 
## The Wall: Part One

C. Rose

Published by C. Rose at Smashwords

Copyright 2018 C. Rose

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

# Contents

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six

Acknowledgements

# One

Glass shattered. Vivian sat up in bed, unsure if she had dreamt it. The sound of a powerful engine outside, too loud for the old truck, increased in volume. She got out of bed and moved toward the ajar bedroom door. A sudden flash and bang on the other side made her jump, covering her ears.

Something slammed into the wall in the hallway. Vivian threw open the door. "Mom!" she shouted.

Her mother struggled with a stranger for possession of her rifle, her lips curled back from her teeth. He was older and possibly bald. He had her pinned against the wall, opposite the archway between their bedrooms. The man and Vivian's mother were in a reverse tug-of-war, pushing against each other.

The man's bird-like face twisted in Vivian's direction. Her mother jerked her head to her daughter, dark hair coming loose from her bun. "Run!" she screamed. Just as she spoke, the glass of Vivian's window busted on the other side of her room and a pair of men in black gear climbed in from outside.

Vivian bolted toward her mother and the intruder. Her mother kicked his shin and swung herself toward Vivian in order to shield her daughter as she escaped. Her mother threw her weight into the man, knocking them both into the darkness of the other bedroom. Artificial light poured in from the living room windows. The curtains flapped as air rushed in through the broken window.

Outside, a craft settled to land just beyond the front lawn in the dirt. The sound was a squealing vacuum in Vivian's ears. The dark ship was deltoid-shaped with a subtle arch. Its wingspan measured the length of their small house. Flaming blue rings lined the inside of the thrusters as they pointed toward the ground. Hot dust flew in Vivian's face. She threw her arms up to block it, back-stepping quickly from both the house and the ship.

She kept backing up, nearing the trees that surrounded their house. A hatch opened up from the ship. Three more men in the same gear and weapons marched out of the ship toward the front door.

The door burst open and Vivian's mother greeted the men, swinging the butt-end of her rifle like a club. It connected with one of the men's helmets, shattering half of it. He dropped to the ground as the others subdued her. She kicked and struggled, screaming, "Run!"

The bald stranger appeared from the doorway, wiping his bloodied mouth. Again, his head cocked in Vivian's direction. He pointed at her in a silent order. She bolted. Fear made her run faster than she ever had before, but it wasn't enough. A sharp pain hit the back of her leg and everything stopped functioning. Her entire body seized up as she hit the dirt. She couldn't scream; uncontrollable groans and grunts sputtered past her lips. _No_ , she thought.

Boots swarmed her vision. The men rolled her onto her back, raised her up off the ground and carried her away. Her entire body throbbed. The roar of the engines revved with new life. _No!_ , her mind protested.

They held onto her mother as she fought against them. Tears streamed down her face. Before the engines could drown her out, she cried out to her daughter, " _VIVIAAAAN_!"

Vivian's scream died in her throat. She closed her eyes as tears spilled from the corners. At the sound of a gunshot, her eyes snapped open. She strained her neck back to see what happened, but the men had already filed in and the hatch began to close. She struggled futilely. Her muscles were tight and knotted. The men hoisted her onto a flat surface, quickly strapping her down.

Her stomach unsettled as the ship rose into the air. A bright light came on above Vivian. She flinched as someone yanked the electric dart from her leg. The leader appeared under the light, with his halo of fuzz and an indifferent face. There was dried blood around his nostrils. Vivian stared back at him, breathing deeply. She wanted to ask what he did to her mother - that he didn't kill her. She wanted to know but she was afraid of his answer. Tears blurred her vision again.

His eyes fell to her throat. The chain dug into the back of her neck as he ripped her necklace free. He held up her cross, scowling at it. "Put her under," he ordered. "We can't have her giving us problems. Especially if she's anything like that mother of hers."

Rage flushed her skin. The needle pinched the inside of her elbow while an oxygen mask was strapped over her face. Her pain began to fade along with everything else.

Vivian barely moved before grunting at the terrible stiffness in her neck. She was lying on a cement floor. The entire cell was concrete, save for a wall of metal bars. The cell door camouflaged with the bars except for a large square of metal for the locking mechanism. In the corner behind her was a raised platform which might have been intended for sleeping. Outside her cell was also smooth cement, with a procession of small disc-shaped lights embedded in the ceiling.

Vivian eased herself to sit up. Her clothes had been changed. Instead of the sweats and t-shirt she had worn to bed, she now wore a sort of wetsuit. It was thick and light gray with a number printed across the chest: _034_.

Vivian's memory came rushing back and stole her breath. Her mother... Sorrow and anger shredded her. What had she done to deserve this? She never did anything.

The world beyond her small life was a different place - more wild and dangerous. Her life was more like the way the world was two hundred years ago - before humans discovered life beyond their own. It was only microbial, but highly adaptive. The details were now lost, but the alien organisms were released into the environment. The foreign material taking root in the Earth created a cataclysmic effect. That was what they called it: the Cataclysm.

During those fifty years, the Earth changed - fast and not all for the better. Many plants and animals went extinct with new ones taking their place. Others evolved and adapted. The surge of foreign material benefitted the atmosphere. As a result, some creatures got bigger. Every positive had a negative to maintain the balance.

Vivian had never gone past the valley where she was born. It wasn't because she was afraid - she was now - but because she had peace. Like everyone, she dreamt of adventures and other things she would like to experience, but she learned contentment.

All of that had been stolen: her life, her family and her freedom. Her eyes glassed over. She felt her neck where the man had taken her necklace. It was as if someone cut the last connection to everything she loved. She flattened her hand over her heart. "God, please," she prayed, "let her still be alive."

She forced herself to take a deep breath. She had no idea where she was, how long she had been there and what was happening. She needed to focus.

There was a heavy, sliding sound beyond her view \- a door - followed by a small troop of footsteps. The men in black fatigues. She recognized the bald one. All passed without looking at her. Two of the five men carried a stretcher with a body lying on its side. His skin was dead pale, eyes wide and void. He was wearing a suit like her own. His number was _050_.

She looked down at her suit once more. The bottoms of the suit went over her feet to make shoes, complete with rubbery soles.

"Dispose of him before he starts to smell." The bald one said.

"Yes, sir."

Vivian swallowed against a dry throat. A sliding door opened and closed from the other end of the walk. Fewer feet came back her way. She backed up until she was flush against the side of the platfrom. She kept her head down, heart pounding. Three pairs of feet stopped in front of her cell. "You awake in there?" the bald leader asked.

She held her tongue, stomach churning. She clenched her fists to avoid shaking.

"Bring her out," he ordered.

A key turned in the lock and the metal-barred door whined as it swung open. Two pairs of boots stepped quickly toward her, grabbing her arms and pulling her to her feet. Her muscles were still too weak to struggle from being on that hard floor. _And being Tased_ , she thought. They led her out of the cell to stand before their leader. He folded his arms. Vivian's skin flushed with rage and fear. She hated herself for the latter.

"Little sore?" he asked, cocking a sparse eyebrow. She wanted to spit on his smug face. He snorted. "Take her away."

His men zip-tied her hands in front of her and led her the way they had first entered. One of them was tan with short, platinum hair, and the other was pale with eerie, coiling tattoos all over his skin-bald head. They reminded her of military, but there was no such thing anymore.

They stepped through the wide doorway; it slid shut behind them. Heavy fog filled the air, hiding trees within it. Directly across from the prison-hold, on the other side of empty ground, was a cluster of dark green tents - maybe ten. To the left was another building. It was identical on the outside to the prison-hold but rotated ninety degrees to form the third "wall" of the dirt courtyard. To the right was a tower, about four stories high. All of the buildings had the same exterior: smooth concrete with no windows, except the top-most story of the tower. The glass was mirrored.

The soldiers escorted Vivian diagonally across the courtyard toward the open corner between the second bunker and the tents. The end that faced the tents was wide-open rather than having a large door. Vivian glimpsed weapons as she passed - an armory.

Three men were waiting just beyond the armory, standing idle amongst the bare trees. "Transport?" one of them verified, twisting his thumb at Vivian. A large scar ran from the corner of his mouth and up his cheek.

"Yup," the towheaded escort said.

"Let's get this over with," her tattooed escort said in a Russian accent.

Blackness swallowed her vision as they bagged her head. She panicked for a moment. All of them began to walk, guiding her along. She tripped over herself a few times.

"So, how's Buck?" The voice of the blond.

"He'll live," the scarred one said. He chuckled. "That was something to see - that woman whacking him in the face with a rifle like that." Another laugh. "Swing batta-batta!"

All of them laughed. "Did she really?" the Russian asked. "And the commander let that slide?"

"Oh no," Scar said. Someone imitated the sound of a gunshot.

Vivian quietly sobbed. Either they didn't notice or didn't care. If her mother was gone, she wanted revenge. But she felt so weak - physically and emotionally. She convinced herself that her mother would be alive if she hadn't run away, whether or not she had been ordered.

Vivian was making herself sick. She tried to think about her surroundings. Anything that was important. Her feet dragged through dry leaves. She heard something like static. Rushing water...there was a river.

The caravan halted. "Alright, lift her up."

Hands raised her up until she was horizontal above their heads. It was a terrifying sensation: blindfolded and bound with the chance of being dropped into frigid water. It was far colder here for autumn - wherever _here_ might be - than she was accustomed to.

Once they reached the other side and they returned her to the ground, her worry shifted to their destination. She dragged her feet, sensing the change from stone to leaf litter. "She can look now," Scar finally said.

The bag tore free from her head, temporarily blinding her with the gray fog. Seasonal trees were nearly bare of their shed leaves. The ground was coated in leaf litter. There were pine needles everywhere, but only stumps remained of their trees.

As they moved through the foggy woods, Vivian heard the distant chatter of people. Scar whistled loudly. The chattering faded into the new sound of shuffling bodies. Weapons being cocked.

The camp was definitely a separate group of people. The tents were mismatched, tattered and patched, set up in two parallel lines. A group of people waited at the nearest end of their camp. Bandits. Vivian never had to deal with bandits personally, but she had heard plenty of stories back home. Thieves and murderers, the lot of them. _Makes sense why they're here_.

All of them had rifles or handguns. Nothing like the firepower Scar and his group wielded. Even if they had double the men.

"Ray," Scar said in a barely-civil greeting. It was aimed at a chunky man with a grisly black beard and a lime green bandana on his forehead.

"Where's Johnson?" Ray asked, resting his arms on the rifle as it hung from its strap across his chest.

"Busy. He'll be by for the next exchange. We're gonna need Eight."

Ray raised his hand; two bandits broke away from the back of his group, trotting to the opposite end of their camp. There was an awkward silence as everyone waited. Vivian was surrounded by itchy trigger-fingers. Some of the bandits looked at her like something to eat. She swallowed against the nausea rising from her stomach.

A strained squall pierced the air from the other end of camp. The pair of bandits dragged a prisoner forward. Vivian managed to make out the number _008_ across his chest. His suit was dirty; he had been there a while.

A pair of Scar's men took hold of Eight. One of them hit him in the gut to stop his wiggling. He doubled over and gagged. The same two bandits approached Vivian, taking her arms.

"Make sure Johnson shows next time. We need another batch of supplies."

"You're not in a position to make demands. You know the deal. Don't forget the mercy he's extended you," Scar warned.

Johnson must have been the bald man's name. Having a name for the man who caused her torment made Vivian's anger burn more deeply.

Eight glared at Vivian as they passed each other. She looked away quickly. Ray's lip thinned beneath his beard as he watched the men leave. His gaze flicked down to Vivian. "Put her with the others," he ordered.

# Two

The two bandits led her down the line. The left one, a thin weasel of a man, was missing a front tooth and smelled horribly sour. He chuckled. "Nice to have a girl to look at, eh, Beeb?" Suddenly, he cried out when a rock hit him in the back. A woman with black hair had thrown it, giving him a foul look. "I meant _another_ girl!" he whined.

_Beeb_ was not the name Vivian expected to belong to the older bandit. He had blonde hair, gray eyes and a dead stare. He said nothing.

The camp smelled of booze and bad hygiene. Ahead, a large tarp covered something on the ground. When they reached its edge, Beeb pulled the tarp halfway back, revealing two pieces of chain-link fence that were tied together. Below was a hole in the ground, around twelve feet across. Beeb lifted the half of fencing uncovered by the tarp. The dirt-smudged face staring up at Vivian was a middle-aged man with cracked glasses and the number _023_ on his suit.

"Welcome to the pit, sweet cheeks," the weasly bandit said with a filthy giggle. He reeked as he stepped in close to Vivian's face. She avoided eye contact.

Beeb pushed the small bandit back, whipping out a blade and cutting the zip-ties around her wrists. She rubbed the indentations they left behind. Beeb turned her shoulders to face the edge of the hole.

"Watch out below!" the weasel sang, pushing her.

The drop to the ground was a good ten feet. Vivian's legs buckled when she hit bottom, aching all the way up into her hips. She grunted, resting against the earthy wall of the hole. The chain-link clanged down above her.

Beeb stared down at her with an intimidating scowl before retreating, leaving the half of fence uncovered. Vivian glanced at Twenty-three. His eyes were on the ground. Scratchy, silver stubble textured his cheeks.

Something shifted in the dark corner of the pit, sliding toward the light with a heavy sound. Vivian's eyes widened as a Subterran drew near.

His chest and back were protected beneath dark, exoskeletal armor. He wasn't wearing a suit, which helped him blend into the darkness. His hairless head was slightly oblong. The ability to smell and breathe came from a series of small holes along the pointed crest at the top of his head. His noseless face bore an inkblot-like pattern. The pattern was a Subterran's distinguishing mark, like human faces or fingerprints. The pattern was so stark against the pale flesh; it consisted of three horizontal stripes, each having a shallow V-shape. Between the top and center V's were two black, far-spread beady eyes.

His top lip was perfectly lined up with the center of the lowest V. He didn't bare them, but beneath the humanoid lips were a pair of black beak-like teeth. They were hard and matched his armor-plating. Subterrans communicated via clicks an chirping sounds in the back of the throat.

Everything Vivian previously learned about Subterrans was through books, videos and school. They were a race of species that lived and worked primarily underground. They were the only fully sentient race to come from the alien matter and survive.

No amount of pictures could prepare Vivian for her first real-life encounter. The leathery texture of its skin, the weathered armor...

"What's the matter?" Twenty-three asked gruffly.

"Can it understand us?" She knew they wore specialized helmets when communicating with humans, translating their sounds into words. Vivian had heard a recording before, reminding her of the ancient song, "Iron Man". She wasn't sure if he could understand her without a helmet.

The Subterran clicked once. "That's a yes," Twenty-three said. "Eight called him Click."

Vivian looked at Click's hands. They were humanoid, but with wider palms and three long digits, including the thumb. His feet were just like his hands. He should have had claws on his hands and feet, but they were missing. "What's wrong with him?" Vivian asked.

"They clipped him," Twenty-three answered. "They keep his claws cut so he can't use them. I think they went too close this last time."

Click made a few weak clicks. "Will he be okay?" Vivian asked.

"They might be infected. He' in a lot of pain but he'll make it. Did you see another prisoner while you were there?"

Vivian gulped. "I saw a dead man. Fifty?"

The prisoners hung their heads despondently. "Bastards," Twenty-three hissed. "How many is that, Click?"

Click held up both hands.

" _Six_ people?" Vivian clarified. What did they want with them? "They called it an 'exchange'. Is that what they've been doing - switching you guys out?"

Twenty-three nodded. "Except Click. I'm not sure what they're saving him for. The only thing I know is that the others have never asked for him, or even mentioned him while I've been here."

Vivian looked at Click. "You've been here for all of the exchanges?"

He clicked once.

Vivian cradled her forehead, eyes covered. "I'm so sorry," she half-whispered, unsure what else to say.

" _Sorry_?" Twenty-three whispered bitterly. Click raised his hand toward Twenty-three. "No. she's been here all of five minutes and acts like she knows how we feel!" Twenty-three jabbed his finger in her direction. "You have no idea what we've been through!"

Vivian flinched in surprise, flushing in embarrassment. Click simply looked at Twenty-three. The muscles in his forehead made his uppermost V turn at a sharper angle as he scowled at the man.

Twenty-three was right, but not completely. Vivian saw her first dead body today. She listened to a group of men talk about their leader killing her mother. Vivian didn't know what they had been through? Well, it was a two-way street.

She wanted to smack Twenty-three, take out her frustration on him just as he had, but she didn't. Instead, she curled up into the corner, hugged her knees to her chest and let the tears fall in silence.

The pit filled with the sound of gurgling bellies. Hunger gave Vivian something else to think about. Something normal. The daylight waned; she wondered what time it actually was. Being cut off from seeing the sky made everything so much more depressing - like heaven was closed to her cries.

Everything started to settle in her mind. A month of this and no one had found out? They were doomed. Vivian would die here. She didn't want to die. She wanted to go home and for her mother to be alive. Without looking at Twenty-three, she asked, "How long have you been here?"

"About a week."

"Do you know when they'll come back to take someone?"

Twenty-three inhaled. "Well, the dead man you saw...he was taken about three days ago. How long was the one before that, Click?"

Vivian watched Click hold up one hand: _three_.

They weren't chosen by order of their number, so they each had an equal chance of being chosen. The idea of knowing she or Twenty-three would be replaced in three more days only made her feel worse.

A tapping sound neared the pit, accompanied by footsteps. A bandit with a dark ponytail swaggered to the edge. The tapping was his blade hitting the side of a full can. He looked directly at Vivian when he said, "Hungry?"

All of their stomachs answered in a chain of growls.

"Hi. Stephen," he introduced himself. He knelt to raise the side of the fencing that had been left uncovered. "Max! Hurry up with their grub!"

"I'm comin'!" another voice replied quickly. The other bandit, sporting a patchy goatee, arrived with two more cans and set them down on the ground near Stephen.

Stephen kept smiling at Vivian. It was gleeful and completely inappropriate. She instantly detested him. He glanced in the direction of the others huddled in the other corner. "Everyone up if you wanna eat."

Twenty-three stood with a grunt. Click began to stand, releasing a reptilian hiss of pain. Twenty-three stepped up, raising his hands to be given his food. Stephen opened a can, stuck a spoon in it and lowered it into the pit. Max kept his bolt-action rifle trained on them.

Vivian went next. They handed her a can with obnoxious smiles. Vivian glanced over her shoulder at Click as he leaned against the dirt wall, head slumped in exhaustion. She held out her other hand expectantly toward Stephen. The bandits exchanged a look, then gave her other can. They weren't smiling after that.

Stephen laid the fencing back down and the prisoners were alone. Vivian handed Click his can, which he motioned in thanks. She returned to her own corner and lifted her spoon, revealing fruit cocktail. It looked really good at that moment, even though she never cared for fruit cocktail. She shut her eyes and prayed silently. _Thank you, Lord, for this food... Amen_. She spooned the mush into her mouth, eating every last bit and drinking the syrup.

The other two paced themselves. Click struggled to use his spoon. Her heart tugged when it slipped out of his weak hands. He picked it back up, the utensil coated in syrup and dirt. Vivian moved to sit beside him and took his spoon from him. She cleaned it on her sleeve and held her hand out for his can. "Let me help you."

It reminded Vivian of how babies ate, with half of it dribbling down his chin. Vivian felt bad for being a little grossed out, but she couldn't help it. _No offense, Click_. If only her mother could see her now. His black beak-teeth clacked against the spoon as he ate.

Stephen and Max returned to collect the cans and spoons. "Alright," Stephen sighed. "Any of you gotta go?"

Vivian knew she should, but she kept her head down. When they left, Twenty-three spoke. "If you can't take it, ring the bell."

"Bell?"

He pointed up at a string hanging through the chain-link. "It's attached to a bell somewhere outside the pit. It's for if we need something."

Vivian nearly snorted. _How accommodating_... She looked at Click. "What about you? Did you have to go?" Vivian never learned about Subterran anatomy in such detail.

"They don't let him go at night," Twenty-three said. "Even without his claws, he has the advantage in the dark."

Click nodded in confirmation. He reached his hand out for hers. His touch felt somewhat human, which seemed all the more strange. Still, she couldn't help but smile in comfort. His fingertips where they had snapped his long claws where swollen and red. The most festered areas were purple and greenish yellow. Vivian wanted to squeeze his hand reassuringly but it would hurt tremendously.

As early evening gave way to night, Vivian wondered if the fog would clear enough to see stars. The haze turned orange with campfire light. The heat never quite reached the pit, making her feel even colder than she otherwise would have been. Yet, her suit managed to protect her from freezing.

Her bladder grew more insistent. She tried to ignore it, until fear of wetting herself outweighed her fear of bandits. She stood up and pulled the string. Somewhere near the pit, a small bell tinkled. It was such a sweet, melodious sound for such a terrible place.

A silhouette appeared against the dim orange glow. He hefted up the chain-link and reached down inside. Vivian grabbed his arm. She tried to walk up against the wall of the pit, but it didn't work very well.

Once she was out, she found her escort was Beeb. The hair stood on the back of her neck as she met his empty stare.

"You want back-up?" Stephen called from one of the campfires. The bandits with him whistled and whooped.

Beeb had an unlit torch in his hand and dipped it into Stephen's campfire. Then he faced Vivian again, waiting for her to come with him. She walked as he followed behind.

They walked down the line of the camp, past all the fires to the other end. It was dark enough that she could easily take off. Their reliance on torches must have meant they didn't have any alternative light. Or, they were conserving their supplies. She considered running, when he spoke. "You see that boulder over there?"

A few steps ahead was a small gauntlet of stumps and a lonely boulder. A stunted bush grew out from under it. He said nothing else, so she headed toward it. Vivian paused once she rounded the dark side of the stone. Beeb kept his eyes aimed over her head - watching without watching.

Vivian felt around for a zipper. One went from the neckline and stopped three-quarters down her back. The second, shaped in an upside-down _U_ , bordered the rear of the suit.

She tried to relax, but the fear of something creeping upon her made it difficult. She thought about what else might be lurking about. It was a forest - so where were the animals?

She zipped up and stood. Beeb's eyes locked onto her. His expression was so cold, indifferent to their suffering. He didn't make her angry like Johnson did, but it made her want to ask him how he could stand by and let these things happen to innocent people, let alone participate.

Beeb followed her back to the pit and helped her down. He replaced the fencing and the tarp. Vivian had never known such darkness. It wasn't just absence of light; it pressed in on all sides and suffocated.

# Three

Her mouth tasted awful. Vivian scraped her tongue against her teeth in an attempt to remove the taste. She shuddered off the cold. The suit provided protection against the elements, but it did little to generate warmth.

It was hard to tell if she had slept. She had trouble discerning when her eyes were open and closed throughout the night. Either way, she was tired and stiff and too anxious to try sleeping again.

The faintest light peeked beneath the edges of the tarp. After such darkness, Vivian's eyes quickly adjusted to the low light. She made out the shapes of her companions. She knew they were awake by the sounds of their breathing - shallow and quiet. No one acknowledged the morning with any sort of greeting. They just sat in their ongoing nightmare.

Sounds beyond the pit caught Vivian's attention. The faint crackling of small morning fires and murmuring. Boots scraped against the ground, followed by the tarp flying aside. The light blinded her for a moment. She shielded her eyes, itching the sleep away.

It was Beeb, Stephen and Max, and two others. Looking at Stephen and Max in dayight, Vivian realized they were twins. Stephen's ponytail and Max's goatee were the only facial differences between them. The woman with them gave the prisoners a dirtier look than Beeb - something Vivian would have thought impossible. Her bright red hair was pulled tight into a high ponytail, slightly skewing her features. She was beautiful the way a deadly predator was beautiful. She was wearing a hooded, gray canvas jacket. It looked new in comparison to her other clothes and those of her compatriots.

Beeb raised the chain-link and rifles were aimed into the pit. "Everyone up," the woman barked.

Vivian stood in spite of her body's protest. She helped Click to his feet and he limped to the open end. When she looked back up at the others, Stephen was tying a loop of rope. Click's pained grunt resonated along his crest.

Vivian swallowed her fear to speak and asked, "What's that for?"

"To pull the Subber up," Max said.

Vivian's jaw clenched at the slur. She found herself meeting Beeb's stern gaze. She knelt down and created a stirrup with her hands. "Here, Click," she said softly.

"Stand -" The woman's voice halted there.

"Help her," Beeb ordered.

A moment, and Twenty-three was mirroring Vivian. Click braced himself on their shoulders as he stepped into their hands. The pair strained to raise Click's feet as high as he could. His feet gripped her hands like a human's thumb and two fingers - two in front and one in back. They were thick and rough from being barefooted all the time.

"Get him out," Beeb ordered someone else, and soon Click's weight lifted as he was pulled up. Beeb held out his hand to Twenty-three.

Twenty-three and Click disappeared with the twins and the other man, leaving Vivian alone with the scowlers. Beeb and the she-bandit helped Vivian out of the pit. The woman forced Vivian's arms behind her back and zip-tied them tightly. "Get moving," she growled, pushing Vivian to walk.

Vivian walked through the length of the camp. Ray's tent was the largest at the other end of camp. Much more than a basic A-frame, it reminded her of a small circus tent. The entry flap was rolled up. Inside, Ray was digging through a crate with a number burned into the wood, which Vivian committed to memory: _067_.

The forest beyond the trampled ground of camp remained the same - fog, leaf litter, and trees. A cluster of bushes or stumps here, a boulder there. Vivian had yet to see life that wasn't human, Subterran or plant.

"Stop here," Beeb said.

Vivian obeyed but the woman snatched her arms, cut the ties and poked her in the back with the rifle. The woman's overzealous manhandling irritated Vivian rather than frighten her. "Don't do anything stupid," she warned.

_Yes, I'll run and get shot in the back like an idiot_. If Vivian was going to run, she would at least wait until nightfall like before. This time, her bathroom was small thicket near a tall stump. Beeb had his back turned this time, while his companion's eyes remained glued to their prisoner.

When Vivian was finished, the bandit had another zip-tie ready for her. As the she-bandit reached out, Vivian noticed a word embroided in black thread on the upper arm of the jacket: _CAT_. The redhead jerked Vivian back to her by her forearm. "Don't," Beeb said.

The end of the woman's ponytail hit Vivian's nape as she whipped her head to Beeb. "What?"

"This way." He began walking towards the river.

The she-bandit sighed in frustration, releasing Vivian's wrists. She, again, prodded Vivian in the back with the rifle barrel again. "Go."

Vivian was too tired, but she wanted to rip that rifle out of her hands and shove it where the sun didn't shine. So, Vivian concentrated on something else. There was little to look at in the hazy wood, so she examined Beeb as he walked ahead.

His hair was a shade ashier than her own. She guessed him to be in his late thirties, early forties. His mouth seemed to only move from a straight line and downward from there. Vivian couldn't imagine his smile being any less intimidating. The dark bags below his grey eyes accentuated their color.

He had worn boots, dirty fatigues and a thick leather jacket. Each tear had been crudely sewn shut, making the jacket look as if he had skinned Frankenstein and dyed it black.

Vivian heard the rush of water as they passed the treeline to the open area of the river. The segment of the river directly before them was calm with a wide waterfall pouring into it. The waterfall was about ten feet tall at the subtle angle in which it fell. The water flowed clearly through the pool, then downhill into frothing rapids. The pool appeared knee-deep, but clear water was a deceitful thing.

Beeb bent and scooped up the water in his hand, slurping it. Vivian knelt to the edge and stuck her hands in. The water was freezing, stiffening her fingers as she cleaned them. She cupped her hands and brought the water to her mouth, drinking quickly. With one more scoop, she swished and spat.

"Check it out," the woman said as she tugged the gray jacket. Her voice was completely different when she talked to Beeb. "It was in the new box. They must be bringing another chick."

_Number Sixty-seven_. Vivian assumed all prisoners had a box, then. She wondered if Johnson had put her necklace in hers, and where it might be.

"Where are the animals?" Vivian asked, hoping not to hear from the woman.

"There _aren't_ any here," the she-bandit answered sharply.

Vivian's eye twitched.

"Let's go," Beeb said firmly. Vivian got up and faced the woman as she approached with the zip-ties again. Beeb put his hand on the bandit's shoulder. "Don't waste 'em."

She glared at Beeb. "She runs and it's on you."

He just held her stare. She manned her rifle, shot one more look at Vivian, then marched back to the treeline. Beeb waited for Vivian to fall in line.

Vivian wondered if Beeb was allowed to take prisoners so far away from camp. She didn't think so, given how they kept them in a hole to ensure they didn't go anywhere. _And declawing Click_. Just thinking about Click's fingers made Vivian shiver, knowing how badly an infected fingernail hurt. How much more so with the entire thing torn off. Every single one.

Was Beeb capable of being kind? He let them give Click a better way out of the pit. The hope of help mingled with doubt, but she thought the refreshment and being spared those ties deserved thanks. Vivian looked at the woman ahead, pondering the possible retaliation if Vivian spoke again.

She was about to chance it when the low cry of a man rang through the fog. The she-bandit snatched Vivian's forearm and stomped back to camp with Beeb close behind.

Twenty-three was on the ground, curled into a fetal position. Stephen and Max stood over him; the former had the butt of his rifle angled toward Twenty-three. Twenty-three hacked from being struck in the gut.

She-bandit released Vivian's arm and stepped between Twenty-three and Max, who compliantly backed off. Vivian knelt down beside Twenty-three, putting her hand on his shoulder. He jerked away.

"What happened?" she asked him quietly.

He groaned as he cradled his middle. "They have our stuff. They have my pocket watch!"

"You let him see it?" Beeb whispered bitterly to Stephen.

Stephen looked down his nose at Beeb. "It was Peters!"

"If you hadn't walked him past the tent, the old man wouldn't have seen!" one of the others snapped nearby. _Peters_ , Vivian deduced.

The two bandits started for each other, Beeb sandwiched between as referee. Beeb looked down at Vivian. "Get him up," he said to her.

Vivian chose to believe Beeb was trying to prevent further trouble. She took Twenty-three's arms and helped him to his feet. Tears streaked his dirty cheeks. "It was a gift from my son," he whimpered.

_I know_ , she wanted to say, thinking of her own necklace between Johnson's fingers.

"...What does it matter anyway?" Stephen griped. "It's not like he'll need it anymore. None of them do!"

"Someone get Ray!" Beeb ordered.

The she-bandit trotted away to retrieve their leader. Max had stepped aside, trying to disappear into the small crowd.

Twenty-three glanced back at the pit, the unguarded space beyond, then at Vivian. His plan was blatantly obvious. Despite previously considering it before, Vivian found herself shaking her head at him. His breathing escalated.

Vivian tightened her grip on his arms. "Don't," she whispered. "Please." If he ran, they would probably shoot him down as he fled. If he did escape, she would be taken indefinitely. He knew that. Twenty-three wrenched free and flung her into Stephen's back, who fell forward into Beeb. Peters jumped back to avoid being pinned beneath Beeb.

Twenty-three bolted past the pit, through the nearest trees and faded into the fog. The raven-haired woman and a man took off in pursuit.

"Beeb, what the _hell's_ going on?!" Ray boomed as he arrived on the scene.

Beeb, Stephen and Vivian all scrambled to their feet. Beeb jutted his thumb at Stephen. "Twenty-three escaped."

Ray passed Beeb toward his new target. Stephen shriveled. "Peters -"

Ray cut off Stephen's excuse with a backhand, quickly turning to deliver the same to Peters. They cradled their cheeks. "You guys can decide who Johnson takes in that man's place." As Ray turned, he told Beeb, "Get her back in the pit."

Beeb promptly executed the order. Click was leaning against the wall of the pit, looking up at her. He held up a hand in a silent question.

She waited until Beeb left to answer. "Twenty-three ran. He saw a bandit with his pocket watch. He must've had it on him when he was abducted."

Click sighed, and put a hand on her shoulder.

It had been hours since Twenty-three ran. Vivian sat close to Click. He put his hand on her knee and she looked at him. He made no sound.

"Ray said that one of the bandits would replace Twenty-three? What did he mean?" Vivian asked out loud. "He'll take one of them instead - like punishment?"

Click made a gun with his hand and pointed it to his temple.

She frowned, remembering Scar's veiled threat about mercy. "Why don't the bandits just run away? Threatening their lives and offering them meager supplies hardly seems worth holding up their end of the deal." _Unless there's something else keeping them here_. "Why would they assume Twenty-three is already..." What word could she use? Dead? Escaped? "...not useful anymore."

Twenty-three knew another exchange was coming. Vivian still felt guilty for abandoning her mother, but now she could see the difference between the two situations. She didn't know her mother would be killed, but Twenty-three knew what he was doing. She wondered if he felt guilty for purposely leaving her to die. _But would I have done the same given the chance_?

Vivian thought about the number of the next prisoner and who they would be. The numbers weren't in order. They weren't all even or odd. Why? Maybe it meant nothing at all - just as meaningless as the reason they were imprisoned. Vivian glanced heavenward. She always believed that everything, good or bad, worked out for the better. Her mother was dead, she was trapped in a hole who-knows-where, and now she was guaranteed to be the next taken to do who-knows-what. How did these things add up to something good?

A commotion stirred up on the ground. "You find him?" someone called out. The prisoners cast their eyes on the opening. Bandits swept by the edge of their view. A few gagged and threw up. Click touched Vivian's forearm.

"Ray is gonna be so pissed," someone murmured close by.

Soon, the top of a head wearing a green bandana could be seen. After a painful moment of silence, he spoke. "Beeb. Get the girl."

Beeb appeared and lifted the fencing. Vivian stood without question. For someone who had to have killed his fair share, Beeb looked drained. Vivian's stomach tightened as he reached down for her. She didn't want to go, but it wasn't negotiable. Vivian chose the path of least resistance for the moment. She was shaking as she took his hand and climbed out.

"Bring her here," Ray ordered exhaustively.

Beeb gripped Vivian's arms tightly. "You have to look," he said quietly, turning her around.

Vivian was afraid. She knew Twenty-three was dead; she didn't want to see his body. Her eyes glazed with tears at the mere fact, let alone visible evidence. She kept her head down.

"This is why you don't run," Ray stated slowly. "We aren't the ones killing you, as much as we want to sometimes."

Vivian clenched her teeth, looking at the ground between her feet and one of Twenty-three's arms. There was dirt and blood. It appeared relatively unharmed.

" _This_ is what the Wall does!" Ray shouted. "Make her look, dammit!"

Beeb's hand grasped her jaw and forced her face up. She blinked back the tears, unable to avert her gaze. His face had been smashed in, smeared in red. The front of his suit was stained from where it absorbed his blood. His chest looked too flat. There were charred spots on the suit. Vivian couldn't stop a small squeak escaping her throat.

How could a "wall" do that?

Ray massaged his temples in one hand. "Put her back. Bury him."

# Four

Twenty-three had left her to die, only to die himself. Any hope that he would escape and get help was shattered. Vivian stood and rang the bell. The glow of a torch came to her call. She regretted the choice upon seeing Stephen and Max. They looked just as happy to see her.

Once they helped her out, Stephen took her arms and held them behind her back. He steered her away from camp into the dark forest. Max led them with the torch. The forest only seemed to exist within the light, materializing as they walked.

They led her farther from the camp then Beeb ever had before finally stopping. Max pointed to a small grouping of bushes near a tree. "There," he said.

Vivian didn't like going with them. Her only consolation was being able to keep an eye on them through the bushes, even if it took away from her concentration. When she rejoined them, they merely stood there. Max anxiously watched Stephen, while Stephen glared at her. She didn't meet his gaze.

Stephen huffed through his nose. "You know, if you'd opened your mouth, he might still be alive and I wouldn't be in this mess."

_And if you hadn't riled Twenty-three up_...

Stephen gripped her upper arm. "You sure like holdin' your tongue, don't you? Well, maybe it's time we made you scream."

Her heart pounded. She tried to twist and jerk her arm free. She kicked Stephen in the groin. He released her instantly and she turned to run. Max blocked her, his knife pointed at the base of her neck. He was nervous a moment ago, but now he smiled wickedly.

Vivian cried out when Stephen pinned her arms. "You're gonna pay for that!" he snarled in her ear. "Don't cut her too deep."

Vivian whimpered but kept fighting. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't find her voice: _This isn't happening! Please!_

A rock hit Max in the arm. He jumped, spinning in the direction the rock had come. Beeb's scowl was menacing in the flickering light. He had his revolver drawn on the scene before him and an unlit torch in his other hand. It could have been used as another weapon if necessary. He must have followed in the shadows.

Max was the first to put up his hands. "Beeb, dude -"

Stephen remained as he was. "What the hell, man? Do you realize what she's just gotten us into?"

"And what you'll add to it by finishing what you've started?" Beeb asked sharply. "Now get!"

"You've gone soft, Beeb," Stephen continued. "First you bury that watch with that -"

Beeb pulled the hammer back on his pistol, effectively silencing Stephen.

"Whoa, okay! We're going!" Max said, turning to Stephen. "C'mon!"

