《Liberation Saga》


 Prologue

    Ghost and I sat quietly, watching the scene in front of us. A distraction no one asked for. Vibrant vegetation, kissed by the sun, swaying in a gentle wind, failed to warn anyone of what awaited them if they looked over their shoulder.


    Chaos. Destruction. Disappointment. The death of dreams. The pinnacle and the end of humanity.


    The walls of PanTech HQ crumbled in many places, far into the distance. It was too dangerous to approach now. Machines still patrolled the interior, shaped like spiders and as big as a house. Thankfully, they had not emerged from within. At least not yet. My small crew of Explorers League stragglers barely escaped a pursuit party filled with them, but it wasn¡¯t without cost. Everyone still inside was likely lost. Many had been lost on the outside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll catch up in a bit, Ghost. Could you work with Linda on stocking our vehicle for the journey?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one more matter I¡¯d like to discuss first,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh? Very serious. What is it, Ghost?¡±


    ¡°I believe we should visit your home zone first.¡±


    ¡°Ghost¡­ you know how badly I want to do that, but that¡¯s not the plan. Arc City has the highest population of any zone. It must be prioritized to prevent the most deaths. Going to any other zone first would be impractical. I understand you¡¯re saying it for my sake, but we cannot deviate from this.¡±


    ¡°For your sake? Do you think I¡¯m a human, weighed down by your same erratic emotions? Please¡­ It¡¯s just that, as usual, you are failing to factor in all variables and, therefore, are arriving at the wrong conclusion.¡±


    ¡°Please, Ghost,¡± I said, slamming down my pen and paper beside me. ¡°I¡¯m all ears. Go on. Tell me why I¡¯m wrong.¡±


    ¡°This mission requires you to be at your very best to stand any chance. Even then, it¡¯s impossible. You will always be distracted by thoughts of home. Every time you see a woman dying, you¡¯ll think of your mother. When you see a man, you¡¯ll think of your father. Traveling to your zone first will eliminate these distractions and allow you to enter Arc City at your very best, significantly increasing the chances of a positive outcome.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I wanted to argue. I balled up my fist, letting my mind fill with the various ways I was about to tell Ghost he was wrong. Except he wasn¡¯t. It was already becoming what I thought about the most. What if Ferris went home, expecting I would too? ¡°Okay¡­¡± I said, almost whispering. ¡°We¡¯ll go there first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to your letter,¡± Ghost said, taking off and flying toward the survivor camp.


    Ghost might not have understood humans very well in general, but he certainly understood me. He questioned the usefulness of penning such a letter, leaving it for someone to find, sealed in a container to be found someday in the future. But¡­ I just wanted to believe there would be a future. If not for us, then for someone. The anthropomorphic animals we created, perhaps. Maybe by some miracle humans really would survive. I wanted to believe someone might find it¡­ even though, deep in my heart, this letter was, in truth, only for me. I doubted anyone would ever find it.


    I took a deep breath, sighed, and began writing.


    ***


    Hello, stranger.


    My name is Taylor.


    I¡¯m writing this letter because tomorrow I depart to ¡°save¡± what remains of humanity.


    I was born in a small village. An adversity zone isolated in the vast desert. My mother was a PanTech sympathizer and former employee. My mother was practical and resourceful. When she put her mind to it, there was almost nothing she couldn¡¯t do.


    My father was a stubborn man. A genius and an inventor. More than that, he had a rebellious heart. One he passed on to me. He believed forcing others was always wrong, even when they were forced to do good.


    When I was nearly eighteen, just before I was meant to take the PanTech employee entrance exam all young people of every zone take after their eighteenth birthday, my life took a sharp turn. As my village¡¯s veterinarian, I was the first to notice when a strange new species, more monster than animal, began attacking.


    Surprisingly, or I guess unsurprisingly in hindsight, this was a PanTech engineered weapon meant to bring our village¡¯s progress down a notch. To put us in our place. With the help of a PanTech soldier named Linus, willing to stand up against his own employer to do what he felt was right, the two of us challenged the monster in the desert. Afterwards, Linus was killed by fellow soldiers. He was the first man I truly loved.


    Shortly after this, I met the creature who would become my dearest non-human friend. Little is known about shadowfalcons, beyond the fact they were thought to be a made-up species. Just in case this letter was to ever fall into the wrong hands, I¡¯ll not get into the specifics of what makes them special. Shadowfalcons are equipped with the ability to disable prey easily, but more than that they possess the highest intellect of any animal I¡¯m aware of. When he was later used as a prototype for a humanization study, this increased notably. I¡¯ll get more into that later.


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    I confronted the commander in charge of my zone, a fiery woman named Frelya. I felt she was partially responsible for what happened to Linus. I thought she ordered it. Turned out, she didn¡¯t. Knowing her the way I came to know her later, it hurts my heart to write anything mean about her. Just know that, at that time, I hated her. I thought she was a shining example of everything I loathed about PanTech and the world.


    I made some efforts to join a rebel group in the village, but found they were no better than those we stood against. Worse, they¡¯d set Linus up and were the reason he was killed. I could never forgive it. I confronted them, eventually leading to a showdown with the leader. I walked away. He didn¡¯t. Because of this, I was given special recognition by PanTech recruiters for squashing a rebellion, even though that was never my intention. My brother and I passed our exams and were shipped off shortly after. With Frelya pulling some strings, I was implanted with an enhancer, as we call them. A small device in the brain that allows us to push our bodies and minds beyond the limits of what we thought possible. Normally, only given to commanders.


    I haven¡¯t seen my brother Ferris since the collapse, but I don¡¯t think he was here when it happened. I hope he¡¯s okay¡­


    After arriving at PanTech, adjusting was easier than I expected. I met two wonderful friends, Linda and Joyce. They were by my side, always, and they taught me the valuable life lesson of how to depend on others, to lean on friends in times when the world felt too overwhelming. I knew that, no matter what I faced, I could always count on them.


    And I¡¯d face a lot after joining PanTech.


    Shortly after I joined, in the Animal Studies division, we worked on the first test subjects for our animal humanization project. We gave them more human features, a higher intellect, the ability to speak and use tools. Our first experiment was on a Beagle, which we named Harvey. An adorable little guy. This science was secretly planned for military use, of course, by the president¡¯s confidant, General Markus. The same man who would betray him and attempt to establish a military dictatorship. Thankfully, with the help of Frelya, Linda, and Joyce, we were able to stop him. I overused my enhancer in this fight, nearly dying, prompting Frelya to remove it and install a weaker, but much safer version.


    I never thought I¡¯d say this but¡­ perhaps we shouldn¡¯t have stopped the general.


    After the fiasco with the general, leader of Adversity Management, I was allowed to take half of the newly created anthropomorphic dogs and cats back with me to form a new division called the Explorers League. We specialized in exploring old territories and discovering their historical significance lost to time. However, we found that the more we explored, the more we encountered these strange old-world machines. Arachnids. Giant spider machines. At first, they were all rust buckets barely posing any threat, but my units learned how to fight them, disable them, and exploit their weaknesses. Something that would make all the difference later.


    It was only after removing Markus as a threat that I began to realize what a madman the president of PanTech truly was. Like a villain in a story, he sought endless strength and immortality. He dreamed of reshaping humanity in his own image. No price was too high for even the most trivial of his goals. And that being the case, the development of a supervirus had been going on in secret. One he hoped could be programmed to weed out the less intellectually gifted, distilling humanity down to a few hundred immortal geniuses with no need to consider population.


    When I opposed this, I was ¡°reeducated¡±, which is a process too horrific to describe in detail. It was like a different version of me was installed in my body and able to make all the decisions. It controlled my logic. It made me¡­ a horrible person. I¡¯d met a man right before this, named Farle, and I thought I might have finally found someone. That I was finally able to move on. The new me ruined everything, got his sister killed, and led him to resent everyone. Myself, PanTech, and the world. It was then that, in truth, I probably had the most in common with him.


    Frelya was the one who freed me from the nightmare, though I only wish she¡¯d managed to do it sooner. A feat no one had ever been able to perform, she reversed the reeducation procedure. Even the president couldn¡¯t believe it, making it easy for me to conceal that I¡¯d been made myself again. We attempted to stop him from moving forward with the virus, but all this failed. He eliminated anyone who stood against him and proved to be unbeatable. Though not unstoppable.


    A cat named Kelin intervened to stop Farle from killing me. This same cat was how we discovered the president¡¯s secret immortality experiments. They¡¯d been disguised within our animal studies. It was only when we began to inspect their changed DNA that we realized it. Harlow, a dog who was Kelin¡¯s rival in the beginning, became her great friend. When she was captured, he risked his life to rescue her. Kelin might¡¯ve saved me from Farle, but Harlow wasn¡¯t to be outdone.


    Frelya and I confronted the president together, hoping to stop the inevitable but¡­ we failed. Seeing that we couldn¡¯t win, Frelya forced me to eject from the building through its elevator. Harlow and Kelin picked me up afterwards, and we began our escape. Followed by a swarm of these freshly assembled arachnid machines, my Explorers League protected me. Harlow sacrificed himself to disable our pursuers with an EMP, allowing the others a precious window of time to destroy them. By a hair, we escaped.


    I should not be here right now, alive, writing this letter. During the collapse, before he was killed, Farle schemed to infect the animals in both Adversity Management and Explorers League, sending them out to every zone to infect all humanity. He destroyed our long-range communication systems to prevent us from sending out any kind of warning. There was no stopping it. Now, all I have is the version of the vaccine we were able to create before our science facilities were destroyed. A false salvation. Protection from the virus at the cost of fertility. Life, in exchange for complete sterilization.


    Humanity is finished, but I¡¯m compelled to give everyone who remains the choice. If one day, humans find this, I want to apologize to you for the role I played in all this. I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t enough to save you. I wish I could have done better. Offered more. Been more. If animals can outlive us all, and one finds this in the distant future, I can only ask you for this one favor:


    Don¡¯t repeat our mistakes. Learn to see the value in others and treasure their differences. Appreciate those who disagree with you the most, because it is them who make you better than who you were yesterday. Your rivals encourage you to rise above your previous limits. Love them for that.


    Don¡¯t strive to be the next humanity.


    Be better.


    ***


    I folded the letter and locked it in the canister, sealing it tightly. I¡¯d written it more for myself than for others, knowing it was unlikely anyone would ever see it.


    I turned around, getting on my knees and crawling beneath the overhang of the large boulder I¡¯d been sitting on, digging away with my bare hands to create a shallow hiding place.


    It was a weight off my shoulders. A weight I was about to replace with one a hundred times heavier.


    I was finally ready to take my next step forward.

 Chapters 1-20

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 Chapter 21

    The streets stretched on, covered by a thin layer of water from a rain that just kept pouring down. Normally I welcomed the smell of summer rain, but not in this city. The air was heavy with the smell of old food, trash, and alcohol. Despite the fact I kept seeing signs everywhere that it was illegal, an awful lot of people had the smell on their breath. The neon glow lining both sides of my path pierced the haze of the foggy veil rising from the hot asphalt. It was disorienting, but people were walking around and laughing, so they were clearly adjusted. I really hoped I¡¯d adjust to it soon too.


    ¡°Hey, nice outfit,¡± a woman shouted at me, standing outside a building smoking a cigarette.


    I could hear them laughing as I passed by. The last thing I needed was to draw unnecessary attention to myself. Having unrestricted access to unlimited resources at PanTech HQ, it didn¡¯t exactly occur to me that I should collect currency from all the different zones that used it. Arc City didn¡¯t seem like the best place in the world to be walking around broke.


    My head buzzing, I veered off into one of the many dark alleyways I¡¯d encountered, hoping for a break from the blinding colors drilling into my mind.


    Spotting an overhang, I slumped against the wall and down to the wet ground below. The armor kept me dry, and warm, at least. I thought back on the joke I¡¯d made about Arc City looking great this time of year. Not only did it not look great right now, but I couldn¡¯t imagine it looking great any time. Who could love all these lights and noise?


    ¡°Hey there. Looking down on your luck,¡± a man¡¯s voice said. Finally, a potentially helpful person.


    ¡°You could say I¡¯m feeling a little lost,¡± I said, looking up.


    The guy was huge, but looked like he¡¯d seen better days. In fact, I¡¯d have been surprised if every single day of the man¡¯s life wasn¡¯t a better day. He was disheveled, and had clearly been drinking.


    ¡°How about you come back to my place. I¡¯ll make sure you get all warmed up from the rain. Don¡¯t wanna catch cold,¡± he said, followed by a cackle that made it clear his intentions were anything but helpful.


    ¡°No thanks,¡± I said.


    ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon. Don¡¯t be like that. Why you gotta be so rude, huh?¡±


    He reached down and grabbed the sleeve of my shirt.


    ¡°Sorry, you must not have heard me over the rain. I said no thanks,¡± I repeated, more forcefully this time.


    ¡°You¡¯re one of those girls that thinks they¡¯re better than everybody. How about you empty out those pockets then? I can see you¡¯ve got some stuff hidden there.¡±


    I sighed as he lifted me off the ground by my arm, putting up no resistance¡­ yet. He was a big guy, and probably had no idea what he was getting himself into. Though, I didn¡¯t feel any pity for him. In fact, I was looking forward to the next few moments. Always nice to blow off some steam.


    ¡°Sorry, can¡¯t do that,¡± I said.


    He laughed again, then reached for my pocket. I slid my foot into his, causing him to tip forward and catch my forehead with his nose. I stood up as he staggered back a few steps, blood running through his fingers.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ve gone and done it. I¡¯m gonna¡ª¡±


    I stepped forward, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up off the ground, slamming him into the wall on the other side of the alley. Air escaped from his lungs, and he gripped my wrist with both of his hands, desperately fighting to pull away. With my enhancer, my strength dwarfed his. His eyes were as big as saucers. He must¡¯ve thought he was hallucinating.


    ¡°You were saying?¡± I asked. ¡°You were going to¡­ what? Go on. Speak up.¡±


    He coughed, kicking desperately, but my armor absorbed the blows fully. They could barely be felt at all.


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    ¡°I¡¯m good with faces, and if I ever see yours again, I¡¯ll break your neck. Understood?¡±


    He nodded and I dropped him to the ground. He coughed and clutched his throat. Most likely he wouldn¡¯t even remember what happened, and if he did, he would assume he imagined it.


    So much for just sitting in one spot and resting my eyes. Either I just had all the bad luck, or this place was a real trash pile.


    I looked down, noticing the man had dropped his wallet. I picked it up and flipped through, then took out the cash and tossed the rest aside.


    ¡°When in Rome¡­¡± I mumbled, pocketing the cash and stepping out of the alley.


    I nearly ran straight into a police officer. Where was he five minutes ago?


    ¡°Everything alright, ma¡¯am?¡± he asked. ¡°Someone said they saw a woman being accosted by a drunk.¡±


    I nodded and smiled.


    ¡°That was me. He gave up and ran off,¡± I said.


    ¡°Can I walk you somewhere safe for the night, ma¡¯am? No offense but you look a bit out of place.¡±


    Guess everyone in this city wasn¡¯t bad. Just had to determine the ratio.


    ¡°Not lost myself, just looking for something. Say¡­ No, never mind. I¡¯ll be fine, officer. Thank you for checking on me. I¡¯ve just lost something and I¡¯m going to keep looking for a bit. I don¡¯t think the police would be much help, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯re too busy to go tracking down lost things.¡±


    The police probably knew exactly where to find what I was looking for, but I couldn¡¯t risk it. I needed to contact the PanTech Adversity Management here, but something was wrong. They were nowhere to be found, and if they were up to no good the police would certainly be under their thumb. Assuming they hadn¡¯t just abandoned ship.


    He scratched his chin and raised a brow. Suspicious, no doubt, but far too busy to push the matter.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re looking for something you could always try Frank¡¯s place. He¡¯s open late. Fair warning, he¡¯s a little down on his luck these days and it shows. But uh¡­ no offense. I can see you probably don¡¯t have a lot of cash and Frank¡¯s likely to work on the cheap.¡±


    ¡°How do I get to his place?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty close now. His office is three blocks down. Take a right, cross the alley and he¡¯ll be on the left. You sure you don¡¯t want me to walk you there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I continued on down the street, the flickering lights already drilling their way into my brain again. Something about them made me feel uneasy, but also tickled a deep part of my brain. They drew my eyes to them, like a pretty flower in a field.


    My surroundings became more and more dilapidated the further in this direction I went. I half expected to find this Frank guy bent over a desk with a knife in his back by the time I got there. Or maybe he¡¯d be some insane old man rambling incoherently.


    ¡°Hey cutie. Looking to buy today?¡± a young woman asked, standing on the corner of the street I was meant to turn on. Oh no. I¡¯d paid enough attention in my history classes to know this cliche.


    ¡°Uh¡­ no. Thanks.¡±


    I¡¯d tried not to make eye contact with her.


    ¡°How about a free sample?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I asked, finally looking up.


    She was flailing a small envelope between her fingers.


    I reached out, taking it.


    ¡°What is this?¡± I asked.


    She laughed at first, but stopped when she realized I wasn¡¯t joking.


    ¡°It¡¯s that new boost that¡¯s been going around. We all know it¡¯s just the lower quality leftovers from the good stuff over in commerce district, but it gets you where you need to get and you know¡­ maybe some side effects. But one of those side effects is a better price so it¡¯s a win.¡±


    ¡°Is this legal?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Hah! The real thing, definitely. This version isn¡¯t exactly endorsed by the cats in commerce, so it¡¯s a bit gray there,¡± she said. ¡°You just mix it with water, and you¡¯ll be ready to go for the whole day. Better than coffee and tastes ten times worse.¡±


    I looked back over my shoulder in the direction I¡¯d seen the police officer just a few minutes before.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll get caught selling it in the open like this?¡±


    ¡°By who? The coppers? They never come down this way.¡±


    I tapped my chin, tucking the envelope in my shirt. I¡¯d examine it more thoroughly later. I didn¡¯t remember reading about this, what little I learned about Arc City in my time at PanTech. Maybe this was something new they were doing on their own now that Adversity Management was MIA. Probably snake oil.


    ¡°Thanks. Say, am I getting pretty close to Frank¡¯s place? I was told he¡¯d be down this alley and to the left.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Frank? Do yourself a favor and walk back in the direction you came. Frank ain¡¯t doin¡¯ so good nowadays. He¡¯ll just get you into more trouble than he gets you out of. That¡¯s why nobody hires him no more.¡±


    If that¡¯s the case, I wondered why the police officer even brought him up. Then again, he did try to warn me. I guess I didn¡¯t take the warning seriously enough. But I was already this close, so it couldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°Oh well, beggars can¡¯t be choosers,¡± I said.


    ¡°Beggars can¡¯t be choosers? Ohh, I like that one. So, uh¡­ you like the sample, you come buy more from me, alright?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Connie,¡± she chirped with a wink.


    ¡°Thanks Connie. I¡¯ll keep you in mind,¡± I said, waving as I left.


    I wanted to ask so many more questions, but they¡¯d have to wait.


    I continued down the alley, took the left, and stood in front of a rundown building. ¡°Private detective,¡± I mumbled, looking at the flashing sign with most of the letters long since gone dim. There were other signs, hanging dark over boarded up doors, but Frank seemed like the only one still here in this forgotten corner of the city.


    I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

 Chapters 22-40

    In order to comply with Kindle Unlimited requirements, the remaining Volume 2 chapters, plus bonus Frelya chapter, must be removed from Royal Road. To find those chapters, please click the purchase link for Volume 2 of Liberation Saga below to find it in your preferred format:


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 Chapter 41

    ¡°What¡¯ll it be, ma¡¯am?¡± a large man with a large beard asked from behind the bar.


    ¡°Got anything for free?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Got a few things for free,¡± he said, as he placed an empty shot glass in front of me. ¡°Air¡¯s free, so you can get a shot of that on the house. I can give out advice for free too, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s hear it,¡± I said, taking the empty shot glass to my lips and throwing it back, wiping my mouth.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he said, grinning. ¡°Was going to say something smart-mouthed, but seeing as you¡¯re good humored maybe I can help us both out.¡±


    He reached behind him, pulling out a bottle of whiskey and filling my glass.


    ¡°Gonna ask you a real straightforward question. Could always use more help around here, but the real question is do you want to make a little money or a little more money than that?¡±


    I downed the shot, slamming it on the counter in front of me. He refilled it.


    ¡°That question doesn¡¯t sound very straightforward. Don¡¯t be afraid to ask it directly.¡±


    He laughed again, but it was a bit more nervous this time.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got two jobs for a lady here, dependin¡¯ upon whether or not the lady prefers to sell her own wares or mine.¡±


    He gestured to the row of three women posed very seductively at the top of the stairs, then back to his stock behind the bar.


    ¡°They were carrying out a man when I got here. Seems like he made quite a mess before enough patrons were able to throw him out.¡± I pointed to the table still overturned in the middle of the room, and the several others in disarray. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t need somebody to take care of the troublemakers? That pay more than a waitress?¡±


    ¡°Well yeah, little miss, for sure it¡¯d fetch a higher wage. You know somebody interested in fillin¡¯ such a role?¡±


    I pondered for a moment. I could certainly do it, but less attention was always better. A small woman suddenly throwing large men out of a saloon might just escalate the problems even more for the saloon and add to my own. I wasn¡¯t looking to make it rich in this town, after all. Just needed food, clothes, and a bit of luck.


    Mostly luck.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask around. That waitress position sounds good for me. I know it¡¯s a long shot, but would that position happen to come with room and board?¡±


    The bartender laughed again.


    ¡°Well, if you were looking to take the other option, I¡¯d say yes, as is standard. But I¡¯ll tell you what¡­ you¡¯re a very pretty girl and you got¡­ something of an exotic look. I hope it does not offend by my saying. Got one of our upstairs ladies currently out with child. It¡¯ll be some days before she is able to return to her duties, and likely she¡¯d welcome someone to keep her room tidied while she is away.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s acceptable, and no you do not offend. Your way of saying it is more polite than others who have said the same,¡± I said, trying to match his tone and cadence.


    Already, being here was difficult. Hearing the familiar speech and mannerisms that I only ever knew as belonging to Linus. Now, I was hearing it all around me.


    ¡°Then do you mind if I venture another question?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°For you to be looking for a place, are you perhaps in a quarrel with your husband?¡± He held up his hands, as though shielding himself against an attack he knew was coming. ¡°I only ask because such circumstances have led to troubles for the establishment in the past. I don¡¯t ask to pry into your personal affairs.¡±


    ¡°I am unmarried,¡± I said.


    ¡°Ah, well, I suppose young ladies are not in as much hurry nowadays as they were in mine,¡± he said, forcing a smile against some distant memory that clearly pained him.


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    Suddenly, the swinging gate at the entrance flung open, with three men spilling in near simultaneously.


    They wore black suits. High quality, but it was impossible to keep anything clean in the blowing sands of a desert. I should know that. Upon their chests, gold badges with a star. Lawmen.


    One looked to me.


    ¡°There she is,¡± he said, drawing his single-action revolver and pointing it directly at me.


    ¡°You¡¯ll point your gun at defenseless women? Do children frighten you too?¡± I asked, picking up my shot and drinking it, placing the empty glass back on the bar.


    ¡°Now see, that¡¯s the problem. We reckon whether or not you¡¯re ¡®defenseless¡¯ ain¡¯t been established yet. Up in the air, so to speak, like that big black bird you was spotted with along the edge of town.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Ghost? He¡¯s my pet falcon. Don¡¯t tell me no one here has a pet bird.¡±


    He took a step forward, his gun trained on me. He meant business.


    ¡°I ain¡¯t never seen no falcon the size of a toddler. Ain¡¯t no birds like that around here, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s imported,¡± I said, raising a brow.


    I¡¯d screwed up and gotten spotted by the wrong people before I had a chance to blend in. Should¡¯ve known this would be much more difficult than it was in Arc City, filled with thousands of people. Probably not even a thousand here, from what I could tell. Everyone knew everyone in a small town like this, and by now weeks had passed since PanTech¡¯s fall. The world was changing. There would be fewer and fewer people who were fully unaware of it, unprepared for me.


    ¡°Yeah, well, after last week we ain¡¯t takin¡¯ no chances. Feller came in here took probably twenty well-placed shots to take down. Three in his noggin¡¯. Outsiders are gonna be treated with due caution.¡±


    I wondered who that could¡¯ve been. It didn¡¯t sound like anyone I knew, and their knowledge was probably limited too. Wouldn¡¯t do me much good to start asking about it, or they might think I was his accomplice looking for revenge.


    ¡°In that case, I understand your caution. What can I do to alleviate your worries?¡± I asked, raising my hands.


    ¡°Sheriff wants to talk to you, little lady. I reckon you ought to behave yourself and keep them hands where we can see ¡®em.¡±


    Now wasn¡¯t the time to taunt them more than I already had. They were spooked.


    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± I said, waving my hands high above me. ¡°I have no intention of resisting.¡± I looked back at the bartender as I walked. ¡°I¡¯ll be back after all of this is cleared up. I can start as soon as they¡¯re satisfied.¡±


    He nodded, not confident speaking in front of the deputies.


    I followed them out of the saloon as they slowly and carefully repositioned to surround me. All three kept their guns drawn. One walked backward, the other two on either side. How many were traveling between zones already?


    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am, this must seem mighty strange to you,¡± another deputy said.


    ¡°A little,¡± I said, still keeping my hands firmly above my head. ¡°But you do what you have to do. I¡¯m your guest here so I don¡¯t mind playing by your rules.¡±


    We didn¡¯t walk far before I was guided into another building with the words ¡®Sheriff¡¯s Office¡¯ above the door.


    ¡°Please wait in the cell there,¡± a man said.


    I hesitated. I certainly wasn¡¯t a fan of being imprisoned like this. An enhancer might not allow me to bend thick steel bars, but I could easily best these three young men and be gone before they knew what hit them. Though, if I did that, I¡¯d be blowing my only shot to get this over with quickly and peacefully.


    Reluctantly, I complied, entering the cell and sitting on the bench against the wall.


    ¡°The sheriff will be with you shortly,¡± he said, locking the door.


    ¡°Some sheriff!¡± a red-haired man in the cell next to mine shouted. ¡°King, more like it. King Eric the Great. Lord Sheriff. Master of the land and ruler of all creation.¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth, Clarence,¡± the deputy said. ¡°Lay off the drinks and you won¡¯t be in here so much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, pardon me for offendin¡¯ the Lord Sheriff, Mister Supreme Mayor of this here town!¡±


    ¡°Clarence, we¡¯ve got a lady guest as your neighbor. Reckon you could show a little civility for her sake?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about no ladies!¡± he shouted, defiantly, looking me directly in the eyes as though the entire statement was meant for me specifically.


    ¡°Psssh!¡± the deputy blew air through his lips, almost hissing, shaking his head as he disappeared out the back. ¡°We got us another hangin¡¯ today, Clarence. Reckon you ought to start thinkin¡¯ real hard about not gettin¡¯ a rope yourself.¡±


    Clarence suddenly became quiet. And stayed that way for a while.


    A few minutes later a tall, mustached man came in. He flashed me a gentle smile, squinting his green eyes and squishing his bushy eyebrows together. He was one of those men you found yourself wanting to trust the moment you laid eyes on him.


    But I¡¯d met many men like that, and some weren¡¯t as kind as they appeared to be.


    He tipped his hat to me, pulling up a stool and sitting in front of my cell.


    ¡°Sorry for the inconvenience ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll keep this brief,¡± he said. ¡°I understand you¡¯ve already lined up a job for yourself here and I¡¯ll feel mighty guilty if I keep you from that. We respect someone willin¡¯ to pull their own weight ¡®round here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sheriff,¡± I said, bowing slightly. ¡°Sorry to intrude. Had I been familiar with customs here I¡¯d have visited your office first thing.¡±


    He smiled again.


    ¡°So, which zone do you hail from?¡±


    ¡°PanTech HQ, sir. I¡¯m one of the survivors.¡±


    ¡°One of the survivors, huh? I didn¡¯t realize there were any.¡±


    ¡°Ohhhh you¡¯ve done it now!¡± Clarence said, finally springing back to life. ¡°You¡¯re in for it now!¡±


    ¡°Please, keep it down Clarence. It¡¯s hard to talk to our guest here with your drunk shouting.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll kill you for sure now!¡± Clarence shouted again, laughing so hard it turned into a coughing fit. ¡°You¡¯re dead. Dead. Dead!¡±


    The sheriff stood up, walking over to Clarence¡¯s cell.


    ¡°C¡¯mere,¡± he said, waving Clarence over.


    When Clarence stepped close, the sheriff punched him in the face, knocking him to the cold stone floor, out even colder.


    ¡°Now¡­¡± he said, wiping the back of his hand on his vest. ¡°Where were we?¡±

 Chapter 42

    I wasn¡¯t an expert on sheriff etiquette. I¡¯d never gone to a sheriff¡¯s school, or studied them in my time at PanTech. However, despite that, I was pretty certain this was not typical, desirable sheriff behavior.


    Clarence didn¡¯t move. Just lay there, unconscious. Trapped in a cell, this was neither the place nor the time for me to make a scene. If I could have the sheriff¡¯s cooperation, it would make my time here all the better and, more importantly, all the shorter.


    ¡°So, PanTech survivor?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There were a few of us who made it out. Most are working on a camp near the outskirts of HQ, but I¡¯m traveling to different zones.¡±


    The sheriff nodded, scratching his chin.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, little miss, PanTech folk ain¡¯t exactly welcome here. Outsiders ain¡¯t likely to cause anything but trouble, as we¡¯ve found out already.¡±


    ¡°What about Adversity Management?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Ain¡¯t no more PanTech Adversity Management in this town,¡± he said, a hint of triumph in his voice.


    ¡°What happened to them?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know. They just left, and good riddance if you ask me. They was too soft on crime. Me and my deputies is finally gonna put a stop to these hoodlums and create some real law and order round here.¡±


    ¡°Sheriff, there¡¯s one very important thing I need to do, and I¡¯ll be happy to leave as soon as I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listenin¡¯,¡± he said.


    ¡°There is a virus, loosed during the fall of PanTech HQ, that is going to wipe out all of humanity. I was able to make a vaccine for it, but it sterilizes anyone who receives it. They can never have children.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re tradin¡¯ a definite for a might, young lady.¡±


    ¡°They are both definite, sir,¡± I said.


    He looked at me and slowly began to smile. For a moment, I wasn¡¯t able to tell what kind of smile it was, but the laugh afterwards told me everything I needed to know.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Taylor,¡± I said.


    ¡°You must think we¡¯re real dumb, huh Taylor? Sounds to me like you¡¯re just looking to retire this old town by keepin¡¯ us from bein¡¯ able to reproduce. Without the big central power, you¡¯re figurin¡¯ we¡¯ll be harder to manage. That virus even real, or did you make all that up just now?¡±


    My gut wrenched. For once, could this just go smoothly?


    ¡°Why would I make something like that up? Surely you¡¯ve seen people getting sick here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right abouts the time the Adversity Management people packed up. Ain¡¯t that just one heck of a coincidence? Almost like they created a problem that needed fixin¡¯, just so they could come in and fix it later.¡±


    ¡°Could I at least offer the vaccine to the townsfolk?¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t,¡± he said, his tone hardening.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I can do to convince you, Sheriff. I won¡¯t force anyone to take anything. PanTech created this virus. I¡¯ll not lie about that either. I was opposed to it and fought them every step of the way. Now, this is all I can do. Maybe I could stick around for a few days in case you change your mind?¡±


    ¡°You can stay in this town for a week, but then you need to be movin¡¯ on. We¡¯ll throw you out if we have to.¡±


    ¡°Sheriff!¡± a voice called from outside, charging in out of breath.


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    ¡°Gah, what now¡­¡± the sheriff said. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m talking to a guest here?¡±


    ¡°The Red Collar Boys are ridin¡¯ into town. They was spotted just a few minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Son of a¡­¡± the sheriff said, standing up and grabbing a rifle off the wall.


    ¡°Do I just wait here, or¡­¡± I said, my own frustration growing. I didn¡¯t exactly want to spend who knows how long locked in this cell while everyone went off to do something else.


    He turned around, unlocking my cell door.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a better idea,¡± he said, his rifle pointed at me. ¡°Let¡¯s test something.¡± He nodded to one of the deputies. ¡°Tie her wrists behind her. We¡¯re taking her along.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pushing it,¡± I said.


    He tilted his head, cocking the rifle in his hand. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Pressing this further would require me to reveal that either I had an enhancer, or that I was wearing armor. Neither were something I wanted to reveal at this point. As much as he was trying my patience, compliance was the only real option.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± I said, turning my back and holding my wrists behind me. ¡°I see what you¡¯re doing. The timing is suspicious, so you want to see if anyone from this gang has a reaction to me being captured.¡±


    ¡°You catch on quick, at least,¡± the sheriff said.


    A deputy came over, tying my wrists and leaving a trail of rope to be used as a lead. He wasn¡¯t gentle about it either.


    ¡°Don¡¯t dilly dally neither!¡± the deputy said, giving me a not-so-gentle push.


    They led me just outside the sheriff¡¯s office and had me face the direction they expected the gang to approach from.


    ¡°On your knees,¡± the deputy ordered. Man, I really wanted to break this guy¡¯s knee caps¡­ Can¡¯t let the intrusive thoughts win¡­


    I got on my knees.


    After a few more minutes, a pounding sound could be heard in the distance and about ten men approached on horseback. They stopped in front of us. Red Collar Boys¡­ clever. They had red bandanas around their necks.


    ¡°Well howdy, Sheriff Eric,¡± a blond man said, presumably their leader, riding just ahead of the rest. ¡°Sure is a nice day today. You takin¡¯ one of your prisoners out on a walk or something?¡± he asked, nodding to me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know who this is,¡± the sheriff said, nudging my neck with his rifle.


    ¡°Mighty sorry to disappoint, Sheriff, but I ain¡¯t never seen that woman before in my life. Ain¡¯t no big surprise to see you treating women poorly though. You ain¡¯t exactly known as being an honorable sort.¡±


    The sheriff turned his gun toward the man in front of him, who held his hands in the air.


    ¡°You ain¡¯t welcome in my town!¡±


    ¡°We ain¡¯t plannin¡¯ to stay in your town,¡± the outlaw said. ¡°We¡¯re just here to collect our boy Clarence.¡±


    ¡°Deputy Choy, go and collect the gentleman.


    Deputy Choy disappeared briefly inside before returning with a staggering Clarence. As Clarence staggered toward them, Deputy Choy gave him a kick in the rear, sending him falling to the ground. One of the outlaws drew his pistol, but with a wave of the blond man¡¯s hand he holstered it again.


    ¡°Why you reckon his face is all busted up like that, Sheriff?¡± the blond man asked.


    ¡°Drunks are clumsy, Kuros. Probably just fell and hit his face on something. Can¡¯t never tell with a drunk.¡±


    The blond man, Kuros, simply stared at the sheriff for a moment before answering.


    ¡°They say sheriff is a dangerous job too. I¡¯ll be prayin¡¯ for your good health.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet you will,¡± Eric said.


    They helped Clarence up on one of the horses, then turned and began to ride away. Kuros stopped and turned back briefly.


    ¡°I know you ain¡¯t got much character to speak of, Sheriff, but tyin¡¯ up a lady to use as a shield¡­¡± He shook his head slowly, then spat on the ground. ¡°Low, even for you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want her back?¡± Eric asked.


    ¡°Want her back? Already told you, I ain¡¯t never seen that woman before in my life.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Sure. I bet that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    Kuros raised a brow. ¡°Ain¡¯t everybody a lyin¡¯ coward like you, Sheriff. You¡¯re just seein¡¯ yourself in others.¡±


    He tipped his hat to me, then turned to ride away. One of the deputies raised his rifle, but the sheriff grabbed it and forced him to lower it, shaking his head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re going to let him talk to you like that, Sheriff!¡± the deputy said.


    ¡°We ain¡¯t properly prepared for a big showdown. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be dealin¡¯ with them scumbags soon enough.¡±


    As I always had a knack for, I¡¯d apparently stumbled into the middle of some kind of conflict. It was too early to decide how to proceed. Even though I was in a hurry, I needed to be cautious and approach this with much more information than I had at the moment. For all I knew, they were all bad guys. That¡¯s the way it usually worked, after all. That¡¯s what it sounded like when Linus told me about this place. Then again, Linus himself was some kind of legendary outlaw. I¡¯d have to be careful dropping his name, especially since the sheriff already suspected me of working with them. He¡¯d never believe it was a simple coincidence that the two of us met.


    ¡°Well, little lady, I reckon that¡¯ll do. Untie her, Choy,¡± Eric said, resting his rifle on his shoulder.


    Choy had to be rougher than necessary with everything he did. After several exaggerated pulls and yanks, the rope fell to the ground behind me. I rubbed my wrists, trying to find some quick relief from the chafing.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got our eye on you. Could just be that he didn¡¯t care enough to get you back, or he knew we was suspicious and he was willin¡¯ to risk whatever happened to you. Make even a tiny mistake and we¡¯ll send you out of here on your face. Anything bigger than a tiny mistake, you¡¯ll hang. I make myself clear?¡± Sheriff Eric said, getting in my face.


    ¡°Crystal clear, Sheriff,¡± I said.

 Chapter 43

    A few minutes later I walked back into the saloon. Many of the patrons had just been outside watching the commotion, eying me with suspicious glances. Some outright stared. As I approached the bar again, the large man from before greeted me with another shot. Unlike most of the others, he didn¡¯t seem upset by anything that occurred. At least, not with me.


    ¡°I¡¯m Taylor,¡± I said, reaching out a hand.


    ¡°Samuel,¡± he said, shaking my hand firmly. ¡°Taylor, I¡¯m going to advance you a bit for your new clothes. Two outfits for here, and two personal. Food and drinks will also come out of your wages. Including those I¡¯ve poured you here tonight. You can do your shopping and get settled into your room today, then work a few hours tonight when things get busy. That all sound fair to you?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I can work with that, Mr. Samuel. I¡¯ll go and take care of it. By the way, what¡¯s your opinion on what just occurred outside?¡±


    He scratched his neck, looking around, like he wanted to make sure no one would hear his answer.


    ¡°Everyone always hated Adversity Management here. All their rules, regulations, meddling in everything¡­ You couldn¡¯t brush your teeth the wrong way without someone from Adversity Management finding out and sending you a brochure on how to do it properly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating¡­ I hope,¡± I said, grinning.


    I hoped, but it was certainly something certain members of PanTech would do.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m exaggerating. Point is they were control freaks. Micromanagers.¡± His voice suddenly grew quieter. ¡°And we hoped things would change after they left.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he just needs more time. It¡¯s been less than a week, after all. What makes you think it won¡¯t be better?¡±


    ¡°The sheriff wants to get tough on crime. Already talking about building a jail half as big as the town itself, and I don¡¯t even know why¡­ what with all the talk of increased hangings there won¡¯t be any of us left.¡±


    Just then, a man approached the bar for a drink, and Samuel suddenly got quiet. Very clearly, he did not want to be overheard. By anyone.


    I headed up the stairs, approaching the three women standing there waiting.


    ¡°A girl? Got one for you, Lucy,¡± the oldest one said, looking to the woman on the opposite end.


    ¡°Ooh, she¡¯s purty too,¡± Lucy said.


    Lucy appeared to be the youngest woman here, but likely much older than me. Though, with all that makeup caked on, it was hard to tell.


    ¡°What? No¡­¡± I said, clearing my throat. ¡°I¡¯m going to be staying in the vacant room temporarily. Samuel just hired me as a waitress. I¡¯m going to keep the room tidied up until she¡¯s ready to return to work. Then I¡¯ll give it up and find some other accommodation.¡±


    The oldest lady frowned at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Rosie would like anyone rummaging around in her room while she¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine Daisy. She left it a mess anyhow,¡± Lucy said. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice for her to come back to somethin¡¯ all cleaned up.¡±


    Daisy, the oldest of the three, tapped her chin. She wore a permanent scowl on her face making me wonder how she managed to make any kind of living in this profession. Then again, men were strange creatures. I dared not put so much thought into it. Daisy looked like she could¡¯ve been the mother of the other girls. Thin streaks of silver peaked through her jet black hair. She had a deep scar that ran through both lips, ending next to her nose.


    ¡°I¡¯m Taylor,¡± I said holding out my hand in front of the three of them.


    Daisy took it reluctantly, sneering as she did. ¡°Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Belle,¡± the middle girl said. A redhead with freckles and green eyes who reminded me a bit of Frelya.


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    ¡°Lucy!¡± the youngest woman replied, taking my hand in both of hers. Lucy might¡¯ve been the prettiest of the three, but it was hard to say. Her makeup could be more accurately described as body armor, and was about as likely to stop a bullet as my light armor suit.


    Daisy swatted Lucy¡¯s hands away when she took a bit too long to let go of mine. ¡°Let¡¯s get you settled in, then. Rosie¡¯s room is the one on the end.¡±


    Daisy gently placed a hand on my shoulder, guiding me into the room. The three of them followed me inside, closing the door.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ve only got a couple of minutes, but there are a few things you need to know,¡± Daisy began, her demeanor softening from what it had been just outside the door only moments ago.


    Belle reached under Rosie¡¯s mattress, pulling out a knife and handing it to me with a smile.


    ¡°Hold on to that. Find yourself something else soon, because Rosie will need that back when she returns to work.¡±


    ¡°Why do I need this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Look, honey,¡± Daisy said. ¡°Just because you¡¯re taking a job that doesn¡¯t go all the way, doesn¡¯t mean the men here don¡¯t forget their place sometimes. Drunks have short memories and sometimes don¡¯t respect boundaries. The real people you need to worry about is the deputies.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t offer any protection?¡± I asked.


    Belle laughed. ¡°Honey, they¡¯re the ones you need protection from. If it wasn¡¯t for the Red Collar Boys, things would be a whole lot worse.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked.


    As soon as Lucy opened her mouth, a knock came at the door. I quickly stowed away the knife as Daisy opened it.


    A man stood there, holding his hat in front of him. ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss business with you, Miss Daisy.¡±


    He wore a suit, clean and pressed. Not a single spot or smear on his small, round spectacles. He was balding, but what was left of his hair was clean, neat, and well-groomed. His goatee was waxed and combed. He smiled and nodded to the three of us behind Daisy.


    ¡°Just so you know, the new face is a waitress. Not part of the selection,¡± Daisy said quickly, before the subject even came up.


    ¡°Well of course I¡¯m here for you, Daisy. You well should know that by now. Five years and I¡¯ve not selected another girl yet,¡± he said, smiling.


    ¡°You need to work on sounding more assertive, Roberto. I keep telling you this. If you fawn too much, it makes you look weak.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. She was the oldest woman here, surely pushing fifty or more, and was as coarse as a cat¡¯s tongue. Yet, she seemed extremely popular.


    ¡°Direct as usual, Miss Daisy. Shall we discuss business in your room?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Roberto. Right this way,¡± she said, closing the door behind her as they exited Rosie¡¯s room.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ popular?¡± I asked, not knowing how else to ask such an awkward question.


    ¡°Very,¡± Belle said, not elaborating.


    ¡°Very,¡± Lucy echoed¡­ also choosing not to elaborate.


    Their stiff tone discouraged me from pursuing a pointless topic any further. Clearly, they weren¡¯t comfortable sharing things with me yet.


    Lucy grabbed my hand. ¡°Hey Belle, want to take a break and take Taylor out shopping?¡± she asked excitedly.


    Belle shrugged. ¡°Sure, I guess so. But we should probably talk to her a bit more before we go. We don¡¯t have an excuse to talk in private like this often.¡± Belle turned her attention to me. ¡°I¡¯m not as good at Daisy as giving these little talks, but you should know that nobody really looks out for us girls. Especially us girls, if you catch my meaning.¡± She gestured between Lucy and herself.


    ¡°I get it and¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said.


    ¡°You just need to try to avoid getting the sheriff¡¯s attention from here on. If you want to survive, that is. The men who make rope and coffins in this town are about to be rich.¡±


    ¡°Is he that bad?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Worse,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Especially now that the PanTech people are gone. They weren¡¯t much better but¡­ they were better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not planning to stay here for long, ladies,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to get ahead of a big problem PanTech created. I¡¯m from PanTech HQ myself. Once I solve that problem, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±


    It felt wrong not to tell them the whole truth, but I wasn¡¯t sure how much I wanted to elaborate. If these girls decided to gossip, and it caused a mass panic in the town, the sheriff would think that was my intention all along and he¡¯ll act much sooner than he would¡¯ve otherwise. I couldn¡¯t trust them with something like this just yet.


    ¡°You¡¯re from their headquarters? Oh my goodness!¡± Lucy gasped, still holding my hand. ¡°You must live a very exciting life.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have no idea¡­¡± I said.


    ¡°But where¡¯s your big armor and guns and such?¡± Belle asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Adversity Management. They¡¯re the ones with the big guns and armor. I was a scientist.¡±


    ¡°Was?¡± Belle asked, before she was thankfully interrupted by Lucy.


    ¡°Women can be scientists?¡± she asked, beaming. As though any of this could be possible now.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ women can do anything men can. Even the physical differences matter less there. The armor makes power roughly equal, plus there are other ways to modify the body and¡­¡± I trailed off again, wondering why I was even talking about this.


    Although evil was rarely fully evil, it was still strange to say anything positive about PanTech. They¡¯d designed the culture here that oppressed them in the first place. They were treated differently by design. Their quality of life and struggles were all manufactured. Engineered to serve some Adversity Management planner¡¯s sick fantasy of an ideal society that created the best type of person. Strength through adversity¡­ that was the motto, after all. Shouted during every salute. Roared at the end of every meeting. Strength through adversity¡­


    A hand squeezed mine tighter.


    ¡°Taylor? Are you alright?¡± Lucy asked.


    ¡°Shopping sounds good,¡± I said.

 Chapter 44

    Lucy, Belle, and I walked along the stretch of businesses lining both sides of the street. There weren¡¯t a lot of them. A general store. A farm and ranch supply store. A barber. Doctor and dentist¡­ combined. Grocer. One of the stores was boarded up with the sign ripped from above the door. It appeared recently.


    ¡°What happened there?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Used to be a gun store. Real popular. Sheriff shut it down and word is he¡¯s planning to confiscate real soon,¡± Lucy said.


    ¡°Sure to go over swell,¡± Belle added, with gratuitous sarcasm.


    Other than the occasional horse and wagon transporting supplies. I wondered how the new sheriff intended to handle that issue. He seemed awfully concerned with control, but not much about anything else.


    ¡°Don¡¯t towns like this usually have a mayor?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The last mayor hung for corruption a few days ago after opposing the sheriff closing the gun store. Ain¡¯t nobody wanted to replace him, believe it or not,¡± Belle said.


    ¡°Wow, I wonder why¡­¡± Lucy said, steering me into the clothing store. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something less sad. Like clothes.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t eat clothes,¡± Belle said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t eat clothes,¡± I repeated.


    ¡°Girls!¡± Lucy scolded, pushing both of us deeper inside the store. ¡°Taylor, we¡¯re going to pick you out some pretty dresses.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too carried away. Samuel told me two personal outfits, and two for work. One can be a dress. Prefer the other be something like what I saw some of the men wearing in the saloon, with a gun belt.


    ¡°A gun belt? For a lady?¡± Lucy asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem,¡± Belle said, shaking her head. ¡°The sheriff ain¡¯t going to like you walking around with a gun on your hip.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sound to me like Sheriff Eric likes much of anything,¡± I said, flipping through the catalog on the counter.


    The man standing in front of us cleared his throat.


    ¡°Please, ladies¡­ refrain from that kind of talk in my store. We don¡¯t need that kind of attention in here or everyone in this town will start having to go naked.¡±


    ¡°I can think of worse outcomes,¡± Lucy said.


    The shopkeeper sighed, shaking his head.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve known better than say something like that around your kind.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by my kind?¡± Lucy asked, raising her voice.


    ¡°Apologies. I misspoke,¡± he said, clearly not sorry about anything he¡¯d just said. More likely, he just wasn¡¯t willing to alienate a paying customer.


    The shopkeeper¡¯s comments killed a bit of Lucy¡¯s enthusiasm, so we didn¡¯t spend as long browsing as we¡¯d intended.


    As we were leaving, my arms full of clothing, there was a commotion in the streets.


    ¡°Come on, Sheriff. This ain¡¯t right,¡± an older man said, standing in front of the gun store. ¡°At least let us by ammunition.¡±


    One of the deputies shoved the man back, despite the fact he hadn¡¯t lifted a finger against them.


    ¡°What you need a gun fer anyhow?¡± the deputy asked.


    ¡°I need to protect my livestock. Unless you want to starve even faster.¡±


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    ¡°Now look, we don¡¯t need no talk like that where folks can hear. I reckon that could be interpreted as inciting a panic,¡± Sheriff Eric said, resting his hand on his revolver.


    ¡°Good! We need to panic. We ain¡¯t gettin¡¯ no outside supplies no more and the folks in this town are gonna starve if they ain¡¯t somethin¡¯ done about it. I lost two perfectly healthy dairy cows last night on account of bein¡¯ out of ammunition. You¡¯re gonna have to come back down to reality, Sheriff.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna¡­ have to¡­¡± the sheriff paced back and forth, his face turning red. ¡°You know, Jim, you¡¯re getting a bit too big for your britches. I reckon it¡¯ll have a good impression on the other townsfolk if they see their sheriff gettin¡¯ talked to that way and doin¡¯ nothing¡¯ about it.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t said nothin¡¯ that weren¡¯t true,¡± Jim said, spitting on the ground. ¡°You weren¡¯t a bad feller once, but you ain¡¯t been nothin¡¯ but a sorry excuse for a sheriff.¡±


    Without warning, Sheriff Eric drew his pistol and shot Jim in the chest. Jim looked down in shock, holding his hand over the wound, stumbling back.


    ¡°You son of a¡­ you actually shot me!¡±


    The sheriff cocked the hammer on his revolver and shot again, this time hitting him in the head, leaving him dead on the ground.


    ¡°You crazy fool!¡± another man shouted, running to Jim¡¯s side. ¡°Jim¡¯s farm feeds the people in this town.¡±


    ¡°You defendin¡¯ the man?¡± one of the deputies asked.


    ¡°Dang right I am!¡± the man shouted.


    The deputy raised his rifle and shot the man. No comment. No more argument. No hesitation.


    A woman, who I assumed was the man¡¯s wife, ran up to him screaming.


    ¡°Got something to say?¡± the sheriff asked.


    She just shook her head, sobbing. I dropped the clothing, unsure of how far this was going to escalate. If they just kept killing indiscriminately, I¡¯d have no choice but to try something now even if the timing was terrible. Thankfully, Sheriff Eric had enough, and they left without further bloodshed.


    This was so much worse than I thought.


    ¡°Where do the Red Collar Boys camp?¡± I asked Belle in a quiet voice.


    She didn¡¯t answer. Simply looked at me to acknowledge I¡¯d said it, then shook her head.


    ¡°We should be getting back,¡± she said. ¡°Ask Daisy to help you get settled more into your room tonight and catch you up on the happenings of the town. She knows a lot, that Daisy.¡±


    Despite both Lucy and Belle attempting to pull me back, I approached the woman crying over her husband and hugged her shoulder. No one else had bothered to approach them, fearing retaliation if the sheriff came back. It would be easy to get angry about such a thing, but I understood. Most things had a price you¡¯d be willing to pay in order to stand up for it. Most values came with a price tag. When that price tag included your life, that¡¯s when standing up for things became too expensive.


    I couldn¡¯t fault them for that.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe they shot him¡­¡± she finally said, her sorrow boiling into anger. ¡°I envy the man who gets to put a bullet in his head.¡±


    ¡°Could be a woman¡­¡± I said. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything, but it just came out naturally. She didn¡¯t respond. Just got quiet and looked down at the ground, lost in thought.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you move him out of the street,¡± I said.


    The two of us dragged him aside, then did the same for Jim the farmer.


    Jim was a large man, and I needed to use a bit of the enhancer in order to move him.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong,¡± the woman said.


    ¡°Good genetics.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s genetics?¡± she asked, wiping her nose.


    I frowned. ¡°My parents were both strong people.¡±


    She nodded, and I reached out and squeezed her hand before returning to Belle and Lucy.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Belle said.


    ¡°Somebody had to,¡± I replied.


    As we walked back toward the saloon, the town that had been bustling and chattering just moments before felt like it was past curfew. Few people were outside or talking, and the few who were simply focused their eyes on their task, their expression numb.


    Walking back into the saloon, little was different. The place wasn¡¯t even half full. No one was playing the piano. There was no conversation at the bar. Word traveled fast in a tiny town like this, and they were already adjusting to their new life as subjects to a tyrant.


    They didn¡¯t know they were still within their window to turn the tide. Once all their weapons were taken, it would be harder. Now? It was still possible, but no one wanted to be the hero. If they¡¯d been rushed by townspeople after shooting Jim, that could¡¯ve been the end of the entire regime. Instead, everyone stood around quietly, shocked and powerless.


    Even me, truth be told, though I was merely searching for the correct timing, hoping desperately I¡¯d not just missed it at the cost of someone¡¯s life.


    I walked up the stairs, waiting outside Daisy¡¯s door. To my surprise, the man who walked out a few minutes later was the same man who had entered just before I left. How long had he been in there? Nearly two hours?


    Barely a section of fabric looked out of place. Only his tie, slightly misaligned from where it had been before, indicated the possibility his clothing had ever been touched at all. He smiled to me, nodded, and bowed before leaving.


    I knocked on Daisy¡¯s door frame as she sat on her bed, arms crossed, looking up at me impatiently.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m new here, I¡¯d love a mentor,¡± I said.


    ¡°Would you now?¡± she replied, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Could you spare some of your time tonight after everyone¡¯s turned in? I¡¯d love to ask you some questions about how things work around here so I can make sure I fit in as well as possible and follow all the rules.¡±


    We locked eyes for a moment, and I had the strange sensation an understanding was forming between us.


    ¡°Alright. I suppose we can chat.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said.

 Chapter 45

    After double-checking to make sure the door was locked, Daisy sat beside me on the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a big risk by trusting you, Taylor. Don¡¯t make me regret it.¡±


    ¡°Your time with that man from today¡­ it wasn¡¯t the advertised service, was it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised you figured that out. Roberto is a very proud man who detests looking disheveled in any way. His suit is always brushed clean, ironed, without a button or bump out of place. Though I respect your guess, this sort of interaction isn¡¯t as uncommon as you might think. Many men simply want to talk to someone who will listen, play chess, or something similar. They don¡¯t always want the obvious.¡±


    ¡°Except a man like that doesn¡¯t indulge for two hours. He¡¯s efficient with his schedule and only spends two hours on something very important. Meetings with other important people, for example.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d not say I¡¯m an important person. But I¡¯m certainly valuable to other important people. If you¡¯re smart, you can make a man divulge all sorts of secrets in this profession. When I was a young woman, this is exactly what I did. I accumulated so many that soon, I had dirt on and leverage over just about every powerful man in this town. I learned everything I could from the best of nearly every profession, so you could say I¡¯m¡­ something of a consultant.¡±


    ¡°What did Roberto want?¡±


    ¡°Roberto¡­¡± she played with a strand of her hair. ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated with that man. I can never really tell what he wants, but in this case he was very direct. He wants me to be the new mayor. He¡¯s quite insistent upon it. This isn¡¯t the first time he¡¯s come here and spent multiple hours making his case.¡±


    ¡°And why don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Venture a guess,¡± she said.


    ¡°You like being alive.¡±


    She held up her finger, grinning.


    ¡°And that¡¯s exactly what I told him. He seems to believe that if I were to suddenly take up the role that all the men in the town would fall in behind me. That the sheriff would be forced to give up, swear fealty, and we¡¯d all live happily ever after. Well¡­ Roberto is not so naive as that, but he does believe it would work that way.¡±


    ¡°Eric is in his own world now. I don¡¯t think anything¡¯s going to pull him from the reality he¡¯s made for himself.¡±


    ¡°Not just for himself,¡± Daisy corrected. ¡°When you¡¯re staring down the barrel of a gun, it becomes your reality as well. It¡¯s a reality you can impose on other people.¡±


    ¡°You trust me, telling me all this, so can I trust you with a few important things too?¡±


    She smiled, her expression so much softer in private than when being observed by others. You¡¯d think this was a completely different person.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here because PanTech released a virus during the chaos of the collapse. It¡¯s the deadliest humanity has ever faced. I developed a vaccine, but it sterilizes those who receive it.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s¡­ a lot to drop on someone.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should probably work on my vaccine pitch.¡±


    ¡°No, I meant you,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re so stressed you look like you might break into pieces at any moment. You¡¯re barely holding it together. This is a lot for a young girl to take on alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not alone. I have Ghost.¡±


    ¡°The falcon you mentioned when you first arrived? Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Attempting to make contact with the Adversity Management team that left here. Unfortunately, he¡¯s not very talkative on our communicator. He prefers to work independently and doesn¡¯t like to be distracted, or distract me. He cares, in his own way. Despite how it sounds, he really is a good friend.¡±


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    Daisy repositioned herself behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders, massaging them and my neck. I relaxed my armor before she could notice it. The massage felt great. She was really good at this. And by this, I didn¡¯t mean the massage. Getting information out of people.


    ¡°Do you have a special someone? A boy you like maybe?¡±


    I paused briefly. If I was going to talk about this, perhaps this was the right place and time.


    ¡°There was someone¡­ once. I only knew him for a few days, but no one ever made me feel that way before or since.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what was his name?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Linus,¡± I replied.


    She froze. ¡°Linus? What zone was he from?¡±


    ¡°This one.¡±


    Her hands no longer moved.


    ¡°My nephew. He really did have the sorriest excuse for parents a boy could ever have. Him and his brother. His brother stayed behind, and he wanted to go and be free, explore the world, become a man in the way his father never could. So, he¡¯s really gone¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re his aunt? Yeah¡­ he saved me from getting killed by two other Adversity Management soldiers. A few years ago, before I joined PanTech myself.¡±


    She resumed massaging my shoulders.


    ¡°Linus always followed his heart and took life as it came at him. Kuros, his brother, is different. He declined the chance to leave. Felt like this place was worth fighting for. Those two never did get along. To Kuros, Linus was a selfish brat who wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone. To Linus, Kuros was bound by tradition and a loyalty that didn¡¯t make sense. Both brothers were right, in a way.¡±


    ¡°I should have guessed they were related. They look very similar. I actually wanted to ask you about the Red Collar Boys camp.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I know where it is?¡± Daisy asked, almost defensively.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that, but you certainly know a lot of things. It¡¯s just one more thing to know.¡±


    ¡°Will you tell Kuros about his brother?¡± she asked.


    I nodded.


    A gunshot rang out, startling us both. We looked at one another briefly before rushing out of the room.


    ¡°Where did that come from?¡± I shouted to the few patrons below.


    ¡°Sounded like it was right outside.¡±


    I ran out, immediately spotting a body lying on the ground near where the horses were tied. I rolled him over and checked his pulse. Dead.


    Daisy walked up behind me with a lantern, and I immediately recognized the man.


    It was the deputy with Sheriff Eric earlier. The one who shot the man who ran up to the farmer, Jim, after the sheriff shot him.


    As if thinking of the man summoned him, the sheriff suddenly appeared with half a dozen deputies.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± he shouted.


    I tried to explain.


    ¡°We heard a gunshot and¡ª¡±


    A foot connected with my stomach, sending me falling backward into the sand. My armor had absorbed it, but I couldn¡¯t let on to that being the case. I clutched my stomach and curled up, groaning.


    Daisy knelt beside me, putting a hand on my back.


    ¡°She ain¡¯t even armed, Sheriff!¡± Daisy shouted.


    ¡°Well, ain¡¯t that just convenient. The outsider¡¯s the first one to arrive, before me and my men can even grab our guns and rush down the street.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re closer, and she was trying to help,¡± Daisy said.


    ¡°I find out you¡¯re covering for her, Daisy¡­ and so help me¡­¡±


    ¡°I was with her when the shot came. There are patrons inside that can vouch she was in a room until after the shot happened.¡±


    Sheriff Eric nodded, looking between me and the dead deputy. For a moment, I wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to believe half a dozen eye witnesses or the story he¡¯d created in his mind. Eventually, he looked at his other deputies.


