Gale sat beside Needle, who stared at him, smirking, with his cut-off arm on his lap. Trying his best to ignore the gaze, he looked up zombie movie trailers on his new phone. It was a surprise the phone came with a data plan. Ringo is really truly something else.

“So,” Ollie broke the relative silence over the groans of zombies coming from Gale’s phone. “Those zombies back there. Want to tell us what the fuck was that all about?”

“Cleanup job gone wrong thanks to you.” Needle’s gaze stayed on Gale as he spoke.

“No shit,” Ollie said, slowly turning the wheel on the curve of the highway. “I’m asking why a Path turncoat Jiuling Tangmen deserter who ran away from Canada is now back in Canada doing janitorial duty for a family that was basically inactive for more than half a century.”

“You people from major factions. Always sorting everything into little boxes. Who’s important, who’s not,” Needle said.

“Cut the philosophical bullshit,” Ollie said. “Answer the question.”

Rachel turned in her seat. “The facility was abandoned for decades already according to the logs. Why was it used recently?”

Needle turned his head to Rachel, finally away from Gale. “You’re Ann Family, aren’t you?”

She didn’t respond, but that told everything.

“Thought so.” Needle let out one chuckle. “Your family’s fire. Very distinctive.”

“Hey, focus on me, not her. Why were you there?” Ollie said.

“Orders.”

“From who?”

“Spotlight.”

“We already know Spotlight’s not a person. It’s an organization within Silver Lion. Who specifically gave the order?”

“Good intel. Let’s just say a man named Alexei,” Needle grinned even more.

“Alexei,” Ollie said. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“It wouldn’t,” Needle said.

The phone in the cupholder crackled, and Kyle’s voice came through the walkie app. “How’s our prisoner doing? Pssht over.”

Ollie took the phone, pushing the push-to-talk. “He’s fine. No thanks to you two.”

“Don’t forget who took bullets for you. Pssht over.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“You’re welcome anyway. Pssht over.”

Ollie tossed the phone back in the cupholder. “Assholes.”

“Let’s get back to the facility. Those weren’t normal zombeis,” Ollie said.

“No,” Needle said. “They weren’t.”

“So what were they?” Ollie asked.

Needle sighed. “Experiment gone wrong. Artificial rift creation.”

“I thought rifts formed naturally,” Gale said. “How do you make one?”

Needle side eyed him with a grin. “You already know or you wouldn’t be asking that way.”

Gale didn’t respond.

“Silver Lions have been playing with fire,” Needle said, eyes narrowing at Rachel. “Creating small rifts. Controlled environments.”

“Why?” Rachel asked.

“Dust,” Needle said. “It’s always about dust. Ain’t that right, Glory?”

Ollie snorted. “There are easier ways to get dust than making artificial rifts.”

“Not at that scale, and you know it yourself,” Needle said. “Natural rifts are unpredictable. All over the place and small yields. But manufactured ones? You can control the size, duration, and literally the where question.”

Gale put down his phone. “Isn’t creating those things dangerous? The zombies were the byproduct of a failed experiment.”

“Bingo,” Needle said. “That facility was abandoned after the first failed attempt. Decades ago. How? I don’t know. But someone found the old research and convinced the higher-ups to try again.”

“Who?” Ollie asked.

“Don’t know,” Needle said. “I just clean up messes.”

Rachel turned fully in her seat. “The Baker family knows about this, don’t they?”

“The Bakers know what their crystal balls see,” Needle said. “They’ve been part of the problem that’s flooding the global market with dust from Canada. Undercutting our prices.”

“Why would they do that?” Gale asked.

Needle shrugged. “Dunno. Heard two possibilities though. Money or destabilization. The Bakers are sneaky. Frontal assault isn’t their style. They prefer to rot things from within.”

“And your bosses sent you to clean up instead of a disposal team because…?” Ollie left the question hanging.

“I told you. I follow orders.” Needle looked out the window. “Times are changing in the Lion’s den. New faces. New priorities. A revolution.”

“Project Armament,” Gale said suddenly. “Tell us about it.”

Needle’s head snapped toward him. “How do you know about that?”

“I don’t,” Gale said. “But the way you just reacted tells me it’s important.”

Needle cursed under his breath. “Clever.”

“It’s true then,” Ollie said. “The Lions are developing weapons for mundanes.”

“Experimenting,” Needle said. “Most are still pre-prototype. Unstable and unusable by mundanes. The requirements are too high.”

“What about the Hathie documents?” he said, tendrils feeling for the man’s heart rate rhythm.

“Nothing specific. Just rumours,” Needle said, heart rate stable. Not lying.

“What rumours?”

“There are things out there that even the Arcanes don’t know. Reclusive entities, and the idiots at the top choose to leave them be,” Needle said. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” Gale said.

The phone crackled again. This time, it was Clyde. “We’re half empty on gas. Let’s stop at the next gas station just in case. Pssht over.”

Ollie took the phone again. “Fine. There should be one in about 10 km.”

The phone crackled, but Kyle audibly took the phone from Clyde’s hand. “Roger that. Clyde says his leg feels weird. You put something in that syringe, Glory? Pssht over.”

