“Pull in here.”

Heinz slowed and looked towards where Shane was pointing. The ditch had enough space for the van to stop and not be blocking the road. Heinz glanced up to the stalls and cars that were parked further down the road.

“You sure? I drop you off closer?”

“I’m not getting out.” Shane said and put away the envelope he’d been clutching for the entire trip.

When Tara and Shane returned, the three families Heinz was bringing back to Kinmore had already arrived and were getting into the back of the van. Shane didn't pay much attention to them, his focus was on the envelope he carried but he didn’t look eager to discuss his family with strangers. There hadn’t been time to pull the group aside and find out what they had found before they were leaving.

Tara volunteered to sit in the trailer with Louise to allow one of the parents to ride in the front. The relief the families expressed at this caused Heinz’s stomach to turn.

Shane turned to the man between himself and Heinz.

“You have the credit transfer augment?”

Max stiffened and clenched his fists.

“Yes. Yes I do.”

Shane grunted and awkwardly reached across his body with his left hand for Max’s hand.

“Five credits.”

Max relaxed a little and gripped Shane’s hand with trembling fingers. There was a pause and Heinz watched the two with a raised eyebrow.

Shane pull his hand back with a huff.

“Wrong way.”

Max flinched and his mouth fell open

“But..”

“Tax free zone.” Shane said, quieter now as he realised what the man had thought. He reached for Max’s hand again.

A knock sounded against the van’s partition.

“Everything alright?” Phil’s muffled voice rang out from the boot.

“All good.” Heinz shouted back. “Shane’s just returning my credit loan.”

User I38-3NA5 - Fighter-R

Accept 5 Credits from User I38-I25V?

Heinz reached out to the message with acceptance and it cleared. He nodded at Max who now looked less scared and more exhausted. Face tightening, Heinz looked away from him and felt for his status.

User I38-3NA5

Credits

136

Classification

Fighter-R

Energy

Threshold

621.9

700

It hadn’t been a productive day for Energy. The 80 or so he had earned was more 10% of the way to the next Threshold but he couldn’t help but compare his progress against Kate. She had been sure she would cross the fourth Threshold yesterday. How far behind was he falling? Between this and how sore he felt it was harder to say that he’d made the right decision last night.

Heinz knocked on the partition and shouted that they were setting off again.

The streets grew busier and busier as Heinz drove through Kinmore. The streets were full of people who were slow to move out of the way. There were a few other vehicles on the road but most turned off before they got to the centre.

“Is this normal?” Max asked, staring at the crowds with a mix of hope and anger.

“No.” Heinz answered, worried. “I last saw the town like this when the walls appeared.”

Before they could get to the centre they were directed into a side street by a woman in a yellow bib carrying one of the centre’s lollipop sticks. The crowds thinned as they left the main road. A minute or two later they were flagged down in front of the restaurant that had hosted a party for the instructors soon after the walls fell.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Jacque, what’s going on?” Heinz asked as he got out of the van. Max shot out behind Shane to help Louise and Tara open the van.

The tall man dipped his head to the side, giving Heinz a view of his shaved head as he looked at the trailer behind the van.

“The town’s gone mad. There was a crowd of parents waiting at the gate when Rosa and I got back from the hospital. It went-” Jacque spoke absently before he cut off and turned back to Heinz. ”Ann’s out of danger. She told me to say thanks but I know she’d like it if you go by.”

Heinz’s shoulders fell with relief. He'd known she was alive. Someone would have woken him before he left if there was bad news, but it was another thing to have it confirmed.

“I’ll go after getting changed.” Heinz said.

Jacque gave him a tight smile.

“We thought that the parents were there to give out, which we really didn’t need after visiting Ann, but they were there to thank us. They had brought gifts for Ann and everyone. Small things like a pack of biscuits.” Jacque broke off with a pained laugh. “A bloody pack of biscuits. Could you imagine getting that before? But now. Well, more and more people came by until it became a thing. We had more gifts than we knew what to do with and no one would take them back.”

“There’s more in the trailer.” Heinz indicated with his head. He found that he was smiling.

“More the merrier.” Jacque smiled back. “Given the day and all, Rosa decided to throw a party with all the food. That’s why the street is full. The whole town has come.”

“The day?” Heinz asked, confused.

“17th. It’s Paddy’s day ya moron.” Jacque said with a laugh. “I think you’ve been spending too much time fighting aliens.”

