Light streaked in the heavens as the pair made their way carefully
over the uncertain terrain. The boy's footing was surer than the girl's, though
both made good time, both were used to the sort of scrambling required to move
quickly over the rocky hills, wary of unseen holes that threatened to roll an
ankle. The boy was ahead of the girl, moving swiftly, threatening to leave her
behind, if only because she had to watch him to know where it was they were
going.

                Another fleck
of light flicked across the night sky, mocking the stars that were moving so
much slower.

                “A wayward
star." The boy whispered, not wanting to break the serenity, though it was
loud enough for the girl to hear.

                “Falling from
the heavens." She added, took a breath, and scrambled on after the boy.

                Breeze gently
floated through the boy's feathery black hair, and it whipped more noticeably
against the girl's thicker locks. This far out from the town, the night sky was
full of vibrant stars, a blanket of luminescence. The hills they were climbing
over were farther from town than most of the inhabitants would usually dare
venture, but the twinkling windows of warm homes could be seen in the valley
below.

                “Didn't know
you were familiar with that saying." The boy stopped a moment, waiting for the
girl to catch her breath.

                “You're the
one who told me. Don't you remember?" The girl added with annoyance, brushing
her hair out of her eyes, trying in vain to get it to stay behind her head. She
didn't have any cloth to spare for a hair tie.

                “Did I?" He
said, holding out a blue ribbon for the girl.

                “Why the Hell
did you have a ribbon in your pocket?" She asked, but she didn't pass up the
opportunity. She snatched the ribbon with nimble fingers.

                The boy
waited as she tied her hair into a ponytail. “Being prepared is important.
That's my first lesson."

“I thought your first lesson was this enjoyable night time cross
country." The girl said with a raised lip.

“My second lesson, then." He said. When the ponytail was tied up,
he started scrambling again without delay.

                An
exasperated sigh escaped the girl as she started following again. It wasn't
cold outside, but it was cool enough to keep from working up too much of a
sweat. The boy didn't seem to be winded as he scurried over the rocky grassland.
Unable to see the ground clearly through the plants, the girl was moving slower
than the boy, but she didn't stumble or struggle as she followed.

                “Can I ask
yet where we're going?" She asked.

                “I don't want
to spoil it." The boy said, and he continued on over the hills.

Yet another ray of light slipped silently across the dark sky.
Whenever one of the shooting stars passed, the boy watched them with wonder,
though he didn't stop moving. The stars' beauty was not lost on the girl
either, but she didn't let the boy know that.

“If we don't get there soon, I'll take the jail cell, thank you
very much." The girl complained. They were far out from the town, but she
wasn't worried about Thralls or bandits. She didn't want to give the boy the
smug satisfaction he was enjoying.

Strapped to the boy's belt was a sword sheath which was attached
at a second point to his leg to keep it from bouncing as he ran. “If you want
me to throw you in prison, just say the word." He said it with a smile. “I
think what I'm giving you here is the better option."

“You're delusional. You're the self-appointed sheriff of a lawless
town. Also, you're like twelve." The girl said. Delusional as he may have been,
the boy had skills, and he would've been able to lock her up if he set his mind
to it. Given the choice between waiting out the week in prison and seeing
whatever it was the boy wanted to show her, she took the less restrictive
option.

“Incorrect on all three counts. It's not self-appointed if the
townspeople don't tell me to stop. The town isn't lawless, I'm the sheriff.
Also, I'm not twelve, I'm just small for my age." The boy corrected her.

The girl nearly crashed into the boy as he came to a sudden halt.
Standing taller than him, she would've liked to say she could get away from him
in a struggle, but he'd shown her his sword skills once before and she knew
better. In the dim light, in the quiet night, the boy was hard to notice. He
had a talent for making himself less perceptible. Bugs chirped, the wind in the
leaves of the trees rustled, and water babbled innocently somewhere nearby. The
girl stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for the boy to say something.
When he didn't speak, she began to feel self-conscious.

“I stole food. Everyone in the Brink steals food." The girl said,
defending her own actions.

“Not everyone. The town has me to keep an eye out for bandits like
you." The boy said.

He was wearing a uniform that had been patched and repaired so
much there likely wasn't any of the original uniform left. The boy had taken in
the size to make sire it fit him as well. Despite the condition of the garment,
it was easily recognizable as a vintage uniform of the Registered Military. A
lovingly carved wooden badge was pinned to the boy's shirt declaring him as
sheriff, and the girl couldn't help but wonder where he'd gotten it (and how
much she could get selling it.)

“I'm not a bandit. I'm just a thief." It was an important
distinction. Calling her a bandit implied she had friends, and she had none of
those. On purpose.

“You can't just go around stealing whatever you want." The boy
said, crossing his arms.

“And you can't just pretend you're some lawman. The only reason I
haven't taken off yet is that you've got me curious." She said. “Registered
Military uniform and a sword. Some pretend Collar like you, why do you stay
here? You could go become an actual Collar at some Registry somewhere. Then you
wouldn't be here to annoy me."

The boy looked up at the occasional bolts of light that flitted
across the sky. “I've got things to take care of here. Besides," He put his
hand on his sword hilt, “I don't need an Indicia to make me a good fighter."

Silhouetted against the starlight, hand on his sword hilt, gazing
up at the sky, the boy appeared to be a statue.

“Forget I asked, I actually don't care. What are we doing out
here?" The girl asked.

“I caught you stealing food. My town needs that food, we work hard
to get it. I know things have been rough since the way, but it's in the past
now. We weren't even alive when it all went down, so you can't blame everything
on the war." The boy said.

“Tell that to my rumbling stomach. Our parents didn't exactly
leave us a shining paradise." The girl remembered she still hadn't eaten on
account of getting caught. Her stomach felt like it was eating itself.

“I understand that you don't have any better options. That's why I
brought you out here, to give you one. I'm going to teach you how to get your
own food." The boy said.

“How sweet of you." The girl faked a smile. “Stealing is,
actually, more my thing. So if you don't mind." She turned around.

By the time she finished turning, the boy was in front of her with
his sword drawn. He was smirking, waiting for her to give him an excuse.

“I don't agree with your methods, so you'll beat me with that
stick until I get the picture?" She said.

Stick was the word she used because a stick was what it was. A
wooden sword. If a Thrall attacked them, the girl would've been relieved
because she could have run away while the boy tried to fight it with no magic
and a blunt sword, and she would've lived while he died like an idiot. She had
never met a Thrall she couldn't outrun.

“You know, normal people fight other people with guns, not
swords." She said.

“If you threaten someone with a gun, the weapon itself backs you up.
You don't need skill. To threaten someone with a sword, you have to be
confident in your abilities." The boy explain.

“I'm confident that you're a weirdo." The girl said.

“I'm trying to help you. Tonight, I'll teach you how to fish." He
gestured to the river he had brought them to.

That was exactly what the boy did. Producing a fishing rod out of
nowhere, which confused the girl, who had been sure he hadn't been carrying
anything like that, he sat on the edge of the river and cast it into the water.
As he went about each step, he explained the ins and outs to her. After his
first catch, which came quicker than the girl expected, he handed the whole
mess to her and expected her to do the same. She had only been half listened
when he explained, so it took longer than it should've for her to get situated.

The night went on and the lights continued to dance across the
night sky, not a single one missing the notice of the boy or the girl. By
night's end, as the earliest rays of twilight crept over the horizon, the boy
and the girl sat together near the river, eating fish freshly cooked over a
fire.

“You said you've got things to do. Like what?" The girl asked
before devouring her fish.

