by Ramy Vance
Abby watched the elf retelling an anecdote, only listening with half an ear—not that she didn’t find Anabelle interesting. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Abby was enamored with the class and charm Anabelle exuded. She wondered if all elves were like Anabelle.
Across the locker room, the other recruits were getting geared up. They wore an updated model of their old exoskeleton suits. There hadn’t been time for a complete overhaul, but the suits had been given some tweaks.
Still, the exosuits hadn’t grown less bulky. They didn’t look capable of offering the increased speed and mobility they promised. Abby figured at best, they would increase strength. But she couldn’t be sure until she saw them in action.
Abby also considered the various tweaks she could make to the suits if she could get her hands on them. Creon hadn’t worked on them. She’d seen his work already; it had a certain elegance the exosuits lacked.
Abby abandoned her thoughts as Annabelle held out a HUD, a sleek visor that fitted comfortably over Abby’s head. “Missions come with headgear too?” Abby asked.
Anabelle shrugged as she checked herself out in the mirror. “Don’t know. Word is you have to wear it though. Something about increasing your survival rate.”
“And you don’t?”
“Kid, I increase my own survival rate.”
Abby couldn’t get enough of how Anabelle talked. Everything Anabelle said was steeped in confidence.
Anabelle shook the HUD at Abby, who accepted it before sliding it over her head. She turned the HUD on and flipped down the visor. She was immediately greeted with a startup screen displaying a variety of information she didn’t understand.
“All these squiggles are supposed to keep me alive and not distract me?” she muttered.
Anabelle clapped Abby on the back. “I’m just happy I don’t have to wear one. Doesn’t go well with any of my outfits.”
Abby flipped the HUD back up, hands shaking. She sat on a bench and tried to calm her breathing.
The elf must have noticed because she sat next to Abby. “Hey, you doing all right?”
Though her breath was haggard, Abby managed a quiet, “Yes. I’m okay.”
A loud bell went off, sending a jolt of anxiety racing down Abby’s spine. She jumped to her feet, searching for the source of the noise.
Anabelle rested her hand on Abby’s shoulder. “Hey, hey, calm down. That’s just the bell for getting out there,” the elf said. “You sure you’re okay?”
Abby nodded, which was a lie. But it didn’t matter if she felt okay or not. This was merely one step toward getting what she wanted.
Revenge.
The other recruits were now heading toward two double doors where a pair of guards were posted. Abby managed a weak smile for Anabelle, then followed the other recruits.
Chapter Thirteen
Terra
Terra tossed a bundle of thick red hair onto the table.
“What the fuck did you do to your hair?” Jack asked, his face screwed up in confusion. In all likelihood, he probably hadn’t recognized Terra until she had sat at the table with him. “You look like a dude.”
“Figured one of us probably should. And I thought you might want to hold onto it,” she said. “Since you love my hair color so much.”
Jack picked up the bundle of hair, grimacing as he studied it. He tried to hide his disgust, but it was difficult to tell what repulsed him more, the pile of hair or Terra’s bald head.
Terra figured it out, but it made no difference. Either way, he was disgusted by something stupid, which he should have been adult enough to deal with.
Jack put the bundle of hair back on the table and cleared his throat before taking a sip of his drink. “Thanks for meeting me tonight. I didn’t think you were going to make it.”
Terra grabbed Jack’s whiskey and Coke and downed it in one gulp. “Me? Miss our weekly drinks?” she asked. “The very foundation of our relationship? If I didn’t see you at the bar, I don’t think I’d ever fucking see you. So, you know I have to make it to these.”
Jack laughed uncomfortably as he stared at the bundle of hair. “Are you just going to leave that there?” he asked. “Don’t you want to do something with it?”
“It’s your hair now. You can do whatever the hell you want to do with it.”
Jack scowled at the pile of hair as though it were a rotting animal. He reached out to grab it again but then thought better of it. Instead, he just watched it from afar as though afraid it would jump up and attack him like some sort of feral zombie hairpiece.
Terra ran her hand over her bald head. “You know, the funny thing about red hair is that there are different kinds,” she said. “Everyone thinks it looks the same. Unless you have red hair. Then you start to see the differences. Differences other than just being bright or dark.”
Jack leaned back in his chair, waving for another drink. His face was creased with confusion as if he was trying to put together a puzzle in his head that he didn’t quite understand. “Really?” he asked. “What kinds of red hair are there?”
“Cherry Coke, auburn, red sand, brick red, merlot… I think the hair I found in our bed was merlot. Mine is more of a red Coke. Very bright. Not nearly as sedate as merlot. Or unnatural. I’m pretty sure you have to dye to get a merlot.”
“Uh, you found a merlot hair in the bed?”
A waiter came over and put a drink down in front of Jack. Terra grabbed the drink and tossed it back. “Our bed. Yeah, a couple. And not just in the bed. The bathroom was filled with them when I got back from my work retreat. Guess the drapes match the carpet.” Terra dropped the empty glass on the table as she glared at Jake. She said quietly, “Most people don’t bother dying their crotch as well. Whoever the lucky lady is, she’s consistent.”
