Special Agent in Charge Gonzalez waited, but the radio stayed silent. He looked at the agents around him. “does anyone know who that was?”

Parks nodded, “Major Thompson, we, uh, have had some issues with him. I didn't think he would go this far though. He, well, he seems to think that Eric is the source of all of his problems, because, well it is a long story.”

Gonzalez said “Then maybe I need to hear a long story.”

Parks nodded. “When we first found the Orc rift, Agent Jenkins and I were sent to secure it. There was a miscommunication, and Jenkins engaged in a fight with an orc, and was knocked out. Thompson came in guns blazing, even when Eric tried to stop things from getting worse. Instead of winning, Thompson was humiliated in front of his troops. Then the Wyvern rift opened, Eric and the Orcs went and killed the Wyvern, it was outside of a school and the cops were not able to stop it. Then Thompson showed up and tried to capture the Orcs who had just protected cops and schoolchildren, it was captured on camera. He was left in command, but everyone knows his career is over, and his social life is pretty bad. Everyone is talking about him.”

“I did see the video of him trying to detain the Orcs, I didn't realize that was him. I admit I didn't have much good to say about him at the time. So, what, does he think if Eric dies his problems go away?” Gonzales asked.

“He is a smart man, you don't get to be a Major without a Bachelor's degree, and generally a Master's. I don't think he thinks that. But he probably thinks things will only get worse if Eric keeps doing things with the Orcs, and maybe thinks if something happens to Eric, the relationship between Humans and Orcs might deteriorate, he might be considered a hero if we went to war with the Orcs.”

“Parks, you realize you just, basically, argued that he is involved in a conspiracy to commit murder? That he is an accomplice to attempted murder.”

“Yes sir, but I may be a bit biased since if we are right, his actions led to me and my partner getting shot, and almost got me killed.”

Eric interrupted, “OK, but what do we do now?”

“Parks, do you know who is above Thompson in the chain of command?”

“Yes sir, Colonel Melendez is in charge of the Battalion guarding Phoenix and the surrounding area.”

“Get me in contact with him or her.”

Soon Gonzalez was talking to Melendez, and they agreed that Gonzalez would go to the Battalion command post at the National Guard post in Phoenix. Near Scottsdale, the Wyvern rift was ironically the closest to the command post.

Gonzalez brought Parks, Jenkins, Tilly and Eric, and was met by Melendez, his XO Major Alice Lee, and his Command Sergeant Major Phillip Dent. After introductions, Melendez asked, “So what was so secret we couldn't discuss it over the phone?”

Gonzalez sighed, “Colonel, I'm afraid I have circumstantial evidence suggesting that Major Thompson may have assisted in a murder attempt on Mr Brown, which led to two of my agents getting shot, and endangered the lives of two state troopers.”

Melendez just shook his head. “His career was already FUBAR, but now his life will be too. I really don't know what happened. I mean, he was never the best officer, rather, well I guess brittle would be the best term. Very obsessed with looking good and getting honors, not taking care of his men. But this is just...I don't know. Top, any advice?”

Dent said “No sir, but I think you should ask him to meet with you, and Lee and I can go to his Company and see what we can learn. We should take a JAG too.”

“Yeah, and I will need JAG with me. Lee, see to it?”

“Yes sir.”

Melendez decided to call all three Company commanders so Thompson wouldn't have any warning, for the same reason, the FBI agents, Eric, and Tilly were escorted to the DFAC (Dining Facility) to grab a late dinner. Coincidentally putting them somewhere Thompson wouldn't see them. Except Thompson didn't show. Lee and Captain King reported that Thompson had entered the rift shortly after the failed ambush, to the surprise of the sentry, and had not returned.

Melendez met with the FBI group again, now with Captain Lashawn King as well, to discuss what they knew and what to do about it. King provided some information. “After you,” Lashawn gestured at Eric and his friends, “left our rift, Thompson asked the other company's to let him know about anyone going in or out of rifts, said it was to coordinate tracking of folks with classes. As soon as Major Sanz let us know about the entrance in her rift, Major Thompson stayed in the radio tent, except to go to the bathroom for a while. When she reported you leaving, he grabbed a radio and left the tent. An hour after that, he jumped in the rift.”

“That fucker told Cletus where to find us,” Parks swore.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

King nodded, “That would be my interpretation, but I don't think we can prove it.”

Colonel Melendez said “What we can prove only matters to JAG and your” He nodded at Gonzalez “FBI folks. I have lost confidence in the ability of Major Thompson to command his unit on my behalf, and as such, I am relieving him of command pending full investigation of these allegations. King, you are company commander until we get a replacement or promote you. You are pretty close to getting your Oak leaf anyway.”

The Colonel paused, sighing, “If you see Major Thompson, please detain him and have him sent to the guard base. I'll see if I can get a few MPs to join your unit until he is located. I am also declaring him AWOL, as I was not told he was entering the rift, and he did not inform you of his absence so that you could take command.”

