CHAPTER SEVEN

Douchy Dirt Bikes

Day 65

Marcus

Marcus tugged the overflowing garbage bag out of the bin, knotting it tightly before putting in a fresh one. Balancing both the bag and the trash bin, he made his way back to his friend's food truck. As he approached the vehicle, he overheard Felix’s conversation with two of the guards. ‘No doubt buttering them to get info about Guild activities and the booking of Spheres by Breachers.’ Marcus smirked as he heard Felix recycle one of his trademark jokes.

Stepping out of the truck again, Marcus retrieved the foldable tables and chairs nearby, clicking his tongue at the mess the Breachers had left behind just a few minutes earlier. ‘Is it too much for them to clean up after themselves?’ Turning his head, he caught sight of the massive red Sphere to his right, surrounded by thick walls and barbed wire. Parked trucks nearby held containers filled with dead monsters, Monster-Glass, and materials recovered from the field. ‘Looks like they had a decent haul,’ he thought, noting the emblem of a powerful guild on the vehicles before turning his attention back to the task.

Folding up the nearest table, he frowned when he noticed gum stuck to the bottom. ‘Oh, come on! Really?’ Annoyed, he used a nearby pebble to pry it off, unwilling to touch some Breacher’s dried-up, saliva-covered gum.

“Finders keepers,” Felix quipped as he walked up to his friend, giving his shoulder a casual pat when he noticed what Marcus was up to. “You should totally eat it. It looks yummy. Perks of working for me.”

Marcus glanced over his shoulder, catching his friend’s wide grin. Holding out the gum-covered pebble to Felix, he responded, “Since you’re my best friend and boss, how about you have it? After all, we share everything. Even split, right?”

“I just ate, sorry,” Felix replied, stepping back playfully before helping with the remaining chairs and tables. Together, they loaded everything into the food truck before hopping into the front seat. “And that’s number four. One more to go. The next one is a light blue, not guild-owned, so I doubt we’ll make much. But hey, it’s on our way back and credits are credits.”

“Works for me,” Marcus said, briefly turning on his phone to check his mail, only to find it empty. He shut it off again and tossed it onto the dashboard before closing his eyes for a moment.

“You good?” Felix asked, eyeing his friend, who responded with a noncommittal grunt. “Dude, you’ve been quiet lately... scratch that, ever since you woke up from your decade-long nap you’ve been quiet, distant even. But today, you’re annoyingly silent. So, you good?”

“Yeah, I’m all right,” Marcus lied, flashing a fake grin at his friend. “I just lost something and it’s bugging me a lot.”

Felix watched him for a few seconds before shrugging, then started the engine and filled the air with loud salsa music. Marcus glanced out the window, his gaze fixed on the red Sphere as they drove away, the strange distortion effect of the barrier almost taunting him.

‘Where the hell are you, Specter?’ he thought, forcing himself to relax. He had spent the entire morning and afternoon working with Felix, but Marcus’s mind kept drifting to Specter, who hadn’t returned the previous night. Initially, he assumed the robot was hiding and would return later. But with no text or email, doubt had crept in.

‘Specter’s fine,’ he reassured himself, trying to quell his worries. ‘It’s been in that Sphere countless times. And it’s more mature than me, acting more like Dad would.’ His train of thought was interrupted as Felix nudged him in the ribs.

“Sorry, what were you saying?” Marcus asked as he shifted his attention back to his friend.

“I said that you look like you need to take a shit,” Felix stated bluntly, turning down the radio. “Like a massive one. What’d you lose that’s got you all worked up? Something expensive?”

“Something like that. Feels more like a part of me,” Marcus murmured. He settled deeper into his seat, gaze fixed on the red sneakers that had once belonged to their friend Oscar, who died during the Great Impact. Remembering how his friend died only further increased his worries for Specter. “Never mind. So, how’s the haul shaping up today?”

