Daniel prattled the entire hour drive from Hyatt. The travel required using a lot of winding paths. These maze-like country roads had been the most boring part of working for Henderson. Manual labor felt bearable but driving was dull.

"Careful in this place. It's insane,” he said. “These people look upon their cause as blessed by God like someone slid a petition onto the stack of shit he deals with and he just smiled and okayed racism and bigotry."

I nodded as we bumped closer to Camp Grace.

Daniel kept on talking. "Why anyone thinks God supports their prejudices is beyond me, man. If I were a higher power there's no way I'd care about the lies these insecure people need to hear just to stand up for a cause."

"Then why me? Isn't the Order after me?"

"It is, man, but I can't do what needs to be done without breaking my cover.” He glanced at me and I kept staring outside. “You're here, and will pass for human for a bit longer. And they'd never expect a creature whose eluded them for years to just wander into their turf."

"And why’s that?" I asked.

Daniel’s fingers tightened on the wheel turning his knuckles white. "They're too clever and over think things. Deep plots for remote goals. Hopefully, no one would expect us here, and we need to break some of your people out."

"Of here?"

"Of Camp Grace, yeah, man," he said.

We passed a few cows that looked like they would be delicious once someone got them onto a plate. The idea of burned meat made my mouth water. Then I remembered the color of orange and red flames spiraling outward from me on the floor of Bottom Pit. I saw hints of the fires during the two fights Roy brought me to. Whatever I was at the core hadn't been buried by the restriction of memories.

I finally registered what Daniel said then shook my head. "My people are in Camp Grace, with those gun nuts?"

"The correct phrase is civil minded, not gun nuts.” Daniel’s grin made me want to punch him in the face. “Granted some of the shit they listen to is nearly insane.”

I tried counting trees with my spare attention span. At fifty, I lost track then started over. There were a lot of woods out here. The perfect kind of place to put a deluded bunch of Human Supremacists. Not to say that it was all forests. There were brief openings of plains, wine vineyards, little ranches, typical country stuff.

"Daniel."

"Yeah, man?"

"I didn't feel any different." In fact, the transition from James the fleeing migrant to Jay the disgruntled debt collector was nearly seamless. Everything coming back in a rush like that should have caused a disconnect or shattered my self-perceptions. I felt like my past was a puzzle being slowly put together. Not all of them shook loose from the box, but there more than I used to have.

"So?"

"You'd think losing my memories would mess with me. But everything felt normal," I said.

"Sure. You were still you." Daniel was trying not to fidget.

"I should have noticed something." There had to be a clue to my memory gaps beyond the wrist itching and insubstantial memories.

"Nah, man," he responded.

"I didn't notice a damned thing. Or when I did my arm itched, my memory was off, but I was still me."

"Exactly. That's how it works." He sighed and waited. His words were trying to stall me, but his body language was giving up the defense.

"How long have I been messed with?" It was clear that my memory had been screwed over a few times by now.

"Memory wise?"

"Yes.” I nodded.

Daniel debated an answer. His finger rubbed up and down the steering column of his car. Wiping away at dust that accumulated on the plastic pieces until it was nearly pristine.

"Has it been years?"

He nodded.

"Did my memory get messed before I left years ago, or after?" I asked while trying not to freak out. The car felt cold and stuffy.

"Nah,” his head shook, “the memory alterations only started after you and Rhodes split the first time, what, almost five years ago?"

I yelled but didn't strike him. Daniel kept calm and the car in one lane. It would have been impressive if I wasn't busy being pissed. The reason for my anger wasn't even at the when. All my ire was centered around the fact that I might have truly remembered events wrong. That defining moment between me and Kahina, where she nearly killed me the first time she tasted my blood, could have gone differently than I remembered. Thoughts of the damage I might have done, hurting her, while out of control, sent my anger into overdrive.

The car grew heated. Breath came in gasps while both eyes crossed. Sensory overload started pouring in almost instantly. The rubber of tires trailing along the road. The sway of branches in the wind. A bovine's face brushing through the grass. Daniel's god damned finger rubbing back and forth.

Repetitive motions helped and Daniel knew it. It was like listening to a clock tick, annoying but focusing. Everything dwindled to that motion and part of me absently counted each motion.

I really looked at my friend. He was a Hunter. It was in those eyes. They had an edge of pity. His posture was both focused on the road and ready to react to my aggression. After all of his excited babbling earlier, now he was quiet.

"Did I really hurt her? Had she been telling the truth? Why I can't remember?" I shouted the questions out, one after the other across the dilapidated car.

"I can't tell you, man," he said.

"Why? God damn it, why? Why can't anyone just answer me." I turned away facing the passenger door, grabbing my head. I wanted to break down, to curl into a ball. Just find a deep hole and hide. Even Daniel couldn't give me any sort of information.

"I can't tell you, man. I'm trying. I want to, but we're under Oaths. Until you release us." Daniel sat there, letting me spin around in my seat trying to keep a grip on my head.

"Why would I do that?"

"To protect the remains of dying races.” He tried to smile but failed. “They look, looked to you to keep them protected. To bring them together from a world that tried to erase them. For their safety, for Rhodes’ safety, you went into hiding so the Order wouldn't associate you with them."

