{"id":6104,"date":"2021-01-03T21:42:45","date_gmt":"2021-01-03T13:42:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.benjamincheah.com\/?p=6104"},"modified":"2021-01-03T21:42:45","modified_gmt":"2021-01-03T13:42:45","slug":"river-of-blood-chapter-11","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/?p=6104","title":{"rendered":"River of Blood Chapter 11"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cleaning up was easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019d handled his gear and built his bombs with clean clothes and gloves on. The railguns wouldn\u2019t leave behind forensics evidence worth a damn. Every player who knew he was in Riveria, and could prove it, was dead. Detective Nelson was the exception, but there were lines even he wouldn\u2019t cross, and Zen\u2019s meddling would keep him safe. He\u2019d blown up most of the stray DNA fragments he\u2019d left behind along with the Elects\u2019 gravcars and erased the rest with privacy spray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bombs and the revolver was a strategic choice. A different MO from the railgun shots at Taylor\u2019s house. The flechette fragments the cops could recover would be attributed to the bomb. Between the ball bearings and the 7.92mm rounds, the police might conclude that a different set of killers had slaughtered the men at the park. They might even be persuaded to view it was a revenge killing, organized swiftly in the wake of Taylor\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the New Gods breathing hard on the detectives\u2019 necks, they would know not to ask too many questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside his motel room, Connor sanitized his gear. He scrubbed down his tomahawk with bleach and alcohol. He powered down his railguns and cleaned them thoroughly. He stripped down his revolver, wiped the barrel and the cylinder, then vigorously ran a steel wire brush down the barrel. The scouring would wear down the rifling, making it difficult, if not impossible, to match the death bullets to this gun. The cases would disappear into a sewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like that, he was home free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cops wouldn\u2019t find him now. Neither would the New Gods. He\u2019d return his car in the morning and get out of the city. Catch a long-distance bus, a taxi, maybe even a plane. And then\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where else could he go?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back into the shadows? Back to a life on the run? Constantly on the move, shunned by everyone everywhere, with no one to watch his back? The team had pulled through for him this time, but what about the future? They couldn\u2019t save him forever. He had to rebuild his life, put down roots somewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But where?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He rubbed his temples and shook his head. Exhaustion crept into his bones. It had been a long week. He couldn\u2019t think straight. He\u2019d get a good night\u2019s sleep, then in the morning, he\u2019d\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone knocked on the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twice more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor scooted to the door, reloaded revolver in hand, and looked out the peephole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kayla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping the weapon low, he opened the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a call.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA call,\u201d he repeated numbly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She tapped her smartglasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMystery man on the line. Says he wants to talk to us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat does he want?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know yet.\u201d She glanced both ways, up and down the corridor. \u201cLet\u2019s get inside. Turn on your eyeshields. I\u2019ll patch you through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside his room, he cleared a space for Kayla to sit, then plonked himself on his chair, donned his eyeshields and powered them on. As he waited through the boot sequence, he tapped his fingers against his knee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on? How did he find you?\u201d Connor asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI keep multiple lines and IDs on my eyeshields. When I checked my civilian line, I found a message waiting. I called him, and here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid he say anything?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She discreetly tapped her eyeshields again. She was an open line. The mystery man was still listening in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She brought Connor into a conference call. He recognized her number immediately. The stranger\u2019s number was a nonsense string with too many numbers. A VOIP number, he guessed, one-use-only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMr. Connor,\u201d the mystery man said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His voice was the voice of a computer, sexless, monotonous, a half-dozen voices speaking ever so slightly out of sync. The voice of a machine legion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are aware of your difficulties with the New Gods. We are also aware of recent events in Riveria, namely a triple slaying in Uptown, a home invasion in East Loop, and a mysterious bombing in Hatfield Park. We wish to assure you that we mean you no harm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho is \u2018we\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have opposed the New Gods for years. We are not your enemies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho?<\/em>\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter the showdown at the BITE, we arranged to place you in protective custody, far from the reach of the New Gods. When you chose to cooperate with the authorities, we continued to protect you from the shadows. It is why the New Gods have not sought revenge against you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUntil now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat wasn\u2019t revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s meet. I can explain it to you in person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had still said nothing about himself, only hinting at his power, and the power of those backing him. Something about his voice sounded familiar, the cadence and the word choice, but the voice changer disrupted his attempts at placing him, leaving in its place a sense of deja vu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe could be allies. You and Ms. Fox.