by Han Yang
I expected her to cry or break down, but instead her face became one of resolve.
Uncertainty washed through me about my next move. I even thought about making her a promise but restrained myself.
“Where will she go?” I asked.
“The Bouncing Bunny, and then Beer Heavenly.”
“Do you want to fight to the death with her?” I asked.
Her blue eyes shimmered in the candlelight. It was her turn to be racked with indecision.
“What are you thinking?” Roma asked.
I huffed, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration. A plan started to form when I reflected on my card game at the Bouncing Bunny. The guards. They didn’t work for Kimi, and if Yilissa was scorned to the brothel, then Tarak owned the guards, at least some of them.
When I tossed in the fact Braxton went missing from there, it became too much to ignore. Tarak had sway at the Bouncing Bunny, I was certain of it now.
“This Yilissa girl, she used to know everyone at the bank, right?”
“Ya, why?” Roma asked with a scrunched face.
“Look, either I stay here, thrust into the spotlight of the local politics and fix the drama, or I leave before the next wave comes,” I said.
“More coming?” Roma asked with gasp. “How do you know this?”
“I’ve studied these creatures,” I said, and that was the truth. “They hunger, they eat, they breed, and the cycle continues. When they reach a certain hunger, they do crazy things. They won’t stop until everyone is dead, or they are. I only have so much ammo, Roma.”
She understood then, and maybe I did too.
“So, you’re leaving?”
“I like your mom, I like your dad, but I don’t like them enough to die for them. I can save you, or I cannot. Either way, I need to get my gear, prepare an escape, and then assess the situation,” I said.
“The Bouncing Bunny won’t have Pa if he was abducted. What do you need to leave?” Roma asked.
“Horses and a carriage. Food too.”
She shook her head at me like I was a fool. “You haven’t been into the Mermonts’ barn have ya?”
“I wanted a drink and some company, not to explore the creepy grounds of a large estate,” I said.
“Come on. Let me hire you to just check the scene. We get your gear, ready the horses and carriage in the barn, and then try to find my parents,” Roma said. “And no killing anyone. The second you squeeze a trigger, the harder it is to escape.”
“No need to hire me. I’ll help. But what if we come up empty?” I asked.
“Then I have a tough decision to make, but at least I tried. I don’t want to die here to Tarak or the monsters. If anyone can protect me, it’s you,” Roma said.
I held back my eye roll. We both got something, and it might end up perfectly okay.
I opened the door, and Roma paused. “Wait, where does Yilissa play into this?”
“Well, that is a great question, and I have a fantastic answer. I’ll tell you once the wagon is loaded. You’ll have to trust me, but it may not matter,” I admitted.
“Theo… thank you.”
“This isn’t for you, it’s for us, and me,” I said. “And your mom seemed like a levelheaded lady.”
“Yeah, about that,” Roma said.
She gave a terse nod, drew her small pistol from her waist band, and stepped out and into the night with zero fear. I smirked, following her to what was either our doom or glory.
13
Snagglewood Day 10
Laro
“What the hell is this?” I asked a stunned Keb.
I arrived at the Bouncing Bunny, cautiously approaching. No one gave me more than a wave or a salute with their mug as I neared. The busy street seemed less than ideal to ambush me from.
My concern faded when I saw Keb camped on the stairs with my gear. He even had two new rifles.
“Mom said this needs to go to your estate. She let me know about ten minutes ago.” He stood and grunted out a complaint. I went to help him, and he mentioned, “I got it, Sir.”
Keb had ditched the Sir some time ago and suddenly it was back. This threw me off, making me wonder what was up. He had no reason to suddenly be nice or willing to haul my gear without complaint.
I placed my hands on my .45s, letting Keb know I wasn’t in a kidding mood.
“Show me my gear,” I said.
He didn’t hesitate, as if expecting this.
“By the Nature Mother, is this all yours?” Roma asked.
Keb comfily slouched on the stairs when he flashed the crowns.
