“And you know what you're doing, right?” Despite her earlier enthusiasm, Sophie's frown had shown as soon as she left her home. Even inside the cab, it seemed like she didn’t feel safe.

“As I said before: The Squalor is the best place to disprove your anti-council nonsense. Go see all that great freedom you want so much and how the people live their lives with it. Then we can go back once you've realized how wrong you were. Here, put this on.”

When I handed the girl one of the security vests, she grasped it between her fingers as if it was a dirty rag. While the limp fabric flopped around, she raised a brow.

“The vests are for safety. Identifies us as government workers. You wouldn't go in there without a protective halo, would you?”

“Right. So you're qualified to bring me to this extremely dangerous place all by yourself? Aren't you just a trainee?”

“...do you want to go or not? This was your idea in the first place. Seriously, I'm sticking my head out the window doing this for you, so you best be grateful.”

“Right. You're my hero. My great savior.” I might have enjoyed her answer more without the sarcasm.

Once the tumultuous mess of the Squalor appeared in our view, the cab announced our arrival.

“Last chance to change your mind,” I said. “Do you want to brave a trip down a street and see what your freedom is about, or do you want to chicken out like you did with college?”

For a while Sophie went quiet as she measured up the view on our destination. After a look at the hooded strangers, she fumbled a small black box from her pocket. When she pressed down on the side, a blue arc sparked between the two protruding metal rods.

“You brought a stun gun!?” I drew back in my seat.

“Yup.”

“Isn't that illegal!? Where did you even get that!?”

“The plans are off the Aether. I built it myself though.” Her grin was as unreasonable as the pride in her voice.

“...so why bring a stun gun?” I asked like an idiot. Fittingly, Sophie also looked at me as if I was an idiot.

“Of course I brought the stun gun for you. You think I'd get into a car and drive around with random strangers, without a safety net? Turns out you weren't lying, but this thing will still come in handy here. C'mon, let's get this over with.” The orange vest still in her hands, Sophie opened the door and jumped out of the car.

Outside, the sky had turned a light yellow. If we wanted to stay safe, we would have to be fast. Get in, walk around a bit, and get home. Maybe this hadn't been the best idea, but now it was too late for regrets. I couldn't just bring Sophie back and break the caretaker's code, could I? Plus, the lunatic had a stun gun.

While I was making excuses to myself, Sophie gave the Squalor another once-over. After a closer look, she seemed convinced that joining the bad guys was better than getting mauled by her freedom-fighting comrades, so she put on her vest. Her delicate frame almost disappeared under the uniform large enough to cover Nate's massive frame.

“Don't laugh.” She gave me a sour look. Her expressions already looked much livelier than the disinterest she had shown when we first met.

“Let's go.” My neck snapped to the crowded streets. “We need to be out of there by sundown.”

“Ladies first,” Sophie said before trotting off by herself. Why did that phrase seem so familiar to me?

By the time I had caught up, we were surrounded by the improvised shacks. With the change in environment returned the fascination and dread I had felt on my first visit. Since that time nine months ago, Nate had always gone to the Squalor by himself, while I would wait in the cab outside. 'Too dangerous', he had said. My thoughts on the creepy old man with the piercing eyes, for once I hadn't disagreed.

Just like me, Sophie had been attracted by the strangeness of the people and wares on offer. When I caught up, she had been held up by one of the open-faced shops. As she picked up a black rectangle, she fired her curiosity towards the gruff, middle-aged owner.

“What's this?”

“Walkie-Talkie,” he mumbled with one eye on either of his guests.

“...I got a phone though.”

“Stay away from me with that crap.” The owner recoiled in horror. “Don't you know the council monitors everything you do through those things?”

“I'm not with the government, though.”

His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her vest. As much as I wanted to sit back and enjoy the show, I decided to step in and help my ward out.

“She isn't, Sir. If you look carefully, you will see that she does not carry a permit.”

This time, the man's suspicious stare focused on me instead.

“You have one though.”