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA man told me that earlier this week,\u201d Connor said. \u201cWhen I met him in person again, he became my enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe worked for the Liberated, didn\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are everywhere. But we are not<\/em> part of the New Gods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you, then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs I said. We simply wish to be your allies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou call us out of the blue, you don\u2019t identify yourself, and you expect us to just take you at your word?\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou certainly have reason to distrust us. I understand. If we meet in person, I can give you reason to trust us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr you could be talking us into a trap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is true. Let\u2019s meet at the Church of the Lady of Seven Sorrows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name swelled up from the depths of his memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy there?\u201d he demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe last time you visited the church, along with Yuri Yamamoto, you arrested an Elect of the Shadow Court. The sicario couldn\u2019t resist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adrenaline jolted through Connor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll will be explained when we meet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs Yuri with you?\u201d Kayla asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. He is still overseas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Church of Seven Sorrows is in the only neighborhood in Three Rivers not under surveillance. Convenient, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is one of the few places in the city that the New Gods have not claimed for themselves. And cannot<\/em> claim, without great cost to themselves. They cannot observe us through the city\u2019s sensor net, and my men have already secured the area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow do we know this is not an ambush?\u201d Kayla demanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re presently at the Rose Motel, South Side, second floor, Room 02-18. If we\u2019d wanted to take you, we\u2019d have acted long ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor\u2019s blood ran cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour resources are not infinite, Mr. Connor. You\u2019ve done well to survive thus far, but it is only because we have run interference for you. If the New Gods choose to turn their attention completely on you, they will<\/em> find you. As we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou need allies. Resources. Capabilities. Let us help you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better be on the level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are. You can choose not to meet us, of course. You are free to leave Riveria. We won\u2019t stop you. If the New Gods pursue, we will hinder them as best as we can. If you do so, however, we will take your response as a no. We will not be in contact again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kayla removed her eyeshields and looked at Connor. A frank, enquiring look, a look that bundled up a set of questions and expressed them as a twitch of the cheek, an arched eyebrow, a downturned lip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was suspicious as hell; he couldn\u2019t deny that. On the other hand, the mystery man was right. There\u2019d be no reason to lure them out into a meeting if they already knew where he was. Hell, he might have known they were operating from the motel right from the start, and allowed Connor, Kayla and Zen to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One path guaranteed a life in the shadows forever. The other promised grave danger. But also the hope of something more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And a man had to live in hope, or not live at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be there,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man hung up. Connor took off his glasses, switched them off, and sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis could be a trap,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut if it\u2019s not\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened at the church?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYuri and I chased a wounded Elect there. He tried to use his powers to heal itself. It couldn\u2019t. There\u2019s\u2026 something about the place that neutralized his powers. And Yuri, he\u2026 he muted the Elect. Suppressed his powers. That\u2019s how we brought him in alive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re confident the caller isn\u2019t working with the New Gods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019d never willingly meet in a place that could cancel their powers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kayla returned to her room. Connor swiftly reassembled and packed his gear. He fogged the room with liberal amounts of privacy spray, wiped down every surface he\u2019d touched, and loaded up his rented car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How had they found him? His car, his eyeshields, his electronics. The few things he owned that could be traced to him. With constant access to the city\u2019s camera net, an electronic intelligence team, airborne assets and static surveillance\u2026 Yeah, it could be done. Resource-intensive, but not impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019d counted on the New Gods being too busy with each other to dedicate the resources needed to hunt him down. Even they weren\u2019t omnipotent. But that had left a blind spot in his defenses. One he\u2019d have to patch as soon as he got out of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first things first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He drove. Kayla followed. As they navigated the winding streets, he pulled Zen into a call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took him three<\/em> rings to answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Zen muttered groggily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAsleep?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAwake now. What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been compromised.