“Those were supplied by me,” Rachel said. “It’s just accelerated healing compound. Over.”

“Whatever it is, it itches like hell. Pssht over.”

Ollie threw the phone to the back, hitting the backseat, and looked at Needle. “You mentioned preparing for something earlier. What’s coming?”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“Who knows?” Needle said.

“Don’t bullshit with me.” Ollie looked at him in the rear-view mirror. “The Silver Lions are stockpiling dust, creating these weapons, setting up facilities. You’re preparing for something.”

Needle paused for a moment before answering. “You ever wonder why rifts appear at all? Why they’re getting more frequent? Something’s pushing from the other side.”

“That’s not an answer,” Ollie said.

“It’s all I’ve got,” Needle said. “I’m just boots on the ground. Shit if I care.”

“There must be other ways,” Gale said, “to find awakened people who don’t know what they are yet. Without using dust.”

“Why do you care?” Needle asked.

“I have my reasons,” Gale said. Hopefully, Jackie took to his advice and stopped dealing in Mia’s neighbourhood.

“Whatever they are, keep them,” Needle said. “The Lions have spent decades perfecting their screening methods. Dust is just the fastest and most efficient.”

“And deadly,” Gale added.

“Collateral damage,” Needle said.

“This whole thing stinks,” Ollie muttered. “Glory Industries has been tracking dust distribution patterns for years. Something changed recently. The flow increased. More shipments. Higher potency. It can’t just be the Baker family adding shit on top.”

“Don’t look at me,” Needle said. “I’m not in distribution.”

“But you know something,” Ollie said.

“If I were to guess, I’d say the Lions are rushing their timeline. And we all know what happens when big players rush,” Needle said.

The phone crackled again, this time beside Gale.

“Gas station up ahead. Pulling in now. Pssht over,” Kyle said over the walkie app.

Gale brought over the phone to Ollie, who just swatted it away. He pulled up beside a pump while the twins parked at another. The phone crackled again, but before one of the twins’ voices came through the app, the phone floated to Ollie’s hand and ended the session.

“Don’t try anything,” Ollie said, pressing the shut-off engine button as he eyed Needle.

“With one arm? Against five of you?” Needle laughed.

Ollie got out to pump gas. Rachel followed, leaving Gale alone with Needle. The one-armed man watched as Rachel and Ollie talked quietly by the pump.

“Your girlfriend’s Ann Family,” Needle said. “That puts you in a difficult position.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Gale said.

“Right.” Needle smiled with teeth. “You know the Anns and Bakers have been at each other’s throats since the 90s too. The beautiful Aur families. Beautiful feuds against each other for no damned reason.”

Gale didn’t respond. What the hell does he even know about families? Rachel wouldn’t tell him any of it. Not sure if he wanted to hear it from her though, when it’s probably funner to hear about the books she read, like the one she mentioned, A Court of Roses and Blues. Whatever it was.

“You asked about other ways to find awakened people,” Needle interrupted his thoughts. “Why? Got a friend you’re worried about?”

Gale looked away, eyes going back to the phone, entering 1208. “Just curious.”

“Curiosity is dangerous in our world.” Needle tilted his head. “You’re not what you seem, hunter. There’s something about you that’s different from other… Aurians.”

“Like what?” Gale asked.

“Your qi. It’s different from the others. More like a family’s,” Needle laughed.

There’s more to it than that. Even he didn’t know the secret life of his dad before he was born. Gale turned to look out the window, watching the others. The twins had left their SUV. Clyde limped slightly, leaning on his brother. Kyle held a bag of snacks and was talking non-stop while Clyde would laugh every time Kyle talked. At least he had a brother, or at least someone who was ‘family’.

Outside, Rachel caught Gale’s eye through the window. She pointed to the store, probably gesturing for him to come over. He shook his head. If only she was… or could be.

“The documents,” Needle said. “The ones with Hathie’s name on them. You found them in the facility?”

“What do you know about them?”

“Nothing specific. But that facility was a joint project between Spotlight and some outside contractor. Very hush-hush. I suggest staying way out of that line of thought.”

Before Gale could respond, the driver’s door opened. Ollie got back in, brushing snow from his coat.

“Ready to roll?” he asked, starting the engine.

Rachel got in moments later, passing back a bottle of water to Gale. “Don’t forget to drink water.”

“Thanks,” he said, taking it.

The phone crackled again. Ollie drooped his head down on the wheel.

“We’re good to go. Clyde bought too many Twinkies. Just letting you know. Pssht over.”

“Kyle! No one cares!” Ollie said.

“You will when we’re stranded in a blizzard and you’re starving. We ain’t sharing. Pssht over.”

“Follow close,” Ollie said. “Weather’s getting worse.”

“Roger that, captain obvious. Pssht over.”

Ollie pulled back onto the road, snow pushing horizontally against the landscape.

“I think we should all be clear on one thing,” Rachel turned back again to look at the back seat. “Regardless of what’s happening, dust is the main problem. It’s killing civilians, which is what Jiuling and the United Knights are more worried about.”

