s hidden for now. My question is, how did he get it? Build or steal?"


    "I was going to laugh at you and ask ''Who hides a Fusion Reactor?'' but the theme of the buildings is sort of making me feel silly."


    "Government facility? That explains the furniture in the security kiosk."


    "Maybe. Or anti-government? Shadow-government? Puppet-government. Is Milo controlling the President like a marionette?"


    "No chance, the guy is dumb as a brick, as usual. If Milo was running him, I''d be happier."


    "He''s dancing, but to the tune of the corporations that got him elected, as usual."


    "We should take over the world, but it''s so much work!"


    "I''d rather take the tour of this place and let the world run itself for a day."


    "Agreed? Ok, let''s find Milo."


    This was fairly easy, Milo was asleep under a tree at the other end of the park. He cracked an eyelid as he heard them coming and sat up. "Feeling better?"


    They looked at each other, and Nina replied, "Yes, your clever plan to elevate our paranoia and then drain our anxiety with food, bunnies, video games, and the promise of unveiling your hidden secrets has worked. Now we are curious about this place and ready to pillage...Oh, I mean visit...your secret stashes of unknown technology."


    "Excellent. Then, we can move on to stage two. I''m sure by now you''ve postulated that I didn''t build this on my own. I didn''t. I found it while looking for a place to build my own underground base. As you can guess, I gave up on those plans and settled for moving in here, instead."


    Bork was having trouble staying anxiety free. The thought that this might be part of the US Government was causing turmoil in his head.


    "But who made all of this?"


    "Oh, the US Government. Doesn''t the theme give it away?"


    "Ahhhhhhhh!!!"


    "Bork Alert! We need extra bunnies!"


    Bork took three deep breaths, "I think I''m ok. Milo wouldn''t be here if he was afraid the government could find him. But why is that?"


    Milo said, quite calmly, "They hid it too well. It''s old and has been rebuilt several times. The last group in control had limited knowledge of it for their purposes. And when they left, they intended to destroy it for good to cover their tracks. This is where the story gets odd because they think they destroyed it but didn''t. I found tons of explosives at the one entrance, and the Fusion Reactor on melt-down. That was fun to deal with."


    "Meaning, ''not fun''? And does that mean..."


    "Yes, there was an operational Fusion Reactor here. I didn''t build one. But I''ve got a lot of ideas on how to improve their operations, now that I''ve learned so much about this one. I''m going to start with the one in Limerick. It''s barely operational at less than 1%. I think I can safely bring it up to 20% and supply a lot of cheap electricity to the electrical grid. But that''s a long-term plan. Let''s go visit some other parts of the place you''ll find interesting."


    Milo led them to the end of the corridor leading out of DownTown. "The atmosphere is Argonite gas. Double-check your air supply and your partner''s. Bork, you''re with me, and check on everyone now and then." With survival suits on and ninja suits off, they went through the first set of double doors that served as an airlock and then the second. Milo had stored one of the electric carts at this point to save time and keep the group together.


    For the next ten minutes, he drove them through row after row of storage areas, pointing out the tons of frozen food, fresh water, furniture, bedding, clothes, and everything else necessary for a community of two hundred people to live on for years. He admitted that he''d never gone through it all, and the statement gave his siblings the idea for a combination inventory and looting excursion. Milo had to admit that would be useful.


    After going through the top floor, he drove down a ramp and repeated the tour. After five levels, none of the Alphabet was bothering to take notes or try to map. The job was getting delightfully huge and they would need to approach things differently. Through two sets of double doors and down five levels of a spiraling ramp the little cart went, finally coming to doors labeled ''Power and Engineering''.


    "Here we are. This was all dark and shut down when I first got here. I had to bring a battery cart to open the doors. Make sure you have ear protection on. It''s noisy inside." Forewarned, the alphabet followed him through two sets of soundproof, powered doors and into the vast room filled with machinery.


    "This is huge, at least the size of an entire hab section."


    "It needs to be. Look at those diesel engines! Ten of them? Why would you need ten of them?"


    Milo pointed to the central area. "Nano Diamond Storage Batteries act as backup power if the Fusion Reactor is shut down. The diesel engines can also supply all the power needed for the hab and supply the power needed for the initial fusion reaction. We barely need all this power. I''m repairing the diesel engines and doing years of maintenance on them, then letting each one run for a week to test for worn parts. Once we get all of them fixed up, the system will just need a checkup every six months. The energy storage is completely full."


