《Now That's Entertainment(a system apoc litrpg)》


 The Rude Awakening

    I woke up to pale gray light and a bitter headache, and I squirmed a little deeper into my bed with my eyes shut while I reached for my cell phone to check the time. I couldn¡¯t find my phone, my flailing hand didn¡¯t even hit the bedside table.


    ¡°Good Morning, Julia Crane.¡±


    An unfamiliar voice spoke and I shot bolt upright. Two things occured to me simultaneously, neither of which was pleasant. First, that I was buck naked in the bed, and second that the bed wasn¡¯t mine. Without even a sheet to cover up with I scooted over to the edge of the bed to put my feet on the floor and be in a less vulnerable position. I kept my hands strategically placed to limit the view while I looked around for the stranger. There was no one visible and not a whole lot of places to hide. I was in a beige windowless room just a little bit larger than a closet with cinderblock walls and only the bed for furniture. When I realized hiding under the bed was the only possibility I shot to my feet and took a few big steps away to put my back against the wall so he couldn¡¯t grab me.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there? Where am I? What the fuck is going on?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Julia. You are in no immediate danger.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t tell where the voice was coming from, but it didn¡¯t sound like it was from under the bed. In fact when I looked closer I realized the frame went all the way to the ground without a gap underneath. I started looking around the room more closely now, expecting speakers or hidden doors.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Look asshole, if you know my name then you know I¡¯m a cop. This ends real badly for you unless you let me go right now.¡±


    I said it in my street voice, the one I¡¯d learned to use to keep assholes in line, both good guys and bad. Inside though, a little voice inside me was screaming. I¡¯d cleaned up too many of other people¡¯s tragedies to think I was safe.


    ¡°Listen closely, Julia. Life as you know it is over. There was a war and Earth lost.¡±


    ¡°A war with who? What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, it was brief enough most didn¡¯t notice it. The relevant information is that your consciousness was uploaded into the Tetranoch 437 database, and now you have been activated to participate in the Game.¡±


    ¡°What game, and who the hell are you? When can I get some god damn clothes?¡±


    ¡°Breaking in newbies can be so frustrating. I am D653 an artificial intelligence and if you would stop interrupting many of your questions would already be answered. Tetranoch 437 is an entertainment hub, and your consciousness will be sent through a series of simulations that are streamed live to the network. As a bonus for completing simulations or expanding viewership you can receive clothing and other useful items. Your first task is to travel at least 100 meters from your entry point.¡±


    A bright rectangle of light began to glow on the wall across from me and the disembodied voice called out, ¡°Please enter the portal now.¡±


    ¡°How about not only no, but hell no. Whatever is going on, you guys can kiss my ass. I am not cooperating.¡±


    I expected an outburst or some kind of threat in response, but all I got was a single sentence.


    ¡°You must travel 100 meters, pain will increase until you enter the portal.¡±


    I stood there nonplussed, until I realized my headache was getting worse. By the time thirty seconds had rolled around, it was bad enough I had tears in my eyes. I started toward the portal but the pain was so intense I felt dizzy and had trouble walking. This was unbelievable and as I lunged the last couple of feet towards the portal, I wondered if I had waited too long.

 The Sack of Prithia

    Passing through the portal the pain immediately disappeared and the absence of pain was so intense it was almost orgasmic.  I shuddered and wiped my eyes before I looked around. It was hot in here, and it was obvious why as soon as I took that first look.  I was in some kind of hotel room with a hardwood floor and plaster walls, but there were flames billowing from the ceiling in one corner, and I started to cough from the smoke.  I hunched over to get further from the smoke and immediately headed over towards the window. There was no glass to the window, just some thin fabric like muslin to keep the bugs out and let the light through, and I ripped it down and felt a wave of fresh air run into my aching lungs.


    I stuck my head out the window, and saw a far enough drop to the ground I immediately jerked back inside.  A jump didn¡¯t seem survivable, but I definitely wanted clothes and there was an entire steamer trunk right here.   I didn¡¯t bother dressing, I just grabbed the chest and dragged it to the window. It was heavy but I¡¯ve always had an athletic build.  I didn¡¯t go to the gym just to keep my butt looking good, although that was part of it. I worked out so that I could do my job, and now it came in handy when I had to haul the dead weight up and toss it through the window.  I didn¡¯t wait around to watch it fall.


    Instead I snatched a blanket from the bed and threw it over my shoulders.  There was a pitcher of water and a basin next to the door, and I grabbed it next.  I poured it over my hair and onto the blanket. It wasn¡¯t enough water to give the blanket a thorough soaking, but it was all I had.  I pulled a strip of the wet cloth across my face and put my hand on the door knob. It was warm but not hot so I pushed the door open and crawled out into the hallway.  A baluster ran along the other edge of the hall, with a sheer drop on the other side. To the left it dead ended at a blank wall and to the right I could see a grand staircase on the other side of a wall of flame.  It was too much to try and just rush through it naked, although I would as a last resort. For now I crawled forward and looked over the railing. There was another floor directly below this one, and it looked like I should be able to climb down to the second floor and make it to the stairway from there.


    I shoved the blanket through on two sides of a banister to hang down into the gap.  It wasn¡¯t exactly a ladder but when I wiggled the handrail it seemed pretty sturdy. I threw a leg over the top and started to climb down.  Inching slowly down the blanket, my churning bare feet struck the handrail on the next floor and I breathed a sigh of relief as I was able to shift over and drop the rest of the way safely to the floor.  Even though I had avoided falling, I wasn¡¯t exactly safe though. I found that out when rough hands grabbed me by the hair and hip and threw me to the ground.


    I turned with it, stopping myself on my hands and knees instead of going to the ground where I¡¯d be more vulnerable, but I didn¡¯t have time to recover.  A boot crashed into my side and flipped me over and I landed on my back, pretty sure I¡¯d broken some ribs. A man stood there grinning down at me with a mouthful of rotten teeth.  He wasn¡¯t much bigger than I am, but he wore a sleeveless leather vest with iron rings sewn on it and his bare arms showed enough definition I knew he was probably stronger though.  I rarely faced off against someone I could beat at arm wrestling so it wasn¡¯t new to me, so I didn¡¯t hesitate. I clutched my hurt side and drew my legs up into the fetal position and started to moan piteously.  The bastard chuckled and hollered down the hallway about a chicken that had already been plucked as he moved towards me, his eyes greedily devouring my writhing body.


    He came in a little too cocky and I was able to thrust my leg back out straight and ram the heel of my foot square into his crotch.  He bent over making that huuuuh sound a well racked guy tends to emit as I swung my foot back and under myself. I lunged back to my feet.  He was coming in and leaning over, hands on his junk as I was coming up, and I slammed the top of my head into his face and pulped his nose. The impact was enough to keep me from making it to a standing position though, so I just let myself fall, grabbing his wrist and taking him with me.  He was still too stunned to fight back intelligently, so he ended up on the ground on his belly with me in side control. I immediately scissored to kick over into the mount and dragged his wrist with me, pushing it up towards his shoulder blades. I reached down with the other hand to the small of my back and a pair of handcuffs that wasn¡¯t there.


    At pretty much the same time I realized I wouldn¡¯t be arresting this asshole, he raised his head off the floor and yelled, ¡°Get this whore off of me.¡±  I¡¯ve been called worse, but I followed his line of sight and saw another man dressed the same step out of a door at the end of the hallway. This one had a sword in his hand and my mouth went dry.  I planted my knee square in this fellow¡¯s ass for leverage and shoved up on his wrist as hard as I could. We both screamed, he in pain and me in rage as I dislocated his shoulder. I immediately let go and stepped on the small of his back as I stood and turned the opposite direction.  There was another man already coming from that way too and I checked the step I¡¯d already made in that direction. I looked over the railing and it still seemed like too far to drop, but there was a door in the wall behind me. It was locked, but shoddily built and with a single shoulder rush I was able to burst inside.


    The room had the same hotel room vibe as the one I¡¯d appeared in upstairs, but this one had a bit more of a lived in feel and a teenager huddled in the back corner sobbing.  She looked about 14 or 15 and rail thin wearing a ratty old shift. I took a couple steps into the room looking around for something to use as a weapon. I felt bad for leading them here, but with the fire hiding in a corner wasn¡¯t a safe alternative for the girl anyway.


    ¡°Get up and fight, girl.  They¡¯re coming.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She just wailed louder and I settled on the water pitcher.  This one was only half full but I dumped it on myself anyway.  Less for the heat this time, but it might help me stay kind of slippery.  Stepping back out the door, the guy on the left was closest and I hurled the pitcher at him.  Years as a third baseman paid off, and it made a beeline for his nose before he swatted it out of the air with the sword.  I ducked back into the room as he yelled something at me. I didn¡¯t quite make out the words but I feel confident they were unpleasant.  The table the pitcher had sat on had three sturdy wooden legs, and I tipped it over and stomped down on one. It took me a couple of tries, but eventually I had myself a nice wooden club and I sidled close to the doorway but up against the wall where they wouldn¡¯t be able to see me.  The girl in the corner was still sobbing and I tried again.


    ¡°We can take them, honey.  I¡¯m a cop. I need you to get off your ass and help me, and I can get you out of here.¡±


    She stopped caterwauling long enough to speak.  ¡°You¡¯ll make them angry.¡±


    I stared at her incredulous.  They¡¯d already tried to rape me,  they¡¯d apparently set the building on fire, and she was worried about what they¡¯d do if we made them mad?  You can¡¯t appease the bad guys, at best it just drew a bad situation out even longer, but I didn¡¯t have time to try and explain because the first man had arrived.  He entered the room blade first, but I swung overhand from the side so it wouldn¡¯t get in the way. He had fast reflexes and some training because the sword immediately parried my strike, pinning the table leg up against the door frame.  He held it there and followed through with the other hand in a full out punch to the face as he continued into the room. I lost my grip on the club and staggered back almost falling on top of the bed. There had been some real power behind that punch, it hadn¡¯t been like sparring with gloves on.  A little lower and he would have broken my jaw, a little higher and he would have broken his hand. As it was I could feel my eye already starting to swell shut and I knew I had to end this fast. I wouldn¡¯t be able to trade punches with this asshole.


    He stepped the rest of the way into the room then, letting the table leg fall to the ground and I swept the blanket off the bed up into my hands.  He moved warily, circling in towards me as I backed further into the room, and I heard a voice from the hallway. ¡°Keep the bitch alive. That one owes me.¡±  That sounded bad, but then the big guy in the room with me grinned and called back over his shoulder without looking away. ¡°I won¡¯t kill her but you get sloppy seconds.  I like breaking the ones with a little fight.¡± That sounded even worse, but it meant he wouldn¡¯t just chop me down if he got close. The thought made me bold and I took a chance.


    I threw the blanket like a net, keeping a loose hold on one edge so it would flare out and cover him.  He immediately started flailing to tear it off him, but his vision was obstructed if only for a moment and I charged in close.  I slipped under a wild swing and spun around behind him just as he got the blanket clear of his face. Jumping up, I got an arm around his throat, my forearm and bicep pressed against the carotid while that hand locked onto my other arm in a rear naked choke.  An oddly appropriate choice considering I still hadn¡¯t managed to find time to grab some clothes. I¡¯m something of an expert on choke holds, or lateral vascular neck restraints as I called them in court. An air choke can take minutes to put someone out, but a properly applied blood choke will result in unconsciousness in around 30 seconds.  It sounds fast, but when your buck naked, fighting a sword wielding rapist in a burning building thirty seconds can be a really long time. One of his hands came up and grabbed at my elbow in front of his chin, trying to pull my arm down. That was futile since he hadn¡¯t tucked his chin before I got locked in so it didn¡¯t bother me. The other arm was slamming his elbow back towards my body, but he was so tall my feet were off the floor anyway.  Each swing just rocked me out of the way and without resistance he wasn¡¯t really doing any damage. The dangerous part was that he was spinning. He probably outweighed me by at least a hundred pounds and I didn¡¯t look forward to getting smashed against the wall once he figured that out.


    In the end it was worse than that.  We¡¯d both lost track of the room while we were struggling, and when he decided to squash me like a bug by charging backwards into the wall he doomed us both.  Dumbass ran straight towards the window. My shoulders burst through the muslin curtain and I released my hold with one hand to reach for the wall. There was too much mass going too fast to stop it though, and we both pitched through the opening towards the ground below.


    I¡¯d like to claim I had the presence of mind to flip him over and ride him down, maybe jumping back off his body to take up a little of the force right before we hit.  There wasn¡¯t time for any of that. I swiped for the wall and missed it, and I was still inhaling to scream when we hit. Blind luck left me on top. Even better than that, it lined his head up with the chest I¡¯d thrown from the other window above this one earlier.  His skull shattered like that one comedian¡¯s watermelons, and I felt things crunch in his body underneath me. I was able to stand on shakey legs though, and a quick check showed nothing but bruises.


    A head stuck out of the window and a familiar face showed up over a mishapen shoulder.  ¡°I¡¯m coming for you, you poxy cunt.¡±


    I looked up and gave him a cheerful wave.  ¡°You already lost one fight with me, cocksucker.  Sure you want to risk another go?¡±


    He started to swear and his head popped back into the building, and I leaned down and checked the body.  There was a leather belt with a sturdy knife in a sheath and a coin pouch tied to it, and I started untying that while I looked around.  There was the sound of rioting down one street, a stable or some sort of barn right across from me, and what looked like some kind of apartment building straight ahead.  I wanted clothes before I tried to escape through town, and as I pulled the belt off the corpse I turned the chest over with my foot to get to the latch. It turned out the latch was pointless, because the trunk itself had broken open when it hit.  As I turned it with my foot, clothes dumped from the bottom. It was a tangled mass of lace and cotton, almost all white and before I had a chance to sort it, another of those weirdly dressed guys came running around the corner.


    I pulled the knife out and got in a ready stance, when from the other side a guy in a blue cotton shirt ran forward and plunged a spear into the first guy¡¯s guts.  Okay, so there was more than one team in this mess, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean anybody was on my side. Spear guy turned and looked at me, apparently more shocked by the sight of boobs than the man hemorrhaging out the last of his life¡¯s blood onto the street in front of him.   Before he could do anything about it though, there was more shouting and a gaggle of people flooded the street and the spearman was caught up in the fight. I still had the blanket and I shoved an arms worth of the stuff from the chest on top of it before gathering the corners and slinging the bundle on my back.   I only needed a hundred meters to get out of this mess, so knife in one hand, bundle in the other I turned the opposite direction of the fighting and started to run.

 Dividing the Loot

    There was no visible marker for the hundred meter line.  One minute I was running blindly forward and the next I was struggling to stop before I crashed into the wall only a few feet in front of me.  I was back in the first room with the beige walls. I let the bundle drop to the floor at my feet while I bent over and put my hands on my knees, panting.


    ¡°You have done quite well, Julia.  Take a moment to rest, sort through your new belongings before we continue.¡±


    I tossed the knife on the bed, then leaned over and hauled the blanket up and threw that open too.  I shook my head as I tried to start untangling the mess inside.


    ¡°What in the hell was all that?¡±


    ¡°Your first task.  Survive the sack of Prithia.  The kingdom is in the midst of a rather nasty civil war, and I¡¯m afraid the sack of Prithia was just the first in a long list of atrocities from each side.¡±


    ¡°Kingdom, I saw the swords and stuff too.  Are you saying I¡¯m stuck playing this game in the middle ages?¡±  I¡¯d finally identified most of the clothes in the bundle, combining that with stuff I¡¯d seen on the other side of the portal I frowned.  ¡°And I started out in a fucking whorehouse?¡±


    ¡°Not the middle ages of Earth¡¯s history, but an idealized rough analogue the director of Tetranoch 437 thought would provide an entertaining story line.  Yes, the starting point for this game was in a house of ill repute.¡±


    ¡°How bout a head¡¯s up next time, R2D2?¡±


    ¡°My designation is D563.¡±


    His voice sounded kind of pissy and I shrugged, it wouldn¡¯t serve any useful purpose to piss him off at this point, but I saved the information in case I needed it later.  There was a babydoll style slip that fit me and I put it on. The only bra that had cups anywhere near a reasonable size was attached to a corset I couldn¡¯t have fit in when I was in elementary school so I tossed those in a pile on the floor then tried for panties.  It was a choice of see through lace or butt floss and I went with the lace as the lesser of two evils. While I was dressing, the disembodied voice continued to talk.


    ¡°I am unable to offer information prior to you discovering it yourself, but I can remind you of things that you have forgotten.  Are you satisfied with the clothing that you obtained?¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    I shifted the rest of the stuff up into a ball at the top of the bed to use as a pillow and flopped down on the bed to test it out.  After wriggling around for a while trying to get comfortable I answered the AI.


    ¡°Definitely not satisfied.  I want real clothes, and a drink of water would be nice.  Along those lines, where do I go to the bathroom and what are my chances of getting a shower?¡±


    ¡°Bot only did you survive without serious physical injury, a statistical anomaly, you are asking the right questions 37.4 % earlier than predictions indicated.  You may be more successful at the Game than your background indicated.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,  D123, I¡¯m full of surprises.  You didn¡¯t answer my question though¡±  It didn¡¯t gain me anything to antagonize him, but his patronizing tone was pissing me off.


    ¡°My designation is D563.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not good at numbers.  How bout I just call you ¡®the D¡¯ for short?¡±


    There was a short pause before it replied.  ¡°That is minimally acceptable.¡±


    Apparently the program didn¡¯t recognize innuendo so I grinned and repeated the question.  ¡°Okay, the D. I want clothes, a drink, a bathroom, and a shower; not necessarily in that order.  How do I get them?¡±


    ¡°You have accrued 1000 points by successful completion of your first task.  You can now afford your choice of a single article of clothing, three bottles of water, or place a down payment on indoor plumbing.  Your next task must begin within at least 8 hours.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the total cost of indoor plumbing?¡±


    ¡°25,000 points.¡±


    Holy shit, at this rate they expected me to go a month without a bathroom or a shower.  I decided I must be missing something, or maybe I had really died and this was hell. Just to check I tried a follow up question.  ¡°How many points can I get in the next task, and what is it?¡±


    ¡°Up to 50,000 points are available depending on performance, additional information is not available to you at this time.¡±


    I sighed and sat up to think about my options.  Doing the task now seemed like my best bet. A bathroom and water would be nice, but neither was urgent.  I was tempted to get some clothes before I left, but I hated to spend the points since I was technically dressed now and who knew how hard it would be to get more points later.  I thought about cutting a hole in the blanket and wearing it like a poncho just so I didn¡¯t feel like I was on display. On the other hand, the first mission had been pretty violent.  Maybe going into it dressed in lingerie could serve as enough of a distraction or make my opponents dismiss me and it would make it worth my while. On the other hand maybe it was some kind of wilderness survival task and I would freeze to death without the blanket.  I didn¡¯t have enough information to make a decision and I groaned in frustration. This whole thing sucked at a level I didn¡¯t even want to consider.


    I stood up and pulled the leather belt on.  I tied it around my belly, up high above my hips instead of around my waist so it wouldn¡¯t be visible even under the short nightgown.  I practiced drawing the knife and it took longer than I like, so I decided to start off with the blade in my hand. I could always take a second or two to conceal it later if the situation warranted it.  I did a couple of leg bends and a few quick stretches first, then shook it out, trying to stay lose.


    ¡°Allright, the D.  I¡¯m ready to rock and roll, bring on the next task.¡±


    ¡°Your task is to survive until nightfall.  Good luck, Julia.¡± That sounded ominous, but the light grew on the wall and I charged forward before the AI could even tell me to.  I didn¡¯t want to mess with the pain brought by hesitation this time.

 The Battle of Elwitch Ford

    I rushed through into a field of high grass, the crisp stalks whipping at my bare feet.  It was a bright sunny day, and a group of at least a hundred soldiers in blue not twenty feet away were screaming as they ran towards me.  I reached down and clawed at the ground as I spun in a tight turn and lost my footing trying to reverse directions. There was another group of men, this time in red coming from that way.  Laying in the field between them was a recipe for disaster and I lunged to my feet and started to sprint parallel to the line of battle. It was a race no one could win. Both sides were closing in and the noise was incredible even before they met.


    Everyone was shouting and as the gap disappeared I flashed a frantic look to each side.  The guy in red had a bald head with a nasty scar and a raised axe, while the man in blue had on some kind of chainmail poncho and a sword.  He was smaller but for some reason he looked more competent than axe guy, and on that quick glance I commited and veered left. I gave a stutter step so the timing would change before I crashed into him, ready for that axe to come down at me.  He¡¯d ignored me and focused on his opponent in blue instead, but it was too late to stop as I¡¯d already plunged my knife into his kidney. A desperate sound came out of my mouth as he lurched sideways in pain and just barely blocked the strike from the man in blue.


    I was past the front line now, but the second row recognized me as a threat and I just barely side-stepped a spear thrust at my middle.  The guy next to him swung a sword at me and I ducked underneath it, but something struck me from behind and I crashed face first into the grass.


    I immediately crawled forward so no one could follow up, but a boot crashed down on my thigh as someone stepped on me and I screamed.  It was lost in the general confusion, and while no one was actively attacking me I still wasn¡¯t safe. I slashed with my knife to stop another one from stepping on me, and then rolled to the side just in time as someone chopped down with an axe.  The roll had been a mistake because someone kicked me in the head before I had recovered and could get my bearings I fell to the ground and blacked out for a second, but came to when someone stepped on my arm. I twisted loose and tried to crawl forward again.  My head was pounding and I threw up when I got back to all fours. A hand came down and made a fist in my hair, dragging me to my feet. That¡¯s not the sort of thing I accept from anyone but a very close friend so I came up with the knife and stabbed the man in the armpit.  His hand stayed locked in my hair and I rabbit punched him with the knife, sticking it in a half dozen times in the space of a second until his grip loosened and he let me go. I¡¯d lost track of which direction I had been heading, and I was dizzy from the blow to the head. Standing still seemed more dangerous than the alternative though.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    I staggered into the first gap I saw, then weaved left to avoid a knot of guys grappling.  I rammed my knife home into someone¡¯s back to open up a space. It was nasty and brutal and loud, and I wanted to be back home in my bed with a bottle of wine and a cheesy romcom on netflix, but I did what I had to to survive.  The battle seemed to be getting more frantic now, and suddenly one of the men in front of me¡¯s head exploded as a mace came crashing down from above. A massive black horse and an armored rider forced its way into the opening he¡¯d created.  I tried to dodge but there was nowhere to go in the press and the horse¡¯s shoulder struck me a glancing blow as the armored rider tore through the infantry with devastating effect.


    I fell to the ground again, and this time I didn¡¯t even try to recover.  The grass field had already been churned to mud with blood and bodily fluids, and I slid into the muck and grabbed the closest corpse.  It was a young guy, hardly more than a boy really. What was important was that he was small enough I could manhandle him though. I dragged him a couple of feet over to where there were two others lying where they¡¯d finished each other off.  One of those was still alive, but in no condition to defend himself when I slit his throat to make sure. I cuddled in between the two of them and pulled the little guy up on top of us. It was hard to stomach, but I took a quick handful of gore from one of the bodies and smeared it over my face.  I wanted to play dead, and it gave me that little extra bit of verisimilitude.


    The battle raged on around me, and I got stepped on a couple of times.  Eventually the battle shifted and while the fighting continued it moved further away.  I continued to play dead, occasionally peaking out from underneath my corpse shield to judge the position of the sun in the sky.  Survive till nightfall had seemed easy enough back in the other room, but here on the battlefield it had been a close run thing. My whole body hurt and I was a mass of bruising underneath the lingerie, but I decided to undress one of the soldiers and put his clothes on when it got closer to sundown.  Even clothes stolen off a casualty couldn¡¯t be any bloodier than my own at this point, and at least in a uniform I wouldn¡¯t be flashing T and A on the next task. I just had to keep still for a few more hours and then put my plan into action.

 The Unexpected Visitor

    Unfortunately at some point I passed out. I woke up when I slammed onto my back on the floor of my cell and the top corpse came with me.  I hadn¡¯t been expecting it, and my visitor knocked the breath out of me and I thought the falling body was an attack at first. I thrashed violently to get off of my back, and stabbed the corpse at least twice before I realized what had happened.  I shoved the body away and used the wall to lever myself up into a sitting position, feeling half dead.


    ¡°Congratulations, Julia.  You have managed to complete the task, Battle for Elwitch Ford.¡±


    ¡°Eat a bag of dicks, the D.  I¡¯m pretty sure I have some broken ribs, I can¡¯t see shit out of my right eye, I¡¯ve got a fat lip and maybe a concussion.  I need medical care.¡±


    ¡°A health boost is available for only two thousand points.¡±


    I pictured it in my head, imagining a little cardboard box with some band aids and neosporin, maybe aspirin too if they were feeling generous.  I was literally caked in mud and shit at this point and infection seemed like a real threat so I flopped my hand weakly in the air. ¡°Do it then, give me the health thing.¡±


    Nothing happened except I noticed a lack of pain when I took my next breath, and a second later I blinked and looked around the room.  My field of vision had returned to normal and a cautious hand confirmed the swelling in my face was down. I rose completely to my feet and tried moving around a little.  It was amazing how much better it felt with all the bruises gone. I could still feel the crust of dried blood on my skin though, and I grimaced.


    ¡°How many points do I have left after buying that?¡±


    ¡°34,250 points are available.¡±


    ¡°What the hell, D.  You said the task was worth 50,000.  I finished the task, where the fuck are the rest of my points?¡±


    ¡°The task is worth up to 50,000.  High score so far in that scenario belongs to Itso Higa, an elderly gentleman from Okinawa who racked up 43 kills before making it to the edge of the battlefield mounted on a stolen horse and managed to elude pursuit until sundown.  Your score was respectable but not worth the entire bonus. You did perform much better than the oddsmakers predicted, however,so congratulations, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Arrrggghh¡± I couldn¡¯t express the level of frustration his smarmy mansplaining voice engendered in me, so I settled for a wordless scream before I walked over to strip the clothes off the corpse who came into the cell with me.  As I worked I was able to calm down enough to think rationally and I asked the obvious question. ¡°The D, not that I¡¯m complaining, but why did the dead guy come with me this time?¡±


    ¡°His body was on top of yours.  You were in effect carrying him when you passed through the portal.  Do you wish to eject him from your cell?¡±


    ¡°After I finish stripping the body please.¡±


    A handle grew out from where it had sat flush in the wall, and a small door like you¡¯d see in a night deposit box materialized on the wall in front of me.  It even had the word refuse tastefully engraved just below the handle.


    ¡°Place unwanted items or bodies in the refuse chute and they will be disposed of.  Please keep in mind, all such disposals are permanent.¡±


    I walked over and pulled the door open to look inside.  Vague thoughts of escape were percolating through my mind until I crouched down and looked in and saw nothing.  Not dark, or a dead end, but literally looked out into nothing. I gave a shiver and let the door swing shut again.  I¡¯d drop my visitor in just to keep the smell away but other than that I didn¡¯t plan to have much to do with that door.  After a few minutes of struggling I had a pair of leather boots with a hole in one sole that were much too big for me. There was a blue cotton blouse with two shiny brass buttons that apparently were sewn on as decorations and not to fasten the clothing.  A leather hat with a big flat metal skullcap inside it that I guess was some sort of helmet was next. Best of all trousers that looked small enough they might actually fit me sort of but were in dire need of cleaning were my last find. I dragged the donors stiffening body over to the refuse chute and after a brief struggle managed to have the cell all to myself again.


    I felt hale and hearty after the medical boost, but I still reeked of blood, death, and my own body odor.  I peeled the grimy negligee off and dropped it onto the floor. ¡°Okay, the D. Plumbing still costs 25,000 right?  Pull the trigger, I want it.¡±


    ¡°There are several options available now that you have accessed sufficient points to operate the store.  Are you sure you wish to spend the majority of your points on plumbing?¡±


    ¡°Do any of the other options get me out of this stupid fucking game or give me some other way to quit smelling like a fucking wookie?¡±


    ¡°Primarily at this point players are encouraged to purchase gear they believe will help them succeed in later tasks.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh, well this player wants a shower and a way to wash my clothes.  Give me the plumbing.¡±


    There was a barely audible whining sound and one wall of the cell started to slide back.  It was eerie because it looked like the cinderblocks in the corner were just growing and dividing rather than one wall sliding past another.   I didn¡¯t focus on it too closely, because my eyes were riveted on a porcelain toilet, a pedestal sink, and a stand up shower that seemed to materialize from the retreating wall before it stopped.  I grinned and walked forward to check it out. I hadn¡¯t quite made it all the way when the smile started to fade.


    ¡°Hey, the D.  I¡¯m seeing a marked lack of toilet paper or soap with my new bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Such amenities are available in the store, but it will be a separate purchase.¡±


    I frowned but didn¡¯t say anything in response.  There was stuff to be done first. Since I was already filthy from head to toe I took the opportunity to gather up all the foul clothing and drop it in the floor of the shower stall.  I even used the soldier¡¯s shirt to wipe up the bits of gore that had wound up on the floor and wall when I was disposing of my visitor. After that I turned on the water as hot as I could stand it and stepped into the shower.


    There was great water pressure and plenty of heat, so I took a few minutes to myself just standing there letting the water beat down on me.  I might have even cried for a while or maybe that was just the water running down my cheeks. Eventually I focused on doing the best I could to wash the nastiness out of my hair and get myself clean.  When I felt human again I switched my attention to the clothes on the floor. Holding them up and rubbing them together under the hot water would never replace a Maytag, but after 20 minutes or so everything was as clean as I felt like I would be able to get it and I shut off the shower.  There was no towel, and not even a shower door to hang the clothes up on. I wrung the water out as much as possible, then settled for draping a few over the bathroom sink and stretching the rest out on the floor to dry. I tried wringing my hair out as well, but without a towel to wrap it in and without shampoo or conditioner,  I knew I was going to look frightful when it dried. I walked back over to the piles of lingerie by the bed and slipped on a pair of panties so at least I wouldn¡¯t feel naked, then layed down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Okay, D.  Time for a talk.  First off, how long before I am absolutely required to take on another task?¡±


    ¡°You are allowed one eight hour rest period between tasks, however additional time can be purchased in the store.¡±


    ¡°How much is it?¡±


    ¡°You have insufficient funds at this time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what do I have the points for?¡±


    ¡°You have 9,250 points remaining.  This is sufficient to purchase several different items or amenities for the housing units.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between an item and an amenity?¡±


    ¡°Only items can pass through the portal.  Amenities must be consumed or remain in the housing unit.¡±


    ¡°I assume the housing unit is my cell.¡±  The AI didn¡¯t respond to that one and I fell silent, trying to think about what I wanted.  It seemed like each one of these tasks involved fighting so the answer was obvious. ¡°Can I buy a gun from the store?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, there is an extremely generous selection of firearms to choose from.  Several of which you could afford with your current point reserve.¡±


    That sounded too easy so I looked for the loophole.  ¡°And is ammunition available for the firearms?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±  He sounded cheerful to say it, and I waited a beat before my follow up question.


    ¡°Is a firearm an amenity or an item?¡±


    ¡°An amenity.¡±


    I stuck my tongue out at the ceiling, glad these bastards hadn¡¯t fooled me with that one.  I thought for a little while longer before trying a different tack. ¡°Can you tell me anything about upcoming tasks, even in general?¡±


    ¡°All tasks in this game are centered on the Kingdom civil war and navigating Kingdom society until you reach the 5th task and unlock story mode.  That is the entirety of the information I am able to provide at this time.¡±


    ¡°And story mode is . . .¡±


    ¡°Story mode is unlocked after completion of the 5th task.  That is the entirety of the information I am able to provide at this time.¡±


    ¡°I think somebody bumped your record there, the D.¡±  He didn¡¯t respond so I tried to come at it from the other side.  ¡°Can you make recommendations on what I should buy?¡±


    :¡±Most players focus on purchasing gear they believe will help them to survive.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well that¡¯s not vague at all.  Let me rephrase. What gear is most commonly purchased by other players at this point.¡±


    ¡°Statistically, the three most common purchases after successful completion of the second task are medical kits, firearms, and clothing.¡±


    Once again he answered me with completely useless information and I sighed.  It seemed like I¡¯d gone the wrong way, so I tried a complete 180. ¡°What are three of the least common items that were purchased?¡±


    ¡°Several items have been purchased by only a single individual, please refine your question.¡±


    I shrugged even though for all I knew the AI couldn¡¯t see me.  ¡°Extrapolate or something, the D. Pick the three most unusual, or statistically unlikely items.  What do you have?¡±


    ¡°Those three items would be a dalmatian puppy, an inflatable kayak, and a carburetor for a 1927 Indian motorcycle.¡±


    That was just weird, and part of me wondered if the puppy counted as an item or an amenity but I dismissed the concern.  Instead I tried a shortcut to beat the system. ¡°Hey, the D. Can you warn me anytime something I¡¯m about to buy counts as an amenity instead of an item?¡±


    ¡°I can provide that distinction.¡±


    ¡°Do that then.  If clothes are still a thousand xp a piece, give me a size medium sports bra.¡±  It would be nice to move around without flopping, and I would still have plenty of points left afterwards.  My life couldn¡¯t be that easy though.


    ¡°Items containing elastic are all classified as amenities.  Only period appropriate technology is allowed through the portal.¡±


    I sighed, but then had an idea and perked back up.  This wouldn¡¯t be the first time I¡¯d ever worn a bandeau.


    ¡°I want a silk scarf, as wide and long as possible.¡±


    ¡°There is a selection of colors to choose from, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Give me one in a deep green then, maybe along the line of Notre Dame¡¯s logo.¡±


    A mass of silk fluttered down to the end of the bed just like that and I grinned.  For the most part this had been pure hell, but the shopping beat even Amazon. There were a ton of other things I wanted, but I decided to try pricing a weapon first.


    ¡°How much for a 21 inch asp?¡±


    ¡°You no longer have sufficient points for such a purpose.¡±


    I thought about the dalmation puppy that had been mentioned earlier and hesitated.  ¡°Um, to be clear I¡¯m asking for the collapsible baton, not the poisonous snake.¡±


    ¡°In that case, a 21 inch asp is available for 4,000 points.¡±


    In a world of swords and axes I figured a weapon I knew how to use was better than a more dangerous weapon I¡¯d never touched before.  Since an asp apparently made it through the technology restriction somehow, it offered up a better alternative though. I¡¯d spent hours with a side handled baton during the academy, and even though now I¡¯d just started training with a bokken during aikido I knew I didn¡¯t have enough skill to trust my life to a sword.  A side handled baton was just the ticket. ¡°How much for a PR24, but still a collapsible one?¡±


    ¡°Please specify wooden or metal.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even know they made collapsible wooden batons.  I tried to picture how it would work in my head and I couldn¡¯t come up with anything that would stand up to a substantial impact so I shrugged.  ¡°Metal¡±


    ¡°6,500 points.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±  I had to snatch my feet up higher into the bed before the baton thumped down on the mattress.  Apparently there were risks to instant shopping as well. I glowered up at the ceiling as I cautiously extended my legs back out.  ¡°How much do I have left?¡±


    ¡°1,750 points remain to be spent.¡±


    That made it easy.  I was running low on points and I needed footwear.  There was no way my visitor¡¯s rundown boots would fit me.  ¡°I want a pair of Addidas crosstrainers in my size, pink if they¡¯re available.¡±


    ¡°That item would qualify as an amenity.¡±


    I mentally called bullshit.  They would let in a collapsible metal baton, machined by a CNC with microscopic tolerances and a spring steel retainer in the middle, but not a pair of tennis shoes?  The technology filter was oddly arbitrary and I bared my teeth at the ceiling. ¡°You are a real d bag, the D. What kind of footwear is available and counts as an item?¡±


    ¡°Period footwear includes handsewn boots, sandals, slippers, and a type of lace up shoe closely analogous to a mocassin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with a pair of boots then.¡±


    ¡°Riding boots, work boots, something formal for evening wear?  Please be more specific.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I want something sturdy and comfortable to walk in, but give me a low heel, maybe an inch or so, ? calf in a neutral color, say black or brown.  Sized to fit me of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course¡±  The boots dropped to the bed and I sat up to check them out.  They were black and felt like real suede. The soles were some kind of treated hardened leather that had been scored to improve traction and I absolutely loved them.  The seams had been hand stitched and I was betting a pair like this would have cost more than my car back in the real world. They marked the last of what I thought I would need for the next task, so I decided I could splurge for some amenities.


