Chapter Sixty-Six – Glitch – Part Two

There is nothing more scary than a person with nothing to lose.

- UWO Sergeant Deklar -

The conversation on the other side of the glass is becoming more intense. I've already made up my mind though. Cortez is the singular most important person in my life. I don't believe that she's pregnant, I think that Fisban told me that to motivate me to mature, or for some other convoluted reason. Regardless, child or not. I would rend the heavens for her.

"Excuse me, I'm wondering if you'd be willing to let me leave?"

There's a pause in their conversation.

"Sit tight, Specialist," Colonel Greymore says over the intercom.

"Can't do that, Sir," I sigh, stretching my neck, "I'd prefer to do this cordially, but if you insist on impeding me… well, that will be a problem."

"I said, sit tight, Specialist."

My head turns toward the woman I believe to be Cortez's mother.

"They're in danger if what you said is true, the entity known as Red… Azeroc, he said he would carve what I hold most dear from my heart."

I can't openly say Cortez is my heart, I need Ulana's blessing, I don't want to risk losing it.

"Specialist, I said…" a pause.

The woman's voice comes over the comm.

"What evidence do you have that it's this Azeroc entity?"

I can't tell her that he fucked with a Gate on the flightline before, can't explain that it's poetic justice he's seeking. Taking her again, in the same place I already lost her once. Telling her would lead to questions, Big Purple doesn't seem like the type to fuck around. I'm not willing to test what happens if I talk about time fluctuations.

"I am certain, call it my gut, call it intuition, it doesn't matter, but I know, it's him."

Another pause and my fingers stretch, ready for what I must do.

"If you are correct, then we can't risk you going directly into a trap. Without tokens, you're not enough to change the tide."

Not enough, huh. We'll see about that.

"So, you won't release me willingly?"

"No, as the Colonel said, sit tight."

"Pity," I sigh, "Plan B then."

My leg kicks backward at the wobbly table leg, my strength is more than enough to tear the loose bolt from the frame. Picking it up, I move to the door, striking the door handle off in a single motion.

"Specialist Novak, you will stand down!" Colonel Greymore bellows.

I pause, turning toward them once more.

"Stay out of my way, I don't want to hurt anyone."

I line the thin part of the leg on the locking mechanism and slam it into the broken door handle. The core ejects with a loud thud, and I wrench the door open. The red lights of the facility immediately turn on. Lockdown protocol. That's fine, I flex my hand as I round the corner.

The Aegis armor that I took from Bregan flows from the black band of Abyss and wraps me.

"Sage, are you with me?"

I am. Though I'm curious what you're planning.

"Good, I'm going to need your help, remember that glitch you told me about? The one during gate travel?"

Yes, what about it?

"What's the maximum amount of time that you think it can be distorted?"

Perhaps a month, technically speaking, a perceived month, actual time on the Divine Timeline, maybe an hour. Wait… you're not actually intending to confront Red and spring the very obvious trap, are you?

"It should be noted that a trap is only effective if you allow it to be."

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Famous last words… as you seem to be forgetting that you don't have any tokens and you can't receive healing. Even minor injuries will stack up. You will likely not survive whatever Red is planning. If I had to guess, near ninety-nine percent chance of death.

"I like my odds," I say, rounding the next corner. Soldiers and suits alike are yelling for me to halt, but I don't, I've already made up my mind.

To think I was beginning to like you, meatsack. Shame.

When I round the next corner, there are twenty soldiers pointing rifles. This is cumbersome and I have more important matters to deal with before I enter the gate. Ever since Tran said it, I've been thinking about it. Weeks contemplating what it would mean. I never had a reason good enough to seriously consider doing it… until now.

"Abyss, shall we hurry this along?"

Tendrils slide from the suit, tangling everyone and creating a path for me. Using Triage, I see this building is much like the other one that Smith's people held us in, meaning the parking garage should be below us. Looking at the map, I could probably use the tendrils of Abyss like a spider and move fast, but it would consume a lot of mana. A precious commodity… for now.

Within three minutes I have found a path through the building, breaking whatever I need to in order to get to a vehicle. My eyes trace the available ones, something fast but durable would be good. Ahh, that one has reinforced bars on the front, that'll do well.

No one has fired on me yet, which tells me that Cortez's mother is telling them to try and peacefully detain me. On their side, there have only been minor injuries. I was careful, hopefully, we can still work something out after this.

My eyes close as I sit in the seat of the vehicle. My consciousness streams into Abyss as the thin vine enters the ignition and turns the lock. Perfection.

Ramming past the flashing parking garage entry, I move out into the street. Vehicles are close behind me, but none stop me, they follow. Even the street lights are starting to turn green. She's clearing a path. Interesting.