    ¡°Take care of the body. Wake up some of the others, and increase the patrols tonight. We¡¯ve got us an assassin on our hands, and I reckon the Red Collar Boys might know something about it. Startin¡¯ tomorrow, I¡¯m issuin¡¯ an arrest warrant for every single man wearin¡¯ a red bandana around their neck. If they put up a fight, we¡¯ll shoot ¡®em dead. We¡¯ll put a posse together and ride around noon. This territory ain¡¯t too big. Reckon we can have the whole lot in boxes by supper.¡±


    He paused, looking down at Daisy and I.


    ¡°You ladies may want to stay inside tomorrow.¡±


    As the men left, Daisy helped me back inside and into my room again, brushing past a concerned Belle and Lucy.


    ¡°You¡¯re not actually hurt,¡± she said after closing and locking the door again.


    ¡°The perks of the technology I had access to. More importantly, you need to understand that it¡¯s now or never. If you don¡¯t let me get ahead of this slaughter, there won¡¯t be any armed men left capable of stopping the sheriff. Even I can¡¯t take on a group of armed men like that. Not without taking half your town with them. Not only that, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°But this town needs to be the one to solve its own problem, right? If we just let you or someone else come in and fix everything for us, nothing will improve. Maybe we¡¯ll find some new master that¡¯s even worse. Out the north end of town, there¡¯s a residential section. The late Jim¡¯s farm is near the top of a hill. Keep going straight north and you¡¯ll find a cave that leads to a ravine. There are other ways to get to the camp, but that¡¯s the safest. There are a few caves in the area, so Kuros has a toy soldier beneath a round rock by the entrance so they can be sure it¡¯s the right one. You show up unannounced and they might not give you much time to explain yourself, so make it count. Say ¡®three crows at midnight¡¯ as the first words that come out of your mouth.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you, Daisy. I¡¯ll make sure I get to them before anyone else does. There¡¯s a good chance they¡¯ll try to follow me, but under the cover of darkness they¡¯ll never keep up. Take care of Lucy and Belle.¡±


    She pulled me into a hug. ¡°Good luck, Taylor.¡±


    ¡°As usual, I find myself needing it,¡± I said.

 Chapter 46

    The way to the Red Collar camp conveniently took me by my supply stash. I¡¯d dressed in the snug-fitting pants, shirt, and vest I¡¯d picked out at the clothing store, along with the gun belt. Thankfully, the revolver I¡¯d brought from Arc City was a perfect fit. In fact, it would be difficult to tell the difference between a revolver in that zone and those in this one. Just the action was different. The double-action revolver from Arc City could be fired simply by pulling the trigger. Or, the hammer could be cocked for an easier trigger pull. The single-action revolvers here could only be fired once the hammer was cocked.


    The only problem was I didn¡¯t have a whole lot of ammunition for it, and I hadn¡¯t been able to figure out whether or not they used the same cartridges. Not that anyone could buy the ammunition anyway. I¡¯d be willing to bet anything the sheriff would confiscate it all, if he hadn¡¯t already. If he hadn¡¯t, well¡­ perhaps an idea to run by Kuros.


    Using the enhancer, I improved my low light vision. The landscape here was similar to my village, minus the heat. Considering the proximity of the zones, it only now occurred to me that there must be some kind of artificial climate regulator system PanTech has in place. What would happen when or if it degraded? Would it take five years? Ten? A thousand? Maybe one day someone would venture outside the range and find out what exactly was going on out there. For now, there were more important things to worry about. Considering the direction of humanity, there would always be more important things to worry about. Perhaps the animals would get around to it¡­


    Eventually, I came upon the correct cave, lifting the round plate-like rock near the entrance and confirming the toy soldier. I followed the cave, using a small light I had stowed away in my vest, among a few other small gadgets I tried to keep close at hand. Low light vision is one thing, but even pushing the human eye to the limit still wouldn¡¯t be enough to navigate a cave network like this. Zero light.


    Eventually, I came out the other side. By now, it was late into the night. In the distance, I could hear the crackling of a fire and some quiet conversation, again using my enhancer to detect as much as possible. I didn¡¯t know any obvious way to enter the camp without getting shot, so I decided the best course of action would be to approach directly with my hands in the air.


    ¡°Three crows at midnight!¡± I shouted.


    Immediately two men trained rifles on me.


    ¡°Three crows at midnight!¡± I repeated.


    ¡°We heard you the first time. Keep them hands where we can see ¡®em. Turn around and walk backward.¡±


    I complied, though walking backward at night over rocks and sticks was no easy feat.


    ¡°Hey, ain¡¯t that¡­¡± the other man said. ¡°Go get Kuros.¡±


    I continued walking slowly, eventually making it to where the two men were standing. They reached down, releasing my gun belt and putting it aside. They felt around my boots, then along the pockets of my vest.


    ¡°I¡¯m complying, but watch your hands,¡± I warned.


    ¡°Rather you get embarrassed than one of us get stabbed or shot,¡± he said, pulling the knife from my vest and holding it up as an example.


    ¡°Alright, fellas,¡± a familiar voice called out. ¡°If she found the camp and used the phrase she¡¯s a friend or knows one.¡±


    It was Kuros.


    ¡°Or tortured one out of the information,¡± the man checking me said. ¡°We can¡¯t be too careful.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can. Give her the knife and gun back. Little lady, come with me,¡± Kuros said, motioning for me to follow.


    I put the knife back in my vest, put my belt back on, and caught up with him. This camp was smaller than I expected. There were signs that women and children were also in the camp, which was surprising.


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    After a moment, we made it to a large tent with a table inside. I recognized Clarence as one of the men sitting down. He tipped his hat and smiled.


    ¡°You probably don¡¯t even remember her, Clarence,¡± Kuros quipped.


    ¡°Yeah I do!¡± Clarence shouted.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    Kuros grabbed his glass, pouring the contents on the ground before putting the empty glass back in front of him.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Clarence said, jumping to his feet.


    ¡°I done told you once, Clarence, I need you sober. You¡¯re the best rifleman in the whole camp when you¡¯re sober enough to not pick up a shovel instead.¡±


    Clarence frowned, sitting back down.


    The quiet man sitting across from him was much older. He had an absurdly large mustache that stretched out twice the width of his face and long, gray hair in a loose ponytail. He smiled and nodded, ignoring the argument between the men in front of him.


    ¡°She has tired eyes,¡± the man said.


    ¡°Well yeah, Rolo, it¡¯s dang near midnight. I¡¯m tired too,¡± Clarence said, pouring himself another drink and taking a sip.


    Kuros noticed, only sighing in defeat before taking a seat at the table.


    ¡°So what brings you here, little lady?¡± he asked. Now all three men looked at me, quietly waiting for my response.


    ¡°Tomorrow, the sheriff is issuing a warrant for anyone wearing a red bandana around their neck. Someone shot one of the sheriff¡¯s deputies, and he¡¯s convinced your gang was responsible.


    ¡°I wish we was,¡± Kuros said.


    ¡°There¡¯s more I wanted to discuss, aside from that, now that it¡¯s out of the way.¡±


    ¡°Right. Get the little things out of the way first,¡± Clarence said, chuckling as he took another swig of his drink. ¡°Guess you figured out how much he hates PanTech people. She is one, by the way, Kuros. Guess what, none of us like PanTech.¡±


    ¡°Hard for me to fault you on that when I don¡¯t like PanTech either,¡± I said, prompting Clarence to open his mouth several times before deciding against saying anything.


    ¡°What else is on your mind?¡± Kuros asked.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you taken the fight to the sheriff yet? You¡¯re outfitted pretty well here. Nobody seems to like the guy.¡±


    ¡°I think your perspective is a little skewed because of when you showed up in town,¡± Rolo said. ¡°There¡¯s some important context you¡¯re missing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. This big rivalry you¡¯re imagining was nothing more than harsh words being exchanged up until a few days ago. We ain¡¯t the rootin¡¯ tootin¡¯ gunslingers we was in times past when my brother, giant among men, walked down here amidst us mortals. Since then we¡¯ve mostly tried to keep a low profile. And you might be askin¡¯ well¡­ why not now, right? You see them kids and women sleeping in camp. First thing the deputies did was go intimidatin¡¯ families. These is just regular people. We ain¡¯t some mean gunslingers you think we are. Best we can do is pretend.¡±


    I rubbed my forehead in frustration. Clearly, I had my work cut out for me, if this was even feasible.


    ¡°Well I¡¯m afraid if some mean gunslingers don¡¯t show up tomorrow, you might miss your last chance. Besides, that¡¯s how the sheriff and his men are going to treat you.¡±


    ¡°Did he say he¡¯d kill us if we didn¡¯t put up a fight?¡±


    ¡°Well, no, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll turn myself in tomorrow and all of this will blow over. Everybody thinking we¡¯re somethin¡¯ we¡¯re not is all the more reason for the sheriff to be paranoid. Maybe if I turn myself in he¡¯ll calm down and be a normal sheriff.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bull, and you know it,¡± Clarence said, taking an even bigger swig of his liquor. ¡°He ain¡¯t going to be happy until everybody ever associated with this gang¡­ or PanTech, is buried.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know it until we¡¯ve tried it, Clarence,¡± Kuros said.


    ¡°It¡¯s an all or nothing bet, Kuros,¡± Rolo said. ¡°If all of us hang, and he only gets worse, what then?¡±


    Kuros shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re expectin¡¯ me to do. I ain¡¯t even shot a gun in years, not since¡­¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t your fault, but you know that¡­¡± Rolo said. ¡°No one could¡¯ve made a shot like that, and you were right to try.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve made that shot, Rolo. Clarence sure could¡¯ve made it with his rifle and¡­ Linus could¡¯ve made it too.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t none of us there,¡± Clarence said, taking a more modest sip before putting his glass on the table. ¡°You did the right thing.¡±


    Things were starting to feel hopeless again. It was always possible Ghost could make contact with Adversity Management, but convincing them to come back wasn¡¯t likely. There had to have been a good reason for them to leave in the first place, and we needed to know. That was an entirely different can of worms to be opened. Here, now, Daisy was right. If this town didn¡¯t step up to save itself, there wouldn¡¯t be much point in someone else doing it. It would only happen again and again.


    ¡°I reckon I¡¯m going to turn in. Anything else you want to say, little lady?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Taylor,¡± I said. ¡°Can I talk to you for a few minutes¡­ in private?¡±


    Clarence waggled his eyebrows in a juvenile fashion, unfortunately not achieving the laughter he was hoping for. I did appreciate his attempt to lighten the mood, given I¡¯d done nothing but kill it since I¡¯d arrived.


    ¡°Five minutes, then I¡¯m turnin¡¯ in for the night. We¡¯ll find a spot for you to sleep too, but tomorrow you need to get gone.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Five minutes is fine.¡±


    This was going to be a very long five minutes¡­

 Chapter 47

    Kuros grabbed Clarence¡¯s half-empty bottle, filling his glass and taking a drink.


    ¡°Drink?¡± he asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s about your brother, Linus. There¡¯s no easy way to say this, but¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead, right? You didn¡¯t need to tell me that.¡±


    ¡°You already knew?¡±


    He laughed, gulping down the entire glass before refilling it again.


    ¡°Yeah, I knew. No one had to tell me. I knew. That kid¡­¡±


    He trailed off, but I remained quiet, giving him time to think. He was acting like this news wasn¡¯t surprising, but his body betrayed his words. His heartbeat was elevated. This was affecting him much more than he let on.


    ¡°Hard to live a long life when you¡¯re always throwing yourself into things you think are worth dying for, and especially when you think everything¡¯s worth dying for,¡± he said, looking up at the sky. ¡°Do you know how it happened?¡±


    ¡°Protecting me,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m only here now because of him.¡±


    He stared at me for a moment, deep in thought.


    ¡°Why are you here? I know you didn¡¯t come all the way to our little town just to tell me about my brother.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a virus that was released during PanTech¡¯s collapse, and it¡¯s going to kill everyone in time. I was able to create a vaccine, but it fully sterilizes the recipient. It¡¯s complicated, but that¡¯s the long and short of it.¡±


    He laughed, taking another drink.


    ¡°So¡­ he saves one person, and that person goes on to save countless other people. That sounds like Linus.¡± He paused, his expression darkening. ¡°Several years back, a fella snapped and killed his wife. Some of us were nearby, and tried to help. He picked up his little girl and held a knife to her neck, screaming and swearing at all the other men trying to talk to him. We talked to the man for hours while the kid screamed. I was the best shot there, so I figured¡­ now or never. I drew, but the movement spooked the man just enough that he turned in just the right way. My shot got him right through the heart, but caught the kid¡¯s neck. She died in my arms, sad and confused. I keep telling myself the same thing everyone else tells me. That it weren¡¯t my fault. That I done the right thing. But every time I go to draw my revolver my hand gets a terrible shake.¡±


    This must¡¯ve been a difficult story for him to tell, and I imagined he didn¡¯t tell it often anymore. Men like this never opened up about anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said. ¡°But you can contribute in other ways. You¡¯re clearly a good leader that people here look up to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to contribute in my own way. I¡¯m going to disband the gang and turn myself in tomorrow. After that, it¡¯s up to everyone else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to let anyone talk you out of this are you?¡± I asked.


    He shook his head, standing up and removing his gun belt, dropping it with a thud on the table.


    I sighed. There really was no way of talking this guy out of what he was about to do. He and Linus might have seen one another as different, but in some ways they seemed very much alike.


    ¡°Do you know if the sheriff has already confiscated the guns and ammunition from the gun store?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± he replied. ¡°If you go and do something like that while I¡¯m turning myself in he¡¯ll just think it was a planned distraction to steal them.¡±


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    ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I could talk anyone else into it, and it¡¯s not realistic to do something like that by myself. And I¡¯ll be even more straightforward with you¡­ I only have so much time to waste on a single place. I don¡¯t mind helping, but every day I spend helping you is a day I don¡¯t have for someone else. This virus behaves unpredictably. I expected this town to be further gone than it is. That¡¯s a gift that shouldn¡¯t be wasted. The sheriff is refusing to let me distribute the vaccine, so even if your plan works, it¡¯ll just buy some time until all of you die terrible deaths from the virus. I¡¯m trying to make you understand that.¡±


    He got up and walked away, without so much as another word, leaving his gun belt on the table.


    I sat there for a moment, before Rolo returned to sit with me.


    ¡°Well, you tried,¡± he said.


    ¡°I think I just made things worse.¡±


    He smiled.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you did. Kuros is a good man, but there are good men who are best suited to times of war and there are good men best suited to times of peace. I don¡¯t need to tell you which of those Kuros is.¡±


    His accent was a bit different than everyone else here, and I¡¯d only now noticed.


    ¡°You¡¯re from PanTech too,¡± I said.


    ¡°I am,¡± he replied. ¡°Though I¡¯ve been out for a long time. My wife passed away a few years ago.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Did you have any kids here?¡± I asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°I would¡¯ve loved that, but somewhere another things didn¡¯t really align. One of us, not sure which, just wasn¡¯t able to have them. This is my home now, and has been longer than most of these youngins have been alive. I¡¯ll be one hundred and seven years old in three weeks. I¡¯ve lived a long life.¡±


    ¡°One hundred and¡­¡± I trailed off, stunned. Though, I wasn¡¯t sure why. PanTech employees could live nearly twice that long under the right conditions. When every normal age progression that led to a person¡¯s death was corrected through genetic modification, the human lifespan varied massively between individuals. General Markus was well over one hundred and sixty, and looked even younger than Rolo. He was still participating in combat training and, when using his combat suit, was probably one of the most dangerous men at PanTech. Age really was just a number for some of these people.


    He held a finger to his lips. ¡°I tell everyone else I¡¯m seventy-three. I¡¯d appreciate it if you played along.¡±


    ¡°Your secret is safe with me,¡± I said. ¡°General Markus was quite a bit older than you. Who knows how old the president was.¡±


    ¡°General Markus¡­ now that¡¯s a name I haven¡¯t heard in a long, long time. And could¡¯ve done without hearing for far longer.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± I said.


    ¡°So, what do you plan to do now?¡±


    ¡°After Kuros turns himself in, there¡¯s a good chance things will just go south even faster. He might just feel emboldened to go after everyone else even harder. The gun store that¡¯s been locked up for now¡­ lots of guns and ammunition there it would be a shame if no one was able to use.¡±


    ¡°And if it¡¯s just bait?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°It might¡¯ve been bait to start with, but by that point he¡¯ll have other things occupying his attention. Even though Kuros doesn¡¯t want it to be used this way, I¡¯d imagine the sheriff will be so beside himself with glee at capturing the leader of the Red Collar Boys that he¡¯ll forget all about that place for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Kuros is going to want to disband the gang, Taylor.¡±


    ¡°You up for it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You think I should lead these people as some kind of revolutionary? I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll work. Everyone here knows I¡¯m from PanTech. It would be the same as you doing it.¡± He paused, waving Clarence back over. ¡°But if you could get the bottle away from this one¡­¡±


    Clarence stumbled back over, missing his seat and falling on the ground before pulling himself back up into the chair.


    I frowned. Really?


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep again, Clarence?¡± Rolo asked.


    Clarence smiled, but didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Is he alright?¡± I asked, looking to Rolo.


    ¡°I¡¯m right here, lady!¡± Clarence shouted, slurring his words almost beyond understanding. ¡°Right as rain.¡±


    ¡°Rolo¡­¡± I said, hoping no further words would be needed.


    Even if we could sober this man up, it would take more time than we had available. Based on those perpetually rosy cheeks and that gut of his, this was not a problem that could be solved in a day, or two, or maybe ever. I sometimes relied on miracles more than I should, but this was beyond even that.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have enough faith in what a man can do when properly motivated,¡± Rolo said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with your wisdom, Rolo¡­ but let¡¯s just say I¡¯m skeptical and don¡¯t exactly want to rely on this option.¡±


    ¡°Clarence,¡± Rolo said. ¡°If I were to tell you that, were you to put down that bottle and not pick it up again for a brief rest, you might finally get your chance at putting a hole in the sheriff¡¯s skull¡­ would that be something you could do?¡±


    Clarence looked between the two of us, laughing at first. ¡°Wait¡­ you serious?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Dead serious,¡± Rolo said.


    Clarence stopped laughing, his face taking on a hardness I¡¯d not thought him capable of.


    Quietly, he held the bottle and looked at it for a moment, as if conversing with a lover.


    With a heavy sigh, he held it to his side and poured the contents on the ground.


    ¡°You better not be lying to me,¡± he said.


    ¡°There ain¡¯t no guarantees, Clarence, but I sure ain¡¯t lying to you. Like this young lady said, we¡¯re looking our last chance in the eyes here. If this don¡¯t happen soon, it ain¡¯t happening.¡±


    Clarence nodded.


    ¡°Good enough.¡±

 Chapter 48

    I left the next morning long before the others, choosing to forgo sleep, not wanting to be seen with the gang and have what was left of the sheriff¡¯s tolerance of my presence erased. I arrived back in town before daybreak, careful not to be spotted, especially now that I knew the outskirts of the town was being watched so carefully by the deputies.


    If I were to be spotted, likely no explanation would be good enough to the sheriff. In his eyes, I was already guilty, and had been from the moment I¡¯d arrived. Seemed the townspeople hated PanTech because they were tyrants. The sheriff apparently hated them because they were competition. Or maybe because they didn¡¯t go far enough for his tastes.


    I wasted no time informing Daisy of Kuros¡¯s plan and what was to take place.


    ¡°That boy¡¯s just as stubborn as his brother was. Maybe more,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to go about our day as normal and wait to see what happens. I can guarantee his plan isn¡¯t going to work. He doesn¡¯t understand the sheriff¡¯s motivations as well as he thinks. It¡¯s not just paranoia, but ambition. It¡¯s both.¡±


    My thoughts turned to PanTech¡¯s president, which made me shudder. I couldn¡¯t think of a finer example of these two traits combined. Add genius into the mix and you create the perfect blend of ingredients for evil. For the president, being one of the greatest geniuses to ever live, the desire to control others completely, and the constant paranoia that everyone was out to get him led to what would become the destruction of the entire human race. Absolute extinction of the one thing he claimed to value. So far removed from the truth, believing he had single-handedly brought humanity to the next major stage of evolution by sheer scientific force.


    Yet, without him, none of this would be happening. None of it.


    ¡°Everyone tries to reason with the unreasonable people in power until it¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°People just want peace, Taylor,¡± Daisy said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t always get peace through peace. You rarely do.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t stop people from wanting it, and there often is another way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is here,¡± I said.


    ¡°Agreed¡­¡± Daisy stood and opened the door. ¡°We¡¯d better get to work.¡±


    Her composure was surprising. Before the door had fully opened, her usual demeanor had fully returned as she strolled out to the balcony overlooking the saloon. I¡¯d dressed in my uniform and wasted no time taking orders and serving drinks.


    The atmosphere and mood of the saloon was surprisingly cheerful today. A stark contrast to what was likely to come. Folks ate and drank and chatted with their families or friends, absent the raucous laughter and scuffles that seemed to take place here in the late evenings after a long workday.


    One hour passed, then another, and another, until I began to allow myself to hope. Maybe he¡¯d changed his mind. Rolo and the others might¡¯ve been able to talk sense into him after all. I allowed myself to relax a bit. I¡¯d go back tonight and make plans with Clarence about the stock of guns and ammunition. Once we¡¯d seized those, the group would have a fighting chance.


    But before the relief could fully set in, a man came running into the saloon.


    ¡°The leader of the Red Collar Boys is ridin¡¯ in and shoutin¡¯ for somebody to fetch the sheriff! Just him!¡± he shouted, as everyone spilled from the saloon to witness whatever spectacle awaited them.


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    I wasn¡¯t far behind them, walking out just in time to see Kuros riding by the saloon. He dismounted, tying his horse before noticing me. He seemed surprised, but offered me a subtle smile and wink before continuing on. By now, the sheriff and four deputies were already rushing to meet him. The sheriff¡¯s pistol was drawn, and the four deputies all had rifles on Kuros.


    ¡°Sheriff,¡± Kuros said, nodding and raising his hands in the air. ¡°I¡¯ve come to turn myself in.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Sheriff Eric asked, eyeing him up and down. ¡°What¡¯s your angle?¡±


    ¡°I murdered one of your men. That¡¯s reason enough, ain¡¯t it?¡± Kuros said, grinning.


    ¡°I ought to gun you down like a dog where you stand, but alright¡­ I reckon if you want to go through the proper way and turn yourself in, you¡¯ll get a hangin¡¯ instead.¡± The sheriff paused, gesturing for the gathering crowd to condense around him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even tell nobody else about it,¡± Kuros added. ¡°So if it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯d like to put this Red Collar Boy business behind us. The gang¡¯s disbanded, which means it only has one member. Me. Take care of me, and you¡¯ve taken care of the whole gang.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but engage with Kuros, temporarily putting off his speech.


    ¡°This some kind of martyr thing? You reckon you can sacrifice yourself and save all your friends. It ain¡¯t going to work that way. You can call it whatever you want, but even if they burn that bandana right in front of me they¡¯re still Red Collar Boys until the day they die, which I reckon will be real soon.¡±


    ¡°Be reasonable, Sheriff!¡± Kuros pleaded. ¡°We been nothin¡¯ but a bunch of loners playin¡¯ pretend these past few years. You ain¡¯t got to act like this. They¡¯re no threat to you and they ain¡¯t done you no harm.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just like that brother of yours killed my son and my brother, huh? No harm, right? No real threat?¡±


    ¡°They deserved it!¡± Kuros snapped, a sudden surge of anger I hadn¡¯t seen from him.


    The sheriff stood quietly a moment, his lack of an immediate retaliation indicating that maybe some part of him agreed.


    ¡°Tie him up,¡± the sheriff said, gesturing to the two deputies at his left before raising his voice to the crowd. ¡°Kuros, leader of the Red Collar Boys, will hang tomorrow at noon for murder. The public is welcome to attend, and one round of free drinks will be available in the saloon afterwards, courtesy of your sheriff. A round tonight too.¡±


    There was some cheering in the crowd, but it lacked the enthusiasm the sheriff was seeking.


    ¡°Alright, two rounds, but the third and beyond comes out of your own pockets. We¡¯ll be taking volunteers for the hunting party to go after the rest of these cowards. Anyone who signs up gets a share of the bounty for every man, and there¡¯s going to be plenty. You might get a year¡¯s salary in just a few days. If you don¡¯t have your own piece or if you need a box of ammunition, just let one of our deputies know. We¡¯ll clean this town up one way or another. Meet us at the saloon tonight if you¡¯re interested, and don¡¯t forget to take advantage of those free drinks.¡±


    Some cheered more enthusiastically, but it was hard to tell if it was because of the offer or because they feared the sheriff would notice and suspect them of being a sympathizer.


    As Kuros was led away, Daisy and I exchanged nervous glances. I found it hard to believe Kuros saw this going any other way. Did he really believe the sheriff would spare the others if he gave himself up, or did he just believe there was no other way.


    They were already outnumbered and outgunned by the sheriff¡¯s men, and this was sure to draw in at least a few interested parties. Anyone in need of some quick cash might agree even if they¡¯re opposed to it on principle.


    We were out of options and out of time. If I couldn¡¯t talk them into mounting some kind of resistance tonight, I may as well move on to the next zone.


    I clenched my fists in frustration. What made otherwise decent people follow a man like this? Without a word, I used the opportunity to slip away unnoticed, stopping by my stash once again and arming myself before making my way back to the camp.


    I sat on a rock, contemplating whether I even had time for this much effort.


    I¡¯d made up my mind. If I couldn¡¯t talk them into fighting for themselves tonight, I¡¯d move on.


    I communicated this to Ghost, despite knowing he likely wouldn¡¯t answer. I waited for a moment, just in case he might answer back. In true Ghost fashion, he did not. I could only cross my fingers and hope he was faring better than I was right now. For once, maybe a stroke of good luck was just over the horizon. Adversity Management would come riding back in tomorrow morning, their commander as cooperative and reasonable as Remulo had been, and we¡¯d have this all behind us by the end of the day.


    Yeah, right¡­


    I stood up, brushed myself off, and made my way back toward the Red Collar Boys camp to make my final pitch.

 Chapter 49

    Upon entering the camp, I was met with surprise. Not only was that their reaction, but mine too. Everyone was packing up and preparing to leave.


    Rolo gave me a half-smile when he noticed me, motioning for me to join him next to a fire, sitting down on a log and patting beside him.


    ¡°Victoria, would you mind getting this girl a bowl of stew?¡± he asked one of the older women walking by, who promptly returned his smile without an answer.


    ¡°Did this location get compromised?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re all packing up and mostly going our separate ways.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Kuros disbanded the gang, and didn¡¯t want anyone to waste time in heading home. A lot of the people here aren¡¯t really known to the law, and never committed a crime in their lives. If they disappear and throw away their bandana, no one would ever be the wiser. Most people ain¡¯t really fighters, and a lot of them don¡¯t even own a gun. He just didn¡¯t want to see them drawn into a bloodbath for no reason. Surely you understand that.¡±


    I sighed, but the same lady returned and handed me a bowl of stew before I could speak.


    ¡°Beef?¡± I asked.


    Rolo nodded. ¡°Yep. Jim, the dairy farmer just on the other side of that ravine, lost a couple of dairy cows the other night. We paid them for the carcass and butchered them as best we could. Just to help them out a bit. Normally we eat whatever game we can hunt nearby. There¡¯s plenty.¡±


    ¡°That seems unusual. Normally the wildlife ecosystem is very limited due to Adversity Management also having to act as wildlife conservation. Here, it seems like it¡¯s been active for a long time.¡±


    I took several bites of my stew, reminding myself not to allow us to get too far off topic.


    ¡°The barrier here lets animals through, but not people. The citizens here even learned to exploit this, training animals to go outside the barrier and return. Obviously, as soon as PanTech realized they were doing it, they put a stop to it. Probably why they also didn¡¯t expand this barrier¡¯s design to other zones.¡±


    I nodded, scooping up the last few bites of my stew and sitting the empty bowl on the ground beside me.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s a fascinating topic, but you can probably guess I didn¡¯t come here to talk about PanTech¡¯s experiments.¡±


    ¡°Kuros got himself in over his head, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s set to hang tomorrow,¡± I said. ¡°No kind of trial or anything.¡±


    ¡°We used to have trials here,¡± he said, hissing through his teeth. ¡°This never was the best of places, but now¡­¡±


    ¡°Rolo, look¡­¡± I said, sighing. This wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but I¡¯d have no choice but to make these kinds of tough decisions going forward. ¡°The sheriff isn¡¯t your biggest problem. The virus released when PanTech collapsed is quite literally going to be the end of humanity. While it¡¯s spreading slower than I thought, it¡¯s still almost guaranteed to be in every zone. You¡¯ve probably noticed more people dying, more sick.¡±


    Rolo frowned. ¡°No, I guess with all the extra hangings going on it was hard to notice. Now that you mentioned it, there¡¯s been a lot more deaths from everything lately. Guess the virus was competing with the sheriff. So it¡¯s that bad? You sure?¡±


    ¡°The ¡®cure¡¯ is the first thing I pitched to the sheriff when I arrived. It causes complete sterilization, but he¡¯s so paranoid he wouldn¡¯t even consider it. Without his approval¡­ or if we can¡¯t get him out of the way¡­ I¡¯m going to have to move on to the next zone. This is the third one I¡¯ve visited so far, and based on what I¡¯ve seen I can¡¯t continue to waste any unnecessary time.¡±


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    ¡°Understandable, but I never said we weren¡¯t going to do anything,¡± Rolo said with a grin.


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s the plan, then?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s not set in stone anymore. We¡¯re going to have to figure out how to be in two places at once. Let¡¯s call over the new boss and see what he thinks about it.¡±


    ¡°New boss?¡± I asked, hoping he didn¡¯t mean who I thought he meant.


    Rolo stood up, looking around before waving and shouting. ¡°Hey Clarence, come on over here! Got a situation needs your attention.¡±


    Clarence marched over, an unusual pep in his step, sitting across from us on another log. He looked like a completely different person. There was a focus in his eyes that made it feels as though he¡¯d been kidnapped and replaced with a body double. The difference was drastic.


    ¡°Lay it on me,¡± he said.


    ¡°Idiot Kuros is scheduled to hang tomorrow at¡­¡± Rolo looked to me.


    ¡°Noon,¡± I said. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t end there. He¡¯s forming a posse and intends to hunt the rest of the known members down, I assume the day after. They¡¯ll be too busy celebrating tomorrow.¡±


    Clarence nodded.


    ¡°How we gonna be in two places at once, Rolo?¡± Clarence asked.


    ¡°Two places at once?¡± I glanced between them.


    ¡°Well, I was planning on hitting that gun store tomorrow and seeing what¡¯s left worth taking. Since they¡¯re still fighting to reopen it, I assume there¡¯s at least something still in there on the shelves and in the back. PanTech is the true manufacturer of those weapons, so now they¡¯re in limited supply. Even just a few guns in our hands instead of theirs is extremely valuable.¡±


    ¡°Why not just hit the gun store tonight?¡± I asked.


    Clarence stroked his beard thoughtfully. ¡°Well, we could, but it would come with some pretty serious drawbacks. Most of the deputies are part-time. On a normal day, just a few deputies is enough to handle whatever¡¯s going on in the town. If he needs to call in more, it takes time. The more men, the further away they have to ride or run, and the longer it takes. At night, they seem to mobilize faster, and it¡¯s a lot harder for us to navigate and get away. Easier to just do a quick heist during the day and ride.¡±


    Rolo twirled one side of his large mustache. ¡°Second problem also has a couple of layers to it. We go in before the execution, they may just execute him on the spot or worse, use him as a hostage and put us in a situation where we can¡¯t avoid losing people. Better yet, the hanging is bound to be a spectacle. I know how long the sheriff¡¯s wanted Kuros on that platform, and I know he¡¯ll be eager to pull that lever himself. Whole town¡¯s going to be watching. Odds are he knows there¡¯s at least a remote possibility of a rescue, but I doubt he¡¯d ever thing someone would hit a different target while something like this is going on.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s both the worst and the best time to hit the gun store,¡± I said, stroking my invisible beard, getting an amused grin out of Clarence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t reckon I¡¯ve ever seen someone so cool under pressure, much less a lady,¡± he said.


    ¡°Unhealthy trauma response,¡± I said bluntly. This time Rolo was the one who grinned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sincerely hoping that, when all of this is over, a good life is waiting for you, Taylor,¡± he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You said this is the third zone you¡¯ve visited so far, and with all the things that happened at PanTech? You don¡¯t just need a vacation. You need an early retirement.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I doubt it¡¯ll ever happen, even on the very, very, very remote chance I live to see this mission complete,¡± I said.


    ¡°So, what do you say?¡± Rolo said. ¡°Think you can spare another day or two for a couple of misfit gunslingers and the few good men left willing to follow us into a fight?¡±


    I smiled and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I guess another day or two won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Clarence laid his massive palm on my head, rubbing my hair.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! I bet you can shoot the antennas off a grasshopper with that thing,¡± he said, gesturing to my revolver on my hip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, actually. Never shot it before. I suppose I¡¯m pretty good with guns in general.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see it,¡± Rolo said. ¡°Make sure the three of us are up to the task with a friendly competition. Won¡¯t take long.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair. If it¡¯s a competition, what¡¯s the wager?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got one fine bottle of whiskey left I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need anymore,¡± Clarence said. ¡°Expensive one. I was saving it for a special occasion, but I reckon it¡¯s better I celebrate without it.¡±


    Rolo nodded. ¡°Ah, that fifty year old bottle you¡¯re always bragging about? I¡¯ll enjoy taking that off your hands. As for me¡­ Hmmm¡­ My hat.¡±


    ¡°Your wife made that hat for you, Rolo,¡± Clarence said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got more than one hat.¡±


    They both looked to me. What could I even wager? I had nothing.


    ¡°Taylor?¡± Rolo said, tilting his head.


    ¡°My gun, when I¡¯m ready to leave. It doesn¡¯t really fit in at the other zones, and I have a PanTech issue blaster hidden outside the zone. It¡¯s a more advanced version of the guns you carry here. May be able to use the same ammunition, or at least be modified to without much trouble. It¡¯s double-action. You can fire it by just pulling the trigger. No need to cock the hammer.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll be,¡± Clarence said, tilting his head as he looked at the gun in my belt.


    Rolo was far less impressed. Since he¡¯d been a PanTech employee once, no doubt he¡¯d shot a blaster similar to the present standard issue, but it was still better than what he had here.


    ¡°We¡¯re in agreement?¡± Rolo asked.


    Clarence and I both nodded.


    ¡°To the targets then,¡± he said.

 Chapter 50

    Rolo set up the targets. Five bottles at nearly fifty yards. A surprising distance for a revolver. I doubted many people in the world could hit a target that small so far away, but then again, this was a contest. The last thing we needed was a three-way tie.


    Rolo tipped his hat to me.


    ¡°As the guest, and a lady, I reckon it¡¯s only right that you go first.¡±


    ¡°How polite,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll wear your hat with the utmost respect.¡±


    I stood at the line.


    ¡°Rules?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Main condition is who gets the most bottles. If we get the same number of bottles, it comes down to who got them faster.¡±


    I nodded, placing my hand on my gun.


    Rolo gave me a moment to prepare, then shouted.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    I drew my gun, aiming carefully, taking my time. The most bottles would win it. It was unwise to rush. I took a deep breath, firing at the first bottle. The bullet was so close it caused the bottle to sway. Remaining composed, I moved to the second. It shattered. Then to the third, fourth, and fifth. All shattering.


    ¡°Nice shootin¡¯!¡± Clarence shouted, patting me on the shoulder hard.


    He went out and replaced the bottles, returning to the line.


    ¡°Mind of I go, old man?¡±


    Rolo nodded. ¡°Be my guest. I always benefit from a good laugh before I shoot anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah¡­¡± Clarence mumbled, standing on the line, resting his hand on his revolver.


    ¡°Go!¡± Rolo shouted.


    Clarence drew. A slow, clumsy draw. His first shot hit the dirt in front of the targets. As for the second shot, I wasn¡¯t sure where it went. The third shot missed. Fourth shot broke the bottle by grazing the edge. Fifth shot hit the platform, causing the last bottle to fall over.


    ¡°That one count?¡± Clarence asked.


    ¡°Obviously not. Didn¡¯t even break,¡± Rolo said, grinning.


    ¡°Bah!¡± Clarence kicked the sand, holstering his revolver. ¡°I¡¯ve never been any count with these things.¡±


    Despite him saying that, it was probably better than average shooting from this range.


    I walked down this time, replacing the bottles and returning to find Rolo standing on the line. He took a sideways stance, indicating he intended to fire one-handed. A gunfighter stance, probably not ideal for competitions, but maybe this was what he was accustomed to.


    ¡°Go!¡± I shouted.


    He drew his revolver. Slower than my draw, but smooth. He was on target faster. Cocking the hammer, he fired the first shot, shattering the glass. As quick as he could cock the hammer, he fired again, shattering the second bottle. In no time at all he repeated the movement three more times, shattering all three remaining bottles.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± I said.


    Even though I hadn¡¯t used my enhancer, the man was over a hundred years old. It was seriously impressive. Thinking of what a guy like this was capable of in his prime nearly gave me the chills.


    ¡°Do both of you approve the results?¡± Rolo asked.


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    Clarence and I nodded.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re up a shiny new gun and a nice bottle of whiskey,¡± I said.


    ¡°Where did you learn to shoot like that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that? You outshot us both pretty spectacularly. Even if I¡¯d gotten all five bottles, you got yours twice as fast as mine,¡± I said.


    ¡°Fair enough. A lifetime of practice and too many gunfights, I guess. And luck. I¡¯ve always had a lot of luck.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve practiced a little. The implant I have can¡¯t be completely turned off when I¡¯m concentrating so I¡¯m sure that factored in too. I¡¯m probably cheating without even realizing it.¡±


    Rolo laughed. ¡°You¡¯re quite a woman, Taylor. The world needs more like you.¡±


    I reached into my pocket and pulled out a handful of cartridges, replacing the ones I¡¯d spent.


    Rolo raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s a big round. Ain¡¯t no target shooting pistol, that¡¯s for sure. You put yourself at a disadvantage there.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll do a rematch before I leave.¡±


    ¡°All or nothing? I see you like to gamble big.¡±


    Clarence nudged me with his elbow.


    ¡°He likes big gamblers so he can take them for everything they have. You¡¯ll be walking out of here in just your underwear you keep letting him talk you into these.¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t that bad,¡± Rolo protested.


    ¡°You ain¡¯t? If you say so,¡± Clarence said, going back over to the campfire and picking up a half-eaten bowl of stew I was certain wasn¡¯t his.


    Rolo and I joined him.


    ¡°Satisfied?¡± I asked.


    ¡°More than,¡± Rolo replied, looking around. About a dozen men remained, loitering about. ¡°You boys all staying?¡± he shouted, looking at each of them.


    ¡°Yessir,¡± one man said, followed by a chorus of nods and agreements.


    ¡°About half a dozen for each task¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Clarence mumbled, scraping his spoon around his bowl to get every drop.


    ¡°Stretching us pretty thin,¡± I said, completing his thought. ¡°Is it possible?¡±


    ¡°Does that matter?¡± Clarence said, shrugging as he scooped the last spoonful of stew into his mouth.


    ¡°Depends on how you look at it,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve got things I need to do after.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Clarence said, looking to Rolo.


    ¡°It we had a superior force, we could potentially avoid bloodshed. With so few of us, they¡¯ll fight for sure. But I¡¯ve trained these fellas and I reckon they¡¯ll outshoot any of the sheriff¡¯s men. I just don¡¯t feel good about sending them to their deaths.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, we all gotta die sometime,¡± Clarence said, bouncing his leg nervously.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan? How do we make this work with barely a dozen people?¡± I asked, eager to get into the specifics.


    Rolo picked up a stick and began drawing squares in the sand, each representing a building in the main part of town. He marked two of them.


    ¡°Gun store is here, and the executions take place over here¡­ Now, I reckon the whole town¡¯s going to be gathered up for the execution. I bet you¡¯ll be lucky to see a stray dog walking the main street. Probably nothing more than a tied-up horse or two. We¡¯re not going to need to split even. One of us can go with one other person to the gun store. We¡¯ll take advantage of the dead streets to bring a small wagon through, then load it around back of the store. Need it to arrive about the same time we do the rescue.¡±


    Clarence nodded.


    ¡°Best we take care of that before he makes it to the platform. After he leaves the jail. If we¡¯re set up ahead of time, we can ambush them on the way. Even if they¡¯re expecting it, we still stand a better chance. They¡¯ll have more guards set up at the execution with better vantage points. Even if they know the fight¡¯s coming, we can at least pick the spot and the time.¡±


    ¡°Good thinking,¡± I said. ¡°I can go with one other to the gun store while you two and the rest handle the rescue. I can use my enhancer to move heavy crates faster if I need to.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s an enhancer?¡± Clarence asked, scratching his head.


    Rolo shrugged. I forgot the fact that he probably wouldn¡¯t know what one was either, depending on when he left. They¡¯d only been developed in the last decade, by Frelya.


    ¡°Implant in my brain. Takes the human body beyond theoretical limits for brief periods of time. It allows me greater control over my body and lets me concentrate my energy on certain things. I could go several nights without sleep and still feel rested, for example. I could lift twice as much as a large man, or jump a long distance. Or if I¡¯d used it in our competition, shot through five bottles faster than the gun could probably handle.¡±


    Clarence stared, wide-eyed. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re makin¡¯ that up,¡± he said.


    Rolo was impressed, but disagreed. ¡°Oh no, Clarence, you¡¯d be surprised what those scientists come up with.¡±


    ¡°And mine¡¯s the weakest model,¡± I added. ¡°Much more limited on what I can force it to do.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get one of the better ones?¡± Clarence asked.


    ¡°I did. I abused it and almost died, so uh¡­ I have this one now,¡± I said, half proud of the fact and half embarrassed. I still remembered Frelya¡¯s scolding like it was yesterday.


    I¡¯d give anything to hear it again¡­


    ¡°Not surprised,¡± Rolo said.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, as sarcastically as I could manage.


    ¡°Well okay¡­ you and your¡­ enhancer and whatever other fancy things you got can take one other man and clean out the gun store. Rest of us will set up an ambush. First gunshot will be your signal to go in, Taylor. Even if we don¡¯t have to shoot nobody, we¡¯ll still fire a warning shot to signal you. Just be ready,¡± Clarence said.


    ¡°Any objections or further suggestions?¡± Rolo asked.


    ¡°Good to go,¡± I said.

 Chapter 51

    The next morning, Clarence paired me up with a very large man who went by the name Big Barton. Why was no mystery. He was nearly seven feet tall, but despite his massive size was more than relieved to join me on the much safer looting mission. Big Barton was not built for shootouts, Clarence had said.


    Riding in a wagon meant taking the long way around, which meant we had to leave early. Barton wasn¡¯t much of a talker, but he warmed up eventually. I wanted to get at least a few words out of him before we arrived.


    ¡°So¡­ how did you end up joining the Red Collar Boys?¡± I asked, fidgeting with my fingers.


    ¡°I¡¯m wanted, and meant to hang. Long story,¡± he said.


    I paused briefly, waiting for this long story to manifest. I was looking forward to it. We¡¯d been riding at the speed of snails in this wagon for an hour already and had at least another hour ahead. The wagon trail looped around nearly the entire territory. No doubt designed this way by PanTech to make travel artificially long. The roads from residential and agricultural areas to the town could¡¯ve easily gone fairly straight.


    At least it wasn¡¯t designed in a tight spiral, taking a full day to reach the town. Silver linings, Taylor. It could always be worse.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind hearing it,¡± I finally said, after a good ten minutes of clarification that he did not intend to continue.


    ¡°How about the short version? I killed somebody. You ever kill anybody?¡± he asked, his tone making it clear he was expecting me to say no.


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ yeah, more than once,¡± I said.


    At first he laughed, but after looking down and reading my expression, he stopped.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said. ¡°Fella wouldn¡¯t leave my little sister alone. Cornered her one day near the house. After I heard her scream I went out there with the shotgun. For whatever reason, he didn¡¯t back off. Walked toward me, aimin¡¯ to take the gun away. Thought I wouldn¡¯t shoot him, I reckon. I did. Man wasn¡¯t right in the head.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like something a man should hang for,¡± I said.


    ¡°Sheriff¡¯s brother. Man had a few brothers and each one was worse than the other no matter what order you lined them up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way to put it,¡± I said. ¡°Was this related to the thing with Linus and the Sheriff¡¯s son and other brother?¡±


    ¡°You guessed it,¡± he said.


    ¡°His brother and his nephew meant to ambush me. Get revenge. Linus shot them both as they approached.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like Linus,¡± I said.


    ¡°You knew him?¡± he asked, looking at me wide-eyed.


    ¡°I did, briefly. He made quite an impression on me,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°You could say he¡¯s become something of a muse for me.¡±


    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how Kuros found out he was¡­ no longer with us. It pains me to know that. Linus was a wild one, but no better man could be found anywhere.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s been my experience, and I¡¯ve been a lot of places by now,¡± I said.


    Barton laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it.¡± He looked up toward the sun. ¡°I reckon we¡¯ll be there soon, and probably with not much time to spare. You ready?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always ready,¡± I said.


    Pulling up behind the gun store, you could hear the commotion from clear across town. Now, we only needed to wait until the ambush started. When we heard the fire of a pistol, we¡¯d known it was time to start.


    The wait was agonizing. At any moment, Barton and I knew we could be caught. If someone happened to wander behind the gun store, or if some of the deputies were patrolling, we¡¯d have some awkward explaining to do. Not that they¡¯d give us a chance to explain anything before tying us up or shooting us on the spot.


    Barton began to sweat, his hands still on the reins.


    ¡°Hot day out, huh?¡± he said, his eyes darting around.


    When the shot finally rang out, Barton nearly jumped out of his skin, lifting fully off the seat. I was surprised by how close the shot was. We¡¯d almost certainly be within sight of the rescue party if we weren¡¯t careful. Just had to hope they wouldn¡¯t notice or would be too busy to come after us.


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    Barton ran straight into the back, immediately turning and running back out with a case. So far, so good. I ran in behind him.


    The gunshots echoed through the empty streets as I entered the store behind Barton. Shelves lined the walls, stocked with various firearms and ammunition. As I moved deeper into the store, more gunfire erupted from down the street. The sound was closer now, more intense. Despite my better judgment, I found myself distracted, wondering how the rescue was progressing.


    That moment of distraction proved costly.


    The blast came without warning. A deafening roar filled the air as buckshot impacted my chest at near point-blank range, the force sending me stumbling and falling to the floor. Pain exploded through my body, a searing agony that momentarily overwhelmed my senses.


    Thankfully, my armor absorbed much of the impact, saving my life. But even with that protection, the pain was excruciating. I gasped for air, my vision blurring as I struggled to remain conscious.


    "Well, well," a gruff voice said. "Looks like we caught ourselves a little thief."


    Through the haze of pain, I saw a deputy standing over me, shotgun still smoking. Barton was already on the ground, hands behind his head, another deputy¡¯s foot on his neck.


    I tried to move, to activate my enhancer, but my body refused to cooperate. The shock of the impact had left me temporarily stunned. Before I could regain control, the deputy grabbed me, quickly binding my wrists and ankles with rope. He took extra time to tie his knots thoroughly.


    "This one''s using some kind of PanTech trick," the deputy called out. "Didn''t penetrate, but it sure knocked the fight out of her."


    Another voice, one I recognized as the sheriff''s, responded from outside. "Good. Bring ''em both out here. We got ourselves some bait."


    He¡¯d outsmarted us. He knew we¡¯d hit the gun store, and he knew this was a golden opportunity for just that. He¡¯d put his focus there, and waited.


    As they dragged me out into the street, I saw the full extent of the situation. Bodies littered the ground. Some were deputies, and some were Red Collar Boys. The rescue attempt had been hard going. In the distance, I could see Kuros still in chains, surrounded by armed men, some wounded.


    Sheriff Eric stood in the center of the street, a satisfied smile on his face as he saw me. "Well, ain''t this a pleasant surprise. Our little PanTech friend decided to join the party after all."


    I struggled against my bindings, finally finding my voice. "Let them go," I said. I tried to shout, but it was barely a whisper as I continued struggling to regain the air in my lungs. "This isn''t going to end well for anyone¡­"


    The sheriff laughed. "Oh, I think it''s going to end just fine for me. Boys!" he called out. "We got ourselves a special guest here. Why don''t you tell your friends to come on out and surrender?"


    They were going to use me as bait to draw out the rest of the Red Collar Boys. I couldn''t let that happen.


    "Don''t listen to them!" I shouted, hoping my voice would carry to wherever Rolo and the others were hiding. "Get out of here! Forget about me!"


    A hard slap across my face silenced me. "Now, now," the sheriff said. "That ain''t very cooperative of you, nor is it very ladylike."


    For what felt like an eternity, silence reigned.


    The sheriff drew his pistol, holding it against my head. He cocked the hammer.


    Slowly, figures began to emerge from various points of cover around the town. Rolo was at the front, his hands raised in surrender.


    "Let the girl go," he said calmly. "This is between us and you, Sheriff. Be happy to settle it right now if you like, as gentlemen."


    Eric''s grin widened. "Oh, I don''t think so. See, your little friend here is worth quite a bit more than the rest of you put together. PanTech''s gonna want her back, I reckon."


    Rolo''s eyes narrowed. "PanTech is gone, Sheriff. You''re living in the past. You¡¯ve gone mad."


    "We''ll see about that," Eric replied. Then, without warning, he raised his pistol and fired. Rolo had no chance to respond, starting with his hands so far above his head.


    The shot caught him square in the chest. I watched in horror as he crumpled to the ground, his eyes wide with shock.


    "No!" I screamed, thrashing against my restraints. I pushed my enhancer to the limit. Blood ran down my wrists and dripped from my white knuckles. I couldn¡¯t free myself. Not yet. Regardless, it was too late. Rolo was gone.


    Chaos erupted once more. Gunfire filled the air as the remaining Red Collar Boys tried to fight their way out, realizing the sheriff had no intention of negotiating anything. But they were outnumbered and outgunned. Within minutes, it was over. Those who weren''t dead were in chains.


    The sheriff turned to his deputies. "Take the ones still breathin¡¯ to the jail. We''re gonna have ourselves a big ol'' hanging tomorrow. Two for the price of one."


    As they dragged me away, I caught sight of Kuros. His face was a mask of anguish and defeat. I wanted to say something, to offer some words of comfort or hope, but what could I say? I screwed up everything. If I hadn''t gotten involved...


    They threw me into a cell, my chest still aching from the shotgun blast. In the cell next to me, Kuros sat silently, his head in his hands.


    "I''m sorry," I whispered, fighting against my tears. "This is all my fault."


    He looked up, his eyes red-rimmed but surprisingly gentle. "No, it ain''t. We all made our choices. Can''t blame yourself for other people''s actions. Blame lies squarely on my shoulders¡­ don¡¯t know why I thought this would ever work. The sheriff¡¯s lost all his sanity."


    Before I could respond, a commotion erupted outside the jail. Shouts and hurried footsteps echoed through the building. Moments later, the sheriff burst in, supported by two deputies. His face was pale, sweat beading on his forehead.


    "Get the doctor!" one of the deputies shouted. "The sheriff''s taken ill!"


    As they rushed past our cells, I caught a glimpse of Eric''s face. His eyes were glassy, unfocused. A trickle of blood ran from his nose.


    The realization hit me. The virus. It was here. I already knew it had to be, but sometimes it would suddenly activate in bursts. As much as I didn¡¯t feel any pity for the sheriff, I worried this might be a sign of something about to catch everyone unprepared.


    I turned to Kuros, my voice urgent. "We''re running out of time. The virus I told you about¡­ it''s already here, but it may activate in many people at the same time. If we don''t act fast, everyone in this town is going to die."


    Kuros stared at me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright, Taylor. What do we do?"


    As the sounds of panic filled the air outside, I tried to formulate a plan. Then, another deputy came crashing in.


    ¡°PanTech convoy approaching! And something¡¯s tore ¡®em up good!¡± he shouted.


    The sheriff wiped the blood from his nose with his sleeve.


    ¡°Well let¡¯s go say hello then.¡±

 Chapter 52

    ¡°Bring the PanTech girl out to join us,¡± Eric said, flinging open the door and walking out of the building. He was unsteady on his feet, but refused any help. ¡°Gather every deputy available and offer bounty payment to all men willing to join us! Double it. No, triple it!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t be serious. If that unit wasn¡¯t in complete shambles, they¡¯d rip him and his men apart. One healthy man, fully outfitted in a power suit could easily take ten of his men. If the commander was alive, and their enhancer still functioned normally, a hundred alone wouldn¡¯t even break a sweat.


    The deputy dragged me along the ground, like I was nothing more than a sack of meat. When we finally came to a stop, I spat the sand out of my mouth, noticing blood with it. I had internal injuries to some extent, but I had no way of knowing how bad they were. And now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about it.


    I scolded myself for using my enhancer in an attempt to get free. All I did was damage my wrists and tighten the knots even more. Now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to depend on it if I had the opportunity.


    The next few minutes were chaos. The deputies were using the gun store as a supply station for those wishing to join in the showdown. A surprising number of townspeople were willing to join in for the promise of a giant reward. Even more than had been willing to join in the fight against the Red Collar Boys. With them, the town was divided, if not downright supportive. Against PanTech, they were united. Everyone here hated PanTech, and taking into account my own experiences as a citizen, could I really even blame them? I joined a rebellion in my zone too, and I¡¯d have likely jumped at a chance like this.


    The sheriff wasn¡¯t taking the virus seriously, or he thought it was some kind of conspiracy for PanTech to gain further control. Almost no one else in the town knew. With our lab studies of the virus, I had to accept the very real possibility that it would very soon wipe out a chunk of their population nearly all at once.


    After nearly half an hour of chaotic preparation, a large gathering stood around me. There had to be nearly a hundred men, all armed.


    ¡°Sheriff!¡± I called out.


    He was standing nearby, and approached me. He was even paler now, sweat pooling and dripping from his chin.


    ¡°Yeah? Not going to start begging more, are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I only know of one thing that could¡¯ve damaged a PanTech unit like that, and things will be so much worse if I¡¯m right. I understand how you feel about PanTech. Believe me, I do, but you need to hear them out or¡ª¡±


    He kicked me in the stomach. I saw it coming, and my armor made it feel like a kick from a child, but with the way my chest was feeling it was enough to flare the pain up again.


    ¡°Shut your mouth, missy! You are PanTech. You don¡¯t understand nothin¡¯ but tricks and mind games.¡±


    ¡°There are giant spiders, made of steel,¡± I continued after a deep breath. ¡°Nearly killed me when I escaped. They could rip this whole town apart in just a few minutes.¡±


    The sheriff laughed hard at that comment, which quickly turned to coughing. He cleared his throat and spat on the ground. Even from this distance, I could see the blood in it. Whether the virus would take moments, weeks, or even months to finish the man off, no one could predict.


    After a few more minutes of patiently waiting, the ¡°convoy¡± rolled up. It was beyond generous to call it that.


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    Three vehicles were barely rolling at all. No surprise it took them longer than I expected to arrive after they were spotted at the edge of the territory. Chunks were missing, and I saw a giant hole in one of them. My fears were confirmed. These were arachnid machine units, facing off against soldiers that were completely unprepared for them. They didn¡¯t know any of their weaknesses, nor their strengths. If caught off guard, these arachnid units were a nightmare made real. I¡¯d mostly only seen them wandering alone, but after the group of more than a dozen that pursued me and my Explorers League when we escaped from the walls, I could only cross my fingers that this was a single unit.


    If only crossing my fingers didn¡¯t hurt so much.


    A man stepped from one of the vehicles, followed by three more.


    The man who stood in front was missing his helmet, and it didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d removed it voluntarily. His upper body movements were sluggish, indicating he probably had reduced power above the waist. It was possible the fluid in the suit had leaked out, based on all the damage done to it. A chunk was missing from the neck, where the helmet would seal, and a sickly purple bruise decorated the left side of the man¡¯s face. His eye was closed on that side, no doubt the eye beneath his lids was destroyed from whatever had made that impact.


    Two of the other men didn¡¯t even have suits on. Their wounds from recently removing the suits were still visible on their shirtless torsos. Normally, these types of minor wounds were simple to fix within minutes. This meant their supply had been destroyed, or separated from them, and they probably didn¡¯t have a medic to speak of. The last man to get out had his full suit, although heavily damaged. His blaster had seen better days, but the fact it was on his hip likely meant it was functional to some degree.


    All the men present immediately drew their pistols or raised their rifles, training them on the battered and beaten PanTech soldiers.


    ¡°Sheriff Eric,¡± the man in front began, completely undeterred by the display. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to seize command of your men temporarily. We lost our commander in the field, so the temporary role of commander has fallen on me. If we start setting up now, we might stand a small chance against the threat approaching. We engaged in three skirmishes with the¡ª¡±


    Sheriff Eric cocked his revolver, leveling it at the man in front of him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be doin¡¯ what now? Don¡¯t reckon I heard you right.¡±


    The man, stone-faced, repeated himself.


    ¡°I will be taking command of your men to ensure the survival of the¡ª¡±


    The blast from the barrel of the sheriff¡¯s gun shattered the calm. The bullet struck the soldier in the head, and he fell straight back on the ground.


    One of the soldiers without armor was shot by another man¡¯s rifle, before he could even react, falling on his face as he was running for cover.


    The other unarmored man reached into the vehicle, pulling out a PanTech rifle, but I knew what was about to happen before I even watched it unfold in front of me.


    He turned, aimed, taking several shots to his body before firing himself. The concussive force from the blast alone sent sand flying in all directions. The energy ripped through nearly a dozen men, killing or terribly maiming them in an instant. Without power armor, or at least an enhancer, the rifle was impossible for any man to control. It flew from his grip, landing several feet behind him, causing him to fall on the ground where he was shot several more times.


    The soldier still in armor returned fire, each individual bullet doing very little damage to his suit. Each shot he returned killed someone as he strafed slowly toward the rifle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him pick that up!¡± the sheriff shouted. ¡°Concentrate all your fire on his head and neck.¡±


    The soldier had nearly reached it, leaning down to pick it up. But leaning down had exposed a vulnerability in his armor, as he caught several rounds in his torso. He slumped back, sitting on the ground and giving up on trying to get the rifle. He clutched at his wound, trying to protect the expanding opening in his armor with his gauntlet.


    He returned fire for what seemed like several more minutes before the soldier could no longer continue fighting, succumbing to his injuries.


    ¡°Get that¡­ that¡­ man shot in the back,¡± the sheriff shouted, choking several times and struggling to complete the order. ¡°Tie him up. Kill the other three and make real sure they¡¯re dead!¡±


    Just a few minutes of scrapping with these soldiers left more than half the sheriff¡¯s men and armed townsfolk dead, many in pieces. That they¡¯d triumphed at all qualified as a miracle, only made possible by the fact the Adversity Management soldiers showed up half-dead already with hardly any functioning equipment to speak of.


    I could only look on in horror. How could things have so utterly fallen apart in such a short amount of time?

 Chapter 53

    The doctor of the town was overwhelmed. Not only by the injuries, but by the sudden influx of gravely sick patients. The sheriff had to go personally to pressure him into treating their prisoner¡¯s bullet wound first so they could question him. I heard several of the deputies discussing it as I sat in my cell, now chained to the wall. Kuros was in the cell beside me, and one of the deputies had executed a man in the cell next to mine to make room for the new prisoner coming. At this rate, I wasn¡¯t sure why they even believed a larger prison would be necessary. Seemed to me the sheriff had long given up on the idea of taking prisoners. He treated this like a war, and it was him against everyone. All rules and ethics off the table.


    Kuros sat quietly in the corner of his cell, staring blankly ahead. The deputies watched us closely, making sure we didn¡¯t speak to one another. Though, I imagined Kuros wouldn¡¯t have anything to say for quite a while. Just as we were about to discuss the possibility of breaking out, things escalated so much further.


    ¡°What you reckon tore them fellers up so bad before they rolled in?¡± one deputy asked another, bouncing his foot restlessly as he sat on a stool near the entrance.