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fatigue melted from his voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat? Who? How?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know. A mystery man called Kayla and I on our eyeshields. Said he wanted to meet us. And told us where we were staying. He might know where you are too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShit. Is he with the New Gods?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t think so. All the same, we\u2019re going to meet him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProbably. But he knew what we\u2019d done. He didn\u2019t stop us. He might not be an enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t mean he\u2019s a friend either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI need your help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShoot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGo through the cameras around Three Rivers. Focus on the area around the Church of Seven Sorrows. See if you can find our mystery man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnderstood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time of night, Riveria was a city of ghosts. Except for Three Rivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neon lights illuminated the town in garish neon hues. Ferries plied the eponymous rivers, hauling tourists and cargo. Static signboards shouted brands, products, names, competing with holographic advertisements dancing through the air. Greeters called out to passers-by, all of them beautiful young women or robots pretending to be women. Jingles and pop music blended into a babbling background roar. Massive screens advertised movies, games, books, music, clothing, everything that could be bought and sold in Three Rivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 People surged through the streets. Young men and women seeking late-night entertainments in the bars, clubs, all-night eateries, and other, seedier establishments. Families hustling home after a long night out. Teenagers, some in school uniforms, drinking in the magic of this city within a city, the city that lived by night. Evangelists preaching to the masses at street corners and shrines, glaring at representatives from their rival faiths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor had grown up here. Whenever he thought of Riveria, he thought of Three Rivers. Here was the quintessence of Riveria. Great food and drink, abundance of goods and services, nonstop hustle and bustle, the meeting place of ideas and peoples and cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gilded mask hiding squirming maggots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the edge of Three Rivers, Zen called Connor and Kayla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have a possible. A car pulled up at First and Church fifteen minutes ago. Three guys got out and entered the neighborhood. The driver is staying back. They\u2019re pros, all of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen they got out of the car, they scanned the streets around them. Smooth and subtle. Almost missed it when I saw them. They formed up in single file, one guy leading the way, the other two hanging back. The chase man stayed close to the middle guy, looking back and forth in every direction. The one in the middle walks with a sense of power and confidence. They look like a VIP and his protection detail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGot an ID on them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNegative. License plate isn\u2019t on the city database. They turned their faces away from the cameras. Once they walked past the entrance gate, they dropped out of sight. Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt least we have an idea of what we\u2019re up against,\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Church district was the oldest section of Three Rivers, the womb that gave birth to the sprawling city. Overshadowed by neighboring skyscrapers and shopping malls, its glory days were long gone. Few knew what it was named for, or the god once worshiped here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor had made that mistake once. In his days on the run, he had rectified that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They approached from the north, through a cobblestone cramped alley. Connor led the way, his hands close to his side. Kayla trailed behind, taking every opportunity to check their backs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was barely room to breathe. Bikes and personal mobility devices were propped up against the walls, squeezed between menus and signs. Vending machines glowed cheerily in the dark, singing bright tunes as they passed.  Utility poles stood at erratic intervals, anchoring a forest of overhead cables. Lanterns hung from wires stretched across rooftops, casting the streets in a patina of soft reds and yellows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cutting through side streets and narrow alleys, Connor passed by small bars and tiny convenience stores, food stands and liquor bars, a freestanding building that housed the neighborhood fabricator. He glanced at every window and every corner as he passed, keeping to the middle of the street, ready to react in an instant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He realized he was retracing his footsteps from that long-ago chase. He found himself hunting for bloodstains, environmental damage, signs of an Elect\u2019s passage. He reminded himself that he wasn\u2019t hunting an Elect now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was\u2026 He wasn\u2019t sure what, but it wasn\u2019t a hunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was infinitely more dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stepped out into an open-air courtyard. Oil lamps and paper lanterns illuminated a granite statue of a tall, fine-boned woman, wrapped in flowing robes. Standing with solemn dignity, she cast her eyes up at the heavens, face contorted in anguish. Seven blades stabbed into her back, arranged like a fan, piercing her heart. In her arms she cradled a baby to her chest, shielding it from the knives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lady of Seven Sorrows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had many names. Queen of Heaven. Star of the Sea. Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The Ever-Virgin, the Most Holy, the Most Pure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mother of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not the New Gods. The<\/em> God, the highest, the greatest, the exalted, the creator and the judge and the ruler of the world. The God no one had seen in this strange land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet, the God whose hand he, Will Connor, and the men and woman of Team Black Watch had felt in their career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pair of metal cabinets flanked the statue, holding rows of melted and extinguished candles. An offertory box awaited before her. Connor thought about it, shrugged, and dug out his wallet. It was fat with the money he had taken from the men he had killed. He grabbed the bundle of stolen bills and dropped it into the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wages of sin is death. Perhaps this would transform them into the gift of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly he grew aware of a presence. An awareness. An intangible energy that radiated from his right, next to a cabinet. As he put his wallet away, he widened his peripheral vision, studying its source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dim light bent<\/em> around a shape, leaving a slight distortion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chameleon camouflage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His breath caught. His heart stopped. Then he relaxed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If he wanted to kill him, he\u2019d be dead already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He turned to Kayla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStay here. I\u2019m going to check out the area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he spoke, he subtly cocked his head at the blurry form. Her eyes narrowed. Widened. Blinked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRoger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Built by hand from ancient lumber, the church had stood for hundreds of years. It was tiny, no bigger than the small shops crammed into the district. Only its arched roof and the small cross fastened above its doors revealed its true purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor circled around the church. Alleys snaked away from it in every direction. Or perhaps it was the other way around: the entire district fed into the church. Around the back, vending machines sold bottled drinks and packaged drinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second blurry form stood at the edge of the light, watching the alleys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor returned to the entrance of the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m going in,\u201d he announced. \u201cCover me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRoger,\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He walked up to the statue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the candle cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the camouflaged bodyguard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHi.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figure visibly twitched<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood evening, Mr. Connor. He will see you inside the church.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you. And tell your buddy he\u2019s too visible. Chameleon camo works best in the shadows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bodyguard made a strangled sound, halfway between a grunt and a chuckle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGot it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the doors to the church, Connor paused. Breathed. Sensed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One person, standing at the altar. That was all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He entered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armies of candlesticks lit the nave in a warm glow. Stained glass windows portrayed images of robed men, armored men, winged men. A simple wooden table, covered in a white cloth, served as the altar. Beyond the altar, a reredos loomed over Connor, bearing a painting of the Lady of Seven Sorrows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kneeling on bloodstained earth, face looking upon the heavens in despair, she held a dying man to her breast. Crowned with thorns, dressed only in a white loincloth, he bled from his forehead, his wrists, his feet, his side. Seven swords ran through her back. Behind them, a wooden cross stood on a darkened hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In front of the altar, a man turned to Connor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a while,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCommander Joshua Gregory,\u201d Connor breathed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was the essence of a gray man made flesh. Dark suit, white shirt, black tie and shoes, the salaryman\u2019s uniform. Neither tall nor short, he occupied a comfortable middle. Though weathered with age, his thick neck and broad shoulders were as powerful as ever. His hair, what was left of it, had gone to silver shot through with white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot anymore,\u201d Gregory said. \u201cI\u2019m just a civilian now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founder and commander of the Special Tasks Section, he was the first on the chopping block when the Temple Commission began its crusade against the New Gods. They had acknowledged that the STS had done good, but the violence of its methods had churned the politicians\u2019 stomachs. They decided that the STS was collectively guilty of excessive force, and for its crimes dissolved the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA civilian wouldn\u2019t have reached out to me the way you did,\u201d Connor replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory\u2019s eyes glinted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA civilian wouldn\u2019t have ripped through the Pantheon and the Liberated the way you did either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe run the ragged edge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlways have. Right from the beginning of the STS, we\u2019ve always skirted the boundaries of the law, of what the bureaucrats and the politicians felt was acceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPush the New Gods hard enough, they push back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat they did. In spades. But now\u2026 now we have an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat kind of opportunity?