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Cargo Cart

Warui sat against the wooden wall of the moving cart.

Chains held both wrists above him.

One was still bleeding.

His eyes watered as he bit down on the gag.

I'm able to reach for the weapon now-

No...

I was able to call it out then.

But I-

Ela turned.

The clear stake went through her head.

Her body dropped.

Lio looked up.

Five transparent needles crossed the street.

Arms.

Chest.

Leg.

Forehead.

The wall caught him.

Warui squeezed his eyes shut harder.

Tears escaped anyway.

They died protecting me.

His breathing trembled behind the gag.

If I’d helped instead of trusting them to take on five people…

Maybe.

Maybe they'd still be alive.

And I wouldn’t be sitting here chained to a wall, waiting for someone to save me.

The cart stopped.

Warui opened his eyes.

A voice came from outside. “Sorry, but the only checkpoint allowing exit from Tiria is the southern checkpoint in Valeria City.”

One of the assassins answered from the front. “You can’t cut us some slack?”

A pause.

“That’s the other side of the country.”

“We won’t make exceptions.”

“That’s too bad.” The assassin sounded almost bored. “Alright. We’ll be on our way, then.”

Another pause.

“May we ask why, though?”

A second voice outside answered. “Hey, all we do is follow orders. If you have a problem, feel free to take it to our commander. Or better yet, Lindell Palace.”

“Pardon us,” another assassin said. “We were just curious. We’ll head to the southern checkpoint.”

The cart began turning.

Someone up front swore. “Dammit. I was ready to get this mission over with.”

“Relax.” Another voice. “You’re not even the one holding the reins."

Another voice. "Be on the lookout for that captain.”

Warui shifted against the chains. “Nnggh.”

His heart beat faster.

At least that buys the squad some time.

He stared at the floorboards.

They’ll find me.

Penelope walked quickly through the streets with several papers held tight against her chest.

She kept her head on a swivel.

She slipped into an alley.

Someone waited there with an inside-out military jacket draped over their head.

“I still had the original documents in my office at Lindell Palace,” she said as she held them out. “I took a few more that might be useful too.”

The figure lifted the jacket enough to see.

River reached for the papers. “Great.”

He shuffled through them.

Then stopped. “So…”

Penelope watched him.

“The government requested the specialized operatives on the same day they asked the Crown Warden to put Warui under surveillance.” River moved to the next page. “Their authorization to enter Tiria was approved on the day of the memorial.”

His eyes followed the text. “They were supposedly brought in to review the Fort Avelorn report and decide whether they wanted to deal with the Avelorn-related security situation.”

“That’s what I found strange,” Penelope said.

River looked up.

“They arrest Commander Mercer and cite the attack on your friend as one of the reasons.”

She swallowed.

“Yet they brought in the people who carried out the attack.”

Penelope’s voice lowered. “…But I didn’t want to question it.”

“Why not?”

She looked away. “Because…”

River waited.

“Because this job is the only thing I have going for me.” Her fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve. “I get to live in the capital. Wear these nice clothes. Enter the palace.”

She gave a weak laugh.

“I know being a messenger isn’t some high position. I definitely don’t get paid much.”

Her expression faded. “But I just can’t go back to living in Seria.”

River watched her for a moment.

“You know…”

She looked at him again.

“I did wonder why you came around so soon.”

Penelope blinked.

“I don’t think I’m that good at convincing people.” River gave an uneasy smile. “I probably looked scared and unsure myself up there in that room.”

“Y- you did.”

River’s smile disappeared.

Penelope looked embarrassed. “But that helped me realize I should hear you out.”

River nodded. “Thank you.” He looked down at the documents again. “Thanks for helping the Army.”

Penelope slowly nodded.

Then hesitated.

“...Was it really not your doing?”

River stopped moving.

“The dead person with no hands.”

His eyes lowered.

“The unconscious warden in terrible shape.”

Penelope studied him. “That wasn’t you or your squad?”

“I…”

River struggled.

“It was our captain.”

Penelope said nothing.

“But I…”

River looked away.

“I think I’m just as guilty.”

His voice dropped. “For watching.”

The alley went quiet.

Penelope took a small step backward. “Mm.”

River looked toward her.

“I hope you’re able to clear the Army of those charges.”

She gave him a faint wave, then left the alley.

