51

  There you are, Aria thought. I knew I had gotten ahead of the others. The air transport is close too, but it can’t get us out of here. The forest is too thick.

  She pulled her bow and an arrow from her inventory, slotted the arrow, and pulled the string back. Aria waited.

  “What are you doing?” Gunny hissed after running up to her. He bent over, sucking down air. People ran into sight. The Deinosuchus followed.

  “Saving Bishop’s ass,” Aria answered. She let the arrow fly. “You should slip around behind that thing and regroup with the others. I’ll keep it distracted.”

  “You’re wounded.”

  “No, not anymore,” Aria said, shaking her head and drawing another arrow. It’s true too. My little pals really love music or at least the state of mind it puts me in and the extra energy. “I’m healed now.”

  “How?” Gunny asked. “Nanites don’t work that fast.”

  “The power of music,” Aria answered cryptically as she loosed the second arrow.

  The first arrow plunged into the side of the giant alligatoroid. The monstrous creature roared in pain and turned to face the direction the pain came from. The second arrow slammed into its neck. The Deinosuchus crashed to its belly.

  “Now would be a good time, Gunny. I’ll lead it back toward the pond and beavers.”

  “How are you going to do that?”

  “My implant made a map.”

  He looked from her to his husband and back. “Argh! Don’t make me regret this.”

  “No promises,” Aria whispered as he slipped away. She stepped forward so the alligatoroid could see her and shot it with another arrow. This arrow hit it at the tip of its bulbous snout, shearing the tender flesh away.

  The Deinosuchus roared and charged after her. Aria turned and ran.

  *

  Aria burst out of the trees. The two giant beavers stood on their hind legs. She ran toward them.

  Sorry guys, Aria thought as she dashed past the beavers. She looked over her shoulder and watched as the Deinosuchus exploded from the forest onto the trail. Its eyes followed her and then turned towards the beavers, who had run for their pond.

  The monstrous alligatoroid’s hunger and prey drive must have overridden the attack directives that had been programmed into it. And so, the Deinosuchus has gone after what it recognized as prey while forgetting about me.

  “Fuck!” Aria cursed and stopped. I can’t sacrifice those two poor animals just so I can escape that thing.

  She pulled her bow from her inventory and an arrow. Aria loosed the arrow just as soon as she could. The arrow embedded itself just below the Deinosuchus’ right eye.

  “I have your attention now, don’t I?” Aria asked the monstrous reptile. She triggered two commands. The alligatoroid hissed at her. Can I use my ‘magic’ to fight this thing? Let’s find out. She fired another arrow at it. “Come on!”

  The alligatoroid charged her.

  *

  Aria crashed into a tree. The air flew from her lungs as she fell to the ground. The Deinosuchus thrashed about with an arrow stuck in its left eye socket.

  Aria imagined listening to Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in her mind while sending more energy to the nanobots. The nanites responded and healed her rapidly once more.

  Aria stood and wordlessly screamed. The monster spun towards her and opened its mouth to roar. She issued another command.

  A three-foot-long ice shard formed and flew towards the Deinosuchus’ open mouth. Another shard followed the first. Two small fireballs followed the ice. Aria immediately triggered the moisture gathering command again.

  The ice shards slammed into the back of the Deinosuchus’ throat. The fireballs hit the underside of its mouth. Fire flickered onto the grass. The Deinosuchus flopped onto its stomach and rolled, accidentally putting out the fire.

  Aria fired arrows as rapidly as she could into the monster’s exposed underside while walking to the side to get a better angle. The creature rolled back to its feet and turned to face her.

  It spun more quickly than she thought it could, slamming its tail into her. This hit made Aria drop her bow while sending her flying into another tree. The back of her head bounced off the tree.

  She tried to stand and fell. Aria felt the back of her head. Her hand came away bloody. Once again, she imagined listening to a soothing melody while trying to get to her feet.

  Aria looked up and saw the Deinosuchus coming towards her again. She put as much energy as she could into the air cutting trick while imagining listening to Jean-Baptiste Lully’s Alceste – Les vents and launched it at the alligatoroid.

  She saw a blur hit the monster’s right front leg and cut it off at the knee. The Deinosuchus roared and fell to the ground.

  Aria stood and hobbled to towards the pond. Something in my back doesn’t feel right. The monster didn’t turn in her direction. She dismissed the notices and imagined Williams’ Sinfonia Antarctica while using the last of her stored energy to launch an eight-foot-long ice shard at the alligatoroid.

  The missile impaled the Deinosuchus’ head just behind its eyes. The monster reared up and slammed down into the ground. It seemed to settle and didn’t move again other than some twitching of its legs.

  “I think I killed it,” Aria said aloud. She sunk to the ground. I just need a little rest and then I can look for my bow. She then laughed so hard she cried.