    ¡°Probably infightin¡¯. You know, with them sayin¡¯ PanTech HQ fell, I bet everybody¡¯s scramblin¡¯ to be the new head honcho and this kinda fightin¡¯s happenin¡¯ all over creation,¡± the other answered, looking every bit as anxious as his comrade. He didn¡¯t believe a single word of his own theory.


    Their conversation was interrupted by the sheriff stumbling through the door, accompanied by another deputy with the prisoner in tow, slung over his shoulder like a sack of feed.


    ¡°He¡¯s waking up. Tie him to the chair there and we¡¯ll start the interrogation,¡± Eric said. The deputies wasted no time following orders. Seeing a terribly wounded, unconscious man tied to a chair was certainly appalling. But at this point, not the most appalling thing I¡¯d seen the man do.


    As the man¡¯s eyes slowly opened, the sheriff threw a bucket of water into his face, startling him fully awake.


    ¡°Name!¡± Sheriff Eric shouted.


    ¡°You know my name, Sheriff. I¡¯ve been stationed here for almost a year now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t memorize the name of PanTech employees, and I¡¯ll forget yours again as soon s we¡¯re done with this interrogation. Humor me.¡±


    ¡°Nate,¡± he said.


    ¡°Alright, Nate¡­ want to tell me what happened to you and your buddies? Let¡¯s start there.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point? You¡¯re not going to believe me anyway,¡± Nate mumbled, his voice strained, clearly in a great deal of pain.


    ¡°The point is you get to live a little longer,¡± Eric said, drawing his pistol and putting it against Nate¡¯s temple. ¡°Now talk.¡±


    Nate glared at him. ¡°Alright¡­ giant spiders made of steel. Tall as ten men. Whole unit fully armed managed to damage one before we were decimated. A few of us retreated to warn the town. Rest stayed behind to fight, and our communication went silent shortly after. They¡¯re all dead.¡±


    The sheriff laughed, coughed, and then laughed some more. ¡°Giant metal spiders, huh? I reckon you want to die, then. Want to try that again?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not lying,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen many of them. Almost a dozen of them chased¡ª¡±


    He spun around, firing a shot right by my head, the sound of the blast as painful as the bullet itself would¡¯ve been. My ears were ringing.


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± he shouted at me.


    The sheriff looked almost delirious now, eyes wide and breathing heavily before turning back to Nate.


    ¡°Three of them, and they¡¯ll be here before you know it. Almost certain they were heading this way,¡± Nate said.


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    Eric drew back his fist, but was interrupted by Deputy Choy barging in.


    ¡°Sheriff! Sheriff, we got trouble,¡± he said, struggling to catch his breath.


    I winced. Surely they weren¡¯t here already.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Eric snapped.


    ¡°Doctor¡¯s clinic has got people lined up out the door, waiting in the streets outside. People are showin¡¯ up left and right, and they¡¯re sick like you, Sheriff, or worse. It¡¯s like some kind of plague. People¡¯s gettin¡¯ real upset. It¡¯s lookin¡¯ like it¡¯s about to be a riot.¡±


    Eric¡¯s eyes shot to me again, no doubt remembering our conversation about the virus when I arrived.


    ¡°You brought it here, didn¡¯t you? Wouldn¡¯t nobody sick til you showed up!¡±


    He raised his gun toward me again, but shouting outside distracted him.


    ¡°Get out here, Sheriff!¡± a voice called.


    ¡°Come on out!¡± shouted another.


    This was a worst case scenario, along all fronts. The virus engaging in the very behavior I feared most. A sort of cluster activation in many individuals who were previously infected but experiencing no symptoms.


    The sheriff holstered his pistol and stormed out, gesturing for his deputies to follow.


    At last, the three of us were left alone.


    ¡°Nate¡­¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know who you are,¡± he said. ¡°I recognized you the moment we rolled up, professor.¡±


    The last word was almost growled more than spoken.


    ¡°We need to find a way to escape together,¡± I said. ¡°You need to be treated properly or that wound¡¯s only going to get worse.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from you, professor. I had one final order from my commander, and that was to warn the townspeople about the approaching threat. That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. Whatever traitorous agenda you have, you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool, Nate,¡± Kuros said. ¡°I just lost all my men too. I understand how you¡¯re feelin¡¯ right now. This town still needs us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, because of the virus?¡± Nate asked, grinning. ¡°Pretty terrifying, huh? You must be honored sitting in a cell next to one of the great minds who made it.¡±


    Kuros turned to me, looking for a denial.


    ¡°I¡­ it¡¯s not a complete lie, but there¡¯s so much more to it than that. I opposed it from the start and was literally being mind controlled for months.¡±


    ¡°No one has ever been normal again after reeducation. Sounds like you¡¯re trying to cover your tracks with any lie you can come up with.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie. Frelya¡­¡± I stopped, finding myself struggling with the words that came after her name. ¡°Frelya found a way to reverse it.¡±


    ¡°I never understood her obsession with you¡­¡± Nate said coldly.


    ¡°Me either,¡± I said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about all that!¡± Kuros hissed, struggling to keep his voice low. ¡°My town¡¯s about to be destroyed by a virus, or metal spiders, or the madman claimin¡¯ to run it. Whatever PanTech troubles you want to air out, I reckon you ought to air it out some other time. If the three of us can get out of here, we might be able to do somethin¡¯. What do you say, Nate? Truce for now?¡±


    Nate grinned, fidgeting with the ropes behind him.


    ¡°Almost got it,¡± he said.


    ¡°Good!¡± I said. ¡°You can get Kuros and I out after you¡¯re free and we can go from there. Should we try to deal with the sheriff now, or regroup?¡± I asked, looking to Kuros.


    ¡°Too many innocent bystanders around him right now. Sounds like half the town¡¯s crowded around, and he¡¯s barely outside the door. We can understand what they¡¯re saying they¡¯re so close. I say we slip out the back. If we get into a gunfight with him now, innocent people are gonna get killed.¡±


    ¡°The longer we go without acting, the more are going to die anyway,¡± I said.


    Kuros frowned.


    ¡°What do you think, Nate?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You two are on your own. I¡¯m not teaming up with a traitor,¡± Nate said.


    Just as I was about to respond, a familiar voice filled my mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ve located an Explorers League team and we¡¯re on our way,¡± Ghost said, speaking to me through our enhancers¡¯ communication function. Only I could hear him.


    I was startled, but so happy to hear from him. This was the break this town needed. With their help, we could handle the arachnid units and get things back on track.


    ¡°Thank goodness, Ghost. How far out?¡± I replied. Kuros tilted his head at my awkward silence, probably wondering why I hadn¡¯t responded to Nate.


    ¡°We won¡¯t make it in time. The town will have to hold them off for at least a few hours. Perhaps a day. We¡¯re moving as quickly as we can with limited transportation.¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be a problem. Things are really bad here. I¡¯m currently tied up in a jail cell while a madman ignores the virus spreading like a wildfire.¡±


    ¡°Do what you can,¡± Ghost said, followed by silence.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Kuros asked.


    ¡°I just got communication from my partner. They¡¯re on their way with one of my Explorers League units.¡±


    Nate laughed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s convenient. My whole unit¡¯s wiped out, so now backup is on the way. Besides, if we couldn¡¯t destroy them what makes you think your mountaineering domesticated cats and dogs can do anything, huh?¡±


    ¡°Because they know how the machines are built. We¡¯ve disassembled them, reassembled them, studied them. If you know how to fight them, they¡¯re not invincible.¡±


    Nate clenched his teeth, seeming more upset than relieved.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± he growled, pulling a hand free.


    ¡°You did it!¡± I said. Hurry, help Kuros and I get loose.


    ¡°Look, we¡¯ll make sure your boy gets help. Just calm down!¡± I heard the sheriff shout.


    Everyone¡¯s voices were rising in volume. This was getting more and more out of hand.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Nate said, rising to his feet and heading out the door.

 Chapter 54

    Nate headed toward the back of the jail. Figures he¡¯d know the layout of this place far better than me, given he was stationed here.


    ¡°Is there a way out the back?¡± I asked.


    Kuros nodded. ¡°Yeah, there is. Normally it¡¯s guarded, but if anyone¡¯s there right now it¡¯s probably just one person.¡±


    One person wouldn¡¯t slow Nate down, even in the state he was in.


    ¡°That idiot¡­¡± I growled.


    ¡°We¡¯re on our own,¡± Kuros said, scanning his cell, no doubt for any opportunity we could use to escape now that there were no eyes on us.


    I closed my eyes and concentrated. I couldn¡¯t afford to waste the limited capabilities of my enhancer today. Not when I might need it soon. Still, I had to try something. I clenched my fists tight and pulled, twisted, and turned, hoping to feel some kind of weakness in my restraints. There weren¡¯t any. Only thing I felt right now was the persistent aching in my chest.


    ¡°Gah, I can¡¯t get out of these ropes¡­¡±


    ¡°Any other ideas?¡± Kuros asked, continuing to study every corner of his cell.


    Before I could answer, we heard more commotion outside.


    ¡°Okay, now look... If you don¡¯t calm down I¡¯m going to throw you in a cell!¡± Eric shouted.


    I could see through the space below the swinging doors and had a relatively clear look at what was going on.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you be puttin¡¯ hands on my deputies!¡±


    A chorus of jeers rang out as those gathered grew more and more desperate.


    I sighed, looking at Kuros.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t do something soon, this whole town¡¯s going to eat itself.¡±


    Kuros nodded, only half-listening as he hastily scanned and rescanned every inch of his cell. His eyes stopped on one of the bars and widened.


    ¡°Got an idea!¡± he said. He laid flat, stretching his legs out as far as he could, wrapping his boots around one of the bars. ¡°See if you can help me turn this bar a half turn.¡±


    ¡°Huh, why?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a real rusty spot on my side. Lots of deep, sharp gouges in the metal. If I can get that facing you, you should be able to grind your ropes against it and cut them.¡±


    It was worth a shot. I scooted myself back toward the bar, grabbing it as much as I could. Luckily, it was loose. Using a bit of my enhancer, I was able to turn it to face me.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Kuros said. ¡°Hurry and give it a try.¡±


    I could feel the friction as I scraped the ropes along the bar. They would continuously get caught along the fibers, grabbing, ripping, and tearing them one by one. This would work, but it would take a while. Using my enhancer again, I increased my speed until the ropes began to smoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s workin¡¯!¡± Kuros said, watching patiently. ¡°Keep doin¡¯ exactly what you¡¯re doin¡¯.¡±


    Even with my enhancer, it still took several minutes to grind far enough for the first layer to snap. I pulled hard, only to realize it wasn¡¯t enough. I kept it up, and another few precious minutes passed. Another rope snapped. This time, with a strong twist, they finally fell to the floor.


    I jumped to my feet and turned my attention to my cell door.


    ¡°There¡¯s a broken chain link hanging off the bench there. See if you can yank it off and get that lock. The locks on the doors ain¡¯t much by themselves.¡±


    I did as he suggested, ripping the loose, broken chain link from the bench and struggling to bend it the amount necessary to fit in the lock. Eventually, I managed it, and after a moment of fiddling heard a satisfying clack.


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    More shouting, and my attention turned back to the door, knowing we could be found out at any moment. Likely, they¡¯d not give us another chance to escape. I had to stay sharp. At the very least, I couldn¡¯t let myself get ambushed again. If someone did pop through those doors, I had to be the one to get the jump on them first.


    I grabbed the keys from above the desk, rushing to Kuros¡¯s cell door and yanking it open, then, after a few attempts, took care of the shackles he was wearing.


    He rubbed his wrists.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan? We can¡¯t be standin¡¯ here long.¡±


    ¡°Ideally, I¡¯d like to find Nate. He¡¯s the only eyewitness to the arachnid units and can describe them in detail to me. If he can give me enough information, I can determine what specific models they are and we can better prepare. Their vulnerabilities vary a bit between revisions, even if the big ones stay the same. Equally as important is finding a way to calm this mob growing out here. We¡¯re not going to accomplish anything if everyone in this town kills each other.¡±


    Kuros drew in a deep breath and sighed. ¡°Is that all? Alright¡­ well¡­ I don¡¯t reckon we¡¯re going to find that feller who ran off, and even if we found him he didn¡¯t seem too keen on cooperating with us.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Kuros, I have to try. We¡¯re running out of options here.¡±


    Kuros repeated his sigh with even more enthusiasm this time.


    ¡°Little miss¡­ I¡¯m with you. Lead the way.¡±


    I turned toward the back, but was stopped by a familiar voice amidst the chorus of other voices outside.


    I bent down, slowly making my way to the front door.


    ¡°What are you doin¡¯?¡± Kuros whispered loudly. ¡°You¡¯re gonna get seen.¡±


    The chaos outside continued to grow. There was no longer any spacing in the crowd. There was shoving between deputies and citizens, and even the sheriff wasn¡¯t getting spared from it. His trigger finger was clearly itching, with his palm resting firmly on his revolver.


    I scanned the crowd, looking for the source of the voice, and quickly found her. Daisy was standing along the edge, watching things unfold quietly. Once in a while, she would glance toward the door, so I tried to time a wave to get her attention. After a few attempts, I caught her eye, and she moved subtly toward us.


    Just as she nearly made it, a shot rang out. For a moment, I feared the worst. The sheriff¡¯s gun was smoking, pointed in the air.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only warnin¡¯ shot I¡¯m firin¡¯!¡± he shouted. ¡°Now all ya¡¯ll better start actin¡¯ right or then next bullet¡¯s goin¡¯ into somebody!¡±


    Daisy scurried inside, holding her hands on her head.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Belle¡¯s sick. Really sick. I was hoping to see the doc, but I see now there¡¯s no way that¡¯s going to happen. I was waiting for my opportunity to sneak in here and talk to you. Are you alright?¡±


    Daisy¡¯s stress was clear on her face.


    ¡°We¡¯ve gotta move,¡± I said, making my way toward the back. As we neared the rear exit, there was a single deputy lying dead on the floor with his neck broken. Nate, for certain.


    ¡°Nate¡¯s handiwork¡­¡± Kuros said.


    We quickly exited, lucky not to be seen by anyone as we did. The chaos was now teetering on a full-blown riot, as the sheriff¡¯s warning shot seemed to only briefly be effective. Daisy led us down a narrow space between two buildings.


    ¡°Is there anything you can do to help her, Taylor?¡± Daisy asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you¡­ I don¡¯t know. Our testing on vaccinating those already sick was limited, and since I¡¯ve had to rush between zones I haven¡¯t been able to stick around to see if those who were sick got better or worse. Of course, I¡¯m willing to try it, but I don¡¯t have any of the vaccines with me. I¡¯d have to go outside the zone to get them and set up a station for the townspeople.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that right now,¡± Daisy said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t go well.¡±


    I clenched my teeth, squeezing my fists. I wanted to punch a hole in the building next to me so bad I could hardly stand it.


    ¡°Let me guess, people think I brought it here and that my vaccine is something that¡¯ll make things worse. Figures the sheriff would spread something like that.¡±


    ¡°Honey¡­¡± Daisy started. ¡°The sheriff hasn¡¯t told anybody about it. People come up with all these things on their own, and it gets spread. It was common knowledge you were from PanTech as soon as you showed up here thanks to your run-in with the sheriff, and rumors have been swelling ever since. You need to build up confidence with the townspeople somehow.¡±


    ¡°I know one good way to do that,¡± Kuros said. Daisy raised an eyebrow, and Kuros reluctantly continued. ¡°I reckon when she helps us beat those giant metal spiders coming to destroy the town people here will change their tune.¡±


    Daisy went pale. ¡°Giant¡­ what? Oh, please¡­ please please please tell me that was some kind of dark humor.¡±


    Kuros put his arm around Daisy to steady her, as it seemed she might faint.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s nothin¡¯ to laugh at¡­¡± he said. ¡°Besides the absurdity of it all.¡±


    ¡°Daisy¡­¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to agree with your friend. If you¡¯re going to make a move, you should be ready to make it when the opportunity arises, if we can create one. This town needs leadership to stop it from completely falling apart, and to rebuild it. Assuming we even survive all this.¡±


    Daisy steadied herself, nodding firmly. ¡°I have some people I need to talk to, but I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Spread out. They can¡¯t have gotten far!¡± I heard a deputy shout. We crouched down behind some barrels, but I could see a group of men marching by, all carrying rifles.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t figure it¡¯d take him long to figure out we were gone,¡± Kuros said. ¡°You best head back, Miss Daisy, before you end up gettin¡¯ seen with us.¡±


    ¡°Good luck,¡± she said, running off quickly.


    I just hoped things weren¡¯t already too far gone. That we weren¡¯t already too late.

 Chapter 55

    The chaos continued to swell, and we could still hear the shouts from where we were hiding. Growing angrier and angrier. More desperate. Kuros and I looked at one another, unsure of what to say next. Here we were crouching behind barrels, but what exactly could we do next?


    ¡°We really can¡¯t just keep sitting here,¡± I said, my voice low. ¡°Every second we¡¯re hiding, more people are getting sick, sicker, and we¡¯re one second closer to being attacked by those machines.¡±


    Kuros nodded, his expression grim. ¡°It ain¡¯t that I don¡¯t agree¡­ but we¡¯re probably runnin¡¯ on our last chance here. If the sheriff catches us again, he¡¯s like to hang us on the spot or shoot us dead.¡±


    As we both pondered, trying to grasp for anything resembling a plan, we were interrupted by the sound of a struggle passing by. I peeked out from behind the barrel, only to see a group of deputies dragging Nate along.


    ¡°It¡¯s Nate,¡± I whispered to Kuros. ¡°They got him. The sheriff must¡¯ve been more concerned about him than us.¡±


    ¡°Maybe by a little. Let¡¯s move around behind these buildings so we can get a better view of the front of the jail where everyone¡¯s crowded together. That¡¯s where they¡¯re probably taking him.¡±


    ¡°You sure they won¡¯t just try to sneak him in the back again, or hide him out somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°Knowing the sheriff, I doubt that.¡± Kuros began moving behind the buildings, and I followed along. Seemed the whole town was preoccupied with what was going on in front of the jail, so we were able to move almost out in the open without anyone noticing.


    Kuros was right, of course, and the deputies took Nate directly to the sheriff, throwing him roughly on the ground.


    ¡°Ah, thought you could just run off and go around spreading your lies, huh? That¡¯s all you PanTech good-for-nothings are worth. Lies!¡± Eric roared.


    ¡°I think deep down you know I¡¯m telling the truth, don¡¯t you?¡± Nate said, spitting the dirt out of his mouth.


    Eric¡¯s hand went to his pistol, and I¡¯d had enough experience with the man by now to know what was coming next. It was now or never. We needed an opportunity, and this would have to be the closest thing.


    I ran out of my hiding place, keeping my hands up. Kuros wasn¡¯t far behind.


    ¡°Sheriff, please. He¡¯s telling the truth,¡± I pleaded.


    His head spun around, nearly rotating off his shoulders. He looked at me, first with a look of shock, then anger.


    ¡°You!¡± he growled. ¡°You and him are coworkers after all, so figures you¡¯d come out here to back him up on his lies. After all, you¡¯ve been tellin¡¯ lies since you first got here. You brought that sickness with you too, just to peddle that snake oil vaccine that¡¯s got who knows what in it.¡±


    ¡°Listen, sheriff, please!¡± I could feel my voice breaking. I was begging. Pleading. Not to get the upper hand as some kind of bluff, but because the situation was becoming genuinely hopeless. ¡°Everything he told you is true. Everything I told you is true. We¡¯re just trying to help you! Let us help!¡±


    ¡°Work together? Hah! With our PanTech oppressors and a bunch of outlaws? Lettin¡¯ you keep your heads is what¡¯s led us here in the first place. Look at what you¡¯ve done to the people of this town! Now you¡¯re tryin¡¯ to turn ¡®em against their own sheriff.¡±


    Kuros took a step forward, his own hands in the air. ¡°Nobody says we gotta be pals, Eric. Nobody says we can¡¯t go back to killin¡¯ each other after all¡¯s said and done. After we handle this sickness, and everything else coming, I¡¯ll turn myself in. You¡¯ve got my word on that.¡±


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    For a moment, Eric seemed to hesitate. Physically, it was hard to believe he was still standing. His skin looked like a corpse¡¯s. Pale, clammy, and cold. A trickle of blood ran from his nose and kept flowing no matter how many times he wiped it. His face was doused in sweat. His lips were cracked and split, his eyes bloodshot and glassy.


    But rather than a moment of reason, it was more of the same. He drew his gun, pointing it at Kuros.


    Nate jumped to his feet.


    ¡°Giant monsters are coming, each one big as a house, and they¡¯re going to kill everyone in this town!¡±


    He laughed, the cackle of a villain in a children¡¯s story. Nate was happy to see this town go up in flames.


    Eric turned and shot him in the head.


    Silence fell over the crowd. We¡¯d all avoided saying exactly what was coming, knowing a full-blown panic would likely make everything worse, but now it was out there. It was all laid out on the table.


    ¡°Monsters?¡± a child asked, looking up at her father, crying loudly. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± she said.


    Slowly, the rage began to boil again, even more passionately this time. For the first time, Eric looked genuinely concerned, like he just realized that things had passed the point beyond his control.


    It had reached a frenzy. Some sections had broken off. Several were approaching me, murder in their eyes. Others approached the sheriff and his deputies with the same look. They wanted someone to pay, and only disagreed on who, or maybe which order.


    ¡°Listen to me!¡± I shouted, barely audible above the crowd¡¯s roar. ¡°You¡¯re scared. You¡¯re angry. I am too, but what¡¯s coming is bigger than me, bigger than the sheriff.


    Their tempers seemed to cool, but only slightly. At least they were still listening.


    I continued. ¡°There are monsters coming. They are as big as a house. They don¡¯t have feelings, they don¡¯t experience pain, and they don¡¯t give up. The sheriff knows it¡¯s true too. But you know something? I¡¯ve killed them before! I know how. My team is on the way to help, but if we don¡¯t put up a fight to buy them time to get here there won¡¯t be anyone to stand against them, and no one left to protect.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her nonsense!¡± Eric shouted, barely able to stand up straight. ¡°Lie after lie after lie. Use your brain. You know they ain¡¯t no such thing as big metal monsters. This woman brought a plague on this town, and now she¡¯s using clever lies to win all you suckers over. I¡¯ve spent my life protecting this town, and you¡¯re going to listen to some crazy story pushed by a PanTech oppressor and a gang leader?¡±


    The crowd seemed to falter again, completely at a loss for who to believe. Eric took quick advantage of the hesitation.


    ¡°Arrest them two!¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re gonna hang the both of them today, and then just you watch how quick things return to normal!¡±


    ¡°Eric, stop this madness!¡± Kuros said. ¡°We¡¯re fightin¡¯ each other while an enemy like nothin¡¯ we¡¯ve ever seen marches toward our town. Sheriff, you love this town, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you want to save it? Lead the fight yourself. Be the hero the town needs.¡±


    An old man pointed his finger at the sheriff. ¡°Our memories ain¡¯t that short. The sheriff was goin¡¯ around actin¡¯ like a tyrant before this girl showed up, and the Red Collar Boys ain¡¯t done nothin¡¯ to nobody here. We hardly ever saw ¡®em. That man ain¡¯t no hero. He¡¯s a fraud tryin¡¯ to play king!¡±


    Eric¡¯s face softened again, the anger allowing the fear to creep back in. He took a step back, still holding his gun. He pointed it at the old man, then to me, then Kuros. He was losing his grasp on reality. He frantically wiped the sweat from his eyes. His lips were now taking on a bluish hue. The rings around his eyes dark as night.


    ¡°Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up!¡± he shouted, waving his gun and his hand around wildly. ¡°I am protecting this town. I am saving this town. I¡¯m saving it from the biggest threat its ever faced. An evil corporation and a band of outlaws. I already am the hero. I am.¡±


    The deputies appeared to be unnerved, taken aback by Eric¡¯s actions, growing more and more frantic by the moment. He wasn¡¯t himself. Or, perhaps he was more himself than he¡¯d ever been. The stress of the situation was taking its toll. No one really seemed sure of what was actually happening, aside from me. Thankfully, Kuros, Daisy, and the others had put their faith in my explanation, but they were trusting me. It was faith. The only one here who knew exactly what the virus was, had seen the machines with their own eyes, was me.


    Everyone else was beside themselves with fear and uncertainty, whether they were hiding it or not. Their loved ones were getting sick and dying all around them, and now they were being told monsters were marching on their town to kill everyone who was left, until there were none. Until there was nothing.


    Could I really have expected them to handle it any better than they have?


    Should I have just¡­ left this town to its fate? Moved on to the next zone to see what could be done there?


    I scolded myself for having these thoughts yet again.


    I knew what the right thing to do was, and I was determined to do it.


    Just as I allowed myself to hope the deputies had given up on the sheriff, he shouted again.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Get them!¡±


    This time, they listened.

 Chapter 56

    The deputies advanced, their faces betraying their lack of belief in their own actions.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t resist,¡± one said, approaching me.


    I took a step back, prepared to do just that. Despite the pain still radiating from my chest, I wasn¡¯t going to let them take me easily.


    Kuros shook his head. ¡°Best you not move around too much, Taylor,¡± he said. ¡°Do as they¡¯re asking.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Kuros, we¡¯ve been through this already. If we don¡¯t fight now¡­¡±


    ¡°Trust me,¡± he said, winking. ¡°Just have a little faith.¡±


    I hesitated, offering my hands without putting up a fight. I wasn¡¯t sure what Kuros had in mind, but his face looked different somehow. He was anxious, and nervous, but somehow confident. He knew something I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake,¡± I said. ¡°People are going to die because of you, and not just a few. You¡¯re dooming the entire town.¡±


    ¡°The only mistake I made was not putting a rope around your neck the moment you walked into this town. Guess I¡¯ve gotten soft as I¡¯ve gotten older. Thought maybe you could behave and be on your way, but turns out that was just another one of your lies.


    The crowd became unreadable. There was an anxious energy building, and the acceptance that no matter who was right, something bad was about to happen. At this point, it didn¡¯t really matter who they decided to believe. The outcome would be nearly the same either way.


    A deputy reached out and grabbed Kuros by the wrist. As he did, a shot rang out from a distance, startling everyone. The deputy withdrew his hand, holding it to his neck. A moment later, blood began to seep through his fingers and he fell to the ground.


    Chaos erupted. Everyone began to scatter, shoving others aside who were slower. Some left their sick behind to fend for themselves, while other struggled to drag them away under the stress of gunfire.


    ¡°I knew he wouldn¡¯t run!¡± Kuros shouted. Who was he talking about? Could he be talking about Clarence? ¡°Now¡¯s our chance!¡±


    Several of the deputies threw down their guns and ran as more bullets came. Another deputy was hit in the chest, falling to the ground clutching his wound. Only the loyalists remained now, forming a tight circle around the sheriff.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Eric shouted, shoving one of them. ¡°Go after them. Kill any of the deserters you come across as you do. Find those shooters.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ where?¡± Deputy Choy asked, his eyes darting in any direction he thought he might spot them.


    ¡°The direction the bullet came from, idiot!¡± The sheriff pointed, as the group slowly began to move toward cover, only for another shot to ring out and hit another one of the deputies from a different direction.


    ¡°They¡¯s gotta be more than one. One man would have to be ridin¡¯ hard on horseback to make that shot so far from the first, and that shot can¡¯t be made by any man alive from horseback,¡± Choy said.


    Eric shoved Choy out of the way and started screaming and firing his gun in every direction, hitting buildings, the ground, the sky, and anything that wasn¡¯t a man.


    A few others returned. Choy dropped his rifle and fell to his knees, his hands in the air. He was the last one of Eric¡¯s deputies still standing.


    Eric wheezed, pointing his gun at Choy and pulling the trigger. Only he¡¯d run out of ammunition. He bent down, taking Choy¡¯s pistol from its holster.


    He looked like little more than a struggling husk now, carried forward only by anger and hatred. An anger and hatred he didn¡¯t even know where to point.


    He had a pretty good idea. I thought he would go straight for Kuros, but I was wrong. Turns out he hated me even more now. He stumbled forward, wiping the sweat from his eyes aggressively, trying to see me clearly. He raised his revolver and pulled back the hammer. He fired, but Kuros tackled him just before he did, sending the bullet in the dirt.


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    They struggled for a moment, but the audible thud of Kuros¡¯s fist against the sheriff¡¯s jaw took the fight out of him. At least for the moment.


    Kuros scrambled to his feet after ripping the gun from Eric¡¯s grip, taking a few steps back.


    ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± Kuros said. ¡°Time to stop this, Eric. Time to call it quits. You¡¯re on death¡¯s door already. Don¡¯t you at least want to die with some dignity. Go on. Go home and rest. Live out what time you got left in the comfort of your home. It beats getting killed in the street.¡±


    Eric clenched his fists, his entire body shaking. He struggled to his feet.


    ¡°You¡¯d really let me go, after all this? After everything that¡¯s happened?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go, Sheriff. You¡¯re a dead man walking. How long you reckon he¡¯s got Taylor?¡±


    ¡°If the stress and exertion continues, hours. If he lies down and lets someone take care of him, perhaps a few days. Maybe even a week.¡±


    I knew these were optimistic guesses. The truth was, this man would be lucky to wake up in the morning, and it would be nothing short of a miracle if he woke up the day after.


    Sometimes a lie is a kindness. In this case, a bargaining chip.


    Without answering, he turned, only to walk straight into a gun barrel pressed against his head. For a moment, I wasn¡¯t sure what was happening. Then, it hit me.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ the woman whose husband he shot for standing up for that farmer, Jim,¡± I said.


    ¡°My husband¡¯s name was William. He was a good man. He always worked hard, and did the right thing. He worked for Jim, keeping this town fed. They¡¯d been lookin¡¯ for ways to keep feeding everyone after PanTech left. But this man¡­¡± She cocked the hammer on the pistol. ¡°This man took it all away. My daughters don¡¯t have a father. I have no husband. Jim isn¡¯t around to help. This man has doomed everyone.¡±


    Eric gritted his teeth. ¡°They had no right talkin¡¯ to me that way.¡±


    I was taken aback. Even after everything. Even after the second chance Kuros gave him. He still believed those men deserved to die just for disrespecting him. He was nothing more than a thug.


    ¡°It ain¡¯t worth it. Man¡¯s dead already,¡± Kuros said. ¡°You can put that gun down. No need for you to get blood on your hands.¡±


    ¡°I already got blood on my hands,¡± she screamed. ¡°I killed that deputy that shot my William already. Everyone thought the Red Collar Boys did it. It was me.¡±


    I¡¯d had a feeling that might be the case.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to kill the man,¡± Kuros pleaded. ¡°Taylor, tell her. Tell her what that virus is about to do to the man. It¡¯d be a mercy to kill him now.¡±


    I stood, silent. I could not bear to tell this woman, after all she¡¯d suffered, that this man didn¡¯t deserve to die by her hand. Sometimes a lie was a kindness. Sometimes the truth hurt. I believed this man deserved the bullet just as much as she did. I was not about to tell her to put down that gun. To do something I couldn¡¯t do in her place.


    Kuros locked eyes with me a moment, and I could see the pain there, but there was also acceptance. He sighed, and his shoulders slumped. He said nothing else.


    Just then, a child screamed out, clutching their sibling who had just passed away from the virus. The woman looked away for only a moment, but it was enough. The sheriff tackled her to the ground, rolling once, fighting away the revolver from her grip.


    I stepped forward, prepared to do what I could, even with my hands bound.


    Kuros lunged, but froze where he stood, nearly falling, holding a hand out in front of him.


    Eric slowly stood to his feet, his arm around the woman¡¯s neck and the gun held to her head.


    ¡°Let yourself get distracted there. You really were gonna kill me, weren¡¯t you?¡± he said, laughing. He choked on his own laughter, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, pooling on his chin and dripping steadily to the ground. He wheezed with every desperate breath now. ¡°Nobody move, or I¡¯ll send this woman to meet her dear ol¡¯ William. Put the gun down, Kuros!¡±


    Kuros took a deep breath. ¡°No¡­¡± he said, holding the revolver down to his side, his other hand out in front of him, pleading. ¡°This really is the last chance I can give you, Sheriff. Drop that gun and walk away.¡±


    Sheriff¡¯s grip loosened. ¡°You¡¯d¡­ actually be fool enough to let me walk still? You might be the biggest fool I¡¯ve ever seen, Kuros. I¡¯m startin¡¯ to believe you ain¡¯t even capable of killing.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t drop that gun, you¡¯ll find out,¡± Kuros warned.


    The air itself seemed to hang heavy for a moment, as time slowed.


    ¡°You think you can pull that gun up, cock the hammer, and fire before I can just squeeze the trigger? Even in my state?¡±


    The sheriff meant to laugh, but that laugh proved to be a mistake. Choking again, he spat blood. In the brief instant his body seized, Kuros snapped his revolver to his side, squeezing the trigger and sliding his palm across the hammer, firing from the hip for speed.


    Eric let go of the woman, stumbling back. He clutched at his face, feeling the blood pooling beneath his eye and running down his cheek. He stared at Kuros, stunned. He grinned, realizing that somehow he was still alive, then moved the pistol toward Kuros. Slow, as a man¡¯s movements were expected to be when he¡¯d already spent all his borrowed time, somehow borrowing more. Kuros moved only slightly faster, taking his time, extending his arm out fully, turning and widening his stance. He fired just as Eric began to find his aim, hitting him in the forehead.


    The sheriff stiffened and fell back flat on the ground, dead.

 Chapter 57

    The moment Eric fell, an uncomfortable silence came. The air itself felt heavy. No one knew what to say, or how to feel, or if this was some sort of shared delusion. While some considered this a good and necessary outcome, others saw it as just another step toward the edge of the cliff. Now, their town was dealing with a plague, had no mayor, and had no sheriff. They were being told monsters were approaching, but if you looked around, it looked almost like they¡¯d already come and gone. You couldn¡¯t look in any direction without seeing a body on the ground, either dead from sickness or a bullet.


    Kuros lowered the gun slowly, his face a mural of pain. Some might¡¯ve expected him to look triumphant, even heroic, but that was not the man in front of me. This was reality. He did not feel good about what he¡¯d done, and I knew that praising him for it would be the wrong thing to do.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± he said, his voice nearly a whisper. ¡°The fight¡¯s far from over.¡±


    I nodded, forcing myself to swallow the adrenaline of the situation that just unfolded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Help me get loose from these shackles.¡±


    He picked up a set of keys off one of the dead deputies, undoing my bindings. The crowd slowly gathered back around, still as desperate as before but patiently waiting for someone else to speak first.


    Kuros turned to address them.


    ¡°Everyone¡­ I know you¡¯re scared. You¡¯re confused. Whole town¡¯s gone to pieces and you don¡¯t know if you can ever put them back together again, but I just want to tell you¡­ I believe Taylor, and I believe Nate. I reckon they¡¯re tellin¡¯ us the truth about the virus, and the machines. But¡­ we ain¡¯t cowards, and we ain¡¯t folk who die easily. If there¡¯s anyone who can survive without PanTech, and fight off these machines comin¡¯, it¡¯s all of you. Even Sheriff Eric believed that, misguided as he was. When all this is over, we¡¯ll give the man a proper funeral. I ain¡¯t going to speak ill of the dead. But for now, the dead have enough company. We don¡¯t need any more of our people joinin¡¯ their ranks.¡±


    A man stepped forward.


    ¡°How can we beat a machine that was able to kill those PanTech soldiers? We ain¡¯t nothing like them. We ain¡¯t got any of that fancy armor, or training, or weapons.¡±


    ¡°We can,¡± I said. ¡°We have something they didn¡¯t. Something that means a lot when facing these machines. I know their weaknesses. I¡¯ve fought them before. Many times before. I¡¯ve hunted them in the wilds with my team. I¡¯ve turned them into scrap and studied them. If you know the right place to hit, or to cut, they are far from invincible. I can teach our defenders these things and we can fare better than even Adversity Management.¡±


    Did I believe my own words?


    I didn¡¯t even know the answer to that.


    ¡°What about all these people dyin¡¯ from sickness?¡± a woman asked.


    ¡°As soon as this machine threat is dealt with, I will retrieve my supplies and get to work vaccinating everyone in town against this virus. I can¡¯t promise this will help those who are already sick but¡­ I¡¯ll try. I¡¯ll try anything to help you. It¡¯s the whole reason I came here. I wanted to get ahead of the virus and save as many as possible. But we can¡¯t vaccinate people while machines are ripping the town apart. They have to be stopped first.¡±


    ¡°Tell us how we can help,¡± a man said, patting the rifle slung over his shoulder. He was looking to Kuros.


    ¡°Well¡­ I reckon we need to split between taking care of the sick and preparing to fight. Let¡¯s have the women and older children helping the sick, and any able-bodied man gather outside the old gun store.¡± Kuros paused briefly, looking to me. ¡°But use your own judgment. If you¡¯re a lady with a mean streak and firearm experience, feel free to join us at the gun store. Same for you fellers who ain¡¯t done much shootin¡¯ but more experienced takin¡¯ care of the sick. Help out the doc. Go where you¡¯re most effective. Alright folks, hurry and do what you need to do, get this place cleared out, and we¡¯ll all meet in front of the gun store and the doc¡¯s clinic within the hour!¡±


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    Perhaps I¡¯d changed his perspective a bit on those stereotypes.


    As the crowd began to disperse, a man came riding in from a distance. As he got closer, I recognized him. A rifle slung over his shoulder with a large scope attached.


    ¡°Need a rifleman?¡± he asked, smiling.


    ¡°Unbelievable shooting,¡± Kuros said. ¡°You really saved us.¡±


    ¡°Aw, that weren¡¯t nothin¡¯,¡± he said, wiping his nose and blushing slightly. Unlike Kuros, he appeared to be completely unbothered by what he¡¯d done, even though he¡¯d just killed several men himself. ¡°You two are the brains behind this. What¡¯s the plan for the defenders?¡±


    ¡°Reckon we could use some of our spools of rope on their legs, bein¡¯ they¡¯re like spiders?¡± Kuros asked, looking at me.


    ¡°Very good idea. I¡¯m not sure the rope will hold up to the strain, but its worth a try. We¡¯ve used similar tactics with strong metal cable. Sometimes you can tighten the circle and disable them temporarily, or make them vulnerable to attack. In our case, we¡¯ll have to play things by ear to see how much tension the rope can handle. If we can¡¯t pull them down, we can at least slow their advance.¡±


    My body finally accepted the reality that it was safe to breathe, and I pulled in a deep breath. When I did, a sharp pain hit me, and I nearly doubled over.


    ¡°Taylor¡­¡± Kuros asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You alright?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± I lied, forcing myself to stand up straight again. ¡°I need to go speak to the doc and bring him up to speed on caring for patients with the virus. Not that there¡¯s anything much different from any other kind of sickness, but he should know what to expect with the upcoming vaccinations.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear you¡¯re optimistic,¡± Clarence said, looking to Kuros with concern.


    I wasn¡¯t going to pretend they hadn¡¯t noticed me struggling to take a deep breath just now, but all the same I wasn¡¯t able to draw even more attention to it. Like all the other things troubling this town, it was lower priority, and I would deal with it when the machines and the virus were no longer the biggest thing in front of me.


    ***


    After a brief conversation with the doctor, I returned to find Kuros surrounded by several men, arguing loudly. I sighed, hoping this kind of bickering would be over with by now.


    ¡°I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you, Kuros, we should be saddlin¡¯ up every horse in this town and ridin¡¯ as far away as we can. Ain¡¯t no reason to fight these monsters if we can avoid the fight.¡±


    Clarence threw up his arms in frustration. ¡°Ride where? To where? We ain¡¯t got some prebuilt town we can just ride into and leave this one behind. We¡¯ve got farms here, people that can¡¯t be easily moved. For the love of¡­ half the town is dyin¡¯ sick.¡±


    Kuros, although calmer, backed him up.


    ¡°He¡¯s right. If we try to run in our state, we¡¯re just gonna be killed for sure without ever havin¡¯ the chance to put up a fight. At least like this we can give ourselves a chance. Look, you ain¡¯t gotta fight if you don¡¯t want to. If you pick up your family and head out of here, ain¡¯t nobody gonna shoot you in the back. They ain¡¯t even gonna think ill of you. But¡­ we sure could use your gun in the fight.¡±


    The man stood quiet for a moment, looking down at his feet. His eyes welled with tears he was clearly fighting to hold in with all his might. ¡°I just¡­¡±


    Kuros put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I know, friend¡­ you ain¡¯t gotta say it. I know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight,¡± he said, putting his hand on Kuros¡¯s shoulder too, gripping it tightly. ¡°I¡¯m scared half to death, but I¡¯ll fight to my last breath.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all terrified,¡± Clarence said, showing a rare moment of vulnerability. ¡°I like to laugh at it, personally. Kuros here, he mopes.¡±


    Kuros flashed a grin.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, releasing the man and turning to me. ¡°You¡¯ve got the doc up to speed?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, and it looks like you all have been busy too. What are those men working on up on the saloon¡¯s roof?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, about that,¡± Clarence said. ¡°I¡¯m havin¡¯ them fix me up a little shooter¡¯s perch with that PanTech rifle the sheriff had lyin¡¯ around. Reckon you could show me how to use it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ smart. And yes, I¡¯ll show you how to use it. Mounting it to the roof is probably the only way you¡¯re firing that thing without a full suit, but even heavy lumber won¡¯t last forever. Shoot carefully. I¡¯ll go show you right n¡ª¡±


    We were interrupted by the heavy hooves of an approaching rider, stopping in front of Kuros.


    ¡°They¡¯re real alright!¡± he said, his horse swaying and breathing heavily after a hard ride. ¡°Three of the things. Moving strangely slow, but definitely this way. They¡¯ll be here by morning.¡±


    It was finally upon us. The inevitable.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give you a crash course with that rifle,¡± I said, motioning for Clarence to follow.

 Chapter 58

    Not a soul slept that night. Carpenters worked under lanterns and torches, while rifles and revolvers laid out on blankets, some disassembled, undergoing cleaning and any final prep needed. Kuros and Clarence handed out ammunition and weapons to those who wanted them. Former deputies joined in, bringing out the sheriff¡¯s hidden stash of guns and ammunition as well, much to everyone¡¯s relief. Now we had more than enough. If the town went out, it could go out guns blazing until the last man was left standing with guns and ammunition to spare.


    As the morning hours approached, I joined Clarence on his shooter¡¯s perch. Despite everyone happening, he seemed almost gleeful hovering over the PanTech rifle. And I had to say, this one was interesting. It must¡¯ve been the commander¡¯s rifle, since regular soldiers weren¡¯t afforded these kinds of mods. Stabilizer, heat sink, long range optics that¡­ were likely meant to accompany a specific enhancer implant. The more I studied this rifle, the more impressive I was convinced its former owner must¡¯ve been.


    ¡°Clarence, did you ever meet the previous Adversity Management commander here?¡±


    He grinned. ¡°No¡­ Well, yes, but not really. She was a strange one. Almost never left their camp at the edge of the territory. I think I heard her voice maybe once or twice? Never saw her face, but one of the other soldiers mentioned she was covered in tattoos and piercings. Rolo seemed to have some history with her, but he wouldn¡¯t talk much about it, and I guess¡­ now you can¡¯t exactly ask him.¡±


    I frowned and nodded, thinking of Rolo. It sounded like there was a story there, and it would¡¯ve been interesting to hear it.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll never know. Let me have a look.¡±


    He took a step back and I gave the rifle a closer inspection. I wasn¡¯t exactly the biggest expert on these weapons, but I knew my way around one. I was able to toggle the optics over to night vision. Perfect, since the dawn was still hours away.


    ¡°Have a look through, Clarence. Here¡¯s the selector to toggle back to standard optics, but right now you can see in the dark with it.¡±


    Clarence¡¯s eyes went wide like a kid and he immediately checked to see if what I was saying was true.


    ¡°Holy!¡± he shouted. ¡°This beats anything I¡¯ve ever seen. You ain¡¯t kiddin¡¯!¡±


    He looked back through, and I saw his smile fade almost instantly. He reached out and grabbed me by the arm, pulling me back in front of the rifle. I looked through the scope, and felt my blood run cold.


    ¡°Incoming!¡± I shouted. ¡°ETA less than five minutes!¡±


    Everyone below rushed to make their final preparations. Kuros and several other riders mounted their horses, long rolls of rope on their shoulders.


    ¡°Hey uh¡­ is there any chance they¡¯d just keep on walking past if we didn¡¯t fire on them?¡±


    ¡°A small chance, Clarence, but guess what happens if we let them get that close before we start attacking.¡±


    ¡°Point taken,¡± he said, laughing nervously. His hands trembled on the rifle. He looked at me, then at his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Always get like this before a gunfight. Soon as the first shots are fired I¡¯ll have the steadiest hands in town.¡±


    ¡°Remember, these things aren¡¯t meant for drawn out fights. They¡¯re fight stoppers. They blow most things away in a single shot, but not these machines. You remember where I told you to aim, right?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°What do you do when it starts smoking?¡± I asked.


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    ¡°Wait five minutes before firing again and get away from it,¡± he said.


    ¡°Good luck!¡± I said, patting him on the shoulder and rushing down the ladder. I jumped off halfway, feeling a sharp pain when I hit the ground. I ignored it and sprinted to Kuros and the others.


    ¡°Any last-minute advice?¡± Kuros asked.


    ¡°Try to get the rope in the lowest joint. It¡¯ll cut through if they collapse, but it¡¯ll keep the rope in place and slow their movement even if we¡¯re not able to bring one down. Remember, focus all your attention on one, even if the others get closer to the town.¡±


    ¡°The furthest one back, right? You sure we shouldn¡¯t go after the closest?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°If we go after the one in the front, the others will attack too. If you get the one in the back, the ones in the front should keep going and leave it behind. We won¡¯t register as a true threat, so it will likely treat us just like it would a bird or a squirrel. Until we damage it¡­ things may change then. Threat prioritization is fluid. It¡¯s based on an algori¡ª¡±


    I paused, taking note of the confused expressions on the faces of every man and woman doing their best to listen. I had to remember that I wasn¡¯t talking to a bunch of PanTech employees who understood these terms.


    ¡°I mean¡­ they don¡¯t think like we do. Zero emotion. Total logic. And I can only guess what that looks like if I don¡¯t know exactly why they¡¯re here, and I don¡¯t. So, one in the back it is. Once it is fully engaged with our riders, then we can branch off and move to the next unit. That¡¯s the only way to isolate them. If we do it any other way, we¡¯ll have multiple units attacking the same riders.¡±


    Kuros nodded, riding in front of those gathered.


    ¡°Alright men, and a few ladies kind enough to join us, this is it. We already know what we¡¯re up against. We know there likely ain¡¯t none of us making it out of this alive, but that ain¡¯t the point. The point is we¡¯ve got this whole big town behind us, and if we can make them slip on our blood and guts to slow them down even a few seconds, that¡¯s how it¡¯ll be. Any one of you ain¡¯t made peace with that, you¡¯re welcome to ride away now.¡±


    He paused, looking at each one of them. He waited several seconds, scanning the group one last time.


    ¡°Good. We ride!¡±


    Kuros drew his revolver and held it high in the air, firing it once.


    I jumped on the horse, settling in behind him, then we charged forward.


    The tension made it hard to breathe. I¡¯d gone into several fights I never thought I¡¯d win, but I couldn¡¯t remember one that felt as hopeless as this one. We were going to get massacred until the Explorers League unit arrived. It would be a bloodbath.


    And everyone riding out knew it.


    The roaring of the horses¡¯ hooves on the sand was the drumbeat that played us into battle. We rode only a few minutes before they came into view. It was only when we got closer that they acknowledged us.


    The hum of heavy machine guns warming up, spinning, ready to begin feeding large caliber rounds through at any moment. Red lights shown on us, brighter than the full moon above that lit our way. It was something from a nightmare, and I had seen them before. I couldn¡¯t imagine the immediate, depthless dread everyone around me felt.


    I heard the familiar locking. They were about to fire.


    ¡°Scatter!¡± I shouted.


    ¡°Pair off!¡± Kuros ordered. ¡°Stick to the plan!¡±


    Machine gun fire ripped through the air like thunder, nearly cutting the horse next to us in half, doing the same to the rider. We all went off in different directions, making our movements as erratic and evasive as possible while not engaging. I only hoped this kept our threat level low enough that the front two machines would pass us.


    We circled a broad circle around them, and I held my breath to see what would happen. Eventually, we made our way behind them. Instantly, all three shut off their targeting optics and stopped firing, moving forward and pretending as though we¡¯d never existed. Several riders were dead, cut apart by the machine guns without standing a chance.


    ¡°Now!¡± I roared.


    Pairs approached again, unspooling rope and putting distance between one another. Riders approached several legs at once, wrapping the rope around the lowest joint. The first one to hook in was cut and snapped almost immediately. I could feel the morale plummet.


    ¡°Try again!¡± I said.


    They struggled, but the next attempt held true. The machine acknowledged this at exactly the same time we did, turning its red light to the riders beneath it, firing at them. Staying close made the legs extremely dangerous, but at least it was easier to evade the gunfire through all the blind spots beneath them. If we¡¯d tried to engage them head on using only firepower, as Adversity Management did, we¡¯d all be dead by now.


    Kuros readied his rifle. Now, it was our turn.


    We rode ahead of the others, leaving a third of our riders behind to hassle the unit in the back.


    Looking over my shoulder, I saw the rope sliced a second time, leaving the riders to continue struggling hopelessly. But struggle they did.


    I forced myself to turn away.


    I could only hope the next group fared better.

 Chapter 59

    As we rode forward, riders began unraveling their rope, repeating the same tactic.


    ¡°Try wrapping more loosely this time,¡± I shouted.


    A familiar thump carried through the air. One you could feel in your chest from all this distance away. Clarence had fired the rifle, hitting the front unit in the joint of one of its front-most legs. It snapped, and the machine tumbled forward, crashing into the ground. It was the first time I¡¯d ever seen one fall in a single shot.


    But it was only a temporary victory. Within seconds, it rose, dropping the damaged leg from its body, allowing it to tumble to the ground. This was new. I¡¯d never seen that before.


    No¡­ It¡¯s not just that I hadn¡¯t seen it. We¡¯d studied them. They weren¡¯t capable of this before. This was new. There were improvements to these particular units I needed to learn about.


    One of the men turned to face the damaged lead unit and was caught by the machine gun fire of the second unit next to us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted!¡± Kuros shouted. ¡°Remember, our job is to slow them down!¡±


    I transmitted my voice to Ghost.


    ¡°Ghost, how close are you?¡±


    No answer. I resisted my immediate urge to get angry. No¡­ if he didn¡¯t answer, it was for good reason. I just had to have faith in my friend. That they were still coming, and we were buying them the necessary time.


    ¡°Now, pull tight!¡± Kuros said.


    Leaving the rope loose solved one problem and created another. While it prevented the rope from tightening enough to be cut easily, it had also caused it to slip from several of the legs. However, this was leaps above what we¡¯d done before. Despite having several legs free, the machine toppled onto its side. Now was my chance.


    ¡°Get me close. I¡¯m borrowing this,¡± I said, pulling the large hunting knife from his belt.


    It fired at us, the line of bullets nearly reaching us before we hit a blind spot it couldn¡¯t follow. I jumped from the horse, sprinting toward the dome. It was no twisted key, but even if I could only damage one of the cables, especially the coolant system, it would set this machine to borrowed time. I dodged the flailing legs, pushing my enhancer to the limit. This was it. These opportunities wouldn¡¯t be easy to come by.


    I jumped atop the dome, sliding down as it righted itself, snapping the ropes around its legs. As I feared, their rope lacked the tensile strength to hold back such a force, even if they were wrapped perfectly. I dug my hand into the gap, grabbing a handful of small wires and yanking them free of their protective enclosure. With a slice of my knife, I severed several. Then, without warning, a panel shot out, propelled by a piston, striking me in the hip and sending me flying through the air. Another upgrade.


    I landed hard on the ground, and my suit minimized the damage, though not nearly enough. I gasped, both from my air escaping my lungs and also the searing pain that erupted from my chest. I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I¡¯d felt so much pain. I tried to stand up, but fell on all fours. I tried to crawl, but collapsed. I was going to die.


    It blanketed me in the red killing light, making sure I knew I was its target.


    ¡°Fire! Open fire!¡± Kuros roared, emptying his revolver and immediately began reloading.


    All the other men dropped their ropes and drew their weapons. Rifles and revolvers peppered the impenetrable dome. Flattening against the glass or glancing off harmlessly. Nothing they were capable of doing would register as a higher threat than someone who just damaged one of its main systems.


    At the very least, it had run out of ammunition, being the unit that had fired the most shots. Though death by being crushed wasn¡¯t much better.


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    Another shot from the PanTech rifle bellowed, striking the metal beast with a direct hit. The glass shattered, leaving optics, wires, and hoses exposed. But not destroyed. Even with heavy damage, it finally reached me. As it began to raise its leg, I saw a black object swoop down, diving from out of nowhere. The giant falcon gripped both talons full of wires, launching himself before the defensive pistons had a chance to fire, ripping dozens of wires in the process. The hose began to spray lubricant and cooling fluid in all directions.


    It tried to raise its leg, but was unable to maintain its balance now that the system that maintained that function was disable. It stumbled forward, falling nearly on top of me.


    I heard Kuros¡¯s voice faintly, veiled, but close.


    ¡°Get up!¡±


    I tried again, but couldn¡¯t manage to push myself to my knees. The pain was incredible.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    This time, I dug deeper. I ignored the pain. My limbs felt like they were about to detach like the machine¡¯s did earlier. My body was broken. I was a zombie. Or, at least, that¡¯s exactly how I felt.


    I made it to one knee before I felt a hand grab the collar of my shirt, dragging me across the ground.


    Kuros, hanging halfway off his horse, was struggling to hold me. Every bounce off the hard ground only amplified the pain I was feeling. What little I was able to see filled me with hope. Dogs and cats in armor, swarming the machines, using evolved tactics against an evolved threat.


    By now, the fight had nearly reached the town.


    Kuros dropped me, and then dismounted from his horse, running over to me and grabbing my shoulders.


    ¡°Taylor!¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I couldn¡¯t. My lungs were empty, and I couldn¡¯t convince them to pull in more air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Breathe!¡±


    He shook me and continued to shout. I focused, forcing my body to make the motions. My enhancer was struggling to complete the simple task of¡­ breathing. I nearly faded, before feeling a hard slap across my face.


    ¡°Breathe!¡±


    Finally, my lungs cooperated, at least partially. I could feel some air entering. The intake escalated the pain in my chest to new heights. I was really starting to feel it now. I curled in a ball and pulled my knees to my chest, unable to stop my eyes from watering. I couldn¡¯t pass out. I needed to see it.


    As my vision cleared somewhat, I saw the third machine fall, so close to the town. Close, but it didn¡¯t make it.


    I forced a smile across my lips, a triumph against the pain racking my body.


    Kuros saw it, grabbing my hand and squeezing it tightly.


    ¡°We did it, Taylor! We did it. You did it. Hold tight.¡±


    He began jumping up and down, waving to the Explorers League.


    ¡°Help! Over here!¡±


    The moment they¡¯d confirmed all three machines were disabled, they immediately leaped into action as medics. They rushed out in all different directions, seeing who was still alive, able to be saved. Two cats sprinted in my direction.


    ¡°Hang in there, Taylor,¡± Kuros said, holding me in his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare die after everything we¡¯ve been through. There¡¯s been enough death, and I ain¡¯t acceptin¡¯ any more. You stay with me!¡±


    Suddenly, dying felt like a selfish thing to do. Kuros looked between me and the approaching cats, probably wishing he¡¯d not pulled me such a long distance away.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming and¡­¡±


    I snapped away. I must¡¯ve faded out.


    ¡°Linus! I¡¯m going to tell you something about my brother Linus. You listening?¡±


    I looked up at him, struggling to stay conscious.


    ¡°I was always jealous of Linus. He was better looking, smarter, a better shot, a quick thinker¡­ every mistake I ever made, my first thought was always that Linus could¡¯ve done it better. Every time I screwed somethin¡¯ up, I told myself Linus would¡¯ve managed it just fine. Then, when I accidentally shot that hostage I¡­ I just wallowed in it. I could never get it out of my head. I started to hate my brother for something he never even did. I convinced myself he looked down on me, when he didn¡¯t. And I¡­ I wish I could¡¯ve said something before he left. Told him I loved him, and that I looked up to him despite him being younger. Now the pain of never living up to him is nothing compared to the pain of him being gone. I miss him, Taylor. He saved you, right? You told me he saved you? Well, I ain¡¯t gonna let you die, you hear me?¡±


    I started to fade out again.


    ¡°Do you hear me?¡± he yelled, directly in my face.


    A cat slid beside me, coming to a stop on the ground next to my head while the other dropped at my side, opening a briefcase full of gadgets. He swiped a wand-like device over my body, and I knew what it was. His eyes went wide as he pulled at my armor.


    ¡°I can¡¯t get it off,¡± he said to the other cat.


    ¡°What? Let me see¡­¡±


    The other cat leaned over me, trying to find a way to remove the armor.


    ¡°Where does this¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡±


    The first cat swiped the wand over me again.


    ¡°It¡¯s reactive. Look, Taylor, you have to will this thing to come off. You have to tell it to let go, or you¡¯re going to die.¡±


    I panicked, but Kuros squeezed my hand again, helping me calm myself just enough.


    ¡°Just like that,¡± the cat said. ¡°Relax. Deep breaths. Let the armor release.¡±


    A moment later, it came undone, loosening enough for them to pull it and the rest of my clothes from my body.


    Kuros had turned his back, despite his concern, intent on being a gentleman no matter what.


    ¡°She¡¯ll make it,¡± one of the cats said, nudging his leg. ¡°Thanks to you.¡±

 Chapter 60

    I drifted in an empty space for a while, not exactly filled with nothingness. It was more like an unfocused static that I couldn¡¯t adjust, just beyond clarity. A haze.


    Then, as if by the snap of a finger, my eyes shot open, a worried Kuros standing over me.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good of you to join us again, little miss. Wasn¡¯t too sure you would there for a bit.¡±


    I tried to sit up, but the ache returned almost immediately. A cat¡¯s paw pressed against my shoulder, pressing me back down to the bed.


    ¡°How long have I been out?¡± I asked.


    ¡°About a day and a half,¡± Kuros said. ¡°These cat docs sure know their stuff, and they¡¯ve got all these¡­ gadgets and medicines. I reckon you¡¯d be dead if you was dependin¡¯ on us to fix you up. Said your sternum has been busted apart for days now, and got worse when you were hit with that¡­ repulsion plate? I reckon that¡¯s what they called it. That thing the machine knocked you away with. Broken arm. Broken ribs. They had to slice into you and fit some of your bones back into place. You were in a water tank thing for a day, and it beats anything I¡¯ve ever seen, but they¡¯re swearin¡¯ up and down your bones are fixed now.¡±


    ¡°Amazing, all the technology PanTech hoarded and kept for themselves, isn¡¯t it? No, amazing isn¡¯t the right word to use. I¡¯ll not use the right word, in case there are children in hearing distance.¡±


    Kuros grinned. ¡°Well¡­ you said it, not me. Your crew¡¯s already gone in and started disassembling the spiders they turned to scrap. We won.¡±


    I tried again to rise up, startled by a sudden returning thought. ¡°The town! The virus!¡±


    A cat¡¯s paws returned to my shoulders, as he leaned over me with a scowl that would rival my mother¡¯s. He pushed me back down to the bed.


    ¡°Ghost, that talkin¡¯ bird friend of yours. Well, he¡¯s somethin¡¯ else. He already took the dogs and cats to your transportation thing and they¡¯ve been giving out vaccines for a full day now. Ghost¡¯s been runnin¡¯ the show. I gotta tell you, a few days ago a talkin¡¯ bird ordering everyone in town around would¡¯ve never flown¡­ no pun intended, but after everything we¡¯ve seen? I guess they¡¯re just too shook up to care.¡±


    ¡°Ghost is brilliant. If he¡¯s showing them what to do, I really can take it easy for a bit.¡±


    I sighed, relaxing just a bit.


    As if summoned, Ghost appeared, wearing his usual stoic expression.