Stephen hesitated a moment, then shoved Vivian hard to the ground. She shut her eyes and took a shaky breath. Her skin burned with fear and loathing. Beeb touched Max's torch with his own, taking some light for himself. The pair marched off until they were swallowed by the foggy night.

Vivian hugged herself. She was so tired of shaking, of crying - of being so scared all the time. "Why did you follow us?"

"Those twins would've likely done more than slice you up," he said, his tone dark. Beeb returned his gun to its holster and offered his hand.

"So you rescue me?" she hissed. "From what? With Twenty-three dead, I'm next anyway!"

His hand remained extended to her, void of reaction.

She released a tremulous breath and hung her head. She wiped her nose against her sleeve and rose to her feet alone. She made herself stand tall and look up into his face. He held it, his scowl unchanged. He was older than her, but his face seemed even more aged than it should have been. He started walking back. She followed behind.

Vivian had held her ground. She had been prepared to fight those men, tooth and nail. Her mother would have been proud, which didn't comfort Vivian as much as she thought. "Do you know what they're doing to us?"

"It's not our business to know."

She clenched her teeth. "You're all cowards."

Beeb stopped for a moment. Vivian expected him to finally snap at her, but he even didn't turn. Then he kept walking.

They returned to the pit. Beeb stood by with the torch until Vivian settled down. He closed the lid and pulled the tarp over, leaving her alone in the dark.

Click found her. He didn't make any noise, placing his hands on her arm. The touch was gentle and comforting. She turned to it in the dark, hugging him. His plating was tough but flexible. He made a soft sound, almost like humming.

She wondered what was going to happen tomorrow. She cried a bit more. There was a tugging inside her, urging her to pray. "I thank You for everything" was the start of all her prayers. What exactly did she have to be thankful for now?

She had to stop herself then. The end of this night could have been a lot different if Beeb hadn't shown up. There was something to be thankful for. Even if he was no different.

Vivian sighed in surrender and lifted her face up in the darkness. _Thank you, Lord_ , she mouthed. _Forgive me. Please help us._

Vivian watched the space between the edge of the hole and the fencing. She focused on it, watched it grow brighter, illuminating the dirt wall beneath it.

Tomorrow, someone would replace her. A bandit or two might die for Twenty-three's escape attempt. The idea of going back gave her a headache. She had no idea what they were doing, but she saw how it ended with that first prisoner. She didn't want to die, nor anyone else, but it was happening anyway.

Lack of sleep added to her irritation. She didn't have to go to the bathroom, but she wanted to get out of the hole, even if it meant dealing with a bandit. She rang the bell. It had to be quite early. She didn't hear much noise outside and Click was fast asleep, his deep breaths resonating through his crest.

Beeb came alone and without a rifle. He looked terrible. The bags under his eyes were heavier. She wondered if he felt guilty. _I hope so_ , she thought bitterly. The thought quickly soured in her stomach.

Wood smoke and autumn air - a favorite combination of Vivian's. It reminded her of the late nights when she and her mother would stay out late with a fire, looking up at the stars. She bit the insides of her cheeks.

No one else was up. A few bandits slept in folding chairs outside their tents. Beeb steered her through the camp and into the forest as he had the previous morning.

The leaf litter thickened beyond the camp's trampled ground. The fog was a dim gray in the morning. Vivian thought about what Stephen had said about the watch. It was a kind thing for Beeb to do. That, and what he prevented from happening to her. Though she was upset, she regretted calling him a coward.

"Thank you for helping me last night," she finally said. "And for what you did for Twenty-three."

"There's a rock over there," he replied coldly.

The large stone in question rested near a sparse oak tree. She walked behind it, glancing at Beeb. He cast his gaze to his feet. Once she returned to Beeb, she said, "I'm sorry."

His empty stare turned into a frustrated frown. "For what?"

"You're not a coward. You're just as much a prisoner as I am." She repeated her earlier comment. "Thank you for your help last night. Truly." At least he kept her safe from one less misery until she would be exchanged.

He frowned a little more, then looked over his shoulder at the camp. He started walking toward the river. Vivian had hoped he would take her back to the river, eager to wash off last night's unpleasantness.

After marching several paces, he stopped and faced her. His blank stare intensified, his jaw set. He motioned her to step closer with his fingers. Vivian had an uncomfortable feeling but complied. She stopped an arm's length from him. He continued to bore his steely eyes into her. She resisted the instinct to look away, withering slightly.

He reached into his jacket for something. It was a video log machine, or VID-LOG. It was the size of a book and about as thick, too. Vivian and her mother had one with which they left each other messages. Beeb held it out to Vivian. She stared at it as if it might explode.

"Take it," he ordered, shaking it insistently. As she put her hand on it, he snatched her wrist with his other hand, startling her. He pulled out a small knife. She tried to jerk her arm free. He turned his back to her, her hand and the VID-LOG pinned under his arm.

She gasped when the knife sliced the edge of her wrist. He pinched the skin for a painful moment, then released her. He turned around, holding up a small pill-shaped object covered in blood. She looked down at the small incision, debating whether or not to beat him over the head with the VID-LOG he gave her.

"They've been planting you guys with trackers," he said with a quick breath, putting the tracker in is pocket. "They can try to find you the old-fashioned way. Now hit me and run."

She didn't move. There was no way out. She would be found. Or she would encounter the Wall. What about Click?

He pointed at his face with a stubby fingertip. "Hit. Me." She barely had time to do anything before he grew impatient. "I'm trying to help you!" he hissed.

"But -"

"Now!" he snapped, taking a fistful of her suit with his free hand. Vivian swung immediately, the angle awkward. Her knuckles popped on contact. She drew her hand back, shaking out the tingling pain. He stepped sideways, cradling the point of impact. He batted his other arm toward her. "Go!" he rasped, removing his pistol from its holster. "Go!" he repeated. He pointed the pistol to the sky and pulled the trigger.

The gunshot jump-started her system. She ran and didn't look back. She concentrated on her steps as she wove through the trees. She clutched the VID-LOG to her chest. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears. Her lungs burned and her bones ached. She pushed past her cramping sides. She didn't know how long she had until they would be after her.

The terrain became rockier as she reached the river. She inhaled the mist. Her throat was instantly tight from running, desperate for a drink. She paused to catch her breath.

_P-KOW_! She jumped at the sound of a gunshot from behind; the bullet cracked against a stone near her, spitting bits of rock. She retreated behind the same rock, peeking over at two bandits sent to retrieve her - a bald man and the redhead with the stolen jacket.

Vivian looked back at the water. It was going to be bone-chilling. She wasn't too keen on being swallowed by it, but she couldn't go back. She wouldn't. She reached back and unzipped her suit just enough to stuff the VID-LOG down her front and zipped it back up. She hoped one of them were waterproof. Then she jumped into the water, sinking to her thighs. It was so cold that it took her breath away.

"GET HER!" the she-bandit shouted.

Water exploded beside Vivian as they shot. She flopped toward the rapids. The froth engulfed her. Icy water burned her sinuses. The cold locked up her chest. She bobbed back up, gasping for air. The powerful current churned her about. The redhead followed along the edge. The flow pulled Vivian under into a swarm of bubbles. When she resurfaced, the bandits were gone.

Vivian stretched her arms out, grabbing for anything. Her hands slipped against a rock in the middle of the river. The current swung her around the rock and dragged her under when it flushed back together. She flailed for the surface until it hurled her up again. She caught a glimpse of a shrub's roots hanging out of the left side of the bank. She fought the current to stay to that side, snatching a hold of the roots once she was within reach.

The water tried to carry her downstream. She tangled her fingers into the roots and kicked against the current. She pulled her body close to the bank. She dug her hand into the cold, damp earth. It used all of her strength to get onto the bank.

Violent shudders waved through her as she lay facedown in the grass. She hacked for air. Her skin stung from the cold. Her head throbbed, her nerves felt pinched, muscles aching from the constriced blood vessels. But she was alive and free... _sort of_.

Vivian removed the VID-LOG and pressed the button on the side edge. The screen lit up, despite being wet. She sighed in relief and pressed the button to shut it off again. She needed to move, to keep warm. She was on the other side of the river, opposite the camp, but now she had to worry about running into Johnson's men as well.

She squeezed as much water as she could from her ponytail and out of her suit. The suit might dry, but not before she went hypothermic. Trapped water squished between her feet and the soles of her shoes, bleeding from the sides as she walked.

Vivian stood, looked up at the silver sky, then retreated into the trees. She leaned against a tree and closed her eyes. "Don't let them find me. Don't let me die like this," she prayed.

A single warm tear ran down her clammy cheek. "Help me."

She trudged through the forest, panicking at every sound - most of them her own. Vivian decided to head back upstream, hoping the bandits assumed she was swept away by the river. Vivian stayed just within the treeline. She kept her eyes scanning for anyone.

There was an unmistakable snap in the distance ahead of her. Vivian stopped and searched the ground for a rock, a stick, anything to put between herself and whatever made the noise. She found a medium-sized stone and crouched down to get it, her head on a swivel.

Nothing else happened. She didn't hear anything beyond herself. The longer it stayed quiet, the more restless she became. She continued forward, fighting against her shivers. Even with a rock, Vivian felt weak. She reached the point where the sound had likely originated. Nothing. Vivian relaxed.

Another twig snapped. Above her.

# Five

As Vivian looked up, a figure dropped from their perch in the tree. Vivian dove forward, but they landed just in time to grab her legs. She let go of the VID-LOG and twisted her body to use the rock. The attacker grabbed her wrist and pulled, lifting her up. They snatched her other wrist, securing it behind her back as well. Her arms now pinned around her like a straightjacket, Vivian tried to swing her shoulders to break the hold. "Get off!" she shouted.

"Ssh, stop it!" he scolded, his voice slightly muffled. "I'm not a bandit and I'm not gonna hurt you!" He sounded as if _she_ was the one out of line. " _Elgh_ , you're all wet!"

"Let m-me go!"

He sighed sharply. "If you don't be quiet," he hissed in her ear, "they will find us. Is that what you want?"

Vivian didn't want to go back to either camp, so she stopped.

He exhaled. "I'm gonna let go now."

Vivian waited.

"So drop the rock, please," he added.

Vivian reluctantly opened her hand, the stone dropping to the ground with small sound. His hands loosened their grip, but she kept her arms around her, attempting to trap the adrenal warmth her body briefly produced. She turned her upper half to face him. He was wearing a green, hooded jacket. The hood of a black sweatershirt was cinched tight around his head, and a gray bandana concealed his face, leaving only his green eyes. A pair of night-vision goggles hung around his neck.

He slowly rose to his feet, patting the dirt from his knees. "Do you know how hard it is to wait in a tree like that?"

Vivian wrestled the convulsions racking her body. "Y-You were _waiting_ for me?" she growled, wobbling to her feet. "What's the matter with you?!"

He tossed his head back in the middle of her argument, eyes rolling. "Relax," he exasperated. "I'm here to find my sister. She was taken." He glanced down at her soaked suit as he passed her. "I assumed you were, too, and thought I'd get your help, but I didn't know how you'd react if I just walked up to you."

_How I'd react_? She blinked, dumbfounded. "S-So you thought it was better to attack me from a tree?"

He sighed again and bowed his head. "Not my best idea, I'll give you that. You can call me Boss."

She scoffed. She was not calling him "boss".

He pointed at the sleeve of his canvas jacket. A patch on his upper arm had the word _BOSS_ thickly embroidered in black thread. "It's a nickname," he explained, his eyes deadpanning her.

She swallowed. The she-bandit's stolen jacket... The material, style and embroidered patch were the same. He was telling the truth.

He began walking upstream again, stopped and waved her to follow. "C'mon or you're going to freeze."

Vivian's highest priority was warmth. She scooped up the VID-LOG and forced her legs to move, despite them wanting to lock together. "You s-said you were looking for your sister?" Vivian asked him.

He hummed in agreement. "Her name is Catherine."

"Or...Cat?"

He halted, half-turning to look at her. "How do you know that?" he asked warily.

Vivian fidgetted under both his gaze and the cold. "I-I saw her jacket. The bandits are given our things when we're put in these suits."

He absorbed the information, his eyes glancing around in deep thought, then he continued upstream. The pair returned to the waterfall. Boss stopped behind the cover of some shrubs. He pointed at the ground. "Stay here while I get my stuff."

Vivian watched him carefully to see if he was doing what he claimed. He crossed the stones that rose above the surface and slipped behind the watery drape. Vivian glanced at the other side of the river, wondering if she would catch sight of bandits. Were they still searching for her? Did they think she had drowned, or worse?

Beeb gave no other inclinations of sparing her. He may have been less cruel than some of the others, but why did he risk doing something so dangerous? Stephen was under threat for accidentally contributing to Twenty-three's escape and death. What would happen to Beeb if they found out he chose to release her on purpose? She had yet to check the device but it must have been important enough for him to risk his life.

She hoped Click was alright, that he didn't think she abandoned him.

Boss reappeared with a tan rucksack on his back and a blanket tucked in his arm. He kept checking his surroundings as he retreated to Vivian.

He gestured further upstream. "Just a little ways up here." He gave the blanket to her. "This should tide you over until we can get a fire going." His eyes zeroed in on her wrist. "You're bleeding."

She followed his gaze to her hand. Red stained the edge of her sleeve. "I had a tracking device." Vivian wrapped the blanket around her and commenced their trek. She was still angry about their meeting, but she was grateful for not to be alone.

The land grew rockier as they moved upriver. Vivian had more trouble navigating with both a blanket and frozen legs. "So, Thirty-four, huh?" Boss said as he bent to pick up a large, dead branch. "Does that mean something in particular?" He plucked off the twigs that still bore dry leaves.

"I don't know," she grumbled, shivering. "All of the prisoners have a number."

He stomped on the branch to get two decent pieces. "How many of you are there?"

"Just one left. In a hole at the bandit camp. There were three when I showed up."

He shook his head, frowning. "I'm sorry. And for -" he pointed down the way we had come and then at her "- pouncing on you."

Vivian let her frustration soften and nodded once.

He chuckled behind his bandana. "It's kind of funny now, though... I didn't think a boot would work."

Vivian stared blankly at him, rigid again. "Oh, yes. Hilarious."

A few hundred yards beyond the waterfall, the river broadened. Large, angular stones surrounded the flat ground beside the river, protecting them from view. There were charred remains where he built a fire before. He dropped the firewood he had gathered, pulled his backpack from his shoulders and crouched down. He dug through it until he found some gauzy material wrapped around a pack of matches. Using the knife hanging from his belt, he cut off a length of the gauze. He pushed one end of the box and it slid from the sleeve. He lit the match and put it to the tinder. He tugged his bandana down, leaving it to hand with the goggles. He blew on the fire, coaxing it to life.

Successfully kindled, he drew back and sighed victoriously with a grin. " _Wha-la_."

Vivian sat down before the flames, keeping the blanket draped around her. She stuck her hands out, relishing the heat brushing over them. Her suit was already mostly dry, save for her feet and a few other spots. She looked at the helpful stranger. He loosened his hood and ran a hand through disheveled brown hair. His face was shadowed with a couple days worth of stubble, but he wasn't much older than herself. He caught her staring and itched his face self-consciously. "You should try to dry out your hair," he said.

Vivian shed the blanket and handed it to Boss. "Thank you." She pulled her ponytail around, removed the band and began to wring her hair from the base of her head to the ends.

His mouth stretched into a complacent grin in response to her gratitude. He returned the matches and reached deeper into his pack. "So, why are the bandits getting your stuff?" he asked.

"Johnson gives our belongings to the bandits before we're exchanged. Your sister's jacket came in a crate with the number sixty-seven on it."

Boss hefted his pack into his lap, still digging. "Johnson? Is he the one doing all this?"

"He's the leader of the men who took us."

He shoved open the top of the bag, peering inside impatiently. "Mercs," he muttered.

"What?"

"They're mercenaries - hired help - which means someone else is calling the shots." Boss' expression shifted to satisfaction upon finding what he wanted: a plastic bag of dried meat. Vivian's stomach growled embarrassingly loud at the sight. Boss smirked, his eyes sliding toward her as he put a piece in his mouth. He picked out a large strip and held it out to her.

Vivian tore into it with her teeth. It was thin and peppered. It tasted smoky and slightly sweet. She didn't care about the weird groan she made.

He snorted. "You like? It's homemade."

"It's very good." Vivian responded, letting the rest soak in her mouth.

Boss's grin didn't reach his eyes. "So, how did you escape the bandits in the first place?" he asked.

Vivian looked at her hand. As her body thawed, the tightness of her knuckles melted into a dull throb. "One of them...he let me go," she said past the jerky. It seemed too coincidental that Beeb released her, and then she met Boss. "You don't know anyone by the name 'Beeb', do you?"

His eyebrows scrunched at the name. "I'd remember a name like that. Did he give you that VID-LOG?"

"Yes."

"Have you checked it yet?"

Vivian shook her head. She thought he might ask to see it.

Boss's eyebrows drew together, his finger tapping his bottom lip. "Bandits don't keep prisoners - too impatient for it," he thought out loud.

"They're stuck here just like us. Johnson's men come to camp to replace one prisoner with a new one."

"When is this happening again?"

"Tomorrow morning-ish."

He nodded, his mouth pressed against the side of his fist. "You think they'll bring my sister next?"

Vivian pinched her lips together. "Maybe."

"Were the other prisoners girls around your age?"

"No. There were two men, different ages, and a Subterran." Just like their numbers, there wasn't a pattern to the people taken. "I've never seen a Subterran in real life before. He's in bad shape."

Boss lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? Never?" he repeated.

Vivian shifted uncomfortably and changed the subject. "So, what's your story?"

He dropped his question with a deep breath as he ate another piece of jerky. "I tracked the merc ship all the way here. The force field disappeared for about thirty minutes so the ship could drop its _cargo_. I scaled the wall as quick as I could and floated down. I barely made it inside when the shield came back up. Cut me from my 'chute like a marionette."

It sounded farfetched, but it explained how he got through the Wall that killed Twenty-three. His smashed form flashed through her mind involuntarily and she winced. "So, there's two Walls?" Vivian asked.

He gave her another hunk of meat. "There's a concrete wall, maybe fifty feet high, but just inside is a force field. It's domed over the top, hidden beneath a thin layer of cloud-like vapor. And inside, well..." He waved his hand to their surroundings, referring to the fog.

"Do you know why the fog's here?"

Boss put his hand up, twirling his wrist, then he gave up. "I don't know. Will said something about the force field generating atmospheric electricity, but typical security fields don't generate enough to essentially create their own weather. It messes up any communication with the outside. Even if it didn't, my walkie has a solar-powered battery, so I'm screwed until we get some decent sunlight."

_Electricity_. "A prisoner slammed into it while trying to escape. It must've electrocuted him, killing him before he could suffer the damage." It was a small consolation to Vivian that Twenty-three might not have suffered too much from the hit.

Boss scrunched his nose in disgust.

Vivian sighed and looked off for a moment. She felt trapped, but not as much as she had the last two days. She sucked a piece of jerky from between her teeth. "Who's Will?"

"My sister's boyfriend." He dug into one of the jacket's front pockets, removing a tattered photograph. It was a man and a woman. The man had short, sunny blond hair and blue eyes while the woman had long, dark hair and hazel-green eyes. Vivian saw the relation between the woman and Boss. The couple in the photo looked happy. Vivian exchanged the picture for another piece of meat. "He makes the jerky," Boss said.

Vivian wiggled her toes near the fire. They felt clammy inside her shoes. "What does he make it out of?"

"Snatcher."

She examined the jerky. Snatchers were the Cataclysm's evolution of snakes - big ones. They had a tri-split tail that could do exactly that - snatch. Deadly at both ends. "Aren't they poisonous?" Vivian asked.

"Venomous," he corrected.

"You know what I meant," Vivian snipped, putting it in her mouth. He chuckled silently. "So, where is Will?" she asked.

"He's waiting outside, no doubt chompin' at the bit." Boss's mouth worked, staring past Vivian at the water, when his eyes widened with an epiphany. He pointed at the water. "Hey...if this river's running through, then there must be an entry and exit point. He put the jerky bag into his pack and stood up. "Feel like a walk?"

# Six

Boss was going to be so bummed if he found a secret way in after the trouble he went through to get inside. It would be such a waste of a parachute.

He put the fire out and packed up his gear for the little excursion. He never left his things out in the open to be found. He took enough of a risk leaving evidence of the fires he had burned.

His new acquaintance was doing better. The fire stopped her shivering and she even chose to walk without his blanket. She looked worn out, with dark circles around her round blue eyes. Her light hair was still damp and it would likely stay that way.

Boss saw her jump into that frigid water, bullets flying about her. The fact that she wasn't shot and managed to save herself from the rapids impressed him. He wondered if she was still peeved about their scuffle. He was good at improvising, but not today. He hoped the two of them would improve their chances of getting his sister back and going home.

They traveled further upriver while Boss hummed a song to himself thoughtlessly. The terrain was even more difficult up here. Boss side-stepped between water's edge and a mossy crag when he paused to check on Thirty-four. She was a few paces behind. "You doing okay?" he asked.

She nodded, her eyes magnetized to the other side of the river.

"I doubt anyone's looking for you right now. You can relax," he said with half a smile. One thing he knew about bandits was their laziness, which explained their hygiene.

"Aren't you worried about being found?" Thirty-four asked, her hand on the mossy wall for support.

Boss squatted, scooping up some pebbles along the trail. "Well, this is my second day and I ain't been found yet." He tossed one of the stones in the direction they were walking.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking for the force field. The fog is getting thicker." Boss could barely see a few steps ahead. After what the force field did to his parachute, and the prisoner that Thirty-four mentioned, Boss did not want to bump into the thing.

"So, 'Boss' is a modest nickname," she said sarcastically.

His mouth tugged at her saltiness. "In my defense, I didn't pick it. You got something I can call you?"

"Like a nickname? Not really."

Boss tossed stones into the mist. They clacked against other rocks, sometimes plopping into the water. Then one made a _thwump_ followed by a small splash. Boss stopped, glancing over his shoulder at Thirty-four. "Yahtzee," he said, lowering his backpack to the ground. He unrolled the blanket and started fanning the fog. He wasn't sure if it would work - fanning fog. Otherwise, he was going to look pretty stupid. Call it insecurity, but he hated appearing like a fool. He had good reason.

More of the river appeared and beyond it - sunlight. Thirty-four moved past him, perching on a rock at the edge of the bank. The opening in the concrete wall seemed so easy to escape through. The forest on the other side was shaded by evergreen. Beams of sunlight filtered through the canopy, turning leaves emerald and gold. He felt like they were trapped in a nearly monochromatic bubble.

Boss knelt beside Thirty-four to examine the opening. "Why did they get rid of the pine trees?" she asked upon seeing how dense the forest was on the other side.

Boss noticed the stumps, too, but they weren't recently cut. "Aside from the force field, none of this is new. They've occupied this space. Less trees make for less cover." The force field was invisible except where the water filtered through - it flickered blue.

"How is this possible?" she asked.

Boss looked at her and blinked. "You can't be serious." He wondered where she came from, if she had never seen a Subterran or a force field.

"I've seen security force fields before," she said dryly, catching onto his tone. "But never one like this."

She was right. Police used bright yellow ones to block off areas. Construction workers used orange. Personal security force fields were very translucent, but never completely invisible. It didn't explain her never seeing a Subterran before, but he also lived a different life from most people. Boss appraised the shield. "I can't argue with that. This tech must be super rare, not to mention valuable. Or from somewhere else."

"I wonder where the Wall is coming from?" she mused.

He wasn't sure where her terminology was coming from to call it that, but he resigned to it. "The 'Wall' -" he made air quotes " - has to be a projection from something else, otherwise it couldn't just disappear when the mercs arrived. That's how other security fields work, anyway. We need to find out what's making it, what else it's being used for. We should go and find a place to hole up for the night. I'll build another fire, we'll take a beat, then go over once it's dark. Then we'll already be there for the exchange in the morning."

"What about Click?"

It soured Boss's stomach to think of leaving anyone on their own. Thirty-four's sad expression only made it worse. "I don't know, but we'll get him out." His simple rescue mission had turned into three at least - his sister, Thirty-four and the Subterran. _Never easy, is it_?

She swallowed and blinked, as if she just avoided choking on something. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "Nothing."

* * *

While Boss made another fire, Vivian excused herself. She crouched behind a cluster of low boulders. She looked up into the empty slate air. "Lord, I'm thankful to be alive, that Beeb let me go. I'm glad there's someone out here to help, but..." She shuddered.

Beeb might be killed for what he did, Twenty-three's misshapen form still haunted her, and she had to go back for Click. None of it was her fault, but she still felt like she was responsible. Her neck and shoulders physically ached from the emotional weight.

"Please..." Vivian breathed out. She didn't know how to finish the sentence. Anything else she tried to say caught in her throat. She hung her head and blinked until the tears dissipated.

Boss had his hand in the jerky bag when Vivian returned. He offered her a piece. She rejected it politely and sat down across from him. Guilt gnawed worse than her hunger. She thought about checking the VID-LOG. She warmed her hands, chilled after having washed them.

Boss was watching her. "Don't you have anyone looking for you?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"I have a hard time believing you don't have anyone else." He popped a shred into his mouth. "No other family? Friends?"

"There's no one." She took a deep, defeated breath. "You mind if I close my eyes for a bit? I've spent the last two nights in a hole and I haven't been able to sleep."

Boss surrendered his interrogation with a nod. His brows were knitted together in concern but he didn't articulate it. He handed her the blanket roll.

"Thank you." Vivian turned her back on him and the fire, draping the blanket over her and using her arm as a pillow. She shivered.

"Um, Thirty-four?"

"Yeah?"

"You should wrap the blanket around you. Don't let the ground touch you directly. You'll be warmer."

Vivian resituated herself and settled back into position. He was right. "Thanks."

Vivian dreamt of the other place - where she first woke up. She was on the cell's concrete floor, walled in by four unconscious people. All of them wore suits like hers. One of them was Twenty-three, unharmed. Vivian was filled with relief. She spoke to him, but he didn't move.

She couldn't see the others' faces as they lay with their backs to her. One of them had long, dark hair like Catherine. Vivian drew the girl's shoulder back. She patted Catherine's cheeks to wake her up, but failed.

Vivian went to the other body, rolling it onto its back. The moment she did, she recoiled, seeing Boss's face smashed and covered in blood. It was near impossible to tell, but she knew it was him. An awful gurgling sound came from his gullet. Red froth bubbled from what was left of his crushed mouth. His head turned towards her, the movement unnatural. His bloody hands reached toward her. She scooted away from him.

Another hand clamped onto her shoulder. Vivian looked back to see Twenty-three, now the way he looked when she saw him last. He was starting to sit up. He pulled on her hair; she swatted him away. The fourth body was Beeb, pawing at her with crimson hands. Vivian pushed herself to her feet; Catherine swiped for her ankle, staring up past stringy, dark hair with a broken face. All of their faces were bloody meat.

Vivian hopped from the circle of them to the bars of the cell. The four dragged themselves along the floor toward her, making guttural, inhaling sounds like unholy creatures. They drooled blood and made trails along the floor as they crawled through it. Vivian slammed her hands on the bars. "Help me! Please!" she shouted.

She heard the door down the hallway. She stuck her arm through the bars and waved frantically. Two mercs marched by, carrying a body on a stretcher. It was her mother, her skin dead pale, eyes closed. Tears prickled Vivian's eyes as she felt eight hands clawing up her legs. She shut her eyes and screamed as they pulled her down.

" _Hey. Wake up_!"

Vivian gasped, opening her eyes. Boss was standing over her, his hand firmly gripping her shoulder. "What is it?" he asked quickly. The weak fire flickered behind him.

Vivian blinked and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "I'm sorry, I was dreaming."

"Having a nightmare, more like," he replied dryly. "You okay?"

Vivian didn't want to relive it and shoved it into the back of her mind. She inhaled sharply. "Yup."

Boss appeared to take her word for it. He looked up at the dim sky. "We'll move soon." He sat down on the other side of the fire.

Vivian yawned and stretched, itching through her hair. It was still damp. She loosened her ponytail to fix it - anything to distract herself from her nightmare and returning to camp. She didn't want to go back. It completely undermined what Beeb did. If the bandits learned the truth, Beeb would most certainly be killed. Ray might do it himself as a gesture of obedience to the mercenaries. _And Click is still there_...

"So, what were you dreaming about?" Boss asked in her silence.

Vivian debated her answer. "Twenty-three - the prisoner who hit the Wall, Beeb, my mom...you and your sister were there, too."

Boss's face cracked into a big, amused smile as he poked the fire with a stick. "It's only been hours and you're already dreaming about me, huh?"

Vivian's face flushed with embarrassment; she scowled at him and added the unpleasant details. "All of you had hit the Wall. Your faces were bloody smears. Then all of you were going _zombie_ for me."

He made a vaguely sympathetic face, his smile fading slowly before asking a more serious question. "How did it happen? How were you taken?"

Vivian hesitated. "It was in the middle of the night. Their ship landed in our front yard. I didn't hear anything until they broke in and Mom's rifle went off. I ran, like she told me to, but I didn't get far." Vivian couldn't bring herself to tell him that her mother had been killed. She didn't want to admit it to herself, even as the shot still echoed in her memory.

"You must be a heavy sleeper," he joked lightly. Vivian let his unintentionally rude comment slide as he continued. "I was on my way home when I heard the ship coming. I didn't get to Cat in time." Vivian was visibly suffering, which he noticed. "You seem upset," he said.

Vivian rubbed her eyes to smother the threat of tears. "I'm trapped in an electrified dome, held prisoner to be experimented on. Wouldn't you be upset?!" she retorted harshly. _Oh I forgot to mention - my mother's dead_!

Boss dropped his gaze, staring at the ground between his feet. His expression - embarrassed, guilty, sad - was unbearable, especially after her dream. She swallowed and opened her mouth to speak, only for them both to apologize in unison. They cautiously met each other's gaze.

"I didn't mean to snap at you," she added.

"I didn't mean to make you snap."

"You didn't." Vivian wasn't sure why she said that when he had, but it didn't feel like a lie. She was mad at herself, not him.

They stared at each other for a moment. He broke first, eyes to the sky. "We should go."

Sunlight waned much faster than it did outside the Wall, in addition to the shorter daylight hours of autumn. Vivian worked her way to standing. She tried to roll up the blanket before returning it. "Thanks for letting me use it."

He took the blanket, fixed her attempt, and strapped it to the top of his pack. "We'll go back to the waterfall, stash my stuff and cross to the other side."

Vivian handed him the VID-LOG. "Could you hold onto this for now?"

He took it, giving her a knowing look; she was trusting him with it. She decided that if either of them were going to survive, it would be him. He slipped it into his backpack with care.

Vivian slurped from the river's edge while Boss put the fire out. The forest was already quite dark. They kept to the bank as they returned to the waterfall.

"You still haven't told me your name," he said.

All of the terms her mother used would sound very weird coming from Boss (sweetie, honey, et cetera). He hadn't given her his first name, so she figured he wasn't comfortable giving it at the moment. "My last name is Grady," she said.

He gave one of his thoughtful nods. "Alright, Grady."

Upon reaching the waterfall, Vivian followed him across the dry stones. Her steps were less swift with her fear of tumbling into the frigid water again. Behind the curtain of water was a crack wide enough to slip through. Boss stowed his backpack inside.

Vivian's vision grew increasingly weaker as night descended. "Do you have a flashlight or something I can use?" she asked.

"We don't want to draw attention to ourselves," he said as they crossed over to the bandit side of the river. Once there, he slipped his goggles on. "That's better," he said. "Let's go."

Vivian's mouth twisted. "What about me?" she complained. She walked after him, who became a shadow amongst shadows. "My tripping around will definitely get us caugh- _oof_!" She bumped into him. She couldn't see, but she knew he looked at her. "See?" she hissed through her teeth.

He snorted. She glared up in his direction and he snickered. She had a hold of him, so she smacked whatever it was. "Just stick with me. I'll make sure you don't trip over anything."

Attached to his arm, Vivian kept behind him as they moved forward. She listened to the rustle of the forest floor beneath their feet. Boss maintained a straight path, veering to either side as little as possible. She became more and more disoriented as time went on.

"You're pulling me down," he groused quietly.

"I'm sorry, but I can't see," she whispered. "If you'd given me a flashlight -"

"Shh, listen." Boss froze. Vivian imitated him, her grip tightening subconsciously. The ground vibrated. She held her breath for a moment. It trembled again.

# Seven

"Crap," Boss breathed. "This way." He put Vivian in front of him as he walked. He pushed her shoulders to crouch down. Vivian's eyes caught a fleeting pass of light. It wasn't firelight. The tremors grew stronger with each thud.

"What is that?" she whispered.

As it got closer, the searchlight vaguely outlined their surroundings. Boss and Vivian were hiding behind a large rock. Boss's hands tensed on her shoulders. She covered her mouth, breathing out her nose. The mechanical sounds that accompanied the movement were on the other side of the boulder. The light went just over their heads, swiping along the trees in front of them.

Vivian held her breath, praying in her head. The sounds began to fade, the sensation ebbed and the light withdrew. Boss very carefully peeked around the side of the boulder. Vivian inched to join him, seeing the back of a ten-foot robot. Its movement was rocky as it shifted from one leg to the other.

"It's a mech," Boss said quietly. "That's the reason why I don't burn fires at night. I've been dodging their patrols ever since I got here, but never on this side."

Vivian knew of agriculture mechs that farmers used. It shouldn't have surprised her that there was a weaponized version. The fact that she didn't know made her feel naïve.

Boss's mouth hardened beneath his goggles. "Something's wrong. It shouldn't be here."

"What do we do now?"

"We keep going. Away from him." The mech's light shrank away, leaving them in darkness again. Vivian held onto Boss's arm and they continued. Vivian had no idea how they were going to get Click out - if they made it that far.

"How do you know where the camp is?" Vivian asked.

"I almost walked right into it after I cut myself free from my harness. I didn't know they had prisoners. I thought they were only at the compound."

Vivian imagined Boss hanging from a tree by a tangle of ropes. "You know where the compound is? Why have you been watching the bandits, then?"

"I lost my gun trying to climb in." He sounded a little embarrassed to admit it. "It hasn't been a good few days for me."

The comment should have done the opposite of comfort her, but it made her feel like she wasn't the only one struggling. "Makes two of us," she said.

Finally she saw the orange haze of campfires burning, silhouetting the length of the camp. Vivian let go of Boss as they stalked through the trees. The camp was suspiciously quiet; only two voices could be heard. Boss stalked toward them; he stopped behind a large oak tree. He lifted his goggles up and pointed at the end of the camp where she was first exchanged. It was Johnson. He stood before the group of bandits alone. Ray mirrored him, his men a few paces behind.

Vivian's face numbed with rage. "That's Johnson, the one who came into my house," she said. The one who killed her mother. "There should be more with him," Vivian whispered.

"I don't think this is an exchange," Boss said ominously. "I bet the bandits don't know about that mech snooping around, either."

"How did she escape?" Johnson asked monotonously. Vivian swallowed.

Ray shirked, throwing his hands up. "She attacked one o' mine and ran."

"This is the second one you've lost." Johnson's head moved as he scanned the bandits. "Who did she attack?"

Ray raised his hand, motioning for the bandit in question to step forward. Beeb came to his leader's side. Johnson appraised Beeb. Even from a distance, Vivian felt its chill.

"Is that him?" Boss asked. "The one who let you go?"

Vivian nodded. Her insides tightened. If they found out the truth... Vivian's nightmare ran through her mind again.

"When are we getting more supplies anyway?" Ray continued boldly.

The mercenary ignored Ray, his cold eyes on Beeb. His back was turned to her, but Vivian imagined a similar stoic expression on Beeb's face. Only now, Vivian saw Beeb as honorable (among thieves) and the mercenary as evil. "Explain yourself," Johnson said.

A beat of silence and Beeb lifted his chin. "I released her."

Johnson was the only one without a reaction.

"You what?" Ray bellowed.

Beeb faced his leader. "Sorry, Ray."

"Grady," Boss said to Vivian. "We need to get your friend before it's too late."

She watched Johnson remove his gun from its holster. "We can't tolerate anymore slip-ups," he said.

Boss grabbed her wrist to pull her away from the scene. "You can't help him," he said. Vivian couldn't tear her eyes away from Johnson as he pointed the gun to the back of Beeb's head. Beeb didn't move, face calm. "Grady, where?!" Boss insisted.

Vivian forced her eyes away and pointed down the length of the camp. "I-It's there! The chain-link!"

"Whoa! Nobody shoots anyone! We had a deal, Johnson!" Ray shouted as Vivian ran after Boss to the pit. Vivian jolted as the crack of the gunshot echoed through the night. _Beeb_! The other bandits howled in fury and scattered, opening fire with their rifles.

Vivian cringed at every gunshot. Boss tossed the one side of the fencing open. "Alright, buddy, we gotta move!" Boss greeted the Subterran.

