Temple pulled away and beckoned me to follow with two fingers. I gave a side look to Baxter who shrugged in response.

“If I wanted you dead detective, you would not be standing there. The desk, now.” Temple sounded impatient as he pointed to the desk space he was heading to.

I made my way to the desk.

“Shouldn’t you be taking it easy Detective? Were you not freshly out of medical care after our last encounter?”

Arriving to the desk I made a subtle motion for Baxter to follow. He did.

I eyed Temple, observing his reactions to anything that was happening.

“I was, until your goon Tuekoe decided to wreck my office.”

Temple flattened his lips.

“My apologies for that Detective. He proved to be far more resourceful than anyone would have given him credit for. There was a Bounty for his demise.”

I gave him a flat stare.

“Already claimed it. I also received notice that you were responsible for expediting me to the Mantle and paying my hospital fee.”

“Are you certain that it was not a separate benefactor claiming responsibility for your fees? Tuekoe was not exactly loved by many.”

I nodded

“The doctor was very specific it was you.”

Temple stared at me for a moment, unchanging as if maintaining the perfect poker face. He pressed his lips together flat again and then nodded in thought.

“I believe the words were, “Temple sends his regards.” Something like that, it was a week ago.”

He raised his hand dismissively.

“I can assure you my “regards” would not have arrived so brazenly in the Mantle.”

I nodded.

“For my personal health and wellbeing, I would rather not speculate on how connected you actually are through all levels of the districts.”

“Your personal health and wellbeing will be determined by how you answer my questions.” He spoke in a flat tone.

“You aren’t going to get me a chair, are you?”

His reply came after a moment that seemed intent on letting me stew on my question, “Do you need one?”

I turned to look at Baxter, whose wide eyed, disapproving facial expression told me that I was probably talking too much. Once conversation starts, it can be difficult in some cases to keep a check and balance over the information exchanged. Proper conduct and technique take practice and experience. The best speakers drive conversation and can intimidate and or manipulate all sorts of information from people they engage with.

I personally did not have anything to hide at least regarding the current questions, but when I get nervous, I talk, and that would easily land me in a position that could result in yet another unpleasant experience. I had had one too many of those in the past, with some of the more memorable moments occurring within the same month.

Last month.

I took a breath to calm myself.

“Not necessary, I prefer standing.” I said confidently.

There was another explosion with accompanying gun fire that rocked the facility. Bits of the ceiling peppered us in tiny bits and dust. Temple smirked.

“How exactly did you come to be in this place? By the looks of your wrists, you were not here by choice.”

I sighed.

“Look, Temple, I don’t have a good answer for you. I was on my way home with Baxter when a pack of dogmen launched an explosive at the rail.”

Temple interrupted me.

“You were on the B level, green returning line an hour ago?”

I gave Baxter an arched eyebrow and questioning glare.

“I guess it was an hour ago. I was unconscious and tied up in a room when I came to.”

Temple chuckled.

“Detective… you must be the luckiest bastard I have ever encountered. It is a wonder you have managed to survive this past week and a half. Tell me, do you find the Dogmen’s attack to be a coincidence?”

I caught myself mid-sentence as I almost delivered an “Oh yeah sure” kind of sarcastic response. I must have looked like an idiot with my mouth hanging open as I processed the events since Tuekoe assaulted my office. Key words there being “assaulted my office” that got my brain kicking into gear to sort my thoughts.

It was possible that Tuekoe was there for more than just my life. There was a string of convenient incidents that seemed to take place, but I couldn’t put my finger on how they connected. Tuekoe, Doctor Holste, my case 32 file disappearing off the network, and my physical copy being destroyed. That was a huge selection of coincidences that seemed to be lining up together with the dogmen’s attack on the train.

I gave Baxter a look, and he seemed to be processing information as well. An exchange of gunfire erupted further in the distance as I turned back to give Temple my answer.

“It’s possible.”

He curled his lips into an assessing frown.

“Not likely.” He gave a look over my shoulder, “Ryzer, why you are still here?”

Feasil’s mouth opened as if he were about to protest something, but Temple cut him off.

“Your purpose for being here was to hunt Tiberus down.” Knocked on the desk with his fist, “I do not see his head on this desk.”

There was a begrudging look to Feasil’s movements as he nodded his head down in a subtle bow and left. He wanted to say something. It was obvious. Like a smart henchman though, he complied with his boss’s request without further questions. Feasil moved quickly, and it was not long after he disappeared down the hall that I couldn’t hear his footsteps. Made me feel much better about the whole encounter now that I was certain Feasil wouldn’t be performing some sort of surgery on my person while convincing me answer Temple’s questions.