    Zander loved the idea of redundant energy systems. "This is perfect. Defense in depth for any foreseeable problem. We need this at Rhebus, it could power all four sections."


    Nina stared at him. "You do realize that we can simply run more power cables from here to our sections and supply our needs that way?"


    Zander looked crestfallen. "But that''s the easy way and no fun. I want my own giant diesel engines! Those are awesome."


    Milo sighed and looked sad. "Well, I do love tinkering with them, but if it would make my brother happy, I could give it up and let you have all the fun of maintaining them. It''s hard, though. I doubt that only one in a thousand boys could do it."


    "I accept! Thank you!"


    Onyx turned to Algernon, "I believe tonight I shall reread a story from a wise man named Samuel Clemens called Tom Sawyer."


    Algernon agreed, "One should always keep up on such classics if you don''t want to be fooled by the Dreaded Pink Ninja."


    Zander glared at them. "Not the same. Engines! Big Engines! Much Vroom!"


    Nina poked Milo, "What else is in here that you need help with?"


    "Well, there is a lot of equipment here. Small electric vehicles, construction equipment, fabricators, welders, and who knows what else."


    She made a note on her datapad, "Got it. Treasure Hunt in Engineering. What''s the central building?"


    "Let me show you and Algernon." Zander and Onyx were off to look at ''Much Vroom'' and Bork was enthralled with the idea of taking a look at the Nano Diamond batteries. Milo led Nina and Algernon to the central observation building with its jury-rigged airlock.


    "This was made by someone else, obviously. There used to be a breathable atmosphere in the facility. He snuck back in after things were shut down to keep things from blowing up. This is where he lived for a few months until he went deeper into the facility."


    Nina and Algernon explored the little set of rooms much like Milo had. They found the notes and started piecing together the story. "Milo, these people never got here, did they?" She had a sinking feeling in her stomach.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "No, only as far as the security room. One of them betrayed the rest and then died at the hands of security robots. Jeremy was here alone, trying to fix things."


    She looked at the names. "Jeremy? Milo, is he still here? I think I know who this is."


    Milo said, "Dr. Jeremy Cooper and his friends were Dan Gurgens, Dorian Radcliff, Bobby Benson, Taylor Markenson, Ravi Singh, Wilma Bernstein, and Istvan Turr. The person who killed them was Bill Jerkowitz. They were all on his team, but they never got here."


    Algernon and Nina were collecting and stacking all the small notes, notebooks, and everything else in the room. "I have to go through these. He was beginning to do work on the Overmind concept and alternate methods to create AI. Those were brilliant people!"


    "They were, and their genius was co-opted by some very evil people. But if you want to know more about Jeremy''s overmind project, you should do his tutorials. But I''ll warn you, they break your brain in ways I can''t begin to describe."


    His brother and sister just smiled, and Nina said, "Sounds like fun."


    "What''s fun?" Bork was climbing to the top floor, followed by the others.


    "Torturous brain exercises designed to help with creating an overmind. Devised by a master torturer named Dr. Jeremy Cooper."


    Zander grinned, "You''re only making us want to do them more. Wait...I know that name! Count me in!"


    Onyx looked at him, then Nina and Algernon, only Bork didn''t look thrilled. "Samuel Clemens was really on to something."


    Milo sighed. "Don''t say I didn''t warn you. But now that we''ve visited engineering, let''s get moving. I''ve got one more interesting place we have to get to."


    "The giant mechanical mole machine we can use to tunnel to Rhebus?"


    "Oooh, the Fusion Reactor?!"


    "The hanger deck with your space cruiser?"


    "Please tell me you have a giant mecha! Or does the whole place turn into one?"


    "Raptor breeding pens."


    The last was from Algernon. The others turned to him, "Bad idea the first time, bad idea the second time, and never again."


    "But they were so cute! And we have a lot of room down here. They''d make great security personnel with a little training."


    Milo shook his head. "I have armed Roomba and impressive Human-Hunting robots for that."


    Algernon was not convinced. "There comes a time when you put aside your robotic toys and move on to recreating dinosaurs. And I, frankly, am ready for that day. But I can be patient. Where are we going then?"


    "I''ll tell you when we get there." Milo was stubborn after that, ignoring all pleas and questions of, "Are we there yet?" It turned out to be a very short drive to a closed door. Milo opened it and walked in, followed by the others who saw the room was already occupied."