"Why can't I remember any of this?" I couldn't turn around and look at Daniel. My face was screwed up, and he probably wore that pitying expression. I didn't need that from the last friend I had.

"Muni took some, many, of the memories. Nearly killed her. The partial band on your arm mostly confuses everyone else, and helps you resist the desire to pull on your abilities." Daniel gestured to my wrist, where I vaguely remember placing an object on it.

"That comes off, and a good chunk of your memories will flood back, and old habits will surface with them," the Agent continued.

"A hurricane compared to the rain."

"She's said that, yeah man."

"For her brother,” I said.

"That was her price, man, and you agreed, but her brother's been gone for at least a thousand years. No one knows who he is, what he looks like, or if he's even alive."

"She," I started to explain a half hidden memory. They were still jumbled. Parts of the past came to me and others felt lost. I couldn't remember what I had eaten for dinner yesterday, but that was standard. "She'd given me one of his feathers. There was a response but..."

Daniel’s eyes lit up and the vehicle slowed."Really? So he's alive, but what?"

I stood there, trying to grasp at the memory. Nothing came up, though. It was too hard, too murky and finally I gave up then said, "No idea. It was strange, but kind of familiar."

"Like your elf was?" Daniel asked. He was referring to when I tried tracking an elf by the name of Evan almost a year ago. That had been weird also, but they weren't the same.

"No. Something else." It didn’t help that I had a layer of memory blocks on me. I almost knew where those were, but if we were going to head into Camp Grace, I would need to pass for human. Keeping the trinket active helped with that.

"Well. Ain't that a mystery for the ages," Daniel said. He leaned back and steered the car around a few more bends in the road. We were getting close to Camp Grace. I remembered these landmarks from delivering furniture and hated seeing them.

"Whatever, man. We'll make it work, whatever it takes. We take down the Order, then put you back to normal. Afterward, we'll find Muni's brother. I'll help you."

I didn't say anything. Nothing that passed through my lips would be peaceful at this point. Everything annoyed me.

"Time to put your thug face on."

"You sure?"

"It's perfect for a place like this. The whole vibe is a tough guy who doesn't ask questions. If anyone wants to know your history, share anything about your fights,” Daniel paused then sniffed, “minus the whole Rhodes episode."

"They won't suspect?" I asked.

"The trinket muddles that. You could call yourself a half man half bull monster who loves mazes and they'd never remember it."

The picture made me chuckle. I pictured a bovine with a dumb human face on top, drooling on itself. My biggest thrill would be wondering how to get over a farmer's fence for more grass. Or making crop circles for alien enthusiasts to find.

"Pass," I said.

"I'm just saying, don't be afraid to express your ability to punch people."

"Just a thug."

"Too bad you lost the suit. Actually, scratch that, man, they prefer the military look here. Should have gotten you a buzz cut to clean up the shaggy head you've been growing."

"Can't win them all."

"No. But the important ones, those we've got to win."

Speaking of battles and wars reminded me of another question. "Has anyone told Roy?"

Daniel’s head shook. "I'm making Cliff pass on the message. Hopefully, he'll put a delay on it like I asked."

"Delay?"

"Shush.” He waved an arm at me. “We're here."

The gates of Camp Grace’s main entrance loomed over our car. Those large chain linked and barb wire fences disturbed me, but for entirely different reasons. This place was a den of human supremacists. If there was a time to run, it was now.

One leg bounced up and down to vibrate my side of the truck. A spot between the ears started to throb with a headache. Unease set most thoughts toward pulling my connections and perception of ownership that bound me to objects far away. Each one a desperate attempt to shift focus away from Camp Grace.

Daniel, no, Zach. I had to correct myself since he was under cover. Slipping up and calling him another name would destroy whatever ruse the agent was trying to keep together. Zach was peaceful, just living another day, acting like a man arriving at work for another eight-hour shift.

Hell. I couldn't believe that I willingly went along with this whole plan. Get me inside? So I could break out Rachel and Tal somehow? I agreed without any real hesitation or thought. Too much of me blindly trusted Daniel to help me get back people who were family.

Weird, but the word calmed me a bit. Family. Despite the episode in the warehouse. Looking back on it now I could see how the event was staged for people trailing me. Roy, Tal, and others had followed me out here to a town that was hours away from home. Roy wanted to get me back into fighting shape. They weren’t willing to let me go once we reunited. Even half broken, a hollowed out version of my former self, they didn't care.

"Who's that with you, Zach?" a gate guard asked.

"Possible recruit.” Daniel nodded to the other man. “I brought him in for the tests."

"Another one? That's the third since you've arrived."

"I got an eye for people."

I kept a stony face and refused to smile or show teeth. Based on Daniel’s words, they would respect silence and my generally large presence. Ideas ran through my head. I could keep my hands out to the sides and low-key. Movements should be fluid, and when I stood still it would be nearly frozen. That would make me just like Roy’s family. They were bouncers at Bottom Pit, I remembered it now. Their postures were perfect for this kind of crowd.