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCall in Ms. Fox. She should hear this too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor tapped his smartglasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDeadeye. Come inside,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half a minute later, the door swung open to admit Kayla. A spectral form closed it behind her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCommander Gregory,\u201d she said with a nod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s \u2018Mister\u2019, now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She laughed humorlessly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlways wondered where you went after the STS was disbanded,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaking arrangements. Gathering allies. Pulling strings in the shadows. You made my work much harder, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA year and a half ago, I heard about a sniper taking out members of the Pantheon and the Court of Shadows with a railgun. After that, railguns turned up again at Moreno Island. That kind of tech is restricted. I had to call in favors to keep the police from looking too closely at the sequence of events.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t say I was responsible for that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory chuckled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat you didn\u2019t. And you also didn\u2019t say anything about the recent violence that plagued Riveria.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re planning on pinning it on us?\u201d Connor asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBlunt as ever, aren\u2019t you? But, no, we don\u2019t. Only the soldiers of the New Gods died in the violence. A not-undesirable outcome, where we\u2019re concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho is \u2018we\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA network of like-minded people. Unofficial, unsanctioned, unaffiliated with any of the New Gods. Sounds familiar?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou want us to join you,\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Connor asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy did you join the STS?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome on, Connor, I read your psych profile when you joined up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo strike back at the New Gods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere you go. What happened to your family was a tragedy. But it propelled you to become the man you are today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor clenched his fists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe New Gods can kill each other all they like. But when they drag innocents into the mix, someone has to stop them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly. And what about you, Ms. Fox?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory sounded disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was billed as the top-tier law enforcement tactical unit in Nova Babylonia. The only unit with the firepower and the willpower to challenge the New Gods head-on. They would hunt the cultists and the Husks that preyed on the innocent. They were modern-day monster hunters. I wanted to be a part of that, to keep the New Gods from enslaving humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was our motivation too, Yuri and I. We just went about it the wrong way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe thought we could work within the system. But the system itself is corrupt beyond redemption. We underestimated the reach of the New Gods, and how much influence they had over the secular authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were too visible. Too high profile. Too organized. We gave the New Gods a target they could take down. They agreed to its existence only because they thought they could use us to keep their rivals in check. The politicians in turn believed we would help maintain the balance of power among the New Gods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInstead, we took the New Gods down a notch and exposed the corruption to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly. We became too large, too capable, too powerful. Our successes won many allies in the establishment. They had to take us down or risk everything. And did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey left us alive,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA grave miscalculation on their part. They thought that if they dismantled the STS, the operators would be scattered to the winds. Alone, without allies and resources, the operators would be vulnerable and unable to cause significant damage. The New Gods could afford to leave them alone. If they acted against the New Gods again, they could swat them like flies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut they couldn\u2019t,\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs recent events demonstrated. They don\u2019t have any hard evidence of your involvement, but there is plenty of circumstantial evidence suggesting that former STS operators disrupted their affairs across the country. The New Gods won\u2019t take kindly to that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just wanted to be left alone. But they went after me. After us,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s only going to get worse from here,\u201d Gregory said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy are they targeting us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause you got in their way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you mean? I<\/em> didn\u2019t do anything to them recently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot you, specifically. \u2018You\u2019, meaning the former STS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt began in Babylon, when a street gang tried to force a tutelary deity into joining the Court of Shadows, and the Pantheon attempted to press that deity into joining them. The same patron deity of an STS operator. When the dust settled, the Court, the Pantheon and the Guild of the Maker had a small fracas, one that almost exploded into a full-blown war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen in Monero Island, an upstart detective tried running for sheriff. The New Gods tried to stop her. Two former STS shooters protected her, exposed the corruption of the local sheriff, and got the Temple Commission involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom their perspective, you were interfering with their affairs. A violation of the unspoken peace treaty between you and them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey started this mess. We cleaned up,\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, but they only care about getting what they want, and who wants to keep them from getting what they want. Some of them think the former STS operators would oppose their future plans. Others believe that there is a resistance