“Agreed,” Ollie said. “But there’s clearly more going on. These artificial rifts, Project Armament, the increased dust distribution… They’re all connected.”

Needle dropped his head back against the headrest. “You really want to know what those documents are about? Find Alexei. He oversees all the research projects.”

“And where do we find this Alexei?” Ollie asked.

“I’d tell you if I knew,” Needle said. “He moves around. Paranoid type.”

“One last question. The artificial rifts: there’s got to be another purpose besides dust harvesting. What is it?” Gale asked.

Needle held his gaze. “Honestly, I don’t know. That question is above my pay grade.”

“Then what’s your theory?” Rachel said.

Needle looked out the window at the falling snow. “The Lions didn’t get where they are by being stupid. If they’re making rifts despite the risks, despite the casualties… there’s something on the other side they want. Something worth dying for.”

Gale watched as the visibility through the windshield was completely zero. It was a blanket of white. The road had vanished fifteen minutes ago. Ollie kept driving, hoping asphalt still existed underneath.

They’d dropped Needle off at a plaza with a bus stop in the last town. Three buildings and a gas station barely qualified. The one-armed man nodded once as they left, already grabbing his phone.

The phone walkie app crackled once again.

“So, was letting that guy go really the smart play? Might as well have gifted him to the Path’s custody. Pssht over,” Kyle said.

“We got more than enough out of him. He cooperated. The assholes at the top don’t need to know anything.” Ollie paused. “Your mission is off the books anyway, remember?”

A pause, then Clyde’s voice came on. “You’re right, but I hate you when you’re right. Pssht over.”

“I’m always right,” Ollie muttered, tossing the phone back in the cup holder.

Rachel leaned forward towards the windshield, squinting her eyes. “Can you even see the road anymore?”

“Define ‘see,'” Ollie said.

The car slowly came to a halt until it slid to a stop. The tires spun, but it didn’t bite into the concrete below the layer of snow.

“Shit,” Ollie said, pressing harder on the gas. The engine whirred, but the vehicle didn’t move.

“Can’t you telekinesis out of here?” Gale asked.

“For just one lift? That’s half of my reserves. No way,” Ollie said.

“We’re stuck,” Rachel said.

Ollie tried reversing, then forward again. Nothing. He hit the steering wheel. “Perfect. Just fucking perfect.”

The radio buzzed. “You guys stopped? We’re stuck too. Snow’s too deep. Pssht over.”

Ollie grabbed the phone. “No, we’re doing donuts for fun. Of course we’re stuck.”

“Well, guess it’s a good thing someone bought too many Twinkies. Pssht over.”

Ollie tossed the radio onto the dashboard and looked at his passengers. “Options?”

Rachel checked her phone. “No signal.”

“That’s helpful,” Ollie grumbled.

“We can’t stay here,” Gale said, looking at the white mess outside. “We’ll get buried by the snow.”

“It’s already night,” Rachel said. “Even if the storm let up, the car’s going to be stuck for a while with all that piled-up snow until a snow plow gets here, if one even gets here.”

“Probably safer to look for shelter,” Gale said.

Ollie’s eyes darted left and right. “And go where exactly? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

Gale closed his eyes, Breath of the Void’s tendrils stretched outwards. It fed him information about each snowflake falling, giving him a slight dizziness, but he pushed through. The tendrils stopped at something. A building. Around five or six stories high.

“There’s a building,” Gale said, opening his eyes. “About a kilometre east.”

Ollie looked at him. “You sure?”

“Yes.”

“How do you know?” Ollie said, then shook his head. “Never mind. I don’t care. If there’s shelter, we take it.”

“You guys have a plan? The heater’s struggling over here. Pssht Over,” Clyde said over the walkie app.

Ollie grabbed it. “We’re heading east. Gale says there’s a building.”

“How the hell does he know that? Pssht over.”

“Just trust me,” Gale said loud enough for the radio to pick up.

“Fine. We’re right behind you. Pssht over.”

“Grab what you can to bring over. Might as well make this stay productive,” Ollie said.

They grabbed what they could. The tubes and ‘loot’ stayed while Ollie and Rachel put the documents they found into their own duffle bag. On the other hand, the twins stuffed their duffle bags with guns and twinkies.

The wind hit Gale hard when he stepped out. Snow piled up on his face immediately. He tightened the hood of his Canada Goose jacket that definitely wasn’t made of geese.

“This way,” he shouted over the wind, pointing east.

“How the hell can you tell which way is east?” Kyle yelled back.

Gale ignored him and started walking. The snow reached his shins, making each step hard. He kept his senses open, using the Breath of the Void to find the building.

Behind him, the others fell into line. Ollie came second, then Rachel, with the twins at the back. They walked single file, using Gale’s footprints to make it easier.

Trudging through the snow, the snow clung to his pants, wetting them slightly. The cold didn’t bother him as much as the ring pulsed with a warmth stronger than the last time he had to walk after being dunked in Lake Ontario.

“How much further?” Ollie shouted after what felt like twenty minutes of walking.

“Not far,” Gale called back.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep