by Han Yang
Egron picked his nose, licking the booger to taste test it. I’d wager he was going to eat it. I’d never know because he never got the chance.
BOOM!
The round struck his shoulder, blowing out a chunk of bone. He teetered inside the tower before falling over the side.
Some idiot figured we were celebratory shooting, blasting a pistol into the air while hollering.
I snatched the bag, running deeper into the town.
“What was that?” Roma shouted, not realizing she was yelling.
I stuck a finger to my lips, hurrying toward the back of the commerce section.
The ringing abated, and I saw someone climbing the tower to ring the bell. Instead of dropping the next guard, I counted the buildings.
“Can you hear me?” I asked, and Roma nodded. I handed her Henry and a spare round. She went through the motions of reloading the rifle, and I said, “That was a distraction and a message. Which way is Zed’s shop?”
Roma pointed to the back door I had picked. Going on a hunch, I twisted the handle, finding it unlocked.
“Zed,” I shouted, not entering. “I need the unicorns.” I waited. “Zed.”
The shuffle of feet and clang of items falling told me I had caught his attention.
“Blast it, foreigner, why are you at my back door?”
“They’re trying to kill me. We had a deal. Two hundred crowns for the unicorns,” I said. “I’ll need some survival stuff.”
“I honor my word. One thing at a time. Blasted people. I just got back to sleep too,” Zed grumbled.
He appeared, holding a candle, and wearing a nightgown. I tossed a few handfuls of crowns into his shop. He scratched his ass before vanishing back into his room. When he returned, he held a fancy box, scoffing at the mess on the floor.
“What the hell?”
“Matches the rest of the place,” I said with a smirk.
Roma said, “We don’t have time for this.”
“We most assuredly do. You need proper pistols. Put these on,” I ordered. “Thanks, Zed.”
“Who’s trying to kill you?” he asked.
“Uh, everyone, I think.”
“You can’t storm into a town, be the hero, take all the money, and not make enemies. The real question is, what makes you think I’m not in on the plan?” Zed asked.
“Keb didn’t like you. He didn’t even want me to go into your store. He may not have said that, but he made it clear. I need a tent, a handcart, a fire starter, a pot for cooking, canteens for water, and well, everything to survive outside the city. Or a horse and a carriage and a way out of the town,” I said.
“They killed my parents, Zed,” Roma pleaded as she finished putting on her belt.
The old man walked out of his store, closing the door. “I have something better, and I’ll be in your debt. If anyone stumbles upon us, kill them. If you lose and get captured, you forced me to help you at gunpoint. Go ahead, stick one of the unicorns on my back, and for all that is holy, young lady, do not pull a trigger while it's aimed at me.”
“Where are you taking us?” I asked.
“I’m old. I’ve been in Laro since the founding, even before Vincent, way before Kimi. Back when a dozen families answered to one man, me. I gave it up when my wife died. The -”
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The bell alerted the town, sealing my distraction. Zed never slowed a beat, reaching a warehouse not far into the residential district.
He carried his candle without a care, opening the door for us. We stepped into a cluttered mess of epic proportions. The tall building barely had a path cutting through the junk that was piled to the roof.
“Why am I not surprised?”
He scoffed. “I hoard stuff, you kill people. We all have our quirks.”
I opened my mouth to give a rebuttal but snapped it shut. The bell stopped ringing and ‘kill the foreigner’ began to be shouted.
“As I was saying, the city grew, but my shop remained, as did my warehouse. Before this was a warehouse, it was a place I stored salted meat. I learned digging deep meant the food stayed cool. The other merchants figured out my trick and added their own.
“When I stopped making money on it, and my knees started to hurt, I turned it into a sanctuary for lost souls and special friends. Mostly special friends. You see, you’re not the only one who came to me tonight, telling me that someone tried to kill them,” Zed said.
We reached a spot where tents were stacked ten-feet high. Instead of taking the trail around the pile, Zed paused, eyeing me with a firm gaze.
