Fii stood next to Virgil in the shadows, peering around the corner. She was still surprised that he was willing to take her out on patrol, but she didn't question it. She just hoped she wouldn't slow him down or get in his way.
"Keep your eyes peeled, kid," he instructed, scanning the alley ahead of them. "We're not going to fight any gangs or bust any deals tonight. We're just gonna watch and observe. Got it?"
Fii nodded, trying to ignore the nervous fluttering in her stomach. Even though she had been on patrols before, this would be the first time shadowing him. "Yes, sir."
"Don't call me 'sir'. You're not in training right now," he corrected, stepping out from cover. Fii followed, staying close to his heels. "Just call me Virgil."
She had grown accustomed to calling him "sir", but it was awkward to break the habit so abruptly. Still, she tried her best. "Right, Virgil."
Instead of her bodysuit and helmet, she wore a black hoodie and a pair of worn jeans. A red scarf and a baseball cap concealed most of her features, ensuring she wasn't immediately recognizable. The disguise wasn't perfect, but hopefully nobody would give her a second glance. Especially not with Virgil beside her.
The streets were relatively quiet as they walked, and Fii breathed in the fresh night air appreciatively. It always felt nice to be outdoors after spending most of her time cooped up in The Vigil.
She took in her surroundings, marveling at how peaceful everything seemed. This was the slums, but when everyone's tucked in for the night, the district becomes eerily serene. Aside from the occasional sounds of distant laughter or conversations coming from within the ramshackle buildings, the streets were mostly deserted.
Despite the calm, she still kept her guard up. The gangs had been quiet recently, but that could change at a moment's notice. And after what happened the last time, she refused to let her guard slip again. She tugged on her hood, making sure her face was hidden in shadow.
"First rule of surveillance: blend in," Virgil reminded her. "The goal isn't to scare them off, but rather to catch them unawares. If they spot you, they'll bolt. It's best to stay inconspicuous as long as possible. Got it?"
"Uh huh," Fii mumbled distractedly.
The two of them fell into silence as they navigated through the winding alleys, stopping every now and then to listen for approaching footsteps or voices. After a while, Virgil halted in front of a dilapidated apartment complex and pointed to a balcony on the third floor.
"See that?" he murmured under his breath, gesturing to a silhouette on the railing.
Fii squinted her eyes, recognizing the figure as a woman smoking a cigarette. "Uh...yeah. So?"
"Watch," Virgil instructed, pressing a pair of binoculars into her hands. "Keep your eyes on that balcony, and don't look away until I say so. I'll tell you when to stop."
Fii lifted the binoculars and adjusted them so that she could focus on the balcony. She wasn't entirely sure what Virgil was expecting, but she played along for now. Through the lenses, she could make out the woman still standing there, only now she was accompanied by a man.
They were chatting, and the woman passed the cigarette to the male, who took a puff and handed it back to her. Fii wrinkled her nose in disgust as she watched them smoke together.
"That's it?" She asked, lowering the binoculars. "They're just hanging out and getting stoned. Why is that suspicious?"
"Keep watching," Virgil instructed, nudging her in the side. "It's about to get interesting."
She rolled her eyes and resumed her surveillance. After a few moments, a third person approached the couple from behind, brandishing a baggie filled with a white substance. She couldn't make out their conversation, but it seemed to be a friendly interaction. The woman took the baggie and tucked it into her jacket, and the new arrival disappeared into the shadows.
Fii blinked. "Wait...did I just see a drug deal?"
"Sure did, kiddo." Virgil nodded. "But keep going."
She focused on the scene once more, observing as the first man pulled out a wad of ChitCreds and counted it. The woman accepted the money with a smile and turned to walk inside, only to be confronted by a group of figures clad in black masks who emerged from the nearby stairwell. Before Fii could react, the masked intruders lunged at the man, stabbing him repeatedly in the chest.
Fii gasped audibly, realizing what was happening. "Holy shit."
The men in the masks stormed into the apartment and began smashing things, tossing furniture, and throwing objects through the windows. The woman tried to flee, but she was dragged back inside by the attackers. Fii winced as she watched, imagining the violence unfolding within.
It didn't take long for the commotion to attract the attention of people in neighboring apartments, who burst out onto the balconies to see what was happening. As more lights flickered on inside the building, Fii lowered the binoculars and turned to Virgil, an unspoken question etched across her face.