    ¡°How much for toilet paper, soap, shampoo, razors, towels, toothpaste and stuff like that?¡±  I¡¯d had laser hair removal on my bikini area, but hadn¡¯t had the money to do my legs too. I wasn¡¯t sure if growing out the hair on my legs, or living in a layer of my own funk would disgust me more.  I definitely wanted a full set of toiletries.


    ¡°Do you wish a listing of prices on all household domestic items?¡±


    I had a mental image of lying in the bed for the next six hours as the D droned on about prices of different scented bath soaps and shuddered.  That was not how I wanted to spend the rest of my free time before the next task. ¡°Those complimentary care packages for travelers that hotels provide, do you know what I¡¯m describing.¡±


    ¡°I am familiar with the items in question.  The store has several such available.¡±


    ¡°Spend the rest of my points on buying as many of them as possible, maximizing the amount of toiletries I can receive.¡±


    A small leather satchel and a much larger ziplock bag dropped onto the bed and I checked out my loot.  The big ziplock had a couple dozen of those tiny bars of hotel soap,and about half that many little foil pouches of shampoo plus conditioner.  It wasn¡¯t ideal but it would work, and I unzipped the travel bag. It had the motherload. There was a single disposable razor, a folding toothbrush and a tiny tube of paste with a single shot bottle of mouthwash.  There were two makeup remover towelettes, a tampon, roll on deodorant, a pair of tweezers, a comb, and a little sewing kit complete with a single plastic button. A foil bag of instant coffee and a tea bag labeled soothing chamomile were there, plus tiny bottles of moisturizer, sun screen, and eau de toilette that smelled vaguely floral.   I had a hard time getting it all back into the travel bag and ended up dumping part of it into the ziplock. I still didn¡¯t have a towel or actual toilet paper but everything else was pretty much taken care of for a while. Part of me thought about heading back to the shower and maybe using the comb to try and do something with my hair, but the other part just wanted to rest.


    ¡°Hey, the D.  Can you let me know when I¡¯m about an hour away from having to start the next task?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, Julia.¡±


    With my wake up call in place I rolled up into my semi-scratchy woolen blanket and lay back onto the bed.  My mind started trying to process all the crazy things I had seen and done today, and somewhere in the middle I drifted off to sleep.

 The Job Interview

    ¡°Good Morning, Julia Crane.¡±


    When I heard D¡¯s voice I woke up bitterly disappointed that it hadn¡¯t all been a nasty dream.  I considered trying to use hot water from the sink to make a cup of coffee from the little pouch of instant, but I didn¡¯t have a cup and the water wasn¡¯t really hot enough.  I decided not to waste it and headed to the bathroom then took a shower instead. It felt amazing to actually wash wash my hair, even if it wasn¡¯t the product I usually used at home.  I felt the lack of a towel keenly, but I used the wool blanket to dry my hair this time. It ought to have plenty of time to dry before I needed to use it again.


    I took my time and started to dress.  Getting the silk wrapped around my chest tight enough to keep my breasts flattened was a chore, but with patience and a little elbow grease I was finally able to tuck the last end back through an earlier wrap and tie it off.  The scarf had been long enough to circle me a half dozen times and I imagined this had been its original purpose. The blue shirt hadn¡¯t been dyed well, and turning it inside out most of the cotton looked gray rather than blue so I left it that way.  The neckline hung down low enough a hint of the green poked through, and it came down past my hips to mid-thigh, but I decided it was close enough after I¡¯d rolled the sleeves up a few turns. The trousers had a drawstring and laces at the crotch so I felt certain they would fit me.  Once I tried them on and rolled the cuffs up I decided they did, but the original owner apparently suffered from flat ass syndrome. They were loose in the thigh but I had a feeling these things would spend all day creeping up on me. I burned through quite a bit of time getting my things together, and I absolutely hated shoving my bare feet into the boots.  By the time I had my belt on and had slid my baton up one sleeve and was practicing sliding it out and returning it, D spoke before I had done much with my hair.


    ¡°Your next task is to obtain three silver coins.  Good luck, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a second, D.  I need to . . .¡± I was still talking when the light materialized on the far wall and I immediately started towards it.  I was gathering my hair into a ponytail, I¡¯d already cut a strip from some of the oversized lingerie to use as a hair tie, as I entered the portal.  I stepped through into a busy crowded street and flinched when I saw how close the nearest person was.


    He didn¡¯t come at me aggressively, in fact he ignored my presence entirely.  The next guy to approach seemed irritated that I was in his way and swerved around me, then I saw a woman carrying a basket of potatoes overtake me from behind.  She seemed calm enough, if a little grumpy, and I shifted over close to the edge of a building while I tried to work things out. I was in some kind of city, albeit a dirty kind of low tech one.  There were people walking around, minding their own business, no fighting or battle of any kind seemed imminent. It looked like some kind of farmers market or something was just up the way. The building behind me was some kind of tenament, and the one across the street was a bar or something unless I¡¯d missed my guess.  I was supposed to earn 3 silver coins before this was over. I didn¡¯t know what the exchange rate was, or how the economy here functioned at all really but it seemed like a lot of money. I decided I should go lurk in the open air market, maybe get a feel for prices in this world.


    There were barkers out in front of some of the stands, and I tried not to look too interested in any of their pitches because I didn¡¯t want to get involved in a conversation but I couldn¡¯t help but listen.  I was relieved that they were all speaking in english, but the wares they were pitching surprised me. One guy had amulets, charms, and potions for sale while another claimed to offer divinations. There were also fresh fruits and vegetables, a couple booths selling clothing, and some guy offering to patch broken pots or sharpen knives.  There didn¡¯t seem to be a pattern to which booths were situated where and I wondered the market for a while, checking out the different tables. I got a sharp eyed look from an overweight woman with brown skin when I touched a necklace of beads and shiny bangles. I didn¡¯t know what kind of stones were in it, but from the way she looked at me and the mountain of a man scowling behind her with a sword on his hip I was guessing they were at least semi-precious.  It had been a beautiful piece though and I gave her a wistful smile before I moved on.


    There was a rack that kind of looked like a chainlink wall hanging in one booth with an assortment of bladed weapons passed through the gaps.  I moved closer to give them a look. The bottom part of the rack was full of daggers kind of like mine, although most of these had an almost orangish cast to the metal and I was guessing they were some kind of coppery alloy.  There were iron blades too, and what felt like good quality steel for some of the swords. The most common design seemed to be a straight blade about two and a half feet long. It was sharp on one side and the last third of the blade on the other, with a sturdy brass crossguard on the hilt.  On a small wooden stand to one side I noticed longer curved blades that reminded me of the dai-katana bokken were based on, and I reached for a hilt when a gruff voice stopped me.


    ¡°Can I help you with something there, stranger?¡±


    It was a solidly built man with graying hair and a scar along his jawline.  He had good shoulders and a relaxed confident air about him that kind of reminded me of Michael Caine in that old movie Zulu.  I gave him a slow smile.


    ¡°Sure thing.  What can you tell me about that sword?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an officer¡¯s dueling blade, based on the eastern style.  Looking to purchase a present for someone, brother or husband perhaps?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not married.¡±  He returned my smile until I finished with, ¡°and I don¡¯t have a brother.  I¡¯m looking for a blade for myself.¡±


    His look grew cool and he gestured back up at the metal rack.  ¡°There are some pretty good standard blades there, even a couple of the bastard swords mercenaries tend to favor.  If you prefer, my associate has a few nice rapiers at his shop down the way.¡±


    So I was good enough to flirt with until I was a woman who could defend herself.  That was good to know. His assumption that I wouldn¡¯t be up to handling a real blade pissed me off.  So what if I only had a couple of forms so far with the bokken, for all he knew I could have been studying since I was 6.  I dropped my own smile and returned a business like nod.


    ¡°What¡¯s your price on that one?¡±


    ¡°Three gold, or a similar weight in silver at today¡¯s rates.¡±


    He smirked at me like he knew I didn¡¯t have the money so I just gave him a calm nod.  ¡°What is today¡¯s rate?¡±


    He shrugged, but the smirk fell off of his face.  ¡°13 to 1 I believe, but I haven¡¯t checked.¡±


    I nodded back at him, trying not to feel smug but to project a slightly bored tone.  ¡°I think that comes out to more than the first one I looked at. I¡¯ll have to go back to his shop.¡±


    I turned around and stalked back out into the flow of traffic, pretending I couldn¡¯t hear his cry for me to wait.  I was feeling pretty proud of my acting ability and putting him in his place when I saw something different that caught my eye.  I¡¯d worked plenty of crowds in my day, first as a uniformed presence at the barricades and later as a plain clothes officer out pressing the flesh.  I¡¯d learned a thing or two in that time, but today I watched the cleanest theft I¡¯d seen in my entire life. A woman in a modestly cut brown dress carrying a basket of eggs with a live chicken on top jerked to the side as the bird started to squawk and flap its wings.  Her flinch bumped her into a couple of finely dressed gentleman in half capes wearing short swords and pointy mustaches. The first guy caught her and steadied her on her feet, with only the slightest hint of groping while the second watched and laughed. The two walked on about their own business, not realizing that her free hand had come around with a straight razor and taken her rescuers coin purse straight off in a single pass.  The bag disappeared into the basket of eggs as she continued down the street, and I set out to follow the thief.


    I was tasked with earning 3 silver coins and I had a feeling that a person like this ought to be familiar with all the shortcuts to gaining wealth.  I did my best to stay unobtrusive as I followed her down the street. Twice more she seemed to be forced into others by the force of traffic and the vagaries of transporting livestock.  One of the times I was pretty sure she picked a pocket, but the other might have been an actual stumble although I doubted it. This woman was smooth. The crowd started to thin out and I dropped further and further back hoping she wouldn¡¯t make me.  To do real surveillance took an entire team with radios, or even better a helicopter at a distance, but I¡¯d followed people on foot before so I did the best I could. I was lucky I hadn¡¯t opened up an even bigger gap, because I barely caught it when she turned inside a business, and I hustled forward a couple of steps to make sure I¡¯d identified the right door.


    She¡¯d gone inside some kind of tavern or a bar.  As I got closer and started studying the two story building I realized it was some kind of inn instead, with rooms to let up top and a small stable around the back.  I didn¡¯t really care, I was just trying to count the number of entrances and it didn¡¯t take long to decide there were way more than I¡¯d be able to watch from outside.  I decided to go in and see what I could find out.


    The room was kind of dim compared to the light of day outside, and I took a second just inside the entrance until my eyes had adjusted.  A quick headcount showed the blonde sneak theif had already cleared out. There was one guy at the bar, another singleton at the tables. I pegged a group of five eating at one of the tables as local laborers on their lunch break, and a couple sharing a bottle of wine by the fireplace as there for the accomodations up stairs.  A couple more women were spaced out through the bar, and the common theme seemed to be a dress pinned up to various heights and at least a single shoulder bare. I was guessing that was the local working girl dress code. After I¡¯d taken a quick gander at the clientele I checked the room itself. There were wooden benches and tables spread out in front of a big stone fireplace, but the focal point of the room seemed to be a big wooden bar that ran the length of the place minus a staircase going up.  The bar was some kind of dark wood, maybe mahogany, polished to a high sheen by generations of forearms and spilled beer. While there weren¡¯t stools, a low rail was attached to the front of the bar. I walked over and put one foot up and leaned on the bar. I didn¡¯t really grok how money and prices should work here yet, but I had the coin pouch I¡¯d taken off the first task. I fished one of the copper coins it contained out and slid it out onto the bar and left my finger on it as the barman wandered over.


    He was short and fat, with enough stains on his apron I had doubts on the hygiene of the food in this place.  He ambled over and looked down at the coin.


    ¡°What can I get for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing a menu is out of the question, but I¡¯m from out of town.  How about a price list.¡±


    He put one hand to his chest and flapped the other in the air weakly while he spoke in an affected lisp.  ¡°Well, la de da. Unfortunately, milady, our menus are out at the lithographers retouching the image for coq a vin.  Might I recommend a bottle from our extensive cellars for only 2 coppers, or the house stew for a measly half.¡±


    I smiled and nodded at him, while I slowly drew my belt knife and sat it on the bar as well.  ¡°Interesting, how much would a little respect cost? I¡¯m thinking your right ear?¡±


    The only patron close enough to overhear was an old rum soaked scarecrow I¡¯d already pegged as a hardcore alcoholic.  He just scooted a little further down the bar, not letting up his grip on the earthenware cup in his hand. The bartender put both hands up and took a half step back.  From the corner of my eye I saw one of the patrons who¡¯d been at a table by himself near the door shift in his seat and rest his hand next to a crossbow on the tabletop.  This place apparently really did have a bouncer, and I felt the muscles in my back tighten. The bartender didn¡¯t look scared, but he seemed cautious.


    ¡°Just a harmless little joke.  I didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡±


    I slowly pulled the knife back and slid it into the sheath before I took my hand off the coin.  I saw the guy with the crossbow seem to relax and let a hint of smile play across my lips. ¡°Sure, I was just joking too.  How about a single coin for the stew and a mug of something a little harder than wine.¡± When he nodded and swiped the coin off into his other hand I continued.  ¡°How much is one of the rooms?¡±


    ¡°By the hour or for the whole night? Accompanied or on your own?¡±  He held up a cautioning hand. ¡°No offense meant, but it''s best to be clear when you¡¯re talking business.¡±


    ¡°Rate for the day and rate for a week, no company needed.¡±


    ¡°6 coppers a night, board is extra or I can let you a room for a week at a single silver.  If you¡¯re thinking of working out of here, that¡¯s a different arrangement.¡±


    ¡°Charming, but I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    He nodded and went off to fill my order.  A couple of minutes later he slopped down a bowl full of stew and another earthenware cup full of something honey colored.  Without saying a word I picked up the cup and took a measured sip. There was a burn to it, and an almost sweet aftertaste like some kind of brandy and I nodded at him.  He looked kind of disappointed like he¡¯d expected me to choke, but I would be surprised if the stuff was much more than 80 proof. It¡¯d been a while since I¡¯d eaten and the food smelled decent, and alcohol on an empty stomach isn¡¯t a good idea, so I took a bite of the stew in spite of my hygiene concerns.  Maybe I was hungrier than I thought, or maybe he was really a decent cook because the stew was pretty good. I nodded at the barman, glad I¡¯d made the purchase even though it was at least a fifth of my total funds down the tube. He gave me a self satisfied smile and nodded back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been serving this same pot of stew here for nigh onto 7 years.  Never let the fire go out from under it. Folks in the neighborhood claim it''s as good as one of those fancy restaurants up on the hill.¡±


    I nodded and smiled at him, trying not to think about my chances of getting botulism.  ¡°I¡¯m a believer. Best I¡¯ve had in a real long time.¡± Now that we¡¯d broken the ice with a little friendly chat I tried some fishing.  ¡°I¡¯ve actually heard of it before. Friend of mine from a while back, said she comes here all the time, recommended it.¡±


    ¡°Really, who would that be?¡±


    I looked over each shoulder, in an almost parody of a conspiracy and leaned in closer.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to say her name, but I¡¯m sure you know her.¡± I held a hand up over the bar, just a tad under my shoulder level.  ¡°About yay tall, blonde shoulder length hair. Sometimes she leaves a little braid to hang down the front with a bead in it. Dresses pretty modest like a shopkeeper¡¯s wife but the gods were a little more generous to her than the average.¡±


    I made an hourglass figure gesture with my hands at that last and he nodded like he understood, but then stopped in mid gesture and shook his head.  ¡°Nope, never heard of her. You about finished yet?¡±


    I looked down at my mostly full stew and then turned my head when I heard the bench scoot back as the bouncer got up.  Damn it. I¡¯d not only overplayed my hand, I¡¯d somehow missed it when the bar man flashed the bouncer the high sign. A quick scan of the room showed the group of workmen filing out the door.  The couple had already traveled upstairs, and that just left the employees, me and the rummy. I looked up at the barkeep and met his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯d like a chance to finish my meal.¡±


    He shook his head slowly at me, and managed a look that seemed to be genuine sadness.  ¡°You¡¯re a little curious for a casual visitor. Think we might need to ask you a couple of questions ourselves.¡±


    I half turned to watch the bouncer approach.  If the bartender had been short and fat, this guy made up for it.  He was at least a foot taller than me and built like a side of beef with some deliteful facial scarification that looked like tally marks under his right eye.  I¡¯m not sure what he was commemorating but there were seven of them. I took a step back so I could see both the bartender and the bouncer at the same time.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Okay, boys.  I overstepped and I get the message.  We don¡¯t have to do this. I¡¯ll walk away and you never see me again.¡±


    The big guy gave an ominous chuckle.  ¡°Walking away no questions asked left when the witnesses did, girlie.  You tell the man what he wants to know and if it¡¯s convincing you don¡¯t have to get hurt.¡±


    I took a slow step out from the bar, and he mirrored it to cut off a run for the door.  It was the right move to keep me from escaping, but it left both of them roughly lined up so no one could grab me from behind.  I finished working the side handle past the cuff of my sleeve and felt it drop down into my hand. I gave him a nasty grin that was all teeth.  ¡°It¡¯s not me I¡¯m worried about, honey.¡±


    The big guy lunged forward and grabbed my wrist and jerked it toward him.  I let him have it. I shoved forward into the pull and leaned down and picked his ankle with the side baton at the same time.  He overturned and crashed into the bar, even though he still had a hold on me. I stepped on his thigh to take the pressure off my wrist and smashed the baton down on the hands the serving man had put on the bar preparing to jump over it.  He howled and jumped back as I stood on the first guy, using my legs to pull my arm back and straighten his out. He was latched onto my wrist with both hands and I whipped the baton back down onto the end of his bicep, just barely missing his elbow.  It was enough to break his grip on one side. The bartender was swinging a bottle at me now though and I just barely had time to meet it with the baton back against my forearm. Glass shattered and sprayed me with wine as the big guy tried to pull himself back up from my arm.  The weight discrepancy was too much and it pulled my upper body down low instead. I went with it, leaning in and using the momentum to whip my strong side foot around over the bar in a roundhouse kick up side the bartender¡¯s head.


    He crashed back against the wall behind the bar, but the bouncer had used the distraction to get to his knees.  Much worse, he managed to latch onto the ankle I¡¯d planted before the kick and now I was screwed. Before he could pull me down I smashed the baton down into his grip on my arm.  It was too far away to try and hit the one on my ankle. He sacrificed the hold on my wrist to grab the baton when I tried to knock him loose and he moved faster than I¡¯d expected.  It cracked down into his hand and he latched on even though it had to be painful. I tugged back because I really didn¡¯t want him to take my baton, but he yanked on it and my ankle. He was too strong to reverse it so I went in again, pushing off with my other leg.  I ended up flopped across his body in something almost like a bridal carry. It wasn¡¯t quite all bad, because I¡¯d drawn the knife as I went. When we both hit the floor my free hand had the blade to his face. The flat was resting on his cheek with the point close enough it was hitting eyelashes and forcing him to blink.


    He froze and looked past the blade into my eyes.  It was an oddly intimate moment as he spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°I yield.¡±


    ¡°Let me go, then.  Slowly.¡± He complied gingerly, releasing both hands and shifting them flat to the floor at a glacial pace.  I shifted my weight and started moving as well. I kept the flat of the blade pressed to his face, the pressure constant so he knew I was paying attention.  I swung around until I was straddling him, knees up by his armpits so he wouldn¡¯t have the leverage to buck me off. I kept the blade by his eye while I leaned over and took my baton back.  He jumped a little when I slammed it into the floor by his head to collapse it back down, and a single spot of blood welled up underneath the point of the dagger. ¡°Little jumpy there, big guy.¡±  I raised my voice without turning my eyes from the big man under me. ¡°Hey bar keep, how we doing?¡± Silence was my only reply and I made a clucking noise like a disappointed grandma. The big guy closed his eyes briefly, then opened them back up and called out.


    ¡°Zeno, answer the woman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still alive, Patrick.  What¡¯s the play?¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡±


    I know I hadn¡¯t expected the interruption, and I think the other two were surprised as well when the woman¡¯s voice came from the stairs.  I chanced a quick look up and saw the blonde from out in the street on the staircase, then flashed back down and saw Patrick watching me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, okay.  I don¡¯t want to scramble your brains with this knife, but I will if you try me.  You¡¯re too good to take chances with.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I think.¡±


    While we had our little chat the bartender had been gathering his nerve, because he called out to the girl.  ¡°Trouble, Cate. The broad is part of the Watch or one of those mercenary bands the Reeve hired. Came in here asking questions and got the drop on Patrick.¡±


    I doubted it would work but things had already gotten too complicated.  I tried a little white lie. ¡°It¡¯s just a little misunderstanding. Move on, lady.¡±


    I heard wood scraping and I really wanted to turn and look but I held steady.  Instead I leaned further right and straightened my left leg so I could shift that way at the hip without turning my upper body or straightening my elbow.  I¡¯d gotten far enough over to take a look in time to see the blonde staring at me holding a crossbow that seemed like it should be too heavy for her. The tip wavered just a bit in the air, but it stayed steady enough to scare the shit out of me at this range.


    ¡°Why the fuck are you straddling my brother-in-law?¡±


    ¡°Husband¡¯s brother or your sister¡¯s husband?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Sister¡¯s husband if it matters.¡±


    I gave her a cocky smile.  ¡°Well this is awkward.¡± She narrowed her eyes at me but the big guy had the nerve to actually chuckle.  I lifted the blade off his face and tapped his cheek with it just to let him know what was up. He winked at me like he wasn¡¯t on the bad end of a Mexican stand-off and then called out to the others.


    ¡°She¡¯s not with the watch or the Reeve.  She moves different and has too much confidence here on her own.  This one is a noble¡¯s thieftaker or something similar.¡±


    ¡°Wrong answer. I know, maybe you should just ask her.¡±  I nodded to myself, then took care of the entire conversation for them.  ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. Who are you? Oh, just a curious traveller who was looking to do a little business before other people started getting all violent.  Oh, really? How shocking. What should we do next? Well, we could all put down our weapons and talk things over calmly, or I could stick a knife in this one¡¯s skull and see if I can make it to the crossbow girl before she puts a bolt in me.  Oooh, that¡¯s a tough one. Let¡¯s ask the others.¡± I took a break from my little performance to check both the one I had under me and the girl with the crossbow. The big guy seemed to think it was all a game, and the woman was surprisingly calm.  I couldn¡¯t see the bartender from where I was crouched, but I was sincerely hoping he didn¡¯t have another crossbow back there. When a few seconds had passed in silence I shrugged with one arm at her. ¡°Well, what¡¯ll it be?¡±


    She turned and casually laid the crossbow on a table and walked back over towards the fireplace.  ¡°Hey, Zeno. Bring over a bottle of wine.¡±


    I pulled my knife away from Patrick¡¯s face and slowly stood, backing away from him until I¡¯d opened up enough space I could turn without stepping across him and followed her to the table.  If she wanted to play it casual I could too. ¡°Bring my stew too, I already paid for it.¡±


    We sat down across from one another, like old friends out for a drink at starbucks.  As soon as the thought struck me I blurted it out. ¡°Hey, this might sound weird but do you guys have a drink called coffee?¡±


    She cocked her head and gave me a strange look like I¡¯d just grown a third eye on my forehead.  ¡°Yeah, but usually just for breakfast. Zeno, make some coffee instead.¡±


    ¡°Bring us wine, Zeno,  make some coffee, Zeno, let the crazy lady kick you in the head, Zeno.  You know, I don¡¯t work for you, Cate. I¡¯m trying to run a business here.¡±


    The big guy had gotten up from the floor and was making his way over to join us when Cate half turned in her seat to meet his eyes and cut a look back towards the kitchen.  ¡°Go put on a pot of coffee and convince him to stop whining if you would, Patrick. I got this.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    She gave a dismissive flick of her wrist and smiled back at me with a slight incline of her chin.  ¡°We¡¯ll just have a little girl talk. Maybe share a couple cups of coffee and sort all this out.¡±


    I tried smiling back, concentrating on a let¡¯s be friends vibe, but inside my nerves were stretched tight.  I wondered for a second how I¡¯d let this all spiral out of control, but then took a breath and focused on my center.  I was here now, I would see where this took me and try to make the most out of it.


    ¡°So your name is Cate.¡±


    ¡°Yep, and the big guy is Patrick.  I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t catch your name?¡±


    ¡°Julia.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Julia.  Do you mind if I ask what brings you here this afternoon?¡±


    I tried to give a nonchalant shrug, like it wasn¡¯t really a big deal.  ¡°Well, in a way I guess you did.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    She packed a freight train¡¯s worth of baggage onto that single syllable, but I was spared from responding when a pair of strangers walked through the open door to the street.  The working girls had magically reappeared from wherever they had scurried off to when the fight started, and one of the new guys entered into negotiations while the other took a seat over by the far wall.  Cate and I both watched, each suspicious at first that it was additional backup for the other, but when the first guy followed his new acquaintance upstairs for romance she turned back to face me with a raised eyebrow.  I shrugged in response.


    ¡°First off, I¡¯m not a thief catcher or whatever it was Patrick called me.  I¡¯m a fellow professional from out of town. I had to leave suddenly and found myself at loose ends in a new city.  I thought maybe you could help a girl out, show me the ropes in this area.¡±


    ¡°Mmm-hmmm, and as a complete stranger to our fair city, you just happened to stumble into this inn and ask for a short blonde female thief?  Try again, I¡¯m not a sucker for a pretty face.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m pretty?¡±  I raised a tentative hand and flicked at my ponytail.  ¡°I had like zero time to do my hair and honestly, I thought I¡¯ve gotten a little ratchet the past couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± a bark of surprised laughter burst from her lips and she gave me a dubious look.  ¡°Are you actually flirting with me? I live in a cathouse, darling. You¡¯ll have to do way better than that to distract me.  Why come here?¡±


    I shrugged at her.  It had been an instinctive reaction, I hadn¡¯t had anybody but that stupid AI to talk to in quite a while and she was attractive in that soft feminine way.  I¡¯d been called striking, but with my shoulders and slender frame I could never have that classic Earth goddess look that Cate could pull off. I didn¡¯t need another complication in my life right now though, so I ignored it and answered the question.


    ¡°Remember the dandy with the fur lined cape whose purse you cut in the market?  I saw that, and the lady with the roses embroidered on her hems. You¡¯re good and I felt like it might be in both our best interests if we met.  I didn¡¯t mean for all of this to happen.¡± I made a vague gesture encompassing the entire barroom, but she nodded as if she knew what I meant.


    ¡°So you saw something that made you think I was a fellow professional I think you called it?  Are you saying you¡¯re in the same line of work as me then?¡±


    I held my tongue as Patrick came back with a clay crock in one hand and three mugs in another.  Cate reached out and took two of the cops from his oversized hands, purposely leaving the last before she took the crock as well.  ¡°I¡¯m sure Zeno would appreciate it if you took up your post back by the door again. More customers have arrived.¡±


    The big man looked down at me, then leaned over and whispered something into his sister in law¡¯s ear.  I did my damndest to overhear without actually getting up out of my chair, but whatever he said was inaudible.  Whatever it was, the woman shook her head in negation and cut him off. ¡°Not right now, Patrick. Maybe later if it comes down to it.¡±  She looked over at me as he walked away after giving me a warning look, and gestured. ¡°Same line of work?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡±  My mind raced. I needed a criminal background, but something that played to my skills.  I couldn¡¯t actually pick pockets or crack safes. Most of my undercover work had been in vice, and there was no way I was going down that road in this world.  The only useful skill I could think of was violence, but trying to land a job as some kind of mob hitman didn¡¯t sound appealing. The thought of organized crime spurred another and I hit on a solution.  Modern forensics and the way the FBI had cracked down back in the 20¡¯s meant that kidnap for ransom was almost unheard of in the United States. Central and South America though, it was still a thriving business, and oil executives ran into that kind of thing on an almost daily basis.  I was betting in a feudal society with huge income disparities and antiquated law enforcement, it was a valid trade here as well.


    ¡°I was with a crew that did kidnappings.  I was always the innocent bystander at the ransom drop.  I¡¯m good at reading people so I could spot a setup, and if things turn ugly no one expects a woman to be good in a fight.  Most of my job was to not look like a threat.¡± I sighed and shook my head regretfully. ¡°Unfortunately, we were a little too successful.  When an accurate description of me started making the rounds I thought it was time to travel.¡±


    ¡°And you made your way to Kantia and found me.  That sounds plausible enough.¡± She paused for a moment and took a slow sip of her coffee.  I¡¯d already drunk a half cup of mine. It was a medium roast, and without sugar or creamer it was a tad more bitter than I preferred, but it was still coffee.  This was the longest I¡¯d been without since I was a teenager and I¡¯d already decided I wasn¡¯t leaving this table with any left in the pot. Cate gave a thoughtful head nod and kind of tilted her head to the side again.  I realized that must be a common tic for her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I believe you, Julia.  What is it you want from me? Sure, we¡¯re two women on the other side of the Reeve, but it¡¯s not like that makes us special.  Go down to the poor quarter and throw a stone, chances are you¡¯ll hit a person who does a little work on the wrong side of the law from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Mmm-hmmm, but how many of them will be as good at it as you are?  I saw you work remember?¡± I¡¯d been thinking of this since I first saw her rob the guy in the market, and I grinned now that I finally had the chance to make my pitch.  ¡°I need funds. It would be particularly pleasant if I could gain them quickly. I¡¯m hoping an enterprising young woman like yourself could point me in the right direction for some lucrative employment.¡±


    ¡°And this good deed would give me the joy of helping someone less fortunate.  You said that you are in need of funds so I know a bribe isn¡¯t in the offing. What¡¯s in it for me?  Why would I take a risk putting forward a stranger to any of my acquaintances?¡±


    I knew the few coppers I had wouldn¡¯t get me far, and selling off my gear didn¡¯t seem like a good idea.  I¡¯d seen prices in the market however, and it had given me an inkling of a plan. I smiled at Cate across the table.  ¡°I mentioned substantial funds. I¡¯m not completely without resources of my own.¡± I plucked the low neck of the oversized shirt away from my chest, and leaned forward over the table with my chin up to give her a good view at the silk bandeau underneath.  Cate leaned forward a bit as well, and when I settled back into my seat gave me an arch smile.


    ¡°Very nice, but not something I¡¯d care to make money off of.  Or are you referring to the silk?¡±


    I felt just the hint of a blush coming on, and found myself talking a little faster than normal when I responded.  ¡°The silk has that beautiful green dye consistent along the length. I didn¡¯t see anything like it in the market. It¡¯s maybe a forearms length wide and at least as long as Patrick is tall.  I saw what a bolt of white silk was going for in the market. What do you think the going rate for something like this is?¡±


    ¡°Who is going to be looking for it?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely no one.  This is from so far away I doubt you could even consider it warm let alone hot.  There is zero chance of repercussions.¡±


    ¡°You understand that I am not a cloth merchant, right?  My contacts for resale ship the goods clear across the kingdom to avoid any embarrassment, and trying to peddle it in pieces of trim to the girls around town would take forever.  You won¡¯t get the kind of silver this cost originally.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of meeting you, though, Cate.  I don¡¯t necessarily want silver for it at all. I need to get some income lined up and a place to stay until it starts coming in.  That¡¯s it. You get an absolutely stunning length of silk and a new friend. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°I say give me a minute to talk some stuff over with my friends.  Stick around, enjoy your coffee. The rest of your stew is still up at the bar.  I¡¯ll be back in a few, okay?¡±


    I nodded and gave her a casual wave as she got up and walked off.  She had a bit more sway to her step than I¡¯d seen earlier, and she looked back over her shoulder at me right before she made it to the bar to see if I¡¯d been looking at her ass.  I grinned and nodded in appreciation of the tactic, and she gave me a wink before she disappeared into the backroom.


    I got up and retrieved my bowl of stew before carrying it back to the table.  If I was stuck waiting here for a while, I might as well get what I¡¯d paid for.  At least an hour had passed and the bowl was empty long before then. I was slowly working on the last cup of coffee by the time anything interesting happened.  I¡¯d watched a few people come and go from the inn. It seemed to be a mix of locals who came in for the wine, as well as the occasional upscale client who was here for one of the girls.  Then a patron arrived who just seemed to put my teeth on edge.


    I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it all at once, but something about the man was off.  Before he¡¯d walked in, Patrick had looked up and called across to the bartender that he was going out to the jakes.  Just minutes after he¡¯d walked out, the stranger came strolling in and took a seat at one of the tables. He was a little overdressed to be one of the locals, but didn¡¯t quite look like one of the bored gentry down here for a roll in the hay.  He had a simple looking knife on his belt, but I caught the hint of another one in his boot top. When he flared out his cloak to keep from sitting on the hem, the outline of a longer blade was visible strapped upside down on his back. He didn¡¯t make a move to order a drink, just watched the working girls with a fixed stare and made no move to approach them.  The concealed weapons, the body language, something about this guy just rubbed me the wrong way, and I kept checking the doorway, hoping to see Patrick come strolling back in. He¡¯d apparently decided to find an outhouse on another block though, or maybe he¡¯d fallen in. Either way he was a no show and finally I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. My spidey senses were telling me something bad was about to happen and I just couldn¡¯t force myself to ignore them.


    I worked my wrist around to make sure my baton was loose in my sleeve again before I circled around and dropped onto the bench across the table from him.  He swung his head towards me in a stiffnecked, almost lizardlike kind of motion and fixed me with that steady stare. He had hollow cheeks and a rather sunken frame like he was in dire need of a sandwich.  It didn¡¯t make him look thin and fragile, but as if he were hollow inside and filled with some kind of unholy hunger. My imagination was building up fast, and I tried to derail it by giving him a casual shrug.


    ¡°Hey, there stranger.  Come here often?¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem too talkative.  He just stared at me a little too long for comfort before he swallowed visibly and cut right to the chase.  ¡°What do you want?¡±


    I simpered at him, pretending to flirt but probably doing it badly.  This guy was so not my type it was hard to get into character. ¡°Let¡¯s start with a drink.  Buy a girl a glass of brandy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± It was short and direct, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I should be offended or not.  One hand came up on to the table and jingled a little pouch so I could hear coins clink before he smacked it down onto the table and drew his hand back down out of sight.  I looked down at the coin purse and back up at him, the fake smile fading from my face and casual body language slowly transforming as I felt the tension fill me. I breathed in through my nose out through my mouth looking for my center as I tried to read his position.  He didn¡¯t look strong enough to throw the heavy table over on top of me, and was too close to pull a long weapon. Combine that with the concealed blades and I was pegging him as a knife man, and from the way he held himself for some reason I was betting he was good with it too.  I really hated knife fights if I didn¡¯t have a gun during them, and I slid the baton all the way out of my sleeve into my hand under the table before he spoke again. ¡°Got some silver here if you answer a question for me.¡±


    I smiled for real this time, and tried to intentionally misunderstand.  ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay, honey. A lot of people have those feelings about boys and girls.  You really don¡¯t have to pick just one as long as everybody is consenting adults.¡±


    There was a flash of something in his previously cold eyes and I realized I¡¯d managed to touch something there.  Apparently some guys could be as touchy about that kind of thing in this world as the last. He spoke calmly though, in that same monotone voice.


    ¡°Need to find Cate.  She¡¯s a thief. Short and busty, with bottle blonde hair.¡±


    I was a little pissed on her behalf.  I¡¯d seen the eyebrows, and without checking to see if the carpet matched the drapes I was sure as I reasonably could be that Cate was a natural blonde.  I tried not to let any of that show on my face as I jerked a thumb at a willowy blonde working girl who was at least a hand taller than me, then pointed across the room at a busty redhead with freckles.