Click dragged himself to his feet and reached up to Boss. He and Vivian each took an arm and hefted him up.

"Mechs!" a bandit screamed.

Rapid-fire overpowered the rifles, but it didn't sound like bullets. Vivian looked up to see the bandits making their way toward the pit. Her arm muscles burned. The air filled with unusual _pew-pew_ sounds from the mechs and the pops of rifle shots. She and Boss got Click over the edge, who flattened himself against the ground.

"Look out!" Boss shouted as he pushed Vivian. His body jerked sideways. She heard the bullet shred through fabric. He hunched over, snarling in pain.

"Boss!"

"Go!"

Click immediately retreated for the darkness of the trees; a mech trampled into the darkness after him. The bandits shot at him as he fled into the forest. Vivian crab-crawled backwards from the pit in the direction of the river. Why were they shooting them? Then, she understood. The deal was broken. Like Boss said: _bandits don't keep prisoners_.

Boss threw himself at a bandit that appeared around the outside of the tents and wrestled him for the rifle. Short, blue energy blasts created a sequence of mini-explosions in the dirt near Boss and the bandit. The thudding in Vivian's ears was so strong as she realized the second mech towered over her.

Its bright light shone on her. The arms were stiff and bent at the elbow. Its fists were fixed battering rams with barrels in the "knuckles". The machine was weathered and scratched. Vivian recognized Scar behind the illuminated glass face of the suit. He didn't shoot, taking a step closer. A bullet ricocheted off the back with a spark, startling Vivian. The mech turned around. The tackled bandit lay on the ground, fumbling with his bolt-action. Boss was gone.

Vivian pushed off the ground and ran away from the camp just before the mech opened fire. Cries were cut short. Vivian's mind replayed the memory of fleeing when she was abducted. She closed her eyes against the tears; she couldn't see with them open anyway. She stretched her arms out to feel her way through the forest. Her shoulder clipped a tree and her foot caught on a root. Her hands skidded against the cold ground.

Boss had been shot. Beeb was certainly dead. Her eyes stung with helpless tears. She got up but the darkness stole her balance. Something slammed into her arm. Her first thought - a bullet - made her cry out. Her body careened to one side as she was yanked forward.

"C'mon!" Boss had a hold of her upper arm, carting her with him. Vivian's fear partially melted into relief that he was alive and she wasn't alone again. She clung to him as they retreated to the river. Boss stomped into the freezing water. Vivian gasped as she stumbled in after him, catching a face full of backsplash. His arm kept hold of her as they trudged through the water. He helped her up behind the waterfall and into the cave.

All that existed in that moment was sound and cold. The surge of the water, shuddering breaths, and hammering hearts. Vivian wrapped her arms around her legs. The suit was semi-waterproof, but the cold remained. She hid her face as warm tears spilled over her chilled cheeks. She shivered as the cold traveled up her body. She prayed for forgiveness, for Boss and his sister and Click. She prayed for the pain to go away.

The wet scrape of Boss's boots drew near. "We'll wait here awhile." Boss exhaled shakily. "Are you hurt?"

Her hands burned from hitting the ground, but the skin wasn't broken. "No," she answered.

His flashlight clicked on. His skin shone with sweat or water, or both. The goggles rested on top of his head. He handed her the flashlight. "Hold this."

Vivian aimed it on his upper arm. There was a wet, black bloom of blood against the green canvas. He shrugged the jacket off, unzipped his black hoodie and pulled the wounded arm out with a grimace. The edge of his gray thermal sleeve was stained with blood as well. He widened the tear in his shirt to examine the laceration. "Just a graze."

Vivian closed her eyes in relief, wiping her tears. She hadn't realized how close he came to being killed. If Boss hadn't pushed her, that could have been her own shoulder. Or something worse. It was the second time in less than a day he kept her from dying, whether it be hypothermia or a gunshot. He risked a fatal injury to protect her and they were strangers. All she had done was put him in more trouble than he already had.

Boss tugged his bandana free from his neck and tied it around his bicep. "It'll be fine. You can go ahead and shut that off."

Vivian clicked the flashlight off. In the dark, her guilt germinated. Vivian was safe and alive and an entire group of people were dead. Beeb was willing to face the consequence of sparing her life. Boss took the bullet intended for Vivian. The hollow continued to swell inside her, devouring her hope. The gunshots echoed in her head. The screams...

A zipper. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I have to wring these pants out as best I can." She listened to the heavy sound of wet pants, followed by the trickle of water as he squeezed them. "We'll go back in a hour or so. Weapons, supplies..." He hissed in pain. "W-Where's that blanket?" he muttered to himself.

Vivian cringed with remorse. The hole inside her filled with the past few days' misery to overflowing. Vivian sniffled and sobbed into the crook of her arm. She wanted the nightmare to be over. She wanted to go home. _Oh, God, please, take it all away_...

Boss sat beside her. His hand came down on her back, below the base of her neck. She gave one hard sniff. "Sorry," she said nasally, her face buried against her knees. "I just -"

"There's nothing you could have done," he said, his voice low. He took the flashlight from her hand. With a small grunt of pain, he draped his wounded arm over her shoulders. His head bowed near her. "It's not your fault."

Vivian felt differently. Her face twisted into an ugly grimace. The sorrow and pain drained from her, trickling down her cheeks and dripping off the tip of her nose. She was aware of every channeling tear. Her throat tightened, choking her sobs.

They stayed that way for a long while until Vivian forgot he had been touching her. Boss's arm shifted to pat her back. "Better?" he asked.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Yes." She wasn't magically cured of her grief, but the pressure in her head had cleared enough that she thought about the present moment first and everything else second. "Thank you."

"Good. Um...you should probably go rinse your face off, then."

It took a moment for Vivian to process what he said. Her eyes widened. "Did you put those goggles back on?!" _He sat there and watched me ugly-cry_!

Vivian's mortified reaction sent Boss into a small fit of infectious laughter, proving her right. Vivian covered her face, groaning in embarrassment. "I hate you," she grumbled. Her skin was hot to the touch from sobbing - and now, blushing.

"Aw, gimme a hug..." he teased, poking her side. She squirmed away at the ticklish jolt and he laughed again. She lightly slapped his wounded arm, turning his laughter into an agonized growl. "Hey, watch it! I've been shot!"

Vivian stood and felt along the cave's wall. The mist sprayed her as she reached the opening. She cupped her hands and sloshed water onto her face. Once her face was washed clean, she felt her way back. Her feet slid into weighted fabric on the floor. "Are those your pants?" she asked.

Boss's cold hand found hers and led her back. "Don't panic, I've got my blanket around me until I warm up a little."

She sat down beside him and he scooched right up to her. "Now..." The screen of the VID-LOG illuminated his face. "Let's see what Beeb was willing to die for."

There were only three videos on the log, all from last year at about the same time. Boss tapped on the oldest entry. Three-quarters of the screen turned black, the bottom quarter left for video navigation. A loading dial spun as they waited.

A woman appeared with dark hair pulled back. She pushed her glasses up her nose before staring into the lens. People clad in lab coats shuffled in the background. " _My name is Dr. Olson. It's fourteen-hundred hours on June seventeenth, one-ninety-four After-Cataclysm. I'm the leading biologist on this project. We were drilling into the ground to take samples, when we hit something. A ship that has been buried here since the very end of the Cataclysm days. Here is the cut-out from the hull we made in order to get inside_."

Dr. Olson picked up the VID-LOG and pressed on the screen. The video switched to the second camera on the back of the device. Lying on a table was a rough cut of metal. " _It's made from steel, indicating it was one of the first ships attempted. Steel is inferior to the Clysmite that ships are now made with, which wasn't used as such until twenty-one After-Cataclysm. It's likely the ship crash-landed due to its weight. The outside is heavily corroded, but the inside appears to be_ -"

" _Olson, we have a problem_!" another scientist said in the background.

The video ended and returned to the list.

"Okay..." Boss drawled warily. He tapped on the next video.

Dr. Olson was obviously tired. She looked at her watch. " _It's about twenty-two hundred hours_." She sighed and removed her glasses to rub her eyes. " _Today, we lost someone. Dr. Damien went against my orders and entered the ship alone. He found something that I thought was eradicated long ago. Damien has been experimenting behind my back. His blatant disregard for safety protocol got Bob killed."_ She was quiet for a minute, shaking her head. _"I terminated Damien from the project and we escorted him from the premises_." She picked up the device and showed Bob: a dog, his head smashed in and some of his skin charred.

"Was that like -"

"Like Twenty-three," Vivian affirmed.

"... _As for what he found, my colleagues and I have agreed to destroy it. It's too dangerous if it were in the wrong hands. It's all such a waste_." She turned off the video.

Boss's finger hovered over the final video before pressing it.

Dr. Olson was no longer in her lab coat. Her hair had come loose from its ponytail and she was aglow with sweat. The background was completely black. " _Damien_ -" She broke into a groan and looked down at something out of view. " _Damn_ ," she growled to herself. She was trembling. " _He came back. He wasn't alone_." Her eyes glassed with tears. " _They killed everyone. All of my_ -" Her voice broke and she groaned again. Her head snapped up, eyes wide with alarm. She stared into the camera. " _Whoever's watching this - it must be destroyed. Please_." She stared pleadingly into the camera before her finger stopped the recording. There was blood on her hand. The VID-LOG returned to the list.

Boss released a deep breath.

# Eight

Neither of them slept as they waited, huddled together. She was cold, he was wet, and both were bone-tired. Boss's goggles hung from his neck; he didn't dare use them on Grady, lest she hit his gunshot wound again. Boss didn't regret being shot, though he was grateful it had been a minor injury. It was a stupid idea in hindsight, considering his mission was to get his sister back. He wasn't thinking when he pushed Grady out of the way; he simply reacted.

She was pretty torn up. _Who wouldn't be_? He dealt with a few gunfights in the past, but never a stone-cold massacre. Obviously, it wasn't the first time these mercenaries had cleaned house. Bandits were one thing, he supposed, but those scientists from the VID-LOG? He shook his head.

"Boss?" Grady asked very quietly.

"Hmm?" he hummed.

She hesitated, not expecting him to answer. "Um, how did your sister and her boyfriend meet?"

Boss didn't say anything at first, confused by such a normal question. "Cat and I met him on a brief trip to Australia. He owns a motorhome. Will's pride and joy, named the _Burra_ , as in -"

"Kookaburra," she guessed. "Odd name for a ground vehicle."

"He wants to fly," Boss said. "He's been working on designing an upgrade - a ship. Although, he just recently came into possession of some thrusters and has been trying to jimmy-rig them onto the trailer. I don't even know if they work." He chuckled. "The day I find out is probably be the day I'll die. Anyway, Will and my sister just about fell head over heels for each other. It's quite sickening, really." He smirked, rolling his eyes. He was honestly happy for them, but it made his insides twist - just a little.

"Sounds like you live an exciting life," Grady said.

"I'm a bounty hunter. And I have plenty of bad days, trust me."

She leaned away from him, the warmth she generated going with her. "Isn't a bounty hunter like a mercenary?"

His eyes widened in offense, even if she couldn't see it. "What - no! Mercs don't care about anything but their payment. I have a code. I only do a job if it meets my requirements. If it's gonna die, there has to be a good enough reason. Like, it's overtaking an area or wreaking havoc. And if I have to retrieve someone or something, I make sure things are on the up-and-up."

"Bounty hunter," she murmured to herself. "So that's why you're not freaking out like I am."

"I've been through worse," he said rather solemnly. "But this is pretty bad."

Grady was silent for a moment, her warmth closer again. It made him itchy, wondering what judgements she was making about him. "I think it would be cool to fly in a ship," Grady mused.

Boss blinked, frowning in confusion. "Wait a minute - you've never seen Subterran before, and now you're telling me you've never been in a ship?"

"No," she said quietly.

"Anything that hovers?"

"The school bus hovered..."

He laughed silently.

"What?"

"I just can't believe how...prehistoric you are."

Grady made an offended sound. "Thanks a lot!"

He smiled to himself. "Okay, your turn to be grilled. So far, I know you live with your mother..."

She missed a beat before retorting, "You makin' fun of me?"

"No, ma'am," he said, fighting a smile. "So, what do you guys do?"

He felt her shrug. "We ate what we grew and hunted. Nothing crazy like snatchers, though. And everything we didn't use, we sold in town."

Boss thought about how peaceful and innocent it all sounded. And how it was snatched away from her.

"What?" she pressed.

"Nothing. Honestly, that sounds like a good life." He was pleasantly surprised by how well she was holding up for someone so sheltered. Boss hoped it had been a good answer. Grady had to be about the same age as his sister or himself. She mentioned having no one else but her mother, which he assumed included a boyfriend. He thought about asking, but that meant he was interested. He rolled his eyes at his own internal ramblings. Whether or not he was interested, this was not the time or place to be looking for dates.

He avoided romantic inclinations after a fiasco in the Florida a year ago. His mind skirted away from the memory. He listened to the water running outside the small cave. One of Grady's feet moved just enough to make a small, scraping sound against the cave floor.

He couldn't take it anymore and held up his goggles to peek through. In the green, she was staring up at the cave ceiling. She looked frustrated - no, burdened. He thought he would try to remedy her melancholy expression. "You're holding up really well for someone who's never dealt with anything like this before."

Her mouth quirked, still unaware he could see her. "Really? I don't feel like it."

"Well, I think you are and I appreciate it."

He couldn't see any other color but green, but he would have bet that she was blushing then. "Thanks," she mumbled shyly.

He grinned in satisfaction. "I think we can go now," he said, leaning over to grab his pants. "They're as dry as their gonna get." He stood and put them on, gasping at the cold of them.

Afterward, he clicked the flashlight on, shining it between her feet. "Do you want to stay here?" he asked.

Grady straightened. "No."

Boss tilted his head, silently wondering if he should make her stay.

She gave him a bleak grin. "I'm good, really."

He saw the look on her face earlier. "There's going to be bodies..."

Grady swallowed. "You should have back-up."

Boss drew a breath. "Okay, but don't do anything you can't handle. I don't want you barfing all over the place. It'll start a chain reaction. Agreed?" He handed the flashlight to her.

He was serious, but it stretched her mouth with a thoroughly amused grin. "Agreed."

* * *

While Boss wrapped the blanket back up and tucked his pack away, Vivian went outside the cave. When she had her bearings, she clicked the flashlight off and refreshed her face. She swished, gargled and spat. Boss joined her and she shone the light at his feet, catching him pull both of his hoods over his head. "Ready?" he asked.

Vivian nodded. She dreaded going back, but she didn't want to be alone.

He held something out to her. "Here you go," he said.

"Is that gum?" She took the piece and unwrapped it, inhaling the mint.

He started chewing a piece of his own. "A pack of gum took up less space than a toothbrush and paste. I wasn't gonna waste any on you if this wasn't gonna work out."

She stuck her tongue out at him before slipping the minty strip in her mouth. He winked.

Boss and Vivian headed back to the camp. Maybe it was the gum or that he gave her other things to think about, but she felt better after such a terrible event. Vivian stared at the blood stain on Boss's jacket as he walked ahead of her. She felt a warm flutter inside, followed by a pang of guilt. People were dead, and she was getting butterflies? She mentally chastised herself, but not before adjusting her ratty ponytail and smelling herself. She grimaced.

Even with a flashlight, her feet managed to find things to trip over. Being tired made it all the more irritating. "Why aren't we waiting until later?"

"The chances of the bodies stinking is a lot lower right now."

Vivian wrinkled her nose. So far, all she smelled was campfire smoke. Her memories of that scent used to be so pleasant. She hoped her old memories overpowered the new ones she had made - particularly last night.

As they reached the campsite, the smell of blood stuck to the back of Vivian's tongue. Metallic, but unmistakable. The fires that weren't stomped out by mechs had dwindled to cinders. Smoke blended with the surrounding fog.

"No mechs in sight," Boss said lowly. "But let's not dilly-dally."

Vivian kept the flashlight pointed to the ground to catch any obstacles. She stopped dead in her tracks when she reached the first body. Max, on his stomach, a sweep of bullet holes where he was gunned down while fleeing. His head was turned to the side and tilted upward. She thanked the Lord that Max's eyes were closed.

Boss elbowed her gently. He didn't look at the body, his eyes patient and firm. "Remember - food, ammo, possibly clothes. We'll find guns that aren't attached to anyone."

Vivian nodded and set her gaze ahead, forcing herself not to look at Max again. She repeated Boss's objectives in her head like a mantra: _food, ammo, clothes_...

It didn't get easier as they wound through the dead bandits but the shock wore off. The ground was littered in footprints, shell casings and the occasional body. Deep, rectangular impressions - mech prints - were wide enough to fit three human feet side-by-side.

Boss bent down toward the next body, the dark-haired woman. Just out of her reach was a handgun. Boss checked the magazine for bullets, then stuffed the gun in the seat of his pants.

Vivian reached the center of camp. She pointed the light along the ground in the direction of the pit. She suppressed the sick feeling in her stomach. _I hope you're alright, Click_.

"We should split up," Boss suggested. "Which way to the leader's tent?"

Vivian directed him to the other end of camp where the stand-off had begun. Boss started off into the dark, checking over bodies in his path. Vivian went in the opposite direction, looting crates and strewn boxes for ammo.

Her flashlight swept over Beeb's face and she froze. He laid just outside a tent near the pit. He had bled out, his side soaked with blood. He must not have been the first shot she heard. His eyes were closed, his face smoothed of all scowling. Every fiber of Vivian wanted to get away from him but she knelt beside him instead. There was an irrational fear that he would come to life and grab her. Strands of silver blended seemlessly into his blond hair. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. To him, to all of them. She closed her eyes and raised her face to the sky, meditating heavenward for a moment. When she looked back to Beeb, she laid her hand over his cold chest and bowed her head. "Please, God, spare him like he spared me."

Boss hooted from the other end of camp, scaring her. Her brief fright melted into anger, then simmered into embarrassment. She headed in the direction of his noise and found him sticking his head out of a tent, his goggles pushed up on the crown of his head.

"I thought we were supposed to be quiet," she hissed.

His eyes zeroed in on her meager collection of ammo. "We have a survivor...kind of," he said, stone-faced.

# Nine

Vivian entered the tent. Propped up against an empty crate was Stephen, barely alive. He held a blood-soaked rag to his stomach. His skin was deathly pale and sweaty. Stephen glared at Vivian, then snorted. "If it isn't the one who did all this," he rasped. "They're all dead because of you. My brother is dead!"

She gulped. Boss stepped in front of her and squatted before the bandit.

Stephen erupted into a hacking fit. A string of bloodied saliva dangled from his stained lip. "And who are you?"

"Looking for my sister," Boss said. "Number..." Boss looked up at Vivian for help.

"Sixty-seven," she whispered.

"Sixty-seven?" Boss repeated to Stephen.

Stephen shook his head. "Just the box. I guess they'll expedite her to the front of the line, now. You can thank _her_ for that." Stephen's red-rimmed eyes lifted to Vivian.

Vivian backed toward the tent opening.

"Yeah, run away again," Stephen continued. "Don't forget to say goodbye to Beeb!" Stephen broke into another coughing fit.

Fury burned inside Vivian, setting her heart racing. She debated throwing a box of bullets at him. She marched toward him but Boss was on his feet, taking hold of her shoulders. "You're just as much to blame for what's happened!" she snapped at the dying man, her eyes lining with fresh tears.

"Okay, wait for me outside," Boss said, looking her in the eye. "Please."

Vivian chewed on her lip and withdrew. She heard Boss ask Stephen. "Do those boots belong to you, friend?"

Vivian ground her teeth and stomped away. She checked every crate for her number. She walked around each tent, making her way down the camp. She drew the flap of the tent near Beeb's body and slipped inside. There was a dirty sleeping bag on the ground next to a crate of canned food. She crouched down and dragged the crate to her, examining the contents. A can of peaches and a few more of chili. She murmured a _thank you_ and pushed it near the entrance.

There was another crate turned upside down with a number burnt along the side: _034_. A shovel stuck in the ground next to it. Vivian wondered if the tent belonged to Beeb, and he crawled all the way over in the hopes that she might find it. It may have been ludicrous but she needed to believe it wasn't just coincidence.

A small bundle of clothing rested under the crate. Her sweats and t-shirt - her pajamas. She hugged them to her face. Either they smelled like home or she was just imagining it due to homesickness. There was no sign of her necklace. She put her clothes in the food crate. She opted out of the sleeping bag once she caught a whiff of its odor. She picked up the crate and exited the tent.

Along the other line of tents, Vivian passed the redheaded she-bandit and the gray canvas jacket. She knelt down next to the body. Vivian didn't want to pull it off of the dead woman, but she stole it. Vivian thought Boss and his sister would want it back. She took a deep breath and set the crate down. She pinned the flashlight between her teeth. _Lord, forgive me for looting the dead_. She lifted the bandit's arm upward and peeled the jacket away from the shoulder. The bandit's arm was already stiff and difficult to bend. Vivian whimpered when she heard the shoulder socket pop from being twisted. Once the first arm was free, the second was much easier. Vivian shook out the jacket, sending a cloud of dirt up into the air. Three holes marked the back, stained with dry blood.

Vivian put the jacket in the crate. _Boss had better thank me for this_ , she thought.

She packed the crate back to Boss. She heard him inside Ray's tent, opening and closing drawers. Inside, she saw his sister's box on a desk that he had begun to fill. Stephen's boots lay next to it.

"Boss?" she called quietly, setting her box on the ground.

He stood up from behind the desk, his head appearing from the crate atop it. He looked pale.

Vivian stepped closer. "What is it?"

He walked around the desk with something in his hand. "This was in one of the drawers..."

Vivian shone the light on his opened palm. It was a gold chain bracelet with a small heart charm. A pair of initials were engraved on the charm: _CS_ on one side and _WW_ on the other. Catherine and her boyfriend, Will.

Boss's expression was the saddest he had made because it was bittersweet. Hopeful yet disturbed. Vivian placed her hand on his shoulder. "We'll find her. And when we do -" She pulled the jacket up from her crate "- we'll give her this, too."

Boss's eyes widened when he saw it. "Where -"

"That's it for me removing clothes from dead people. Forever."

He snorted, a soft smile on his face as he held the jacket in his hands. He ran his finger along the embroidery. "She did these." There was a twinkle in his eyes as he spoke. Based on the photo of his sister, her eyes had a brown tint, but his were almost grayish or jade. He caught her staring, scrunching his brows. "What?"

She shook her head, uncomfortably warm. "Nothin'."

He didn't believe her, faintly smirking. "No, tell me," he pressed curiously.

She drew a breath. "I just noticed your eyes were..."

His shallow sobriety dissolved into a wide grin and he fluttered his eyelids. "What about my eyes?" he cooed.

Vivian rolled her eyes, biting her bottom lip to avoid smiling. "Did you kill Stephen for his boots?" she accused.

He gave her a long look. "No." He put the coat back in her crate and the bracelet in his pocket. "I thought you could use an upgrade." She grimaced as he put the boots in his box. "If it makes you feel better, he died before I took them."

Vivian's eyes flicked to the boots in disgust. "It doesn't.

He picked up the rifle that leaned against the desk and handed it to Vivian. Vivian slung the rifle strap on one shoulder. Boss did the same with the shotgun. "Ready?" he asked.

They took their crates and exited. Morning was just beginning to illuminate the forest. Vivian paused to looked back toward the Beeb's body.

"What is it?" Boss said.

Vivian knew they didn't have time to bury anyone. "I want to move him into his tent." She put her box down. "I'll be right back."

"I'll help you.." He put his gear on the ground.

"No, I don't want you to have to do that -"

"I'm not leaving you to move a corpse by yourself. Besides, these are nothing compared to a Nightmare."

"You've seen a Nightmare?" Nightmares started out as a Cataclysm virus, until humans developed natural immunity to the mutation. Now, Nightmares were their own species. They had thick, smooth, scaly hide - usually darkened shades of yellow, green or brown. Their humanoid posture was hunched, and their arms were slightly elongated. They had giant, glass-blue eyes and a mouth protruding with needle-like teeth. They had a pair of small nostril holes, however their sense of smell was virtually nonexistent.

He walked over to Beeb, examining the body. "Yeah, I try to keep away from 'em..."

Vivian took Beeb's shoulders and Boss took his legs. The dead weight made her ill. They brought him and laid him on top of the sleeping bag. Vivian stood over him, staring at the body. Tears glazed her eyes. "I'll help you get Catherine back," she said. "It's kind of ironic actually. If none of this happened, she and I would have been exchanged. Maybe I should've stayed -"

"Stop," Boss said. "Don't blame yourself just because a dead bandit did." The words themselves were cold, but not the way he said them.

As Boss and Vivian were on their way back, she noticed he was leaning over to peek into her box. "Did you find your things?" he asked with a polite smile.

"Not everything. My necklace is still gone."

"Maybe we can go back and look for it..."

"No, I know where it is." When his brows scrunched down, she added. "Johnson."

He made a face like he smelled something bad.

# Ten

Boss and Vivian returned to the cave, barely fitting with their accumulated goods. Boss was very proud of their collection, with the majority of goods coming from his loot. Matches, ammo and an old first-aid tin - not to mention the weapons. He picked up a silver tin and read the print along the side, "Nuts."

"Yes, you are," Vivian joked with a straight face.

He pursed his lips, eyeing her slyly. "Alright, what about this bar of gold?" He held up a used lump of soap.

Vivian gasped, holding her hands out for it. "Oh, this is great! Now, I've just got to get a hold of a shower."

Boss grinned widely. "May I suggest the waterfall right outside?" He gestured to the cave exit with a twirl of his wrist.

Vivian gulped. "It's freezing!" And she would be outside...naked.

Boss shrugged. "Alright," he said, his voice raising an octave. He plucked the soap from her. He removed the pistol he acquired along with his knife. He pulled his boots and socks off and stood, soap in hand. "I'm gonna wash what I can."

Vivian took Stephen's boots and her pajamas from her box and set them aside to wear. She decided to keep the suit on beneath her clothes, if only for another layer. Boss's jacket and hoodie tumbled inside from the entrance. A gray thermal. Then his pants and underwear and the bandana that was on his wounded arm.

Boss poked his head back in. "Don't be sneakin' a peek."

Vivian covered her face, blushing furiously. "Shut up!"

He let out that sharp, infectious laugh again. Shortly after there was a shrill gasp and he exclaimed something in gibberish. Vivian smiled wickedly. After a few minutes, Boss reached in with a wet hand for his old pants and underwear. Then he reached again, flapping his hand as he stammered, "Qu-Quick! P-Pants!"

Vivian grabbed the new pants and put them in his hand. It retreated. She snickered to herself, taking too much amusement in his suffering. Boss used his barefoot to drag his shirts to him. He stepped inside as he zipped up his hoodie layer. His hair was only partially wet; he must have avoided a full submersion. He shakily put his socks on and got his blanket, cocooning himself within it.

Vivian smirked. He simply smiled back, slightly shivering. "You're turn," he said with a deep breath.

Her humor faded as she thought of yesterday. She got up and marched outside with the soap. _Just get it done quickly_.

Vivian didn't want to strip down but she couldn't handle being partially clean. She swallowed her pride (and dignity), unzipped the suit and set it inside the cave entrance. She let her hair loose and scrubbed her scalp, underarms and every other crevice. When she was done, she could hardly breathe from the cold. It was so cold it burned. Like Boss, she stuck her arm inside. "Give m-me that thermal," she said. Her hand felt dry fabric and drew back quickly. She raked the thermal over her frozen skin, the fabric like sandpaper. After drying her body, she wrung out her hair. She switched the shirt for her suit, slipping it on quickly. The shoed bottoms had been roughly cut.

Boss was removing something from his pack when Vivian stepped back inside. "What did you do to my suit?" she asked.

"I've got extra socks for your boots. Those suit-shoes are nasty."

Vivian didn't argue the point. She went to the pile of clothes and put on the sweats and t-shirt. She sat down and started untying the knots on the boots. Her fingertips were numb, making the task a little more frustrating.

Boss sat next to her, a pair of socks in hand. "Was it worth it?" he said, smiling. He wasn't stammering with cold, but he was breathless from it.

Vivian shuddered, still suffering from a brain freeze. "W-We'll see."

He chuckled. He set the socks in her lap and took the other boot, tugging at the strings. Once Vivian got the shoestrings undone, she forced a sock onto each foot. She thanked Boss for helping and dipped her feet into the boots. She managed to tie them weakly and let out a shaky breath. The cold made her tired. He wrapped his arm around her along with the blanket, rubbing her arm to generate heat.

"H-How're your pants?" she asked him.

"They fit." Boss reached with his foot to bring his crate closer. He rifled through it with his unoccupied arm. Beneath the cans he picked out a vacuum-sealed baggy. The contents were labeled on the foil side. "We got...beef jerky here." He handed it to her and she opened the bag.

The texture was more "normal" than the snatcher jerky. Vivian put a piece in her mouth and chewed it. Boss watched her eat it, as if waiting for her to retch or fall dead. The jerky wasn't as flavorful as Will's but she liked it. "It's good," she approved.

Boss got himself a piece and tore into it. He judged it with more scrutiny. "Not bad, I guess," he shrugged. He took the tin of nuts, broke the seal and began picking some out. "Here." He dropped them into her cupped hand.

Before she ate anymore, she closed her eyes and prayed silently to herself: _Thank you, Lord, for this food. Guide us out of this place and help us find Cat. Amen_. Boss was staring at her when she opened her eyes. "What?"

"Were you praying?" he asked, neither humor or disdain in his voice.

"Yeah...why?" Vivian wasn't embarrassed to be caught, but that he had been watching her.

Boss shook his head, expression not-so innocent. Then he reached into his pocket for his sister's bracelet. He looked at it for a moment before tightening his fist around it. Boss closed his eyes tiredly. "Do you really believe? Even after everything that's happened?"

It was hard to think with the cold. Vivian let his question simmer. When she thought of who was at fault for everything, it wasn't God. "I don't blame God for the cruelty of people. He didn't kill Twenty-three or those bandits." Or her mother. She was also thinking that her feelings of loss and loneliness had lessened significantly after last night when Boss comforted her, and she was thankful to the Lord for it.

Boss nodded. "I suppose you're right. There's nothing we can do about what's already been done." Boss tightened his grip as a wave of cold washed through him. "All we can do is make sure no one else suffers."

Vivian nodded in agreement. "Do you pray?"

He pouted thoughtfully. "More than most, I suppose. You don't survive out there without some kind of help."

"Have any of them been answered?"

He scratched his scruff, chuckling. "For one, I didn't break my legs when I dropped in here. I lost my contact to Will, but then you showed up." He half-smiled at her.

The flutter in her stomach didn't last long when she muttered, "All I've done is get you shot."

Boss made a fist with the arm that wasn't around her and lightly clipped her chin. "Well, at the very least, you're fun to mess with. And now you smell better, too."

She pursed her lips. "Thank you," she responded dryly.

"Seriously, though - I'm glad not to be stuck here alone."

Vivian turned her face away, hating herself for being so easily drawn in by the simple compliment. "Me too."

He shivered again. "I'm starting to regret that bath. I'm f-freakin' cold!"

Vivian's suit helped a great deal more than she thought. She uncoiled herself from him and wrapped the blanket tighter around him, pulling it up around his ears. Then she put her arms around him and and rubbed for friction as he had done.

He sighed. "Thanks."

"I owe you." They settled into a comfortable silence for a moment. Vivian thought about how different everything would have been if Boss hadn't dropped on her. She looked out the cave opening. "Do you really think we'll make it?"

He didn't answer for a moment. "Yes."

"Without a doubt?" she added skeptically, looking at him.

There was a calm determination when he spoke - all humor aside. "I refuse to let doubt ruin our chances."

It was such a solid thing to say, anchoring inside her. She had to stop looking at him, hyperaware of their closeness. "Sounds good to me." Vivian couldn't help the nervous jitter in her stomach. Or perhaps she was just freezing to death again. Vivian drew a deep breath. "So, what's our next step? Infiltrate a camp with mechs for guards?" Then she added in a high-pitched, happy voice, "We're gonna die!"

Boss's face split into a bright smile, chuckling. "You saw how easy it was for us to sneak around one. I think our best shot at getting there is to track a mech down and follow him back."

Vivian didn't like that idea.

"We'll check it out, see what we can see, then make a better plan after that. If all goes well, I'll find Cat and maybe we can upgrade our weapons."

They each took a pinch from the container of nuts. Boss chewed intently as he looked at the bracelet again within his cocoon. He analyzed it as if it would magically give him new information.

"So, what do the initials stand for?"

"Catherine Shepard and Will Wellaby."

"Wellaby?" Vivian repeated. "Never heard a name like that before."

Boss picked through the tin. It's Australian," he said absently.

Vivian couldn't help but grin, thinking of the handsome gent in the photo. "That's cool. With the accent and everything?"

He rolled his eyes in mock-bitterness. "Yeah, everybody loves him," he snipped.

Vivian made a mental note of his reaction. "So, that makes your last name Shepard?"

He nodded. "Yup." He worked his tongue at his teeth to clean them.

Vivian thought about asking to exchange their whole names, but maybe he wanted to keep their acquaintance as merely that.

He snapped his fingers. "Jessica! It's Jessica Grady."

Vivian gave him a befuddled look. Boss hadn't asked her name, yet he felt the need to guess? He certainly was strange. "Um, no. Matt?"

"Nope." He paused to think. "Betty?"

"Ok, stop it. If you really want to know, why don't you just ask?"

He gave her look. "It's Betty, isn't it..."

"No, but I'm not gonna sit here while you comb through your mental archive of girls' names trying to figure it out!"

His face lit up. "Ah, I got it this time!"

Vivian cut him off. "No."

* * *

Grady curled up in the corner, using Cat's jacket as a pillow. Boss draped the blanket over her, feeling much better after she helped warm him. He watched her snuggle down into the blanket, her features scrunching for a minute before relaxing again. After some soap, her skin was less sallow. Boss self-consciously itched his sprouting beard. Neither of them were looking their best, yet it gave him some comfort. He had been screwed over by a deceptively beautiful woman before. Not that Grady wasn't beautiful - he sighed at his internal mutterings. _Get a grip, buddy_.

After bandaging his arm, Boss distracted himself by taking inventory of their loot. He checked the nuts off his mental list, planning to finish them before getting some sleep. Something caught his attention at the bottom of Grady's food box. He quietly removed everything to get to the item. It was his parachute harness. He cut himself free when it tangled in a tree. The frayed ends of the ropes were gathered together in a basic knot. Grady must not have seen it or she would have mentioned it.

Boss wanted to know: who found his harness, took the time to untangle it from the tree branches and hide it away? His best guess was Beeb. He tried to make things right before he let Grady go. It was possible, knowing someone might be out here, that Beeb thought Grady stood a chance.

Boss thought about the events. First, hanging from a tree with no plan, no hope or contact to the outside. Now, things were coming together and he wasn't alone. His intellect called it coincidence, but his heart called it fate. It both encouraged and bothered him.

# Eleven

Her mother was in trouble and Vivian had to save her. She ran toward the house as her mother stumbed out, eyes wide and full of tears. "Run!" she screamed at Vivian.

Vivian ignored the order. Johnson came out of the house behind her mother. Her mother tried to herd Vivian to run in the other direction. The sound of the gunshot exploded into the air and the dream went black. Vivian's brain recognized she was in that limbo state between sleep and waking life. She felt arms wrap around her. They made her feel warm and safe. She had an idea of who the arms belonged to. The idea made her question if she was actually dreaming, or if...

She instantly woke up by herself. "Bad dreams again?" Boss asked quietly.

She gulped, face flushing. She rolled over to find Boss squatting at the cave entrance, binoculars at his eyes. The day was ebbing away, the scenery oxidizing. Boss scanned each end of the waterfall where the forest could be seen. Vivian rubbed her face and itched her eyes. The blanket was wrapped around her, but she hadn't taken it when she went to sleep. Now that she wasn't so cold, she could really appreciate being clean.

"About your mom?" he continued.

"How -"

"You were talking."

Vivian hugged her knees. "Just a version of the night I was taken." She took consolation that she hadn't spoken during the brief dream about him. It frustrated her that she was thinking about such things, but it didn't change the lingering sensation.

"You said no one's looking for you...what about your mom?" he asked.

There wasn't any reason not to tell him about her, but it wouldn't come out. "Where would she start?" Vivian changed the subject. "Did you get any sleep?" She crawled near the entrance where he was.

"I was sleeping until _someone_ woke me up," he said sarcastically, earning a deadpan from Vivian. "Then I heard a mech. I'm waiting until he circles back around. Then we'll have to move, so be ready. If all goes well, we'll be there and back once it's dark."

Vivian had nothing to do that would make her ready. She found the bag of jerky from the crate and ate a piece. Without stopping his spying, he held out his hand. She planted a piece into it. "So, Mr. Shepard, where do you call home?"

