Kyle was able to draw off the advanced scouts that were closing on the old man and the girls, but was still a little distracted by the fact that the man had managed to take down one of the beetles. When C.H.A.D.D. had told him he saw a beetle signature engage he had expected the worst and activated HASTE to get there as quickly as possible. To see the man relatively unharmed was impressive. Shaking his head as he refocused, he turned his attention to the beetles following him.

Four were closer, with the bulk of the group travelling more slowly behind. He could probably take out these four without being overrun, but it would be close. The other risk was that he wasn’t sure what the swarm would do without direction. If they dispersed, there was a real chance of the unawakened being overtaken.

I didn’t come out here to let them die. That simple, powerful thought was enough to define his next course of action. He deactivated his HASTE skill to conserve energy and strain on his body, knowing he could still easily outpace the beetle swarm. He led them towards the outskirts of town for a good five minutes before turning to make his stand.

Before the beetles even registered he’d stopped retreating, he was on them. With practiced steps darted into their number, grabbing one of the beetles by its legs and slamming it into one of its companions. That was followed up by a vicious stomp, then a series of quick steps back to avoid being overrun by the other two joining in to help.

None were killed by his attack, but the one he’d stomped was injured heavily enough it would struggle to keep pace. This had allowed the swarm to get much closer, and Kyle turned to gain more distance again, adopting hit-and-run tactics as he kited the beetles away. After three more engagements he’d managed to injure each of the advanced scout beetles to the point where they couldn’t keep up, and Kyle hoped that would be the end of it, with the swarm giving up chase. At first glance it appeared that’s exactly what had happened. The swarm chasing him was growing smaller and smaller, with only seven or eight beetles left in the main body of the group. It wasn’t until he followed one of the curving bends around a corner that he realized his mistake.

The beetles hadn’t been thinning out because they’d lost interest, they’d been breaking away in order to surround him. Kyle frowned at the thought – this was tactical thinking far beyond what low-intellect, instinct-driven creatures should be capable of. Unfortunately that was an academic issue that would only matter if he could get out of the life-or-death problem he now faced. With the group all moving to surround him, Kyle thought through his options.

Because the group had dispersed, with HASTE he could probably break through the perimeter and retreat. That would remove him from the immediate danger, but if the beetles were able to use these types of tactics there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t have something in place to track him back to his home. His second option would be to try and fight them… which he knew would almost certainly end with him being injured or being forced to retreat. He would certainly cause the swarm some damage, but he knew there was no making up for the difference in numbers.

He and C.H.A.D.D. had estimated the total number of the swarm to be about thirty beetles, so even with five dead or incapacitated that would leave him to square off against almost twenty-five – a losing proposition no matter how he sliced it. The power afforded by a numbers advantage was meaningful. Coming to his decision, blue light began to surge through his body as he activated HASTE. He decided to break through and run in a longer arc away from his home before doubling back, hoping that he would be able to lead them astray. As he swatted the beetles out of the way, something strange happened. One of the beetles ripped into the back of another, splashing Kyle and the area in ichor before Kyle was through.

He ran for a good five minutes with his skill active at its minimum power before deactivating it, feeling the dull ache through his body. He had put a great deal of distance between himself and the beetles, and he felt comfortable slowing down, at least for a minute. He had considered heading back to base, but given the mess he’d run through before escaping he decided against it. It had been years since he’d done any sort of insect biology coursework – all the way back in his undergrad – and he hadn’t exactly been a great student.

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One of the few things he had remembered was that some insects were able to follow pheromone trails, and if he had to guess that was similar to what the beetles had tried to do before his escape. That left him with a problem. He had no effective means that he was aware of to remove the pheromone trail unless he got back to his base where he had more supplies – most notably dish soap and water.

If he returned to his new home, there was a real risk he’d lead the beetles right to not only him, but the unawakened family he and C.H.A.D.D. had rescued. He could continue to run, but eventually he would tire out. He hoped the beetles would as well, but if it came down to pure staying power he had to give the edge to his enemies. This was made worse by his use of HASTE, which for all its power shaved a lot off his endurance and recovery. He wasn’t in a sprint like he’d been escaping Nierburg where he could afford to collapse, he was in a marathon against an unseen and unrelenting opponent. He’d made a critical error using his skill as recklessly as he had, and he knew full well that this was a race where every misstep could lead to death.

~~~

“Report, soldier.” Gregory Valentine’s voice cracked the air as he leaned forward in his chair, hands clasped before his face. Those piercing eyes looked directly at the unawakened man standing before him at attention, and he almost seemed to flinch at the words. Carlyle was lucky to still be allowed in the room – even if after his failures had been made public. They’d been eagerly awaiting a report from Nierburg since their men got taken – and they’d risked a lot to get orders to their people inside before Boltsbury’s group was able to get to the city.

That it had taken this long to get word back was concerning, and the Liberation headquarters in Duilleag was buzzing with activity with the news that a runner had arrived. Cornelius and Tucker were in the room with Carlyle as well, and even Cornelius’s smug grin was absent as they waited for the news.

“Sir, news from Nierburg. Our captives were taken, and it was confirmed that nobody talked. Our agent in Central Authority wanted you to know that he considered the risks and had them eliminated to protect the operation here, sir.” Valentine nodded slowly at the news, eyes not leaving the man standing in front of him. He had hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but losses were inevitable.

Better to get out of that situation with only some lost pawns than compromise the rest of the board.

“If there’s no other news you’re dismissed. Go get a meal and some rest.”

“Sir, if I may, I have two other items that our agent in Central Authority wanted you to know.” The soldier was doing his best not to appear nervous, but Valentine could see the subtle shift of his weight from foot to foot.

“On with it then.”

“Sir, the first item was related to Garth Boltsbury. DeRosa brought him in as a captain and has assigned him a group, our agent wanted you to know that he was able to coordinate and get one of ours assigned with him. Beyond that, he assigned Boltsbury some of the real dregs of the awakened in the city. If we come into conflict our man will act, which Mr. Flotsam believes should give us the advantage if things escalate.”

Now that was good news. It was still a pity Garth was so brainwashed by the Central Authority bastards, but since there’s no way he would come on board it was better to have an option to get him removed.

“What else?”

“Sir, the other unidentified awakened that engaged Mr. Atkinson was branded as deviant and denied access to the city. Furthermore, upon the guards’ attempt to eliminate him he managed to escape nearly unscathed against three mage types and a ranger.”

Gregory nodded slowly. He could see why “Mr. Flotsam” would want him to know about this individual, he could be a benefit if he could be approached. However, given the circumstances and his previous interactions with Carlyle it wasn’t likely he’d be amenable. He was about to dismiss the soldier when the man shared one last piece.

“Sir, Mr. Flotsam wanted you to know that the man’s name was Kyle Mayhew, and that his records indicate he’s the genuine article. That’s all I have, sir.” That revelation was a shock to Valentine, and it took him a moment before he realized all eyes were still on him.

“You’re dismissed. All of you.” That was a name that brought him back. He thought about his early days with Central Defense, and his time out training in the wilderness with the man the Originators had left to hold things together. He remembered nights around a campfire drinking whiskey and listening to the monstrous old man tell stories of how things used to be, how free they all had been. He remembered quiet conversations about corruption and scandal, and the direction he’d gone as a result.

If there was a man in the world who had his respect, it was Clark Mayhew. And if there was a man who might just understand why they were doing what they did, it might just be his grandson.