31

  Aria crept along the dry creek bed. Hauora, Towns, Bishop, and Holder followed 50 ft behind her. She didn’t know the proper hand signs, so just waved them back and pointed to a depression under a fallen tree.

  Gunny: Are you sure Corporal Timmons is there?

  Aria: Yes.

  Gunny: Then come back here. I have something for you.

  Aria: A present? How sweet.

  Gunny didn’t answer, he just waved her back.

  Seems the sergeant isn’t in a joking mood this morning, Aria thought as she carefully made her way back to the group. I’m not sure how I’m moving like this, but it feels natural. These skill packages are something else.

  Gunny: Take this arrow and shoot the corporal.

  She stared wide eyed at the sergeant and shook her head. How can he tell me to do something like that?

  Aria: I’m not shooting him. Sparring is one thing but asking me to kill someone is totally different.

  Gunny: Nobody is asking you to kill the corporal. The arrowhead is blunt and filled with paint.

  He held up an arrow. The arrowhead was either clear glass or plastic as she could see the red paint inside it slosh about.

  Gunny: Ever played paintball before or an online shooter?

  Aria: Yeah, of course.

  Gunny: This is just like paintball or shooting someone in a videogame except you’re using a bow and this arrow. Can you do that since it won’t hurt him?

  Hauora kept staring at her. She could still see the disapproval in his face. His expression hadn’t changed since she said she wouldn’t shoot the corporal. Guess he doesn’t like it when someone disobeys his orders, but he should be used to that from me by now. Still, I think I can do what he wants.

  Aria: Yeah, I do that.

  Gunny: Then take the arrow, find a suitable spot where you have a clear view of Timmons, and don’t just take the shot, make it.

  I hate this, Aria thought. She took the arrow, put it in her inventory, and started making her way to a slight rise that overlooked the fallen tree. Timmons is good. I can only see his outline. I imagine most people would miss him altogether even walking on the dead tree.

  I wonder if Gunny would get mad if I made this more sporting and spooked Timmons, Aria suddenly thought. She pulled up Timmons’ file. Aria grinned and looked around for… Aha!

  *

  Sergeant Hauora: What is she doing?

  Sergeant Towns: Looks like she is trying to catch something.

  Private Bishop: But what?

  Sergeant Hauora: She has caught something and is looking for something else.

  Sergeant Towns: Damn! She’s quick.

  Private Holder: Two lizards?

  Private Bishop: She didn’t strike me as the type to play with slimy reptiles and things.

  Private Holder: No kidding. Aria seems more the princess type, even if she can kick our asses.

  Private Bishop: Don’t remind me.

  Sergeant Towns: Baird is wearing gloves.

  Hauora sighed and rubbed his chin.

  Sergeant Hauora: Baird, what the hell are you doing?

  Instead of answering, she turned their way and smiled while holding up her prizes. Aria then gestured towards where she said Timmons was hiding.

  Private Holder: Uh, Gunny.

  Sergeant Hauora: What?

  Private Holder: If Timmons is under that tree, this could get ugly.

  Sergeant Towns: Why?

  Sergeant Hauora: Because the corporal hates frogs, snakes, and lizards.

  Private Bishop: Yep. But how did she find that out?

  Sergeant Hauora: Baird somehow got access to all our files. I believe someone gave her that access by mistake when they gave her complete access to the system and implant.

  Sergeant Towns: That was a mistake.

  Sergeant Hauora: Yep.

  *

  Ha! Hauora’s girl isn’t so good, Timmons thought. Something landed on his chest. What the heck?

  Whatever it was moved towards his head. Timmons raised his head fractionally to see what was on him. Something else smacked him in his camouflaged painted and leaf covered face.

  “Get it off! Get it off!” Corporal Timmons shouted after seeing what was on him. He sat up, smacked his head on the tree, and flopped to the ground. A few seconds later, the corporal crawled out from under the tree. He stood there wiping all over himself.

  *

  Too easy, Aria thought. She pulled back on the bowstring and let the paint arrow fly. It hit Timmons in the ass.

  The man jumped, shouted, and felt his behind. That scream sounded more from surprise than pain. Aria put the bow back in her inventory and dropped from the tree she had jumped into to make the shot.