If I could carry a hint of fawning puppy dog as I looked around, well, that would help as well. Enough to show I was impressed and hopeful. I would have to cover up the expression quickly.

"You're a true patriot," the other man said. It wasn't empty words either. This was the kind of man who believed, not in God, not in righteousness, but in a cause. In the history of all the races, nothing was more dangerous than a person who fully committed to a cause.

I would brave this compound of civic-minded gun toters to save a few. All to get my vaguely remembered family back. Tal was important to me for more reasons than I could sort out right now.

"I don't keep them. That's the sir himself that gets them going," Daniel’s accent sounded weird to me.

"Truer words were never spoken, Brother Zach."

I almost retched in my own mouth. These people seemed like bigger idiots every second.

"We clear?" Daniel asked.

The other man looked through our car again then nodded. "You know where to park. I'll radio ahead and let them know. You'll have to go through the normal pat down."

"Sure. Thanks, Brother Mike," Daniel commented to the other man. I didn't even care about the fellow's name. It was a useless piece of information about a place I would hopefully be leaving soon.

Daniel, Brother Zach, the Bartender, Sector agent, Hunter, my friend wore so many hats and titles I was starting to wonder who the real man was. Was the surfer accent fake? A way of relating to me? He hadn't used it since we entered the compound. Instead, his tone was soft spoken, words stretched out longer, less excited.

Hell. I was tired of wondering about his motives. We had known each other for a long time, and it was too late in the game for doubt. If I was bothered by all the back and forth, then there was no question he was struggling like crazy just to keep all the masks on straight. Daniel gave me a role, and I would see where it led.

As we got out of the car someone came over and gave us a courtesy once over for hidden weapons. The inside of the compound wasn't as disturbing as originally imagined. Daniel was carrying a handheld, I had nothing. Being patted down set me on edge even after recovering some memories.

There were clearly different buildings set up. A few larger greenhouses, a bunker that looked to house a series of sleeping cots. Another for guns, ammo, shooting ranges. Oddly it felt like a bare bones version of Kahina's home. Her property had been less self-sufficient. She had money and lived in a major city. Camp Grace had to grow its own food to cut down on costs. Their leader was probably paranoid enough to believe he could be poisoned if store bought food was brought in. Knowing Western Sector’s finest, poisoning was likely.

"Looks like one of the Fathers is preaching. You have to hear some of this." Daniel turned us slightly toward a gathering.

Roughly thirty people sat in a clearing between buildings. Each armed in different bits of gear. Most of them at least had their weapons holstered or properly tucked away. One man stood on top of a flatbed truck, speaking into a megaphone. The midday sun behind him only served to heat people up that much more. Even with such tainted motives it was clear these militants, their training, and compound were nearly on par with Kahina's people.

It also meant she'd only survived due to clashing vampires against Order members. The home court advantage helped. Of course, she betrayed me and slept with someone else, so to hell with the woman.

"We are on the verge of a new dawn!" the man shouted. His voice brought shivers to my skin. I couldn't quite make out his face. Heavyset, not in the muscled way, he was overweight.

"We sit here in an age where hunted are the hunters, where the prey turns on those pursuing us and ends the chase once and for all!" Each sentence ended in a raised voice, like a twisted prayer. "One man, one righteous man can take on one of the unclean monsters and end his life. They may have claws, and speed, and other unholy powers, but we have gifts they have shunned." The man’s raving continued in the background, preaching to a captive audience.

"He does a speech once every day or two, or before big events. Helps keep everyone focused," Daniel explained.

"Seems zealous," I said.

"Careful with your words. Especially if you want to stay here long."

I raised an eyebrow at Daniel. Staying here long wasn't part of my plan or desires. If I could sneak out with everyone tonight then things would be perfect.

Finally, Daniel sighed. "He's right, though. The scales are tipping more than anyone realizes. Vampires, wolves, elves, everything else. They may have extra abilities, but the gap closes quick in the face of enough firepower."

I rubbed below my ribs where I was shot three times. There were dozens of close calls over the years. Moments where I should have died.

"Dangerous times," I agreed.

"Ain't that the truth, man."

There were all sorts of videos out there on the internet with new weapons. Shaggy had loved them. The right bullet would blow a hole in anyone's head. All it took was a single sniper stationed outside someone's door to remove a person. They had to be willing to sacrifice themselves to do it. Hate crimes were handled swiftly by Western Sector’s finest. Daniel probably had an entire list of names from this one compound. He just had to do it before their plans went forward.

The Elder spouting hate was right in that sense. One idiotic man could easily kill any race. An army might clear entire cities if the planning went deep enough. It would require a whole slew of well-trained crazies to pull it off. The small army here was uncomfortably close to the right amount of people. The real question was, could this group commit to such a plan?

Daniel, no, Zach, kept right on heading for a dugout bunker in the back of the compound. He maintained an easy pace, not rushed, not leisurely, and came across like a comfortable man who knew exactly where he was going.

"We're headed back here,” he filled me in. “They'll do the tests on you first. Afterward, I'll try to get approval to show you the enemy we train for."

"Not just wolves?" I asked in brief confusion.