“Decent enough. Not as flashy as your last Breacher paycheck, but we’re looking at several hundred credits each,” Felix said, cheerfully tapping his steering wheel. His mood soured slightly when Marcus stayed silent. The upbeat rhythm of salsa played softly in the background, contrasting with the growing silence between them.

“You know,” Felix started again, pausing for a second as if choosing his words carefully. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, right? Tag along with me on these rides, I mean. Being a Breacher pays well, and with me, you’d have work longer hours and do shitty chores like scraping gum—”

“You’re an idiot,” Marcus said suddenly, cutting off his friend, followed up with a sigh. “I like working with you. The music is tolerable, the grub’s alright, and the pay’s more than I deserve. End of discussion.”

He smiled as Felix nodded, looking reassured. It pained Marcus to hide the truth from his best friend. It was true that he enjoyed working together and was picking up some needed skills in the kitchen, but he was also using these moments to learn more about the nearby Spheres and get a closeup of their onsite security. He already had his eye on three potential Spheres to hit next, all close enough to reach by bike or on foot, with security weak spots a robot could slip through.

Thinking about his steel companion soured his mood, so Marcus turned his focus back to Felix. “So, about this next Sphere... tell me all about it.”

- - -

Felix cut the engine of the food truck as they arrived at their next spot. Mere seconds later, Marcus emerged from the back, carrying a large wooden sign. He quickly set it up outside to display their meals and their prices. Shortly after, Felix got to work setting up the foldable chairs, tables and trash bins.

Marcus’s glance shifted to the large light blue Orb in the distance, surrounded by a thick wall. A guard station stood before it, and another wall loomed on the opposite side, forming two protective circles. He scanned the area, noting the flattened ground and gravel surrounding him. Near the entrance, a few government officials and security personnel bustled about, overseeing various groups of Breachers that were getting ready to brave the Sphere. Each group was checked in and had their gear inspected, reminding Marcus of his first official Breacher job with the Salamanders.

His eyebrow arched when he spotted two Breachers who had brough dirt bikes with them.

“What the hell?” Marcus muttered, stepping towards the gatehouse to get a closer look. “Who in their right mind brings a motorcycle with them inside a Sphere?”

“Hey, as long as it’s not electric,” Felix muttered as he walked past Marcus to set up a few more tables.

Marcus turned around to face his friend. “I know non-electric gear is fine,” he said, remembering the time he had brought a flashlight with him and how it had instantly broken down the second he passed through the barrier of the Sphere. “But seriously, dirt bikes? Even you have to admit that’s a bit weird, right?”

Felix just shrugged. “No offense, but most Breachers are nuts, you know. I mean the ‘off their meds’ kind of crazy,” he remarked as he set up another chair. “Look at your sister’s guild. Those guys use armored vehicles with goddamn flamethrowers and gas attacks. That’s bonkers. And I’ve even heard of guilds that use drop pods or even bring in artillery.”

“Wait, drop pods?” Marcus asked.

“Yep,” his friend confirmed, gesturing toward the tip of the Sphere. “Helicopter lowers an armored pod, slowly guiding it through the Sphere before they cut the cable. It slams down right in the heart of the Sphere, and out come a dozen angry Breachers, all with pent-up aggression, cutting a straight path to the Orb. It’s like Troy’s wooden horse thingy, but instead, they just chug it right on top of their enemy like an orbital strike. So, with all that going on in the world, and the fact that most of you people are dressed up as medieval knights, sorry if I’m not too impressed by a bunch of blokes on dirt bikes.”

“Valid points,” Marcus said as he watched the Breachers slowly enter the Sphere one by one. “Still, all of this feels a bit insane.”

“Preaching to the choir, mate,” Felix agreed before pointing towards his food truck. “Now, less talk, more lifting. I’m not paying for your winning personality.” Hissing like a cat, Felix shooed Marcus back to the truck.

Marcus reached the food truck and stepped inside, starting to set up their station. He arranged the knives on the table, then grabbed another table and placed it outside. He returned to the truck for the last trash bin but paused to check his phone for any word from Specter.