Jack shook his head as he scrambled for excuses. “Hey, I don’t know what you’re trying to imply, but—”
“I’m not trying to imply anything, Jack. I know you fucked someone else while I was gone. The most I was expecting was for you to man up and admit it. Grow some fucking balls for a change.”
“Hey, I feel like we should talk about this at home or some other—”
Terra slammed her fist into the table, and everyone in the bar stopped talking for a second and looked over at them. “No,” Terra said firmly. “We’re talking about this right now. Unless you want to cut and run like you always do. But if you do, you’re not coming back this time. Got it?”
Jack sat there quietly, avoiding Terra’s eyes. Finally, he stood, grabbed his coat, and left the bar. Terra remained there for some time by herself before she went to sit at the bar counter.
Fred, the bartender, an older man with soft brown eyes and a beer gut, came over to Terra. “Can I get you something?”
Terra sighed. “Maybe a renewed faith in the human male.”
“Not sure if I can provide that, but I can give you something to forget that they exist.”
Terra raised two fingers. “Gimme a double of your cheapest whiskey. Actually, make it a double of a double.”
Fred grabbed a large glass and a bottle of whiskey. He tossed in a couple of ice cubes and poured more than a reasonable amount. “You look like you might need this,” he said. “Now, you gonna tell me why you were making such a scene in my bar?”
Terra jerked her thumb in the direction of Jack’s exit route. “That guy you saw just leaving with his tail between his legs and wrapped up around his cock? He tends to like red hair. But it doesn’t really matter whose head it belongs to. Or whose legs it’s between.”
“Ah, a cheating bastard. Should have seen that one coming. Every time he’s in here, he’s talking to a different girl. Sorry to hear that you were the offended party. This one’s on me. You know, I probably know who it was. In case you want me to find out.”
Terra tossed back the whiskey and tapped the counter for another one. “Why the hell would I want to know who it was?” she asked. “I don’t care about her. He’s the one
who was cheating on me. Hope she goes on to live a healthy and happy life. Him? Well, fuck him.”
Fred poured Terra another drink. “We got a rule here. You find out someone’s been fucking around behind your back here, you drink free for the night.”
Terra raised her glass. “I’m drinking by myself?”
Fred nodded and smiled gently as he poured himself a double shot of whiskey. “To the never-ending pain that men cause.”
“Fuck that. Let’s toast to those who manage to walk away from shitty situations.”
“Sounds much better.”
Terra and Fred downed their shots. Terra let out a hefty burp as she tapped the counter for another one.
Fred did his duty and poured both himself and Terra another drink. He leaned against the back of the bar counter after handing it to Terra. “Hope you don’t take any offense by this, but your asshole of an ex was kinda right.”
Terra sipped at her whiskey, aware now that her vision was a little blurry. “What the hell are you talking about?” she asked.
“You do look a little…mannish, but I mean that in a good way. I mean, it looks good on you. Masculinity, that is. If that’s what you were going for.”
Terra laughed, then drained the last of her whiskey. “You know, I wasn’t going for anything, but thanks,” she said. “Glad it looks good on me.”
Chapter Fourteen
Abby left the locker room with the other recruits, still uncertain whether or not she was capable of getting through the obstacle course. She had never thought of herself as an athletic person, and she’d never tried an obstacle course in her life. Sounded like something Olympians did.
Abby had received bits and pieces of encouragement from her ma and pa throughout the years. Now, she stitched them together to craft something helpful in the moment. It was only a jumble of words and smiles. That would have to do.
The four potential recruits reached the end of the hallway. They waited for a few moments while a red alarm rang above the door. When it opened, smoke from the other room poured into the hallway, making it difficult to see.
A voice boomed, “Begin!”
The three other recruits rushed forward, their exoskeleton suits whirring loudly as the gears spun. The exosuits made a lot of noise and didn’t appear to be making their users any faster. But Abby didn’t have time to study them at the moment.
She entered the room containing the obstacle course. It was difficult to see at first—even more smoke filled this room. Instinctively, Abby pulled down her HUD. The visor automatically compensated for the fog and she could see again.
The obstacle course was a recreation of a city block. There were cars parked erratically in the streets, old buildings where people were hanging out on their balconies, smoking, and laughing, and even a couple strolling down the street holding hands.
If these were holographs, they were the most lifelike holographs Abby had ever seen. She watched the city block breathe around her.
What kind of obstacle course is this? And where are the rest of the recruits? Abby scanned the block. None of them were in sight. Had they completed the obstacle course already?
The ground suddenly trembled, and a thunderous sound shook the whole block. The couple dropped to their knees and covered their heads.
In the middle of the street, a Dark Gate opened. Just like it had on the Crookins farm.
Abby grabbed her throat as her heart raced. Her hands trembled, and her chest was growing tighter and tighter. Running was obviously her only option. Yet her feet remained rooted to the ground. No matter how much her brain told her to move, her body refused to respond.
Abby saw the burning hole in Pa’s forehead, saw his eyes staring unfocused as if he were staring at something she couldn’t see.
Abby’s stomach clenched, and she turned and ran to hide behind a car as sweat beaded her forehead, her throat closing. She gasped for air before leaning to the side and vomiting, her whole body convulsing as she tried to block out her memories.