"Wolves are on the lighter side of things. Their weaknesses we know, and through those crutches, we can control them. Nearly every wolf is registered with the government," an older man spoke as he joined us. He clearly had been eavesdropping on our conversation. The new person walked slowly, and Daniel adjusted to fit the man's pace.

"So, they’re not a big issue then," I said.

"They're a controllable issue,” the new man said. He looked old but stern. “There's darker beings that escaped destruction. Some of those creatures prey on humans. The Order’s focused these greater dangers first. Learning, studying."

"This is Father Tom," Daniel gave an introduction.

The older man nodded to one side. "Brother Zach." Our trio stopped outside the bunker. "Is this our new convert?" Father Tom asked.

"If he passes the tests," Daniel said.

"Does he understand our cause? Is he willing to support it?" Father Tom stared at me and I found myself confused at making prolonged eye contact. Most people couldn’t handle it. The thought that a human would be willing to engage in a staring match felt amusing.

"I believe so, Father Tom," Daniel spoke in an out of place subdued view. The change in his mannerisms made my pulse jump and part of my face twist up.

"Very well. After the testing, I'll hear his story personally. If I approve, you can show him the prisoners. Then we'll see if he can stomach our cause."

"Jeff here is a believer already, sir,” Daniel said, giving me another name for the new crowd. That meant he probably knew about Muni’s trinket, which would make it harder to remember me when using a new name.

"I'll not be sold on any man's worth until after the testing,” the older man said.

"Of course, Father." Daniel was in his thirties, calling someone else father felt wrong. Like the man was a priest of some kind. Maybe he was, anyone could get a license online for fairly cheap.

Hell, now I was dealing with a strange sect of religious gun nuts spouting humanity first beliefs. There were probably citing passages from the Bible that enforced their point of view. What was with these groups trying to cherry pick lines that supported their bigotry? They frequently grabbed a handful of paragraphs and put them up on banners like a rallying cry without taking note of all the other messages in the Good Book.

Father Tom walked away. I watched his footsteps, trying to get a feel for both weight and size. Trying to reach out with my senses and feel the world about.

Daniel grabbed my arm and squeezed tightly. "Don’t do that stuff here, man," his surfer accent was in a low whisper. "Not yet."

"What?” My forehead wrinkled.

"Let it build. Let the perception build,” he spoke quickly while looking around. “Don't you dare try to pull on anything until the last moment. If any Hunters are here then we'll be screwed if they notice."

I withdrew my senses. Daniel was right. Extending myself here in the middle of Order training grounds was like asking to be shot. He proved the point by simply being aware of my attempt. Hunters could clearly pick up my abilities easily. Still, there were possibilities to my extra powers. Maybe I could leap out of here with Tal and Rachel.

"Come on.” Daniel pushed me toward the door. “We'd better complete the test quickly. Or they'll get suspicious."

"Don't you know their handshake?" I hated this entire process. We were walking in the middle of an unknown place, talking about what shouldn’t be done and Daniel worried about initiation.

"No one is above scrutiny." He shifted back to Zach's vocal tones and the words started dragging out more. "We must be on guard at all points. Traitors can come from any side, and our cause shouldn't be stopped."

Another pair, male and female, walked by and overheard part of Daniel's little warning. The male nodded in a very serious manner. The female watched with narrowed eyes. There was a lot of barely buried anger in those orbs. I slowly registered that Daniel changed his tone based on our observers.

"Inside." Zach held open a door at the bottom of three concrete steps. Someone had poured out the foundations of these buildings then carefully fortified them.

Upon opening the door a woman shouted, “You made it!"

This place had a half and half population. Gender apparently didn’t matter when joining a militant compound based on revenge against nonhumans.

"That we did. Here's the new recruit I mentioned a few days ago," Daniel said.

"Really?" She looked me over, I stared into space from my position behind Daniel. "He looks like a serious one.”

"Well, he's got the experience.” Daniel stepped to one side and the door slammed behind us. “I figured he might fit in good with Lance and his crew, but got to get him vetted first."

"Oh right, tests. I'll have to call in the others, you know how it goes."

"Of course. We can't be too careful with our mission," Daniel, with his Zach way of speaking, said.

There was one chair and two long tables that had probably been delivered by Henderson's. Through the door on the side came three men with guns. They took up positions around us. I tried not to let my face slip into panic. It was difficult, and no one would call me a coward for the brief moment of worry. Those were heavy duty pieces they carried.

Daniel stepped back, and the tiny woman who was going to be giving me the tests appeared unfazed by the men with guns. She reached behind the desks into a short cabinet and brought up stacks of trays. Each one rattling differently than the others as they slammed down onto the table tops.

One of the men yawned, clearly bored by the whole process. If things went south I would plow through him first. My only chance of success would be to put them into each other's line of fire. Flipping tables wouldn't save me here.

No one was upset. This testing probably wasn't painful. I wish Daniel had told me what the process actually involved. Looking around revealed that my friend, the agent, had vanished. My heart sunk, and the mask I tried to keep on slipped. My examiner pulled the cloth of the first tray and revealed a giant cross.