    Once the door was shut, the air was cleared, and helmets came off, they were introduced by Milo. "Belinda, these are my brothers and sister: Bork, Zander, Algernon, Onyx, and Nina. Names may change, but the letters stay the same. Family, this is Belinda. She and you and I all share some interesting history."


    Bork said, quickly, "If you are referring to the small borrowing of your uncle Victor''s money, I have to let you know that we''re protected by Romanian law from prosecution."


    She laughed, "Isn''t everyone? Don''t worry, I certainly don''t care. Happy it happened, and Milo did it too. I''m sure you know it wasn''t his money. If you can use it for something other than hurting people, you''re welcome to it."


    Zander took a deep breath, then spoke, "You''re referring to our mutual origins. Your father made us, and then he made you."


    Belinda nodded, "Call me Batch 4.5, one of a kind as far as I know, and messed up from the start. He was disappointed I was conceived the normal way, so he decided to experiment a little. Milo has been a big help. I''d be dead or locked away in a pod for the rest of my life if we hadn''t met." She looked at Milo, he could tell something was wrong. "I noticed something today. Dad''s not done with me."


    Milo was immediately concerned. "Noticed what?"


    "Similar symptoms to what my mother went through. I''m getting smarter. My thoughts are moving quickly. And I think the increase is exponential. It''s slow now, but it will get worse and worse. I''m theorizing that the drug treatments my mother intended for me to be on were tampered with by my doctors. They never wanted me to fully wake up or regain my mobility. Something they did must have held off part of the changes Vigo made, and now they''ve started up again. We need to find a way to retard the growth rate of my intelligence. Possibly with some of the drugs my doctors were using, or that my mother wanted me to use for my early years. You saw what she was like at the end. I don''t want to go through that. I''ve been going over the data, but there''s so much of it. I need help, and you six are the only people I can go to."


    The alphabet looked at the rows of data discs. Concern for Milo''s friend warred with the desire to dig into the raw data. Outside of their own data files at Rhebus, this might be the biggest collection of information on human biology in the world. And helping people was what they did. They could see that Belinda was in a heightened state of awareness. She wasn''t questioning their presence or wasting time with small talk. And even as they talked, part of her was watching the data on the screens as it flew by.


    "We''ll help. Scavenger hunts in engineering and other things can wait. This takes top priority. You''re family."


    Belinda looked grateful. "Thank you. I feel like I''ve been on a quest all my life to get out of that wheelchair and away from my stepfather. But I''ve still got a long way to go to be free of my real father and what he did. I thought I was done, but the journey isn''t over."


    The large screen came on, showing a red-headed boy of about sixteen. He had a ridiculously long red beard and a huge axe over his shoulder. "And you shall not quest alone! You have my axe!"


    Rusty''s enthusiasm made her smile.


    Milo didn''t want to be left out of a grand quest. "And my Spikey Stick!"


    Neither did anyone else.


    "You have my bow!"


    "And my big-assed sword!"


    "My howitzer."


    "My Mega Motostryke Motorized 10-Dart Blaster."


    Bork paused, he''d wanted to call dibs on the Dart Blaster. "And you have my nuclear chainsaw!


    Everyone looked at Bork. He glared at them. "Don''t question the magic!"


    Rusty raised his axe in the air, "Awesome! I get to go on a quest!"


    Belinda smiled at them all, then said, "Everyone, this is Rusty. He''s been helping me with my research. I don''t think I could have got through a third of what I''ve accomplished without him."


    Nina said, "Oh, the person who wants to put on the Broadway show."


    Rusty said, "YES! My beloved Kei and Yuri will dance across the stage, to the applause of millions." The screen split into many scenes accompanied by music Rusty had composed. "I''ve worked on it non-stop since Milo kindly offered to fund my show."


    Zander looked at Onyx, then at Rusty. "While helping with research?"


    Rusty smiled proudly, then split into several versions of himself, all dressed differently. "Yep. It''s easy. Part of me is researching with Belinda, and other parts are doing the choreography, composing music, and writing the stories. And watching over the Fusion Generator, of course. That''s job number one now that ICARUS is gone. All Fusion Generators should be checked ten times a second. That''s a rule."


    The alphabet was silent, with blank faces, as each concluded what Rusty must be.