Temple made a gesture with two fingers involving a flick of his wrist and a point at me. The rattle of big guns and their parts against the cybernetic body parts got both me and Baxter’s attention. Temple stood from the desk and tapped where he was leaning twice with the same fingers. My stomach made the butterfly feelings as the left cyber-hulk, Rig #1 made his way quickly toward me, and I almost tripped over my feet as I backed away from him.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Baxter shouted for me to run, and I barely had enough time to take another “deer in the headlights” step backwards before Rig Number One rushed me. His hand easily closed around my throat and carried me off my feet toward the desk. Baxter got one solid punch on the guy before Rig Number Two hit him hard enough that he crumpled to the floor in a limp mess. Baxter’s assailant then flipped him over while he was knocked senseless and took hold of his arms behind his back restraining him to the ground with his full weight. Baxter screamed in protest and fury as he tried futilely to escape the weight and strength of Number Two.

Baxter is strong, and the guy overpowered him easily. I did not fare much better as I took hold of my gentle giant’s wrist, flailing my legs with what energy I could muster as I struggled to breath. I tried to fight, but ultimately failed as Number One picked me up and slammed me on my back to the desk. He held me in place with one arm, and there was nothing I could do to get his fingers loose let alone his arm. I kicked at his sides, and he took it like I was slapping him with a pillow. I did more damage to myself than to him.

“In my line of work, Detective, coincidence is rarely ever the reality of any situation.” Temple announced.

He made another two fingered gesture to one of the other Rigs standing guard, “Detective Kenter needs a full body scan. Make it quick. We may have less time here than originally anticipated.”

I spoke through my choke as I continued to try and fight against Number One’s grip, “Temple… I swear! I don’t… even know where we are!”

The other cyber approached and his arm opened slightly above his wrist. A pistol sized barrel shifted out with the sound of whirring gears. Baxter continued to snarl savagely out of view under Number two.

Temple took a stand on the other side of Number One as Number Three aimed the thing in his wrist at my head.

“Forgive my distrust Detective. I find it a little hard to believe that your story.” Temple spoke in a lecturing tone, arms folded across his chest.

I tensed and closed my eyes as tight as I could as a green light washed over my face. Nothing happened beyond that, and I was a little taken aback over the lack of pain involved with whatever was happening.

“Back.” The deep grumble from Number Three was short and to the point.

As Number One flipped me, a little rough for my taste, onto my chest.

“What was that?” Temple questioned.

I tried to speak with my cheek pressed firmly against the desk.

“My back?!” My words were muffled as I was crushed into the table by Number One.

Temple approached.

Number rumbled, “Beacon. Primitive, but stable pulse. Secured to his spine.”

I struggled to be heard.

“My what?!”

Temple spoke to Number Three.

“Link me. I want to know what kind of signal this is.”

I attempted to struggle so I could breath and speak.

Number One pressed my face harder to the desk. The pressure brought stars to my vision and made it difficult to open my jaw let alone say anything more. There were several moments where I could barely focus on anything happening around me before the pressure was finally released, and Number One let me go.

I scrambled to get away, falling off the desk onto my side. Temple previewed whatever he was looking at on his PDA as he absently flipped his fingers toward Number Two. Baxter was released and readied to attack Number two.

“Baxter!” Temple spoke loudly, “Calm down. I would hate to deny Donovan a tool to take care of the business you both will be conducting for me.”

“What the hell are you on about Temple?!” I shouted, as I reached under my duster, and tried to feel around my back for what they may have seen.

He gestured for Number Three to return to his position and approached me with his PDA.

Baxter made a quick movement to my side that had Number One and Number Two train their weapons on him. Temple raised his hands for them to stop, and they did not fire. He held up his PDA.

“What do you see detective.”

“A GPS map of our location, with a pulsing red dot in the center.”

He leaned back up against the desk and continued to observe his PDA.

“It would appear I owe you an apology detective. This beacon is not broadcasting a standard operational parameter signal that is typically used by the Order. This appears to be a signal, which is used by the Sanctuary.”

Shock most definitely showed on my face.

“Wait… You had me bugged?!”

He gave me a flat side glare.

“Honestly Detective. I meant what I said when I told you that I had nothing to do with your hospitalization in the Mantle.”

I didn’t say anything. The hamsters in my head were running overtime trying to process that I had something in my back. It didn’t take long to pinpoint Doctor Holste. I was angry, betrayed, violated, you name it. The question was how to go about getting access to him without bringing an entire Order investigation into my associations with him.