‘Come on, mate. Where are you?’ he thought, a flash of concern creeping into his mind again.

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A sudden commotion erupted among the guards as those near the Sphere’s perimeter bolted toward the gatehouse, seeking shelter.

“Runners!” one shouted, his voice sharp with panic, while others trained their weapons on the Sphere. Felix, nearby, turned to see the source of the alarm. He saw monsters slowly emerging through the barrier, hissing and growling as their faces pushed through. The towering creatures, covered in chitinous armor, had scythe-like arms and heads bristling with eyes. Despite the guards’ gunfire, a few monsters pushed fully past the barrier and charged at the retreating men. Bullets felled some creatures before they reached their targets, while others convulsed, clawing at their monstrous heads before collapsing.

The guards retreated past the gatehouse into the outer ring, where Marcus and Felix stood between the parked food truck and other cars. Felix stepped back, watching one of the guards dashed towards him, intermittently firing at an oncoming monster until the man’s ammo ran dry. The creature closed in, but before it reached the guard, a trash bin smashed into it, knocking it back several paces.

“What the—” Felix began, but before he could finish, a blur resembling Marcus shot past him, brandishing two sharp kitchen knives. As the dazed monster struggled to rise, Marcus pounced, driving his heel into its face to keep it down. He then jumped onto the creatures torso with his knees before driving his knives into the creature’s dangerous limbs, twisting and mangling the flesh around the joins to prevent it from using its arms. Dropping the knives, Marcus then delivered a series of punches to the monster’s throat before snapping it’s neck to finish it. Retrieving his blood-stained knives, he stood, scanning the area to see most monsters dead or incapacitated.

Marcus noticed another monster off to the side, falling to its knees with no visible wounds on its chitinous frame, frantically clawing at the back of its head. He spotted one of the guards attempting to reload his weapon, trembling hands fumbling with the cartridge. Slowly, Marcus approached the monster, holding up his hand to let the guard know that he would take care of the threat. Nearing it, Marcus watched the monster hiss and gasp, as if unable to breathe.

"No Mana in the air to sustain you guys, huh?" he whispered, kneeling closer to meet the creature’s gaze with its many eyes, careful to stay out of reach of its sharp limbs. ‘I always thought they died instantly when they got outside a Sphere,’ Marcus thought, a hint of uncertainty creeping in as he grasped his ignorance about these creatures despite everything he had learned in the past weeks.

As the last of the monster’s life ebbed away, Marcus shot forward, driving a knife beneath its jaw and into its head. Blood sprayed everywhere, coating his arm and the ground in thick, messy bursts. After a few satisfying twists, he withdrew the knife before seeing the creature drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Marcus flipped the monster onto its stomach, then used one of the knives to cut the Glass from its skull before getting back up, clutching both blades and the bloody piece of Glass. He noticed Felix a short distance away, mouth agape and eyes wide with shock.

The guard cautiously approached, his footsteps echoing softly in the silence that followed. With a shaky hand, he aimed his weapon at the monster’s head, his expression grim. Two sharp cracks rang out as he fired at the monster’s head, clearly not taking any chances. The guard’s gaze softened as he took in Marcus’s bloodied appearance, checking for signs of injury.

“You okay?” the guard asked in an unsettled voice.

Marcus just nodded before tossing the piece of Glass to the man, who barely caught it. “So, I take it this doesn’t happen often?”

“You mean the runners?” the guard asked, staring at Marcus. He suddenly noticed the black Marks on his face and relaxed. “No, not that often... some Spheres have a higher chance to spawn them. But they are rare. It’s... it’s my first time actually seeing it.”

“Well, it’s good to hear this isn’t commonplace,” Marcus said. He made his way over to Felix, who stood next to another guard asking if he was alright. Marcus took in the sight of the dead monster nearby, its neck still twisted at an awkward angle.

“Sorry about your knives, Felix,” he said before he handed his friend the blood-stained blades, noticing the slight bend in one of them. “I’ll pay for them.”