“I intend to spend it, so don’t fawn over it. Close it up, Keb.” He did as I ordered. I glanced up at the door to the Bouncing Bunny. Keb had been forced to wait for me outside and now the guard barred my way. Another sign something was up. “Why can’t I stay here? I like these folks.”
“Your room was rented out to a much higher bidder who booked it for the whole night. Full refund in the bag,” the doorman said, folding his arms to stare down at me.
I glanced at the two. The slightest of tells revealed they were nervous. I didn’t have the foggiest idea as to why, though. Maybe Kimi wanted my stuff out, knowing Tarak was making moves.
Roma passed us, heading up the stairs. The bouncer blocked her. “Ya ain’t welcome with your itchy trigger fingers. Your Ma came by, raised a ruckus, and then was sent to visit your Pa at the Mermonts’ Estate. They gave him a guest room to sleep off the booze instead of creating a ruckus in the slums. The hero can take care of his vomit.”
The gleam in his eyes spoke of happiness, like he knew something that brought him a lot of joy from these words. I frowned, clearly wanting to avoid an out of control drunk, and, more importantly, vomit. At the same time, I wanted to shoot the bastard because of his shit eating grin, but my murder rampage would need to wait.
I hoisted the rifles off the ground, seeing Henry plus two new long shooters.
“Come on, Roma,” I ordered, and she actually listened. “Lead the way, Keb. Where’d these come from?”
“Zed sold them to the city to cover your rewards.”
“I wanted the coins,” I said.
He used a snarky tone, “Well, on the wall you mentioned wanting me to reload your multiple rifles. Just be happy you got these. The bank’s shut down at this hour and maybe for a short period until the threat passes.”
And suddenly the sass was back once we started moving. Keb even smirked needlessly now that we were headed out of the main street. I pieced enough together by that point to know something was afoot.
“Closing the banks. Smart,” I said, earning a surprised glance.
“You gotta be kidding,” Roma said. “People will lose their minds if coins are cut off. A quarter of the town works for the mayor or the bank.”
“They’re going to lose their minds no matter what if the siege continues. Strong-arming people now actually makes sense,” I said. “When you tell them no coins, they barely scoff. When you tell them no food or drink – some are already cowed into submission, praying, or hoping for luck before things deteriorate. Spoiler, with the monsters, they always get worse.”
“Ma said she wants to weed out the rebels now,” Keb said. “That and the coins are needed to trade once the roads open again.”
Lunacy. The whole thing screamed of a dictator securing power. Without a doubt, I was getting a vibe that bore a resemblance from the dying cities on Earth.
I’d seen similar case studies before. Humans would turn on each other because they don’t realize how dire the situation was yet.
Everyone in Laro was going to die. Darcy hadn’t chosen the scenario lightly. She wanted us to experience the defeat of humanity, for those old lessons to be hashed out again. It would’ve sent shockwaves through the survivors, me included.
Kimi would make an example of someone. That would turbocharge Tarak to react like a caged animal. The fight would stop when one of the two died. In some cases, Vincent’s
son would kill them both, taking over. Or maybe they had found some middle ground.
It didn’t matter, though. The city didn’t have unity even if it brokered peace for a period. The true peace died with Vincent the mayor. Unity would return when everyone was doomed. I’d seen it a thousand times in my history lessons.
The realization that every human was vital wouldn’t happen with less than one percent dead from the recent raid. That was cause to celebrate the living and cheer the victory. As if on cue, someone fired their gun into the air while cheering.
I shook my head at the waste.
A part of me wanted to go and march into Kimi’s office to ask why I was being forced to the estate. I really wanted to stay at the Bouncing Bunny.
That was the emotional and angry side of my mind. The rational and calculating side wrote them off. I wasn’t void of emotions. It made me sad to follow a logical plan instead of a self-righteous one. I did enjoy living, though.
“Can I know the plan now?” Roma asked.