"Besides the _Burra_? Pacific coast, up near Canada. I haven't been there in years, though," he continued, stuffing the dried meat into his mouth. He smirked a little. "We had a pet shark."

Vivian remembered reading about sharks in books and pursed her lips. "No you didn't..."

"Yes we did!" he argued childishly. "I've got a tooth back at the _Burra_."

Vivian shook her head in disbelief and plucked another jerky piece. "They're extinct. And they weren't tameable. You could probably get fossil teeth anywhere."

He lowered his binoculars, one eyebrow raised. His eyes were taunting her and a deadly smile lurked within the chewing motion of his mouth. He swallowed the bite. "I can prove it right now," he challenged.

Vivian lifted her eyebrows at him, silently accepting. He set the binoculars on his other side. He unzipped his sweatshirt and started shrugging out of it and his jacket. Vivian leaned back, suddenly nervous. "What are you doing?" she asked warily.

"It bit me. I'm showing you the scar." He pulled at the neck of his gray long-sleeve beneath. Vivian tilted forward, propped on her arm. A _U_ shape of puckered skin dipped down from his shoulder toward his collarbone. He twisted his body, running his fingers over the matching half on the other side. The scar was old and pale in the low light. The jaws had been a little larger than a baseball. She almost touched it but stopped herself. "Believe me now?" he asked, grinning victoriously as he straightened.

"It wasn't another animal?" she asked skeptically, leaning away.

"The shark was young at the time. When it attacked me, my dad hooked it with his gaff. He scooped it up and decided to keep it."

Vivian let his story sink in. So, it may have proved that they encountered a shark and captured it, but not that it was a pet. A "pet" was safe to be with in the water. Or, he got bit by something else and the whole story was a lie.

"You don't believe me, do you?" He pulled his layers back over his shoulders, wincing at his wounded upper arm.

"I'm willing to believe you," Vivian surrendered.

"Getting bit by a shark is much less painful than a crocodile, in my opinion." He raised the binoculars back up to resume his watch.

"You've been bitten by a crocodile?"

"No, but I can tell you right now: I'd rather be bitten by a shark." He put his hand up. "Just my opinion."

Vivian crossed her arms. "Have you ever seen a crocodile?"

He hummed in affirmation. "How do you think I came up with that conclusion?"

"How big was it?" Vivian sounded like a little kid.

"A little longer than the _Burra_ , and she's a big motorhome."

" _Eeee_ ," Vivian groaned in her throat.

He removed the binoculars from around his neck, expression now serious. "It's time."

"Won't he hear us following him?" she asked as they stood.

"Let me put it this way: if you were driving a vehicle at night, even a quiet one, would you hear a person on foot sneaking up behind you? Not to mention their lack of rearview mirrors or cams. And if you didn't know you were being followed, the chances of you noticing someone behind you is even less. We'll just keep our distance and watch out for other mechs."

Boss and Vivian set out on the side opposite the bandit camp. Boss put a finger to his lips and pointed into the trees. The fog hid the mech well, but when her eyes adjusted, she could see it moving away. Boss kept close to trees and watched his steps carefully. Vivian imitated him.

Boss reminded Vivian of a cat and the mech was his oversized prey. Each purposeful step, shoulders tensed, his arms slightly raised from his sides. One hand held the binoculars. He stalked, keeping himself in its blind spots.

Being a bounty hunter, Boss was used to these things. His life must have been lived on a much larger scale than hers. It made her feel naïve and weak. Useless.

They followed the mech until the fog swallowed any trace of the river and its sound nearly disappeared. The forest was a repetitive cycle of trees, stumps and ground cover. It was difficult to determine the actual distance between the river and the compound. It could be a mile away, or yards ahead.

And somewhere, a ship lie dormant beneath them. Vivian wondered if Damien planned to resurrect the craft. And how did Johnson fit into the equation? Vivian clenched her teeth; the thought of him infuriated her.

The mech stopped and Boss's arm shot out from his side. They froze for a beat, two, then Boss pointed hurriedly at a nearby tree. They hid behind it, Boss stealing a glance after a couple breaths. The mech must not have been looking because Boss relaxed. He turned back to Vivian, speaking softly. "I think we're here. Keep close."

Boss took a second and then they were off. Vivian copied his hunched posture as he trotted from tree to tree. Boss stopped behind every other trunk, peeked, then moved again. Loud voices barked orders. Faint murmurs of conversations and mech movement filtered through the haze.

Boss stopped behind a large tree and squatted. He pointed to the slope of an embankment. "Let's get a better view."

Vivian strained to look over his head. The ground inclined toward a dense cover of bushes. Boss went first, partially crouched as he scurried uphill. Vivian waited a few seconds then followed. Boss found a spot almost completely enveloped in bushes. She slipped in beside him, kneeling down.

"There's the bastards," he exhaled. "I wish I had a rocket launcher right about now." He lifted his binoculars to the compound.

Vivian recommitted the compound to memory. The bunkers - pale, smooth concrete and trapezoidal in shape. The cluster of green tents were just down the hill from them. Mercenaries moved around in pairs. The mech they tailed stepped into the hangar-like entrance of the armory that faced them.

"So, that's where my sister should be?" Boss asked, pointing straight forward to the prison-bunker.

"It should be. That's where I woke up."

The double doors at the base of the tower opened. A pair of mercs carried a body away. Dark hair brushed against the ground. Vivian elbowed Boss. "Look!" she hissed. "Check the number."

He spied through his binoculars. His mouth thinned, turning down. "Yes." He swallowed. "Sixty-seven."

Vivian prayed that Catherine wasn't dead like the first prisoner she encountered. They packed her to the prison-bunker, disappearing through the door along the end of the building. Boss lowered his binoculars, eyes burning with rage. His jaw twitched beneath his stubble. Vivian didn't want to say anything that would make him worse. He hung his head, eyes closed.

Vivian looked back up as the same pair of mercs escorted a male prisoner toward the tower. His outfit was dirty from lengthy wear. It must have been the last one unaccounted for: Eight, the one she replaced. He didn't struggle, disappearing into the tower.

Boss rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't want to leave his sister. Vivian waited patiently. His jaw flexed again before he said quietly, "Let's go."

When they were far enough away from the camp, they ran. Or rather, Vivian tried to keep up as Boss ran.

He said nothing upon returning. No angry threats or promises to himself. He sat outside the cave, staring defiantly in the direction of the compound. Vivian opened a can of peaches to split between them. She put her half in the empty tin of nuts and gave him the rest. He took it but didn't eat.

Vivian sat down beside him and put her hand on his shoulder. His eyes slid toward her bitterly. She cringed. He couldn't have been mad at her but at the circumstance, however it didn't lessen the sting. She retracted her hand, bowed her head and closed her eyes. Vivian knew Boss's sister was alive and she would be okay. Despite all the uncertainties that swirled inside her, she felt sure of that. Until there was proof Catherine was dead, Vivian wouldn't let him lose hope. Not when there was a chance.

Vivian swallowed against the lump in her throat and began to pray. Her voice was softer and weaker than she wished. "Thank you, Lord, for this food. Give us strength as we get Catherine back..." Vivian halted when she felt Boss's hand, his fingers wrapping around her wrist. "...and bring us safely out of this place. Amen."

"Amen," Boss echoed hushedly. He let go of her when she opened her eyes. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I know." She tapped his can of peaches. "Eat."

They started to eat. He looked up at the sky, which was pointless for spotting anything. "I can't wait to get out of here," he sighed. "See the stars again."

"What's the first thing you're gonna do when you get out?"

He scratched his face. "A shower, shave and a haircut." He chuckled quietly.

Vivian tried to imagine how he might look without his filth, patchy beard and the beginnings of shaggy hair. She cut the thought off, afraid Boss would pick up on it. "A shower...with warm water. And a proper toilet. And underwear."

He picked up a peach and jiggled it. "Then eat. Anything hot. Not canned, dried or jerked."

Vivian closed her eyes, allowing herself to be tortured by the thought of food they didn't have. "Mmm, hot pizza." She could almost smell it. "And ice cream."

He grinned as he chewed. "That's what we'll do, then. We'll celebrate our freedom with pizza and ice cream."

# Twelve

It was barely first light when Boss nudged Vivian awake. She wouldn't have been so irritated, but she was sleeping peacefully and he ruined it.

"What?" she half-yawned, half-hissed.

"Can you fight?"

"...What?" she repeated, her voice high with frustration.

"Can you fight?" he repeated, enunciating each word. "If you're in a position where you have to go fisticuffs, can you?"

"I guess..." It couldn't be too hard to punch someone, especially if your life depended on it. She punched Beeb but that was different. Vivian wanted to punch a certain, scruffy someone right now.

"Well, humor me. C'mon, get up." He took the blanket from her and started wrapping it up.

Vivian sat up. "Now? Why?"

"I'll feel better if I make sure."

Her head rolled forward, still groggy.

"Catch," he said.

Vivian raised her head and a piece of gum hit her in the cheek just below the eye. She jolted, picking it off the cave floor and unwrapping it. Boss sputtered. "Oops, sorry."

She slipped the gum into her mouth, muttering bitterly.

He shouldered his backpack and clapped his hands. The sound was harsh to her fuzzy senses. "C'mon, Grady, we ain't got all day!"

Vivian wanted to throw something at the back of his head as he disappeared through the crack.

"We don't have time for this," Vivian complained as she trudged behind him. "We should be going back to the compound to get your sister." _Or sleeping_.

Boss walked through the woods on the bandit side, upstream from camp. He searched for a place for them to duke it out. Vivian seriously doubted a mercenary was going to put her in a position where she would be fighting in hand-to-hand combat.

As she walked behind him, Vivian noticed he was humming. He had hummed once before, when they were searching for the Wall after they first met. It was mostly under his breath and it sounded like the same tune. There was something familiar about it, but the intermittent pieces she caught weren't enough to piece together.

They reached an area completely clear of stumps and other foliage. Boss dropped his pack, glanced around, then faced her. He shrugged out of his jacket and hoodie and laid them over the backpack. Vivian spotted a clean bandage beneath the stained hole of his thermal.

Boss clapped his hands together, rubbing them eagerly. "Okay, take a swing at me." He loosened up and took a defensive stance.

Vivian brought her arms up, stepping lightly on on the balls of her feet. When his eyebrows shot up, she immediately stopped. "What!" she snapped.

He chuckled smugly. "This isn't a boxing match. You can't be dancing around." He waved his arm at her. "Now just come over here and try to hit me. But not in the arm, please."

Vivian's jaw slacked. "No problem."

He smirked amusedly.

She walked right up to him. His eyes watched her cock her right arm back. She knew he was expecting her to be ignorant; she counted on it. As he was paying attention to her right, she quickly swung her left, open-handed and stiff-armed across his face. He staggered sideways. The slap stung her own hand and the sound set her teeth on edge. Vivian bit her lips to prevent from laughing. He held his jaw, gaping wide-eyed at her. Her body trembled with silent laughter.

His gaze turned dark. "Touché. Now block." He launched his arm.

Vivian flinched and threw her arms up but he dished his own fake-out. He dropped and kicked out his leg, sweeping her own out from under her. Pain bloomed through her rear and hips. She hit the ground with her fist.

He smiled widely, cheek still red from the smack. "Now we're even."

Vivian found a rock in the leaves and chucked it at him. He ducked. She was on her feet in time to run up on him, swinging for a right hook.

He dodged it, backing away. "Good!" he said, a smile hidden in his concentration. "Keep going!"

She swung her left; he caught her wrist.

"Come on!" He egged her on. "Is this all they get after what they've done?"

Her mind flooded: Click's swollen fingers, Johnson's gun on Beeb, her mother. She snarled through her teeth, shoving her shoulder into Boss's chest. He was stronger and caught her charge, backing up to maintain his balance. He grabbed her ponytail, pulling back to lift her head up. His other arm wrapped around her upper arms, pinning her to him. She writhed against him, barely feeling the tug of her hair. She didn't look into his face. Her skin already throbbed with frustrated heat without meeting his eyes. This close and in the full light of day, she saw more old scars on the side of his neck. They looked like slices.

"Anger's not good enough," he said, slightly winded. "If you have to go against someone bigger than you, you're gonna need to use your -"

She thrust her forehead into his face. He fell back from her instantly. Vivian was dizzy for a few seconds, cupping her forehead. She could have jumped him while he was on the ground, but she saw blood and the fight vanished from her. She knelt down beside him. "I'm so sorry," she gasped breathlessly.

His teeth were stained from his bloody nose. "When I was going to say _head_ , I wasn't being literal. I'm not a pirate now, am I?" He bared his pink teeth at her, none missing.

She laughed a little as she breathed out. "Nope." She stood, extending her arm. "I really am sorry."

"At least it's not broken." He took her offer and got to his feet, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. He spat a bloody wad. "You're a feral creature, aren't you?"

Vivian hunched her shoulders and followed him back to his belongings.

"So, I think we'll go a little later than we did last night, then we can escape under cover of night." He patted the handgun sticking out of the back of his pants. "I'll give you a rundown with this, too."

"You don't want to fight anymore?"

He deadpanned her and she giggled.

Boss bent to reach into his boot, pulling out another knife. "Here. It's nothing much but it'll help." He took her wrist and put the knife in her hand, closing her fingers around the handle. He turned her hand over, palm down with the fixed blade pointed away from them. "The handle will give your punches more force, and the blade..." He flipped her hand back over, blade inward, and guided it to his side. The blade hovered at his ribs. "Into the lung," he explained, "or here." He raised her hand to his neck.

Vivian imagined trying to fight a trained merc. Boss had taken it easy on her, where she gave him all she had. She thought of what would become of her in a real fight. A mercenary would easily disarm her and shoot her with her own gun. Or stab her just like Boss demonstrated.

"Got it?" he asked.

"You're not the first person to show me how to handle a blade."

"Then why did you let me?" He bobbed his eyebrows.

Vivian didn't try to come up with an answer. She knew he was baiting her. "Thank you for the knife," she said.

Boss tilted his head to the side and smiled. He released her hand and pulled out the gun, discharged the magazine and handed her the weapon. "Ready for this? Or are you already familiar?"

Vivian held the weighty gun in her hand. Her mother had a rifle but Vivian had never fired a real, loaded weapon \- let alone a semi-automatic handgun. "I've watched and read about them."

"So, that's a no." He handed her the gun. "What do you do next?"

Vivian's knowledge of all guns was minimal, but she did know this was a test. He already removed the bullets. She ran her hand along the smooth barrel of the gun and gripped it, pulling it back. The bullet in the chamber popped out. Boss rolled his eyes, ego deflated.

Vivian beamed at him. "Ha. That's what you get for waking me up from the first peaceful night's rest I've had."

A smirk tugged one side of his mouth. "You weren't dreaming about me again, were you?"

She swallowed, her face red. He started laughing. It wasn't a mocking laugh, but it made her want to flick him in the nose. She wondered what he would do if she admitted to the truth.

* * *

Boss touched his nose tenderly, making doubly sure it wasn't broken. "I'm sorry," she repeated, even if she was grinning a little bit. "You look like you have a cold, now."

"Well, as long as I'm still my rugged handsome self, then everything will be fine." He stroked his facial hair jokingly.

Grady frowned mockingly. "Oh, yes. We can't let the strapping Aussie have all the attention."

Boss blinked, mouth agape in offense. "Oh, that was a low blow," he said.

She chuckled. "At least he's already taken."

"Yup. That bracelet was an engagement present."

"Aw," she gushed.

He rolled his eyes.

Grady squinted at him. "You know, I can't tell if you're stubbornly protective of your sister or jealous that she has someone."

Boss crossed his arms, pouting a little. "Bit of both, I guess. My sister's all the family I have left. But ever since Will picked us up that day, he's been on her pedestal. I'm glad she's found someone, but where does that leave me?" He exhaled, realizing all he said. "Now I just sound like a jerk."

Grady's mouth twisted in sympathy, eyes glancing around awkwardly. Boss wished he could go back to when they were flirting and she didn't see a jealous, self-centered creep. It had nothing to do with who Cat was marrying. He gave Will his full blessing, knowing he could take care of his sister. But Boss made a promise...

Grady leaned over and clapped her hand on his shin, snapping his attention back to her. "Did you ever think of it this way: you're not losing a sister, but gaining a brother-in-law?"

He glanced at her through his lashes, unmoved. "Nice try."

"Well, I don't see Will here. That's got to count for something."

"I made him stay behind. I'm having a hard enough time keeping myself in check. I couldn't go in guns blazing without knowing what I was dealing with. Will would've gotten us both captured or killed." Boss breathed through his sensitive nose. _Man, I am really making Will look good right now_...

"How about this," Grady began. "If Will loves Catherine as much as you claim, I'd assume he wouldn't let anything stop him from finding her - even you."

Boss worked his mouth around as he chewed on the theory.

"Meaning, he knows that you are the one who can bring her home. He trusts you. Or do they call you Boss for a different reason?"

He held onto his gloom for a little longer. Grady ducked her head into his line of sight, expression hopeful. He relented with a satisfied half-smile. Grady looked very happy with herself. "Thanks, Dr. Grady," he joked.

"I'll bill you later." Grady withdrew her hand from touching him and picked at her shoelaces. "You said she's all you have...what about your parents?"

Boss scratched the back of his neck. Part of him wished the entire conversation had never happened - but only a part. "Every year, we took a trip. It was always somewhere new. I think the tradition started when Mom and Dad had their honeymoon. Anyway, the last time we went - well, remember how I mentioned Nightmares?"

Grady covered her mouth. "Oh no..."

"Yeah. That was my first experience with them." He stared off as he recalled it. "Dad lured them away to protect us. Mom wouldn't leave him behind so she made me take Cat and run to the car. If she didn't come back in five minutes, she made me promise to leave. She made me promise to protect my sister no matter what. Five minutes came and went. So I drove off."

Grady shut her eyes. She quickly wiped a tear that slipped through. "I'm so sorry, Boss," she murmured. He hadn't expected her to react so intensely.

The memory had lost its sting after all these years. Now it was simply a fact and reminder. "I regret it everyday," he said matter-of-factly, looking at his palms. "But, taking care of a little sister is a lot more terrifying than any Nightmare." He chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood.

"How old were you?"

"Seven. Cat was four."

Grady shook her head. "I shouldn't have asked."

"If I wasn't willing to share, I wouldn't have." He glanced at the cave opening. The light was dissipating fast. He stood and offered her a hand. "Ready? I don't feel like we're ready." Now he was nervous. Everything had been to reach this point \- to get his sister back. Boss slung the rifle over his shoulder and picked up the shotgun. He looked at Grady's white-t-shirt over her suit and reached for his sister's jacket. "Here, wear this," he said.

Grady grimaced, likely thinking about the dead woman she had removed it from. She waved it away. "No, it's your sister's."

He insisted, shaking it a little. "For camouflage. At least you'll be one color."

Grady eased the jacket on, holding her arms out at her sides. Boss pursed his lips, eyebrows lifting as he took in her strange mixture of clothing. He snorted in amusement and approval before slipping his goggles over his eyes. "You want the handgun or the shotgun?"

# Thirteen

As they moved through the forest, Vivian's stomach worked itself into more and more knots. She was terrified that Catherine would be dead and they would be caught.

Vivian held onto Boss's arm to ensure she didn't trip. Eventually, she saw light coming from the compound and let him go. It was white, unlike the orange hue of the bandits' fires. Boss stalked ahead with his rifle, both he and the trees silhouetted against the silver backdrop. He stopped, raising his hand and gesturing her to come closer with two fingers.

"Can you see okay?" he whispered.

"Yup. What's the plan?"

He sighed. "We need to draw them away, then sneak in."

Vivian remembered the mech when they were at the bandit camp. He hadn't shot at her because she was valuable to them. She wondered if her suit was better "camouflage" than what she wore over it. Either way, Boss and his sister both needed to make it. They had someone waiting for them on the other side. She didn't. "How about you draw them away and I'll sneak in? They're less likely to shoot me on sight." _Maybe_.

He hesitated to answer. "Okay. Hang outside the compound. You'll hear me whistle right before I take a shot." He put his hand on her shoulder. It would have been a more meaningful moment if it weren't for those bulky goggles. "Be careful," he said.

Vivian nodded, mustering a smile. "You too."

He went to the left and she went right, praying to herself all the way. She crouched behind a tree that was close enough to see what was going on, while being hidden just inside the shadow of the armory.

Vivian's hands trembled around the handgun as she waited. She regretted not picking the shotgun, but Boss was going to need it more. She hated the idea of him being chased like a fox through the woods.

She tensed at every noise from the compound, ready for the next to be Boss.

From her position, she could see the wide door on the end of the prison-bunker to her right. She felt so restless, wanting to simply book it and see how far she could get. She stared at the dark length of the armory ahead of her. That was when she noticed a segment of dim light to the center-right, along the base of the armory wall. It was a door.

She could get in, if it wasn't locked, and get an upgrade. Unless there was someone inside. The more she stared at it, the more compelled she was to try. She looked both ways, making sure she didn't see anyone, and scurried to the door. It didn't appear to have any locking mechanism, only a small indentation for opening. She slid the door open just enough to squeeze through and shut it.

She let out the breath she had been holding and turned to face a mech.

She clamped her hand over her mouth to smother her gasp, nearly falling backward in her fright. The mech was empty, standing slightly angled like a dormant puppet. There were six of them, all parked along the wall of the armory. On the opposite wall were weapons - all the weapons Boss could hope to want. Vivian went to the shelf and picked a machine gun. She took a few clips from the box and stuffed them in the pockets of her sweatpants. She hung the gun on her back, the strap secure over her shoulder and across her chest.

Blue light softly illuminated the space, concentrated to the right end. On a metal pedestal rested a strange object. It looked like a polished stone, full of dancing blue light. There was a very quiet hum coming from the metal plate upon which it rested. The sound was in perfect time with the subtle pulse of light in stone. Wires came off the pedestal and trailed along the floor where they were attached to the mechs. It was their power source.

As Vivian got within a foot of it, she felt its energy in the air. The streaks of light criss-crossed inside the stone. She touched it and retracted just as quickly from the small, static shock. When she tried again, it didn't zap her.

She picked it up, wrapping her fingers around it. It felt alive. The light inside tuned in with the beat of her heart. It sent the strangest and not-at-all unpleasant sensation up her arm. It warmed to match the temperature of her hand and responded to her touch. Hair-thin streaks of lightning magnetized to wherever she applied pressure. The oval rock shifted just a little in shape, molding perfectly to her grip. She gave it another squeeze and the entire thing brightened, returning to normal when she relaxed.

Vivian heard footsteps coming from the hangar opening but there was nowhere to hide. A mercenary halted, genuinely surprised by her. He raised his gun to fire.

* * *

Unease crawled up Boss's back like a centipede. He didn't like splitting up. There was too much he couldn't account for.

Boss crept up the hill and settled into the shrubs for cover. He pushed his goggles up to look through the scope, wondering what was the best shot to take. He could try a headshot, removing at least one extra gun that would be chasing him. He hated the idea of killing a man. He was afraid of how it would haunt him, but he was more afraid that it wouldn't.

_This is the suckiest plan_ , he thought.

Boss decided a leg shot was best. Sure, his target might be able to still use a mech, but at least it bought him some extra time. Boss was willing to bet someone with a gimp leg would need help getting into a mech, anyway.

The mercenaries - those he could see - were hanging around their tents. A bluish light deep within the armory went dark, prompting a mercenary to investigate. Boss kept the merc in the crosshairs of his scope. If he passed the armory, he might see Grady waiting for her chance - and Boss would shoot.

The merc disappeared into the armory and Boss's shoulders loosened, his finger off the trigger. He silently exhaled the breath he was holding and waited. He would take his shot when the mercenary returned.

Rapid fire sputtered inside the armory. Boss nearly tumbled backward with how badly he jumped. _Grady..._ But she shouldn't have been inside the armory...

The other mercenaries formed a defensive attack the moment the first bullet was fired. They clustered together, nine in all, and moved around their tent mass to flank the courtyard wall of the armory.

He knew Grady couldn't be dead. She said a prayer and it was going to be answered - just like the rest of them. Boss would blame himself if something happened to her. She trusted him, and he let her risk her life in order to save his sister. And now, he may have lost both. His tender nose stung at the thought.

Grady ran out of the armory's mouth. Boss's terror briefly dissipated before a new one sprouted in its place: her being killed right before his eyes and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"She has the core!" one of the mercenaries shouted.

Boss flinched as they opened fire on her, bringing his arm up to shield his eyes from the sight. His eyes instantly teared up at the mental image he conjured of what would be left. He didn't hear her scream or anything. He peeked over his sleeve and his mouth fell open. A dome, six feet in diameter, surrounded Grady. A force field, like the Wall, only it wasn't invisible. The pattern reminded him of the sunlight's reflection through water.

The bullets struck the shield and fell to the ground. Grady had her arms up like a boxer, protecting her head. Boss glimpsed something in her hand past the shield. Her eyes were shut as if she was in pain, teeth bared, when a wave of energy throbbed off of the shield. Boss ducked automatically, feeling its power in his feet. It blew over the tents and mercenaries, knocking them down like dominoes and jostled Boss's bush cover.

* * *

Vivian froze, completely agog. The camp of tents was a jumbled disaster. The "core" produced a force field to protect her, and attacked when it sensed her distress. It did what she wanted.

"Grady!" Boss called as he approached from her left. The shield vanished upon her hearing his voice and she met him at the bottom of the embankment. His eyes were wide in alarm. "I thought you were shot! What just happened?"

Vivian felt giddy, bordering laughter from the adrenaline. "I don't know but it's our ticket outta here!"

Boss eyed the core in her hand, then over at the men. They were returning to their senses.

"C'mon, Let's get the prisoners!" She ran along the outside of the armory to the prison.

"What about the merc in the armory?" Boss asked as he followed her.

After he shot at her, the merc had been just as surprised as she had upon the seeing shield. She didn't know what to do but run, knocking him aside with the shield. It was as if she was in an impenetrable bubble. "I hit him with it as I ran out."

The wide sliding door opened as they approached. Inside was a electronic keypad to prevent those inside getting out. Vivian took a chance and touched it the with core. The keypad died with a loud POP and a fit of sparks as the door slammed shut.

Down the walkway, a pair of arms started waving through the bars. Vivian ignored the memory of that first nightmare. Boss jogged ahead. His worry crumbled into a relieved smile when he saw his sister. Catherine stared at her brother in disbelief, her eyes filling with tears.

"You came!" she squeaked, hugging him through the bars.

A pure warmth spread through Vivian as she watched them.

Catherine wasn't alone in her cell. Vivian confirmed her previous suspicion by the suit that hung from Eight's bony frame. She wondered how long he would have survived being taken into the tower and...well, she had no idea what was being done to them. Eight looked down at the core in her hand. "Where did you find that?" His hands gripped the bars.

She stepped away, out of his reach. "You know what it is?" she asked him warily.

There was a loud bang on the first door they locked down. Boss ran down to the other end of the hallway and broke the keypad there, trapping them inside. "We've gotta get this cell open," he said as he trotted back.

Vivian looked down at the core. "I have an idea. Everyone back up."

Boss gave her plenty of room. Catherine and Eight went to the opposite wall of the cell. Vivian concentrated, forming the shield around her. She held the idea of what she wanted to do in her mind and stepped nearer to the bars. The metal groaned and screeched against the shield. It was an odd sensation, standing nowhere near the bars, yet feeling as if she were right up against them. Her feet slid against the floor as she pushed the shield to move further. A pair of bars began to spread apart.

A loud bang came from the main door they first entered. Vivian glanced over. An area of the door warped inward toward them, caused by the fist of a mech. She closed her eyes and pushed harder. _Come on_...

Vivian's feet inched forward. She felt the give. The bars creaked. The mech hit the door again.

A quick, hysterical laugh burst from Boss. "You did it!"

Vivian released the shield and caught herself from falling forward. The bars had been forced into the contour of the shield's rounded shape, spreading apart wide enough for Catherine and Eight to slip through. Catherine practically leapt into her brother's arms.

Eight and Vivian regarded each other awkwardly. "Who's he?" Eight asked Vivian.

"Her brother."

The mech banged again. Boss turned to Vivian and nodded, keeping his sister near. "Ready when you are."

Vivian readied herself. "Everyone get close to me."

The three of them crowded around her. She willed the shield back up. Her passengers mooned at the translucent barrier of energy around them.

"What are we gonna do?" Catherine asked.

"Run."

Boss shot Vivian an incredulous look. "That's it?"

Vivian smiled. "That's it."

Another bang and the mech's ram of a fist pierced through the door. It started to tear the metal aside. Vivian spotted the illuminated glass face of the mech, the driver inside. All she thought was how bad her idea was.

It was as if Boss read her mind. "This is a bad idea," he said behind her.

She ignored him and her own doubt as the mech ripped away at the door. He hammered and yanked at the metal, ultimately tearing it free and tossing it aside.

"A really bad idea," Boss said.

Vivian concentrated. _Lord, don't let me get these people killed_ , she prayed.

The mech made an effort to duck - something it wasn't designed for - to get inside the bunker. The driver stared her down. "Release the core," he ordered. "Surrender your weapons."

Vivian breathed, adjusting her grip on the core. The shield disappeared. Vivian's friends panicked. "Grady?!" Boss whispered anxiously.

She side-stepped to the right angle. With an idea of what she wanted to do, Vivian whipped her arm in the mech's direction, as if throwing a ball. A huge pulse resonated away from the stone and into the mech. The glass shattered and the mech fell backward, out of the way of their escape route. The driver wasn't moving but he looked unharmed.

"Run!" Vivian snapped, reforming the shield around them.

The four of them huddled together and started for the exit. Knowing she needed to get through the doorway, the core accommodated. The shield adjusted shape as they ran through the opening. Johnson and his entire squad were waiting. They started firing; the uncomfortable sensation thudded in the air within the force field. Vivian felt the impact in her ears. Catherine screamed before realizing she was protected.

"Hold your fire!" Johnson bellowed.

Vivian looked back and met Johnson's gaze. Another man stood near him. He had black hair, glasses and casual-looking clothes. _Damien_ , Vivian guessed. Her stomach twisted at the calm, almost entertained look on his face.

Away from the light of the compound, the core was quite bright. It resonated the same blue light it had when she found it. The surrounding shield bore a faint glow as well.

Vivian lowered the shield and Boss turned his flashlight on. Vivian stuffed the core into the pocket of her sweats and they ran for the river. Eight collapsed at the bank, guzzling the fresh water. Boss hugged his sister again, then started inspecting her like a heckling mother. "What did they do to you? Did they hurt you?" he asked sternly.

"No," she answered as she caught her breath. "Just an evaluation."

"Before they planned to torture you," he growled.

Vivian removed the machine gun and jacket and approached the pair. "Here, this is yours," she told Catherine, extending the garment to her.

Both of the siblings looked at Vivian. Catherine took it and slipped it on, smiling at Vivian. Again, Vivian noticed the siblings' resemblance. "Thank you. I thought I'd never see it again," Catherine said.

Boss gave Vivian a gracious smile and she handed the new rifle to him. "Gotcha something," she said with a wink.

His eyes widened, his mouth forming an _O_ shape. "Ooh!"

Vivian fished the extra ammo from her pants. "And your clips."

"Magazines," he corrected as she put them into his hand.

Vivian waved him off. "Whatever."

"Clips don't have a spring-load..."

Catherine threw her head back and groaned. "Please don't start!"

# Fourteen

"Well, the cat's out of the bag so I'm building a fire," Boss said, breaking up one of the wooden crates they brought from the bandit camp. He laughed. "Hey, that was a pun! Get it?"

Vivian bit her lips to avoid smiling at his stupidly funny joke. Catherine, used to her brother's humor, acted as if he had never spoken. "What about the mercenaries?" she asked.

" _Four Eyes_ let us go for the time being." Boss put a hand up when she started to respond. "I know, it's never good when bad guys do that but I'm not gonna waste the chance to have a fire for a little while."

Catherine rolled her eyes.

The core was safely tucked away in Vivian's pocket. Its pulse was calm, dormant. She appreciated Boss wanting to utilize the opportunity, but a fire wouldn't burn away the chill of feeling watched. It didn't make any sense: why did Damien allow them to escape?

Boss wasn't completely without caution. They were on the bandit side of the river, planted right on the bank to keep watch of their surroundings.

Boss dished out the last of their food. Vivian prayed silently to herself. When she opened her eyes, Boss was watching her. He grinned, bowed his head to her and ate. It made her fidget, being the second time she caught him doing that. Catherine also watched them in benign suspicion. Vivian diverted her attention to Eight, who was either shivering or twitching. She pitied him and wondered what they had done to him.

"Where's Will?" Catherine asked Boss, failing to sound nonchalant about missing her fiancé.

"He's waiting outside for you."

She stared longingly into her can of chili. "He didn't come with you?"

"I didn't let him, just in case something happened to me. Trust me, he was just as upset about it as you are."

Vivian cleared her throat to get Boss's attention. She wrapped her fingers around her own wrist.

"Oh!" Boss reached into his jacket pocket and presented the gold bracelet to Catherine. She smiled, like the one in Boss's photo, and took the bracelet delicately into her hands. She clasped it around her wrist, rubbing the engraved heart between her fingers.

Vivian had to stop looking to prevent crying herself. It was bittersweet for her. She was completely happy for Boss to have gotten what he wanted, but she was sad that she wouldn't get a similar reunion. She mentally chastised herself for being so selfish.

"So, how did you get mixed up with my brother?" Catherine asked Vivian.

"I found her escaping from the bandits," Boss said.

"He jumped me from up in a tree," Vivian clarified his vagueness.

Catherine's eyebrows shot up.

"You were gonna use that rock on me," he defended. "I still saved you from freezing to death. And being shot." He touched his arm. "You're welcome, by the way," he added sarcastically.

Vivian rolled her eyes.

"You've been busy," Eight said to Vivian.

"That's one way of putting it." Vivian was happy that Eight was alive, but the only interaction they had was when he scowled at her during the exchange - as if it was her fault. Vivian supposed he was just happy to be out of the compound.

Boss looked at Eight. "We saw you being taken from the tower last night... What did they do to you?"

Eight's eyes shifted uneasily to Vivian's pant pocket where the core was tucked away. Catherine back-handed her brother's forearm, silently scolding him with widened eyes. He put his hands up, mutely arguing with her, " _What_?!"

Despite it being insensitive to bring up, Vivian intended to ask the same question. It was important to know everything they could. "It would be nice to know what we're up against," Vivian added. "Obviously it has to do with the core." She placed her hand over the lump in her pocket.

When Vivian looked back to Eight, he moved his gaze to the fire. "The tower has a bigger one."

"Well, that's great!" Boss exasperated before being shushed by his sister.

Eight closed his eyes. "They strapped me down and...connected me to it. It almost stopped my heart the first time. Each time got easier, but -" He pressed his knuckles to his mouth. Vivian put her hand on his shoulder; he jerked away and she recoiled. Boss frowned defensively.

Knowing the pain it caused, and after the evidence on the VID-LOG, Vivian knew it had to be destroyed. Even though it got them all out unscathed. The merc she first encountered had been completely surprised by the shield. Vivian was sure they had never used it in such a way beforehand. Then, she had a thought that made her stomach turn. "They saw what it did. Maybe they're going to do the same thing with theirs - try to bond with it?"

Boss's eyebrows rose. "You're _bonded_ with that thing?"

It sounded weird but Vivian she had no other word for it. "When I use it, I can sense it. You saw what I did to that mech. I just...manifested it."

Eight scratched at his arm. "It is pretty cool."

" _Cool_?" Boss echoed in a higher pitch. Catherine snorted and Boss's head whipped in her direction. Catherine bit her lips. "You think that's funny? It's some freaky, alien rock! Who knows what the side effects are?!"

Vivian smiled widely. "Why, Boss, are you worried about me?"

He shot her a dirty look and crossed his arms. "I just don't want you going crazy on us..."

She nodded, still smiling. "Sure."

Catherine nudged her brother teasingly. He gave her the same dirty look.

"What happens now?" Eight asked.

Boss pointed at Vivian. "She and I are going back to end this science project. You two are staying here."

Eight put his hands up. "Sounds good to me 'cause I don't wanna go back," he said indignantly. Vivian didn't blame him a single bit.

Catherine, on the other hand... "What?! No, I'm not -"

Boss put his hand up as she began to protest. "Nope. I don't wanna hear it."

Catherine fumed silently, crossing her arms.

Vivian leaned forward and cupped her hand to the side of her mouth. "I'm expendable," she faux-whispered.

Catherine smirked.

"That's right," Boss added. "Now, you two need to get some sleep." He gave the blanket, flashlight and his backpack to his sister. "The cave is safe. Grady and I will keep watch."

Catherine and Eight stood and bid Vivian goodnight. Boss showed them into the cave then returned to the small campfire. He took Catherine's empty can to the river's edge and filled it with clean water.

Vivian got up and patted the dirt from her pants. Boss poured the can of water around the base of the fire, snuffing it out. Vivian pulled the core out, illuminating her proximity. The rising smoke swirled in the light between them. Boss used his foot to scatter the charred remains of the fire.