I almost laughed as realization hit. They were testing to see if I was human or not. A real vampire would break out in a sweat and start panicking just from seeing the holy symbol. For me, the only thing averse would be if I actually had to touch it, and that was because of a red fog no one ever seemed to notice.

"It's daylight." I used my dumbest tone of voice. It felt like I was channeling Ted and his echoing of everyone else's speech.

"First test, clear.” She checked a box on paper nearby. “Second test."

"Silver?" I questioned. Sure enough, the woman pulled back the felt covering and revealed two small knives that looked to be high-grade silver.

"Your hand please," she said while lifting up a knife.

I shrugged, reached out then waited for her to do her worst. The woman opted for a simple thumb prick which was downright kind of her. Other than a drop of blood there was no reaction.

"Second test, clear." She gave me a bandaid for my boo-boo and moved on.

Wolf was the most likely thing for a man of my stature. The guards behind me relaxed a notch. They had been worried how I might react.

In the remaining trays was an assortment of random objects. The line-up felt so familiar I was sure someone had taken a picture of my apartment wall. Iron, worn through rocks, horseshoes, four leaf clovers, and charms. These were the kinds of objects traveling peddlers would have sold during the Purge to ward off evil. There were barely any stories nowadays and it took me a decade to get my few pieces together.

Clearly the Order had researched as well. They were testing to see if I reacted to any of them. What would I be if the four leaf clover did something? Or the rock with a worn through hole in it? Did this pile of salt mean anything? Maybe if Roy was here, or Rachel, their weakness might be among these items.

If there was one obvious lesson to take away from these tests, it was that the Order believed there was a weakness for every creature. They just might not know the rules. I didn't either but couldn’t help but wonder, what was my weakness?

For a moment, I saw the snarling face of one of Kahina's former bodyguards. The man who had shot Julianne. He had called me a monster and asked the same question about weaknesses. At the time, I felt pretty susceptible to bullets. That was probably universal, though.

None of the remaining materials did anything negative. They made me hold sage and, handle bark of all types. The long list gave me ideas should my home ever need to be upgraded. Some of this stuff was probably guesswork. Each one more far-fetched than the last.

After each test she said a number and that we were clear. Thirty-two items later and I seemed to be okay. I looked outside, it was afternoon, which meant we had spent over an hour holding different materials while noticing nothing.

Finally, the woman looked up and smiled. "He's clear."

I shrugged, not really trusting myself to talk.

"Father Tom asked to see him next," the girl said toward a remaining guard. She motioned at him. There had been three, but two left immediately after the final step.

The guard nodded and gestured for me to stand up. It was barely a step up from waving guns at me. People here were ninety percent rude to outsiders like myself.

We went to a bigger building. My eyes scanned over objects for their placements. There were tons of items to anchor to or places for hiding if needed. I counted it all. Doorways, locations between buildings, people, armaments. All of it would help me with my powers and simply surviving. Despite my failure with Roy, there were definite signs of improvement. Being able to take a place after only a few minutes and pull strength was nearly a record.

Once, when looking in the woods for Evan, the same process of ownership had taken tons more effort. Now it was improving. The perception was just out of reach, hovering, waiting for me to make a demand. Eventually, there would be a debt of sleep on the other end. Whatever route I went would require immediate results to get us clear. Pushing too much or for too long might send me into a brief coma.

I looked around, trying to locate the fence and front entrances. The guard escorting me led to a building in the back, past the greenhouses and a cleared out piece of land.

The man grunted then waved at the door to a small building. We weren’t at the greenhouse, barracks or armory so this must be a commander’s home. Well maintained pathways to the front door told me this place was central to the entire compound. The door opened in front of me. Another militia member was inside. He wore happiness on his face, fresh from amusement. His hand and head tilted in a welcoming gesture.

I stepped inside. As Jay, I had walked into a lot of rooms that displayed someone's ego. They kept expensive artwork, or cheap posters, signs of a personality. This interior wasn't lavish. There were no signs of monetary abuse, excessive greed, or spending above one's means. This room was concise, trimmed, and superficial.

Father Tom probably didn't spend much time in here. If he did, then maybe he wasn't the decorating sort. Other thoughts probably occupied most of his time. It made me uncomfortable.

The man himself sat in a chair. To his left sat a tablet flicking with bits of information. A book sat open in the middle of his simple wooden desk. On the opposite side was a small wooden box that looked familiar. I eyed the sides, trying to remember where I saw the carvings before.

"Sit, please," he said.

Father Tom was old, wrinkled, and had to be pushing late fifties. The man’s eyes were lost in the depths of a well-worn face. Like the room, his clothes weren’t expensive or decorative. Father Tom was the first person in this entire compound that didn't have a firearm.

"Leave us." He didn't look up, but the guard clearly knew the message was for him.

A moment later we were alone. Silence ensued. Father Tom turned his book over then started reading. The man’s lips would purse together as if the letters rambling across the page were of intense interest. I waited. Silence was something I felt very comfortable with.

This was a far cry better than being shot at and part of me wanted to enjoy the peace. Minutes passed. I studied everything in the room. Slowly glancing over each object and lined it up to the man in front of me. There was a bookshelf nearby crammed full of literature I had never heard of. It was impossible to divine if they were fiction or fact. There were names I had never seen. one was called The Art of War. Another was Gulliver's Travels. They were all random nonsense.

