Looking up with a bit of self-realization, I swallow something I didn’t know I was eating. Tastes like beef stew. Looking down at my plate, it looks like beef stew. I must be on some serious autopilot because I don’t remember getting in line for any food, let alone coming to the cafeteria.

Looking over to Lilly’s spot, she isn’t there. A quick scan around the room, there’s no one I know. The crowd has changed. A lot of young and middle-aged adults. I don’t see any children right now.

Finishing up, I head out the side towards the fitness building. As I exit, some of the vendors have been upgrading their tents for more sturdy structures. I just turn and head up the path towards the archery range.

It’s not what it used to be, the archery range. Targets are pushed back almost to the forest edge. Bleachers dragged out of the way, back closer to the road where it cuts back over to where Officer Talon has the crime scene marked off. I can see approximately where the tear was, because of the ruts and trample marks in the area.

I walk back over to the bleachers. It doesn’t look damaged. It does look sturdy and built to last, not like the aluminum ones I remember from home, but similar enough. I find my way under the bleacher benches and into the structure. Looking for some solid members where I can lift and push, to try and drag it back into place. I grab hold and set my strength against it while trying to keep proper form so I don’t hurt myself.

I feel the bleacher tilt and adjust my handhold to a better balance point. Using my legs I push, side to side at first to free it from the ground. A few feet at a time, I push. Same as when I started to run here for the first time, I feel the change. I was watching for it. Now I’m able to take a few steps before I have to pause. This is absolutely not right. Flexing my hands and feeling the strength. You don’t get stronger like this. You work or exercise, eat right, and your body tries to recover stronger. To me, this is some serious cheat going on.

Looking back to where I started dragging the bleachers. The ruts and the path of torn-up grass. I think to myself ‘Is this what it means to live in this world? Is this why there is no pursuit of technology? You wouldn’t need much more than a crowbar and some good hand tools.’

Recovered already, I lay hold again of the cross member of the bleachers and try to push harder, longer. By the time I’ve pushed the bleachers back to where they originally were, I could feel the change happen again. It’s not much and maybe not anything to the people here, but it’s enough that I cannot deny what is happening. Leaving the bleachers, I head towards the archery targets, gathering and putting them back in the place where I remember them standing when Jenn and the children were here.

Finishing up, I walk back to the bleachers and take a seat. I lean back, stretch and relax. Looking up into the sky, then closing my eyes, I enjoy the mild weather and slight breeze.

Time passes as I note the movement of the sun and watch the clouds go by. It’s cooler now and starting to get late. I stretch and reach, my back and bottom are a bit sore from sitting for so long.

Stretching my neck, I’m startled a bit when I see someone sitting at the end of the bleachers on my right. He’s sitting there looking relaxed, staring up into the clouds like I was.

“In some ways, you're like a child,” Jaxx says. “Maybe Lightbringer was right, something is off with you.” Poking his finger in the air in front of him and shaking it around as he is talking. “Maybe a skill or talent you don’t want to talk about. A curse maybe?”

“Thanks for checking up on me. Sorry, I didn’t know you were there. I would have said something earlier if I did.”

“Ahh.” He exclaims as he backhands a fly or something away from his face. I look, trying to use some perception to see what it was. Turning to look at me. “That’s what I’m talking about. What are you looking for?”

Shrugging my shoulders. “I guess I was just trying to see what you were trying to swat at, bugs haven’t been bothering me sitting here.”

He sits back and continues, not quite looking at me. “I’ve been watching you when you’ve been around and when I notice you out here. I wanted to make sure you didn’t do anything that might get someone hurt. When you do something like that,” He nods his head over to where the bleachers were stuck in the mud. “And I think it’s just me. Then you look for bugs and I think ‘Who’s the nut?’ Either you are so far dark I can’t even comprehend or you do have some head trauma and require some serious heals or restoration.” “You note anything?”

Stolen novel; please report.

“Note?” I ask.

“Nothing.” A third voice speaks.

I literally jump out of my seat, startled by a voice just back over my left shoulder. Turning I see… Not sure what I see…

“Officer.” Jaxx greets.

“This what you’re talking about?” Officer questions, looking back where I dragged the bleachers from.

“That, and he’s not seen an interface. He’s looking for bugs.” Jaxx comments.

Bof Bol smirks at that remark. I’m remembering his name and the warning that was given.

Stepping around me, I get a better look as he comes closer to Jaxx. He’s wearing a lightweight dark-colored cloak. What gets my attention is when I realize how heavily armored he is, and not making a sound that I can hear.

“You believe him then?” Jaxx asks.

“I believe somebody stole my work and I’m going to kill him.” Officer says without emotion.