movement forming, with the STS forming the nucleus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are not entirely wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe only thing the New Gods fear more than the STS returning to arms is the STS serving their enemies, be it their rivals or the government. To protect themselves, they are changing their attitudes towards the STS. Any operator who may threaten them and their interests must be monitored, and if necessary, suborned or destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey didn\u2019t bring their A game,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot yet. The New Gods are still divided among themselves. There are factions within the factions that think they should simply continue to leave the STS operators alone and focus their resources on their rivals. But with every strike against them, these groups are more likely to change their mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor gritted his teeth. Hunting the hunters was the natural course of action. The only<\/em> course of action he had. But in doing so, it would merely attract more attention. It would dig him deeper into the hole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He couldn\u2019t kill them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere do we stand now?\u201d Kayla asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have two choices. You can leave Riveria, leave the country, go underground and hope to ride this out. Or you could join us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour network,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho is part of it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been reaching out to the surviving STS operators around the country. Many of them have signed on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the mission?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe same mission as the STS. To keep the New Gods from destroying and dominating humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd how do you propose to carry it out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe flaw of the STS is that it was centralized. We are setting a decentralized network. Small cells of operators scattered across the country. Agile, highly-trained and well-equipped, they could strike at the New Gods whenever they rear their heads and disappear into the shadows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not everything, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did you find us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWays and means.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kayla shook her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not an explanation. How do you know the New Gods won\u2019t uncover the network too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou two were hard to find, I\u2019ll grant you that. We tapped into surveillance networks all over the country, kept an eye on the STS in the fallout of the shutdown, monitored your electronics and finances, used machine learning software to predict your next movements. Once we had a bead on your location, we sent in teams to watch over you. Not to harm you, but they were ready to intervene if something went wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a lot of resources for an unofficial network,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory grinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe still have many allies in the establishment. Including the President.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The President?\u201d Connor exclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe President has appointed me as a special adviser on preternatural affairs. Behind closed doors, he has given me carte blanche to defend Nova Babylonia from the New Gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe STS was years in the making. Yuri and I had to fight tooth and nail to convince the higher-ups that this was something worth fighting for. Now, for the first time, we have an administration that is committing to fighting the good fight, to purging the corrupting influence of the New Gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe STS is dead. From the ashes, the STS is reborn. No name, no organization, nothing the New Gods can use to track us down. We do not exist in any government database, we operate in the shadows, we borrow the machinery of government to acquire the resources we need to get things done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take care of the politics. I need operators on the ground to gather intelligence on the New Gods, and where necessary, take the fight to them. Riveria is a key battleground, second only to Babylon. Connor, that makes you the perfect man for the job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis sounds too good to be true. How do I know the New Gods haven\u2019t compromised your network too?\u201d Connor asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe operators are all former STS. Same for most of the support staff. The rest are handpicked and heavily vetted. We use the same personnel security protocols to weed out the New Gods\u2019 moles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs it just me in Riveria?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor now. But I\u2019m arranging more meetings, more partnerships. You won\u2019t be alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do we get out of this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProtection. Resources. Allies. As part of our network, we can give you cover identities, safe houses, all the resources you need to survive in the shadows. We can run interference for you when the police and their puppet masters come sniffing. We can get you the equipment you need to defend yourselves and those around you. Whatever you need, we\u2019ll get it for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn exchange, you want me to fight a one-man war against the New Gods in Riveria,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madness. There was no other word for this offer. The New Gods had armies of monsters and believers at their command. The authorities bowed to their every whim. The media repeated the lies they wanted to become truth. The corporations existed solely to serve them. How could he, a mere mortal, fight them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How could he not<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He would always be a target. The only question was how high up he was on the hit list. How much time, energy and resources the New Gods would spend on him. He could try to run, but sooner or later they\u2019d catch up with him. He could hide, but they\u2019d