Anyone? What would be the worst idea to come to mind? Starting a Charter with this bunch. Hang on, that is it!

“Joan, how about signing up as a party? If we are a party and I have an invite to the Grand Ball, you could give the report to the Count himself. What do you think?”

“You really have a short memory, don’t you?”

What is she talking about? I just had this thought!

“Only a minute ago, you suggested the same thing and we agreed; after we finish these reports.”

Really? I do not remember that at all. “Sure, why not? She cannot stop us doing that, can she? One way or the other, Zlata will bury this report.” Just to emphasise, I shake it in her face. “If we just quit and become a party, there is nothing she can do.”

“You are stupid, aren’t you?” Gunnar’s back. “This is our job! Damn you and your whole filthy race! Boss, don't listen to this! There must be a better way. We can’t go through with this betrayer's plan.”

Damn, I have had enough of Gunnar! “Lay off, okay? I am just repeating what I have already said. I do not think it is the best idea, but it is the only one we have. Honestly, I will probably be dead by the week’s end anyway. I will have the Dock Boys on my tail when I leave here, and with this report, Zlata will know I am not who she thinks I am. Who knows how she will react? You do not hear me whining, do you? I think you—”

“That is enough, you two! I have had it up to here.” Only to her chin. I think we could do better than that, Gunnar. “If you don't think it is the right idea, then what is your suggestion?”

First time for everything. He is dumbstruck.

Stillwater sighs. “If we hand this in, we are gone. Or we do what Lone suggests and we register a Charter. It won't protect us from Zlata and her minions, but she won’t be able do anything until after the Duke leaves. By that time, it will be too late!”

“So, boss, you are saying that we just hand in our tabards and walk away, after all this?” Gunnar growls. “You know I will follow you, but not him! I trust only you and WayWocket. He still hasn't proven himself!”

What the bloody Abyssus do I need to do? I'm not doing anything sexual with Gunnar—I’m not a fan of beards! Well, not on a lover anyway. “I am just a registered Adventurer. Joan, you create the team, Charter, everything. Gunnar, we will still be joining up with her. She will be the leader and the rest of us will just be members.” I can see Gunnar coming around now.

Stillwater nods in agreement at the plan. “So, what do you think? Way? Gunnar?”

WayWocket perks up and wanders over. “See, see. Follow Dawn, always expels the night. Only moving forward, we will see the history.” I watch that spacey look in WayWocket's eyes drift away and true clarity shines through. “I agree to Solo's idea!” I feel moisture on my cheek.

“Gunnar? What do you think. Would you still trust me to lead the Rejects outside the Watch?”

Gunnar's body is trembling. He looks up at Stillwater's imposing form. “Now and forever, boss!” He glances away. Are those tears? “You’re right. I can't let my own personal feelings get in the way of justice. The only way for Count Darel to know the truth about all this is for us to inform him at the ball. Zlata will only set up more stumbling blocks, and I'm tired of jumping through hoops!”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Well said! Maybe Gunnar and I could learn to get along—then again, maybe not. But for now, I dislike him less.

“So, it’s decided.” Stillwater smiles. “It's nearly dawn. Have you finished with the autopsy, WayWocket?”

“The secrets have nearly unravelled themselves before me. With a couple more steps, the truth will be known.”

So, that is a yes?

“Good work. We'll put all of the information with the other reports backing up this one,” Stillwater says. I see her hands tremble as she removes her tabard. “The mission of our Charter will be simple. We will serve the innocent; the down-trodden. We will bring Trinity's justice to all who wrong the fabric of Favinonian society. We will only take jobs that fulfil this mission. That is final!”

“One question ... We will still be getting paid, right?” It was just a simple question, no need for the glare! “By that I mean, we are not doing jobs for free, are we? Because there are jobs that bring justice to the unjust and help the innocent that still pay well too.”

Stillwater smiles and shakes her head. Gunnar just stares daggers my way. “Of course, I’m not foolish. But not everything will be for money. There are some out there who will not have the funds, but their quest will be just. I want to be like the heroes of old, that is why I joined the Watch. But slowly I saw the corruption of this fine institution.” Waving the report package. “This will bring a reckoning to the Watch.”

That is a thought. “Well, I agree with the terms of the Charter.” I see Gunnar and WayWocket nod too. “So, what are we going to call ourselves? The Hand of Justice? Criminal's Bane? Or we could name ourselves after an old, famous Charter, like the Seekers or the Pathfinders?”

I can tell Stillwater is thinking; a cute wrinkle appears above her nose. “None of those suit us. Let’s embrace who we are.”

No. Please, no. If it is what I think it is, the other two will vote for it too and we will be stuck with that name!

“Even though it was used as an insult, let’s keep—” Do not say it! “—the Rejects! We'll be the greatest Adventuring group Favinonia has ever seen!”

Not sure about the greatest, but being the Rejects? Oh well. “Sure, Joan. But we will need to put a spin on our name or people will think being rejected is what we do.”

“You're really dumb, aren't you?” Gunnar interjects. “Our deeds will speak for themselves. Isn't that right, boss?”

“Yes, Gunnar, our feats and deeds will reflect what we do, not the name. I want us to remember where we came from. Lone, you have only been here for a few days so I know you can't understand why we care about this joke of a name, but we do. The Rejects will stand tall and proud. We have accomplished so much already and there is so much more to come.”

WayWocket mumbles loudly to himself, “Past, future, present. Only forward can we go. Blocks have been built, the sky's dawn is the path of feet-find.”

“Once you’ve finished your report, WayWocket, we'll head upstairs, hand in our tabards, then go to the Hall.” I can see that Stillwater is becoming a little choked up. It must be hard being forced to leave something that you love. “Gather everything you need, we'll burn the rest. Zlata will have nothing on us, so everything that happens will be a surprise!”

WayWocket brings over a bottle of some sort of fluid. Weird, are they going to burn it in here? Thought they would put it in sacks and take it to the shore, then burn it. Hang on! There are no windows down here. I already know what smoke does to you.

“Um, Joan, should we not be doing this outside?”

“Don't worry, Solo. Way knows what he’s doing. This way, there is no coming back.” Are they burning down the barracks? No, no way. “If we try to remove too much from here then one of Zlata's spies will notice and run off and tell her. Best thing is to only take the basics.”

I understand that, sort of. But burning it inside, with me in here? “Hey, WayWocket, what does that solution do?”

“That is a good question.”

He turns and starts pouring it over the files, notes, and other materials. He does not even answer my question! Are we going to die in here?

Then something weird happens. The whole soggy mess lights up like the sun rising in the morning, but one thousand times brighter. I cannot feel heat or smell smoke, and with that, the light goes out. Only thing left is a carpet of ashes. What in the bloody deepest pit of the Abyssus was that?

Stillwater picks up her weapons and backpack and looks at each of us. “Time to go. WayWocket, ash everything!”

WayWocket runs around emptying flask after flask, pouring liquid on the desks, his laboratory, everything. After a couple of moments, the same bright light, and then ash.

What is that liquid? I do not think wild drug mules could drag that information out of WayWocket.

I have my stuff, which was not that much. Everyone has theirs. So that is it! The end of Squad Rejects and the beginning of the Adventuring Charter—the Rejects.