I slid an arm over her shoulder, kissing her cheek. She frowned, even leaning away. I used the opportunity to glance behind us. Two goons followed us, reacting the second I saw them by pretending the stars were interesting.
I stopped and raised my voice. “Your parents are fine. No way something bad will happen to them tonight,” I lied.
The two tails drifted into a nearby alley, realizing they had been spotted. We stopped outside of the commerce district and at the start of the estates. Something felt… off.
“Hey, Keb, I got it from here. Go back to your mom and tell her that if she follows me, I’ll ace the town,” I threatened.
When he didn’t sass me back or ask what the hell I was talking about – I figured it out.
I yanked my pistol out of the holster, and he dropped the bag in a flash. He bolted into an alley, and I just didn’t have the gumption to shoot him in the back.
I snatched the bag off the road, darting into a different alley before the two guys who were likely watching us could open fire. Roma kept up, and I struggled with all the damn weight. I hopped the fence of an estate with a candle in the window. Roma still following. I figured the goons would conclude I’d avoid such a place.
I cowered in the shadows, stopping behind a god-awful smelling outhouse. The back of the building let us hide near a corner wall.
“What are we doing here?” Roma whispered. “We need to go into the Mermonts’ Estate.”
I wagged a finger at her. “I’ve been one step behind. You said yourself that I needed a plan, and I’ve been winging my moves. I can’t believe I almost missed it. I’d been so blind until I could feel the eyes on me from our tail.”
She hissed, “Is that why you threatened Keb and tried to kiss my cheek?”
I could see Roma starting to panic a bit. She had every right to be concerned.
“I’m the target, Roma. It was never about you. Okay, this part will sound crazy,” I said and touched my linker. “I’m going to ask the gods.”
Quest 1: You have befriended Roma. Protect her from dying for ninety days.
Reward: 0 – 750 points depending on protection provided.
“Dammit. Your parents are either dead or beyond saving. Hmm…”
I glanced up while I mulled over the situation. It’d only got dark an hour or two earlier. Things were moving so fast.
Roma controlled her breathing with deep inhales. “What are you telling me?”
“I talk to the gods, in a sense. Don’t believe or believe me, but I’m telling the truth. I was given a mission by the goddess herself, Mother Nature. I needed to protect your mom, and the goddess is telling me the mission is over. There’s only the option to protect you, and I don’t think I can,” I said.
She closed her eyes, fighting off a wave of emotion. When her blue eyes bored into mine, she said, “Okay.”
“Uh… what?”
“I’m sulking next to an outhouse. The guard at the Bunny sneered for zero reason, the thugs chasing us fled when you spotted them, and then Keb. He gave it away the most. He kept wiping his sweaty palms on his vest, and every time he glanced at me, I saw sadness. Not for you, though, he hates you,” Roma said sadly. “I told you, I felt Dad was gone. I trust my gut, and right now, it’s telling me something is horribly wrong.”
“I’m so sorry. If we can get to the bottom of this, we will. I just need to figure out the why to figure out our next step,” I said. “Maybe, and hear me out, maybe Tarak sees me interacting with Mari. Boom, it gives him a motive to frame me. He wants me gone because I’m the hero of the fight and the newest ally of Kimi. He abducts your dad, brings him to the Mermonts’ Estate, and kills him. Your mom comes poking around, they take her to the estate, and she dies too. It all gets blamed on me, and they kill us both at the scene. He has two other girls. Except…”
Roma said, “Kimi gave you the estate, and she has half the guards at the Bunny.”
“They made a deal. Kill me, but why?” I asked. “I was going to help Kimi.”
“This is all hypothetical. My parents could be sipping drinks in the Casino or the Heavenly,” Roma said.
I shrugged. “I’m not going to that estate. I can’t. I can’t prove where I’ve been besides with Grace and you. Everyone saw me leave with Mari.” I frowned, not giving up on my theory. “Why does Kimi want me out of the picture?”
