We emerged onto Telegraph in the murky grays of morning. There were about a dozen zebras milling around. They all looked up when I was carried out and set down. Across the two lane street, I could see the remains of a book store. Moe's, it proclaimed itself to be. It was too dark to see if any books still remained. Other storefronts ran densely to either side. Ignoring the curious looks, I gave a glance around. Ameoba Records. I had meant to visit that, before P day. Maybe after the mission I'd have my chance.

"Is he the one?" asked one of the zebra folk. Female, lanky and slender. "He doesn't look special at all."

A soft murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd, "How's he supposed to do anything but die?"

"What does it matter to you?" I asked.

The female looked infuriated and stomped closer, "What does it matter? You get to fight alongside the high warrior. You, a strange, weak, scrawny thing." She pointed accusingly, "While your betters are left in shame while the fighting's going on? Forget that garbage. I'm five times the warrior you'll ever be."

Sunflower was frowning at either of us, but most of my attention was on the agitated zebra, "I don't have time to settle your insecurities. There's work to be done that doesn't involve proving things to you."

"Untrue," said Sunflower, "If Patty is issuing a formal challenge?" The question hung pregnant in the air for a quiet moment, all eyes on Patty. She seemed to hesitate a moment before she slapped the ground with a foot, creating a shallow impact crater with the force and sending tremors across the road.

"I do challenge. I will face him and take his place at your side, high warrior, and stride with you to victory."

Aaron suddenly laughed from somewhere behind me, "You're a grade A at getting into trouble, outsider. This should be fun to watch."

"Are there rules to this?" I asked, giving into the inevitability of the conflict.

Sunflower nodded, "You begin when I say so. No final blows. Giving up or being rendered unable to fight is a loss. If you lose, then I must take her on this journey."

Would that be an entire loss? I would be free to engage at my own discretion and without interference. Still, I was a man. Giving up was not something I enjoyed doing. Besides, these mutants had knocked me out, carried me around, and gave me orders. Knocking some sense into one would be satisfying.

I drew my rifle into idle position, "Fine then, let's get this out of the way."

Patty sneered, "Even with your gun, I will pummel you into the turf." Her words were not entirely empty. Ferals could become quite resistant to small arms fire, and their strength ranged from strong to tearing trees in half. It is a small mercy to some agents that they are usually more interested in spreading their infection than true victory in combat.

I briefly considered the new toy Rod had sold me, but I had no idea what its capabilities were. If I cut the fool girl in half, that would not endear me to her friends and family. No, stick with the rifle. Bullets hurt but didn't kill. What a crazy world we lived in.

Sunflower held up her hands, "You all heard her. The challenge is issued. Patty, to the west side of Telegraph. Erik, you are considered her junior, and must face her from the east."

There were soft sniggers through the crowd, as if being made to stand on that side of the street were already shameful. I didn't much care for their street worship, either sidewalk looked serviceable for the scuffle I had in mind.

Patty took her place opposite me, flexing her great arms and gesturing. I assumed they were aimed at her friends, but hell if I knew which was friend or considered family in this menagerie. Sunflower looked to each of us slowly.

"Patty, this is your last chance to stand down from this challenge. You will not be thought less of for deferring to the choice of the high seer."

Patty sneered, an expression her snout made all the more dramatic, "I will prove myself to him that I'm a fine warrior."

Sunflower nodded as if she had expected no other answer, then looked to me, "You have the option of backing down as well, Outsider Erik, and allowing her in your stead."

"Nothing doing, Sun. Let's get the fight started so we can get it over with." I raised the rifle into ready position and took a firm stance. Patty narrowed her eyes and crouched, looking ready to leap.

Sunflower stood still for a few moments. Was she hesitating? She looked determined. This was the wrong time to worry about her. I turned my full attention to Patty, preparing my plan.

"Go!" barked Sun, thrusting her hand forward between us and drawing it back just in time for Patty's move. She surged forward with incredible speed. If I had been going for a shot, I was sure I'd have only gotten a few out before she was on top of me. Fortunately, I was not. I pushed myself to the side in a powerful leap, clearing the area as she landed on top of the present I left behind.

She landed where I had been, and spun to face me. Nestled between her large feet was an unassuming cylinder. It made a soft 'click'. She looked down in time for the air around her to combust in a muffled fwoomf. The cheery flames licked at her body from all angles and she screamed in pain. It felt good to be on top of my game.

I've seen mutants take worse than that and keep the fight up, so I decided to play safe, taking almost leisurely shots into the stunned zebra's kneecaps like a surgeon removing a tumor. She wobbled before collapsing forward, her wails half turning to sobs. The battle was clearly over. Her friends were already rushing forward to put her out. "Let's go," I said as I approached. One of the zebras moved in front of me.

"You won, you can't hurt her any more."

"Don't worry, I'm just picking up something of mine," I assured as I slipped around the mutant, though their eyes stared at me. I snagged up the grenade where it was still resting, and stuffed it in a pocket. I would have to thank that mouse girl later. Cute and effective, just how I liked my women.

"Never did like her," Came the cynical tone of Aaron. "All talk and no brains. Maybe she'll use the nursing time to think about something." His tone implied he doubted the possibility.

I looked to Sunflower as she approached, "That happen a lot around here?" Sunflower didn't look mussed for the action, almost pointedly ignoring the then sullenly quiet Patty.

She lifted her shoulders and guided us northwards, towards the campus. "There are always younger members eager to prove their worth. Some do well, some make fools of themselves. I take special pride in the ones that do both at once." she smiled, showing her white flat teeth. The P virus put all dentists out of work. "You fought well. That ended quickly. Do you have more of those flame cans?"