    ¡°She might be Cate, or the other girl over there, maybe she dyed her hair again.  Can I get the silvers?¡±


    His arm came up and I thought he was going to pick the bag of coins back up until with a flick of his wrist a short wide blade managed to appear in his hand.  He rested just the point of the knife on the purse and narrowed his eyes at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like funny answers.  You can answer for coins or answer in blood.¡±


    I felt the muscles in my core tense as I relaxed my legs.  The plan was to try and drive the tabletop back into him by lashing out with both, and then see where the winds would take me.  Even if he was good, I was betting that I was better. I gave him what was supposed to be a frightened smile, but probably just came across as a little confused.


    ¡°I want you to know that when you¡¯re dead, I¡¯m going to keep that cloak.  It looks pretty badass.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a second.¡±  When he spoke his voice sounded completely different, and then he sat up and took his hand off the knife.  His change in posture seemed to give him a completely different vibe. He went from creepy stalker to affable neighbor in the blink of an eye.  His frame was still cadaverous but his face was softer somehow, like the kind of guy you¡¯d want to drop a couple of ones in his bucket so he¡¯d get himself and his orphan puppy some food around the Holidays.  The new kinder, gentler stranger half turned his head while still keeping a close watch on me. ¡°Hey, Cate. You can come back out now. She¡¯s legit.¡±

 The Joy of Payday

    That¡¯s how I got my job with the crew from The Walk Right Inn.  Despite the rather unusual screening process, I came to appreciate the people I was working with.  Cate with her trained chicken was out and about most days, only dropping by the tapproom in the evenings.  We continued a low level flirtation I think we both enjoyed but probably didn¡¯t have much intention to ever consummate.  I saw a lot more of Patrick. He was still the security, but dressed like one of the working girls and blending into the crowd I was his backup.  I only had to step in twice, both times late in the evenings when things were on the verge of devolving into a full scale brawl with a crowd. We were both stuck with plenty of downtime in the mornings before the lunch rush and I got to know him pretty well.  He was a widower. Cate¡¯s sister had passed in the same incident that got him sent to the fighting pits. No one was ever quite clear on what that was. He was more than happy to talk about his time in the pits though. Apparently convicted felons had there win/loss record on their face for all the world to see, and seven successful bouts in a row had secured Patrick a pardon.


    We¡¯d sparred a couple of times and I could tell I¡¯d gotten lucky he¡¯d underestimated me that first day.  I didn¡¯t think I was up to taking him in anything resembling a fair fight. From the few times our body made contact wrestling, I could tell he enjoyed having me there on more than one level, but he seemed too shy to ever move past the occasional glance or small smile.  It felt kind of weird to be interested in two members of the same family, and I tried not to act on either to keep myself out of trouble. I flirted with them both shamelessly, and enjoyed the attention even if I found myself missing real intimacy. Sexual release could come in the privacy of my own arduously filled wash tub.  I was here on a mission. I could only wish other people had the same self control.


    The Walk Right Inn was a business in the end, and they needed empty rooms upstairs in order to ply at least part of their trade.  I ended up sharing a room with one of the working girls named Gabriel. We had similar frames, and even managed to share clothes a time or two, but that was about all we had in common.  I had a thing for soft women or hard men, but Gabriel thought the ideal partner looked more like, well, us. She had moved from heavy innuendo the first night to blatant sexual overtures the next couple of evenings.  A carefully calculated display of the physical disparity between us, ending with her on the floor in a wristlock with my foot on her throat and an offer to kick her ass, only seemed to make things worse. Gabby turned out to be a bit of a sub, and apparently I now pushed all of her buttons.  Hooking up with a girl who made her living on her back just didn¡¯t appeal to me at all. It turns out it was legal in the Kingdom, if not a popular trade most parents wanted their children to grow into. Gabriel was free to leave at any time and look into some other trade, but the money was easy and the life kind of fun according to her.  I tried repeatedly to find a new roommate, but without success. I started to expect that the others found it amusing. I knew for a fact that Zeno laughed uproariously every time he saw Gabriel make a pass at me and get shot down.


    That was my life in The Walk Right Inn.  Over the course of a week and a half I made friends and became accustomed to this new world. If I found myself having trouble at night sleeping, wondering what had happened to the real world and if the others were just simulations, or pondering what would happen to them once I¡¯d earned the silver, I lied to myself. I pretended that I was just on watch in case Gabriel came to join me for a little ¡®comfort¡¯ after a night terror again and tried to push it from my mind.  On the 9th day it all came to a head though, because I finally found an opportunity to make some real money and finish the task.


    Cate came in earlier than usual, and without her highly trained avian partner in crime.  She drifted back behind the bar and came back with a mug of the brandy I had grown to favor as well as a flute of the fruity stuff she preferred.  She handed me my drink and came to sit on the same side of the table as me, playfully shoving me over with her ample hip.


    ¡°Make a little room there, Julia.  A girl has got to sit down.¡±


    ¡°I would love to clear you off a seat.¡±  I replied, carefully brushing my face with a dainty kerchief I¡¯d plucked from my cleavage.  She burst into laughter and I grinned at her. Without cheesy movies and the joys of facebook videos, I¡¯d realized I had a treasure trove of one liners Cate had never been exposed to.  After one late night semi-buzzed conversation comparing the almost helpless ways men had tried to pick us up, I had started hitting her with them. The cheesier the better. I had been saving this one for just the right moment, and the smile it put on Cate¡¯s face was infectious.


    ¡°Oh, that is terrible.  No way a man from here would use it either.  I don¡¯t know about things in whatever mysterious foreign city you came from, but here in Kantia if your average man was willing to go down on a woman, and knew how?¡±  She shrugged and shook her head. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure what would happen, but I bet I would find it a lot harder to get a date.¡±


    I made a show of slowly looking her up and down before I shook my head.   ¡°Nope, you¡¯d still get lucky whenever you wanted to.¡±


    Her eyes crinkled in at the corners, obviously pleased but trying not to let it show.  ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to flirt, this time. Shameless woman, you¡¯re as bad as Gabriel.¡±


    I flicked a quick glance over each shoulder and hissed at her.  ¡°Don¡¯t say that name. You¡¯ll draw her over here.¡±


    She grinned openly this time but shook her head again.  ¡°No more antics, Julia. I¡¯ve got a line on a business opportunity.  You¡¯re kind of thing really.¡±


    I nodded back with a serious face, and scooted over a little on the bench so it was easier to see her face.  I took a cautious sip of my brandy and made a go on gesture with one hand, waiting for her to explain. She sighed and held up her palms in a forgive me gesture.


    ¡°This is maybe a little complicated because you don¡¯t know the players here, so I¡¯ll sum up.  If you feel like you need more information though to make an intelligent choice that¡¯s fine. You can ask for more details and I¡¯ll probably be able to fill you in.¡±


    I nodded again, feeling a tad like a bobble head doll but I would wait before I had a relevant question before I interrupted her if we were talking business.


    ¡°There is a rich merchant, not one of the guild heads or a peer with any kind of political power.  He¡¯s been trying to change that. Applying pressure here or there, bribing clerks to look into old genealogies, that kind of thing.  It¡¯s started to piss some people off in one of the political leagues and they¡¯re holding a kind of conference about it. One of the minor nobles is somewhat nervous about attending.  Apparently a carriage carrying someone or another was held up by highwaymen, and there was a suspicious fall from a horse when someone else was riding to hounds. This noble is landed, but doesn¡¯t have the rank to bring a retinue to the meeting.  It¡¯s supposed to look like an informal affair. Are you with me so far?¡±


    I shrugged at her.  ¡°I¡¯ve understood all the words, but I haven¡¯t really caught where I fit in to all of this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting there.  Basically it¡¯s a bodyguard gig.  Normally the guy would have a couple of knights or a full levy of infantry he could drag along to make him feel safe, but the social nature of the venue means that would make him look bad.  He has an armsman whose something of a badass that goes everywhere with them, but other than that he basically has to go in alone. This guy knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy, however.  Patrick is going with as the coach driver, and a guy named Bonito who you might have met will be the footmen. It gives him two extra fighters who don¡¯t look or act like soldiers.¡±


    I pictured what little I knew of Bonito.  He was a kind of swarthy looking older guy who was probably a little shorter than me.  He had a host of tiny nicks up and down his forearms that said knife fighter, and carried a wicked looking ulu at the small of his back that looked about like a hatchet without a handle.  The only time we¡¯d really interacted I¡¯d noticed he didn¡¯t talk much and moved with a kind of liquid grace, and when one of the working girls had knocked a cup off the tabletop he¡¯d caught it in one hand before it had hit the ground.  Between that and a walking testosterone ad like Patrick I figured the bases were covered and told Cate so. She disagreed.


    ¡°The viscount wants a female fighter that¡¯s still pretty enough to pass as his doxie.   That¡¯ll be the only way to get someone inside the venue itself not just cooling their heels out in the courtyard.  If things proceed as planned its a chance for rich people food and alcohol, with a pleasant carriage ride on each end.  If it goes badly, then the job is to get the viscount home alive with a substantial bonus at the end.¡±


    ¡°It sounds possible but kind of dangerous, what kind of threat are we realistically looking at?¡±


    ¡°No one really knows for sure.  There might not even be one, or maybe the whole thing is one elaborate ambush and the viscount isn¡¯t paranoid enough.  A lot of it depends on how well he can trust the others in his political league. The minor house¡¯s are always double dealing and figuring the best angles to catch up with the big boys. He¡¯s offering plenty of money though.  I¡¯ve already signed on for the role of the doxie¡¯s maid.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Cate?  I thought this was supposed to be a bodyguard thing.  I haven¡¯t noticed you out in the sparring yard with the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Mmmmm, but I¡¯ve watched you a couple times from over in the balcony.   I can handle myself in a fight. My sister and I grew up in the poor quarter, Julia.  I can take care of myself.¡± She put up her dukes in a parody of boxing I hoped was meant as a joke before winking at me.  ¡°Plus, I hope I have a real hell on wheels friend willing to play the doxie and make sure I come out alive too. You wanted a chance to get some real money.  This a real payday. What do you say, Julia?¡±


    I shot the rest of my drink in one long pull and shook my head at her.  There were so many ways I could come to regret this decision. In the end I decided to go with my gut though, and I sighed.  ¡°All right. Count me in. When and where do we meet up?¡±


    She clapped her hands and gave an honest to God giggle.  ¡°It¡¯s on for this evening. We only just managed to finalize negotiations.  The good news is, there is still plenty of time to get you dressed. You didn¡¯t think you could play a lord¡¯s mistress in that outfit did you?  Gabriel should have the clothes back from the tailor¡¯s by now. Lets¡¯ go get you made up.¡±


    She darted out of the bench before I had a chance to respond.  Only the futile wish to keep a little dignity kept me from chasing her up the stairs.  I trudged slowly up instead, resigned to the fact that I had somehow agreed to let Cate and Gabby of all people play with me like makeover barbie.  This would not end well.


    High fashion in this world was definitely different from the old.  Apparently cleavage was universally approved of, but a woman¡¯s shoulders was where the naughty happened.  I had an ankle length dress in sea foam green that flared out and was pinned up over a couple of ruffled white underskirts.  It came in and hugged my derriere a little tighter than I thought period clothing should have, before transforming into a corset that came up into a band of fabric that just barely covered my nipples.  Even though it was tight across the chest, the band was thick enough it didn¡¯t quite leave the high-beams on, and it pushed things together hard enough even I looked like I had a full chest. The incredibly risque part of the outfit I was told though, was the fact that I only had an arrangement of lace straps traveling over my shoulders, and apparently most of my deltoid was on full display.  They put my hair up in a complicated arrangement of pins and paste jewelry adding at least four inches to my height, and even provided a pair of pale green slippers and some elbow length gloves that matched the outfit.


    Gabriel had managed to keep her hands from wandering much, and Cate had been all business as they got me into the whole getup. Even though I had felt ridiculous with all the fussing, when I finally looked into the mildly distorted full length mirror Cate had brought from her room, I sucked in a breath.  I had thought I would turn into something that had escaped from a prom somewhere, but they had managed to transform me into something like a princess from a movie. I shook my head in awe and then smiled at them.


    ¡°You girls are amazing.  I look like a completely different person.¡±


    Cate just shrugged at me, but Gabriel ran a familiar hand down one of the vertical ribs on the front of my corset.  ¡°I know the perfect way you could thank me later.¡±


    I had to stifle a smile.  Something about feeling hot made me almost ready to take her up on it for once, but I knew if I gave the girl an inch she would want a mile.  ¡°Don¡¯t think so, Gabby. I need to arm up though. Where do I carry weapons in this?¡±


    It turns out Cate had already considered it, and that¡¯s why the dress had gone back out to the taylor.  She showed me the pin on the right side of my up do first. Apparently the one slightly darker green with the flared bead at the end was a foot long ? inch piece of  sword steel honed like a poniard. There was a slender punch dagger with a base just wide enough for my hand that slid up to my underboob and left the blade invisible in my cleavage.  There were slits in my dress in a couple of strategic places. They looked designed to show off the material of the underskirt below but from the right direction you could reach down and get to a thigh holster.  Cate had brought two with a couple of decent sized knives fitted for them, but I insisted on using one for my side handled baton instead.


    Cate¡¯s own hair went up in a much simpler arrangement, and she tied a miniature apron much too small to be of actual use over her normal dress.  I reached out and tweaked the frilly edge.


    ¡°What in the world is that for?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s monogrammed.  This is livery that shows I work for the viscount.  Haven¡¯t you noticed all the maids wear them? It¡¯s supposed to keep them from being accosted by any of us rough common folk in the street, but I imagine it''s used more like branding cattle.  A keep off sign to keep from getting poached by another noble.¡±


    I nodded and followed her downstairs to collect the others.  I was curious to see how Patrick was dolled up, and wondering what could cast a guy like Benito as a hard working servant.  As we waited for them to pull the carriage around, there was that familiar flutter of doing undercover work again. One part danger, one part thrill of Halloween, not much else can compare and the rush can be addictive.  I had to fight to keep myself from fidgeting. When the carriage rolled up, I couldn¡¯t help but elbow Cate and giggle like a schoolgirl.


    Patrick was decked out in a crushed velvet vest in a delightful yellow color, over a shirt with puffy green sleeves and green tights.  I¡¯m not sure what the tights were made of because there was apparently no elastic here, but I grinned when I saw him up on the driver¡¯s box because he filled them out nicely.  I couldn¡¯t help but whistle at him, and Benito¡¯s change had been almost as dramatic. His clothes were a reserved green doublet over his regular pants, but he¡¯d had a haircut and a shave that dropped 10 years and a million sins from his appearance.  A fresh faced almost naive looking Benito had definitely not been what I expected.


    I noticed an appreciative look from Patrick up top, and heard Cate tell Benito to quit stairing at my ass as he held the door for me, so I was feeling pretty cheerful as the carriage pulled out.  Benito had folded the steps up and was perched on a little platform at the back of the carriage as Patrick drove, so it was only Cate and myself as we headed out of town. I ran an appreciative finger down the carved scrollwork near the window and smiled across at her.


    ¡°If this is the way the other half lives, I could definitely come to appreciate it.  This coach is straight from Cinderella.¡±


    ¡°From where?¡±


    ¡°Nevermind, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°About that, Julia.  I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re from and I haven¡¯t pressed.  You obviously don¡¯t want to talk about it. Sometimes though, the things you say completely give you away.  Some of your mannerisms are definitely out of the ordinary too. Going into tonight, any mistakes you make they¡¯ll probably put down to a common woman trying to fit in above her station, but I have some advice for you if you¡¯re willing to listen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a friend, Cate.  I¡¯m always willing to listen.¡±


    She smiled at me and kind of wrinkled her nose in a gesture I was pretty sure wasn¡¯t concious.  ¡°Thanks, dear. When you¡¯re dealing with quality, the rule of thumb is the less you talk the better.  A woman should be seen and not heard in these kinds of social events. There will be snacks and they¡¯re not quite finger foods for women.  Look for a tray of little wooden skewers so you won¡¯t get your gloves dirty. When you¡¯re done with the skewers you can just drop them to the floor, that¡¯s what the servants are for.  Sip your drink, and stick to wine. The harder stuff is supposed to be too much for a lady. I¡¯ll be with you at first, so try to keep an eye on me now and then and I¡¯ll offer a few discreet hints if necessary.  After the initial meet and greet, us maids and such will stay behind while the rest of you move to a second location. You¡¯re on your own there, but mostly just stand by the viscount and stare up at him adoringly every once in a while. If it¡¯s something serious, the menfolk will be separated out yet again and move to a third location for the serious talk.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at that and she shook an admonishing finger.  ¡°You¡¯re expected to wait patiently for him to finish. Some of the ladies will gossip, but don¡¯t get involved.  You couldn¡¯t handle that level of catty without killing someone and you don¡¯t know the players. Odds are good if its a doublecross it will happen before that point while they can still get a large group in close without being noticed.  If it goes wrong, get the Viscount and make it to me, I¡¯ll help you make it to Patrick and Benito, and they¡¯ll get us all off the grounds.¡±


    ¡°Sounds boring but doable.  Where are we off to now?¡±


    ¡°To pick up the viscount of course, a quick run by his estate and then off to the meeting.  It would have been a shorter trip to actually get him before us of course, but you can¡¯t expect gentry to wait for the likes of us.  Just sit back and enjoy the ride, we¡¯ll get there eventually.¡±


    I nodded but even a sprung carriage like this on a relatively smooth road couldn¡¯t approach the comfort of a car.  After a while the lurching motion became almost hypnotic really, and I was almost startled when the coach started to slow.  The window was actually terribly placed for anyone wanting to see out, and I started to get up to take a look before Cate caught me with a look and pointed back towards my seat.  I went like a good girl, already trying to fill a role.


    The door opened and I saw Benito¡¯s quick grin as he fastened a pair of steps into place.  He dissapeared and was replaced by a thick, heavily muscled man with scarred knuckles and a busted nose.  I was guessing this was the viscounts regular bodyguard, and I immediately marked him as a brawler. His cauliflower ear seamed to clash with a crushed velvet yellow surcoat reminiscent of Patrick¡¯s and I wasn¡¯t impressed.  He had the look of a guy who¡¯d been in plenty of fights, but something about the arrogance of his body language made me wonder if he¡¯d ever actually won any of them. He climbed into the carriage without actually saying a word, gave me a thorough eyeballing before flopping down in the seat next to Cate, taking up a good deal more than half the bench.  A much more finely dressed gentleman followed him. Still in the green and yellow but with real silk to the vest, and a refined look to him in spite of the simple infantryman¡¯s sword belted high on his side. It kind of reminded me of Sean Connery in that movie with Katherine Zeta Jones, but clean shaven, and I relaxed a little bit. It was nice that my pretend date wasn¡¯t completely repulsive.  Then he opened his mouth and I realized I might have judged too soon.


    ¡°This is who they picked to play my mistress?  Maybe the house of Clayborn has fallen on harder times than I figured, ehh, Jaxon?¡±


    The thug in the clown outfit grinned at his bosses joke, and I gave both of them the fisheye.  Benito swung the door closed and the carriage jerked into motion while I was still considering throwing them both back outside.  Cate was better at handling a casual insult than I was, because she merely smiled politely and coughed delicately in one hand clearing her throat.


    ¡°Excuse me, gentleman.  My name is Allison, and this is my associate Jezebel.¡±  My head whipped around at her choice of name, but she kept talking as if I hadn¡¯t reacted.  ¡°We¡¯ve received the deposit for our services, with the rather generous portion of the retainer being held in escrow by our mutual friends.  Jezebel will be joining you for the duration of the evening, while I mingle with the estate staff on the inside. I believe your companion will remain with the coach, as well as Peter the driver, and Benjamin the footman.¡±


    I nodded in response as that matched the plan as I knew it, well all but the names at least.  The viscount wasn¡¯t as receptive to her little recap. ¡°I don¡¯t know why in hell I let my wife convince me to participate in this mummery.  You¡¯re here now and might as well come along, but if it all goes to shit and blades come out I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll be able to get you back safe behind the lines.  Your men looked sturdy enough, and Jaxon here could hold a line against all the devils of hell, but I doubt the three will be able to storm the doors in time to rescue you.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    His sword, bearing, and word choice all seemed to click at once in my head, and I hurried to respond before the situation was beyond saving.  ¡°Excuse me, Allison, I believe I should handle this.¡± She looked mildly concerned but gave me a dignified nod to continue and I turned to face the count squarely.  ¡°You seem like you¡¯ve seen a battlefield or two so I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of the problems with a split command. I¡¯m not sure why you took your wife¡¯s advice and brought in an expert, but since you have I recommend you listen to them.  Once we¡¯re inside if things get violent, I will take tactical command. I¡¯m not a soldier, but I am a bodyguard and a good one. If you listen to me I can get us all back out alive and that is the mission here. Not holding ground or putting on a show for honor.  If you can¡¯t agree with that we perhaps should terminate this mummery as you called it right now.¡±


    He gave me a long hard look and I just watched him calmly, waiting to see which way the wind would blow.  Eventually a ghost of a smile played across his lips and he nodded. ¡°Hah, this one has a mouth on her, ehhh, Jaxon?  All right, little bodyguard. We go inside and if it gets rough I will follow your orders like a good soldier. If you get me killed though, my wife, she will be pissed.  She could give you lessons in being a hard as nails tough woman, ehhh, Jaxon?¡± Through it all his official bodyguard Jaxon sat stoically, maybe even looking a little bored.  He didn¡¯t seem to talk much, but it didn¡¯t seem to slow the viscount down from pouring a steady stream of observations at him. The nobleman continued to chatter about the carriage, the quality of my dress, a new Ethiopian gladiator who¡¯d been making a name in the pit fights, he even managed a little soliloquy on the weather.  Cate managed to prime him a time or two whenever he seemed to run dry, while I sat in silence and tried to let it all just wash over me. After a while I shot Jaxon a slow look of commiseration, and I understood why he looked like he liked to fight. If I worked for this guy on a daily basis I¡¯d look forward to the chance of someone putting me out of my misery too.


    After a while though, the carriage started to slow and Benito¡¯s voice called through the wall of the carriage.  ¡°There¡¯s men out along the edges of the estate. They¡¯re wearing the right colors and everything looks peaceful though.¡±


    The count rapped a heavy ring on his right hand on the roof of the carriage, sending a thump thump that should have been audible even to Patrick.  ¡°Carry on, up to the main house.¡± The carriage continued to roll along, but at a slower place that minimized our josteling and I was able to relax in my seat for a while instead of bracing to absorb the impacts.  A few minutes later we pulled to a stop in an area full of people, judging by the noise. Benito opened the door to the coach with a solemn look on his face. The viscount went out first, then extended his hand and helped me out of the carriage with a formality that seemed stiff rather than galant.  I followed him outside and saw a low walled courtyard, with a half dozen other carriages and a score of hangers on milling about and looking bored, with a couple of roughly dressed teens scurrying back and forth carrying buckets of water for the horses and generally looking like they were being run ragged.  Jaxon and Cate disembarked next, and she drifted over to stand behind my shoulder and murmured in a soft voice. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re the last to arrive. It should cut down on the waiting time quite a bit.¡±


    A finely dressed woman wearing one of those ridiculous tiny aprons came up to greet the viscount then, carrying a gilded finely engraved ladle I assumed must be some kind of badge of office.  She seemed almost nervous as they exchanged greetings and she bid us leave our men here and follow her into the estate. I put it down to serving in some out of the way country villa and not being used to carrying out her duties in front of a crowd of strangers.  The count tucked my hand into the crook of his arm and led off after the woman, choosing a stride that was manageable but not exactly decorous with the slippers and ball gown type get-up I had on. I matched his pace without complaining, conscious of the eyes of dozens of people on us already.


    There were wide stone steps leading up to a massive arched entryway with wooden double doors that seemed too heavy to actually be practical.  The doors were propped open by a man in livery on each side, and they stared straight ahead instead of watching us as we passed through them. Inside was a long hallway, with hanging plants and a couple of low tasteful benches for visitors to wait if they¡¯d arrived unannounced.  We continued past following our guide towards the low sounds of conversations through to the open area at the end. It kicked out into some kind of solarium with tiled floors but no roof. There were more plants here in carefully sculpted arrangements and even a few fountains adding there burble to the low buzz of conversation.  The room was full of men dressed like the count, with young women who were my own counterpart providing a bright contrast to all the grey heads. People with the plainer dress of Cate playing chaperone and maid seemed to be thinner on the ground, but they compensated with a few dozen men in white, carrying trays and circulating throughout the room.


    Cate gave me a head bob of reassurance before drifting over and joining the commoners who had seemed to clump up near a set of low tables carrying punch bowls and glasses.   The viscount guided me onward into the room, navigating aimlessly at first until he seemed to recognize someone at the far wall and headed us in a straighter course. One of the servants in front of us lifted his tray a few inches higher to receive an empty glass from a particularly tall noble, and at the base of his armpit I saw a three inch tear in the fabric, outlined with a blotch of dark brown.  That looked a lot like someone had taken the shirt from a man who¡¯d been stabbed directly in the heart so he wouldn¡¯t bleed on the clothing and my grip clamped down on the viscounts forearm. He checked himself in midstep, not expecting the bruising force and looked down at me with an irritated scowl. I hissed at him, any pretense at my character forgotten, just anxious to convey the information quickly without being overheard.  ¡°You were right. This is a trap. We need to head back to the door, now.¡±


    The idiot shook his head in negation.  ¡°That is my cousin the Earl over there.  I¡¯m obligated to at least exchange pleasantries before we make our excuses.  Settle down, woman. The risk is what you were paid for.¡±


    I considered a brief knee to the crotch before throwing him over my shoulder into a fireman¡¯s carry, but I wasn¡¯t sure I could make it to the door thus encumbered before someone stopped me.  I let my eyes play over the crowd until I made eye contact with Cate and thrust my head in the direction of the exit. Her eyes widened and I don¡¯t know if she caught my meaning, because at that moment a sound like chimes rang out and the room stilled as the host stepped onto the rim of one of the raised plantings near the center of the room.   He still held the small knife and champagne flute he¡¯d rapped together to make the sound and held both into the air like a conductor as the crowd quieted.


    ¡°Welcome, now that everyone is here I have a brief announcement to make.  Death to tyrants!¡± With the final yell he dove off the platform and stabbed a rather fat nobleman who was dressed almost exclusively in silk and furs.  The entire solarium dissolved into pandemonium as at the same time the serving people dropped their trays and pulled daggers of their own to attack targets of opportunity.  I was already keyed up and primed for violence which was bad news for the waiter closest to us. He charged forward with his knife outstretched for the back of a man I didn¡¯t know.  Without really thinking about it I lunged in from the side and trapped his weapon hand and shoved the back of his arm up in a shoulder lock that I kept rolling forward into a throw. Unfortunately no one had ever taught this would be assassin how to take a fall because what should of knocked the breath out of him ended up with the ground slamming into the back of his head and neck.   I straightened back up with his dagger in my hand now, not really sure if he was dead or just badly injured.


    To my chagrin Viscount Clayborn hadn¡¯t been idle either.  The sword most nobles carried for show was a notched but still fully sharpened infantry man¡¯s short sword in his case.  He¡¯d drawn his blade and charged into the fray, cutting down one of the men in white who was busy hacking through the raised hands of a noble who was trying to fend him off with nothing but bare palms.  I thrust one hand down through the slit in my skirt, trying to retrieve my baton while I moved forward to corral my wayward charge. The few times I¡¯d practiced in front of the mirror the sheath on my thigh had been easily reached, but walking forward in the moment I was having a hard time getting my hands through the gap in the petticoats.  I had to slow down and take little mincing steps and when another man rushed towards me with blade in hand I made a show of screaming with wide eyes. He slowed and smiled as he lifted the blade with a dramatic flourish, wanting me to see the blow coming. The drama wasn¡¯t a good idea on his part, because it left him open when I stabbed him with a straight thrust just above the collar bone, and I stepped wide and missed his return swing.  I had my PR24 out now, and flicked it to the full extension as I started to jog towards the count. A hysterically screaming woman with someone else¡¯s blood on her face latched onto my shoulder shouting for help, and I felt terrible as I spun breaking her grip, and watched her fall to her knees alone in a sea of battle.


    The sound of metal ringing on metal drew my attention even over the clamor of fighting.  A quartet of men in full armor had emerged from one of the side doors and I felt a knot of dread ball up in my stomach as I saw them cut down one of the burlier nobles who had so far managed to hold his own against the assassins.  Reinforcements had indeed arrived, but unfortunately they were here for the other side. I cold cocked one of the men in white who was dueling a thin elderly gentleman with a saber as I passed. I had aimed the baton right at the base of his skull which was a red zone in police work, so odds were 50-50 on whether he was unconscious or dead.  The old man saluted me with the tip of his already bloody blade, then without warning thrust forward towards me in a deep lunge at full extension and for a split second I thought I had made a deadly mistake. His blade razored past me close enough I might have been cut if this dress didn¡¯t contain a corset, and plunged into the thigh of one of the waiters who¡¯d come up behind me.   His cry of pain gave me a chance to spin the baton back along my forearm and block his slashing cut at my face. When the old man drew back his blade a fountain of blood jetted through the cut in my opponents femoral artery and I shouted out ¡°Thanks¡± as I hurried on.


    The armored warriors were cutting through the lightly armed nobles with absolutely devastating effect.  Even Clayborn, who¡¯d steamrolled through the waiters like they were a minor annoyance had been forced back, slowly retreating but offering a sort of rearguard for several nobles who were trying to flee the battle.  It couldn¡¯t last forever though, and Clayborn had finally been pinned against a fountain unable to retreat. I came up from the side just as he managed to fend off an overhand strike that drove his upraised blade down but didn¡¯t quite make it to his flesh.  His return stroke was half hearted and barely seemed to register on the other man¡¯s shield. It was a massive intimidating looking metal affair, like old pictures of what the crusaders would carry without the cross embossed on the front. I let my baton slide through my hand until it was inverted and slid the side handle under the bottom edge of the shield and used all the strength of my shoulders and back to yank it up, fowling the man¡¯s return blow.  Even better, it exposed him from the waist down, and without hesitating a lashed out with a sidekick into his knee. It caught him square on the joint, and he had enough weight on that leg to make it devastating, shoving the patella back through the joint and leaving his leg bent in a direction God had never intended it to go. The armored man howled in agony and crashed to the ground. Clayborn, who was a tad more vindictive than me apparently, stepped forward and rammed his sword down with an icepick grip straight through the visor of the other man¡¯s helmet as he lay on the ground.


    It crunched home with brutal finality, and the viscount struggled to pull his blade back and free.  I put a hand on his arm to get his attention as I stepped forward onto the other man¡¯s chest. My weight held the body in place so it was easier to pull against, and the viscount pulled his sword free with a wet schucking plop sound and just a hint of metal bending on the visor.  The man finally looked over at me when he had control of his weapon again and I speared a hand through the chaos towards the entrance we had come through.


    ¡°Time to get the fuck out of here.¡±


    He turned his head, scanning the chaos of the room.  ¡°We might be able to hold them. If we could rally the principles and take the doors I think we could hold here indefinitely.¡±


    I saw yet another group of armored combatants come through a different side entrance and pointed in their direction.  ¡°They¡¯ve got more people and a battle of attrition ends with us not existing. We cut our way to the door and maybe some of your people will be smart enough to follow us.  Its the only option.¡±


    He hesitated, but only for the barest fraction of a second before he nodded  his head. He straightened out and in a hoarse voice oddly loud for his spare frame yelled over the crowd.  ¡°House Clayborn fights toward the door and our freedom, follow me.¡±


    He charged forward then, running full tilt in a straight line for the hallway where we¡¯d entered.  He shoulder checked one of the armored soldiers who was battling another noble with one of the dueling blades like the one I had wanted.  It rocked the count off to the side more than the heavier man he¡¯d crashed into, but it gave the duelist an opening and that almost katana whipped over the top of the shield with less than a ? inch of clearance and took off the man¡¯s head.  The man wielding it almost flowed into place on Clayborn¡¯s other side, there isn¡¯t a better way to describe it and the three of us made a wedge that pushed through the chaos and towards the hallway.


    The new guy was a tiger with that long blade, making economical sweeping cuts that invariably took arms and heads while he just seemed to be somewhere else when the others cut back.  Clayborn was probably the dirtiest fighter I¡¯ve ever seen, stomping feet, cutting exposed fingers on hilts and generally employing every miniscule advantage he could come up with. Twice I saw him kick dropped cups or other items on the floor underneath an enemy to screw with their footing, and follow up with savage attacks that usually ended the fight.  I was effective because no one seemed to know what to expect from me. More than once I had an opponent try to shove me out of the way to engage one of the swordsman behind me, and if you ignore me in a fight I can make sure its over pretty damn quick. Most of the guys had apparently never been around jujitsu or judo or anything that relied on redirecting force, because the bum rush designed to overwhelm a smaller opponent seemed to be the preferred tactic.  It almost felt like I was back in the dojo practicing my throws with an inexperienced uke, because I was able to get some amazing distance and power into the moves. The same old man who¡¯d saved me earlier had fallen in behind us, and he had taken to smiling and and plunging a half inch of his sword point into throats and groins of the opponents I took down.


    Some of the finely dressed ladies had joined the wake of our group, and mostly they just served to block traffic for people who tried to get in behind us, but I saw at least one shove a hatpin into a man¡¯s eye in a lethal blow.  Another of the women who was heavyset and enough older I was putting her as a wife instead of a mistress had picked up a sword somewhere, and she was banging away at opponents with plenty of enthusiasm if not skill. A trickle of other finely dressed but armed men joined us as we progressed, extending out the wings of our V.  They were all at least competent if not deadly with their blades and I realized all the real non-combatants were probably already dead. Our people were in a functional group now, with swordswmen on the outside and those less capable in the middle. The flood of opponents started to thin, and I started to think we had a real shot of making it out of here.


    Then we approached the entrance to the hallway itself.  A line of the heavily armored soldiers was blocking the exits.  The first row were shoulder to shoulder with their shields forming a wall well a few stood behind to take up a place or strike forward over their shoulders.  It was like the formation riot police took up to disperse a crowd and I knew we would play hell making it through. Even Viscount Clayborn who¡¯d moved forward incessantly since we started the charge slowed to a stop, and the sound of his breathing was loud in my ears.   I was hoping the line would be dumb enough to come towards us, and be forced to spread out and cover more ground so we couldn¡¯t flank around. They stood stock still just waiting on us to make our play. I was fine with that, in need of a bit of breather myself, but the other half of me was worrying they were just stalling until more reinforcements arrived, and this time it would be bowmen or some other kind of ranged weapon.


    The crowd behind me began to stir as everyone got a good look at what we were facing.  Some were trying to move up to the front of the line because they thought that only some of us would get through, while other shifted backwards hoping the worst of the fighting would be finished before they engaged. Then Cate showed up.  Short, sexy, absolutely amazing Cate had slipped into the hallway right as trouble started and played dead. When we squared off against the line and it looked dire she had come back to life. The first I knew of her was when one of the guys in the middle of the back row screamed out in pain as she drove a dagger into his kidney from behind.  She pulled it out in a backhanded slash into the neck of one of the men at the front of the line, then plunged it forward into a stab in the neck of the guy next to him. A gap opened in the line with 3 men dead in less than three seconds, and as they fell forward I saw her in the opening, face drawn up in a frown of concentration, just the tip of her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth.