find him again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had to fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he didn\u2019t have to fight alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had friends. His brothers and sister from Team Black Watch, and the STS. Gregory was promising even more allies, more resources, everything he needed to strike back and make the New Gods pay. Riveria was his home, and within Team Black Watch there was none suited for operations here than him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And besides\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will never be alone. We will always be with you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He blinked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That thought wasn\u2019t his. It had come from\u2026 somewhere else. And it was a woman\u2019s<\/em> voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He looked up at the reredos. At the Lady of Seven Sorrows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She remained silent. The man in her lap said nothing. But maybe\u2026 just maybe\u2026 their eyes had turned to look on him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He exhaled sharply. This was a land where gods walked alongside men. Stranger things could happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m in,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWonderful. What about you, Fox?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs Yuri in this?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory shook his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s still overseas. But this network was his idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in contact with him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSporadically. But I haven\u2019t told him about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen why do you say it\u2019s his <\/em>idea?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the early days of the STS, we\u2019d war-gamed this very scenario. What would we do if the New Gods pulled strings to shut us down. Yuri understood that the New Gods would never, ever, leave us alone. They would crush every attempt to restart the STS. The only option we had left was to go underground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis was meant to be a contingency plan. The contingency is here, and I\u2019m putting the plan into motion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI never knew that about him,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe keeps a lot to himself, doesn\u2019t he? You know, the STS was his idea too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you\u2019re the founder.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory shrugged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnother time, another life, when I was in ESWAT and he was in spec ops, we cross-trained together frequently. After training we got around to talking shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur greatest concern was that the New Gods would take their battles from the shadows into the streets. It was a shadow war, but the politicians treated it as a law enforcement issue. The military wouldn\u2019t be allowed to intervene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cESWAT was good, but not good enough for the powers the New Gods had at their disposal. They could handle Class C and Class B Husks by themselves, but once we\u2019re dealing with Class A threats and high-powered Elect, they\u2019d need military hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe response to the New Gods had to be seen to come from within the law enforcement community. It was the only way the Federal government would accept its existence. I led the push, it\u2019s true, but Yuri worked behind the scenes. He secured buy-in from the military community, developed the operational doctrine, created the table of organization and equipment\u2026 all the behind-the-scenes work. He was as much the founder of the STS as I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow did he become a team leader?\u201d Kayla asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI offered him a place as second-in-command. He refused. He wanted to build the unit\u2019s capabilities from the ground up, from the smallest squad up to the level of the organization. Back then, we only had an inkling of what the New Gods could do. The only way to learn was to face them in combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe put together a team of handpicked operators to do just that. With every mission, he refined our tactics, techniques and procedures. He developed training plans to counter the New Gods\u2019 capabilities. Most of all\u2026 he was preparing everyone for the day we might have to fight in loosely networked small cells. Or alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor shook his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe saw that far ahead? Unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBelieve it. He was a superstar in the Special Activities Unit. He could have become a general, even the Chief of Staff of Special Operations Command. Instead, he chose to prepare for the war he knew was coming. The war against the New Gods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy haven\u2019t you told him about this network of yours?\u201d Kayla asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOperational security. By running around overseas, he\u2019s drawing fire away from all of us. The New Gods have deployed significant resources watching him. That frees us to do what we have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just the kind of man he is,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly. In case something happens to him, we still have to carry on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd for the time being, you need to build up the network.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right. We\u2019re still in the capability-building phase. We won\u2019t expect to go fully operational for at least a year. If you join us, it\u2019d be a great help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m interested. But I\u2019m not staying in Riveria.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026I don\u2019t know yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYuri asked me to hold the line until he comes back. My plan is to stay mobile and go to wherever I\u2019m needed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a role for that too within the network.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen I\u2019m in too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about Zen? Going to bring him aboard?