Boss regarded the object in her hand. "I'll admit," he said quietly. "It's kinda beautiful."

It was, but it was a weapon and there was more of it. It must have bothered Eight to see the object that had caused him such torture, though calling it "cool" was odd.

"I'll take first watch," Boss volunteered. He pulled his jacket off and held it out to her. "I'll take it back when we trade off."

"Thanks." Vivian slipped into the jacket.

They sat down at the river's edge, close to the waterfall, where Vivian had been shot at before. The core thrummed in her hand. She wondered how much more damage it could do and how to use it toward their escape. Vivian planned on destroying it - it was Olson's dying wish - but what if it couldn't be destroyed?

Vivian jolted when something hit her arm. Boss was smirking, a handful of pebbles in his hand. "Nervous?" he asked.

Vivian gently kneaded the core in her palm and watched it react. "I don't think nervous quite covers it."

Boss shook his head. "We've made it this far, Grady. We'll get it done. We still have to get you home. Trust me."

"You know, I've been putting a lot of trust in someone I barely know," she remarked.

He smiled to himself, awash in blue as he picked at the pebbles in his hand. "Yeah, you should probably stop doing that," he teased. Vivian found the pebble he threw at her. She slipped the core into her pocket and chucked the pebble at him in the dark. "Hey!" he complained, followed by snickering.

Vivian tried to get comfortable, hearing the plop-plop of pebbles landing in the water. She closed her eyes and thanked the Lord for getting them through the compound safely.

"Grady?"

"Hmm?"

"...Thank you for helping me get my sister back. I couldn't have done it without you."

Vivian blushed in the dark and snuggled further into the collar of his jacket. "You're welcome, Boss."

Vivian was beginning to think that she slept nightmare-free only when she was going to be woken prematurely. When it was time to switch, Boss traded her his jacket for the goggles.

Boss was dead asleep within minutes. His breathing was heavy, his chest rising and falling through the green hue of the night-vision. Vivian was jealous of how he looked completely untroubled. He must have spent a lot of nights sleeping outside.

When they escaped - if they escaped - Boss promised to take Vivian home. But knowing what wasn't waiting for her made her resistant. Vivian liked Boss, more than enough to make her jittery. Catherine was nice to her and Vivian was sure she would like Will. What if she wanted to go with them? Would they want her?

Vivian missed her mom. She placed her hand over her heart where her cross used to hang. Vivian was alive, she had people with her to help and now she had something to use toward their escape. Those were good things. She tried to focus on them. "Thank you, Lord," she whispered.

Something moved along the ground behind her. She turned, seeing Eight standing a few feet away, looking lost. "Eight?" she whispered. "What are you doing?"

His head turned in the direction of her voice, eyes blind in the dark. "Sorry, couldn't sleep. Can I sit with you?"

"Sure. Walk towards my voice." Vivian thought about using the core for light, but she didn't want to disturb Boss. Eight took small steps forward, hand raised slightly ahead of him. Vivian grabbed his fingers when he was close and led him to sit beside her. He was looking in her direction, but not quite on her. It freaked her out, in addition to the eerie green color of the goggles and his gaunt figure.

Eight frowned thoughtfully. "You know, that isn't the core."

"That's what the mercenaries called it," Vivian said.

"They think it's a smaller version of what Dr. Damien has in the tower. It's not."

Vivian watched him warily. "What is it?" she asked.

"Dr. Damien calls it the extension. It feeds off the core's power, allowing it to be wielded and manipulated."

Vivian swallowed. _How does he know so much_? She thought about waking Boss up. "Do you know about the ship?" she asked.

His answer was delayed. "Yes."

"Are they going to pull it out?"

"I don't think so. Now that they have its power source, it is of no use to the doctor." Eight breathed through his nose, his expression cold as he looked slightly off from her eyes. "Give it to me," he said sternly.

"What?"

"I need it."

"For what?" The selfish part of Vivian didn't want to give it to him, but all the other parts of her agreed. Something was wrong.

"I don't want to hurt you. Just give it to me, and everything will be fine. Please," he added. It wasn't very persuasive.

Vivian thought about when she saw him being taken into the tower. She thought he hadn't struggled because he was too weak, but maybe it was something else. Maybe the sensation of being watched hadn't been the mercenaries, but Eight. "What did they really do to you?" Vivian asked.

"I wasn't lying," he said, twitching. "But after awhile, I started to see. I understand what the doctor is trying to do. He'll be so pleased when I bring it back. I can put in a good word for you and your friends."

Her heart pumped a little faster. She glanced at Boss a couple yards beyond Eight's shoulder. If she gave Eight the core - _extension_ \- now, they could leave immediately. Or it was a trap and they would all be doomed.

Whether or not Eight was being honest, she couldn't trust his source. "I'm sorry. I can't."

She watched him harden, shaking with rage. Eight threw himself at her. Vivian fell onto her back, bringing her knees up to her chest. He landed on them, hands latching onto the goggles. She grabbed his bony wrists and tried to pull him off. The green vision shifted up as he pried the goggles from her head. She kicked her legs, pushing him off of her.

Vivian scrambled to her feet and ran. She reached into her pocket for the core, illuminating her way into the forest. She heard his footsteps behind her. It felt like one of those dreams where you are being chased but you can never get away and you can't find your voice to scream.

# Fifteen

" _Give it to me_!"

Boss gasped awake at the words, still confused as he saw Eight running towards the trees. Grady and the blue light disappeared into the forest. Boss pitched himself forward, hands scanning in the dark for his goggles. He put them on and stumbled after them.

He knew something wasn't right with that guy and Boss was lagging behind. A wild screech echoed through forest, unsure which of them made it. Boss followed the sound. The bandit camp was close. He choked on the stench of death. "Grady!" Boss shouted.

His ears picked up scuffling. "Boss!" Grady yelled hoarsely.

He followed her voice. He couldn't remember if she had the handgun on her. Then, he saw a flash of the core's intense light in his night vision heading back for the river. Boss made a beeline for it. Eight was snarling with each intake of breath as if foaming at the mouth.

Boss dodged and ducked his way through the forest's obstacles, blood pounding in his ears when he spotted them again. It was horrific: Eight was sitting on top of her back, hands wrapped around her neck, pulling her head backward as he strangled her. She gasped for air as she pinned the core beneath her body to keep it from her assailant.

Boss came in fast from behind and kicked Eight in the back. He slumped forward onto Grady, the core's light beneath her disappearing. Boss gave Eight little time to react before taking hold of the back of his suit and throwing him off of her. Grady scooted a few feet away, curling in on herself as she clutched the core, straining for air.

Boss pulled his goggles off, unable to see with the core exposed, and moved toward her. She stared at him, eyes full of tears and terror. A metallic click stopped him in his tracks.

Eight was shaking to catch his breath, holding the gun Grady had been carrying. "Now..." he managed to get out. Boss turned. "Someone is going to die if I don't get the extension."

Boss frowned at the new term he was hearing, but his priority was the gun barrel aimed directly at his heart. Grady was sucking in air as she sobbed.

"I will shoot him!" Eight snarled at her, startling Boss.

A strangled cry fell out of her. "No, please!" Her desperation kindled in Boss's heart. He set his furious gaze on Eight.

"Give it to me!"

"Don't," Boss said to her. His voice was calm and even - the complete opposite of how scared and angry he was. "He'll shoot me anyway."

Eight twitched and shook his head like he had bugs in his ears. "No! I won't!" The man was sick. It almost moved Boss to pity. Eight's composure returned. "Last chance," he said to Grady.

Boss looked at Grady. Her face twisted up as terribly as it had when she cried after the massacre. He shook his head slowly at her. "Don't. For my sister." He thought of how his mother had ordered him before she died: _You gotta take care of your sister. Promise me_. "Please," he said to her.

Vivian held the rock tighter to her chest, more tears filling her eyes. It broke his heart to see her like that, knowing exactly how it felt to be forced to choose. Boss closed his eyes.

He jolted when he heard the gunshot. Eight shouted in frustrated rage. Boss opened his eyes to see the shield surrounding him. Eight turned the gun on Grady as she tumbled toward Boss. She phased right through the shield, nearly being shot herself. Boss pulled her to her feet. She was shaking; heat radiated off of her.

Eight started banging the pistol handle against the shield. Spittle flew from his mouth as he seethed. He let go of the gun as he continued to beat on the shield. His hands burned on contact but he didn't seem to care.

Boss looked down at the gun. _If she could get it to them..._ "Grady, the gun," he breathed. She stared at it blankly for a moment, then nodded. He stepped forward, bringing her with him. The shield followed, pushing the feral Eight a few steps back. Loose leaf litter and dirt pushed backward as well, but the gun passed through. Boss scooped it up, making sure it was cocked and ready. "Okay, drop the shield," he told her.

Grady hesitated for a moment, then the shield vanished. Eight's momentum pitched him forward and onto his stomach. Boss planted his foot between Eight's shoulder blades, gun aimed at his head. "They told you to do this, didn't they?" Boss demanded.

Eight didn't answer, heaving beneath Boss's boot.

Boss applied pressure on his foot and Eight grunted. "Answer me!" Boss snapped.

"The extension is the only way to unlock the core's full potential." Eight shut his eyes painfully, obviously suffering from something more than physical pain. "The machine can't control the power it produces. I barely survived last time!"

The gun was suddenly heavier in Boss's hands. "It's your turn to make a choice: forget about Damien. We can get you some help, but only if you -"

Eight wrenched back, swinging his arm back and straight into Boss's groin. Boss groaned, holding the gun out of reach as Eight swatted at Boss's legs and torso. Boss trampled out of his grip. Eight was on his feet, looking between his two targets, deciding which one to attack.

Eight unfolded Boss's knife, which he swiped from Boss's belt. "Dr. Damien promised he would do more than fix me. I'm sorry." He threw it at Grady.

Boss fired on impulse just as the shield appeared around Grady, blocking the knife. In hindsight, Boss knew she would defend herself but he panicked in the moment. The force field disappeared just as quickly. Grady sank to her knees, eyes glued to Eight's body where it lay. Boss stepped between her and Eight. He slumped down to the ground in front of her, his lower stomach still aching from the hit. He put the gun down beside him.

"Let me see," he rasped, reaching for her neck.

She rolled her head back. He grimaced at the raw skin. He didn't want to touch it if she was in pain. He chose to put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry." He wasn't sure who he was apologizing to - Grady or Eight.

Shock replaced adrenaline and she was shaking again. "What if the same thing happens to me? What if Damien can control me with this thing?" Her voice broke hysterically. She chewed her lips to hide their quivering. "This is my fault. All of it." Tears dripped from her eyes.

Boss was tired of her blaming herself, being familiar with the sensation. "No -"

"Yes!" she snapped. "The prisoners, the bandits, my mom!"

Boss halted. What about her mother? He could tell by the look on her face that she hadn't meant to say it. She looked nauseous, her eyes red and face swollen with sorrow. She folded over her knees and covered her head with her arms. She sucked in a breath and sobbed it out.

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Grady," he pressed gently. "Tell me."

A strangled squeak came out and she sniffed. "When they took me into the ship, I heard a gunshot. Then, the mercs were joking about how Johnson _put my mother down_."

Boss closed his eyes. He knew something was fishy when he asked her about her mother looking for her. He gripped her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me before?" He was hurt that she kept the truth from him. After he had been completely honest about his own parents.

She lifted herself up to look at him, completely drained. "Because I don't want to believe it. It kills me and I just want it to be a bad dream."

Boss wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. She closed her eyes, the touch only replenishing her tears. He pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her. Grady sank against his chest, looping her arms around his neck. Boss rested his cheek against the top of her head and rocked from side to side. His adrenaline gave way into trembling guilt, but it was bearable when he had a hold of her. He closed his eyes, rubbing circles with his thumbs against her back.

Both of them twitched when they heard something coming. Boss tightened his grip around Grady defensively as he looked over his shoulder, one hand dropping to the gun at his side.

It was his sister, shining the flashlight over the scene. She froze when she saw Eight on the ground. "I heard gunshots," she said. "You guys alright?"

Boss nodded and cleared his throat. "Can you -"

"I'll take her back," Catherine said. She made a wide berth around the body and eased Grady from him. Grady's eyes were half-mast. Catherine helped her to her feet, coaxing her away. Catherine briefly shot her brother a look he knew well. She expected a full explanation.

He found his goggles before the light faded away and put them on. He retrieved his knife and stuffed the gun in his pants. He took Eight's wrists and hoisted him over his shoulder. Eight was extremely light. Damien had reduced him to a crazed husk of whoever he had once been.

Boss carried him back to the camp. He couldn't pretend it wasn't a body, but he could pretend Eight was merely unconscious. That he hadn't _killed_ the man. Boss put Eight down in a different tent from Beeb. He ran out of the tent, overwhelmed with nausea and threw up what little his stomach had. He hunched over, shaking. He was so sick of this place - literally. He wanted be home. Anywhere but here.

He was afraid. He was afraid he would fail to get his sister safely back to her fiancé. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to protect Grady. He was afraid that he failed to do more to avoid shooting Eight. Boss shook his head, realizing how much he sounded like Grady.

His mini crisis and vomiting had reduced him to tears. He wiped his eyes, massaging his eyelids. "God, forgive me."

Grady was a lump beneath his blanket a few paces away from where Catherine sat, flashlight off. Boss planted his butt between his sister and Grady and removed his goggles.

"She cried a little more then passed out," Catherine stated.

"Thank you, Catherine," he said. Boss told his sister what happened since he woke up. Recalling was a lot harder than he anticipated. From Grady's grief-stricken face and her trembling in his arms to Eight choosing their enemy over what was right. And _shooting_ him.

Catherine absorbed his story before finally saying, "You made the best choice you could in an impossible situation. You always do."

He wasn't sure, but he had calmed down upon returning from camp. Throwing up took the edge off.

Catherine turned the light on to look her brother in the face. She frowned. "What's wrong with your nose, anyway?"

He checked to see if it was bleeding again.

"It's kind of red and swollen," she added. "I noticed it before."

"Oh. Grady headbutted me earlier today."

Catherine squinted in confusion. "Why?"

"It was my fault."

"Did you try to kiss her or something?" she joked.

Boss shook his head, imagining if that had been the story. "No, I wanted her to fight me, see what she was capable of. She about knocked my teeth out. She's probably been waiting to do that since she met me."

"Did you seriously attack her from a tree?"

Boss scratched the back of his neck, growing flustered. "Technically," he admitted sheepishly. "I do kind of regret it."

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Yeah. Right." She nudged his shoulder.

Boss huffed through his nose. "For your information, I wasn't thinking about anything else but getting my little sister out of here. And Grady was freezing wet and ready to smash my brains in with a rock. There was nothing attractive about any of it."

"Whatever you say. How many hours has that been?"

Boss was too exhausted to get smart and tally them up. "This is the third night."

Catherine grinned widely. "Three days, wow! I think that's the longest you've spent with a woman."

Boss sighed. "Cat..."

"Fallen in love yet?"

Boss looked at her sidelong. "I'm preferring her company to yours at the moment." He reached over to the flashlight in her hand and shut it off.

Cat nudged her brother again. "I bet you do..."

"Stop that." He didn't tell Cat how he felt when that gun was pointed at him. One thing was for sure: the emptiness in his heart was gone.

# Sixteen

Vivian laid in the dark, unsure if it had been minutes or hours. She was exhausted from crying. Her entire head felt clogged. She thought about Eight. Was she at the beginning of a downward spiral until she became like him? Vivian resolved to take the extension and figure out what else she could do with it. She didn't want it to control her. She didn't want _them_ to control her.

Vivian removed the extension from her pocket and smothered its light. Boss and Catherine were asleep just beyond her. Boss was lying back, using one arm as a pillow and the other to cover his eyes. Catherine was curled up, her head resting on his side.

The memory of his hands on her, wiping her tears and holding her to him... She wanted more of it. But if something happened to him, she didn't think she could take losing anyone else.

Vivian crept downstream. Morning was near, texturing the darkness with faint outlines and shapes. When she was far enough away, she used the extension to light her way. She found a place, knelt at the river's edge and put the extension into her pocket.

The water quenched her dry, sore throat. With her wet hands, she gently stroked the skin of her neck, wincing at the tender flesh. She exhaled and stood, extension in hand. "Alright," she said to herself. "Time to figure this out."

Last night in her terror, she had managed to produce a shield around Boss - away from herself. It hadn't been deliberate. All she was thinking was how she didn't want him to die. Then, she was able to discriminated what else could get through - like the pistol - while it pushed everything else back. Vivian focused, imagining the shield not to simply pop into existence but to _form_. In the same breath, it covered her in a circular sweep.

Could she create a wall instead of a dome? The shield dissolved until a wide segment of the dome was left, then let it vanish. Vivian smiled with encouragement.

She set her eyes on the fogged sky. She repeated the action she had at the compound, pulling her arm back and swinging it toward the sky. A pale blue energy blast shot through the air, fading into the fog. It made a different sound than that of the mechs' weapons. An unbridled, raw sound, almost liquid-like. A deep _whoosh_. She wondered if it would damage the shield or simply obliterate on impact. She only heard a faint rumble.

Vivian pointed her arm to the sky, aiming the extension like a gun. She could "throw" projectiles, but what about "shooting"? She wrapped her mind around the concept and gently squeezed the extension. The extension shuddered, growing brightly just before spitting a wad of energy into the air. She didn't hear it make contact with the Wall. _It must be a weaker attack_ , she deduced.

She lowered her arm, satisfied with her discoveries. A strange, nagging sensation overwhelmed her, beginning with the arm that held the extension. In the same moment, she heard Boss's voice. "I was wondering where you went."

She spun around, instinctively gripping the extension. The shield surrounded her. It warned her that he was coming.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Boss's eyes lifted to the shield, hypnotized by the patterns swirling around her. She made the shield split open in front of him, slowly disappearing behind her like drawing curtains. The corner of his mouth tugged, his eyebrows lifted in a playful, _well-look-at-you_ expression.

"I don't feel crazy yet," she answered dryly, stuffing the extension into her pocket. "How are you?"

He kicked a stone, shrugging. "It ain't the first time I've shot someone. Just the first time they died."

_That doesn't make me feel better_! She sat on the ground, facing the river, and hugged her knees.

Boss joined her. "I'm sorry about your mother." He shook his head in remorse.

"You didn't know." It was easy to forgive him but not herself. "You still haven't told me how you're holding up after..."

"Shooting him?" He looked down at his feet. "I feel crappy, to tell the truth. Actually, last night I found myself thinking just like you."

She skulked.

"And then I realized something. There's nothing wrong with feeling guilty, Grady. That means you have a heart. A conscience." He bumped her shoulder with his. "Continuing to carry that guilt unnecessarily is what is wrong. The people that have died are not on you." He breathed in and out. "I would rather not have killed Eight - I didn't want to. He made his choice and I made mine." He ran a hand through his hair. The contrition in his defense twisted her insides. "But I'd do it again, given the same situation."

Vivian swallowed. "You would?" she asked hesitantly.

He looked at her, dead serious. "Yes. I would."

Vivian was silent, a little dumbstruck. How could he be so...okay? How could he pick himself off the ground and move on - just like that? "How do you let the guilt go?" she asked quietly.

He leaned to bump her shoulder once more. "You're the one that's always praying. Maybe ask someone who can give you the answer." He chuckled and itched his stubble. "Now, I'm hungry and I really wanna get out of here." He returned to his feet, his hand held out to her. "You with me?"

Boss was smiling. It was drowsy and weak but hope glowed on his scruffy, dirty face. Part of Vivian fought the smile that tensed in her cheeks but it was no use. She took his hand and stood. His grip tightened around hers.

"Let's bring that Wall down," he said.

Vivian took Boss's advice and went somewhere private. She found a stump that she liked. It was bigger than all those she had seen so far. She knelt at its edge and set the extension on the ground. When it was truly dormant on the cold ground, its light faded to a dark blue ember.

Vivian took a deep breath and folded her arms over the edge of the stump, burying her face. She closed her eyes. Tears immediately glazed them without even doing anything. She drew a breath and released it.

"Mom loved You. She taught me everything she knew about You. We always trusted You - through droughts and failures - and You saw us through. 'The invisible hand', Mom used to say." Vivian took another shaky breath and wiped her nose. "I don't know why these things have happened, but I still trust You."

The silence weighed on her shoulders and put pressure behind her eyes. Tears slipped down her cheeks. Her lips curled back from her teeth in pain. Not an effectual pain like the bruises on her neck. It was a living pain that fed off of her. A gaping, chewing emptiness that was eating her alive.

"Please, Lord. Help me to forgive myself. Take this guilt away." She felt selfish for asking when so many had suffered and died.

A verse came to her mind. She heard it in her mother's voice: " _Be still and know that I am God_." She imagined a roiling sea, as black as the stormy night above it. She thought of the story when Jesus calmed the storms, much to the shock of those with him. _Be still_...

That was when Vivian felt it. The weight of death and fear and uncertainty rising off her shoulders. It was that same calm she felt when in the arms of someone that loved her. She broke into a sobbing laugh - because she _was_.

"Thank you," she blubbered. There was only one other thing she was thinking: "I love You, too."

She felt such peace that she could have gone to sleep right there, but Boss called for her.

Vivian ran back to them, ignoring the terrible imaginings that her mind conjured. Boss and Catherine stood together, regarding a dark figure at the riverbank. "Click!" Vivian chirped.

His back was slightly bent from being in the pit for so long. Nevertheless, he looked better than he had before. She took it as a sign.

Vivian wrapped her arms around Click's chest. He was much taller when he wasn't curled up in the pit. Once he was able to stand completely straight, he easily would be a head taller than Boss.

"I'm so glad to see you," Vivian said.

He clicked, bowing his head.

Vivian took his hands. The swelling had gone down significantly, but they were still infected. She spotted the jagged tips where his claws were growing back.

Click took Vivian's hand and started walking upstream. Boss frowned. "Where are you going?"

Click kept pointing in the direction he was walking. "I think he wants to show us something," Vivian said.

Click led them in the direction that he had fled. As they arrived, Vivian recognized the area: it was where they had been sparring yesterday. Click was pointing at the pair of them.

"What is he saying?" Catherine asked impatiently.

"You saw us?" Boss asked, receiving a line of nods from Click. Boss met Vivian's gaze before answering his sister's question. "We were here yesterday, right before we came for you." He pointed at his tender nose.

Catherine's lips parted in understanding. " _Ah_..." She smirked at Vivian.

"Why didn't you come to us or make a noise?" Vivian asked Click.

Click crouched in the center of the bare area, where the ground dipped into a shallow basin. Click pointed.

"I don't know what I'm looking at," Boss said.

Click sighed through his crest. He tapped the dirt insistently.

"Mhm, I see the dirt... You've made a clean space?" he guessed sarcastically.

Click shook his head sharply. Catherine nudged her brother as a warning.

Vivian knelt down in the cleared area of ground. Click touched his ear hole on the side of his head and motioned to dig with the other. Then he held his hands out at his sides, like a bird. What was buried beneath? Her eyes widened. "We need a shovel."

"Why?" Catherine asked.

"I think he found the ship."

# Seventeen

It seemed so obvious but it took someone who knew terrain - and below it - to notice a dig site. The area declined to a central point of two feet deep. Boss dug an extra four feet or so from there.

Boss's shovel clanged, metal on metal. He wiped his brow on his arm, leaving a dirt streak. Vivian and Catherine peeked down the hole at him, the latter holding the flashlight. He scraped against the hull. It was rusty and corroded. The cut from Olson's video had been welded back to the hull. Boss looked up at his spectators. "How are we going to get inside?

Vivian's mouth twisted as she thought. "I think I have an idea." She offered him a hand out. Once he was up, she pulled out the extension. "Back up. I don't know if this will work."

Everyone backed out of the area onto the natural ground level. Vivian pointed the extension at the hole and squeezed the core. She used the smaller energy blasts, creating a weakened, perforated border. Then, she cranked her arm and threw a large blast down. The metal piece busted inward. Boss was the first to come over, looking down at the rough opening she made. Boss laughed, pumping a fist in the air. "Awesome!" He put his hand up. She reciprocated the high-five sheepishly.

"Hold on, I'll be right back." He trotted away.

Catherine offered to stay above ground with Click. She didn't care to go down into a decrepit ship. Boss returned with some rope.

"Where did that come from?" Vivian asked.

"This was mine from when I parachuted in. It found it in your box."

Vivian never looked past the cans of food to notice. Beeb must have hidden it from the other bandits. He had been helping long before he let her go.

With the rope tied securely to a nearby tree, Boss went down first, flashlight between his teeth. The drop from the hull inside was much shorter than Vivian expected. She held onto the rope and slipped through the jagged opening. Boss caught her by the waist and she let go of the rope. She pulled the extension out of her pocket.

Boss's whistle echoed in the wide open space. He shined his light up into the rafters. Roots spilled out of cracks in the hull. "What part of the ship do you suppose this is?" Vivian asked.

"My guess is the loading bay." Boss started walking further into the center of the space.

"Are we going to explore the whole thing?" Vivian asked nervously.

"I just wanna look around real quick," he said, eyes wide in wonder. "So," he began after a moment, "did you find what you needed?"

She smiled to herself, the peaceful feeling from her prayer nestled deep in her chest. "Yes."

Boss returned her smile. "I can tell. I see it in your face."

Vivian's face flushed in the stale air.

"So, Damien needs that mini-core to complete his experiments?"

"Extension," she corrected.

"You know what I meant."

"Apparently," she said in response to his question. "But why didn't he have it with the actual core in the tower? I mean, it was charging the mechs, but if it's _that_ important..."

Boss shrugged. "He's a mad scientist. Who knows why he does what he does."

Vivian craned her neck to look up at him, squinting. "A mad scientist?" she asked skeptically.

"He totally looks like one," he said plainly, eyes combing over the loading bay.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh, you know the type, then?"

The corner of his mouth curled smugly as he looked at her. "It's in the eyes. He had crazy eyes. Not Eight-crazy, though - he was a victim. This guy is one of those people who probably tortured animals or something else horrible.You remember he killed Bob the dog."

Vivian scoffed. "You've got a twisted mind, Mr. Shepard."

"Says the one who has some pretty messed up dreams."

She pouted. "Hey, it's not like I want to have nightmares!"

He waggled his eyebrows. "No...just the dreams about me."

He was being funny but he didn't know the truth. "Have you had any dreams since you've been in here?"

"I haven't had much sleep in order to dream. With people attacking in the middle of the night or your sleep-talking."

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Hopefully, I'll be dreaming in my own bed tonight."

She smiled. "I hope so, too."

To their left, in the center of the loading bay was a corridor. Vivian followed Boss inside. It reminded her of a horror movie, complete with the eerie light from the extension.

"How did you shield me last night without being inside, too?" he asked as he tried to open a door along the corridor. It didn't budge.

Vivian stared at her feet, remembering how close he came to... "I don't know exactly, but I couldn't let you get shot _again_ because of me."

His expression unreadable. "So, that makes us even, then?"

"Maybe for the gunshots, but I still owe you for all your help."

They reached the end of the corridor into another open space. "Looks like the cockpit."

A large round plate on the ship's dashboard looked like it would hold the extension. There was nothing to indicate steering. "This must have been where the extension was. Maybe it was the way they drove the ship."

Boss ran his hand along the smooth surface. His eyes were wide and child-like.

Vivian, however, was on pins and needles. She imagined some movie monster coming out of the shadows and devouring them. "Can we go now? We still have to get ready."

"Why are you so jumpy?"

She glared at him. "I'm sorry. My experiences with ships haven't been good so far."

He smiled. "You're walking on history, Grady. Think about it. This thing has been sleeping for almost two hundred years. And it's completely intact! Well, was completely intact..."

The way he spoke with such awe for the thing that caused them such grief almost annoyed her. Almost.

He put his hands on his hips as he scanned the room again. "Yep, this place would be a great ice-breaker for dates."

She frowned. "It's creepy!"

He smiled wickedly. "How else are you supposed to get your date to stick close to you?"

Vivian noticed she was standing inches from him. She glared at him defiantly, despite pink in her cheeks. "And this is your idea of a date?" she asked.

"I don't go on dates. I go on adventures."

"Boss!" Catherine's voice echoed through the ship, startling Vivian.

Boss laughed and put his hand on Vivian's back, ushering her to walk ahead of him. "C'mon, scaredy cat."

They returned to their base camp. Catherine sat on the bank with Click. Boss watched them cautiously and Vivian smiled. "You know, for someone who's seen crocodiles and Nightmares and whatever else, you can't tell me you're scared of Subterrans."

Boss caught onto her tone and pursed his lips. "Subterrans creep me out with those tiny bug eyes and teeth."

Vivian gaped. "Shame on you! Click is not a bug."

Boss made a face. "But they remind me of a bug." He put his hands up. "Bugs give me the willies, not Subterrans..." He sighed. "I can't help it, I'm sorry."

Vivian laughed. "The big bad exterminator's afraid of bugs."

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, give it a rest."

Vivian had another giggle at his expense.

"Do you have a first-aid kit with you?" Catherine asked them.

"I'll get it," Boss said.

Vivian approached Catherine when she smelled something sour. She covered her nose and mouth. "What is that?"

Catherine gave an apologetic grimace. "I had to drain some of the pus from his fingers to relieve the pressure." She dipped his fingers in the water to clean them.

Vivian wasn't easily squeamish but the smell tested her strength. She groaned at the odor. "Ugh, I'm sorry, Click."

Click's eyes were closed, controlling himself against the pain. He breathed carefully, the sound moving through the crest along his head. His chest expanded and deflated in time with his breaths.

Boss returned, his attention on the box. When he got close enough to see and smell what his sister was doing to the Subterran, he gagged. Vivian barely caught the kit as he tossed it toward her.

"Go away before you throw up!" Catherine snapped at him.

His gagging faded as he retreated. Vivian laughed, even though she felt bad. "Poor Boss."

Catherine rolled her eyes. "He's such a wuss."

Vivian distracted Click from his fingers being bandaged. "Do you have a family?"

He clicked once.

Vivian grinned, wondering what a baby Subterran looked like. "You'll see them again. I promise." It felt like more than just hopeful statement; it was truth. She didn't let herself try to doubt or overthink it.

Click placed his unoccupied hand over his heart and bowed his head.

"I'm sorry about what happened last night," Catherine said.

Vivian nodded, hoping to avoid discussing it.

Catherine didn't push. "I can't wait to get out. See Will again."

"Congratulations on your engagement, by the way."

Catherine blushed, looking down at her bracelet.

"Planning on having little Aussies?"

She snorted. "The _Burra_ isn't exactly baby-raising material."

Vivian chuckled and glanced over her shoulder at Boss. He was completely engrossed with his preparations. He inspected the pistol and stuffed it in his pants. He slipped the machine gun strap over his head and across his chest.

"Promise me you'll watch his back," Catherine said. "I'm asking you now so I don't get any lip out of him."

Vivian bowed her head. "I promise. It's the least I can do after what he's done for me." Despite Boss's fear of being abandoned by his sister, Vivian could see how much he meant to her. He was beginning to mean an awful lot to Vivian as well. Catherine arched a teasing eyebrow at her, as if reading Vivian's thoughts. Vivian ignored it. "How does one end up with a nickname like 'Boss'?"

Catherine chuckled. "It was more of a joke that stuck."

Vivian believed that. A random memory crossed her mind. "Is it true you had a pet shark?"

Catherine shut her eyes tightly. "Oh geez..."

Vivian hit her own leg for being so gullible. "I knew that couldn't be true! What bit him, then?"

"No, it was a shark. I saw it with my own eyes. The story, however...the details change every time he tells it." She finished Click's bandages and washed her hands.

"What're you two chatting about?" Boss asked as he walked over. He laid the shotgun beside his sister.

"You," Catherine said with a flip of her dark hair.

Boss's brow furrowed and Catherine smiled at him. Boss looked at Vivian as if waiting for confirmation. Vivian smiled guiltily, blushing.

"What about me?" he asked with a wary half-grin .

Catherine winked at Vivian as she answered. "Your adventure in the Pan-Handle..."

Boss's eyes flicked to his sister in horror, who laughed sharply. He scowled at his sister, then turned his eyes to Vivian. "Grady, are you ready to go?"

Vivian bobbed her head quickly and stood. An adventure in the Pan-Handle...like the kind of adventures he talked about in the ship? Vivian was curious as to what garnered such a mortified reaction from Boss.

Catherine stood, her amusement ebbing away. "I should be going with you guys."

"I'd feel better knowing you were safe hiding out here. Please, Cat."

Catherine deflated.

"Besides, Grady's expendable, remember?" Vivian pursed her lips at him; he winked. He adjusted the machine gun strap and opened his arms to his sister. Catherine wrapped her arms tightly around her brother. Vivian knew they shared moments like this before, not knowing if it would be their last.

When they let go of each other, Catherine surprised Vivian with a hug. "Thank you again, Grady," she whispered in regards to the deal they previously made.

Vivian reciprocated, feeling the familiar weight of responsibility. She joined Boss as he prepared to cross the river. "Third time's the charm, right?" she said.

He breathed through his nose. "We'll find out."

"And our plan?"

Boss exhaled. "Nope. Our improvisation worked out last time."

Vivian stared at him. "You know, you're not building a good case."

He snorted and shrugged. "Let's boogie."

* * *

It was the first time they were going in full daylight, if it could be considered as such. Boss felt so uncomfortable and betrayed that Cat, his own sister, had told Grady his most shameful story. No warning, nothing. It drove him crazy wondering what Grady's reaction had been. She probably laughed like everyone did upon hearing it. No longer would he have an ounce of reputable coolness with Grady after hearing what happened. Just another fool who got played.

He could hear Grady praying under her breath as she walked a step behind him. Gratitude, then forgiveness for what they may have to do. She asked for safety for their little group, including Will. When he heard her end her prayer, he echoed with an amen. They were going to need it.

"So what happened in the Pan-Handle?" she finally asked after a few paces.

He halted and blinked, briefly confused. "My sister didn't tell you?"

Grady shook her head. His sister had set a trap and he totally fell for it. He scoffed.

"Some 'adventure' break your heart?" She gestured quotations.

Boss laughed, still relieved. "No. I do the breaking," he joked. There was no way he was saying _anything_.

Grady squinted. "But something happened... You looked like you swallowed your tongue."

He felt heat rising in his cheeks. He started walking again. "Keep up, Grady."

"I will find out," she warned playfully.

"You can try," he retorted. He prayed she would never find out.

# Eighteen

"There were ten last night, excluding Johnson and Damien," Boss recalled as they reached the vicinity of the compound, which lurcked ahead in the fog. The mercenaries must have heard the gunshots last night. Damien must have expected Eight to return, or have a back-up plan if he didn't.

Vivian gulped, thinking of all the ways it could go bad. "Boss, I just want you to know -"

"Mm! No, Grady. I don't wanna hear the _in-case-I-don't-make-it_ speech."

"But -"

He put his hand up, shaking his head. "Nope! We already decided how this story ends - with some good food and a hot shower," he said indignantly. He looked at her and nodded curtly. "Okay?"

Vivian puffed her cheeks. "Okay." She was hoping for a hug at the very least.

"We'll just rush in under your shield and surprise them," Boss said. "If we can get to the tower, it shouldn't be too difficult to cut off the head of the snake from there." Boss double-checked his machine gun. "Ready?"

Vivian formed the shield around them and they started walking. Vivian kneaded the extension in her hand anxiously. Her heart hammered against her sternum. She was afraid she would drop the extension in her sweaty hands. She swallowed against her dry throat. _You can do this_ , she chanted in her head. _We can do this_.

They shifted into a run as the outline of the armory appeared. A man walked out of the armory opening, popping a fresh magazine into his gun. He turned toward them, eyes bulging as the shield knocked him aside. Vivian realized it was the same man she knocked over before; his face bore a large red mark from last night. One down, nine to go.

Mercenaries leapt out of the way to avoid being hit by the shield as the pair ran through the empty center of the compound. "Intruders!" someone shouted.

The shield thudded as the mercs opened fire. They knew it was impenetrable; why were they wasting ammo? _Where is Johnson_?

Boss and Vivian reached the double doors. The shield molded against the structure, allowing them into the tower while protected from every side. Vivian faced the five men that started closing in, poised to fire.

Vivian knew what she wanted to do and she relayed it to the extension. She squeezed and the shield expelled a wave of energy. The mercs hunkered down, remembering what happened last time. She acted quickly, dropping the shield and firing the extension at each of them. It assaulted them like a Taser gun, putting their bodies in convulsing fits. She knew how _that_ felt. Six down.

The extension signaled impending danger, tingling up her arm. Her feet sensed the steps of a mech. With only four men left - five with Johnson - she knew they all had to be using mechs. They were waiting after all.

"Let's get inside before they see us," Boss said, machine gun ready in his arms.

"No, you go. I'll hold them off."

He gave her a hard look, but there was no time to argue. "You sure?" he asked.