“The Brink has been lawless since the war. That much you've got
right. I'm going to bring law back to it." The boy said.

The girl couldn't hold back her laughter, and she even lost a few
pieces of fish from her mouth when she sputtered. “The Brink is a big place.
Somehow, I doubt you're going to bring law to it on your own."

“You're probably right. But imagine if I could, you know?" He said
with a smile, watching the sky.

“The world would be a better place, I suppose." The girl admitted.

“The war was so long ago. Thralls are dropping in numbers compared
to back then, but everyone acts like nothing ever changed. It's like we were
wounded, and no one ever noticed that the wounds have started to heal." The boy
said.

“Maybe the wounds don't heal until people start to notice." The
girl said.

“Until that time, it's up to people like you and me to be better."
He said.

Raising an eyebrow, the girl tilted her head to the side. “Like
me? How do you figure?"

“You steal food because you're hungry, not because you're greedy.
That doesn't make it good, or right, but I guess it's less wrong than the other
way." The boy said.

“Is that your plan? To make the world a little less wrong." The
girl asked.

“Bit by bit. I'll make a difference." The boy said.

The last of the stars dashed to the twilight horizon, and the pair
followed it with their eyes.

“You know what they say about shooting stars?" The boy asked.

“No, just the saying you told me before." The girl said.

Leaning back on his hands, eyes on the sky, the boy smiled. “A
wayward star falling from heaven. Those stars, they say, they're new Indicia being
born."

With a chuckle, the girl leaned sideways, getting comfortable to
watch the sunrise with the boy, if that was the boy's intention. “Indicia
falling from heaven, huh?"

“That's what they say." The boy nodded. “They saved us during the
war. Without them, we wouldn't be here. Maybe it's true, after all."

“I guess that begs the question." The girl said with a sigh.

“What question is that?" He asked, curious.

“Does Heaven even exist?" The girl asked.

The pair watched the sun rise, neither spoke, neither offered an
answer for the girl's question. It wasn't meant to be answered. Instead, it was
meant to be spoken aloud and let to float away.

/////

                “We are not
going to die." Oliver Barrett insisted, though he considered there was a decent
possibility that they were going to die.

                [This is
not the plan I came up with!]

                “No, I'm not
the one who calls the shots." Oliver said. Though he was speaking out loud, his
voice was drowned out by the roaring winds that were trying their best to send
him plummeting to his dead. The only reason he hadn't already fallen was
because of a hastily thrown together, experimental device designed specifically
for the plan they were undertaking.

                [Foolish
plan. Foolish.]

                Oliver's LINK
was fastened firmly on his arm, and thanks to recent advancements in
technology, developed by the same mind that cobbled together the boots that
kept him from falling, the LINK no longer needed to be physically manipulated.
Instead, it was a more compact wristband that sent information directly to the
visual cortex, overlaying a heads up display on Oliver's sightline. The HUD
could display visual information from callers, sharing their sight even at
incredible distances, as well as other useful information, and it also
incorporated augmented reality, which would indicate Oliver's target in a red
outline.

                [This is
unnecessary.]

                I know.

                “There's your
target." A voice spoke to him over the LINK, ringing inside his head clearly
despite the winds.

                Standing
nearby was Abel Klein, wearing the same boots to keep them steady. Whereas
Oliver understood the risks of the plan and had a healthy uneasiness about him,
Abel did not. He was ready to go, fists clenched and fired up.

[At least you're aware of the risks. Unlike Abel.]

I can't tell if he's aware and
doesn't care, or just that clueless.

Oliver's glasses threatened to fly away, so he pressed them up
onto his nose.

“I'm ready!" Abel said, and as with the other voice, Oliver heard
him clearly over the LINK.

The HUD displayed the distance to their target along with the red
outline, and they were closing in fast. Oliver and Abel were both standing on
top of a fast moving VTOL, a vehicle that resembled a fat, angular black bird,
high above the city of Bastion, which looked like a play set at this distance.

[It isn't too late to change the plan.]

“Let's just get this over with. Too many voices in my head at
once. I'm ready." Oliver said. He took the stance he'd been trained to take,
ready for combat.

“You may think you are ready. Real combat is different from
training. There is a purity to it that practice lacks." Another voice spoke
over the LINK.

Their target was a Thrall that could fly and threatened to descend
on Bastion without warning. It needed to be eliminated quickly. The monster had
the vague shape of a bird, if that bird had been born in a nightmare and
resided in Hell. The wing portions didn't flap as the abomination floated
through the air, it simply cut through the sky as if it were drifting through
space. It had taken up a circling pattern above the city and hadn't yet noticed
the town below. As soon as it did, it would begin to destroy as much as it
could. That was what Thralls were. Destruction.

“Abel, do not forget, you are here to assist Oliver. Do not engage
directly." The voice on the LINK said.

“I know." Abel whined, waving his hand in the air, but he winked
at Oliver.

Oliver shook his head. There should have been no winking. “No,
Abel, he's right. This one is mine."

“Of course, I know that." Abel winked again.

“Why are you doing that? Abel, this is no time to change the
plan." Oliver said.

[At least we know he'll die first.]

No more time to talk. Oliver took a deep breath and readied
himself. He was in the correct stance, he just had to get the timing right. The
VTOL was approaching the Thrall, which luckily still hadn't noticed them. It
was outlined on the LINK display with a thick red border. The Thrall itself had
a shield, as all Thralls did, pulsing between several colors. This Thrall had
been around for a while, and had adapted to a number of different wavelengths
of Aer. Magic all fell under a specific wavelength, like the colors, and
Thralls could adapt to magic that was used to wound them but wasn't fatal. This
would be a hard kill, but Oliver's ability was uniquely suited for it.

Red, blue, green, yellow. How many Collars and innocent people
died because of this monster?

[Don't let it kill any more.]

I don't intend to.

The VTOL flew past the Thrall, cutting as close as it could
without colliding. When they approached, the creature let out a deafening
screech, the unnatural call of a Thrall. It had noticed them. Oliver stood on
the edge of the flying machine, boots attached to the metal keeping him from
falling. His hand was balled into a tight fist, slick with sweat, and he shook
with nerves. A glance down proved to be a bad idea as the playset of a city
below seemed to spin and Oliver was overcome with dizziness. Oliver pulled his
fist in close by his side and waited or just the right moment.

When the Thrall and the VTOL were side by side, and the LINK told
Oliver it was time to fire, Oliver extended his arm forcefully and opened his
balled fist into a flat palm. The band around his neck glowed and the ball of
light that had been captured in his closed fist blasted outward. The light
itself was white with veins of gold and blooms of rose. The blast shimmered and
shot towards the Thrall.

Like a shooting star, the light left a streak in the air, passed
unhindered through the Thrall's barrier, and missed its flesh by an inch. The
light quickly dissipated, and the VTOL moved well past the Thrall.

“I missed." Oliver said.

“Am I the only one who can do anything correctly?" The voice on
his LINK snarled.

“I do things correctly all the time." The other voice added.

“Enough chat, boys, try again!" This time it was a female voice on
the LINK.

“You want to give it a try?" Oliver asked the peanut gallery.

“I do!" Abel said.

“We've been over this, Abel. That makes no sense. Your magic is no
good for this." Oliver said.

“Are you admitting defeat?" The snarling voice asked.

The Thrall was aware of them, circling back towards the ship.
Oliver returned to his combat stance. “Not yet. I'm going to try again."

[Maybe it didn't work because this isn't a good plan, Ollie.]

“I'd rather win with a bad plan than admit I need his help."
Oliver said.

“What was that?" Growled over the LINK.

“Yeah, who made a bad plan?"