\u201d Connor asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been trying to find him. You\u2019ve got an in?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. We can reach anyone in Team Black Watch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat. We\u2019ll arrange for a meet-up with everyone and talk more about the network.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFirst things first,\u201d Kayla said. \u201cWe gotta blow town.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. Riveria is heating up. We\u2019ve prepared a safe house outside the city. We\u2019ll lie low there until things cool off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d Connor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll pass,\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The men turned to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou sure?\u201d Connor asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m headed elsewhere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I figure it out, I\u2019ll let you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory shook his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s safer with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter what we\u2019ve done tonight, the New Gods might retaliate. Maybe not against us, but people we know. I\u2019d rather stay mobile. Just in case someone else needs help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gregory fished out a card from his pocket. On it was scrawled a phone number and an email address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to stop you. But take this. If you need my help, you can reach me here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She kept the card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou did good work out there, both of you. I hope we can work together again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomeday,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomeday soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riveria Station was an oasis of light in a city of shadows. Few people took up what little it had left to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last train had departed long ago. A handful of cabs idled at the taxi stands, waiting for the rare late-night traveler. The surrounding shopping malls and offices had closed for the night, leaving behind skeletons of glass and concrete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The buses still ran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her car was known to the New Gods. She had to leave it behind. Gregory promised that his men would take care of it. With her ID flagged, the only way out of Riveria was the long-haul red-eye buses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the bus interchange, Kayla could catch an overnight bus to any other major city in the country. The waiting area was quiet, with small knots of travelers widely spread out across the benches. A team of cops prowled the hall, more interested in rough sleepers and shifty-eyed solos than a well-dressed woman with a rucksack and duffel bag. She pulled a cap low over her face and turned away from the cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any moment now, once the Liberated figured out that Connor and Kayla had turned against them, they\u2019d mobilize men to watch every point of exit. The faster she got out of here, the safer she\u2019d be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She walked up to an automated ticketing machine. She opted to buy a long-haul bus ticket. The schedule filled the screen. She checked the clock, checked the schedule, and smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next bus left in five minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sense of foreboding had brought her to this city. Now, after the job, she felt it again. The irresistible call of the cosmos. In the not-too-distant future, she had a date with destiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She still couldn\u2019t describe it. She didn\u2019t know what lay ahead of her. All she knew was that she was running on instinct. On hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had her guns. Her gear. Everything she needed to go anywhere in the world and take the fight to the New Gods. To hold the line until Yuri returned. Wherever she went, there she needed to be. She trusted that the universe, that God, would take care of the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She paid for the ticket in cash. The machine spat out a small coin-shaped token. She retrieved the token and walked to the bus bay. The bus pulled up just as she arrived. She melted into the short queue forming up at the doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aboard the bus, she dropped the token into the token reader. The machine beeped green. The driver barely looked at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She stowed her bag of gear in an overhead bin, careful to keep it from clanking, then grabbed a seat at the rear of the bus, far away from her fellow passengers. None of them so much as looked at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bus pulled out of the bay. Looking out the window, she saw only neon against darkness. No police cars, no angry Elect, no pursuers closing in for a last-minute intercept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was free and clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She placed her bag between her legs. Covered herself with a heavy jacket. Rested her hands close to her handgun, tucked over her appendix. Leaned back. Closed her eyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next stop, Babylon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This story may be over, but there are many more waiting to be read. Check out the previous book BABYLON BLUES here<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alone Cleaning up was easy. He\u2019d handled his gear and built his bombs with clean clothes and gloves on. The railguns wouldn\u2019t leave behind forensics evidence worth a damn. Every player who knew he was in Riveria, and could prove it, was dead. Detective Nelson was the exception, but there were lines even he wouldn\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[68,106,143,168,216,253,269,289],"class_list":["post-6104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fiction","tag-babylon-red","tag-cyberpunk","tag-free-story","tag-horror","tag-military-science-fiction","tag-pulprev","tag-river-of-blood","tag-singlit"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6104"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6104\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kitsuncheah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}