"Yes." Vivian wasn't sure how well the extension would do against a pack of mechs but she had to try. Vivian put a hand on Boss's arm as he opened the door, making him look at her. "Be careful," she pleaded. That was as close to anything meaningful as she was going to get.

He nodded, lips twitching into a bittersweet smile. "You, too. I'll meet you in there." He slipped through the door and Vivian ran for the tents, which the mercenaries had attempted to reassemble during the night. She peeked between the mess of green fabric and stacked supplies. Four mechs filed out of the armory. Vivian's gaze dropped to the ground for a second, blanking on a plan. There she saw a grenade bandolier with three occupied spaces. She picked it up and looped it over her head.

Vivian removed a grenade and inspected it, having never held one before. It was a white smoke grenade. It had a button on the top with a three-second timer idling until the button was pressed. She inhaled sharply, pushed the button and launched the grenade high into the air, over the tents and toward the mechs. She covered her ears but there was no explosion. Thick, white smoke rose into the air past the tents, blending in and thickening the fog.

Vivian switched the extension to her non-dominant hand, a grenade in the other. With the shield around her, she ran down the line of tents toward the armory. She activated another grenade and tossed it into the armory as a mech started to come out. The grenade passed through the shield easily. Vivian slipped around the outer side of the armory. Smoke slithered from the crack beneath the side door she had used the night before.

A mech stumbled around the smoking side of the armory. Vivian pulled her last grenade and dropped it directly at her feet. She ran all the way around the outside wall of the prison bunker to the space between the tower and the prison. The mechs were fumbling around to see. Vivian switched the extension to her good hand, debating her next move.

How would the shield hold up as a battering ram? Vivian took a quick breath and ran for the nearest mech, catching them off-guard. Ramming the shield into the mech was unpleasant but successful. She knocked it down on its side. It kicked its legs like a toppled beetle. The extension buzzed in warning and she turned to see another mech. It raised its arms and smacked down on the top of her shield. For a moment, she thought her eardrums bursted. She pushed back against the mech, moving it only a couple inches before another was on her, hitting the force field.

Two more mechs closed in around her, pinning her in. She wasn't sure if the shield was weakening, or if it was responding to her weakness, but it began to shrink around her. They were beating her down. The sound was like a knife to glass in her ears.

The mechs had yet to fire at her. If their firepower came from the same source, could the blasts reach through? Terror filled the dwindling space around her. It was a few moments before a fifth mech - the one she knocked down - joined the other four around her. It was Johnson.

"You have a chance to save yourself and your friends." His voice filtered through the suit. "Help me and you all go free. You can see your mother again."

Vivian nearly lost her concentration on the shield. She stared at Johnson with wide eyes.

Johnson nodded, an eyebrow arched. "She's alive," he reiterated.

"You're lying! You shot her!"

"You _heard_ a gunshot. I didn't kill her."

Her mother was alive? But his men said... Tears clouded her vision. "Why?"

"To squelch any fight you might have in you. A lot of good that did."

Lies. His men had lied, or were told a lie so she would believe it. Vivian blinked slowly, trying to take a breath. She had been so sure of the worst and yet she never wanted it to be true. Just like she had told Boss. Her mother was alive.

"Surrender," he demanded once more. "I'll even throw in this." He removed something silver from his pocket. Her necklace.

He had been playing the long game, using her mother as leverage. The mother who risked her own life to protect her daughter. A single, hot tear dripped from Vivian's eye as she met his gaze.

He knew. His mouth hardened. "Open fire!"

* * *

The first floor was empty, save an elevator and a chair beside it. To the opposite side of the room was a door to the emergency stairwell. _Gotcha_.

Boss ascended the stairs, briefly checking each floor as he went up. He reached the door to the fourth floor, paused to gather his courage and pushed it open, gun aimed. He scanned the room with precision, pushing the thought of shooting Eight into the recesses of his mind. _This isn't the same as that_ , he reminded himself. Eight wasn't a psychotic murderer - intentionally, anyway.

On a crude pedestal rested the core, nearly four times the size of Grady's piece. Boss could feel its energy. It made him aware of every hair on his neck, the sweat running down his back. It connected to a large computer console. It was about the size of a washing machine with a holographic screen. Wires hung out of the side of the machine with electrodes on the ends. There was a wooden table fitted with restraints. Blood stained the wood.

Boss moved on to look for Damien. Around the other side of the elevator was another small office. He pushed the door open with his foot, inspecting for any movement. Files were strewn everywhere. _Maybe he ran_ , he thought. Boss stepped inside, pushing papers around with his feet as he checked them. He spotted a file with _Subject 008_ scribbled on the folder. Boss knelt to pick it up. It contained where Eight lived, where he was abducted and a brief medical background.

Boss clenched as the bite of cold metal touched the base of his skull. "You must be the wrench in all my plans," Damien said, removing the pistol from Boss's pants.

Boss blinked slowly. _I should've kissed her_.

* * *

Vivian flinched as they bombarded the shield. It was even worse than the incessant beating that regular bullets made. Vivian cried out as the sound berated her ears. The extension reacted in a way she understood to be protest. She squeezed it, compelling it to keep the force field. The extension hardened in her clenched fist, truly feeling like polished stone. Where it normally matched her own pulse, now it sped up on its own. She looked down; it was almost white and very warm, vibrating violently in her hand. She feared it would pop out of her fingers and she would be a pulverized.

Then, the extension became so hot that she dropped it without thinking. She panicked the moment she let go, when the air displaced around her. The shield shot outward and the force blew the mechs back. Their firepower reversed, taking parts off of them.

Vivian laid there in silence, trying to regain the breath that was knocked out of her. The trees creaked and swayed. The smoke had been swept away with the force. Vivian stood and looked at the mechs around her. The machines sparked, their heavy glass cracked but unbroken. The drivers were trapped inside, alive. The mercs she had Tased were no were to be seen, carried away by the wave.

Vivian retrieved the cooled extension and went toward Johnson's mech. All she needed to do was break the glass and end him.

A gunshot from up in the tower nearly stopped her heart. _Boss_!

Vivian turned on her heel and ran through the double doors of the tower. There was nothing but an elevator on the right side of the room. She mashed the button and the door slid open. She repeated her haste on the 4 button.

It felt like the longest minute of her life. _He could be dead and I'm stuck in an elevator_!

The elevator shuddered to a stop. There was no preparing her for what she would be faced with when the door opened. She cast a pleading look heavenward.

The door withdrew, exposing the spacious top floor of the tower. There was a large console with a holographic screen. It portrayed the Wall in blue, lining the inside of a yellow shape - the concrete wall. The Wall had a shallow, rounded top, just as Boss described. On a pedestal, similar to the one in the armory, lay the core. It was about the size of a football. It powered the console.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

Vivian's eyes caught movement as Boss appeared, looking very perturbed with a busted lip and his cheekbone forming bruise. His hands were up as a man held Boss's handgun to his back by Damien. Boss's machine gun was nowhere to be seen. Boss gave Vivian an apologetic turn of his mouth. She released the breath that was caught in her throat, glad she hadn't been too late.

"Yes, it is," she finally responded to the question. Vivian could feel the extension in her hand magnetizing to the core's power.

"Subject number zero-three-four, Vivian Grady. I'm -"

"Damien," she said.

He bowed his head. "You've been playing detective."

"Dr. Olson left a VID-LOG behind."

Vivian couldn't distinguish the color of his eyes; the light above the core reflected off the pedestal and against his lenses. He steered Boss into the center of the room. Boss looked upward irritably. "I'm impressed. What became of number eight?" Damien inquired.

"A bullet," she answered bluntly.

Damien pouted. "Well, his mission still succeeded. You've returned."

Vivian glanced at the giant core pulsating on the stand. The extension beat in time with it. "How did you create the Wall?"

Damien smiled devilishly. His eyes swept over the room. "This place was the home of a research program. Local biology - nothing too ambitious. Until this thing happened..."

Boss rolled his eyes as Damien led him toward the core. Vivian palmed the extension anxiously.

"The core you see here, according to history, was a raw source of energy birthed during the Cataclysm years. At the time of its discovery, the world was just getting back on its feet and this material was exactly what they needed. However, it was too unstable, causing more destruction than good. Most of it was destroyed through misuse - resulting in quite a few deaths. Never in my life would I imagine there was any left!

"When I found it, I took the liberty of bringing it to the surface. Clysmite is the metal the core needs to be fully realized. With a few tweeks to this console and programming, I was able to create the largest, most advanced security force field the world has ever seen. I reconfigured mechs to use ionic blasts rather than bullets, as long as they were charged. When you stole the extension, I had to remind Johnson to make the most of their battery life. So, they waited for your next move."

"So, they didn't bother us while we had your double agent," Boss clarified. "What horrors did you do to him?"

"I opened his eyes!" Damien snapped.

# Nineteen

"This technology is what I've always wanted. Something that would put me on the map. My colleagues didn't understand, so I hired Johnson to help me. Unfortunately, those bandit squatters had already encroached." Damien sighed. "Striking an arrangement with Ray was simple enough." Damien stepped away from Boss, keeping the gun on him. He shooed Boss with the gun barrel. "Back up," he commanded.

"Whose idea was it to murder an entire group of people?" Boss asked as he backed slowly towards the wall near the elevator, hands up.

"The bandits were Johnson's responsibility. I was only here for my research. I preferred to keep them alive, but you can't cry over spilt milk. Honestly, Johnson frightens me."

"So you gave him supercharged mechs?"

"I had to ensure he wouldn't try to usurp me or my work." Damien kept his gun on Boss as he approached the core and Vivian. His eyes dropped to her occupied hand. "I see that was a mistake now. I should've known that the extension was vital to the process."

"Is that what you told Eight? To get him to kill me for it?" Vivian asked angrily. "Dr. Olson's videos were a year old. How many people have you sacrificed in that time?"

"I didn't begin my human experiments until these last couple months," he answered flippantly, as if it were a minor infraction. "As for Eight, I promised him what all of you want - freedom. And more, if he wished." Damien stepped closer to Vivian, his greedy expression curdling her empty stomach. "Even after filtering the core through my programming, it was too powerful for the human body. But when I saw what you did last night, I realized my error. I thought I was giving Johnson a smaller piece, a battery for his mechs, when really it was just as important as the core itself. An analog, if you will. Without the extension, the core's potential is wasted in a glorified supercomputer. But with you, having been acclimated, you should be able to access the core through it." Damien circled around her. "With this -" he pointed at the core "- I can make us stronger. Make _you_ stronger. Anything you want. Don't you like how it feels? Don't you want to be in control?"

If Vivian hadn't known before, she was certain of it now: no one was every really "in control". People were either subject to someone or something else. The only thing anyone ever had was a choice. Boss made a choice when he shot a man to save her, when he risked his own plans to help her. Her mother made a choice to protect her daughter.

She heard Damien's lips spread over his teeth as he smiled at her ear. "Touch it," he said softly. "I guarantee you'll be safe as long as you have the extension with you."

Vivian stepped closer to the pedestal.

"Grady, don't -"

"Quiet," Damien barked at Boss from behind her.

The core's pulse reverberated through the air as she reached for it. The static magnetized to her hand like invisible hairs. She prepared for the shock as she placed her hand against the core, but it didn't come. It was warm with kinetic energy. She felt how much stronger it was compared to the extension. Its rhythmic thrumming was hypnotic.

"How does it feel?" he asked eagerly.

She stared at it thoughtfully. Eight, an innocent man, died because of it. The mercenaries harnessed it through mechs and murdered everyone at camp. Damien sacrificed people with his exprimenting. That kind of power couldn't be in the hands of people like that. Or anyone. The power of the core was incredible, but Vivian chose something stronger: love. The same love that strengthened her at the stump today. The love that gave her the will to carry on.

The core responded to her touch, ready to do her bidding. It was a tool, an instrument to be used at its wielder's will, and Vivian was going to destroy it. Olson's words echoed in her head: _such a waste_.

Vivian's choice was clear. With her hand still on the core, she turned to Damien. His smile was bright and delirious. Boss seemed confused, heartbroken. It touched Vivian more deeply than the power of the core ever could.

"Olson had one last request before she died," Vivian said. With one thought-command, the core struck Damien's gun-toting hand with a bolt of electricity. He shouted in pain, drawing his hand back automatically.

Boss bowled Damien over unceremoniously and scooped up the gun for himself. With the gun trained on Damien, Boss dragged him toward the console. "C'mon, doc," Boss said. "I thought we lost you," he said to Vivian.

"How's your face?" she asked.

"He got lucky."

Vivian followed him to the console. The holographic screen was intimidating. "I don't suppose you're a computer genius?" she asked him.

"Good thing I remembered to pack one." Boss looked down at the man between them, nudging Damien's thigh with his foot. "Tell us how to shut down the Wall, _Dr. Damien_." Boss looked back up at her and snorted. "That's totally a supervillain's name."

Damien's glasses had fallen off when he was tackled. "That computer won't execute even the smallest command without my password. If you try, it'll activate the contingency plan."

Boss watched Damien as if he were was a willful child. "I don't suppose you'll give that to us," Boss said smugly.

Damien glared at him.

"What contingency plan?" Vivian asked Damien.

He set his ice-blue eyes on her. "If anyone but me tries to access anything on the computer, the program begins a ten-minute countdown."

"Countdown to what?"

"Self-destruct."

"Of course." Boss sighed, then looked at her. "Well, what do we do?"

Vivian looked down at the extension. It protected her from an intense amount of damage over the past night and today. "I guess we blow it up. That was our plan - to destroy it."

Boss half-smiled, as if she had said something endearing. "Oh, I'd love to, but we're still trapped behind another very tangible wall."

Vivian held up the extension. "I can use this to protect us from the blast."

"It won't work," Damien countered, but Vivian only looked at Boss.

He glanced down at Damien. "You wanna cooperate, then?" No answer. Boss faced Vivian again, strictly business. "You think that'll work?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "I don't know, but if he won't help, then it's all we can do to destroy this thing." Vivian wanted to be home and her friends safe, but she couldn't let the core remain.

Boss took a measured breath, licking his lips, his gaze moving from the core to the screen and back to her. Finally, he turned to the console and tapped the screen. A box appeared, requesting a password. Boss looked down at Damien. "Last chance."

"You won't," he taunted. "You'll all die."

Boss gave Vivian one more look, confirming her willingness. With a nod, he pressed the enter key. The computer gave a loud, threatening beep. Everything on the screen turned red as a timer appeared. _9:59, 9:58_...

"No! What have you done?!" Damien squealed, dragging himself up the console to stare the screen. He tried to type but nothing worked. Boss fisted the front of Damien's shirt, swung him around to face him and punched him. Damien sank back to the ground.

"That's for Eight and everyone else," Boss said. He ran to the elevator and tapped the button. Vivian joined him inside and he hit the 1 button. Damien scrambled toward them. The door shut on his infuriated face, his lips curled back. He banged around on the other side. The elevator shuddered and slowly descended. Boss looked down at the extension in Vivian's hands. "I hope this works."

"Me too." The idea of the time limit left her out of breath. Now that she knew her mother was alive, she wanted to survive to see her again.

"We should still take cover somewhere. Maybe the ship."

She nodded.

Boss extended his hand to her and introduced himself properly. "Alex Shepard. Pleasure to meet you, Vivian."

Vivian took his hand. "Likewise," she replied. His name fit him perfectly.

Alex's smile was cut short when the elevator stopped. They slipped through the door before it finished opening and hurried for the exit. They ran past the mechs. The glass faces were busted out.

"Man, what'd you do?" Alex sounded a bit proud of her.

They must have fled, but if they found Catherine and Click... "Run faster," she said.

"What?"

"They're gone! The mercs!"

Alex's eyes widened in horrific realization. He grabbed her hand so they could stay within the shield and ran. Vivian clutched the extension to her chest. If Johnson did anything to Catherine or Click, she would never forgive herself.

Alex called out to his sister as they neared the treeline. Catherine was on the other side of the river. Click sat with her. There were no mercenaries in sight. Vivian dropped the shield as they crossed the river. Click rose to his feet.

"What's going on?" Catherine asked. "I saw the mercenaries running away!"

"This place is gonna blow! Go for the ship!" Alex said.

Click started trotting into the woods without hesitation. Catherine lingered behind to stay with her brother. "Is it really gonna blow? How are we gonna get out?" Catherine asked frantically.

Alex took her hand and started pulling her. "We'll be fine! We're gonna hide out in the ship."

Vivian kept a wide wall of the force field behind them as she picked up the rear. They returned to the dig site. Click was already halfway down and Catherine followed next. Alex dropped in afterward, looking up at Vivian.

Suddenly, bullets rattled the shield. Vivian made sure the shield covered the opening in a dome. The shots came from Damien, sweating and breathing raggedly. He emptied the magazine, then he ran up and swung the gun at the shield like a bat.

"You've doomed us all!" he screamed. "The extension can't survive without the core! When it blows, it'll be useless!"

Vivian's blood went cold. She should have known when Damien mentioned their complementary nature before. She turned to Alex and his sister as they peeked up from the bottom of the hole. They stared back, petrified.

"Get down here!" Alex called.

A beeping noise went off and Damien stopped to look down at his watch. The ground trembled beneath them. The shield remained sound around Vivian. Distant tree trunks snapped, boulders tumbled and cracked. Time was up.

A gust of wind filtered through the shield, but it was even more powerful beyond it. "No!" Damien yelled. His body became a bullet, flying straight in the direction with the blast. Vivian flinched, not wanting to see what he might hit.

"Grady, just jump!" Alex shouted. "We'll be safe down here!"

Nearby trees grazed the shield and fell to either side, thundering in Vivian's ears. If she went inside, they would be buried under debris. She dropped to her knees, clutching the extension tight. Its pulse was quick and shallow but it held fast. As long as the shield was working, she would stay.

Vivian peeked over the edge at Alex. He held his sister tightly. Click peeked from the corner. In that moment, they were all that mattered. She pressed her forehead into the ground. "Please, please let them live," she whispered. "Just let them live."

* * *

A dark gray mass resembling thunderclouds rushed over the shield, swallowing the day. The shield crackled with static electricity. Alex craned his neck to look. The shield flashed with lightning as the blast blew over them. He wanted to climb up and drag Vivian inside, but he had made a promise to keep his sister safe. His heart tore.

The wind howled down the opening. The shield made zapping, crackling sounds. Sheet lightning flashed against the force field. Cat squealed in fear. "It's breaking through!"

"Just hang on!" Alex shouted back.

Alex clutched his sister tighter, pinning her hair down as it whipped him in the face. He looked up at Vivian, only able to see the arch of her back where she hunkered down. Streaks of lightning began to fire inside the shield toward the ground. They were attracted to the extension. He couldn't see them connect, but his insides lurched when Vivian screamed.

"Grady!" he called up to her, but his voice was drowned out by the lightning and her cries. He wondered if that was what his mother sounded like when he left her to die at the hands of Nightmares. Tears prickled his vision. Cat fisted his jacket as she buried her face.

Alex wanted it to be over already. He couldn't imagine how Vivian was still holding on as he watched the lightning try to get to the extension. He thought he smelled burning flesh. She sounded like she was being filleted.

Finally, she lifted her head, and her bloodshot eyes met his. All of the veins in her forehead were swollen, her skin beet red. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Bolts lit up on either side of her, striking her arms and traveling ever closer to her head. Alex stared back in horror. He wouldn't leave someone he loved a second time. He let go of his sister and grabbed the rope. Vivian's eyes rolled closed and she slumped back down from his view.

" _VIVIAAAN_!" he screamed through the storm.

A blast of dirt rushed in, hitting him in the face. He recoiled, the ground quaked and they heard the tremendous sound of the wall crumbling down.

# Twenty

Vivian's entire body trembled with pain in the aftermath. "Thank you, Lord," she breathed. She twisted her face toward the hole, her forehead still pressed into the dirt. Click appeared over the edge, then Catherine, who helped her brother out. Alex immediately turned his attention to Vivian. His mouth fell open, eyebrows scrunching in alarm. She blinked to reassure him that she was alive. He went to her, his face splitting into a relieved smile. Vivian thought it was beautiful, beneath the dirt and sweat and his bruised cheek. She was grateful that his horrified gaze earlier wasn't the last one she would see.

"It worked," he said.

"Yep," she croaked.

His eyes turned into that puppy-dog expression. "Oh, your arms," he said empathically. "How bad does it hurt?"

"Pretty bad." Her voice was hoarse from screaming. "How do they look?"

His throat bobbed. "Pretty bad." He ran his hand over her hair, his smile turning into a humorous pout. "They're coated in dirt."

She closed her eyes and whimpered. Vivian sat up. The blood rushed from her head and her arms were on fire. From the back of her hands and on up to the base of her shoulders was torched fabric, blood and dirt. In her hands was something similar in shape to the extension, but crusty and grayish brown. Alex plucked it from her hands and grimaced. "Damien said it wouldn't survive," she reminded him.

"Yeah, but I thought we'd get a pretty souvenir out of it. This looks like a wasp nest. Or a big, dry turd." Alex crushed it in his fist and it crumbled into dust. His mouth stretched in disgust, wiping his hands on his pants.

Catherine came to help Vivian. She and Alex each took Vivian's hand and slipped an arm around her back. Her head swam once she was on her feet. She shut her eyes, trying not to sway.

"Whoa, don't throw up on me," Alex chuckled lowly.

"I know - it'll start a chain reaction," she responded with a groan.

Catherine laughed.

All the trees were bowed to the ground. They fanned over the river where they reached. Some leaned against the side of the waterfall. The blast had blown some of the water over the bank. Click knelt between two trees, reaching for water to drink. Vivian wondered where Johnson and the others had gone, if they survived.

The skin on her arms felt tight as her wounds dried. Sweat cooled on her neck and forehead. The mist floated on the breeze. Vivian never thought she would miss something as seemingly trivial as an air current. The forest began to clear of the fog.

"Go get your crap," Catherine ordered to her brother. "We'll meet you downstream."

Alex nodded, letting Vivian go. Catherine led her away.

"I can't believe you did that," she said. "That was very brave. Stupid, but brave."

Vivian killed Damien for sure, and likely more. She didn't feel brave. "It had to be done," she said - more to herself than Catherine.

"How did you know it would work?"

"I took it on faith."

With the knife Alex gave Vivian, Catherine cut the shoulder seams of the suit and peeled the shredded sleeves from Vivian's arms. She could have easily been seared from head to toe. Another reprieve to be thankful for, though her arms were in a sufficent amount of pain.

Catherine washed her hands in the river as best she could. She scooped water up and trickled it over Vivian's arms where dirt touched the burns. Vivian inhaled sharply, trying not to moan.

"I'm sorry!" Catherine said with a grimace. "Ice-cold water isn't good for burns, but I wanted to get the dirt and stuff off."

Vivian distracted herself by describing what had transpired at the compound. Alex showed up with his backpack and knelt beside her. He pulled out the looted first-aid kit. "Ah," he said triumphantly, holding up small packages of burn gel. "Eureka."

"I wouldn't wrap her arms until we can properly clean them, but we should cover them until we get to the _Burra_." Catherine tore a mostly clean strip from Vivian's t-shirt and began patting down her arms. Catherine took the packets as her brother opened them and started slopping the gel on the worst parts of the burns.

"Thank you," Vivian said to her.

Catherine smiled pleasantly. When she was finished, Alex was ready with a roll of gauze and bound each arm. Vivian was so happy that they were okay. Her heart swelled at the possibility of her mother being alive, which she had yet to tell Alex until now. "Johnson said that my mother was alive."

Alex frowned as if he misunderstood. "She is?"

"He told me when he tried to get me to give up the extension."

"I hope so," he simply said.

Vivian understood his skepticism, but she would take whatever shred of hope she could. She picked a focal point where the water ran over a rock in the middle of the river as the siblings tended to her. Warm light sparkled through the water, revealing the greens and browns of the riverbed. Vivian looked at Catherine's dark hair, haloed in a reddish shade against the sunlight. Alex retrieved his walkie from his pack. He caught Vivian's gaze, his eyes bright in the sunlight. He smirked, closing his eyes on the sunlight in contentment. His hair seemed to be more golden in the sun compared to his sister.

The sun was warm but the wind was cool. Vivian lifted her face to the sky, seeing the deep azure appearing as the fog burned away. There was a distant sound, one from a terrible memory. All of their heads snapped to the sky in alert. A ship - the merc ship - rose in the sky and flew away.

A voice crackled over the walkie. "Boss, mate! Can ya hear me?"

"Will? Yes, I read you!" Alex responded immediately.

"I saw the wall come down. Y'alright? Is Catherine there?"

Catherine started to laugh and cry.

They were to head downstream until they met up with Will. Catherine was the only one in a hurry. Nothing was chasing them. No one was hunting them down. It really was over.

Click had found himself a sturdy stick to use as a makeshift cane. Vivian walked carefully, her arms slightly raised from her sides. "How are you doing?" Vivian asked Click.

He made an _OK_ symbol.

She nodded and smiled.

He clicked to get her attention and tapped his upper arm.

"I'm better than I've been for a whole week," she said.

He made the strangest zipper-like sound. Vivian thought it might be a laugh.

Without the fog, and all the trees mowed down, they could see the ruined wall and the dense forest beyond it. Bright afternoon sunlight shined.

Something appeared amongst the debris. The blond hair gave it away. "Catherine!" he called.

"Will!" Catherine screamed ecstatically, picking up speed to reach the rubble.

Click and Vivian reached Alex, who had stopped. He smirked as he watched the couple scramble to reach each other. It was like something out of a movie: Catherine lifted her arms and Will snatched her up, spinning her around with his leftover momentum. Vivian heard their faint mutterings and laughter.

Vivian averted her eyes to give them privacy of what would surely follow their hug. Alex faintly grimaced, rolling his eyes at the display of affection. "Oi, Will! Get my friend here a transmitter helmet, will ya?"

Will raised his hand up high, then gave a thumbs-up. The couple disappeared onto the other side.

Click moved at a steady pace through the rubble. Vivian followed with Alex close behind. The entire area within the Wall was on a higher elevation, giving them a wide view. The evergreen forest blanketed the land in dark green. There was water beyond that, extending to the horizon. Vivian breathed in the open air, tears glazing her vision. She thanked the Lord again.

"Never been so happy to see woods in my life," Alex exhaled. He stood beside her, taking in the view. "Beautiful, isn't it? I like Canada."

"Canada?"

"Well, the Great Lakes Territory, to be exact."

The U.S. and Canadian lands that surrounded the Great Lakes had become a shared territory after the Cataclysm. It was also two-thirds of a country away from home. "I guess I've been to Canada, then," she sighed.

Alex chuckled softly.

Click, Catherine and Will were already way ahead when Alex and Vivian started the journey through the forest. It was much denser and more haphazard compared to the patch within the Wall. Uncut evergreens dominated the land. The ground was coated in bushes and ferns, rocks and fallen trees. Vivian expected to see animals - even if only birds - but there were none. The smell of pine was lovely.

Alex stopped every once in awhile when she fell behind. With his dark clothes and green jacket, he blended into the environment even better than he did inside the Wall. He grinned politely as she reached him. "It gets pretty steep down here," he informed her.

No sooner did he speak and she started to slip on something. Alex caught hold of the back of her shirt. It was better than grabbing her arm, which would've caused her caterwaul to echo throughout the landscape. She cluckled in embarrassment.

Alex decided to keep a hold of her as they moved down. He said nothing as they descended, except a "You good?" here and a "Watch out" there.

At the base of the hill was a grassy clearing. It appeared to be a parking area, with a road leading southbound to their left. Alex let her go and stepped past her. "There she is," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Home sweet home."

The _Burra_ was parked near the treeline on the opposite end of the park. The trailer looked exactly like Vivian expected, but bigger. There was something lying flat along the roof and covered with a tarp. Will was already coming back from the trailer with a helmet tucked under his arm. Catherine never strayed from his side, the pair linked by the hand. She pulled him toward Alex and Vivian. She looked so happy to have her family in one place, safe. "Will, this is -"

"Vivian Grady," Vivian said, nodding to him.

He smiled handsomely. His hair was a bit longer than Alex's photo. It was still short in the back, but longer on the top. "Nice to meet ya," he said in his accent.

Vivian beamed widely, giggling like an idiot. "That's so cool."

"She said that when I first told her you were Australian," Alex said to his brother-in-law-to-be.

"You look terrible, mate," Will said to Alex.

"Thanks," Alex replied as if complimented. He hugged Will.

Will crinkled his nose. "You smell worse."

Alex released him and deadpanned Vivian. "I try to be nice," he said, pointing at Will. He took the helmet from Will and turned to Click. "Here you go, man. Want some help?"

Click bowed his head graciously. Alex tore the padded Velcro strap open and placed the matte black helmet over Click's head. It was the same shape as the Subterran's slightly pointed head. A thin material ran along the crest to allow him to breathe. Click secured the Velcro neck piece. He was very familiar with the technology, tapping along the side of the helmet. It hummed to life. He pressed another button under the chin. He exhaled through the crest.

Everyone waited in anticipation for him to speak. " _Thank you. So very much_ ," he transmitted robotically, just like the "Iron Man" song. " _It is strange having a helmet without any clothes_."

All of them laughed awkwardly. Click's attempt sounded quite frightening through the helmet.

"So, what's your name, then?" Vivian asked.

" _I am not sure if our natural names can be properly translated through this device_ ," he stated. " _My name is_ -"

A new clear voice cut Click off. " _Translation unknown_."

Click spoke again, " _You may continue to call me Click, if you wish_."

Vivian held her hand out to Click. "Very well, Click. So nice to finally speak with you."

Click took her hand by the wrist with one hand and pressed a button on his helmet with the other. The front of the helmet slid back to reveal his face. He placed the back of her fingers against his face, closing his eyes. Vivian glanced over at the others, confused.

Catherine smiled. "That's a Subterranean custom of friendship and loyalty. Think of it like him kissing your hand."

"Oh." Vivian blushed. "I never read about that before. What should I do?" she mouthed.

Alex was trying not to laugh, shaking his head. His sister smacked his arm.

"Just go with it," Will whispered with a laid-back grin.

Click released Vivian's hand. " _I apologize if I have caused you discomfort_."

She shook her head, grinning quickly. "Nope. Just new."

" _I would offer to hug, but you are currently injured_."

Vivian laughed. "Yes, thank you."

Click bowed and turned to walk away from them.

"Hey, where ya going?" Alex asked quickly.

Click paused. " _Home_."

"At least let us give you a ride out of here," Will said.

Click remained in his place for a moment. " _Very well. Thank you_."

Catherine led Click inside as Will held open the door, stepping in after them. As Vivian got closer, she found herself taking smaller steps. A subtle anxiety panged in her chest. Alex stopped a few strides ahead of her. He tilted his head quizzically. "What is it?"

"Nothin'."

His eyebrow arched. "Doesn't look like nothin'."

She couldn't explain it. "I don't know. I just...I feel afraid."

He didn't understand, frowning. "Afraid of what?"

Vivian shrugged. "The unknown." She was eager to go home and see her mother, but what happened next? She didn't want to lose these friends she had made, if they felt the same way about her.

Alex faced the task of opening the door as he listened to her, his brow knitted in thought. Then he started to smirk. "I don't think it's fear. I think someone's shy," he teased.

Vivian glared at him as she approached the entrance to the trailer. "Shut up."

"You don't have a thing for Will, do you?" he asked in faux wariness.

She blushed furiously, despite her response being true. "No!"

"Mm-hmm," Alex hummed. He was trying to distract her. Even if it was at the expense of making fun of her, the thought made her fluttery inside. And a bit irritated.

"Who's got a thing for me?" Will piped from inside.

"Grady does!" Catherine said, laughing. She stood just inside the trailer. "Too late, Vee. I fight dirty for my wallaby."

"I'd like to see that," Will purred at her.

Alex made a disgusted sound from behind Vivian. "You see what I have to live with?" he griped.

"You started it," she reminded him.

# Twenty-One

The interior of the _Burra_ was far more spacious than Vivian anticipated. Her interpretation of a "trailer" had been a mere camper.

The front of the trailer had three gray-beige luxury seats: the driver, passenger and one behind the driver seat, directly across from the door.

A wall separated the third seat from the kitchen, which was complete with a refrigerator, a two-burner stove and a sink. A microwave was bolted above the L-shaped counter. A comfy brown couch lined the remainder of the trailer wall. It had been pulled open into a small bed, the edge of the bed sticking out just even with the end of the counterspace. Opposite the kitchen was a pantry and a cyan booth-seat dinette. The floor beyond that was an empty space. Hanging cabinets and storage cubbies filled any unutilized wall space.

On the left side of the small hallway was a nice bathroom. The end of the passage opened into a bedroom. The full-size bed took up most of the space. Vivian wanted to fall right onto it and sleep.

Will revved the engine and turned the _Burra_ around. Catherine sat in the passenger seat beside Will, still holding his hand. Alex shoved the bed back into the couch and set his rucksack on top. "Ah," he sighed as he plopped down on the seat.

Click and Vivian stood in the aisle, both foreigners inside the motorhome. Vivian looked at the trees passing through the small window above the kitchen sink as it headed down the road.

"You guys can have a seat," Will said. He glanced at them through the large rearview mirror.

Vivian and Click faced at each other. "Go ahead," Vivian insisted as she pointed at the remaining seat in the cab.

Click didn't have to be told twice, sinking into the leather. A relieved sound filtered from him.

Vivian moved down to the booth, catching sight of another door opposite the bathroom. "What's in there?" she asked Alex.

He put his feet up on the couch's arm that was pressed into the back of the kitchen counter. "Storage space and entry to the roof. The gun is up there."

"Under the tarp?"

He nodded, putting his arms behind his head. "So, how do you like the _Burra_? You have seen a motorhome before, right?"

Vivian sighed, leaning against the dinette table. "Yes. I wasn't born under a rock, despite the way it may appear."

He grinned and closed his eyes.

Select animal species appeared as the forest tapered into the nearby grassland - deer, coywolves, and all manner of birds. Vivian figured the quakes from the core caused the animals to flee.

As they arrived in the nearest town, they pulled into the empty lot of a tiny, run-down motel. It had a total of ten rooms and a wide lot of RV spaces. _Coot's RV Park_ , the circular sign read with a border of yellow bulbs. Half of the bulbs flickered and at least four of them were completely out.

With the _Burra_ hooked up, Vivian attempted to use the bathroom - a difficult task with her wounded arms. She missed toilet paper the last few days. The shower reignited her pain as she soaked the bandages off. Peeling the gauze was unpleasant, to say the least, but to shower properly after so long was worth it.

Alex and Will rented a small hovercraft and went back to the Wall. Vivian felt obligated to help, considering it to be "her mess", but they left while she was showering. Catherine reminded Vivian that her wounds were her main concern. Click had gone to contact his family in the motel office.

Vivian sat on the toilet seat while Catherine dressed her wounds. The entire ordeal was awkward - sitting in a towel in a veritable stranger's trailer bathroom. She very gently dried Vivian's arms. "Happy to go home?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, but I'm afraid of what I'll find."

Catherine applied more burn gel. "Not knowing is always worse, in my opinion. I don't see any reason for Johnson to tell you she was alive if she wasn't. Can you call her?"

Vivian frowned thoughtfully. She supposed it was pointless until now. "I guess I could try."

"When we're finished, we'll go to the office and give her a ring."

Vivian nodded and looked at her arms, streaked with deep red lines. The sight of seared flesh made the hair on her neck stand up, reminding her of the lightning licking up her arms. "I'll have some pretty gnarly scars," she said nonchalantly.

"To go with a crazy story," Catherine added.

"Speaking of stories, what's your version of meeting Will?"

Catherine smiled as she began to wrap Vivian's arms loosely. "A lot more romantic than Alex's version, I imagine. After the whole mess with that crocodile -"

"Crocodile? He said you were stranded," Vivian interrupted, remembering his comment about crocodiles.

"We were...because of a crocodile. Thirty-five, forty feet...the biggest one I've ever seen. It totaled our Humvee. I was sure we were going to die. That's when this big trailer comes chugging along. Will appears from the hatch in the roof and says to us, 'You know this is Rocko's territory, right?'"

Vivian giggled at Catherine's impression of Will's accent.

"Apparently, Will had been stalking the crocodile. Rocko was eating the locals. On top of the _Burra_ , Will has a mounted weapon. It's kind of a fifty-cal, but he added an extra part for launching projectiles. That day, he had a huge spear in it. He shot at Rocko with the gun to get him away from us. Then, when Rocko was close enough, he hit him with the spear. Right in Rocko's open jaws."

Vivian gaped at her, trying to visualize the scenario. "Wow!"

Catherine smiled as she secured the ends of the dressing. "Let me get you something clean to wear."

Vivian waited patiently until Catherine returned with a bundle of clean clothes. Vivian changed in private, though she considered having help for the pain she caused herself. Getting the bra on was the worst part. Catherine lent her some loose pants and a sweatshirt, adding another layer of protection to her arms.