Orcs were walking through the Dark Gate, each armed with an ax, a vibrating energy blade, and a plasma rifle. One orc, much larger than the rest, marched to the front of the group. He roared loudly, sending a wave of panic down Abby’s spine.
She pressed her back against the car and imagined her body floating away. She could be in any other place but here. Any place would be better. She couldn’t get the image of her father’s lifeless eyes out of her mind.
The orcs had just killed him. For no reason. They had tried to kill her family. To kill her.
Abby’s stomach still burned, but her throat opened at last. She could breathe again.
The orcs had come to her farm. The orcs had killed her family. For no reason.
Abby peered around the car, studying the orcs who were leaving the Gate. Myrddin must have been using the term obstacle course very loosely.
As she watched the orcs shouting at the humans on the street and wrangling them together, she felt the panic fading from her body. Her panic was quickly replaced by something else—a seething hatred that quieted Abby’s body and steadied her hands.
If this was an obstacle course, none of this was real. That didn’t mean Abby couldn’t get hurt. Nor did it mean she didn’t still want to kill these orcs. But more importantly, obstacle courses had goals. She needed to figure out what to do.
The most obvious option was to kill the orcs. But that would be too simple. If Myrddin wanted to see how good a shot Abby was, he could have simply taken her to a firing range with the other recruits. No, there had to be something else.
Across the obstacle course, one of the recruits leaned out from behind cover and opened fire on the orcs. The creatures roared in retaliation, grabbing one of the humans and throwing her into the line of fire. The human screamed in horror as she fell.
Abby’s heart sank. Even if this wasn’t real, it felt real enough. Then she had an idea. She activated her HUD and started scrolling through the menus. She quickly found the backend DOS program. After a quick search, she located the priorities for the obstacle course.
The list of goals was encrypted, or written in a language Abby couldn’t understand. “Damn,” she muttered. “Gotta be something here I can use.”
Abby glanced at her watch. Not only had she programmed it to run her drones, but she’d also included a few programs that allowed her to access other OS programs, and to infiltrate networks.
It took a few seconds, but Abby managed to link her watch to the HUD. She opened her watch’s virtual assistant, a hacked version of one of the larger brands, and asked, “Show me the goals for the obstacle course.”
The assistant hummed for a moment, something Abby had never heard it do. Then it said, “Obstacles in order of importance as follows: Keep civilians alive, destroy the Dark Gate, eliminate threats.”
Again, Abby checked the area from behind her cover. The other recruits were still firing at the orcs. No other hostages had been lost, but no headway was being made. “Any suggestions?” she asked her assistant, only partly joking.
The assistant hummed again, and this time whistled. “Orcs are superstitious. Their tribal necromancers use a combination of fear and real magic to keep some tribes subservient. Perhaps this can be used to your advantage.”
“Uh, didn’t know thoroughness was your strong suit,” Abby murmured.
The assistant made a noise that sounded like a long, uncomfortable groan. Then it said, “There are several holographs loaded onto your HUD that will likely terrify the orcs. Would you like to project them?”
Abby activated her HUD and focused on the orcs. “Yes, sir, I would,” she whispered.
A light on her HUD turned on, projecting an image of a ten-foot zombie orc on the wall of one of the buildings. All the orcs caught sight of it at about the same time. They screamed and scattered, leaving the hostages behind.
Abby hit her HUD’s communication module and patched herself into the other recruits. “Hey! Most important part of the mi
ssion is saving hostages. Y’all do me a favor and sweep on in and get heroic with those folks over there?”
“Who the hell is this?” one of the recruits shouted.
“The person helping you score some points. Please and thank you, goodbye.”
Abby disconnected, wondering if the other recruits would actually give her a hand. Much to her surprise, they snuck out from their cover and grabbed the hostages, leading them to safety.
Abby checked the list of goals on her HUD. Rescue hostages had disappeared. “All right, now we just need to close the…Dark Gate or something,” she murmured.
The virtual assistant chirped, or it whistled. Abby couldn’t tell what the noise was. “Your HUD is picking up a strong electromagnetic pulse coming from the Gate. It is likely that disrupting the electromagnetic current would effectively destroy it.”
“Okay, and how exactly am I supposed to do that?”
“The plasma weapons you are equipped with can be reverse-programmed to fire a radio wave which counterattacks EMP’s.”
Abby checked her watch. Her assistant had never been this helpful before. Something had changed. She’d have to figure out what later, though. “All right, let’s try that one out,” she finally said as she selected the rifle from her HUD.
The plasma rifle appeared in Abby’s hand. She leaned out of cover and aimed at the Dark Gate. The orcs were nowhere to be seen. Abby squeezed the trigger.
She saw no visible signs of the radio waves, but the portal did turn off. She checked her HUD, and one more goal had been crossed off. “Perfect,” Abby muttered. “Last one is self-explanatory.”
The assistant said, “I’ve accessed the cameras in the obstacle course. The orcs are located in the westernmost corner. They are currently organizing for a strike. The right side of their formation is susceptible to flanking.”
