Now, Las Vegas

Gremlins in the small hotel’s parking lot.

Gremlins in the hallways and rooms.

Prim didn’t have any of the PTSD in regard to that particular type of monster that most of the people that had lived through the first weeks of the spires appearing throughout the country.

She had been around 2 years old.

The early years of her life were shrouded by a thick, black shroud.

Her earliest memories had been of Ms. Daniels and the orphanage.

The first stages of the fight hadn’t been too hard.

The Golden Eagles had been battle-hardened by years of combat. The grueling trek across the American Southwest had been another crucible that had brought the survivors to the heights of their power.

The problems began with the boss, a huge gremlin alpha.

There had been an internal disagreement among parties as to who specifically would step up to the challenge.

The Dread Paladin had taken it as a given that he was the one to first exchange blows with the boss monster.

Hayden hadn't liked that. She had strongly stated that the Furies would have the first crack.

They had looked to be on the verge of blows, when the gremlin alpha appeared on the roof roaring as it leapt.

The Dread Paladin had speared it in midair and held the thousand-pound monster wriggling on the crosspiece. While Hayden had struck it with one of her electrified chains.

Elliot pounced on the impasse and ordered everyone to open fire with guns and spells.

The gremlin alpha died quickly.

The argument hadn’t cooled.

Hayden was livid as Dayana tried to hold her back.

The wince on the latter’s face told Prim that the former wasn’t keeping a tight hold on her electricity.

She debated using the butt of her spear to help Dayana out, when Elliot whistled.

“Can we get on with this!” he snapped. “We’ve got a true boss to fight and I’d like to get that done before the sun really sets. We have no idea what kind of monsters are out there. We need a safe base, so that we can sleep easy for the first time in months.”

Prim wondered about that.

She had heard about the man that had claimed the first motel they had stopped at. A man powerful enough that the Dread Paladin wasn’t able to challenge the claim. The thought sent a ripple of fear through her. She was surprised to realize that it was stronger than what she was feeling toward the dark-armored paladin.

Whose glowing eyes suddenly fixed on her.

“Fuck off!” Jayde stepped in front of her.

The problem was that she was about a head taller than Jayde.

She tried to remain tall and strong, but the fear was too much and she found herself withering to shrink behind Jayde. She cursed herself. That was how the girl that had started this journey reacted. She was Level 20 now and she had fought all sorts of terrible things. She had stood side by side with the Furies and the rest of the Golden Eagles. One of the best teams in their area and the best mercenary company that anyone knew off.

“Then do it,” the Dread Paladin rasped.

Elliot triggered the true boss’ appearance with nervous words.

A blur exploded out of one of the motel rooms. The splintered door sent jagged shards that had people crying out with surprise and pain.

Someone yanked Prim back by her collar as the blur passed in front of her.

“Flicker Movement.” Dayana appeared in front of her clashing with the blur. Short blades against clawed fingers. She came out on the losing end as her blades snapped.

“Fireball!” Jayde threw a straight punch and stumbled as the blur dipped back away from the two Furies.

“Everyone get back!” Static filled the air as the air around the charging Hayden was distorted by small arcs of electricity flowing across her armor and chains.

“Too slow,” the Dread Paladin rasped. He pointed the sword at the blur as it shredded its way through the expedition’s fighters. “Shadow Grasp.”

The blur crashed to a halt, slamming face first into the asphalt.

A black hand had emerged from the monster’s own shadow.

Prim didn’t expect the true boss to look almost human. Indeed, like a little girl in size, until it pulled its head up and snarled. Too many sharp teeth in a hideous face.

Prim fell to her knees.

“Yeah, it’s the ones that do the human trick that are the worse,” Jayde said.

“Uncanny valley shit,” Dayana spat.

The true boss struggled against the shadow hand as the Dread Paladin approached. He thrust the sword deep into its back. Skin that had resisted the expedition’s weapons parted like soft butter.

The monster screeched in rage and pain.

The black blade disappeared, replaced by a long-handled warhammer with an over-sized head.

One strike to the monster’s head and it was all over.

They had secured a relatively safe base.

“Finally! I can get a hot shower!” Jayde pumped her fist. “Wet wipes aren’t a proper substitute.”

“Not until we’ve pulled all our trucks into the lot,” Elliot said. “You guys are on guard duty.”

“Fine, fine,” Hayden said as she gathered the Furies and stationed them on the sidewalk just outside the parking lot entrance.

“Why, though?” Jayde said.

“He’s just covering the bases,” Hayden said. “It’s not a big deal. We can wait ten minutes. Unless you’d rather help with the unloading.”

“I meant, why stand on the outside of the safe zone,” Jayde said.

“Only safe unless something or someone stronger comes along,” Hayden said.

“Don’t be a pussy, Jayde. One step and you’re inside,” Dayana said.