***

When I approach the front gates of post, I do not stop for the Specialist on duty who waves for me to, my face is obscured from the Aegis armor anyway. Thankfully, I'm able to release certain areas of it, limiting the mana consumption even further, and making the normally cumbersome armor more amenable to the tight driver's seat.

There's no response on post from the military police, except the convenient roadblocks opening my path to no impediments. I could get used to this kind of leadership.

However, I'm not going directly to the Gate, I need to do something first. Besides, if it transpires in the same way it did last time, I have time. Not infinite, but plenty. If I go without being completely prepared, I will die, they will all die.

Red has been calling the shots for too long, today, it's his turn to find out.

My car turns toward a blocked-off street, the military police stare at me strangely, but talk into their radios, before waving me past them, toward my destination. The one place that will give me the edge I need to carve any trap to ribbons. The ultimate upgrade.

"Abyss, are you hungry?"

It's practically quivering on my finger from the excitement. In front of me is a massive warehouse, one that we all know by a few names, weapons depot, armory, magical item storage. It's the place where thousands upon thousands of items are stored. The place that Tran suggested we feed to Abyss after the Dragonfly quest.

A soldier moves to stop me, but he seems to get the same order as the others, stay the fuck out of his way. The doors to the armory open, hundreds of shelves stacked to the ceiling behind a thick enclosure. There's a single hole in the plexiglass.

"Uh, are you here to turn something in… sir?" the Sergeant asks.

"More like a withdrawal," I murmur quietly.

Placing my hand over the hole in the thick plexiglass, Abyss vibrates, waiting for the command.

Time to change the dynamic.

"Abyss, devour everything."

Tendrils explode in a symphony of ecstasy. Abyss slithers in a hundred branching tendrils. Burning wither charges as it goes.

"Find the mana stones first," I whisper.

It shifts its focus toward large boxes, inside are briefcases of shards of condensed mana. Just like the ones that Tenny used to fight Adaraic… I wonder if Red will send that Lich in again. With his forces of hundreds of black-clad knights.

I feel the pulse through the connection as it uses the stones to replace the spent mana.

The soldier stares at the strands, unsure of what to do, I can't blame him. He looks terrified and worried that he's going to be blamed in the same breath.

***

When Abyss finally slithers back, I can tell, it enjoyed that.

In the time that it took Abyss to finish taking every single last item, an army of suits and soldiers formed up outside. There are three helicopters patrolling as well. The earring that lets me hear long distances works here in the lobby of the armory. The room they held me in earlier was apparently too insulated, or perhaps warded, interesting implication.

My ear prickles as I isolate Colonel Greymore's voice outside.

"Ma'am, he's raided the entire depot, this isn't going to be a simple…"

He pauses, I can hear her on the other end.

"Say it's a training exercise."

"Ma'am, no one buys that kind of shit."

"Then sell it, that's an order."

"Roger, what do you want us to do if he goes for the gate?"

"Let him."

"Ma'am, with all due respect, I know your daughter is in there, but…"

"You know the thing about when people say with all due respect… it sounds very much like it lacks respect. Do your job, send the mobilized unit, do not let the asset die."

"Roger that."

He says a few choice curse words under his breath after the conversation ends. Well, that works with me. I step toward the doors to the exit, the suits open it, hands warily near their sidearms.

Colonel Greymore stares me down with a pissed expression as I walk up to him.

"Alright, you get what you needed?"

I nod.

"Good, from here on out, I'm in charge, you got that?"

I tilt my head at him, weighing the words for a few moments, doesn't hurt to pretend. Besides, the more the merrier. If the glitch doesn't work like Sage said it would, this will all have been for little gain.

"Roger, Sir."

***

Twenty minutes later, and I'm standing in a formation of three hundred soldiers and about fifty suits. These aren't regular soldiers either, they're highly specialized and integrated Hunter soldiers. Instead of just the standard issue weapons, they carry class centralized armaments as well. Each one of them gives me a measuring eye, they're not afraid of me, more curious than anything.

"Sage, if you're wrong about this, I'll feel very foolish."

It's not a made-you-look moment, though I was admittedly tempted, however, my curiosity at what you'll do should keep that side of me in check.

"Good, Abyss, you ready?"

I feel a purring vibration, like a cat.

Looking over at Colonel Greymore, he's giving a motivational don't fucking die speech to his men. I think he's going to go with us. Respect for that. Most officers as high up as him stay away from direct ops. In a way, he reminds me of my dad, if he had lived long enough to get fully grey.

Carry the torch.

I ready my interface, pulling up the Enter the Nexus option, my finger hovering over it. According to Sage, if you enter the Nexus while being transported, it glitches the system, keeping you in slowed time. Hopefully long enough that I can maximize what Abyss just consumed and make some… items.

As soon as my head crosses the threshold, I hit enter.

Reality bends.

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