  “I don’t know why I kept imagining the music. I have it all downloaded to my implant and could have listened to it!”

  52

  Aria leaned her head back in the seat and closed her eyes as the transport lifted into the air an hour later. That was entirely too close.

  “Aria, how the hell did you get away from that thing?” Holder asked. “And what happened to your armor?”

  “Wasn’t easy and I got hot,” Aria replied without opening her eyes. “Those two poor giant beavers proved a timely distraction though.”

  “She’s got the luck of the Irish,” Towns said.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “Scottish actually,” Aria quipped. “Well, that’s at least what my parents always said.”

  Gunny sat beside her. “Want to talk about it?”

  Aria shook her head.

  “Nah. Aria has a horseshoe up her ass,” Bishop replied. “But thanks for saving my ass.”

  “You’re welcome,” Aria said. Bishop isn’t the nicest guy and not my type, but he does have a nice butt.

  Aria opened her eyes and stared out the transport’s window. Oh God! Why am I suddenly so horny?

  Aria pulled up one of the psychological books she had downloaded and checked the index. She read what she found. Yep. Horniness is a side effect of combat, life and death situations, and stress. In other words, it’s the body’s way of saying you’re still alive. It’s even worse because it’s been so long since I’ve done anything. She sighed and kept staring out the window.

  *

  What am I doing? Aria thought as she knocked on the door. It opened before she could answer herself.

  “Aria?” Craig Clarkson asked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

  “Hey Doc. I need two things.”

  “You couldn’t have sent an email, sent a message, or said something tomorrow during testing?”

  “No.”

  “Alright. What’s on your mind?” Craig asked.

  “I need a way to identify levels in other people and things,” Aria answered. “I could probably program something myself, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask first.”

  “Why do you want something like that?” Craig asked. She told him about the Deinosuchus and ferox both being over her level. “Yeah, I can see why you want something like that. You’re in luck too. Collingsworth had already set that up as part of the system.”

  “Really?” Why don’t I have it already then? And why are you making me stand in the hall?

  “Yes. Dr Roth ordered it disabled because she felt it was too game like.”

  “That makes no sense with a leveling system in place.”

  “True. I’ll get Collingsworth to enable it tomorrow and tell Dr Roth why afterwards.”

  “Thanks,” Aria replied. She stood there hesitantly.

  “You had something else on your mind?”

  “Yeah. You’re not married or dating, are you?” There’s nobody in his room either.

  “No. Why?” Craig asked.

  Before she could change her mind, Aria kissed him. He was shocked for a few seconds and then kissed her back. Aria pushed him into his room without breaking the kiss. The door slid shut behind them.

  *

  “Play the video again,” Johannes Sagan, SL3’s president and CEO, demanded. After the surveillance video ended, he pointed at the screen. “Lin, how the hell did that girl do that?”

  “I’m afraid we don’t know,” Dr Roth answered. “I’ve shown the video to a couple of other high-ranking scientists involved with a few of our projects and all we’ve determined is that the subject is using energy somehow.”

  “Energy? The girl is using energy to create fireballs, giant icicles, and some sort of invisible blade?” Johannes asked.

  “Yes,” Lin replied.

  “So, the Clarke quote about advanced technology and magic applies?”

  “To the average person, maybe,” Roth admitted. “But to us this is straight forward science and technology, nothing more.”

  “Then explain to me how she did it,” Sagan ordered.

  Dr Roth was quiet for a few minutes. “Perhaps she used the nanites.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We used nanites to overhaul and restore the thousands of miles of land, which became Southland, in a year,” Lin explained.

  “We also planted thousands of modified trees and other plants,” Johannes interjected.

  “True, but the nanites did the heavy lifting and broke down the majority of the buildings, roads, automobiles, and other junk,” Lin replied. “And all that metal and plastic became extra profit for the company.”

  “Indeed. That gave me a nice bonus,” Johannes agreed with a huge smile on his face. “But how could the nanites create energy and convert it into fire and ice?”

  “Most likely by using part of what she learned when she created that quantum inventory system,” Lin guessed. She spoke with more confidence than she felt. “Perhaps… yes. Gunnery sergeant Hauora reported she had upped the kinetic energy the recurve bow she was given is able to produce.”

  “And?” the CEO prompted.

  “And that most likely means she used motion to produce the energy,” Lin stated. “Most likely she used the same process to produce the energy and had the nanites convert it to physical forms.”

  “Can you replicate this?” Johannes asked. “Because if all our weapon platforms could do this…”

  “It’ll take time,” Lin warned. “It might be best to just buy whatever she has done from her.”

  “Yes,” Johannes begrudgingly agreed. “Buying anything she develops is part of her contract. I’m just loathe to part with the money.”

  “If I may, I would suggest holding off on making an offer so soon though,” Lin said. Johannes motioned for her to continue. “She may have a few other surprises up her sleeves and well, Southland is a dangerous place. Perhaps we should send the subject on her long trial sooner rather than later. And if she fails, recovering her corpse would give us those secrets while saving the company a lot of money.”

  Johannes laughed. “I love the way you think Lin.”

  53

  Aria slipped out of Craig’s bed the next morning. I can’t believe I slept with him. Well, that’s not true. I can believe it and the sex was pretty good.

  “You’re leaving?” Craig asked. She turned to see him open his eyes. He rubbed his eyes and sat up as she put on her panties.

  “Yeah. I have things to do, and my parents are visiting today,” Aria answered with a smile. True on both counts. I don’t think I want more than last night though. She felt his eyes on her as she finished dressing. “About…”

  “I’ll have Collingsworth activate the inspection label thingy this morning,” Craig said, cutting her off as he sunk back down. He yawned. “Shut the door when you leave, will you?”

  Asshole! Aria thought. The door slid shut behind her after she walked out. Seems I won’t have to worry about attachments either.

  *

  I love a hot, relaxing bath, Aria thought as she lowered herself into the water and sighed. The water is just right.

  She took a moment and just enjoyed the water. I think I’ll cook for mom and dad again today.

  Aria checked the time and started to wash herself. I have a few hours to kill before they get here. So, I can play some music, and I need to work on a way to protect myself better than the armor did. I’m not sure if a helmet would have helped much considering the size of that Deinosuchus. She felt herself shiver from the memories.

  Aria glanced over at the vanity and her eyes landed on the bluejay pendant laying there. Collingsworth made a game like level and stat system to quantify people in different categories, and the company is filling Southland with creatures that might as well be monsters and other things straight from high fantasy. Which basically turned their park and testing ground into a game of sorts. But there’s no magic unless you count what I’ve done so far with the nanites and quantum technology.

  She sat up in the tub. I’ve thought about it before and have done a little ‘enchanting’ with my ferox gear, guitar, and canteen. Why not extend that to the pendent and use it as some sort of shield or forcefield?

  Aria smiled. Blue jays are supposed to be signs of protection after all. I’ll add some nanites to the pendent that can extend a shield around me. Shouldn’t be too hard since it’s just energy and a shield would be just another physical manifestation of said energy.

  She stood and let the water drain from the tub. Aria toweled off and dressed. Her hair was still damp. Should I cut it? Nah. But maybe I can have the nanobots keep it a certain length though. It’s time to do some research and maybe talk with Hannah down in the supply depot again.

  *

  Any armor or clothing I take into Southland must be medieval age stuff, so that leaves things made from graphene, carbon nanotubes, and the other advanced stuff out, Aria thought. The ferox boots and cloak are within the rules since SL3 reintroduced it to Southland as does the Deinosuchus. Too bad I didn’t skin it, not that I know how to harvest animals.

  Aria shook herself. Okay, I do know how to harvest them, I just don’t want to.

  She turned back to her research. Spider silk would work, and I’ve seen ads for spider silk body armor. Perhaps I could get away with a set of spider silk clothes instead of armor. She smiled. Maybe wear spider silk clothes under spider silk armor!

  “But where am I going to get that many spiders and that much silk from?” Aria asked herself aloud. They probably put giant spiders in Southland. I should ask Gunny because he probably knows.

  She went back to her research once more after sending him a message asking about spiders in Southland. Limpet teeth are stronger than spider silk and are still considered the strongest biological material on the planet. But again, it boils down to where I can find enough limpets to harvest unless I can cheat and get Hannah and her group to make me some limpet teeth or spider silk armor.

  Gunny: Yeah, there’s giant spiders in Southland. Why do you want to know?

  Aria: Thinking about the future and armor. Clothes and armor made from spider silk would be a lot stronger than those made from steel and lesser materials.

  Gunny: Good idea. From what I’ve been briefed on, there are mutated giant wolf spiders in Southland. Before you ask just how big, my briefing says they’re supposed to be the size of midsized dogs and scattered about in forests.

  Aria: Thanks Gunny. Now I’m going to have nightmares.

  Gunny: You asked.

  Yeah, I did, Aria mused. I bet he has exact locations too.

  Aria: Gunny, do you have exact locations, and can I be allowed to hunt some? It could be good training if they’re my level.

  Gunny: Think you know how to appeal to me? Lol. I’ll ask Dr Roth. She’ll probably agree if you agree to getting bitten so the eggheads can see how you withstand the poison.

  Aria: Ugh. Fine, I’ll let one bite me if I can harvest the silk.