Temple put his finger to his ear.

“Cantor. Yes, I need you and one other man to come to the lobby post haste.”

Baxter lifted my duster and scanned my back for me.

Temple gave a dismissive wave

“It is inside you Detective. I am surprised you didn’t notice given what the scan had shown.”

The itch…

“Son of a bitch…”

“Can we get rid of it? EMP it? Cut it out?!” Baxter asked.

“It’s on my spine Baxter, hell no I am not cutting it out.”

“An EMP would be temporary, and the necessary focus needed to destroy the chip, would probably do damage to Donovan as well. Besides, I have no interest in hiding the signal from whomever had it inserted.”

“Wait what?!” I gave him a hard look.

Temple smiled

“Clearly someone has a personal interest in seeing you terminated.”

I began sorting out who I may have pissed off within a week of my previous encounter with temple. Short list, if anything.

“Case 32?” Baxter suggested.

I gave him a look.

“Must have been a loose end somewhere.”

“My thoughts precisely. My subversive rogue element was not purged as thoroughly as I had originally thought.” Temple concluded.

Those butterflies filled my stomach again. I was reviewing my file when Tuekoe attacked. Without a digital version to read, I would have to figure out what piece I was missing, with information I had from memory. I needed time to think. Time to sort what I had going for me.

A man and a woman clad in sanctuary body armor entered from the opposing hall drawing the attention of Temple’s rigs.

“Sir. Reporting as requested.” The man spoke loudly to be heard

Temple nodded toward them

“Unload your weapons.”

Both responded simultaneously confused.

“Sir?”

Temple glared at them.

“Unload your weapons now.”

The two did as they were told. Temple pointed to me and Baxter.

“Give them to Kenter and his dog.”

There was a slight hesitation between the two of them, but they hurried to accommodate their orders. The woman handed me a Tech-10 shotgun, and the man handed Baxter his rifle.

‘Your ammo too.”

The two handed us both the free magazines, and their ammo belts.

“Why are you giving us weapo…?” I demanded.

Temple abruptly interrupted me as I made to load the shotgun.

I froze.

“Not until you are safely outside the boundaries of this facility Detective!” He continued, “Do not mistake this as a generous favor. I am certain you already have an objective in mind to resolve your situation, but I have use for you.” He pointed to the front doors, “While it would serve to simply release you, I find that you and your dog are far more resourceful given the proper tools. I would rather you reach your destination and survive as long as you can.”

“You want us to fish for your weasel.” I sounded uneasy.

He smiled.

“Bait detective. The longer you survive, the more pressure they will have on their shoulders and the easier it will be for me to find and deal with the problem.”

I gave him a silent and uneasy look.

He continued, having a look at a mediband at his wrist.

“I would suggest you make your way to the Order Lift station a few miles north of here. We are currently in the Breech, so I suggest you move fast. It would be a shame to die to one of the things down here instead of one of the rogue elements of the Sanctuary, and the gunfire has possibly attracted some unwanted attention.”

I tend to do everything in my power to avoid the Breech like any sane person does. It is a quarantined space full of condemned buildings that make up a husk of what used to be a portion of the city. Monsters, real monsters, inhabit the area and give Order patrols something to shoot at. Things that used to be Human, genetic, and Cybernetic monstrosities can be found anywhere in the Brink ranging from the upper layers down to the ocean layers of the Chasm. It is and has never been a safe place.

“You’ve got a few hundred yards to cover before you are back in the civilized sector of the Underrails. Make it count detective. I would hate to have to do more work than necessary to resolve this problem.”

I secured the ammo belt to my waste and took hold of the free magazine. I was going to want to load it as soon as we were out. Baxter did the same, only he had to secure the belt loosely to his hip since it wouldn’t fit around his waist in his armor.

Temple made one final comment.

“Another thing Detective. Those weapons are unregistered. I would suggest discarding them before approaching any Order personnel.

I gave him a suspicious look.

“I am not sure if I should thank you Temple…”

He smiled.

“Detective… If you manage to survive this and finish what you started three weeks ago, I will be the one in your debt, and I will take care of my debts. Considering I have use for you, it is the only reason I have not put a bullet through both you and your dog’s skulls. Don’t disappoint me.”

The warning was hardly subtle, and I got the message loud and clear. Without any further conversation with Temple and his henchmen, both Baxter and I departed the building’s lobby into the Breech. I caught myself thinking “How long exactly does it take for Fate to stop smiling,” as we exited the lobby doors.

I smirked and laughed to myself quietly.

Baxter asked, “What’s so funny?”

I replied gravely, “We are so dead…”