Jacque tilted his head to look past Heinz.

“On that note, who are those families?”

Heinz turned back to where the trailer was being unloaded. Shane stood off to the side with the families, ignoring a fascinated child while the others lifted boxes and bags off the trailer.

“They’re from Courtmacsherry. They’re here to stay I think.”

“They’ll have to wait in a room until we can get someone to check them with Identify.” Jacque said, pursing his lips.

Heinz looked at the parents, busy keeping their kids near and trying to figure out where they were.

“Really?”

“New rules.” Jacque said with a shrug. “Don’t ask me. It’s a bit ridiculous but if Rosa’s okay with it there must be a reason.”

Heinz grimaced and nodded. Alisha had said a house full of bodies.

“What did you find?” Phil asked.

The group was finally alone with the trailer unloaded and the Courtmacsherry families handed over. Shane had the envelope out again and at Phil’s question, looked up and tapped it against his left leg.

“Cork. They were at some party place in the city.”

“Oh.” Phil said softly.

Heinz’s heart sank. Before the city was a 50 minute drive away. God knows how many zones it was away now.

Louise put her hand on Shane’s right arm. Shane flinched and pulled back. Louise looked down at the arm and frowned.

“You’ve been avoiding that arm since the graveyard fight. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Shane said. He straightened up but didn’t move his arm at all.

“Hospital then.” Louise said through an exhale. She turned to the others. “Meet later to make a plan for tomorrow?”

Heinz nodded. He would join them in the hospital when he was changed.

“A plan?” Phil asked.

“To get to Cork.” Louise said with a satisfied smile.

Heinz drove back to the marina via side streets which was slow progress. The trailer had been left with Jacque. Jacque made an offhand comment about a parade and Heinz was happy to get rid of it.

He thought he’d escaped the crowds when he pulled into the marina car park but the marina was just as busy. The narrow pontoons were full as people flocked to help a line of boats dock and tie up. The outer arms of the marina were full to burst with multiple boats rafted together.

Heinz wandered down into the marina. People made space as they took in his outfit and halberd. After yesterday, Heinz wasn’t quite comfortable leaving it behind in the van. Towards the outer arm of the marina he recognised a face and wandered over to Donal.

“What’s going on?”

“Heinz!” Donal turned to him with a wide grin. “The boatyard’s back baby!”

“What?”

“We’ve opened up again. Every boat with sleeping berths is being launched and sent here to be used as housing. We’ll need that chisel back soon!” Donal finished with a wink.

“Even with what happened yesterday? What about the Swarm in the water?”

“The Swarm are on land too. Would you rather have a tent or-” Donal bent over to pat the side of a boat, ”-fibreglass between you and them? It’s not ideal but plenty of people are delighted to get the chance.”

Heinz nodded as he watched a motorboat pull in further down the pontoon. After seeing Timoleague and Courtmacsherry.. A thought struck him.

“The fuel doesn’t hurt either, does it?”

Donal wagged his eyebrows. “No it does not. Once these have been settled we’re draining the tanks.”

Heinz hummed and winced at the bang as the motorboat came in a little fast.

“Need any help?”

“No.” Donal said with a sigh, already moving towards the motorboat. “But I should make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Heinz waved him off and turned to head home but a flash of red caught his eye. He diverted away and towards where Claire stood with a few others watching. She'd been avoiding him since the argument on the marina a few days ago. He didn't know if it had been his reaction to the teleportee giving away Guillaume’s son’s old clothes or his reaction to her knife but maybe it was time to find out why.

As he neared Claire spotted him coming and flinched. Heinz slowed but Claire said her goodbyes and walked towards him.

“Are you alright?” Heinz asked when she stopped in front of him.

“Yes.” Claire answered quickly but then she stopped to take a breath. “No, actually I’m not. I want to thank you for the seasickness tablets and your help but I’d like you to stay away from my kids and I.”

“What?” Heinz asked, stepping back. Where was this coming from?

“I owe you but.. You’re changing. I’ve seen your boat when you get on it. And the night of the fire..” Claire’s hand strayed down to her pocket. “I don’t want my kids or I to get involved. With the centre either after the mess with the diesel thieves. It's too risky. So thank you but please forget about us.”

Heinz opened his mouth trying to think of what to say.

Claire withdrew her hand from her pocket and stepped back.

“Sorry. And thank you.