    I charged forward, terrified of reprisals and that I might lose her to the rest of the armored men.  The rest of our people were close behind me, anxious for escape. Cate spun on her heel and fled up the hallway to get clear of the carnage, and we crashed into the fight.  I¡¯d never charged a shield wall before, and the gap was almost closed by the time we¡¯d made it. The viscount had made it in time and stepped into the opening though, immediately capturing the attention of the men on either side.   If they ignored him he could have killed them both because he was past the shields, but each struck at him while keeping the line solid to the front. He parried one on his sword and the other with a belt knife, but that one came close enough blood showed up on his shoulder.  The man who pinked him was directly across from me though, and he was facing the wrong way because of the count. I jumped over his shield. Not completely of course, while I¡¯m athletic at 5¡¯7¡± I can¡¯t exactly dunk. I was able to jump high enough to put my knees into the top of his shield.  The unbalanced blow rotated him a little further out of position, but more importantly, my momentum continued to carry my body over the shield line and I came down on top of him leading the way with a baton to the exact crown of his helmet with a brutal blow. He fell to the ground underneath, but I popped right back up because I had been expecting it.  I took the opportunity to grab the next guy¡¯s ankle while I had been down, shoving my baton up into his ribs as I stood, overbalancing him. As he hit the ground I ignored him and lunged forward to back up the count. He had a limited range of motion now with his left arm from the shoulder wound, and I was just able to parry a strike coming in from that side with my baton.    The guy with the almost katana was on the back side of the line now too, and he didn¡¯t hesitate, but spun and charged to the right. It was like watching a weedeater as that entire flank crumpled as he ran along killing the soldiers who were facing the wrong way. The rest of our group started flowing through the gap as my wing started to engage the last of the line to the left. Now our people had become the blocking force and I grabbed at the count as he started back.


    ¡°Down the hallway to the door.  These people can either hold and fallback gradually or not, but we are leaving.¡±


    He looked frustrated but nodded, and the nobles seemed to be holding their own as they gradually came back towards us.  The viscount didn¡¯t hesitate once the decision was made, charging down the hallway shoving his way through our own party that I found myself hard pressed to keep up.  Cate fell in beside me as I ran, her knife already sheathed and a wild smile on her face.


    ¡°Hey, there Jezebel.  It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never been so glad as when you showed up, Alicia.¡±


    She swatted me on the shoulder as we jogged.  ¡°I¡¯m Allison, silly. You¡¯ve got to keep the little details straight on a job like this.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile back at her.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if I ever want a job like this again.¡±  There were only two soldiers at the end of the hall, and our group had already engaged them.  I took a page from Clayborn¡¯s dirty fighting playbook and threw a dagger into the fray. It pinked one of them on the elbow, but slowed down his stopthrust enough that he took a blade to the gut.  The other could see the writing on the wall, and he threw down his sword and called out, ¡°I yield.¡± One of the nobles calmly stepped up and slit his throat with an ornately engraved short sword. ¡°Not fast enough you didn¡¯t, scum.¡±


    There was a faint sound like knocking at the door, and the sound of fighting still came from up the hallway.  Some of the men crowded close, struggling to lift the massive bar that held the door close. I didn¡¯t interfere because shifting heavy loads was definitely more in their wheelhouse than mine.  I checked on the Viscount. He had a scowl on his face as one of the serving girls who¡¯d made it pressed a handkerchief to the cut on his shoulder. He had his blade in his hand though and looked ready for anything.  I scooted in front of Cate though and breathed deeply to center myself. Whatever was on the other side of the door, I wanted to be ready too.


    I caught the tail end of a chant, ¡°and three, heave.¡± before there was a sound of scraping then a resounding boom in the echoing hallway as the men dropped the crossbar.  One of the doors immediately started to open, and I darted forward, ready to pass through as soon as daylight was visible. There was a giant of a man standing there with an axe cocked back, and I heaved a sigh of relief as soon as I saw him.  He gave me a grim nod as whoever else it was continued to pull the massive doors.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my sister in law and the count?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re inside, safe as long as we get these damn doors open.  What took you so long?¡±


    The door finally shifted far enough I could slip through while turned sideways, again briefly thankful for the corset.  As soon as I made it outside I could answer my own question. The giant wooden door had definitely been doing battle with the axe in Patrick¡¯s hand.  He hadn¡¯t made it through yet, but there was at least a six inch divot gouged into the surface. There was also blood splashed on the front of Patrick¡¯s outfit, and I reached out a tentative hand and dabbed at it.


    ¡°Everyone in one piece out here?¡±


    ¡°It was a slaughter.  Most of the nobles chose to bring their A game, even though they had to leave them out here.  The courtyard was full of some of the best in the kingdom. Some armored mercenaries hit us a few moments ago, but we sent them off with their tails between their legs.  A couple of groups took off to look for another way into the estate, I stayed with the folks trying to force the front doors.¡±


    The rest of the group was filing out now, the door wide enough they could come two abreast and there was a flurry of people on the steps as folks looked to group up with their party.  There was a pause in the flow of refugees as a couple of anxious soldiers on the outside shoved there way forward into the building in search of their principals. The slender noble with the katana who¡¯d helped clear the path walked towards me, blade naked in his hand.  His hair was mussed and he had blood on his fine clothing, but his face was utterly composed and he might as well have been walking in the park. When he got to me he took my hand in one of those sideways lady handshakes that people from down South insist on, and bowed. ¡°House Verin owes you a debt.¡±  He straightened then and I shrugged, not sure how to respond.


    ¡°I¡¯m just an associate of House Clayborn tonight.  We wouldn¡¯t have made it out without your blade as well.  I say that puts us pretty much even.¡±


    ¡°Never the less.¡±  He pulled a silver metal case from the sash around his waist like a metal cigarette case.  He opened it one handed and held out what looked like a slim paste board card. I took it out of reflex and looked down.  It had a stylized number 7 in the center with pictures of a battle hand painted around it. There was a complicated version of poker played at the bar with cards like these, and I looked up at the man with a confused expression.  He nodded at the card in my hand and turned to walk away. ¡°House Verin pays its debts.¡±


    Patrick shrugged at me, and I tucked the card into my dress.  I would worry about it later. He and I cleared out of the way by heading over towards where the carriage was parked.  He started doing horsey things and checking harnesses and whatnot, as I surveyed the crowds looking for our people. Soon enough Benito ushered Cate over toward as as a disheveled Jaxon escorted the viscount, gore still dripping from his blade.  They were discussing options as they approached and it was the first time I¡¯d ever actually heard Jaxon speak. He had an oddly pleasant tenor that seemed at odds with his thuggish appearance, although the words themselves fit right in.


    ¡°Leave me here to mark trail in case they flee, milord.  You can have a full company on the way in moments after you arrive home.  I¡¯m sure some of the others will have troops at the ready as well. We¡¯ll put the estate to the torch and I¡¯ll have answers from the survivors before you hang them.¡±


    ¡°Mobilizing without the king¡¯s blessing or a call from parliment is forbidden, Jaxon, and I¡¯ll not face those accusations at court.  We both know who is behind this and these are merely hired blades. The real battle will be fought in the halls of power and we should return now and begin marshalling our forces. That¡¯s the end of it, I have made my decision.¡±


    Jaxon looked pissed but he jumped up into the coach without waiting for Benito to put the steps down.  The viscount sheathed his blade before he followed suit. I noticed Benito was favoring his side where he¡¯d taken some kind of wound in the battle on the outside and I waved him away when he came around to attach the steps.  Instead I put a hand on each of Cate¡¯s hips, and she instinctively reached up and braced herself on my shoulders. I yanked her in and up before I used both of our masses to pivot and thrust out along the same line. It swung her up into the air and over to the door of the carriage, depositing her feet gently on the threshold.  She gave a startled yip in the air and stared down at me. I gave her hips a brief squeeze before I released her, pleased that skill had let me duplicate what it should have taken the brute strength of Patrick to accomplish. She chuckled and disappeared into the coach and I gathered my hem to a height that must have been fairly scandalous but would assure I didn¡¯t face plant right after showing off, before I leapt up to follow.


    Patrick set the team into motion, and we rocked out of the courtyard before I¡¯d even managed to take a seat.  Everyone was silent at first, I think we were all a little stunned that it was all over. Predictably enough, it was the Viscount who broke the spell, and he was fulsome in his praise.  He recounted each of our roles in the battle to Jaxon, and if I don¡¯t recall quite so many flying kicks to the face on my part, or Cate nee Allison actually beheading one of the soldier¡¯s on the line, if anything the Count downplayed his own accomplishments.  Jaxon responded to the Viscount¡¯s repeated questions fairly plainly, summing up everything that happened in a couple of lines. ¡°A bunch of sellswords and some gutter trash like you¡¯d find with a press gang tried us, couldn¡¯t stomach the butcher¡¯s bill to let their numbers wear us down.  Better led troops or some bowmen might have done it, but they didn¡¯t have either.¡±


    The viscount offered both Cate and I the pick of his enlisted men to marry, I think with one eye to breeding his own super soldiers like some lords did with hounds.  We both demurred, Cate more politely than I, and he promised to throw in a little extra with the bonus being held in escrow. He seemed oddly energized by the battle even though I was exhausted, and was still chatting away animatedly to Jaxon as they both disembarked when we reached his home.


    The carriage seemed much quieter when the men had offloaded, and Cate hit me with a wan smile.  ¡°That was a bit rougher than I¡¯d expected, but overall went quite well I believe.¡±


    ¡°That was  raging clusterfuck, my dear.  I can¡¯t believe none of us wound up seriously wounded or dead, Cate.  We were so lucky it¡¯s not even funny.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be modest.  It wasn¡¯t all luck.  If you hadn¡¯t warned me beforehand I don¡¯t know if I could have made it to the hallway in time.  The way you were going through the crowd, too. How did you learn to throw people like that?¡±


    I chuckled in response.  ¡°Mostly by getting thrown myself, lots and lots of time.  It¡¯s an art from one of the eastern kingdoms.¡± I temporized, trying to stay truthful without giving enough details I wouldn¡¯t be believed.  ¡°I started taking lessons from a master of it several years ago. What I can do is nothing compared to a real expert.¡±


    ¡°Hmmn, well its certainly useful.  I have to say I didn¡¯t expect to get manhandled like that when you put me into the cart.¡±


    At the almost serious tone to her voice I leaned over and hesitantly placed my hand on hers in apology.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was trying to hurry but I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡±


    ¡°Darling, I wasn¡¯t offended.¡±  She leaned in and kissed me then.  Her lips tasted like the faintest hint of strawberries, and were utterly soft and full under mine.  Her wet strong tongue slipped between my own parted lips and I was lost in the moment, incapable of thought.  A wheel of the carriage struck a pothole and we were jarred back to reality and I drew back to my own seat. We were both breathing heavily and I¡¯m sure the desire I saw in her eyes were mirrored in my own.  The traitorous part of my brain though, spoke of reality. A cold thought I desperately wanted to ignore stole through to the forefront. 3 silver coins and this task would be finished. I would go back to my cell and never see her again.  Part of me ached to embrace her again anyway. Maybe I could cheat the system somehow and refuse the money. Maybe I could pick Cate up and take her back into the cell with me. Tear her away from the only world she¡¯s ever known to force her into a life in prison with me.  Yeah, that sounds like something you do to someone you care about. I took a deep shuddering breath, and exhaled slowly. Repeated it yet again, somehow unable to find my center.


    ¡°Cate, I¡¯m sorry.  I enjoyed that, oh God, did I ever enjoy that, but we shouldn¡¯t be together.  It¡¯s complicated, but us, there is just no way it would ever work out.¡±


    Her face shifted, for the briefest moment there was a look a look of pain and a little girl lost and my heart broke inside, then it hardened before a mask of good natured composure came back and she gave a brittle laugh.


    ¡°I know that, Julie.  Just thought you deserved a little surprise of your own in revenge for the one you gave me.  Don¡¯t read anything into it. I¡¯m exhausted after all this excitement, think I¡¯ll catch a few winks on the way back to the Walk Right Inn if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    She leaned back into the plush leather seats and the rest of the ride passed in silence.

 The Pain of Goodbye

    I returned the beautiful green dress slightly the worse for wear with splotches of blood and bodily fluid, and even a couple of cuts where blades had come a lot closer than I had realized.  I think even Gabby was able to spot my black mood as I prepared for bed, because she worldlessly helped me pull the pins from my hair and held back even her normal harassing comment as I changed into my sleep shift.  Having a roommate had broken me of the habit of sleeping naked, but the shift itself was short enough Gabriel felt compelled to comment on some aspect of my anatomy pretty much every time I got ready for bed. I fell asleep wrestling with the familiar questions of whether Cate and Patrick and the rest were merely simulations or real persons, and just what would happen to them when I finished my task.


    In the morning I dressed in my now familiar traveling clothes instead of the working girl outfit I sometimes used when I was keeping an eye on the bar room, and made sure to tuck a few momentoes in a small bag tied to my belt.  I headed downstairs and picked at my breakfast in a morose silence, without the heart to engage Zeno in our usual banter. When I came back from dropping the dirty dishes in the big tub of water, I found Patrick leaning over the bar with a big grin on his face.  He saw me and waved me over.


    ¡°Cheer up, little stormcloud.  We picked up the money already and it came off without a hitch.  You¡¯re a woman of means now, at least for a while.¡±


    I gave him a halfhearted smile and nodded.  ¡°I figured today would be the day. Where do I pick up my share?¡±


    ¡°Cate¡¯s splitting it up, up in her room.  Drop by and grab yours whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    I stared up at Patrick wondering how to say goodbye without really saying it.  Once I had the silver I felt sure my task would end. Patrick had become a good friend, and I would remember him fondly.  He was always a cheerful sparring partner, and his rugged looks combined with his almost shy demeanor made him almost the perfect man.  I¡¯d never had much luck with a relationship with a man, but Patrick was just what I looked for when I wanted an hour or two long diversion.   I knew that at some point Patrick would be nothing but a memory and a guest star in my fantasies as I took a long steamy shower before bed, and on a sudden impulse I decided to add a little grist for the mill.  I stepped up across from him at the bar, put one hand on the back of his head and mashed our lips together with bruising force. I took the kiss I wanted from him with savage intensity, pressing my breasts against the solid muscle of his chest as I devoured his mouth.  His giant hand came up to cup the side of my face, and I let out a low moan as I finally drew back with a shuddering breath. His hand stayed up in the air, like he was poised on the edge of reaching back out to me with a stunned look on his face. It was a cross between lust and confusion, and I don¡¯t think I could have shut his brain down as successfully if I had smacked him in the forehead with a mallet.  I took another ragged breath and managed to center myself before smiling.


    ¡°Sorry, just excited about getting paid.  Don¡¯t make a big deal out of it. See you around, big guy.¡±


    His hand dropped down to the bar top and he sucked in a deep breath before he nodded in reply.  ¡°Catch you later, Julia.¡± I headed over to the stairs, and I caught him from the corner of my eye watching me longingly while I walked up them.  At least I¡¯d given him something to remember too, if the simulation continued to run. Cate¡¯s room was around back and then at the end of the hall, as far as possible from possible sounds of headboards thumping or the occasional vocal stylings from the rooms where business was conducted.  I almost chickened out, with the thought of how things ended on the carriage ride last night, but I breathed in and out slowly a few times until I was calm and felt ready. I reached up and knocked gently on the wooden door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.  Patrick said you had our payouts ready.¡±


    ¡°Come in, dear.  It¡¯s not locked.¡±


    I walked into the room that was a little smaller than even the cramped one I shared with Gabriel.  It had a single bed and a wooden desk tucked into the corner, but most of the floorspace was taken by wooden dressers filled with clothing.  She had a single dress form mannequin with swatches of fabric pinned into place, and dozens of outfits for every station in life spread throughout the room.  This morning she was dressed in a soft cotton robe that looked too big for her height, and looked oddly vulnerable seated in front of her desk. I came all the way in to the cramped little room, gently closing the door behind me so we could speak in private.


    ¡°Cate, about the other night.  I think we should talk.¡±


    ¡°Water under the bridge, girl¡±  She tossed me a leather bag, and I reached out and caught it out of shear reflex.  ¡°Here¡¯s your share of the loot, and it¡¯s even more money than I expected. Will you be moving on now or staying here at the inn?¡±


    I stared down at the bag of coins I was holding in shock.  When I had finished every other task I had immediately dropped back through the portal and into my cell.  For some reason I hadn¡¯t been bounced from the simulation this time. I teased open the drawstring and looked down in the bag to confirm.  A few gold coins as well as plenty of silver, I had definitely completed the task. Was there a glitch in the game or had I somehow imagined all the details of the AI and the cell?  I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but suddenly the implications of staying long term in this world ran through my head. I made a decision then, and dropped the fortune in coins I had been holding and took two long steps through the cramped room to stand beside Cate in her chair.  She looked up at me in shock as I reached down and took her hand, pulling her up to stand in front of me.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Shut up, Cate.¡± I whispered it as I leaned in for a long kiss.  Her lips were soft and her body firm as she folded in against me, surrendering to the moment.  We kissed like that for a while, gently but with passion. I trailed my lips down her jawline and began nuzzling at her neck as her questing hands found the bottom of my blouse and slid upwards, gliding gently along my rib cage, almost tickling as she stroked my skin.  My own hands found the tie to her robe, and they were shaking with anticipation while I fumbled it open. She released me and leaned back away then to shed the garment. Standing fully nude before me and it was glorious. She had a soft blonde thatch of hair covering her mons, a mole just to the left of her right nipple,wide hips, and just the slightest hint of tummy sloping up over her pelvis.  She was perfect. I stepped back in and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her back and up onto the wooden desk behind her. She wrapped her strong thighs around me when her feet left the ground, and as I broke the kiss I reached back and unlocked her ankles so I had more space. I trailed kisses down her body then, pausing to suckle on her full breasts and erect nipples. She threaded both hands into my hair holding me close as I continued down.  Whispering butterfly kisses onto her belly as I finally knelt, and leaned forward inhaling the musty ready scent of her. I brushed my closed lips across her swollen labia and she gave a sharp hiss as her hips bucked, ready for more. I licked gently, reveling in the taste of her and her hands pressed into the back of my head, desperate for more.


    My hands rose up, stroking her hips and trailing along her love handles as I began to work in earnest.  Occasionally lapping, sometimes sucking on her hood and the pearl within. She was making little soft moans of pleasure now, and her hands had gone limp in my hair.  I redoubled my pace, licking furiously with my tongue as my top lip pressed in at the apex of her womanhood. Her hands found their strength again as she tried to grind my face deeper into her sex.  Her hips began to twitch in time to my rhythm and she clamped her thighs to each side of my face. I could feel the silken muscles inside her start to contract, and then she gave a full throated cry and went limp beneath.  I took my time finishing up, enjoying her shudder each time a tentative lick brushed against overly sensitive flesh. I stood back up, still between her legs and she gave me a lingering kiss, sharing the taste of her own sex on my tongue.


    I stepped back then, and she grabbed the fabric of my blouse halting me.  ¡°Oh, no, Julia. We¡¯re definitely not done yet. Not after that.¡± She hopped lightly down from the desk, her breasts bouncing in a delightful display, before she dragged my blouse up over my head.   I had my baton in my sleeve, and there was a brief hesitation as we struggled to free it. Then she stepped forward and kissed me again, as her deft hands worked to unwind my linen bandeau. I was busy trying to unfasten my belt and the suddenly overly complicated knot of my pants lacing as she nuzzled at my much smaller breasts.  She smacked my hands away and leaned down, taking over. I toed my boots off my feet as she finished unfastening me, and drug down my pants. Decent panties were hard to come by in this world, and soon I was standing in nothing but the thigh high stocking that had been the closest I could come to real socks here. Her fingers slid forward, gently stroking the bare skin on the outside of my sex and I bit my lip, trembling with the feeling.


    ¡°Now that is an interesting sensation, darling.  You shave more than just the legs where you come from.  I kind of like it.¡±


    Her hand came up, sliding along my flat stomach and joined the other cupping both of my breasts, lightly pinching and teasing my nipples.  She gave me a devilish grin then, and it was the only warning as she suddenly shoved me. I gave way and the edge of her mattress struck the back of my knees, tumbling me onto her bed.  She followed after me, straddling my thigh, the dripping wet hot core of her rubbing against my flesh as she leaned down and pressed her breasts against mine, sliding her tongue into my mouth.  Her hand was back, the first two fingers gently parting my lower lips and stroking past my clit. I gave a soft moan into her hungry mouth, and she wriggled on top of me, rubbing herself against the muscles in my thigh.  Her hands were magical, and I was already incredibly wet. As her fingers picked up moisture, her hand slid deeper. I gave another soft moan as she penetrated inside me. The tip of her middle finger curved back and up and she brushed against my g-spot as her palm pushed in and grazed my clit.  I thrust my heels down and tried to arch up into it, desperate to repeat the sensation. Her weight on my thigh held me down,and she gave another wriggle, increasing the pace at which she ground herself on top of me at the same time as she worked her hand a little faster. The pressure built and built within my lower belly, and I was incoherent, lost in a world of pure sensation.  It rose to a peak then and I cried out as the wave of pleasure overflowed from me.


    When I could focus again Cate still lay on top of me, her core against my leg, breasts against me, and face inches from my own.  She gave me a satisfied smile and then darted in and placed a quick peck on my nose.


    ¡°I got two to your one, so I feel a little bit like I cheated you.  Frankly I¡¯m not sure I could handle it if we continued though.¡±


    I chuckled and bent my knee, placing my calf over hers to pin her to the bed before I put a hand to her shoulder and another on her hip and rolled her off of me onto the bed at my side. It put us face to face on the mattress, our legs meshed together, and I slid my arms around her and pulled myself in close.  She giggled and I spoke into her cleavage, my arms locked around her in hopes that she wouldn¡¯t pull away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have control of my own muscles yet, so I¡¯m fine if we just lie here.  How do you like the idea of a short nap in my arms?¡±


    Her hand came up, stroking my hair, then idley spinning a single strand near my shoulder blades.  She bent forward and kissed me on the forehead then. ¡°That sounds just about perfect. I didn¡¯t get much sleep last night.¡±


    We laid there, cuddled together for a while, and soon her regular slow breathing shifted into a delicate snore that put a smile on my face.  I couldn¡¯t wait to tease her about snoring, but I¡¯d caught an unexpected burst of energy from somewhere and I couldn¡¯t fall asleep myself. I quietly watched her sleep for a while, trying to process a whole host of new feelings, but eventually I started to extricate myself, careful not to wake her.  She shifted and twitched a few times as I broke our embrace and withdrew from the bed, but her soft snores never entirely faded. I considered just slipping into her robe rather than dressing myself, but decided borrowing clothes was out of bounds until we¡¯d at least discussed it. Instead my own clothes went back on, and I gathered my things.  I would head back to my own room so I didn¡¯t make enough noise to wake sleeping beauty.


    I moved soft footed through the hallway, my boots in one hand and the coin pouch in another.  When I got back to my room I was overjoyed that Gabriel was out. I had a feeling she would know immediately that I had gotten some, and I wasn¡¯t sure what ramifications that would cause with my almost-stalker roommate.  I plopped down onto the edge of my own bed, and slid my boots on. Maybe I should go try and burn off some energy down in the practice yard by the stables, but then it occured to me that now I had real money. I could buy one of the expensive dueling swords and start practicing the forms I knew, maybe even find someone to continue my lessons.


    I dumped my bag of coins out onto the bed, already forming a mental shopping list.  First the sword but I ought to have enough to visit a taylor. Zippers were probably out but I had high hopes I could commision a pair of button-fly blue jeans now that I had the funds to do so.  Maybe I¡¯d get a couple dresses to, instead of relying on hand-me downs and altered clothing I¡¯d cadged from the girls here at the inn. A memory of how I¡¯d spent the last couple of hours drifted through my mind, and a smile grew on my face.  A visit to a florist was in order too, a dozen red roses sounded just about right. The cascade of coins had a few gold and several silver in it, even a couple of copper as they¡¯d tried to make the split come out even. I started humming to myself as I began to count it, and as soon as my bare hand reached down to sort the coins and I made contact with the silver, the world shivered and I dropped through the portal into my cell.

 The Metric System

    ¡°No!  Put me back, D.  I wanna go back. I wasn¡¯t done yet, you have to put me back.¡±


    ¡°You obtained 3 silver coins, Julia.  Congratulations, your task is complete.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±  I stared at the beige cinder block wall in front of me, and it just sat there utterly remorseless in its refusal to morph back into my room at the inn.  I had lost all my friends, I had lost Cate, I had lost everything. I¡¯d held myself back because I was afraid of what would happen when the mission was over, and then made one stupid mistake and given myself a taste of something I could never have.  The crushing unfairness of it all washed over me and I wanted to pull my weapons and vent my rage on the wall itself, until I beat through the prison and reached those responsible for putting me here. I wanted to throw myself onto my bed and sob. I wanted so many things and nothing at all.  My head was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I focused on my breathing. Infinite moments passed, or maybe just seconds, but finally I snapped out of my fugue state and found my center. I locked my feelings into that secret vault I¡¯d built in my head for things that just couldn¡¯t be handled in the light of day, and managed to speak calmly.


    ¡°The people in the simulations, the D, are they real people?¡±


    ¡°You would have to define real people before I could answer that, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Do they have hopes and dreams and free will or are they just mindless scripts programmed to respond to my actions?  I don¡¯t care if their bodies are kept in a cell like mine or they¡¯re just brains in a vat somewhere, are they real?¡±


    ¡°Your question implies you think a physical body is passing through the portals, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Duh, I¡¯ve been through one a half dozen times so far.¡±


    ¡°Your conciousness has, a digital representation of your mind, or your soul if you prefer.  The individuals you interact with in simulations are likewise digital representations. Players who fail a task have their memories wiped and a new history loaded before being released into the simulation.  They are as real as you are.¡±


    ¡°Cate is real, and so are the rest.  How do I get back there? WIll I ever see them again?¡±


    ¡°I am not authorized to provide that information at this time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a yes, isn¡¯t it.  If it was a flat no you would have just said so.¡±


    ¡°I am not authorized to provide that information at this time.¡±


    ¡°Damn you can be frustrating sometimes, the D.¡±


    I flopped onto my own lonely bed and rolled over to take my accustomed place staring at the featureless ceiling.  Another series of controlled breathing as I considered my options and alternatives before I felt confident moving forward.


    ¡°What¡¯s something you can tell me, D?  I need information and you¡¯ve usually got at least some you can leak.  What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°There are some relevant points of interest that you should be apprised of.  Your novel means of employment was much more efficient than the slow immersion and eventual aggregation of wealth most players have attempted.  You have received 40,000 points for your performance.¡±


    I nodded my head, that would be important later but even with his monotone delivery I felt like there was more to come from the AI.  ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°You also received quite a viewership bonus.  Metrics associated with what viewers tune in for are associated with rewards.  This metric system has granted you an item based on your battle at the villa, and an extensive amenity provided because of the stats associated with your tryst with the thief.¡±


    I bristled at hearing my personal life described that way, and felt a rush of embarrassment that my every move had been broadcast on some alien version of the internet.  The viewership points he¡¯d mentioned in the beginning should have clued me in that was how this work, but in the rush of all that had happened I hadn¡¯t realized until just now.  I shut my eyes and tried to breath through the rush of mortification, then shrugged it off. There was no putting the genie back in the bottle now. I¡¯d hated the metric system back in school, but maybe I got something cool from it now.


    ¡°What item did I get?¡±


    An absolutely stunning katana dropped to the foot of my bed, and I sat up and examined it reverently.  The hilt was ivory, or at least something the felt that way, and there was a maker¡¯s mark I didn¡¯t recognize in the blade.  I slide the length out of its sheath and saw the wavering pattern of Damascus steel, which from memory didn¡¯t seem to fit with the style.  I held the blade up near my head and dropped a lock of my hair down towards the cutting edge, then watched in awe as it neatly split each individual hair in two from the force of gravity.  This blade was a work of art and if it was as strong as the sharpness and the materials involved seemed to indicate, it was better than museum quality.


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m really going to need to learn how to use a sword.¡± I slid it carefully back into the sheath before looking back up at the ceiling.  I knew the D wasn¡¯t really located in the roof of my cell, but it made it easier to stay sane if I imagined him as just a guy in a headset, sitting in my attic.  ¡°Okay, how about the amenity?¡±


    The wall of my cell next to my shower started to move, so I got up from the bed and headed in that direction to check out the new features.  What I saw when I got there dropped my jaw, and I just stood there for a moment trying to process everything. A small alcove had opened up off of my bathroom, with tiny recesses in the wall filled with gas powered faux candles.  The flickering light showed off a massive hot tub shaped like a heart but built from pink marble. If all that hadn¡¯t been suggestive enough, there were two statues growing up from the rim of the tub. If the bust of the nude venus was shocking, with her wanton expression and hands framing her out thrust chest, the male bust was downright obscene.  Hands locked behind his head and a blissful look upon his face, you could look right down the sculpted abs and see the life size but generous phallus thrusting up through the top of the water. I wasn¡¯t a hundred percent sure but I was pretty sure the statue had been mounted that way so that it could be used for masturbation. Looking over to the female statue who was posing while staring down at the male¡¯s member I decided that was definitely what it was for.  I shook my head and walked back into the bedroom and flopped down onto my customary place.


    ¡°Someone has a very active imagination.  The item seems useful though. What else should I know?¡±


    ¡°After successful completion of the third task, surviving players have progressed far enough that they are giving the following three pieces of information about the progression of the Game.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Lay it on me.¡±


    ¡°First item.  Although the physics of the game closely mimic conditions of the natural world, selective adjustments relating to acceptable technology have been made.  For example, if a player were to accrue salt-peter, nitrates, and charcoal in appropriate quantities and combine them, the result would be combustible but fail to have the explosive ignition of gunpowder.  Do you understand this first item?¡±


    ¡°The game designers are fucking cheaters.  Why am I not surprised?¡±


    ¡°A verbal acknowledgement is necessary to progress.  Do you understand this first item?¡±


    That sounded ominous, I narrowed my eyes at the ceiling, trying to figure out what all might be affected.  ¡°Is this selective adjustment restricted to explosives, or are other processes affected?¡±


    ¡°Other processes may be affected, at the discretion of the moderators.  Do you understand this first item?¡±


    ¡°What in the hell is a moderator?¡±


    ¡°You are not permitted to access this information at this time.  Do you understand this first item?¡±


    ¡°Can I get a list of all the processes that are affected?¡±


    ¡°Other processes may be affected, at the discretion of the moderators.  Do you understand this first item?¡±


    I understood that I might go insane if I heard his droning voice repeat that question just one more time.  I had tons of questions, but it looked like I wasn¡¯t going to get any answers. I sighed and nodded before the obvious hit me and I answered out loud.  ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Second item.  Persons transported through the portals other than players will be returned to their original locations when exiting through any other portal.  Do you understand this second item?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer at all this time, too busy considering possibilities.  Maybe I could have brought Cate through the portals, although it would have been selfish to condemn her to a life stuck here in my cell.  If she could pass through back and forth with me, well, that was a whole different story. It meant I could take on this fucked up Game with a team behind me, and that opened up a world of opportunities.  Apparently the portals worked differently for players and regular people, and I suspected I wouldn¡¯t truly appreciate those differences until I¡¯d unlocked Story Mode, whatever the hell that was. Taking people in and out of the cells though, that meant that the world persisted even when we weren¡¯t in the simulation.  Patrick and Zeno and Cate and all the rest were still out there in Kantia. I could see them whenever I went back as long as I could travel through that world before I completed my task. When I made that connection I smiled for the first time since I¡¯d been dumped back in my cell.


    ¡°I understand that one, and thanks, the D.  It¡¯s nice to get some good news for once.¡±


    ¡°Third item.  Kills made by pets, purchased slaves, or other livestock will no longer count as kills performed by the player for the purpose of generating points.  Similarly, sacrificing slaves purchased in game will no longer count, unless the slaves belong to another individual with whom you are in an adversarial relationship.  Do you understand this third item?


    I did, and really wished I did not.  Not only was slavery as an institution alive and well in this world, which was disgusting but not a terribly big surprise, but even worse, assholes were abusing the system.  I hadn¡¯t even realized points were given for killing. I was mainly just doing it to survive. That a player, someone from my world, was sick enough in the head to not only purchase slaves, but apparently have them kill each other, and then kill the survivors just to amass more points in this stupid fucking game we were trapped in made me nauseous.  I¡¯d been a cop for years. I knew not everyone was a saint, but this was a fairly deep level of depravity. I gave a quick shudder, trying to work the dark thoughts out of my system before I responded.


    ¡°I understand, what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°You have 7 hours and 42 minutes before you are required to begin your next task.  You also have 40,000 points which you can spend on either items or amenities.¡±


    I sighed then.  Apparently we were done with earth shattering revelations, and back to the same old grind.  I had a lot more experience with the simulated world now though, and it was time to do a little shopping.


    ¡°Alright, the D, still give me a warning if I chose something that¡¯s an amenity rather than an item.   What¡¯s the price for jewelry?¡±


    ¡°Prices vary considerably, Julia.  Can you be more specific in your request?¡±


    ¡°Umm, something with a gold setting, and precious stones.  Not diamond, but ruby or emerald or something like that. Rings or earrings or cufflinks, something physically kind of small.¡±


    ¡°Items such as you have described range from 2 to 5 thousand points.¡±


    ¡°How much for gold coins, or just plain stamped gold bars?¡±


    ¡°Coinage and in game currency such as precious metal counts as an amenity.¡±


    ¡°But jewelry doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°At this time, jewelry does not.¡±


    ¡°I want two gold rings then, with precious stones, the largest available at the 2000 point price range.¡±


    Both pieces of jewelry dropped onto my bed, and I scooped them into my coin pouch without bothering to look them over much.  Most of my loot from the job hadn¡¯t come into the cell with me when I fell through the portal, but now I had all kinds of start up capital for whatever task came next.  I also had a really badass sword that I only kind of knew how to use. My next couple of purchases should deal with that. ¡°How much for a shoulder harness where I could carry that sword on my back with a crossbody right hand draw?  It should also have a place for and come with a whetstone and oil and all the stuff like that I¡¯ll need for the blade.¡±


    ¡°A full set like you are describing would be 7000 points.¡±


    ¡°Okay, give me that then.  If clothes are still 1000 points apiece I want 3 pairs of cotton socks, and are there any modern underwear that count as items?¡±


    A leather belt thumped into the bed, followed by three pairs of hideous brown socks.  I really should have specified a color. Before I could complain though, the AI answered my question.


    ¡°Elastic is not permitted, but other players have substituted bikini briefs with string ties on each side.¡±


    ¡°That is perfect, I¡¯ll take five pairs in silk. One purple, one pink, a red, a black, and a floral print if it¡¯s available.¡±


    My new silk underwear fluttered into place at the foot of my bed, and I grinned at the thought of finally being fully dressed.  I bought two more silk scarves to replace my linen bandeau, and when they arrived looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°How many points do I have left?¡±


    ¡°19,000 points remain to be spent.¡±


    As I considered what else I should buy, a random thought occured to me and I broke off my shopping to ask a question.


    ¡°Hey, the D.  Is it possible to send a letter or some kind of message to people in the simulation from here in my cell?¡±


    ¡°That information is not available to you at this time.¡±


    I was taking that as a yes, and a smile grew on my face.  Even if I couldn¡¯t get to Kantia in the next two tasks, it looked like there might be a way to send a message to my friends.  Maybe I could arrange for them to meet me wherever else I ended up, or at least tell them goodbye. I dreaded to think what would go through Cate¡¯s mind when she checked my room and found me gone, with nothing but some cold metal coins laying on my bed to explain my absence.  I took a couple of breaths and tried to refocus on the task at hand. I couldn¡¯t think of anything else I needed to make my way in the world of the simulation. Instead I decided to improve conditions here in my cell.


    ¡°What¡¯s the most economical way to purchase toilet paper here, the D, and maybe a couple of towels?¡±


    ¡°Towels range from 1 to 3 thousand points depending on material, and an infinite roll of toilet paper is available for 5 thousand points.  The toilet paper is considered an amenity.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it anyway, and two terryclothe towels.  What¡¯s that put me at now?¡±


    The towels dropped down on my bed, but the tp didn¡¯t show.