“Well, I never said I wasn't a government worker... So what does your... 'walkie-talkie' do?” Before my status could cause any problems, I redirected the conversation. I was sure the man would much rather talk about his passions.

“Well, for one, this baby isn't gonna be tracked all the time by your council friends. No way the red bastards are gonna listen in on you on these babies.” Like a father, he stroked his not-phones with affection.

“Hmmm... you really think they care? I doubt they would mind what we think or write.” Sophie stayed on brand and repeated her previous point.

“How would you know? I'm not gonna trust some random faceless bastards just because they've got a badge. Who knows if those things are even human.”

“They sure sound human though,” I said. In fact, the guardians of peace were fabled for their sonorous voices.

“Language chips, man,” the man hissed, as his face bent over the table. “They totally know what they're doing. They show you just enough to get your heads going and then you sheep fill in all the blanks yourselves. It's crazy the amount of stuff the government covers up... and no one even cares.”

“Like what?” Although I knew better, I still chose to hear more, just for novelty's sake. Despite his previous secrecy, the owner rose up and began to flail his hands as.

“Like everything, man! Secret underground labyrinths! Human experimentation! You don't even wanna know what sorta things the red guards hide under their masks! It's all planned! From the top down, man!”

“...okay, maybe I'll buy one later.” As the man's rambling became more and more outlandish, I barely managed to stifle my laughter. Rather than be rude and laugh right in his face, I excused myself and stumbled away. Sophie to my side seemed to suffer from the same problem.

“Hey, wait!” From behind, we could still hear the man's voice lap itself. “Really, I knew it! You council types just come here to spy on me! Well, you're not getting me! I'm prepared! You'll see!”

After we turned the corner we stopped to catch our breaths, before we both burst into roaring laughter. We bent over and gasped for breath while we tried to support our rocking bodies on the wall. We didn't even notice the strange looks we garnered from around us.

For the moment, all that mattered was the laughter in our ears. Even after a good while had passed, Sophie was still giggling away. I, on the other hand, tried my best to calm down. I hadn't forgotten about my responsibility. I still had to guarantee my ward's safety.

Still slouched over from laughter, Sophie noticed my silence and raised her head. I could feel a smile creep onto my face again as the words of the conspiracy nut sneaked their way back into my head.

“...language chips, man.”

My words caused another eruption of laughter between us. I felt like I had finally broken the ice. That was something I learned as I had watched Nate: On your first meeting with a ward, it was important to break the ice and form a positive connection. Any sessions after that would be much easier.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“So, where to now?” Sophie asked as she wiped the tears in her eyes.

“Let's see what smells nice over there.”

Not long after, we traveled along the narrow streets, mystery meat on sticks in our hands. By now, Sophie wore a hat woven of synthetic fiber, while an old woman had talked me into some strange glass bead necklace. As we trotted along, we debated what sort of seasoning the meat-stick lady had used to create the unique, cheap flavoring.

“Has to be some kind of crazy artificial chemical, right?” Sophie asked.

“No way, have you looked around this place? Where are they gonna get anything like that? There's no way they got chemicals here.”

“...you do know that technically, everything is made out of chemicals, right? Chemicals don't just come out of materializers.”

Before I could point at the materializer on the street corner to make my point, my phone buzzed to interrupt our conversation. In shock, I read Amy's message, before I looked at the clock.

“Crap! It's way too late already. We gotta go,” I told Sophie.

“Seriously? It's getting fun though. I never get out of the house anymore. Doesn't the caretaker have to make sure I'm healed and reintegrated into society?”

To extend her excursion a bit longer, Sophie played the moody princess card. Her range of emotions had become much broader since our first meeting. Still, Sophie's safety was more important than her recovery.

“That's gotta be enough,” I said, as a look north showed the dark of night would encroach soon. “The sun's almost gone. Do you really wanna stay around with the nutcases after nightfall?” Of course I only whispered the last part. I wouldn't want to have the nutcases hear me.

“Oh come on, didn't you see the gambling place over there? They're only open at night. What's a little bit of danger anyways. Don't be a downer and come taste freedom with me.”