“Tag me if you need me, Ollie." Abel offered.

“Explain to me how you can help, and I'll consider it." Oliver
said.

“I'd punch it in the face." Abel said with gusto, throwing a punch
at the air.

“It doesn't have a face." Oliver said as they began their
approach.

The VTOL and the Thrall would now be jousting as they flew towards
each other. They had a free shot the first time, and Oliver had missed. He
would have to make it up by hitting his mark the second time, as there might
not be a third try. He pushed his glasses up once again, and then he remembered
he didn't need them anymore. He pinched the middle and threw them off, letting
them fall to the city below. He stood with confidence, wind rustling his black
hair, clothes being grabbed and pulled by invisible hands.

Hand balled into a fist and held tight by his side, Oliver readied
his magic again. It was now or never. The VTOL and the Thrall approached one
another, and they were angled for a head on collision. Like a jouster's lance,
Oliver needed to strike a critical hit on the Thrall. He punched his arm out
and opened his palm, the gold and pink light shot towards the monster. To avoid
the collision, the VTOL pulled left, narrowly missing the creature. The air
sounded different as the large monster passed.

The blast of light passed through the Thrall's shield as it did
before, this time searing through the creature's flesh and emerging through the
other side for a brief moment before flickering out. Light was a fickle
element, high in energy and impossible to hold that way for long.

[I can't believe you actually hit him.]

The Thrall, now with a sizzling hole through its midsection,
hadn't tried to avoid the collision. It was still trying to hit the VTOL, and
though it missed the vehicle, which it certainly would've sent crashing down,
its wing did manage to strike home on Oliver. It crashed into his torso and
threatened to throw him off the VTOL entirely. His wind knocked out of him.
Probably broken ribs. Oliver couldn't respond fast enough.

[Oliver!]

The boots were designed to keep Oliver and Abel on top of the
VTOL, but against that much resistance, they failed, and Oliver was knocked
onto his back. Without the boots keeping him pinned in place on top of the
vehicle, Oliver was be blown off the ship by the strong winds in seconds. Roll
over. Grab something. Anything. Hands scrabbled at the smooth metal surface.
Hold on. Don't fall. Don't die.

[I told you this wasn't a good plan!]

Not the time, Viv!

“Ollie!" Abel shouted loud enough that Oliver could hear it over
the screaming winds.

“You are both useless." The growling voice said.

Oliver's hand caught something, finally, and he held on tight.
Abel was leaning over him, he had caught him, kept him from falling. Abel
strained to hold on to Oliver as the force of the wind threatened to send him
flying. Pulling hard, Abel yanked Oliver closer to him and wrapped his arms
around him, holding him tightly.

[It's time to call this off.]

“Can you try again?" The female on the LINK asked.

“I don't think so." Oliver winced, gasping as Abel squeezed him,
something in his chest hurting with a sharp stabbing pain. Commanding light
took exceptional concentration, and that was something he no longer had. Not to
mention that with his boots out of commission, he couldn't even stand on top of
the VTOL without Abel to hold him. Oliver had been eager to prove himself, and
that was no longer an option.

“I guess that means it is my turn now." The growling voice said.

The door on the side of the VTOL began to slide open. As it did,
it revealed the other occupant of the vehicle, the owner of the growling voice,
standing read. With a smirk on his face, eyes closed, the man with blond hair
stood still until the door fully opened itself. A loose fitting leather collar
hung over his blue brand on his neck. Attached to his back was an extendable
staff. He opened his eyes, they were orange, flickering and burning with cinder
and flame. Grasping the top of the door frame, the flame eyed man swung himself
out of the ship, flipping upward and over the top of the VTOL.

Landing firmly, his boots activated and kept him grounded safely
on top of the ship. “Get him back inside. But I want you both to watch this."

The VTOL had been keeping away from the Thrall so far, but it was
time to engage the creature again. Abel helped Oliver get down and into the
VTOL cabin, closing the door behind them. As they sat inside the ship, they
watched what the man was doing from his own view, fed into their LINK displays.
The feed was labeled Isaac.

“The longer a fight goes on, the more like you are to die." Isaac
said. “And no one should miss you, because it is your job to be better than
that." The VTOL and the Thrall was closing in again. Isaac stood on top of the
VTOL, doing nothing as they approached. “Go above it." He instructed the pilot.
“And when we're above it, flip over."

“Flip over?" Abel frantically began to belt himself into his seat
when he heard it.

Oliver made sure to strap in, too, even if it made his chest hurt.
He tried not to show it on his face, but he was sure Abel noticed.

[I'm glad I'm not there. I'd get airsick.]

Indicia can get motion
sickness?

[I suppose it could be hypochondria.]

Outside, Isaac was waiting. “Observe your opponent and learn how
to approach them. Is defense more important, or offense?" He instructed. The
VTOL pulled up as they met with the Thrall again, and then it did a corkscrew,
flipping over. Hanging from the top of the ship by his boots, Isaac looked down
at the Thrall below. He reached out his hands and deactivated his boots,
falling on top of the monster. As his hands hit the top of the Thrall's shied,
it gave off a zapping sound, and he caught his fall as best he could. He was no
longer attached to anything, and a wrong move would lead to certain death.

Isaac crouched on his hands and knees on top of the pulsating
barrier, and curiously, the force of the wind didn't threaten to push him off.
“A Thrall's barrier can be nearly indestructible." Isaac said, and he raised
his right hand into the air beside him. Wreathed in flames, he brought his fist
down into the barrier. There was a cracking noise, inaudible above the sound of
the wind, but Isaac felt it in his hand.

“But when you damage the flesh, the barrier weakens." He punched
again, fist swathed in scorching heat. The barrier darkened when he hit, but
didn't break.

“Usually, you can not damage the flesh before breaking the
barrier, but Oliver, you are a special case." Another flaming punch, another
zap from the pulsing shield. “You can damage the flesh without breaking the
barrier, which makes it possible for me to do something like this."

Isaac growled as he raised his fist and brought the bloodied
knuckles down into the barrier one last time before it shattered into a
shimmering rainbow mist. Without the barrier to sit on, Isaac fell several
inches and landed directly on the Thrall's back.

Oliver and Abel watched in silence.

“Thralls exist to destroy, to kill. So that is what we give them
in return." Isaac pressed his palms down against the back of the Thrall. It was
oily and slick, and it looked like it would stick to his hands even after they
were pulled away. “Do not hesitate. A moment of hesitation can get you or your
partner killed." The blue band around his neck began to glow.

In an instant, the Thrall turned into a phoenix, a bird of flames.
All that could be seen from Isaac's feed was the firestorm he had created. It
was like a window into Hell. He was sending the Thrall back where it came from.
The Thrall screeched, and Abel and Oliver watched through the window of the
VTOL as the firebird streaked across the sky. Behind it fell a trail of ashes
from the flames. The Thrall flew wildly, without purpose, as it burned.

Isaac held his palms down until there was nothing left but ash
beneath them. The fire died out as he fell through the ashes of what had been
the Thrall, scattering them on the wind. The VTOL swooped under him and he
landed atop it with a heavy thud.

“That," Abel turned his attention from the window to Oliver, “was
awesome."

Oliver would have liked to argue that it hadn't been all that
impressive, but he was just feeling sour after his own failure. He couldn't
argue with a straight face, anyway. A smile found its way onto his lips and he
nodded.

“Yeah, it was."

/////

                Oliver needed
Abel's help to climb down out of the VTOL, but once he was on solid ground, he
would have been content to walk with his arm held close to his side. However,
Abel didn't let go of his arm.

