Scion of Humanity

Blake avoided nine additional police vehicles on his journey back to town. Not all were from the sheriff’s department, either. A mix of tribal and even Show Low police were sprinkled in the mix.

By the time Blake reached the fire tower, Montgomery and Jeff had eliminated the remainder of the Ursa and waited next to the portal on the Ursa side for their reward to materialize.

Montgomery had been correct that his speech would draw in the territorial Ursa. Blake still internally recoiled at the risk Montgomery took. In his view, the safety advantage stealth offered was worth the few additional hours it required. Yet, no matter how hard he argued, Montgomery refused to change his approach. Jeff, as usual, followed his friend’s lead.

In the end, it worked out for them, but Blake knew it was only a matter of time before his friend’s cockiness blew up in his face. Now, however, they had a different problem.

The fire tower was swarming with police.

Any hope he once held for an easy extraction was thoroughly dashed. Blake was still a half mile away from the crime scene, and could not make out details. However, the helicopter overhead, as well as the baying of dogs in the distance, told him everything he needed to know.

He was screwed.

“I think you guys are going to have to chill over there for a while,” Blake informed his brother and friends.

“How long does this portal stay open?” Oliver asked between bites off his snack bar.

Blake shrugged. “I don’t know if there’s a limit, but days, at the least.”

“Then we should probably wait till dark and then sneak past ‘em,” Montgomery suggested.

“Dogs,” Jeff reminded his friend.

Montgomery nodded. “Yeah, once the dogs are gone.”

“I’ll let you know if I see an opportunity, but plan on staying the night and possibly all day tomorrow. How much water do you guys have left?”

Montgomery checked his duffle bag. “Looks like six bottles.”

“Okay, then spread them out and make them last. Unless you want to find a stream and drink Ursa piss, that’s all you’ve got.”

Oliver grimaced, while Montgomery licked his lips and rubbed his belly.

Weirdo.

Blake confirmed his position was hidden, and continued to observe the scene for an hour. When he no longer had an excuse to delay the call, he contacted his parents through holochat.

His mother answered almost immediately.

“Hey Blake. Are Oliver and your friends still okay?” she asked, seated in her temporary office.

He nodded. “Yeah, they’re just sitting tight waiting for the police to leave the tower. How did things go with you? How much cash did you get out of the bank?”

Donna grimaced. “The bank would only let me withdraw ten thousand.”

“That’s it?!”

She nodded. “Yeah, they said it’s their policy, and if you want more, you have to arrange a meeting with an advisor, hire security, and talk to the IRS”

“That’s ridiculous!” Blake fumed. “That’s our money. They can’t just keep it from us.”

“It looks like they can.” She sighed. “How much do you trust Jessica Nguyen?”

“Uh… a lot?” he replied, confused.

“I hope you’re right, because I withdrew the rest in a cashier's check made out to her.”

“What’s a ‘cashier’s check’?”

“Just think of it like a normal check, but the bank registers who it’s to and fills it out themselves. Most big purchases require one because they won’t bounce.”

“So, you made a check out to Jessica for over three hundred thousand dollars?” When she nodded, he asked, “If the bank knows it’s to Jessica, won’t that just get her in trouble as well?”

“Maybe,” she admitted. “But I looked it up. There’s a LOT of people named Jessica Nguyen. They won’t know which one is her until she cashes it in. She lives in another county and out of this corrupt judge’s district. Hopefully it’ll be harder to get a warrant for them to check her financials.”

Finally, his father joined the call.

“Hey guys. Sorry I’m late. I went to grab more food from the restaurant and I had my hands full unloading it.”

“It’s fine,” Blake assured him. “Did you two drop your phones off in the bus?”

Donna nodded, while Peter said, “Yeah. I hope they chase it all the way to LA.”

“Okay, good.” He took a deep breath. “The reason I called is to let you know that things have escalated with the police.”

“Escalated?” Donna repeated, concerned. “How?”

“I had to kill three cops.” Blake paused before he continued. “Well, I killed one and tossed the other two through the portal, so they’re as good as dead.”