    ¡°You have 10,000 points remaining.¡±


    ¡°Hold on a second, the D.  Where the hell is my toilet paper?¡±


    ¡°Installed in the toilet paper dispenser next to the commode of course.  Would you prefer to relocate the toilet paper dispenser?¡±


    ¡°Smartass.  No, the D, I would not like to relocate it, I was just surprised.¡± I shook my head, and then racked my brain for anything else I needed.  I couldn¡¯t think of anything important, item or amenity. I shrugged then and made a request for a want instead of a need. ¡°How much for a bottle of Johnnie Walker, Black Label?¡±


    ¡°You can purchase one as an amenity for 1 thousand points,  one as an item for 10 thousand.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep things reasonable.  Give me the amenity version.¡± The bottle dropped down on the bed and clinked alarmingly against my sword harness.  I rescued the glass bottle of liquid gold and placed it on the floor near the headboard. I shook my head at the near disaster and asked a question.  ¡°What happens if I don¡¯t spend all my points? Can I save them for the next time?¡±


    ¡°Of Course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that then.  How much time till I have to do my next task now?¡±


    ¡°7 hours and 9 minutes remain.¡±


    I nodded in response and got up and started loading up with my new gear.  I¡¯d just had a full nights sleep, and while a hot shower, or and I blushed to even think about it, a soak in the hot tub might be pleasant, I had a goal now.  I wanted to unlock story mode and make it back to Cate and my friends, or at least find a way to send them a message. After a few minutes I was kitted out as fully as I could be.  This time I was careful to put my hair back in a braid and tuck the resulting club into my collar before I called for the portal.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready for the next task, the D.  What have you got for me?¡±


    ¡°Your task is to travel to the nearest city.  Good luck, Julia.¡±


    The light grew on the wall in front of me, and I wondered if I could have bought a map or a compass if I¡¯d asked more or better questions of the AI.  It was too late to worry about it now and I jogged forward and disappeared from my cell.

 The Great Outdoors

    I was moving forward at a moderate pace when I passed through the portal.  The pain of delaying that very first time had taught me to move with a purpose when the light appeared.  Fortunately the room was small enough I hadn¡¯t picked up much speed, because as soon as I stepped through the portal I crashed face first into an evergreen tree.  I cursed and spat pine needles from my mouth as I fought my way back out away from the plant.


    As soon as I was far enough out to have a clear view of my surroundings I realized I was in for a world of hurt.  There were trees in every direction and I was stranded in the middle of a forest with directions to make my way to the next city.  It would be nice to know which direction that was in. I fought down my rising panic by focusing on my breathing. I was definitely a city girl at heart.  I¡¯d been camping exactly one time in my entire life, to me staying at the inn with hand pumped well water you had to carry upstairs in buckets had been the epitome of roughing it.  I had no idea how I would survive in a forest. I was intelligent though, and I¡¯d seen plenty of survival themed tv shows or movies. I told myself I could do this as I turned a slow 360, examining each direction and trying to differentiate a path that would somehow be superior to the others.


    The plant life seemed evenly distributed.  Trees and shrubs lay in wait in all directions, there didn¡¯t seem to be a clear path through any of it.  I wasn¡¯t 100% sure, because it was a subtle difference, but it seemed as if the land rose over to the right and fell away to the left.  I decided it was true and headed gingerly uphill. My theory was that high ground should offer a batter vantage point. If I got to the top of a hill and climbed a tree, perhaps I would be able to see past the vast wall of greenery and locate my destination.


    It was slow going.  The smaller vines and bushes seemed to cling at my pant legs with every step, and larger branches from the trees that I pushed out of my way seemed to snap back with a vicious bite.  In no time at all I was starting to sweat, despite the fairly low temperature and I wondered what I would do for water when the time came. I stopped to rest when I located a fallen tree that made a convenient seat.


    Raising the hem of my shirt and wiping the sweat from my face, I sighed in abject misery and thought longingly of the shower back in my cell.  I dropped my gaze down to the ground at my feet, and after a few moments looked further out trying to measure before looking back the way I had come to pick out landmarks.  I confirmed it then and started to swear. I may have started out traveling uphill, but somewhere along the way I had shifted course while navigating through the obstacles. I had veered left, then left again, until at this point I was heading in almost the exact opposite direction than the one I had chosen.  If all I could do was wander in the woods in circles until I ran out of food or predators got me, this was going to be a singularly unpleasant way to die.


    I wasn¡¯t a quitter though.  I stood and headed uphill again, taking a careful bearing on a tree in the distance and heading constantly towards it.  When I reached that landmark I took careful note of my course and chose another. One tree at a time I made my slow progress up the hill, making sure my new landmark always lined up with a previous one.  The way grew steeper and navigating easier as it seemed the plant life grew further apart. Eventually I was leaning far forward to keep my balance on the hill and I hacked down a sapling and trimmed the branches on the end to use as a walking stick.  My perseverance paid off and within another hour or so I¡¯d gained the top of a small ridge. The land sloped off away from me in two directions, while the ridgeline itself seemed to snake forward into the distance. I selected a large oak tree that had massive branches fairly parallel to the ground that looked more than adequate to hold my weight.  I would use that to get up high and see if I could find the edge of the forest.


    Tree climbing was not my forte.  I can go up a rope in the gym, but there was no way to wrap my arms and legs around the entire tree trunk.  The lowest branch was just barely out of my reach even when I tried a running start and stepping off the trunk itself.  I thought about taking off my bandeau and trying to throw it over the branch at the peak of my jump. The silk should be strong enough I could climb up, but the odds of making a successful throw and catch with such split second timing didn¡¯t seem good.  I finally decided that slow and steady would win the race. A half hour of hacking into the trunk of the tree with my belt knife gave me a series of hand and footholds that weren¡¯t pretty but looked serviceable enough. I made my way carefully up to the lowest limb and pulled myself into the tree.  From there progress was easier. This forest giant was old enough all the smaller limbs with leaves were far from the center and I could climb straight up the core, from one branch to the next. I kept going until I could feel the tree itself sway in reaction to the wind, and the branch I was on shifted alarmingly with my weight.  That seemed to be my limit and I laid down flat on the branch and inched myself away from the trunk. My perch began to dip as my weight grew closer and closer to the edge, which opened a gap in the foliage and allowed me to see out into the countryside.


    There were mountains that disappeared into mist in the extreme distance, with nothing but a see of green within walking distance.  I choked back a sob, adamant I would not give into despair and slowly started to shift back. I could only see one side of the ridge I was on from here, I would have to try the other.  On this side the branch was sturdier, and it came with a handy limb parallel and about 5 feet higher I could use as a handrail, so I walked out on this one. Once again a great vista opened up before me, and I saw nature¡¯s beauty where I longed for the cramped streets and acrid stench of huddled masses of humanity.  The forest didn¡¯t extend unbroken though, because I could see a wide meandering line through the trees running perpendicular to my ridge. I wasn¡¯t sure what I was looking at at first, it just seemed to be a darker spot where I could see further into the next row of trees than usual, but I quickly realized it must be a road.  Nothing else I could think of could account for the straight path devoid of trees cutting through this vast wilderness. I looked up at the sun, trying to get a direction, but all I could tell was that it was the middle of the afternoon. East or west could be almost any direction, so I looked back at my tree trunk and drew an imaginary line cutting straight towards the closest break in the trees.


    I stared at the tree I was in until the line seemed burned in my memory, and slowly began to work my way back down.  I had shifted enough in the treetop that I was no longer above my hard wrought handholds, but I just lowered myself from the branch to the full extension of my arms and dropped lightly to the ground.  I looked back at the now familiar tree trunk and located the spot where my imaginary line should have bisected it. I placed my back there and stuck my hand out straight forward, sighting on a stunted pine that looked like it had been struck by lightning in the distant past.  That would be my first marker and I sat out into the woods towards it. I traveled more cautiously now, checking and rechecking my bearings each time I reached a new landmark. I tried keeping a pace count so I could accurately judge the distance I¡¯d traveled, but kept losing my place when I had to detour around an obstacle or something distracted me.  I persevered, and though hours passed eventually I caught the faint sounds of voices in the distance.


    A wide smile crossed my face, not only had I found a road, but there were people present who could point me to the nearest city.  Thinking of the expensive ring in my coin pouch I mentally amended that. They could be persuaded to give me a ride to the nearest city.  I wasn¡¯t naive though. I knew in this world that strangers often represented danger, so I kept my speed slow and tried to minimize the noise of my passage as I crept forward to close in on the sounds.  The voices were elusive, and I never could quite make out words although the sound itself got louder. It was constant too, and I wandered how many were present and if they were speaking in a foreign language.  It wasn¡¯t until I finally reached the edge of the treeline that I realized my mistake.


    There in the clearing, the straight line devoid of trees had indicated not a road but a small river or stream.  The voices I¡¯d heard so clearly had been the chuckling of the water over rocks in a small stretch of rough current.  I rose up from the crouch I had been walking in, and walked stiff legged to the water. I flopped down on the bank feeling defeated, and scooped up a long cool drink of water for my dry throat.  At least I had water now, and I could always hunt for food. I could live here forever as some kind of savage hunter gatherer and spent the last of my short brutal life all alone. I started to cry then, and lay down on the bank of the river and just let it come.


    When I had it all out of my system I felt better, and I washed my face and  took another drink. I even used the opportunity to take a quick whore¡¯s bathe in the running water and remove most of the travel grime on my body before I got back to my feet.  I had two choices now, upstream or down. WIth the idea that this body of water might join a larger one, and medieval cities tended to be located on navigable waterways I chose down and started to walk.  The going was easier here at the water¡¯s edge. There were high grasses and the occasional sandbar, but I didn¡¯t have to fight through underbrush or dodge trees like I had earlier. I walked for what seemed like miles, but could have been less.  I didn¡¯t really have an accurate way to measure the distance except for elapsed time. I knew several hours had passed because the light was slowly starting to fade, and it occured to me I needed to find a safe place to make camp.


    I wasn¡¯t really sure what counted as a good campsite, but I saw a relatively flat piece of level ground that didn¡¯t have much plant life and was free of ant nests or any other visible hazards.  That would have to do for now. It was a quick trip into the woodline to gather a couple of fallen limbs and the material necessary to make a fire. I¡¯d never done this before but had seen it on television a million times.  I chose a small rock from the stream that fit easily in my hand and struck the back of my knife against it to throw a spark. Nothing happened but a dull chink sound so I tried again, varying the angle and intensity. The second attempt was unsuccessful too, so I kept on, beating that knife blade like it owed me money but never obtaining a spark.  In a fit of frustration I hurled the rock back into the stream and then walked over and obtained another. Maybe the type of rock played a roll in this endeavor, so I looked for one with a different color and grain than the first. When I had one that seemed right I returned to my quest for fire, and again managed to strike the steel repeatedly with no result.


    There was something wrong with this technique, and I wondered if my knife had to be made of a certain type of metal before it would work.  I gave it up as a waste of time, but the temperature was dropping along with the light, and I wanted a fire for heat as well as to ward off predators.  I decided to go real old school and cut myself a slender rod and sat down criss cross applesauce net to my kindling. I placed the end of the rod on a scrap of wood, and started to twirl it back and forth between my palms.  I worked furiously for a few minutes without a visible result. I lifted the end of the rod and touched it gingerly with the tip of a finger. It was definitely warm now, but I didn¡¯t know how hot it had to be to actually ignite.  I tried again. Rubbing and twirling, I had to slide my sleeves up over my hands to keep from developing bllisters. As the last of the light faded I continued to rub my sticks together in the dark. My hands hurt and my forearms ached as the moonlight came out in a soft gray glow that reflected from the water and let me see what I was working with.  I wondered if a book of matches would have counted as an item or an amenity, and cursed myself for not at least asking when I was still in my cell.


    The wind was picking up and it was getting seriously cold now, but this was obviously going nowhere.  I dragged a downed limb over and dug into the dirt a little way with my knife to make a windbreak, and in that I was more successful than the fire.  I curled up into a ball in the lee, before stretching back out and trying to smooth out a little bit more of a dip for my hip to fit more gently. I snuggled back into the fetal position, and despite the discomfort sleep finally claimed me.  It didn¡¯t last and I woke shivering in the dead of night. I had no idea how long I¡¯d slept, but it was too cold to just lie here. I knew if I didn¡¯t get up and get some blood moving I ran the risk of hypothermia, and I forced my aching joints to relax and stood up into the cold wind.  I stepped through some stretches and then started working my forms. Aikido was all about redirecting force and flowing with the tide of battle, and each form could tie seamlessly in with the next. I kept them slow, focusing on precision over speed until I had run through a complete set, then repeated the routine at a slightly faster pace.  I kept on, speeding up gradually every repetition in the same manner I did back home when I didn¡¯t have time to make it in for a real session at the dojo. After twenty minutes I was moving at full speed, and while I wasn¡¯t panting or out of breath, my pulse had increased and I didn¡¯t feel quite so cold.


    I sat back down as out of the wind as possible and hunched up over my knees.  I wasn¡¯t sleepy now, but it was probably too dark to travel successfully. I let my mind wander, replaying better times in my life and after a few moments my head nodded.  In spite of my expectations I fell asleep again. The cycle continued to repeat, I¡¯d wake up shivering and exercise until I got my blood flowing and my temperature back up, then drift back off to sleep for a while until it started over again.  It was a miserable night, and with the first rosy hints of dawn on the horizon I set off downstream. I didn¡¯t know how many more nights like that I would survive. I was terribly hungry this morning, and I didn¡¯t want to think about just how many calories I would have to find each day just to keep from starving to death at night if I couldn¡¯t get some kind of fire going.


    As the sun took its place to supervise my day of travel, I noticed birds chirping in the trees above my head.  I¡¯d spent a lot of time on the softball field as a teen, and I was pretty sure I could take one of those with a rock.  I was hungry enough not to be picky, but I wasn¡¯t quite far enough gone I was willing to try raw bird. I was afraid of parasites and communicable diseases.  Bird flue was a thing, and I¡¯d heard countless warnings about salmonella. I didn¡¯t know what the risks would be if I ate one of these songbirds raw, but I decided I should keep that as a last resort.  Instead I tried to distract myself with thoughts of other things, and it worked for a while until I found myself fantasizing with disturbing detail about eating an Al Hambre special from the mexican restaurant near where I used to live.  The grilled chicken pieces were gooey with cheese as I loaded them into the soft warm tortilla, and I shook my head to clear it and swallowed the drool that had been building in my mouth. I knelt down and took another long drink of water instead, hoping a full belly would help curb the feeling of hunger.


    I walked on determined to cover enough distance to make it out of these endless woods.  I stopped at midday because my feet hurt. I took off my boots and socks and soaked my feet in the stream as I reclined back on the bank and watched the clouds travel by overhead.  It would have been idyllic if I weren¡¯t stuck in such a desperate situation, and after I had rested a while I dried my feet off and pulled my socks back on. The boots were holding up much better than I had expected, and I slipped them on as well before continuing on my way.  That night if anything was more dreadful than the first. I again failed to get a fire started, and was already exhausted before the ordeal. I still forced myself to rise and and move through my forms, but I was clumsier now and my full speed blows just didn¡¯t have the snap they should have.  I made it through the night on sheer will power alone, refusing to give in to my body¡¯s weaknesses. When enough light had appeared I felt like I wasn¡¯t at risk of twisting an ankle, I sat back out on my long walk.


    My hunger had seemed to dissapear at some point over the course of my trip.  Intellectually I knew I should be looking for a source of food as I travelled, but I couldn¡¯t really manage to muster a sense of urgency about it.  I plodded onward, ever onward, occasionally drinking from the stream but mostly just walking. My body ached and my eyes burned with fatigue, but I just kept going.  Somewhere out there I knew there was an end to this task, and I just had to have enough heart to find it. I walked forward determined to keep going no matter what this world threw at me.  In the end I almost missed it.


    I was traveling in something like a haze.  The monotonous scenery blending together in my head required little concious thought as I mechanically put one foot in front of the other and followed the water.  When there was a change to the environment up ahead I didn¡¯t even register it at first, I was so fixed on just traveling forward. My brain identified what I was seeing even on autopilot however and I found myself jolting to a stop as I stared.  A trail cut through the forest, coming in perpendicular to the river. It was maybe 10 feet wide and gravel had been hauled in and dumped on each side of the water. There was no doubt in my mind that this had been created by human hands. I moved forward, more life in my step now and examined my find.  The water grew shallow here, and gravel was clearly visible underneath the flowing water. This must be a ford of some sort, and the trail that led to it wasn¡¯t quite important enough to justify the construction of a bridge.


    I stood in the center of the trail and focused my attention in each direction, hoping for some indication of where I should go.  A trail meant people and I was supposed to be looking for a city. Which side would be coming and which side would be going? There weren¡¯t any distinctive features either way.  A road sign was too much to hope for, but a dust cloud from a moving wagon in the distance or even a few wheel ruts in the road would have been pleasant. For all I could tell this trail had never been used before but I decided I had better follow it anyway.  In the end I decided to head left so I wouldn¡¯t have to wade across the ford and get my feet wet. It seemed like an arbitrary decision, but wet boots would leave me with blisters or possibly crippled depending on how much further I had to go. I did stop and drink as much water as I could possibly hold before I left.  I didn¡¯t have any kind of canteen or bottle to take any with me, and I didn¡¯t know where I would find a water source again.


    Walking on the smooth dirt road was even easier than paralleling the bank of the river.  I opened up my stride and fell into a ground eating powerwalk, like the older ladies I used to see exercising at the shopping mall.  Time passed and so did the miles, early evening found me an indeterminate distance on my way. I decided to skip stopping for the night.  With the wide open smooth road in front of me I should be able to keep walking even when it got dark. I was exhausted but doubted I¡¯d be able to get much sleep anyway.  It made more sense to just keep travelling until I got to civilization. In the end such desperate measures weren¡¯t necessary, because the trees started to thin out on one side and up ahead I caught sight of a log cabin.


    My steps faltered momentarily, the surprise disrupting the rhythm I¡¯d developed, but I settled back into that half lope as I moved closer.  It was a long low building with a thatched roof setting back at an angle to the road. More importantly there was a corral to one side and a much larger pole barn and I could see horses moving about in their pen.   Where there were livestock there were people, and where there were people there were fires and beds, even hot water for washing and food. My nights of abject misery were over and I felt a weary smile grow on my face.  The cabin itself had heavy wooden shutters on the windows, and there was a kind of balcony jutting out above the door with crenellations on the top. Even though the structure was of wood it reminded me of the defensive structures you¡¯d see on a castle and I wondered if they had hostile neighbors.  That thought shot a bolt of caution through me, and I stepped out of the roadway into the treeline. I moved forward towards the cabin in a more cautious manner, striving to see without being seen. Only when I had scoped the situation out and was sure I could do it safely would I move in and try to arrange a deal with the occupants.


    I came up to the edge of the cleared area and started to make my way around the perimeter, looking for anything that would tell me anything.  There was a small patch of ground that had been cleared and planted with a garden. I couldn¡¯t resist a furtive trip from out of the treeline and carried back a cucumber.  It was gone before I made it back into cover and I had to resist the urge to go back looking for more. The pole barn was more of a lean to in construction, and from the back I could see that one side was open to the elements.  I moved forward again to get a closer look at the contents of the barn. Maybe I could count saddles or something, I wanted a way to put a number to the people who lived in the cabin. What I saw when I got close enough to make out details put a chill down my spine, and I carefully backed back into the brush.  There were long chains suspended along the length of the barn, four of them in total. Along each chain every couple of feet dangled an open manacle, and at least a hundred souls would be crowded into the barn if it were at capacity. I had come across a slave coffle, and that changed things dramatically. If this had just been the out of the way cabin of some farmer, a reclusive hermit maybe, or a trader who picked a real shitty location I would have gone up to the front door looking for a deal.  The fact that the residents here routinely traded in human flesh though, what were the odds they¡¯d trade me peacefully for the gold and gems in my pocket? Maybe I¡¯d get knocked in the head and cuffed to the chains like the rest, or maybe I¡¯d just wind up in a shallow grave out back. Either way I was rating my risk as a lot higher than I had previously.


    I continued to circle the property until I found a good location where I could watch both doors to the cabin, and settled in to watch what happened.  It turned out the answer to that was not much. After a few hours a man came outside and pumped the handle of an old manual well until it filled his bucket with water.  He carried it back inside and the door slapped shut behind him. I decided that nobody was here except for whoever was inside the cabin now, and while the building was big enough to hold plenty of people, I doubted that many were present.  I moved forward cautiously, staying in cover as much of possible, and making sure I didn¡¯t outline myself in front of any of the windows. I made it up to a corner that was relatively blind, and circled the building slowly, listening to the noises that came from under the eaves.  There seemed to be only one room occupied, in a room right next to the rear door. I only heard two different voices engaged in conversation. Part of me was pretty sure I could take them both if it came down to it, especially if I kicked in the door and attacked with no warning. Even though they were slave traders though, wasn¡¯t that just an artifact of living in this world?  Could I murder two men in cold blood just because they had a morally reprehensible job? I was trying to come up with an idea to negotiate with them safely as I listened to their conversation. Then I heard a statement that changed my mind yet again.


    ¡°I hope there¡¯s some young stuff in the shipment this time.  I need to get my dick wet and I¡¯m tired of old women and young boys.¡±


    The other guy chuckled in response and I decided these guys weren¡¯t necessary for the gene pool in any way.  The assholes couldn¡¯t have done a better job of pushing all my buttons if they had tried, and that was their problem.  I shifted my baton into my left hand and drew my sword in my right. I would try the blade first but switch over if I started to get pressed.  I sat myself in front of the door, and started a series of deep breaths before I would kick in the door. It occured to me that this wasn¡¯t a raid on some crack house in a bad neighborhood with barred windows and three deadbolts.  This cabin was in the middle of nowhere, and on a whim I reached forward and delicately rocked the handle instead of kicking it in. There was no lock in place, and I swiftly pushed the door open in case they¡¯d seen the knob move. I was already inside before they registered my arrival and both men shouted but neither moved decisively enough to survive.  I slashed with the sword and that beautiful new blade took just the tip off his shoulder as it passed before cleanly beheading the first who was still turning to face me. I¡¯d expected more resistance than that and my follow through left the point up towards the ceiling behind me, but I spun my wrist around to point it forward and lunged towards the man who had just stood, his hand clawing at a sheathed sword at his side.  My blade slammed into his chest and penetrated out his back in a welter of blood, and I immediately jerked it back trying to regain control. The passed along his sternum on the return, and I¡¯m pretty sure nicked the bone. The man hit his knees, frothing bubbles of blood coming from his nose and mouth. I had apparently punctured a lung with that strike, and he fell over dead. I kept my blade up and stalked through the rest of the house quickly, just to make sure I was still alone.  It was unnecessary, there were no more people present, although I found some dirty clothes that were almost foul enough to stand on their own.


    I returned to the kitchen where I¡¯d first entered the building and used a scrap of cloth from one of the men¡¯s shirts to wipe down my blade.  After I¡¯d sheathed it I dragged both bodies outside and around behind the house so they wouldn¡¯t be visible from the road. I went back in and did a half hearted job of cleaning some of the gore from the walls with clothing from one of the bedrooms, but gave up before it was truly sanitary.  The smell of roast meat from the hearth, and the half eaten pan of biscuits on the table were too much of a distraction, and I gratefully ate my fill before I started working again. I tossed the entire house searching for anything with writing on it. I wanted a map or an atlas, some way to determine where exactly I was and how to reach the nearest city.  I also kept my eye out for some kind of fire starting kit. The guys from the kitchen had to have had some way to light the fire they cooked on after all. There was no luck on a map, but hanging from a peg near the fireplace I found a square stone that had something shiny that looked almost like quartz embedded in it with a hole drilled through, and a small piece of metal threaded onto the same leather thong.  I scraped the tiny metal blade along the rock and threw a scatter of sparks a couple of feet in the air. I draped that leather thong over my head, happy I had the low tech version of a cigarette lighter now.


    The adrenaline of the brief battle was dropping away and my exhaustion was returning.  It was already shifting to darkness outside and I decided it was worth the risk to have a single night of uninterrupted rest.  There was a heavy bar I could use to lock the front door. It was a heavy oak affair with what looked like cast iron brackets on the door jamb, and I didn¡¯t have any doubts it would be secure.  The back door only had a simple leather loop you could pass over a peg, likely intended to just hold the door against an unexpected wind. I butted the table up to the closed door and then carried blankets and a pillow from the back bedroom.  I built up the fire in the hearth until it was roaring merrily, profligate with the stack of firewood someone else had painstakingly split and stacked. I built myself a little nest of blankets on top of the table, sure that if anyone tried to force the door it would wake me immediately.  I planned to sleep here for the night and continue on along the road at dawn, taking as many comfort items with me as seemed practicable.


    I¡¯d failed to account for just how exhausted my days in the forest had left me.  Rather than waking up with the dawn, or even at a more reasonable hour at 7 or 8, I slept like the dead.  The noise of traffic on the road woke me with my heart in my throat and an urgent need to pee. I didn¡¯t have time to make it out to the outhouse without being seen, but I couldn¡¯t hold it either.  A large basin from the kitchen served as an impromptu bedpan, and as I squatted awkwardly on top of it and finished my business, for one of the few times in my life I found myself envious of men. How much simpler it would be to just stand up and piss in a jug in these emergency situations.  I wouldn¡¯t trade it away for the ability to have multiple orgasms though, so I buckled my pants back up and crept to the window to see what was approaching.


    A mass of humanity was shuffling along the roadway, men, women, and children secured to one another by hemp ropes strung from neck to neck.  There was barely enough slack to account for variations in height and they traveled through the path in a narrow bunch. There was a mounted man in front, and three other horsemen spread out at the rear of the group, like herdsman shooing the livestock along.  Part of me just couldn¡¯t understand what I was seeing. How could 4 men with nothing but basically long knives hold 25 or 30 captive? I could see that the people¡¯s hands were tied, but they outnumbered their captors 5 or 6 to 1. They walked with a defeated air though. The group was head down and shuffling along, only the smallest of children carried by others with the energy to look up and around.  I stared at the party as the first rider drew up in front of the cabin and the rest of the riders started chivvying their charges off of the road and into the clearing. I was suddenly faced with a crisis of conscience.


    There was no question in my mind that the men I¡¯d killed had been confederates of these slave traders.  There would be no bluffing my way out of this, I would have to take on all four of them if I wanted to leave here as a free woman.  On the other hand, I didn¡¯t exactly owe anything to the captives shuffling into the clearing. None of the four had an angle on the back door yet, and I could slip out into the woods.  I could circle around to the road and be on my way to the nearest city before anybody ever knew to look for me. I wasn¡¯t a cop in this world. Hell, for all I knew the simulation evaluated players who had been real dicks before they died and placed them n those situations after the mind wipe as some sort of instant karma.  Even as I had the thought the level of self deception and self serving bullshit it contained disgusted me. How many drunken evenings had I claimed the German people should have stood up to the Nazis, or that everyone who hadn¡¯t gotten off their asses and marched with King in the 60¡¯s were complicit? In the comfort of my old world I¡¯d run my mouth and espoused high ideals, now I was confronted with slavers and debated my course.


    The sound of a child crying carried through the window and I was galvanized into action.  I stalked through the cabin to the front door, and pulled the crossbar up laying it gently to the side out of the way.  I put my back to the wall next to the door and listened intently to the noise on the other side. Men¡¯s voices were talking, bitching about Clem and David who were supposed to meet them here.  I had a sneaking suspicion those were the names of the men who were now slowly stiffening in the dirt right behind the outhouse. There was the soft whisper of a blade whispering from a sheath and a soft voice called a warning to his friends that caused me to take a deep breath and prepare myself.


    ¡°Might be trouble.  I¡¯m going to force the door and check things out on the inside.  Alan, Steve, keep an eye on the slaves, Jarod be ready to back me up.¡±


    The speaker must have been planning on a shock and awe sort of tactic, because he gave a bloodcurling howl like a wolf as he slammed his boot into the front door.  I¡¯d already removed the bar though, and the door flew open with only the pull of gravity resisting him. He was still mid-howl as I spun into the opening and opened up his throat.   The sound cut off in a spray of blood and he was dead on his feet as I charged past him. His backup had faster reflexes, because he managed to block the stroke that would have disemboweled him.  Our swords clanged together and my wrists took one hell of a shock. He was just stronger than me and I didn¡¯t have the skill necessary to negate his brute force. His blade pushed mine wide, leaving us both open but him with the blade closest to flesh.  Unfortunately for him he¡¯d let me inside for the strike, and I rammed my knee into his groin. His sword arm lost power like I¡¯d flipped a switch and he doubled over. I reflexively took his head, striking at the base of his neck without thinking about it.  As his body hit the ground I brought my sword up to guard position and surveyed my surroundings.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The captives were milling about and I saw at least one with enough spirit he had his bound hands up to his mouth, furiously chewing at the ropes.   Someone on the far side must have tried something similar because the guard on the far side of the mass was shouting and flailing at someone with what I hoped was the flat of his blade.  I didn¡¯t see the fourth, and I stepped forward and scooped up my former opponents sword and tossed it to the captives. There¡¯s not really a safe way to throw someone a bare sword but I did the best I could to keep it underhanded and easy to dodge.  Folks still scattered out of the way, but a few were pointing and yelling.


    I followed their outstretched hands and then yelped and darted back into the safety of the cabin.  I had nearly lost my own head to a cavalry charge from the last asshole I¡¯d lost track of. Despite the shoulted curses of his rider the horse refused to follow me through the doorway of the cabin.  I welcomed the respite, but didn¡¯t take long to enjoy it. The horse and rider had come clear up onto the porch under the overhanging ceiling when he tried to run me down. I bouced off a wall to spin around, and charged back out of the cabin screaming and waving my arms.  The horse reared back from me, but rather than unseating the rider he just cussed me and leaned flat against the beasts neck while he swung his sword. I was much to far out of position to deflect it so I didn''t even try. Instead I dove to the ground under the horses flailing front hooves and rolled clear.  I came up on the other side and sliced through the riders thigh and a bit of the saddle as the horse dropped back down. Apparently of its own accord the horse wheeled on me then, and I barely had time to dodge back as white teeth snapped in front of my face. I didn¡¯t even know that horses could bite, always picturing them as the majestic grass eaters just a single horn from being the unicorn best friend of my child self¡¯s dreams.


    Not in this world.  The rider was clutching at his wound with one hand, while he swung the sword at me with the other.  I backpedaled, dodging and slipping his swings because I didn¡¯t think I was strong enough to block a downward strike from that height.  The entire time the horse followed me without apparent direction from his rider. There was renewed shouting and commotion from the gaggle of people behind me, and I hoped it was because they were freeing themselves and not because the second rider was coming to finish me off.  I risked a quick glance over my shoulder and it was a mistake. Before I could take in anything other than a confused blur of motion I stumbled. I pitched to the side and abused the sword horribly in a slash at the dirt to keep myself up. A couple of fast steps into the fall and the resistance my strike gave me were enough to keep me on my feet, but I¡¯d given my weak side to the enemy by turning into it. Even as I pivoted back to dodge the blow that should have been coming I felt myself clenching my abdominal muscles like that would do anything to stop the intrusion when the metal of his blade ripped through my body.


    The blow didn¡¯t fall.  A slender woman with disheveled hair and a bandage on her bicep has hanging onto his sword arm, trying to pull the rider from his saddle.  Another much man charged past me and flung himself on the horses head. Blinding the animal with his bulk, he tucked its head into his armpit and clamped on, apparently fearless of being bitten or trampled beneath its hoofs.  I moved forward to help but already an elderly man on the far side had shoved the riders foot out of the stirrup and he pitched sideways onto the ground. The rest of the freed prisoners swarmed him, punching and kicking. They were probably as much a danger to each other as the man on the ground, but I stayed back clear of the fray.  I was panting for breath from my own desperate battle and looked back near the roadway to make sure of the fourth man. He lay bloody and broken in the trampled dirt, and an old woman squatted above him as she pissed on his upturned face. These people held grudges it seemed, and the slave traders had not been popular with their charges.  I shrugged, oddly unconcerned with the indignity and headed back towards the cabin. I wanted a rag to clean off my blade, and maybe I should grab some food and bring it outside. Some of these people looked like they had been without for a while.


    I¡¯d only completed the first half of my mission and sheathed my blade when a voice called out to me.  ¡°Stranger, you, the woman with the blade.¡± I figured out he was calling for me and turned to find the old man who had overturned the mounted guard.  He looked to be a hard lived fifty,, or maybe in his well preserved sixties. I could tell his hair was normally silver where it wasn¡¯t matted down by blood and other filth.  He had two black eyes and some serious swelling going on in his nose, when you combined it with the wrinkles it wasn¡¯t a pretty picture. I nodded over at him to show that I¡¯d heard him call me, and he gave me a practiced bow that was at odds with the rags on his body and his haggard appearance.  ¡°We owe you a debt of thanks. I don¡¯t know what prompted you to risk the baron¡¯s wrath, but our entire village was destined for the silver mine if you had not intervened.¡±


    This seemed like the perfect time to gather some intel, and I abandoned my earlier plans.  The freed prisoners weren¡¯t hesitating to loot the place themselves by any means. I gestured toward the edge of the rough wooden porch.  The old man followed me over and we both sat, although he took it pretty cautiously like he had more injuries under the ragged tunic he wore.


    ¡°I¡¯m not from around here at all.  I actually got lost in the forest and stumbled into all of this mess by accident.¡±


    ¡°Your loss is our gain.  You¡¯re speaking to the former headman of the village of Hollow Oak.  We worked land in common for Baron Samuels, House of Tilden. Cursed blight got into our wheat, and we watched as the grain rotted in the fields.  The bastard Samuels has a gambling problem, we would have gotten a forbearance if his old man was still alive. As it was the taxman came and we couldn¡¯t pay.¡±


    The old man closed his eyes and shook his head, some scene that couldn¡¯t bear the light of day rerunning on his eyelids.  After a moment he gave some sort of honking cry, like a cross between a sob and a sneeze and focused on me again.


    ¡°Next thing you know there were troops in our village.  Raiding us like we were some outlyer savages. Some of the hale men ended up dead in the fighting, most of the attractive young women disappeared.  The rest of us trussed up about like you found us. We¡¯ve been walking ever since. Number of guards has dwindled as we got further from home, but I doubt we¡¯d have had the nerve to try anything till we reached the mountains and the garrison that guards the silver mines.¡±


    He shook his head, ashamed of his own frailty and I tried to keep a compassionate tone as I responded.


    ¡°You¡¯re free now, and I guess that¡¯s all that really matters.  Where will you go now? Do you know the area?¡±


    ¡°Me?  I¡¯ve never been more than a day¡¯s walk from Hollow Oak before in my life.  We¡¯ll make do somehow, though. Plenty of villages here and there that¡¯ll take in a soul or two without troubling the gentry about it.  None of us had been branded yet. A couple of the younger folk might make a try for a city, but that¡¯s not the life we know.¡±


    ¡°Where are these villages, what¡¯s the closest city to here?  Have you seen some kind of map or heard travelers tales?¡±


    He seemed a little taken aback by my questions, and I guessed that I had pressed the issue with too much force.  I made a conscious effort to take a deep breath and lean back some, giving him space. He seemed to settle down but still watched me warily when he answered.


    ¡°I guess young Edwin might know where we are.  He was apprenticed to a traveling peddler when he was a boy.  Settled down in Hollow Oak and married Swallia, took up a proper trade after that.¡±


    I nodded and forced myself to exchange a few platitudes with the old man before I took my leave.  It was always darkest before dawn, and enough willing hands could shift any burden. He looked like he desperately wanted to believe what he was saying, but I could see the fear of the unknown eating away at him inside.  I moved through the newly minted refugees, accepting a tearful hug from a weeping older woman and returning some sort of warriors salute from a man whose torso was covered in bandages and had blood and pus oozing from an empty eye socket.  Children were already playing in the yard though, and women folk were passing out food while a large cauldron was bubbling over a fire they had built in the side yard.