                “Abel, I'm
fine." Oliver insisted.

                “No, if I
can't help fight, at least let me help with this." Abel said.

                Abel's brand
glowed a soft, consistent light as he held onto Oliver. Mercifully, the
stabbing pain in Oliver's chest vanished, but it was replaced by guilt instead.
He knew that the pain wasn't being fixed, just transferred. He couldn't bring
himself to look at the wince on Abel's face as he felt Oliver's pain. The wound
was still there, healing magic didn't exist, but Abel was ever the martyr. He
was willing to take Oliver's pain away, even if only for a moment.

                Together, the
pair walked away from the VTOL, Isaac walking briskly ahead of them.

                “Say it." A
short figure appeared on the landing pad next to Oliver, hobbling along after
him.

                Oliver
laughed, rolling his eyes as he did so. Abel winced, as the laugher worsened
the pain. “If you want to say 'I told you so' after that, then I'd hate to see
what you say when things go poorly."

                Stocky paws
patted on the metal floor as the Indicia followed. The hangar they were in was
offsite from the Registry, and they would still need to take a car back. The
VTOL pilot climbed into the driver's seat of a nearby van and waited from Abel,
Isaac, and Oliver. The back of the van had bench seating on either side, facing
each other. Oliver climbed into the back of the van without waiting for his
Indicia to follow. Abel stuck close, making sure to hold Oliver's arm so he
didn't lose the connection. Once they were sitting, the short animal reappeared
sitting across from Oliver.

The animal was the color of coffee, with dark brown fur around the
extremities, from his paws to his elbows, and from his feet to his knees. His
paws, both hands and feet, were thick and sturdy, although they weren't the most
dexterous. His upper arms and thighs were coffee with cream, which gave way to
white fur that covered his chest and belly, save for a ring of the dark brown
that rested on his shoulders like a work collar. The front of his muzzle and
sides of his face were white as well, though thick stripes of brown painted his
face with color, as if a large brush had been placed just under his eyes and
pulled down to his jawline. The dark brown continued around his jaw, giving the
appearance of a short chinstrap beard, and to the back of his head, where the
dark brown became the predominant coloration.

                The round
ears of the creature were not overly large, but they were prominently placed on
the top of his head, and so quite noticeable. The nose was black and shone wetly
in the low light of the van. Though Oliver couldn't see it from where he was
sitting, the animal sat slightly forward in his seat, so as to not crush his
short, fur smothered tail, which was light brown, dark brown, and then white on
the end. A white fundoshi protected the animal's modesty and hid the rest of
his body from view.

                “It isn't 'I
told you so'." His eyes were soulful as he gazed up and across at Oliver.

                “I know."
Oliver smiled down at the Indicia. “You just didn't want me to get hurt. You have
to admit, though, it comes with the territory."

                “Yeah, just
consider yourself lucky you get to fight at all." Abel said, more relaxed now
that Oliver was sitting still and not agitating his wound.

                Isaac climbed
in and slammed the door shut. He stared out the back window.

                “You get to
fight, too. Fights aren't all offense. If you take my pain away in a fight, I
can fight longer. That's still fighting." Oliver said. “You just didn't exactly
win the super power lottery, is all."

                “I get to
support you, Ollie. There is a difference." Abel said, and his Indicia appeared
in the seat next to Oliver's.

                Abel's
Indicia was a lion, though not the kind that is pictured when thinking of a
lion. He didn't have a full mane. Instead, a patch of red fur rested atop his
head, and a second patch was starting to grow out of the center of his yellow
furred chest. He practically twitched in his seat, unable to sit still, his
tail whipping about the cab. Unlike the other Indicia, he wasn't wearing any
clothes. In a way, Abel and the lion were a mirror image of each other.

                “Did you see
it when Isaac punched the Thrall in the face?" The lion asked, punching
downward in the air.

                “Yes, we all
saw it." Oliver's Indicia added dryly.

                “Ari, mark my
words, we're going to punch a Thrall in the face just like that sometime soon."
Abel said with a wild grin.

                “Or get
yourselves killed." Oliver's Indicia said.

                “Says Mister
High-and-Mighty...um, Vivi, what are you again? Some sort of raccoon?" Abel
asked.

                “I'm a
tanuki." Vivi said, looking away to hide the roll in his eyes.

                “Never heard
of it." Abel said. “But back on topic, and Isaac will back me up on this,
punching a Thrall in the face is definitely an effective strategy."

                Isaac raised
his hand and squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger,
but he said nothing.

                “It isn't a
strategy, any more than putting eggs in a frying pan is a strategy for
breakfast. A strategy should have multiple parts, and the punching is but one
of them." Vivi tried to explain, but Abel and Ari were already somewhere else.
“I take no responsibility when one of them dies." He said to Oliver.

                Oliver put
his hands out in front of him. “Hey, neither do I."

/////

                After
returning to the Registry, the three Collars when their own ways. There would
be paperwork to fill out, reports to file about the mission, but that could
wait until the evening. It was still daytime, and Oliver had a bone to pick
with someone. He'd go deal with that before going to medical, the wound wasn't
hurting as badly anymore, and if he was lucky, it was just some bruises and no
breaks.

                “Here's a
question. Is it still paperwork if you don't use paper anymore?" Vivi asked.

                Oliver didn't
answer.

                The Registry
lobby had recently been refitted with new decorations and had a different style
than it used to. It felt less sterile than Canaan's Registry. The cornerstone
of the new design was a reliance on the Registry's representative colors, those
being gold, black, and white. Canaan's Registry had leaned heavily on the white,
with accents of gold and black. Director Archer had transformed the building,
evidently appreciate gold, which was now the dominant element of design.

                At the center
of the lobby, a slate monument had been erected, on it carved the names of
every human and Indicia who died when Freeman's Vassals attacked InCorp and the
Registry. Oliver glanced at the monument as he passed it. He'd been in the
Registry during the attack, but Canaan had told the students to hide and they
had done as they were told. There was nothing they could've done. It wasn't
until after it was all over that they learned what had happened.

                “Beautiful
day outside, isn't it?" Shir asked as Oliver approached the security
checkpoint. “I saw you guys were trying to give the sun a rest, eh?"

                “Not us. Just
Isaac." Oliver smiled at the sabretooth. “You're looking sharp in that outfit."

                The cat
shifted uncomfortable in his uniform that matched the security guard. He
plucked at the fabric with his claws. “I can't stand it. I honestly don't understand
how you humans deal with it."

                “No fur."
Oliver shrugged. “Even if you're uncomfortable, you look respectable. That's
good."

                “Indicia have
to present themselves better to earn back the favor of the public." Shir said
in a mocking tone.

                One of the
major reforms that Director Archer had enacted was a requirement for
materialized Indicia to conform to public decency standards. This meant wearing
at least a minimum of fabric to cover themselves. The idea had first come from
Archer's new PR liaison, and almost no one backled it. Many of the Registered
Indicia balked at the idea, but when Chase sided with the decision, most
followed along without complaint. Looking around, Oliver could see that it was
working, as most of the Indicia that would once have been strolling around in
the nude were now covered by various styles of clothing, from full human dress
to simple loincloths.

                Civilians
were far less uncomfortable when an Indicia materialized if they weren't
looking directly at the beast's nethers.

                Vivi stood
behind Oliver in his fundoshi, and he gazed up at Shir. “Why don't you do like
I do and just wear less?"

                “This new guy
I made a pact with won't let it go. He wants me to wear the uniform so that
people can tell what my job it." Shir said.