    The only expression a falcon is capable of wearing.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake. Good. Humans once called those who performed miracles saints. I think that¡¯s how they¡¯ll remember you. These new arachnid unit models are significantly upgraded, but we¡¯re staying a few steps ahead of them. It¡¯s impossible for anything to eliminate all weaknesses. As soon as one is remedied, we find another.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re winning?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No,¡± he responded coldly. ¡°But¡­ we aren¡¯t losing. The dogs and cats are considering long-term strategies. It will involve them creating their own settlements and giving real thought to the need for future generations. Otherwise, all that¡¯s organic will die and rot away. The machines, if they aren¡¯t destroyed, will last hundreds of years. They have to be hunted and destroyed without mercy. We can never let up.¡±


    This was the most Ghost had to say in as long as I remembered.


    ¡°And the virus? What do we know?¡±


    ¡°The virus here is another anomaly, but nothing unheard of. Just a worst-case scenario.¡±


    ¡°Oh, only a worst-case scenario. I¡¯m relieved, then.¡±


    ¡°Is this sarcasm?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    He stared at me blankly for a while.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already vaccinated almost half the population, and a few members of Explorers League will stay behind to collect data on how the vaccine affects those who were already showing symptoms, as well as help the town get back on its feet and make sure they can sustain themselves with necessities.¡±


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°How many dead?¡±


    Ghost opened his beak, but Kuros shook his head.


    ¡°Make sure we have everything we need to depart soon, Ghost,¡± I said, leaving the matter unanswered, but still feeling the weight of it. The lack of answer still told me everything I needed to know. The losses were catastrophic. There was a long road to recovery ahead. Everyone here had been through so much. At least the worst of it was finally over¡­


    ¡°Certainly. I¡¯ll see to it,¡± Ghost said, hopping down from the bed.


    ¡°Daisy¡¯s really taking charge,¡± Kuros said, changing the subject.


    ¡°That¡¯s something long overdue, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It sure is. First lady mayor we¡¯ve had in this town too. Another thing I don¡¯t reckon would¡¯ve gone over so well even a month ago. People don¡¯t care anymore. They just want the right people doing the right thing.¡±


    ¡°Sheriff Kuros?¡± I asked.


    He laughed at that one. ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­ not for all the money in the world. No, I don¡¯t reckon I¡¯ll ever be drawing my pistol again if it can be helped, and this town don¡¯t need a sheriff that don¡¯t know if he can even rise to the occasion when its needed. Clarence is takin¡¯ over that job. On the condition he stay away from the alcohol completely. Not even a sip for the man, I¡¯m afraid, according to Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Think Clarence can live with that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Kuros said, not fully convinced, but clearly confident in his friend.


    The next one to interrupt our conversation was Daisy.


    ¡°News travels fast,¡± I said, smiling.


    ¡°In a town this small? I reckon so,¡± she said, leaning over to give me a hug.


    ¡°Easy,¡± the cat nearby warned. ¡°She¡¯s healed, but she¡¯ll be sore for the next couple of days.¡±


    Daisy slowed down, as if cradling a baby made of glass, her hands more hovering than touching.


    The cat frowned, unsure of whether he was being mocked or if she was simply following his instructions that carefully, apparently deciding on the latter.


    ¡°How¡¯s the morale?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s going to take time to repair, just like the town itself. Everyone¡¯s lost something, but we¡¯re all working together to get it back.¡±


    A different cat came over, interrupting our conversation. They really didn¡¯t practice any kind of etiquette. Clearly, Ghost had rubbed off on them.


    ¡°You should be stable enough to sit up now. Don¡¯t stand too quickly, or you could fall. We don¡¯t know anything about this armor you were wearing, but it almost seems to have a brain. We had to lock it up to prevent it from returning to you. It clearly saved your life, but¡­ we think it¡¯s dangerous. Professor, be cautious when using it. It took time for some of your bodily functions, even those without injuries, to normalize without the armor.¡±


    ¡°Frelya gave this to me, and I trust her,¡± I said, a little too quickly. Was I just being sentimental? No, it really had saved me. Even if there were drawbacks, which there were with every type of advanced tech, I needed to continue using it.


    I nodded to Kuros and Daisy, and they understood.


    ¡°Bring it to me,¡± I said, drawing the curtain to give myself some privacy.


    When I was handed the sealed box, I opened it. For a moment, the armor appeared quiet, and certainly harmless. It wasn¡¯t until I removed my clothes and began to put it back on that I could feel it spring to life again. It slithered across my body like a snake, slowly readjusting itself to every contour again. It wriggled, loosening and tightening in every space where it needed to loosen or tighten. Yet, the sensation didn¡¯t frighten me. In all likelihood, it was simply ¡°breaking in¡± as often needed to happen with new equipment. It was tailoring itself to me. But¡­ it did remind me of Frelya. It comforted me to have it, making it seem as though she was by my side again. Like her hand was on my shoulder, supporting me. Protecting me. It made me feel warm and safe. That couldn¡¯t be bad, right?


    Even if it was, I needed all the protection I could get. After dressing myself again, I pulled the curtain back, emerging with a renewed focus.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I said, looking to Kuros and Daisy. ¡°It¡¯s time to say our goodbyes.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Already?¡± Kuros said, frowning intensely.


    Daisy reached out, grabbing my hand, squeezing it gently. ¡°You will always be welcome back to our little town, Taylor. If you¡¯d ever like to visit it someday, by yourself, or maybe with a special someone, we will give you the hero¡¯s welcome you deserve.¡±


    I returned her smile. ¡°Thank you, Mayor.¡±


    I turned to Kuros, offering my hand, which he shook.


    ¡°Good luck out there, little miss.¡±


    Before I could make it out of the room, Clarence appeared, blushing as he nearly ran into me.


    ¡°Oh! Sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± he said, tipping his hat. ¡°Glad I caught you. I brought you something. A parting gift.¡±


    He stretched the wrapped object toward me, which I accepted with a smile. Unwrapping it, I nearly allowed my tears to escape. I recognized it immediately.


    ¡°Thank you, Clarence¡­¡± I said, holding the pearl-handled, engraved revolver in front of me, inspecting it. ¡°I will cherish it.¡±


    He nodded with a smile. I held out my hand, but he stepped forward, surprising me with a big, fatherly hug.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t slip back into my old ways,¡± he whispered. ¡°Thanks to you and that old man, I reckon it¡¯s a promise I can keep.¡±


    I patted him on the back and pulled away, patting him again on the shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Clarence.¡± He fought back tears as he nodded, and I reached out and flicked the gold star on his vest. ¡°Good luck, Sheriff.¡±


    Ghost was waiting for me as I stepped outside.


    ¡°Preparations are made. Where to next?¡±


    ¡°Ever done any sailing, Ghost?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bird,¡± he answered, coldly, as though that answered anything.


    ¡°Well, I hope you¡¯re ready to spend a lot of time on my shoulder. You and I are going to be pirates.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve endured worse.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± I said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll even be fun.¡±


    ¡°It will not be ¡®fun¡¯ at all, but I should be able to stay with you this time. The machines aren¡¯t going near large bodies of water¡­ for now.¡±


    ¡°One less thing working against us, I suppose. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Ready,¡± he said, flying toward our vehicle.


    I also doubted ¡®fun¡¯ would be how we¡¯d describe our next adventure, but someone had to do it.


    I turned briefly, waving at the townspeople who had gathered, then faced ahead and took the next step forward.

 Frelya: Girls Night

    Frelya


    PanTech Headquarters


    Frelya emerged from the AMSD fully suited up and ready for anything she might encounter. She hoped. The primary plan was to avoid these monsters until she had some idea of how to properly fight them. She¡¯d seen how many soldiers had to be thrown at just one of them in order to take them down, and it was unlikely a commander would fare much better.


    She was thankful, at least, that the Explorers League was the closest division to her own. Still, there was no such thing as close when it came to the facilities outside the central tower. There was a large degree of separation to everything, trivialized by the transportations pods that could send you anywhere you wanted to go in moments. One only had to step into the pod, and be blasted through the complex network of transparent tunnels.


    Until nearly all of them get destroyed by machines, that is.


    There were so many of these machines wandering around everywhere, and a distinct lack of destroyed units. Something about this wasn¡¯t right. She specifically remembered encountering broken units nearby the previous day, on her way back to Adversity Management with Joyce.


    Everything was far too quiet. She¡¯d already made it halfway to the Explorers League and hadn¡¯t encountered a single machine yet. Still, she couldn¡¯t take any risks. She continued to move slowly and carefully along cover.


    The feeling was beyond eerie. It was like she was the only living thing left in the world. The whizzes and whirs and chatter she¡¯d known every day since arriving at PanTech had now become absolute and unsettling silence.


    As she neared the Explorers League, she emerged from cover. A temptation she couldn¡¯t resist. She walked casually through the ruins now and the thought finally occurred to her that this may actually be it. What if there really was no one left? What if the machines had gone outside and wiped out all the survivors? What if Taylor¡­


    She shuddered. She didn¡¯t want to think about that. She wouldn¡¯t.


    Taylor was okay and doing¡­ something, right now. Something reckless. But probably something remarkable. Like saving the world.


    A machine emerged in the distance, and she dove behind cover. It walked casually, just as she¡¯d been walking. Scanning for survivors? It paused, then continued in a slightly different direction at a quicker pace. It was moving directly toward Explorers League. Had it detected survivors?


    Frelya struggled to keep up with something so large, but it was paying her no mind. It was on a mission, it seemed literally. Eventually, it came to a destroyed machine lying on the ground. It rose to its full height, scanning with red light the way she¡¯d seen them do with targets, then ejected a large net that covered the primary structure. It cut with what appeared to be a laser, then began to drag the piece away.


    Just as Frelya was debating whether or not she should follow it, spikes sprang up from the ground, impaling the machine from beneath. One shot rang out. A rifle, for sure. The weaker versions Explorers League issued. It struck the machine, doing only minor damage to the glass-like dome at the center. The machine scanned frantically in the direction of the shot.


    A dog strolled out from his sniper perch, holding his arms out to his side. Was he¡­ smiling at the thing?


    ¡°Come get a piece, rust bucket!¡± he shouted. She shouted?


    Fool was about to get himself killed. Was he suicidal, or just insane?


    Frelya moved quickly to position herself behind it as the whirring of the machine guns began to hum and fill the air.


    Just before they would¡¯ve fired, two other figures flew into view, landing on opposite sides of the dome. Both had what appeared to be spears, which they slammed into it immediately. The machine thrashed, but they held on, using the spears to anchor themselves in place. Pistons launched outward with a force that should¡¯ve sent them flying, but they stood unhindered. The plates that would¡¯ve launched them away pinned harmlessly against the body by the spears. With practiced ease, they reached down and pulled cables, hoses, and wires, severing them with the precision of a surgeon.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Frelya was impressed. She¡¯d have probably died if she¡¯d fought this thing, but they made it look easy. Like something you¡¯d do before breakfast each morning.


    The machine collapsed to the ground, now lifeless scrap. One of the cats saw her before she could announce herself, and sprinted toward her. Frelya turned, looking to move behind cover in case a firefight was unavoidable, but a shot struck her perfectly in the back of the leg joint of her armor, momentarily dropping her to one knee.


    The cat was on her in an instant, reaching a paw out to take her arm. Frelya countered, grabbing the cat by the throat, turning them toward the sniper dog to use as a shield. Before she could do anything else, the other cat popped up between them.


    Something in the eyes of these cats felt relatable to Frelya. They looked like they were about to snap at any moment. Like they always wanted to kill you, but didn¡¯t just for the sake of being polite in the presence of their other comrades who didn¡¯t feel the same.


    The second cat, now squeezed tightly between her and the other, held a long, thin blade to her neck with her palm on the blunt end. A devious push dagger of sorts, but its purpose was immediately apparent. This could squeeze right into the seal of her armor and skewer her neck.


    ¡°Oh ho!¡± Frelya shouted. ¡°I like Taylor¡¯s pets! Try it and I¡¯ll crush your friend¡¯s throat, then beat you to death with her legs. Your dog buddy can watch from his perch. I bet he¡¯d be too afraid to come down here and help you.¡±


    A bluff. Frelya knew the chances of winning that gamble were slim, and closer to none. She¡¯d seen them in action, dug into their nervous systems a bit when she evaluated Kelin. If they decided to kill her, even at her level, there was probably little she could do about it from this compromised position.


    ¡°Wait, are you Frelya?¡± the second cat asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± she said.


    She withdrew the weapon, slipping from between them.


    ¡°Well, well¡­ a human that might actually be useful for once.¡±


    Frelya let go of the first cat¡¯s throat.


    The dog had been watching us through his rifle scope, deciding now was a safe time to join us.


    ¡°Why did you shoot it?¡± Frelya asked as he approached. No, she approached. It was so hard to tell with these animals until they got close, or until you heard them speak.


    ¡°I guess to a simpleton it would look like that shot didn¡¯t do anything,¡± she scoffed, repositioning the rifle on her shoulder.


    ¡°Try explaining,¡± Frelya said.


    ¡°There¡¯s an upload link. You can¡¯t destroy it in a single shot, but you can knock it offline for about five minutes. If you destroy it in that amount of time and recover the black box, they can¡¯t upgrade to protect whatever vulnerabilities we exploited.¡± She pointed over her shoulder at the large pile of scrap. ¡°They¡¯re starting to scavenge themselves, which we exploit by using their cores as bait.¡±


    Frelya nodded along, thoroughly impressed.


    ¡°I guess a rescue was unnecessary. How about I offer you access to my science facility instead?¡±


    The three looked at one another, then laughed loudly.


    The first cat looked at Frelya, then back to the other cat.


    ¡°Wait, Kyro, she¡¯s serious¡­ Okay. Why would we want access to your broken-down facility and useless intel? We¡¯ve seen the remnants of your Adversity Management¡¯s skirmishes with these machines. You fire on them blindly, like you¡¯re out for a day of target practice.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know where to target, so we just shot them¡­¡± Frelya said, sighing in frustration. They weren¡¯t interested, but she saw her moment to give them something that really would interest them.


    With impossible speed, she shot her hand forward, grabbing the dog¡¯s rifle, spinning it, flinging her to the ground. With a slight pivot, she shot her arm forward, catching both cats in the stomach, moving the rifle upward and sending both flying onto their backs.


    ¡°Do you like my enhancer?¡± Frelya asked, tossing the rifle back to the dog, who stared dumbfounded. ¡°You¡¯re formidable, but imagine what you could do with one of those.¡±


    The cats sat up.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lilith,¡± the calico cat said, shaking my hand with her paw.


    ¡°Kyro,¡± the smaller black cat with the dagger weapon said, offering her own paw.


    ¡°Grinner,¡± the dog said¡­ grinning. ¡°It¡¯s a nickname.¡±


    ¡°You should¡¯ve just said so in the first place. We have no idea how to install one of those,¡± Lilith said, putting her paw on my shoulder.


    ¡°Say, Grinner¡­ what do you say we give our new best friend here some field training. Another one should be here in¡­ oh¡­ the next twenty minutes, right?¡±


    ¡°Twenty minutes and¡­ around eighteen seconds.¡±


    ¡°Machines are stupid,¡± Kyro said. ¡°If we stop them from streaming amendments to their programming, they just do the same thing over and over again. By the way, how many soldiers do you have left here at HQ?¡±


    ¡°Zero,¡± Frelya said, finally feeling the heaviness in the answer. Despite being a loner, she respected many of them. They didn¡¯t deserve this¡­ ¡°Not sure how many are out in the field. We maintain adversity zones, so its possible most of our units are still operating.¡±


    ¡°None here¡­¡± Grinner said, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Girls¡¯ night?¡± Kyro said, putting her arm around Lilith.


    ¡°Girls¡¯ night!¡± Grinner shouted, putting her arm around Frelya¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just us girls and a whole scrapyard to practice on. First up, transmitter jamming. Second, optics. Third, disabling thermal regulatory systems. Fourth, balance disruption. Despite their high level of competence, Frelya couldn¡¯t help but notice they seemed to have the maturity of a group of preteens. This opportunity couldn¡¯t be passed on. It was exactly what she needed.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you know it, my schedule¡¯s wide open,¡± Frelya said. ¡°Girls¡¯ night it is.¡±

 Chapter 61

    In my time at PanTech HQ, and growing up in a remote desert village, I learned many skills. To be fair, most were useless. Some I would not have survived without. Now? I found myself wishing someone had taught me the proper way to build a raft. I¡¯d been working on the thing for days, with Ghost and I scrapping and restarting the process multiple times.


    ¡°Maybe this can be your solo mission, Ghost. Like all those other times you flew around doing recon and gathering allies. This time you can befriend the citizens of the zone and I¡¯ll do all the running around.¡±


    Ghost tilted his head.


    ¡°Flying around is much more efficient than ¡®running¡¯ around. You¡¯d be ill-suited for it. Also, do you think these naive zone citizens are going to listen to a talking bird? Either I¡¯ll be chased away or on their dinner plate within a day. It sounds to me as though you¡¯re trying to get out of building the raft.¡±


    I struggled in futility with a knot, then in even more futility trying to undo it in order to fix it. I stood up and kicked the raft.


    ¡°Blasted raft!¡± I shouted, causing Ghost to flap his wings and retreat a few feet back. ¡°I hate this thing. I¡¯m tempted to swim over there. I¡¯ll bet my enhancer could get me across.¡±


    ¡°This journey is getting to you,¡± Ghost said, his voice quieter.


    ¡°Yeah, Ghost, it is. I¡¯m trying to save people, but the people I¡¯m saving are just going to die anyway. I can¡¯t¡­¡± I paused, taking a deep breath. ¡°I can¡¯t actually save anyone. I know, that¡¯s not the point. I get that. I understand it¡¯s better to live a long life without suffering but¡­ I just wish there was more I could do.¡±


    ¡°Wishing¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wishing doesn¡¯t make it so. Yes, I know.¡±


    ¡°You barely rested enough for your wounds to heal, even with the treatments. It¡¯s only been two days. If you don¡¯t tend to your mental health, then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let me worry about my own mental health, Ghost. Thanks. Knowing people are dying every minute I take a break isn¡¯t exactly wonderful for my mental health either.¡±


    Ghost stood silent. He wanted to help. I knew he worried about me and valued me as a friend. Like me, he just didn¡¯t know what to do, or what to say.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying with you this time,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°No recon? Are you sure?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°They haven¡¯t been approaching water. As far as the machines are concerned, this might be the safest zone of all.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°If only the machines were our sole concern, Ghost. How nice would that be? And funny to say that having killer machines hunting us would simplify our lives.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is¡­ an odd situation to find oneself in,¡± he admitted. Close enough to participating in the humor, I suppose.


    ¡°So, about this raft¡­¡± I said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t make the swim, Taylor,¡± he scolded.


    ¡°I can see the closest island from here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s two miles away¡­¡± Ghost said, stepping closer, looking at me as if he was checking for head trauma.


    ¡°Two miles is not all that far for someone in good physical condition, fitted with an enhancer.¡±


    ¡°Assuming they knew how to swim,¡± Ghost quipped.


    ¡°Ah, you got me there¡­ knowing how to swim would help, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


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    ¡°It would.¡±


    Suddenly, a voice startled us.


    ¡°Ahoy there! Ahoy!¡±


    I strained my eyes, needing to use my enhancer to see them more clearly. One man was shouting into some kind of tube while the other waved. They were aboard what looked like a small fishing boat.


    ¡°Ahoy!¡± I shouted back, waving my arms and jumping up and down.


    After a few moments of waiting patiently, they cautiously rowed to shore.


    An old man stepped from the boat, stroking his long beard.


    ¡°Ah, seems you¡¯ve run ashore from one of the islands. Been getting that a lot lately. Folks relied on the barrier too much and now that it¡¯s been deactivated well¡­ they go too far and get lost. Amateurs, I say. That¡­¡± He narrowed his eyes, leaning over my incomplete raft and examining it. Not that much examination was needed. ¡°You made it from one of the islands to here with¡­ this thing?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I admitted. ¡°I doubt this raft could get wet in water.¡±


    He chuckled, but immediately looked as though he¡¯d seen a ghost. And not the one standing next to me.


    ¡°So that means¡­ you¡¯re not from the islands. You¡¯re an outsider.¡±


    He retreated abruptly toward his boat, stumbling as he did. The younger man looked equally alarmed, pressing his oar into the dirt, ready to leave in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not from¡­ I mean I am from PanTech, but I¡¯m not part of Adversity Management. Your citizens are in grave danger. Please wait. If I don¡¯t help soon, everyone here is going to get sick.¡±


    ¡°And die,¡± Ghost added, startling the poor men even more.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ oh, I get it, like a parrot. You taught him to repeat things¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°I can talk just fine,¡± Ghost said, ignoring my glare. ¡°How are your listening skills?¡±


    The old man placed his hand on the younger man¡¯s arm, steadying him.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Isaiah. There are already many sick. Let us hear them out. If the cure was within our reach and we fled like cowards, we could not live with ourselves.¡±


    The young man nodded, easing the oar back down. ¡°As you wish, Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°What are your names? I am called Bereth, and this is my grandson, Isaiah. We are fishermen. We don¡¯t really have a home on any of the islands. We travel between them or at least¡­ well, that is another story, and we should entertain one story at a time.¡±


    ¡°Ghost,¡± Ghost said, nodding once.


    ¡°I¡¯m Taylor. Former PanTech professor. We have vaccines for the virus, but it comes with a major trade off I should be very clear about up front. Complete sterilization. Anyone who takes it will never become pregnant or make anyone pregnant. Our studies are limited on the effects of taking it while already severely ill, or while pregnant. We¡­ didn¡¯t exactly get much time to test it before things went down the drain at HQ.¡±


    ¡°Vaccine?¡± Isaiah asked.


    ¡°Medicine that is administered beneath the skin, using a tiny, sharp, hollow metal tube, followed by a medicine container that pushes the liquid into the body. It¡¯s not as scary as it sounds.¡±


    ¡°Not as scary as dying a terrible, potentially very prolonged death,¡± Ghost added.


    ¡°Ghost, so help me¡­¡± I said, realizing my glare might not have been enough.


    ¡°Remarkable!¡± Bereth said, his gaze letting me know he was talking about Ghost and not the vaccine. ¡°He¡¯s not simply repeating phrases. He¡¯s intelligent.¡±


    ¡°More intelligent than us,¡± I admitted. ¡°With, let¡¯s see¡­ probably half the manners.¡±


    ¡°Manners are no different than dishonesty in this case,¡± Ghost said, ruffling his feathers.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Bereth said, nodding in agreement. ¡°Wise words. I appreciate the directness in this case. We¡¯ve seen much death over the past weeks. Truth be told, it¡¯s a great relief to know there is any kind of treatment at all. Perhaps if we¡¯d not seen it with our own eyes, we might weigh the consequences of your cure, but having seen it¡­¡±


    Isaiah finished his grandfather¡¯s thought.


    ¡°Having seen it, there is almost no price we wouldn¡¯t pay. This is a small ask. But¡­¡±


    He glanced at his boat, already filled with fish, then to me.


    Bereth sighed. ¡°Yes, these fish are important. We can¡¯t very well dump them to make room. With many of the fishermen sick, it is putting more pressure on the rest of us to bring in a bigger catch to make up the difference. We¡¯ll have to deliver the catch, then come back for the vaccine.


    ¡°Fair enough. We¡¯ll stay with it and wait for you to return. Make your delivery, then come straight back. I¡¯d rather not waste any time since things are in the state they¡¯re in now,¡± I said.


    Wasting no time, the old man stepped back into the boat, and the two rowed away. They were taking this seriously, at least.


    I sat on the crate, took a deep breath, and sighed as I watch them become smaller and smaller in the distance.


    ¡°Ghost, for once, maybe this won¡¯t be such a pain. They want the vaccine, and we can give it to them.¡±


    Ghost opened his beak, but froze before speaking, his eyes fixed on the water. He quickly flew away, spooked by something. As I turned, a large vessel emerged from the water. The hatch on top flew open, and two Adversity Management soldiers popped out with rifles pointed directly at me.


    ¡°Put your hands up, and step away from the crate!¡±


    I hesitated, wondering if I might have some way of fighting, but it simply wasn¡¯t possible. They had rifles pointed directly at me, and I couldn¡¯t cover the distance of water between us with a simple enhanced leap.


    I clenched my teeth and slowly raised my hands.

 Chapter 62

    I never actually believed things would go smoothly. I¡¯d been waiting, my heart overflowing with pessimism, for something to go wrong. Maybe a leaky boat. Maybe I¡¯d have to convince an angry mob that I wasn¡¯t trying to poison them. Being robbed by this zone¡¯s Adversity Management within the first hour of showing up wasn¡¯t on my list of things to look out for. But that¡¯s exactly what happened.


    After they left, Ghost reappeared, perching beside me without comment. I might¡¯ve scolded him for running away, but I didn¡¯t. He was right to. If they¡¯d taken me captive, Ghost would¡¯ve been my only chance of escaping. If they¡¯d captured us together, that would¡¯ve probably been the end of the line. Escaping Adversity Management is no easy feat.  Thankfully, they didn¡¯t recognize me, or it would¡¯ve been a lot worse. They thought they were only robbing a merchant, but soon they¡¯ll start to piece together what that treasure actually was.


    Not right away. There were no instructions included with that case. Just unmarked vials, which I planned to use with my self-sterilizing injector gun. Something they thankfully did not find. They¡¯d likely analyze the ingredients. If their medical expert was still alive, they might reason out the purpose.


    It only took half a day for Bereth and Isaiah to return.


    ¡°The boat is empty and ready for the cargo,¡± Bereth said, opting to stay on the boat this time while Isaiah stepped off to offer help.


    ¡°No cargo,¡± I said.


    ¡°No cargo?¡± Isaiah repeated.


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s what I said,¡± I snapped. ¡°We should¡¯ve dumped the fish after all. Bah!¡± I grunted, kicking the sandy earth at my feet. ¡°Nah, they¡¯d have followed us and taken it anyway, and probably sank us in the process. At least now we have a chance of getting it back.¡±


    ¡°Slow down, Taylor. Get it back? Did¡­ oh gods of the sea¡­ PanTech pirates.¡±


    ¡°PanTech pirates, if that¡¯s what you want to call them. A lousy, rogue Adversity Management unit acting well outside of protocol. Give these guys a chance to play king, and they almost always take it. I need to meet with the leaders of the other two islands immediately. Unfortunately, we¡¯re going to have to take it back.¡±


    Isaiah gasped. ¡°What? You¡¯re mad, woman. There¡¯s no way we could take something back from them. We have flintlock pistols and swords. They have long guns that, fired by a single individual, can sink our naval ships in one shot.¡±


    I stepped forward, grabbing him by his shirt collar, shaking him.


    ¡°Then watch everyone die! I¡¯ve seen what this virus does, and no doubt you have too. It¡¯s horrible. It¡¯s why I¡¯m sticking my neck out for everyone in these zones. Why do I care more about the people affected by this virus than those who know them? Does that make me mad?¡±


    Isaiah reached down, grabbing my wrist, trying to remove it but finding himself unable to budge me. His eyes widened, looking at my arm as though he were the one who was mad after all.


    ¡°Your strength¡­ it¡¯s beyond any man¡¯s. Yet, you wear no bulky armor. How?¡±


    I let him go, allowing him to fall back onto the ground.


    ¡°Good genetics. Now, are you going to take me there or should I move on? I can always resupply my vaccine doses and visit the next zone.¡±


    Bereth fidgeted with the oar, clearly in great distress. ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to take you to meet with them, but¡­ they¡¯re not on good terms. They¡¯re foolish people with a long history. Even with everything happening, they¡¯d rather make war with one another than unite against the bigger threat.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ what¡¯s new? Maybe this latest issue will convince them otherwise.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to Redbank Island first. It¡¯s the closest. From there you can see for yourself how unreasonable they are.¡±


    I looked to Ghost.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°My thoughts are irrelevant,¡± Ghost said.


    ¡°No they¡¯re not,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, I¡¯m sticking with you this time. You¡¯re entirely predictable. You¡¯re going to get on that boat, go to the island, and without having any idea how to solve this problem you¡¯re going to throw yourself at it like a fool.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re right. That really wasn¡¯t helpful,¡± I said. ¡°Suggestions on a better approach?¡±


    ¡°None. There is no other approach. Explorers League couldn¡¯t hope to threaten Adversity Management fortified on an island. We¡¯d lose good people for nothing. The problem is for the people of this adversity zone to solve. If they aren¡¯t interested in solving it, we should move on.¡±


    Bereth sighed, sitting and placing his hands on his head.


    ¡°Please, give it a try. If they won¡¯t listen to you, we¡¯ll give you a ride back here when you¡¯re satisfied so you can continue your journey.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡± I headed into the bushes to recover a few hidden items. I wasn¡¯t going to make the same mistake I made in the last zone. After recovering my sword, Twisted Key, I returned to the boat and sat in the middle. Ghost flew over and perched beside me.


    ¡°Ready to depart?¡± Isaiah asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As Isaiah pushed off, I felt a strange sensation. The realization hit me, and I wasn¡¯t sure why I hadn¡¯t had this epiphany sooner. I¡¯d never been on water before in my life. This was my first time in a boat, or on any body of water larger than a bathtub. I found myself staring as it slowly passed by, occasionally seeing faint signs of life below the surface. A fish emerged from the water in a large arc, splashing back into the water, startling me.


    Ghost flew into the air without comment, circling the area for a couple of minutes before diving toward the water. His feet barely dipped below the surface before rising back into the air again, a fish in his talons. He landed in the boat, tearing into his lunch.


    ¡°Where did you learn to do that, Ghost? You¡¯re a desert falcon.¡±


    He paused briefly.


    ¡°I watched an eagle catching fish from a lake.¡±


    ¡°Did they¡­ teach you?¡± I asked. ¡°Can you still communicate with others like you, the same way a regular falcon could?¡±


    ¡°No, no one taught me, and why would I?¡±


    I nodded, deciding it best to leave Ghost alone with his meal.


    ¡°Tell me about the island leaders,¡± I said, looking to Bereth.


    ¡°Redbank Island is ran by a woman named Lunaria. Yes, the name is self-made. Do not ask her about her real one. She¡¯s a very superstitious woman who believes the stars determine everything, so tread carefully on that topic. Best to avoid it entirely. She established agriculture on Redbank Island using only stolen seeds from Adversity Management.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Smart woman. What about the other island?¡±


    ¡°Rockport, named because of the rocky terrain there. That island is led by a man named Jeremy. An expert fisherman and wildlife conservationist. He put a stop to overfishing, sends in divers to study the ecosystem, and now we fishermen can feed all three islands. He¡¯s a very headstrong character. A man of science, but¡­ mostly a ruffian who spends too much time in the tavern drowning his sorrows.¡±


    ¡°These two leaders sound a lot alike. Maybe someone should play matchmaker and bring them together. That should unify both islands,¡± I said.


    Isaiah stopped rowing for a moment, sharing a nervous glance with Bereth, who sighed.


    ¡°They were husband and wife once. Had a daughter, but she disappeared. She¡¯d be a bit older than you. After that, the two quickly grew apart. Jeremy, who couldn¡¯t keep his feet on the same patch of earth for more than a minute, decided he¡¯d rather tackle the challenges of Rockport. Perhaps he thought he¡¯d become the next Captain Markus.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Captain Markus?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes at Ghost, who seemed to have already perked up at the mention of the name.


    ¡°An old tale. Over a hundred years ago, a fisherman turned pirate captain gave Adversity Management a run for their money. Sank one of their ships and they had to call in backup. He became a bit of a folk legend here.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to be the one to tell them I¡¯d met their legend personally, fought him, and narrowly stopped him from seizing control of PanTech to create a military dictatorship. Some hero¡­


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I laughed nervously. ¡°Okay, so now I understand why getting them to cooperate will be a challenge. All the same, they¡¯re not going to have much of a choice. I¡¯ve dealt with my fair share of stubborn men and delusional women.¡±


    ¡°You speak¡­ bluntly,¡± Bereth said. ¡°Is that a diplomatic strategy that often works well for you.¡±


    Ghost made an unusual noise. I could¡¯ve sworn it was a laugh.


    ¡°Ghost, did you just¡­ laugh? At me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I would never,¡± he said, digging back into the fish.


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly the most successful diplomat, but I¡¯m the only one out here trying to help all of you, so I¡¯m what you get.¡±


    Bereth bowed his head. ¡°My apologies if I sounded judgmental or ungrateful. You have our deepest gratitude for trying.¡±


    The boat bumped gently against the shore.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± Isaiah said.

 Chapter 63

    Stepping onto the shore was like stepping into a new world. Instead of being met with suspicion and accusations, we were greeted with smiles and waves. Was this because of Bereth¡¯s reputation? Still, I was a stranger they¡¯d never seen before.


    ¡°Greetings, stranger. Welcome to Redbank Island¡±, a young woman with braided hair said as she approached, her basket full of fruit. Mangos?


    ¡°Umm, thanks,¡± I said.


    ¡°Would you like me to show you around?¡± a young man accompanying her asked.


    They wore matching earrings. On the left ear was a star, the right a moon.


    ¡°Sure. I mean¡­ I appreciate the offer, but I really must speak to your leader right away. It¡¯s about the sickness plaguing your island.¡±


    ¡°She is leading a study at the moment. There will be plenty of time to speak with her after. For now, why not enjoy a tour of our island?¡±


    His insistence and kindness were equally unnerving. Yet, there was nothing that would indicate anything sinister.


    Ghost perched on my shoulder, keeping quiet for now.


    ¡°Your companion is beautiful,¡± the woman said, reaching her hand slowly toward Ghost before stopping halfway. ¡°May I?¡±


    I twisted my head, looking up at Ghost, who¡­ had no expression, as usual. He was a bird, after all. I¡¯d never get used to that.


    ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t mind,¡± I said.


    She slowly brought the back of her hand to his chest, gently brushing him with the back of her index finger.


    He didn¡¯t react. Come to think of it, this was the first time I remembered someone trying to pet Ghost. To me, he was a friend. An equal. Petting him would feel condescending, but to these people who instinctively saw him as a pet, it made sense.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m Remira.¡±


    I smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Taylor.¡±


    This whole interaction gave me a big dose of the creeps. Was I just being unreasonable, conditioned by the face everyone I¡¯d run into lately were mostly huge jerks?


    ¡°Right this way,¡± the man said, waving for me to follow him. ¡°I¡¯m Randolf. Pleasure to meet you, Taylor. Which island do you hail from?¡±


    I paused, narrowing my eyes.


    ¡°Are you implying that if I were from Adversity Management, you¡¯d welcome me the same way?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t judge others based on the company they associate with. Everyone is an individual, like the stars that make up the night sky.¡±


    The religious cult vibes were off the charts.


    ¡°That¡¯s... Well, thank you for the warm welcome.¡±


    I¡¯d wanted to say it was naive, but resisted the urge to start an argument with the very people I was trying to save, two minutes off the boat. I only hoped I¡¯d dodged his question.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°I saw you eying the mangoes in my wife¡¯s basket. Would you like to have one?¡±


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    Ah, a food bribe. My weakness.


    ¡°Um¡­ sure. Thank you.¡±


    I turned and was greeted with the young woman¡¯s overly warm smile, and an extended hand holding a ripe mango.


    ¡°This one¡¯s perfect for eating today,¡± she said.


    I turned to Bereth and Isaiah, intending to thank them, before noticing they¡¯d already departed while I was distracted.


    ¡°Where¡¯d they go?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry,¡± Randolf said. ¡°They visit almost daily to trade. You¡¯ll see them again soon if you had something you wanted to tell them.¡±


    I took the mango from Remira with a slight bow, turning to follow Randolf.


    ¡°Redbank Island is the largest island in the zone. Even larger than the other two combined, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Based on your explanation, you know I¡¯m not from either of the two other islands. You seem awfully relaxed in spite of that.¡±


    ¡°We are under the protection of the stars here. We have no need for fear. Fear is for the wayward and uncertain.¡±


    Ghost just stared ahead. That he wasn¡¯t hurling condescending insults by now was a true testament to his commitment to the bit.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s, um¡­ a very interesting way of seeing the world.¡±


    ¡°You must think we¡¯re naive to be struggling with so many sick and dying, and yet remain blindly optimistic in spite of it. I would understand you feeling that way.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention to judge you,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s just a foreign way of thinking to me, is all.¡±


    He smiled and nodded as he continued leading us through the rows of trees, motioning to the sagging branches, weighed down with fruit, even as a worker walked along each row, examining each branch for what was ready to be picked. Still more nods and smiles from each stranger.


    ¡°Do you only grow mangoes on this island?¡± I asked.


    He chuckled, then smiled. Clearly he¡¯d thought I was joking, but was careful not to make me feel uncomfortable with the correction.


    ¡°Stars above, no. We grow all sorts of things here. The heavens have blessed this island with fertile soil and an ideal climate. We have just the right ecosystem of animals and insects to promote the growth of both fruits and vegetables, and we always get just enough rain.¡±


    PanTech weather manipulation, and these people believe their faith is being rewarded by some sort of divine force. However, offering counterpoints was not my place. My goal was to disrupt the social order as little as possible. If it didn¡¯t serve the purpose of convincing their leader to help take back the vaccines, it wasn¡¯t any of my business.


    ¡°That¡¯s fortuitous¡­¡± I said, pausing on my words a moment.


    Fortuitous. Good fortune. Lucky. Not things that mesh well with ¡°Strength Through Adversity¡± at all. PanTech had never given the citizens of a zone a break before. Yet, these were trees. They hadn¡¯t just sprouted up here in the past few weeks. This island was years in the making. Why had Adversity Management allowed this to happen? Something wasn¡¯t right here¡­


    ¡°You seem troubled,¡± he said.


    ¡°Not at all. I was just thinking, is all,¡± I said. ¡°Sorry to press you, but will your leader¡¯s study be over soon? I¡¯m certainly interested to see everything your amazing island has to offer, but my mission is urgent and let¡¯s say¡­ distracting me from enjoying this as much as I otherwise would.¡±


    He nodded grimly, raising a finger in agreement.


    ¡°That makes sense, Taylor. It does. Let us go and sit in on the final minutes of the study, so you¡¯ll be there to talk to her the moment she¡¯s ready.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Thank you. That would take some weight off my shoulders, Randolf. Your wife¡¯s a very sweet woman, by the way, and beautiful too. Lucky man.¡±


    He rubbed the back of his neck, blushing slightly. ¡°Oh, yes¡­ the diviner chose well for me. I truly am fortunate, as you say. Rather, the stars gave me a fine wife, and the diviner simply told me their will. She is very modest and would prefer I phrase it that way.¡±


    Modest. Right. Why did I have the feeling this woman was anything but?


    ¡°A diviner? So, she reads the will of the stars, and communicates that to everyone else here?¡±


    ¡°Better that you ask the diviner herself,¡± he said, as we continued walking toward the center of the island.


    Eventually, we made it to a long flight of steps, leading up to a temple. How long had this been here? PanTech did not allow religion to be practiced openly, and yet¡­ here was a temple, right before my eyes. A religious figure leading the island, choosing marriages. Where was the adversity? This broke protocol in so many ways. I hadn¡¯t even noticed any weapons. They were practically sitting ducks for PanTech to swoop in and take over the orchards. Before the fall of HQ, they would¡¯ve had limitless access to knowledge of how to do virtually anything, even tending to fruit orchards.


    Something about this stank. Was it some sort of front? An act to throw off visitors?


    If these were actors, they deserved an award.


    A pale woman with long, platinum hair stood in front of a group of sitting men and women. She spoke in a soft, hypnotic tone.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the visitor I spoke of,¡± the woman said, slowly pointing toward me.


    ¡°It¡¯s just as you predicted!¡± one woman said.


    ¡°Praise the stars!¡± another man shouted.


    Something was very, very wrong here.

 Chapter 64

    ¡°I have been waiting for you, traveler,¡± she said, opening her arms wide. ¡°Please, walk with me.¡±


    She stepped toward me, placing a hand on my shoulder and guiding me inside the temple.


    ¡°How did you know I¡¯d be coming?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Oh, child, I understand you won¡¯t believe me when I tell you. The stars speak to me, and they told me of your impending arrival. Knowing you would be skeptical, I was sure to share this message with my acolytes in advance. This is enough to convince you, yes?¡±


    My eyes moved to the intricate wall carvings covering the entirety of the large room we¡¯d just entered. Meticulously cut from large chunks of stone, chiseled into carvings so small and detailed. I was impressed. Looking up, I saw the large mural above. A perfect constellation, based on my limited knowledge.


    A large hole opened at the peak, leading to a larger fountain at the floor in front of us, allowing rain to fall from the sky as part of the design.


    ¡°The architecture and craftsmanship are amazing,¡± I said, attempting to draw the conversation away from divine messages.


    ¡°My¡­ well¡­¡± she looked down for a moment, as though the answer pained her, and she couldn¡¯t quite finish without building up her courage for a second longer. ¡°The builder was skilled, yes, but that is what a sense of purpose can do for someone. Without it, it takes only a moment¡¯s hesitation to fall to ruin.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°A sense of purpose is important. I agree. We should discuss my purpose for being here.¡±


    ¡°PanTech has taken something from you, and you seek our help to recover it.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes.


    ¡°Have the stars told you what it is?¡±


    She laughed, leading me to a bench across from the fountain, sitting and patting the spot beside her.


    ¡°The stars don¡¯t tell me everything. What was it that was taken from you?¡±


    ¡°A cure to the sickness that will kill everyone on this island soon, if not dealt with. I could sense that you were about to refuse to help me, but do you understand the importance of it now? Literal life or death.¡±


    The woman smiled gently, far too gently, in response to what I¡¯d just said to her.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Taylor.¡±


    ¡°I am Lunaria. I¡¯m afraid, even knowing the dire situation, we cannot help you. We are a peaceful people. Even if we agreed, we are of no value to you. PanTech¡¯s Adversity Management is an advanced superpower, made up of trained soldiers outfitted with the best equipment available. We are farmers and scholars of the stars. We have sticks and rocks. Most of those here have never even struck another person in anger.¡±


    ¡°Then I suggest they begin training,¡± I would not be letting the matter go this easily.


    ¡°You will be traveling to Rockport next, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d hoped to have your commitment to help before going there. Let me just repeat it¡­ if you don¡¯t help me recover the vaccine, everyone here is going to die. Period. This virus is not survivable. The mortality rate is one hundred percent. You, your acolytes, your farmers, your children. Is that not registering for you?¡±


    ¡°We will trust in the stars. If we are meant to be saved, we will be saved. If we are meant to perish, we will perish.¡±


    ¡°Do the stars not require any action on your part? When I arrived, I didn¡¯t see the stars out there picking the mangoes from your trees. It was the actions of the people here. Even if the stars have decided you¡¯re meant to survive, don¡¯t you think your own efforts might need to play some role in that?¡±


    Lunaria let out a slow, tired sigh.


    ¡°I do not expect you to understand, but until the stars call us to action, I must continue listening. We cannot aid you. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You mean you won¡¯t aid me.¡±


    ¡°Spend the night with us, Taylor. Feast with us, and tomorrow you¡¯re free to go to Rockport. Though you should know that not all that many live there. Many are criminals who hate our peaceful lives here and resent us for our fortune.¡±


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    ¡°Fortune?¡± I asked, looking around the temple again. ¡°This¡­ all of this?¡± I gestured to the carvings, the fountain. ¡°This is a bit more advanced than I¡¯d expect in a zone like this. It¡¯s beautiful, and functional. Clearly, a lot of effort went into this place. It¡¯s hard to believe you have the manpower to pull this off, much less the resources. I haven¡¯t seen anything like this in any of the other zones I¡¯ve visited, and I¡¯ve been to several by now.¡±


    Lunaria chuckled, a melodic sound. It would¡¯ve been comforting under different circumstances.


    ¡°Your world is far different from ours. When we were granted these islands, Adversity Management sought to create a challenging, yet beautiful place. A place that demanded cooperation. We struggled in the beginning. Many starved. Many died. But, in time, we thrived. The heavens blessed us with fertile soil and a steady climate. This is our reward for our suffering. We have suffered, and now we have moved beyond suffering.¡±


    It was my turn to sigh. Another belief system built upon a foundation of manipulation. PanTech was so good at this. So good at creating the conditions that reinforced their own control, brainwashing others into justifying it for them.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to leave as soon as your people are vaccinated. And even if they¡¯re not. I¡¯m not going to force help on those who don¡¯t want it.¡±


    I expected Lunaria to push back, but she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Of course, Taylor. You are a traveler, and I understand that travelers have places to be. People to see. But even travelers need rest. Enjoy your time here with us tonight. In the morning, you are free to continue your journey.¡±


    ¡°Enjoy my time?¡± I asked, my cynicism returning in full force. ¡°How can I enjoy my time knowing what¡¯s coming? Knowing that the people here don¡¯t even know the danger they are in? And knowing that¡­ if things don¡¯t go well tomorrow, I may have to move on without saving anyone here.¡±


    ¡°You may enjoy it because there is much beauty in this world. Beauty that survives in spite of all the ugliness and pain. Look around you, Taylor. There is much to be appreciated, even in the face of death.¡±


    I looked around the temple, taking in my surroundings. The intricate carvings on the walls. The soothing sound of water splashing into the fountain. The sunlight streaming through the hole in the ceiling.


    She was right. It was a beautiful place. But that beauty made me feel even more uneasy.


    PanTech did not allow this kind of beauty.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stay. But your beliefs and philosophies are your own. Mine are mine.¡±


    Lunaria laughed. ¡°You¡¯re a strange one, Taylor. I¡¯m sure we can learn from one another.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you learn to protect yourself. What if those Adversity Management men who attacked me come here? What if they decide to take everything you¡¯ve worked so hard to achieve? You said it yourself. Your people are unprepared. They could wipe out this village in minutes.¡±


    She smiled again, that same maddeningly gentle smile. ¡°We have our faith, Taylor. Please, enjoy your meal. And I promise that I will listen very carefully to the stars tonight. If the stars say we are to help you, we will.¡±


    ¡°Do the stars not allow any wiggle room for something so important?¡±


    ¡°The stars know best,¡± she said, her voice taking on a strange firmness. Her eyes closed, her hand reaching up to gently caress a carving on the wall next to her. ¡°I will not question their judgment. They have been correct too many times before.¡±


    I sighed, deciding it was best to let the matter go. Arguing was a waste of time.


    A moment later, a dozen women came in, carrying platters full of food. Vegetables. Fruits. And a large fish, roasted whole on a platter. Many of the acolytes joined us as well, Remira and Randolf among them.


    Ghost hopped down to the floor, landing next to Remira¡¯s plate and looking at me. I nodded, and he immediately began tearing into his share of the fish, ripping off chunks and swallowing them whole.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever seen a falcon eat fish,¡± Randolf said.


    ¡°An adaptable creature. He learned from the best. He and I were both part of PanTech¡¯s Explorers League.¡±


    Randolf and Remira seemed surprised by this revelation, but they quickly returned to their meal. I tried the mango first. It tasted better than any fruit I¡¯d ever had in my life.


    The food was amazing, and the company was pleasant, but the tension in my shoulders never eased. Something was wrong. Everything felt off.


    Ghost looked at me again, and I sensed he wanted to say something, but in private. He wanted to keep up the pet act for now. I picked up my plate and his, and walked outside where we would be alone.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about being betrayed,¡± Ghost said. My head darted up toward him, but he continued to eat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be realistic, Ghost. Anyone could betray anyone, at any time. It¡¯s happened to me before, remember? But¡­ I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s what worries me the most right now. There¡¯s something else¡­ something I can¡¯t put my finger on.¡±


    ¡°PanTech,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re behind this facade somehow.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°They¡¯re behind all of it. It always comes back to them. Strength Through Adversity. Except I haven¡¯t seen much adversity here. Have you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ghost said, shaking his head. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t there, or was, as she said. Maybe they¡¯ve grown complacent. You said yourself their methods are cyclical. Perhaps their arrogance has brought them to a place where they assume they no longer need to employ the same strategies they¡¯ve always used. The Adversity Management in every zone has been vastly different from the one before. Some friend, some foe. Some strict, others allow just about anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t rooting for it all to blow up in their face. But¡­ you know something, Ghost? I think you might be onto something. Makes me wonder how long they¡¯ve been planning to take over the islands and set up a real dictatorship. Lunaria is the perfect front for them. Question is¡­ why haven¡¯t they already?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they already have. You really should eat. You¡¯re losing weight,¡± Ghost said, nodding toward my mostly untouched plate.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± I said. ¡°Too much going through my mind.¡±


    ¡°You are being illogical. Food doesn¡¯t hinder thinking.¡±


    I sighed, forcing a smile.


    ¡°Okay, okay¡­¡±

 Chapter 65

    I tossed and turned in my bed, struggling to close my eyes in what should have been the safest place I¡¯d been offered to sleep in a long time. Something about this island, and Lunaria, made me feel more uneasy than I might¡¯ve felt in the middle of a warzone.


    ¡°No sleep?¡± Ghost asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m obviously not the only one,¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯m half-sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Half-sleeping? That¡¯s a good one.¡±


    Ghost seemed unimpressed.


    Ghost always seemed unimpressed.


    I finally remembered. Some falcons really could sleep with an eye open, resting half of their brain while the other remained alert. Should¡¯ve known he wasn¡¯t kidding around.


    ¡°Okay, sorry. You were serious. I wish I could do that trick.¡±


    ¡°You nearly do. You¡¯re a very light sleeper. A slight breeze seems to wake you, and you haven¡¯t fallen asleep once since we arrived.¡±


    ¡°This place gives me the creeps, Ghost!¡± I whispered. ¡°Somebody was trying to kill me the whole time we were in the last place, but I swear¡­ it felt safer than here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing a human thing.¡±


    ¡°Being?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making stories up in your mind and pretending they¡¯re real.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. Cheeky bird¡­


    ¡°Or maybe that¡¯s just my intuition.¡±


    ¡°Intuition is analyzing the facts subconsciously. Analyze them consciously.¡±


    I leaned back into my pillow again, resting my hands behind my head and sighing.


    ¡°Fact: This woman, and her cult, gives me the creeps.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a fact about how you feel, Taylor. It¡¯s also a fact that the people here seem to adore her and believe every word she says.¡±


    ¡°She believes every word she says, Ghost. That¡¯s the strangest part of all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not strange at all. Humans have always done this. It¡¯s your most ¡®human¡¯ trait. Are you unaware of your own history? You have been inventing explanations for the unknown since before you lit the first flame.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s another Connie?¡±


    ¡°Connie?¡±


    I sighed, forgetting that he wasn¡¯t around for that particular sequence of events in Arc City.


    ¡°Connie was Arc City¡¯s Adversity Management commander. Rather than march soldiers around, she stuck her nose in everything. She took on the identity of a low-level criminal and inserted herself into every shady deal across the city. She made a network of anti-establishment people to get information for her. That way, she could keep an eye on them better. It was genius, when you think about it.¡±


    ¡°You think Lunaria is actually this zone¡¯s commander, controlling the people here through manipulation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s plausible, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It is. It¡¯s also not the priority right now. The fact we need to focus on is the fact she¡¯s denying us assistance. We should evaluate the virus situation here and move on to the next island to see if we fare batter there¡­ and of course to see if that island¡¯s help would even be sufficient to reclaim the lost vaccines here. If not, we will be best served by cutting our losses and moving on. Perhaps the Adversity Management here will do the right thing once they discover the true nature of that crate¡¯s contents.¡±


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    ¡°I don¡¯t like giving up,¡± I said, closing my eyes.


    ¡°Time runs short. Spending more time than needed here means sacrificing others.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ I can¡¯t save everyone. Or anyone, truly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch. At least get a little sleep. These people need you at your best. I¡¯ll wake you the moment anything or anyone approaches.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even have the strength to answer. I fell almost instantly into a deep sleep.


    ***


    I wasn¡¯t sure how many hours had passed. I awoke abruptly, wings flapping in my face.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s approaching,¡± Ghost whispered.


    It was mid-morning now. The sun swept over the temple grounds, giving a false sense of comfort. You¡¯d think there wasn¡¯t a problem in the world.


    I sat up, just in time to see Remira and Randolf approaching, with Remira carrying a tray.


    ¡°Good morning, Taylor,¡± she said, her voice as sweet and soft as before. ¡°Lunaria asked us to help you with whatever you needed today. We noticed you sleeping in.¡±


    Randolf nodded.


    ¡°We assumed you had a difficult journey, so we let you keep sleeping a while. I hope that¡¯s alright.¡±


    I nodded to them both, eyeing the tray Remira sat next to me. Mangoes, sliced. Some kind of fish, steamed and cubed. It smelled unreal. More actual, honest-to-goodness food.


    I quickly sampled a bite of each.


    ¡°To your liking?¡± Remira asked.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I said, trying not to let it overwhelm me. All those years without real food, and now every time I bite into something delicious, my emotions start to get the better of me. ¡°It¡¯s great. Thank you.¡±


    They both sat on the ground.


    ¡°Do you have any questions for us while you eat?¡± Randolf asked.


    I wiped my mouth.


    ¡°I want to visit your sick today. After that, I want to make sure I¡¯m there when the fishermen arrive so I can move on to Rockport. It doesn¡¯t look like I¡¯ll be getting what I¡¯m looking for here.¡±


    Remira frowned. ¡°Aw, I¡¯m sorry to hear that. But Lunaria has said you¡¯re welcome to stay here for as long as you like. We have plenty of food, and with so many now ill¡­ plenty to spare, and we could always use more hands in the fields.¡±


    ¡°A kind offer,¡± I said, trying to be as diplomatic as possible. ¡°Not one I can accept, but thank you anyway. I¡¯m afraid I have a lot left to do before I settle down anywhere. Probably more than I ever can do.¡±


    I finished the last of my food and handed the empty tray back to Remira, then stood up and dusted myself off.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s go see the sick. I¡¯ll offer what advice I can to your healers before I leave.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have far to go. They¡¯re here on the temple grounds,¡± Randolf said, already walking in that direction and gesturing for us to follow.


    Remira walked beside me, her expression darkening.


    ¡°More and more of the temple ground has been devoted to the sick in recent weeks. It is¡­ not an easy sight to take in. Though, with your experience, I doubt it will be as shocking to you.¡±


    I shook my head. How I wished that were true.


    ¡°It never gets any easier,¡± I said. ¡°Less surprising, sure, but not easier.¡±


    As we neared the opposite end of the temple, I could hear the familiar sounds of the virus, as I¡¯d come to know them.


    Groaning, pained words, calls for help from those attending to their needs.


    To my surprise, their sick bay was well organized. Beds lined the floor, evenly spaced in rows. There were many attendants, so that no one went long without attention. I felt a tinge of guilt for the first question to pop into my mind, but it needed to be asked.


    ¡°How is this sustainable?¡±


    ¡°The stars will provide the answer to that question, in time. We need only do what we can do. The past is already gone, and the future is to be decided by the stars. Our concern is the present.¡±


    Such a childish, naive way of thinking, but these people couldn¡¯t be blamed for that. The future must be prepared for in the present. The past informs the present. That¡¯s what I wanted to argue, but¡­ that debate would serve no one. Help no one.


    I did a brief walk around. I estimated half of this island¡¯s population was already here. That¡¯s why so few people were out in the fields. Soon, the fruit would begin to pile up, rotten. The fish would go uncaught. The people of these islands would fade away.


    Whether I recovered the vaccine or not. The thought was difficult to bear. I felt sick with it. Ghost, sensing my anguish, gently tapped his beak on my head to bring me back into the present. I¡¯d almost forgotten he was perched there on my shoulder. My armor removed all the pressure that would normally keep me aware of that fact.


    I spoke briefly to the woman in charge of everyone¡¯s care. Unfortunately, she was already showing early signs of the virus herself. How quickly it would progress was anyone¡¯s guess. They were already doing a good job, so there wasn¡¯t much I could add. A few minor corrections. None of which would make any difference against such a deadly disease. Only the vaccine would do that, and their leader lacked the guts to help me get it for them.


    ¡°I¡¯m done here,¡± I said.


    As we walked away, Remira stopped and turned to me.


    ¡°How are things looking for us?¡±


    The scientist in me wanted to speak first. You are on borrowed time. You¡¯re nearing the threshold where nothing can be done. You likely already have the virus yourself, and you don¡¯t even know it. You¡¯ll hope to die before your husband, so you won¡¯t have to see him die. You¡¯ll pray for a less painful death than you¡¯ve seen others experience.


    Instead, seeing the pain in her eyes, what good would it do? It would only cause more unnecessary pain.


    ¡°I hope the stars are kind and merciful,¡± I said. It wasn¡¯t the perfect thing to say, but it was enough.


    She wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly before releasing me and wiping her eyes. I¡¯d tried to sound optimistic, but my words conveyed the message clearer than any of the scientific explanations could have ever hoped to.

 Chapter 66

    Rather than risk missing them, Ghost and I waited for Bereth and Isaiah at the shore. I wanted to get off this island and soon as possible. A couple of hours of quiet meditation was a small price to pay, and was good for me anyway. Ghost had no problem sitting for long hours in silence. Then again, he wasn¡¯t able to speak until not all that long ago.


    ¡°Ahoy!¡± I heard a familiar voice shout.


    ¡°Ahoy!¡± I shouted back.


    When they ran on shore, I immediately picked up my small bag of supplies and hopped on the boat.


    ¡°In a hurry?¡± Bereth asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m always in a hurry,¡± I said.


    ¡°We don¡¯t normally visit Redbank today, but we thought we¡¯d stop by after Rockport¡¯s delivery when the boat was empty. Just to see if you needed us,¡± Isaiah said.


    Bereth waved for Isaiah to push off. ¡°And good thing we did. I think the poor girl was ready to make the swim if we hadn¡¯t shown up when we did.¡±


    ¡°I was considering it.¡±


    Isaiah seemed to be holding in a laugh.


    ¡°Running toward Rockport, or running away from Redbank?¡± he asked with a grin as we swayed gently on the calm waters.


    ¡°Just getting this over with as soon as possible.¡±


    Bereth gestured to the sword on my hip.


    ¡°Interesting weapon. You¡¯ll see quite a few swords on Rockport, but I¡¯m surprised someone from PanTech would choose to carry one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really from PanTech. At least, not the same way Adversity Management is. I always try to blend in as much as possible. This sword was¡­ a gift from a friend.¡±


    The two men looked at one another, frowned, and nodded.


    ¡°She¡¯s still alive,¡± I said, knowing both men were thinking the question but too polite to ask. ¡°She¡¯s running a camp for survivors of the destruction at PanTech HQ. I just miss her. Normally she¡¯d accompany me for something like this, but we¡¯re all spread thin and have our own responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°Few things in life hold greater value than a good friend. Or family,¡± Bereth said, nodding and smiling to his son.


    ¡°Or family,¡± I agreed. ¡°I¡¯m thankful I was able to visit mine again when¡­ after everything fell apart.¡±


    Isaiah pointed ahead, Rockport beginning to come into sight.


    ¡°You should be warned¡­ Rockport has its own problems. However, if you¡¯re looking for someone willing to fight, you¡¯re a lot more likely to find it here. They¡¯re likely to join a fight for little to no reason at all.¡±


    ¡°Ruffians, more like,¡± Isaiah added. ¡°You should look out for your own safety amongst men like these. You look like you can handle yourself, but sleep light.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t feed into her paranoia. She¡¯s abundantly cautious already,¡± Ghost said, causing both men to jump. He¡¯d been silent so long they forgot he was able to speak.


    Bereth clutched his chest, grinning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ghost. It¡¯s hard to wrap my mind around birds joining the conversation. No offense.¡±


    ¡°Why would I be offended?¡± Ghost asked. ¡°That¡¯s a human thing.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± I protested, or at least wanted to protest. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m paranoid, but warnings are also appreciated, Ghost. I¡¯m not that fragile.¡±


    ¡°I never said you were fragile. I said you were paranoid.¡±


    ¡°Ghost, you implied it.¡±


    He paused for a moment, thinking it over in a very Ghost-like, stoic sort of way.


    ¡°Apologies,¡± he finally said.


    I was shocked. Another apology from the great Ghost? I could get used to this.


    ¡°You are forgiven, Ghost. I have found it in my heart to forgive you.¡±


    He tilted his head. Bereth and Isaiah both laughed, causing him to turn toward them and narrow his eyes.