Catherine returned and swapped the towel in Vivian's hand for a photo. Vivian examined the picture as Catherine towel-dried her hair. The picture portrayed Will standing in front of the _Burra_ with a dead crocodile as long as the trailer. Rocko's tail was curled around to fit into the picture.

"We brought Rocko to the nearest town where most of his meals had been taken. I didn't stick around for the parade. Alex was all over it, though." She began combing through Vivian's hair. "That night, Will came into the trailer with some food for me. He had one of Rocko's teeth and was playing with it. I didn't think he was one for trophies. I asked him about it and he said, 'It's not everyday that I get to save the town and a beautiful girl. I wanted a memento.'"

Vivian giggled. "How cheesy."

Catherine laughed, too. "That was the same reaction I had. We talked until Alex came back - so full he nearly threw up - and talked some more after Alex crashed on Will's sofa. The next morning, Will sold Alex on the idea of teaming up. My brother was all for it at the time, until he realized Will was in love with me."

"And you?"

Catherine began to braid. Vivian stood at the sink, watching her through the mirror. Catherine shrugged. "I admit I made him suffer, but I couldn't resist him." She cocked an eyebrow at Vivian. "All the ladies can't."

"Boss said that, not me!"

"Alex is probably just jealous." Vivian flushed. Catherine's eyes remained on the braid. "But I don't think my brother has anything to worry about..." Her eyes flicked up to Vivian in the mirror.

Vivian scowled at her, a warning in her eyes. "Shush."

Catherine flashed a devilish smirk.

There was a soft knock on the bathroom door. Catherine slid it open and Click was standing there. "Did you get a hold of someone?" Catherine asked.

" _Yes. They are already on their way_."

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

" _Yes, I am eager for you to meet them. I haven't seen my wife and my son in over a month_."

Catherine and Vivian smiled sympathetically. "Are they coming in a ship?" Vivian asked.

" _Yes, my son is a skilled pilot. I imagine he will be driving one of our smaller, faster scouting crafts. They have a capacity of three-point-five occupants_."

"Three and a half?" Vivian echoed.

Catherine chortled. "Relax, it's just a percentage. Now, let's go make that call so I can shower before the boys get back."

_He's probably just jealous_. Catherine's comment bothered Vivian. Perhaps it was the trouble they went through together, or the lack of adventure in her life, but she felt connected to him and she didn't want it to go away. But she wanted her mother back. Vivian sighed as she followed Catherine to the office. She was probably getting all worked up for nothing. Alex would take her home and that would be it.

Vivian's fingers trembled as she dialed the number. She swallowed; her throat felt too narrow. She put the receiver to her ear and shut her eyes as it rang, pleading in her head: _Please answer. Please be alright_. Catherine waited with her, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly.

The phone was answered, silent for a painful few seconds. Then, a breath and a voice. "Vivian?"

She couldn't breathe. Tears sprang forth. "Mom?"

Her mother's voice broke. "Are you alright, honey? Are you safe?"

"Yes! I'm okay. I'm so glad to hear your voice. Are you okay?"

She sniffed on the other end, tugging Vivian's heart. "I'm fine, sweetie."

"I'll be home as soon as I can."

"How?"

"I'm with some friends...other prisoners." Vivian glanced at Catherine, who smiled happily. "They're going to bring me home. I was so afraid you were dead, Mom. I'm so sorry I ran -"

"I told you to run," she said. "I tried to get someone to help me, but..."

Vivian wiped her eyes. "It doesn't matter now. I'm coming home. I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Vivian."

# Twenty-Two

Alex returned with the intention of putting the bodies to some kind of rest, but it was impossible. Not only was he unable to locate them, but the felled trees blocked most of the ground for burying, and he wasn't about to risk a forest fire to burn them. His previous intrigue surrounding the ship had died after being forced to listen to Vivian's screams while he was safe within it.

Alex would never forget the look on her face. The blast filtering through the shield, shredding her arms with electric strikes. Alex had wanted to reach up and drag her into the hole and take his chances without the shield. The price she paid to protect them was more than he could ever repay. She would carry the trauma - mentally and physically - for the rest of her life.

Alex knew she was strong, despite letting herself get beat down. And now, knowing her mother was alive - if she was - Vivian would be just fine. Everyone got what they wanted, so why did he still feel uneasy? Maybe it was because he was back at the Wall. Or he was in love with Vivian.

He wasn't sure if he was mistaking gratitude for infatuation. His mother used to tell him and his sister that they would click with the right person. It happened for Cat. Alex had been terribly wrong a year ago in Florida. Now, he wasn't sure if he was capable of knowing when the real thing came along. So, he would say nothing. He wouldn't hurt her by claiming something only to find it wasn't true. The whole mess gave him a headache. His hunger didn't help.

Alex had given Will an account of the time he spent since being severed from his parachute. He kept his interactions with Vivian on a need-to-know basis. Those were his private memories. Sometimes, he wished Will and Cat shared the same discretion.

"Man, I would have loved to see that core," Will said as he stepped over a fallen tree to reach the opening into the ship. "Is this it?" Will asked.

Alex nodded as he climbed over the last trunk. "It's intact, but too old to fix. Still, I bet the guys can do something with it - even just to melt it down. Mark the coordinates and we'll radio them when we get back to the _Burra_."

Will nodded, punching into his portable nav system. "I wonder what kind of metal it is..."

"It's steel."

Will deflated. "Oh."

Alex looked up at the sky. The ghost of a crescent moon floated in the blue sky. Alex couldn't wait to see the stars. He thought about the night he mentioned it to Vivian. His stomach growled as he remembered their agreement. He turned back to Will. "Ready to go? I have one more stop to make."

"Where?" Will asked innocently.

"Dinner. I want pizza."

"Good idea. We need some groceries anyway, because _someone_ didn't do it on their turn..."

Alex's mouth pushed out into a bill. "Yeah, yeah, let's go."

The boys headed back in silence. As they reached the other side of the ruined wall, Will spoke. "So?"

"So what?"

"What's next?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know we'll be taking Vivian home, but then what?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't know. Nothing, I guess."

Will pursed. "Nothing, my eye. I think it'd be fun to have her around. I think _you_ would like it, too."

Alex didn't look at him. "That's not my decision," he said. "Or yours, for that matter."

Will put his free arm up in surrender in the corner of Alex's vision. "Ooh, I struck a nerve! Seriously, though, I like her a lot better than the other one. Never trusted her, but no one listens to me."

Alex sighed. "I have a headache, man. And I'm starving -"

"Just answer this one question: do you want her to stay?"

Alex stopped walking for a minute, looking around at the evergreen giants surrounding them. He barely knew Vivian. He felt he owed her for helping him save his sister, but it was more than that now. Alex still didn't trust Johnson, who would have said anything to get Vivian to give up the extension, and she didn't. He bit back a proud smile. If Johnson was lying, Alex wanted to protect Vivian from losing her mother all over again.

"I'm waiting..." Will said, an eyebrow cocked.

Sometimes Alex hated that Aussie. "Yes, I do."

The grin that appeared on Will's face made Alex want to kick him in the jewels. Will climbed into the pilot seat of the hover. "Cat might like to have a girl around, you know."

Cat and Vivian were at the _Burra_ at that moment. Alex wondered if they were talking about them. He pulled out his radio and pressed the talk button. "Cat?"

A few moments rolled by. "Alex?" Cat answered.

"We're done up here. We just have to make a food stop and we'll be home." Alex had to ask, even if it meant being viciously teased by Will or Cat. "How's Grady?"

"We called her mother and she answered. She's okay. Viv was so happy. She's crying, but she's okay."

Alex grinned placidly. "I'm glad," he said, his voice lower.

"And Click's family are on their way to pick him up. Is Will there?"

Alex set the walkie on Will's shoulder in front of him. The cab of the hover was a tight fit with the passenger seat crammed behind the pilot. Will took the walkie and answered in a very flirty voice, "Hello, my love..."

Alex grimaced, his head and stomach churning.

* * *

The sun was setting far beyond the farmland and forest. The sky was blue, turning white near the sun. It seemed like Vivian had gone much longer than a week without seeing a sunset. She always thought she appreciated the sky before now; she almost cried again.

Catherine went to take her shower, but not before giving Click and Vivian some lemonade. The pair were standing outside on the shaded side of the trailer. Click fought with his straw. The juice tingled the muscles of Vivian's cheeks and flushed the bad taste from her mouth.

Even hunched, Click towered over Vivian. Catherine donated a pair of pants to him. The face of his helmet was drawn back as he stared up at the sky. A sheer moon floated there with the first few stars. "So, if you weren't a prisoner, why were you there?"

With his face visible, his natural clicking language mingled with the translator. " _I was on my way to visit a fellow settlement when I was found by one of the mechs. They brought me to the compound, but I was rejected as a subject_."

"Why?"

" _I assume because I am Subterran. The doctor was not interested in experimenting on anything other than his own kind_." Vivian hanged her head. " _I guess it could be a silver lining, or else I wouldn't be going home now_."

Vivian was grateful for that much, at least.

" _On the phone, my son said that he went to the settlement himself and was very worried when he found out I never arrived. He has been searching for me since_."

"Where do you live?" Vivian asked him.

" _It is called Miner Side, a Subterran community built into the slope of a small mountain range in the Midwest_."

"And you mine there?"

" _Yes, hence the name_."

Vivian squinted at him. "Is that Subterran sarcasm?"

" _My wife claims there are three universal languages: love, joy, and sarcasm_."

Vivian chuckled. "How long have you been married?"

He breathed out, a comfortable sound. " _Many, many years. I have cherished them all_."

Vivian smiled. "I think I would like to visit Miner Side," she said.

Click looked down at her and put his hand on her shoulder. " _That is a very agreeable idea. Will you be staying with your friends, then_?"

She wanted to say yes, but she couldn't. The warm reminder that her mother was safe at home beckoned her. She wished there was a way she could have both.

A distant high-pitched whirring captured their attention. Vivian lifted her eyes to the sky as a scout hovercraft descended. It was only a little longer than her mother's truck, cylindrical-shaped and the rounded front was transparent. The three-dimensional view was ideal for searching caves.

Of everything Vivian learned in school, the one thing she wished they had elaborated on were all the different kinds of ships. She watched the landing gear pop out from the scout's underbelly. They were far enough away to avoid the upheaval of dust getting in their eyes, but Vivian covered her drink as a precaution. Click set his cup on the ground and walked toward the ship.

The framed glass rose up like a cap. A Subterran hopped out, wearing a black suit with bold, neon yellow markings crossing the chest and back. Vivian assumed it was Click's son as he helped the second Subterran out, who wore feminine, loose-fitting linen clothes. Neither of them wore transmitter helmets.

Click's son ran to his father, his clawed feet scratching across the dirt. He hugged Click, a head taller than his hunched father. All of them were tall, making Vivian child-like in comparison. The female seamed herself into the embrace. Their strange language was a mess of vibrating rattles and clicks, but the whimpers of rejoice were exactly as Click mentioned - universal.

After his wife finished fussing over his state, Click took their hands and led them toward the trailer. Vivian shuffled, setting her glass down and wiping her hands on her pants. She took the few steps to meet the Subterrans.

He tapped the side of his helmet to begin translating again. " _This is Vivian Grady. Vivian, this is my son and my wife_." He gestured to the tall, dark-clothed one and the light one respectively. His wife's marking was a broad stripe running down the length of her face, between her eyes. Their son's markings made it obvious he was their child: a single upside-down V in the center of his face with a line dividing it in half.

Vivian smiled and bowed her head. "Hello."

They both began speaking in their language rather quickly. Click put his hand up. " _They are very happy that I am safe_."

His son stepped closer to Vivian, reaching for her bandaged arms. Click began to communicate in his natural tongue for a moment. Vivian was uncomfortable, wondering if he was telling them what had happened.

The wife reached for Vivian's other hand, sandwiching it between both of hers. Her claws were smaller on her fingers, but much thicker on her feet in comparison to her son. Vivian sensed her happiness. "It's so frustrating, not knowing your names," she said to the Subterrans.

" _I agree_ ," Click said.

Another sound caught their attention as Alex and Will returned in the rented hover. Will carried a paper bag of groceries in his arm. Click's wife muttered to her husband.

" _Alex Shepard and Will Wellaby_ ," he said. Click faced Vivian. " _We must go. Will you thank Catherine for her medical attention for me_?"

"Yes, of course."

Click touched Vivian's fingers to his face as he had before. " _Until we meet again_." Click's wife put a hand on her husband's shoulder, chattering. " _She thanks you_ ," Click translated.

Vivian bowed humbly once more. She imagined the lowest V-shape on Click's face as a smile. He released her hand and withdrew. His wife and son each repeated Click's action with Vivian's hand and followed him to the ship.

Alex and Will were on their way back from their hover. Vivian recognized a flat box in Alex's arm and her stomach growled. The boys exchanged a brief farewell with the Subterrans.

Click's son helped his mother and father into their craft, and soon they were flying away. Vivian retrieved her lemonade as Alex and Will reached her.

"Is Cat in the shower?" Will asked.

Vivian nodded, her eyes on the box in Alex's arm. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Mhmm." He grinned widely.

Vivian followed them inside, catching a waft of the pizza. She nearly drooled. The bathroom door opened and Catherine stepped out without looking at them, hair wet and in a change of clothes. Will stopped to watch her, absolutely captivated. It was an innocent look rather than creepy, the way any girl would want to be looked at.

"Hurry up, Cat! I'm starving!" Alex said as he set the pizza on the dinette table and shrugged out of his jacket.

"You better wash your hands!" she called back.

Alex was already heading toward the bathroom when he snapped back. "I know, Cat! I'm not a savage!"

"Could've fooled me!"

Vivian was trying not to laugh. Will looked at her and shook his head with a soft smile. "Welcome to the _Burra_ , Vee."

Catherine came out of the bedroom with her hair up. Will finished putting the groceries away and pulled some plates and glasses from the cupboard. Will smiled at her as she wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Feel better?" he asked her.

"Yes." She gave him a quick peck, then got into one of the cupboards. "Viv, I got something for your pain."

Will refilled Vivian's glass as he poured a drink for everyone. Catherine dispensed a couple pills into Vivian's hand and shooed her to sit down at the booth. Vivian took the pills and looked back as the bathroom door opened. Alex stepped out, face and hands washed clean. He rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Ready to eat?"

The three settled into the booth; Cat sat beside Vivian. Alex clasped his hands together. "Grady?"

All eyes were on Vivian. "You want to say grace?" Cat asked, eyeing her brother in surprise.

His eyebrows lifted. "What? We made it and I think that's something to be grateful for, no matter what you believe." He nodded his head in Vivian's direction. "She prayed we'd find you, that we'd get out...and look at us!"

Cat had a pleasantly bewildered smile on her face, then sighed. "Okay, then."

Vivian was nervous for being put on the spot. They waited for her to speak. She closed her eyes. Her tongue felt oversized for her mouth. "Thank you, Lord, for guiding us safely out, for the people who have been so kind to me, and for this delicious food. Amen."

After a small chorus of amens, Alex immediately dove into the pizza box. Vivian dropped her gaze to her lap. "Thank you," Cat said, patting Vivian's knee.

"Yeah, I didn't think he would be able to wait a few seconds to say grace," Will added jokingly.

Alex already had half a slice stuffed in his mouth, pausing when they were all looking at him. "M-What?" he mumbled.

They all ate until they were sickly full. Alex threw his head back, closing his eyes. "So good," he groaned.

"Why did you want pizza so bad?" Will asked, sucking his fingers clean.

Alex pointed at Vivian without looking. "We agreed on it."

Will looked at Catherine, holding a silent conversation with her. He waggled his eyebrows and she smirked. Vivian pretended not to notice, suppressing the jitters in her stomach.

"So, while I was in that compound with a sleeper agent, you were making dates?" Cat asked her brother in feign offense.

"It's not a date," Alex retorted. "If it was, you two would definitely not be here."

"Boss doesn't go on dates," Vivian commented. She didn't add the second part of what he said in the ship. He winked at her.

# Twenty-Three

Catherine washed the few dishes while Will dried. Alex sat in the seat behind Will's, crunching away on a bag of chips. He was waiting for them to finish so he could shower. He used his foot to point at the passenger seat. "Have a seat," Alex said to Vivian.

Vivian eased into the seat, closing her eyes to enjoy the firm and cushioned upholstery. Alex offered her the bag but she declined. She turned her attention to the _Burra_ 's dash. It was basic, except for the system installed in the center, and personalized with photos. Vivian leaned closer to inspect the pictures. They were faded from the sun. She recognized the same photo of Will and Catherine that Alex had. There was one of Catherine receiving a piggy-back ride from her brother, both of them with big, laughing smiles. Others were of people and places they must have visited.

Vivian smiled. She wondered what manner of things the three of them had seen while together. Catherine and Alex had painted an intense life, yet Will's dash gave photo evidence of another, happier side. While it would have been exciting (and terrifying) to have witnessed the showdown with the giant crocodile, Vivian wanted to see the moments like the ones portrayed on Will's dash.

"So, where will we be takin' you?" Will asked from the kitchen.

"Lavender Valley."

Alex was slouched in the seat, completely entranced with his chips. He flattened the bag to easily pour the crumbs into his mouth.

"Oh, I've heard of it," Will said. "You live in town?"

"Just outside."

He nodded. "You like living there?"

That was always a difficult question. Both Vivian and her mother had days when they wished they were somewhere else, but... "It's home," she said.

He smiled kindly. "Totally get it. I get homesick, too." Will's eyes slid toward Alex when he continued to noisily milk the chip bag. "I should've thrown that bloody bag away," he muttered.

"Hmm?" Alex asked, turning his head from the bag. His scratchy chin and down his front was covered in chip particles and salt.

Catherine stepped around Will to get to her brother. She plucked the bag from his hands. "You better shower before you leave a permanent stink in that chair." Catherine wadded the bag up and threw it away in a hidden trash bin beside the sink.

His lips jutted into a grumpy pout and stood. "Grady, you can take the couch."

"No, I can't -"

"I insist." He turned to the couple. "Okay, I'm showering now." Will and Catherine started applauding as Alex made his way past them to the bathroom. As he picked up his backpack from the couch, "Alright, enough!" he snapped at the pair's clapping before shutting himself in the bathroom.

They cackled as Will finished putting the dishes away and settled into the driver's seat. "I wanted to thank you for what you did for Cat and Alex."

Vivian looked at the handsome Aussie. "I would do it again," she said.

He smiled.

"Are you two flirting?" Catherine asked, a cool look on her face as she leaned against the panel next to Alex's chair.

Vivian gulped. She jumped when Will surprised her with a big kiss on her cheek.

"Oh, that's it!" Catherine griped jokingly.

Vivian, at the expense of pain, covered her face in her hands. Catherine and Will laughed. When Vivian looked up, Catherine had moved to sit in Will's lap, both of them giggling. Vivian understood how Alex felt about being their third wheel, but they were sweet. She looked away at the wide rearview mirror. A large triangular tooth hung from it on a leather strap. Vivian pointed at it. "Is that Rocko's?" she asked.

Will smirked proudly. "Yeah."

Vivian reached out to touch it. It was almost two inches in diameter at the base and over three inches long. "You really took it down with that weapon up there?"

"The bullets did little more than rile him up. A few penetrated, but not enough to stop him. I didn't think the spear would work but I'm sure glad it did." He chuckled, eyes closing briefly. "Oh Rocko, the bane of my existence... Right up until he brought me to the love of my life."

Vivian smiled, thinking about how wonderfully cheesy they were. She imagined Alex pretending to gag himself or something. "You guys have some fantastic stories." Vivian didn't think of herself as very adventurous, but she was jealous of such excitement.

"Those stories are few and far between," Catherine said. "Most of the time it's driving, arguing with clients -"

"And each other," Will chimed in.

"...and keeping my brother from killing my future husband."

* * *

There was a soft tapping on the bathroom door. The fact that a shout didn't follow meant someone was asleep. Alex shaved; he still needed his hair cut, but he would wait until they got to Gibson's. He ran his hand through his hair, happy to feel clean. He opened the door to his sister.

"You ready to go?" she whispered.

He nodded and she waved to Will. Alex heard the door shut as Will went to unhook the _Burra_. "Grady asleep?" he asked.

She nodded. "I tried to make her take the couch, but she mentioned you said something about sleeping in your own bed tonight."

Alex frowned, even if he appreciated the thought. "Where is she?"

"I made her a bed on the floor across from you, and I made her take some heavy-duty meds if she was going to be stubborn."

Alex slipped out of the bathroom and poked his head around the corner. Vivian was cramped, her knees slightly bent against the back of the booth seat.

"I pulled your bed out anyway in case she changed her mind. Or if you wanted to share..."

Alex straightened, looking down at his sister with a warning look.

She smirked harmlessly, her hands up. "Relax. I think she's trying to steal both of my boys. Will gave her a kiss while you were in the shower. She got all flustered."

Alex stared wide-eyed at her. "Pardon?" he said quietly.

Cat smiled devilishly. "Just on the cheek. Jealous?"

_Yes_. "No, I was thinking I was going to break his head for two-timing on you."

She snorted. "You're almost as transparent as she is."

Alex rubbed his eyes because it helped hide the heat building in his face.

Cat patted his shoulder, entirely amused at her brother's distress. "Okay, I'm done. Get some sleep."

Alex let his sister pass, then crouched down next to Vivian. If he touched her arm and she woke up from the pain, he would feel awful. He started with her shoulder. She didn't move, breathing deeply. He wrapped his fingers carefully around her bandaged arm. Nothing.

He eased her arm over his shoulder and gently scooped her up. He turned around and lowered her onto the sofa bed. She flinched when he raised her arms by the wrists but didn't wake up. He covered her with the blanket from the back of the couch, then set her arms atop it. She didn't wake. His sister _really_ tranquilized her. Still, looking peaceful and clean, he was comforted that she was getting some much deserved rest. It seemed so much longer than two nights ago that she was sleeping in that tiny cave. He started to grin when he heard the door as Will returned. Acutely aware of the two pairs of eyes burning into his back, he straightened and turned to his audience. Cat and Will quickly faced the windshield.

Alex withdrew to the floor. It was even more cramped for his longer body. Will started up the _Burra_ and began to pull out of the lot. Alex glanced up at Vivian, making sure she didn't wake up.

He took a deep breath and shimmied down until his head was flat against the pillow, even if his legs were bent. He crossed his arm over his eyes and exhaled. Sleep stole him away.

Many of his dreams were of Nightmares or other terrors, but tonight began pleasantly. It was full of light, soft colors and smiles. He was at the coast - his home. The grayish sand between his toes, the salty breeze blowing through his hair. He watched the waves crash, the water surging up the sand to meet his feet.

Cat and Will walked farther ahead. Will scooped her up and spun her around. Alex smiled as the pair laughed. He began to look around, searching for Vivian. All he could think was that she should have been there. He called out to Cat and Will, asking where Vivian was. They didn't know who he was talking about.

Suddenly, the sun blinded him and it was no longer the pacific coast. It was Florida. It was hot and harshly bright. When his eyes adjusted, a laughing crowd surrounded him. He was naked.

* * *

Vivian smelled coffee and opened her eyes. It was barely morning outside the dinette window. She briefly forgot where she was until she saw Alex sitting in the booth seat, facing her. He slurped his coffee. He wore a black t-shirt, his hair stuck up on one side from sleeping, and his face was shaved. His eyes were still hazy with sleep as he grinned lazily. "Morning."

Vivian curled her neck forward, raising her arms like an undead mummy. "Is it?" she verified, noting how dark it was outside. She found new pains, but not from her arms. It was her muscles - from being crouched down and clenched during the core's explosion. She was sore and weak from her neck down to her thighs. However, it was preferable to what was beneath the bandages.

"Four-thirty," he said. "Gotta be back on the road in half an hour."

She eased her legs to the floor. Her original bed across from the sofa was a mess. She eyed Alex suspiciously. "You moved me?"

He nodded. "I'm a gentleman."

She felt guilty. "You shouldn't have."

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore."

He got up from the seat. "I'll get you another painkiller." He raised his mug. "Coffee?"

"No, thanks." She got up and went to the bathroom, her shoulders hunched forward. Having a bathroom continued to fill her with joy. She washed her hands and face, the bandages tight and constricting her movement. She stepped out of the bathroom, finding Alex where he had been when she first woke up. She sank into the booth opposite him. He slid a glass of water and a pill toward her.

After she took them, she said, "Thank you. How did you sleep?"

"Fine. My dreams could've been better, though. I think the pizza messed me up." He scratched through his hair.

"I'm sorry," she said. "What did you dream about?"

He shook his head. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Vivian didn't press him and looked out the window, rubbing her eye. "Where are we?" she yawned.

"Montana, almost halfway there. Cat went to get breakfast. Will's been asleep for the last hour."

Her stomach grumbled and he gave her the same look he had when they first met with the jerky. She pointed at her cheek, where his own was bruised. "Does it hurt?"

"I've been hit in the face plenty of times, present company included."

Vivian tried not to smile at the memory. "You shaved."

He smirked, rubbing the lower half of his face. "Yep."

"Now I can really see all of your smart-aleck expressions."

He pursed his lips, then picked something up from his seat and held it up, wiggling it in his fingers. It was a new toothbrush. "Guess you don't want this, then?" he challenged, sipping his coffee.

Vivian pouted. "You know I can't fight you for it," she said, lifting her arms as if they were made of delicate glass.

His brows scrunched upward sympathetically, setting the toothbrush on the table. They heard shoes against dusty ground outside. Alex leaned over to look out the window. "Finally," he said.

The door opened and Catherine stepped inside. "Good morning, sleeping beauties," she cooed. She set a paper bag on the kitchen counter and curled her finger at Vivian. "Let's take care of your arms first." As Vivian scooted her way out of the booth, Catherine warned her brother, "Don't eat it all."

Catherine was a compassionate torturer. She helped Vivian out of the sweater and peeled off the bandages. Her arms were soggy from the gel and her weeping wounds. Vivian hung her arms in the shower as Catherine hosed them down with lukewarm water. Vivian tried to compose herself against the stinging pain. "I think we'll put antibiotic cream on and let them air out. I'll get you a different shirt."

Vivian took in the sight as Catherine applied the cream. Deep, uneven lines ran from her wrists and up her arms. Some spots where the lightning struck created root-like patterns, spreading out and crossing over each other. The pain and what they represented made her detest the sight of them, even though scars never bothered her - on herself or anyone else.

Catherine returned with a dark, sleeveless shirt, holding it up. "Look! It buttons up."

Vivian exhaled in relief. "Oh, bless you." Vivian slipped into the the shirt and began to button it. "Thank you for all your help, Catherine."

"Please, it's Cat."

Vivian nodded with a small smile.

Vivian followed Cat out of the bathroom. Alex was putting his mug in the sink as his sister threw away the soiled bandages. He looked over at Vivian, his eyes glued to her unbandaged arms. His expression was not the romantic kind of stunned. She wished it didn't hurt to hide them behind her back.

Cat's hand clapped Alex's shoulder, snapping him out of his stare. "We should probably leave pretty soon."

He nodded, clearing his throat. "Yeah, I'm gonna get dressed now."

"Viv, looks like Hogzilla left us some breakfast. I hope you like _bagels_ ," she said in a melodic tone.

Vivian backed out of Alex's way so he could pass. He gave her an awkward grin. Once he passed, she deflated, feeling worse. She went to the kitchen where Cat toasted herself a bagel. Cat bumped Vivian's hip with her own. "My brother didn't mean anything by it. They are quite a shock to see. You should see some of his scars. Care to have an everything bagel with me?" Cat held up the package of encrusted bagels.

Vivian stretched her mouth to grin. "Please."

After breakfast, Cat bound Vivian's arms, then they brushed their teeth in the kitchen sink while Alex was in the bathroom. Cat waited with Vivian in the cab until Alex emerged. He was wearing a dark brown leather jacket and jeans. The jacket, like his canvas one, was utility first with multiple pockets. He looked really good - even with a fading black eye. Cat arched her brow at Vivian. Vivian tried to ignore her.

"Alex, what's with the fancy jacket?" Cat said.

Alex itched the back of his neck. "My green one needs to be washed and the hole patched. Are we ready to go?"

Cat got up from the driver seat. "I'll be in the bedroom if anyone needs me."

Alex plopped down in the driver's seat with a deep breath. He watched Cat shut herself in the bedroom. "She better get some sleep. She was up all night while he was driving," Alex said.

Vivian smiled to herself, knowing how important both of them were to him. "I like your jacket. Not as much as the green one, but still."

He flashed a wide grin. "Let me show you something." Alex twisted the chair to the dashboard and tapped the device in the center. "This controls our navigation and communication. It's directly connected to Gibson's Shop. They see everything that comes in and goes out. So, in the event of a distress call, they can track it from their system at the shop. And if something happens that we're in distress ourselves, they can come to us." Vivian watched carefully as he showed her how to get to the option to call Gibson's. "If something ever comes up and you need help, call them."

Vivian nodded.

Alex put his seatbelt on and started up the _Burra_ with a pleasant rumble. "One thing I can respect Will for is taking care of this big girl." Alex patted the top of the dash, then moved to an old CD player above the comm system. "Fight the Good Fight" by Triumph began to play "And his taste in music," Alex said with a crooked grin.

_Keep up your spirit, keep up your faith / I am counting on you / You know what you've got to do_...

Vivian and Alex exchanged a look. She, realizing that it was the same song that Alex hummed behind the Wall, and he finding it no coincidence. His smile grew a little softer. "Ready?" he asked.

She nodded and they headed back on the road. _I'm on my way, Mom_.

# Twenty-Four

Alex was the only one awake. Will and Cat were in the bedroom and Vivian was strapped in the seat beside him - completely out. It was kind of endearing, but also quite humorous. Her head hung over the belt strap and to the side, mouth billing out slightly. His amusement dissipated when he looked at her bandaged arms, assuming that sleep was her only reprieve.

Seeing her bare arms earlier caught him by surprise. The sight of them only made him feel worse - guilty, in fact, for not having done anything. And judging by the look on her face, his expression must not have been of any consolation to her either. He wished he had that moment to do over again...and avoid it entirely.

His sister relieved him from his silent pondering. The bedroom door cracked open and she slipped through, shutting it behind her. Alex split his gaze from the empty highway to his sister. She squatted on the ground near his seat. "How long has she been asleep?" she asked quietly.

"A couple hours," Alex answered. "Did you get any sleep?"

"I barely finished sewing up that bullet hole on your jacket and before I couldn't keep my eyes open." Cat stretched her neck to look at the nav screen. They had just reached the southwestern border of Montana. Cat dragged along the screen, examining their current course. "She should be home tomorrow.

Alex nodded absently, preferring not to think much about it at all. "I'll stop around dinner time. We should be close to Oregon by then."

Cat imitated her brother's nod. "You got some proper groceries, right?"

"Yes. Will already gave me a chewing for it."

Cat quietly chuckled. "Speaking of, he mentioned you wanted Vivian to stay with us."

Alex exhaled. "Of course he did..." he muttered sarcastically. Alex caught sight of the bedroom door opening in the rearview mirror. "Speak of the devil.

Cat looked back and motioned Will to be quiet. He tiptoed close, peeking at Vivian. " _Aw,_ " he gushed.

"Remind me never to have conversations with you that I wouldn't discuss in public," Alex scolded Will.

"Didn't know it was a secret, mate."

"Have you asked her if she wants to stay?" Cat asked.

"No," Alex said.

"Why not?"

"I'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I just want to get her back to her mother first."

Will scratched his head. "Well, I want her to stay. She makes you more..."

"Pleasant?" Cat offered.

"No..."

"Thanks a lot," Alex interjected.

Will scratched his head. "...more like you were before Florida. Less brooding."

Alex rolled his eyes.

It was around four o'clock when Alex found an overnight rest area for the _Burra_. The abrupt stop as he pulled into a space woke Vivian. Her eyes peeled open wide, alarmed for a couple seconds. Alex bit back his chuckle. "Good evening, Grady."

She rubbed her eyes, immediately regretting the action. "I can't believe I fell asleep," she said groggily.

Will crossed the trailer to the cab, pulling his jacket on. "Vee, you wanna come with me? Stretch your legs?"

She twisted her chair around and yawned. "Sure." She braced her hands on the arm rests and stood with a muffled groan.

Will had one of Cat's sweaters and helped Vivian into it. He opened the door for her. "We'll see you in a bit," he said to Alex. He clicked his tongue and winked.

Alex stared at the door closing behind them. The last time Will did that wink-thing, he and Cat were engaged. He didn't trust Will to be alone with Vivian and the beans he might spill. Cat came down the hall with a large bag of laundry. "I'm gonna see if they have a laundromat around.What's that look for?"

Alex broke away from zoning out. "Let me do that. I need something to keep me awake."

* * *

Vivian enjoyed sitting on the bench outside the _Burra_ in the cold of the evening. Despite preferring peace and quiet, she relaxed at the hum of the city. The constant stream of vehicles moving along the roads, the occasional ship flying through the sky... The only thing she wanted to see more clearly were the stars. The lights of the area hid all but the few strongest and a planet or two. At least there was the moon.

Will showed Vivian how to hook the _Burra_ to the RV station, then Vivian examined the trailer's external shell. It was cream-colored, the bottom third dipped in chocolate brown. On the back of the trailer, below Will's bedroom window, he customized the name there. Vivian noticed the slightly different shade of cream where the original name had been painted over.

"You should be home by late afternoon tomorrow," Will said as he double-checked his hoses.

She was glad to hear it but her stomach tightened. "Do you have any family back in Australia?"

He smiled in reminiscence. "Yeah. My oldies, a couple aunts and cousins. They weren't too surprised when I came here, especially after meeting Catherine. You kind of remind me of my mum, actually. Same nose."

Considering whose mother they were talking about, Vivian was very flattered. "Do you keep in touch?"

He wiped his hands on his pants and joined her on the bench. "Every week or so. They've been bugging me to get married in Australia, but Cat and I decided to do the ceremony over here and go home for the honeymoon."

"That should be nice - now that Rocko isn't around."

He laughed. "Too right."

Vivian hoped her mother would like her friends as much as she did.

"You look a little green around the gills, Vee." His bright eyes were inquisitive.

Vivian chewed her lip, then decided to confess. "This week has been miserable. But now that the worst is over, I don't really want it to end." She sighed frustratedly, thinking of all the dead. "It sounds terrible out loud."

Will chuckled. "I know exactly what you mean."

"You do?"

"How do you think I felt after bringing Rocko down? I thought I'd never see Cat again. Before Alex agreed to let me come with them, I kinda hoped they'd find themselves in more trouble. How terrible is _that_?" They had a guilty chuckle, then Will patted her knee. "So, this mother of yours - what's her name?"

"Mona."

He grinned kindly, then stood. "Come with me."

Vivian followed him back inside where Cat was staring into the open pantry. "How about sandwiches?"

Will and Vivian exchanged a shrug. "Sounds good to us," Will said.

Cat loaded her arms with bread and condiments and transferred them to the kitchen counter. Will sat in the driver seat, picked up an old cardboard box from somewhere near his seat and began to sift through it. Vivian stepped near the pantry, watching Cat set up her work station. "May I help?" Vivian asked.

"No, you're arms need time to heal." Cat opened the fridge. "What kind of meat do you want? I have roast beef, chicken and snatcher."

"Roast beef, please."

"You sure? Snatcher is good," Will interjected.

"I know - I've had your homemade jerky," Vivian said.

Will grinned and held up a stack of photos, waving her over. "I wanna show you something."

Cat shooed her away, so Vivian sat down across from Will. He reached for a switch above them, turning on a small, bright light. "This is my mum and dad," he said, handing her the first photo in the stack.

Vivian was quick to reject the idea of looking like his sunkissed mother; she was quite beautiful in a carefree way. His father's hair was blond, too, and a bit curly. They all had such happy, loving faces. "I see where you get your looks," Vivian said.

"Babe, doesn't she look like my mum?" Will asked Cat.

Cat leaned her head from around the fridge to analyze Vivian. "You know what? She does a little bit. She could be your pale sister."

Cat and Will snickered. Vivian pursed her lips at them, though still complimented. Will showed her a few more pictures of his childhood home in the Outback. Vivian giggled at the pictures of him as a kid, with hair even lighter, skin golden brown from being outside and missing teeth. Then they trailed from a lanky teen into the man that he was today.

It was about then that there was a knock on the door. Will got up and answered it, letting Alex and his mountain of clean laundry inside. He saw Vivian with the stack of photos and sighed. "Please, not the pictures," he whined.

"Those are Will's," Cat argued back. "Unless you'd like me to get mine out?"

"Nope, nevermind!" he said quickly, pasting a fake smile on his face.

After dinner, Cat, Will and Vivian sat in the cab while Alex showered. They shared a new bag of chips. "I'll have to get another seat installed in this thing," Will said after awhile. "They should have one at Gibson's.

The implication made her heart twitter, but she said nothing of it. "Boss says you want a ship?" Vivian inquired.