“You saw how fast that boss was, right? One step is a long time for one of those things,” Jayde said.

Prim listened to the bickering continue while she struggled to still her shaking muscles. Adrenaline drained. She knew this had already experienced it several times throughout her journey. It still hadn’t gotten easier.

“The fight’s over. Try to relax,” Hayden said. “You’ll get first crack at the shower,” she nudged Prim to the protests of the other two.

“I’m trying,” Prim said.

“Try harder!” Jayde laughed.

Later that night the Furies were back on guard duty. Their spirits had been bolstered by said hot showers and the warmth of the two trashcan fires they had placed on each side of the parking lot entrance.

It was dinner time and each Fury had a bowl of hearty meat and vegetable stew, along with old, crusty bread.

Hayden constantly scanned the darkness on the street beyond the reach of the firelight even as she ate slowly.

“I thought it wasn’t good to eat before a fight,” Prim said.

“That’s if you know you’re heading into one,” Dayana said.

“But shouldn’t we eat after our shift?” Prim said.

“The stew would be gone by then. I, for one, didn’t want to eat another MRE. Which is why I grabbed us bowls. You’re welcome, by the way,” Jayde said.

“We already said thank you,” Dayana shook her head.

“I can’t wait to eat at a buffet,” Jayde eyed the bright glow in the distance. “So weird how the lights are still on,” she shook her head. “I wonder if the monsters gamble and shit?”

“No, they don’t,” Dayana sighed.

“Sucks for them. They just sit around for years waiting for people to show up and try to kill them,” Jayde’s eyes widened, “I think I got it! Encounter challenges and spawn zones are like a deranged version of Disney World!”

“No— shit, you’re right! Damn it!” Dayana said. The dark-skinned young woman stared into her stew without moving for what seemed like a long time.

“I blew her mind. She gets weird when that happens,” Jayde whispered to Prim.

Jayde’s head suddenly rose, her eyes focused out beyond the fire. “Car… car!”

The Furies scrambled, dropping half empty stew bowls in favor of weapons, or in Jayde’s case, her fists.

Prim was the slowest to react. She had just gotten her shield and spear when the car silently rolled to a stop just at the edge of the light. The soft rustle of the gravel underneath the tires rang out in the silence.

“Prim, tell the others we’ve got incoming,” Jayde said.

“Wait—” Hayden said. Why had she said that? “We can handle a car-full of people.” That wasn’t proper procedure, but she dismissed the thought. “Get ready,” she said as she tried to look past the car’s shining headlights.

Shadowy figures stepped out from the driver’s and passenger’s side.

It was hard to make out, but the passenger appeared to open the rear door and reach in for something.

The figures slowly stepped into the light.

The driver was a short man, muscular with a face—

Hayden blinked.

She tried to fix the man’s features in her mind, but they slipped away like water through her fingers.

“Hello! We come in peace!” the man smiled.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The second figure was a knight… carrying a baby.

“What the fuck!” Jayde whispered.

An actual knight in shining armor straight out of medieval times.

“What— what do you want?” Hayden shook her head.

“Well, we’d like to ask some questions and I suppose, we’d owe you some in return. Question for question, answer for answer. That sort of thing,” the man said.

“Just stand right there and we’ll get the Captain out here,” Hayden said.

“Yeah, I intend to have a chat with him, but I’m more interested with you guys for now…” the man’s eyes scanned the other people in the parking lot. They were closer to the motel rooms. Eating and talking without notice or care for what was happening a few hundred feet away. “There’s… another that I need to check out… but, that’s for later.”

“Okay,” Hayden nodded.

Why was she agreeing?

The Furies gestured toward the folding chairs they had set up near the two trashcan fires.

The baby reached up and slapped pudgy fingers against the knight’s full helm.

Hayden realized that it, she… the knight was a she. A small woman judging by her general build.

“Sorry, we don’t have extra chairs,” Prim said.

“And no extra food,” Jayde said.

“Kind of you, but that won’t be necessary,” the man said as he held up two folding chairs in one hand and a large bag of something that smelled really good in the other.

Hayden blinked.

When had—

That’s right. He had gotten it out of the trunk of the car.

“How come your car’s so quiet?” Prim said.

“It’s electric,” the man smiled, “easier to plug it in since there’s plenty of electricity than it was to deal with claiming a gas station.” He gestured with the huge bag of food. “We brought plenty to share.”

“Is that from—” Jayde recognized the branding on the bag.

“Best buffet in the city! Various grilled meats, pasta and broccoli cheddar soup. Also cake and pie slices and pastries for dessert,” the man’s warm features broadened in a wide smile.

Hayden blinked.

Narrow features made the smile feel sinister—

No, it didn’t.

The man definitely didn’t have a rat face.

