Officer Gregory’s head didn’t take as much effort to pop loose as Arthur had expected.
His cane was enough to do the job, poking into the seam around its neck. With a swift tug, it came loose. Helped, by the acid chewing through the robot’s shoulder. Arthur resisted the urge to kick it as he picked the head up and walked away.
Captain Swordsman stood at the room’s exit. Next to him, Jemima stood with an arm around Dr. Muriler. The rat’s breathing was shallow. His bag was in his hand, and when he saw Arthur, he held it out.
“Yeah, of course.”
He took it and turned to Augustus, who was waiting nearby. Officer Gregory’s gun was in his hand, the large handgun untouched by the acid. Arthur could see the way Jemima looked at it. There was a longing in her eyes, and he didn’t blame her. That weapon was far stronger than what she had.
“Hey Augustus, did you want to keep that?”
Augustus shook his head.
“When we reach the top, pass it to Jemima then. I’m sure she can find something to trade you for it.”
Jemima nodded as Augustus squeaked in acknowledgment. Arthur turned to Captain Swordsman as he cleared his throat. The first thing he noticed was the hero’s slumped shoulders. A clear sign that the battle had taken its toll.
“Are you ready to leave?”
“Yes.” Arthur nodded. “Though we’ll need some help to get Dr. Muriler out. Do you have a rope or something?”
Captain Swordsman turned and started walking. “We can rig something up.”
Delilah’s cube didn’t light up as they walked past it this time. Once Captain Swordsman typed in the code, he left, mentioning the need to get some tools. When he’d left the room, Arthur turned to Jemima.
“Are you alright taking Dr. Muriler back?”
She scoffed. “I’m not taking him back.”
“Someone has to, and we only have two scooters.” Arthur didn’t flinch under his glare; the head in his hands was a comforting weight. “He can’t go on his own.”
“Then we all go back,” Jemima said as she nodded. “Heal up, get more guys, and then go out again.”
“No.”
Arthur glared at her. “We don’t know how long this information is good for. If I need backup, I can talk to Theorisa and the knights. Do you think she’s going to be happy with her son’s kidnapping? No. You’re taking him back.”
Jemima opened her mouth, and he could see the rows of teeth. Flecks of metal covered them. Her yellow eyes narrowed as she stared at him. “Is that an order?”
“Yes.”
Neither moved. Her jaw snapped shut, and she smiled. “Then I want a salary if you’re going to be making demands and treating me like staff. Eighty Golden Pennies a month.”
“Not on your life,” Arthur said with a snort. “That’s more than Augustus gets paid. Fifty, and you’re going to help run my security team.”
“Done.”
“Done. When we get back, I’ll finalize it.”
Captain Swordsman returned with a series of ropes over his shoulder. Arthur didn’t ask him why he had those. It didn’t matter. They needed to get Dr. Muriler up and out of here. His little head-collecting spree had detoured them enough already. Though at least it would be a shining jewel in his hoard.
No one spoke as they made their way back to the surface. A complicated procedure that required Jemima and Augustus to go first. They held the ropes while Arthur climbed below Dr. Muriler, pushing him up.
As they stood on the surface, Captain Swordsman gestured behind him.
“I would offer to come, but now that we have access to the offices, there are things I need to find out about. Thank you for getting them open.”
“No problem,” Arthur said as he held out a hand. “Thanks for your help in there. I’d love to come back and poke around. I can make a solid offer on some of the research.”
Captain Swordsman laughed, and they parted ways.
Jemima helped Dr. Muriler onto the scooter and started it.
“There’s not much fuel left; how do you plan on getting back from the farms?”
“They have a cart,” Arthur said. “Be safe and make sure he gets healed.”
Augustus moved over and handed her the gun. She put it away and nodded to him. Arthur grabbed Dr. Muriler’s backpack before they drove off. As they watched them leave, Augustus squeaked a question.
Arthur chuckled as he dropped the backpack next to Augustus’s bat. “I’ll drive. I know the way.”
***
They wove around buildings, the scooter’s maneuverability perfect for the urban environment.