“If you harm her, I’ll turn you over to them, which is worse than killing ya,” Zed threatened.
“Ma came here. Oh, thank you, Zed,” Roma said, holstering her pistol.
When she hugged Zed, he glared at me for help.
“Not your mother, Roma,” I said and took a stab in the dark. “Yilissa.”
Zed reached into his gown, likely for a weapon.
I stuck my hands in the air instantly. “I’m not here to hurt her. She’s an heir to the mayor. If Douglas dies, some will see her as the next potential boss, even if she was disowned. That’s less than ideal for Douglas, and even Kimi if she wants her daughter to marry Douglas.”
“Yilissa’s been stabbed. She’ll live if she gets help keeping it clean,” Zed said.
“You want us to hide underground?” I asked.
“Yes, yes I do. It’s boring, but there’s a pump and food down there. And a shovel to bury waste. It’s not ideal, but if you wait two weeks, or until after another attack or two, you can steal a horse and wagon and exit a busted gate,” Zed said, giving me an opening.
I hated the plan, and I loved it. I wanted to flee, but if we waited for the right time, it might just work. I earned points just for staying alive. Competition wise, hunkering down meant I lived. I was fond of living.
“Why did she come to you?” I asked.
Roma answered, “Zed is factionless.”
“Won’t the others bug him, knowing this?”
Zed chuckled. “You think they’re going to search my warehouse for trap doors? You aren’t the only one who judges my clutter. They won’t and if they do, shoot the ugly idiot who pops his head into the hatch.”
“Where is it?” I asked.
“Climb up the tents. At the top will be a box that says hazardous material. Open it, open the false bottom, then use the stairs. Don’t come out unless you hear a knock like this,” Zed said and popped his tongue off the roof of his mouth four times in a distinct pattern. “Give the code to Yilissa, lest she shoot you.”
“Can you toss down books and -” Roma started, and he pointed to the top of the tents.
“Hurry up, I want to be back in bed when they come knocking. I’ll drop food and supplies when I get a chance. That’s my offer. Take it or leave it,” he said, turning and walking back to his home.
I scurried up the mound and found the crate. When I opened it, I saw a false bottom after a bit of looking. Nothing too fancy, but it’d have to do. I knocked out the code and popped it open.
I made it halfway down the stairs when Roma closed the lid. A flicker of a candle from below illuminated a large space. A draft swirled fresh air, and a woman complained in grunts. When my feet reached solid ground, I saw a cavern home the size of our cafeteria on Hope.
A huge four poster bed told me what Zed used this room for. At least, that is how I took it. A single bed in a secret place with a painting station, a writing table, and a makeup booth.
Shelves held candles, food, and books. A pump in the corner brought water into the room, and a shovel at the far end rested near a shower curtain. Maybe he had a mistress. Or maybe he had kept a woman down here against her will at some point.
The big thing I noticed was that the area was meticulously organized and neat, which was the opposite of Zed. Maybe his wife had wanted a retreat and she had made this before she passed. No, he mentioned she had died. A secret lover made the most s
ense, one that had left some time ago.
On the bed, I saw a scrawny, raven-haired woman. She clutched her outer thigh, wiggling in pain. I rushed to her side, and she quickly brought up a knife.
I tapped one of my revolvers. “Easy, miss. I’m your new roommate,” I told her with my best bedside manners.
“Roma, is that you?” Yilissa asked, propping herself up on the bed.
“Oh, Yilissa, you poor thing, let me have a look.”
“Who’s the wannabe cowboy?” Yilissa asked between grunts of pain.
“Well, I’d like to say he is a random stranger, but I think the Great Mother sent him. He saved Pa after he got drunk and into trouble that caused Ma to go missing. I’m hanging onto hope they’re fine, but the city’s a mess. If it weren’t for Theo, I think I’d be dead or in Tarak’s dungeon, not… Zed’s,” Roma said, absorbing the cavern.