“Tell me you have macarons?” Jayde barely restrained herself from lunging for the bag.

The man placed chairs on the street side of the parking lot, while putting the bag down in front of Hayden. “Every kind they had.”

“You claimed Caesar’s Palace!” Hayden belatedly realized the truth. The air crackled around her. “You—”

“We come bearing gifts in order to share the warmth of your fire and talk. Nothing more, nothing less,” the man soothed. “I will try my best to make this worth your time.”

“Give that food over and you’ve done it,” Jayde said.

Hayden calmed when she studied the man’s trustworthy features. She gestured toward the chairs.

The man took the baby from the silent knight before the two of them took their seats. The knight’s groaned and creaked. It looked to be on the verge of collapsing when it suddenly firmed up.

“May I?” Jayde pointed at the food bag.

Hayden knew she should’ve snapped at Jayde to be careful. Eating food brought by strangers wasn’t a good idea. She remained silent.

“Be my guest,” the man said.

“You wanted to ask a question,” Hayden’s jaw clenched, “ask.”

“I guess the obvious one is what are you all doing here?” the man said.

Hayden answered with a surprising amount of thoroughness and candor. She had definitely planned to do the opposite of that. Maybe not outright lie, but at least keep a lot of details out.

“Interesting, thanks. Now, your turn,” the man gazed at her expectantly.

“What’s with that?” Dayana said with a finger pointed at the baby cradled in the man’s arms, drinking from a milk bottle.

Hayden blinked.

When had that happened?

Wasn’t the baby slobbering over a rubber ring?”

“He’s a baby,” the man said.

“Yeah, but— why?” Prim snapped. “It’s dangerous. Babies and children aren’t allowed to leave—” the girl’s mouth snapped shut as her cheeks colored.

“That’s a perfectly reasonable question. Let’s just say that he’s safer with us than anywhere else,” the man smiled kindly toward Prim. “But, I think that’s not the question you really want to ask. So, I won’t count it.”

“Is it just you two?” Hayden said.

“Three, but yeah,” the man said. “My turn—”

“Sorry—” Hayden blinked. She felt like she had to push through a thick blanket, that suddenly lifted. “Your question, my answer, was a lot more in-depth. I think you owe me more.”

“Fair,” the man said.

Hayden struggled with the question in her mind. A name that wouldn’t allow itself to be uttered. “You asked what we’re doing here. What about you?” Her thoughts rolled over to the next question in her thoughts.

“Pretty much the same as your group. Kill monsters, clean up spawn zones, take treasure.”

“And how much have you claimed? That’s one,” Hayden regarded the bag on the ground, “any others?”

“Claimed? Caesar's Palace is the only resort hotel casino we’ve taken. Turned a few from spawn zones back into encounter challenges. I can give you a list for your expedition. A bit easier to do encounter challenges rather than spawn zones.”

“Is that why we haven’t spotted any monsters on the strip?” Dayana said.

The man nodded.

“Thanks… I guess.” Jayde’s barbecue sauce-smeared face smiled. “Mostly for this,” she held the pork rib up.

“I actually cooked that,” the man said.

“Damn, so the food wasn’t just all ready?” Dayana said.

“Nope… I, too, thought it might be different with a buffet, but alas, you still have to cook the food yourselves. At least everything had instructions laying around the kitchens,” the man said.

“Well, shit, you made these too then,” Jayde held up a pink macaron.

“That was me,” the knight said. A woman’s voice. “He’s terrible at baking.”

“Why didn’t you ask our names?” A thought was stuck in Hayden’s mind like a thorn.

“I heard from a Witch once, well, third hand, that names have power and can be used against you. I’ve never actually experienced it, but why risk it. If I’m not willing to give you mine then it didn’t seem fair to ask for yours,” the man said.

“I am Knight Ila,” the woman said stiffly.

The man’s eyes darted to his partner.

Hayden caught it.

What had she seen?

Something like incredulity?

So, that wasn’t the woman’s real name.

“I want to assure you that I don’t have any problems with your company conducting operations. I might even have some information to share that you might find interesting if you think you’re up to the challenge,” the man said.

“What is that information?” Prim said quickly.

The man smiled. “There might be a different kind encounter challenge or spawn zone outside the city. I haven’t checked it out, but I may be willing to team up with some of your number to explore it,” he held up a finger, “that’s all I’m going to say on that for now.”

“I think it’s our turn to ask something,” Knight Ila said.

“Go ahead,” Hayden said.

“The place you come from. Your home town? Tell me about it, please,” the man said.

Hayden shrugged. “What do you want to know?”

“What’s life like there? For the powerful, for the weak and everyone in between,” the man leaned toward her. Eyes that seemed to see right through her would’ve been more intimidating if not for the gurgling baby in the man’s arms. “I’d like each of you to share your thoughts with me, if you’re willing,” he regarded each of the Furies in turn.

Hayden started the telling.

Prim went last.

Hayden grew progressively angrier as Prim told her story. She thought of Kath’s murder and the cracks of suffering that would ensue in its wake.

The man’s face remained serene, but part of her, for a moment, thought she felt his anger mingling with her own.

“Will that be an issue for you when you return?” the man said.

“Pervy bastard might try, but we’ve got her back,” Jayde punched a fist into the palm of her hand. Barbecue sauce splattered.

“Yes, well, there are better places to live,” the man said.

“Your home?” Hayden said.

The man pondered that for a moment. “I’ve traveled a lot and it’s hard to say what home means to me, but I suppose it’s the closest thing.”

“We can tell you about it if you’d like,” Knight Ila said.

They did and so they talked long into the night.

Hayden found it strange that none of the other members of the expedition had come over to check on the two— three strangers and the awesome food.

When their shift was done they were gone. The people. The bags of food. The car.

The Furies stared at each other in a daze as they trudge to their motel room.

“Hot bunking sucks, but for an actual bed, I’ll deal,” Jayde said. She turned to Prim. “We can share. You don’t want to share with Dayana. She farts in her sleep,” she whispered.

“Bitch, I have Enhanced Senses!” Dayana snapped. “I know who deals it out and it isn’t me… most of the time.”

“More like enhanced gas,” Jayde sneered.

“And you snore like a bear. The two of you complete each other,” Hayden said.

“Did— did that just happen? I mean, we just talked to a guy, a knight woman and a baby, while eating buffet food,” Prim said.

Hayden blinked. “I can’t remember their faces,” she realized.

“So, they were ghosts? Or real? Real ghosts?” Jayde mused. “Meh, I remember the food,” she patted her once flat stomach, now rounded, “and that was heavenly. Caesar’s Palace, right? We should visit and get more.”

“Seems like a dream, but I’m pretty sure it happened, but there was definitely something weird going on,” Dayana said.

----------------------------------------

Elliot had set his tent up near the motel’s office. He would’ve enjoyed a bed, but wanted to be the last of the expedition to have the pleasure. He could wait another night or two for his turn.

He was just about to hit the cot when the flap rustled.

He eyed it expectantly, perhaps Ledge had something to complain about or more likely Hayden.

There was no shadow.

The thought led him to the Dread Paladin.

He let out a nervous chuckle.

That one was the last person he wanted in his tent at this hour of the night.

The fires had dwindled and the voices had softened. The last few holdouts were still drinking and snacking.

The Furies should be just about done with their shift.

The flap rustled again.

He stared at it.

There was no shadow.

“I’m exhausted,” he turned away.

The cot called.

The flap rustled a third time.

He didn’t remember it being windy in the parking lot. The U-shaped set up of the building provided a good windshield against the desert’s cold night air.

He turned back.

A man stood just inside the closed flap.

Elliot’s hand was on the grip of his pistol in an unconscious action.

“Relax. I come in peace. I’m just here to talk,” the man said. “You seem like a decent man from what I’ve… observed. You care about your company and you’re not into war crime-type bullshit. That’s worth a chat and the benefit of the doubt.”

Elliot relaxed.

“I’ve just got a few questions. In exchange I’ll answer a few of yours. I’m aiming for equivalency,” the man said.

He tried to study the man.

Strong bodied, but short.

Nothing else seemed to stick in his thoughts.

“Okay, but I go first. What do you want? I mean, what do you really want?” Elliot said.

A random guy shows up inside his tent in the middle of camp and no one appeared to be coming.

Someone should’ve noticed.

And yet, this didn’t bother him.

The man smiled and told him.

The offer of a temporary partnership was intriguing.

His suspicious nature wasn’t triggered, which was in itself more suspicious.

Not that he let that bring a halt to the conversation.

The man asked his question.

He answered with surprising candor.

Yes. There were aspects to the way the mayor ran San Antonio, or rather the remnants on the outskirts of the old city, that he wasn’t particularly fond of. “Making people have kids and then basically taking them and raising them to be good little soldiers, workers and other things is kind of messed up,” Elliot said.

The man agreed.

“I guess we won’t see the long-term effects until these kids grow up. I’ve heard of worse stuff, like what Prim ran away from,” Elliot continued. “Still, what’re you going to do?” he spread his arms. “People have warm homes and full stomachs. Sure, it’s weird that they still have to work for cash.”

“They, not you?” the man said.

“The company’s travels allows us to grab all the supplies we need from stores. If we need cash then we just do jobs for the city,” Elliot said.

“Thank you for your time. I’ll be in touch about our potential team-up,” the man said.

It took a moment for Elliot to realize that despite the fact that he was staring at the closed flap he couldn’t remember the man physically leaving.