Shreya and Pletaro were walking around the city streets of Derensay, admiring the small trinket stores and the way people greeted her with such respect. She was reminded of when they used to do this as small children. Only then no one would greet them, and instead of admiring the small trinkets, Pletaro would steal them.

The streets were busy in Derensay and small shops popped up on the side of the streets. It was one of the few places you could walk around without an air canister on the surface. Shreya was sure it was a blatant misuse of oxygen, but today she wasn't the Air Inquisitor. She was just a woman enjoying her evening out with a handsome man.

They were headed back towards the estate when Shreya eyed a vendor with beautiful jewelry. She pulled on Pletaro's sleeve and they walked over to take a look. Pletaro's security detail, Francisco stayed a few steps away discreetly and did his best to blend in with the crowd.

"Oh, how beautiful." Shreya found a dazzling pair of earrings in the shape of clouds and the gemstones within shone either green or blue depending on how the light hit them. The shopkeeper took them out of the case so she could look at them closer.

"They're beautiful," Pletaro said with a half-smile on his face. He leaned against the counter in such a debonnaire fashion it made Shreya blush. Sensing her weakness he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "They'd look even better on my bedroom pillow."

Shreya pulled back from him and shook her head. "You know it will take much more than a half-assed comment to get me on your bedroom pillow right?" Men had been saying things like this to her since puberty, she didn't think Pletaro would stoop to that level though.

Shreya handed the earrings back to the shopkeeper. "Don't you want those?" Pletaro asked her.

"They're very beautiful, but I don't need new earrings. I'm not even sure what I would wear them with." She thanked the shopkeeper and turned to keep walking towards the Estate.

"We'll take it." Pletaro practically yelled it out into the street, never taking his eyes off Shreya.

She turned around and spoke much quieter, "Really, Pletaro, I don't need the earrings. Can we please just go back?" She looked back and forth from Pletaro and the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper looked like he didn't want to get in the middle of it.

"Pack it up, my man will pay whatever you ask." He finally broke his gaze off Shreya to look the shopkeeper in the eye. "If I hear you were unfair in your asking price, things could go bad for your shop."

"Why don't you take it?" The shopkeeper responded. "It is an honor for the Vice Regent and the Air Inquisitor to be in my shop." Shreya paused at that. Both the Vice Regent and Pletaro did share several physical traits, but Varnusha was old, surely this shopkeeper would know that.

"How very gracious of you," Pletaro answered and took the earrings from the man before he could say anymore. He took Shreya's hand and pressed them into it. His face turned smug, "I don't need more than a half-assed comment Shreya. You're in my world now." He strode off towards the Estate.

Shreya stood shocked at how quickly the evening stroll had turned ugly. I shouldn't be upset, right? I did want the earrings. Why do I feel so cheap? She looked up at Francisco who looked furious. Feeling even more confused Shreya said a small thank you to the shopkeeper and followed Pletaro home.

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The rain was gentler today than it had been in a while. Tor took that as a good sign. As they walked through the quiet streets, Tor noticed several bodies no one had collected yet. They looked as though they were sleeping, but Tor knew they had been chased out of the tunnels and didn't have enough air to be on the empty street.

Locals would take the tunnels to get around as individual air masks were too expensive for most, but having his own air canister was the one indulgence Tor took advantage of. After the incident in boarding school growing up, Tor never trusted someone else with his air if he could help it. His office had alarms constantly monitoring the levels and he always kept a canister in his bag.

Binard had been in awe when Tor had given him one and frightened when Tor told him why.

When they finally reached the door both men were soaking wet and cold. Tor walked down the stairs and took his hood off and wiped his face. I really hope they’re home.

It had taken them an hour to walk here and Tor did not relish the walk back. After waiting a few long minutes the door opened a crack and a short woman opened the door. She eyed them up and down a few times before breaking into a grin that took up most of her face.

Despite himself, Tor started laughing, “Let us in Zahra!” As they stepped into the small hallway they took off their coats and Zahra ushered them in.

Binard had never seen anything so beautiful in his life and his face showed it. This kid is one of the most honest people on all of Henear, thought Tor. Despite himself, he was starting to like Binard. It was refreshing to always know what someone was thinking and not have to worry about what their end game was.

I should have let Shrey come here. It had been a source of contention between them for the past 9 years, his informants had been at the center of all of his big breaks, and Shreya had asked and demanded to meet them. Tor had never let her, stating it was safer for everyone if they stayed anonymous, yet here he was with Binard whom he had only known for a couple of weeks.

He sighed, Nothing to do about it now. Tor took a moment to appreciate all the new plants Zahra had. The two informants had the largest collection of plants Tor had ever seen. Varieties and species he hadn't seen anywhere else on the planet. All around the house were green living plants, flowers, and trees.

Stolen novel; please report.

The air was fresh and light and perfumed with the scent of the flowers. Tor had no idea how she did it. It was as though every living thing Zahra touched grew. The amount of fresh air almost made him dizzy and he slumped to the floor on actual dirt. Only these two would fill their floor with dirt. I guess I would too if I had such a talent for growing as these two.

A stocky man raised him to his feet although he only came up to his chest. “Tor, who is your weak-kneed friend?” His face asked if he could be trusted.