“That is a whole lot of crowns in that bag, enough to kill a man over. She could have always planned on killing you. Or… Wait, you pissed off Douglas when you rode in as a hero. He toasted to your death, saying you were a glory hound who murdered all the Lornsto folks,” Roma said. “Except the doctor wanted to try a special potion that’d likely kill you and… you lived. You have a man who wants your status, and a bag full of crowns everyone wants too.”
“Yeah, this is enough crowns to buy some fancy things. I’ve certainly seen people killed over less in my lessons. They could have always intended to kill me, but I heard Kimi earlier. She seemed sincere when she said she needed me,” I whispered. “So, who is Douglas?”
“He runs Vincent’s crew now. He’s the handsome son of the mayor that ladies swoon over. Hell, I did at one point. I grew up with him. He always said he’d save the town one day and be revered.
“Kimi gives you up to please Douglas, and Tarak probably gets the Mermonts’ Estate or something. This isn’t even about you or me. It’s about making a backroom deal to consolidate a new power order while stealing all your crowns. You die, everyone comes out ahead, and you – the bragging know-it-all – are out of the picture.”
“I hope we’re wrong, but I’m scared to find out –”
The scrape of feet nearby stopped suddenly. The ting of a bottle rolling from a kick caused me to leap into action.
I whipped a dragon off my belt and peered into the alley over the wall. A person fled, getting around a corner before I could get a bead on them.
“I think he heard that we figured it out,” I said.
“We were whispering,” Roma said, and I shrugged.
“Well, there goes my plan of robbing the bank,” I said, grabbing her by the arm and heading toward the wall.
“That was your ‘Yilissa’ plan?”
I peeked over the ledge before vaulting the barrier. She managed the maneuver easier than I did, and we stalked through the alleys.
“Yeah, it was. Yilissa was scorned by the father. I bet she has inside information. I’d wager that she can tell us where a bunch of loot is before we flee the town,” I said. “If I had to guess, Vincent, the mayor, and the bank manager have some money hidden on his estate.”
“And where to now?” Roma said in concern.
“That was Keb. He is running to tell his mom we’re hiding in the estates and didn’t fall for the trap. She’ll signal her troops to apprehend us. I’ll hang for the murders. The only option besides going down in a hail of bullets is to jump the wall, face the monsters, and run. I have ammo, flintlock, and there’s a river nearb
y for water,” I said. “Could be a lot worse.”
“We’ll die out there without horses and shade,” Roma protested.
“Hey, Roma, I want to live. I can find a horse or sneak back into town in a few weeks, assuming I stick around,” I said.
“The river has boats, but the current drifts toward the coast, not the interior,” Roma said.
“I bet the river is dangerous. The webo’narocks are known for their aquatic nature. We can always take the risk, defend the boat, and then hope to find a horse or two along the banks,” I said.
“That’s a crappy plan. We need supplies. Zed will deal with us, he’s neutral.”
“The crazy old guy who lives in clutter?” I asked.
“Yeah, we can at least get items to make it in the summer. No shade, no flint to start fires, no canteens, and the list goes on. You need more than a gun and a water source to live outside of a city.”
I hung my head in defeat. I could live out there as is, but she had a point. It would be easier with a few more items. I touched my wrist.
Points: 10333
Ranking: 14th out of 120,995
I had earned more points. I checked my completed quests.
Quest: Avoid a trap set for your death.
Reward: Earn 1000 points.
A smooth thousand points. I had to wonder, would I lose points if I didn’t run and decided to fight? That just didn’t seem right.
When you caged a tiger, you couldn’t fault it for striking. I ran further into the residential area, toward the shops. Roma kept up, her pistol at the ready.
I dropped the bag, letting it fall with a thunk. That sound. That jarring sound of metal clinking proved to be the moment I stopped caring.
It was me versus the world. I had one ally, and she nervously watched a corner. I dug through the bag, finding the bandolier.
After I set the rifles down, tossing on my ammo holder, I spun, took a knee, and snatched Henry. When I hoisted the rifle to view the church tower, Roma said, “What are you –”