"Jeff Ager," Father Tom said at last.

I tore myself away from the book titles and turned toward the older man. My head briefly nodded.

"Brother Zachary states you may be a believer. Willing to join our cause," his voice was slower than the first time we met. Now he felt deliberate with his word choice and was probing for something. The man hadn't looked directly at me. Despite that it was clear he was evaluating my every twitch.

"Yes sir," my words came out stronger than I felt.

"And you've passed the initial tests?" he asked. My heart thumped at the idea that there may be additional tests.

"Yes."

"Very well. Here." Father Tom closed the book in front of him and carefully spun it around on the desk. "Pick a page. Read me something that stands out. Whatever you'd like."

I tentatively reached out for the book. Feeling the worn leather cover. Running my hand down the bumpy surfaces and over each embossed letter. This material was older than Father Tom. The title was foreign to me. What was The Iliad about?

Better yet, was this another test to see if I picked an adequate passage? Or maybe a character evaluation? The older man was finally staring at me. His eyes kept watch on my face while I tried to remain passive. Pages slipped by and I picked the first convenient place to scan over the words.

"Well?" Father Tom questioned and sounded genuinely interested.

I read through the line twice to make sure I wouldn't screw it up. Public speaking wasn't a strong point.

"Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another." I kept reading it quietly to myself while thoughts ran through my brain.

What would he think of that? That I was a liar? That I hated liars? Both were true to an extent. I understood the need to lie and keep secrets, but I was growing to dislike them increasingly as time went by. The old man didn't give much away in his face. Finally, I closed the book and turned it back to him.

"A good line," he said at last.

I shrugged.

"There's many good lines in these old works. A shame so much was slashed in translation. The various Sectors have done their job well."

I waited for further explanation with a raised eyebrow.

"This book, and its second half, both speak of things beyond the pale. A world we've tried to pretend doesn't exist.” Father Tom took a slow breath and glanced at something on his tablet before speaking again. “Creatures of the sea, great monsters. Beings called Sirens with voices that drew men to their death. Or a swirling abyss that would swallow ships whole."

I blanched. That sounded uncomfortable. Old world sailors must have had a hell of a time just trying to make it across the ocean. Not like now, we could just fly over all of it without pause.

"Before the Purge?" I ventured.

"Yes. In a time when the fantastic wandered the earth and men like you and I huddled near the fireside for protection." He almost seemed in awe of those times. It was hard to tell from his calm way of speaking. "I've studied this book, among others, trying to glean information to help our cause."

"Did you find anything useful?" I was genuinely curious. If a book offered hints as to other creatures from before the Purge, maybe I could find information about myself.

"Some, yet, not enough. Most literary works disregard facts in favor of fantastical elements that would draw attention."

Hell, that was less than ideal. Muddled details wouldn't help anyone. Maybe it was best that the Order spent their time being wrong. If they were fighting me I preferred they be just as in the dark as I, if not more so.

He leaned back and gestured to the book. "Old works, like this, are hard to find. Most come from outside the Sector, and get smuggled in like contraband."

"So it’s illegal then," I said.

"And hardly our worst crime," Father Tom said. He was staring at the book again as if it would reveal a secret by being present. "Still, we do what we must."

"I understand," my words were small and simple.

"Now it's your turn," Father Tom said.

I grunted in confusion.

"I told you and Brother Zach that I would listen to your story. Tell me why you wish to join us. Why you think you're capable of pursuing our cause."

Where to start? What was safe to talk about? Daniel had given me a tip. To tell anything needed about my combative tendencies. I tried to pull thoughts together out of the bits of my past which stood out.

"I've always gotten into fights." My beginning was lame and honest. "Since public school. Then high school. Then my parents pulled me out and I found other places-" I paused then shrugged, "-well, you get the idea."

Father Tom nodded. One hand slid idly back and forth across his table top. I noticed and wondered if the desk was as grainy as it looked. Father Tom twisted his hand and gestured for me to keep going.

"Life didn't take much thought, only one really, hit people. Then I started getting paid for it. Fights. Loan recovery." Hell. "Anything that let me vent. I was good at it. Fast forward, somehow I'd found a girl who saw past it." Or she found me. Maybe we found each other. Julianne had been responsible for our introduction but things had gone well.

Father Tom nodded but otherwise stayed quiet. His eyes stared at mine as if nothing I said or did could truly unnerve him. Once again I felt conflicted at being disregarded as a threat.

"Time passed, things were good. Then vampirism got involved." Everything stopped while my body uttered a long depressive sigh.

"Vampires? Was it this girl of yours?" Father Tom prompted. His hand made the same sliding motion again, but on the book.

"And our best friend. One ended up dead. The other..." I shuddered, remembering Julianne's death was mostly a thing of the past. Yet, talking about pain only made it easier to relive.

"Turned, or left?" he asked.

"Turned," I confirmed.

Father Tom hummed but said nothing else.

"I left, ran away really. I couldn’t handle it." I was almost lying now. Running from Kahina had been a partial truth, but I could have said running for her and still been as honest.