  Timmons spun around and saw her smiling face. “You!”

  “Me,” Aria confirmed.

  “You threw those damn lizards on me!” Timmons accused.

  “True,” she agreed.

  “I hate lizards!” the corporal shouted. He pulled a combat knife from the small of his back. Aria stepped back in alarm.

  “Corporal Timmons, stand down!” Gunny Hauora thundered as he and the others quickly walked toward them. Timmons glanced at Hauora and the rest, then back at Aria.

  Shit! She thought as she noticed his eyes narrow. He’s going to attack.

  Timmons lunged and swiped at her chest. Aria hopped back and pulled the long pole from her inventory. His eyes widened in alarm or disbelief as Gunny hollered at him again. Bishop and Holder started running as the sergeants picked up their pace.

  Aria slammed the end of her staff into Timmons’ left wrist, making him drop the knife. He screamed in pain. She then stepped forward while jabbing the man in the chest and stomach. He flopped onto the ground cradling his wrist. The others arrived. Holder and Bishop immediately checked on the corporal.

  “Baird, are you alright?” Towns asked. She kept staring at Timmons instead of answering.

  Am I alright? I hurt him even though I didn’t want to, Aria thought. I think I hurt him badly too, but I don’t really feel any remorse. Whatever the implant does to my emotions, it’s doing it again.

  “Aria?” Gunny prompted. He touched her shoulder. She jumped and turned to him. The pole disappeared into her inventory.

  “I… I’m alright,” Aria replied. Gunny appraised her and nodded.

  “How’s Timmons?” Sergeant Towns asked.

  “Broken wrist and two cracked ribs,” Holder answered.

  “Can we go back now?” Aria asked in a small voice. Her hands shook and she clenched them into fists. That didn’t work, so she hugged herself as the emotional dam started to crack.

  “You did good,” Towns said, pulling her aside as Hauora told Bishop and Holder to help Timmons out of the forest and to return with him to Roth’s lab. “Aria, you did what you had to do to survive. Don’t feel bad about that. Timmons is hurt but will live.”

  “Travis is correct,” Gunny said, putting his hand on her shoulder again. He squeezed. “There’s one more thing I need for you to do. So, I’ll give you a few minutes to pull yourself together.”

  32

  I need to go ahead and get this over with, Aria thought. That way I can curl up and come to terms with the violence I did. That or have a good cry.

  She plopped down onto the downed tree and took a couple of minutes to just breathe and clear her mind. Once calmer, Aria took the canteen she had been given from her inventory and took a drink. She glanced at the canteen in surprise and took another sip. It’s still cold!

  “Hey, is your water still cold?” Aria asked the two sergeants.

  “No,” Towns answered. “It’s tepid. Why?”

  “Evidently this inventory system I came up with keeps things cold if they were cold when put in it,” a smiling Aria replied.

  “Your water is still cold?” Gunny asked. She happily nodded. “Going to share this new system with the rest of us?”

  “If the company is willing to pay enough for it,” Aria answered. The two sergeants laughed. Her stomach growled since it had been hours since breakfast and she pulled one of the ration bars from her inventory. Aria took a bite and made a face. The two sergeants laughed even harder.

  “Not good?” Towns asked. Aria shook her head and spit the half-chewed bar out.

  “That is horrible!” she exclaimed.

  “You didn’t sniff it first?” Gunny asked. She shook her head. “Serves you right then.”

  “Are any of the others any better?” Aria asked.

  “The ration bars?” Gunny asked. She nodded.

  “Afraid not,” Travis replied. “SL3 skimps on ration bars though they do feed us good the rest of the time. Try the nabs.”

  “The what?” Aria asked.

  “The pack of sandwich crackers,” Gunny answered. “Travis grew up in Jacksonville, North Carolina and had been a marine until the corporate takeover. He insists all sandwich crackers are nabs no matter the brand or flavor.”

  “Because they are,” Towns stated as Aria opened the back of crackers and sniffed them. He opened his own pack and started eating them.

  “Peanut butter and cheese?” Aria murmured. “But the pack said ToastChee.”