    It was nice to have him with me.


    As we ran on shore, two armed men approached, though at least not with weapons drawn. They weren¡¯t lying. Swords on the hip, looking sharp and ready, wearing very unwelcoming expressions on their bearded faces.


    ¡°Interesting cargo today, Bereth,¡± one man said, eyeing me up and down. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like a fish to me.¡±


    ¡°Someone on that island finally come to their senses?¡± the other man asked. ¡°Trying to get away from the nutcases over there?¡±


    Bereth and Isaiah both looked at me, clearly not comfortable speaking for me as they¡¯d been before.


    ¡°I¡¯m not from any of these islands,¡± I said, taking a step off the boat.


    The first man drew his sword, pointing it at me.


    ¡°Put that away,¡± I said. ¡°Before you get hurt.¡±


    The other man let out a sharp whistle.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s telling the truth about not being from the Redbank. Nobody there would speak that way.¡±


    ¡°Troublemakers are troublemakers no matter where they¡¯re from,¡± the first man said, still holding his sword. I placed my palm on Twisted Key.


    ¡°Lower your sword, or I¡¯ll make you lower it,¡± I said. ¡°Besides, I thought this was the best place for a troublemaker to be.¡±


    Isaiah stepped off the boat, holding his hands high in the air.


    ¡°Wait! There¡¯s no need to resort to duels on the beach. Surely you¡¯ll hear the girl out, eh Resnir?¡±


    Resnir kept his sword held steady.


    ¡°We¡¯ve troubles enough without new ones spilling onto the shore from who knows where.¡±


    ¡°Your troubles are why I¡¯m here,¡± I said. ¡°If you¡¯ve got the sense to listen instead of starting something you lack the ability to finish. So how about it? Put your sword away before you embarrass yourself in front of your friend here.¡±


    A grin stretched across Resnir¡¯s lips. It seemed unwise to provoke a man the moment you meet him, but right away I could see this was a place where strength was respected above most other things. And here I was, arriving on their shores, a woman with a small frame and soft voice.


    Ghost seemed to sense my intentions, leaving my shoulder and perching on the edge of the boat.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see you make me lower it,¡± he said, chuckling.


    I activated my enhancer, kicking off my dominant foot and propelling myself straight at him. He only had time to widen his eyes, nearly stumbling back as I grabbed his wrist, twisted it, flung him over my shoulder and slammed him hard on the ground. A burst of air escaped his lungs, and he dropped his sword without meaning to. A tough man, for certain, but not a trained swordsman.


    The other man drew his sword and took a step forward, stopping in his tracks when I turned toward him.


    ¡°How much better do you think you¡¯ll do?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Gah, let go, witch!¡± Resnir growled. I kept his arm locked behind him, his face pressed into the sand.


    Isaiah started to take another step forward, but Bereth placed a hand on his shoulder and slowly shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m Gregory,¡± he said, putting his sword away. ¡°Just where did you learn to fight like that?¡±


    ¡°PanTech. Well¡­ and a few other places I suppose.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re part of their island?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her,¡± Resnir growled, still struggling to free himself.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m part of the reason PanTech went up in smoke. I¡¯m not part of Adversity Management. I¡¯m a scientist. Find yourself dealing with a lot of sickness lately?¡±


    Resnir froze, suddenly giving up all resistance.


    ¡°Ah, I take it you have. I¡¯m actually¡ªwell, was actually here to deal with that situation. Unfortunately, PanTech¡¯s pirates stole my supplies. Redbank would rather die than fight for their own salvation. I thought I could find capable men here with both the will and the ability to help me. I guess that remains to be seen.¡±


    Sensing the fight had left Resnir, I loosened my grip and took a step back. He stood slowly, rubbing his shoulder.


    ¡°I lost my brother only two days ago to the plague¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your sorries,¡± he growled. ¡°You¡¯re here to see Jeremy?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I nodded.


    Ghost returned to my shoulder.


    ¡°Interesting pet,¡± Gregory said.


    ¡°Oh, you have no idea. Please, take me to Jeremy. I¡¯d really rather not waste any more time when people are dying as we speak.¡±


    There was no more resistance from Resnir. He picked up his sword from the sand and sheathed it, turning and waiting for me to follow.


    I nodded to Bereth and Isaiah.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Bereth said, nodding to Isaiah, who pushed their boat off.


    Gregory held up his hand.


    ¡°Before you go, you should be warned. Jeremy isn¡¯t in the best of moods lately and he¡¯s been¡­ indulging a bit more than usual.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°This way,¡± he said.


    I followed the two men in silence.

 Chapter 67

    I tripped several times while following my guides, nearly trapping myself between the jutting stones that littered the landscape. They weren¡¯t exaggerating when they said this island was mostly rocks. Seemed the small patch of sand we washed up on with our boat was one of the very few. Yet somehow these people had found a way to make it a home. Very small homes rested on long wooden pillars. Not the skyscrapers of Arc City, but impressive in such a harsh environment with a limited amount of lumber.


    Rocky terrain meant this also was no dense forest, and PanTech limited the range they could travel on the mainland. In fact, I wasn¡¯t sure they¡¯d been able to reach the mainland before at all. Bereth had mentioned this was a new phenomenon they were dealing with. Perhaps they¡¯d make good use of the extended reach.


    ¡°Now, look¡­¡± Resnir said, stopping in front of a very loud establishment, reeking of alcohol. Presumably a tavern. ¡°There are a few things you need to know as an outsider. First, we don¡¯t have a ruler on this island. Jeremy is the founder, and is involved in everything. Second, the man isn¡¯t himself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s been true for a while now,¡± Gregory added. ¡°Obviously you can handle yourself, but just¡­ well, best you just see for yourself.¡±


    Resnir swung open the heavy wooden doors, and we walked in.


    Normally these types of establishments didn¡¯t start booming until late at night, but late evening was close enough.


    I¡¯d never seen a place quite like this. Torches lined the walls, candles on the tables. All of the tables were large, like park benches. Taxidermy lined the walls, along with various other decorations that could¡¯ve been trophies. Things I didn¡¯t know the significance of. But the thing that stood out the most, more than any other place like this I¡¯d been, was the smell of alcohol. It was splashed all over the place. No one was here for a quiet dinner. This place seemed most welcoming to loud drunks.


    And that¡¯s exactly who frequented it.


    I immediately spotted my target from across the room. An older man, perhaps in his early sixties, but fit. His beard was long, rough, and contained fragments of at least his past three meals. The last time he¡¯d combed it was anyone¡¯s guess. He had a woman under each arm. They both looked old enough to be my mother, and one looked far too large to be dancing around the way she was, yet surprisingly nimble on her feet.


    They¡¯d broken out into song, some kind of shanty I didn¡¯t recognize, and the other patrons joined them.


    A barmaid approached me from the side, shoving a massive tankard into my hand, along with Resnir and Gregory behind me, pulling us toward an empty table. Don¡¯t suppose it would¡¯ve done any good to try to speak over the commotion.


    The tune was catchy, and it didn¡¯t take more than a few seconds to learn the words. Tankards crashed down on the table in time with the cadence. Rather than sit there awkwardly, I joined in. I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I¡¯d sang anything.


    I followed the lead of Gregory and Resnir, initially mindful that I might not appear very ladylike, as some zones might expect. Roles were very clear on Redbank, too. Here? No one batted an eye.


    Every time we slammed our tankards down, beer would splash everywhere. After the third or fourth time of being drenched, Ghost shook himself off and flew out the door. This place definitely wasn¡¯t his thing.


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    After what felt like forever, they finally finished the song. Jeremy, or who I assumed was Jeremy, immediately released his two dancing partners and walked up to one of the largest men in the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, didn¡¯t like my singing?¡± he said, half-burping the words.


    The big man looked down at him, seemingly unsurprised by the random accusation.


    ¡°Go sober up, Jeremy, before you get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? What don¡¯t you make me sober up, boy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to fight you old man. Go bother someone else.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m too old to throw down, boy? Or maybe it¡¯s that you¡¯re scared of getting the fish kicked out of you by somebody old enough to be your dad!¡±


    Jeremy reached down to steady himself on a chair that wasn¡¯t anywhere near where he thought it was, stumbling and nearly falling onto the table.


    I stood up, but Gregory gently nudged my arm, shaking his head.


    ¡°No matter how it plays out, you¡¯d better just stay over here and watch until it¡¯s over,¡± he said quietly.


    I ignored him and walked to the end of the table where the argument was happening. I didn¡¯t really have time for all this.


    ¡°Are you Jeremy?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± he spat, turning to face me.


    ¡°I¡¯m Taylor.¡±


    ¡°Taylor? I¡¯ve never seen your face here before. Why don¡¯t you make yourself useful and get me another drink?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve had enough already,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yeah? Goes to show what you know. You one of those fruit bats from Redbank?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from PanTech,¡± I said.


    The whole place grew eerily quiet, except for the loud sigh I heard from Gregory behind me.


    ¡°Oh, PanTech? Where¡¯s your armor? You got guts walking in here alone. Realize there was something else you could take from us and come here to get it?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just kidding around,¡± the big man said, chuckling. ¡°No one from Adversity Management would be stupid enough to walk in here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not from the Adversity Management unit on the island. I¡¯m from HQ. Or what was HQ, at least.¡±


    They all continued to look at me, like I was a dinosaur that had come back to life. With three heads.


    ¡°Find yourself dealing with a lot of sick people lately?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I knew that was PanTech¡¯s doing! You going to try to deny it?¡± Jeremy roared, throwing his tankard aside.


    ¡°Why would I? PanTech made the virus. I¡¯m here to help.¡±


    ¡°Here to help, huh?¡±


    He took a step toward me, grabbing my collar and nearly lifting me off the floor. He drew back his fist.


    ¡°Tell me why I shouldn¡¯t knock your head off, wench!¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t have what it takes, you old drunk,¡± I said, staring him in the eyes, my lip curling into a grin.


    I could speak his language too, if I needed to.


    ¡°You insane? You¡¯re a little girl that¡¯s what¡­ a hundred pounds soaking wet. I could send you to the floor for a long nap in one punch, and you¡¯d be lucky to get up from it.¡±


    ¡°Try it,¡± I said.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t fight,¡± Gregory said, standing and taking a step toward us.


    ¡°Mind your own business!¡± Jeremy growled, still holding my collar.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a fight,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s a race. See who makes it to the floor first.¡±


    Jeremy¡¯s fist clenched, tight enough his knuckles turned white. I could see the pain boiling on his face, and he looked like he might scream or cry at any moment. He blamed PanTech for everything. I could see it. It wasn¡¯t me he was angry at. He was just angry.


    ¡°She already threw Resnir around when she got here, Jeremy. Don¡¯t fall for the little girl thing.¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know these people and their tricks?¡±


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± I asked. ¡°I came here to talk to you. You want to fight, or talk? We can do both if you want. You really think we¡¯re so different?¡±


    He seemed to calm for a moment, searching my face. Maybe he was looking at me and thinking the same thing I¡¯d just been thinking.


    Either way, something softened in his features. His fist relaxed, as did his grip on my shirt. All the fight seemed to leave him before the first punch was thrown.


    He let go, sighed, and slumped down to the table, sitting on the bench.


    He raised his drink to his lips, but stopped before sipping it, placing it back on the table and sliding it to the side.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. Just leave. You¡¯re not welcome here,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. I have a mission, and whether or not you choose to be a part of it, I intend to see it through.¡±


    He looked up at me, narrowing his eyes, and a small glimmer seemed to return to them.


    ¡°You may be from PanTech, but you¡¯re no friend to them, are you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, and there we¡¯ve found our thing in common. Ready to talk?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

 Chapter 68

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a healer come to heal the sick, eh? And how exactly do you intend to do that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a cure I developed alongside some friends of mine at HQ. It¡¯s a liquid injected directly into the body through a sharp needle.¡±


    ¡°Show me,¡± he said, waving his hands impatiently.


    I reached into my coat, pulling out the few syringes I had on me. As expected, he paid attention to the right things.


    ¡°That enough to cure everyone?¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. PanTech took my supply I was bringing to your zone to do just that. I had plenty enough to cure everyone, and children born for a generation after.¡±


    ¡°What do you suppose they plan to do with it?¡±


    I frowned. I wished I could¡¯ve said that they would vaccinate everyone themselves, but most Adversity Management teams weren¡¯t like that. And considering they didn¡¯t even try to talk to me, I expected these would be the worst of the worst.


    ¡°Probably vaccinate themselves and let the virus weaken the two other islands.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Jeremy laughed. ¡°Do you really think Redbank poses a threat to anyone?¡±


    ¡°No, but do you?¡±


    His lip curled into a snarl. He leaned forward, but only managed to burp loudly before he could say whatever he wanted to say. I waved my hand, trying to fan the alcohol vapors away from my face. It was a miracle this man was still standing.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you? You wanting us to go over there and get it back for you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was hoping for,¡± I said.


    ¡°You went to Redbank first. Tell me, what did the great and wonderful Lunaria have to say about reclaiming this cure of yours?¡±


    I was warned not to talk about her here, but since I wasn¡¯t the one to bring it up¡­


    ¡°She¡¯s praying on it, I suppose. She believes the stars will either claim them when their time comes or deliver them the cure if they¡¯re meant to have it.¡±


    ¡°Coward¡¯s talk, as expected,¡± Jeremy sneered.


    I narrowed my eyes, locking my gaze with his.


    ¡°You think I might be some kind of spy. You seem to be holding back.¡±


    Jeremy banged his fist on the table, looking around the room.


    ¡°Gather round. Gather round. It¡¯s been a while, and we¡¯ve a guest. Many of ye¡¯ve heard the tale of Captain Markus, but it be a tale that must be told and retold again, lest we forget the lessons.¡±


    Markus¡­ I knew him as General Markus. Not a man I¡¯d look up to, but a person can change a lot in a hundred years, I suppose. They certainly seem to think highly of him here. Especially on Rockport.


    ¡°Jonas, what do ye remember of ol¡¯ Markus?¡±


    A younger man stepped forward.


    ¡°When I was young, my father told me stories of Captain Markus¡¯s great battle against PanTech. The first and only man in history to seize a PanTech vessel and unite the islands. He was a fierce pirate, and a prodigy of naval warfare.¡±


    A prodigy of warfare. Now he was starting to sound like the Markus I knew.


    Jeremy shook his finger. He almost seemed to be playing a character, taking on a different style of speaking.


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    ¡°Alas, ye were not told the full truth. Ol¡¯ Markus was good at all those things, aye, but they weren¡¯t what the man was best at. Markus was a fine diplomat. The islands hated one another, far more than even now, but it was Markus who gave them common ground. He visited them all in secret, away from PanTech¡¯s prying ears. A pact was formed. An alliance unlike any other. It wasn¡¯t the war strategies of Markus that brought the PanTech vessel to its knees. They weren¡¯t at all prepared to face down a unified force, attacked from all sides by those who previously wanted nothing more than to kill one another.¡±


    Jonas nodded, but wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    Jeremy slapped the tankards off the table, standing atop it, looking around the room with his hand above his eyes. It was like he was standing on a ship, scouting the horizon.


    ¡°And how do you reckon ol¡¯ Markus, the great Captain Markus, might fare today?¡± He leaned over, pointing to Jonas. ¡°Would he¡­ bring Redbank to the training grounds? Light the fire in them and make them salivate at the thought of war? Would he travel here, delivering supplies and men for our ships, a sword for one side of every man¡¯s hip, a pistol for his other?¡±


    Jonas opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Would he sail over to PanTech¡¯s island, drive them out to the sea, so we could populate it again, making our two thirds forces whole again? So, then, we might be prepared to face them. Would he convince Redbank to chop down their fruit trees and build a fleet unlike any we¡¯ve ever seen, so we might wipe them out with a force so overwhelming they¡¯d never see it coming? What say you, Jonas?¡±


    Jonas was silent, searching for the right words. Do you choose hope, or do you choose to live in reality?


    ¡°Believe it or not, I know a Markus story too.¡±


    Jeremy looked at me, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± he asked, his voice quiet.


    ¡°It¡¯s the story of a man¡¯s rise to the top. His sacrifices. His triumphs. His fall.¡±


    Jeremy climbed down from the table, and I took his place.


    ¡°The man you knew as Captain Markus, taken and delivered to PanTech HQ against his will, eventually became General Markus. The commander of PanTech¡¯s entire military. His armor was solid black, like his hair, contrasting the white standard-issue. Made just for him, outfitted with the finest technology PanTech had to offer. He was one of the first men equipped with a brain implant, called an enhancer. He¡¯d reached the peak of power. He was invincible.¡± I looked to Jeremy. ¡°What do you think happens to a man when he reaches such heights? A hero of his people. Will he remember who he is, who he was, and where he came from?¡±


    Jeremy nodded along. It seemed we were on the same page after all. At least partially.


    ¡°The highest cliff overlooking the sea is a long fall to the water.¡±


    ¡°Paranoia filled the man¡¯s mind. Who was conspiring to betray him? Who might be secretly building an army to challenge him? Who was forming bonds in hidden rooms, plotting his downfall? In time, a solution came to him. What if¡­ he were to be able to monitor every word spoken? What if there wasn¡¯t a single movement that didn¡¯t escape his sight? What if he were to remove the few individuals with more power than him, so that he alone stood at the top? What if his army controlled everything, so that the sliver of hope the citizens of the world had to rise up became nothing but a distant dream? Their waking lives, a nightmare.¡±


    Jonas¡¯s face seemed to contort in realization. ¡°Is that¡­ story true?¡±


    ¡°He was stopped by others. New heroes, only to be replaced by worse villains still. His face isn¡¯t important, but the path he traveled in life is. We don¡¯t need Captain Markus!¡± I growled. ¡°We need Captain Jeremy. We need Jonas. Resnir, and Gregory, and all the others here. Markus isn¡¯t here, and let¡¯s face it¡­ I¡¯ve heard it often said that you should never meet your heroes. Markus is a good example of that. What he did here was amazing. He inspired generations. Became a symbol of hope. But what he did after leaving here was nothing short of evil. Everyone here is capable of being a hero themselves. Better than the ones who came before them.¡±


    Jeremy was silent, looking down at his interlocked hands on the table in front of him, deep in thought.


    ¡°Nothing about your story surprises me. It wasn¡¯t exactly the message I was going for, but you have a way with words, Taylor.¡±


    ¡°So, how about it? Will you help me get the vaccines back so we can cure the disease on these islands?¡±


    Jeremy sighed, looking up with a weak smile.


    ¡°Missy, not even ol¡¯ Captain Markus could win the odds we face now. That was what I wanted everyone to understand. A great man, but still just a man. They destroyed every vessel we tried to build for the longest time, but allow our ship to stay docked now, untouched. Care to speculate why?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t see you as a threat,¡± I said.


    ¡°Close. We aren¡¯t a threat. And they know it.¡±


    ¡°Use that against them. If you act, they won¡¯t be expecting it. They¡¯ll never see Captain Jeremy coming. They haven¡¯t realized who I am yet. I can fight on the level of a commander, and if I can catch them by surprise too¡­¡±


    Resnir raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll vouch for her there. She took me down like I was a small boy playing with a wooden sword. She speaks the truth, at least on that point.¡±


    Jeremy¡¯s brow only furrowed more.


    ¡°We¡¯ll¡­ discuss it. I can¡¯t make any promises. We¡¯ll put you up in a room here, and we¡¯ll all get together and talk about it tomorrow. I¡¯d rather be sober when deciding when and how I want to die.¡±

 Chapter 69

    I did a bit of chatting with the other patrons after talking to Jeremy, and Ghost returned not long after the splashing of alcohol and singing ended. Best I could figure, there were less than a hundred people on Rockport, compared to the nearly one thousand on Redbank. No one had any idea how large this zone¡¯s Adversity Management unit was. Seems they¡¯d rarely interacted directly in the recent decades. Even some of the old timers here didn¡¯t remember meeting anyone from there. They¡¯d taken the island after the Markus incident, so they could employ a more rapid response in the event of another surprising encounter.


    I should¡¯ve guessed. All Markus had to do was win one battle against PanTech, and they came back with such an exaggerated response that it could never happen again. Of course, there were factors in play that I still didn¡¯t know. It was still a possibility Lunaria was the zone commander, similar to how Connie had done things in Arc City. That would explain so much. I also had to consider how hard the virus had already hit Adversity Management. It would¡¯ve gotten to them first, after all. For all I knew, the unit on that submarine was the last unit alive. Maybe they¡¯d share the vaccine willingly. Maybe we¡¯d stand a chance of defeating them in a direct conflict.


    I¡¯d barely made it out of my room before nearly being trampled by Isaiah.


    ¡°Taylor! You¡¯ll never believe¡­¡± He bent over, catching his breath. ¡°Redbank island claims to have been cured!¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s¡­ not possible. Or¡­¡± I paused, thinking everything over. It was hard for me to even wrap my mind around the logistics of such a situation. However, if I was right about Lunaria being the commander¡­ ¡°Can you take me there?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Father changed our fishing schedule for the day so we could do just that. It¡¯s why I¡¯m in such a rush. We¡¯ll stop by the island later in the day, in case you need to go somewhere else.¡±


    I followed him, and we moved quickly. I hated inconveniencing the two of them, but they¡¯d become invaluable in my ability to move between these islands.


    Jeremy would have to wait.


    ***


    Once I arrived on Redbank, I ran toward the temple.


    ¡°Fly ahead, Ghost. Make sure I¡¯m not running into something I shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    He flew away without comment.


    No one was out. Not a single person tending to the fields, no one to greet the boats, nothing.


    Ghost rejoined me at the temple steps.


    ¡°No signs of Adversity Management currently in the area,¡± he said.


    ¡°Check for any signs they¡¯ve been here,¡± I said quietly, approaching the jubilant crowd gathered before me.


    I recognized the faces of many of those I¡¯d seen showing early signs, now up and walking around. Loved ones were embracing. Joy seeped from every individual.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lunaria?¡± I shouted, startling everyone.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ with the sick,¡± Remira said, only just now realizing I was standing there.


    I continued to the rear of the temple, cautiously. I listened carefully, checked corners, considered possible areas for an ambush.


    ¡°I checked the temple grounds already,¡± Ghost said. ¡°You are being paranoid again.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get tunnel vision, Ghost. This isn¡¯t something that spontaneously happens. You don¡¯t pray for a cure to this virus, and one magically appears. They¡¯re involved somehow.¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡±


    I took a deep breath. Arguing with Ghost would be pointless. There was nothing to argue. Yes, I was being emotional. He knew just as well as I did this was the work of Adversity Management. The questions were why¡­ and more importantly, how.


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    ¡°Lunaria,¡± I said, getting her attention as she leaned over a sick man.


    She practically ran to me, clutching my hands in hers.


    ¡°Taylor! It¡¯s a miracle from the stars. I¡¯ve been praying, and they listened.¡±


    I tried, with everything in me, to detect any signs of deceit. She was lying. She had to be. A commander well-trained in manipulation techniques could do so convincingly. Lunaria was much older than me. If this had been her focus as a commander, her skills would far surpass mine.


    But what if¡­ she wasn¡¯t lying?


    No. Nonsense. Impossible.


    ¡°Can you walk me through what happened?¡±


    ¡°Shortly after you departed, I had a vision. The stars spoke of rewarding our faith. We were all to gather and sleep on the temple grounds as a group. When we awoke, many of our sick were already doing better. We¡¯ve had no new cases appear today, when there have been many every day and growing for weeks. More than thirty yesterday alone and today¡­ none.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to say. In the end, what could I say? What should I say? If they¡¯d found a way to vaccinate the vast majority of this zone¡¯s population without them even knowing it, wouldn¡¯t that be a positive outcome? Wouldn¡¯t that be a good thing?


    I steadied myself, and tried again. I had to be careful. If she really was the commander assigned to this zone, I had to tread carefully. I would only be safe from her so long as she didn¡¯t realize I knew, and didn¡¯t see me as a threat.


    ¡°So you were praying, and you heard a voice speak to you. It told you to gather everyone here last night. Everyone woke up this morning, and it seemed to confirm what the voice promised was true. That¡¯s¡­ miraculous.¡±


    She gripped my hands even tighter, smiling. ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult for someone outside of our culture to believe. If I can confess¡­ even I find it hard to believe. I can¡¯t remember the stars ever intervening directly before. It makes the sacrifice¡­¡± She faltered for a moment, as though she was immediately questioning the sentence she hadn¡¯t fully formed yet. ¡°No. The past is the past. Thank you for coming here, Taylor. I can¡¯t help but feel all of this had something to do with your arrival on our islands. My offer to give you a permanent residence here will always remain open.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. I shouldn¡¯t say more.


    I walked back to the gathered crowd, still massive, weaving through until I found Remira. I took her by the hand and pulled her away, so we could speak privately.


    ¡°What is it, Taylor?¡± she asked, eyeing my hand with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°May I examine you? In¡­ secret? I¡¯d like to confirm a few things.¡±


    She looked around, as if waiting for someone¡¯s permission. When no one gave it, she nodded sheepishly, leading me back to her home.


    Finally, we were alone.


    ¡°First, I¡¯d like to take a sample of your blood. It won¡¯t hurt, I promise. Just a tiny prick, less than you¡¯d get from a thorn.¡±


    She nodded, offering me her hand. I pulled a small device from my shirt, taking a drop of blood from her fingertip.


    It only took a moment before I was staring at proof. This was the vaccine. She¡¯d been vaccinated. They all likely had. But when? How?


    ¡°Did anyone come to you, and do something similar to what I just did? Last night, I mean?¡±


    ¡°No. I just slept.¡±


    ¡°Was there anything unusual about your sleep?¡±


    She rubbed her thumb. A nervous habit, perhaps. I didn¡¯t like the fact I was making her uncomfortable, but I had no one else to ask.


    ¡°I normally sleep light, waking up throughout the night. Last night, I slept like a baby. Probably the best night of sleep I¡¯ve ever had.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask this of you, but would you mind stripping off your clothes for me? I¡¯d like to look for something related to the disease.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. Is that necessary?¡± she asked, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.


    ¡°Let me look at the visible places first,¡± I said. ¡°Maybe it won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    I stood, walking around her as she sat in a chair. I checked her arms, hands, neck, even behind her ears. This vaccine had to be injected. It didn¡¯t require much of an injection, but one would be visible. Somewhere.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see what I was looking for. Would you mind?¡±


    Reluctantly, Remira stood and removed her clothes. I checked everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. If there was an injection site, it was essential that I find it. After a few minutes, I took a deep breath and sighed.


    ¡°Go ahead and get dressed. I¡¯m sorry to have asked you to do that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I hope it helped you understand that this was a miracle.¡±


    I smiled, watching her continue to fidget with her thumb.


    ¡°Do you always rub your thumb when you¡¯re nervous, Remira?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, no. I think I must¡¯ve gotten something under my nail yesterday when I was picking fruit.¡±


    I grabbed her hand, taking hold of her thumb.


    ¡°Let me check for a splinter,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯ll remove it for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I gently pried her thumbnail up slightly. A small streak of dried blood, so small it would be almost impossible to find, trailed beneath her nail bed.


    ¡°Looks like something just poked you,¡± I said. ¡°Thankfully nothing is embedded. You should feel good as new within a day or two.¡±


    They¡¯d been vaccinated. Her comment about the sleep meant they were likely drugged by some kind of gas from a distance, then injections given in places that were easily hidden, like beneath a nail. Something that would be painful if the person was awake.


    Now, only a few questions remained.


    Big ones.

 Chapter 70

    After getting all the answers I could for now from Redbank, Ghost and I sat on the beach. I thought about what the mission meant for this zone. The way forward had always been difficult, but clear. Now? Less than ten percent of the zone needed to be vaccinated. By all standards, a ninety percent adoption was quite high. If I walked away right now, couldn¡¯t I leave this zone by marking it down as a success?


    Only, it wasn¡¯t so easy. There was an entire group of people who weren¡¯t given the choice. It wasn¡¯t right to exclude them, no matter how small their number.


    At least now it was clear that Adversity Management knew this was a vaccine, and were willing to distribute it. They¡¯ll also have realized by now that¡¯s what I was here for. Maybe they won¡¯t be as hostile to me now. At the very least, they¡¯d probably be willing to talk. Maybe they were just trying to figure out a way to get the vaccine to Rockport without conflict, and I¡¯d be doing them a favor by being a liaison.


    ¡°I think we should leave,¡± Ghost said, as if reading my mind.


    ¡°Because such a high number of the population has been vaccinated, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only part of it. The chance of conflict with Adversity Management is still high. Our ability to flee is limited. We couldn¡¯t escape a battle on Bereth and Isaiah¡¯s small fishing boat, not if being pursued by a submarine for a ship designed for combat. They probably have artillery on their beach as well. It¡¯s too risky.¡±


    I opened my mouth, but was interrupted.


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to do it anyway, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I just want to exchange notes. That was a pretty crafty way to vaccinate a group of people. There¡¯s only one large zone left, and the rest would be small.¡±


    Ghost tilted his head.


    ¡°Is this humor or are you attempting to lie to me. You¡¯ll always give every individual the choice. You don¡¯t care at all about the methods they used.¡±


    I leaned back, placing my hands behind my head and staring up at the sunny sky.


    ¡°Would I be a bad person if I just stayed here and ate fruit until I died of old age?¡±


    ¡°No, but you¡¯d also never do that. You¡¯re incapable of it. Maybe you could keep it up for a day, or a month if you¡¯re dedicated enough, but you could never live that way.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because you always need to be doing something when you know something needs to be done. You don¡¯t wait for others to do it for you. By the time most humans decide to do something, you¡¯re already halfway finished.¡±


    ¡°Are you over there complimenting me, Ghost?¡±


    An exaggerated hiss escaped his beak. Was that a scoff?


    Ghost perked up, looking out.


    ¡°Bereth and Isaiah are here.¡±


    I sat up, waving as they approached, tying their boat off.


    ¡°Is it true? Have these people been cured?¡± Bereth asked.


    ¡°That would seem to be the case, yes,¡± I said.


    ¡°The¡­ stars?¡± Isaiah asked, seeming embarrassed to even suggest it.


    I laughed. ¡°Hardly. It was done exactly the way I would¡¯ve done it. Except I would¡¯ve informed everyone of the side-effects and given them the choice.¡±


    ¡°Side-effects?¡± Bereth asked, tilting his head.


    ¡°With the exception of those already pregnant, you will never see another child born here again. I doubt Adversity Management even realizes this outcome exists. They could¡¯ve asked me. Then again, that might require a bit of humility. A trait that isn¡¯t common in PanTech¡¯s Adversity Management division.¡±


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    Bereth and Isaiah looked at one another for a moment. I could see the realization slowly etch across their expressions.


    ¡°But wait¡­ No¡­ That means¡­¡± Bereth mumbled, his eyes wide.


    ¡°It means humanity goes extinct either way. Just that one option offers a major reduction in suffering along the way.¡±


    Bereth stepped out of the boat, sitting down on the beach next to us, with Isaiah absentmindedly following along.


    ¡°I do not envy you, Taylor,¡± Bereth said, still looking down at the sand.


    ¡°How many other zones have you been to so far?¡± Isaiah asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ this one makes the fourth for delivering the vaccine."


    ¡°What are they like? The other zones, I mean.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all different. In theory, they¡¯re based off time periods and cultures throughout human history. Snippets of time that often have stories written about them. I think PanTech just wanted to live out their own fantasies by making them the way they did.¡±


    ¡°What about technology?¡± Bereth asked.


    ¡°It varies, but PanTech isn¡¯t ever going to allow anyone the means to rise up against them. Your¡­ Captain Markus stories, they¡¯re rare. I can¡¯t think of any other examples other than. Well¡­¡±


    Isaiah grinned. ¡°Sounds like a story involving Taylor herself.¡±


    ¡°Once, a young Adversity Management soldier and I killed a giant snake made in a lab. It was made with the intention of killing many people and livestock from my village. Strength Through Adversity.¡±


    Bereth nodded. ¡°Strength Through Adversity. Not the first time I¡¯ve heard that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you two about that. I¡¯ll be honest with you, I¡¯m not seeing a lot of adversity here. Especially on Redbank. As someone from PanTech I can see a lot of signs that things have been made easier for them, intentionally. The weather is perfect, seemingly year-round. I didn¡¯t notice any invasive insects that farmers normally deal with. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s always possible that these things can happen by chance. Just not when Adversity Management is around. There¡¯s a reason they use the word ¡®adversity¡¯ instead of just calling them Zone Management. Their job is to make sure things are difficult. As difficult as the people of the zone can bear. Has it always been like this?¡±


    Isaiah looked to Bereth, as though he was as curious about the answer as I was.


    ¡°No, it was not always like this. You¡¯ve heard the tales of Captain Markus. He was a real man who really existed, to my knowledge. Their strategy in those days were to pit three islands against one another in constant conflict on the waters. Pirates ruled, and PanTech made sure of it. Markus unifying them and sinking a PanTech warship was the moment that began to change.


    ¡°Piracy was outlawed. Any ships big or strong enough for conflict were destroyed before it could depart on its maiden voyage. Rockport has a large ship currently, but it was a bittersweet project. Everyone understood the reason they left her be, and none more than Jeremy himself. Ships were no longer a threat. You saw PanTech¡¯s favorite vessel already. It travels underwater and can¡¯t be seen until they want it to be seen. We don¡¯t even know how many they have, or what they¡¯re capable of. Isaiah and I are the only two who are allowed to travel to their island.¡±


    ¡°How many are there, roughly?¡±


    He scratched his chin, thinking it over. ¡°No more than fifty, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Is Lunaria a visitor, like me?¡± I asked. This was the question that had been burning in my mind for a while now.


    ¡°No, she was born here,¡± Bereth said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Something isn¡¯t right about Redbank. This whole thing with the stars¡­ I¡¯m not going to judge anyone for their beliefs, but this is very much not PanTech. Certainly not Strength Through Adversity. I guess you could say the mystery is pulling me in.¡±


    ¡°Some mysteries are best left unexplored. Lunaria and Jeremy will both be uncooperative if you try to go down that road. Especially Jeremy. He believes she sacrificed their daughter for power. She gained the ability to hear the stars after the girl disappeared, and she immediately pushed Jeremy away when he tried asking any questions. The man became bitter and wanted to get as far away from the new culture as possible. Many went with him. Rockport had long been abandoned by that point, and no one thought they could make it a livable home. Only, they should not have underestimated the man who designed the temple here and oversaw its construction. I¡¯d not be surprised if the man could build a house on the water itself. A few stones aren¡¯t going to slow him down.¡±


    ¡°What do you think? About the missing girl, I mean.¡±


    Bereth fidgeted with his sleeve. I¡¯d clearly pushed a few too many times in this conversation and had probably crossed the line.


    ¡°I could say a lot on the topic, but it comes down to this: It¡¯s all very strange, and hard to make sense of. I don¡¯t really know what to think, Taylor. I like being an old fisherman who isn¡¯t expected to do any thinking.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Bereth. You two have done a lot for me since I arrived. I can¡¯t thank you enough for that, so I¡¯m sorry to pry. There¡¯s a lot for me to unravel here. Your stories have helped me there too.¡±


    He took a deep breath. ¡°Just¡­ please be careful. These islands are our home, and if you dig too deep in the wrong places, you may unearth something terrible.¡±


    The warning itself may have been more telling than any other statement he¡¯d made in the conversation. He knew there was foul play. He knew something nefarious had taken place, or at least suspected it was a possibility. Unfortunately, I¡¯m the kind of person who likes touching things they aren¡¯t supposed to. My curiosity was piqued more than ever.


    Ghost looked at me and seemed to be scolding me with his dark eyes. Very likely, he¡¯d read my mind. As usual.


    ¡°Can you take me to PanTech¡¯s island?¡± I asked. ¡°I need to clear up the vaccine issue with them.¡±


    ¡°Is that wise?¡± Isaiah asked.


    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t,¡± I said, laughing. ¡°But safe, I think.¡±


    I was in too deep now to walk away.

 Chapter 71

    I had no idea what was about to happen. Part of me was afraid of being attacked on sight, but by this point I was almost numb to risk. It was just another risk of many. The bigger the risk, the bigger the payoff. But more than that, it was curiosity. I was invested in the mystery, and that lingering irritation that the vaccine had been offered to some, but not others. It had been offered to the small, passive voices. Those who weren¡¯t a threat. Jeremy and the others on Rockport? They were outliers. Outcasts. They didn¡¯t respect authority.


    Well, neither did I.


    As we neared the port on the PanTech island, all was eerily quiet. No artillery being lobbed in our direction. No guns pointing at us from the shore. No warnings to turn back.


    That didn¡¯t mean they hadn¡¯t noticed.


    A single soldier stood on the beach, watching as we approached. She made no comments, even as Bereth and Isaiah stepped off the boat and tied us off.


    ¡°Hello, Adversity Management soldier. Do you recognize me?¡± I asked, stepping off the boat last, Ghost perched on my shoulder.


    ¡°No. Should I?¡± the woman asked.


    Her eyes were as blue as the waters behind me, her raven hair in a ponytail. She had the standard issue off-duty uniform, small sidearm on her hip. Unsurprising. There was little reason to wear armor here, I¡¯d imagine. Over ninety percent of the island was eating out of their hand, and the other ten percent was too small and undergunned to be any real threat. Even I had shown up to their island armed with only a sword.


    ¡°Depends. Were you on the submarine that stole my supplies the other day?¡±


    She tilted her head. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t with that unit. Pretty rare for someone to come to our island to see us after we¡¯ve seized contraband to complain about it. Gutsy too. I like that. I¡¯m Clarise. You are?¡±


    ¡°Taylor. Formerly Professor Taylor, if that matters to you. Not that it should.¡±


    ¡°It matters. Seems lots of people in Adversity Management know your name, Taylor. I¡¯ve heard it mentioned from time to time. Your reputation precedes you.¡±


    ¡°All bad, I hope.¡±


    ¡°Mostly,¡± she agreed. ¡°But not all of it. We owe you some appreciation for our cat and dog units. Without them, I fear we¡¯d have dwindled down to a very small unit by now. They make up about half of our overall forces and, as you know, are immune to the virus.¡±


    ¡°You are now too, I assume. Considering what you seized was my vaccine that was meant for everyone, including Adversity Management. Props to all of you for figuring it out so quickly. I¡¯d love to speak with your commander about that matter, if you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, whether or not I mind doesn¡¯t have much to do with it. Our commander has been dead for more than a week.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± I asked. While she didn¡¯t necessarily seem to be lying, this would be awfully convenient considering my suspicions that Lunaria was this zone¡¯s commander. ¡°My condolences.¡±


    ¡°How very kind of you,¡± she said, her voice saturated with sarcasm.


    ¡°How about a second in command?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Also dead,¡± she said.


    I sighed. ¡°Well¡­ I genuinely am sorry, for what it¡¯s worth. I suppose I¡¯ll speak to whoever happens to be in charge. You do still have someone in charge, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course we do,¡± she said, turning. ¡°Right this way¡­ Professor.¡±


    I turned to Bereth and Isaiah, who were looking especially nervous. ¡°Wait for a bit, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Bereth nodded, though I had the feeling they wouldn¡¯t wait for long.


    Not that I could blame them. This was not the kind of place you¡¯d want to be wearing out your welcome.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Shame what happened to PanTech HQ,¡± she said, surprisingly making small talk as we walked.


    ¡°All things considered, it really is a shame. I¡¯m surprised I find myself feeling that way. I never was all that fond of HQ. What zone are you from?¡±


    She shrugged and continued walking.


    So, she didn¡¯t want to talk about it. Understandable. Perhaps it was a zone like Frelya¡¯s, and better left in the past. Either way, she had no interest in indulging me in this topic.


    Eventually, we arrived at a building. One of many. Not tents, but actual structures. They¡¯d been shipped here from HQ, being they were made of synthetic materials only PanTech could supply.


    Nothing this island, or its inhabitants, could ever produce would be able to put a dent in these structures.


    ¡°Mind your manners. You may have been a professor, but you¡¯re still a guest here.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for reminding me. I should¡¯ve done the same for your people who robbed me the other day.¡±


    She gave me a snarky grin before flinging open the door. Everyone turned to look. Some of their eyes became as big as saucers as I walked in behind Clarise. I recognized several of these cats and dogs from their time at HQ. I also recognized some of the jerks who robbed me. Or, ¡®seized my supplies¡¯ as they¡¯d put it. As if it was theirs to seize.


    No one said a word as we approached the table near the back. I helped myself to a seat, though I wasn¡¯t sure who to look at.


    Clarise cleared her throat. ¡°Announcing the famous Professor Taylor,¡± she said. Oh, the sarcasm. Better than open hostility.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± an older man asked.


    ¡°Are you in charge?¡±


    He nodded, taking another bite of those nasty nutritional rations I remembered.


    I nodded to his plate. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re looking forward to getting rid of those, huh?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± he repeated.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Not a fan of small talk? Don¡¯t want to chat a bit about food before we get down to business?¡±


    ¡°Given the rumors, I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d like small talk either.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t,¡± Ghost said.


    ¡°Thank you for clarifying, Ghost,¡± I said.


    ¡°Ah, Ghost. He¡¯s even more famous than you are, Professor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised, nor am I bothered by the fact,¡± I said. ¡°Nice little trick you pulled with Redbank, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I¡¯m not sure I know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°An even more impressive trick if the one in charge doesn¡¯t even know about it.¡±


    ¡°Just what do you think happened with Redbank, Professor?¡±


    ¡°You can just call me Taylor,¡± I said. ¡°And your name?¡±


    ¡°Kaden.¡±


    ¡°Kaden¡­ well, it seems you performed some sort of drugging and¡­ more drugging operation over there. Excellent work, by the way. Are you a medical professional yourself, or scientist, by chance? I had to conduct a very thorough examination on one of the inhabitants before I could confirm it. Got her under the thumbnail. Genius, actually. I almost missed it.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Thank you for your praise, Professor.¡±


    ¡°Taylor,¡± I corrected.


    ¡°Taylor¡­ I¡¯m glad to see my unit has impressed you. I hope you¡¯ll forgive us for our initial misunderstanding with you. You see, with the breakdown in social order and with many Adversity Management teams falling prey to¡­ devolving circumstances, we have had a few unwelcome visitors recently. For all we knew, you were about to poison everyone on this island, or could¡¯ve been preparing to attack us. We prefer to err on the side of caution. You understand.¡±


    ¡°It could have been cleared up by speaking to me. But, as you said. We¡¯ll consider it water under the bridge. Depending on how you answer my questions, of course.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± he asked, crossing his arms. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll reconsider bold actions, Professor Taylor, when you¡¯re surrounded by a group you know very well the capabilities of.¡±


    I raised my hands. ¡°I¡¯m not as dumb as I look, Kaden. First question¡­ Lunaria. Is she your commander? Like you said, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it either way. May as well tell me the truth.¡±


    A chorus of laughter rang out all around me.


    ¡°Lunaria¡­ what now? Did you really ask me if she was our commander? Taylor, I take it back, you have a much better sense of humor than I thought. You really had me going with that one.¡±


    ¡°It was a serious question. I¡¯ve seen a similar trick pulled before.¡±


    He paused a moment, contemplating.


    ¡°You know¡­ I guess I do see your point there. But no, she isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Next question. What happened to her daughter?¡±


    No laughter on that one. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why.


    ¡°None of your business. You get one more question.¡±


    ¡°When and how do you intend to vaccinate Rockport?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± he said, taking another bite of his nutritious slop.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I said that was your last question.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you said, Kaden. Consider it a part of the final question.¡±


    He stood up, looking down at me.


    ¡°Because they¡¯re your type of people, Taylor. They cause trouble, and they are trouble. The sooner they die out, the better.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that answer,¡± I said, standing and looking him in the eye. ¡°The vaccine is meant for everyone. Not for you to play deity with, deciding who lives and dies.¡±


    ¡°Go meet with them. Come here and take it if you want. I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll go over well.¡±


    Another chorus of laughter. My hand snapped out, speed and strength increased by my enhancer. I held him by the collar. Everyone in the cafeteria stood up, drawing their sidearms.


    ¡°You should reconsider, Kaden.¡±


    ¡°So should you, Professor.¡± He nodded toward the soldiers surrounding us. ¡°Being a professor doesn¡¯t make you immune to consequences.¡±


    ¡°Neither does being part of Adversity Management,¡± I said, releasing him.


    I walked out of the building.


    "Foolish,¡± Ghost said as we made it out of hearing distance. ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, Ghost. There are things set into motion that will be hard to change. Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t try.¡±

 Chapter 72

    Bereth and Isaiah glanced at one another nervously as I approached.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± Bereth asked.


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± I said, shrugging.


    ¡°Not well,¡± Ghost said. ¡°Taylor enjoys causing herself unnecessary trouble.¡±


    ¡°I like doing the right thing, Ghost.¡±


    ¡°After that meeting, we should move on,¡± he insisted. ¡°There are other zones that need saving. We can¡¯t be spending unnecessary time in one place.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this bother you, Ghost?¡±


    I noticed Clarise following behind us and pivoted my attention to her.


    ¡°Hey, Clarise. Have Bereth and Isaiah been vaccinated yet, or is that allowed since they¡¯re not part of the cult?¡±


    She produced two vials, glaring at me as she walked past.


    ¡°Your arms, please,¡± she said, staring at the two men.


    I looked to them and nodded.


    She first gave Bereth an injection in his arm, then moved to Isaiah.


    ¡°Are you the one who identified the vaccine after you stole it from me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, but I do know how to administer it.¡±


    ¡°What zone are you from, by the way?¡±


    She groaned, already growing irritated with me again. ¡°Safe travels. Hopefully we never see each other again.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± Ghost insisted, giving me a hard tap on the top of the head with his beak.


    I opened my mouth, ready to continue the conversation, but another sharp tap from Ghost made me reconsider.


    At the very least, it would be better not to waste the goodwill from Bereth and Isaiah by keeping them awkwardly in the middle of this conversation.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Isaiah said to Clarise as we pushed off.


    Once we¡¯d gone out of hearing distance, Ghost spoke.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re frustrated, Taylor, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more than frustrated, Ghost. The vaccine is for everyone. Using it selectively is what the president wanted. That¡¯s what it was made for in the first place. To create this world of better humans. Smarter. The ¡®right¡¯ kind of human. We¡¯ve never allowed it to be used that way. I don¡¯t want to start now.¡±


    ¡°So, what is it you¡¯re considering? By now, I know you better than anyone. You¡¯re considering fighting them for the vaccine back, and to put them in their place so this zone¡¯s future is a better one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d considered it, yes.¡±


    Bereth shook his head. ¡°I would have rather perished from the virus myself than for that to happen. Don¡¯t be surprised if Jeremy agrees. He¡¯s older now too, and his mischievous days are behind him. He seems to just want the people on Rockport to be left alone.¡±


    ¡°Left alone in this case is the same as being left to die. They can be vaccinated, and then left alone. Adversity Management digging their heels in here is them playing as gods.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re taking you back to Rockport, correct?¡± Isaiah asked.


    ¡°Isaiah and I have been talking,¡± Bereth began, his tone soft.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll try to keep the two of you out of the middle of things. I apologize for today. Your help has been invaluable to me. Even with the current situation being what it is, we¡¯ve managed to vaccinate over ninety percent of the zone. On paper, that¡¯s a success. My personal hangups aside.¡±


    Bereth shook his head.


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not that. We just wanted to say that we¡¯ve enjoyed your company. It¡¯s also likely we were just vaccinated as part of a gesture meant to appease you in some small way. It has brought some excitement to this old man¡¯s life.¡±


    I smiled, genuinely surprised by the positive words I hadn¡¯t been expecting.


    ¡°I think your boring old man life is enviable, Bereth. I think I¡¯d prefer fishing over what I¡¯ve been doing with my own adult life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure the rest of the world would agree,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°Sounds like it would be a worse place without you doing exactly what you¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    ¡°Would you have my back if I did something you thought was extra, extra stupid, Ghost?¡±


    Ghost tilted his head at me. ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°Something extra, extra, extra stupid.¡±


    Ghost stared at me blankly.


    ¡°As opposed to?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ very funny, Ghost. At least I hoped that was humor. I try to do things that aren¡¯t stupid from time to time.¡±


    ¡°I will have your back, even on those rare occasions where you aren¡¯t doing something stupid.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that sentiment, Ghost, even wrapped in your usual insults.¡±


    ***


    We arrived back on Rockport, and I found Jeremy exactly where I expected to. He was drinking again, leaned over a table in the tavern. Or passed out over it, depending on your perspective. Glass half empty. Glass half full.


    ¡°You awake, big guy?¡± I asked.


    He reached for the drink that had been in front of him, knocking it over and spilling the rest of it in the process. I scooted to the opposite end of the bench to avoid having my lap be filled with it instead.


    ¡°Get me another drink. You spilled mine.¡±


    ¡°What would your daughter think, seeing her dad passed out over a table like this, too drunk to drink? Think she¡¯d be proud?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d kill you for saying that if there weren¡¯t three of you,¡± he groaned, pointy at me, then at the empty space to my right and left.


    ¡°Only thing you¡¯re killing, old man, is the mood in this place. Where¡¯s all the singing and dancing?¡±


    ¡°We talked, Taylor. It¡¯s a no.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a no?¡±


    He cleared his throat, raising his head to look at me with bloodshot eyes surrounded by dark rings. The trail of drool that escaped the corner of his mouth, choosing not to stop at his chin, traveling down his neck probably had higher alcohol content than beer.


    ¡°The pirates of Rockport will not be making a reappearance to help you with your little mission. They¡¯d rather spend time with their dying families. And me? Don¡¯t have any family.¡±


    ¡°Lunaria and her cult are safe. Aren¡¯t you happy for them?¡±


    He grinned, easily seeing through my attempts to rouse him from his stupor. That didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t working.


    ¡°That woman offer herself to the seas as fish food for all I care.¡±


    ¡°I heard you designed and oversaw the building of her temple. You¡¯re quite skilled.¡±


    ¡°As you can see from your time here on Rockport, there is no shortage of stone, though it was a long process to get it from here to there. Took some big boats and a lot of trips.¡± He paused, noticing my grin. ¡°No, don¡¯t get all excited. After we left and settled here your PanTech friends destroyed the boats. There¡¯s enough stone on Redbank to do the occasional repairs needed. Maintaining great work never takes the skill that was required to create it.¡±


    ¡°Back at HQ, there were still debates on how these large stone structures were actually built throughout history. Thinking of having to transport the stone across a body of water makes it even more interesting.¡±


    ¡°Well, they should¡¯ve marched themselves over here and volunteered for the crew. I could¡¯ve used the extra hands.¡±


    ¡°Would you have fought, were it up to you?¡± I asked. ¡°Now, I mean. If I wanted to go over there and take back the vaccine for the families here, would you have been willing to do it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not some kind of hero, like you, Taylor. I might¡¯ve done it for fun when I was angrier and still filled with foolish hope. Now? I¡¯ve begun to accept that my daughter was probably plucked clean by fish long ago. I¡¯ll never get to hold her in my arms, the way I did when she was a baby. I think it was no coincidence Luna gained those so-called ¡®powers¡¯ right after she disappeared.¡±


    ¡°No matter what the outcome, there¡¯s a truth of it to be discovered.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± he growled, picking up the overturned mug and searching the bottom for any remaining liquid.


    ¡°Something about all of this isn¡¯t sitting well with me, Jeremy. I¡¯ve seen a lot of weird things in zones across PanTech¡¯s territories, but of all the places I¡¯ve been this is probably the strangest. Priestesses communing with the stars. Divine intervention to save the sick. All theater from PanTech, but why. No, forget why. How? I think it¡¯s all related.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Jeremy said, laughing and shooing me with his hand. ¡°I¡¯m naming you Chief Investigator Taylor, representing Rockport¡¯s interests. Go have a good time, kid. Keep asking those tough questions. Go forth and solve all that remains unsolved. Unearth the solutions to all our most pressing problems. Succeed and I¡¯ll name you ¡®Hero of Rockport¡¯ and we can all cheer your name thrice. Free drinks for life.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said.


    ¡°What? You serious?¡± he asked, still grinning.


    ¡°I¡¯ve worked with some great detectives before. I¡¯m pretty sure I can handle it.¡±


    ¡°Get lost, foolish girl,¡± he said, laughing even harder this time. ¡°Leave an old man to his drink.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be holding you to all those promises,¡± I said.

 Chapter 73

    I strolled down the winding paths of Redbank, taking in the pristine sights and smells of a potential world that could¡¯ve been. Had every adversity zone been like this, there¡¯d likely never have been all that growing resentment, plotting, and scheming to lead people like General Markus into a paranoid quest to rule the world with an iron fist. Ironic, that this was his home zone. What would he have thought to see it like this now? After all, it sounded so much different when he was here. A constant fight for survival. Now, some cultist¡¯s utopia.


    Then again, remembering Markus after his reeducation, this place would be right up his alley now. He could fish and admire the marine life to his heart¡¯s content. Though, after PanTech stripped him of all this fighting spirit and military thinking, the chances of him surviving the initial chaos and the machine attacks was probably close to zero. Same as it was for most everyone else. Even someone strong, and heroic¡­ like Frelya.


    ¡°Everything alright, Taylor?¡± Ghost asked, perched on my shoulder.


    ¡°Ghost, why do you reveal your intellect to everyone on this island except the people of Redbank?¡±


    ¡°Ah, clever misdirection. Don¡¯t you remember how the people in your zone viewed me?¡±


    ¡°You mean as some kind symbol or omen from the gods?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re afraid you¡¯ll be worshiped as some kind of star falcon, huh? You wouldn¡¯t enjoy that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can think of anything I¡¯d enjoy less.¡±


    I sighed, deciding it best to just get my thoughts out of my head. Ghost was a good listener, at least.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t dodge your question. I was just wondering what Markus would think about everything going on here, and about becoming such a legend in this place after he left.¡±


    ¡°Considering the state he was in when we last saw him, I doubt he was capable of thinking about much beyond his aquariums. They¡¯d taken the ability to think about much else away from him.¡±


    I shuddered, remembering the vague feeling of what it was like after I¡¯d gone through the reeducation process. Thanks to Frelya, I was the only person to ever have it reversed. My thoughts from that time weren¡¯t hard to recall, but they were impossible to understand. I¡¯d been given this deep, genuine love for PanTech and an unbreakable devotion to its president. Feelings that were the opposite of what they¡¯d been before.


    The term ¡®reeducation¡¯ made it sounds like a series of classes, designed to encourage you to think differently. Instead, it was an invasive procedure that took weeks to complete. The brain was literally reprogrammed, exactly the way you¡¯d expect it to be done on a machine. The whole experience was jarring, and I¡¯d have chosen death a thousand times over. It could even lead me to pity a man like Markus.


    ¡°I think about Frelya often,¡± I said, taking another deep breath.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain she¡¯s dead,¡± Ghost said, in his usual, deadpan way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Ghost.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°If I allow myself that hope, and it turns out to be wrong¡­ it¡¯ll be so much harder.¡±


    Ghost perched silently for a moment, before sensing this was a good time to change the topic again.


    ¡°We¡¯re approaching a residential area. You don¡¯t actually plan to announce yourself as Chief Investigator Taylor of Rockport, do you?¡±


    ¡°Very funny. I¡¯m not that stupid. No, I¡¯m just going to look for someone old enough to know Luna from her younger days and see if I can get something resembling a straight story about her.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°You have done dumber things, Taylor.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ghost, for that vote of confidence.¡±


    I spotted an elderly woman tending to a modest garden and took the opportunity to approach her.


    ¡°Hello there. My name¡¯s Taylor. If you have some time, would you mind if I asked you some questions about the island?¡±


    The woman stopped, slowly standing up straight to look at me. She must¡¯ve been at least in her eighties.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the young lady Lunaria said was a good omen. Seems she was right. My husband had just started showing signs of being sick and this morning he¡¯s back home. Resting, but home. Oh, and I¡¯m Mira.¡±


    I smiled and nodded. I resisted the urge to explain how this vaccine worked, and that her husband may or may not get better. But they believed this was divine intervention, and how does one go about explaining the nuances of divine intervention?


    ¡°I¡¯m really happy to hear about your husband, Mira. I hope he¡¯s back to his old self in no time.¡±


    She offered a warm smile, pulling off her gloves.


    ¡°Thank you, dear. Go ahead and ask your questions. I¡¯ll answer them as best I can.¡±


    Had to be careful here. I couldn¡¯t jump straight into what I was most curious about, or it would arouse suspicion.


    ¡°You probably know that I¡¯m an outsider, so I don¡¯t know much about this place. I¡¯m a professor from PanTech and I¡¯ve visited multiple adversity zones to evaluate the rising sickness. Your zone is very unique. Have you always lived here?¡±


    This was an easy one, almost rhetorical.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve always lived here.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel the island has changed from when you were a kid growing up here?¡±


    ¡°The difference is night and day. Things were very difficult here when I was a small girl. They always told stories about Captain Markus, but because of him things were much more restrictive here. We have very little freedom to do much of anything.¡±


    ¡°Was it Lunaria who changed that?¡±


    ¡°Ever since she started speaking with the stars, things have changed dramatically for the better. PanTech rarely visits. Our trade is done through fishermen, and there haven¡¯t been any conflicts for as long as I remember.¡±


    ¡°What was Lunaria like before she started communicating with the stars?¡±


    The big smile felt somewhat force, for reasons I couldn¡¯t quite pick up on.


    ¡°She was always a sweet girl. She and her former husband, Jeremy, were intent on improving the island. They both revered nature. Luna planned and planted the original orchard herself, you know. Jeremy changed the way fishermen did their work, and designated different areas of the water for protected species. They were quite the pair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve met Jeremy, and it¡¯s hard to imagine him being like that. I know it¡¯s probably a hard topic, but what changed?¡±


    The woman sighed, and her expression darkened. She glanced around to make sure no one was listening. After a moment, she gestured for me to follow her.


    ¡°We should probably go inside,¡± she said.


    Once inside, we sat at a small table, though she didn¡¯t seem much more comfortable.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to discuss it if you don¡¯t want to,¡± I said, trying to sound sympathetic. I was eager to hear this part of the story, since no one had felt comfortable sharing it since I got here. Even Bereth was leaving out details.


    ¡°They had three children. The first was a miscarriage. The second was stillborn. The third was a healthy baby girl. I remember being there and seeing how happy they were. But then¡­¡±


    The woman stopped speaking, looking down at the table as though it might scold her for what she was about to say. She took a deep breath.


    ¡°One night, Lunaria took their child to the temple to pray. The next morning, their child was gone. Lunaria was behaving strangely, and it was at that point the stars began speaking to her. Not in some vague way, but telling her things that were true, or predicting things that would become true. Your visit is just one example. There have been countless over the years.¡±


    This was a frustrating thing to listen to. Her child disappears under her care, and everyone just turns a blind eye because now she can talk to gods?


    ¡°Guess Jeremy wasn¡¯t as willing to move on,¡± I said. It was the nicest way I could think of phrasing it.


    ¡°No. He did not. The more she gave him explanations, or avoided the conversation, the less satisfied he became. He got worse and worse. He began drinking heavily and causing trouble for everyone. Many were suspicious of the changing culture here, and exiled themselves to Rockport. We all assumed they¡¯d grow tired of the hard living there and return but¡­ they never did. They found a way to build and create a livable environment there. Looking back, it should not have surprised us, given Jeremy had overseen the building of the temple. Many of the men who fled with him were his friends and workers who had built it alongside him. There was always an expression that Jeremy was so good of a builder that he could make a stone house float on water. I suppose that wasn¡¯t too far from the truth.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, patting her arm gently. This conversation had clearly taken a lot out of her, and I¡¯d learned everything I needed to know. For now. ¡°Have a good day, Mira.¡±


    As I began walking back the way I came, Ghost finally broke his silence. I¡¯d almost forgotten he was there.


    ¡°Where to now?¡±


    ¡°The temple.¡±


    ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll be more honest there.¡±


    ¡°I plan to look at the temple itself on the way, Ghost. I have a feeling there¡¯s a secret or two hidden in those stones. That, and Lunaria did say we had things to learn from one another. Perhaps she was right.¡±

 Chapter 74

    Ghost and I approached the temple grounds. By now, folks here were paying us little mind. The acolytes nodded and smiled as they passed. I marveled at the architecture, now seeing it in a new light. I¡¯d thought, when I first arrived, that perhaps PanTech had built it in advance. Something they¡¯d claim was here before anyone arrived. Knowing it was built by the citizens of this zone, with all their limitations, made it almost impressive beyond words.