"Did you get tested yourself? Vampirism is a powerful lure to those compatible."

"I'm couldn't make the change," I said.

"Why is that enough to drive you to us?" Father Tom cut to the heart of the issue.

His question was something I been spinning around since Daniel drug me here. There was only one honest answer. A truth that was deeply painful.

"If there were only humans." I didn’t know who to blame. Vampires, wolves, elves, all of them had a part in fucking up my life. "If everything else, didn't exist..."

The pause dragged on for too long, Father Tom leaned forward and asked, "Then?"

"Then maybe things wouldn't have changed. Maybe we'd just be living our lives somewhere peaceful." I could see it now. A world where none of us ever had to worry about the absurdities of territorial wolves. Where vampires didn't risk death for extra years. Where fools like me wouldn't have to make deals with elves.

"You'd hope for a world where they were gone?"

"Maybe. If I could, if anyone could just change things-" hell, here I was arguing against one of the very goals the Order had put forth. To one of their leaders no less, "-what would the price be?"

Father Tom sat back from the desk, crossed both hands and stared in my direction. This wasn't a subtle glance, wasn't a sideways glare.

"How much has Brother Zach told you?" he asked.

"Not enough," I responded.

Father Tom gave a wary smile. "Interesting."

I defaulted back to my indifferent shrug.

"I think that's good enough for now," the man said.

"It is?"

"You raise a good point. No one wants to give up the things they hold dear. But in order to make the world a better place? To remove the possible pain of future choices? Would it be worth it?" He hit the heart of what I was trying to say.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"All the speculation in the world doesn't reveal how someone might act when it's time to make their decision."

"Yeah." My shoulders slumped and face fell. He was right. How could anyone know what they would do until the possibility became reality? If someone held a knife above me, ready to reset the world, would they? How much suffering would need to weigh on a man before they were willing to commit?

"Since you gave me a passage, I'll give you another, something to ponder while Brother Zachary shows you to the final test."

I turned, sure enough, Daniel stood at the door. He had snuck in sometime during my conversation with Father Tom. It was difficult not to throw him a mean growl.

"Let me not then die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter." Father Tom passed the quote out slowly as if doling out wisdom from behind his simple wooden desk.

My expressions needed a larger range of responses. I had raised eyebrows, questioning glances, and the classic shrug of indifference. That quote was disturbing enough to warrant a repressed shudder. Father Tom, if that passage was to be considered a self-reflection, was a man driven to achieve something great before death. Was he advising me which way he would act if given a choice?

Briefly, I noticed my first visual clue about his life. There was a pale ring on his wedding finger. Father Tom had once been married, for a number of years judging by the tone difference. What had he lost? Would he unravel the rest of the world to remove the hurt?

"You may leave now, Jeff Ager,” he said.

I gave Father Tom a nod then went to join Daniel. The old man's gaze was a heavy thing that followed me out the door. Twenty feet later and the undercover agent motioned me over.

"What do you think of Father Tom?" Daniel had shifted briefly back to his normal Agent Crumfield voice.

I guess it was safe enough to talk as we walked to the next location. Things were moving from one subject to the next and there wasn't enough time to ponder what we talked about. Best to just handle one thing at a time. Tonight there would be time to have an internal struggle.

"Mh,” I said, using the classic shrug of indifference.

"Hard to pin him down huh?"

"He's intense." I shook off the feeling of that quiet room. Maybe it was just how he performed the test. Silence was as much a tool as endless prattle.

"Driven,” Daniel said while shaking his head. “Father Tom has been with the Order nearly his entire life and has worked hard.”

A decanting opinion would do me no good here. I nodded slowly and hummed.

"I've gotten approval to show you the face of our enemy, in order to help you join our cause." Daniel’s word choice changed as we neared other people. They became we, it was no longer their prejudices, it was now our cause.

If I didn't know Daniel, if we hadn't talked before coming here, I'd be completely disturbed by the attitude. Especially considering I was one of the enemies. If only they knew.

"Enemy?" My head hurt the further we walked. The ground vibrated with a soft hum that felt familiar but impossible to pin down.

"A monster. Like all nonhumans are." The agent pulled off fervent zealot well.

We passed by another random person. This place was full of individuals going about their duties. Some came out of greenhouses, probably working on food. Others got into vehicles and left. There were at least fifty people in this compound, and there were probably another ten or twenty out and about somewhere.

Here I walked, in a location packed full with at least sixty humans who hated monsters like myself. People who were angry enough to form a group together and learn how to use guns. They were dedicated. Were any angry enough to make the decision I talked about with Father Tom? Could they use me to reset the world? I rubbed my chest and wondered how many stabs would be needed before death finally won.

"This world isn't that bad, is it?" I whispered. Daniel was the only sounding board available.

Another person passed us. The camp looked a lot more empty now than it had hours ago. Maybe people went back to their jobs, went home, or were holed up in the barracks-like building. I would have to figure it out.

"People are stupid," Daniel said in surfer tones. "Something happens, a bomb goes off, airplanes are hijacked, wars started, and the old timers hang their heads and say 'what's wrong with the world now ah days'. Like it hasn't been fucked up all along."

