by Rick Scott
He didn’t know which school of thought was worse at the moment. Both were not good, but in both cases at least the course of action remained the same.
He needed to find this factory and shut it down.
“Gina, I know you’re not well, but a lot is at stake here. That maniac Novak is trying to use this as leverage to force the board into sanctioning him with weapons. And if I take what you just told me back to the board, I’m afraid we might even go through with it.”
Gina looked back at him, wide-eyed. “Are you serious?”
“We need to shut this down,” he said. “Eliminate the threat before this takes hold. Or we could be dealing with a very real crisis on our hands.”
She swallowed visibly. “What do you need me to do?”
“Can you help me trace this?” he asked. “You’re the first person I thought of when it came to the air scrubbing system. No one knew it better than you. Is this something you could do?”
“Of course,” she said, nodding. “I’ll dust off my tools and head out now.”
She started to rise and Bruce eased her back down. “No, no. I’m not asking you to head out into the field or anything, Gina. You’re not well. I couldn’t possibly ask that of you. I just need your guidance.”
She smirked at him with a cock of her head. “Well how else do you think I’m going to do this? The systems are all hard-wired binary, not Shard tech. I need to get out there physically and start checking control loops.”
Guilt overwhelmed him. “Gina…”
“Don’t worry,” she said, patting him on the shoulder. “I think it’ll be good for me, actually. To get out a bit. To have something important to do.”
Shame consumed him as he watched Gina busy herself around the hab, collecting her coat and boots, along with a utility satchel. She let out another horrendous cough and his skin went cold. Her becoming ill was his fault in the first place. If he hadn’t lied about her husband, she never would have ventured out of the city and contaminated herself. So many secrets he still had to hide. But he could make right by this one.
Policies be damned, he owed this woman her life.
“Please…” Bruce said as she coughed again. “At least let me help with that. I can pull strings, Gina. I can get you your treatment.”
She let out a laugh. “I’m not one for charity, Bruce.”
“Don’t be stubborn,” he said. “I wouldn’t feel right you doing this and I can’t do this one thing for you. Let me help you.”
She smiled at him weakly. “To be honest, I’ve already thought about it, Bruce. About what I’d say to you if you ever offered me the treatment again…”
His heart thundered in his chest at her almost accusatory tone. “And?”
“And the answer is no.”
His stomach sank. Did she still harbor so much resentment against him? Or was it something else?
“Please don’t let your pride stand in the way, Gina. Or me. You need this.”
She chuckled. “It’s not because of you, Bruce, or my silly pride, although both do make excellent excuses.”
He felt slightly at ease at that, but now he was even more confused. “Then why?”
She paused a moment and her eyes became glossy. “I still don’t know what’s happening to my boys. They’re all I have left, Bruce. Frankly…if they don’t come back… then I’d rather not be here either.”
A deep void opened up in his soul, her words hitting him like a punch to the gut. He had no idea how losing her sons might affect even her will to live, but now that she’d said it, he could empathize with her completely.
Gilly was everything to him.
If he actually lost her…
I wouldn’t want to go on either.
His heart melted as tears formed within his eyes. He nodded at her with understanding. Saving Gina Roberts would take more than just a treatment…it would take bringing her sons home.
“We’ll bring them back,” he said. “I promise. All of them…somehow.”
She smiled, her blue eyes sparkling despite the weary fatigue on her face.
“Well, when we do,” she said. “I’ll gladly take you up on your offer. How’s that?”
Bruce pushed a smile through his tears. “Sounds like a deal.”
“Good,” she said. “Now let’s go find this factory of yours.”
Chapter 25: Gun Blade
Bullets zip past my head, impacting the crates behind me in an explosion of splinters and debris. The roar of automatic gunfire assaults my ears as I rush at the ski-mask-wearing punk unloading his SMG on me.
I take several hits as I close the distance, but barely feel a thing.
Kidnapper hits you for 1 piercing Damage.
Kidnapper hits you for 1 piercing Damage.
Kidnapper hits you for 1 piercing Damage.
Kidnapper hits you for 1 piercing Damage.
I launch at him with a Charge Strike, jabbing my kunai into his side.
You hit the Kidnapper for 367 damage!
The Kidnapper is stunned!
The Kidnapper releases a sharp cry and falls to the ground before crumbling into nano-dust.
You defeated the Kidnapper!
You gain 100 experience points.
Quest Updated: Knife to a Gun fight
Defeat all kidnappers and find Boss Hondo.
Kidnappers 3/25
Find Boss Hondo 0/1
Rewards: Starter Pistol, Combat Knife, 2000 XP, £1000
Special Reward: Class Unlock - Gun Blade
I release a sigh. 22 more of these stupid guys to kill.
It’s been almost two hours since Lexi took us into the warehouse district to start my quest. Thankfully it’s all been in the same area, but a lot of it involved running from one mob to the next, finding clues—a gumshoe sort of backstory. I barely paid attention to it, though. I just want to get this quest over with so I can start leveling in earnest.