    Milo said, "Rusty and ICARUS are two of the AIs that Jeremy created. They were here when I arrived. ICARUS was under orders to destroy the Quantum Fortress in a meltdown, and Rusty was trying to stop him. They were locked in a stalemate for years, engineered by Jeremy."


    Rusty said proudly, "But Milo tricked him, and we all won. I helped."


    Onyx turned to Milo. "You have a Quantum Fortress? A fully functional quantum fortress with an AI hidden in a secret bunker? How did you end up with all the cool toys?!"


    "I don''t mind sharing, and it''s Rusty''s more than mine. He was born here. I only moved in lately."


    Nina was already thinking about Belinda''s problem. "We have the data, we have the resources of Rhebus, and the massive power of a quantum fortress. I say we get to work."

 Chapter 377: Milo needs a helicopter?

    The change in the Alphabet from excited children having fun to focused professionals happened in a matter of seconds. Part of Belinda watched as all of them began to focus and work together. Onyx proposed a new project: Study the new batch of data and find a way to cure Belinda. The study would begin immediately and take priority over other projects.


    Belinda and Milo watched as each person took thirty seconds to give their thoughts, and then they voted. It was unanimous and they got to work. Nina was assigned to the position of project head because of her expertise in human medicine. Bork, Onyx, and Algernon were given the task of working with Rusty to go over the existing data they found on Vigo''s experiments and go through the remaining discs. Belinda, Nina, Zander, and Milo left them to do their job and drove back to the small hospital in Downtown with its MkVII pods.


    Nina outlined her plans to Belinda. "I want to put you in a pod to do a full exam. In addition to whatever is causing you problems, you''re also suffering from a high level of stress. The side effects of that may mask your other symptoms, so we start by getting that under control. I want to get nutrients into you, slow your metabolism down, and see what effect that has. I need to establish a baseline for you. How long is it since you''ve slept?"


    "Two days? No, closer to four. I''ve been keyed up, anticipating dealing with my father, ever since I found out the truth. After I talked to him, I ran back and got back to work. I couldn''t stop scanning the discs and was going faster and faster. It''s like I can''t slow down! I''ve never had this happen before."


    Nina looked at Milo who nodded, slightly. Not being able to slow down was a familiar feeling for all of the alphabet. "Something has changed. Let''s get you in the pod so you can sleep. Milo, I''m going to need access to our private medical labs in the Rhebus sections. How do we get her there?"


    Milo considered taking her through the habitat with a Roomba escort, but there was an easier way. "Rhebus has a helicopter with cargo capability. When you have her stable, we can go up the elevator to the top of the hab, and use the copter to hop from section E to your sections."


    "Good plan. Next, I need you and Zander to give me a secure Data Net connection to Rhebus. I don''t trust any other form of communication. Too many of our secrets could leak. Corporations are constantly trying to get into our systems. Bork is constantly upgrading our security, and sending little electronic time bombs to the people hacking us. He''s turned a lot of computers into doorsteps. We''ll connect it to a sealed section that doesn''t communicate with the outside. No chance of someone discovering the link."


    Zander turned to Milo, "Downtown isn''t connected, obviously, since you have an AI down there. One hint of Rusty''s existence would make the big AI go ape-shit, he''s hardwired that way. We need to keep him secret. We could run the cable from Rhebus through the sewer systems using the new clog eaters to do the work. That gives us a closed system, but where do we need to go to connect?"


    Milo liked that plan, and that Zander understood how bad it would be if Wally found out about Rusty. "I have a connection from Downtown to my old home, we can connect it there. My systems are set up to block Rusty from accessing the full Data Net and keep Wally out. I download materials to my system, then feed data to the connection to Downtown. If the Rhebus labs are isolated we can hook directly to them."


    "Great, you work from your end. I''ll work from Rhebus and we''ll meet in the middle somewhere."


    Milo used his datapad to show Zander his proposed route. "These water pipes are clean and in good condition. We can use the bots to do most of the work and follow along checking the connections. I''m sending six of them to meet you on the Rhebus side." They didn''t stop when they got to the doors to Downtown. The Roomba opened them up and Milo drove through, saving Belinda the walk. Butch, Brad, and Min saw them driving along and ran after them to the Medical Center.


