To some, the scents associated with heavy machinery were an affront to nature. To me, they smelled like freedom.

I wiped as much of the black from my hands as I could, then cast aside the old rag and opened the dock’s door. As I stepped into the depot, magically purified air rushed past me from the pressurized room, taking with it the beloved scents of oil, grease, and old leather, leaving nought but quiet desperation in their place.

The card game taking place atop the large desk in the room’s center came to an abrupt pause. Brian, the supervisor, raised an eyebrow my way. “You’re late, Rav. That’s the third time this month.”

Yeah, I thought. Crazy what happens when you assign over half of a depot’s jobs to a single person.

I didn’t voice my complaints, of course - I never did.

“Sorry about that, boss.” I tipped my cap to him. “Won’t happen again.”

He sniffed, looking back down at his cards. “See that it doesn’t.”

Aidan and Mikel, the two coworkers sitting on either side of my bearish supervisor, shared a smirk. I imagined striding over and slapping the joy clean off their faces—hitting them so hard they tumbled backwards over their chairs. Instead, I walked toward the clerk’s desk. The clerk sitting at the computer there was young and lanky, a far cry from the grizzled men playing cards behind me.

“What’s new, Howard?” I asked, offering my tablet.

He gave me a shy smile as he accepted and immediately plugged it into his computer. “Same old, Rav. All the news channels can talk about is that missing Realm Drive…”

“The Realm Drive, huh? What’s it been, now? Three weeks?”

“Four, more like.”

I grunted. “If the Enforcers don’t recover it soon, I imagine they never will.”

Howard nodded, not looking up from his screen. “Yeah, that’s what the news channels keep saying.”

While he worked, I leaned on the desk, casting my gaze toward the tv playing one such channel. The news anchor was droning away, as they were wont to do.

“The whereabouts of the Realm Drive are still unknown.”

The screen played over the same scenes it had nonstop since the Realm Drive was stolen. A slate-gray building with a decimated wall flashed on the screen, its side covered in a web of caution tape.

“The stolen prototype can be used to make unauthorized Realm Jumps.”

The supposedly unbreakable safe came next, its door blown completely off and laying on the solid-metal ground.

“The thieves are considered armed and dangerous. Under no circumstance should they be approached.”

Last, they showed the pedestal sitting within the vault—there was nothing atop it.

“A reward of seven-billion credits is being offered for any information leading to the prototype Realm Drive’s recovery, and five billion are on offer for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.”

“Rav…” Howard hissed under his breath.

I raised a questioning eyebrow at him—he looked as if he’d been trying to get my attention for some time.

“Sorry, Howard—I was somewhere else. What’s up?”

“I heard what Brian said before,” he said, still keeping his voice low. “About you being late.”

“Yeah? What of it?”

“It’s not right, Rav. They treat you like that every day. I don’t know why you don’t stand up for yourself.”

I snorted softly. “Abrasive people come with the job—we’re not exactly delivering flowers or chocolates here.”

“It’s not just that, I…” Howard chewed his cheek, gathering his resolve before locking eyes with me. “I saw your manifest.” He pointed at his screen. “Aidan and Mikel only just got back on time, and they only had a third of the jobs you did.”

I nodded. “Yeah, that seems to be the way of things.”

He gave me an incredulous look. “It’s getting worse, Rav. There’s a clear trail of evidence in the manifests. If you were to complain to the regulatory body, I’m sure they’d sort it out. Hell, I’d be happy to—”

“No,” I interrupted, my voice brooking no argument as I leaned forward on his desk. “This isn’t your fight.”

Howard paled, swallowing as he glanced down at my fists. Realizing I’d balled them into a white-knuckle grip, I forcibly relaxed and leaned back. “Sorry, Howard. The unfairness might be getting to me more than I thought.” I gave him a forced smile. “Maybe I’ll drive away and never come back—then they’d actually have to do some work.”

He laughed, his relief clear. “You’ve joked about that for months, Rav.”

I smiled again. This time, there was no need to force it. “That’s true, but who knows—maybe tomorrow is the day.”

A sharp tone played over the depot’s speakers, drawing everyone’s attention.

“What is it?” the supervisor asked, turning toward Howard and I.