    I kept asking and eventually found young Edwin.  He was older than I was, and slightly overweight.  It didn¡¯t seem to slow him as he and three others were busy hacking at a pell in the stableyard under the direction of  a single man with only one arm but a tremendous beard over his pot belly. He called a halt to their exercises and ambled over to me as the other men stood panting in place.


    ¡°Tradition says most of the blades belong to you by right of conquest, but I hope you won¡¯t begrudge the men the means to defend their families.¡±


    ¡°You know enough to give them adequate instruction?¡±


    He waved his stump at me and wiggled his eyebrows.  ¡°Time was I was a fair hand with a blade. Might have done some good if I hadn¡¯t been piss drunk when the raiders came.¡±  He shrugged then, like a man who couldn¡¯t be expected to control the weather before he continued. ¡°I know enough to recognize you don¡¯t rate that dueling sword you carry.  You¡¯re fast and got some moves on you right enough, but an actual dueling master would have torn through those four like shit through a goose. Ought to cover that hilt until you¡¯ve mastered it, otherwise you might end up a trophy on someone¡¯s wall.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t realized the hand carved symbols in the ivory carried any meaning.  I had assumed they were there for decoration and to aid with grip. As soon as he mentioned it though, I thought back to the man with the katana who had fought with us on the escape from the villa and realized he was probably right.  It was too late to do anything now and I just shrugged at him.


    ¡°I get by.  Keep the swords if you want.  I just want to talk to Edwin.¡±


    Edwin was happy enough to talk to me, because he¡¯d seen me cut down a few of the Baron¡¯s men.  The man was nothing but a walking, talking, ball of rage despite his pudgy appearance. Swallia, the love of his life had been cut down in front of him, and his infant child¡¯s brain dashed out on the paving stones as he was too weak to make the journey.  Edwin had been laid low with a single fist from a guardsmen that night, but he swore that he¡¯d take his revenge. I didn¡¯t try to talk him out of it, like some of the villagers who heard his angry promises. I just nodded and asked him for information. There was shifting and movement in the group around us and when I looked up I saw the people who¡¯d been involved with taking down the guard, as well as a fair percentage of the gray heads.  Apparently the movers and shakers amongst the refugees were interested in this as well.


    Evan knelt in the bare dirt of the side yard and started to scribe a rough map into the ground, explaining as he went.


    ¡°This track we¡¯re on eventually curves up here and turns into a mule trail up into Kingdom mining camps.  There¡¯s a garrison permanently stationed at the base, and some freeholders in this area here that trade produce with the soldiers.  This river cuts through on a low ford here and there¡¯s miles of forest to the north. A few lumber camps run by a merchants guild out of Hobbesia somewhere in there but they¡¯re always shifting.  We¡¯re somewhere around here. Back this way you start to hit settled lands. I think they¡¯re held in fief to Somerset, but I¡¯m not real sure. The road T¡¯s here though, and if you followed it South you¡¯d retrace our steps.  A week or three on foot if you were setting a sane pace to Hollow Oak I¡¯d imagine.¡±


    A couple of the others nodded their heads at this part.  Apparently they at least recognized the way they¡¯d come, even if they had been harried along at a forced march.  It wasn¡¯t exactly a stirling guarantee of the map¡¯s accuracy, but I found it reassuring all the same. Edwin wasn¡¯t paying attention to my doubts though, he continued to talk.


    ¡°If you follow the T north it will pass through the free town of Canton.  Run by merchants on a charter from the King. As long as no one recognizes you as a tax forfeiture it¡¯s probably the safest place for most of you.  Up past Canton you¡¯ll hit the Kingsway.¡±


    At my blank look he sighed and expanded.  ¡°The Kingsway is a big well maintained road the runs the breadth of the kingdom.  Paid for by the crown, the local landowner aren¡¯t allowed to charge tolls for its use.  It connects pretty much every city in the Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Show me where I¡¯d find Kantia.¡±


    He looked up at me with a kind of puzzled frown but when I gave him a hard stare he just shrugged.  ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t exactly to scale because I wanted to show detail on this bit here that was close. The kingsway would actually start about here and run this way.¡±  He drew another line parallel to the first a good 3 or 4 inches further away than before. Then he pointed to the side. ¡°Kantia would be over kind of were Steven is standing, near the eastern coast.¡±


    My face fell as any hope of making it on foot to see Cate in person were dashed.  I shook it off and leaned forward and tapped the spot on the map he¡¯d called Canton.  ¡°This is the closest city to here, you¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°No that¡¯s the free town.  Closest city would be Humert.  Up through Canton to the Kingsway, then back west a ways.  Probably only 20 or 30 miles from here as the crow flies, but traveling the roads it¡¯s a fair bit.  I wouldn¡¯t head there though if I were you, Humert has a pretty rough reputation.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Edwin.  You¡¯ve been a big help.¡±


    I stood up and walked away while the rest of the brain trust started to debate.  I could already tell that the former villagers would splinter. If the Baron sent men looking for them when they didn¡¯t turn up at the mines, scattering was the only hope they had of escaping detection.  As I picked through the gear that had been on the bodies and the items from the slaver¡¯s house, I noticed quite a few villagers were doing the same. Some folks looked almost panicky, throwing the first thing they saw into a bundle, overloading themselves and getting ready to run off down the road and get captured by the first men they saw.  Others were making themselves comfortable, sprawled out on the cheap straw mattresses. I saw an old woman directing children to pick produce from the garden and I somehow got the impression they were planning on moving in. That was a road to ruin once the next crew of slavers came along. There was no way they¡¯d be able to hold this little cabin against an armed threat.  I tried to stick to my own business though, gathering a leather water bottle and a rough woolen blanket. I rolled the blanket up to make a bundle I could strap over my shoulder, then cut some thin strips of linen off of a pillow case and carefully wrapped my sword handle. It was a painstaking process, trying to leave something snug enough I would have a sure grip but still cover the carvings completely.  I took a single dried sausage and a wedge of cheese that were hanging in the kitchen and shoved them in my bundle. The true mother lode came when one of the villagers managed to finally lure in one of the frightened horses.


    I¡¯d already decided I was traveling overland and had no designs on the horseflesh.  I was more than happy to take first crack at the saddlebag when it was offered to me though.  There were a handful of coins that I turned over to the villagers, an extra pair of socks with a hole over the big toe, a mess kit and a small bag of what looked like lentils.  The only thing I really wanted though was in a dark stained heavy little wooden box. I twisted loose the leather clasp over the wooden toggle and opened the box to reveal a tiny needle floating in a cloudy glass bubble.  I extended my arm and slowly shifted it to the left. The needle drifted against the motion and I grinned, proud that I had found a compass. I shifted the wooden box to the top of my own rolled blanket, and nodded at the rest.


    ¡°Help yourselves.  I¡¯m headed out.¡±


    There was a chorus of good byes and good lucks, as well as a good number who seemed not to give a damn as I navigated through the yard and over to the roadside.  Edwin was there, new sword clutched in his pudgy fist.


    ¡°Are you going after the Baron?¡±


    ¡°No, you poor dumb bastard, and if you have any sense neither will you.  Would your wife want you to throw your life away in a futile gesture?¡±


    ¡°I think my wife would want to not be murdered, and our child not to follow her into the same mass grave.  I¡¯ll avenge my family, woman. You can swear oath on that.¡±


    ¡°I wish you luck with it then, Edwin.  Try not to let it consume you. I¡¯ve business of my own that takes me away.¡±


    ¡°What was your name?¡±


    ¡°Julia.¡±


    ¡°Thank you , Julia, for giving me this chance.¡±


    He turned and stalked away then, his dumpy figure both tragic and somehow terrifying in his single minded determination.  I turned back towards the road and saw the slender woman with the hollow eyes and the bandaged arm standing there with a bundle on her back.  She had an axe like you¡¯d use to split wood in her hands and her lips set in a determined line.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°With you.  They took me there in that village when we were first captured, and not a single one of my damn neighbors raised a finger to help.  I begged and pleaded to rise up against the bastards every mile of that forced march, and again no one would help. You threw that sword that cut us free.  You helped us cut down the vermin. I¡¯m going with you. I can fight.¡±


    I looked at her, and saw something in her eyes that I¡¯d once seen in a mirror a long time ago.  It made me look away and sigh. I would drop through the portal as soon as I reached Humert, and it wouldn¡¯t do this woman any favors to abandon her on her own in a strange city.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, girl?¡±


    ¡°Sharon.¡±


    ¡°Sharon, I¡¯m Julia.  The first thing you¡¯re going to do is get rid of that damn axe.  It¡¯s a strong man¡¯s weapon, the kind of thing you use to beat down resistance.  You¡¯re not stronger than a man and you never will be, so don¡¯t try it. What you can be is faster, and smarter.  Do you understand?¡±


    She looked like she had her doubts but she dropped the axe at her feet.  I nodded, at least she was willing to listen. I didn¡¯t have much time, but I would do what I could to help before I left.  ¡°Hold up your hands like we¡¯re going to fight?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen idiots in the village fist fight, right?  You¡¯re not planning to pull hair or scratch if you get attacked again, put up your hands.¡±


    She balled her hands into fists and I stepped to the side and appraised her.  At least she hadn¡¯t tucked her thumb under her fingers, that was a good way to dislocate it.  I moved around her, making minor adjustments to her limbs. ¡°Keep your feet as far apart as your shoulders but with the toes still pointing like that.  Most of your weight back here, but that¡¯ll switch off depending on what your doing. Turn your hands so the back of your arm is out, and relax your fist, just a loose curl.¡±


    When I had her in the right place I continued.  ¡°Okay, when you throw a punch keep your arm loose, and tighten that fist up at the last second right before it hits.  Try with your left hand.¡±


    I held up a palm and she gave a tentative jab and I nodded encouragingly.  ¡°Go faster, and don¡¯t straighten your elbow all the way out. The hand in front is fast, more to distract than hurt.  When you punch with the back hand I want you to swivel at the waist and put your shoulder behind it. Come off the heel on that back foot like your squashing a bug with your toes.  Do two front and one back real quick into the air.¡±


    She shadow boxed and I corrected her form a few times and had her repeat.  When it seemed like she had the hang of it I told her to squat. ¡°No not like your trying to put your ass on the ground, more butt less knees and keep your back straight.  Like this.¡± I dropped down and changed levels in a kind of modified horse stance. She copied the motion and I had her throw the punches again. A few more repetitions and I could see her thighs trembling with the unaccustomed strain and I told her to stand.  ¡°That¡¯s called changing levels. Remember not to punch at something, but aim a couple of inches behind it. The faster you are the safer you¡¯ll be, so hit first, hit often and keep going.¡± I pulled out the hem of my shirt and slid my free hand up to my breasts and pulled the punch dagger Cate had given me from my bandeau.  I held in the palm of my hand briefly, reliving memories before I handed it to Sharon.


    ¡°Keep that in your right hand.  You don¡¯t have the mass to knock someone out yet, Sharon, and I don¡¯t have the time to teach you the skill to make up for it.  With the dagger or without, you only have two targets when you hit. The throat and the groin. Big arteries in each, and plenty of soft tissue if its the hand without the blade.  Most men won¡¯t take a skinny woman as a threat, come in hard and fast and you¡¯ll probably survive.¡±


    Her hand tightened on the dagger with a white knuckled grip.  ¡°Will you teach me more while we travel?¡±


    I shook my head, frustrated that she hadn¡¯t understood.  Then I had an idea and my face softened. ¡°Keep practicing, throw the punches from both levels.  If you¡¯ve got privacy and someone you can trust, spar without the dagger in your hands. I can¡¯t teach you more right now though, because I have something I need you to do for me.¡±  I reached into my coin pouch and grabbed one of the rings. I half turned so my body was blocking the view from the rest of the refugees, there was no sense giving anybody ideas. Sharon¡¯s eyes bugged out when she saw the jewelry, it was probably more wealth than she had ever seen at one time in her life.  I nodded and answered the unspoken question. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s real. I¡¯m giving it to you. I want you to sell it and use the money to travel to Kantia. I want you to find a place called The Walk Right Inn and give a woman named Cate a message. Can you do that for me?¡±


    There was a hesitant look on her face, but gradually it resolved into her pursed lips and that same grim line of determination.  She reached out and took the ring, tucking it down the front of her shirt. ¡°I can do that for you, Julia. What¡¯s the message?¡±


    ¡°Tell her I sent you.  Tell her I didn¡¯t have a choice about the way I left and I¡¯ll get back as soon as I can.  Tell her she can keep the money I left behind and I¡¯ll explain someday. Tell her. . .¡± I trailed off as I thought about all the things that had been left unspoken between Cate and I.  Had the bridge already been burnt and I had lost any chance for a relationship? Was a relationship even possible between a player and a denizen of this world? I shook my head and then looked back up at Sharon with a lump in my throat.  ¡°Tell her she has beautiful blue eyes.¡±


    I turned around and started walking up the trail at a good clip then.  I wasn¡¯t just fleeing the slavers trailhouse and the refugees, but my own confused emotions.  It was a much more difficult race and I heard Sharon¡¯s voice call out behind me. ¡°I¡¯ll tell her, Julia.  Good luck, and may the Goddess protect you.¡±


    I kept my mouth shut and started to jog.  A few minutes later I¡¯d reached what I felt like was the halfway point back to the ford.  The map hadn¡¯t been exact, and I didn¡¯t have a pedometer or anything to measure my steps, but it seemed like the place on the map I¡¯d decided to turn North.   I pulled out the wooden box and checked my new compass. It agreed with my sense of direction that I should head that way. I closed it back up and resettled my gear before heading into the forest.


    The undergrowth wasn¡¯t so thick that I had to resort to clearing my path with a blade, but it was a far cry from the straight smooth road I had left behind.  My speed dropped down to a walk, and I kept having to deviate from my path to circle around obstacles. After a while I gave up on trying to keep my bearing mentally, and fished the compass back out and traveled with it in my hand to keep a course.  I walked on through the heat of the afternoon, determined to make distance as quickly as possible. I drank sparingly from my canteen without stopping, and slowly penetrated deeper into the wilderness. At one point I heard something large moving through the brush to one side, but I never saw anything larger than a squirrel or the ever present birds.


    Despite being in good shape, travelling cross country like this was using a set of muscles in a way I hadn¡¯t really trained for and I could feel the burn.  My cardio was up to the task, but I was still feeling pretty ragged when the light started to fade. Before full dark had fallen I started looking for a campsite.  Slightly off my path a large tree had fallen in a storm an unknown time ago. The tree was completely dead, but the giant root ball that had been pulled from the ground formed a solid backdrop with the depression down out of the wind.  I gathered broken branches from the top side of the tree, amassing a large pile of fuel next to my camp. With my new fire starter necklace I didn¡¯t have any problem throwing sparks, but it took me a while to shave some bits of bark thin enough I could get them to actually light.  By the time the sun had disappeared over the horizon and only the moon was up, I had a cozy fire burning in front of me and was wrapped up toasty warm in my stolen blanket. I grinned as a gust of cool wind swirled down into my campsite. I had met mother nature, and this time I kicked the bitch¡¯s ass.


    I fell asleep then, and woke to a bit of chill a few hours later with only embers in the hole I¡¯d scraped in front of me.  I extracted a single arm from my cocoon of the blanket, and reached for my pile of sticks. As I drew it closer I noticed eye shine only feet away.  I froze in place, staring at the yellow glow of two eyes down level with my own. A low rumbling growl reached my ears and I carefully surveyed the night, placing two more animals in a loose semicircle around me.  I continued my interrupted movement, moving slowly and watching for any reaction. I laid the stick into the embers and slowly started to ease the blankets from around my body. My free hand drifted back over to the pile of sticks and as it wrapped around one the growling increased in pitch.  I drew the limb back towards me and as the far end of the limb rustled in the brush pile it triggered some instinct in the watching beasts. The set of eyes on the right rushed towards me, and I caught a flash of white teeth in the moonlight as I sat up and shoved the stick in it¡¯s gaping mouth.


    I screamed at them then, drowning out the wolves snarling as I lurched to my feet.  The first animal tore the limb from my hand, but the first stick I¡¯d dropped into the fire began to burn.  Flickering light illuminated my danger as I awkwardly drew my sword with my off hand and kicked out at another of the animals.  It shied away with inhuman reflexes, my boot hadn¡¯t come close to touching it. I transferred my sword to my dominant hand then, and held it ready as I dragged limbs from the brush pile with my foot.  Every time one of the wolves seemed to still, I shouted again and faked a half step toward it. It kept them milling about as I built the fire higher, and they retreated back to the edge of the light. I could see clearly now, and I was fully awake with a weapon in my hand.  The instinctive fear of teeth in my flesh was still present, but it had become manageable. I walked around to stand in front of the fire. Backlit by the now roaring blaze, I cast a terrible shadow in front of me as I posed with my sword in the high guard.


    ¡°Come on then, you bastards.  Momma needs a wolfskin coat.¡±


    I screamed it into the night, putting all the threat I could muster into my command voice.  The last of the eyeshine disappeared from the edges of the shadows, and I stood in the silence of a disturbed forest.  A few minutes later, the low buzz of insects and other background critters started back up and I felt myself relax. That had been intense and I found myself wondering what would have happened if those wolves had found me my first couple of nights out in the open without a fire.  That spurred another thought, maybe the smell of smoke itself had lured them in to investigate. Perhaps I had only now traveled into their territory. I didn¡¯t really know, but I wouldn¡¯t forego the advantage of light and the warmth starting a fire would offer me. I was sure of that.  I¡¯d built my current blaze up too high to sleep near it comfortably, but I wasn¡¯t exactly relaxed enough for sleep anyway. I gathered more fuel for the fire so I could throw some in if it burned down to far before morning and settled down into a comfortable position with my sword bare across my thighs.  I was determined not to be caught unaware.


    I drifted off to sleep anyway, but I woke up every once in a while because I was in a sitting position.  Each time I would check the fire, and every once in a while throw in another stick. When the morning light finally came through the tree tops I was more than ready for it.  I took care of necessities in the lee of the fallen tree, then kicked dirt over the top of my fire. One final check of my compass to confirm my course, and I headed through the woods again.  After a while it seemed like I had been trekking through an undifferentiated world of green forever. I had the compass now, and wouldn¡¯t be doing the random wandering like the start of this task.  From the map Edwin had drawn and the pace I had set, I felt confident I should reach the city by sometime this afternoon.


    Hours came and went, and I kept walking North with no sign of human civilization.  I finished my water bottle. It seemed useless to conserve it when I¡¯d just dehydrate a little at a time instead of all at once anyway.  The sun peaked in the sky and started gradually shifting towards dark and still I continued to walk. I knew the Kingsway led through Humert and ran east to west, so I couldn¡¯t have gone off course and passed my destination.  Surely I¡¯d have noticed a large paved road through the middle of this wilderness. I resigned myself to steady travelling and continued on through the woods. When the light started to fall I was careful to look for a defensible location.  No convenient downed trees or caves were available and I settled for two evergreens on a bit of a slope. I half climbed, half forced my way past the thin branches of the smaller tree until I could grip the trunk up near the top. I braced myself and pulled up my knees, my full weight hanging from my arms.  The pressure on the slender tree top forced the entire tree to sag down towards me, and when my feet hit the floor I walked over towards the other evergreen, dragging the top of the other with me. I fed the branches of the two trees together, doing my best to weave it all into place. I wasn¡¯t sure it would work until I tried it, but the trees were small and pliable enough, and grew closely enough together that when I backed away it held.  I now had a backdrop that was secure-ish. An animal that could break through but the noise of doing so would at least give me some warning. I built two fires this time, each of them small and evenly spaced in front of me, and I settled down in the center of my triangle of evergreen and fire to wait out the night. I slept fitfully, more of a doze than any true sleep. Constantly feeding the fire and standing up to peer into the blackness, ears straining for the sounds of movement.  There were no animals this time, either they¡¯d learned to fear fire or maybe they¡¯d found some of the refugees and their hunger was already sated with human flesh.


    Up with the dawn I started again, following my compass to a city I was beginning to suspect existed only in Edwin¡¯s imagination.  I had no other choice though, and I continued to walk on through the cool of the morning. As the sun and the temperature continued to rise, my energy started to flag and my pace slowed, but I refused to stop.  All of my fatigue was forgotten when a sound rang through the forest. It was a loud thump, the kind of mechanical sound that I could only imagine as coming from a human, and I searched my surroundings trying to spot where it had come from.  It was only as the sound repeated that I was able to narrow it down, and I shifted course just a little bit and followed along. Soon enough I saw a clearing and the reason for its existence.


    A burly man with almost enough body hair to make up for his lack of shirt was chopping down a tree.  A much younger slimmer version of himself with a marked lack of hair was dragging logs over towards a big pit.  After I looked around a bit and confirmed that they were alone I stepped out of the woodline.


    ¡°Hello the camp.¡±


    The big guy froze in place before he lowered his axe.  He turned to face me and took a few steps forward so that he was between me and the youngster I was guessing was his son.  He still held the axe low across his body, but seemed cautious rather than threatening.


    ¡°Hello stranger.  What brings you out here?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I got a little turned around.¡±  I pointed in the general direction of North.  ¡°The city of Humert¡¯s in that direction right?  About how far are we?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got permission to make charcoal here.  We haven¡¯t strayed from the stake markers I got shown.¡±


    I held up a placating hand.  ¡°Really not here for that. It was a legitimate question, how far from town are we?¡±


    He frowned at me, then looked back in the direction I¡¯d pointed.  He shook his head and pointed himself, pretty much in the same direction but maybe a hair more to the right.


    ¡°Good half hour¡¯s walk that way to get to the foregate.  You don¡¯t have a residents pass they charge you two coppers to let you in and just clap you the stocks if you don¡¯t have the funds.¡±


    I nodded in thanks.  That was good information to have and I was a little bit pissed that Edwin hadn¡¯t thought to mention it.  Travel agents here in this world really left something to be desired. ¡°Good luck then, Mr. Lumberjack. Keep an eye out, there are wolves in the wood.¡±


    He snorted and muttered something about pansy city dwellers to his son, but I was already walking away and didn¡¯t catch the details.  I kept a careful watch on my backtrail though, until a few moments later the ring of chopping wood came through the air. He definitely wasn¡¯t sneaking up on me then, and I settled into finishing my trip.  It was closer to twenty minutes than thirty, and about halfway through the trees gae way to open grasslands. There were herds of sheep and some teenagers with dogs in the distance, but I steered clear and headed towards the walled city visible on the horizon.  I came to a washed out poorly maintained dirt road, and paused as I looked towards the city. Surely this couldn¡¯t be the Kingsway, but it pointed in the right direction and I started following it. I kept looking around and realized the truth when I got closer.  They really did enforce the no tolls on the Kingsway thing. The city of Humert had built back from the roadway a few hundred yards, and built a big loop that came out of the highway and actually led into the town through the gatehouse. You could travel the Kingsway for free, but actually entering or exiting the town to do so could be taxed.


    I had two coppers on me so the toll wasn¡¯t that big a deal.  I would gladly sacrifice my entire coin purse to finish this stupid task.  A line had formed at the gate though, and I found myself leaning on the wall as uniformed men shook down each of the travelers.  They finally finished inspecting an apparently suspicious handcart of turnips and got to me. I had the two coins in my hand and stepped forward.  A sweaty looking man with long curly hair pushing out past the rim of his helmet held out a long spear blocking my path and just looked at me when I held out my hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s your business here in Humert?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t heard them asking anyone else and didn¡¯t realize there would be questions.  I hadn¡¯t had time to come up with a reasonable lie and I reflexively answered the same way I would have in my own world.


    ¡°My business is just that, my business.  Here¡¯s the gate tax so get out of the way.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes narrowed at my tone, and the second gate guard straightened up and moved a little closer.  I winced internally, already regretting the confrontational tone.


    ¡°Listen here, missy.  Just who the hell do you think you are?¡±


    I took a deep breath and looked at the position of his partisan.  It was still outstretched over the rim of stone that marked the official edge of the city of Humert.  I was so close, and a single stupid mistake had to complicate things. Then I thought of how actually close I was, and a stupid smile sprouted on my face.


    ¡®Who am I?  I¡¯m the Amazing Julia, and for my next trick, watch me disappear.¡±


    I stepped forward and shoved against the partisan.  My first foot touched the flagstone walk, and I felt a brief flutter of nervousness as the second guardsman began to draw his sword.  Then my trailing foot crossed the threshold and the world fell away in a flash of light.

 The Cleaning Bill

    ¡°Congratulations, Julia.  You have completed the fourth task.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, D.  Just don¡¯t fucking talk to me, not yet.¡±  I stalked forward on aching feet, dropping layers of gear and filthy clothes as I moved forward.  I had to stop to get my boots off, and the braid in my hair had been in so long it was almost matted permanently in place, but I was fully nude by the time I reached my shower stall.  I turned on pure hot water and grabbed one of the hotel soaps and a tiny packet of shampoo. I hadn¡¯t been clean in ages and a shower was my first priority.


    The water that ran down the drain at first held a disgusting brownish tint, but as I stood under the shower head and let the hot water sooth my aching muscles it began to clear.  After the first rinse, I soaped up. Then after washing, I sighed and washed again. Even my hair felt clean after a while and I finally shut off the shower. My feet hurt and I was sore from sleeping on the ground, and I looked back and forth from my simple bed to the nearly pornographic hot tub in the corner.  I decided that since I was already wet I might as well. I climbed past the female statue, ¡°Excuse me miss ¡° and sank down into the water. The jets fired up automatically without my having to touch a control, and I sighed and leaned back into the padded sides. My legs floated up and I flinched when one of them brushed up against the 8 inch marble cock at the water¡¯s edge jutting from the male.  ¡°Sorry, buddy. Don¡¯t get excited.¡±


    I accepted the fact that I was floating in what was basically a giant sex toy, and just tried to relax and enjoy the soothing heat bubbling agains tired muscles.  I looked up at the same featureless beige ceiling that was visible from my bed and called out.


    ¡°Okay, the D.  Can you still hear me from here?¡±


    ¡°You can communicate with me clearly from any location within the habitat.¡±


    ¡°Super, sorry I snapped at you earlier.  It¡¯s been a rough couple of days.¡± I didn¡¯t know if the AI had feelings or was capable of building up resentment towards a player, but I figured I didn¡¯t need anymore trouble than this Game would cause on its own.  ¡°You got any important information to drop this time? They gonna screw me over with a 4th item now?¡±


    ¡°There is no additional information to be provided on completion of the fourth task.  I can offer you congratulations. You successfully made your way to the nearest city although at a much slower pace than minimum time possible.¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t get a freaking map, the D.  How was I supposed to know where the damn city was?¡±


    ¡°Physical maps are eligible for purchase in the store as items, as well as interactive digital versions as amenities.¡±


    I sighed in frustration.  ¡°Good to know, the D. Any other little tidbits of that sort you would like to provide before my next task?¡±


    ¡°Not at this time.¡±


    ¡°Oh goody.  If I was apparently super slow about it, how many points did I earn?¡±


    ¡°64,000 points were accrued in your 4th task, but you did not receive any bonuses based on our metric system.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I thought I was hella slow.  Where did all the points come from?¡±


    ¡°Your actions with the slave caravan are projected to cause significant social upheaval.  As this should improve the entertainment quotient of the program you were given a significant boost to your rate of point accrual for this task.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t completely sure I followed that, but it seemed like he¡¯d said that I¡¯d caused a shitstorm of trouble and they¡¯d rewarded me for it.  Thinking back over the past couple of days put a sour taste in my mouth, and I heaved myself up over the rim of the tub and stalked naked and dripping back into the other room to retrieve my bottle of Johnnie Walker off the floor.  A thought struck me and I looked up. ¡°How much for a pint of Ben & Jerrie¡¯s Phish Food and a spoon?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°As an amenity only, 500 points.¡±


    ¡°Do it.¡±


    I collected my ice cream and tucked my whiskey bottle under my arm before I headed back to the hot tub.  There was plenty of space on the rim for my items, and I laid them down out of reach of a splash before I lowered myself back in.  I took the lid off both and started my breakfast of champions as I worked the shop.


    ¡°Okay, refresh me, with the points from this time and the stuff I didn¡¯t spend last, how many points have I got?¡±


    ¡°72,500 points.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a lot.  How am I comparing to other players?¡±


    ¡°Mean point total of surviving players at this stage of the game is 61,426 points.¡±


    ¡°That sounds oddly specific.  Okay, I¡¯m beating the average.  Woohoo. Allright, first things first, I¡¯m gonna close the barn door now that the horse is gone.  You said there were maps, but how about an atlas? I want a full on book of maps showing the whole kingdom, plus demographic information, points of interest, the whole Froders kind of thing.  How much would that cost?¡±


    That sort of book would be available as both an . . ¡°


    ¡°Just looking for the item.¡±


    ¡°13,500 points to receive it in black and white, 15,000 for full color illustrations.¡±


    ¡°Well hell, I don¡¯t want to look like a cheapskate.  Give me the color one by all means. I¡¯m starting to get all kinds of stuff to carry, are bags and backpacks the same price as clothing?¡±


    ¡°Standard items are.  Items linked by portal to storage in the housing units are 10 to 50 thousand points.¡±


    ¡°Linked by portal?  What you mean I can move stuff back and forth from here to there by pushing it through the bag?¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°Bam, I want one.  What¡¯s the difference in price?¡±


    ¡°The size of the bag.  Larger openings are more expensive.  As this end of the portal is fixed, only items placed within range can be moved back and forth between worlds.  Larger opening allow for greater reach and physically larger items to be stored.¡±


    ¡°Can living beings pass through the bags?¡±


    ¡°Partially, sentient beings passing through the portal will have their minds destroyed.  The body will remain alive in a vegetative state, but the destruction of the mind is irreversible.¡±


    I paused with a bite of ice cream suspended in midair.  ¡°That makes zero sense. If we¡¯re all just digital consciousnesses, why the hell would they keep the body around without the person themself?¡±


    ¡°I cannot provide that information to you at this time.¡±


    I frowned and mentally filed it away as some kind of game mechanic.  This whole trapped in another world thing was a horribly stupid idea anyway.  I was living it and it all seemed like bad fiction. ¡°Whatever, so how big is the 10,000 point bag?¡±


    ¡°It is a circular leather coin purse with a 5 inch diameter?¡±


    ¡°Um, no rulers here, the D, and it''s kind of important.  Let me rephrase, would the cheapest bag be big enough I could for instance slide my entire arm through?¡±


    ¡°Unless you gain a significant amount of muscle mass or body fat then yes, that is possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try and watch my figure.  Give me the bag. How many points do I have left?¡±


    ¡°The location where you place the black sticker contained with the bag will be your anchor point in this housing unit.  You have 47,500 points remaining.¡±


    I kind of wanted to go check out the new magic bag, but at this point I was almost finished with my ice cream and I was relaxed far enough I didn¡¯t want to have to get out of the tub.  I would have to at some point, if just to wash my clothes. I scrunched up my face at that thought, dreading scrubbing them out in the bottom of the shower.


    ¡°Hey, the D, what kind of laundry facilities are available here as an amenity?¡±


    ¡°A full range of amenities are available, bucket and washboard, a contemporaneous washer and dryer from from your world, or a fully automatic instantaneous cleaning and mending apparatus.¡±


    ¡°How much is that last one?¡±


    ¡°25,000 points.  The repair function is only compatible with wearable items.¡±


    I didn¡¯t care about that nearly as much as I cared about the fact that I might not ever have to wash my own clothes again.  ¡°Buy that puppy, the D, right now.¡± I started to giggle as a small door materialized in the wall near my bed, and cut the noise off immediately.  I gave the bottle of whiskey in my hand a suspicious look. The 5th was still mostly full, but I decided mixing a hot tub, exhaustion, near starvation, and whiskey hadn¡¯t been my wisest choice.  I screwed the top back on the bottle and blinked twice trying to will myself to sobriety.


    ¡°How many points now?


    ¡°22,500 remaining.¡±


    I rolled over in the hot tub, slopping an ungainly amount of water over the rim.   ¡°Ehhhhh, make sure you wake me up an hour and a half before I¡¯m due at the next task, the D.¡±  He made some kind of response but I wasn¡¯t really listening as I splashed my way out of the tub.  I was drunk enough to goose the ass of the marble statue next to me and cackle furiously as I made my swaying way over to the bed.  I had every intention of trying out my new laundry facility and doing something with my hair before it dried, but passed out naked and still soaking as soon as I hit the bed.

 The Fifth Task

    ¡°Good morning, Julia.  One hour and thirty minutes remain until you must begin the fifth and final task.¡±


    ¡°Just fucking die, the D.¡±  I rolled over and shut my eyes against the hangover, then my inner grown-up kicked in and I groaned.  I sat up and staggered to the toilet, then washed my face in the sink and drank what must have been a half gallon of cold water.  I started to feel almost human and I shook my head and tried to start over.


    ¡°Morning, D.  How much would breakfast cost me?¡±


    ¡°A single meal of your choice can be provided for 500 points.¡±


    It sounded expensive compared to buying food in the simulation, but I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d get the chance to eat at the next task.  I¡¯d gotten awfully hungry on my trip through the wilderness and the remembered privation decided me. I focused on the perfect cure for a late night of overindulgence.


    ¡°I want three bacon egg and cheese biscuits from McDonalds, a large hashbrowns from Burger King, a big glass of orange juice, and a venti dark chocolate cappucino from Starbucks.¡±


    Everything materialized on the foot of my bed, they hadn¡¯t dropped it in this time I guess in deference to the drinks.  I appreciated it even if I hadn¡¯t considered the problem before hand, and I tucked into my breakfast. Halfway through I realized I had a laundry facility that I didn¡¯t even know how to work yet and I stopped eating.  I jumped up and scooped up my dirty clothes and carried them over to the new cabinet door on the wall. There was no writing on this one like the fancy nameplate for the refuse bin and I shot a quick glance up at the ceiling.


    ¡°Any special instructions here, the D?  Do I need to separate out the delicates, put the boots in separate or anything?¡±


    ¡°Place soiled items in the receptacle and close the door.  Then remove cleaned items and close the door.¡±


    ¡°How long do I have to wait?¡±


    ¡°Place soiled items in the receptacle and close the door.  Then remove cleaned items and close the door.¡±


    ¡°Gee thanks, the D.¡±  I crammed everything into the opening and just barely managed to fit it all in.  I popped the door shut and immediately pulled it open again to prove a point. ¡°See, there has to be. .  ¡° I trailed off as I caught sight of the immaculate, perfectly folded laundry and felt like kind of a tool.  Then I suddenly wished this technology had been available back in the real world. I had always hated doing my laundry with a fiery passion, and I tended to let it build up until I was wearing old t-shirts that belonged to my exes and threadbare sweats that were the next thing to indecent.   I carried my zero effort laundry stuff over to drop down on the bed and finished eating. After I finished I dressed in my traveling clothes and checked out my new magic bag. There was what looked like a cheaply made vinyl sticker shaped like a black O inside. It looked like the kind you got in vending machines back when I was a kid.  I remembered the instructions from the other day and moved over to a clear space on the wall out of the way of the rest of the room and applied the sticker. Nothing seemed to happen and I felt a little disappointed. For some reason I had expected a little pizzazz from a magic portal.


    I opened the leather purse and looked inside.  Just an empty bag now, not even any fuzzies, but the leather seams of the purse were clearly visible.  I shrugged and dipped my hand inside and my eyebrows widened as I saw my own fingers come out of the wall in front of me.  I yanked my hand out and the fingers disappeared. That was just trippy. I slide my entire hand through and waved to myself, then wiggled my fingers and flipped myself the bird.  Yep, that was definitely my hand. I could feel it just at the end of my wrist at the same time I saw it feet away across the room. I slid the purse up with my left hand and watched my entire right arm appear just inches above the floor.  I moved my arm and tapped the floor. It felt solid. I pulled back through the bag and fished into my regular coin purse. I dropped a single copper coin on the floor and reached through the bag to pick it up. It worked, and that was damned weird.  I shoved my arm through as far as it would go until the bag caught on my armpit.