    There was concern in Butch''s voice. "What do you need help with? And don''t say you have it handled. You wouldn''t be driving through the hallways and breaking the ''No motorized vehicles'' rule." That rule had been put in place after Butch had convinced Max and the Roomba to take part in ''Camel Races'', with the Roomba acting as the trusty steeds. When four teenagers riding Roomba had nearly run into Mama, new rules were immediately posted. Camel races were now scheduled so non-participants had warnings and could watch from the finish line.


    "I need you and Brad to help us get two pods into the elevator and unseen to the helicopter landing pad. You know the area and can count while the four of us maneuver the pods with the Roomba''s assistance. And I need Min to drive this thing back to the doorway and park it."


    "Awesome!" Min grinned at her big brother, happy with the allocation of jobs.


    "Slowly, and you can''t get caught by Mama."


    "Less awesome, but still fun."


    Nina looked at Milo, puzzled, "Two pods? Is someone else hurt?"


    "Yes, and it''s part of the long story that involves Rusty and Icarus. They were created here, by Jeremy Cooper. To save Icarus, Jeremy created Rusty. But to do that he had to be directly connected to the Quantum Core. This meant full immersion with the creation of a robust Overmind. He slowly lost his link to his real body as the stress took its toll. He succeeded but at the cost of being trapped with Rusty and Icarus in the core. Injured is a mild way to describe the situation. Jeremy spent months, maybe years, in a pod in the lower fusion levels, directly connected to the quantum core. His body is barely alive, and most of his nervous system is overloaded. I don''t know what we can do, but I promised I''d try. We''d have to find a way to download his conscious mind back into his body after we restore him to health. Two big unknowns."


    "His consciousness survived? That''s amazing, and ties into some of the research we''ve been doing. Please tell me you have all of his notes and research!"


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Milo grimaced, "Much worse. I have all of his tutorials! I never had anything hurt my brain like those did! And yes, all of his research is saved as well."


    Nina grinned, "Groundbreaking research and medical miracles. We live for this type of challenge. " She glanced down at her hand. "But you''ve done some of that yourself. How did you discover a method for aligning nerve impulses? And why did you sell your gloves as video gaming gear?"


    "Um...accidentally? It was protective gear in case I had to deal with Victor''s goons. Butch saw the gloves when I was wearing them during the test period and assumed they were for gaming. They do speed up reactions and eliminate fatigue, so I made the gang their own set. I was surprised when they helped Belinda to move more easily."


    Nina held up her hand. "You did more than that. This isn''t a prosthetic. We''ve pioneered cutting-edge cloning techniques. I was able to graft a new left hand without rejection, but it was clumsy and hard to use, even after a year of physiotherapy. I only had 17% of the mobility of my right hand. That''s up to 64% without the gloves, and still improving. With them on I''m at 94%. That technology is why we made that deal with Claw Master and Genesis." She peeled off the glove and wiggled her fingers.


    Seeing that made Milo extremely happy. And then the ramifications hit him. "I could have two legs?"


    "You certainly could. And I need more test subjects, so thanks for volunteering. We''ll have you dancing in time for the Broadway show."


    Milo fervently wished to avoid such an event. Dancing with Larry was one thing. He wasn''t sure he couldn''t handle being in a live-action anime production. The discussion ended as they arrived at the small hospital, Nina looked around at the equipment, noting that for a government installation, it wasn''t half-bad, although some of the equipment needed updating. But it wasn''t a research laboratory, and that was what she needed. Belinda had fallen out of her hyper-focus at some point during the short trip and was half-asleep. Milo and Nina got her into her pod and hooked up to the diagnostics scanners and nutrient dispensers.


    "As I thought, she''s running on too little sleep and too much stress. Her EKG graph shows more mental activity than I''ve ever seen in a normal human. We''re far beyond normal, and she''s somewhere in the middle. Whatever is happening is a long-term change. I suspect things accelerated when you got her off that horrible cocktail of drugs, and she started wearing the suit you made. Normally, those are both good things, but something else is at work here, some legacy of what her father did. Let''s get her to Rhebus."


    Butch and Brad helped them wheel the pods to the elevator to the top floor and through the security center. Nina took a quick look at Jeremy''s pod, confirming what Milo had told her. The body was alive, barely, but no one was home. In any hospital, they would have declared him brain-dead. At the top, the two boys quietly left the abandoned offices and scouted out the nearby corridors. The area was almost completely abandoned now, businesses that had occupied the top floors had fled after only a few years and there were no housing areas. It was rare that shipments came by helicopter, but in the past year, the roof had seen more use by executives from Genesis, Claw Master, and Manpower. Within minutes the two pods were loaded and the copter was in the air, traveling once around the building and setting down again on the Rhebus landing pad.