All joviality gone, Howard typed away at his keyboard, no doubt fetching the job’s details.

His eyes narrowed as his fingers stopped typing. “Emergency job in sector two-one-seven. Requires immediate action.”

“That all?” the supervisor sat back in his chair, immediately relaxing. “Take care of it, Rav—that can be your punishment for being late.”

Something deep within me rose like flickering flames, but I kept my face still as my heart thundered away. “Sure, boss. I’m on it.”

Howard gave me an apologetic smile as he transferred the details over to my tablet. He handed it back to me; I accepted with a wide grin.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“See you next time, buddy.” I turned to leave, but paused. Rummaging in my coat pocket, I retrieved a metallic object and slid it over to Howard. “If I don’t come back, it’s all yours.”

He glanced down at the key, then back up at my face. “Don’t even joke about that, Rav.”

He tried to slide it back to me, but I pushed back, insistent. “Never hurts to play it safe!”

Before he had a chance to refute, I turned and strode for the dock door.

“See ya, everyone!”

Howard gave me a strange look that was filled with curiosity. The others gave me strange looks too, but theirs were filled with contempt.

“Don’t be late,” the supervisor said, giving me one last glare.

“Yeah—I’ll see what I can do.”

I threw the door open and stepped out into the dock. Pressured air rushed past, banishing the scents I craved. As I closed the door, the air stilled. I took a deep breath as I all but ran for my truck. The scents of oil, grease, and old leather came to greet me.

They smelled like freedom.

***

In another realm, at the very peak of a mountain range, Chen Chunshi gathered power.

Though snow fell around him, not a single flake dared land on his skin—such was the weight of Chen Chunshi’s will. After all, what right did a mere force of nature have to touch him, the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Strike Sect? Even time dared not impose itself completely on Chen Chunshi; what could have been weeks, months, or even years passed by as he absorbed the requisite chi. A lesser man may have been annoyed by the wait, but such musings were beneath this great master.

Trickle by trickle, chi filled his dantian. Seasons changed and celestial bodies shifted, yet Chen Chunshi never stirred. When he finally opened his eyes, white snow once more covered the mountaintop. He stood, stretching his hands towards the heavens as he let out a soft chuckle.

“It is done...”

With a single step, Chen Chunshi traveled a thousand li.

He arrived within the courtyard of the Heavenly Strike Sect. Much had changed since last he was here last, and he gazed around at the new stylings.

“You!” came a booming voice. “You cannot be here. Explain your—” The man cut off when he caught sight of Chen Chunshi’s face. He threw himself to the ground, kowtowing before his better. “Forgive this one, Sect Leader! I—I didn’t expect your return.”

“What is your name, disciple?”

The disciple flattened himself to the ground. “Don—”

“Forget it,” Chen Chunshi decreed, cutting off the useless words. “I don’t have time to learn the name of every ant beneath my foot. Fetch the entire Sect.”

“At once, Sect Leader!”

As the man fled, Chen Chunshi considered bringing the heavens down upon him, but stayed his hand at the last moment. Such was Chen Chunshi’s benevolence.

Within a matter of minutes, every inner and outer disciple had gathered. Each of them kowtowed across the courtyard, showing deference to their returned leader. All but one of the Sect Elders were present, so Chen Chunshi waited. Before an hour had passed, the final Elder rocketed into the courtyard, riding a sword of blazing light. He threw himself to the ground at Chen Chunshi’s feet.

“Forgive this one, Sect Leader. I was in a distant land.”

Chen Chunshi ignored the words. “How long has it been, Bai Chun Hua?”

“Twelve years, Sect Leader.”

Chen Chunshi nodded. He had thought as much.

“Has there been any developments with the other sects?”

“No, Sect Leader. As sure as the sun rises each morning, the Heavenly Strike Sect remains the pinnacle of this world.”

“Very well. It is good that I don’t have to crush any insects on such a monumental day.”

Bai Chun Hua raised his head to chance a glance at Chen Chunshi. “Such a monumental day, Sect Leader?”

Chen Chunshi let a smile cross his face. “I have returned bringing good tidings.”

Silence crawled throughout the courtyard, and those heads that dared look up were wide eyed.