The JAG officer took notes, and said “I'd like to be at the Wyvern Rift as much as possible until he is detained as well. Both to take statements and if possible make sure that when he returns he is processed correctly.” The Colonel granted that request, and Eric and the FBI Agents left the base.

Eric turned to Gonzalez, “I'm sorry for all the fuss, and for putting your agents in danger.”

The SAIC harrumphed, “I'm proud of my agents, but I don't think you did anything wrong. I hate this situation though.”

Eric frowned, “Cletus can't go through the rifts and get levels, but he might be getting XP from killing people here on Earth. He is going to keep endangering people, killing them, until someone takes him out, or he gets a hold of me. Maybe, um, maybe I need to face him?”

Parks frowned, “Eric, what do you mean?”

“I mean, find some way to tell him that I'll be somewhere at a particular time, and challenge him to come get me. He will know it is a trap, but it may be the only way for him to find me. He just lost his source of information, so if he really wants me, he will show.”

Gonzalez looked at Parks, then at Jenkins, who was busy driving, “I'm not endorsing this plan, but I trust both of you and you have the resources of the department.”

Parks said “Honestly, unless we want to try to call someone in, I think it should be just the three of us, or four if Tilly will help.”

Tilly scoffed, “Like I would let an Orc-friend face a foe alone.”

“Four it is.”

As a minor celebrity, Eric was able to set up an interview with a local news team. Sandra Mullins started the interview, “So Eric, how many rifts have you been through, and what has your experience been like?”

“I've gone in all three of the rifts around Phoenix, I even have a crackpot theory about where another might appear, I'm going to hike the area between Mica Mountain and Rincon Peak for the next two days, see if there is one there. I doubt it, but if there is one there, I might have an idea how to locate them in the future.”

“Really, care to share your theory?”

“Well, the rifts seem to show up near cities, but not too close. I see it as close enough to be found, not so close that a school is threatened-though obviously that isn't always the case.”

“Can you tell us about the battle with the Wyvern at the elementary school?”

Eric paused, “Well, I was hosting a group of friendly Orcs, and we heard about the attack. We were close, and they agreed to help, so we drove to where the police were protecting those kids, and helped out the police. I do want to point out that without the police there, it would have been a lot worse.”

“And what do you have to say about the story that the man being held in custody, allegedly for trying to shoot you, was abused in police custody before he escaped?”

Eric felt ambushed, “What? I didn't hear about that.”

“Allegedly, the suspect escaped because the police decided to have a 'hose party' on the suspect as the prosecutor determined that the alleged crime against you happened outside US jurisdiction, and therefore there was no case in US courts. This determination was made right after you were seen defending police officers from a monster you called a Wyvern, and the police seem to have decided to do you a favor regarding this 'Cletus.' After this altercation, he allegedly killed two officers and escaped detention. He would have been free to go if he hadn't been subjected to that abuse.”

Eric stammered, “I-I didn't know.”

“So you did not ask the police to act on your behalf?” Sandra pressed.

“No, I, um, how could I?”

“I see, I guess I can accept that. Still, you have not heard from this 'Cletus' since?”

“I don't think I can answer that, there is a law enforcement case ongoing, and frankly, I'm not qualified to give any opinion, and any information I provide would be mostly hearsay and certainly prejudiced given the circumstances. He did fire a gun at me, even if it was on the other side of a rift.”

“I can see your point. But that sounds like you have heard from him.”

“I think this is where I say 'no comment' and keep saying that until you drop the subject?”

Sandra pursed her lips, “Very well, what is it like on the other side of the rifts?”

“Dangerous, the Orcs are nice, but I've fought fire breathing lizards, giant birds-twice, different types of giant birds, stampeding lizards, a tree... The number of times I've almost died since I got a class, and my class is Traveler, which is all about movement and negotiating and trading. I don't have a combat class.”

“How do you get a class? We know you have to go through a rift.”

“Well, when you go through a rift, you get a list of classes to choose from, and pick one, I think if you don't like the list that is provided you can ask for other options, but the list is based on your current skills and what you are interested in, so it is likely that what you would want is on the short list they offer.”

“People have talked about leveling, and 'XP'”

“Yes, when you complete quests, like me helping make peace between Orcs and Humans, or kill monsters, you get XP. Once you have enough XP you gain a level, which makes you harder to kill and unlocks new abilities. Like I just gained the ability to make a magical shelter for myself and my friends while traveling.”

“I see what you mean about not being based on combat.” She chuckled. “Before we let you go, is there anything else you want to say to our audience?”

“Yeah, I may be going to explore between Mica Mountain and Rincon Peak for the next two days, but that doesn't mean there is actually a rift there. I bet someone else will find a new rift first.”

Sandra seemed confused by Eric's statement, but said “Well, I'm Sandra Mullins, CBS News, signing off.”

Once the cameras were off Eric asked “And this goes on YouTube and such as well as the TV right?”

“Yes, our reports are put on our webpage and shared on streaming sites. That last comment, it was almost like you were making sure someone knew where you would be.”

“Sandra, if you will drop it now, I promise to let you hear the whole story first.”

“I'll hold you to that.”