YP – B3: QtnoWLM – Chapter 17 (Chapter 114)

180 Days Until Surprise And the Uncertain End

Heia surveyed the city from afar, on the ground as close to the dirt as she could get. She held the telescopic lenses in her hands close to her eyes trying to get a good layout of the OverCity. It was a ruin, much like the others that they’d been to, but it was lived in. There were clear bridges between buildings, recently made in the last century, decades, months even.

“We are going to have to be careful.” Uly whispered to them all as they passed along the lenses to examine their target. “All the surveillance is armed.”

“How pleasant.” Crass groaned. “Rayda and Phil?”

“Have the car back to the planned location.” Uly answered looking at his plans again.

Heia wasn’t sure that only two of them would be able to protect their moving home, but everyone had insisted on going into the city. Two was the minimum to protect their cars. Even Karla who was better suited for bus sitting had wanted to go. She hadn’t wanted to be left out. Kony said he needed to practice magic and Kori was not about to be left out of a fight. 

“We infiltrate in pairs.” But one team that would have to be of three. The worst part was, Heia knew that was her, Evester, and Zeydar. Evester who knew how to survive on his own and was relatively useless in partners that weren’t his friends of decades. Then there was Zeydar who looked pale and had bags under his eyes, but was cognitive with explosive magic that he controlled with difficulty. And her, a girl who had just recently learned to fight in this way and wanted to save everyone. What could go wrong.

Uly went on to explain the plan and how they would need to get in and then hide. Each pair would then have to form up to their teams. The teams would continue infiltration and locate the locations of interest. Uly’s team needed to put out the video signal some point in the next twenty-four hours to ensure that they got the help they needed. They’d then continue to work on getting into those locations that they needed to examine and their paths out.

Heia hated the plan.

“Who goes in first?” Kim asked looking at her weapon. She was checking it to make sure it functioned perfectly. They acted as if this were another one of their heists where their lives weren’t at risk. But then Heia realized, on all their heists, their lives were at risk.

“Can we?” Kori asked Kim.

“We don’t get to decide.” Kim shook her head.

Uly was the one who spoke next, claiming ownership of the decision. “Crass and Karla go in first. Then Shawn and Kony. Kim you’re up next.  Then Onyx, Lynx, me, and finally Evester.”

“Why last?” Evester asked cutting in from where he sat helping Shawn with his protection gear.

“Why last?” Onyx laughed. “We need to make an opening for you pretty boy.” She pointed to Zeydar. 

Without much more, the infiltration process began. They had been waiting long enough and without a shelter over their heads they had to start moving or risk the elements. Crass got to his feet and the first team began through the darkness. For the next three hours they would wait and only once they  were in  the clear would the next team go. They only traveled at night, for moving in the day was an issue. As Uly commanded Crass to get inside the city, Kim led the rest of the team away and into the shadows towards the tent that they had set up.

“Will your magic hold to conceal us?” Kony asked Zeydar as they moved in to get ready to sleep, all of them in close proximity.

“For a day? certainly.” Zeydar’s confidence seemed to be the only voice of its type in the tent.

“Get some rest.” Kim instructed everyone. “We won’t be getting much of it when inside.”

“What do you think its like?” Kori asked.

“Probably a lot of bodies everywhere.” Kony suggested.

“Probably not. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a holding facility, but what for I won’t be sure.” Kim answered.

We would find out soon enough when Crass gave the signal that he was inside safely with Karla. Taking Kim’s advice, Heia settled down and tried to rest as best as she could, while in fear for her sister. She trusted Crass, but even Crass couldn’t protect everyone. Kim and Shawn were more certain to be apt at protecting her siblings, especially Kim. Crass she didn’t know. What if Karla got hurt? How she wished she could have convinced them to stay with the bus.

In the dark of the night, Heia listened to the static over the radio, trying  to keep her cool and relax. 

When Karla’s voice came over it a few hours later, Heia had hoped to be relieved. Instead all she felt was dread. “We have a problem.”

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