    It was hard to believe the old drunk I¡¯d met, barely able to move without knocking something over, had designed something so complex and intricate. Even the carvings were so meticulously planned out, carefully mapping the constellation with surprising accuracy. That part may have been planned by Lunaria. I could see why a couple like that would be so charismatic and easily draw people in. Why PanTech allowed it, on the other hand¡­


    ¡°Pay careful attention to everything around us, Ghost,¡± I said. ¡°Look for anything that might give away PanTech tampering. Something that disrupts the pattern.¡±


    ¡°The only thing I see here is wasted time,¡± he scolded.


    ¡°Fine, take a nap, then. See if they¡¯ll feed you crackers and treat you like a cute parrot for doing tricks. I wouldn¡¯t want to bore you with a challenging investigation.¡±


    He knocked me on the head with his beak.


    ¡°I can admonish you and help you at the same time. I have been watching. So far, nothing seems unusual or out of place. Nothing that would indicate a secret door or hidden devices.¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be necessary if we¡¯re dealing with this zone¡¯s commander, would it?¡±


    ¡°No, it would not.¡±


    Seems Ghost had warmed up to the theory a bit too.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a citizen of a zone being made a commander without ever leaving it, and then being allowed to stay there¡­ but strange exceptions have been made for all kinds of things.¡±


    ¡°It would be an interesting rule to break, considering they seldom even allow Adversity Management soldiers to visit their home zones. It¡¯s more common for them to choose to live in another, like your mother and Rolo.¡±


    Immediately, I thought of how much I was already missing my mother again. And of course, the wound of Rolo¡¯s passing was still a fresh one. Despite being an old man, he deserved more time and a more dignified death. Being gunned down by a psychotic sheriff unarmed is such an insulting way for a skilled gunslinger to go.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± was all I could manage.


    ¡°Forgive my pestering, Taylor, but have you considered where you¡¯ll draw the line in this investigation?¡±


    ¡°Before dropping it and moving to the next zone, you mean?¡±


    Ghost nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to play it by ear, but yes. I appreciate that you¡¯re helping me stay on course, but I¡¯d also appreciate if you backed off on this topic a bit. Have a little faith, Ghost. I¡¯m doing my best.¡±


    I finally spotted who I was looking for. As we approached Lunaria, Ghost became silent, still choosing to keep up the pet bird act for as long as we were here.


    ¡°Lunaria. Hello! You¡¯re exactly the person I was looking for.¡±


    Lunaria turned to face me, wearing a large smile. She bowed deeply, taking my hand in hers.


    ¡°Hello, Taylor. I was worried you might have moved on in your journey by now. I¡¯m relieved to see I was mistaken. How may I help you?¡±


    I did my best to match her smile, employing my mother¡¯s charming techniques to the best of my ability.Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Congratulations again on the blessing your people have received. I know it must be such a weight off your shoulders.¡±


    ¡°No, I was not worried. I knew that we need only trust in the stars, and what would be, would be¡­¡± She paused briefly before exhaling deeply. ¡°That¡¯s what I should say. What I wish I could say. However, you¡¯re right. I was not putting my own advice into practice. Not in truth. I have been praying for this so hard for so long, and I was worried our demise was written in the stars.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Your devotion clearly paid off. It¡¯s such an inspiration to everyone here. That much is plain for even a skeptic like me to see, and even I can¡¯t deny the results. I checked everyone and confirmed what you¡¯d hoped for. It was no fluke. They are truly blessed.¡±


    Her broad smile returned as she squeezed my hand even tighter.


    ¡°That is wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Even I find myself inspired, wanting to know more. I¡¯m naturally curious, and this is a miracle as far as I¡¯m concerned. Would you mind if I ask you a few questions?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, Taylor. Few topics are taboo here. We are a community of free thinkers, despite our beliefs in the divine.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s reassuring. When did you begin hearing the voice?¡±


    ¡°I believe I first started hearing these voices as a young woman. In my early twenties, if I recall.¡±


    That didn¡¯t really add up. She must¡¯ve been in her sixties now¡­


    ¡°When did they start becoming so¡­ accurate?¡±


    She paused, her smile fading slightly before she seemed to sense it and force it to return. It was subtle, but I could see the brief slip of the mask.


    ¡°It was around the time my daughter disappeared.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I know this must be a painful topic for you. You¡¯re very strong to have held yourself together the way you have.¡±


    She nodded slowly. ¡°Thank you, but¡­ some wounds never heal, Taylor. Strength is sometimes an illusion.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever tried praying to the stars, for them to reveal what happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, many times. So many times.¡±


    Her eyes began to well with tears. I focused on her breathing and her heartbeat, but it was hard to tell the difference between a sudden burst of sorrow or a fear of being discovered. My enhancer wouldn¡¯t be much use to me here.


    ¡°Unlike you, Jeremy seems to be unable to move on. I visited with him on Rockport, and it¡¯s almost impossible for me to accept that he¡¯s the man who designed and built this temple. I can¡¯t imagine how much he must¡¯ve changed to become what he is now.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ blames me¡­¡±


    Lunaria looked away, breaking eye contact with me for the first time. There was pain on her face. An unmistakable, genuine, profound pain. But was it mourning something that had been lost, or could it have been guilt instead?


    ¡°That must be awful for you to know that. Can I ask¡­ why does he blame you?¡±


    ¡°Our daughter¡­ we were alone that night she went missing. I must¡¯ve fallen asleep, my first vision that had been different from the others. I couldn¡¯t wake up and¡­ I can only assume she crawled away and was taken by one of the beasts of the island. I felt so guilty, but he believes I was responsible. He¡ªI¡¯m sorry, Taylor. I understand you mean well, but I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t really have the heart to talk about this topic anymore. Would you mind if we talked about something else?¡±


    I frowned, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Of course, let¡¯s talk about something else. Were you born here on these islands, or were you an Adversity Management visitor? I ask, because you¡¯re such a unique person. My own mother was an Adversity Management soldier who visited my zone later in her life.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes for a moment, as though she didn¡¯t know until just then that soldiers were once able to do such a thing.


    ¡°Your mother? You say she was from another zone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she was from a different zone. She was stationed there and ended up settling down with my father. This was before sterilization was required for Adversity Management.


    She nodded, apparently fascinated. ¡°We have no one like that here. I was born here, like everyone else I know.¡±


    A lie? I couldn¡¯t detect a hint of one. I should¡¯ve been able to, in this case. I should¡¯ve been able to feel a difference in her heart. The signs of anxiety. A liar¡¯s trademark. I felt nothing. Sensed nothing. Was she telling the truth, or was she a master manipulator? A cult leader being a master manipulator? It certainly wouldn¡¯t be the first time. Not in recent history, and not at any point throughout the history of humanity. Perhaps I was out of my depth here.


    ¡°I see. Thank you for being so open about everything, and I¡¯m sorry for digging up such painful memories. More than that, I¡¯m sorry for how I treated you when I arrived. I was wrong to have pushed you so hard to join in an attack on Adversity Management. It seems your faith in the stars was well-placed after all.¡±


    ¡°How kind of you. I accept your apology, Taylor. You are welcome to come back and speak to me any time you wish. And my offer for you to stay here on our island will always remain open.¡±


    I smiled, taking a step back and bowing deeply before taking my leave.


    As we stepped out of hearing distance, Ghost finally chimed in.


    ¡°Did you learn anything useful?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I relearned what I already knew,¡± I said.


    ¡°That being?¡±


    ¡°She still gives me the creeps. Something about the way she answered those questions didn¡¯t feel right. It felt¡­¡±


    ¡°Rehearsed?¡± Ghost interjected.


    ¡°Exactly. Glad you noticed that too. We¡¯re going to get to the bottom of it.¡±

 Chapter 75

    Ghost remained silent for a moment, before no longer being able to hold back his words.


    ¡°What are you getting ready to do?¡±


    ¡°I still believe there¡¯s something here in this temple that might give us a clue to what¡¯s happening. You and I can communicate through our enhancers, only because we both have one. For one way communication, there needs to be some kind of repeating hardware. Same for monitoring.¡±


    ¡°Your portable scanner isn¡¯t going to pick up very far. Certainly not through all this stone.¡±


    ¡°Then we need to be very selective about where we scan. This is a big temple. It would take us months, maybe more, to scan every inch of it.¡±


    I wandered around for a few minutes, eyeing the stone carvings again. Without a strategy, this simply wasn¡¯t going to be feasible.


    ¡°I had another idea,¡± I said, breaking the silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m hesitant to ask.¡±


    ¡°Most groups like this keep a written log or some kind of holy book. Everyone here thinks you¡¯re just a simple bird. How about you go and check Lunaria¡¯s quarters here and see if she has anything there? She¡¯s out right now, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you. I¡¯ll speak to someone here to see if there¡¯s a holy book I can flip through.¡±


    Ghost sighed, showing off his improvements at mimicking human behavior. Sighing appeared to be his favorite.


    ¡°I will check.¡±


    Without waiting further instruction, Ghost flew off. I knew full well how silly he thought all this was¡­ Thank goodness for Ghost.


    I spotted a woman cleaning the halls and waved her down.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡±


    She looked up at me with a broad smile. A fake one. She was clearly irritated with being interrupted during her duties.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering if this temple has any holy books I could read. Something on your history, or logging miracles.¡±


    She tilted her head.


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t have any such thing. Was there something else you needed?¡±


    ¡°No written log at all?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± she said, leaning on her broom.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, stepping away and leaving her to her work.


    Great, the one time a cult doesn¡¯t have a book bragging about all the great things they did, and it had to be this one. All I could do was wander around the temple now, waiting for Ghost to return with news.


    It seemed things were slowly returning to normal, or at least what would be their new normal from now on. Unlike the others I¡¯d vaccinated previously, I wasn¡¯t able to inform them of the side-effects and offer them a choice for the path they wanted to choose. Doing things this way was unfair to everyone, even those who had been vaccinated. It also meant that the entire island was going to die out sooner than others. In previous zones, some wanted to take the risk to have children first. Not here. The youngest child born before the vaccination could now well be the last living person on this island.


    I found myself wandering the halls, running my scanning tool along random pillars and walls.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Nothing.


    This was pointless.


    Or was it? Maybe I¡¯d been asking the wrong questions.


    I turned around, running back toward the woman I¡¯d spoken with before, who was less than enthusiastic about seeing my face again.


    ¡°Hey, sorry. I thought of another question.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even speak this time. Just leaned against her broom, resting her hand on her hip.


    ¡°Were there any major repairs done to this temple, let¡¯s say in the last thirty years or so?¡±


    ¡°Sure. A chunk of the roof collapsed, near the big hole above.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who fixed it?¡±


    ¡°Who do I look like to you? How would I know that?¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, running outside.


    If Ghost were here, he¡¯d be scolding me right now. Telling me what an idiot I was and how this was an unnecessary risk.


    After walking outside, I removed my sword and leaned it against the temple. Finding purchase where I could, I wedged my fingers and toes anywhere the wall was willing to accept them. One step, one reach at a time. I¡¯d done a lot of climbing as a young girl, though it had been a while. I¡¯d never had the pleasure of climbing a tall stone temple before. I¡¯d made it only a few feet off the ground before something hard hit me on the head. Then again. And again.


    Ghost was knocking into me.


    ¡°Ghost, you¡¯re going to make me fall.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Now, get down.¡±


    ¡°I can climb it fine,¡± I said.


    Another flogging, slapping his big wings into my face.


    ¡°Sheesh. Fine!¡± I said, letting go and dropping to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into me? Why are you climbing the temple? And with no safety gear?¡±


    ¡°I need to check something on the roof. Do you mind?¡±


    ¡°If only you had a bird that could fly up there for you and scan the stone,¡± he said, tilting his head.


    I had no retort.


    ¡°Fool! You¡¯re not going to live long enough to finish your work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made it this far, haven¡¯t I, Ghost? Can¡¯t win big if you¡¯re not willing to risk it all once in a while.¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to live Frelya¡¯s life through your own, doing things the way she would. Stop feeling guilty for her choice.¡±


    I swung hard at him, making a grab that fell short as he hovered in the air.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d say something like that! I don¡¯t mind your jokes and jabs at me, Ghost. Call me a fool, or stupid, or an idiot, but don¡¯t say things like that to me if you claim to be my friend. Do you know how much¡­ how hard¡­¡±


    I sucked in a deep breath, determined not to let my emotions get the better of me.


    I collapsed to my knees, frustrated. I felt so helpless. Even here, I¡¯d done nothing other than get my supplies stolen and watch Adversity Management misuse the vaccine. I couldn¡¯t stop them, and I couldn¡¯t fight them to get it back. I couldn¡¯t blame these people for not being willing to join me. It was a suicide mission. I was just asking them to die for nothing.


    ¡°You want to pay them back for their sacrifices? Value your own life the way they valued it.¡±


    ¡°Agree to disagree. I¡¯ll do things however I want.¡±


    ¡°Who is going to finish your mission if you fall off a temple wall and die, all because you couldn¡¯t wait a few minutes for me to return? Am I supposed to finish it? I don¡¯t even have thumbs.¡±


    I stared at Ghost for a moment, and the seriousness of the argument melted away. I started laughing and couldn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll try to calculate my risks better from now on, now that I¡¯ve realized you won¡¯t be able to save the world in my place. You know, since you don¡¯t have thumbs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you find it so funny,¡± he said, kicking sand at me. ¡°I will hold you to your word. Try to remember I¡¯m here, and my role is to aid you in any way I can. Ask me to do things that are better done by me, like scanning the roof of a giant structure. I may not have thumbs, but I have wings.¡±


    I tossed my scanner on the ground at his talons.


    ¡°Think you can scan it without thumbs?¡± I asked.


    He picked it up and flew away, toward the roof.


    Having Ghost around was like having a very strict parent. I¡¯m not sure I could call him my friend, so much as my nanny. But¡­ it¡¯s not like he was wrong. Not really. He¡¯d caught me in the perfect example. I simply hadn¡¯t thought about it at all. I wanted to scan the roof, so I started climbing. I hadn¡¯t even considered alternative, safer ways. The thought was alarming. Really¡­ why hadn¡¯t it crossed my mind at all?


    ¡°Signal amplifier,¡± Ghost said, dropping the scanner in my palm. ¡°It¡¯s not even hidden. It¡¯s just too small to see from below.¡±


    ¡°A signal amplifier¡­ so there is some kind of communication going on here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but to here? From here? Both? There¡¯s no way to tell. I think we need to consider your commander theory could potentially hold more weight with the discovery of this. This is made for internal use by Adversity Management, and there are none stationed here.¡±


    I pondered for a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough. We need more.¡±


    ¡°Find somewhere private. I found her journal and hid it in a bush over there when I saw you climbing so I could stop you.¡±


    ¡°You stole her diary?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°You were going to read it anyway. What¡¯s the difference? If you don¡¯t want to get in trouble, stop wasting time and read it quickly so I can return it where I found it,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°Good work.¡±

 Chapter 76

    I recovered the diary from the bushes, hiding it in my coat as I made my way beyond the temple grounds. I searched for a quiet spot along the beach, far from where prying eyes might find me. I settled down in a shady spot, sitting on a rock as I pulled out the diary and opened it. This kind of invasion of privacy felt so incredibly wrong, but I wasn¡¯t left with much choice. That, and the fact I was sitting here on the beach reading a book like it was a lazy summer morning made it all the more odd.


    The book appeared to be quite old. There was fraying along the edge of the cover, and Ghost¡¯s talon marks were evident despite the obvious care he¡¯d given.


    ¡°This thing¡¯s pretty old. You¡¯ll have to be more careful when you bring it back. We¡¯ll wrap it in something.¡±


    Ghost nodded.


    I undid the clasp and opened it to the first pages.


    ¡°She was twelve years old when she began writing in it,¡± I said.


    ¡°I doubt there¡¯ll be anything of interest before the incident.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for you to read the entire thing cover to cover,¡± Ghost said.


    ¡°Who isn¡¯t remembering details now? With my enhancer, I can read it a lot faster than a normal person.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your enhancer on things like that,¡± he said.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t require much output. Bet you forget it could do things like that.¡±


    Ghost blew air from his beak, staring at me blankly. A huff, I suppose. He was really getting into these human gestures lately.


    My mother gave me this diary today and said I should write in it whenever I¡¯m missing Dad. He did not come back from fishing last week. Mom said he won¡¯t come back. I¡¯ve been really mad about it, but sad about it too. She is frustrated with me because I¡¯ve not been helping as much.


    I sighed. ¡°Looks like she lost her father when she was twelve. That must¡¯ve been¡­ really tough.¡±


    Ghost nodded.


    I flipped forward, continuing through a large section, using my enhancer to quickly move through the less relevant sections, making sure I didn¡¯t miss anything helpful. Eventually, I made it to a passage written when she was sixteen.


    I heard her again today. I¡¯ve made Mom upset for weeks now, trying to tell her about the woman hiding nearby. It was only today that I began to realize there¡¯s no woman at all. At least, not physically. She never says anything that makes sense. Not really. It¡¯s like a whisper, or a collection of words that don¡¯t make complete sentences. Mom said I shouldn¡¯t tell anyone else about it.


    I paused on the page, taking a deep breath and looking up at the dim, overcast sky.


    ¡°Did you find something?¡± Ghost asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after I go through a few more entries.¡±


    I continued to flip through. The mentions of the voice became rare, at least for a while.


    An entry when she was still sixteen caught my attention.


    Today, I finally saw her. The woman. She¡¯s been talking to me more and more lately. I thought at first I was crazy, but I actually saw her today! It¡¯s because I¡¯ve been studying the stars. I think that¡¯s why her presence is getting stronger. I told Mom, but she can¡¯t see her. Mom begged me to keep it a secret. Eventually, everyone will come to know her. She tells me things, and disappears. But she has enemies. Other voices are appearing now that say mean things about her, or tell me to do bad things. These are scary, but I know the woman will protect me.


    A few pages later.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The bad voices are starting to become bolder. They cause bugs to appear on my arms and legs. I feel them crawling. I look at them, and they disappear. I believe this is a power that the woman gave me. All I need to do is look at the evil, and it flees. This brings me comfort. My head is so cluttered with the voices. Mom has asked me to stop going out. No matter how many times I try to explain these voices to her, but she never seems to get it. She doesn¡¯t understand them at all. She thinks they¡¯re not real.


    I rubbed my temples. I was, by no means, a psychologist. I¡¯d studied it, just as every PanTech scientist had, fairly extensively. Still, it wasn¡¯t my field of work or expertise. I didn¡¯t feel like I needed to be an expert to understand what was going on here.


    ¡°I believe she may have been¡­ maybe still is schizophrenic. She talks about auditory, visual, and other types of hallucinations. She grew accustomed to hiding them, but came to accept them as real. When I see things like this, I hate PanTech all the more. A girl like her could¡¯ve been helped.¡±


    ¡°Does this rule out the possibility of her being this zone¡¯s commander?¡±


    ¡°Not entirely, no, but I think it¡¯s unlikely.¡±


    ¡°How do we explain the signal amplifier?¡± he asked, perching on my shoulder, reading along with me now.


    ¡°Maybe someone else is a spy here. We didn¡¯t suspect Connie either. Not until it was too late. It¡¯s possible we¡¯ve been focused entirely on Lunaria, when someone else has been nearby pulling the strings.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still confused about her visions. If she was mentally ill, as you¡¯ve suggested, how have her visions become accurate? How did she predict you¡¯d arrive, and how did she predict that PanTech would come in and vaccinate everyone?¡±


    ¡°She did more than predict it. She made it possible. Remember that detail about having everyone sleep on the temple grounds? She didn¡¯t just know it would happen in that case. She helped to facilitate it.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s being communicated with by Adversity Management,¡± he said. ¡°And that explains the signal amplifier, but that would mean¡­¡±


    ¡°A device is implanted in her, likely in her brain. That¡¯s not an easy implant to fit someone for without anyone noticing.¡±


    ¡°An enhancer?¡±


    I rubbed my forehead. Frelya is¡­ was¡­ one of the few people capable of implanting one. As far as I know, they¡¯re exclusively done at PanTech. She¡¯d never been to PanTech, at least that anyone is aware of. Unless she disappeared for a week at some point and mysteriously returned. I continued to read. Maybe we¡¯d learn more from the diary.


    Her struggles with the voices and other hallucinations progressed, would stay the same for a while, new hallucinations and delusions would appear.


    I met a wonderful man recently. Jeremy. He¡¯s a genius but treats me as an equal. He¡¯s been encouraging me to try out my ideas on improving our harvests. I was too ashamed before. Now that Mother¡¯s passed, I¡¯ve started to venture outside the house more. I know that others will believe these voices are fiction, so I don¡¯t mention them. I¡¯ve told Jeremy about them, and he¡¯s so understanding¡­ even if he doesn¡¯t believe in them. He treated me the same, and promised he wouldn¡¯t tell others about them.


    More passages. Some, extremely difficult to read through. She wrote at length about her two lost children, as Mira had told me about. The miscarriage, and the one who was stillborn. Her hallucinations became much worse after that. She began to hear babies crying, and believed they couldn¡¯t pass into the afterlife. That they¡¯d become ghosts haunting her.


    Finally, I made it to the passage I¡¯d been searching for.


    I did something unforgivable. I believed I¡¯d made a bargain with the kind voice in my mind, but now I¡¯m not so sure. I may have been tricked by one of the evil ones. Even I had come to believe the voices in my head were fiction, and perhaps that¡¯s why I accepted the offer. Our child in exchange for ridding my mind of all other visions, and a closer connection to the voice of the stars, as I came to know her. She is undoubtedly real, because my child is now gone. The other voices are gone. I no longer hear the babies crying or see the insects crawling on my flesh. I no longer hear their laughing, or insults, taunts. And yet¡­ why do I feel like all the evil is gone because I have become it? It¡¯s the burden I must bear, for the good of the people here. If I can make their lives better, then why not sacrifice my own life. Jeremy will never understand¡­


    I closed the diary, lying on my back and staring up at the sky.


    ¡°I read it as you did,¡± Ghost said.


    ¡°Just when I think PanTech can¡¯t get any more evil¡­ They took advantage of a mentally disturbed woman, made her sacrifice her child, ruin her marriage. Nothing more than a convenient puppet to be used in order to control everyone else here. They knew she was charismatic, and that everyone loved her. Now, give her the ability to ¡®predict¡¯ things with complete accuracy, and that¡¯s all that was needed to ascend her to the mouthpiece of divinity.¡±


    ¡°But there was nothing in there about what happened to their daughter. Only that she disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Turns out she doesn¡¯t know,¡± I said.


    ¡°Could the diary be a misdirection? Something invented to throw someone off the trail, should they ever seek the truth?¡±


    I turned to Ghost and grinned. ¡°Now who¡¯s paranoid? I guess that¡¯s always possible, but I doubt it. Sure, PanTech could produce a convincing fabrication, but what are the chances someone like me is going to come along and start digging? Pretty much zero. And while she doesn¡¯t seem to have any answers, we know who does now.¡±


    ¡°Adversity Management¡­ but is this wise?¡±


    ¡°Nothing about this is wise¡­ but¡ª¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re going to do it anyway,¡± Ghost said, cutting me off and finishing my sentence. It sounded more like excitement than scolding.


    ¡°Getting invested in the mystery yourself now, huh?¡±


    ¡°I suppose¡­¡±

 Chapter 77

    ¡°Go ahead and return her diary. Before we speak with Jeremy and decide what to do about Adversity Management, there¡¯s one more thing I can do here.¡±


    ¡°Confronting her will likely destroy any goodwill she has left for you,¡± Ghost said.


    I took a moment to carefully consider his words. Something I¡¯d try to do more carefully from this point on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll play it by ear. I want to scan for a device in her brain. If she¡¯s a commander, she¡¯s going to fight me and it¡¯s not going to be easy. I¡¯m taking a risk here, assuming she¡¯s not one. The possibility of a commander hidden somewhere on this island is more plausible, so we need to have eyes in the back of head for the remainder of our time here.¡±


    ¡°A time that needs to be short,¡± he emphasized.


    I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s start wrapping things up here.¡±


    Ghost took the diary and flew off, and I made my way back into the temple grounds. I knew where I¡¯d likely find her. Leading a study group where I first met her.


    Once I made it there and confirmed she was present, I stood quietly in the corner, watching and listening, waiting until they were finished before I approached her.


    ¡°Hello Lunaria. That was a great lecture today.¡±


    ¡°A great compliment from one of PanTech¡¯s leading professors. Thank you.¡±


    She¡¯d been fed more information about me. Of course.


    ¡°What you¡¯re doing here is as valid as anything ever done at PanTech. You can take my word for that.¡±


    She bowed slightly, returning to making eye contact.


    ¡°What can I help you with today, Taylor?¡±


    ¡°May we speak in private?¡±


    ¡°Oh? There¡¯s no need to go anywhere else for that. Now that we¡¯ve adjourned our study for today no one will disturb us here for hours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to scan you for any possible¡ª¡±


    ¡°Implants?¡± she asked.


    I was surprised but shouldn¡¯t have been. So, she had considered it as a possibility. Or was aware of one¡¯s existence already. After all, a person doesn¡¯t write every single detail of their life in their diary. There was no point in beating around the bush anymore.


    ¡°Yes. Among other things, but yes. I¡¯d like to check you for implants.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe an implant is responsible for the voice of the stars?¡±


    ¡°I would like to find out. As I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯m very skeptical, but also open-minded. I just want to rule it out before accepting it as divine.¡±


    ¡°I believe I¡¯ve indulged your curiosities enough, Taylor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll not grant me one more?¡± I asked, pulling out my scanning device. ¡°It¡¯s not invasive. Just a simple wave of the wand and we¡¯ll both know. Don¡¯t you want to know the truth yourself?¡±


    ¡°It would change nothing.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    I held the device in front of her, but she grabbed my wrist tightly in her grip. Her very normal grip, for a woman in her sixties.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I studied her expression. She was panicked. Terrified. Her eyes welled with tears as she stood against something that was far more than a routine, trivial scan. It was the foundation her world was built upon. It was the thing that gave meaning to her sacrifices. It was her entire understanding of herself, and the lens through which she had viewed her whole existence.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been brave so many times throughout your life. You can do this,¡± I said, as reassuringly as I could muster.


    The truth was, I was intent on forcing the scan, even if she resisted. I just hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that. She needed to choose this. After all, I could¡¯ve walked by and waved the scanner by her head without her noticing. This was something she needed to face.


    She loosened her grip but didn¡¯t let go. ¡°I¡¯m scared, Taylor¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    We stood there for several minutes in that position, as she struggled internally with the choice before her. Eventually, she released me and dropped her hands to her sides. I scanned, which took only a brief moment.


    ¡°Do you want to know?¡± I asked.


    She only nodded, as though she already knew the answer, and that I would only be confirming it.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been implanted with a device. It¡¯s attached to your brain. Very tiny.¡±


    ¡°Do you know when?¡± she asked.


    Funny, that she¡¯d choose to ask that question first instead of wanting to know what the device did, but I understood why she wanted to know.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say, but this is a fairly generic implant. It would take a specialized individual to install it. It could¡¯ve been this zone¡¯s previous commander, or someone else on the team with specific clinical history. This is not something a run-of-the-mill Adversity Management soldier is capable of. But¡­ I assume it was installed earlier than you think it might¡¯ve been, then reprogrammed and activated remotely as it collected data about your brain activity. Back at HQ, these devices could be used to cure even the most severe of mental illnesses. Specialized devices could be even smaller. This one is multi-functional.¡±


    ¡°They were never real¡­ ever¡­ my mother¡­¡±


    She was breaking down. I took her hand. Although I didn¡¯t agree with some of the choices she¡¯d made, I understood why she might have made them. I sympathized with the nightmare she must¡¯ve lived, and the effort she put into overcoming it.


    ¡°And my daughter¡­¡± she continued, slowly collapsing to her knees, sobbing into her hands. ¡°Jeremy will never forgive me.¡±


    I lowered myself with her, hugging her as she cried. This was something she carried with her for such a long, long time. As usual, my feelings quickly turned to rage. PanTech played gods with her, as they always did. They used this vulnerable woman as a convenient tool of control to make their work ever so slightly easier. Destroyed lives on a whim. And here they were, doing it again with the vaccine. Deciding who lived and who died based on their own, not even moral preferences, but little more than convenience. Real lives reduced to pros and cons.


    ¡°I could deactivate it, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you for offering, but I know what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯ve also considered it. Although they¡¯re likely listening in on us right now, I want them to know that I¡¯m willing to continue things as they are for the sake of the people here. I¡¯ll keep hearing the voice of the stars and speaking those words to the people of Redbank. The alternative is¡­ not a choice I¡¯m able to make.¡±


    I nodded, squeezing her shoulder. I didn¡¯t know if they were listening or not but kept my plans to myself regardless.


    ¡°I understand and respect your decision. My investigation into Redbank will end here, and I won¡¯t share what I¡¯ve found with anyone on this island.¡±


    She flinched for a moment, catching the caveat that made my statement true. Yet, like me, chose not to speak it aloud.


    ¡°Thank you, Taylor.¡±


    I helped her to her feet, and began walking away, toward the beach. I saw Remira along the way but could only offer a weak smile and wave as I passed her by, even knowing it would likely be the last time I saw her.


    My feelings were mixed. I wasn¡¯t sure if what I¡¯d done was a good thing. Sometimes the truth was like that. It didn¡¯t always set people free. Sometimes the truth was a prison. Sometimes discovering the truth collapses a person¡¯s entire world down upon them. Made its foundation crumble beneath them. That¡¯s what it was like for Lunaria, and I wasn¡¯t sure where she¡¯d go from here. It was almost a certainty that I¡¯d not made her life better.


    However, I knew where I would be going from here. Realistically, if I was capable of it, I¡¯d go straight to PanTech¡¯s island and teach them a well-deserved lesson. If they thought Captain Markus gave PanTech a thrashing here, I wished I could deliver that a thousand-fold. But¡­ I was one person, and I had other places that needed my help. More zones were suffering from the virus, and PanTech Adversity Management¡¯s rogue actions.


    However, Jeremy and the people of Rockport had been wronged in so many ways, and I wasn¡¯t going to sit idly by while they¡¯re targeted and systematically removed, another calculation to be made for the sake of minimizing inconvenience.


    I would not be letting them have their way so easily.

 Chapter 78

    I waved at Bereth and Isaiah as they tied off on the beach at Redbank.


    ¡°Any new developments?¡± Bereth asked.


    I was hesitant to answer, knowing how he was beginning to feel about my meddling here.


    ¡°You could say that. I need to make a trip to PanTech¡¯s island, if you don¡¯t mind. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not planning on starting any trouble there. I just need to clear up something.¡±


    Ghost tilted his head.


    ¡°Not Rockport?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I said.


    Bereth and Isaiah looked between one another, hesitating.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Bereth finally said. ¡°Though it seemed the last meeting with them did not go so well. Are you sure it¡¯s safe to return?¡±


    I smiled, trying to reassure him.


    ¡°I do. I¡¯ve learned a lot about this Adversity Management since the last time I met with them. I think they will do everything they can to avoid open conflicts. We¡¯ll talk, and that¡¯s it. Besides, I¡¯m not going to argue with them about the vaccine anymore. They¡¯re not going to give it up, so I¡¯ll have to come up with other ideas there.¡±


    ¡°Other ideas?¡± Isaiah asked as I boarded the boat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not get too far ahead of ourselves. I just believe the people on Rockport deserve the same choice as everyone else. I haven¡¯t come up with a solution to this yet, but I want to try. That¡¯ll come after this bit of business, though.¡±


    As we floated off toward the island, Bereth became more insistent.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d feel better knowing a little more about your business with Adversity Management. No offense to you, Taylor, but you¡¯ve been so open with everything until now that it makes me nervous you¡¯re not sharing the reason for your visit.¡±


    I sighed, looking to Ghost, who simply nodded his encouragement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot about the disappearance of the Lunaria and Jeremy¡¯s daughter. I have reason to believe she¡¯s either there on the island, or that she was shipped off to PanTech HQ. If possible, I want to know the truth. Her parents deserve to know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe she¡¯s dead?¡± Bereth asked, more surprised than I expected him to be.


    ¡°That depends. If she was shipped off to HQ, most everyone there didn¡¯t make it out. If she¡¯s on the island¡­ she¡¯s probably still alive. They would know the answer, and I¡¯d like to find out. It¡¯s possible this girl may even be someone I knew.¡±


    Isaiah and Bereth both nodded grimly, the brief surge of excitement leaving them as quickly as it came.


    ¡°You see why I was hesitant to bring it up before I learned the truth.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I do,¡± Bereth said, choosing not to pry further as we rowed toward our destination.


    ***


    Arriving on PanTech¡¯s island, we were greeted by Clarise. ¡®Greeted¡¯ was one way of putting it. She seemed entirely unimpressed by our arrival.


    ¡°Did you miss me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again,¡± she replied. ¡°And just to be clear, wasn¡¯t a bad thing.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Quick question,¡± I said, holding up a finger as I stumbled off the boat.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t come here for a quick question,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes at me.


    ¡°No¡­ but I have a quick question. How many humans are left in Adversity Management?¡±


    ¡°About half our forces. Kaden told you this the last time you were here.¡±


    ¡°How many were lost to the virus?¡±


    ¡°I think you should talk to Kaden,¡± she said, ignoring my question and turning to walk away. ¡°Assuming he¡¯ll want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Wait here for a bit, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± I quickly whispered to Bereth and Isaiah before shuffling to catch up with Clarise.


    ¡°Why are you always on beach duty? Tick off the wrong person?¡± I said, doing my best to make small talk with the stoic woman.


    ¡°It was my request,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair. Don¡¯t get along with the rest of the crew?¡±


    ¡°I get along with them fine. If your aim is to stir up trouble, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Nope, just making conversation. I¡¯m a bit of a loner too, if you couldn¡¯t tell. My best friend is a bird.¡±


    She grinned, and Ghost tilted his head as though it was a joke he didn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in the island than conversation. All of them have a similar education and spent time at PanTech HQ. I¡¯ve never been off this island.


    Ghost and I shared a glance. No way¡­ but wouldn¡¯t hurt to ask more questions.


    ¡°Never been off the island? I thought everyone who joined PanTech had to go to HQ for training. Especially Adversity Management inductees. Did you take the exam after your eighteenth birthday?¡±


    The irritation was returning at my barrage of questions.


    ¡°Lots of exceptions get made. You should know that.¡±


    I nodded, hoping she wouldn¡¯t completely dodge the question.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never taken an exam, and I¡¯ve never been off this island. I¡¯m our scout, so I spend most of my time monitoring the coasts with our equipment or just patrolling. You might not think it would matter here, but since the collapse of HQ I¡¯ve had to deal with a couple of invaders.¡±


    As curious as I was about these invaders, it was deeply secondary at the moment.


    ¡°Never taken the exam, and never been off the island,¡± I repeated.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said¡­ Are you mocking me, Professor?¡±


    I stopped in my tracks, looking up at Ghost again. His expression, as always, was unreadable, but he seemed to be thinking the same thing.


    ¡°Do you ever visit your parents here?¡± I asked.


    ¡°My parents are dead, so PanTech took me in and raised me. I was rescued from their fishing boat.¡±


    ¡°Ghost¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing thus far confirms it, Taylor,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Be thorough.¡±


    ¡°Clarise, this is going to seem completely out of the blue, but I¡¯m investigating something that I think you may be involved in. With just one of your hairs, or a drop of your blood, I can confirm it. I would be grateful.¡±


    ¡°And what would I do with your gratitude, exactly?¡± she scoffed.


    ¡°Please¡­ I think you¡¯d be interested in these results as well.¡±


    She sighed, turning to face me and taking a step forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your vague language. Tell me exactly what you want it for.¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to find the words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your parents are dead,¡± I said.


    I fought the urge to add more to it, but I figured those words were already difficult enough to process.


    She stared at me a moment, angrily at first. She looked as if she wanted to punch me.


    ¡°What? You show up out of the blue talking about the virus, causing a scene about how we¡¯re using your vaccine, and now you¡¯re here telling me my parents aren¡¯t dead? Are you insane, or just trying to draw me into your schemes to cause trouble?¡±


    ¡°Option four?¡± I asked, shrugging.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you skip option three?¡±


    ¡°Option three is that I stumbled upon this entire mystery by chance, and finding you here is, ironically, almost miraculous.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s option four?¡±


    ¡°All of the above,¡± Ghost interjected.


    ¡°Thank you for that, Ghost. But yes, maybe all of the above. If what I say turns out to be true, wouldn¡¯t you want to know? And wouldn¡¯t you want the people who manipulated your parents and lied to you your entire life to answer for it.¡±


    She was beginning to look visibly distressed, pacing slowly back and forth.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, plucking a strand of her hair and handing it to me.


    ¡°Thank you. Now, I just need to go to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Unnecessary,¡± Ghost said.


    ¡°What? Why?¡± I asked.


    He leaned over, pulling at my shirt with his beak, then presenting a long strand of silver hair.


    ¡°Your lucky day,¡± he said. ¡°How rare.¡±


    ¡°How rare indeed,¡± I replied, taking the hair from him.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡± Clarise said, almost sounding hopeful now.


    I pulled out my medical scanning device from my shirt, quickly sampling both strands of hair, referencing parentage. It only took a moment for the results to appear on the tiny screen.


    It was overwhelming. My emotions nearly got the better of me, as I held it up for Clarise to see.


    She sat on a nearby stone, rubbing her temples with her fingertips.


    ¡°You know¡­ it would be harder to believe if it didn¡¯t explain so much. So many things about my life begin to make more sense if this is true. Tell me everything.¡±


    I took a deep breath and, over the course of the next hour, did exactly that.

 Chapter 79

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back to check on you later,¡± Bereth said, as I stepped off the boat and onto the shores of Rockport.


    I turned to face the two of them.


    ¡°This could be the last time we see one another. I can¡¯t thank the two of you enough. You¡¯re the true heroes of this mission. Without you two to ferry me around I could¡¯ve have accomplished anything here.¡±


    Bereth smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Nonsense, Taylor. This is the most excitement we¡¯ve had around here in forever. You helped this old man experience a bit of adventure before the end of his days, and Isaiah here has stories to tell when he¡¯s old himself.¡±


    Isaiah nodded, extending his hand. I took it firmly.


    ¡°I hope the people here are better off when I leave than before I came,¡± I said.


    ¡°I think they are,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°Consider the damage the virus was already doing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Please remember everything I told you on our way here. Take care, you two.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll follow every instruction to the letter. Take good care of her, Ghost,¡± Bereth said.


    ¡°My mission is even more difficult than hers,¡± he said, prompting a chuckle from the old man.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t doubt it,¡± Bereth said, still grinning.


    They waited there to see us off, waving as we walked away.


    It was storming here on Rockport. Poor timing, but little came down to luck when PanTech was involved. Though it probably had less to do with anything I had planned and more to do with the fact that they just had it out for the people here.


    Splashing my feet along the muddy dirt path, I felt that familiar sense of excitement. The feeling of walking into extreme danger, facing it, and walking toward it. It got my blood pumping. Maybe I was becoming more like Frelya after all, though I¡¯d have given anything to have her by my side right now.


    I placed my hand on the tavern door, but hesitated. There was no music coming from inside, nor singing. No one had greeted me at the shore.


    I placed my hand on Twisted Key, slowly pushing open the door with the other.


    As it finally gave way enough for me to see inside, I pulled in a deep breath and sighed with relief. There were several men, including Jeremy, sitting around a large table in the middle talking.


    ¡°What did I miss?¡± I asked.


    Jeremy laughed, but the relief was clear on their faces.


    ¡°We were just debating on whether we should try to rescue you. Gregory believed strongly that we should, but Resnir and I think that¡¯s because he¡¯s sweet on you. He¡¯s never met a woman who could slap him around before and I believe he¡¯s grown fond of the idea!¡±


    Several of the men laughed, and Jeremy slapped Gregory on the back.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t the reason!¡± Gregory protested, a little louder than he¡¯d meant to, then his face grew even redder, prompting a chorus of laughter again.


    ¡°Well regardless of the reason, it looks like it won¡¯t be necessary anymore,¡± I said. ¡°Though maybe we should discuss how you¡¯ll rescue yourselves.¡±


    Jeremy narrowed his eyes at me, tilting his head forward a bit.


    ¡°Why? We¡¯ve no need of rescuing, aside from taking care of the sickness. Though you¡¯ve already done all you can there. Seems our days are numbered here on Rockport, and we¡¯ve half a might to go down with a fight if we¡¯re going down soon anyway.¡±


    I nodded along as he spoke.


    ¡°Not a half-bad plan, but not half-good either. Depends on whether you¡¯re an optimist or a pessimist.¡±


    ¡°The point of the plan isn¡¯t living, so how can it fail?¡± Jeremy said, prompting a surprisingly enthusiastic toast from the men gathered around the table.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Wow, all of you are awfully eager to die, huh?¡± I asked, crossing my arms, trying to hold back my grin and failing.


    ¡°Sounds familiar,¡± Ghost said. He was not inserting himself into the joke. It was just an observation on his part.


    Jeremy¡¯s lips formed a grin of his own.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll admit¡­ the faces you¡¯re over there making have got me curious. Have there been any new developments since last we spoke? I know you¡¯ve been in an awfully big hurry these past few days. You¡¯ve hardly had a sip of our famous ale.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been a bit too busy for your famous ale, I¡¯m afraid. Perhaps you can spare a tankard for me now. We¡¯ve got a lot to talk about, so make room,¡± I said, squeezing myself between Gregory and Resnir, opposite the table from Jeremy.


    Gregory somehow blushed hard enough for it to be noticeable in the lantern light. I guess Jeremy wasn¡¯t kidding about his crush on me, but that wasn¡¯t my concern right now. I doubted love was ever meant to be, given my luck with it thus far.


    ¡°What¡¯s changed, then?¡± Jeremy asked.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t leave and bring vaccines in. They¡¯ll know what I¡¯m doing and they¡¯ll stop me immediately. I could get reinforcements from my Explorers League and bring them back, but I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re familiar with the game Rock, Paper, Scissors? I¡¯d be feeding my units into a death funnel by putting them up against a fortified Adversity Management.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Resnir said, his enthusiasm already beginning to fade. ¡°That doesn¡¯t exactly sound promising.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not promising. I only have three vaccines on me, and I already know what all of you will say. You¡¯ll tell me to use them on the women and children, and it¡¯ll change nothing.¡±


    ¡°There are about eighty-eight of us on this island. It¡¯s mostly men left. I¡¯d say less than forty are women and children, but we¡¯d do anything to save them,¡± Resnir said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll not prolong this explanation,¡± I said, taking heed of the somber mood falling over those gathered at the mention of how few women and children remained. ¡°I¡¯ve found a mole over on Adversity Management¡¯s island. Someone like me, who is a bit of a black sheep when it comes to them. She¡¯s given me critical information that we can use to sail your largest ship toward the island, looking ready for war.¡±


    ¡°So, war it is!¡± Jeremy said, slamming his tankard on the table. The rest of the men joined him in a chorus of cheers.


    ¡°Goodness, gentlemen, you¡¯ll want to let me finish before you start your applause. We¡¯ll sail into a narrow blind spot that the island¡¯s artillery fire cannot reach. You can imagine why it¡¯s a blind spot.¡±


    Jeremy nodded, understanding without the need of an explanation, though I explained anyway for the sake of the others.


    ¡°This is difficult terrain to sail through. But¡­ more than that, it¡¯s a one-way trip. The narrow path through the shallow rocks will lead us to the coast.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting something,¡± Jeremy offered with a sigh. ¡°PanTech¡¯s diving monster.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ the submarine,¡± I said, tapping a finger on my chin. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been perplexed about that little thing too. Since the moment I¡¯ve arrived. It¡¯s hard to know where the thing is until it surfaces, which is too late. If it were to rise beneath a ship, they could easily blast a hole directly through the bottom without the least bit of resistance.¡±


    Jeremy tilted his head. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯ve discovered a weakness?¡±


    ¡°Its weakness is one of its strengths. The thing can last over a week on the sea floor without running low on oxygen. Seems whoever designed it had a paranoid fear of it being stolen, for whatever reason, although such a thing is extremely unlikely. There is a remote kill switch that will sink it, and it cannot be overridden for twenty-four hours so long as the oxygen levels are good on board, giving them plenty of time to go out and recover it. Genius design to prevent it from being stolen, but what if someone were to wait for it to be just beneath us, while everyone is good and distracted, and kills it in the water?¡±


    ¡°That would allow us the chance to storm the island, Taylor. Why aren¡¯t we doing that?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s time to move on. There¡¯s nothing left on this island for any of you. The people on Redbank are happy picking fruit and worshiping the stars, and PanTech is happy to let everyone here die for the crime of not playing along. There are fewer than fifty of their forces remaining, but that only means that we can disable them enough to escape. Not win a direct fight. Not even close. Not even with the submarine down and the artillery out of play. Escape is the only option. There is a zone nearby that will take you. If not for yourself, do it for your women and children. If you¡¯re so eager to die, consider the fact we may need to fight them to cover our escape if they respond quickly enough and have some means to come after us.¡±


    An uncomfortable silence came over the table. No one dared to speak, or even to make eye contact with another person there. Nothing but silent contemplation.


    I wanted so badly to tell Jeremy about Clarise, but she had begged me not to. She¡¯d have to be the one to hit the kill switch on the submarine herself, and she hadn¡¯t wanted him to learn the truth only to discover she¡¯d sacrificed herself to allow them to escape.


    Jeremy finally raised his head.


    ¡°Men¡­ a vote. All of those in favor of Taylor¡¯s grand plan, say aye.¡±


    He waited, giving each man an opportunity to struggle with the weight of it.


    ¡°Aye,¡± he called out. It was not spoken with enthusiasm. It sounded weak and defeated, yet determined.


    ¡°Aye,¡± all the other men offered in somber agreement.


    ¡°Good,¡± I said, nodding grimly. I was relieved. ¡°We have little time. We must prepare everyone to board and depart tomorrow. Travel light. Only the necessities. I have supplies on my vehicle once we arrive on land that can get us through the journey, including enough vaccines for all of you. We just have to get there.¡±


    ¡°Very little notice, but we¡¯ll make it work,¡± Jeremy said. ¡°And¡­ thank you, Taylor. I understand you could¡¯ve just left us here, to our fate, and others are in need of your help. You stuck your neck out for us, and many here will forever be in your debt.¡±


    I smiled, offering a firm nod.


    I only hoped that all that effort would pay off.

 Chapter 80

    I slept surprisingly well that night, all things considered. It was now or never. Go time. After today, I would be done with this zone one way or another. Either because I¡¯d succeeded or because I was dead.


    ¡°You awake, Ghost?¡± I asked, stirring from my straw bed at the tavern.


    ¡°Jeremy asked me to let you sleep in,¡± he said.


    I groaned. No matter how much time passed, I was still prone to sleeping in if no one woke me up, like a certain bird in this case.


    ¡°Should¡¯ve woken me up at daybreak,¡± I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes before focusing on an outfit hanging by the door. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Jeremy said it would be proper for you to wear it. It¡¯s a traditional pirate garb, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to?¡±


    Ghost tilted his head, mulling over a thoughtful response to my rhetorical question.


    ¡°The historical significance in this culture, combined with the fact this is supposedly a similar outfit to what Markus wore during the famous battle, makes me believe the people here will have a significantly higher morale if they see you wearing it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ghost. If you insist.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± he said.


    ¡°Since you insist,¡± I repeated, hopping out of bed and pulling the outfit from the hanger. ¡°Gaudy, but you know¡­ pretty neat. Straight out of one of those old pirate stories these people probably know nothing about. PanTech turning every zone into the scene from some fiction novel, like always. They certainly didn¡¯t hold a high regard for historical accuracy.¡±


    ¡°How much actual pirate history do you know, Taylor?¡±


    ¡°Fair point,¡± I conceded. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be a pirate captain, but here we are.¡±


    ¡°You probably never thought you¡¯d be or do a lot of the things you¡¯ve been and done,¡± he said. ¡°I know that¡¯s true for me.¡±


    I pulled off my pajamas and started getting dressed in my new outfit.


    ¡°And is that a good or bad thing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Depends on when you ask but¡­¡± He lowered his head, taking his time before speaking, as Ghost often did. ¡°No shadowfalcon before me has ever adventured like this. We don¡¯t migrate. We¡¯re isolated to a small area near your territory, and there are very few of us. We hunt, carefully, and spend the remainder of our time hiding to preserve our dwindling numbers.¡±


    ¡°Sorry I took you away from all that,¡± I said.


    ¡°I am grateful you did. This feels¡­ more natural. Like this is what nature meant for me to do, but fear had guided us away from.¡±


    I smiled, genuinely happy to hear it.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked, slipping on the coat and hat.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Does it look good?¡±


    ¡°It seems to fit you well,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Not what I meant, but I do appreciate the assessment,¡± I said, opening the door and walking out into the tavern¡¯s main area.


    I was met with a chorus of cheers and applause as I descended the stairs. Most of the men who were here the night before were back again.


    ¡°Have a seat, Captain,¡± Jeremy insisted, sliding a bottle and glass in my direction. ¡°Today¡¯s an all-day celebration. That there¡¯s one of the last bottles of rum we have on this island. As is tradition, first drink goes to the captain. Our men have been working through the night to get everyone ready and load all the cargo onto our ship.¡±


    I sat down across from him, uncorking the bottle and pouring my glass half-full, taking a large gulp of the brownish liquid. Truth be told, I was never a fan of drinking. Not at all, but I did make exceptions for rituals like these. These men had high expectations of their ¡°captain¡±, and I needed to avoid any pitfalls that might make me look like a small, dainty woman who wasn¡¯t up to the task.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never tried rum. Not bad,¡± I lied. ¡°The rest should go to the rest of you, but not too much. We need clear heads for what we¡¯re about to do today.¡±


    Resnir laughed, patting Jeremy hard on the back. ¡°Even the old man had taken it easy on the drink today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve not had a drop,¡± Jeremy corrected. ¡°Celebrations are supposed to be different from every other day, so I¡¯ve decided to spend the day not drinking.¡±


    I nodded with enthusiasm, happy to hear it.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re my first mate, I take it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the decision of the captain, but I¡¯d be honored to accept that role.¡±


    ¡°Alright, First Mate. We have a few hours left, but what¡¯s this about cargo? I believe I mentioned we should travel light. It¡¯s not like we can take the ship with us.¡±


    Jeremy opened a small box in front of him, beckoning me to lean forward. He started brushing on my face without warning. Was this¡­ makeup? I made no objections. I¡¯d gone this far to honor their traditions for the sake of morale. Oh well, when in strange lands, do as the natives do.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s mostly for the celebration. When you said we¡¯d be traveling light, that left us room for entertainment,¡± he said, squinting and brushing carefully as he spoke, gripping my chin gently to maneuver my face into the right position.


    I started to ask about the specifics of this entertainment, but I could venture a guess.


    ¡°Planning to blow the ship after we reach the shore?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, definitely not,¡± he said, shaking his head, seemingly offended I¡¯d even asked. ¡°This is your ship after today. I want it to be an eyesore for those PanTech dogs until the end of their days.¡±


    ¡°The cats and the humans too,¡± I quipped. I couldn¡¯t ignore the irony that about one third of the remaining PanTech forces actually were dogs.


    He laughed, then let go of my face, putting the brush back in the box and slamming it closed.


    ¡°There, you look like a true menace of the seas now. They¡¯ll never tell another Captain Markus story again after today. It¡¯ll be the tales of Captain Taylor from here on out.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    I held up my glass, prompting the other men to do so as well.


    ¡°To victory!¡± I shouted.


    ¡°To victory!¡± they all roared in a single voice.


    ***


    Several hours later, Jeremy led me to the ship. It was much bigger than I was expecting.


    ¡°What¡¯ll you name her?¡± Jeremy asked as we strode aboard. ¡°That honor goes to a ship¡¯s captain.¡±


    I pondered the question for a moment.


    ¡°The Cat¡¯s Gambit,¡± I said.


    Jeremy smiled and nodded approvingly at the title his ship had been given for her first and final voyage.


    ¡°Your crew awaits their orders,¡± he said, taking his place beside me as I looked down at the men below, waiting on the dock.


    ¡°Men, are all of our loved ones on board, and all supplies accounted for?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Aye, Captain!¡±


    I checked my watch. It was time.


    ¡°All aboard, and let¡¯s set sail!¡±


    The men all poured into the boat.


    This vessel was more than large enough for our purposes. When I¡¯d originally told Jeremy we¡¯d be able to use their perceived weakness to their advantage, I didn¡¯t expect the statement to be so true. PanTech were fools for allowing this ship to stay in one piece, but it would just be one of many things they¡¯d come to regret today.


    The rope was cut and the sails were lowered. The large ship drifted gently into the waters, never to return. This was it.


    Men scrambled on deck, no doubt working on Jeremy¡¯s celebratory gestures he¡¯d alluded to earlier.


    ¡°The cannons are ready, Captain,¡± one of the men shouted.


    I looked at Jeremy, who had a mischievous grin on his lips.


    ¡°I believe I said we wouldn¡¯t be engaging in direct combat with the enemy, First Mate,¡± I said, crossing my arms.


    ¡°And so I modified the plan a bit. They¡¯ll be firing blanks, but they¡¯ll have the intended effect. Of course¡­ we do have cannonballs at the ready, should they be needed.¡±


    I sighed, conceding to the show of force Jeremy had planned. If anything, it would make sure we had their attention.


    ¡°Wait for my signal to fire the blanks,¡± I said, already seeing PanTech¡¯s island begin to become clearer on the horizon. ¡°They¡¯ll be watching us through advanced telescopes, if they aren¡¯t already. I¡¯d love to see the panic over there.¡±


    Ghost stayed perched on my shoulder, apparently enjoying the ride. ¡°So would I.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not jealous I didn¡¯t make you first mate, are you Ghost?¡±


    ¡°I know even less about ships and naval warfare than you, Taylor. Rather, about the same. Nothing.¡±


    I laughed, as did Jeremy.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing this is only a one way trip. Men!¡± I called out, raising my voice. I drew Twisted Key, running and standing on the bow of the ship, holding on to a rope for stability. ¡°Fire!¡± I shouted, pointing my sword in the air.


    A chorus of cannon fire rang out, the concussive force shaking the boat and pounding through my chest.


    ¡°That¡¯ll have their attention!¡± Jeremy shouted as a chorus of loud cheers rang out.


    ¡°What do you see, Ghost? Do we have their attention?¡±


    Ghost peered at the island, his keen eyes taking in the sights.


    ¡°There is lots of running and apparent shouting, so I¡¯d say¡­ yes.¡±


    ¡°First Mate, see that our ship is aligned with the rocky passage. My contact¡¯s map will be accurate, if you still have the skill to send The Cat¡¯s Gambit through.¡±


    ¡°We were born for it, right men?¡± Jeremy roared.


    Shouts of ¡°Aye!¡± erupted from those on board, and the men again scattered to their posts, frantically aligning the ship to the perfect angle needed.


    ¡°Brace yourselves. If our plan works, we¡¯ll hear a loud siren. If it fails, we¡¯ll be impacted, and every man and woman aboard will be fighting for their life.¡±


    Jeremy nodded, choosing not to relay the order just yet, instead allowing the workers to concentrate on the immediate task at hand. Aligning the ship.


    Any time now¡­


    The wait was killing me. The submarine was an invisible menace that could sink us at any moment, killing everyone aboard. The fight I¡¯d warned them about would probably never happen. They¡¯d cut through the hull and unleash such superior firepower that no one on this ship would survive beyond the first minute of boarding. Even Ghost seemed to understand the need for the lie, and had not tried to correct me as he¡¯d have normally done.


    After several more agonizing minutes, a blaring siren hummed from the waters below. It was music to my ears. My muscles relaxed, at least for the moment.


    ¡°Now, men! Sail as quickly as we can through the rocky passage, but carefully. If we get stuck, everyone aboard this ship is a goner.¡±


    I looked toward the island, knowing by now they¡¯d be watching me.


    ¡°Bad news, Taylor,¡± Ghost said, flapping his wings. ¡°Rifles are coming out.¡±


    Bad news indeed.


    ¡°Load the cannons with live rounds. Quickly!¡± I ordered.


    Guess avoiding a fight was off the table.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have one angle to fire on their beach, men! Load quickly!¡± Jeremy added.


    Many more joined from below, including many of the women. Things had just gotten a lot hairier than I¡¯d expected.


    ¡°Are they still moving into position, Ghost?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re approaching the beach now. They¡¯re going to start getting shots off in thirty seconds.¡±


    ¡°How long until we¡¯re at the right angle, First Mate?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer, no longer in the jovial mood he was in before. His eyes darted between the path ahead and the cannons, sweat pooling on his brow.


    ¡°Stars above¡­¡± he mumbled, clenching his fists tightly. If Jeremy was praying to a divinity he didn¡¯t even believe in, I knew things were bad.


    A shot blasted from the beach, hitting the bow. A piece of wood flew up, hitting my leg. It would¡¯ve skewered it if were not for my armor, though it shredded the leg of the pants I was wearing. I grabbed the rope and swung back on the deck.


    ¡°You alright, Captain?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me! We need those cannons! Now!¡±


    Jeremy held up his trembling hand, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.


    ¡°Ready¡­ Cannons all the way to the right! And¡­ fire!¡±


    Just as he shouted, another rifle shot ripped by, somehow missing the ship entirely.


    ¡°Looks like they missed,¡± I said.


    ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re aiming at you and not the ship, you idiot!¡± Ghost shouted, waving his wings frantically. ¡°You¡¯re lucky they don¡¯t seem to ever train with them!¡±


    ¡°Ghost, what¡¯s happening on the beach?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re scattering.¡±


    ¡°Anyone hit?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No one hit.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Bah!¡± Jeremy scoffed.


    ¡°Ready half the cannons with blanks, the other half with balls!¡± I ordered. ¡°Fire the blanks when ready!¡±


    The blanks were much faster to reload than the balls, and another chorus of blasts rang out as the live ammunition was still being loaded.


    ¡°And now?¡± I asked Ghost.


    ¡°Those who were getting back into position have fled again.¡±


    I took a deep breath and exhaled.


    Now that we were clearly retreating, it was unlikely anyone would put their life on the line. Even an Adversity Management power armor would have a hard time against a cannonball. It might survive, but the person¡¯s insides would be thoroughly shaken up. Not something anyone would volunteer for.


    I waited a long moment before checking in again.


    ¡°Ghost?¡± I asked.


    He peered at the beach.


    ¡°No activity.¡±


    ¡°Victory!¡± I shouted, holding Twisted Key high into the air.


    ¡°Victory!¡± Jeremy echoed.


    Raucous cheering erupted from those on deck, both men and women. Wives jumped into their husbands¡¯ arms. Suddenly, I was grabbed by Jeremy and hoisted into the air. Several others swarmed us, holding me up.


    ¡°Three cheers for the captain! Hip, hip!¡±


    ¡°Horray!¡±


    ¡°Hip, hip!¡±


    ¡°Horray!¡±


    ¡°Hip, hip!¡±


    ¡°Horray!¡±


    The last one was the loudest of all. A little much for Ghost, he fled to what remained of the bow.


    ¡°Land ho!¡± Jeremy shouted, as we were nearing the beach.


    ¡°Run her up on the beach hard. She¡¯ll not be going back,¡± I said.


    Once we landed, everyone began departing frantically. I stood on the shore, watching for several minutes.


    Not ten minutes later, everyone was gathered and ready to begin the next leg of the journey on foot.


    ¡°Captain, we¡¯re ready to go,¡± Jeremy said.


    ¡°A few more minutes,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°But Captain, we¡ª¡±


    ¡°A few more minutes,¡± I insisted.


    He nodded, and I shared a nervous glance with Ghost.


    ¡°Please tell me you see something,¡± I said.


    Ghost didn¡¯t answer, only continued peering ahead.


    ¡°Ghost?¡±


    Still no answer. I sighed.


    One could only expect so many miracles in a short period of time.


    As I turned, Ghost startled me.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± he said.