"That's the plan."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Yes, but I've scrapped them all. All I have right now is a list of things I want it to have. You know, like more than one bedroom. I feel bad that Alex sleeps on the couch."

"He doesn't let you forget it, either," Cat joked.

Will laughed outright. "No, he doesn't."

"He doesn't what?" Alex said as walked toward the cab. He was back in his pajamas, a towel draped over his head. "Did you tell her about those thrusters?"

Cat pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I found some detachable thrusters," Will explained to Vivian. "One-time use. I'm thinking about attaching them to the bottom of the _Burra_ in the event of a...vertical emergency."

Alex placed one hand on the back of their seats, leaning in. "What about when she's up in the air? What prevents us from falling to our deaths? _Hmm_?"

Will deadpanned him. "I've still got the 'chutes."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Parachutes that are meant for people - not several-ton behemoths! What if the cables snap?"

Will worked his mouth around. "I'll do some tests. When I get back to Gibson's, I'll borrow Larry and drop a bus or something. Maybe a remote-controlled release system for the 'chutes..." Will reached around the other side of his chair for a notepad and began to scribble.

Alex was shaking his head, then looked at Vivian. "I told you, Grady. He wants to kill us."

Cat got up from her seat. "Viv, let's get you cleaned up so we all can go to bed. These old ladies can bicker amongst themselves."

When Vivian stepped out of the bathroom, Alex was just preparing himself another bed on the floor. "Oh no, you don't!" Vivian said sternly, startling him.

"I'll be fine," he said, but his baggy eyes disagreed.

Vivian turned to Cat and gave her a pleading look. Cat was in the hall behind Vivian. "You need to get a better night's sleep," Cat added. "You drove for eleven hours, Alex."

Alex glanced longingly over his shoulder at his own bed and surrendered. He picked up his pillow and blanket and crawled into bed. Cat ruffled the top of his hair before going to take her own shower, resulting in a sour look from Alex.

Vivian leaned against the counter, watching him blink slowly, eyes glancing around but not actually looking at anything. Then his sleepy gaze settled on her, hardly able to keep his eyes open. "Goodnight, Boss," she said.

"G'night, Grady," he mumbled, then turned on his side. Hardly thirty seconds passed before he was gone.

# Twenty-Five

Vivian sat at the booth the next morning, looking out the window as Will filled the _Burra_ with gas. The streets were busy with people, ground vehicles and hovercrafts.

_Only eight more hours_ , Vivian thought. Eight more and she would be home. "Thank you, Lord," she breathed. Butterflies swarmed her stomach. She couldn't wait to see her mom, to tell her everything, and introduce her friends.

What would her mom would think if Vivian went with them on some of their trips? She felt selfish afterward, knowing her mother would be alone. The more she thought about it, the more her stomach knotted up. If she tried to stop thinking about the future, her mind reverted to the past week.

Alex sat down opposite her and looked out the window with a sigh.

"You don't have to sit with me," she said, knowing the seats in the cab to be much more comfortable.

His eyes settled on her."Do you want to sit alone?" he asked.

"No," she admitted. "I don't."

He half-smiled and stared out the window. Will returned and started up the trailer. They left the station and headed down the road. The town was rural and small, reminding Vivian of home, but new. She watched people she had never seen before, yet acting in a similar manner to those at home. Vehicles and crafts glided past them on the road. An older man with a long beard and sunglasses drove a flybike. He made it look so easy to steer as it hovered about a foot off the ground, its small thrusters propelling him forward.

"Ever ridden one of those?" Alex asked without turning away from the view.

"No. You?"

He took a deep breath and slouched back a bit. "Yes. Painful, but fun. Took me forever to learn how to ride one." He turned the other way and touched the back of his head. "There's a scar back here somewhere."

"Where did you get those?" she asked, pointing out the scars on his neck that she noticed when they were sparring the other day.

"A raptor."

Her eyes bulged. Raptors were different from regular birds. They were large, and just as dangerous on foot as they were in the air. They typically hunted in small packs, using their long talons and deadly beaks to take down their prey - anything from dog-sized to cow-sized. She once heard about a pack of raptors that hefted a deer into the sky and tore it apart in mid-air like piranahs.

He rubbed the scars on his neck. "That was a long time ago, though. Before Cat was born. I wandered from my parents and stumbled on a lone one. I don't really remember it except for the recounting my family gave me. And the thing's face." He shook off the memory. "I guess I'm a magnet for animal attacks." He gripped the shoulder where his shark bite was.

"I'm not surprised you're in the exterminating business. You must not like animals very much."

"On the contrary. But I also like being alive and in one piece. I just don't spend a lot of time around friendly creatures because they flee from whatever I'm chasing."

* * *

They were close - Vivian was getting fidgetty.

Alex expected there to be a lot more lavender in Lavender Valley. At least more purple. There were patches of it here and there - in gardens and streaks running wild in the high desert brush. Summer had dried the valley out, leaving it eager for the winter. The sky was clear, the blue fading to pale as it reached the distant mountains bordering all around them. The sun barely peeked over the western ranges.

The _Burra_ rolled through each small cluster of civilization, the rest a wide expanse of sloping hills. Cedar and juniper gathered together in varied masses. They passed through the town of Lavender's main street. They drove past lonely farmhouses, their livestock grazing in the fields.

Vivian migrated to Alex's seat in the cab in order to give Will directions. Alex leaned against the pantry, watching her. Vivian's hands were clasped together in her lap, wringing her fingers. Her throat kept sliding as she swallowed.

"You look like you're gonna throw up," he commented.

"I might," she admitted anxiously, her eyes glued to the windshield.

Alex couldn't help but feel a little less enthusiastic. He wondered how much she would miss him, if she would just forget about him when they left. _Unless she wanted to go with them_... He shook off the thought. If offered the chance she had been given, he would take it, too.

Cat had her side window open. Alex smelled smoke on the air. "Someone's got their woodstove going," Cat said as she inhaled.

Vivian pointed at a dirt road that branched off from the main. "We're the only one at the end of this road. See those trees? That's where my house is."

Alex saw the nearest cluster of trees a quarter-mile from the road they were on. Will turned at her mailbox. At this rate, they wouldn't see the house until they were almost all the way up Vivian's drive. Alex shuffled as the _Burra_ wound between the trees. He was used to meeting new people but this was different. Her mother would be ecstatic to have her daughter back, but what would she think of the strangers that brought her home? Would she blame him for Vivian's arms?

"What does your house look like?" Cat asked.

Alex looked at Vivian as she described it. "White. Red door. Mom painted it red when we got it. She has barrels of daffodils, daisies and pansies lining the front. Her garden and lavender patch are behind the house."

Will put the brakes on suddenly, nearly sending Alex face first into the dash. He caught himself on the back of Cat's seat. Everyone stared through the windshield.

* * *

Atop the foundation, black shards of wood jutted out from a mound of ash and debris. The outer half of the front lawn remained green. Vivian felt like everything inside her had been scooped out. She went for the door.

"Wait -" Alex started to say.

Vivian almost missed the last step. She marched toward the charred heap, tears warping her vision. The jolt of her gait chafed her wounds. Everything was ash. She walked around to the front corner where her mother's bedroom was, looking for any sign of a body.

Feet crunched behind her. "She's not here," Vivian said. A tear slipped down her cheek. "She can't be. Where is she? She was home and fine when I talked to her..."

A hand touched hers, encircling her wrist. "Let's get back inside," Alex said in a low, serious tone.

Vivian let him pull her away from the wreckage and back to the _Burra_ , spotting his gun in his other hand. He said nothing as he opened the door for her. He gestured to his seat and she sank into it. No one spoke for a few moments, everyone staring at the empty space between them.

Will's comm system beeped, signaling an incoming call. He twisted in his seat and tapped the flashing notification to answer. It turned into a silent wavelength. "Hello?" Will said.

The wavelength moved as a voice came through: "You should have taken my offer, Vivian," Johnson's voice said.

Vivian stomach clenched. "Where is she?"

"You destroyed what was mine. Now I have returned the favor," Johnson said.

Alex's hand gripped the back of Cat's seat, knuckles white. "How did he know we were here?" Cat whispered.

"He must've locked onto my signal when I was camped outside the Wall," Will answered softly, his face hard. "But he must be nearby to know exactly when to call. He'll be on the move now."

Vivian looked at the others helplessly. Maybe if she went outside, she could spot his ship. She felt sick to be at the mercy of such a monster.

"Would you like to say goodbye?" he finally asked, his voice away from the microphone.

Sniffling crackled through the speaker. "Vivian, I want you to listen to me," her mother said sternly, and struggling to do so.

Vivian shut her eyes and ground her teeth.

"I love you so much, Vivian. Don't you ever forget that." Her voice broke. "You hear me?"

Vivian shook her head. "Mom..." Her throat burned.

"I love you," she repeated.

_I'm losing her all over again_. Vivian forced herself to answer before it was too late. "I love you, too," she squeaked.

"Take care, Vivian," Johnson said. The comm ended and the screen returned to the menu. Vivian cringed; it may as well have been a gunshot for the burst of pain that shot through her. She covered her face.

Vivian stood up without meeting anyone's gaze, slipped past Alex and shut herself in the bathroom. She hiccupped for air, unable to take a full breath. She wished to stay with her friends, and it cost her more than she was willing to pay. She crumpled into the corner.

The week had come full circle. She was back in an unknown place and without her mother. She cried, prayed and retched until she had nothing left but pain and silence. She felt so lost, so alone, despite the murmuring on the other side of the door.

The _Burra_ had stopped somewhere else. Cars zoomed by distantly. The tiny bathroom window was dark. She had been in the bathroom far too long. _You need to get out of this bathroom. You need to pull yourself together_.

She lifted her eyes to the ceiling, unable to make words.

Her stomach muscles ached from sobbing and her wounded arms burned from cradling herself. The physical pain distracted her. She rose to the sink and flipped the light on. Her face was red and swollen, eyes bloodshot. She blew her nose, then turned the faucet on and washed her face. The coolness soothed her raw skin. She dried her face on the towel and turned to the door, pulling it open slowly.

The first person she saw was Cat, leaning against the end of the corridor, opposite Alex's sofa bed. There was sorrow in her eyes. Vivian stepped out of the bathroom and to the end of the corridor. "Sorry for hogging the bathroom," she said nasally.

Alex was sitting on the couch, head lifted from his hands. She couldn't look at him yet. She walked right past him, past Will in the kitchen and to the door. She opened it, her forearm stinging as the skin shifted with the movement. A rush of cool night air welcomed her as she exited the trailer.

They were at a rest area. Few people were around. Vivian found a bench close by and sat, staring up at the sky. She closed her eyes. Why were these terrible things still happening to her? "God," she exhaled. "Forgive me of my hate, but I do. I _hate_ him. He took my mother. I want her back. I want revenge." Vivian covered her face again. She came so far, lost so much of what little she had in life...

Vivian knew she could trust God but she felt so helpless in that moment. She couldn't bring herself to ask for His help, feeling like it was all she ever did. She felt so selfish, so guilty, so worthless.

Her heart pounded at the sound of footsteps. Knees clicked in front of her. "Look at me," Alex said. When she didn't, something rough and cold brushed her fingers that blocked her face. She drew back to see Alex with an empathetic grin and two ice cream cones.

Her eyes replenished with tears and she broke into a shaky smile. She completely forgot about the ice cream part of their deal. It may have been stupid, but it felt like she was being thrown a life preserver.

No, _he_ was her life preserver and an answered prayer since the day they met. She hadn't wanted to freeze to death after crawling out of the river when he literally dropped into her life. Alex had been there through everything. Whether it was ridiculous or naïve, it was real for her.

The same feeling of being lifted up flushed over her. _An answered prayer_. She looked up into the heavens and closed her eyes. _Lord, thank you_. She was still upset, still wanted to find her mother, but she held on to that hope. '... _with God all things are possible_.'

Alex's eyes widened. "No-no! I was trying to make you _stop_ crying!"

Vivian blubbered a laugh. "These are happy tears," she said and took one of the cones. "Thank you."

Alex rose to his feet. "There was nowhere to hide." Something flickered in his eyes. "You don't think he could have hunkered down in that pit, do you?"

Vivian sighed, sniffing. "It doesn't matter."

Alex pursed his lips as he stewed over it. "Bastard, cockroach."

Vivian looked at her cone. "If I'd just killed him when I was at the compound, she would've been there." Even thinking about it made her bitter.

"Why didn't you?" he asked.

"I heard a gun go off in the tower. I thought you might've been shot." Vivian stopped, realizing what her next sentence was: _You were more important_. She couldn't get herself to say it. Not when her mother suffered the consequence of her decision. "I promised Cat I wouldn't let anything happen to you," she said instead.

Alex chewed his bottom lip, contemplating. He sat beside her. "I will help you get her back."

"How?"

"Remember? All calls are seen at Gibson's Shop. We'll go there, get the trace set up and resupply. You helped me find my sister. We escaped. We can find your mother and Johnson will pay for what he's done."

Vivian dropped her eyes to her lap. She didn't want Johnson to pay. She wanted him to suffer. He more than deserved it. The hatred curdled the ice cream in her stomach. Then she thought about what Alex had already been through. "No. You got your sister back. I'm not going to screw that up."

He smiled slyly. How could he be smiling? "I'm a bounty hunter. It's what I do."

"What if we don't make it to her in time?"

"He didn't take her just to kill her somewhere else. I can promise you that. His arrogance will work to our advantage." Alex tilted her chin up. "You're not alone. You have us." Her cheeks burned, but she held his gaze. "Do you trust me?"

She concentrated on not crushing the cone in her hand and nodded. "Yes. I trust you."

He smiled faintly and sat back. "Good. Now, eat your ice cream before it melts."

She ignored her nerves and her wounded arms and hugged him. Just for a moment, she wanted to pretend everything was fine and allow herself this moment.

"Whoa, careful! Your arms!"

"I don't care. Thank you, Alex. I don't know what I would've done without you." _Or You, Lord_. She peeked up at the night sky.

He carefully draped his arms around her. "I could say the same thing about you."

A fluttery feeling in her chest bloomed. Vivian released him before it took over. "Yeah, right," she said. "I almost got you shot at least twice."

He rolled his eyes and stood, offering his hand. "I think you've made up for that and more with your jerky arms."

She gaped in mortification. " _Jerky arms_?!"

He pierced the night with that sharp laugh as he brought her back to the _Burra_.

* * *

Alex took over driving for Will during the night. Everyone was asleep, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Alex saw Vivian change, even if it was just for a moment. He saw her hatred. He managed to coax her back with his promise to help her. The promise had been mostly for his benefit; he didn't want to lose her. He wanted to prevent her from making a big mistake.

After seeing how she reacted to the people that died inside the Wall, it would break her if she killed Johnson. It may have been justice for all his crimes, but it was cold-blooded. Alex would do everything he could to keep Vivian from becoming that person.

Alex knew all about vengeance. After his parents died, he hunted down all the Nightmares he could find, but the pain never went away. He had to change his priorities from destroying the monsters to helping people - preventing the loss whenever he could.

Alex hoped that he was making the right choice. He needed to be there to make sure her rage didn't push her further into darkness. _I don't blame God for the cruelty of people_ , Vivian told him. She believed God would guide them out and that everything would be right again. For Alex, that prayer was answered. He got his sister back safe, perhaps more. Vivian received nothing but ashes and the last thing she had left was packed off by a killer.

God had not done that and he hoped she knew that. As the _Burra_ chugged along, Alex said a small prayer. "Please God, help me save her."

Alex watched his sister tiptoe past Vivian as she slept on the couch. Cat climbed into the seat beside him, her eyes puffy from sleeping. She grinned in silent greeting, then looked at the time on the screen of the _Burra_ 's comm system. _06:00_. She scratched her head through her mess of hair and peeked back over her shoulder down the length of the trailer. "How was she?" Cat asked.

"Hurting. In more ways than one."

"But her attitude was different when she came back into the trailer - that's progress. How'd you spin that?"

"Ice cream. And I promised her we'd find her mother. After we went to Gibson's and restocked."

Cat frowned. "After? Why?"

Cat was referring to the fact that they didn't need to go to all the way to Gibson's to get the trace. All he needed to do was radio them and they would set it up from their end. Alex gave her a sideways look. "She needs time. I don't want her to lose herself in order to get her mother back." Alex knew his sister remembered the way he was after their parents' death. Coming home, covered in Nightmare stench, forgetting that he still had a little sister to care for.

"We may not have a choice," she said softly.

He swallowed. "I know."

Cat sighed. "Well, I'm with you, of course, but I was really looking forward to a break."

Alex pursed. "Well, _you_ don't have to go."

Cat whipped her head in his direction. "Nice to see where your loyalties lie, brother."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Not helping, Cat."

She put her hand on his shoulder. "Gibson's will be a good distraction. Maybe they'll have another seat to put in the cab for her."

Alex released his thoughts and concentrated on the road. They were in Nevada, a few hundred miles southeast from Lavender Valley. The landscape teemed with desert plants and trees. Bald mountains and plateaus surrounded them. It was still early; the land was washed in cool colors. In an hour or two, it would burn away into orange, yellow, and green. He snapped back to the present moment when Cat touched his hair.

"You want a haircut when we get there?"

"Please," he said.

"It doesn't look bad kind of shaggy, you know."

"I don't like the back."

"What about an undercut? Will looks great with a bit of an undercut."

Alex glanced at his reflection in the long rearview mirror, wondering what an undercut would look like, then shook his head. "No, thanks."

"Or maybe you could grow out a ponytail. I wonder if Viv likes ponytails..."

"Okay, now you're just screwing with me."

"I think she doesn't care what you like."

Alex didn't say anything.

"What are you so afraid of?" Cat sighed. "You need to let the past go."

He remembered his recent nightmare. "I hate you for bringing that up in front of her," he interjected.

"Good," she said, smiling. "That means you're concerned about what she thinks of you."

"When it comes to the Pan-Handle, I'm concerned about what _anybody_ thinks of me. Now, will you drop it?"

"Only if you admit you might have a teeny thing for her," she said, pinching her fingers.

He felt like a sponge being wrung of all his secrets. "Fine. And in case you're wondering, she's single, so _do not_ ask her."

"That's a step in the right direction from the last one."

Alex scowled.

"So, _you_ asked if she was single?"

"Kinda - I was making conversation."

# Twenty-Six

It was around nine-thirty when Vivian woke up. After yesterday, Vivian was glad to have slept for so long.

The landscape was far less barren than she expected of a desert. Instead of sand flats and the occasional cactus, the mountainous land was coated in desert plant life. The morning sun was gentle for now.

Cat was in the front with her brother, when she turned her seat and got up. She dragged Vivian into the bathroom to check her arms, cleaning them and leaving them to air out. Some of the deeper gashes had reopened after last night. Cat helped Vivian comb her hair, pulling it back into a loose ponytail. Vivian did her best to brush her teeth at the same time.

Vivian came out of the bathroom, scrubbed and smoothed from her morning roughness. She sat in the booth, away from the morning sun. The warmth irritated her sensitive arms. Cat brought her a glass of water, a bagel and a painkiller. Vivian thanked her and Cat retreated to the bedroom. Vivian ate, her mind still foggy. She met Alex's eyes in the mirror. His hand left the steering wheel to spin the passenger seat back to her in a silent invitation. His jacket was draped over the back of his seat. Vivian inched out of the booth and joined him in the cab, turning the chair with her feet to the expansive view of the windshield.

"How are you feeling, Jerky Arms?"

She gave him a long look as she chewed. "That better not stick." He grinned. His eyes were bagged, and she frowned in sympathy. "You must be so tired."

His eyes lulled back as he blinked heavily. "I could use a nap." He yawned. "Will's gonna see if they have another seat for you."

"Is there room?"

Another yawn. "We'll see. Then, he's gonna test parachutes for the _Burra_ and install the thrusters. He'll do that while Cat helps you get some things."

"Where?" she asked.

"The Gibsons have all kinds of stuff below their shop. Some of it is payment from people, some from years of collecting. They never get rid of anything."

Vivian nodded. "What are you gonna do?"

He rubbed one eye, then the other as he drove. "A shower. Something to eat. That'll wake me up. I can sleep when we get back on the road."

If she knew how to drive a big motorhome, and if her arms weren't in shreds, she would force him out of the chair and take over. Instead, she tore half of what remained of her bagel and gave it to him. He smiled in thanks, biting into it.

A few miles ahead, Alex veered off onto a sandy road, weaving through piles of scrap metal, parts of vehicles and ships. Some of it was new, shining in the sunlight, while some were rusted and oxidized with age.

"Welcome to Gibson's Shop," he said, "home to Chev Gibson and his son, Joe."

Vivian smiled. "How long have you known them?"

"Years now. I met them after Cat and I left home. They were very generous to us. They're also very patient with Will's indecision about his ship."

Vivian wanted to know more about Alex's story. She kept her questions to herself for now so he could concentrate on staying awake.

The shop came into view. It was huge to accommodate all manner of transportation. It had a double-wide hangar-sized garage, which was sealed. The ground level of the workshop wrapped around two sides of the garage.

"The bottom floor is for business," Alex commented. "Their private rooms and kitchen are up on the second floor, and we're on the third."

The two upper floors were clearly additions, clinging to the walls of the garage like a metal fungus. Alex pulled up next to the small metal porch of the shop. An RV hook-up station was there. A small sign above the door on the porch read in neon green: _OFFICE_.

Will was already dressed as Alex and Vivian turned their seats around. Alex tossed him the keys and got up to stretch his legs. "Come on, Grady. I'll introduce you."

It was hot in comparison to what Vivian was accustomed to the past week. Alex stretched again. Will trotted out behind them and set about to hooking up the _Burra_.

The office door opened and two men came out. The father was a stark contrast to his son. He was pale, more than Vivian, with charcoal hair and piercing blue eyes. His son was dark-skinned, his head shaved, with dark brown eyes.

Alex greeted the men with hugs and handshakes. "Chev, Joe, this is Vivian Grady," Alex introduced. They each regarded her arms and she wished they were wrapped up. They nodded at her politely.

Will came around the corner and their faces lit up. "Down-Unda!" they said in unison, resulting in Alex's big smile.

"Down-Unda?" Vivian repeated.

"You know, like the song? ' _Where women glow and men plunder_ '?" he sang a line.

Chev and Joe chimed in, each putting a hand to their ear: "' _Can't you hear, can't you hear that thunder_ '?"

Then all three men belted: "' _Ya better run, ya better take cover_ '!"

Cat joined them in their fit of laughter as she came out of the trailer.

"All o' you have ruined that song, you know," Will grumbled. "You guys got another seat I can install in the _Burra_?"

The laughing trio broke up and Chev wiped his eye. "Let's go have a look, my friend."

Alex put a hand on Joe's shoulder, speaking quietly. "Think she could have a look down below? She could use some clothes."

Vivian willed her face to be still as the memory of char and ash floated through her mind.

"Of course!" Joe extended his arm toward the stairs that lead up to the office.

Cat trotted ahead, tailing Chev and Will up the stairs. Vivian was next, with Joe and Alex right behind.

Inside, cool air circulated through the homely office. On one side of the room, a couple old couches faced each other. On the other side was a desk with a few computers. Windows and a another door lined the wall opposite the entrance, giving a view into the darkness of the garage. The left wall between the couches had a wide elevator with a grate for a door.

Chev reached over the top of the desk for something, and the garage began to fill with light as the nearest hangar door began to open.

Alex followed Chev and Will outside. "Hey, Chev, we need a trace..." The door shut on the conversation as she watched them disappear down another set of steps.

Joe pulled the grate of the lift aside for the girls. Once they were all inside, he pressed the lower of two buttons and the container shuddered before descending.

"We keep most of our stuff underground," Joe said. "It's easier and keeps everything cool. You like the heat, Vivian?"

"Not necessarily."

His smile was bright. "I don't blame you." Joe chuckled. "If Dad isn't careful, he ends up looking like a cooked lobster."

Vivian considered asking about his mother, but she didn't think it was appropriate. "I've never seen a place like this before. It looks more like a colony." She didn't care for the desert, but the shop was haphazardly remarkable.

"We've had to build onto it for our guests." He nodded toward Cat.

"Why all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Plenty of space for testing. Larry's too big to use in a populated area."

Vivian heard that name before. "Who's Larry?"

"Our crane."

"He's enormous," Cat said. "It's one of the craziest things Chev's come up with."

"So, what all do you guys tend to here?" Vivian asked.

Joe shrugged. "Everything. If it's metal, we're your guys."

Cat punched his shoulder lightly as she looked at Vivian. "There's nobody I know who can fix and ride flybikes like this guy. He's the one to learn from. He may be just a kid, but he's a genius."

"Hey, I'm not much younger than you guys," he defended.

The lift trembled to stop. The sublevel of the shop was very organized and pleasantly cool. Everything had a place in large bins, shelves or hanging on racks. They were even labeled accordingly. Clothes, food, personal necesseties and toiletries, weapons and gear...

"Wow," Vivian said.

"You never know when something might come in handy - that's what Dad always says."

Cat scurried ahead, disappearing in racks of clothing. Joe turned to look down at Vivian. "Take anything you need or want, please."

"I can't thank you enough," she said. "Really."

He grinned. "Anytime. The Shepards get into trouble and often get their stuff destroyed or stolen."

Vivian's mouth stretched downward. "That's a comforting thought."

"Well, things being stolen is a rare occasion." His mouth twisted humorously.

"What's so funny?" Vivian asked.

"Just remembering when Alex got swindled in Florida." He covered his mouth as he laughed.

"What happened?" she tried to ask innocently.

He put his hands up. "Sorry, I've been sworn to secrecy."

Vivian frowned disappointedly when Cat called her over. Joe waved at her and left. Cat started holding up clothes against Vivian, frowning or nodding at each thing. "So, Joe and Chev..."

Cat intuited exactly what Vivian was trying to ask. "He's adopted. One day, Chev spotted him from up in the crane. Joe was half-dead."

"Do you know why?"

Cat shrugged. "Nobody knows. Joe doesn't remember and Chev doesn't talk about it."

* * *

Alex leaned against the console inside the control center, which acted as the "head" of the gigantic crane. The control center was a gyrosphere, so those inside were always upright while Larry moved around. Alex thought it looked more like a metal stick figure altogether. Chev named the crane Larry. Will fiddled with the controls, causing Larry to bend down and pick up a bus from from the junkyard with his magnetic "hands". Will raised it high and away from Larry's body. Once Larry released the bus, Will would deploy the parachutes he installed to see how well they would do if the thrusters were to fail.

"So," Will began as his gaze bounced from the console to peek up at Larry's arms to gauge the height. "What'd Chev have to say?"

While Will went searching for a seat, Alex had explained everything to Chev, who didn't hesitate to extend his help. "When Johnson called, he was already off, just like you said. As of now, he's in a tiny town called Titanville. He may not stay, though." Alex expected as much. Johnson was a mercenary - he didn't have a home or anything he cared about. He may just keep bouncing around and they would never be able to catch him. Sweat ran down Alex's neck. He couldn't wait to get out of Larry's head, get a haircut and have a good shower before they left.

"Titanville...sounds interesting," Will said ominously.

Alex didn't like the sound of it either.

"You ready?" Will asked, one hand ready to remotely depoly the parachutes and the other hand on Larry's release lever.

Alex stood next to Will to get a better view. Will counted from three, yanked the lever and released the parachutes a second later. The mismatched parachutes deployed properly, barely slowing the bus as it dropped. Larry was a four hundred feet tall; with his upward reach extending another hundred or so into the air.

They barely heard the impact from up inside Larry's head. Will powered Larry down. The crane eased onto all four limbs and lowered the two men inside the control center to the ground. Alex felt the gyrosphere swaying to keep them upright as Larry went facedown. _Good thing I don't get airsick_.

Will opened the door on the side of Larry's head and ran for the bus. Alex grimaced at the sight. People inside might survive the fall, but the _Burra_ would be toast. Will pried into the bus and removed his meter to gauge the impact of the fall. He frowned, meeting Alex's waiting gaze. He held up the box. "I still think the thrusters will work!"

Alex rolled his eyes and headed back to the shop and hoped they never needed to use them.

Alex debated what he might say to Vivian about finding Johnson. He hoped Vivian wouldn't do anything rash once they caught him, and that Johnson was spiteful enough to keep her mother alive. If he wasn't, Alex might kill the man himself.

* * *

Cat backed into the last door on the third floor with Vivian's box. "This is your room."

It was very simple with a small bed in the right corner next to the door. Cat unloaded the box onto the bed and moved to the opposite wall. "Here's the closet." She reached into a small divet in the wall and pulled, revealing an empty area with a rack and cubbies.

Cat moved to the wall opposite the door and opened another. "All our rooms have bathrooms, but the ony shower is in the main bathroom down the hall." Cat sighed. "Alright, I guess I'll leave you alone to pack how you want." She stopped in the doorway on her way out. "Oh, there's a first aid-kit in the main bathroom, okay?"

"Thank you."

Cat shut the door. Vivian sat in the quiet room. She and Cat had negotiated her wardrobe and picked out some gear. She also found some things for her mother for when they were reunited. She put them in the closet for now.

Vivian's favorite thing was a leather harness that went on her shoulders, with a pair of straps crossing her torso. There was a horizontal sheath on each strap, opening in oppostie directions. Her knife from Alex didn't fit, but she found a pair of blades and strapped them in. The harness was soft, worn and so comfortable. She found a sheath that attached to her new boots for Alex's knife.

Vivian pulled her duffle backpack out and began stuffing it with everything that would fit. Her bag was similar to Alex's, but smaller and brown instead of tan.

As she packed, she realized that this was it. Her stomach knotted. When she faced Johnson before, she wielded an alien power. It would have been easy to kill him then. Now, she had nothing. What if he already planned for Vivian to come after him? She remembered how difficult it was to practice fighting with Alex, and he was trying to help her. What if her friends were hurt in the process? She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. The first step was finding him, then she would figure out what to do next. She took comfort that she wasn't alone.

She took a quick shower and returned to her room with the first-aid kit. She gently rubbed ointment on her arms. Either she was getting used to the pain, or they were getting better. She bandaged them up and got dressed. Cat found her a cotton shirt with mesh sleeves, allowing her coverage without cooking in the heat. Her pants were comfortable and easy to move around in, with a few extra pockets on the outer thighs. She toweled her hair and worked a comb through it. Then there was a knock on the door. "Yes?"

"It's me," Alex said. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." When he stepped inside, she held up the harness. "Check this baby out."

As he took the harness and inspected it, she did the same with him. He smelled freshly clean, his hair short. He was wearing his green jacket again. The tear in the arm beneath his patch had been cleaned and sewn up, but there was the faintest discoloration from the blood stain.

"Nice," he said in regards to the harness.

"Your hair's shorter," she said, putting the harness in her bag.

Alex smiled, almost shyly, and ran his hand through the top of it. She wanted to do that, and quickly shoved the thought aside. "Yes. It feels a hundred percent better. Normally, getting Cat to cut my hair is like pulling teeth. You like?"

Vivian didn't care what his hair was like or if he was scruffy or shaved, which made her anxious. But it fit him very well. "I do."

He smirked, his eyes still glazed with a lack of sleep. "Chev's gonna feed us before we go. Is that alright?"

Vivian wanted to find her mother as soon as possible, but she was hungry. "Absolutely."

"You're not allergic to seafood, are you?"

* * *

Their late lunch was everything Alex wanted it to be. Fried prawns, fish and crab. They made Alex's much-requested mandarin ambrosia salad, along with baked potatoes and asparagus. With such good food, Alex would have at least one good night on his troublesome journey. The smell of breaded prawns made Alex homesick.

Chev fretted over whether everyone liked the food as the serving dishes were passed around. Cat had fun at Vivian's expense when she made her sample a glass of succulent juice. Vivian eyed the glass of liquid as if it would bite her. The sip puckered her lips and she squinted, coughing on the sour cactus drink. Cat laughed. Vivian managed to chuckle once her facial muscles loosened. Will made small talk with their hosts.

Alex ate quietly, enjoying the peaceful bustle around him. Vivian was different from that first day they met. The dark circles around her eyes had faded, like life had been breathed back into her skin. She seemed warmer in color, but it may have been the heat. She caught him staring at her and averted her eyes. He smirked. _Oh, she likes me_.

After lunch, Alex helped the Gibsons with the dishes. Will double-checked the _Burra_ and filled her with gas. Cat helped Vivian get her things to the trailer.

"Such a shame what happened to that girl," Chev said quietly as he dried a plate.

"Her mom's not dead, Dad," Joe scolded. "Alex will do his hero thing and it'll all be right again."

Alex's jaw clenched as he scrubbed a plate, rinsed it and passed it to Joe. "I wish you wouldn't call it that," he said. "This isn't going to end well."

"Why not?" Chev asked innocently.

"She wants revenge."

"Then it's a good thing she has you," Chev said. "You know exactly what it feels like to be vengeful."

"A Nightmare is different from a human being."

"Yes, but not the burden you carry afterward."

"You like her?" Joe asked.

"I'm getting real sick of that question," Alex mumbled.

"Then she's free?"

Alex gave him an offended look. "Isn't she a little old for you?" he said indignantly.

Joe's cheeks lifted as he fought a smile.

Alex rolled his eyes as he shook his hands clean from the soapy water. "I don't know why I talk to any of you."

Chev and Joe laughed. "Go get ready, hero," Joe said, giving Alex a towel to dry his hands.

* * *

The sun neared the western horizon and Alex looked beat, but they were ready. Cat and Will each hugged the Gibsons.

Alex faced the two men. "Thank you again. I really appreciate it."

"If you're headed to Titanville, pick me up one of those souvenir spider fangs," Joe said. "That'll make us even."

Vivian gulped as she listened nearby.

Alex smirked. "You got it." Will started up the _Burra_ behind them. Alex hugged the Gibsons and climbed inside.

"Keep an eye on my boy," Chev said to Vivian with a wave.

Vivian nodded, waving back at them.

Inside, Alex plopped on the couch, head rolling back. Vivian gave him an empathetic look. "You are going to sleep," she ordered.

He lifted his head to look at her. "Maybe you should be wearing the Boss jacket."

She snorted. "Maybe so."

He stood and opened the sofa bed, shrugging out of his jacket. His half-healed scrape where the bullet grazed his upper arm peeked from beneath his t-shirt. He put himself in danger to help her, and now he was doing it again. He laid down, propping himself up on his elbow. "Grady?"

"Hmm?"

He took a moment, planning his next words very carefully. "What do you plan to do once we find Johnson?"

Vivian was silent for a moment, debating her answer. Johnson deserved to be given what he gave to others. She couldn't say for certain what she would do, save for one thing: "I will do whatever it takes to get her back."

Whatever answer Alex had hoped for died in his eyes. It bothered her, but she would rather tell him the truth. "I thought you'd say that," he resigned. "Well, I guess we'll know when we see him in Titanville."

She nodded. "Sounds like a plan. But first..." she reached over and pushed his shoulder, nudging him onto his back. "Sleep."

"You got it, Boss," he teased, arching an eyebrow. Vivian blushed when he looked up at her like that.

"Aw, aren't they cute?!" Cat said from the cab.

_Moment ruined._ Alex rolled his eyes, but he spared one more grin at Vivian before turning over and closing his eyes.

Vivian joined the couple in the cab. She ignored Cat's knowing look and faced the seat Will installed for her. It wasn't anything like their seats. It was hard, plastic and bolted to both the floor and the wall next to the door. It reminded her of a seat on an amusement ride. The passenger seat wouldn't be able to swivel all the way around, either.

"That's all they had," Will said. "Sorry."

"It's alright." Vivian sat in the seat and strapped the belt over her. The seat was slick. Without the belt or her feet planted, she would slip right into the floor.

Later than evening, Vivian shut herself in the storage room and sank to her knees. She closed her eyes. "Dear Lord, thank You for saving my life, for the blessings and help You have given me." She smiled to herself, filled with thanks for Chev and Joe, when they didn't even know her. "Be with my mother, be with my friends. I love them all so much, and I love You. Give me strength. Amen."

She stayed there for a few more reverent moments. She couldn't see in those first days in the pit how everything had worked out for the good, but it had.

She returned into the main part of the _Burra_. Alex was fast asleep, lightly snoring against his pillow. If there was no way of him waking up, she would have touched him. Instead, she sank into the booth seat with her pillow. Will drove into the night while Cat slept in the seat beside him.

To be continued...

# Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, for showing me what it means to love and fight the good fight - and I'm still learning. Without His guiding hand, wisdom and encouragement, this would only be a dream. I love you, Lord.

I would like to thank the people that have supported me when I felt like this was wasted time and effort. Especially to my mother, who read and critiqued and helped make it even better than I thought possible. And those who were eager to read it before they even knew what it was about: I hope you all enjoyed it.

Thank you, Smashwords, for providing the tools and materials to publish my work.

And to all you readers, wherever you are and whatever you're dealing with, know you are not alone. God bless all of you and thank you.