  “A company called Lance originally made those particular styles of crackers years ago,” Travis informed them. “SL3 bought Lance out when I was 4 or 5. Except for the name on the package, nothing has changed as far as I can tell.”

  Aria ate one of her own. It’s good.

  “Explain to her why you call them all nabs,” Gunny said.

  “Alright. Nabs comes from Nabisco,” Travis explained. “They were one of the companies that first popularized sandwich crackers to a national audience. People in North Carolina started calling all sandwich crackers nabs because of that about a hundred years ago and the name just stuck.”

  “Huh. I’m from Virginia and had never heard of that,” Aria said. I don’t recall Lance as a brand either. But that might because mom and dad never allowed me to eat something like this and had insisted on fruit as snacks instead.

  “That’s because you’re a Yankee,” Travis said. He grinned and winked at her. “But so is Tupu, so I can put up with you guys.”

  Aria shook her head and finished her snack. She noticed the two sergeants had finished theirs a few minutes before she had.

  “So, what do you want me to track?” Aria asked. She gathered up her trash and put it in her inventory, only leaving the partially eaten ration bar on the ground.

  *

  Such a pretty deer. His antlers are big, Aria thought. The whitetail buck grazed on grass and looked up every couple of minutes. Too bad I can’t take a picture.

  Gunny: You’ve tracked the deer successfully. Now, shoot it.

  Aria: You’re joking, right?

  Gunny: Nope. The troops will appreciate a good deer stew.

  Aria: That deer is innocent and beautiful. I can’t shoot it!

  Sergeant Towns: How are you going to feed yourself in Southland if you won’t hunt?

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Aria: I can forage for plants, berries, and nuts. I need to change Travis’ display name, she thought absently.

  Aria: I won’t eat it, much less shoot it!

  Gunny: You’re refusing and won’t change your mind?

  Aria turned and stared back at the sergeants.

  Aria: No, I won’t do it and won’t change my mind.

  Sergeant Towns: Aria, there are plenty of deer in the area. Hunting deer thins out the herd and is a good thing as it keeps them from overpopulating the region.

  Aria: I can’t.

  Her eyes started to tear up as her hands shook.

  Gunny: There will be consequences if you don’t.

  Aria: I don’t care!

  The tears started to fall. I’m not a killer.

  Gunny: Have it your way. Will Tyson, do you read me?

  Will Tyson: Yes, Gunnery Sergeant Hauora.

  Gunny: Release the ferox.

  Will Tyson: Are you sure?

  Gunny: 100%

  Aria could see the man staring coldly at her. She noticed Towns looked a bit more concerned. Aria heard a helicopter approaching from the south. A moment later, the buck ran off. She looked south.

  Towns and Hauora followed her gaze. Two minutes later, a helicopter stopped overhead and lowered a metal cage. Aria saw some kind of animal thrashing against the cage. The sergeants joined her and watched as the cage hit the ground. A moment later, the cage door opened, and they watched a very large wolverine type animal cautiously exit the cage.

  “What is that?” Aria asked. The creature was about the size of a cougar, large dog, or jaguar. It sniffed the air and ground. The animal looked in the direction the deer had run off in and then at them. It growled at them and then bounded off in the direction the buck had gone.

  “That is a Megalictis Ferox,” Towns answered. “It’s a predator from a few million years ago and ancestor to badgers and the like.”

  “This particular ferox was deemed too aggressive for Southland as it kept attacking and killing every living being it could,” Gunny added. “I suppose the scientists made it too aggressive.”

  “And you released it here?” Aria asked in disbelief.

  “Yes. I told you there would be consequences of not finishing your hunt,” Gunny replied. “This is said consequence.”

  “I can’t believe you would do this,” Aria said.

  “Believe it. My job is to make sure you’re capable of surviving Southland. Consider this part of my job,” Gunny replied. “Now you have a choice. You can hunt and kill the ferox, or you can return to the lab with it running loose. But know, that if you leave the ferox out here, it will kill every living thing it can and that includes people until somebody gets lucky and kills it.”

  “But it’ll be your fault,” Aria said as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “No. It’ll be your fault,” Gunny retorted. “The ferox was released as a direct result of your not shooting that buck.”

  “I thought better of you Gunny,” Aria said.