“Oh, Blake, tell me you didn’t!” his mother reprimanded him. “I thought you said you would handle it peacefully! I know they’re corrupt, but they didn’t deserve to die. What went…”

“Calm down, Donna,” his father cut off her rant. “Let him explain. Blake’s a good person. I’m sure he had a good reason.”

He gave his father a grateful look. “I showed myself to the three cops guarding the fire tower to distract them so Montgomery and Jeff could get into the portal. As soon as they recognized me, I turned and ran to lead them away. Then, one of them shot me in the back.”

His mother gasped. “Are you okay?”

Blake smiled. “Of course. I’m bulletproof, remember? Just a little bruise.”

“Why would he shoot?” Peter pressed. “You were unarmed, right? Did you make any threatening moves toward him?”

Blake shook his head. “No weapons or moves. I had my hands up, I turned, and then jogged away, that’s it.” He then emphasized, “The kind of person who can do that doesn’t deserve to live.”

His father frowned but nodded, while his mother sputtered, “But, did you have to kill him? What about the other two cops?”

“Yes, I had to. If he’s shooting unarmed kids in the back now, what do you think he’ll do after Invasion day when it’s everyone for themselves. There’s going to be a LOT of bad stuff that goes down, and he was the worst kind of person. The other two… well… I chucked them through the portal. They have a chance to survive. Although, without their guns, it’s pretty small,” he admitted.

Tears appeared in his mother’s eyes. “Blake. I’m worried about you. You shouldn’t have to do things like that. I’m worried what you’ll turn into if things get worse.”

Blake smiled sadly as his eyes shifted to his left forearm, glad his parent’s could not see it. “Mom, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to kill a person, and it won’t be the last. I know you want to think well of people, but there are a lot of monsters out there, and most of them are human. You wouldn’t believe some of the things I’ve seen people do.”

His mother nodded reluctantly.

“I understand, son,” his father replied. “What does this mean for us now?”

Blake took a deep breath of relief. “Not much, actually. They already thought Oliver killed those other cops, so this is just more of the same. Since they’re going to assume you’re aiding us, we’re all fugitives now. We just need to make sure they don’t find out about the faction town until Invasion day. After that, it won’t matter.”

“You don’t think we should go on the run?” His mother asked.

Blake shook his head. “No. We need to build up the town and I need to get stronger. I know where all the portals around here are, I don’t need to go back to the fire tower. If we run, I’m just as clueless as the next person.”

“What if the cops find the town?” Peter asked.

“Hopefully we can hide until the shield generator is built, but if not…” he shrugged. “As much as it would suck, over ten thousand people’s lives are worth more than any cops they send after us. Even if they’re just doing their jobs.”

“How soon can we build the shield generator?” Donna asked.

“Metal said we have to upgrade the faction hall to level four first, so it’s going to be a while. At least a month or two, maybe more.”

“If it came down to it, could you stop the cops? All of them?” his father asked.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “If they come after us in force, it won’t be with just pistols. They’ll bring rifles and snipers, too. And, if they make too much of a deal, someone higher up may notice, too.”

Peter frowned. “Higher up?”

“As in the Federal government.” Blake responded. “No one ever found someone who joined the Collective before Invasion day. Rumors say the Feds made them disappear forever.”

Donna gasped.

“If you level again, will that be enough to hold off the police?” his father asked.

“Maybe. It depends on what I get for upgrading my Elite Solo Warrior achievement. Last time, it increased my attributes by twenty-five percent. If it goes up to fifty percent, and I put more points into Physical Resistance next level, I should be fine.”

“Then you need to get more nano,” his mother said.

“That’s the idea,” Blake nodded. “But first, I need to help Oliver and them escape. After that, I need to help fund the faction hall upgrade, and whatever’s next. Then I owe Mister Grayburn twenty or thirty mega-nano. Plus, I need another hundred and fifty to upgrade my spells.” Blake sighed. “There’s just never enough time.”

Blake and his parents discussed their plans for growth for over an hour while he watched the scene. His mother informed him of her recruiting efforts, and his father described what he needed to complete his next directive as a cook.

As he talked with his parents, the sun set, and the police produced large, generator powered light towers to cover the area. Eventually, night fell, and the sound of dogs faded into the distance. The helicopter also left to either refuel, or search in a wider grid. He ended the holo-chat session, and snuck closer to reconnoiter the crime scene.