“Introductions are in order I see, Maks, this is my new assistant Binard. Shreya is on assignment. Undercover really.” Tor cleared his throat, “Binard, meet the best spies on Henear, Maks, and Zahra. They were the boots on the ground for several of the bigger pieces I’ve written the last few years. Actually, they were the ones who discovered the waste being dumped in your home province Wilea.”

This apparently was too much for Binard. He went to Maks and Zahra and had he been stronger would have picked them up in his vice-like hug. Tor couldn't help but laugh as Binard hugged Maks as tightly as he could. He had never seen the man so uncomfortable, or Binard so emotional. Tor knew the young man had grown up in Wilea and had appreciated the story that had saved thousands in the sector but hadn't ever seen him express it so thoroughly.

“Mr. Binard, please put me down,” Maks said in his gruff accent. Binard let go and wiped away a tear.

“I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." He slowly let Maks go and the man straightened his outfit, "I knew Tor wrote the piece because it's his job, but to hear there are other people out there who care just caught me off guard." Binard blew his nose on a tissue Zahra handed to him.

"Why don't you sit down and tell us your story, dear boy." Zahra motioned to their table. Her kind face looked at him with such compassion Tor thought Binard was going to lose it again. Hell, I'm about to lose it.

Maks and Zahra were the closest confidants Tor had. They had met on the clockwise train when the two were fleeing the Zorjac Mining Corporation and the three of them had just hit it off. Tor stalled the guards aboard the train and helped them get set up in Saltec just outside the University in this same small flat. Since then the three of them had worked closely together to start righting many of the wrongs the governments had done to Henear and had made a formidable team. Tor trusted their judgment and they had proved themselves trustworthy time and time again.

"Do you know how Wilean families are constructed?" Binard asked.

"Only vaguely. We know they are a very tight-knit community that looks after each other's own. When we were looking for a place to live we almost settled down in Wilea because of that, but we were outsiders and knew we would never fit in the community as we wanted." Maks answered.

"Well, you're right. We are a very tightly knit community. It's common for neighbors to take over for children and property when you pass. Wileans have a short lifespan due to how hard we work and how much we give so our flocks can survive. Because of this most family structures are comprised of blending multiple families.

"No one differentiates between their biological children and the children they've brought in. Once you're in, you are family. It is a strong bond. When I was ten, my family merged with our neighbors and I suddenly went from being the oldest to the second-oldest. I gained a sister and we grew to be very close. When she got older she took a job at a farm across town doing the accounting for them as she is good with numbers."

He paused a moment and took a sip from some water Zahra had set out. "It started with little things. Her hair fell out, not feeling well after meals. We couldn’t figure out why she was so sick. She would work and live at the other farm during the week and be throwing up at her desk, then on her days off at home she would start to feel better."

The tears were about to start again, "Later we learned it was because we had water from our own well. She wasn’t the only one. Lots of our friends got sick from the illegal waste dumpage. A lot of them didn't make it."

He looked each of them in the eyes and they sat still listening. "We were lucky. Your article came out after she lost the use of her legs, but not before she died. Your article forced Derensay to clean it up and make it right. You saved her life.” Binard looked to the ground and cleared his throat.

"I'll never be able to thank you enough for that. Belinda is the strongest woman I've ever met, and when she got well and settled into a new life in a wheelchair she told me to go study at university. She believed I could be something more than just a rancher like most Wileans. She sponsored me to get into University with what small savings she was able to. I'm working hard to be the man she sees."

Maks reached out and grabbed Binard’s shoulder, “It was our pleasure. We love this planet and wished more saw it with the same eyes we have. I can tell we are of the same caliber. I believe you will prove your sister right.”

“Mister Binard, we believe Henear can be so much more than she is. This house is a testimony to it. We have built and grown-up these plants so they would not waste away like so much of Henear’s flora. We hope someday to restore our planet to all that it could be. Derensay’s despicable dumping ruined much of what we love. It was our pleasure to take them down a couple of notches.” Zahra had a quiet voice with a hard edge to it.

“I see you follow Mister Tor around for similar reasons of our own. You are welcome in our home and you are welcome to shelter here when storms are rough.” She looked him straight in the eye and Binard felt a familial love he hadn’t felt since he left Wilea. It was a devotion of family. Having had his family merge with others several times before, he knew the feeling of tying his life to theirs. It filled his heart with a homesickness he hadn't felt since his first night at university.

“Thank you. This is truly a special place.” Binard gave a half-smile that soon turned into a full smile.

“Well, now that we have that out of the way!” Tor and the others all laughed, “Well Binard, looks like you are on the team. Maks and Zahra have instincts that defy understanding. If they trust you, then it appears I was right to trust you also. Now, I need to brief you on the situation and we need to come up with a plan to bust Shreya out."

“Bust her out? I thought she was ‘undercover’?” Zahra teased.

“Funny story…” Tor started telling them his concerns and his guesses about the air supply shortage. The night burned long and a plan to end the air shortage and bring Shreya home took shape. Maks and Zahra once appraised of the goals took charge formulating most of the plan, but Tor was surprised how much Binard had to offer as well.

The kid knew how to get information and how to use the systems in a way that left Tor baffled. They stayed the night and left early in the morning to start putting their plan into motion. If it went half as well as they planned, Derensay would go from superpower to crippled overnight and Henear would get a clear distribution of air that would be fair for everyone.