  “And I thought better of you,” Hauora countered. “You signed a contract giving your word to do what was required of you. Refusing to shoot that deer is breaking your word and contract.”

  He’s right, Aria realized, sobbing. I did give my word and sign that damned contract. It’s now bitten me in the butt.

  She took a deep breath and wiped her tears away. I’ll kill that damned thing, or it’ll kill me.

  Aria walked to the cage and sniffed. She also examined the ferox’s tracks. She then took off after the beast.

  33

  “Aria!” Gunny Hauora shouted. He glanced at his husband. “What the hell is that girl doing?”

  “What you told her to, Tupu,” Travis replied. “You were harsher with Aria than you needed to be too.”

  “I know,” Hauora said, as he waved his husband to join him. They started running after Aria. “Dr Roth demanded a successful hunt one way or the other.”

  “Why?” Towns asked. “I guess that means either the ferox kills Aria or she kills it.”

  “Yep. And as for why, probably an order from the executives,” Gunny answered. He frowned. “Or pretty revenge.” Travis grunted in agreement. “But it doesn’t matter. Aria does need to learn to hunt, defend herself from animals, and survive or Southland will chew her within a few hours.”

  “It can’t be that bad,” Towns said. “I mean they’re starting to send tourists in there.”

  “I’ll show you what I’ve been shown tonight,” Gunny said. “It’s bad enough that I agreed to do what I was ordered today to keep us from being tossed in there.”

  “What?”

  “Roth hinted that I either release the ferox to force Aria into action or you and me would be disappeared in Southland,” Gunny replied.

  “That bitch!” Travis fumed. “Did she know Aria would take off after the creature?”

  “She suspected so based off Aria’s psychological profile, especially if it was mentioned that people could be hurt or killed by the ferox,” Gunny answered. “Which I did.”

  “We need to hurry up and find her.”

  “I’m tracking her implant,” Gunny replied. “And I’ll apologize to Aria later if we survive this thing.”

  Travis smiled. “You like her.”

  “I do,” Gunny agreed. “She’s like an irritating kid sister or niece.”

  “Then we better make sure she survives so you can apologize,” Travis said. “Is that thing bulletproof?”

  “Nope. Though it does have thick skin and fur,” Hauora replied. “It also has very sharp claws and teeth as well as powerful jaws. It’s bite can crush bone.”

  “That’s not good.”

  “No. And to make things worse, the ferox is an ambush predator.”

  *

  Aria slowed and came to a stop. Ugh! That’s a lot of blood and I’m not going to walk through it.

  She resisted the urge to vomit and began breathing through her mouth as she took in the little blood splattered clearing. Aria spotted the remains of two or more small bodies near a hole in the ground that had claw marks that proved it had been opened wider than dug. She spotted ferox tracks leading out of the clearing heading northeast. She circled around to the remains.

  Poor bunny rabbits, Aria thought after spotting an ear. Birds started chirping and she heard other things scrabbling around. The ferox is gone. Guess I need to keep chasing it.

  She checked the time. It’s starting to get late in the afternoon. This thing is fast even with those short legs. I wonder if it will seek a hole to hide in or keep hunting and killing. Aria shook her head. It doesn’t matter. I need to stop it before it kills some kid.

  *

  “Not enough blood for a human,” Gunny said.

  “Rabbit warren over there,” Travis said, pointing to the hole in the ground. “I thought you said the ferox was an ambush predator.”

  “It is according to what the scientists said and what was observed in Southland,” Hauora replied. “Looks like it’s an opportunist too.”

  “When was the last time this thing ate?” Travis asked.

  “Good question,” Gunny replied. “Let’s find out.”

  Sergeant Hauora: Will Tyson, you still around?

  Will Tyson: Yeah sarge. We’re tracking the ferox and it’s heading northeast.

  Sergeant Hauora: That matches Baird’s heading. When was the last time the ferox was fed?

  Will Tyson: Three days ago. Dr Roth wanted it hungry and aggressive. Make that more aggressive than normal. Why?

  Sergeant Towns: We found a rabbit warren that has been dug open. Looks like rabbit remains are everywhere in this little clearing.

  Will Tyson: Who are you?