"Yup," he replied, confirming her suspicions. "Welcome to gang warfare, kid."
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"How'd you know they'd be there?" Fii asked as they made their way back to The Vigil.
"Call it a hunch." He responded, sidestepping a puddle in the pavement. "And years of experience."
Fii followed suit, dodging the murky water. She was no stranger to gang violence, but that particular incident had rattled her more than usual. It wasn't the death or the violence itself; she'd seen plenty of that growing up in the slums. Rather, it was the senselessness of the whole thing. All for a stupid drug. She clenched her jaw. If only she'd been able to stop it.
"I've seen too many bodies like that over the years, kid," Virgil added grimly, as if reading her mind. "Happens more often than you'd think. Usually over trivial things. Drugs, weapons, turf. Sometimes for petty squabbles."
Fii kicked a pebble along the path. She tried to recall a single positive memory involving any gangs, but came up empty. She was beginning to understand why Virgil had given up on them altogether.
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Eventually, they arrived at the familiar walls of The Vigil. Virgil climbed the steps and entered through the main entrance, while Fii hesitated. She wanted to join him inside, but she needed to clear her head first.
"I'm going to take a walk." She announced, turning on her heel to leave.
Virgil paused, glancing back over his shoulder at her. "Suit yourself, kid." With that, he vanished into the building, leaving Fii alone with her thoughts.
She wandered aimlessly through the maze of narrow alleys, allowing her feet to carry her wherever they pleased. She was so caught up in her own musings that she didn't even pay attention to where she was going. After a while, she found herself in an unfamiliar area.
As she rounded the corner, she came across an old brick building, its façade covered in ivy and moss. Its windows were cracked, and its paint peeled, giving it an abandoned appearance. But as Fii drew closer, she noticed the ornate sign above the doorway. In faded lettering, it read: "The Gilded Library."
Fii tilted her head, staring at the establishment curiously. She'd never heard of the place before. But judging by its run-down exterior, it didn't seem like the type of place to attract much attention. Still, she found herself drawn to it, and without hesitation, she stepped through the front doors.
The interior was dimly lit, with stacks of books lining every wall. The shelves were filled with old tomes and leather-bound volumes, each with a layer of dust covering their spines. A faint smell of mold and mildew lingered in the air, and Fii could see cobwebs in the corners.
She looked around, bewildered, but didn't find anyone else present. She assumed it was because of how late it was. Slowly, she began to explore, browsing the shelves idly as she made her way through the labyrinth of books.
Never realized there was a place like this here. Maybe Edith might want to check this place out sometime. Or Virgil. He strikes me as the bookish type. Then again, I barely know anything about him. Or Edith for that matter.
The thought nagged at her, but Fii pushed it aside as she continued wandering.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
As she explored further, she spotted an old man hunched over a desk, his head buried in a book. He didn't seem to notice her, and Fii moved quietly, careful not to disturb him.
Upon closer inspection, she saw the man had long, scraggly white hair and a beard to match. His clothing was worn and frayed, but he appeared comfortable enough as he flipped through the pages, reading intently. Fii crept closer, peering over the man's shoulder. He hadn't even acknowledged her presence.
"Hey, excuse me." Fii called out hesitantly.
The old man flinched slightly, blinking in surprise, and glanced in her direction. He had a kindly face with warm brown eyes and deep laugh lines. "Oh! Sorry, didn't see you there! Can I help you?"
His voice carried a soft, pleasant tone, and Fii felt at ease instantly. "Hi, yeah, I was just passing by and got curious about this place. Didn't expect to find a library hidden in the slums. This is a library, right?" She motioned around the room.
The old man nodded. "Yes indeedy, this is a library, all right. A shame more people don't visit it anymore. Not like they used to, anyway..." He trailed off wistfully, shaking his head.
"How long has this place been open?" She inquired.
"Since I can remember, young lady. A very long time." The man leaned back in his chair, stretching his limbs. "Though, truth be told, I never was much for books myself. I preferred comic books as a boy."
Fii's ears perked up. "Comic books?"
The elderly librarian smiled wryly. "Heh, I can tell by that glimmer in your eye you're a fan yourself?"
"I own one. Managed to trade some old salvage for it."
"Really? Well, aren't you a lucky girl. Those things are hard to come by nowadays. Though, I reckon, even when they weren't, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone in the slums interested in buying them."