“This is my second home. I bought the right to use it when I was cleaning up for Zed after dad kicked me out. Zed used to sleep with my grandmother on this very bed. I’m almost positive he’s my grandfather. When my dad disowned me, he was the first to offer work, even before the Bunny.
“I quit once I found this retreat. I maintained a place in the ghetto, but I used this when no one was watching me. The mud walls have a calming effect, and I can tell my grandmother enjoyed it down here,” Yilissa said.
“Are you feeling better?” I asked.
“I kinda spiraled there, focusing on the pain. A guard tried to stab me out of nowhere, but he hesitated. I bolted, and he stuck his blade in my leg. He just stood there when I fled with his knife in my body,” Yilissa said.
“He probably will say you jumped over the wall,” Roma said. “No one wants to admit they froze when the big moment came.”
I walked to the table, unloading all my clothing, supplies, and ammo. I neatly organized everything, taking my time.
“Ah, you got the unicorns. Atta girl,” Yilissa said.
“Theo bought them for me. I’m a bit shocked, but he trusts me enough to not shoot myself. I only used them to stick up Zed,” Roma said, and the ladies shared a giggle.
Roma slid into the bed beside her friend, the two entering hushed talks. I glanced over the jars of food, wincing at the sight of most of it. Without a doubt, I’d be losing weight if I stayed there long.
I pumped the handle until water filled the bucket. The water came out blue, which was better than brown. I went to the shower curtain next, noting a section of rocks that went at least four feet deep.
That would tamp down on the ammonia smell at least. In fact, the potty space didn’t stink at all. That would change if we stayed. I saw the first vent in the ceiling. That had to be the outflow since it was high. On the other side of the cavern, three ducts allowed in fresh air.
I just had to hope they were hidden somewhere that wouldn’t lead to us. Based on the age of the bunker, they were.
I returned to checking out the peeing area. In the back corner, cut out behind the rocks, I found a shit chute. It must have been dug twice as deep as the rocks were. I would wager that Zed, Yilissa’s grandmother, and Yilissa avoided going number two in there at all costs.
Something we wouldn’t be able to do.
“Everything okay?” Roma asked.
“Peachy. I guess I’ll pull first guard while reading a book or writing out history lessons for someone to study one day,” I said.
“Can you help me with my letters?” Roma asked.
Yilissa said, “She knows them. Writing cursive is her bane.”
“I can teach you cursive, math, science, and even the dynamics of flight. I know a lot of things,” I said with a smile.
“Great, we’re trapped with a scholar,” Yilissa said with a wince.
“At least he’s cute,” Roma said.
I hung my vest on the back of the chair. “The next few days will be stressful, but we will get through these trying times. When it's over, I hope to whisk you both away to the interior. In order to do that. I will need to train you. That training begins after you both get a good night’s rest.”
14
Starship Hope
7 days inside Earth’s atmosphere
Needing a break from the Trials, I happily accepted the prompt to return to my real body. I was asleep in the dungeon anyway.
Roma couldn’t stop crying since Zed had dropped a care package. Inside was a note, delivering the news that I’d killed her parents in the Mermonts’ Estate. She had been with me from the moment her mom left, knowing I didn’t do it. That fact didn’t soften the news, and even I wanted revenge, liking them both.
His report said that after I killed Egron, I’d jumped the wall where a loose rope ladder rested. Because of that, all the emergency ladders for leaving the city were removed and Mayor Kimi locked down the gates tighter than ever.
To make matters worse, seven more men randomly died in drunken fighting. Zed added that because I escaped, he figured the trio never resolved their differences, and the infighting would likely get worse.
In the first package, we received fresh food to last a week and a suture kit. I sewed Yilissa’s wound closed and she endlessly complained about the extra-pain. Because of the slow recovery, and the bad news, both girls listened to my teachings, but their minds were elsewhere.
Time. We needed time to pass, and I needed a break.