  Sergeant Hauora: That’s Sergeant Travis Towns, my partner.

  Will Tyson: Alright. Just wondering.

  Sergeant Towns: Does this ferox have levels like the orcs and elves do?

  Sergeant Hauora: Good question. Will?

  Will Tyson: This ferox is level 2. We took it out of Southland because it had leveled too fast for the tourist area, we had put it in. It should have taken two weeks for it to reach level 2, but it had taken this one only three days.

  Sergeant Hauora: Thanks for the info Will.

  Will Tyson: You’re welcome. I have poison and tranquilizers if your project can’t handle the ferox and you need them.

  Sergeant Towns: Thanks.

  “What do you think?” Travis asked.

  “That we’re officially living in crazy world. But I think Aria can handle it, though it’ll be hard. It’s also getting late, so we need to hurry,” Gunny answered. They drank some water and set out again.

  34

  Aria slowed and stopped. It’s dusk and too quiet. The ferox must be near.

  She pulled the bow from her inventory and notched an arrow. She didn’t draw the string back, but did want to be ready.

  You can do this, Aria thought as she crept forward. The silence was unnerving. A moment later, she stopped under a tree. Shit! Stupid! Aria glanced up just in time to see the ferox leap from a low branch at her.

  She dived forward, narrowly avoiding the beast’s claws, but dislodging and losing her arrow in the process. Aria rolled to the forward and then immediately to her right. She came up in a crouch.

  The ferox appeared confused and looked around before sniffing the air. It then turned to face her again. It can’t see well! But it’s sense of smell is great.

  Aria pulled another arrow from her inventory and fired it at the ferox as it charged at her. The rushed shot missed anything vital and hit a glancing blow on the creature’s right shoulder. That didn’t slow it down though.

  She dived to the left to avoid being bowled over. The ferox lashed out with its left claws and caught Aria on the calf. The razor-sharp claws had easily sliced through her boot and pants leg. She screamed and dropped the bow.

  Aria came up to her feet and fell, not able to put weight on her injured leg. Come on nanobots! Do your thing!

  She looked up and saw the ferox rapidly closing on her. Aria rolled to the right, trying to avoid the prehistoric monster. She screamed again as her back erupted in fiery pain and tears filled her eyes.

  Aria fell onto her stomach. She looked over her shoulder and saw the ferox almost on her. She kicked with her wounded leg, hitting the beast in the jaw. The kick seemed to hurt her worst than it did the ferox as she screamed in pain, and it growled, shrugging off the blow.

  Aria rolled onto her back and kicked with her uninjured right foot. The ferox caught her boot in its mouth and started shaking its head back and forth. She felt fangs penetrate the bottom and sides of her foot and screamed in pain again. Aria started kicking the ferox’s head with her injured leg.

  “Get the fuck off me!” she screamed as she repeatedly kicked the creature with tears falling. This thing is going to kill me!

  A lucky kick hit the ferox in the snout. It let go of her foot and yipped. Aria tried to back away. The ferox charged her again.

  The ferox’s claws raked her legs and torso as its head neared her neck. Aria screamed from the pain again. She tried to grab it. The ferox in turn tried to bite her hands. Finally, Aria grabbed its throat as the ferox tried to bite her face.

  This monster is too strong! Aria thought. She pushed it back with everything she had. The ferox continued to claw her chest and stomach. Think! I’m going to die and be this thing’s supper. No! I need fire!

  Aria took her right hand from around the creature’s throat, allowing its blood covered snout and mouth to sink closer to her.

  “I want to live!” she shouted as she triggered the ignite command and slammed her open palm into the side of the ferox’s head, channeling every bit of energy as she could into the spark.

  Fire erupted on the side of the monster’s head. The ferox yowled in pain and jumped away from her. It started rubbing its head into the ground.

  Now, get up and fight!

  Aria struggled to her feet just as the ferox got the fire out. It looked at her and growled. She pulled her butterfly swords out of her inventory and settled into a fighting stance as best she could. The ferox rushed and jumped at her.

  Aria tried to sidestep it and felt the beast’s shoulder hit her side as she felt her left sword bite into the ferox’s underside. She fell, losing her grip on the lefthand sword. It clattered to the ground. The ferox attacked again. Aria thrust up with her righthand sword.