“So you agree the people here are free to act against the council, right?” I smirked. From all the fun, Sophie seemed to have forgotten the reason for our trip.

She answered my victory grin with narrowed eyes. As smart as she was, the college dropout must have realized what would be next.

“Since I've made my point, there isn't any reason for us to stay here any longer. Now you know the City Council doesn’t try to keep us as dumb farm animals, you can see that world isn't pointless, right?”

“...let's just get back to the car.”

It seemed like Sophie still wasn't cured, but that wasn't surprising. Depression wasn't something you could shake off just because of a single fun evening. It would take a lot of time, energy and hard work from both of us if we wanted a chance at success. Still, I felt satisfied with the first step. With this level of progress I could prove to Nate that I was a capable caretaker.

As I reveled in my contentment, I forgot an important lesson: Trouble always follows good fortune.

We were already close to the cab when the setting sun illuminated an old acquaintance. As he lugged his fat body around a corner, my eyes caught him just as his caught me.

“Oh no,” I whispered. Lester, the ghost of high school past, had reappeared to haunt me.

“Well, well, well. If it isn't lil' Coaty. Out on a date?” With a wide grin, my high school terror stepped towards us, confident as always. Of course, he wouldn't be alone. As always, his idiot friends were right behind him to back up whatever dim idea Les cooked up.

“None of your business, Les,” I bit back. Our school days were in the past. The fatty had no more power over me. Yet, he seemed to have a different opinion.

“...that's a 'no' on the date then. No wonder. What would a pretty thing like you be doing with a monkey like this guy? He making trouble for you? Want me to take care of him?” My mere presence ignored, he went after Sophie right away.

“You wanna help me out? Breathe that way.” The girl pointed down the road. “Your mouth stinks worse than the mystery meat.”

Sophie, always rude and headstrong, wouldn't let Lester's attempt at flirting go unpunished. My body tensed as the fatty reacted in the only way he had ever known: He got angry. All the oohs and aahs from behind his back only stoked the flames.

“Listen up, girlie: You really should show some respect,” he said with narrowed eyes. “I'm the boss around these parts, didn't you know that?”

He took a step forward, just as I took a step into his path. Over my shoulder I spotted Sophie, knees bent and ready to flee or charge. Her right hand hidden under her clothes should hold onto that stun gun she had brought along, so she wasn't exactly helpless. Still, I was responsible for the safety of the girl behind me. I would protect my ward at any price. That was what a caretaker had to do, what Nate would do.

“What do you think you're doing, little Coaty? Playing white knight or something? You really wanna fight me on this?” A grin spread ripples through his fat face.

“You best back off, Les. This isn't school any more. I work for the City Council now,” I said and held up my badge. All I needed was a minute of time to reach the cab. Then we would be safe.

“You think you're a tough guy just cause you got some dumb little job? You see this?” Les held up the collar of his green jacket. “Yeah, I'm part of the Jackals! We control this place, and we don't need you council types messing around in our territory.”

As his voice became darker, his body grew ever larger in my vision. Old memories resurfaced. Paralyzed from fear, there was little I could do as Lester shoved me to the side. I had been wrong: Nothing had changed since school. He was still strong and I was still weak. As his grin became a sneer, Lester pushed his way up to Sophie and grabbed her arm.

“Hey, honey. How about you ditch the loser and let me show you around my neighborhood?” It sounded like a question, but his tight grip spoke a different language. Lester's friends closed in to watch their boss put on his usual show.

“C'mon girl, don't you wanna know what a real man-”

Before he could finish, a subdued buzz cut through the atmosphere. Les screamed and twitched as he let go of my ward's arm.

“Ahhh!”

“Piss off, fatso!” Sophie shouted as Lester went to the ground under the impact of her homemade stun gun.

Not satisfied with her work, Sophie crouched to shock the helpless gangster over and over. Before I could stop Sophie from enraging the gangs of the Squalor any more, I noticed Lester's green-jacketed goons in a circle around us. At first they had grouped up to watch the fun, but now the encirclement had turned into a deadly trap. Already the henchmen had armed themselves and moved in to save their boss.