    ¡°Who is coming?¡± Jeremy asked. ¡°Should I prepare the men to fight?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I only need you here. This is my contact I told you about. She had planned to escape if she could.¡±


    A few minutes later, Bereth and Isaiah ran ashore, with Clarise stepping off the boat. She stood in front of us.


    At first, she and Jeremy shared only a brief glance, but something seemed to click in Jeremy¡¯s mind. An intuition. His eyes stayed locked on her as he puzzled the situation out.


    ¡°Is this¡­¡± she asked, looking from me to Jeremy.


    I nodded, afraid to answer and expose my voice cracking. I wiped a tear from my eye, and simply nodded.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Jeremy¡¯s hand trembled as he pointed at her, everything finally coming together. ¡°Your contact was¡­¡±


    I placed a hand on his shoulder, not bothering to wipe away the tears flowing anymore. There were too many to bother. I simply nodded.


    He made a feeble step toward her, collapsing to his knees, sobbing loudly into his hands.


    She joined him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He clutched at her, eventually regaining enough control of his arms to do embrace her tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while¡­ Dad,¡± she said.

 Frelya: Out of the Frying Pan

    It had been nearly a week since they¡¯d met, but Frelya was relieved she¡¯d finally managed to wrangle her three misfit recruits into something other than a directionless machine disassembly crew. Of course, she still needed them to disassemble machines, but with a purpose now.


    ¡°Why do we have to keep doing these silly exercises to get a reward?¡± Lilith asked.


    Kyro rolled her eyes.


    Grinner grinned.


    ¡°These aren¡¯t ¡®silly exercises¡¯ at all, Lilith. We¡¯re clearing divisions. For every division we clear, the best performer gets an enhancer,¡± Frelya said, trying to balance a stern tone with the reward system she was attempting with these little monstrosities. She wasn¡¯t sure how else to keep them engaged, rather than running off and doing their own thing until the end of time.


    ¡°What if I¡¯m the top performer two clears in a row?¡± Lilith asked, scratching her chin, never one for modesty.


    ¡°You can¡¯t have two enhancers, Lilith. You¡¯d die,¡± Frelya said, opening another door in the Animal Research building and scanning for survivors.


    Frelya had always considered herself numb to this kind of thing. Her life in her zone had been hard. Beyond hard. Yet, there was something about seeing the lifeless faces of people you¡¯d passed in hallways, watched eating a meal, or sharing a kiss with a lover. It was wringing her very soul, making it ache in ways she hadn¡¯t thought possible. Worst of all, each face made her think of Taylor, terrified she might one day find her the same way.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get two enhancers implanted, Lilith¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d die.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Positive.¡±


    Lilith paused, and for a moment it seemed that might be the end of it.


    ¡°But have you tried it before?¡±


    Frelya stopped, turning around and facing Lilith, the look of a disappointed parent plastered across her face.


    ¡°You mean¡­ have I killed someone on purpose by fitting them with two enhancers, knowing it would kill them if I did? Is that what you¡¯re asking me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Lilith almost whispered, tilting her head.


    ¡°No, Lilith¡­ I¡¯m not going to start with you, either. I¡¯ve grown too attached to you. You¡¯ll be satisfied with one, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t answer the question, though.¡±


    Frelya had just turned around, but spun back to face Lilith again.


    ¡°What question?¡±


    ¡°What do I get if I¡¯m the best performer two clears in a row?¡±


    Kyro interjected, before Frelya had a chance to answer.


    ¡°Lilith¡­¡± she growled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just shut up and pay attention. By my calculation, you¡¯re the worst performer of this clear so far, so it¡¯s irrelevant.¡±


    Lilith looked to Grinner, hoping at least someone would back her up.


    Grinner grinned.


    ¡°Sorry, Lilith. I think Kyro¡¯s right. I¡¯m the best performer this time.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lilith hissed at her two animal comrades, partially in jest, but with a hint of childlike irritation in her tone. She truly wanted to be the best and was annoyed by the mere suggestion, even an obvious joke, that it wasn¡¯t the case.


    Frelya massaged her temple.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m going to end up being the top performer, since I¡¯m the only one taking the mission seriously. That¡¯ll mean none of you get an enhancer after this division, and no one can override me because I¡¯m the one who makes the final call on who gets one and who doesn¡¯t.¡±


    Even Grinner frowned at that.


    Lilith and Kyro narrowed their eyes, nodding almost simultaneously.


    Frelya placed her hand on the next door, nodding to the three behind her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why we¡¯re being so cautious. It¡¯s not like the machines¡ª¡±


    As if on cue, machine gun fire erupted through the door the moment Frelya pushed it open. One of the shots struck her in the side. Another bullet that missed hit the frame of the doorway, shattering pieces of it that struck her in the cheek and forehead.


    She fell onto the floor, kicking herself out of the line of fire.


    The three animals stood there, frozen. Their brains seemed to be failing to comprehend what was taking place in front of them.


    ¡°Look alive!¡± Frelya screamed, which seemed to snap them from their daze. Kyro and Lilith quickly positioned themselves on either side of the door with Grinner posted up several paces back, sidearm drawn.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Switch to rifle,¡± Frelya ordered.


    Grinner wanted to argue, and started to. The sidearm was so much easier to maneuver in a tight space. It was what they were trained to do. She hesitated for a moment, holding eye contact with Frelya. She knew the sidearm was the right choice, and yet¡­


    She quickly holstered her sidearm, drawing the large rifle from her shoulder and posting against the opposite wall of the hallway for support.


    ¡°Get ready to rush it,¡± Lilith shouted to Kyro. Kyro nodded and drew her serrated daggers.


    ¡°No!¡± Frelya tried to shout, but her lack of breath made that a challenge. Her ribs were broken, despite the fact her armor had prevented the round from piercing her body. Her lung was also damaged. She still had her eye, but the blood pouring over it made it impossible to see.


    ¡°No?¡± Lilith hissed angrily. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Hold your position,¡± Frelya ordered, clutching her side as she pulled herself to her feet against the wall. ¡°Grinner. Blast the walls here¡­ and here. Full power shots.¡±


    Frelya pointed at two spots along the wall.


    Grinner didn¡¯t hesitate this time, raising her rifle and firing two successive blasts at the wall, leaving gaping holes. This material was tough, but it wasn¡¯t meant to endure blasts from weapons. When struck with enough force, it created a cloud of dust that¡­


    Suddenly it clicked for Lilith. She smiled, then looked to Frelya with a look that was something resembling admiration. ¡°Smokescreen, with two spaces for suppressing fire!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure why she shouted it, but the realization felt significant to the three of them.


    ¡°Bingo,¡± Frelya wheezed. ¡°Grinner, draw your sidearm and post up at the middle vantage point. I¡¯m on the far left. Lilith and Kyro, enter when we drop suppressing fire.¡±


    Frelya drew her sidearm, switching to her non-dominant hand and eye, and hobbled her way to the opening. The smoke was still heavy, but would soon settle. They had to move quickly. As soon as Grinner posted at the second opening, she disengaged the safety on her weapon.


    ¡°Does your sidearm have a thermal safety and do you know how to engage it?¡±


    Grinner nodded. ¡°But¡­¡± she began to question again, but immediately thought better of it. ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Engage thermal safety, and drop suppressing fire on my signal. Three¡­ two¡­¡±


    Frelya began firing, her shots slow and deliberate. Spaced out.


    Grinner quickly picked up on the rhythm. As fire was returned to Frelya, Grinner fired a shot to bring it back to her. Back and forth it continued, until they were almost a continuous beat alternating between the two. They¡¯d synced up to the point the return fire scarcely came at all, the automated targeting of the machine unable to rotate the machine gun quickly enough.


    ¡°Kyro! Lilith! Go!¡±


    Kyro and Lilith burst through the fading cloud of dust, quickly finding themselves upon the machine. Lilith arrived a split second sooner than Kyro, swinging and missing at the nimble enemy. Kyro caught the thing in the air, where it couldn¡¯t dodge again, adjusting her grip and ripping upward with precision that would be physically impossible for a human, severing the wire and hoses keeping it functional. It landed, then fired once, hitting Kyro in the stomach.


    Lilith screamed out, flying through the air and landing on it before it could swing its slowing gun around to meet her. She pushed her dagger into several narrow spaces, but the fit was tighter on such a small machine. The tolerances between moving parts more unforgiving to a weapon seeking to enter that space. Yet, with a bit of elbow grease and rage, Lilith had managed it, taking the optics offline.


    Now, it fired randomly, unable to target. She forced her dagger into the ammunition belt, snapping the thin metal in half before she tried again with the thicker remaining portion, this time stopping the belt fully.


    Kyro groaned, dragging herself across the floor, leaving a trail of blood behind her.


    Grinner¡¯s next shot disabled the unit entirely.


    ¡°The upload link,¡± Frelya shouted. ¡°Grinner!¡±


    Grinner finally realized Kyro had been shot, and bad. There was blood everywhere.


    ¡°Grinner!¡± Frelya tried again. Grinner was frozen in place, like she¡¯d become a machine herself, staring at Kyro struggling, unable to move or speak.


    ¡°Frelya, your sidearm!¡± Lilith hissed.


    Frelya flung the weapon at Lilith, who caught it and fired three shots quickly into the machine.


    ¡°Did we get it in time?¡± Frelya asked.


    ¡°I think so. Barely,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Lilith, hold Kyro down. Grinner, get my bag while I put pressure on the wound.¡±


    Grinner was still frozen. Frelya took a step toward her, slapping her hard across the face.


    ¡°Do you want your friend to die, Grinner?¡±


    Grinner shook her head, rushing to get Frelya¡¯s bag.


    Lilith did her best to keep a cool head, but Frelya could see that it was getting to her as well. They¡¯d chosen to remain behind, and had likely never seen anything like this in their short lives. They¡¯d never had to watch one of their friends die right in front of them. They¡¯d never had to go through the changes that created in a person. Tried to smile through the numbness that filled their heart after. Try to pretend to be normal, whatever that meant.


    Again, Frelya struggled to keep her own mind from drifting to Taylor. She imagined her gunned down just like this, bleeding out, all alone with no one to help her.


    ¡°Hurry it up, Grinner!¡± Frelya shrieked, her voice cracking as she finally let the desperation shine through.


    Grinner came sprinting back, sliding to a stop with the bag.


    ¡°Take over. Hold pressure on the wound,¡± Frelya ordered.


    Grinner and Frelya swapped places, and Frelya began digging through the trauma kit in her bag.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Kyro hissed through the pain. ¡°S-sorry I¡­ sorry I¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry you¡¯re what? What is it, Kyro?¡± Lilith asked, leaning close to hear her strained words.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡­ got myself killed and¡­ let you win the¡­ the top performer¡­ when¡­ when clearly you should¡¯ve been the¡­ been the second best.¡±


    ¡°Really? I hate you, Kyro!¡± Lilith shouted. Then, almost as though she was afraid those would be her final words to her friend, immediately abandoned the joke. ¡°Please don¡¯t die, Kyro. Please don¡¯t die,¡± she pleaded.


    Frelya applied a medicated patch to the front. ¡°Hold that,¡± she said to Grinner before applying another to her back. ¡°And that.¡± She wrapped a bandage around, keeping the two patches in place. The bleeding stopped almost immediately, before she¡¯d even finished wrapping the bandages. Then, she pulled out a syringe, stabbing it into her chest and injecting the fluid.


    ¡°If that¡¯s not compatible with cats, it was nice knowing you,¡± Frelya said, patting Kyro on the shoulder.


    ¡°What?¡± Kyro asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding. That¡¯s what you get for messing with Lilith just now.¡±


    ¡°You really had me going there for¡­ a¡­¡±


    Kyro¡¯s head fell, and panic immediately set in for Lilith and Grinner. Frelya was quick to raise her hands.


    ¡°Be calm. She¡¯s fine. That last injection had a sedative. The emergency repair concoction I made can be a bit¡­ hard to handle for someone awake.¡±


    ¡°Frelya, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Grinner added immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I lost it back there. I almost¡ª¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t,¡± Frelya snapped, cutting her short.


    ¡°Enhancers speed up healing. Kyro should get one first,¡± Lilith insisted.


    Grinner nodded with enthusiasm, suddenly realizing that Lilith was correct.


    ¡°You two would sacrifice an enhancer so your friend heals just a bit faster?¡± Frelya asked, somewhat surprised.


    Kyro and Grinner nodded again.


    ¡°Anyone would be lucky to have friends like the two of you,¡± Frelya said, surprised by her own smile. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. We¡¯re suspending the operation for now, and resume in a few days when Kyro is back on her feet and out of the tank.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just the three inexperienced animals that were caught off guard. She had been as well. This was a completely different kind of machine unit. They were modifying already? That could only mean one thing¡­ Adversity Management still at HQ had been fighting them here, likely attempting the very thing they¡¯d just attempted.


    And lost.


    This was not going to be easy.

 Chapter 81

    I stopped just shy of the massive, gated wall before me. PanTech¡¯s invisible barrier, long since inactive, wasn¡¯t really necessary. This wall must¡¯ve been here for a long time, only now becoming effective in any way that mattered. It was likely something ceremonial, constructed by PanTech when the zone was being established to fit some cultural theme they barely understood and made no effort to comprehend. Then again, why would they?


    Two armed guards stood on either side of the gate, eyeing me as I approached. They were calm, neither alarmed by the large falcon on my shoulder nor the sword on my hip. Their armor was ornate, mostly leather, featuring some sort of mythical creature¡¯s face shaped on each shoulder piece. They wielded elaborately designed spears, with swords at their sides. These were not simple ruffians, but trained soldiers¡ªunusual, considering PanTech¡¯s stance on allowing citizens to become competent in military matters.


    I recalled some of my mother¡¯s stories about this zone. They were given significant leeway for ceremony and appearance. It would explain the wall and the soldiers. However, it raised a larger question in my mind. Zone protection was, ceremony or not, within the jurisdiction of Adversity Management. Why were citizen soldiers standing at the gate instead of Adversity Management?


    I waved as I approached, offering a smile. It was worth a try. I was met with stone-faced indifference. For a moment, I thought I might just walk right between them without any interference, but two spears crossed in front of me the moment I reached them.


    ¡°What zone do you hail from?¡± the soldier on the left asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m from the desert village zone far from here. Originally.¡±


    ¡°Originally,¡± he answered, looking down his nose at me. ¡°So, you¡¯re from PanTech. There were survivors, after all.¡±


    His tone implied disappointment, though I couldn¡¯t necessarily blame him for that. In his position, I¡¯d likely have felt the same way¡ªbefore I met Linus, before I became an employee of PanTech myself and met so many good people there. Life is so much easier when you can view a group as a collection of evil rather than as diverse individuals with different beliefs and personalities. Despite that, some institutions simply can¡¯t be changed from within. They demand you either work outside of them or conform, with no middle ground. It is possible to hate PanTech and still care about many of the people who work for them.


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, but yes. I¡¯m here to speak to Adversity Management. Can you take me to them?¡±


    ¡°Adversity Management is no longer the acting authority.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re gone?¡± I asked.


    He tilted his head at me, as though I were slow for not understanding his answer the first time.


    ¡°They are no longer the acting authority. They have sworn to serve the new emperor,¡± he clarified.


    But his clarification made the statement no easier to swallow. The only times I¡¯d seen zones take charge of themselves like this was when Adversity Management was no longer around, because they¡¯d all left or had all been killed. Here, they surrendered control willingly?


    ¡°I see¡­ could you take me to the emperor, then?¡±


    The other soldier chuckled.


    ¡°Do you think anyone can just show up and ask to see the emperor? Of course not. You may enter and join in the festivities, but our laws strictly forbid accepting assistance from outsiders. That includes other zones and, yes, even PanTech.¡±


    Finally, there was no Adversity Management to stand in the way of offering the vaccine quickly, and they were telling me they were unable to accept aid from outsiders because of some law? And surely they just made this law recently. Adversity Management certainly wouldn¡¯t have allowed it while in power.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Also¡­ festivities?


    ¡°What are you celebrating? Are you not experiencing a plague, like other zones?¡±


    The soldier¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡°Yes, we are. However, the coronation ceremony for our new emperor is in three days. That is cause for celebration, in spite of the sickness.¡±


    ¡°New emperor? What happened to the old one?¡± I asked.


    I¡¯d finally worn out their patience. The other soldier spoke up again.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern. You can enter and take part in the festivities if you¡¯d like, or you can move on with your travels.¡±


    ¡°I have a vaccine that can cure everyone here. It¡¯s a simple medical procedure that can be done before the coronation ceremony. Wouldn¡¯t that be a fine way to start the new emperor¡¯s reign?¡±


    I knew full well this kind of decision was far outside the authority of the two men in front of me, but I was casting my line out. I wanted to get a feel for the overall reception of the people here to gauge what kind of response I might get from the emperor or those loyal to him.


    The two men looked at one another, then returned their gaze to me. I wouldn¡¯t know their true reaction, because they clearly did not believe me. The faint smiles on their lips gave that away.


    ¡°Open the gate!¡± one shouted over the wall.


    The door slowly lifted until finally, it was open far enough for me to walk through.


    ¡°Enjoy your brief stay,¡± the other said.


    I stepped through the gate and was greeted by a bizarre, but not unwelcome sight. The street was crowded with people, all in high spirits. There were costumes, dancing, and vendors lined up as far as the eye could see. For a zone with only a few thousand people, it was hard to imagine anything warranting this kind of participation given the circumstances.


    A line of people ran in front of me, wearing a multi-person costume that looked like a dragon. They ran in a circle around me, then continued along the street, hopping and creating all sorts of eccentric movements as they did.


    A child approached me with what looked like some kind of candy on a long stick, and I accepted it. It brought back memories of another zone I had visited some years ago when I was still dealing with the General Markus problem. At that time, it had been a trap to get us to let down our guard, and I was kidnapped. I¡¯d have to stay on my guard here, but that didn¡¯t mean I was going to pass on any delicious food.


    I took a big bite, much to Ghost¡¯s silent surprise.


    ¡°Mmm!¡± I said, nodding to the kid with a big smile. She laughed, then handed me another before running off with a basket full of whatever these things were.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted,¡± Ghost nearly whispered in my ear.


    ¡°I¡¯m just blending in,¡± I said.


    ¡°Right. Right.¡±


    He didn¡¯t believe me. Or maybe he was just jealous of my treat.


    ¡°It¡¯s some kind of cake ball but firmer. It holds together on the stick. It¡¯s almost gooey. Want a taste?¡±


    ¡°I did not ask, and I do not.¡±


    I grinned, shoving the rest of the ball into my mouth, causing my cheeks to puff out.


    Each vendor stall I passed was enthusiastic, calling out to me. A woman held up a necklace.


    ¡°It would look so beautiful on you!¡± she said as I passed.


    Another man held up a large carving of a falcon.


    ¡°Just like your companion!¡± he said.


    I nodded and smiled as I continued walking. In truth, I hated these sorts of pushy merchant tactics. I was already feeling drained, and I¡¯d only been here a few minutes. My pace quickened, eager to make it out of the market area.


    Eventually, I encountered some men working to repair a building that had partially collapsed.


    ¡°Hello. Could I get some directions?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m working,¡± the man said, bumping into me as he hurried past with a piece of lumber on his shoulder.


    Wandering around aimlessly it is, then.


    I continued for a while longer, eventually making it past all the vendors and businesses to what looked like government buildings. Maybe this was a little closer to what I was looking for.


    I stepped inside the first building I came to, seeing a ¡°Ministry of Agriculture¡± plaque above the door.


    Several men loitered inside, perhaps looking busy more than being busy. A government building, to be sure.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m wondering what the proper procedure is to meet with the emperor.¡±


    The man closest to the door took a step toward me, bowing slightly before letting his eyes linger on me for a moment. He seemed to grow more and more confused with each passing moment.


    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯d first have to wait for him to become the emperor. He is simply the prince for now. Chief Adviser Tannis is taking care of state affairs for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet with Chief Adviser Tannis, then.¡±


    The officials smiled at one another before the man turned his attention back to me.


    ¡°Esteemed visitor¡­ well¡­ any business discussed with the Chief Adviser won¡¯t be addressed for several days, and by then we will have our new emperor. Why not just enjoy the festivities for now? It¡¯s unlikely the emperor will have time to meet with anyone outside of the royal court for months anyway.¡±


    I sighed, rubbing my temples. It was going to be one of those places.

 Chapter 82

    ¡°Who are you advising not to bother meeting with me?¡± a gruff voice said from the doorway.


    The man speaking to me took a step back, bowing his head. ¡°Chief Adviser, I was just¡­ well, you¡¯re so busy, and¡­¡±


    ¡°That is something my secretary can determine. I don¡¯t need the Minister of Agriculture appointing himself to that role.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Apologies, Chief Adviser.¡±


    The chief adviser was much younger than I was expecting. I¡¯d anticipated an elderly man to come hobbling through the door. Although his hair and beard were streaked with gray, he had the look of a military man more than a politician. I suspected that might be his history. I also suspected I¡¯d find out soon enough.


    The minister turned to walk away but was stopped.


    ¡°Where are you going, Minister? I came to deliver a message to you on behalf of the new emperor.¡±


    The minister turned, bowing and waiting for the next words. His demeanor had changed significantly from when he¡¯d been talking to me to now. He did not look the chief adviser in the eyes. It seemed he dreaded what was coming.


    ¡°Apologies. I am eager to receive His Majesty¡¯s message,¡± he said, speaking in a hushed tone.


    Chief Adviser Tannis wore a hard expression, as if he was about to scold a child.


    ¡°His Majesty has done a thorough audit of your work. In his mercy, he has asked me to tell you that, if you value your head, you will rein in the problem. Is that clear?¡±


    The minister dropped to his knees, startling me. He pressed his hands on the floor, resting his forehead against them.


    ¡°Please thank His Majesty for his mercy!¡± he shouted. ¡°I will not disappoint him.¡±


    Who exactly was this new emperor? This man, a minister, was terrified.


    ¡°Please rise, Minister Albus. Take comfort in the fact that you were not the first minister to receive this message today, and you will not be the last. His Majesty wishes for his expectations to be clearly known so that the consequences will not come as a surprise¡­ should you fall short.¡±


    ¡°I swear that will not happen!¡± Minister Albus said as he rose to his feet. He bowed twice, then scurried away, snapping his fingers at the others working in his office as he did. They were no longer lounging about but working in earnest. Everyone had been listening carefully to the conversation and was careful not to draw that kind of attention to themselves.


    ¡°Now, you¡­¡± he said, lowering his gaze to me. ¡°Who are you, and why do you wish to meet with our emperor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Taylor, former professor and scientist of PanTech Corporation. I have¡ª¡±


    Chief Adviser Tannis turned and began to walk away. ¡°Your first sentence is plenty. The emperor will not see you.¡±


    I grabbed his arm, turning him around. His gaze drifted to my hand, and he narrowed his eyes. He grabbed my wrist with his other hand, pulling it away. Taking a step back, he drew his sword. I drew Twisted Key, waiting for him to make the first move.


    Ghost had flown to a nearby bookshelf, flapping his feathers furiously. ¡°Taylor, must you always¡ª¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Guess so,¡± I answered, grinning as I kept my eyes on Tannis.


    His attention snapped to Ghost.


    ¡°That is no ordinary falcon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for noticing. It would really be better for you if we didn¡¯t fight,¡± I said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure about that. Unlike most others in His Majesty¡¯s service, my sword is not just for show.¡±


    ¡°I suspected that. Let me guess¡­ high-ranking military. A captain? General, maybe.¡±


    ¡°That needn¡¯t concern you,¡± he said. He was very confident but careful. He wasn¡¯t bragging¡ªonly warning me that pushing this might not go as smoothly as I¡¯d hoped. That was also the intention of my warning, and so we stood there at the ready.


    Had I been a bit wiser, I¡¯d have taken this moment to deescalate. Instead, I found myself curious and wanting to test the man. Maybe a brief duel would make him realize that, like himself, I also was not the typical person of my station.


    ¡°Unlike most other scientists, mine isn¡¯t for show either.¡±


    He chuckled at that, then pointed to me, gesturing for me to approach him.


    I stepped hard off my dominant foot, careful to use only the smallest bit of my enhancer¡ªjust enough to place us on equal ground regarding physical strength. With both hands, I brought my sword down. He ducked, gliding to his side. He was so quick on his feet that it was hard to imagine someone who wasn¡¯t enhanced focusing on those two movements at the same time. It was well-practiced. A lifetime, perhaps.


    Remembering my mother¡¯s training, I held my sword high and over my shoulder, positioning my left side toward him in anticipation of his counter. When it came, I struck the blade hard. Normally, this would disarm someone, but not Tannis. He tensed, clenching his teeth as the vibration from the blade tore through his body. He held tightly to the grip of his weapon, stepping forward and preparing a follow-up strike.


    ¡°Stand down, Tannis,¡± a man¡¯s voice called. As I brought my blade up to meet his, he instantly halted his strike, sheathed his weapon, turned toward the man in the doorway, and dropped to one knee.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Tannis said, lowering his head.


    ¡°I believe I asked you to deliver my message to the ministers¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course. I will hasten to do so.¡±


    This must be the soon-to-be emperor. The icy expression he wore could¡¯ve chilled the very air around us. There wasn¡¯t a single hint of curiosity in his eyes about the spectacle that had just taken place before him. He was completely unmoved by a sword duel involving his chief adviser and even less interested in me¡ªan outsider making trouble in his lands. Or¡­ maybe it wasn¡¯t right to say he wasn¡¯t interested. He looked at me like I was completely insignificant.


    He couldn¡¯t have been more than a few years older than I. He was somewhat gaunt, with sharp features. His long, black hair was soft and straight, fluttering in the light breeze. Most of it was pulled up in a small metal hairpiece. His red robes were made from high-quality silk and flowed almost hypnotically with the grace of his movements. He looked very much like a prince or emperor.


    ¡°I have a matter of grave importance to discuss with you, Your Majesty,¡± I said.


    ¡°If the matter led to you crossing swords with my chief adviser, then I have no interest in your games. Enjoy the festivities,¡± he said, turning to walk away.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a chance to discuss anything with him.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re saying your manners alone offended Tannis enough to draw his sword, then I most definitely have nothing to say to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the virus. I have a cure for it,¡± I blurted, sensing I might not have another opportunity to get through to him.


    He stopped, glancing over his shoulder at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd. I assumed this virus was a cure in the eyes of PanTech¡ªpopulation control or some approach to eugenics, trait selection.¡±


    He was very perceptive. That conclusion might have been obvious to me, but this man had never set foot in PanTech. Even Adversity Management didn¡¯t know the truth behind the president¡¯s motivation for unleashing the virus. Yet, this man had deduced it accurately.


    The faintest grin appeared at the edge of his mouth, almost imperceptible.


    ¡°Your hesitation in answering is all the confirmation I need. Enjoy the festivities, then be gone.¡±


    ¡°I tried to stop the virus.¡±


    He continued to stare at me with his piercing brown eyes. No words I spoke seemed to get through. He had no interest in me or anything I had to say, and I was doing a poor job of convincing him.


    ¡°It appears you failed,¡± he said.


    Those words were like a knife through the heart. Yes, I¡¯d failed to stop it, but I was doing everything I could now. Everywhere I went, someone needlessly stood in my way.


    ¡°Let me help your people.¡±


    He ignored me and resumed walking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you care about your people?¡± I shouted.


    He paused, but only for a moment, then walked away. He did not turn around to answer me or even acknowledge my question.


    We¡¯d only met once, and I already very much disliked this man.

 Chapter 83

    It seemed that if I was going to make any progress with this zone, it would not be through the new emperor. As for his chief adviser, I wasn¡¯t certain. Chasing after them and shouting would only make me look weaker in their eyes, so I¡¯d have to back off for now.


    I wandered down the streets, realizing that I¡¯d need to go deeper into their residential areas and away from the festivities if I wanted to get an honest view of how the virus was affecting them. The market was a place everyone traveled to, so it was only natural that it would be full of healthy people capable of participating.


    ¡°I won¡¯t lecture you, but do you think you might have handled that a bit better?¡± Ghost asked quietly, perched on my shoulder again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Maybe?¡± I said, distracted by my attempts to navigate the confusing layout of a zone I¡¯d never been in before.


    I¡¯d been looking for what I expected to be a busy, large, overflowing hospital¡ªsomething like I¡¯d found on the temple grounds of the previous zone.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I said to an elderly woman passing by.


    She had been in deep concentration, pulling a covered cart behind her.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I repeated.


    When she finally heard me and looked up, I saw that her eyes were swollen. She was under a lot of stress and had clearly been crying.


    She took one look at me, lowered her head, and began walking faster as she passed me in the street.


    ¡°She was in no mood to talk,¡± Ghost said.


    ¡°Odd, considering the festivities, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go as far as to call it odd.¡±


    We continued walking, and it wasn¡¯t long before I passed a young man pulling a similar cart. He couldn¡¯t have been more than twelve or thirteen years old.


    I smiled, but he did not smile back. It seemed anyone who wasn¡¯t actively taking part in the festivities had little reason to smile here.


    ¡°Excuse me. Sorry to bother you,¡± I said, slowly changing my walking path so that I would be directly in front of him. Based on how he kept his head down, he had no intention of talking to me either.


    He looked up at me, clearly annoyed. He huffed, then turned his cart to go around me, but I stepped in front of him again.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked, lowering the cart to the ground.


    ¡°Could you direct me to where your sick are being cared for?¡±


    He tilted his head and scrunched his eyebrows together.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Your hospital, or clinic, or whatever your word for it is. Where all your sick people are taken to be cared for.¡± I tried to clarify as best I could, unsure where the miscommunication was.


    ¡°Are you from somewhere else? We don¡¯t have anything like that here.¡±


    Ghost finally spoke up, startling the young man.


    ¡°I remember reading something about this. The sick are cared for by their families, and sometimes many families live in the same home.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°That falcon can talk!¡± he said, taking a step back and bumping into the cart behind him.


    He picked up his cart again and rushed off, almost running with it.


    I looked up at Ghost, eager to capitalize on the opportunity.


    ¡°Not to lecture you or anything, but do you think you could¡¯ve handled that a bit better, Ghost?¡±


    He glared at me.


    ¡°Fine. I deserved that.¡±


    ¡°No, you may be right. That means we¡¯re not going to have an easy time determining the number of sick in this zone.¡±


    ¡°The virus has the potential to be very progressed because of the time that has passed, but with so many random behaviors, it would be difficult to speculate.¡±


    I sighed, rubbing my temples.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet their government is keeping a closer eye on things and has at least somewhat accurate records. Though, I think I¡¯d like to know the full story behind Adversity Management first. Something doesn¡¯t really add up there. How many times have we seen them willingly subjugate themselves to the puppet leader of a zone?¡±


    ¡°Seems an unlikely story, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Ghost replied, tilting his head.


    ¡°Unlikely? I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s the word I would use. Unprecedented, for sure, and also kind of unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ve been disposed of by some other nefarious means, like with Sheriff Eric?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    I sat in the street, leaning against an empty cart. So many carts. Every home had a cart in front of it.


    ¡°The simplest solution would be to look for a cat or dog. Human members of Adversity Management will blend in. The Explorers League units I spoke with made it clear that machine units have not expanded out this far yet.¡±


    ¡°Yet¡­¡± I repeated, hugging my knees to my chest.


    ¡°The Explorers League is working on the machine problem so you can focus on the virus. Trust them to do their work,¡± Ghost said, almost sternly.


    ¡°I do trust them, Ghost. That doesn¡¯t make me worry less. I haven¡¯t seen Kelin and the others since the collapse. I haven¡¯t seen Ferris since long before that. And Frelya¡­¡± I paused, sensing my voice breaking. ¡°It¡¯s not their competence I¡¯m worried about, but their safety.¡±


    ¡°Kelin is still alive and in good health.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s reassuring.¡±


    ¡°Ready to turn your attention back to the task at hand?¡±


    ¡°What would I do without you, Ghost?¡± I said, smiling as I stood and watched. Another cart was being pulled down the street. This time by a middle-aged man who looked as though he hadn¡¯t slept in a very long time.


    I waved, stepping out and greeting him. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m sorry to bother you.¡±


    He stopped and stared at me, as if I¡¯d already worn through his patience long before I ever met him. I waited, giving him a moment to speak. He didn¡¯t, so I carefully continued.


    ¡°There¡¯s a plague or sickness. I¡¯m not sure how you refer to it here. I¡¯m traveling around to different zones trying to help however I can.¡±


    He continued to stare at me, but something changed in his expression. Suddenly, he seemed more alert. He had more energy.


    He screamed, running at me with both hands aimed at my throat. As he stepped close enough to grab me, I took hold of his wrists and spun him to the ground. He was tired, drained, weaker than a man his age should have been.


    He fell to the ground, rolled once, and then got back on his feet. He ran at me again. This time, I met him with more force, throwing him over my shoulder and slamming him hard onto the stone below. As his lungs expelled much of their air, he groaned, slow to get up this time. Ghost had flown a few feet away and was standing quietly, not wanting to distract me.


    The man spat, taking hold of the cart and pulling himself up. He grabbed the sheet and yanked it to the ground.


    There, in the cart, was a young boy. He couldn¡¯t have been more than ten years old. He¡¯d died within the last day. Seeing it was surreal. I¡¯d expected to turn away or perhaps burst into tears, like the first time I saw such a thing¡ªor maybe the fifth, tenth, or hundredth¡­


    Instead, I felt almost numb¡ªangry, frustrated, and helpless. I couldn¡¯t blame him for blaming me. I certainly couldn¡¯t blame him for blaming PanTech. This was their fault. As part of PanTech, it was also my fault. Even if I¡¯d tried to stop them, I failed. Much of the blame rightfully belonged to me.


    But that wasn¡¯t helpful. It didn¡¯t aid me at all in my mission to bring relief to as many people suffering from this as possible.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss,¡± I said, my voice sounding colder than I intended. I was sorry. I¡¯d like to believe I couldn¡¯t imagine what it felt like to go through something like this, yet I knew it all too well.


    His face contorted briefly, as if he might come after me again, but something inside him changed direction. He no longer looked at me. He simply covered the cart and went about his business. His head hung down, and his steps were heavy. Perhaps he¡¯d realized it wasn¡¯t really me he was angry with, but the world.


    Ghost returned to my shoulder, but before either of us had the opportunity to comment on what had just happened, I heard more shouting from further ahead.

 Chapter 84

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    As we approached, we could hear several men arguing. As I took in the sights around me, it became clear that this was the edge of the agricultural section of the kingdom. Farmland stretched as far as I could see, and the homes weren¡¯t as close together. At this point, I¡¯d caused enough of a stir that I didn¡¯t want to immediately jump into some kind of personal conflict that had nothing to do with me.


    I ducked behind an empty cart and watched from a safe distance, using the enhancer to improve my hearing and sight. Four men stood in front of a home with a large field behind it.


    ¡°Please. I¡¯m the only one in my family still able to work. Both my parents are dead, as well as my younger sister. I can¡¯t afford our taxes this month.¡±


    ¡°Arrest him,¡± an older man with a gray beard said.


    ¡°Please! All our livestock will die with no one here to take care of them. Just give me more time. I¡¯ll try to have it next month.¡±


    ¡°No one is above the law,¡± the older man said.


    ¡°Taylor¡­¡± Ghost whispered.


    It was so hard to hear the conversation that even his whispering drowned it out.


    ¡°In a minute, Ghost. I can barely hear them,¡± I whispered back.


    ¡°Taylor,¡± he repeated.


    As I turned my head to answer, I noticed two men standing in my periphery. It was the prince, soon to be emperor, glaring at me. The look of disgust on his face was almost palpable as he watched me hiding behind a cart, spying on the spectacle ahead. The other man was the chief adviser, who barely seemed to notice me at all.


    Before I could answer, the two men continued walking. I could¡¯ve sworn I saw the faintest grin on the chief adviser¡¯s face as he stared ahead.


    Meanwhile, the young man was struggling against the soldiers, and they¡¯d begun to beat him.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± the prince asked.


    ¡°This citizen is delinquent on his taxes, Your Majesty. We are punishing him in accordance with the law. He will serve thirty days of imprisonment.¡±


    The prince looked to the young man, his expression unreadable.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you paid your taxes?¡±


    ¡°The plague has taken my whole family. It¡¯s everything I can do just to keep the farm running.¡±


    The prince turned back to the older man.


    ¡°I ordered a moratorium on taxes for those with a member of the household passing from the plague. The Ministry of Taxation must be mistaken,¡± he said, turning as though he were about to walk away.


    The old man smiled sheepishly, bowing.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ this law does not go into effect until your inauguration ceremony is complete. Until then, the nation still follows your father¡¯s laws.¡±


    The prince nodded, adjusting his robe.


    ¡°True. This is true,¡± the prince said, rubbing his chin.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you are reasonable, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Release the farmer,¡± he said, gesturing to the four soldiers.


    They obeyed him without hesitation, unbinding the young man¡¯s wrists and standing aside.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, rubbing his wrists.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°He must be held accountable!¡± the tax collector shouted.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± the prince said. ¡°And I will not stop you from doing so.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°You may arrest him yourself, if you like. However, he is free to resist with my reassurance that he won¡¯t be punished.¡±


    The tax collector looked at the much younger, stronger farmer and seemed to actually consider it for a moment.


    ¡°Your father¡ª¡±


    The prince¡¯s glare was instant and intense.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he said.


    The tax collector looked horrified. Though I couldn¡¯t really appreciate the look on the prince¡¯s face at this distance, it was clearly enough to shut the old man up and put a bit of fear in him.


    He dropped to the ground, kowtowing, his arms stretched above his head and lying nearly flat¡ªa position that couldn¡¯t have been comfortable for a man his age.


    ¡°Forgive my loose tongue and insubordination, Your Majesty! I will honor your request.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever let there be a repeat of what took place today. Understood?¡± the prince said, his tone noticeably harsher than before.


    ¡°Rest assured, Your Majesty,¡± the tax collector shouted.


    Without another word, the prince adjusted his robe and continued walking. The four soldiers followed, leaving both the farmer and the tax collector in an awkward moment.


    After a bit of waiting, the tax collector scrambled to his feet and ran off. I took that as my signal to leave my hiding place, trying my best to stroll casually down the street toward the farmer, my mind still reeling from the spectacle I¡¯d just witnessed. It seemed the prince was every bit as cold and harsh as he appeared, but seeing the farmer being treated this way clearly upset him in some way. He didn¡¯t let his emotions show, but his actions made that much clear. What a strange man¡­


    ¡°Hello,¡± I said, waving to the farmer.


    He lowered his head, and for a moment I feared he¡¯d run into his home, but it seemed that being saved from imprisonment at the last moment had somewhat lightened the young man¡¯s mood.


    He nodded, fixing a barrel that had been knocked over in the struggle with the soldiers.


    I approached, standing up another barrel that had been next to it, doing my best to be friendly. Ghost stayed quiet on my shoulder.


    ¡°Quite the bird you have there,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever seen a falcon that big.¡±


    I reached up and stroked Ghost¡¯s chest, and he played along, behaving like any other falcon might. He nibbled at my finger a bit, then continued staring ahead.


    ¡°Thank you. He¡¯s been my companion for a while now. We do everything together,¡± I said.


    ¡°Too bad you didn¡¯t meet the prince just now. I¡¯ve heard his passion for falconry started in his youth. His father¡­¡± The young man stopped, looking around, as though the prince might hear him and come back, deciding he deserved to be punished after all. He lowered his voice. ¡°His father did not approve of the hobby.¡±


    I filed this information away in the back of my mind, hoping it might be useful later.


    ¡°I overheard some of the conversation. I¡¯m sorry about your family,¡± I said.


    His expression darkened, and he seemed to struggle with a response.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he finally said. ¡°You¡¯re an outsider? Your clothes and accent are strange.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from a desert zone, quite a distance from here. More recently, PanTech,¡± I said. I was sure this would end all conversation. It almost always did. To my surprise, he seemed undeterred.


    ¡°PanTech, huh? Are the rumors true that this sickness came from there?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Unfortunately, yes. That¡¯s the truth. It was manufactured and unleashed upon the world. The full answer is more complicated, but that doesn¡¯t change the simple fact. I tried to stop it but may have only made things worse."


    He sat on the barrel he¡¯d just picked up, looking at the sky.


    ¡°How long do you think we have left?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Before we¡¯re all gone.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. That question¡¯s even more difficult to answer. I¡¯m trying to help, but I¡¯m having a hard time getting through to your leaders.¡±


    He looked around again, apparently still afraid of being overheard.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much of that exchange you saw, but the previous emperor was¡­ very obedient to PanTech. The ministries that served him were very corrupt and focused on exploiting the people as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°And this new emperor¡­ he¡¯s different?¡±


    ¡°He has a reputation for being cold, harsh, and distant, but I think he cares for his people. At least more than his father did. However, unlike his father, he seems to favor force. All the ministers are already afraid of him. It seems most of the citizens are too, but not so much us farmers. We rarely encounter royalty, or even members of the court. Today was one of the few days I¡¯ve ever seen the prince in person. The previous emperor almost never left the palace. Out here we just¡­ want to live our lives, sell our rice and our meat, take care of the fields and the livestock that provide it and¡­¡±


    He paused, stuck on the next words. I knew what they were meant to be.


    ¡°Take care of your families¡­¡± I said, finishing his sentence.


    His eyes welled with tears, and he nodded.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t give up just yet. I think I should find and speak to members of Adversity Management. Do you know where I can find them?¡±


    ¡°There is no more Adversity Management,¡± he said, wiping his eyes and sniffing. ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details.¡±


    ¡°Right, I heard they fell in with the new emperor. Do you know where I can find them?¡±


    ¡°Not really, but the palace would be a good place to start. You¡¯d have to get access, of course, and that won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said.


    Nothing was ever easy, after all.

 Chapter 85

    Sometimes plans were made solely out of necessity. Other times, plans weren¡¯t made at all. The wise thing to do would have been to meet with other members of the court, slowly getting to know the ranking members to look for an opening, exploit a weakness, or leverage a friendship.


    Since whole families were already dying, it seemed this zone might deceptively be the hardest hit yet. Without a central place to get an accurate head count, I could only guess how much time they had left. One thing I knew for certain was that there wasn¡¯t an abundance of time to go about things the smart way anymore.


    Surely the palace couldn¡¯t be that hard to break into. Many of the former adversity management members would be easy to spot, given that they were cats and dogs. More than likely, their presence would be limited to the palace grounds to avoid making the common folk uneasy.


    It was risky. Getting caught would mean being kicked out of the zone or, worse, imprisoned. After spending some time in the jail cell of an unhinged sheriff, I had no intention of repeating that experience.


    I¡¯d sent Ghost to scout, finding the best location to drop in without being immediately caught.


    ¡°There¡¯s a servant¡¯s quarters you could drop into. It isn¡¯t going to be empty, but if you wait for the right moment, you should be able to pull it off. Servants won¡¯t be as vigilant as soldiers,¡± he said.


    Good. We¡¯d already been here almost a full day, so the idea of not wasting more time was appealing to me. We were already on the edge of dusk, and it was clear that talking to the prince directly wasn¡¯t going to get me anywhere.


    Using my enhancer, I began to scale the wall. It would be impossible for a normal person without tools, but thankfully it gave me the extra grip I needed. No one would ever suspect someone walking around without tools could enter here.


    My foot slipped, and my heart stopped for a moment. I was high enough up the wall at this point that a fall would be very unwelcome. Having to deal with a broken bone would set me back a few days.


    Eventually, I managed to reach the top. I paused briefly, looking back in the direction I¡¯d just come from, shuddering. It never looks as high from the bottom as it does from the top. Despite using the enhancer, it was taxing on my fingers to linger in one spot for so long.


    ¡°Let me know when to cross over,¡± I complained to Ghost, who was perched at the top.


    ¡°Quiet,¡± he scolded.


    Easy for him to say. He wasn¡¯t the one sitting here holding his entire body weight from his fingertips.


    ¡°Not to rush you, but if I don¡¯t cross over soon, I¡¯m going to have to drop.¡±


    He ignored me, his eyes continuing to scan the courtyard.


    ¡°Now,¡± he said, disappearing over the wall and flying down.


    I crossed over, quickly making my way down the other side before my fingers gave out.


    I sucked in a quick breath through my teeth, clenching and unclenching my fists.


    ¡°A shame you didn¡¯t bring your climbing gear,¡± he said.


    ¡°If only I could see the future, huh, Ghost?¡± I quipped quietly.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Now what?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Now what¡­¡± I repeated, sighing and looking down at my feet. ¡°Now I don¡¯t know. I have no idea where Adversity Management is. Or rather, former members. If you didn¡¯t spot any of them when you flew over, they must be inside the palace. That means¡ª¡±


    I paused, noticing several men running along the wall, their faces fully covered and swords drawn.


    I looked to Ghost, and he nodded. He¡¯d seen them too.


    ¡°Fly up. Keep an eye on them. I¡¯m going to follow and count on you if I lose them.¡±


    Without an answer, Ghost flew into the air. I sprinted to catch up with them, not sure what I¡¯d do if they happened to catch me following. I didn¡¯t know whether they were friend or foe, but they were certainly up to no good.


    As we passed between the small buildings that made up the servants¡¯ quarters, I stopped briefly to observe them preparing to scale the next wall. Unlike me, they¡¯d come prepared. However, I was eager to follow their lead for now. They¡¯d likely researched patrols and knew the best times and places to advance.


    After the last man scaled the wall, a total of seven, I followed without tools again. Everything from my shoulders to my fingertips was burning. It would¡¯ve been nice if they hadn¡¯t dragged the rope with them to the other side.


    I briefly lost sight of them, but Ghost signaled their direction just in time for me to catch up. Wherever they were going, they were in a hurry. Whatever they were planning, it wasn¡¯t good.


    We were running through the military quarters now, and the men I was pursuing had gone to the rooftops. The way they were moving indicated serious training. Likely everyone in the group was an accomplished martial artist and very fit. Without my enhancer, I doubted I could have kept up with them.


    As we were about to pass from the military quarters to the inner palace, I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I turned to see a large man with a death grip on me, his other hand resting on his sword. I looked in the direction of the men, just in time to see them disappear over the inner palace walls.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± the man shouted.


    I looked in that direction again, and they were gone. Their tools had already disappeared over the wall.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m going to have to ask you to believe me. There are seven armed men in black running toward the inner palace. They just scaled the wall. If you take the time to verify what I¡¯m saying, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be too late.¡±


    He hesitated for a moment, noticing the sword at my hip. He looked to the inner palace, then back to me again. ¡°Balder, with me!¡±


    A large anthropomorphic dog approached us. Just who I was looking for, but now wasn¡¯t the time to think about that. He picked up a large spear and rested it on his shoulder.


    ¡°General?¡± the big dog said, more of an acknowledgment than a question.


    ¡°If this girl tries to escape, capture her. She claims there are armed invaders heading toward the inner palace. There isn¡¯t enough time to mobilize, and I don¡¯t want to scare them away. We¡¯ll be outnumbered.¡±


    Balder simply nodded, and we sprinted in the direction of the inner palace.


    Our path was more direct. Accompanied by a military official, we moved unhindered straight through each gate. Eventually, we made our way to the doors of the palace, just in time to see one of the guards run through with a sword. As we spilled into the courtyard, two soldiers lay dead on the ground as the men scaled the steps with swords drawn.


    ¡°That¡¯s far enough!¡± the general shouted.


    No fancy words were exchanged. The seven men immediately turned and attacked us. Three against seven wasn¡¯t great odds, but I knew even before we arrived that the odds would likely favor us. Balder was a former Adversity Management soldier, grown in a lab to be perfect. Whoever this general was, he¡¯d seen his fair share of conflict. I wasn¡¯t sure where, since this zone had been controlled by Adversity Management, but clearly he¡¯d gained some field experience somewhere.


    Despite the seven men being highly skilled, the fight was over before more than a dozen blows could be struck. I¡¯d activated my enhancer, taking down three without wounding them before the general and Balder were able to land their first strikes. That left them with two each, which turned out to be little more than a warm-up for any real fight that might¡¯ve come afterward. Thankfully, that was the whole of it.


    The general had killed one of the men, but the others were alive. Several managed to make it to their feet and sprint away. Balder turned to pursue them but was stopped by the general.


    ¡°Let them go, Balder. We have two or three here who can talk, and that¡¯s plenty.¡± He turned to me, slapping a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You spoke the truth and may very well have saved our prince¡¯s life. What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Taylor,¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯m General Junwei. We¡¯ll save the rest of the formalities for later. For now, we need to make sure Prince Renyi is safe and secure. Balder, see to the prisoners.¡±


    Seems I¡¯d found an opening after all.

 Chapter 86

    I entered the palace alongside General Junwei, our weapons still drawn and ready for anything we might encounter. Two guards inside nearly attacked us on sight, on high alert from the commotion outside, but quickly sheathed their blades and stepped back. They snapped into a salute, answering the general¡¯s question before he¡¯d even asked it.


    ¡°The prince is safe, sir.¡±


    The general placed a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it firmly, but said nothing.


    We moved past them, entering the prince¡¯s private chambers.


    He stood ready, blade drawn. In fact, he seemed more irritated than afraid.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you safe, Renyi.¡±


    ¡°Are all the men okay?¡± he asked, ignoring the general¡¯s statement entirely.


    Junwei lowered his head.


    ¡°We lost two. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Prince Renyi turned his back to us, slamming his sword into its sheath.


    ¡°The next time this happens, I will not stay in this room.¡±


    Junwei¡¯s voice hardened, taking on the tone of a scolding father rather than a subordinate.


    ¡°Prince Renyi¡­ you will soon be the emperor of this great kingdom. I care for each and every one of my men, but our duty is to give our lives to protect you if that day comes. It¡¯s an honor that every soldier is proud¡ª¡±


    ¡°You may go,¡± Renyi said, coldly but calmly.


    ¡°What about this girl?¡±


    ¡°Where did you find her?¡±


    The general looked at me, as if to reassure himself that he wasn¡¯t getting any details wrong amidst the chaos that had just unfolded.


    ¡°She alerted us about the attackers. I spotted her snooping around the military quarters and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Leave us,¡± he said, sitting on the edge of his bed.


    The general did as he was asked, leaving the prince and me alone in his chambers.


    ¡°Well?¡± he asked, looking up at me impatiently, tapping his finger on his other arm where they crossed.


    ¡°What did you wish to speak to me about?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play coy. Did you want to speak with me so badly that you¡¯d sneak into my palace?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the whole truth, but confirming his suspicions would be the safest bet now that I was in this situation. Telling him I was trying to find members of Adversity Management would make him think I was trying to undermine him¡­ which isn¡¯t exactly wrong.


    ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty. I¡¯m afraid the matter I need to discuss with you is dire enough to warrant such drastic action.¡±


    ¡°Then out with it,¡± he said, raising his voice.


    ¡°The virus¡­ plague, sickness, or whatever it is you¡¯re calling it here¡­ won¡¯t be long before it takes your entire kingdom. I don¡¯t know if that will be in months or if it will stretch out over years. Make no mistake, everyone here will die. I have a cure, but it comes at a cost.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°A cure from PanTech for an affliction from PanTech? That¡¯s what you wish me to believe?¡±


    ¡°Everyone at PanTech wasn¡¯t unified for the cause. Some of us opposed the virus. I wasn¡¯t the only one who worked on a cure. This virus was at the core of why headquarters collapsed. Our president wanted to use it for eugenics, to quell those of lesser intelligence, to mold humanity so we could enter some kind of¡­ next stage of evolution. The president of PanTech was a madman. Maybe still is. I don¡¯t know what became of him.¡±


    The prince didn¡¯t really react to anything I was saying. It was clear by his unmoved expression that he didn¡¯t entirely believe me, assuming he believed anything I said at all.


    ¡°We quickly realized that the virus was brought in by the animal soldiers PanTech created. We could have easily turned them away. That is something my father regretted until his final breaths. A law was unanimously ratified to reject all foreign aid. There are many things he and I disagreed on. Most things, in fact. This was the one thing we agreed on the most. I helped him convince the officials, ministers, and the general population. A law that is enacted unanimously must be repealed unanimously. That will never happen.¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t find a way to make it happen, everyone is going to die.¡±


    His reaction surprised me. He laughed, rising to his feet, stepping forward and standing close to me. He put his hands on my shoulders, and for a moment, I thought Ghost might bite into one of them. I had nearly forgotten Ghost was there until he shifted his feet.


    This close, I suddenly felt uncomfortable. I tried to take a step back, but he held me firm.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t¡­ believe¡­ you¡­¡±


    He whispered the words, but I could sense the anger behind them. It was as though he had shouted them.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I said, just as quietly, just as angrily. ¡°Now.¡±


    Just then, a servant entered through a curtain, carrying tea on a large tray. When he saw us, he gasped, smiled from ear to ear, and ran from the room.


    The prince let go of me and placed a hand on his forehead, shaking his head slowly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve just created even more trouble for me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, and don¡¯t touch me like that again,¡± I snapped.


    He removed his hand from his forehead. Something about the way I spoke to him seemed to pull his interest all of a sudden. Being a prince, I doubted he¡¯d been spoken to that harshly by someone he considered a commoner before, especially not a woman.


    ¡°An empress should have a wife selected before his coronation or soon after. Now that they¡¯ve seen me with a woman in my chambers, my hands on her no less¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no one¡¯s fault but your own,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re lucky Ghost didn¡¯t bite your finger off.¡±


    ¡°I doubt your pet falcon understood our conversation.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure of that,¡± Ghost said.


    The prince¡¯s eyes went wide for a moment, but he didn¡¯t react the way most would. After that passing moment, he was composed again.


    ¡°Your falcon can speak. I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her lie to you. It¡¯s much more likely she¡¯d attack someone than me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d consider attacking a prince in his own chambers?¡± he asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°Attack? No. Defend myself? Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Leave,¡± he said. Unsurprisingly, he had grown tired of our conversation.


    ¡°I am the last person who can save your people. You should consider that before ordering me out of your kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Not my kingdom, my room,¡± he snapped. Something had him on edge all of a sudden, and I wasn¡¯t sure what it was. ¡°You are welcome to stay in our kingdom as a guest for a while longer. I will speak to you again tomorrow if you¡¯d like, but there¡¯s no need for any further discussion on the cure you¡¯re peddling. We have no need of it.¡±


    ¡°You can say you don¡¯t want it, but to say you have no need of it is a bit disingenuous. Or do you disagree?¡±


    The small twitch in his cheeks betrayed his clenched teeth. I was finally getting under the man¡¯s skin.


    ¡°I¡¯ve ordered you out. Or do you think yourself above my authority in my own kingdom?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t serve any king or emperor, so any order I follow is out of respect for you, not your so-called authority.¡±


    We shared another bitter glance, but despite my increased aggression in the conversation, something in his demeanor had begun to soften. Perhaps he was finally coming down from the excitement of nearly being assassinated. Or maybe it was something else. I was too frustrated with his stubbornness right now to delve too deeply into the question and was more than ready to leave. As I stepped toward the curtain, he stopped me.


    ¡°One of my servants will put you in a room tonight here in the palace. Don¡¯t bother trying to sneak off. You¡¯ll only cause more trouble.¡±


    I didn¡¯t turn to acknowledge him. Trouble? This man had some nerve. It was likely because of me, no matter what my intentions were for sneaking in here, that he was even still alive¡­ and he has the nerve to accuse me of making trouble. The one person with the means to save his people.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 87

    I awoke the next morning in my room to a pounding headache and the uncomfortable feeling of dampness on my upper lip. I wiped it away in my grogginess and had to look twice before realizing it was blood. Strange.


    Then again, maybe it wasn¡¯t so strange. The climate was drier here than I¡¯d been used to over the past several years, enjoying a climate-controlled utopia back at headquarters.


    Ghost noticed but said nothing, and it was impossible to read his expressionless face.


    ¡°Breakfast is prepared. May I enter?¡± I heard from the other side of the curtains. Oh, how I missed an actual, real, functional door. Even the zone I grew up in, a low-tech desert village, had doors.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I said, quickly wiping away the last traces of blood. I was immune to the virus, but the last thing I needed was for them to think I was infected with something and toss me out without an opportunity to explain. Explaining to a group of people who had never seen a syringe exactly how a vaccine worked, while something I hoped I¡¯d be able to do eventually, was impractical at the moment.


    A young servant girl entered with a tray, placing it down carefully before bowing.


    ¡°His Majesty requests that you accompany him this morning. He would like for you to join him for a hunt.¡±


    I looked to Ghost, who tilted his head slightly.


    ¡°A hunt?¡± I asked, caught off guard by the request.


    ¡°Yes. I believe His Majesty is curious what your foreign falcon is capable of.¡±


    Before I could respond, angry voices erupted from the hallway. Through the curtain, I could make out several figures, including what appeared to be Chief Adviser Tannis and several other court officials.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is highly irregular,¡± one voice insisted. ¡°Lady Ming has waited for days to meet with you.¡±


    ¡°And she will continue to wait,¡± Renyi¡¯s cold voice rose ever so slightly above the others. ¡°I wish to hunt this morning.¡±


    ¡°But Your Majesty,¡± another voice protested, ¡°there are three noble girls awaiting your attention. To go hunting with this... this outsider? Were she a man, that would be one thing, but I¡¯m afraid hunting with a woman at this time would be¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting I cannot hunt with whom I please?¡± The temperature in his voice dropped, intentionally revealing only a hint of his irritation.


    Silence fell over the hallway.


    ¡°Of course not, Your Majesty,¡± Tannis finally said. ¡°They merely wish to ensure proper protocol is observed during this delicate time. Perhaps if we disguise the girl to look like a¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will not slink about my own palace like a scared animal,¡± Renyi said. ¡°Now leave us.¡±


    I heard the shuffling of feet and muttered complaints as the officials retreated. A moment later, Renyi himself stepped through the curtain, already dressed for hunting in more practical attire than his usual formal robes.


    ¡°I trust you know how to ride?¡± he asked, not bothering with pleasantries.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± I said, finding myself oddly amused by his business-like demeanor.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ve had proper hunting clothes prepared for you. We leave in an hour.¡±


    He turned to go, then paused, looking at Ghost.


    ¡°I look forward to seeing what your companion is capable of.¡±


    ¡°I hope he and I won¡¯t be expected to hold back for the sake of His Majesty¡¯s dignity,¡± I said.


    A hint of a smile touched his lips before vanishing. ¡°We shall see.¡±


    ***


    An hour later, we rode out from the palace grounds, Ghost perched on my shoulder and Renyi¡¯s own falcon, a beautiful creature in its own right, on his. A small contingent of guards followed at a discreet distance, led by General Junwei. It seemed that despite his harsh words, some protocol would be insisted upon. Junwei did not seem a man easily dissuaded.


    ¡°Your court seems unhappy with your choice of hunting companion,¡± I said as we rode.


    ¡°My court is always unhappy with something,¡± he replied. ¡°I follow and enforce every law to the letter, but they believe I should be controlled at all times.¡±


    ¡°And you disagree with their expectations?¡±


    He gave me a sidelong glance. ¡°How obedient of a woman are you, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the lowest score possible? Let¡¯s go with that one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m somehow not surprised,¡± he said. There it was. That tiny hint of a smile again.


    We rode in silence until we reached a clearing at the edge of a forest. Renyi dismounted gracefully, and I followed suit. Despite myself, I found my eyes drawn to the fluid way he moved, the practiced ease with which he readied his falcon for the hunt. Although Ghost and I had been companions for a long time now, it seemed Renyi and his falcon were also close.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what Ghost is capable of,¡± he said, a hint of challenge in his voice.


    Ghost ruffled his feathers. ¡°This should be interesting,¡± he muttered.


    I worried for a moment that Ghost might find this beneath him, but as soon as we began, I found that my concern was unnecessary. He took to the hunt with surprising enthusiasm, demonstrating why shadowfalcons were considered such legendary creatures. Even though I had no intention of holding back in the slightest, Ghost was more polite to the other falcon than I¡¯d expected him to be.


    Renyi¡¯s falcon was impressive as well. Very well trained and in tune with Renyi¡¯s thoughts and intentions.


    I caught the prince watching Ghost with poorly concealed fascination. A few times, I noticed him studying me too when he thought I wasn¡¯t looking. The cold mask he wore seemed to slip slightly during these moments, revealing something warmer underneath. What that ¡°something¡± was, I had no idea.


