[Alice gifts you 200 Points]

Two-Hundred points were likely the sum of what she received from killing the Drunken Dwarf. I probably wouldn't have gotten that many points if I had tried to take it from her, but she was giving them to me willingly.

"Why are you giving me these?"

She still had trouble looking at me, but she appeared abnormally happy.

"You deserved it more than me. I just set it on fire."

I continued to stare at her harder. She squirmed under my gaze, but I didn't let up or let her go. Alice shouldn't have known about the point exchange system yet.

"How did you know you could exchange points by shaking hands?"

"..."

"Alice. Answer me."

"Hector, a-and Clive found out."

I thought I heard those names before, but I couldn't place them. They must have been killed before I arrived. Oh well. The dead didn't matter. What will matter is the damage this information will cause if it was released earlier than I want.

"Don't share your points with anyone else. I won't have it. Understand?"

"Y-yes."

"I need to hear you say it."

"I won't share points with anyone else."

"Good. Keep it that way."

"Alice!"

The others were catching up with Lucas and Mei in the lead.

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From their point of view, they probably saw a monster holding onto a frail girl's wrist. She wasn't all that frail, but let them think whatever they wanted. As long as they didn't know about the points exchange.

"Let her go."

I rolled my eyes and let go. Mei moved Alice out of harm's way as Lucas grabbed my arm and forcibly turned me around.

"I'm not going to hold your hand even if you ask nicely."

"Where do you get off, huh?"

"Right around the fourth time your mom shouts my name."

"Enough! Both of you. Alice, you're not hurt?"

"Yea."

He turned away from me with a big huff and checked on Alice for himself.

I didn't linger where I wasn't wanted. I admit that the throbbing headache probably upped my temper, but Lucas' false bravado and naivety were pissing me off. The lumberjack was built for smashing, but his short fuse and small mind blinded him.

He was a larger liability than Zoey, who at least stayed out of my way.

With that thought, I made up my mind.

Better to get rid of him.

=

On my arms and knees, I army crawled up to the overlook. Tucked away in the nook nearly rubbing against the ceiling, I peered down at the dwarven supply depot. Beneath me was a covered watchtower made of wood and wearing a barbed wire skirt. It sprouted from a stone structure with a wooden roof.

Beyond what I assumed was their base of operations were small barracks with a a few tables set up outside for eating, drinking and playing cards. There was a water tank, a generator, a fenced-in storage area, some conspicuous cages, and a covered garage I couldn't see inside. The Ford F-150 idling in the courtyard suggested there were more earth vehicles within.

"Should they have, um, battle piglets, or dwarven speed racers?"

Nadim's voice was barely above a whisper, but I shushed him all the same.

The blaring klaxons made us both jump. Keeping Nadim's head down, I peeked over the ridge.

The alarm wasn't for us.

A dwarf leaped out from the watchtower and onto the roof of the neighboring building. It had to be a boss with the way he parkoured his way to the garage. The rest of the dwarves were scrambling as the boss dwarf opened a latch on the garage roof.

A roar resonated with the cavern walls and I needed to let go of Nadim's head to cover my ears. An enormous metal door flung open with the crash.

The boss was riding a troll.

The dwarven company raced their trucks and humvees past the troll, leading the ugly beast away like a kitten on a lead.

The teething child left a trail of slobber as it followed the playtoys.

When it finally disappeared around the bend. I exhaled.

I thought about saying a prayer for the poor sob who triggered the alarm. Then I remembered I didn't care. The boss was gone, leaving behind a skeleton crew.

I shook Nadim out of his daze.

"Bring Mei up here."

"Is it raid and pillage time, bossman?"

I spared a toothy grin.