You have one hour aboard the Hope. The timer starts now.
The cryo unit hissed, and my linker started a countdown of an hour. I was tempted just to take the damn penalty and relax in a viewport for a few hours.
That wasn’t my style, though, and I really wanted to win. I planned a half hour break for myself, and a half hour of condensed time to practice knife fighting or Western refresher training - probably in something like a trap setting.
I tapped to check my messages.
None.
I sighed unhappily. A day ago, I had argued with Taiyo about the morality of survival. Neither of us would change our outlooks.
She wanted humanity to maintain its morals while I wanted humans to survive regardless of the costs. The thoughts about our friendship fracturing left me feeling down.
I valued Taiyo as a friend, and yes, a potential lover.
Deciding to be the bigger man, I penned an apology. The note mainly said that even if we disagreed, I was always open to discourse or dropping it if she wanted. I emphasized that I enjoyed our time together, and that mattered more to me.
Feeling better about the situation, I set off for something to eat. The bland hallways pinged a happy green light, and a lovely melody played over the speakers.
My linker told me it was dark on Earth, with our flight path crossing an ocean. I frowned, wanting to watch foliage pass under the ship and birds fluttering on the wind.
I ordered a slice of pizza, the most expensive kind I could. To my surprise, it even came with real meat toppings, telling me the drones were busy. It was a white meat, but damn if it didn’t taste heavenly over compacted protein.
After scarfing down the yummy treat, I decided to visit the worker’s board.
Job: Study footage of current narock variations in combat.
Pay: 750 Moon Coins for approved report.
I accepted the work, returning to the cafeteria. I’d have to pay for my seating if I didn’t buy something again, so I grabbed a gyro with the lamb being more white mystery meat just flavored in a new way.
I flicked on the first video, seeing a vulture resting on the top of what once had been a streetlight. Vines covered the metallic frame, but the shell for the underside light gave away its origins.
If the recording drone neared, it didn’t trigger the vulture’s attention. The large bird snoozed, enjoying a nice nap.
I expected to see some animal stalking or to find the vines on the pole slithering up. A camouflaged animal still had to move and carried a smell, but nothing happened for at least a minute.
A sudden motion triggered the camera to go int
o slow mode. A rock fell, hard to notice on the camera, but a bang jolted the scavenger off its roost. The vulture flapped its wings, eyeing the spot where the rock landed in a bush.
A blur shot straight down; the speed was so great that even in slow motion it was fast.
Smack!
A plume of feathers floated freely in the spot the vulture had hovered a moment earlier. The vulture and its attacker zipped towards the vegetation below. The narock fanned its wings, released its grip, and angled to stop what I thought was an inevitable collision with the ground.
Boom!
The vulture died twice over. The initial strike, followed by a jarring impact. When I saw the narock saunter over to the kill, I thought of a sphinx. A winged cat also worked. If I had to guess, it was the size of a bobcat but with massive wings.
The narocks picked the dead bird up in its maw before fleeing the scene to eat in peace with its prize. The video froze.
The - Fae’narock - origins, Ireland.
Generation change eleven.
Max height - 3’11” Max Length - 5’ Wingspan - 8’ Max weight - 150 lbs.
Threat assessment to humans - Minimal to adults. - Extreme to isolated infants and toddlers.
Attributes: Intelligent, Elusive, Skittish, and Adaptive.
Regions: Entire world.
Predators: Many. Primary - The – Tara’narock. A behemoth of the skies facing extinction.
Our Assessment: The Fae’narock is a survivor. It breeds every few months and naturally has evolved into a smaller size. Originally it was meant to alert the militias of incoming attacks, and for a while this species helped save humanity. Those days faded quickly, and we surmise it has done what it takes to survive. Since they are known to fly high above the canopy to spot prey, we have seen them in every region so far.
Your assessment:
I smirked and typed in. Bait with fake children (drones) that can stun. Create a cookbook for different ways to eat Fae’narock.