After Queen Angela’s little pep talk earlier, I have a whole new set of anxieties to quell—chief among them being the ability to dodge bullets. That means getting as strong as possible as fast as possible. But even after unlocking Gun Blade, I still need to level it to at least 37 for Bullet Weave. And then I need to level up my Ninja to unlock the Veteran Points to slot it. And then I need to figure out a strategy of how to win against the Gun Queen herself.
So much to do, but it all starts with finishing this stupid quest.
I race through the darkened warehouse as fast as I can, not even bothering to evade as kidnapper after kidnapper pops up to try and take me out. The quest is designed for level five and it takes more effort to find all of them than to take them down.
Within ten minutes I clear the place and find a lone mob waiting for me on the top floor.
Quest Updated: Knife to a Gun fight
You have found Boss Hondo!
He’s an Asian-looking guy in his fifties, decked out in a white tuxedo with a bowler hat—a long blade in one hand and a large silver-plated revolver in the other. He grins at me as I approach and I check him to bring up his stats.
Boss Hondo
Level: 12
You’ve worked for years under Boss Hondo, but his latest job has gone too far. Take your stand against him and bring justice to all those he has kidnapped.
As I step closer, a message pops onto my HUD.
Quest Updated: Knife to a Gun fight
Defeat Boss Hondo.
Rewards: Starter Pistol, Combat Knife, 2000 XP, £1000
Special Reward: Class Unlock - Gun Blade
Finally!
“So you’ve decided to turn against me, eh?” Hondo says, still leering at me. “After all I’ve taught you. Come on then. Let’s get this over with.”
“Yeah, let’s,” I say with a chuckle.
The Boss doesn’t react to my comment, though.
I stare at him a moment and consider if he’s truly alive or not. It feels odd to be attacking a mob who can speak, because it feels mor
e like I’m fighting an NPC or a person. But in this world, this guy is definitely a mob and while he can speak I’m not sure if he’s entirely sapient. Definitely not a Witgar, that’s for sure. Perhaps more like the Goblin Queen back in the mines. Gosh, that seems like eons ago now, but when I killed her she spoke to me as well, although in some language I couldn’t understand.
Maybe it was just a routine script like this guy is spewing.
I suppose the controlling AIs must have different levels of consciousness for different mobs. And the mobs must have some kind of respawn as well, because I’m sure I can’t be the first and last person to ever do this quest. Perhaps this guy is more akin to a robot, than an actual person, but it still feels kind of weird talking to him.
That gets me thinking about the Gun Queen. She seemed totally crazy in the simulator, but I wonder what the real her will be like. She’s an LM just like Witgar, so perhaps she could be capable of true sentience as well.
But this guy sure isn’t.
“Right, let’s do this,” I say, drawing my kunai into a ready stance.
I dash forward and he opens fire at me with his huge revolver.
Blam! Blam! Blam!
I take the shots to my chest, wincing with each one, but the damage barely scratches my Health Bar. I almost feel sorry for the guy as I chop him down with three quick strikes of my kunai.
You hit Boss Hondo for 423 damage!
You hit Boss Hondo for 417 damage!
You hit Boss Hondo for 419 damage!
You defeated Boss Hondo!
You gain 500 experience points!
Congratulations! You have completed the Quest: Knife to a Gun Fight
You receive a Starter Pistol!
You receive a Combat Knife!
You gain 2000 experience points!
You gain £1000!
Congratulations! You can now become a Gun Blade!
I grin satisfactorily.
Step one complete.
* * *
I head downstairs and when I exit the warehouse I’m shocked to see Gilly standing outside. She gives me a huge grin and then tackles me with a hug.
“Congratz!” she says, planting a kiss on my cheek. “You did win, right? I heard it’s only a level five quest so you better not have screwed it up.”
“Gilly?” I stare back at her dumbfounded as she lets me go of me with another grin. She looks different somehow, but I can’t tell exactly from what. “What are you doing here?”
She huffs overdramatically and places a hand on her hip in mock offence. “Geez, way to greet your girlfriend, dude.”
I keep staring at her, confused for a moment. How did she even get here? She was supposed to be with Val Helena, Becky, and Aiko leveling her Elemental Mage. Then I see Lexi standing behind her next to the buggy parked outside.
“Maxis and Lord Rembrandt were getting bored waiting for you,” Lexi says in explanation. “So I took them back to the HQ while you were questing. Picked up your lassy along the way. Said she wanted to be the first to congratulate you, so…here you go. And you’re welcome.”
Gilly turns about and does a small curtsey. “My thanks, Lady Lexi.”
“My pleasure, Lady Gilly.”
The two of them then burst into giggles.
I raise a brow at that one. Since when did they become friends? I then notice that Gilly’s clothes have changed yet again. She’s wearing a miniskirt, heels, and a bright red tank top. Looking at Lexi, she’s wearing near the exact same thing. And then I see it. What took me off guard at first.
“You pierced your eyebrows?”
Gilly smiles. “Yeah! Lexi showed me where. You like?”
She proudly shows her new adornments off and I respond with a wooden smile. Honestly, I’m not sure what to think about this. A few hours ago they were fighting, but now they’re best buds and dressing alike?
“Looks cool!” I say, still smiling. I check her character next to see if anything else has changed.