                Shir said
'new guy', but to Oliver's eyes, there was no difference between the security
guard that had been in place before and the new one. The man didn't smile, and
he looked bored with just about everything. The uniform he wore was a white and
black jacket with gold accents, similar to Oliver's combat uniform, and black
slacks. Recently, Archer had seen to it that all of the Registry's uniforms
were unified in design and style. Oliver believed that the style he chose was
loosely based on an antique Registry Military outfit.

                “What's the
deal with that guy?" Oliver asked.

                “He doesn't
appreciate jokes." Shir answered, though he didn't answer what Oliver had been
asking. “Nice to see you, Vivi. Oliver, tell Isaac I said 'hi', alright? He
never comes to visit me, anymore."

                “He isn't
around for us much either. But I'll tell him when I see him." Oliver waved as
he made his way through security.

                Vivi followed
behind him down the hallway and to the elevator. Given that he was a tanuki, it
was a good thing that Archer insisted he clothe himself.

                “I'm not one
of your old Collars, Vivi." Oliver said, seemingly out of nowhere, as they
boarded the elevator.

                “I didn't say
that you were." Vivi answered, standing beside Oliver, his head only reaching
as high as Oliver's shoulders.

                They both
stood facing the elevator door as it rose. Moving above the open atrium, it
traveled to the upper floors of the Registry. Near the top of the building,
several floors below the Director's office, there had been several floors
dedicated to research and development of new technology that would aid Collars
in their fights against Thralls. During the war, these floors had been used
profusely, though after the war was over, the necessity of them waned.

                That wasn't
to say there was no research or development happening at all, just that it was
viewed as less crucial than during the war. Less researchers needed less labs,
and eventually, there were vast testing atriums that were left in disuse. The
elevator stopped at one of these R&D floors.

                “So you don't
need to keep an eye on me twenty four seven. I'm not going to die riding an
elevator. I'm not going to just vanish into thin air." Oliver said after a vast
silence filled the ride.

                “People do
that, though. They just disappear." Vivi said.

                “I'm not
going to." Oliver insisted.

                “You'd better
be right about that." Vivi said.

                An access
room decorated in black and white led into several different labs, and a
central door, larger than the rest and more resembling a vault, led into what
had become Archer's pet project since he had become Director. Leaving the
largest door alone for now, Oliver strayed to the side and took a door into a
cluttered hybrid between a laboratory, an office, and a dorm room.

                The lights
flickered on in response to movement as Oliver and Vivi strolled in. A cot in
the corner of the room sat empty and ruffled, evidently its owner didn't put
much stock in keeping a tidy room. The owner sat in a rolling chair,
illuminated by the glow of a green Lightglass screen. When the overhead lights
turned on, the boy hissed, covering his eyes with his arm.

                “What?" The boy
had shaggy brown hair that he neglected to brush, though it looked fine on its
own without tending. He had intense green eyes, accentuated by the green glow
of the screen. Instead of the usual gold and black uniform, he was wearing a
red jacket over a gray shirt. He spun in his chair to face Oliver, visible on
his ankle was a tightly fitted band of fabric that looked like neoprene.

                Oliver sat on
the cot and started taking off his boots.

                “Is there
something you wanted? No, okay, make yourself comfortable." The boy watched as
Oliver took the boots off. A red strip of color circled the boy's neck.

                “I wanted to
say this in person instead of over the LINK." Oliver said as he pulled his
second foot free from its book. They weren't the usual boots he wore with his
uniform, they had hastily designed tech jammed into and onto them. Wearing only
his socks, Oliver stood and held the boots out towards the boy.

                “What?" The
boy asked, clueless.

                “These things
almost got me killed!" Oliver dropped the boots on the ground with a clatter.

                “They didn't
get you killed. I was watching. They kept you from falling." The boy said.
“They weren't designed for you to get hit."

                Vivi walked between the
two humans with a disapproving look at the boy. “They barely worked. Overall,
the plan was foolish and not worth the risk."

                “It worked,
didn't it?" The boy asked.

                “Only because
Isaac went kamikaze on the Thrall." Oliver said.

                Something
Oliver had learned to be true over the years was that Isaac was nuts. When Abel
and Oliver had first learned of Isaac's heroics, back at InCorp during the
first lockdown, it had seemed to be the coolest thing ever. Back then, they had
been Collar Candidates, and everything to do with magic and Indicia was the
coolest thing ever. Abel never got over his awe of Isaac, but as Oliver grew
and learned, he realized that Isaac's antics were likely to get himself and
everyone around him killed sooner than later.

                Tyloki was
just as bad, too.

                That didn't
stop them from being badass, though.

                Vivi would
scold him later for that thought.

                “Hey, it
isn't my job to make the plan. I just made the boots." The boy turned his chair
back to the computer screen.

                “It was your
plan. You wanted us to go up there wearing these boots." Oliver said.

                The boy shrugged.
“The more you use my tech, the quicker I get out of here." He held his leg
sideways to show off the band on his ankle.

                “You can't
send them into suicidal situations just to promote the use of your inventions."
Vivi said.

                “I don't need
you to like me. I just need to help you. So if you'd please, get out now." The
boy said, waving them off.

                “Being a
Collar is deadly enough without my support trying to get me killed." Oliver
threw behind him as they exited the lab.

                “You should
tell Archer." Vivi said.

                “I don't want
to go running to the Director every time I have a dispute with a team member."
Oliver said. “Besides, Renton is just a kid. He'll get over his moodiness
eventually."

                “He's almost
the same age as you." Vivi said.

                “Eh." Oliver
said.

                Standing in
the access room, waiting for Oliver and Vivi, was a girl. Auburn hair framed
her face, cut short in the back, but with longer sides and bangs combed around
her face in a silky curl. Her eyes were a nearly gray shade of blue, though her
crossed arms and tapping foot made up for any intensity that her eyes lacked.
Like Oliver, she was dressed in a Registry uniform, and her boots clanged on
the floor as she tapped impatiently. Her skin was a pleasant tan, and free of
any blemishes, save for light freckling on her face.

                “Idiot!" She
said.

                Oliver raised
a brow as he walked towards her, Vivi following close. She stood near the large
access door. “What'd I do?"

                “You went
along with that stupid plan on the VTOL with those boots that other idiot in
there made." She said.

                “Claire, I
didn't want to go along with it. Vivi's plan was way better." Oliver glanced
down at the tanuki, who nodded approvingly. “It was Isaac's call, though, and
he's MIA."

                “So you mean
it was Tyloki's call, not Isaac." Claire said.

                “I think it's
the same thing in the end." Oliver scratched the back of his head.

                “Why don't we
give it a try, we'll see if it is the same thing?" Vivi asked.

                “No thanks, I
like things how they are." Oliver said as the three waited for the door to open
to the largest of the adjacent rooms.

                “Where do you
think he goes when he isn't in there?" Claire asked.

                “Somewhere
else." Oliver suggested with a shrug.

                The door
opened to reveal a refitted lab that had been turned into something arguably
more useful. A massive back wall was decked out in a single screen that could
be configured to show as many as sixty sub screens, which could be thrown to it
on the fly by any of the smaller terminals that lined the rows of the chamber.
Each row was down a step from the previous, which put the door at the back of
the room quite a bit higher than the floor in front of the screen. To Oliver,
it looked like a theater. Presently the main screen was displaying a map of the
city. Current points of interest were marked by colored overlays based on the
type of occurrence.

                “Flying to
fight a Thrall in the air on top of a VTOL." Claire shook her head as they
walked into the noisy theater. “Wish I could've seen that in person. But
watching from here was better than nothing."