"Yeah, not exactly something you can use or eat. How do you keep this place running? Getting your own electricity around here's a hassle."
"Got solar panels and a generator in the back. Ain't much, but it gets the job done. Though, these old lamps do give me a bit of grief at times..." He gestured to the ceiling. "Got the idea from the metropolis, actually. Heard they had big windmills or whatnot over there. Quite ingenious, those city folks. You'd think they'd share more of their tech with us simple folk instead of hoarding all the wealth for themselves."
"Tell me about it," Fii concurred. "Guess they figured 'out of sight, out of mind.'"
"Exactly right, young lady. That's the way I like to put it, too," he agreed, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "A shame you only came here on a whim, though. I sure do enjoy meeting new faces and talking with people."
Fii paused, debating whether to continue the conversation. She glanced around at the rows of books. "So, where do you get the books, anyway?"
The elderly gentleman stroked his beard again, "Well, that's a story unto itself. Sometimes, we get donations from folks around the slums, though those are few and far between. Other times, folks like you wander in, discover this old hole in the wall, and decide to leave something behind."
He chuckled. "Truth be told, some of these books have been here for as long as I can remember, though. My grandfather told me stories about this place. Said he frequented it when he was younger. And his father did the same." He shrugged. "And now here we are. Three generations later. Kinda poetic when you think about it."
Fii smiled, amused by his optimism. "I guess so. Thanks for telling me that, umm..."
"Call me Orion. Pleasure to meet you, Miss...?"
"Fii."
Orion held out a frail, wrinkled hand and shook Fii's firmly. "A nice to meet ya, Fii. If you ever feel like you want to read up on something, don't be a stranger, okay? Feel free to come by anytime. I'm almost always around." He beamed cheerfully, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Oh, and if you can't read yet, I'd be happy to teach ya. Been a while since I taught anybody to read."
"Thanks, Mr. Orion, I appreciate that. I can manage to read on my own though, I learned how a few months back." She hesitated. "Actually, if you'd like, I can drop by and help out every now and then? Clean the place up a bit? It's kind of a mess, you know."
He raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You'd be surprised to find a bit of dirt and grime make a place feel more homely. But sure, if you want to come by and sweep the floor or organize the shelves, be my guest. Any assistance is always welcome, especially from a bright young lady such as yourself—"
Suddenly, the door flew open, sending a gust of wind through the library.
Fii whirled around, startled, as a large man dressed in black staggered through the entrance, clutching his stomach. Blood trickled from between his fingers, and he collapsed on the floor, groaning.
"Goodness me!" Orion exclaimed, rising swiftly to his feet. "What happened to you?" He rushed over to help the wounded man, grabbing him by the shoulders and easing him upright. "Easy now. Try not to move so much."
The injured man moaned painfully and clutched at his wound. "Someone stabbed me." He grunted through gritted teeth. "They took my creds...stole my truck." His breathing grew heavy, and his head drooped forward, hanging limp. "Help me." He begged weakly, his eyelids fluttering closed. "Please." With that, the man collapsed, his body going slack in Orion's arms.
Fii stared at the motionless figure, her heart pounding frantically. "Is he...?"
Orion laid the stranger gently on the ground and pressed a finger against his neck, checking for a pulse. "Alive. But only just." He frowned. "Not sure for how much longer, though. Looks like he's lost a lot of blood already..."
Fii stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Should she help? Could she help? She glanced around frantically, searching for something, anything, to staunch the flow. Her gaze landed on a stack of cloth napkins stacked on a table near the entrance. "Here!" She shouted, scooping up the bundle and hurrying over. She snatched the topmost napkin and hurried over to the bleeding man, tearing it into strips with her bare hands. Orion snatched the fabric and wrapped the makeshift bandages around the man's midsection.
"Go get the medkit! It's behind the counter," Orion commanded. "There should be some gauze and medical tape."
Fii raced to the back of the room, frantically searching for the item in question. "Where is it?!"
"The metal box. On the shelf."
Her hand collided with the cold metal surface and she yanked the case off the shelf, dropping it clumsily on the floor. It popped open, spilling its contents everywhere. Fii scrambled to gather the supplies, tossing various items aside haphazardly. "Found it!" She shouted, grasping the remaining contents in her arms and racing back to where Orion crouched beside the fallen man.