Name: Gilly
Sex: Female
Race: Human
Class: Elemental Mage
Level: 8
Guild: Nasgar
“Wow, you’re level eight already too?” I say.
She nods enthusiastically. “Yeah, we found a great spot for XP. You should be able to level up pretty quick there. Speaking of which, stop keeping us in suspense! Let’s see it!”
“Yeah,” Lexi echoes her. “Let’s see the new badass noob on the block.”
They giggle together again and I join in with a chuckle. “All right.”
I access my HUD and find the new option for Gun Blade under my Class Change menu.
I activate it and nano-dust swirls at my feet as I switch classes, my new stats popping onto my HUD.
Name: Reece
Class: Gun Blade
Level: 1
Strength: 6
Dexterity: 80
Agility: 80
Intelligence: 4
Mind: 6
Vitality: 31
HP: 93/93
Stamina: 186/186
TP: 24/24
Gilly and Lexi suddenly burst out laughing, giving each other high fives.
“I can see why you fancy him now, love!” Lexi says, still laughing. “What a hunk!”
“Huh?” I look down and see I’m completely naked save for my boxers.
Oh geez…
The girls share another laugh at my expense and I feel my cheeks redden. I’m not sure why I’m feeling so awkward though. Gilly’s seen me like this plenty of times, but not Lexi, I guess. And the fact that they’re being so chummy and high fiving about it has put me off guard.
“Aww,” Lexi says with a puppy-dog voice. “We’ve embarrassed him now. Come on, love…we need to get you some new gear like Gilly here.”
“Yeah,” I say, scratching the back of my head. “That’s probably a good idea.”
I search for my old noob gear and find a tunic and some threadbare peasant’s pants to wear.
Gilly pouts. “Shucks, I guess the show’s over. But we definitely need to adjust that wardrobe, Reece. You can’t be walking around New London like that!”
“Fair enough,” I say with a chuckle, feeling a bit more at ease with something to wear— even if the clothes do look kind of terrible against the backdrop of a modern city. I wield my new weapons next, the gun and knife from the quest. A small black revolver materializes in my right hand and a dull-looking bowie knife in the other. It takes me a while to adjust to holding two such dissimilar weapons in each hand, but I practice crossing one hand over the other and it feels somewhat natural.
“Let’s see you take a shot, love,” Lexi eggs me on with a grin. “Hit that sign over there.”
I shrug and focus on the stop sign across the street a good thirty yards or so away. I’ve never shot a gun before, even in the shards and I’m nervous about missing in front of my new audience. But the gun feels more than comfortable in my hand as I take aim. A set of crosshairs then appears on my HUD and I target it easily.
I squeeze the trigger and the small revolver bounces in my hand.
Blam!
You have unlocked a new skill: Pistol
Skill Up! Your Pistol skill is now 1
Critical Hit!
You hit the Stop Sign for 5 piercing damage!
Sparks fly off the stop sign’s surface, but the paltry damage does little else. Gilly and Lexi both clap for me and give a set of woo-hoos and more high-fives.
“You’re a bloody natural, mate!” Lexi says, nudging me with her elbow.
I chuckle again. “I don’t know about natural, but my 80 Dex probably helps.”
“No kidding?” she says. “Leveling up should be quick for you then. But you’ll still be limited by your weapons, mind you. They aren’t very powerful at that level.”
I look at the revolver in my hand.
Starter Pistol
Level 1:
Damage: 3<
br />
Aim: -1
A beginner’s weapon for a beginner like you!
I huff with chagrin at the description. “Yeah, no doubt.”
I check my abilities next.
Gun Blade
Level 1: Heavy Shot
Level 5: Stun Blade
Level 10: Elemental Shot
Level 15: Backflip
Level 20: Paralyzing Shot
Level 25: Rapid Reload
Level 30: Lunge
Level 40: Gun Dance
Level 50: Ricochet Shot
Level 60: Double Attack
Level 70: Quick Blade
Level 80: Kill Shot
Level 85: Bullet Ballet
I stare at my HUD, taking in all the new moves I can learn, but one seems to be missing. “I don’t see Bullet Weave on my ability list. It jumps straight from Level 30 to level 40.”
“Probably a bought ability,” Lexi says. “Don’t worry. We’ll get it for you.”
Darn, yet another hurdle.
“Let’s get him some proper gear first,” Gilly says and then her eyes light up with her HUD. “Oh and there’s one other place we need to head to before we go level. It’s super important.”
I raise my brow at that one. “Where’s that?”
Gilly grins with a wink. “See if you can remember by the time we get there.”
* * *
We head across town in the buggy and stop at another kiosk vendor for my gear. I use my newly gained quid to pick up a starter bundle specific to my new class, which consists of some pants and a lightly armored jacket. When I check the gear I see they each do a flat 5 points of damage reduction with a +1 attribute bonus to Dex. Not great, but Lexi tells me it’s the best gear I can get as a Gun Blade at level one. The girls then conspire to give me a mini make-over and run my noob gear through the Glamour Morphing processor to produce an, admittedly cool-looking outfit consisting of a long overcoat like Rembrandt’s, tight black leather pants and a red silk top.
