He had tried, but he realised, too late, that he’d messed up.

The components had fallen apart before they could fuse, and while James knew what he’d done wrong, he wasn’t sure if he could’ve done any better if he had the chance to try again. He’d been at it for hours now, and had had enough time to get it right by now.

Tam was by his side now.

“Don’t let it beat you, Isles. Believe it or not, I was the same back when my old man taught me this stuff.”

The fumes and the heat were getting to James, throbbing his head.

He’d wanted to please and impress Tam so badly; more than anything. He’d managed well enough with the other tasks given to him so far. While he was lacking in a lot of simple memories, he’d found that he was fairly useful on the site and had even become accustomed to the machines and vehicles as though he’d used them before. But this… he felt like crying.

And it was so hot!

“Listen to me, James.”

He always looked up when Tam called him by his first name. The Canthian’s small eyes were sorrowful yet shone with an understanding.

“This gruff ain’t easy. Not for all. You’ve got potential, kid, you really do. But you can’t win at everything. Look, I know you wanna do well here. You’re a trier, Abyss fend you. But you’ll find you can’t do everything. Doda willing, you’ll do as best you can, with whatever you choose to do. You just gotta keep trying. Keep getting up when you get knocked down. Some people, they just lie there and let their failures or doubts decide who they are. Others take them as fuel to work harder. You do the best you can; no one can ask for anything else. It’s all about you, Isles.”

It’s all about you.

***

He’d been conscious for a while now, he realised groggily as he opened his eyes. Feeling like he’d laid there for a lifetime, James finally found the strength to lift himself up. He looked wearily around through blurred vision, the taste of blood in his mouth.

The sounds of Tyken Town gradually returned, which at this moment consisted of flames and crumbling metal. Tam’s voice had faded away among the rubble, bringing back James’s sense of urgency. Sam was recovering beside him and appeared okay, but James saw that Evan lay further away, motionless.

He moved to Evan and carefully turned his small delicate head to face him. The Voarn’s smooth features were covered in dirt, scratched, and he looked completely exhausted. With a groan, Evan slowly regained consciousness, breathing through shallow breaths. James’s shoulders dropped with relief. For a second, he’d feared the worst for the little Voarn.

“Evan.” James found his voice was hoarse.

Evan blinked and strained against the daylight, his face twisting into a grimace.

Sam was on his feet; somehow his actions were still hurried and strong. “We have to get moving. More guards will be coming, along with Lawmen any second now.”

James helped Evan to his feet, making sure he was okay. He saw the remains of the burning helicopter and shuddered at the thought of it having nearly fallen on them. Looking up, his stomach churned at the sight of the smoking roof edge, so far away now.

Sam led them away from the crash site to a pathway between two low buildings. A grassy patch opened to an unused children’s park. Running along the edge of the park fence, past the weathered play structures, they came to the back of another building and ran into a narrow alleyway. Within the alley they finally stopped and regained their breath.

James rested against the brick wall, massaging his bruised knee and working through the pain. The gash on the bridge of his nose had mostly stopped bleeding, though he knew his face was covered with dry blood. He must have looked a mess.

From the main road beyond the quiet alley, sounds of people and music filled the silence while they rested. Sam appeared to have recovered already, as if untroubled by their ordeal, and looked them over. “Are you both all right?”

Evan must have acknowledged without James noticing, as he saw that Sam was now waiting for his response.

He nodded, taking a controlled breath. “Still moving.”

“Who was that final guard?” Evan asked Sam. “He was… unlike the others.”

“That was a Sacre guard,” Sam said with a serious, troubled look. “I couldn’t say why he was there. I’d never expected to see one of their guards here in town. The warehouse may have had stronger ties to Sacre than we’d anticipated.”

James said, “I thought you said it weren’t heavily guarded.”

“From everything we’d seen so far, it wasn’t. But there was no doubt extra security in place today. That helicopter’s quick deployment also suggests they were ready for intruders. They must have seen us coming.”

“Then why let us get in?” James asked. “Why let us get as far as we did, if they knew we were there?”

Evan said, “Perhaps we were not the ones they were waiting for?”

Sam considered this a moment. “Are you both ready? We have a scientist to catch before he leaves the city.”

“Right,” James agreed.

“Follow me.” Sam broke into a jog. “I have a plan.”

The main road beyond the alley had a distinctly green theme to it, along with a strong smoky smell like burning wood. Along with the large park on one side and the dozens of trees around the area, many buildings and signs were painted in several shades of green and brown.