He heard the engine roar as he pushed it to its limits. Buildings blurred past them, and he could feel Augustus’s grip tighten around him. Flecks of green entered the blur, letting him know they were heading in the right direction.
Flecks turned into splotches, which turned into a wall of trees once they broke out of city limits.
Arthur snorted at the name, understanding its meaning now. This was where Genomian Inc. had messed around with the ecosystem. He wondered if that meant he could find the blueprints or whatever for creating that moss.
There’s no way Jessib or someone else couldn’t use such a thing. He’d make money and grow his hoard.
“It’s a good thing I’m going to get the director’s granddaughter on board.” He thought as he did his best to ignore the bumps of roots.
As the plant growth got thicker, he slowed down, not wanting to hit any animal that darted onto the road at high speeds. Around him, he could hear their noses, and he watched as the wind blew the leaves off the tree. Behind him, Augustus sniffed at the air and let out an excited squeak.
“Yeah, it’s nice out here,” Arthur agreed, keeping them as steady as he could.
When they drew nearer to Alice’s farm, he saw two Knights and a squire standing on the road. All armed, though from the way they stood, they looked bored. Upon spotting him, they perked up. One even waved.
He slowed to a stop, letting the engine idle as he leaned over to speak to him.
“Hey, is Theorisa, Charleston, or Tilly around?”
The taller of the trio nodded, his face covered by a helmet. Her voice was gravelly, though, and he thought she’d complained about a lack of alcohol when she visited once.
“At Richard’s place. Miss Theorisa should be helping Lilly and Penny with the baking.”
Arthur didn’t miss the emphasis on the word Miss in that sentence.
“Charleston and Tilly?” He asked.
“Either Jeremy’s or with Miss Theorisa,” the knight said. “We’ve been on patrol looking for your mystery lady.”
“Don’t worry, I found her.”
Arthur nodded as he drove towards Richard’s house. His worry grew as he tried to figure out the best way to tell Theorisa about her son’s kidnapping. She wouldn’t be happy, but he hoped that would mean she’d be willing to come with him. Her help would be invaluable.
People stood around outside the farmhouse as he arrived, heads turning in his direction. He dismounted, with Augustus following suit and handing him the bag. A quick check told him everything was fine. The Head, acid vial, and notebook were all still intact. He grabbed the notebook, holding it in his hands as he moved forward.
His eye met Theorisa’s as she stepped towards him. Her expression turned from curious to worried when she realized Theobold wasn’t with him.
“How can we help?” Her voice didn’t hold any of the emotion her eyes did as she smiled at him.
Arthur paused, looking around. He caught Richard’s eye, along with Penny, who stood nearby. Others he didn’t know milled about, and so he ignored them. With a smile of his own, he tried to act like this was a normal visit. No need to panic anyone.
“I was hoping we could discuss some store developments. You wouldn’t know where Tilly and Charleston are, would you?”
“I’m sure Penny can run and grab them.”
The words were barely out of her mouth before Penny darted off. The young girl was fast, and Arthur wasn’t worried about the wait being too long. Richard moved over as she sped away and nodded toward the house.
“Shall we head inside, then? Lilly would love to say hi, I’m sure.”
“That would be great. Sorry to intrude.”
Richard laughed. “Not at all.”
Augustus followed silently as they moved into the house, the door swinging shut behind him.
***
Lilly had not reacted well to Augustus.
Arthur didn’t blame her; the rat mutant was a different breed from Theobold. More animal and less human. It took both Arthur and Richard, promising they’d stay out of the kitchen for her to calm down.
As Augustus stood behind his chair, he chatted with Richard and Theorisa about this and that. He didn’t want to explain the full situation until the others arrived. To his relief, that didn’t take long.
Charleston and Tilly followed Penny as she strode into the room with a wave.
“Hi, Augustus! Hi, Arthur!”
Augustus squeaked back but didn’t wave. She moved over and sat next to Theorisa, who shifted in her seat.
“So, what’s going on? Why didn’t my son come to visit his dear old mother?”