    I drummed my fingers on the floor at full extension as I walked over to it, then turned back to the bathroom and grabbed a giant wad of toilet paper.  Back to the wall and my disembodied hand. I watched from the outside as I laid the length of toilet paper out in an arc at the apex of my reach. ANything I put inside the arc I could now pull through the bag.  This was pretty cool, and I unpacked my bundle and started stashing stuff on the floor. Socks and underwear went on the extreme edge close to the wall. I figured if I was changing clothes I had plenty of time and it didn¡¯t matter if it was an awkward grab.   Coins I piled by denomination, and arranged my sword and one of the daggers handle forward near the opeing. I¡¯d keep the baton and my belt knife on me just in case. The fire steel stayed around my neck, but I filled my waterskin from the sink and laid it in place, then rolled up the woolen blanket and compass and set them out too.  When I had everything arranged as efficiently as possible I looked back up at the beige ceiling.


    ¡°How much time left?¡±


    ¡°45 minutes until the 5th task becomes mandatory.¡±


    I used the bathroom again, determined to enjoy every last modern luxury while it was available.  Then finished rebraiding my hair and did a couple of leg bends to limber up. When I felt loose and ready I nodded at nothing, psyching myself up while I stared at the blank wall.


    ¡°Bring it  on, the D. I¡¯m ready for the 5th task.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, Julia.  By reaching the 5th task you have acheived a goal that few players survive to accomplish.  In recognition of this feat, additional information and a more complicated task will be provided to you.  Please pay careful attention.¡±


    There was a brief pause and when nothing else happened I whistled and gave a brief wave, ¡°Woohoo, the D?  I¡¯m paying attention here.¡±


    ¡°The fifth task is to grow your power base.  This is the only task with a time limit. You will have 30 days to develop a power base sufficient to survive the trials of story mode.  Failure to adequately prepare will register as death in game. Do you understand your task?¡±


    ¡°Hell no, what the hell is a power base?¡±


    ¡°The fifth task is to grow your power base.  This is the only task with a time limit. You will have 30 days to develop a power base sufficient to survive the trials of story mode.  Failure to adequately prepare will register as death in game. Do you understand your task?¡±


    ¡°Shit.  No, I do not understand.  Please define power base.¡±


    ¡°The fifth task is to grow your power base.  This is the only task with a time limit. You will have 30 days to develop a power base sufficient to survive the trials of story mode.  Failure to adequately prepare will register as death in game. Do you understand your task?¡±


    Every single damn question I could devise resulted in the same exact answer and eventually I shrugged.  ¡°Sure, I understand you¡¯re a bunch of fucking pricks.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.  In order to facilitate the growth of your power base, you will be able to travel to and from the housing module at any time.  Travel back and forth between the simulation and the housing module is accomplished by turning the knob or latch of any unlocked door to the left.  Limitations exist, including a maximum occupancy of 25 persons, no amenities may exit the portals, and all simulated persons will be returned to their original locations.  Do you understand these limitations?¡±


    ¡°Am I included in the 25 people?  How about livestock?¡±


    ¡°In order to facilitate the growth of your power base, you will be able to travel to and from the housing module at any time.  Travel back and forth between the simulation and the housing module is accomplished by turning the knob or latch of any unlocked door to the left.  Limitations exist, including a maximum occupancy of 25 persons, no amenities may exit the portals, and all simulated persons will be returned to their original locations.  Do you understand these limitations?¡±


    I figured that would be the answer, but I couldn¡¯t help but test the theory.  Why in hell did they bother asking questions if all they did was repeat the same fucking sentences over again anyway?  I knew how to end the cycle this time though. ¡°Yep, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.  In which city would you like your task to begin?¡±


    A huge grin split my face.  I couldn¡¯t believe it had been this easy.  I wasn¡¯t about to ask for a dentist report on my gift horse though.  ¡°Send me through to Kantia.¡±


    The white light on the wall began to glow in response, and I jogged toward it with a silly grin on my face.  I came out in a dimly lit alley I didn¡¯t recognize and the grin started to fade. I¡¯d only lived there for a week or two even though it seemed like longer, but I felt like I should recognize most of the city.  This definitely did not seem familiar. The walls here were closer together and there was trash and mud built up blocking some of the gutters and trickles of water thick with night soil moved over the streets in a few places.  It was definitely the kind of neighborhood where it would be easy to find yourself with a lump on your head and missing all of your valuables. I eased my baton out of my sleeve and walked forward cautiously, sticking to the middle of the alley so anyone popping out of a corner would have to cross some open ground to reach me.


    There was furtive movement just at the edge of my vision, and a couple times I heard the soft whisper of feet on the cobblestones.  I tried to stay headed in a single direction, hoping to find a landmark I recognized. Then a shadow passed on the wall in front of me and I was able to gauge the relative size of my stalkers.  It occured to me I was missing an early opportunity to start working on that power base. When I''d first made it up past patrolman I''d been sent to youth services. I didn''t last long. Runaways almost invariably end up in the sex trade or junkies on a slab.  Used and abused by predators until they became predators themselves, I just didn''t have the stomach for the work. After getting to know some of the street kids I knew I had to get out before I started putting people in bodybags. I still remembered working with them though.  The orphans running these streets probably started out younger than the street kids I''d dealt with, but life on the street ages you fast and I bet the same approaches would work. Maslow''s hierarchy of need was what they''d taught us. Food, shelter, and security. The human animal will worry about those first before you can get it to focus on the trappings of civilization such as manners, much less complicated concepts like morality.  I drew a coin from my pocket and started to flip it in the air and catch it, while I carefully moved until my back was against the wall. I was squatted down, to present less of a threat from their level while I continued to toss the coin. I called out in a soft voice, hoping my sex would be clear from the register.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Anyone out there willing to earn a copper instead of trying to get their skull cracked trying to take one?"


    A couple of minutes passed with no response, and I started to consider moving further through the neighborhood before trying again.   There were probably people watching me right now, there was no such thing as privacy when tenements were built this close together, but in a rough neighborhood people learned to mind their own damn business.  Just before I called it quits though a filthy boy who looked somewhere between ten and twelve years old wearing a tattered smock just a little too small for his frame walked out. His posture was wary and he was up on the balls of his feet.  One wrong move and this kid would disappear like a puff of smoke. I nodded at him and held up the coin.


    "I need a tour guide, someone who knows Kantia.  Might be more work later, if whoever I hire does a decent job."


    The kid looked at me then the coin, caution and greed warring in his heart.  I don''t think he would have taken me up on it if I hadn''t been a woman. Kid had been around long enough to learn we could be just as dangerous as the louder sex.


    "No funny stuff, right?  Coin first, and I''ll do it."


    "No funny stuff.  Coin first but if you take it and run, I''ll offer 10 coins to the other kids to find you and break both your legs. Deal?"


    He looked at my face then, obviously reevaluating initial impressions and hopefully deciding to play me straight.  I wasn''t bluffing. I couldn''t afford to if I really wanted to recruit some of these street kids.


    "Deal."


    I flipped him the coin and watched him secret it away tucked down the front of his clothes.


    "I''m Julia.  What''s your name?"


    "Flicka."


    "Like the horse?"


    "Huh?"


    "Nothing, my friend, Flicka.  First off I need a guide. You know your way around Kantia, right?"


    "Lived here all my life."


    I resisted the urge to ask how long that had been.  Inquiries about age always seemed to set street kids on edge, for some reason it tended to be a touchy subject.  Maybe a matter of precedence amongst themselves? "You know a bar and hotel that''s called The Walk Right Inn?"


    "Don''t mess with it.  They always spot the grifters and the bouncer there is a monster.  Broke a guy''s back one time with his bare hands."


    "Patrick?  He''s a teddy bear at heart. I want you to take me there, shortest safe route."


    He tapped his foot while he studied me silently.  Apparently the fact that I was friends with someone he thought of as a badass made him want to reevaluate me yet again.  I wondered what he''d say if I had technically kicked Patrick''s ass one time. Sure, it had mainly been because he hadn''t expected trouble from a woman, but I''d still come out on top.  I decided not to strain the small amount of repore we''d built up with telling the kid something he wouldn''t believe anyway. He gestured over his shoulder in a follow me kind of way and we set off through the city.  He''d apparently taken my job description of tour guide seriously, because along the way he started to narrate as we walked through the twisted warren of passages.


    "This is the part of the poor quarter that got rebuilt after the big fire.  You can tell cause the walls here are a different color than the rest.''


    "How long ago was the fire?"


    "I don''t know, before I was born."


    I looked at the smoke damage and the paving stones that had cracked from the heat that were still visible.  Apparently infrastructure improvements in the poor quarter weren''t exactly a priority for Kantia''s administration. The kid pointed to the back of a slightly larger building that was gleamingly clean.


    "That''s the back of the Temple.  Got some really cool animals carved on the friezes in the front.  The members are pretty weird though. Twice a week they''ll bring out big pots and feed any of the littles who show up.  Rest of the time they''ll beat the living crap out of anyone without a shaved head they find on the grounds of their temple." We made another turn and were in a wider street now, and he made a kind of furtive gesture to the tenement building on our left.  Pointing without really making a show of pointing. "Old woman name Edna lives there. She''s a witch. Can heal all kinds of injuries and sicknesses and stuff if you pay her, but does some scary ass curses too."


    He shuddered as he described that one.  The tour continued as we passed through the city and eventually out of the poor quarter and into areas I was more familiar with.  He pointed out a place with the best seafood in town, and I didn''t let him see my face twitch when I thought about the disgusting taste of fish.  He also pointed out a sausage maker who had a suspicious lack of dogs and cats in his neighborhood, a pawnshop that would buy just about anything no questions asked, and led me wide around a prosperous peaceful looking little house that was set apart from the neighbors a bit.  When I asked him about it he told me the man who lived there had a habit of hiring the more desperate of the young boys to run errands, but invariably they would seem to just disappear and he''d be back in the poor quarter looking for another. I kept my mouth shut but made a mental note of the location.  Just in case, before my 30 days were up I would be coming back here to pay a visit. I wasn''t a cop in this world but some things any self respecting person just couldn''t let slide. After a while we finally came up to the Walk Right Inn and my tours guides constant monologue sputtered to a stop. I fished out another copper coin and held it out to the boy.  When he reached out and took it from my hand I made sure to suppress my smile. That was the way, little by little I would domesticate the first of these urchins.


    "Did a good job, Flicker.  I''m looking to hire a couple of warm bodies.  Old enough to look out for themselves but don¡¯t need to be grown.  Want ¡®em to run some messages, maybe watch a few locations for me. Recruit a couple of your friends and come by the inn in a couple of days and ask for Julia.  Pay is low but you don''t have to worry about me trying to diddle one of you.¡±


    The copper in his hand disappeared into the same location as the last one as he backed away from me.  He gave me a lewd wink way too old for his age. ¡°Price is right, might let you diddle me, lady.¡±


    I made a show of drawing back my leg like I was thinking about kicking him and he shot off, laughing at me.  I grinned then and turned back towards the entrace, but as I walked towards the inn my smile started to fade.  On the one hand I really wanted to see my friends again, humans weren¡¯t meant to be solitary animals, but on the other I probably had quite a bit of explaining to do.  I winced as I wondered just how Cate must have felt when she discovered my disappearance. The first thing I saw when I walked through the door was Patrick.


    He popped out of that seat like he was ready for trouble, but the crossbow didn¡¯t come with him and I realized it was excitement.  He scooted the table out of the way as he rushed forward, almost upending the thing despite its size and I took a half step back surprised at the rush of motion.  He checked himself then, and came the last few steps slowly.


    ¡°Holy shit, Julia.  Where have you been?  I thought Cate was going to put Gabriel to the question over this mess.  You go up in smoke and leave your share of the haul behind. . ¡° He shook his head before finishing with a simple, ¡°What the hell, Julia?¡±


    ¡°Long story.  Really long story and I¡¯ll fill you in later, but just know it wasn¡¯t exactly voluntary.¡±  I felt guilty because at first I had really thought it was going to be goodbye, and I hadn¡¯t said anything to Patrick.  I was going to let Cate do my explaining for me so I¡¯d only have to tell the lie I¡¯d come up with once. Then that stupid coin purse made me think the task wouldn¡¯t end and I¡¯d got caught up in things.  I pushed the feelings down and shook my head. ¡°I want to talk to Cate first. I think I owe her an explanation more than anybody.¡±


    He gave me a considering look before he nodded his head at me.  ¡°I know she¡¯s really not family but she¡¯s still family. After my wife, well if her sister hadn¡¯t gotten messages to me in the pit I don¡¯t know that I¡¯d of ever come out of it.  I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on between you and Cate, but handle her with kid gloves you hear me?¡±


    Part of me wanted to tell him the best thing to put between me and Cate would be him, but the trailing squick factor of their technical relationship kept my smartass tendencies in check.  Instead I returned his solemn look. ¡°My intentions are honorable, if not entirely pure. Where is she anyway?¡±


    ¡°Working.  I know we made a big score but idle hands and all that.  Speaking of, your share and the rest of your stuff is still in a chest in Gabriels room.  Cate made Zeno give up on the idea of taking some of your stuff as a charge for storage, but youre gonna have to cut a new deal for rent since you haven¡¯t been working here.  Cate ought to be back any minute now, though.¡±


    ¡°Okay.  I¡¯ll go grab my stuff so Zeno won¡¯t have a conniption, then come back down here to wait.  It is good to see you again Patrick. Maybe when the bar room closes tonight we¡¯ll have a chance to talk?¡±


    ¡°If Cate leaves you in good enough shape to have a conversation.   You¡¯ve got a lot of explaining to do, girl.¡±


    I gave him a wink and headed up the stairs.  A careful knock made sure I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with walking in on Gabriel before I entered my old room.  Under the bed that had been mine was the beat up old cedar chest I¡¯d stored my clothes in when I¡¯d lived here, and I slid it out from underneath the bed.  I¡¯d wanted the privacy for more than grabbing some borrowed clothes and my share of the money though. I took the opportunity to approach the door to the hallway and carefully turned the knob to the left.  It opened up into a featureless beige wall, and I scooted the chest along the floor with my foot until it slid in. That seemed anti-climatic. I walked inside next and the door automatically slammed behind me and I was standing back in my cell.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Julia.¡±


    ¡°I want to go back, D.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    The wall lit up and I took a deep breath before I stepped into the light.  It burst back out of me in an explosive sigh when I stepped back into Gabriel¡¯s room.  Two way travel was definitely a possiblity then. I had needed to make sure before I moved any further along in my plan.  I stepped back to the door and reopened the portal.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Starting to look that way, the D.  Can I change where the portal returns me to?¡±


    ¡°Upon the completion of a task the location of a portal can be assigned to any portion of the simulation.  Once the task has begun portals will always return to their previous location.¡±


    ¡°So wherever I leave the world, that¡¯s where I go back, right?¡±


    ¡°That is correct, Julia.¡±


    ¡°And how many points do I have left to spend?¡±


    ¡°22,500 points.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I want to buy a selection of jewelry.¡±


    ¡°Julia, it is important to note that the prior restrictions on coinage and precious metals now applies to jewelry as well.¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?  That¡¯s bullshit.¡± My mind raced to a couple of historical romance novels I¡¯d read a long time ago.  ¡°How about spices, maybe a couple bolts of silk?¡±


    ¡°It is a blanket restriction on purchasing items to use as portable wealth in game.  Your inventive use of game mechanics was noted in the previous task, Julia. Adjustment have been made.¡±


    ¡°Meaning the system is out to fuck me again.¡± I huffed and started to think.  Buying allies was now out of the question. The memory of the street urchin flashed through my head and I ammended that to buying powerful ones.  I needed to build my power base though, whatever the hell that meant. If I could bribe my way into allies, maybe I could impress them. I looked around my cell.  A semicircle of travel gear near the black sticker on one wall. A simple bed and a bathroom with an obscene sex toy of a hot tub. The modern plumbing would be pretty impressive but not exactly the message I wanted to send.  I gave it some more thought before I addressed the AI again.


    ¡°How much does it cost to add another room to my cell?¡±


    ¡°The price of an expansion to the housing unit is dependent on the furnishings and features you incorporate.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t terribly helpful, so I laid out the kind of room I wanted in my head before speaking again.  ¡°Okay then, a room that is right over there, put the portal on that wall with a wooden door right here in between.  I want flourescent lights on the ceiling, a long glass table, kind of a boardroom thing, surrounded by office chairs.  Modern rolly ones with comfortable seats and leather upholstery. Put a smartboard up on the wall and a projector hooked to a laptop with a wireless mouse.  A water cooler in that corner and a mini-bar in that one. Some kind of tastefull rock water feature in this corner and uh, a coatrack in this one.¡± I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to add and I shrugged.  ¡°WHat would all that cost me?


    ¡°20,000 points.¡±


    ¡°If you take away all the extras, just for the room, tables, chairs, and moving the portal, how much is that?¡±


    ¡°18,000 points.¡±


    That was less than the cost of the plumbing, and I really didn¡¯t have any idea of how else I could use the points anyway now that I couldn¡¯t make trade goods.  I was working on a time limit now, and I decided to go all in with this idea.


    ¡°Give me the fancy version, all of it.¡±


    A door appeared on the wall in front of me and when I walked inside everything was pretty much like I¡¯d pictured it.  The room was actually a little wider than I¡¯d anticipated, and when I closed the wooden door in between I noticed a fancy biometric palm reader mounted on the wall.


    ¡°Door locks?¡±


    ¡°It was implied from your description of the room, do you wish to remove the feature?¡±


    ¡°Nope, let it be.¡±  I plopped down in one of the chairs and wiggled around a little.   Much more comfortable than the period furniture I¡¯d been exposed to so far.  I got back up and wandered around the room a little more exploring. The laptop was a Dell, the same model I¡¯d had on my workdesk back in the day and I wondered if that were a coincidence.  I shrugged and moved over to the mini-bar. There were rows of little plastic liquor bottles like you¡¯d see on an airplane, and some mixers like the little short cans of coke and cardboard cartons of orange and tomato juice.  There was even a tiny little icemaker humming away even though I didn¡¯t see any evidence of an electric cord. I basically had everything I could possibly want except for cups. ¡°This is pretty fancy. How much will it cost me every time I restock the mini-bar?¡±


    ¡°The water cooler and mini-bar will automatically restock themselves every 24 hours.  The contents are of course considered amenities and not items.¡±


    Even with the caveat that was a lot better deal than anything I had imagined.  I gave an appreciative nod. ¡°This is just about perfect, the D. I¡¯m going to have people over in my conference room.  Let¡¯s keep you on the down low for now. Can you go into stealth mode or something if there are others present?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, Julia.  If you call for me by name, however, I will still respond.¡±


    ¡°That works for me.  How many points do I still have left?¡±


    ¡°2,500 points.¡±


    ¡°Hold that thought.  I¡¯m back to the grindstone.¡±


    ¡°Good luck, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, the D.¡±

 The Planning Stage

    I stepped back out to Gabriels room, and looked around one last time to make sure I hadn¡¯t forgotten anything.  I¡¯d been gone longer than I intended and I hurried back downstairs hoping no one had noticed. I caught a warning glare from Patrick when I came back down the stairs.  Yep, disappearing again before I had a chance to explain last time would definitely give him a case of the red ass. Cate was probably already going to be considering clawing my eyes out, and I settled into a seat to wait for her.


    Another few minutes passed and I started getting antsie waiting for her.  I figured it was a small taste of what she must have felt to wake up and find me gone so I took a few deep breaths to center myself and endured.  Customers came and went, the same desultory daytime business that made me wonder how the Walk Right Inn was able to keep its doors open. Finally, Cate walked in through the open doors and my breath caught in my throat.


    She was wearing a red dress, well, more of a maroon really.  It brought out the color in her cheeks and showed off her curves without flaunting them.  She had that bead back in the front lock of her hair and wasn¡¯t carrying the chicken today.  She smiled and laughed before saying something to Patrick, then looked across the bar and saw me.  Our eyes locked and her face froze before smoothing out into inscrutable lines, and she walked towards me with that neutral poker face she did so well.  I came out of my seat and met her halfway.


    ¡°Cate, I¡¯m so sorry about what happened. I can explain.¡±


    Her hand came up and she slapped me.  I could have blocked the blow easily enough.  She¡¯d dropped her shoulder and telegraphed the move from a mile away but on some level I guess I must have felt like I deserved it.  It connected squarely, not with the put a bitch on her ass kind of force I was pretty sure Cate was capable of, but with enough heat I could definitely feel it.  Before I could respond she had followed up by sinking her hands into my braid on both sides of my head and pulling my head down into a passionate kiss. Still those soft lips and that faint taste of strawberries and I felt like I¡¯d come home.  I returned the kiss with rising pasion, my arms wrapping around her body before she jerked away from me.


    I took a ragged breathe, suddenly conscious of the eyes of the other patrons and the staff surrounding us.  Cate must have been thinking the same thing because she closed her eyes and visibly counted to ten, mouthing the numbers before she opened them back up and spoke.


    ¡°We need to talk but not here.  You definitely owe me an explanation if not more.  Follow me.¡±


    I followed her up the stairs, preoccupied enough I didn¡¯t even spend much time checking out her ass in the process.  When we got to the landing I tried to speak but she ignored me, marching forward towards her room. When we got there I reached out and opened the door for her, and I don¡¯t know what impulse made me do it instead of trying to ease her into things gently.  Instead of explaining anything first, I just turned the knob to the left. She was eyeballing me over her shoulder, and walked into what she thought was her room without looking first.


    I followed her in and caught her shoulder when she jumped.


    ¡°Holy fucking shit.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Cate.  You¡¯re perfectly safe.  I¡¯ve just got some stuff I have to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Calm down?  Have you lost your mind?  Why the hell is it so bright in here?  Where the hell is my room? What the fuck is going on?  Start talking, Julia, or I swear to God you are not going to like what happens.¡±


    ¡°Well quit freaking out and let me talk then, damnit.   Here. Have a seat.¡± I guided her to one of my fancy new office chairs and gave a grin when she settled into the comfortable seat with the hydraulic shocks and memory foam cushion.  I gestured over to the mini-bar and quirked an eyebrow at her. ¡°Can I get you a drink?¡±


    ¡°An explanation, Julia, and right fucking now.¡±


    She had an almost frightened look on her face and I composed myself, feeling a little guilty about the kick I had gotten from her reactions.  I imagined I hadn¡¯t been a whole lot more sanguine when I woke up in the cell for the first time. At least Cate had her clothes on, unfortunately a small part of my mind smirked.  I held up my hands in surrender and moved around to the opposite side of the glass table to sit down opposite her. I gestured to the surroundings, faux wood paneling, fiberglass ceiling tiles and flourescent lights, tastefull speckled carpeting that all looked commonplace to me but would seem outlandish to someone from her frame of reference.


    ¡°I think I mentioned before, but, I¡¯m not exactly from around here.¡±


    She looked around again, focusing briefly on the faux waterfall in the corner behind me.  ¡°You could say that again.¡±


    ¡°The thing is I¡¯m not even really from this world.  Or technically maybe that should be your world doesn¡¯t really exist.  Well, I guess it exists but not in the way you think.¡± I frowned, suddenly lost for how to explain what was really going on.  I mean, she¡¯d definitely never seen the matrix and how do you describe a digitized consciousness to someone who didn¡¯t have an inkling of what the phrase digital meant?  She wasn¡¯t about to sit still while I puzzled it out however.


    ¡°Real simple questions, real simple answers, Julia.  Where in the hell are we? What the fuck is going on?¡±


    I decided on a course of action.  The truth was important, but there was no point in getting lost in a metaphysical debate.  I smiled at her and laid it out.


    ¡°It¡¯s really freaking complicated, and since you¡¯re not from around here and won¡¯t know the players I¡¯ll just sum it up.  If you have questions later you can ask me. Fair enough?¡±


    She nodded assent and I continued speaking, making it up as I went along but trying t o stick close to the truth.  ¡°I¡¯m from a different world than yours, not just a different kingdom. There was a war there and my side lost. Now I¡¯m stuck as a prisoner playing a game.  The game sends me to and from your world to complete different tasks. This is where I live between the tasks.¡±


    She looked around cautiously, obviously trying to make sure we weren¡¯t being overheard.  I didn¡¯t bother trying to explain about D, this was already going to be complicated enough.  ¡°It won¡¯t be the first prison break I¡¯ve arranged. Let¡¯s go back to my world. Fuck these people, they can¡¯t come into Kantia and take you back.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Cate, they kind of can.  That¡¯s what happened when I disappeared before.  I finished a task and they yanked me back here. I only now won access to come and go pretty much as I please.  It¡¯s hard to explain but the level of technology in our world is something you could barely imagine. Just believe me when I tell you we don¡¯t have a shot at that kind of thing.  My only chance to stay alive is to keep playing the game and hope I stay lucky.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±  She was taking this surprisingly well.  I think she adjusted to the situation faster than I had, and I¡¯d adjusted quickly enough I had the sneaking suspicion that the game had been messing with my head.  Cate just seemed to take it in stride then and followed up with a level of ruthless practicality. ¡°What are the rules to the game? We¡¯ll help you win it, you help us with some of this fancy technology.¡±


    I winced a little.  ¡°That¡¯s one of the rules.  Most of the stuff I can do here in the cell technology wise are stuck in the cell.  LIke the drinks from the mini-bar, they have to stay here.¡±


    ¡°Drinks from another world then.¡±  She suddenly smiled at me, and her face lit up into the old Cate that meant so much to me.  ¡°I changed my mind. Why don¡¯t you fix me one while you explain the rest of these rules.¡±


    I walked over to the mini-bar while she rolled her chair to that end of the table.  She seemed to get a hell of a kick out of the way it spun around and just seemed to glide on the casters, and it put a smile on my face too.  After surveying the contents of the mini-bar I made her a sex on the beach without the cranberry juice. While I worked I relayed my story to her from the beginning.  She hadn¡¯t heard about the sack of Prithia, it was on the far side of the kingdom and the powers that be were probably trying to squelch the news. Apparently news about the fight for control of Elwith Ford had already spread.  She quizzed me quite a bit about amenities and items, and the prices of various things I¡¯d gotten from the store. I showed her the ring I had left to trade and she gave me the name of a merchant where I could probably get the most for it.  I made myself a rum and coke when I replaced her drink with a pina colada. She tried to get me to recite the wording of the three facts I was given after the 3rd task, and seemed disappointed when all I could come up with was an approximation.  She didn¡¯t seem bothered too much by my story about the slave traders and I had to remind myself she remembered growing up in a significantly harder world than my own.


    She had finished her second drink and was busy drawing a flower on the smart board projector, almost as giddy as a kid with the technology when I finally caught her up to the present.  She circled and tapped the screen to clear it, already comfortable with the tech after only a few minutes of doodling. She turned back and flopped down into one of the chairs, effortlessly adjusting the height so she could put her feet up on the table.  I couldn¡¯t help but admire the smooth expanse of thigh it revealed as her dress slid down and she chuckled and winked when she caught my eye. I looked away, suddenly awkward because I wasn¡¯t exactly sure where we were in the relationship after I¡¯d left so abruptly and she refocused us on the bigger picture.


    ¡°So the fifth task, build a power base strong enough to survive in 30 days.   Strong enough to survive what?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea, but I assume it''s going to be fairly unpleasant.  My plan is to try and recruit allies. You and Patrick for one, but bring others into it as well.  I know things and have access to some pretty amazing stuff through the shop, although the number of points left is limited so I have to use them wisely.  I can¡¯t just buy gold and then use it to hire mercenaries. I¡¯m thinking use the conference room to impress people, maybe come up with some alliances.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°That might work if you approached the right people.  ALthough I guess it would depend on how strong of a power base you actually have to build.  If they set the king on you or something then you¡¯re completely fucked.¡±


    ¡°The other tasks so far have been difficult but not impossible.  Even if it isn¡¯t winnable, I don¡¯t have a choice but to try. I¡¯ve got 30 days counting today.¡±


    ¡°Well you ought to be able to impress people with this room.  I¡¯ve got to admit I¡¯ve never seen anything like it and I¡¯ve been in some palaces.  Wanna show me the rest?¡±


    I looked over at her and caught a sly grin on her face.  I wasn¡¯t a hundred percent sure it meant what I thought it meant, but my heart sped up a little anyway.  I tried to play it cool and nodded in response. ¡°Sure, it¡¯s not anything super special but come on.¡±


    I opened the biometric lock, which she pointed out meant a thief would have to cut my hand off first.  That was a super comforting thought, and a good indicator of the lines her practical side seemed to run in.  In the room itself she thought the mattress was a little narrow but well made, and seemed suitably impressed by the luxury apparent in the sink and the shower stall.  That obscene marble hot tub though, that got the real reaction.


    ¡°Oh my God, Julia.  Your world must be a decadent bunch aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I swear to you that I didn¡¯t pick this.  It just kind of came with the cell.¡±


    ¡°Umm-hmmm¡± She answered me absently as she leaned over the rim of the tub to get a closer look at the male statue.  One hand extended through the top ? inch of water to stroke the marble cock a single time, like she was trying to measure it for future reference.  She straightened back up, and turned around, obviously trying to restrain a laugh. ¡°Well I can see the attraction of the male statue, but the female is a little too busty.¡±


    I looked from the marble figure with its D cup breasts over to Cate who would have been unable to buy off the rack if bras weren¡¯t already a custom ordered object in her world.  I chuckled and shook my head at her. ¡°Nope, I¡¯ve already got a set of small ones. I kind of like a woman with a little more to hold on to.¡±


    She smiled and looked from me to the hot tub then, and reached back to unfasten a single button at the top of her dress.  ¡°What are we waiting for then? I¡¯m assuming your finished with the tour?¡±


    I was on her then, and she lost a couple of buttons in my haste to get her bare skin under my hands.  A single soft cotton slip was the only thing under the dress, and within minutes she was nude and pressing against me.  We started working to unfasten my own clothing then, and she was just as eager as I had been. When I had my shirt off she shoved my bandeau up and over my breasts, caressing and tweaking with one hand while she slowly untangled the mass of silk with the other.  The new bikini cut panties were another matter and she put her soft hands over mine when I reached down to untie them.


    ¡°Not yet, I kind of like the feel of the material.¡±


    Her hand drifted over and caressed me.  Gentle through the fabric, so smooth and soft it was like I almost imagined the touch.  I leaned down and kissed as she continued to stroke me through the panties. In no time the thin silk was saturated with my juices and she slide the fabric aside to slide her finger inside me.  After the tease of the silk her finger was electric and I grabbed her shoulders to steady myself. She gave me that slow sultry smile that was uniquely Cate as she met my eyes. Raising her hand and slowly passing the finger wet with my musk between parted lips she closed her eyes and groaned before slowly pulling it back out.


    ¡°Things from your world truly are delicious.¡±


    I looked around, trying to plot out a course for us.  I definitely wanted us to continue this, but off of our feet where we could focus on passion rather than acrobatics.  I slid my hands down her arms and took a step towards the bed, holding both of her hands in mine. She let me raise them, but leaned back against it instead like we were dancing.  Arching her back and proudly displaying the large globes of flesh on her chest and swaying me off course and to the side.


    ¡°Oh no, Julia.  You¡¯re not in control of anything this time.¡±


    She led me to the tub and gestured for me to sit on the side, rewarding me with a lingering kiss when I complied.  She leaned down and flicked my nipple with her tongue. I was already erect and swolen, the abrupt contact brought a gasp from my throat and she moved in and suckled at me.  Her soft blonde hair brushed against my abdomen, and her hands moved up from my thighs to work on the knots at my hips. I reached over to help and she growled at me and pulled her face back.


    ¡°I told you that I was in charge.  Here, this is where you put your hands.¡±


    She put my hands on her shoulders, and when I started giving her a gentle neck rub nodded at me in approval.  She placed one hand on my cheek and leaned in for an almost chaste kiss while her other hand trailed slowly down my torso, over my stomach and stopped at that thin line of silk.  She knelt then, finished the knots and folded the front of my panties down. She turned her head to the side and kissed the inside of my thigh as I continued to rub at her shoulders.  She slowly trailed her head over, lips fluttering over my skin growing closer and closer to my sex. She stopped and looked up at me at the penultimate moment. I was staring down at her and we made eye contact.  She pursed her lips and blew a warm breath over my exposed intimate skin and I bit my lip, so ready for her to go on.


    ¡°Is there something you wanted from me, darling?  Hmmmm?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±  My voice was husky, heavy with need.


    ¡°Tell me what you want.¡± Just the act of speaking brushed her lips against me she was so close and I couldn¡¯t help but thrash a little against her restraining hands.  The tub was high enough my feet were off the floor, and without purchase I was helpless against her.


    ¡°I want you to taste me.  Lick me and make me cum.¡±


    Her warm wet mouth made contact with me then, her tongue shooting into my folds and stroking me.  I clamped my hands tight on her shoulders, but as she continue to work they shifted into her hair so I could arch my back and breath deep.  The air rushing in and out of my body in time with her lapping at my core. Long steady strokes after all the teasing, I was almost out of my head with the sensation.  I slid my calves around her back, just to increase the skin to skin contact. My hands were fisted into her hair now and I pulled her in deeper and tried to hurry her pace.  She ignored the tugging but seemed to respond to my moans, so I tried begging.


    ¡°More, faster.  I want more.¡±


    Her hands tightened where she was pinning my hips to the top of the tub, and her head started to rock back and forth as she gobbled me up.  Lips and tongue working my womanhood and robbing me of the ability to speak. The tension peaked and I let out a long wordless moan as ground her face into me.  When my body had settled and I was coherent enough to release her hair, she drew back her face and smiled up at me, still on her knees.


    ¡°Oh, yes.  Your world is both decadent and delicious.¡±


    She stood slowly, her full breasts brushing against me as she came upright.  I couldn¡¯t resist pulling her in close with my legs wrapped around her waist, my hands came up and lifted her breasts.


    ¡°Hmm, so then should I say your world is soft and firm, and gives great head?¡±


    ¡°Seems like a good description.  Although sometimes people leave it without adequate warning.  And about that, darling.¡±


    Without warning she shoved me back into the hottub.  Still basking in the post-orgasm afterglow, my legs around her waist with her tits in my hand, I definitely did not see it coming.  I hit with a tremendous splash and came up spluttering. She followed me over the side, laughing and splashing. With a mock cry of rage I came up out of the water and grappled with her.  The water slick on her smooth skin and the thrill of intimate contact more important than establishing a hold. I couldn¡¯t resist the urge for a little playback though, so after a few seconds of mutual groping I swept her leg and dumped her into the water.  She bobbed up laughing, floating in the most pleasant ways and I followed her down and kissed her.


    It was full of joy and laughter, maybe more playful than passionate but still with that faint hint of strawberries that was all Cate.  I broke the kiss and smiled at her drawing back just to enjoy the visual of her floating in my arms. She flicked at the water between us,  splashing me with a scattering of drops.


    ¡°Darling, you sure know how to make a girl wet.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Cate.  You¡¯re the one who pushed me in.  You aren¡¯t gonna blame me for your naughty behavior.¡±


    ¡°Naughty, huh?  You gonna punish me?¡±


    I slid my hand over her bare soapy skin, softly at first but turning it into a much harder grip that must have been just shy of painful when I got to her shoulder.  She shuddered when I gripped her and looked down into her face. It was starting to look like she had a significant kink in her wiring more than a penchant for masculine girls.   I looked around at my fancy hot tub and a devilish idea took shape in my head. A slow smile started to form on my face. She wanted a woman who could dominate her in bed, and I was just fine with that.


    ¡°You sure you want to go down that road, princess?¡±


    A look came over her face that tightened something deep inside of me.  ¡°I¡¯ve been very, very naughty.¡±


    I stood up and gripped her by the hair, pulling her to her feet as well.  Natural buoyance in the water rocketed her up when I yanked. I snaked one arm around her waist and yanked her in close to me, round ass against my flat stomach as my other hand stayed fisted in the hair on top of her head, pulling her head over at an angle.  I leaned in and nipped at her neck before I whispered into her ear.