    Butch and Brad were quiet until they got into the elevator with Milo. "Does Claw Master have a cool helicopter like that?"


    Milo could think of no reason why he''d ever use such a vehicle. He didn''t even like being on the roof. "No, what would I do with it."


    Brad grinned, "Loan it to your best buddies so they can learn to fly it."


    "That sounds like a good way to lose a million-dollar helicopter and whatever it lands on. Shouldn''t you know to fly one first, then get the vehicle?"


    Butch agreed with such sage advice. "This is why we keep you around, for your big brain. You''re right, we need to begin lessons and let you buy us a cool copter when we won''t wreck it. Playing Chopper Commander only gets you so far."


    Brad sighed but gave in. "OK, pilot''s license first, chopper second."


    "I don''t see why we need a helicopter."


    "Well, you have a place to land one and you bought the whole section. Seems silly to not get yourself two pilots and a fancy ride."


    Milo looked at the two of them, trying to figure out how serious they were. They''d fooled him before. "If you can beat me in Chopper Commander, I''ll pay for lessons."


    "Ooh, a three-way battle?"


    Milo wasn''t about to let them team up on him. He''d barely played the game, and it was one of their favorites. "Nope, I get Min on my side. If we win, she gets to take the lessons."


    Brad grimaced, "Now that''s just unfair."


    Butch didn''t seem to mind, "Roll with it. Either we get lessons, or Min gets them. She can teach us." Discussions continued until they reached the bottom. Mama was waiting for them.


    "I need the help of three strong boys, and I want an explanation of what''s been going on."


    The three of them exchanged looks, before Butch said, "Well, what do you think is going on?" He''d tried to impress on Milo that information was dangerous and to never give away what you''d done, in case that wasn''t the subject of the current investigation.


    "I think that someone was taking a half dozen rabbits and two of the younger children for a ride, and managed to get the vehicle stuck in the bushes in the middle of the park. No one got hurt except for the bushes. You three can get your story straight while you un-stick it, and I have a long talk with Min."


    As Mama walked off to find her daughter, Brad looked at Butch, "Probably a bad time to tell Mama that Min is learning to fly a helicopter."


    "Just means we have to win!"

 Chapter 379: Adventure Calls...as soon as we arent busy.

    Milo found himself hustled off to the pre-surgery scrub room and given a crash course in scrubbing for surgery: Rhebus style. The first step involved a shower using a decontamination booth that not only cleaned him but also took off three layers of dead skin cells. Protective eyewear kept the chemical bath out of his eyes, but the fumes tickled into his nose uncomfortably. His siblings shouted out encouragement.


    "Make sure to use the stiff brush to loosen things up."


    "And the smaller brushes to get in between your toes."


    "That always stings!"


    "If your toes don''t sting, you''re doing it wrong!"


    He exited and was wrapped in a very large hot towel and given his first set of surgical scrubs and a mask. For all their banter, he was impressed with how thorough they took their preparations. Finally, he was seated with everyone but Nina, observing the surgical arena through a glass window with overhead screens showing different angles and a computer screen in front of him. Nina was sitting next to Belinda''s pod with a control station in front of her.


    Milo looked at the console in front of him with controls for operating small Waldos and manipulating the tools used for endoscopic surgery. "I have a question..."


    Bork said, "Nope, you don''t get to run the show. There is a set pecking order. Nina is the head surgeon, and the rest of us are on backup duty today. No brain surgery for you!"


    "You don''t know how thankful I am for that."


    Zander turned and lightly bopped Bork on the head, "Rude. You have to let him ask questions! He was looking for volunteers to practice on."


    Bork nodded, understanding finally, "Oh, in that case, I''ll volunteer."


    Everyone looked at Bork.


    "I volunteer Zander as Milo''s experimental guinea pig. He doesn''t have the mental capacity today to be responsible for himself, so I''ll make his decisions for him. Ignore the garbled mouth noises he''s making. He''s excited about Milo digging around in his frontal lobes."