The Officer pulls out a stone from somewhere between his plate armor. Holding it up in his hand, an image of Ava appears.

“Yes Officer?” I hear her answer.

“You asked. Look for yourself.” The Officer does something, grasping the stone in his hand for a moment. After that moment, holds it out towards me, then slowly turns and pans with it until he is pointing it back where the bleachers were.

“Twice.” I hear Jaxx call out.

“And still nothing?” she asks.

Turning to look at me, “Like a child.” the Officer says.

“Thank you.” She says as the image fades. The Officer with a grunt, putting the stone back away.

Looking between Jaxx and the Officer, I say to both of them. “Maybe you can tell me sometime when I’m not a child anymore.”

“You said you remember your past, but clearly you don’t know,” Jaxx speaks up. “We can see from your tracks there was a change, but we still sense nothing from you and that’s not normal. Neither do we sense any malice. We’ve decided to take a step a trust you a bit more.”

I turn a bit to face Jaxx, but I’m uneasy now. I realize that whichever one I face, the other will be at my flank. “And?” I ask. I am not sure if they have positioned themselves like this on purpose or not.

“And?” Jaxx says, looking at the Officer.

“And nothing.” The Officer replies, twisting closed a small rod or something. “I made this just for him, but he might as well not exist.” Twirling the small rod in the air like one of those wizards from the books or conductor directing a band. “Shadow Jack would love this guy. You’d never find him.”

“Maybe he could get you one of those blades you’ve been trying to find.” Jaxx grins, “Just for research purposes.” Still grinning.

“Aaa.” The dwarf exclaims. Not sure if that was a response to what Jaxx said or because of the communication stone he’s pulled back out of his pocket. I can see it’s another dwarf, no idea who. “Ya, I want to see.” That is what I think I hear him answer before putting the stone back under his cloak.

“Let me know.” He says to Jaxx, giving me a slight Clint Eastwood glare before turning back towards town. Pulling his hammer, he taps the outside of his boot with it, on the same side he’s holding it. Then with another step, he is gone.

“He does like his toys.”Jaxx comments. “Doesn’t like to share. Sell yes, share no.” Getting up, he says. “I’m heading back. Let someone know if you do see something. Anyone over by the Zealot's tent can probably help you.

I’m already standing, stretching some more, as I watch him leave. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a little twitch of light. It’s a brighter star that’s already out early this evening.

Watching Jaxx, he’s almost back by the vendors now. I finish up rolling my shoulders around, stretching, as I notice the star twitching again. Moving my head side to side a bit, the star is jumping back and forth. Like when you look through a piece of glass or prism when moving it back and forth, the image shifts.

As I stare at the star, I start to see the edge of the warp of light. Focusing on it, looking like a slight shape of a person sitting on the top step of the bleachers, an image starts to form.

After a moment, I realize Jack is looking at me, cocked head with a bit of a smile. “Jack of Shadows?” I slowly ask.

“Shadow Jack. But I like the play on words.” He responds.

“Come here often?” I banter.

“No, first time. Not like I get picked up every day.”

“That long? Sorry, I didn’t notice.”

“But eventually you did.”

“I noticed the light shifting, at the edge.”

“Hmm. Didn’t know there was still a tell. I’ll have to work on it. Thanks. Were you really looking for bugs?”

“Didn’t know what else it could be or what he was doing.”

“He bought himself a personal interface. The Noble ladies like to use them. How else would they be able to differentiate between themselves and know who is definitively the prettiest, the smartest, or whatever else is trending at the moment.” Jack comments, grinning away.

“I didn’t realize Jaxx was so concerned about himself.”

“Mostly about breaking through, he’s been stuck for a long time.” Fishing something out of his pants pocket. “He’s been trying most anything that might help him breakthrough.”

“No, he’s here.” Jack, answering the image of someone in his hand. From this angle and distance, I’m unable to see if I know them or not. “I’ll wait.” He replies to the image.

“I think she’s getting obsessed with you,” Jack says with a grin.

“Every time I look at you Jack, you’re grinning about something.”

“It's been a long time since I’ve had something to lift my spirits. You’ve just been one surprise after another. There’s an answer about you somewhere. I hope I’m around when it comes out.”

“Do you know what Jenn wanted?” I ask, assuming that it was Jenn who he was talking to.

“Jenn? Haaa haha.” Jack breaks out laughing for a moment. “What you not telling Doug? How many are there? Better not tell Gretta,” Kidding with me. “She’s coming with another stone. You got her all fired up since her magic failed to tell her anything about you. And if it’s okay with you, I’m going to be giving that old bat some payback I’ve owed her. See if she cracks.”

“If it makes you happy Jack, if it makes you happy,” I say as I lean back against the bleacher steps behind me and look up at the stars.