“Sophie! Move!” Without regard, I grabbed my ward by the shoulder and pulled her onto her feet. Instincts I didn't even know existed took control of my body. Only one behind us, some part of my brain told me.

With Sophie dragged behind me like a stubborn dog on a leash, I ran back the way we had come. Only two steps and I came face to face with one of Lester's friends. I remembered him from my school days, but his name had disappeared, just another in the anonymous mass who had stood aside and laughed at my torment.

Armed with a wide grin and a length of pipe, he stood between us and safety. I knew I was faster than them, so I tried to sprint past the opponent, but a simple swing was enough to intercept my path. I slouched my body down and to the side. At least protect the important bits. With a heavy thud, the pipe landed on my shoulder. My balance robbed by the force, I fell on a table with cheap handmade wares, creating a rain of knick knacks below me.

My right hand tightened to confirm my ward's existence. Sophie was still with me, good. I wouldn't let any harm come to her. I turned to look at my attackers, past and present. Most of the boys were huddled around their boss, but the one with the pipe was right next to us, careful to cut off all escape, while another came over as reinforcements.

As sweat formed between my brows, I stared down the pipe-wielder, the obstacle to my ward's safety.

“What, you want another one, Coaty?” the obstacle said with a sneer, “You'll pay for sneak attacking the boss. Your little missus too. We'll make sure to take good care of her.”

Just like Lester, he sounded like a caricature. Even his words were borrowed from his precious boss. Still, I couldn't win with words. I had to do something. If only I could get past him once. I didn't need a perfect victory, just enough time to get away. I looked around the streets and found them deserted. No one would come to help me, not with that damn vest on.

I could feel Sophie's fingers shiver in my hand. She had put on a strong front, but her true feelings were obvious. In the face of overwhelming odds, she was just as scared as me. Even so, she had done her best to stand up to the oppressors.

I could do the same. I had to. My mind focused and gathered my fist. Without warning, I lunged and aimed for the gangster's chin. All I received was a dismissive look. Of course a gangster would beat some scrawny kid who only knew how to get hit.

The goon took a step back and raised his weapon, that was it. I knew I would miss, but the momentum carried me through. I also knew the counter would hurt like hell, but there was nothing I could do. As I watched the weapon raise towards my face, I could only hope that my fist would connect first.

Somehow!

Like a popping balloon, I felt something in my arm give way and release in a violent burst. A wave of pressure forced the air around my arm forward. Caught unawares by the suction, I stumbled ahead and fell to my knees. My situation was still bleak, but if I could be considered unlucky, my attacker would be the least lucky man on earth.

I had never taken my eyes off him or his weapon, and so I could see every painful detail. A focused blast of air impacted his chin and flung him back like a puppet, before he was stopped by the corrugated wall behind, slumped down and unconscious. Chaos reigned my head as I tried to make sense of what had happened. I looked over to the reinforcements. Gangster number two was stock-still, his eyes opened to understand the scene before him. Then I looked back to Sophie, who looked aghast at the scene before her.

“How did you...” While she tried hard to whisper a coherent sentence, I realized there were more important matters. I didn't know what was going on, but I wouldn't squander our precious chance. Quick of mind, I vaulted onto my feet and grabbed my ward again.

“Let's go!” I shouted and dragged the still hapless Sophie with me. As we were forced back into the depths of the Squalor, I could hear the hectic screams and curses of Lester's henchmen.

Like the last time I had escaped from Lester's grasp, I ran as fast as I could, but in the maze-like streets of the Squalor, I soon lost all sense of direction. So I just ran, until we had left the voices behind us. I barely noticed my surroundings as I ran past people and through obstacles. Nothing mattered, nothing but the sprint.

Behind me Sophie's breath lost rhythm as my pull on her arm forced her along with me.

No time for chivalry. Just get away for now.

I charged ahead and lost myself in the speed.