River watched until she disappeared.

He looked back down at the papers.

Moved the top document to the rear of the stack.

Read the next.

His eyes widened. “What?”

Mercer sat chained against the wall.

His gaze rested on the floor.

Dirk’s voice returned to him.

When you first asked what I was doing. It was around that age, right?

Dirk had looked at him through the bars. Oh… Mmm.

I believe so…

Silence.

Then Mercer had finally answered the question Dirk had been asking him for years.

“Why I didn’t join the Crown Warden was very simple.” Mercer remained seated against the wall. “Tiria has survived countless threats.”

He looked down at his hands. “I grew up hearing about the men and women who gave their lives fighting for it.”

Dirk listened.

“I began to realize…” Mercer’s fingers curled slightly. “There won’t be any realm to preserve if there aren’t people who discipline violence.”

Dirk frowned. “That’s really why you didn’t join the Crown Warden?”

“Yes.” Mercer looked up. “When we were fifteen, I decided that.”

Dirk stepped closer to the bars. “So why?”

Mercer waited.

“Why sit in this prison cell?”

The question settled between them.

Mercer looked away. “I believed military authority was legitimate because force needs discipline.”

Dirk’s expression changed.

“The chain of command I defended because it disciplined violence…”

Mercer’s voice slowed. “…is now being used to prevent anyone inside that chain from questioning what the violence is for.”

Dirk said nothing.

“Invade another people’s home.” Mercer looked toward the floor again. “Seize registries belonging to people who fled our country in search of protection.”

His jaw tightened. “Deny a teenager, a soldier, the right to choose.”

Dirk took a step back.

Mercer finally looked at him. “I believed there were things worth standing between violence and the people it threatened.”

A long silence.

“Somewhere along the way…”

Mercer’s eyes dropped to the Army insignia on his shoulder. “…we started becoming what people needed to stand against.”

Mercer’s hand covered the insignia now.

The memory left him.

He stared at his open palm.

Keys clanked somewhere down the corridor.

Metal shifted.

Mercer released his shoulder and looked to his right.

A warden approached. “Commander Mercer.”

Mercer remained still.

“Crown Warden authority has cleared the false charges against you and the Army.”

The warden unlocked the restraints.

Mercer stood. “Did the officials come to their senses?”

“We’re currently investigating them.”

The last restraint came free.

“Right now, Commander Dirk has requested that you be brought to the Warden outpost here in the capital.”

Mercer rubbed one wrist. “Then take me to him.”

“In fact…” Dirk leaned forward. “Malia Coy’s squad is responsible for proving the Army’s innocence.”

Mercer paused.

“If we’re innocent, what am I needed here for?”

Dirk’s expression tightened. “You’re cleared of the fabricated charges.”

Mercer waited.

“But your handling of Fort Avelorn and your conduct during the crisis remain subject to military review.”

Mercer slowly sat back. “I see.”

He looked toward Dirk. “So I won’t be able to give orders or carry out deployment for the time being.”

“Yes.” Dirk reached for a document on his desk. “But under Crown Warden emergency authority, I can temporarily restore your command for this operation.”

Mercer focused on the paper.

Dirk held it up. “Soldier River Klein obtained this from the officials’ messenger, along with several other documents that proved your innocence.”

Mercer waited.

“This one authorizes the reconstruction of Callineth.” Dirk’s eyes moved down the page. “And the declaration of Tirian sovereignty over the land.”

Mercer’s posture changed.

Only slightly.

But Dirk noticed. “I’ve been thinking about our conversation in the underground prison,” Dirk said.

He set the document between them. “So I’m merely presenting this to you.”

Mercer looked down at it.

“Whether you want to carry out the operation the government planned is completely your decision.”

“What’s their stated motive?”

Dirk read. “Callineth is a gap between our established borders.”

Mercer remained silent.

“Reconstructing Callineth would secure that gap, benefit civilians displaced by the incident three years ago, and potentially serve as a trade corridor.”

Dirk lowered the paper. “We wouldn’t have to rely entirely on our newly gained access to the trade road east of Fort Avelorn.”

Mercer looked around the office. “During my time in the military, Tiria has never been in a situation like this.”

His attention returned to Dirk. “It almost sounds like the wardens govern now.”