  *

  “She’s breathing,” Gunny announced after checking Aria’s pulse.

  “Then let’s get this thing off her,” Travis said. Gunny agreed and the two were able to roll the dead ferox off Aria. “Holy shit! She should be dead. What the hell happened to her clothes and how did she kill it?”

  “Don’t just stand there. Help me start patching these wounds,” Hauora replied. He put action to words and pulled out his first aid kit. Travis knelt on Aria’s other side and did the same. “Guess the ferox didn’t like camo.”

  “Yeah,” Travis grunted. They continued to work on the elf woman. “I sent a message to Bishop and Holder. They’re less than five minutes out and have a medic with them.”

  “Good. They should have a whole squad,” Gunny said. “At least that is what I ordered when I contacted them earlier. I thought we might have to hunt the damned monster.”

  “Tupu, if we’re going to work together going forward, you need to keep me in the loop on things like that,” Travis said as their hands brushed each other’s while they cleaned and bandaged Aria’s stomach.

  “I will,” Hauora promised. “We’re going to run out of gauze and bandages.”

  They heard the copter’s approach get louder.

  “It’s a good thing the rest are here then,” Towns replied. The wind picked. He looked up to see Bishop’s bulk slide rappel down a rope. Holder and three others were right behind him.

  “Fuck me! That thing fucked her up,” Bishop said as he unclipped from the rope and looked around. “She’s alive?”

  “Barely,” Towns answered. “Most of this blood seems to be hers.”

  “We’ll airlift Baird out of here after we stop the bleeding,” Alice Jones, the medic, said as she pushed Gunny out of the way. Holder did the same to Towns. “The nanites are working but need some help.”

  Bishop and the other two men gawked at Aria and the ferox. Their eyes lingered on the elf.

  “Avert your eyes!” Gunny commanded. The men quickly turned their backs. “Secure the perimeter.”

  Bishop and the others immediately did as the gunnery sergeant instructed. A gurney descended from the helicopter. Towns walked over to the ferox and rubbed its back.

  “Damn. This thing is soft,” he said.

  “The ferox is basically a giant ferret, weasel, or wolverine,” Gunny said as he felt the fur too. “And those critters are prized for fur since it makes great leather.”

  “We should take it and process it,” Travis suggested. “It would make a fitting gift for a certain girl. She earned it after all.”

  “Yeah,” Gunny agreed. “And I happen to know some people that can work with the pelt.”

  35

  Where am I? Aria thought as she opened her eyes. She noticed the white walls and beeping of some kind of monitor. She turned her head and noticed the patient monitoring machine. In another hospital room it seems.

  Aria ignored the blinking notice in her vision. I’ll deal with that later.

  She heard breathing and looked toward the end of the bed. Her mom was asleep bent over with her head resting on the end of the bed beside Aria’s feet.

  Mom looks so peaceful. Aria tried to smile. Ow! Even smiling hurts. Her eyes suddenly felt very heavy.

  I wonder where dad is, she thought. Aria sent him a message about the inventory system and that it could be worth billions if not more since anyone with nanites and an implant could have one. Her eyes closed and she knew no more.

  *

  I’m still alive, Aria thought after regaining consciousness again. The little notice was still flashing. Ugh, this thing is going to annoy me forever unless I see what it is. She checked the notice.

  Congratulations! You have gained a level.

  User: Aria Baird

  Class: None

  Level: 2

  Trait Stats

  Physical: 8

  Mental: 10

  Personal: 10

  Skills: Akido, Archery, Movement, Paramedic, Survival, Tracking, Wing Chun

  Well, look at that. All the numbers went up and it only took me getting my butt handed to me by a giant ferret to do so, Aria thought. She dismissed the notice and cracked open her eyes.

  She couldn’t stop the smile from forming as she saw her parents cuddled together in a chair. Aria opened her eyes the rest of the way. Her parents didn’t notice. I’m tired.

  “Get a room, you two,” Aria croaked.

  “We’re not doing…” her dad said turning his head towards the door. Her mom had looked in her direction at the same time.

  “Mike!” her mom hissed, getting out of her dad’s lap. “Aria! You’re awake!”

  “What?” her dad questioned. Then they were both up and on both sides of the bed. Aria’s parents kissed, hugged, and babbled.

  At least I think they’re babbling. Aria shook her head weakly as tears fell. Mom and dad are crying too. Just how close did I come to dying? She croaked, “water?”

  “Of course,” Piper replied while wiping her eyes. She offered her daughter a water bottle. “Just sip.” Aria nodded and tried to drink as much as she could. Her mom didn’t let her. Aria glared. Piper smiled and said, “That’s what the nurses told us. You’ll have to wait until they say you can have more.”

  “The monitor had to notify them you’re awake,” Mike said. “I’m sure someone will be right in.”

  “Okay,” Aria murmured as her eyes closed. She knew there was an IV drip feeding her fluids, but she still very thirsty… and hungry too. “Need food.”

  “She’s falling asleep again,” Piper noted.

  *

  “Mom? Dad?” Aria called out without opening her eyes. She could hear deep breathing, but it didn’t sound like two people.

  “They’re meeting with Dr Roth and a few executives about your inventory or portal. Whatever that was that you pulled stuff from,” Gunny Hauora’s voice answered. “They should be back in an hour or so.”

  I should have recognized Gunny by his breathing, Aria thought. She opened her eyes and studied the man. Hopefully, dad gets billions from the company. Gunny looks… upset. “You don’t look well. Did you get mauled by a big mouse too?”

  “No,” Hauora laughed. “And neither did you. That ferox you fought was more like a giant weasel.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Want something to drink?”

  “Please,” Aria replied. The sergeant let her sip water. In fact, he let her drink an entire bottle before speaking.

  “I owe you an apology.”

  “No, you don’t,” Aria said. And I don’t think I’d forgive you anyway.

  “Be that as it may, I apologize,” Gunny said. He then messaged her about the threats Roth had made.

  Of course, Roth threatened him and Towns. Is that true though? Aria thought. She looked into the sergeant’s eyes. Yeah, I think it is, and I can get past that.

  “All is forgiven,” Aria finally replied. He looks appreciative. She checked the time. I’ve been in and out of sleep for a week! “Uh, Gunny?”

  “Just checked the time?” Gunny asked. She nodded. “Yeah, you’ve been in another coma for most of a week, mostly because your nanites shut you down.”

  “I didn’t know they could do that.”

  “Me either, but evidently it’s something they can do in an emergency,” Gunny replied. He grinned and then looked serious. “We almost lost you kid. If not for those little robots, the ferox would have killed you.”

  “Oh. I’ll bake the little buggers a cake as a thank you,’ Aria joked. Gunny smiled. “Okay, I can’t cook, but I’ll eat a cake for them.”

  Her stomach growled. Gunny laughed.

  “You’ll have to hold off on the cake I’m afraid. You’re on soft foods for a few days until the medical staff decides everything is back to normal inside you,” Hauora informed her. “The ferox did a number on you and that includes your stomach and intestines.”

  Aria’s stomach growled again. She felt her stomach under the sheet she was wrapped in. I can’t feel any scars. “Could you get me something to eat, please?

  “Be happy to,” Gunny answered. He stood and walked to the door.

  “Gunny?”

  “Yeah?” he replied, turning to face her.

  “I reached level two, and my stats went up a point,” Aria said.

  “Unexpected, but welcome news. That’ll help you survive Southland,” Gunny said. He smiled. “I’ll get Collingsworth to make you a cooking skill as a reward.”

  “Ha-ha,” Aria replied. “That might be useful since I really can’t cook.”

  “Alright. I’ll seriously have him make you that skill then,” Gunny said. “It might even go along with the knife fighting and throwing skills he already has made for you.”

  “I don’t think knife fighting would have mattered with the ferox.”

  “No, but those two skills will supplement your other fighting skills nicely. Anyway, I’ll be back with your food,” Gunny said. He turned to leave and turned back one more time. “Oh yeah, Travis and I are having something made for you. Consider it a gift for leveling up and surviving.”

  “It’s not a ferox hide corset or bikini, is it?” Aria laughed. Gunny laughed and walked away.