                “The command
center is really coming together." Oliver looked around, appraising the setup
and equipment. It would help to get Collars where they needed to be, and it
would get them there faster. Hopefully it would be worth however much it cost.
It definitely didn't look cheap.

                “It's all
ready to go, we just haven't officially started using it, yet." Claire said.
“After the launch party is over is when it'll be open for business, on the
books."

                “Wonderful.
Mingling with people in suits, everyone pretending to be more civilized than
they really are. That'll be fun." Oliver put his hands on his hips and winced
as the pain in his chest reminded him he hadn't gotten treatment yet. “Really,
we promise, all the animals wear clothes, and we're not just banging all the
damn time."

                “Well, some
of us aren't." Claire said.

                “It's a
buffet, woman. Eat." Oliver said.

                “I've got
actual work to do, unlike you lazy jerks." Claire said.

                “She said to
the guy who just climbed on top of a VTOL to fight a monster." Oliver said.

                “Oh, get a
room, you two." Vivi said.

                “Maybe we
would, if you two hadn't already." She smirked down at Vivi, and though he
couldn't visibly blush, he glanced away in a way that betrayed his
embarrassment. “Anyway, I'll send the reports I need you to fill out to your
LINK. Make sure you get to them in the next day or two. You know, if you aren't
busy 'just banging all the damn time'."

                Oliver
watched Claire walk away, and then he looked down at Vivi. “That does give me
an idea, though."

                The tanui
gazed back up at him. “I guess it'll help me keep an eye on you."

                Oliver smiled
and then winced. “Just one thing. Let's go to the hospital first."

/////

                “They've got
to let me take the lead, or I'll never get the chance to show them what I've
got." Abel pulled a locker open and started to unbutton his jacket.

                “You keep
letting them tell you what to do. You need to just run ahead without fear, like
Isaac does, and take charge." Ari said, already sitting on the bench nearby,
shed of the clothes he was forced to wear if he wanted to take form in public.

                Struggling out of his jacket, Abel hung it
in the locker and then started to pull his black undershirt off. “I already
tried that."

                “Don't go regretting that. It's how we
met." Ari glanced down at Abel's bare torso.

                Along the side of his abdomen, on the left
side, a wide scar ran along his side from his belly towards his back, and
tapered off to a point near his spine. Abel placed his fingers on it and
sighed. Then he nodded and looked over at Ari. “You're right. I might've gotten
injured, but it turned out okay. Not the best, maybe, but not bad."

                “We're going to be awesome. We just have to
show everyone else that." Ari crossed one leg over the other, tail flicking
around behind him.

                Abel turned his back on the lion as he took
his pants off. “I just wish I had an ability better suited to combat."

                Ari's eyes watched Abel's backside closely
as his pants and underwear slid down. “You and me both, but you don't hear me
complaining about it. I'm young, and some of the other cats around here tell me
that it can take some time to figure things out. Chances are, you've got
another ability hiding somewhere in here." The lion said as he wrapped his arms
around the nude human from behind.

                Startled, Abel flinched, but then he leaned
back against the lion's warmth. “If I do have combat magic, I won't find it by
playing support for Ollie."

                “So next time we're in a fight," Ari rumbled
in Abel's ear, “take the lead."

                Abel closed his eyes, enjoying his
companion's fur against his back, feeling his whiskers against his cheek. “Why
don't you show me how to take the lead?"

                Water that had been dripping from a faucet
in the showers turned into a full powered stream as someone turned it on. The
lion's smirk was broad, and his eyes darkened with mischief. It wasn't gentle
as he pulled Abel into the showers, and he didn't bother finding a secluded
spot, he picked a shower in the middle of the side wall. There, he spun Abel
around and pressed him backwards against the tile wall. It was cold, especially
compared to having the lion's body against his back, and Abel whimpered.

                The whimper
was silenced by Ari's large muzzle, as he pressed his lips against Abel's
mouth. Opening his lips to allow the cat's tongue entry, Abel's mouth was
overtaken by Ari. The lion's tongue was large and rough, scratching lightly
against the inside of Abel's mouth. As they kissed, Ari grabbed Abel's wrists
and pinned them against the wall above him.

                For a while, they enjoyed kissing each
other, and when both were aroused, they planned to move on to other things.
Abel opened his eyes as they broke the kissing, and his arousal vanished in the
blink of an eye. Over Ari's shoulder, in the middle of the showers, was a wolf.
It was huge even standing on four legs, with flickering eyes of flame, black
fur, and bared fangs.

                “Ari, go!" Abel shouted, and the lion
vanished.

                With Ari gone, Abel could focus on
defending himself. The wolf rushed forward, leaping at Abel with a frothy
snarl. The naked human ducked sideways, hoping the wolf would accidentally slam
into the wall behind him, but it was agile and avoided making such a critical
mistake. The wolf didn't pause at the wall, it spun and continued in its
pursuit of Abel. Where the black wolf's paws landed, cinders erupted in clouds
of steam.

                “You want to
fight, do you not?" Tyloki snarled as he lunged at Abel again. “So why are you
running away?"

                [Can't he
see we're in the middle of something? Why is he such a dick? Kick his ass.]

                Any ideas?

                [Punch
him.]

                “Wanting to
fight, and wanting to fight naked in the showers are different things
entirely." Abel said, placing his feet carefully as he moved, not wanting to
slip on the wet floor.

                Being in the
showers meant he had no weapon to fight with, and there was an uncomfortable,
exposed feeling that came along with fighting with no clothes on. In terms of
raw strength, there was no way for Abel to beat Tyloki in an equal fight, and
Abel's magic ability didn't do much to aid him, either. The wolf was hot on his
trail as he ran, and dodged, around the large shower room. He wouldn't have
time to get dressed, and he couldn't flee the locker room if it meant admitting
defeat to the wolf. Whatever the outcome, he would have to stay and fight.
Hands balled into fists, and he spun around to find the wolf already in the
air, moving swiftly towards him. Fangs gnashed at him, and he swung his fist,
aiming for the wolf. Tyloki crashed into Abel, knocking the human onto the
ground, but Abel's fist landed home on Tyloki's nose.

                [Nice!]

                Yeah, I just have to do that another
dozen times before he bites my throat, and I'll win.

                Abel rolled over on the slick floor, moving to stand, having
bought himself a second as Tyloki shook off the strike to his muzzle. The floor
was covered in a sheet of water, and Abel's hand slipped in it as he pushed
himself up. He forfeited his extra second scrambling to stand without falling
onto the floor. Tyloki was upon him as he started to run away, and the wolf's
sharp claws dug into the flesh of his back. He narrowly avoided a deeper cut as
he retreated. Blood dripped from his back, staining the water below.

                [If Tyloki
is here attacking you as a wolf, then that means that Isaac must be nearby
somewhere.]

                Was he the other person in the shower
when we started?

                [Maybe, I didn't get a good look.]

                We should have paid more attention.

                [That's not our style.]

                Abel smirked, eyes following Tyloki as he
turned around.

                Good point.

                Abel was no strategist, not the way that
Oliver was, but he was clever in his own ways. There was another way to beat
Tyloki, and it didn't involve fighting the wolf head on.

                Instead of
giving chase immediately, Tyloki raised a paw and stamped it down hard, causing
a column of fire to burst from the ground in front of him. Twisting flame
pillars began to erupt in a straight line towards Abel.

                I've never
seen him do that before.

                [Are you going to try your new plan, or are you going to watch
Tyloki try to kill you?]

                You have
to admit, it is really cool.

                Abel hid from
the pillars of fire by ducking behind one of the rows of lockers. Knowing
Tyloki would be right behind him, he didn't look back or hesitate.