She dropped to her knees and set the kit on the ground. Orion reached in, grabbed the remaining gauze, and quickly applied pressure to the gaping wound. "Hold this here. Make sure to keep the pressure on," he ordered as Fii followed his instructions, keeping steady as she held the bloodied cloth against the man's torso. "Okay, remove the napkin. Use this to secure the dressing in place."
Orion held out a roll of medical tape, which Fii hastily retrieved and began wrapping around the man's abdomen. She did so as gingerly as she could, struggling to maintain a firm grip as her hands trembled with nerves. After several agonizing moments of applying pressure, she finally secured the final piece of tape, exhaling sharply. "That's it?" she panted. "Did I do it right?"
The elderly librarian wiped the sweat from his brow. "I think so. It should hold long enough to get him to one of the clinics, unless you know anyone with medical training?"
"Yeah, I'm friends with the doctor from the Aether Clinic. I can get her here fast." Fii rose unsteadily to her feet, swaying slightly. "What do we do with him?"
"Lay him over here." Orion replied, motioning towards an empty patch of floor nearby. "We need to keep his legs elevated to prevent any potential shock from setting in. Can you do that for me?"
"Yep," Fii confirmed, moving to position herself under one of the injured man's arms, while Orion gripped the other. They lifted him awkwardly and dragged the man onto the spot, resting his legs on a pile of books. "Like this?" Fii asked, hovering anxiously beside the unconscious figure.
The librarian gave a curt nod, satisfied with the arrangement. "Now, go fetch your friend."
Fii nodded and spun on her heel, bolting out the door as fast as she could, heading to the Aether Clinic.
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Edith stared blankly at the scene unfolding before her. She was still half-asleep and disoriented after being abruptly awakened by a frantic Fii barging into her bedroom and dragging her out of bed before proceeding to jump over the rooftops at a breakneck pace. She stumbled through the door, steadying herself on a nearby shelf.
"You really couldn't have waited until morning, Fii?" She grumbled, rubbing her eyes wearily. "This had better be good."
But as soon as she caught sight of the bloody mess on the ground, her gaze sharpened. "What the hell?" She muttered, striding over and crouching down. She examined the unconscious man closely, taking in the bloodied makeshift bandages and the tattered remains of his shirt. "Who did this to him? And how?" She glanced up at Fii, who stood sheepishly beside her, wringing her hands. "And where the hell are we?"
"The Gilded Library." An old man approached her, his wrinkles creased with worry. "Name's Orion. We don't have much in the way of medical supplies, but we did the best we could to stabilize the situation. Got him lying down with his legs elevated and all that. Sorry, I haven't had to deal with this sort of situation in quite a while." He rubbed his head, sighing softly. "Hopefully, he'll pull through."
Edith eyed the old man skeptically before turning back to Fii. "Care to explain, Fii?"
"He got stabbed, Edith. He said his truck got stolen too," Fii responded quickly. "I know you're mad, but I had to bring you here as soon as possible, okay?"
Edith shook her head incredulously. "You got me out of bed for a random stab victim?" She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose, her patience wearing thin.
Just because she ran a clinic didn't mean she was a full-fledged surgeon. "Fine, Fii, fine. I'll do what I can." She sighed, kneeling down next to the dying man and inspecting his wounds more carefully. "Let's just hope he doesn't die while I'm patching him up."
Edith started working on the wounded man, cleaning and disinfecting the wound the best she could, before doing her best to suture his laceration and stanch the bleeding. Fortunately, he'd stopped actively bleeding, so all she needed to do was close the wound and ensure the dressing stayed in place. Within an hour, she'd finished the task, and the man was stable but still unconscious.
While Edith would prefer to transport him to Aether Clinic, she didn't trust the local gangs to not interfere. This meant she'd have to watch him for another night, and if he made it through the following day, she could get him to the clinic.
"Alright, he seems to be stable for now. We'll need to watch him, but he's lucky to be alive. For now, anyway," Edith explained to Orion and Fii.
Her eyes drifted to the clothes the victim had worn, stained in his blood. A logo emblazoned on the uniform caught her eye. Something she recognized.
Oh shit...
"Fii, get Virgil here, pronto." She ordered, picking up the shredded outfit. "I need you and him to track down that truck."
Fii furrowed her brow in confusion. "Why?"
Edith lifted the garment for her to examine. "Because that truck is carrying the components I need for my lab, including the ones for your helmet.”