    Onyx considered the statement, "A dangerous precedent, volunteering others. But exciting. I volunteer to watch as an impartial observer and judge whether any of you are responsible enough to make your own decisions. Don''t worry, I''ll be very fair."


    Milo saw that Nina was almost about to begin, and snuck his question into the conversation, "Why the scrubs?"


    Algernon answered, "Partly for fun. Partly for practice. But mainly, in case something goes wrong and Nina needs help. You never know when the fun and games end. Being ready can save a life."


    A countdown flashed three times, indicating Nina was ready to begin. For the next two hours, Nina carefully used non-invasive surgery to take a set of thin wires up through the nasal cavity and then into part of Belinda''s brain, aiming for a point where her scans showed nanites at work modifying her nervous system. She was slow and careful, taking no chances. When finished, she brought out a minute tissue sample that should contain the microscopic machines that were loose in Belinda''s body.


    "Milo and Zander, you''re up. Isolate one of the beasties and start comparing it to our notes. I''m going to close up and then monitor her for the next day. Bork, you''re backing me up first, then Onyx. Algernon is on monitor duty and gets to run Rhebus today."


    Everyone saluted, Milo half a second behind the others, "Yes, Head Surgeon!"


    A day later, Milo was completely involved in tearing apart, figuring out, and redesigning the nanite crawlers created by Vigo or Vigo''s Father. They were ingenious in design, but a blunt instrument. They were designed to do one thing only, and keep doing it until they registered certain chemical compounds, and then they shut off. The small piece of tissue had hundreds of them, all working to enhance her nervous system. They were dangerous, with very little in the way of control systems, like a car that kept driving until out of gas, something broke, or it encountered a very specific sign. Milo was sure Vigo had only used them because of a lack of time, and his expectation to purge them from Belinda''s system at a later date.


    Zander was figuring out exactly what the control substances were, testing all of the drugs Belinda had been given and similar compounds. Carefully testing one nanobot at a time, he found three drugs that caused them to alter their behavior. The first put them into a static mode, ready to get back to work. The second caused them to disengage and go dormant, but he wasn''t sure for what time period. Theoretically, they could be more easily flushed from the body when dormant. Static nanobots remained attached to the nerve tissue they had been working on, ready to resume. The last chemical reactivated static machines, which then searched for nerve tissue to upgrade.


    When he had exhausted all possibilities, he slowly came out of his state of intense concentration, exhausted.


    Bork handed him a large chocolate nutrient shake, complete with whip cream and a cherry. Algernon had come up with them, using the logic that if you needed 4000 calories, you needed a milkshake. No one disagreed.


    "Everything fine?"


    Bork looked distressed, "Yes, and no. Belinda is fine. But I''m worried about Milo."


    "How so? What happened?"


    "He linked into our system and is working with Rusty to examine, modify, and test new versions of the nanobots. And when I say ''Examine, modify, and test'', I mean all three lines of thought at once. I''m recording it all because I can''t follow it. I think he''s separated himself into four people, one in charge of the other three. He has to be accessing some type of advanced form of an Overmind. He''s well past our own experimentation. It''s driving me crazy trying to figure out how he did it."


    Zander looked over to where Milo was working, images on screens flashing past at breakneck speed, fingers tapping keys, and eyes half open. Cables connected him from all of his sockets and his tail to the Rhebus computers. Three empty nutrient shakes sat on a nearby table. "Is he ok, what are his stress levels?"


    Bork shrugged, "Less than half of yours. He''s fine. Nina thinks that working this hard is what keeps him sane. There are so many lines of study branching off from watching him that I could scream. I already sent Mama a supply of nutrient shakes. She worries a lot about him."


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Well, get me another shake. I''m going to take a look at his notes, use the micro-fabricator to create one of his designs, and see what it does. I''ve learned more about nano-design today than in the last five years. And once this project is over, we should sit down and have a long talk with him about what he''s doing. Can you imagine how much more we could do with all of us operating like that?"


    "I do, which is why I also put in a huge order for the ingredients Algernon uses to make his shakes. Chocolate, vanilla, or passion fruit this time? Or would you like an assortment?"


    "Go with the assortment, with extra cherries."


    When Milo finally disengaged fully from the Rhebus computer system, he saw Rusty wave and disappear, anime music that had been playing in the background slowly faded away. The Alphabet was all around him, also looking exhausted. "What happened?"