“Yeah...” Felix muttered, his eyes fixed on Marcus as he made his way towards the food truck, peeling off his blood-stained shirt and using the clean bits to wipe away the rest of the blood from his body. Felix noticed the scars and black Marks etched on the right side of Marcus’s frame, along with his more muscular and toned physique compared to just a few months ago.

“… don’t worry about it,” Felix finally managed to mutter, his mind slowly coming to terms with how much his friend had changed.

- - -

“I said I’m fine,” Felix said two hours later, hunched over a table inside the Old Alley, cradling his beer, peeling the label into smaller bits. “I just freak out when I see... those... things.”

Sam, the owner of the place, approached and gently pried the bottle out of Felix’s grasp, exchanging it for a fresh one without a word.

“That’s normal. I mean, they’re monsters, right?” Marcus said, giving his friend’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “And those sword-arm things... scythe arms? They looked nasty. Anyone would freak out seeing them outside a Sphere and charging at people.”

“You... didn’t,” Felix murmured, his words laced with a touch of accusation. “You were the only one who didn’t lose it.”

Sam, listening in on their exchange, shook his head before commenting, “Because he’s a bigger idiot than you.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Marcus agreed, flashing a grin as he watched Sam walk away to deal with another patron. “But it’s over now.” He gave his friend’s shoulder another pat. “You said yourself you’ve only witnessed it once before, right? So, it’s not something—”

“Last time I shat myself,” Felix whispered as he lowered his head. “This time I just froze in place. I’m not sure which is worse. At least the shitting part involved some sort of activity.”

“Well, I’m glad that didn’t happen. Would’ve made for an awkward ride home,” Marcus said, sitting next to Felix, searching for some reassuring words but coming up empty.

They sat in silence for a while, Marcus cradling a glass of water and eating a few peanuts, while Felix nursed his fresh beer. Eventually, Marcus reached for his cellphone, his fingers fidgeting as he checked for messages from Specter. Glancing at the time, a knot formed in his stomach—it was already ten in the evening.

‘Please don’t be dead,’ he silently pleaded, his grip tightening on the phone. Slowly, he rose from his seat. “I’ve got a busy day tomorrow. So, I’m going to head to bed early. What about—”

“I hate this part of myself... I wish I could change... not be such a coward,” Felix said, regret thick in his voice as he stared at his beer, fingers idly tearing at the label again. “I wish I were brave... like you. But I...” He paused, his eyes losing focus for a moment. “I just freeze up, or even worse... I run away.”

Marcus leaned in closer to his friend, wrapping an arm around Felix’s neck and pressing his head against his. “That’s rich coming from the man who literally carried me through a burning, collapsing building full of monsters, enduring Mana-sickness just to get my lazy ass to a hospital. The guy that did that is my hero,” Marcus said, releasing Felix before tousling his curly hair.

“Today wasn’t fun. It was horrible seeing those ugly creatures up close, so sulk and be broody all you want. You deserve it. But if you ever insult the bravery of my best and only friend again”—Marcus shifted, making eye contact with Felix, flashing a reassuring smile—“I’ll kick your ass. Got it?”

Felix paused for a moment before muttering something that sounded like a ‘got it’.

After hearing it, Marcus straightened up, concern in his eyes as he watched his friend continue to sulk. He then shifted his attention to Sam in the distance, seeing the old man give him a reassuring nod, as if he’d keep an eye on Felix.

“We’ll talk soon,” Marcus said, tapping his knuckles twice against Felix’s table before heading behind the bar and through the door into a small hallway. He glanced at his phone again, still finding no messages or emails.

‘Specter, where the hell are you?’ he thought before opening his banking app. He saw two transactions: one from Felix for his day’s work, the other from the site official for helping with the monsters. Though the latter wasn’t much, Marcus still appreciated the gesture. He had shared half with Felix, despite his protests that an even split didn’t include rewards for killing monsters.

After checking for messages again and finding none, he switched off his phone and tucked it into his pocket. He headed toward the stairs, mentally gearing up to retrieve his equipment and search for his missing companion inside the Sphere near the lake.

As Marcus took the first step up the stairs, a fragmented memory suddenly flashed in his mind: seeing pieces of Monster-Glass scattered on a table.

‘Specter!’ Marcus’s thoughts raced as he dashed up the stairs, skipping as many steps as he could manage without slamming face first into them.

He struggled with his keys before unlocking his room, noticing the shadowy figure of his companion inside, still clad in the tattered black raincoat, now looking even more damaged.

“Don’t be angry... please,” Specter pleaded, its voice eerily reminiscent of Marcus’s father in that instant.

Marcus quickly closed the door behind him and flicked on the light. In the sudden brightness, Specter’s condition became clear—most of its protective plastic missing or broken, its steel frame marred by lengthy cuts and dents, and even a missing steel finger.

“What happened to—”

“I messed up, got overconfident, and paid the price,” the robot interrupted him, displaying its damaged hand and wiggling its remaining fingers. “I’m barely holding together, the lens is scratched up, I’m missing bolts and screws, and I can’t hear properly on the left side. I think something got knocked loose there.”

“Why?” Marcus demanded, feeling anger rise within him until he recalled his oath to himself, his family, and Specter. He suppressed it, letting it smolder coldly in the depths of his soul.

‘Focus on what’s important,’ he reminded himself as he approached Specter, taking a seat at the table opposite it. He noticed the Glass pieces on the table as well, most of them still stained with blood and gore.

“What can I do to help?”

“Repairs for a start. That or a lot of duct tape and a DVD boxset of MacGyver,” Specter replied, amused, gesturing at the scratched lens in its face. “New camera sounds good. And I’ve got some ideas for improving this frame further, both long and short term. But firstly, I want you to listen,” it said, leaning closer to Marcus, demanding his full attention. “I spent the whole night in the Sphere by the lake. By the time I got out, it was morning and I couldn’t make it home in time, so I had to wait until it got dark again.”

Marcus nodded along, seeming to follow the robot’s reasoning.

“I started picking off a few monsters on the shore, like I usually do. But when I saw fewer of them than normal, I got bold and decided to scout the old restaurant while I had the chance.” Specter rummaged in its backpack and passed Marcus a bent and twisted knife. “It went as well as you might expect, but... I caught a glimpse of the Orb. I know exactly where it is now and the terrain near it.”

“This was too risky, Specter. You know that, right?” Marcus said softly, suppressing his anger and focusing only on Specter’s wellbeing. “What if you got damaged to the point where you couldn’t have made it back? Or worse?”

“Then a part of your mind would’ve died, or it would be stuck in my Orb, or it would return to you. We don’t know,” it said, its icy tone mirroring the gravity of the message. “But it was worth it, trust me.”

“How could it?” Marcus asked, his tone firm. “We already figured the Orb was there, given the building’s location in the center of the Sphere. How is confirming its position worth the risks you just took?”

“Because…” Specter said as it leaned closer to Marcus, placing its steel hand on his shoulder.

Moments later, their minds synchronized in an uncomfortable torrent of memories and emotions, but one stood out the most: a cavern teeming with vines, roots, and monsters. “…I’ve got a plan to score at least a hundred Glass pieces, while securing us another Orb. And it’ll only cost us a few credits.”

Marcus panted, drawing back as the connection stopped, shaking his head in an attempt to process the sudden flood of memories he now owned. “What the hell... that place is a death trap,” he muttered, recalling Specter throwing a flare inside, and the swarm of monsters that had emerged.

Chaotic memories now were available to his mind, allowing him to recall how Specter had bolted out of the building, fighting his way through the woods, and even being attacked as he plunged into the lake again.

“Even with another robot, I don’t see us beating that many of them,” Marcus said, glancing at Specter, who remained oddly calm. “What do you even need the credits for, and how much do you need?”

In response, Specter just leaned back, crossing his steel legs in an almost relaxed posture.

“Any idea how much old car tires cost nowadays?”