Sheriff Clay impatiently raps at the locked door of the grocery store while glancing about in apprehension. It wouldn't do for anyone to see him meeting Archie like this on the sly, especially after Xir had laid down its judgment upon him.

"Hurry up, god damn it." Clay curses at the closed door. Just as the words leave the sheriff's mouth, the door opens with a creak, revealing the cowed face of the cashier that Archie keeps around.

"Here to see Archie." Clay mutters as he pushes past the cashier. The cashier does not protest and merely disappears between the shelves of the store, going back to what she had been doing previously. Clay pays the woman no mind and stalks towards the back of the store where there is a single door marked with the word 'OFFICE'.

"Its open." a surprisingly energetic voice announces from the other side of the door. Clay begins to reach for the doorknob but is abruptly pushed aside by the cashier who walks into the office bearing a tray loaded with food.

"What the hell?" Clay grumbles while the cashier lays down the tray on a wooden table at the end of the office. Sitting at the table is an extraordinarily skinny man, so skinny that he might as well be a walking skeleton. A pair of gold rimmed spectacles are planted on the man's bony face which glint from the fluorescent lighting used in the room. The bag of bones gets up from his seat and begins moving the piles of papers and files on the table to the side, clearing a space for the cashier to set down the food.

"Just a moment Sheriff," the man's bald pate shines as he moves about, giving the impression of a talking skull, "There's something I need to do first before I can attend to you."

A withered hand reaches on to a pouch on the table and pours out an assortment of pennies. The skeleton grabs a handful of the loose change and throws it high into the air, watching them scatter all over the floor. Archie then bends over and scrutinizes the fallen coins, before finally grunting in acknowledgement and retrieving the change back into the pouch.

"How can you eat so much and be so skinny?" Clay mutters, "You look like one of those half starved survivors that roam about the wasteland."

"The food is mainly for you Sheriff." Archie raises an eyebrow, "I understand you had problems with Xir? Feel free to take a seat by the way." Archie then waves the cashier away and the woman scurries out of the office.

"About time." Clay huffs and pulls up a chair, "Its all your fault you know, getting me to spin that yarn in front of that ... that ... thing."

"But it worked out, did it not?" Archie answers while picking at his share of the food like a bird, "And you're welcome to visit anytime you feel hungry. Xir can't see into my office. The old ways still have some sway."

"Come off it." Clay snorts through a mouthful of patty, "The hoodoo you taught the girl accomplished the grand total of jack and shit."

"Did it now?" Archie asks leaning back smugly into his chair.

"Yeah. The boys told me that Xir was hot on those kids' heels until the virus showed up." Clay shoots back after a gluttonous belch.

"Xir made way, didn't he?" Archie leans forward, the smile on his face growing predatory.

"Made way, for what?" Clay snorts before realizing what Archie is getting at, "No way. You crazy, cunning bastard."

"I didn't do anything." the shopkeeper raises his hands in mock protest, "Stop slandering me Sheriff."

"You tricked the girl into dropping the barrier for you." Clay whispers in shock, "You actually invited the virus here, you crazy bastard!"

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"We discussed the matter before Sheriff," Archie replies disapprovingly, "We both knew the virus would reach this town eventually."

"You didn't say anything about actually bringing the virus in!" Clay shrieks in panic, "If anyone finds out we had a hand in it ..."

"Which they won't. This will be our secret Sheriff." Archie reassures, "We agreed right? The virus needed to get here to weaken Xir's power. Only then can you rouse the panicking townsfolk into an uprising."

"I thought it would be a siege situation or something like that! The virus pushing away at the border." Clay babbles, "Now you're telling me the virus is already inside the town?"

"Stop over reacting." Archie scoffs, "Yes, the virus is in the town right now. Within two weeks it will spread throughout the population. And when everyone realizes that Xir is a miserable charlatan, a new hero will rise."

"You don't understand!" Clay bangs his fist on the table, "A pampered big city asshole like you would never understand! Have you actually seen people dying out there? Fought over supplies with those Prep King crazies? I oughtta -"

"Clay." Archie's voice deepens and becomes heavy, laden with untold power, "Shut the fuck up."

The breath seizes in Clay's throat as an invisible weight crashes straight on to his chest. Archie leans forward, the leering skull face glaring ominously at the Sheriff.

"You're right Sheriff. I'm not from these parts." Archie nods, "You know where I'm originally from?"

Clay shakes his head furiously, tears blotting his eyes. What had he gotten into?

"New York. Ground zero." Archie continues, "The Big Plague Pit is what people are calling it these days. I've seen more and done more than you can ever imagine. So don't presume to lecture me. Understood?"

Clay sputters, trying in vain to draw breath.

"Understood?" Archie repeats. The sheriff nods frantically and the pressure on his chest disappears as suddenly as it came.

Archie pulls out a wad of dollar bills from a drawer on the table and hands the cash over to Clay.

"Burn these bills and mix the ashes with soap." Archie instructs, "Wash your hands with the mixture everyday. That will keep you safe from the virus."

"Really? Its that simple?" Clay blurts out, dumbfounded.

"There's nothing simple about old world magic." Archie harrumphs, "Just follow my instructions and everything will be fine. And keep Xir off those kids' backs. We don't want it completing that ritual until we're ready to move."

"Sure." Clay agrees, but worry clouds his face.

"Sheriff, you know what made this country great?" Archie pats the man on the arm, giving him an intent look.

"What?" Clay mumbles in confusion.

"Opportunity." Archie clarifies, "This is a land of opportunity. But the land needs men who are capable of recognizing that opportunity to make the most out of it."

"Opportunity. Yeah." Clay dumbly repeats.

"And we've got opportunity staring right in our faces now." Archie continues, "We just need to reach out and grab it. Or are you just going to be like the rest of the sheep out there, going with the flow?"

"I'm going to be the new big man." Clay says in a dull voice, "Going to grab that opportunity."

"Grab it by the pussy!" Archie cheers, "That right Sheriff?"

"Yeah. Yeah!" Clay shouts, the cloudiness in his eyes clearing up.

"Eat up then." Archie encourages his collaborator, "You've got an hour before you need to leave."

"Why an hour?" Clay asks as he goes back to shoveling food into his mouth.

"I've got an appointment coming up," Archie smiles, "a very, very important appointment ..."