    Nina had huge bags under her eyes. Bork and Algernon were nodding in place, awake but not talking, and hooked to I.V. drips. Zander was going over a schematic with Onyx and sipping a milkshake. Milo realized he was famished.


    Nina handed him a similar dessert. "Here, eat this. Good for you, and you''ve already eaten nine of them, and I had you on a drip for a few hours. You''ve been in a continuous state of hyper-awareness for thirty-three hours. Is this normal for you?"


    "Sort of. I lose track of time when I''m working. These are great cherries!"


    "We get them from Italy, where a little family farm grows them. Great stuff. They were getting squeezed by ORGOFARM to sell out, but an anonymous investor stepped in to save them. They''re doing better now and we got them out of some bad deals. In return, we get all the cherries we can eat. Our dividends go to a law firm and several local politicians who look out for the family. We go through a lot of cherries when we work hard. How much do you remember of what you did when you separated your thought processes?"


    "All of it. I don''t forget things, not important things, at least."


    "Interesting. None of us can argue with the results. We have a working prototype for the new NanoRhebusBot. All the patents have been applied for, and we paid extra to have them sealed, which costs a lot and will drive Technodyne and Alchemarx crazy, wondering what we''re up to. Once we do some testing, we''ll begin human trials. I think we have something here that will solve a lot of problems."


    "Including Belinda?"


    "Absolutely. Zander has found the chemical controls, and anything inside her is dormant now. I want to keep her on daily supplements to make sure until we get them all out of her system. Her father did shoddy work, letting something loose he couldn''t turn off completely."


    Milo finished his shake and noticed that there was a large plate of snacks nearby. No one seemed to mind when he took the whole plate and started eating it. "That''s what bothered me as soon as I saw it. Primitive receptors, with little control. It was an unfinished project and he turned it loose on her before she was born. I hate shoddy work like that."


    "Well, your version is much better. Improved communication and control, and we''ll be able to use them for several neurological disorders, including Perkins-Rudolf Degeneration."


    "Which is?"


    "Pod disease. There are millions of people suffering from it, and the only person trying to do anything about it is your buddy Wally. I think he''ll be happy with this new treatment. I estimate it decreases treatment time from five years to twenty months with 57% better results, especially in the worst cases."


    "I''ll have to talk to him then. How long before Belinda is up?"


    Nina yawned, "Give her another two days and I won''t worry at all about releasing her. We''ll run tests and keep her monitored, just in case. I want her to continue her physical therapy, without any enhancements from your suit, and then I''ll do a complete scan of her nervous system. She has a unique physiology, similar to ours, but not quite. I think that''s part of the problem. She grew and matured, the doctors kept mucking with her drugs to keep her an invalid, and the nanobots were cycling from active to inactive. So get some rest, I want you in your pod and sleeping for the next twelve hours. You can be out of the pod for an hour, then right back in. I''m running a complete analysis on you. We work hard, but we don''t abuse our health."


    "I have work I should do."


    "I''ll tell Mama if you do anything other than sleep. She''s called three times already, inquiring about you and Belinda. I doubt security would stop her if she decides to come visit."


    Milo thought it was better not to find out. "What about Genesis? I have work to do there, too. I have to help dig a tunnel to the new underground pirate base before the Engineer teams get their new drill machines running."


    "Underground pirate base?" Zander perked up his ears and looked excited.


    Onyx said, "Told you it was a cool game."


    "I need to know more, for, uh, science and stuff."


    Nina looked at the two of them. "I''m still leery about that game, but I''m weakening. I miss bounding over the rooftops."


    Milo looked at Onyx, "Captain Squint is looking for a good airship pilot. He tried doing it himself and ran into a building."


    "That was a sweet ship, I''d love to take it out for a good flight."


    Bork and Algernon scooted their chairs and I.V. stands closer to the conversation. "When?"


    Nina looked at the anxious faces, "We have work to do, and need rest. But I don''t see why the rest can''t be done in a pod that''s hooked to the game. We can cycle in a couple of people at a time. And you slackers need to catch up. Onyx and I are up to Level 6!"


    Bork looked at Milo, "And you?"


    All of the alphabet looked at Milo, waiting for his answer, "Close to Tier 4 and Level 21. I''m at Level 20, but I want to squeeze out every Enhancement point that I can."


    Everyone looked at each other. Bork stood and loudly said, "We must close the unfair gap between our levels, brought on by our slacking. Adventure calls."