"I could use some of those myself," interjected Aaron, suddenly interested, "If you're selling."

I waved a hand lightly as the other busied itself in getting my gun onto my back, "Sorry guys. It's a prototype, made by an acquaintance of mine. Maybe she'll want to come down here and sell a few."

"I noticed," said Sunflower, "That you picked it up again. Is it still of any use?"

"Recycling," I verified, "It should be ready to go by the time we need it again."

Aaron frowned, studs taking on a new arrangement instead of wrinkles, "You never said where you're from, Outsider, that has so many tools ready at hand. It sounds better than this dump."

The man was suddenly airborne. Sunflower's fist resided where his face once did, anger brewing in her eyes. "You will not blaspheme our home. We fought hard to have it."

Aaron impacted on the front of Amoeba, adding a new crack to the dusty glass before he slid down. I was mildly impressed that he landed on his feet, and shook himself off.

"You're tougher than you look, metal man," I said when he rejoined us in the hike, "But I don't think she appreciates your acidic humor."

"What's a broken rib for the sake of a good joke?" said Aaron as he flexed his stomach, producing a loud grinding snap. Nanites may keep us alive, but I wasn't born after P day, the idea of someone snapping bones back into place was still unsettling, "Besides, she's not really mad."

Sunflower snorted loudly, "You just keep testing me, Aaron. We'll see who's angry or not when there aren't more pressing things to deal with."

Aaron leaned closer to me, "She tried to leave when she first turned, only thing she would do for a month," he whispered so low it was hard to pick up, though I could see one of Sun's ears dancing as if trying to pick it up.

"That so? Well, let's live in the present. Since you asked, I'm based in Woodfield, up in Washington, but the friend with the grenades is much closer to here, a little place Northeast of here, Fairhaven. Fair sized city, but it's got nothing on Oakland or Alameda county in general."

Sunflower slowed until we caught up with her, then pointed up towards where the clock tower still stood in the distance, "That's where I want to be. Think you could do some damage to them from that vantage point?"

I squinted ahead at it, "I'm sure I could, but if they're literal tanks, they could knock the tower down with us on it. That would end the conflict fast. I'd rather see how many there are, maybe gauge their speed and hitting power, if we can. I also have a check in to do first." I pointed to the end of the street, "Right where it hits campus. With luck, friends are waiting."

Aaron made an odd noise, a half laugh, "Your friends, or ours? Are you waiting for them to rescue you from us?"

A suddenly tempting thought, "No. You roped me into this deal. We'll see it through to the end. But I already told you before, their orders come before yours."

A sudden loud squeal came from the rooftops to either side of us. Coming down on zip lines were six figures with pink skin and curly tails. Pig men, no more than three feet tall a piece. Looked like four males, two females. They weren't as eager to accessorize as the Telegraphers, leaving nothing to the imagination.

"Hotdoggers!" snarled Sunflower as she wrenched her spear into position. I was a half beat behind her, but had the advantage of range. A quick burst caught a piggie in the chest. Thing lost grip of its rope and came to the ground with low thud of tenderized meat, the rope pooling on top of its broken form a moment later.

The first pig to hit the ground swung his zipline baton at Aaron. The metal bar slapped into the meat of the studded man's hand before white-blue power surged down through it and its pink skinned agressor. The piggie gave a whole new kind of squeal as the smell of fresh bacon hit the air, then it collapsed tonelessly to the ground.

One went sliding past Sunflower, hopping free of the rope to bash the side of her head with the iron bar as two others slid into attack position. Sun did not react well, grabbing the closest pig by the head and hurling it through the other two, sending all three crashing and skidding along the pavement in a chorus of pained oinks.

Figuring me for an easy mark, the last pig tried to grab me. As a hostage? A last ditch effort? I went with the tug, turning it into a throw, hurtling the pig across the street to crash through the window of a long closed bank. "That's a refreshing way to start a day," I said as I slung the gun back into place, "You know these jokers?"

Aaron gave his somewhat broiled target a kick in the side, "They call themselves Hotdoggers. Our best guess is that they're related to the food carts that used to be in the area. Disgusting things."

I shrugged, stepping over one, "They didn't seem any more or less disgusting than most others I've seen."

Sunflower slapped me on the shoulder, "That's because you won. Their victims are treated to the worst depravities and filths. It is how they turn them. We carry no love for the swine. If we were not already so occupied, I will turn them myself. It would be a great kindness."

Aaron snickered softly as he spoke, "That would mean holding one of the dirty little things, wouldn't it?"

The zebra shuddered at the thought, "You are right, of course, damnable pest. I would take them home and let the lesser girls prove their iron nerves by getting the job done. Perhaps some of the men would be that... desperate, but I doubt it."

"Is it alright," I asked with a sudden thought, "To just leave them on your 'sacred street'?"

Sunflower snorted with digust, "We don't have time to properly throw them away or take them back. They will consider themselves lucky today. I should warn, they consider the campus to be part of their territory, even if they fear the tanks as greatly as we do. They are stubborn."

I considered how stubborn the Telegraphers had been so far. Ah well, it took one to know one, as the old saying went.

Aaron hooked a thumb back, "Don't you worry your pretty head. We're being followed anyway. The lower ranked nobodies want to see what we'll do. They probably enjoyed that little fight. I'm sure they'll take care of the cleanup as soon as we're out of sight of it."

I gave a quick glance back as we walked. A startled face ducked back behind a building, taking its black and white stripes with it. "Will they convert the pigs then?"

Aaron looked to Sunflower, who shrugged, "Possibly. Not our concern any longer though. Let's put our eyes ahead. We have enough of a challenge to occupy our thoughts."