“We don’t.” Dirk answered immediately. “Mercer, if evidence implicates government officials in crimes against Tiria, the Crown Warden has authority to secure them and preserve the administration until lawful civilian authority can take over.”

He leaned back. “We make sure there’s still a government left to govern.”

Mercer considered that. “…So the process of selecting lower-level officials and judges to form an interim administration has already begun?”

“Yes.” Dirk nodded. “Until then, we’re keeping the capital secure.”

He tapped the Callineth document. “That also means you aren’t being ordered to carry out this operation.”

Mercer stared at the paper.

Several seconds passed.

Then he nodded. “I’ll order reconnaissance.”

Dirk relaxed slightly.

“We don’t know Callineth’s current state,” Mercer continued. “The group will be small.”

His voice returned to the measured cadence Dirk knew.

“A major Army deployment would make Tiria look like it has already decided to annex the territory by force.”

Dirk smiled faintly. “Okay.”

Mercer raised an eyebrow.

“To be honest, I was hoping you’d go along with it.”

“I picked up on that fairly quickly.”

“It provides a lot of value.” Dirk looked back toward the document. “The government definitely had its priorities in the right place.”

Then his expression shifted. “…Two things.”

Mercer waited.

“What do you suggest?”

“Captain Zay cannot oversee the operation.”

Mercer grew curious. “Why not?”

“He’s going to be held in the capital’s underground prison for a month.”

Mercer stared. “What?”

“A warden testified for your squad.” Dirk folded his hands. “His testimony helped prove the charges against you were false.”

Mercer understood before Dirk finished.

“However, Captain Zay tortured him.” Dirk grimaced. “Left him in quite a severe physical state while searching for…”

He paused.

“I suppose corroboration.”

Mercer leaned back. “That doesn’t sound like something you punish with only a month-long arrest.”

“It isn’t.” Dirk looked down. “The Warden involved asked me to find a way to soften Zay’s consequences.”

Mercer’s eyebrows rose.

“He believes some of the pain he endured was deserved.” Dirk sighed. “And that Zay was acting out of desperation created by the situation.”

Mercer considered that. “…Alright.”

He nodded once. “I’ll assign another high-ranking soldier to accompany whoever I choose.”

Dirk’s expression remained serious. “Secondly…”

Mercer waited.

“Warui should be one of the soldiers in that reconnaissance mission.”

Mercer’s answer came immediately. “That puts him in far too much danger.”

“He’ll be entering territory whose condition is unknown.”

“I looked through his file.”

Mercer stopped.

Dirk continued.

“The kid is one of Callineth’s survivors.”

Silence.

“And it’s possible Callineth may be connected to whatever happened to him.”

The office went still.

Mercer stared at Dirk.

Then:

“What is Warui’s location?”

Chena, River, Khyrie, Kiel, and Sarah crowded around the newspaper River held between them.

Malia stood nearby.

“That makes the false charges against the Army officially gone.” She looked over the article. “The administration in the capital is being reformed.”

The others listened.

“The Crown Warden is making sure the people who lawfully hold temporary authority keep that authority until a civilian administration can be formed.”

Sarah threw herself onto Khyrie and Kiel. “WE’RE INNOCENT!”

Khyrie nearly lost her footing.

Kiel grunted.

River rubbed the back of his neck, a small smile escaping despite himself.

Chena smiled too.

Only slightly.

Malia stood between Phillip and Carter and patted both men on the upper back.

Carter looked down.

And remembered.

“Boss…” Phillip’s voice had been quiet.

Carter looked toward him.

Phillip stepped forward, then grabbed Carter by the collar with both hands. “Protecting your family. Protecting the company.”

Carter’s eyes widened.

“That means nothing if you can’t even face them and admit you lie for their sake!” Phillip’s grip tightened. “And without the Army, there won’t be a family to protect at all!”

Carter looked at the floor.

Malia’s hands remained on their shoulders. “You two brought change.”

Carter said nothing.

Malia looked toward the others. “…Everyone’s individual choices did.”

Her squad gathered in front of her.

For a moment, she looked at every face.

Chena.

River.

Khyrie.

Kiel.

Sarah.

Malia nodded. “Right.”

The relief faded from her expression. “It’s not over yet.”

Everyone quieted.

Malia looked toward the door.

“Let’s get Warui back.”