It was immediately clear that most of the people in the vicinity were Firions; the tanned feline species who were one of Tyken Town’s most common inhabitants. James had always wondered how Firions handled the hot climate, given that their forearms and shins were covered in a thick fur. Also why they generally preferred to keep their hair long and wild, rolling back like a lion’s mane.

While James had visited several of the boroughs within the north-eastern district of Quadwood, he’d never been to the Camembough borough before. He remembered the Yhalham Mire area, which they must have been in now, was largely populated by the Firion people, and over the years they’d shaped the area to their preferences, with green being a favoured and holy colour of theirs.

Large tilted eyes watched them as they slowed to a fast walk. James guessed it was only a matter of time before a connection was made between the grimy, injured trio and the loud explosions heard. A hunched female picked up her small child protectively as they passed, while others spoke in hushed melodic voices. Despite their bat-like ears, protruding snouts, and sharpened teeth and nails, the Firion people were similarly proportioned to a human, although generally a foot shorter than an average man. James knew they were usually mistrustful of strangers, which made him even more nervous as they went down the road.

Among the row of shops that they passed was a cafe that played a whistling song from speakers, where carefree Firions danced and sang outside. Further on, three young children were throwing a clay ball between them, chirping excitedly in their bird-like language.

Sam told them Rimas Complete had a construction site in the area, and that they could find some transport there. James was content enough to follow Sam’s lead and regain his senses, relieved with this calm moment after their ordeal.

They eventually turned into a side street and began jogging again at Sam’s insistence. Ahead, James recognised the towers of the Camembough construction site. Crossing a short field of dried mud and weeds, they jogged to the side entrance of the site through an open gate. Here they slowed to a fast trot they tried not to look out of place, given their rough appearance and various scratches and bruises. Fortunately, only a few workers remained at this time of the early evening, and most were packing up for the day.

James saw they were constructing an office building, currently four levels high with another level to go, which was mostly a framework with various walls and foundations up. In some ways it reminded him of the abandoned site that Rolan and his gang called home, and he frowned at the thought.

They came upon two bo’Breihs huddled over a workstation, their short figures standing on crates to reach the station’s top. Like all bo’Breihs, the lower portions of their heads were covered ­­in bushy hair, giving them the look of perpetual beards.

“’Sai, Sammy!” the nearest one exclaimed as they approached, his voice gruff and heavily accented. “You lost, immi? Who let you on our site?” He chortled, spittle flying out of his wide mouth.

James was somewhat familiar with them both, from when they’d worked a few shifts at the Meter Mark site a few seasons back. The one that spoke was Roi, whose full name was somewhere close to eight syllables. The other one, thinner and with a paler complexion, was Jassi, who also had an exceptionally long full name that James couldn’t remember or pronounce.

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“We dug our way in from Belam,” Sam told them. “Lets us get between the sites quicker.”

Another chortle left Roi’s lips as he turned to his fellow alien. “Hala dol dola red ganda find their adjal hio yui’lo,” he said to Jassi, gesturing wildly to Sam and James. Both bobs roared with laughter, a cacophony of chuckles and gargles which gave James a pain in his temple.

“’Sai, fellas,” Jassi said, his dark eyes narrowing as he waved a stubby finger over them. “What you been up to in Belam? You beat up.”

“Trouble packing away the AV-Compactor,” Sam said casually. “Nothing to worry about. Just need a word with Kereb.”

Jassi nodded, seeming to accept the response. “You want the big bossi ’sai?”

“Aye,” Sam told him. “Where can we find him?”

Jassi thrust a large thumb behind him, up to a temporary staircase that wound around the building. “’Round back.”

Sam turned to James and Evan; his voice suddenly tight. “I’ll be right back with some transport. Wait here for me.” With a nod and a smile to the bobs, Sam left to find the foreman.

James took a moment to consider the two Sam’s at work. The friendly, likeable Rimas worker, and the serious, somewhat troubled Oneron soldier. He wondered if he would have ever noticed that there were two versions of Sam.

“Your truck break down, Jammi?” Roi asked. The bo’Breihs had accustomed James with a nickname that resembled one of their own names, as they did with most people. James took this as a sign of acceptance from the nomadic aliens.

“Kinda,” he said, wondering what Sam was saying to the foreman now. They didn’t have long if they were to catch up to Dr. Velome before he left the city.

“Ho, Jammi, what in Abyss is this one?” Jassi pointed to Evan, who had remained further back from James, surveying the site.

“He’s a friend of ours,” James said, hoping the bobs wouldn’t draw too much attention to the dishevelled Voarn.

Jassi turned to Roi and said something in their own broken language. They nodded to each other with knowing smiles.

“Such a peculiar people,” Evan remarked, stepping closer with a questioning look. He looked startled when they all turned to him, and added more casually, “Where are they from?”

A strong hum left Roi’s lips. “Fai, such a… pecoolia person yourself, little man.”

“He calls me little when he is standing on a box,” Evan said with amusement in his voice.

“Little man, you don’t want us to get off these boxes.” Roi leaned toward them and James held a hand out to keep him back.

“Whoa, hold on, Roi,” James said. “Our friend here ain’t from around here. This place is all new to him and he’s just… ain’t used to seeing so many people.”

“They are equals,” Evan said thoughtfully, raising a brow. He looked the bobs over and his face softened to something agreeable.

“They’re friends,” James said, feeling strange about having to explain that.

“Yeah, lama, remember that.” Roi rubbed the back of his head, messing his soft. thinning hair before smoothing it out again. He gave Evan a flustered look before addressed James again. “You always a strange one, Jammi.”

James was beginning to realise just how often people said that to him.

“Toodo han anny remember dos’ish,” Roi said to his colleague, who chortled in agreement.

Though he’d never learned the bo’Breihs broken Boreihn language, James had an uncomfortable feeling he knew what Roi had said.

All other thoughts left him when he saw a plate with half a sandwich on the workstation, next to a stack of architectural templates. His stomach stirred at the sight, making him realise how hungry he was. He reached over and gestured to the plate. “Fellas, you don’t mind if I just…”

“Ya, ya, Jammi,” Roi said, nodding vigorously.

James took a large bite and chewed with satisfaction, tasting the dry meat—most likely hirrilon—and the sweet nut bread. There was a bitter sauce, which could have tasted odd at any other time, although at that moment anything was welcomed. James took comfort in nourishing his exhausted body, and didn’t mind that his hands were dirty and speckled with blood.

“You wanna come over tonight, too?” Roi said with mocking enthusiasm. “We fix you nice dinner, yuh. Stay over too if you like.” He nudged Jassi, who shared a laugh.

James smiled sheepishly while he finished a mouthful. Before he could answer, he heard gravelly footsteps to the side.

Sam returned in fast strides. “We’re good to go,” he told them. “Fellas, we’ll leave you to your fascinating table.” This time James noticed the difference in Sam’s voice when he addressed him and Evan and when he spoke to the Rimas workers.

“Hey, at least we’re at the right site,” Roi told Sam in mock defiance.

“As we should be too,” Sam said, nodding to them and turning to James and Evan with a levelled look. “We have four wheels.”

“Make sure you bring them all back,” Jassi called out as they stepped away.

“With a fresh paint job,” Sam called back with a smile, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere.

James held up the remaining sandwich. “Thanks, fellas. I owe you one. Half of one.”

They left the muttering bo’Breihs and headed around the building, eventually coming to an open space where a thick-wheeled maintenance tough-truck was parked. James recognised it as a roadside maintenance vehicle, used for a smaller division of Rimas. Its empty rear extension usually supported small vehicles or transported heavy equipment such as portable cabins.

Evan jumped into the back as James sat in the front passenger seat. Once he’d sat down, James took a moment to close his eyes and finish the last mouthful of sandwich. His stomach churned at the thought of what they’d been through. but he felt much stronger after eating.

Sam drove them through the gravelly surrounding area to the nearest road as he explained his plan. While it seemed plausible, James couldn’t help but have doubts. Admittedly, he had to give credit to Sam for thinking of picking up a maintenance truck from the nearby site, with all the chaos of the events around them.

After a series of turns and a short-cut down a side road, Sam turned onto a busy main road that stretched from the northern district down to the Quarters. Ahead, a bus had misjudged a turning and was currently stationary, surrounded by other vehicles waiting to pass.

“Head down here.” James pointed to a narrow side alley. It wasn’t meant for vehicles, but it would get them where they needed to go quicker.

Sam spun into the alley, and when they came out to find another build-up traffic on the next main road, he switched a siren on the truck. An electric wail fluctuated from a speaker on the roof, along with the lights that flashed on the doors.

James’s breath caught when he saw a Redcraft crossing the sky. If the Red Guards were about, trouble wouldn’t be far behind. The craft was headed in the direction of Oldsway, toward the warehouse, and he wondered why the Red Guards had become involved so quickly. Usually the Lawmen took care of local issues, and the Red Guards only dealt with larger, more dangerous matters.

When they crossed into Mile Arm, the borough before Tammin Pass, James studied the streets and hoped they were nearing Dr. Velome’s location. The truck alarm helped them pass a little easier through the road.

As they ascended onto an overpass, Sam straightened in his seat and pointed. “There.”

At first James couldn’t see where there was, but he soon spotted the doctor’s black Hesseidan craft, notable by its sleek, glossy design. Sam weaved through the traffic and managed to shorten the distance between them and the Hesseidan.

“Just a little closer,” Sam said to himself.

He continued weaving through the traffic as much as the truck allowed, with the help of the whining alarm. When he managed to manoeuvre behind the Hesseidan, Sam flicked a switch on the truck’s front panel. A beam of light shot from the truck and scanned the back of the craft as a small display came to life on the front panel, detailing chunks of green data. The strobing light assessed the vehicle’s status and public records, as was standard procedure for the maintenance truck. James was thankful Sam still wore his red worker jacket, and hoped that their guise would prove convincing enough to get close to the doctor.

“You got him?” James asked, growing with agitation. If their truck didn’t detect a fault with Dr. Velome’s craft then their plan would fail at the first hurdle.

Sam tapped into a keypad next to the display and then flicked a switch down and up. After a moment, the strobing light turned from yellow to red, and the truck siren blazed in a faster tone. James grinned; he hadn’t known the detector could be bypassed like that.

A mechanical voice called out through speakers: Alert. Your vehicle has a detected fault. Turn aside immediately for assistance. The alert repeated itself while they waited for signs of acknowledgment from the doctor. The windows were blacked out, blending with the paint job of the craft, which meant James couldn’t see inside. Now would be when the doctor should pull to the side. But instead, the Hesseidan craft’s engines roared and it sped forward, weaving through the vehicles up ahead.

Sam cursed himself and accelerated. “So much for that. Must have sensed something.” He shook his head harshly. “Now we’ll have to do this the hard way.”

They followed the craft through the curving road, crossing lanes and narrowly missing a few oncoming vehicles. Evan yelped from the back seat when Sam shot back into the correct lane, just missing an oncoming coach. The road lowered to ground level as Sam managed to recover some ground, passing an intersection without slowing. Up ahead, the Hesseidan swiftly turned onto a ramp that led to the roads on the second level of the city.

“Hold on,” Sam called out as he manoeuvred the truck around to the higher road. The front of the truck scraped against the inclining road, sending sparks flying behind them. The g-force pushed them back as they sped up the ramp.

James saw the peaks of the Quarters up ahead, and realised their pursuit had turned them toward the centre of the city. Several passers-by watched them from an adjacent walkway as their truck slalomed through the traffic.

The road ahead turned into a tunnel that passed through a giant building. Several vehicles were stationed on one side, alighting for the various shops and eateries that lined the tunnel. Lights from other shops and attractions streamed by them in a long blur. James pressed a hand in front of him to steady himself, feeling his heart thudding in his chest. They emerged from the other end of the tunnel and saw the road merged flush with the roof of another building. The right side opened to a large parking station, where a collection of short towers housed local businesses and office blocks. Sam used this extra space to overtake the vehicles ahead, making good ground. The end of the parking station soon loomed ahead of them, although a coach on their side blocked their way back to the traffic lane. James tensed, holding on, as the end barrier sped toward them. Sam increased his speed and shot into the traffic lane just as the end barrier met them, scraping the side of the extension and jolting them. He wrestled with the wheel to regain control, knocking into a van on their side while the coach behind narrowly missed them. The risk had thankfully paid off, and they were now four vehicles behind the Hesseidan.

A siren ripped through the air. James turned to see a Lawcraft rising over the edge of the road, its curved front aimed at them as it began pursuing their truck.

James groaned. “The hard way just got worse.”

“As they tend to do,” Sam said, exclaiming as he dodged a speeding jet-bike and fought to straighten the truck.

The Lawcraft closed in on them with sirens blazing.

Movement from the Hesseidan’s exterior caught James’s eye. “What’s that?” He realised what he was seeing as soon as he spoke.

Lines of light came to life at the sides of the craft, followed by two larger lights that flashed on the back, coming from stubby exhausts that extended from hidden panels.

“No, no, no,” Sam spat.

The flight mode of Dr. Velome’s craft had been initiated, and once he was in the air he’d be gone in a matter of seconds. James guessed that he must be desperate to escape them if he’d risk an illegal flight path within the city borders. At least it would divert attention away from them.

Sam did all he could to push the truck harder, but he could gain no further ground.

As the Hesseidan began lifting off the ground, a small explosion erupted from its underside. The craft sprung into the air and fell dead, sending out sparks and grit as it skidded to a stop by the side of the busy road.

“What the—” Sam left the rest unsaid, and came to a stop beside the inactive craft.