                “Going to run
away like a coward?" The wolf shouted as he gave pursuit.  “You are as bad
as Isaac!"

                “I'm not
running away." Abel muttered to himself, looking around the locker room
frantically. There was no one in the row he was in, and the wolf was closing in
on him.

                [You ready
to punch him again?]

                Not yet,
Isaac has to be close. Maybe he is in the hallway. No, Tyloki wouldn't leave
Isaac that vulnerable, would he?

                [There's a
fair chance.]

                It was a
gamble, but Abel didn't have many choices, at this point. He could run away,
embarrassing himself, or he could try to fight Tyloki, though his relatively
weak punches didn't seem to do much to the large wolf. It wasn't a choice at
all. Abel had to prove what he was worth. He still didn't intend to take Tyloki
head on if he didn't have to.

                The lockers were full sized, and though it
wouldn't be comfortable, Abel imagined that a person could fit inside. When a
hasty check of the other rows of lockers proved the room to be empty, he knew
there was only be one place that Isaac could be. He ran down the row, pulling
open every locker he went past. Most of them were empty, Collars just left things
in them while they showered, and none of them locked. Behind him, Tyloki was
approaching like a predator out for a kill.

                One locker that Abel pulled open exploded
with flames, which elicited a yelp from him, and a cackle from the pursuing wolf.

                [I really prefer his sadism when it's
directed at a Thrall.]

                Still awesome.

                Finally, Abel found what he was looking
for. He pulled a locker open, and out spilled the body of a blond man. Isaac.
The form fell to the ground, limp, and Abel winced, sorry that he didn't catch
him. It wasn't his fault, though, he was in a bit of a hurry.

                “Sorry, sorry, sorry." Abel apologized as
he sat down and hefted Isaac's shoulders off the floor, before wrapping the man
in a chokehold. It was strange, handling Isaac's body, lifeless as it was, not
dead but simply unoccupied. The flesh wasn't cold, but it felt different from
just being asleep. Abel squeezed, cutting off Isaac's airway.

                “You think I care enough about him to stand
down just because you threaten him? Do what you like to that body, he is not
doing anything with it." Tyloki said as he walked slowly around the corner of
the lockers, staring Abel down with fiery eyes.

                “I'm not threatening him, I'm killing him."
Abel said. “He dies, you go with him. Think I don't know about that? Sounds
like a win to me."

                Abel then saw something almost no one in
history had seen. Tyloki faltered, and his eye twitched. The side of his muzzle
curled into a twisted rendition of a smile as he vanished.

                “Uh oh." Abel
said.

                Isaac's eyes shot open, orange and intense,
and gazed up at him, brow wrinkled with rage. The man's face somehow resembled
the wolf, and his lip raised in a snarl. Abel smelled smoke, and saw flecks of
cinder and ash begin to blink into existence around them. They swirled around
in the air, growing in intensity and number.

                [Move!]

                Abel didn't hesitate, he let go of Isaac,
who was no longer limp, and shuffled backwards just as the flare exploded
around him. It was a quick fire, hot and destructive, white and blindingly
bright. Abel covered his eyes with his hand, and when he looked again, Isaac
was standing.

                “Not bad." Isaac said, cracking his neck.
“Training like this can happen at any time. Be ready, or you will suffer."

                Did we just beat Tyloki the Flame in a
fight?

                Abel felt giddy, breathing hard but unable
to contain his smile from his face as Isaac exited the locker room. Ari
appeared next to him, holding up his paw, and they high fived.

                “We're badasses." Ari said.

                “Yeah we are." Abel agreed, and he went to
go finish his shower.

/////

Attempting to civilize the considerable population of the
Registry, both Collars and Indicia, was a headache inducing task. That much may
have been predictable, Archer should have known, both through his familiarity
with his fellow Collars, and his awareness of how those Collars felt about
being told what to do. Somewhere in his thought process, he was aware that it
would be monumental, turning around the Registry after the public backlash they
earned themselves following Canaan's reign. He tried it anyway. Although he was
making progress, exceptional progress, any time a bump appeared in the road,
Chase was there to remind him how difficult it would be to completely civilize
the Registry.

                A major part of Archer's plan, and he was
aware that the Collars had begun to refer to it as his 'baby', was the new
command center. Canaan's Registry had been more free form, with the assumption
that Collar teams should act independently of the Registry, which could assist
with coordination, but shouldn't impose it. Many Collars were loyal to Canaan,
and most Indicia were loyal to Chase, so the system worked smoothly, more or
less.

                Following the events that transpired nearly
two years ago, when Freeman assaulted InCorp and the Registry, the city's
citizens began to lose faith in the Registry's ability to respond to threats
and protect the city. In response to this, Archer redesigned the system by
which the Registry functioned. Teams would be classified as either a Free
Company, which functioned nearly the same as before, or a Registry Squad, which
would be given missions and coordinated through the command center.

                For the past several weeks, there had been
a soft launch of the command center, while they worked out the kinks and made
sure that the system was viable. Renton, brilliant if not a bit sociopathic,
worked together with Doctor Noether to create the computer system that the
command center was built around. The map of the city could display the
locations that Thralls were present, locate the nearest viable team of Collars,
and send them notifications. Squad members LINKs were also fed into the system,
giving the command center a visual feed of what the Collars were seeing at any
time during an operation.

                Unless they closed their eyes.

                “You should have let me build in an AI."
Doctor Noether stood next to Archer, staring up at the massive screen composed
of Lightglass.

                “With all due respect," Archer's hands were
held behind his back, and he too was gazing up at the screen. “The AI you built
for InCorp was instrumental in the events that led to my appointment as
Director."

                “Also, instrumental in my rescue." Doctor
Noether said.

                “Getting back on the public's good side
can't involve illegal AI technology." Archer said.

                “Who makes it illegal? The police?" Doctor
Noether asked, though it was good natured.

                “The people of the city," Archer glanced
downward, “even if most of them don't understand what a true AI is or why it
should be illegal. But the fact remains that it is illegal, and we are not
above those laws."

                “Fair enough. You've got sixty sub screens
set up," Doctor Noether turned around to look at the rows of computers that
stepped up between them and the door at the back of the room. “So you can have,
at most, sixty technicians. Now, I doubt there will be a time when you need
that many."

                “But it's better to be safe." Archer
nodded. “The map displayed the location of the Thrall that Isaac's group fought
with today, accurately, and in real time. We knew as soon as it had been
eliminated, as well, and we have recordings of the visual feeds from all three
member of the team. Everything seems ready to go."

                “Everything except the one thing." Doctor
Noether looked at Archer.

                “There's still some time to work on that.
Until then, you-know-who will take care of it for us." Archer turned and his
face brightened as he saw Claire walking down the stairs towards them.
“Claire."

                “Director." Claire said with a slight bow
of her head. “I appreciate being made a Lead Technician. Though, if you've got
some time, I would really like to talk to you again about the possibility of my
going out into the field."

                “Claire, I made you a Lead because I trust
you, I know you've got a good head, and you'll keep a short leash on Isaac,
Oliver, and Abel. Without magic, though, I can't send you to fight Thralls or
Vassals in good conscience." Archer explained. “I don't think we need to talk
it over again."

                “Director, I was in the same class as
Oliver and Abel. I've been studying to do work with the Registry for years, and
I trained in combat every bit as much as they did." Claire said. “Just because
I don't have magic or an Indicia doesn't mean I can't hold my own in a fight."

                “I won't send you to a slaughter. You're
better suited here. Don't forget about the mission I gave you." Archer spoke
patiently, though it was the hundredth time she had asked.