A laugh boomed from Sect Elder Chen Chunshi’s throat. “My time in seclusion was a success. Today, I—the great Chen Chunshi, Sect Leader of the Heavenly Strike Sect—ascend to the heavens. I leave the Sect in your capable hands, Bai Chun Hua.”

Without another word, Chen Chunshi stepped back to the mountain peak. He focused his aura on the Sect, reveling in the boisterous celebration coming from the disciples. To have elder ascend to the heavens was no small thing; it would only further cement the Heavenly Strike Sect as the rulers of this mortal realm. Unable to wait a moment longer, Chen Chunshi let the chi pour forth from his dantian. It ripped a tunnel to the heavens into being—something powerful came tearing through it.

Likely a divine messenger come to welcome me, he surmised.

A physical rent opened up on the side of the mountain. The messenger’s vehicle arrived, barreling toward Chen Chunshi at incredible speed. A noise came from the vehicle like the call of a noble bird. Chen Chunshi spread his arms wide, ready to receive the blessing.

***

As I traveled along the murky passageway toward my last job, I shifted into fifth gear.

There was a moment’s quiet, but it was shattered the second I pushed down on the accelerator. This—this was what it was all about. The smell of grease and burning fuel. Fresh air rushing in the open windows, making my hair and clothes flutter. The rumble of my vehicle, shaking the hydraulics beneath my seat.

“Just me and you, Chuck,” I said, patting the vibrating dashboard.

He didn’t respond, of course—he was just a truck. But that didn’t stop me from seeing him as my partner in crime.

I’d first seen the form Chuck now took years ago when I was still a newbie. It had been an absolute backwater of a world, almost entirely devoid of chi. The fact that I’d been sent there for a job at all was the most astounding thing about the world—until I discovered their technology.

Lacking a respectable amount of chi, they’d had to get creative with transportation. After a portal malfunction left me stranded there for weeks... well, I had to investigate further. The more I learned of their automobiles, my curiosity became respect. After working on a truck myself, respect became admiration. Ever since, Chuck had been modeled after one—on the surface, anyway.

There were still components that couldn’t be replicated—like the stolen module currently strapped into my passenger seat, for example. I rested a hand atop the Realm Drive, taking care not to nudge and dislodge any of the myriad wires connecting it to Chuck’s internals. I’d taken so many risks to get this far, and now that I was here, I couldn’t keep the smile from my face.

A pinprick of white light shone through the gloom ahead of us, announcing our destination.

“Here we go, Chuck!”

I strapped my seatbelt on and tugged my trucker’s cap down, ensuring it was in place.

“One last job for the road!”

The second before we exited the passageway, I shifted into sixth. We tore free into a world of white, directly facing the target. I slammed my foot down.

“Wooohooo!”

The attempted god had his arms held wide and a look of serenity on his face. Sensing something was wrong, his eyes flew open, the serene calm replaced by incomprehension, then panic.

He had realized too late—as they so often did.

Chuck slammed into the man like a... well, like a gods-damned truck. With his obliteration, the target's chi and lifeforce drained into Chuck’s reserves—the components used to gather the means for my approved travel—but only after my questionably acquired Realm Drive siphoned a sizable chunk of it away. My heart raced as I eyed the little bulb atop it. I’d done the math and checked it countless times, but my breath still caught as the lifeless light stared back at me.

Please work... I thought, reefing on the wheel to stop me and chuck from sliding sideways.

A half flicker of green, and then the bulb lit completely, telling me the Realm Drive was full. It was finally ready. I roared with laughter.

“Here we go, Chuck!”

I slammed my palm down atop it, sending my chi signature into the device. All at once, chi exploded out. It rushed forth before Chuck’s still-speeding body, tugging at reality and opening a portal at the bottom of the slope we descended. I checked my seatbelt and adjusted my hat again. With one last glance in the rear-view mirror, I caught sight of the mess I’d made on the snowy slope.

“Sorry, bud.” I tipped my cap to the recently departed. “You’ll have to settle for the afterlife—they’re not accepting any more gods.”

The steering wheel’s leather shifted and groaned beneath my grip as we plunged through the portal, heading for places unknown.