Arthur took a deep breath and then explained. As he did, he watched the expression drain from her face. Richard shifted a few times, and Penny took Theorisa’s hand. Even Lilly poked her head into the room to listen.
Knight Charleston and Tilly stood behind Theorisa’s chair. Both of their expressions were as blank as hers as they watched him talk. When he finished, Theorisa gestured to the small table.
“Show me what you found.”
He did, laying out the documents. It didn’t take long to find a map that showed the way to The Greenhouse. Theorisa gestured to Richard, who shrugged.
“We don’t go out that far into the trees. It’s not worth the risk. Your people have probably traveled closer to that place than us.”
“I see,” Theorisa said, looking towards Arthur. “What is your intention with this woman?”
“Truthfully?”
“Yes.” There was no humor in her voice as she spoke the word.
“I intend to poach her or kill her. Either way, she won’t be making more demons for the cult to use. Her skills could be useful, though.”
Heat rose in his locket as he spoke about them. Augustus growled, and he turned around. There was nothing there that he could see. His locket grew hotter.
“We’re being watched.”
Augustus moved to the front door, and he followed with Knight Charleston right behind him. They moved out, and he looked around. It took him a moment to spot it—a bent-down patch of grass. Heat filled him as he raised his cane and pointed.
“There.”
Augustus rushed to the spot as the lanky demon dropped its invisibility to take a swipe at him. It scratched his side, but Augustus drove it to the ground.
“Don’t burst its head! It’s filled with hallucinogens!”
His cry caused Charleston to aim his sword at the creature’s leg. With a sharp chop, it came off. Augustus’s tight hold, not letting it wiggle away from the swing. The creature screamed. A sickening stench filled the air as purple ooze leaked out.
Tilly grabbed a nearby spear and stabbed into it as Augustus ripped into the creature’s neck with his teeth. He gagged, spitting out the fluid as he rolled off the demon. It lay in the grass, deflating even as its head stayed full. Arthur moved towards it and poked it when he was sure it wouldn’t get up.
Product Acquired
Kill: Demon Type 4
Killer: Augustus, Rat-Hybrid
Product Held:
Name: Demonic Pennies
Amount: Ten
Item Description: A soft fabric pouch (Black) that holds ten individual golden coins. Charmed to act as Golden Pennies at any applicable retailer.
Product Held:
Name: Demonic Core
Amount: One
Item Description: A pulsing stone that held the essence of this demon. Can be used in various applicable projects, or crushed to create a small amount of hallucinogenic mist. Has mysterious effects if consumed.
Product Held:
Name: Gas grenade
Amount: One
Item Description: A easily popped device to spray a large area with a hallucinogenic mist. Should not be breathed in.
Would you like to send these items to your personal storage device?
Yes
No
He sent them all, knowing Pydes would be on the lookout for any more Demonic Pennies that showed up. The rest he was sure he could use if need be.
Theorisa walked over as the corpses vanished, her eyes narrowing. She gestured with one hand to the goo that spread over the ground.
“Someone fetch a bucket of water from the well; I want that diluted.”
As soon as one farmer hurried away, she turned to Charleston and Tilly.
“Charleston.”
“Yes, Ma’am?”
“Tell your people what happened. I want this spread. Full lockdown as best you can. Keep everyone together. Do not let anyone cause trouble while I’m gone.” She barked the words, and Charleston saluted before hurrying off.
“Now, Arthur. We have the map inside. Tilly, fetch that. When she comes back, we’ll be heading to that greenhouse. However, I need to make one thing perfectly clear.”
Arthur didn’t flinch away from her as she leaned in, her eyes cold. The heat from his locket still infused his body. His hand gripped his cane hard enough that it dug into his skin.
“And what would that be?”
“If she’s hurt my son, I’ll kill her myself. No matter how useful you think she is.”
A laugh burst forth from his mouth, and she looked taken aback.
“Theorisa. If she’s hurt Theobold or Nyssa? You’ll need to get in line.”
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOhx2uPw8a