                “You mean the mission where I help Everett
track down the escaped criminals that Chase let out of the slammer?" Claire
asked, “As if that wasn't just a hush mission. You got tired of hearing my
voice."

                “No, Claire." Archer chuckled, and his lips
spread into a smile. “You've got a fire in you, put it to use. The escaped
criminals need to be found, and unlike Thralls, our computers can't tell us
where they went."

                “Sir." Claire gave a reluctant smile before
taking her leave.

                “I'd advise you not to push her away.
InCorp still has Nova, and if they rebuilt Stella, it'll be functional.
Registry employees jumping ship and swimming to InCorp would be bad for
business." Doctor Noether said.

                “Noted. If everything is ready to go, we
can launch within the week." Archer nodded several times. “Now if only I could
make sure all the Indicia were wearing clothes, we'd be getting somewhere."

/////

                Isaac woke up
with a sore neck, bandages on his hand, and the usual disorientation that
accompanied returning to his body. It was a consequence of letting Tyloki use
his body when he wasn't using it, but he could have been a bit more careful.
The twilight light filtered in through the window gave him an idea of what time
it was. Tyloki had left his body on the floor of the old dorm room, though the
sofa was nearby, only a few feet away.

                Did you
have to leave me on the floor? Couch, Tyloki. Couch.

                [It is not my job to look after your body.]

                Still,
seriously, it's like right there.

                Isaac rubbed
at his neck as he stood up and gave a halfhearted wave to Oliver and Abel, who
were seated on the sofa.

                “Good
morning." Isaac yawned deeply. “Did I miss anything important?"

                “You punched
a Thrall to death in midair." Abel offered, unable to contain his excitement.

                “That explains
this." Isaac looked closer at his bandaged hand.

                If you're
going to use my body, take better care of it.

                [I would
have done the same with my own body.]

                Oliver was
seated on the couch, and his Indicia, Vivi, was sitting nearby him. In Oliver's
hands was a tablet, on which he appeared to be filling out a mission report.
Without looking up from his typing, he added, “You ought to come with us,
sometime. You'd be shocked by the way he handles you."

                “The things Tyloki does stopped shocking me
a long time ago." Isaac walked over to the door that led to his room. “I'm
going to get some rest. You guys are okay here?"

                “Why wouldn't we be?" Oliver asked.

                “Aw, man, I wanted to tell you about how I
beat Tyloki in a fight." Abel said.

                “He did not." Tyloki was suddenly standing
behind the couch, glaring down at Abel.

                “Or, something like that." Abel looked up
at Tyloki and smiled weakly.

                “You can tell me about it later, Abel."
Isaac said. He pushed the door to his bedroom open, looked around inside, saw
that nothing had changed, and closed the door.

                Abel sat on one end of the couch, talking
to Oliver. Oliver sat on the other end, next to Vivi, filling out his report,
and not listening to Abel. Tyloki had vanished just as quickly as he appeared.
Isaac smiled as he walked to the exit to the hallway, keeping his eyes on the
two boys on the couch. They were his new squad members, though he had never
personally gone on a mission with them. That had all been Tyloki. Isaac had his
own business to attend to.

                Abel and Oliver were good guys, strong and
smart, respectively, that much Isaac knew. What they weren't, though, was his
friends. Despite their constant efforts, Isaac couldn't stand to get as close
to them as he had been to Riley, or to anyone else who mattered to him before.
They would only go away, in the end.

                Vivi leaned on Oliver, looking up at his
Collar with bright eyes, and Oliver draped his arm over the tanuki's side. Abel
was telling some story with such energy that he was reenacting his moves in the
air in front of him. Isaac wanted to stay, to join them in their enjoyment,
that wasn't his place. For now, it was enough that they hadn't been dragged
into the darkness yet. They still had smiles on their faces.

                Isaac left the boys, and their smiles, in
the dorm and closed the door behind him. As he walked, he reached his hand into
his pocket and sighed with relief as he wrapped his fingers around the small
key he found there. The key was made of metal, and it was cold, having spent
the day untouched in his pocket.

                He continued to play with the key, spinning
it in his pocket with his fingers, as he boarded the elevator and rode it up.
He couldn't stay with the rest of his squad, not if they were going to be gone
eventually, just like everyone else. That thought filled him with sorrow, but
the key in his fingers, it washed the sorrow away.

                The entire ride up, his lips were spread
into his own smile.

                The elevator doors opened, and Isaac
strolled off, into the hallway. Fingers fished the key from his pocket, and he
spun it around in the air, practically bouncing down the hallway. An aroma
reached his nose, and it made his stomach rumble.

                It wouldn't kill you to eat a snack
while you're using my body.

                [Your body, your responsibility.]

                Isaac rolled his eyes as he reached his
destination. Taking another deep breath of the pleasant scent that filled the
hallway, wafting out from under the door he stood before, he couldn't wait to
eat. The key slid easily into the old fashioned lock with a satisfying sound,
and he twisted it, unlocking the door. As he grabbed the handle and turned it,
the door pulled open away from him.

                “I'm starving." Isaac said, “Whatever
you're cooking smells fantastic."

                “Of course it does." Alkaid said with a
smug grin, “Now get in here and get out of those dirty clothes."

                “I hear that I had a Hell of a day." Isaac
started to unbutton his jacket as he walked into the apartment.

                “Did you have any luck?" Alkaid asked as he
poured a glass of wine and handed it to Isaac.

                “Still nothing. No sign of her. But Alkaid,
she has to be somewhere." Isaac said, taking a sip from the glass.

                “Somewhere, yes. But you may never find
her, Isaac." The cat said, returning to the sizzling stove top.

                “Alkaid, she made me want to live again. I
can't stop looking until I find her." Isaac took a seat at the dining table,
watching Alkaid cook in the open kitchen.

                When dinner was served, Alkaid sat across
from Isaac, his own glass of wine in his paw. “It's possible that she went
somewhere you can't go."

                “I know." Isaac said, and he smiled across
the table at the cat. “I'm being rude. I've got you, and that counts for a
lot."

                Alkaid smirked. “It had better, or else
you're going to regret it later tonight." The cat raised his glass up and
waited for Isaac to do the same. “To things that change, and to things that
stay the same."

                Glasses clinked together in toast, and both
human and cat finished the rest of their glass in one swig.

/////

                “We need to
find out more about him." Chase was gazing out the window of the Director's
office.

                “I agree. If
the Index can't tell us…" Archer trailed off, he was sitting at the Director's
desk.

                “We'll have
to talk to the Collars. See what they know." Chase said.

                “It's our
only option, but I don't think they know anything that we don't." Archer said.

                “Not that
they know. In my experience, sometimes people know things that they don't know
they know." Chase said, “So we should ask them."

                “We'll have
to be creative with our questions. We don't want him to catch on to us." Archer
said.

                “So we say
that it's so we can have a better idea of what's going on in the Registry. It
wouldn't be the first time I've changed how things run around here to get back
in public favor." Chase said.

                “Now is the perfect
time. I'll institute it as a regulation for the new mission structure. Make
sure it gets put into the handbook. I'll take random mission briefings in
person, and I'll parlay those into interviews."

                “That's
alright with me." Chase said.

                “How long have
you been looking for him, Chase?" Archer asked.

                “A very, very
long time." The kangaroo disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

                Archer stood
and took Chase's spot by the window. He remembered Canaan used to stand in the
same spot, looking out the window in the same way. He was beginning to get an
idea of why. Looking out over the skyline of Bastion, losing himself in the
lights and the lives of the people below, it was almost possible to forget
about what needed to be done.

                It was almost
enough to sleep at night.