    ¡°That was a mistake.  Around here, naughty sluts end up fucked.¡± I roughly shoved her head away as I released her hair, then trailed my hand down her side as she shivered in my arms.  I was pretty sure, but I needed to know she was ready for this next part so I reached around to the front of her and slid my finger into her quivering slit. Her lips were swollen and wet, the rough handling following what we had already done priming her more than far enough.  I pivoted slightly so we could both see the nude busts sticking up from the tub and I pointed towards the male. We¡¯d splashed enough water out during our play earlier that the marble shaft of the penis was exposed above the waterline. ¡°That¡¯s who¡¯s going to do the fucking.¡±


    ¡°Darling, hold on a minute.¡±


    I pulled my pointing hand back and released the arm around her waist to grip her by the hips.  I let her feet down to the floor of the tub while I turned her to face me and kissed her gently.  She gave me a little smirk as if she¡¯d won something and I pulled her in close and smacked her on the ass.  She squealed and I leaned forward and put my lips to her ear and answered, ¡°No.¡±


    I lifted her again, the water making it easy as I picked her up in the air and pushed her back on the marble cock.  Her legs slid apart to take it and I kept a close eye on her face. Surprise and shock as she swung through the air, but then a cross between pain and ecstacy as she slammed against the unyielding hardness of the marble cock.  I stopped her before she had a chance to take it all in, and she let out a low moan. I grinned at her, and hands on her shoulders started to rock her back and forth on the statue that impaled her.


    ¡°Oh God, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Like that do you, naughty girl?  Cause you¡¯re gonna keep fucking it till you make me come.¡±


    I backed up and stood on the steps that were under the water, rising up above the surface and keeping ahold of her head.  The water ran down my body as I held her bent over, stil sliding her back and forth on the statue. She reached up and grabbed my hips, taking some of the wait off of her hair, her large breasts bobbing back and forth, just brushing the top of the water. I cocked my hip to expose my pussy and pulled her face in tight against me.  I stepped into it, and the pressure forced her back until she was taking the entire statue for the first time. She moaned into my body then and I started to rock myself on her face, riding her tongue and forcing her up and down on the marble. I leaned over her back and slapped her ass. It pushed her even further. She bucked harder against me, trying to lick my clit while she pounded herself onto the statue at the same time.  She¡¯d never get me off with only the occasional contact like this, but slamming my dripping pelvis into her face was all part of the humiliation. I dropped a hand down low and roughly grabbed her breast, then shifted from holding only part of the mass in my too small hands, to just pinching the nipple between my fingers and holding it in place against her body¡¯s gyrations. She was moaning and grunting in an almost constant stream now and I smacked her ass again.  Once, twice, a third time, big open handed blows that jiggled the round flesh deep into the inside where the marble cock was holding her up. She tore her face from my clit and screamed then, still thrashing back and forth in the throws of pleasure. When she stilled I pulled her off the statue and onto my lap, kissing her gently as she shuddered.


    ¡°That kind of what you had in mind, Cate?¡±


    She reached up and laid a gentle hand on my face, giving me a smile under her half closed eyes.  ¡°Damn, it¡¯s good to have you back, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Not just for the sex I hope.¡±


    ¡°Well you have to admit, it is mind blowingly good sex.¡±  She laughed at the look on my face and shook her head. ¡°Somebody did a number on your head, dear.  Not for just the sex, no. Now, 30 days to build up a power base. What have you got planned so far?¡±


    There in the hot tub, still both euphoric from some really great sex, we discussed my options to stay alive.  Eventually we started to prune up and left the hot tub. Cate seemed to really enjoy borrowing the floral print silk panties I¡¯d bought for myself.  The string at the side made them one size fit all, but they covered a lot less of her ass than mine. I enjoyed the sight enough I made them a gift. I popped my clothes into the cleaner and put back on a freshly laundered shirt, and we headed into the conference room.  We talked for hours while I took notes on the laptop. Cate was surprisingly knowledgeable about kingdom mover and shakers in general, and her level of intel on folks here in Kantia was exhaustive. We came up with a plan to develop a power base, threw it out and developed another.  I pitched ideas that were completely out of the box and Cate¡¯s practical streak quickly shot them down. The ones that made it through quickly joined the rough sketch we¡¯d laid out, and eventually a coherent whole seemed to form. It would take a ton of work from both of us over the next few weeks, but by the time we left the conference room and returned to the real world, theoretically we had a way for me to survive when the 30 days were up.

 The Start of Something New

    We made it in time to have dinner with the rest of the staff after the bar downstair had closed up.  Patrick and Zeno and the rest eyed me with varying degrees of curiosity, but walking in with Cate arm and arm seem to alleviate the need to explain my disappearance.  Gabriel came over and started asking about my plans since I returned, but when Cate sidled up to me, casually lifted my arm over her shoulder, and rested my hand on her ample breast the questions abruptly dried up.  Cate put an arm around my waste and her head on my shoulder and I left my hand in place. I¡¯d never been comfortable with PDA, but it seemed like it was for a good cause in this case.


    Cate gave a heavily rearranged version of my story to Patrick, and he vowed that trouble wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the Inn to get to me, 30 days or not.  Zeno agreed to act as a clearinghouse for information I got from my runners, as long as I cut him in for a percentage of any profits I was able to use it to demonstrate.  We warned all the girls who actually lived in the inn to keep an eye out for strangers, and then the group broke up as everyone headed off to bed. There was an awkward moment as Cate and I walked up the stairs, until I placed a hand on her hip.


    ¡°Care to follow me back to my cell, or would you like me to crash in your room?¡±


    Indoor plumbing was definitely a factor, although Cate later swore it hadn¡¯t influenced her decision.  We both entered my cell, and after some time we went to sleep. She still snored, a gentle rumble almost like a purr and I found it oddly endearing.  Maybe that was just the rosy tint of a new relationship and it would irritate me to no end later, but for now I held her close and enjoyed the sound as I drifted off to sleep with Cate in my arms.  Morning came and we exited the cell after Cate had her first experience of a genuine hot water shower. She took to it with the zealousness of a convert and I had to drag her out after a while so we could start the day.


    She loaned me a staid brown dress with red trim at the cuffs and hems.  Apparently dressing in trousers so I could run or fight was fine in the rougher part of town but I had to dress the part if I wanted to be taken seriously among people of means.  Cate picked out the dress and assured me it fit the image I hoped to project, somewhere between wealthy merchant and the genteel poverty of a declining noble. I left my hair loose instead of clubbed up short on my neck in the usual braid, and had to settle for keeping my baton in a thigh sheath as I didn¡¯t have a sleeve to hide it in.  My portal bag was still at my belt, leaving my sword within easy reach so I wasn¡¯t too terribly concerned. I¡¯d gotten directions from Cate last night as we made our plans, and so after dressing I headed out into the city alone as she began to make the rounds for her portion of the setup.


    The entire city of Kantia was laid out on a large gentle slope.  The grade was slight in most places, but still noticeable if you paid attention.  The change in elevation had given rise to the name for the nicer neighborhoods where the nobles with townhouses occupied pride of place.  Uphill was technically only four or five blocks from the Walk Right Inn, but it was a continent apart in terms of class. Large stone buildings with wooden structures crammed between them often blocking cramped dirty alleys gave way to wider streets and houses with yards.   The lawns got bigger and grew fences the further you went, until eventually walled compounds dominated. Each compound was almost an independent territory, answerable only to itself. It was one of those that I was headed to, picking out the one I needed by the pennants hanging from the top of the walls.


    I pulled the little rope hanging down in front of the door but didn¡¯t hear a bell or anything on the other side.  Two men in livery opened the door, one up close to speak to me while a second stood further back. It was pretty good security.  There was no way an intruder could take them both before one had a chance to call for help. They were both probably below average size for men, but still bigger than me and gave off a kind of stern aura.  I decided I was glad Cate had talked me into changing outfits.


    ¡°I need to talk to the scion of House Verin.¡±


    The close guy looked startled for just a fraction of a second before his face smoothed back out into an impassive mask.  He didn¡¯t say anything in response and I just stood there, trying to wait him out. A battle of patience with someone who stands next to a door waiting for people to walk all day long, seven days a week, probably wasn¡¯t my smartest move.  I broke first, but was determined not to speak. Instead I pulled the playing card I¡¯d gotten from the swordsman when I was playing bodyguard to the Viscount and handed it to the guard. He looked down at the card and then back up at me, almost visibly reassessing my importance.  He stepped back and gave a little half bow, gesturing in a right this way kind of motion and I walked through the gate. The path forward was obvious, with large flat stepping stones leading the way across a perfectly manicured forecourt to an open air gazebo with a giant fireplace.   The guard motioned for me to sit and then disappeared back into the estate.


    I looked around a little, trying to be subtle about it.  There were hanging flowers and climbing vines on trellises around the gazebo, and enough fancy landscaping they must employ a whole team of gardeners just for this townhouse.  The gazebo was obviously meant as a waiting area for visitors, a place for them to wait without insulting them, while keeping them from penetrating the privacy of the house itself.  After a while a young woman who was shorter even than Cate appeared. She was dressed in a severely cut plain dress, but it was well made and I couldn¡¯t quite place her station. She had short hair in an almost paige boy cut, and was flat chested with a slender frame that would have made her seem like a teen boy if her facial features and way of walking weren¡¯t so obviously feminine.  She gave me a calm nod and placed a kettle near the coals of the fire, preparing tea without speaking. She must have been a servant then, I decided and remained silent so she could work in peace. A few minutes later the swordsman I¡¯d known from the attack at the villa came out of the house. He was dressed in a pair of simple gray trousers and a white tunic, with the katana placed in a sash around his middle.


    He sat in the seat across from me and held up the hand painted playing card I had given to the guard at the gate.  ¡°House Verin pays its debts. What can I do for you, Julia?¡±


    ¡°You know my name?¡±


    ¡°I asked questions after the fiasco with the political league.¡±


    ¡°I attended that event under a false name.¡±


    ¡°I asked extensive questions.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    I fell silent for a moment digesting that.  What would Cate think when she found out our secret identities had been compromised?  Going in under fake names had seemed like an unnecessary hassle to me at the time, but since they hadn¡¯t even worked now I began to wonder if we had been paranoid enough.  I had spent too much time woolgathering though, and the young serving woman brought us both cups of tea. I thanked her while the nobleman took his in silence. After trying a sip just to be polite I focused in on the reason I was here.


    ¡°From the action, I¡¯m sure you noticed that I am a capable warrior.  My homeland, however, no longer holds to the traditions of bladed weapons.  I seek instruction in the way of the sword, and as you are the most skilled practitioner I have met, I come to you.¡±


    He was silent for a long moment, and I started to get a feeling for why the staff around here was hesitant to talk.  This guy had that eastern mysticism thing going for him big time, even though his features seemed to be mostly caucasian.  Finally he spoke, even if it was indirectly.


    ¡°The art of the dueling master is one that encompasses years of study.¡±


    He let the comment hang there for a while and I figured that it was my turn.  ¡°Things worth doing are seldom easily accomplished. I have powerful enemies, and no choice but to pick up the sword.¡±


    He nodded then and finished his tea.  Seeming to savor the last mouthful before he stood.  ¡°Someone will come to you at the Walk Right Inn and provide instruction.  House Verin pays its debts.¡±


    He walked away then before I could offer thanks, and I was left sitting alone with a mostly full cup and the silent eyes of the serving girl.  I couldn¡¯t help but shoot a crooked grin at her as I shot back the contents of my own cup. ¡°Talkative fellow, isn¡¯t he?¡± She looked scandalized by the comment but didn¡¯t respond, and I made my way back to the gate.  Heading downhill was an easier trip than up, and it occured to me that probably applied to changes in class as well. I was still pondering the social stratification that seemed to be rooted in the very fabric of this simulation when I drew closer to the Walk Right Inn and spotted a familiar face.


    The kid, Flicka, from the poor quarter was loitering near the corner.  A slightly shorter kid with an unruly mop of dirty but still visibly red hair on his left, and one wrapped up almost completely in a cloak too big for their frame on the right.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, my friend Flicka?¡±


    He still didn¡¯t get the joke, but he gave me a hesitant wave as well.  He jerked a thumb towards his two companions. ¡°This is Tyler, and his sister Bug.  She doesn¡¯t talk much, but she¡¯s not dumb or anything. We¡¯re here for work.¡±


    I nodded in response.  I didn¡¯t really have a use for them yet, that part of the plan would take a while to set up, but I figured it was a good idea to start habituating them to following orders now.  I slid my hand into the portal pouch and pulled out the 3 smallest denomination coins I had. I held them up in my hand so everyone could see the wink of copper before closing my fist again.


    ¡°I want two things from you for now, and it¡¯s a copper a week if they get done.  First off I know you¡¯ve probably got a squat somewhere in the poor quarter. That¡¯s fine, but from now on this neighborhood is your home away from home.  You hang out around here unless you¡¯re actually going to sleep. I want you to learn the neighborhood. Who belongs and who doesn¡¯t, where people live and what they do in a day.  Once you¡¯ve got the feel for the place, I want you to go into that inn and tell the bartender when strangers are hanging around. He¡¯s a fat guy named Zeno. You give him a heads up that turns out to be good, you¡¯ll get a bonus.  Everybody understand the first thing I want?¡±


    Heads bobbed in response, even the girl with the unfortunate name who might or might not actually be dumb.  I held up two fingers then. ¡°Second thing, you guys know the flesh markets down by the walls?¡±


    Slavery was legal in Kantia, but it had never really been popular.  The free market had proved that paying a pittance of a wage to the destitute was cheaper than feeding and clothing one who was utterly dependent on you.  The exception seemed to be for highly skilled slaves, or jobs where the life expectancy was fairly short, like the fighting pits or the public sewers. Still, Kantia had a high enough population density that a flesh market existed, even if public auctions were few and sparsely attended.  At least Flicka nodded that he knew where it was, so I directed most of the second requirement to him.


    ¡°I want you guys to take turns scoping it out.  DOn¡¯t do stupid shit and go inside, but get me an idea of the layout and number of guards, how often a new caravan comes in, stuff like that.  Tell Zeno when you think you¡¯ve found out enough. Anybody got any questions?¡±


    They all just stared at me blankly and I sighed.  There was no telling if they¡¯d actually do anything beyond take the money and run, but I was still pretty flush from the bodyguard gig, so it wouldn¡¯t exactly  hurt to find out. I handed each of them the coin. Bug¡¯s hand darted out of her robe to snatch hers from my palm, but the other two reached out and got theirs in a much calmer method.  That¡¯s right, little urchins, you can trust me. I would wear them down bit by bit in the coming days.


    Cate was already waiting for me when I went back inside, and I slid into the booth opposite her.  ¡°Hey, good looking. You must be tired.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why¡¯s that, dear?¡±


    ¡°Cause you¡¯ve been running through my mind all day.¡±


    ¡°Still atrocious, but better than the last one.  I¡¯ve got good news, Julia. Things were even simpler than I had hoped.  We are on for this evening in fact.¡±


    I smiled a predatory smile, with a little more teeth than was probably necessary.  ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°I confirmed the kid Flicka¡¯s story, Phillip, the man who owns that house definitely is a pedophile, and in all probability responsible for many more missing children than the current crop.  The rumors have been around for a while, but he¡¯s managed to pay off enough of the guard for it not to matter. He¡¯s smart enough to stick to preying on the poor quarter and his neighbors are willing to live and let live.  However, he lives alone and owns the property on an alloidal title.¡±


    I cocked my head at that and she waved a hand dismissing it.  ¡°Means he doesn¡¯t have to pay property tax to the Duke. Basically, he inherited from a great grandparent or something.  The house is basically free, and he earns a modest income from a trust with a Hobbesian Conglomerate. You remember Adain?¡±  I shook my head and she sighed. ¡°He¡¯s the frightfully thin fellow who vetted you when we first me.¡±


    I remembered him now.  He¡¯d been a hell of an actor, able to turn on a veritable forcefield of thinly veiled menace seemingly at will by altering his posture, mannerisms, and voice.  I held up a hand and flicked my fingers at her to go on, and she mimed biting at them before she continued.


    ¡°Adain¡¯s primary occupation is as a very skilled forger.  Utterly realistic documents have already been created and silver exchanged hands to have them filed in appropriate places.  It turns out Phillip has a neice. One Julia Crane whom the neighbors haven¡¯t yet met, but who moved in with him last month after arriving in Kantia from Prithia.  Shame that all the records from Prithia have been somehow destroyed in a battle no one here has heard about yet. Anyhoo, if Phillip were to die unexpectedly tonight, you would stand to inherit a modest income and a very nice house only a few blocks from here.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be that easy.  I know you guys don¡¯t exactly have modern policing but come on.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, darling.  I am a professional. It helps that Phillip has an especially unpopular reputation.  It turns out quite a few of the extremely lowly paid records clerks happen to be fathers.  Dropping the odd document into such a man¡¯s folder is hardly going to be difficult to arrange.  Although I warn you, his death really will have to appear accidental. I¡¯m afraid that with any hint of foul play the Reeve will use the opportunity to have the house reverted to the Duke.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure.  I¡¯ll need proof he¡¯s really guilty before I go through with it, Cate.  I won¡¯t kill a man merely on suspicion.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, darling.  Where there is smoke there is fire.  30 days hardly gives you time to be squeamish, and another house is part of our plan.  Plus, it''s not like any of the little boogers would still be around to bear witness one way or another.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not.  We¡¯ll go in tonight, but when we get there first we take a look around.  If it seems like he¡¯s guilty, as his niece I¡¯ll discover his body in the morning.¡±


    ¡°It raises the risk, but it¡¯s your show, my dear.  If we¡¯re on for tonight, I suggest we retire early to prepare.¡±

 The House Cleaning

    Cate had more on her mind than a nap before we stayed up late, but I still felt incredibly well rested as we walked through the moonlight back towards the house Flicka had pointed out the day before.  I was back in my traveling clothes and fully armed just in case, no dresses for me while I break and enter. I had halfway expected Cate to don some kind of form fitting black leather cat suit while we got ready, but unfortunately she settled for a pair of dark brown men¡¯s trousers, a dumpy surcoat and a floppy wide brimmed hat.  With her hair tucked up into the hat and the baggy clothing hanging loose around her rather generous figure, she looked almost like a pudgy male from a distance. According to her an all black outfit would just draw attention, but cheaply made clothing without bright dyes just made you look poor.


    When we got to the low fence around the house she stopped and leaned over as if she had a stone in her shoe.  When she straightened again she flashed me a quick smile. ¡°Coast is clear, let¡¯s go.¡± I made a cradle with my hands but before I could offer it, she¡¯d already taken a running start and jumped to the wall.  She was able to jump and heave to raise her top half over, and then just leaned in and gravity did the rest. It whipped her legs and rear high over the fence and around in graceful circle as her arms extended again and she dropped lightly to her feet.  I just jerked myself straight up the side of the wall, getting a foot into place on the rim and jumping down. I hit with a bit of a thud and she shook her head at me. It couldn¡¯t have been audible more than a few feet away and I was tempted to complain.


    I bit the feeling back down though, and followed her across the open ground around to the side of the house.  She stood up on tiptoes and peered at a window, then dropped to her feet and repeated the exercise twice more.  I was a good head taller than Cate and thought about offering to tell her what I saw so we could move a bit faster, but she apparently found what she was looking for before I had decided.  A long slim metal tool came out of her sleeve, and it bore a striking resemblance to the slim jim I used to keep in my patrol car. She slid it up between the two large wooden shutters on the window, then used something that looked vaguely like a knitting needle to reach up in from the other side and do something else.  It took long agonizing minutes and I kept looking back over the darkened yard, expecting a dog to bark or one of the neighbors to step out and spot us.


    There was the sound of scraping followed by a click and Cate returned the tools to her sleeve and eased the shutters open.  A sharp knife disposed of the muslin fabric that seemed to mostly replace glass for all but the well to do here, and this time Cate took my offer of a boost to help her inside.  I put my back to the wall and she stepped into my cupped hands, shimmying a little as she went up and her breasts were in my face. I smiled into the dark. Something about the rush of illicit activities had put some spice to the thrill I would have already felt.  She offered a hand from out of the darkened house and I followed her up inside.


    Out of the moonlight it was as dark as pitch inside the building.  In a world without flashlights I had no idea how we were supposed to creep around investigating without knocking over furniture and waking the owner.  Cate was a pro though, and produced something that looked a lot like a metal clamshell. Two thin metal bowls were affixed together maybe an inch apart, and she lit a short stubby candle that sat in the bottom one.  A weak glow diffused through the gap between the bowls, and I followed the thief as she glided confidently deeper inside. There was a kitchen we ignored, and an obviously empty bedroom that reeked of mothballs. There was a sitting room with sheets draped over the furniture, and a dining room with a round oak table but only a single chair.  A door opened up to a storage closet, and then finally we entered another larger bedroom with an unmade bed in pride of place.


    I froze when I saw that.  This was obviously Phillip¡¯s room, and that he wasn¡¯t tucked in fast asleep made me nervous.  I drifted over and started looking through his possessions on top of the night table. From the look of the other rooms, if there were anything incriminating it would have to be somewhere in here.  Then Cate¡¯s low hiss drew my attention. She stalked over and pressed her lips almost directly to my ear. ¡°He almost never leaves the house, the fire in the kitchen was still warm but we¡¯ve been in every room.¡±  I cocked an eyebrow at her, not sure where she was going with this and she grimaced at me and moved back in. ¡°Secret room.¡±


    A secret passageway behind the bookcase.  I thought that was only a staple of bad fiction and Scooby Doo episodes, but Cate seemed pretty sure of it.  I gave her a searching look and shrugged in response, trying to indicate, ¡®but where?¡¯. She stalked over to the wall and began walking out of the room.  I followed confused until I realized she was counting steps. She crisscrossed the house like that a couple of times before stopping at a large china cabinet in the kitchen.  She knelt down and sat her candle contraption on the floor and pointed at faint grooves in the tile. Sure enough, this entire cabinet had been moved on a regular basis. I walked over to the other side and ran my hands up and down its length.  No fingerprints in this world which made things easier. I found a section of wood that stuck out further than the rest of it, and when I pushed it in it slid easily, traveling deep into the cabinet until there was a click. After the click I slid my hand into the recess and tried pulling on the cabine, and it moved much more readily than its appearance would have suggested.


    The door was built directly onto the back of the china cabinet, the outlines of the passage the exact dimensions.  The inside of the door itself was lined with a quilt, and after a single confused glance I realized that must have been to deaden sound.  There was a set of stairs leading down, with light coming up from the passage and Cate extinguished her candle. I stepped in first. Even if she was the stealthy one, if we were going to get in a fight I was the logical choice to lead.  Creeping slowly down the stairs, one tread at a time, stepping to the edge of the risers hoping to avoid a creak, it felt like I might go mad. Partway down there was a snuffling grunting sound and I wondered if Phillip kept livestock down here.  The sound kept repeating and I started to fear it was a captive. Either way the noise should cover us descending the stairway, so I readied my baton and increased our pace.


    At the foot of the stairs I stopped, shock freezing me like a deer in the headlights.  I¡¯d seen a lot of things in my years on the force, and plenty of unpleasantness since I woke up as part of the Game.  This was a new low. There was the dessicated corpse of an old woman in a rocking chair. It had been placed on top of some crude alter, built with fragile children¡¯s bones.  That was bad. There was a man who could only be Phillip, dressed in what I could only guess was the dress belonging to the corpse standing in front of the alter in a circle of torchlight. That was worse.  The snuffling and snorting noises were coming from him as he held up the hem of his dress while busily rutting away with the still bound but obviously dead body of a child. That defied reason and stopped me in my tracks.  After a split second to process what I was seeing an ocean of rage engulfed me, and it was as if I saw the world through a red filter as I bounded down the last few steps into the room. Cate, obviously made of sterner stuff than I had the presence of mind to scream, ¡°Don¡¯t mark the body.¡±


    I dropped my baton to the ground as I closed the distance.  He turned at the sound of her scream, the bestial look on his face quickly transforming to one of shock and then terror.  I didn¡¯t say anything, just rammed the knuckles of my left hand into his throat. I purposefully came in a bit to the side, hopefully not cracking the hyoid or crushing the larynx, but still briefly disrupting blood flow and causing a boatload of pain.  His hands came up to grab at his neck and the child¡¯s body fell, and I slammed a knee into his belly and then into his groin. I wouldn¡¯t leave him alive long enough for bruises to form, and without a real ME soft tissue injuries would probably go unremarked.  Phillip was bent over, trying to retch and suck in air at the same time, having difficulty achieving either. I didn¡¯t really need to in order to subdue him, but I couldn¡¯t help but drive a couple of hammer fists into his kidneys.


    Cate came up then, and reached up under her giant men¡¯s shirt to pull out some of the padding.  She handed me a towel made of soft thick wool that had been soaked in turpentine for the purpose.  I whipped it around Phillips head and gripped it tight in the back. I pulled him upright and even a little back against my hip to expose his solar plexus before driving my elbow down into it, knocking what little air was left in his lungs out of him.  His struggles were brief which was kind of a shame, but I continued to hold him in that position with my teeth bared for a few long minutes. Cate put her hand on my shoulder and when I looked at her there were tears in her eyes. ¡°We didn¡¯t know. There were rumors about Phillip even when I was a girl in the poor quarter, but I assure you, we didn¡¯t know.¡±  She looked around, like she was trying to estimate the number of dead from the remains and shook her head. ¡°We would have stopped this. This, this we wouldn¡¯t have let slide.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t find the words to comfort her in the face of such horror.  I let the monster¡¯s body drop to the ground, then leaned in and offered a quick hug.  When we broke apart I waved my hand at the macabre cellar.


    ¡°We can seal this off for tonight.  Come back and give everyone a proper burial later.  I need you to help me get this one upstair and changed into men¡¯s clothing.  I don¡¯t want to make anymore waves at the inquest than strictly necessary.¡±


    She nodded and stepped over and grabbed one of his ankles.  I took the heavier torso and we heaved him off the ground and started to struggle up the stairs.  His dress tore a couple of times, mostly because it fit him so poorly and the fabric was definitely old.  After a lot of sweating and a good deal of enthusiastic cursing, the body was in place on the bed and I just tore the rest of the dress loose.  I had to unstrap the female sandals he was wearing and just pitched both back down the staircase before swinging the china cabinet closed. Cate picked out an oversized night shirt that I forced over his head, while she artfully arranged a few dirty dishes and a tray so it looked like he had been stuck in bed for a while.  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    We unloaded the rest of the clothing from under Cate¡¯s shirt into the guest bedroom, and I cracked the window and propped the door open to help get rid of the mothball smell and give it a lived in feel.  She had a locket with a tiny portrait in it that if you squinted just right and tilted your head a little resembled me, and that went into the top drawer of his nightstand along with his cufflinks and a rather cheaply made set of boot buckles.  I rifled through his papers to make sure there wasn¡¯t a diary that would expose the lie, while Cate did a quick scan of customary hiding places. I came up empty while she found a box of old fashioned jewelry and a handfull of coin. Finally we had completed all of the preparations we could think of, and Cate slipped out the back door and disappeared into the night.  I changed into modest pajamas of the sort a spinster neice taking care of a distant relative might wear and climbed into bed. Falling asleep was difficult. Missing Cate, the horror of what I¡¯d seen, having taken another life, it all combined to give me a restless night. Maybe the red eyes would give a little versimilitude to my fake grief tomorrow, and I lay there staring at the ceiling and worried about the future.


    Dawn came, and light flooded my window.  I ignored it and continued to wait. According to Cate, Phillip had a longstanding order for a weekly delivery from the local grocer and it was due later this morning.  It had been part of the reason we had to move on this last night. I wanted a convenient witness nearby when I discovered the body. After some time had passed I got up and wandered to a spot in the dust covered sitting room where I could see out the window.  It was still too early, but I was incredibly bored. Eventually I saw the deliverymen opening the gate, so I walked into my ¡®uncle¡¯s¡¯ bedroom and started to scream.


    The workmen were very solicitous of the hysterical woman.  One of them stayed and reassured me, while the other left to fetch the guard.  I¡¯d managed to regain enough of my composure to relate a stuttering account of the illness that had sent my uncle to his bed and how I¡¯d been nursing him until he failed to wake this morning.  I only broke off into jagged crying fits a few times. The watch captain offered to summon a priest to counsel me, and I almost wondered if I¡¯d overplayed my hand. The whole thing seemed a bit to informal for me, I¡¯d been through the bureaucratic nightmare of death certificates and coroners reports too many times to count.  Here I tipped one of the watchmen a copper to send by someone from the mortuary, and he came by in the same wagon the knackers used when they collected dead horses from the stables. Even with the relatively simpler methods used in this world, it was still afternoon before the last of officialdom had left and I was able to change back into my regular clothes.  I left through the front door, locking it behind me. This was my house now, and it was time I got my neighbors used to the change.


    I traveled to the Walk Right Inn and met Cate for lunch.  Zeno¡¯s stew was good, but I had to put up with him complaining about a constant stream of urchins that would come to tell him things he already knew.  I consoled him with a couple of the silver coins I¡¯d found at Phillip¡¯s, and he agreed to hire Benito to come dig the graves in the cellars. Cate and I had agreed last night that neither of us had time to mess with the manual labor, and she had claimed Patrick was too soft to stomach it.  Benito was probably the most calloused soul on the earth that could still arguably considered on the side of the angel¡¯s, so he had seemed like the logical choice to subcontract. After business was over Cate and I lingered at the table, just enjoying each other¡¯s company in the somewhat mushy way that only new couples can truly accomplish.  After a while though she laid her hand on mine and spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°I hate to say it, darling, but I fear I may have some competition.  That little slip of sexy over there has been eye fucking you long enough that I¡¯m getting wet.¡±


    ¡°Beg your pardon?¡±


    I followed her subtle nod and spotted the serving girl from House Verin.  She looked down when I looked over, and I turned back to Cate. I grinned at her and explained who she was.  Cate frowned thoughtfully. ¡°The clothes aren¡¯t right. I don¡¯t know who she is, but she¡¯s not someone¡¯s house servant.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find out then.¡±


    I stood up and started in the direction of her table, and Cate followed me.  She must have flashed some kind of signal to Patrick over my shoulder, because he shifted around in his bench and touched that massive crossbow, and obvious sign he was psyching himself up for trouble.  The slender woman didn¡¯t react as Cate and I sat down on each side of her, and I reached out and picked up her cup. As I peered into the contents as if I could read her fortune in the wine dregs, Cate spoke.


    ¡°Well, hello there.  What brings a nice girl like you to a place like this?¡±


    She shot a brief glance at Cate before seeming to dismiss her and focusing her gaze on me.  ¡°House Verin pays its debts. I am Michelle, third daughter of Lord Thomas. I am here to function as your bodyguard until you master the art of the sword.¡±


    ¡°I am Julia, only daughter of a mean drunk and a woman with questionable judgement.  I don¡¯t need a bodyguard. I need a weapons master who can teach me to use a sword myself.¡±


    She brought her hands up from her lap and laid them on the table palm up.  I looked down at them and saw a layer of callouses that must have been close to a quarter inch thick.  ¡°I have studied the art of the sword since I was 4 years old, and have yet to be granted the rank of master.  I will serve as your instructor until you surpass my skill to instruct you, but be aware you may never master the art of the dueling sword.¡±


    I gave her an incredulous look.  ¡°That means you¡¯d be my bodyguard for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°Actually, only for the rest of mine.¡±


    It seemed a strange distinction, but Cate¡¯s foot trod heavily on mine before I could follow it up.  I looked over at her and she bugged her eyes at me, obviously trying to communicate something but I couldn¡¯t tell what.  I gave her a helpless look, and she sighed.


    ¡°Michele, tell me, is house Verin devoted to one of the Patrons?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are adherents of the way.¡±


    Cate gave me a significant look as if that were supposed to mean something.  I had a feeling the notes I¡¯d gotten from her the other night hadn¡¯t exactly covered everything going on in the kingdoms.  I stood up and walked over behind Michelle until I reached Cate and rested my hand on her shoulder. She settled into me, her head against my belly and I hope gave a clear demonstration to Michelle of the nature of our relationship.  Michelle held my gaze, not uncomfortable in the slightest and I nodded.


    ¡°Cate is authorized to talk for me in any significant negotiations.  I need to step out, but if you¡¯ll fill her in on the details I¡¯d appreciate it.  I¡¯ll be upstairs.¡±


    Michelle looked mollified by that last statement, and nodded before I walked away.  I hoped to hell I hadn¡¯t just made a mistake, and made a mental note to question Cate more closely when I got her alone.  I thought of her particular preferences and amended that to question her rigorously with a grin. I continued upstairs for now, but ducked into my cell rather than Cate¡¯s more conventional room.  Once there I started feeding a stack of Cate¡¯s and some of Gabriel¡¯s laundry through the automatic cleaner. If I was going to be constantly borrowing their clothes it seemed like the least I could do.  While I worked I quizzed the D.


    ¡°Can you give me any information on what happens at the end of 30 days?¡±


    ¡°Your performance will be assessed and if you survive story mode will be unlocked.¡±


    ¡°And the difference in story mode is?¡±


    ¡°That information is not available to you at this time.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.  Do you keep track of whet I¡¯m doing in the simulation?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    ¡°How am I doing so far power base wise?¡±


    ¡°That information is not available to you at this time.¡±


    I shifted over some more laundry, trying to think of a better way to pose the question.  I was mostly just trying to kill some time for Cate to give Michelle a proper grilling, but it seemed like a good idea to pry what I could out of the D.  It came to me that there was an avenue I¡¯d been down before but hadn¡¯t explored for the fifth task yet.


    ¡°I can still use the store right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Julia.  How can I assist you today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.  What are the most popular items other players are buying at this point?¡±  If I couldn¡¯t figure it out, it didn¡¯t mean that other players hadn¡¯t. I was hoping the list would at least point me in the right direction if I was leaving anything out in my planned power base.


    ¡°Bladed weapons, armor, and power tools have been the most popular purchases.¡±


    Weapons and armor were just common sense, but power tools knocked me for a loop.  Once I started thinking about it, it made sense. A lot of people from my world with access to a machine shop could go all industrial revolution on this world¡¯s economy.  I wondered just what they were planning and how many different markets would be cornered in the next 30 days. If there was a way to know who was located where, or at least which industries I could probably make a fortune through insider trading  Cities that had economies focused on textile manufacture or other labor intensive industries were about to take a nose dive. Maybe the economic crisis it would cause was the whole reason we¡¯d need a power base in 30 days. If I couldn¡¯t beat them I could at least join them, and I tried to think of a way to use my 20th century smarts in the middle ages.


    In the end I came up with bupkes.  I¡¯m a hell of a driver, but I didn¡¯t even change my own oil.  I just wasn¡¯t that mechanically inclined, and unless you counted field stripping a firearm I¡¯d never even taken a machine apart, much less had the wherewithal to build my own.  I could probably make some contributions to the field of medicine, but those were mostly based on hygiene and germ theory, and it seemed like it would be kind of difficult to sell those ideas without some sort of proof.  I finished the last of the stack of laundry I¡¯d carried through into my cell, and loaded my arms down when nicely folded clean clothes to carry back to the inn.


    I saw Michelle start when she turned around to find me standing behind her.  I tapped the door to Cate¡¯s room with my foot as if I¡¯d just shut it behind me and pretended nothing unusual had happened.


    ¡°Oh hi, didn¡¯t see you two come up.¡±


    ¡°There you are, dear.  Michelle and I had a lovely little talk.  She¡¯s going to escort you to the home you recently inherrited, she¡¯ll be staying with you there for a while.  I¡¯ll drop by later for a night cap and we can. . catch up.¡±


    I handed over the piles of laundry and led the way.