With the dogs present, Blake was unsurprised that they unearthed the remains of the dead cop. Yellow caution streamers cordoned off a wide area, and little placards littered the ground. The entire area was well lit by the light towers, and there was no way his friends could sneak by the six cops spread throughout the area.

For some reason, they had even blocked off the tower with tape and aimed a spotlight at the structure.

Did they find out about the portal? How many more went through?

When the cops found him outside the goblin scenario, they had almost no chance of discovering the gateway. It was invisible and hovered midair off of a short cliff. Unless they decided to take a leap of faith, it would remain hidden until Invasion day. This portal, however, was easily accessible. All they needed to do was search the small room, and someone would inevitably disappear.

The sound of engines distracted him from his thoughts. Blake watched as a line of six black SUVs arrived, and more than ten men and women in suits stepped briskly from the vehicles.

Who the hell are they?

Two cops warily approached the new force, while the others remained at their posts and watched the scene unfold. Blake squinted in the darkness to discern who the newcomers were. Identification was requested, and when it was denied, an argument ensued. The new force was entirely too calm, and it unnerved Blake.

Are these the Feds?

When the rest of the local police force joined their coworkers for backup, Blake realized this was their chance.

Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Quick! Come through the portal now!

Montgomery Brown: Is it safe?

Lord Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity: Only if you hurry. A bunch of new people in black SUVs showed up, and they’re arguing with the cops. This might be your only chance.

Oliver Summers: We’re on our way.

Montgomery: Is it the suits?

Lord Blake Summers: Just hurry up!

Montgomery: Ooooo it's gotta be the Feds!

Blake scanned the top of the fire tower to see if he could discern movement. Finally, he saw someone open the trap door beneath the tower and climb down the stairs.

As his brother and friends descended, he anxiously glanced back and forth between them and the cops. Luckily, they were so distracted by the new arrivals, they were oblivious to his friend’s escape.

Come on! Hurry up!

Blake did not relax until the three ducked under the crime scene tape and fled the area into the dark of night. He let out a sigh of relief, asked his dad to pick them up, and finally rejoined his friends on the opposite side of the small mountain.

“Hey Blake!” Montgomery greeted him cheerfully and then tripped over a yucca. After he recovered, he added, “I see your plan to hide the body didn’t work.”

He grimaced. “Well, I’m not exactly a master criminal.”

“You can say that again,” Montgomery agreed. “Now, how do we get out of here? I’m starving.”

“My dad’s on his way. He’s gonna pick us up at the grocery store parking lot so he doesn’t get stopped by the cops.”

“It’s so dark I can barely see a foot in front of me,” Montgomery complained as he stumbled over a rock. “How are we supposed to bushwack through the woods for half a mile?”

Suddenly, the area was illuminated.

“Don’t worry, I got a light,” Oliver bragged as he held his cell phone aloft.

“You still have your freakin’ cell phone on you?” Blake asked in disbelief.

Oliver frowned. “Yeah, it didn’t work on the other planet, but it turned right back on when I got here.”

Blake snatched the electronic device out of his brother’s hands and snapped it in half. The light immediately blinked out, and they were left once again in darkness.

“You asshole!” Oliver vented. “Why the hell did you do that?”

“They can track it, you moron,” Blake replied.

“You think I’m stupid?! It was in airplane mode!”

“I don’t care,” Blake defended his actions. “All it takes is accidentally hitting the wrong button, and they’ll know exactly where you are. It’s not worth the risk.”

“I heard the government can turn on your phone, remotely,” Montgomery added. “That's why they don’t let you take the battery out anymore. As long as the phone has power, it's like a portable spy device.”

Jeff nodded along.

“See,” Blake replied, glad for his friend’s support.

“Bullshit,” Oliver replied. “That’s just a crackpot conspiracy theory only an idiot would believe.”

“These IDIOTS just saved your ass,” Montgomery growled. “If I were you, I’d be grateful about it, not an asshole.”

“Oliver, drop it,” he warned. “It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. You don’t need a phone, and it’s not worth the risk. Now, let’s go before the dogs come back.”