    Not that I was paying him any special attention, of course. I was simply being observant. His interests could become important to my mission here.


    As the morning wore on, we fell into an unexpected rhythm, working together to flush out game and coordinate our falcons¡¯ attacks. Even Ghost seemed to be enjoying himself, executing diving attacks that were more typical of his species.


    ¡°Your falcon hunts as though he follows his own path,¡± Renyi said during a brief rest. ¡°Almost as if¡­¡±


    ¡°As if he only listens when he feels like it?¡± I finished, grinning. I hadn¡¯t meant to grin like that.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He looked at me with dark, piercing eyes. ¡°Much like his owner, I¡¯d wager.¡±


    I felt a rush of heat to my cheeks that had nothing to do with the morning¡¯s exertion. ¡°I¡¯m not his owner. Ghost is my friend and partner.¡±


    ¡°Partner,¡± he repeated thoughtfully. ¡°An unusual way to think of a falcon¡­ according to most.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an unusual person.¡±


    ¡°So it seems.¡± Something in his voice made me look at him sharply, but his expression was as unreadable as ever.


    The hunt concluded with an impressive showing from both falcons. As we prepared to return to the palace, I caught Renyi watching Ghost again with growing admiration.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said carefully, ¡°we could hunt again tomorrow? Assuming you¡¯ll still be in my kingdom, of course.¡±


    I thought of the angry court officials and the waiting noble ladies pining for the prince¡¯s affections. ¡°Won¡¯t that cause more trouble?¡±


    ¡°Trouble?¡± A familiar cold smile touched his lips. ¡°I¡¯m about to become emperor. They should worry about the trouble I could cause them. They should worry more about themselves and whether their own affairs are in order. Whether they have been doing right by our people.¡±


    I found myself fighting back a smile of my own. This proud, difficult man was starting to make a dangerous amount of sense to me.


    ¡°Tomorrow then,¡± I agreed, immediately wondering if I was making a mistake.


    As we rode back, Ghost settling comfortably on my shoulder, I could feel him judging me.

 Chapter 88

    The ride back had been mostly uneventful. The prince and I rode ahead of the others, while General Junwei continued to watch us like a hawk from a short distance behind.


    I realized the young ladies waiting back at the palace had something to worry about, and it wasn¡¯t me. Renyi continued to ask question after question about shadowfalcons: their behaviors, favorite hunting prey, training, and the list went on. Ghost was all too happy to answer these questions once I gently reminded Renyi a few times that the questions should be directed to Ghost, rather than me. I suppose it made sense that talking to a bird directly would take some getting used to, but he was quick to adjust.


    For the first time, he spoke casually¡ªvery much unlike the cold, curt style he used back at the palace. It seemed unusual until I noticed a similar change in myself. I wasn¡¯t sure why.


    Suddenly, Ghost tensed on my shoulder. Before I could ask what was wrong, a low hum filled the air; a sound I hadn''t heard in a long while, but one I instantly recognized.


    "Stop!" I shouted. Unfortunately, my warning had come too late.


    A shimmering dome of energy erupted from the ground, separating us from General Junwei and his men. The general''s horse reared up, nearly throwing him off.


    "What is this?" one of his men shouted.


    "It''s PanTech technology," I said. "A forcefield. The same kind they once used to keep citizens from leaving zones." I ran my hand along the invisible barrier, feeling the familiar electric tingle against my palm. "But¡­ why is it here?"


    Junwei dismounted, drawing his sword and striking the barrier. The blade bounced off harmlessly, nearly flying from his grip. His men followed suit, testing the barrier with their own weapons, but I knew it was pointless. Nothing short of an electromagnetic pulse would bring it down.


    "Your Majesty, stay back!" Junwei shouted, his voice muffled by the barrier.


    A volley of arrows rained down from the trees. I activated my enhancer, leaping from my horse and pulling Renyi down with me. His falcon took to the sky, but an arrow struck its wing. The bird tumbled to the ground with a cry of pain that made my chest tighten. I had grown quite fond of the creature during our hunt.


    "No!" Renyi shouted. The pain in his voice was raw and genuine¡ªthe first real emotion I''d heard from him.


    Ghost spread his wings, ready to take flight.


    "Ghost, get help!" I shouted.


    He hesitated, looking between me and the injured falcon. I could sense his internal struggle¡ªtorn between staying and leaving.


    "Now!" I shouted. "We''ll be fine!"


    Ghost dove down, snatching up Renyi''s falcon in his talons before soaring into the sky. Arrows filled the air around him, but he dodged them with unnatural grace. No normal falcon could manage such precise aerial acrobatics while carrying another bird. Soon, he disappeared over the treetops.


    "Into the forest!" I shouted to Renyi, who was already mounting his horse again.


    We rode hard, weaving between trees as arrows continued to rain down. I counted at least twenty attackers emerging from the shadows, all dressed in black and moving with practiced coordination. Likely the same men we¡¯d faced the night before. Their movements were too precise and calculated. These weren''t common bandits.


    An arrow struck my horse in the neck. The animal stumbled, throwing me forward. I rolled as I hit the ground, prepared to defend myself. The horse gave one last kick and was still.


    Renyi wheeled his horse around, extending his hand.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Take it!" he shouted.


    I reached toward it, but before we could make contact, several men rushed to separate us.


    "There are too many. You need to go!"


    His eyes narrowed. "I will not."


    "This isn''t the time for pride¡ª"


    Before I could finish, the men between us attacked. I drew Twisted Key, channeling more power through my enhancer. The first man''s eyes widened as I closed the distance faster than he could react, slicing off his arm with a single strike. The second tried to flank me, but my enhanced reflexes allowed me to parry his attack while hitting him hard in the throat with my open hand.


    Renyi had dismounted, his own blade a blur of motion as he engaged the other assassins. His style was different from anything I''d seen¡ªfluid and precise, but deceptively powerful. Each movement flowed into the next like water, but struck with the force of a hammer. With no enhancer, it was clear this was a man who¡¯d held a sword in his hand from the day he was born.


    We found ourselves fighting back-to-back as more attackers emerged.


    "Your swordsmanship¡­ you move like a spirit. No human can move like that," he said between strikes.


    "Yours isn''t so bad either," I replied, ducking beneath a blade and countering with an enhanced thrust that caught my opponent¡¯s heart before he could evade backward. "For a pampered politician."


    ¡°Hmph,¡± he grunted at my comment as he parried and countered another attack.


    They tried repeatedly to separate us, but we maintained our position, covering each other.


    I pushed my enhancer harder, giving myself more and more speed. I couldn¡¯t afford to be as selective as usual. If I was caught off guard by even a single arrow, I¡¯d be dead.


    Two more assassins fell, but others quickly took their place. My breathing grew heavy, and I could feel the familiar warmth building behind my eyes, warning me I¡¯d long since gone beyond my limit.


    "There!" Renyi pointed to a small cave entrance partially hidden by vegetation.


    We fought our way toward it, my enhancer straining as I pushed it to maintain our advantage. One assassin managed to nick my arm, but Renyi''s blade flashed, putting him down before he could press his advantage.


    Finally, we made it inside, resting against the cool stone walls as our attackers regrouped outside. The cave was barely large enough for both of us, forcing us to stand close together. Sweat dripped from the prince¡¯s chin as he struggled to stay upright. He was skilled and athletic, but still just a man. Enhancer or not, he¡¯d gone beyond his own limits.


    "Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.


    "I''m fine, I just¡ª"


    The words caught in my throat as warm liquid trickled over my lip. Now I knew. It was the same as before, when I¡¯d nearly died at PanTech headquarters fighting General Markus and his loyal commanders. I''d pushed the enhancer too hard for too long, and there was no Frelya to save me this time¡­


    My legs buckled. The cave walls began to spin. I heard Renyi call my name, felt his arms catch me as I fell.


    Then the seizure hit.


    My body convulsed violently. Through the haze, I was dimly aware of Renyi holding me, preventing me from striking my head against the stone floor. He angrily whispered something I couldn¡¯t make out, seemingly to himself.


    When the seizure passed, I could hear the assassins approaching. Renyi laid me down gently, then drew his sword. Fighting as they came through the narrow entrance gave us an advantage. It was the only reason they continued to hesitate, unsure of how to deal with us in here.


    "What are you doing?" I managed to ask.


    "Something stupid," he replied, and for a moment, I saw past his cold mask to the compassionate man beneath.


    He burst from the cave, catching one of the mounted assassins by surprise. In one fluid motion, he yanked the man from his saddle and knocked him unconscious with the pommel of his sword. His movements were precise despite his exhaustion.


    Seconds later, he had me in his arms, lifting me onto the stolen horse. He mounted behind me, keeping one arm wrapped around my waist as he took the reins. The assassins had now chosen to keep their distance but fired arrows aplenty. One struck Renyi¡¯s leg, and another struck the horse high on its back, missing vitals. Both somehow carried on with grisly determination.


    "Hold on," he shouted, riding as hard as the horse could manage.


    Many arrows flew past us. I felt Renyi jerk several times as shafts found their mark, but he didn''t slow. His breathing became labored, yet still he pushed the horse ever harder. Blood, his blood, soaked into my clothes where his chest pressed against my back.


    Among the prince¡¯s skills, he was unmatched as a rider. Despite his injuries and the horse¡¯s, we managed to finally lose them in the trees. My head cleared enough to realize we were approaching the palace walls. The guards were already rushing out to meet us, no doubt alerted by Ghost.


    "You''re hurt," I said.


    "Quiet. So are you," he replied, his voice tight with pain.


    "You¡¯re a fool! Why did you stay and help me?"


    He was quiet for a long moment.


    "Who is the fool? As if there were another choice to be considered..."


    I leaned back against him, too exhausted to argue. His arm tightened around me slightly, and together we rode through the palace gates, leaving our pursuers far behind. The last thing I remembered before losing consciousness was the feel of his arm supporting me, ensuring I didn¡¯t fall from the horse despite his own wounds. After that, only words I couldn¡¯t make out. Then, darkness.

 Chapter 89

    I awoke to darkness and the sensation of cold stone beneath me. My head was still throbbing, and my mouth was so dry I had a hard time opening it. As my eyes adjusted to my surroundings, I realized I was in a cell of some kind¡ªlikely the palace dungeon. I had half-expected this would happen. The moment the barrier went up, I considered the possibility it was as much a setup as an attempt on Renyi¡¯s life. But why?


    ¡°The prisoner¡¯s finally awake,¡± a voice said.


    I heard footsteps approaching, and a man in formal robes peered at me through the bars, like an animal on display in a zoo. Two armed guards accompanied him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Minister Chen of the Ministry of Justice. I won¡¯t insult your intelligence. I¡¯m sure you understand why I¡¯m here. More importantly, why you¡¯re here.¡±


    I tried to sit up but found even that small task difficult.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the prince?¡± I asked.


    I knew that if I was here, it was a bad sign. He was either incapacitated or¡­


    ¡°Dead. He succumbed to his many wounds shortly after reaching the palace. Your assassination succeeded. Does that make you feel proud?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± I said. I knew better than to use my enhancer for something like this, and more than likely I was dealing with a skilled interrogator.


    ¡°Of course, it has not been publicly announced,¡± he said. ¡°The people will demand justice, and I intend to give them that. However, I don¡¯t believe you could¡¯ve pulled off something like this alone. You¡¯ve never been here before, so you had help. I need names.¡±


    ¡°Guilty? I saved his life. For an assassin, I must like getting in my own way.¡±


    ¡°You led him into the ambush,¡± the minister countered. ¡°Using technology only those from PanTech would have the knowledge to use, much less acquire.¡±


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m the only one here who has access to that type of technology, you¡¯re not qualified for your job. You just want a quick, easy confession from the most convenient person you have access to.¡±


    The minister¡¯s jaw clenched, his face turning red.


    ¡°Take her to the interrogation chamber.¡±


    The two guards entered my cell, grabbing me roughly beneath my arms and dragging me out. What struck me as odd was how gentle they were being, like they were assisting their grandmother across the street instead of handling the murderer of their future emperor.


    The interrogation room had very little furniture¡ªjust a large wooden chair bolted to the floor, lined with restraints. I¡¯d read about the famous torture methods of this zone and braced myself to experience them firsthand.


    However, after being placed in the chair, they didn¡¯t even bother to tighten the restraints. They were loose enough that they didn¡¯t put any pressure on my flesh. In fact, with a little bit of wiggling, I could probably get out of them.


    I scanned the room for the tools that would be used on me but saw nothing. Were they using a different strategy with me, or did they fear leaving evidence¡­ or upsetting someone if they hurt me?


    ¡°Tell us about the ambush. How did you plan it?¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to clear away some of the fog in my mind. I was still reeling from the attack and the seizure that followed. I could only assume Ghost wasn¡¯t captured, or they¡¯d be using him against me.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Your silence only raises my confidence in your guilt. You are from PanTech. We know the technology used originated from there.¡±


    ¡°You know, huh? Since you know so much, why even bother with all this? Why am I here?¡±


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°His Majesty is dead, and someone will answer for that.¡±


    This was the second time he¡¯d said something like this. I was beginning to think that finding the person truly responsible wasn¡¯t as important to him as simply holding someone accountable who could have been.


    Another, younger official entered. His outfit was similar to the minister¡¯s, so he was some kind of assistant.


    He leaned close, slamming his fist on the arm of the chair.


    ¡°Who are your contacts in the palace? Who gave you that forcefield trap?¡±


    I met his gaze and smiled.


    ¡°Oh, I thought I was the one who brought the trap. But maybe someone gave it to me now? Fine. You gave it to me.¡±


    He stumbled back, as though I¡¯d kicked him.


    ¡°You¡¯d dare to accuse¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious this is just a performance from you to avoid looking incompetent. You don¡¯t actually know who is responsible, and you don¡¯t even care to find out. You just need someone to be the scapegoat so you can wash your hands clean of it all.¡±


    The younger man drew back his fist to strike me, but the minister grabbed his wrist with wide eyes. He gave the man a knowing glance, as if to warn him against making a mistake.


    How interesting.


    They both left the room, and not just for a few minutes. It was hours before they returned again. This time, with a cup of water.


    The minister stood in front of me, taking a drink before holding it to my lips. He wanted to make it clear the water wasn¡¯t poison. Not just to me, but to all observers. He¡¯d brought two other men with him this time, both older. The water was the best I¡¯d ever tasted.


    ¡°Several soldiers saw you move faster than possible for a human. How?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re interested in how I was able to help fight off the attackers and save the prince¡¯s life? You should¡¯ve just said so in the first place.¡±


    ¡°If you cooperate, your death will be quick. Trust me, our executions can get quite creative. And very slow.¡±


    ¡°If the prince is dead, why wait? Kill me right now. I¡¯m sitting here, restrained.¡±


    ¡°By leaving a confession, you can atone at least somewhat for your crimes. The people will know justice has been served. There won¡¯t be any question about your guilt.¡±


    ¡°To satisfy the people?¡± I snapped. ¡°Or to justify your wages?¡±


    This went on for hours, and fatigue was really setting in. I was dozing off between questions, only to be revived by cold water thrown in my face.


    One of the men held my head up by my hair, and the minister leaned in close. I could smell what he had for lunch.


    ¡°Ready the documents. I believe the prisoner will confess soon.¡±


    The door flew open. Without turning, the minister scolded the others.


    ¡°I believe I asked for no disturbances during our¡ª¡±


    As he turned to see who had entered, his face turned pale, and he nearly collapsed.


    ¡°Your Majesty! I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence! Release her now,¡± Renyi ordered. His hair was disheveled, and it was clear he¡¯d only just woken up himself. He leaned heavily on a cane. His robe hung halfway off his shoulder, revealing bloody bandages.


    The other men in the room scrambled to undo my restraints, keeping their gaze on the floor.


    ¡°Can you stand?¡± he asked, limping toward me.


    I nodded, unsure what the truthful answer was.


    I forced myself to my feet and stood on wobbly legs, but I didn¡¯t fall.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± I said, smiling.


    The minister grabbed for Renyi¡¯s hand, but the prince drew back, slapping him across the face.


    The ice had returned to Renyi¡¯s voice. The look on his face was frightening.


    ¡°You will kneel there until I send someone for you. If you move even a hair, your punishment will be severe.¡±


    The minister did not answer. He just bowed his head.


    Renyi and I didn¡¯t speak again until we¡¯d made it well beyond the dark, damp walls of the dungeon.


    ¡°How is your falcon?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She may never hunt again, but¡­ alive and well, thanks to Ghost. Speaking of Ghost, I can see how the two of you get along so well. He is quite¡­ outspoken.¡±


    ¡°Ghost has never had a problem speaking his mind,¡± I said.


    ¡°Ghost suspects your capture and interrogation seemed more by design than circumstantial¡­ and I am inclined to agree with him. They assumed I wouldn¡¯t recover quickly enough to intervene.¡±


    ¡°Why risk your own health to intervene? That was dangerous.¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer me. He just kept looking ahead.


    Before I could press him further, we were met by a shouting female servant.


    ¡°Your Majesty, where did you go? The royal physician demands you be returned to your bed at once.¡±


    Renyi grinned, but only barely.


    ¡°Prepare a proper room. Taylor is now an honored guest. Bring outfits by her room to choose from. She is hungry and will be joining me for dinner.¡±


    The servant looked at me with bright eyes, as though we shared some kind of secret I hadn¡¯t been let in on.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 90

    I woke the next morning to a heated argument outside my door. A real door, thank goodness. Not flimsy curtains or prison bars. Still, it was too thin to allow for any real peace and quiet, it seemed. As I focused my ears, I realized there was no juicy gossip to be overheard. Two servants were arguing over whether I should be given my breakfast right now. The prince had ordered that I be given breakfast at a certain time and also that I be allowed to rest without being disturbed, and they couldn¡¯t agree on which was the higher priority.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about Renyi,¡± Ghost said.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need me to worry about him. He¡¯s strong, bold¡­¡±


    ¡°Reckless, bullheaded,¡± Ghost added.


    ¡°Ah, subtext. You¡¯re getting better at human communication.¡±


    Ghost scoffed, flipping his head to the side. More human-like gestures. He really was improving.


    A knock on my door interrupted us.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I said.


    A servant entered with a small bowl of soup, placing it next to me on a tray.


    ¡°Please hurry and finish your meal. Prince Renyi requests your presence at court today,¡± she said.


    ¡°Me?¡± I asked, surprised. I¡¯d gotten much closer to the man, but court?


    ¡°As an observer,¡± she clarified. ¡°His Majesty believes it will do you good to see how our kingdom operates and how His Majesty runs its government.¡±


    I nodded. This was sure to ruffle even more feathers.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, digging in. The servant girl looked at me with an expression of disgust. No doubt I was ignoring some very important etiquette expected of a lady. From what I¡¯d read, this zone had plenty. I couldn¡¯t be bothered to learn them.


    After finishing my soup, the servant helped me get dressed in formal, cultural clothing. Not something I¡¯d normally choose to wear, but it was definitely beautiful.


    I was guided to the throne room, where petitioners were already lining up to speak to their soon-to-be emperor.


    The throne room was a sight to behold: massive, with high ceilings and ornate pillars.


    Renyi looked every bit the part of future emperor, his wounds carefully concealed beneath elegant robes. Still, I could see the strain on his face. Keeping up this facade was surely difficult.


    ¡°The people are afraid, Your Majesty,¡± an elderly official began. ¡°The plague claims more and more each day, and we are hearing there was an attempt on your life¡­¡±


    ¡°An attempt that failed, as you can plainly see,¡± Renyi said coldly.


    ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will hear the next petitioner.¡±


    A younger man stepped forward, nervously clutching a scroll.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I represent the merchants'' guild. Because this sickness is spreading faster, it has hampered our efforts to reach out to other zones and¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is a matter for the Ministry of Health. They are reviewing the changes and drafting new policies.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, if I may be so bold¡­¡± Renyi said nothing, but didn¡¯t stop the man from continuing. ¡°Some of our contacts have reported a cure for this sickness being given to other zones. A woman from PanTech brought¡ª¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Renyi¡¯s eyes found mine in the crowd, a mixture of relief and something that felt almost like an accusation.


    ¡°We do not accept aid from outsiders. This is our law, unanimously passed by all officials and cannot be overturned without the same vote. And, of course, my approval.¡±


    I frowned. Was this really how it would remain? Once again, I worried I was wasting my time, blocked again by stubborn bureaucrats.


    These same questions continued for hours, ranging from minor concerns about construction in a remote part of the kingdom to grain distribution, taxation, and everything in between. Multiple inquiries continued to pour in about the virus and the recent assassination attempt, but tapered off after being met with the same stonewalling from the prince.


    Finally, the last petitioner was dismissed.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± he ordered, prompting the few remaining officials to clear the room.


    Renyi stood from his throne and approached me, only to stumble and catch himself on one of the pillars. I rushed to help him, supporting him until he could steady himself. He leaned against the pillar and took a deep breath.


    ¡°You¡¯re pushing yourself too hard,¡± I scolded.


    ¡°I cannot appear weak right now. It would only invite opportunists. The cowardly target the vulnerable.¡±


    I sighed, understanding what he meant.


    ¡°Then let me ease your burden. The merchant who spoke earlier told you the truth. There was a woman from PanTech curing this sickness in other zones. You already know that woman was me. It¡¯s why I¡¯m here. Call a vote. Let me present my vaccine to them. Hasn¡¯t it already claimed the previous emperor?¡±


    ¡°And not a moment too soon,¡± he said flatly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, taken aback.


    ¡°My father was selfish and cruel¡ªa proper stooge of PanTech. Tannis was far more of a father to me than that man. Rumors were that my father had planned to install one of the other princes but died before he could draft the necessary decree. Though I wouldn¡¯t know any of this as a fact¡ªmy father did not wish to see me in his final hours. Tannis used his power as the chief adviser to select me, much to the fury of my brothers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I said.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t difficult to read the writing on the wall, Taylor. Our first act was to declare independence and force a pledge of loyalty from Adversity Management. Sick and with no support from headquarters, caught completely off guard, they relented. No doubt they seek to reclaim their authority, likely with the aid of one of my brothers¡ªperhaps more than one of them. This kingdom has never agreed more than on the law we passed separating ourselves from outsiders.¡±


    Despite the weight of the conversation, I was distracted by his physical state. He was sweating, and his breathing had become heavier. I quickly placed my hand on his forehead, confirming my suspicion.


    ¡°You have a fever!¡± I said forcefully, while keeping my voice down.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he replied.


    ¡°It does matter. What if you¡¯re too ill tomorrow to come out here and put on the same show? Go and lie down.¡±


    He smiled, and the reaction confused me. He placed his fingers gently on my chin, lifting my face up to meet his, nearly touching. Suddenly, my heart raced. My cheeks burned, as if I were the one with the fever. He was about to kiss me, and¡­ I didn¡¯t want to stop him. I leaned forward, rising on my toes, slowly moving to meet him.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± a man shouted, sprinting into the room.


    Renyi pulled away, alarmed by the interruption.


    ¡°I believe I ordered the room to be clea¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Chief Adviser Tannis, Your Majesty. He¡­ he¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak!¡± Renyi ordered.


    ¡°He was found dead. The physician who came to examine him said he had a complication from the sickness. His servants reported he¡¯d been showing symptoms but chose to hide them from you so as not to burden His Majesty further.¡±


    Renyi placed his hand against the pillar, bracing himself.


    ¡°Both of you, leave now,¡± he said.


    The man rushed out, but I stayed where I was.


    ¡°Leave,¡± he repeated.


    I reached out, taking his hand. I could see the pain clear on his face, powerful and deep, I could nearly feel it myself. My heart ached for him.


    He yanked his hand away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Just¡­ don¡¯t,¡± he said, looking away. He wouldn¡¯t bring his eyes to meet mine.


    He limped away, not looking at me again, and I didn¡¯t follow him. The additional stress on him right now was dangerous.


    As I exited the chamber, I saw the royal physician and grabbed him by the arm.


    ¡°The prince is running a fever. One of his wounds is likely infected. Go see him quickly. Don¡¯t tell him that I made you aware of it. Make some other excuse to insist on entering his chambers.¡±


    The old man simply nodded, swiftly making his way toward the prince¡¯s chamber without argument.


    I slowly made my way back to my room, my mind boiling over with frustration at the inconvenient mixture of emotions swirling inside me.


    I¡¯d discuss it with Ghost, but already this was not adding up. No man, no matter how tough he may be, could hide symptoms of the virus all the way up to his death. This reeked of foul play.


    I needed to find a way to examine Tannis¡¯s body, and fast. Then, an idea struck me.

 Chapter 91

    ¡°This is highly irregular, young lady,¡± the royal physician said, struggling to keep up with me on his old legs.


    ¡°No one here will trust me, and it¡¯s clear you serve the prince loyally. You¡¯ll be doing him a great service, and I¡¯m happy to give you all the credit.¡±


    ¡°But a physician has already examined Chief Adviser Tannis, and one of my students, no less.¡±


    I ignored his protests, but Ghost quickly offered some of his own.


    ¡°How do you know this isn¡¯t a trap?¡± Ghost asked as we made our way toward the eastern wing of the palace.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s a trap lately,¡± I said. He couldn¡¯t argue.


    I was thankful that I wouldn¡¯t have to go to the large facility they threw together to process the bulk of citizen deaths, though I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the prince had seen that one. I¡¯d have to have his ear first, and it seemed Tannis¡¯s death had erected a barrier between us.


    ¡°Yes, but you don¡¯t have to intentionally walk into all of them.¡±


    ¡°Want to just go home and build a little house in my village?¡±


    Even as I asked the question, meant to be sarcastic, my heart ached a bit. Would that really be so wrong? Ghost sensed my hesitation.


    ¡°Is that something you¡¯d want to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure anymore, Ghost. It felt good to be a part of something bigger than myself. I liked the idea of saving the world.¡±


    ¡°Look on the bright side. There isn¡¯t much of the world left to save,¡± he said.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t exactly make me feel better, Ghost.¡±


    ¡°Let me rephrase: Thanks to you, nearly everyone who can be saved has been.¡±


    Ah, rare Ghost praise. I beamed, making a show of soaking it in.


    ¡°Hold the applause,¡± I said, before turning my attention back to the royal physician. ¡°You don¡¯t seem at all surprised by Ghost speaking.¡±


    ¡°I was the first to be summoned when Ghost warned the palace of the assassination attempt. It is because of the two of you that the prince is alive now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you don¡¯t believe I was secretly behind it all along?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Why would I?¡±


    His expression was one of growing irritation. Not at me, but at the subject we were discussing. I¡¯d imagine treachery was commonplace in the palace, and an old man like the royal physician had long since grown weary of it.


    ¡°That was my question too.¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± he said, pointing to a door to our right.


    As I opened it and entered, I was immediately stopped by two guards.


    ¡°We are preparing the body of a high official for cremation. You need to leave,¡± one of the men said.


    The royal physician took a step forward, standing next to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to conduct a second examination of the body.¡±


    ¡°Did his majesty order it?¡± the second guard asked.


    ¡°He does not need to order it,¡± the royal physician said, his irritation rising above the surface. He took a step forward before being physically restrained by the first guard.


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    ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯ve been ordered to prevent anyone from entering, regardless of their rank or reason.¡±


    He spoke confidently but couldn¡¯t hide his nervousness. He was afraid of someone, and that someone scared him more than the royal physician.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see what His Majesty has to say about this¡­¡±


    As the royal physician began to turn, the guard pulled him back by the arm.


    I simply nodded to Ghost, who flew away without the need for explanation. It was clear to both of us what was about to happen.


    ¡°And if something were to happen to His Majesty while you¡¯re holding me here? Are you prepared to shoulder that responsibility?¡±


    The royal physician was quick-witted. He might not be able to force his way in physically, but he knew how to turn the situation into something different.


    I was certain this would work and was surprised when it didn¡¯t. Fine. I preferred to do things my way anyway. I reached out and gently placed my hand on the guard¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°You should let go of him,¡± I said, locking eyes with the much larger man.


    If I¡¯d been a giant, this might have been where it ended. I was accustomed by now to what would happen instead. A small woman threatening you physically got a reaction alright: amusement, laughter, or something along those lines. In this case, it was a smirk¡ªfirst at me, then at the other guard. It quickly disappeared as I forced his hand away and drove my fist into his side. He drew in a sharp breath, collapsing to his knee. The other guard took a step back, placing his hand on his sword, but his shock made him slow. I kicked his legs from under him, and he landed hard on the floor.


    ¡°My goodness, young lady. What did they feed you at PanTech?¡± the royal physician asked while laughing, almost as though this was what he¡¯d expected to happen. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time then.¡±


    As we passed through the next door, several people were gathered around Tannis¡¯s body, already loaded onto a cart.


    ¡°Stop!¡± the royal physician shouted. ¡°Step away. Now.¡±


    We met no resistance from the attendants in the room, who seemed surprised by the intrusion into what had likely seemed like a routine procedure.


    The royal physician tilted Tannis¡¯s head back, swabbing his finger inside his mouth. We¡¯d had the same thought, it seemed.


    He smelled it, then sighed.


    ¡°If you have any technology on you, now is the time to use it.¡±


    I¡¯d intended to let the royal physician examine him further. Not only did I want to give the man credit, but I preferred to draw as little attention to myself and my tools as possible. If whoever was responsible for this knew about the things I carried, they might factor them into future plans.


    I took out a small device from a hidden pouch I carried in my clothes, normally sewn into hidden pockets. That was always possible, such as in cases like this, where I was given different clothes.


    I touched the small cylinder to Tannis¡¯s arm and carefully studied the screen. It barely took a drop of blood, yet I could see everything: anything that had been present in his body when it was added, and more. Most importantly, I could see what was not present.


    ¡°Tannis¡¯s virus had not activated itself yet,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°But he did have it. So the reports were accurate?¡±


    ¡°No. We all have it. Even I have it. I suspect every human alive has it by now, but until it activates, there¡¯s no way of detecting it short of advanced testing devices, beyond what any zone would have available to them outside of their Adversity Management.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°And?¡±


    I showed him the screen, listing all of the agents the device¡¯s program had detected as noteworthy.


    He nodded again. ¡°I recognize two of these¡­ simple herbs. Neither is poison.¡±


    Just then, Renyi flung open the door. Rather than relief, his face was filled with anger as he pointed his finger in my face. ¡°You had better have a good reason for behaving this way in my palace,¡± he said.


    ¡°I am her accomplice, Your Majesty,¡± the royal physician said, without looking up. ¡°Cool your anger. You studied these herbs, did you not? Tell me what they mean.¡±


    Renyi grabbed my hand, pulling the device closer so he could read the screen.


    ¡°Emberweed and¡­¡± He looked up at the royal physician, his face twisted from anger to rage. ¡°Strideblossom?¡±


    He let go of my hand and took a step back, overwhelmed by the implications. I had pieced the explanation together: two harmless herbs that reacted in a deadly way. An ideal way to poison a cautious man. Likely one stayed in the system for a while, and the other could be added to the next day¡¯s meal for a lethal result. But¡­ why?


    ¡°I will go and draft a decree. The palace will be locked down until I get to the bottom of this.¡± As he turned to storm out of the room, he paused and took my hand again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Taylor. We¡­ if you¡¯re willing to help me.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll help you,¡± I said.


    He reached into his robes, pulling out a jade medallion and placing it in my palm.


    ¡°With this, you speak for the throne. Tannis held it with loyalty and dignity for many years, and you will be borrowing it for a time.¡±


    He turned again but held out his hand to stop me from following. He turned to the royal physician.


    ¡°I can tell by what happened in the other room that she¡¯s used that same technology that caused her harm before. Examine her before she joins me.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty,¡± he said.


    ¡°Do not use it again,¡± Renyi said coldly, locking eyes with me as he spoke.


    I really hoped I wouldn¡¯t have to.

 Chapter 92

    ¡°The prince was correct in asking you not to use your¡­ enhancer? Is that what you called it? You are showing similar symptoms to someone with a brain tumor. I¡¯m going to assume that this technology requires regular checkups and adjustments that haven¡¯t been available to you.¡±


    He stopped lecturing me only briefly, holding a lens up to my eyes and observing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not pretend I have a choice in the matter,¡± I replied.


    He laughed, lowering the lens for a moment to give me an incredulous look.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not pretend you haven¡¯t had every chance to turn around and leave this kingdom at any time. These are not your people. You owe them nothing.¡±


    ¡°We are all one people. PanTech just shoved us into different pens and convinced us we aren¡¯t. The people here deserve help as much as all the other zones I¡¯ve visited. As much as my own.¡±


    His eyes, which had gazed at me almost mockingly a moment ago, closed a little as he smiled.


    ¡°Were you a physician?¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking. A veterinarian. A physician for animals. I helped the veterinarian in my village until she passed away, then I took over her practice. When I joined PanTech, I found myself helping with the animal experiments that resulted in the anthropomorphic animals you¡¯ve seen in Adversity Management.¡±


    ¡°I was the first test subject,¡± Ghost said, and I was surprised by the hint of pride in his words. After all, it wasn¡¯t by his choice or mine. PanTech had essentially confiscated him from me and forced him to undergo the procedure.


    ¡°Well, third, technically. The early tests were carried out on a rat, then there was Henry, and then you.¡±


    ¡°I hope Henry is well,¡± Ghost said. I¡¯d expected him to make a witty, sarcastic remark about being in third place, but it seemed the mention of Henry resurfaced memories.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s helping Linda the same way you¡¯re helping me.¡±


    I doubted that was much comfort. By now, Linda and the others could¡¯ve been overrun by machines, forced to relocate, or killed.


    The royal physician gave another sympathetic smile.


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re the type not to let anything go. I suppose we should discuss the herbs used to assassinate the chief adviser.¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯d like to address you as something other than ¡®Royal Physician¡¯ if we¡¯re going to be seeing more of one another.¡±


    ¡°Dinis,¡± he said.


    I paused for a moment, considering the implications. Everyone else here had names that fit the culture of the zone.


    ¡°Former Adversity Management?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°Ancient history. I was a young man back then and worked to expose an emperor¡¯s efforts to hide away young women and prevent them from taking their PanTech entrance exams. I was assigned to safeguard the health of the emperor who replaced him, Renyi¡¯s father. It was a tumultuous time. This zone is no stranger to plots like the one that just took the chief adviser from us. Renyi¡¯s life will also be in perpetual danger.¡±


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    ¡°My mother was one of those women kept by that emperor. She said her parents gave her up, thinking she¡¯d be living a better life. PanTech became her savior, and she always idolized them.¡±


    ¡°Understandable, given her position. It¡¯s fascinating to consider that something I once played a role in set into motion the events that would lead you here today. But enough of philosophy and history. I know you¡¯re eager to delve into the subject of the herbs used to assassinate Tannis.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°If I¡¯m going to have this medallion, I may as well make proper use of it.¡±


    ¡°It may be in your best interest to hide that medallion and present it only when necessary. Misunderstandings may arise otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Misunderstandings? Like what?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he scratched the back of his head, considering his words carefully. ¡°It is customary for men like the prince to give a similar gift to a woman he intends to pursue. While all high-ranking officials will recognize it, many others will not. Some may see it and believe there was another intention behind you receiving it. The prince is under heavy pressure to choose his future empress as soon as possible, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the advice. About those herbs,¡± I said, cutting him off. I found myself flustered by the topic and was eager to move on from it.


    I detected the slightest grin on his lips, but he was willing to drop the topic.


    ¡°Ah yes, Emberweed and Strideblossom. Common here, but rare throughout the world. This is the only place where both grow. It¡¯s an old assassin¡¯s trick, but it fell out of favor due to stricter regulations and how easily they can be traced.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that strange¡­¡± I said, tapping my chin.


    ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°The method used to target the prince utilized advanced technology only available from PanTech, but the one used on the chief adviser employed something local. Not only local, but essentially exclusive to this zone.¡±


    He quickly mixed a small cup of medicine, made from some sort of powder, then handed it to me.


    ¡°Perhaps that was deliberate, so you wouldn¡¯t be able to establish a clear profile.¡±


    ¡°Or¡­ perhaps we¡¯re dealing with a diverse cast of villains and not a single mastermind.¡±


    ¡°Or a diverse array of villains working under a single mastermind. As I¡¯ve said, you¡¯ll find no shortage of treachery in this zone, particularly in this palace.¡±


    ¡°It may become more relevant later. With a high-profile target like Tannis, it¡¯s safe to say those who carried out the plot have covered their tracks and utilized a buffer of scapegoats. Rather than work backward, why not consider how the process might start?¡±


    ¡°You sound a lot like Tannis himself, Taylor. He was cautious. I have my doubts that the tainted food he ate was served here in the palace. Narrowing down possible sources might help you reach a quicker conclusion.¡±


    I took a sip of the medicine, feeling my mind clear a little.


    ¡°I appreciate your help.¡±


    ¡°My help comes with a condition,¡± he said. ¡°I can see you¡¯re a difficult patient. I¡¯ve met many in my years. Our future emperor is another, but I have learned a trick or two in dealing with difficult patients. If you want my support, you¡¯ll follow my guidance as your physician.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°Ah, a driver of hard bargains, I see.¡±


    ¡°I work with what I have. Perhaps I¡¯ve lived in this palace for too long.¡±


    ¡°So, about this issue with my enhancer¡­ how long do you suppose I have?¡±


    He sighed, looking down at his hands as he clasped them together.


    ¡°It depends on a number of factors. A PanTech HQ lab, manned by experts, could make this problem go away. If that isn¡¯t available, the next factor is how often you use it and how hard you push it when you do. I don¡¯t know how they are made. It could overheat. It could explode. It could be seen as a foreign object that your body is rejecting. I have no way of knowing. I can monitor your health over the next few weeks and see how quickly it deteriorates.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you can be honest,¡± I said, partly in jest, but also afraid he really was holding back.


    ¡°I would never insult you by withholding your prognosis. The bottom line is this: it isn¡¯t just the prince who doesn¡¯t want you to use the enhancer. That is my official order as your physician. Unless the day arrives when you are able to receive care at PanTech HQ, or by one of their experts, do not use your enhancer again. Each time you do, there¡¯s a chance you could drop dead. A chance I have no way of estimating.¡±


    The reality weighed heavy on me. Without the use of my enhancer, I was severely limited. I¡¯d gotten so used to always having it as an option that I barely remembered navigating problems without it.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± I finally said.


    A servant entered. I recognized her as one of Renyi¡¯s attendants who had brought me clothes before.


    ¡°Lady Taylor, I have a message from His Majesty. The prince often has tea in the palace garden at dusk and would like to know if you¡¯d be willing to join him.¡±


    Lady Taylor? Even stranger, did she just say he was asking if I¡¯d like to join him? No orders this time?


    ¡°Tell the prince I¡¯d be honored to accept his invitation.¡±

 Chapter 93

    I put on the formal dress that was given to me to attend court and asked Ghost to stay behind in my room. I had a feeling this meeting might call for¡­ privacy. Part of me hoped I¡¯d misunderstood everything¡ªmisinterpreted body language, misread intentions. These feelings had never ended in anything but pain for me. To care for something is to leave yourself open to it hurting you.


    As I walked into the garden, the servant who guided me there quickly dismissed herself.


    Renyi was reading a book by torchlight, a tray of snacks in front of him on a small table. When he saw me arrive, he waved me over.


    ¡°You came,¡± he said.


    ¡°A request from a prince is harder to resist than an order, it seems,¡± I said, sitting in the chair across from him.


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful you showed up when you did. It would not be wise for me to eat all of these by myself.¡±


    I¡¯d seen the prince¡¯s food before today, and it was clear this was excessive and in no way for himself. I picked up a small pastry and took a bite, nodding as I chewed.


    ¡°Mm. Not bad at all.¡±


    He poured two cups from a jug, sliding one to me.


    ¡°Wine?¡±


    I took a sip of it. Did he really believe he was being subtle here? It was clear the man had very little experience with showing his interest in women. Then again, I was in no position to judge.


    ¡°Renyi¡­¡±


    ¡°Renyi? I didn¡¯t realize we¡¯d become so familiar in our brief time of knowing one another that you¡¯d address me by name rather than title.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d prefer I use your title instead? I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    I smiled, and he returned it with his own.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. What were you about to say?¡±


    What was I about to say? I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d thought that far yet. Maybe I¡¯d just keep putting off the topic he¡¯d clearly invited me here to discuss.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked.


    He narrowed his eyes, sensing that wasn¡¯t actually what I¡¯d planned on saying.


    ¡°My injuries are less troublesome than yours.¡±


    ¡°Seems doctor-patient confidentiality is not a part of your culture.¡±


    ¡°It is, but does not extend beyond the authority of a concerned prince.¡±


    ¡°Your injuries seemed troublesome enough recently.¡±


    ¡°My wounds have stabilized. I will simply need to avoid unnecessary strain¡­ much like you.¡±


    I sighed, not at all comfortable with the direction of this conversation and the prince¡¯s ability to outmaneuver my efforts to change the subject.


    ¡°If you spoke with the royal physician, you know that my condition will only continue to deteriorate.¡±


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    ¡°That is not what he told me,¡± Renyi said. ¡°He believed the experts at PanTech, perhaps the creator of this enhancer device, could solve your problem.¡±


    ¡°I knew the creator of this device¡­ they won¡¯t be fixing this for me anytime soon.¡±


    Renyi stood from his chair, clenching his fist.


    ¡°I know of the situation at PanTech HQ. They lack their armies. Even they can no longer refuse the summons of an emperor if delivered by force.¡±


    ¡°Sit down!¡± I snapped. ¡°As far as I know, they¡¯re dead. It has nothing to do with wanting to help me.¡±


    He looked away. I could tell by the expression on his face that he instantly wanted to apologize, but struggled with the fact that a prince should never show weakness.


    ¡°I was wrong to react the way I did. Forgive me.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± I said, wiping a tear from my cheek. I hadn¡¯t meant to cry, but thinking of Frelya made it impossible not to.


    ¡°Someone you¡­ perhaps cared deeply for?¡±


    ¡°I once saw her as an enemy, but yes¡­ she¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m alive now, and I know she¡¯d do anything to save me if she were here. I miss her. She died making sure I escaped the day HQ was overtaken. She sacrificed herself¡­ for me.¡±


    The tears were flowing freely now, and I was angry at myself for crying in front of him.


    He took my hand.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine your pain, Taylor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can,¡± I said, forcing a smile. I knew I wasn¡¯t the only person in the world to go through something like this since the world had fallen apart. Since the virus was unleashed. He himself had only just lost Tannis, a man who was like a father to him.


    ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll consult with the surviving Adversity Management soldiers who have sworn loyalty to me. There are medics among them. Perhaps they could¡ª¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°She was the only one. Just let it go, Renyi. Not everyone can be saved. That¡¯s something I¡¯ve had to accept, and so will you. Not all stories have happy endings, and I¡¯m content with the things I have done. I¡¯ve saved countless people. There are some ten times my age who have done ten times less with their lives. Why should I feel wronged that mine has been cut short?¡±


    ¡°Stay here, with me in this palace.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will ask nothing of you. Perhaps in time, I will. There will be plenty of time for you to consider the implications of my request. Months, perhaps years, and when you are ready, it can be discussed further. At your own pace, with no expectations. This offer comes with no strings attached. If it comforts you to think of it this way, consider it as payment for saving my life.¡±


    His gentleness and consideration caught me off guard. How could a man with such a cold demeanor hide such a warm heart?


    ¡°Renyi¡­ I¡­¡±


    I felt a squeeze in my chest. I wanted to reject his offer outright, but I couldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t want to, yet I knew that I should. My presence would only complicate his life here and compromise his ability to govern. He¡¯d always be accosted by officials for not taking a wife.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I should tell you.¡±


    ¡°Speak freely,¡± he said. He still hadn¡¯t let go of my hand.


    ¡°I appreciate the space you¡¯ve offered me, but I want you to know that I can¡¯t have children. Those who join PanTech are usually sterilized. That can be reversed, but it is also a side effect of the cure I helped develop for the virus or¡­ plague, sickness, whatever you prefer to call it. Anyone who takes it will be permanently sterilized.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he said, calmly.


    ¡°You knew?¡±


    ¡°Our Adversity Management has made contact with another PanTech group, which also offered this cure in private. I was told of the implications. I¡¯ll admit I did not know whether I should fully believe them, but you have confirmed their words.¡±


    ¡°Why refuse the vaccine? Even if the outcome is still the same, the reduction in suffering is not something that should be ignored by an emperor. These are your people who are suffering.¡±


    He sighed, taking in my words but not allowing me to derail the conversation once again.


    ¡°That you can¡¯t have children doesn¡¯t matter, Taylor. We can¡¯t pretend things will go on as they always have. As for the cure¡­¡±


    He finally let go of my hand, gripping the table.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked, hopeful I¡¯d finally gotten through to him.


    ¡°I have given it a lot of thought. Since even before you arrived. Even though members of the court voted unanimously to reject foreign aid, it was not a vote offered to the people. Although a vote like this will be daunting, I believe the final decision should be in the hands of the people¡ªthose who tend the fields, bake our bread, and teach our children. Not officials who wear elaborate robes, and not a man who sits on a throne.¡±


    ¡°The answer is yes,¡± I said.


    ¡°With all due respect, you won¡¯t be able to participate in this vote. You aren¡¯t a citizen.¡±


    I smiled.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I was saying yes to.¡±


    In that moment, he understood.


    ¡°It pleases me that you¡¯ve come to your senses,¡± he said, wearing that cold mask again for a moment, though it had long since slipped.


    That ruse would no longer work on me, now that I¡¯d seen through it.

 Chapter 94

    I woke up earlier than I¡¯d intended, the light of the sun barely visible in the morning sky. I was thankful I¡¯d only taken a few sips of the wine the night before. I was glad I didn¡¯t make a fool of myself, and equally thankful not to have a headache to start the day. My thoughts immediately returned to the scent of the flowers in the garden, flowers that bloomed at night. I thought of the snacks Renyi prepared for me and his promises to give me all the time and space I could want. I hadn¡¯t known the man for a month, but already my cheeks grew warm at the thought of his smile.


    Gah, Taylor, ever the sucker for sweet talk from a handsome face.


    ¡°I take it you enjoyed your time with this prince in the garden?¡± Ghost asked, making me jump in surprise.


    ¡°Huh? Oh. Right. It was okay, I guess,¡± I said, smiling.


    ¡°So do you intend to investigate today, or do you have a breakfast date planned?¡±


    I tossed my pillow at him, which he dodged gracefully.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re getting better and better at that human-like communication. You are slowly morphing into my mother.¡±


    ¡°Your mother would appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°She would,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°By the way, do you know about the condition of Renyi¡¯s falcon? I forgot to ask him last night.¡±


    ¡°Still recovering and missing the hunt. I¡¯ve found that I do too, though you and I are always hunting in a way.¡±


    ¡°Less direct, and probably less fun,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°I disagree.¡±


    A polite knock came at my door.


    ¡°You may enter,¡± I said.


    A tall, muscular man with graying hair entered my room. He had to bend his head at the doorway, and his shoulders nearly brushed both sides as he passed through.


    ¡°Lady Taylor. I¡¯m Commander Wei. Prince Renyi has ordered that I assist you with your investigation.¡±


    Just as I was about to snap that I had no need of a bodyguard, my thoughts quickly returned to reality. Though I still wasn¡¯t happy about it.


    ¡°In what way?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I was accompanying Chief Adviser Tannis on the day the royal physician suspects he completed the poisonous combination of herbs. He was¡­ my friend for the past fifteen years. We served in the army together. We were promoted to commanders on the same day, along with Junwei, our current general.¡±


    I was curious to know more about Tannis, but I had more important questions I needed answers to at the moment. I also suspected Wei was meant to be a bodyguard but was offered as a witness. Renyi was nothing if not a clever man, though it wouldn¡¯t hurt for me to be a little less¡­ unreasonable. I realized the enhancer had made me arrogant, and now I had to accept that I was no longer as independent as I would have liked.


    ¡°Tell me about that day,¡± I said.


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    ¡°I wasn¡¯t there for all of it personally, but based on accounts from his servants, it was a morning like any other. He rose early at a precise time, then trained rigorously for two hours. He reviewed reports, met with ministers, checked palace security, and ensured all the prince¡¯s food was tasted. Tannis always went well beyond his duties when it came to the prince. Tannis¡¯s own son was lost to illness, and Renyi was a sickly child. The emperor had no patience for this, but Tannis worked with him to teach him all the skills a prince should learn through creative means. He made the prince study manuals on swordsmanship long before his body was well enough to hold one.¡± He paused for a moment, sighing as he caught himself. ¡°Apologies. I should answer your questions more directly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± I said. ¡°As long as you answer them, I enjoy learning about the important people in Renyi¡¯s life. Besides, sometimes there¡¯s context we aren¡¯t considering.¡±


    He flinched a bit when I used Renyi¡¯s name casually, without formal address, but said nothing.


    ¡°Once he finished his tasks in the palace for the morning, he asked that a small group of soldiers accompany him as he walked through the streets to observe the festivities.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised,¡± I said. ¡°I got the impression Tannis was quite the swordsman.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the best in the kingdom. Certainly better than me. Second only to General Junwei, if I had to wager.¡±


    ¡°Yet he insisted on going out with a group for protection?¡±


    ¡°Chief Adviser Tannis believed that, no matter how many enemies a man had, his ego would always be the worst among them. He was wise and abundantly cautious. He knew that if something happened to him, it would harm those who depended on him for protection.¡±


    What a sad thing to learn, given the context.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ someone who targeted him would have needed to be extremely connected and capable. No matter what methods were used to cover their tracks, that fact is undeniable. What happened could never be a fluke.¡±


    ¡°I agree, Lady Taylor. It came as a surprise to everyone, but those of us who knew him are still in disbelief. It was hard to tell if Chief Adviser Tannis was more soldier or scholar.¡± He lowered his voice to a whisper. ¡°Some even hoped he would take the throne and become the new emperor, but he insisted that none were more qualified than Prince Renyi, and even convinced the emperor, a father who had always ignored and dismissed him, of that very same fact before he passed.¡±


    ¡°A move that no doubt made enemies of the other princes. Speaking of which, why have I never met them?¡±


    He seemed to become uncomfortable again, thinking carefully about how to word his answer.


    ¡°Their previous treatment of him has left them wary of being near him, especially in light of his recent rise to his current position and their¡­ comparatively lower one. They also know Prince Renyi¡¯s intelligence and are likely choosing to avoid any open confrontations.¡±


    ¡°Not out of the question to want his most capable supporter out of the way. At the very least, that¡¯s awfully convenient for them.¡±


    ¡°It is¡­ convenient,¡± Wei admitted, not wanting to offer his own opinion further.


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re uncomfortable with the topic, and it¡¯s probably best we avoid speculation for the moment too. Though, I¡¯ll ask that you answer any questions I may have for you honestly. Prince Renyi has asked you to assist me, so don¡¯t restrain yourself too much.¡±


    He nodded, still uneasy.


    ¡°Was there anything unusual about where you went that day? Did he eat anything different?¡±


    ¡°There was¡­ well, I hadn¡¯t considered it, because we all ate there, but now, knowing the kind of poison used¡­ there was a stand that sold an old snack made popular in the military among recruits. It was usually used as a form of discipline, truth be told, but Tannis had an unnatural love for the disgusting things. A dumpling filled with fermented fish paste. They¡¯re usually not made anywhere with a respectable kitchen, because they stink up everything around them with a rotten smell that doesn¡¯t soon go away.¡±


    ¡°A food he could never get in the same kitchen that served the prince and other high officials,¡± I said.


    Wei nodded. ¡°But¡­ everyone hates them. Who would know that Tannis liked such a thing? The rest of us nearly vomited, and a few of the younger men did, Tannis laughing all the while as he ate a second, and then a third. I was already prepared for it, and even I found them hard to keep down. The whole thing seemed to raise his spirits.¡±


    ¡°I wish I¡¯d gotten to meet Tannis under more positive circumstances,¡± I said, ¡°or had time to get to know him better. At least I can bring his killer to justice.¡±


    ¡°You have my full support.¡±


    ¡°Do you mind accompanying me to question the person running the stall?¡±


    ¡°I am at your service, Lady Taylor.¡±

 Chapter 95

    ¡°I believe the stall should be just ahead,¡± Wei said.


    The streets were swollen with chaos, given the impending inauguration of the new emperor. Festivities, despite the dire condition of the kingdom, had reached new heights of joy.


    I was happy to have Wei along once we made it deeper into the crowded marketplace, where everyone was shoving past me. He had no issue using his rank and large body to create more walking space.


    ¡°Should be somewhere¡­¡± he paused, eyeing the crowd gathered near an empty stall. ¡°Is that¡­ the Ministry of Justice?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    I may not have known many of the officials in this kingdom, but I had gotten to know Minister Chen and his people very, very well.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I said, bowing. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Conducting an investigation,¡± a young man replied.


    ¡°On whose authority?¡± Wei asked, in a manner that couldn¡¯t go unanswered. His usual commanding voice, I suspected.


    ¡°Commander Wei? I¡¯m not sure why a matter like this would interest you. The Ministry of Justice is investigating possible criminal conduct that happened at this stall, possibly linked to the death of an official.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s convenient,¡± I said, taking a step forward. ¡°I¡¯m here on the authority of Prince Renyi to investigate the matter personally. I¡¯ll be assuming control of this investigation, and I¡¯ll ask that you turn over the existing evidence and your findings to me by the end of the day.¡±


    The young investigator seemed to choke on his next words before a smile crept onto his lips.


    ¡°You have a great sense of humor for a foreigner,¡± he said.


    Wei simply stared down at him and was beginning to look irritated.


    I pulled out the jade medallion, showing it just briefly enough for the man to get a good look.


    ¡°It was not a joke. I trust you to cooperate,¡± I said, stowing away the medallion.


    ¡°We will need to verify the¡­ authenticity of that. Even then, turning over an investigation is not that simple. You will need to apply to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am not applying to anything,¡± I said, interrupting him. I wasn¡¯t about to play the games of bureaucracy and red tape when it was clear someone was attempting to cover their tracks and using trustworthy names and organizations to do so. ¡°The end of the day is already too generous. In fact, let¡¯s make it two hours.¡±


    ¡°Two hours?¡± he asked, nearly shouting.


    By now, the other investigators were gathering around us, curious about what the commotion was about. Five men, none of whom looked like they¡¯d ever been soldiers. I hadn¡¯t set out to cause them a hard time. It was unlikely any of them were aware of any higher conspiracy in play. They were simply doing what they were told, where they were told to do it. However, I couldn¡¯t afford to be a pushover. Maybe that was the real reason Renyi sent Wei to accompany me.


    ¡°If Tannis were here, he would not be nearly as lenient on you as Taylor is being, so instead of acting indignant, you should be grateful. Time is of the essence, and even two hours is more than I would have offered.¡±


    ¡°I will summon Minister Chen, and once he verifies the medallion¡¯s authenticity, we will organize our evidence and turn it over to you immediately.¡±


    ¡°How soon can Minister Chen be here?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He must attend meetings, and he may need to bring a royal scholar to help identify¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why are you stalling?¡± Wei asked, apparently having a shorter fuse than even I did.


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    ¡°Commander, we¡­¡± He turned, addressing the others present. ¡°Please go and summon Minister Chen. Tell him it¡¯s urgent and that he should come right away.¡±


    ¡°You could have done that from the start,¡± I said. ¡°I want you to understand that any further games from you could be interpreted as obstruction.¡±


    He fell to his knees, bowing his head nearly to the ground.


    ¡°Apologies! Minister Chen is very strict in how these matters are handled. I didn¡¯t want to be punished.¡±


    Wei sighed and looked at me. His nod told me that the young man spoke the truth.


    ¡°Stand up,¡± I said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. Just understand that this case no longer falls under the authority of the Ministry of Justice, so there is nothing for you to be punished for. While we wait, tell me what you were able to discover.¡±


    He slowly rose to his feet, looking even more nervous than before.


    ¡°I can¡¯t share¡­ that is¡­ I won¡¯t be able to turn over everything just yet. This vendor appeared to be targeting military figures with a food item that specifically targeted them. An old cost-saving ration that¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re aware of the item being sold here,¡± Wei said.


    ¡°Skip all that,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really have to wait until Minister Chen arrives to share more.¡±


    I sighed, a bit concerned as Wei seemed to grow more and more impatient. Tannis being his personal friend made him trustworthy, but emotions were running high, and being a commander, he¡¯d come to expect immediate and unquestioning compliance. Accustomed to his own structure and bureaucracy, he was frustrated by another. I could certainly sympathize with that.


    ¡°It will be up to Taylor as to how long she¡¯s willing to wait. When she decides we have waited long enough, evidence will be seized by force if necessary,¡± Wei said, resting his hand on his sword, though relaxed for now.


    ¡°We¡¯ll wait a bit,¡± I said. I didn¡¯t really want to wait at all, but these were low-ranking investigators, and their hands were tied. It wasn¡¯t like forcing them would be fair, at least to them. Though Wei was correct. Our options would grow more limited with each passing minute. If our presence could very well have triggered someone to destroy evidence, waiting was only affording them the opportunity.


    Suddenly, a horn blew, and the streets cleared almost immediately. Even though it came as a surprise, Wei himself seemed to be the most surprised of everyone present.


    ¡°General Junwei is passing through. Make way!¡± a man shouted.


    A small group approached on horseback, led by General Junwei himself. No more than ten men.


    ¡°Greetings, Taylor,¡± he said.


    I was surprised he greeted me first, before the investigators present and before one of his own commanders.


    ¡°General,¡± I said, bowing my head slightly.


    ¡°And Commander Wei. With one of my most capable commanders at your side, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve been sent here by Prince Renyi himself. Considering I didn¡¯t order him to accompany you, it¡¯s the only explanation.¡±


    Wei bowed his head, almost in apology.


    ¡°It¡¯s as you say, General. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with this case as well,¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course. Tannis, Wei, and I go way back. We were friends before we joined the military. This has weighed heavily on me, so I immediately had this matter investigated myself and details reported to me personally.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to make me go through a long, convoluted process to share what you¡¯ve learned, are you?¡± I asked, surprising Wei by speaking so casually to the kingdom¡¯s general.


    General Junwei smiled. ¡°Of course not. My military is transparent with the public, which is why I am passing through the busiest street in the kingdom.¡± He gestured toward a man being held in the back, his wrists and legs shackled.


    With how he was dressed¡­ could he be¡­?


    ¡°Is that Prince Dao?¡± Wei asked, alarmed.


    ¡°Step forward, Your Majesty,¡± General Junwei ordered.


    One of the other soldiers kicked him in the back from his horse, causing him to stumble toward us and fall forward on his knees.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wrongly accused!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°My men uncovered records of certain ingredients being purchased from Prince Dao¡¯s stocks, sold to this vendor. We have proof. The vendor¡¯s actions indicate that current and former military personnel were the targets of this villain¡¯s plot. Because my friends and comrades were specifically targeted, I moved to take swift action. With Crown Prince Renyi in line to become emperor, Prince Dao will not be able to use his station to escape justice.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, General, I¡¯d like to continue investigating. I¡¯d like to verify the authenticity of the proof that implicates him, as well as explore any larger plot he might be part of.¡±


    General Junwei grinned. ¡°Beyond Prince Dao, it only leaves Crown Prince Renyi. I know you aren¡¯t accusing him of being responsible for the death of his loyal chief adviser.¡±


    That comment really rubbed me the wrong way, and I wasn¡¯t sure why. Had he really meant it as a harmless jab at my lack of knowledge of their hierarchy?


    ¡°You know that I¡¯m not. I¡¯m here on his authority, after all,¡± I said, briefly flashing the medallion Renyi had given me.


    The general regarded it, nodding.


    ¡°I chose my words poorly, Lady Taylor. Please accept my apologies. It seems you misinterpreted my jest. Of course, you¡¯re welcome to continue investigating, and my soldiers will cooperate fully without question. Not that you need my permission, but I want you to understand that I, and my military, are your friends here and not your enemies.¡±


    Did that imply the Ministry of Justice was potentially an enemy? General Junwei was difficult to read and would certainly refrain from saying certain things in public.


    For now, I believed it wise to simply stand aside and allow them to pass through.


    Something about it just didn¡¯t sit right with me, and I couldn¡¯t yet put my finger on why.