He seemed incised by the whole topic. As if he personally looked up the violence of the world and ran bar graphs showing how it was no better or worse now than it used to be. Maybe it was part of his training as a Sector agent, maybe it was his view on the world after years of dealing with all the races. Or working with the Hidden like myself.

"They forget that wars constantly happen, people constantly kill each other. Everything we do is a mad scramble not to tip off the deep end into extinction." Daniel looked at me briefly and I saw his eyes waver for only a moment. "Eastern cultures have a curse. May you find what you seek. If you dwell on war, that's all you find. If you seek news on violence, racism, hatred, that's all you see."

The three people at the bar came to mind. Their rambling argument over the state of the world. They'd cited current television. Rachel, whatever she was, had been glued to the tube, trying to get a picture of what was happening in far off places.

The news reported anything remotely stimulating. Riots, strikes, fighting on the streets, reckless burnout vampires and their victims. It wasn't designed to incite racism, but it served as an obvious example of our cultural norms. Still, some were outraged over every little act.

"And the people here?" I asked.

"Search for proof that what's inhuman must be monstrous. All to justify their anger."

"So-" my exhaustion was catching up, "-that's all they find."

"Exactly, man," Daniel said.

"What then? Don't look?"

"Balance, man. Look beyond the negative. For every crazy, find someone sane, for each psychopath murdering children, find an elven doctor saving countless lives with a new vaccine. That bombing on the towers? Wolves and vampires dug out over fifty percent of the wreckage on their own."

"Does that help?" I asked. We wove a slow path along the grounds while Daniel’s eyes darted around.

"Not enough." He sighed and sounded defeated. "Not nearly enough."

I looked around where we were. On one side of the compound sat the looming metal fence. It stretched into the distance, separating this world from the one outside. Out there sat the normal world. On this side were at least two members of my family who needed rescuing. Only three hundred feet separated the two.

"Last stop, then I'll get you a bunk." Daniel motioned me over to the newest building on my grand tour of the grounds. "Here. The creatures inside this building aren't human, aren't wolves or elves, aren't even vampires. It's a whole 'nother breed of crazy. We need you to see what we're up against."

What Daniel really meant was that I should retain some control and not snap if things were bad. A few deep and steadying breaths passed through my body in an effort to find a center.

"I'm ready,” I said.

Daniel led the way. The inside was almost identical to a jail cell. One man sat at a table with a handheld device bleeping away. A single hallway revealed six doors, each made of heavy material, probably iron. They barely had slits to see through.

"Brother Zach." The man at the table acknowledged our presence without looking away from his handheld.

"We're looking in six first,” Daniel said straight away.

"You know the drill. Only one in a cell at a time." The prison guard pressed a button and glanced our way finally. "This the last one?"

"It is." My friend nodded.

"This guy looks like a moron. You sure he'll pull his weight?" He glanced up and down my body slowly then frowned. I smiled, baring teeth on one side. The man didn't even blink, in fact, he gave a similar grin right back.

"Then he's doing his job, unlike someone," Daniel said, his tone closer to the agent persona. The tone was professional and nearly unfriendly than surfer Crumfield.

"So? You and I know this hellhole will be compromised. What, a few days left at most?" the man said.

Daniel’s fingers clenched and he lifted one through his hair. "Jesus, how do you just blurt that shit out, man?"

"I do sweeps every hour, it's cleaner than a blonde’s bleached asshole," the man answered.

"That's a hell of a standard,” Daniel responded.

"I aim to please. We're moving on soon, right?" The man kept talking over bleeping sounds. I think he turned up the sound on his game just to piss Daniel off.

"Maybe. That depends on Jeff," Daniel said. He turned to me and made a grand sweeping gesture at the guy playing games. "Eddy here's one of ours, man. He's an ass-hat but try not to pay attention to that."

The introduction made me pause. One of the guards at the gate had talked about how Daniel had found a lot of recruits. Were they all undercover? Judging by the banter between these two, and the tone, it was likely that Eddy here was Western Sector as well.

Daniel had snuck people into the Order’s ranks before. Idiots exactly like these ones around me had tried to storm Pack grounds. Their goal of capturing Evan failed because of my friend’s undercover operations.

"I'll be nice,” I said.

"Don't be nice. Punch him if you've got to. It'll help the cover story. Just don't kill the man," Daniel responded.

"Sergeant Anal Cover would like to report that living is preferred-" Eddy paused, "-sir." He tilted an imaginary hat and kept at the game.

Daniel walked toward one of the cells in the back.

"Camera’s still on in the cells. Audio doesn't pick up conversation out here. You wanna talk, here's the place to do it," the guard informed me. I turned around to see Eddy thumbing at same monitors behind him. "Everything inside is recorded. Don't be stupid and blow cover."

"Got it, Jeff?" Daniel looked at me with a serious face.

I rolled my eyes then said, "I'm not stupid."

"Good, man. Good." Daniel dragged me over to one of the doorways. I held back, wanting to ask other questions.

"Moving on soon?"

"Human authorities have been investigating this place for almost a year now. They'll move soon to bring it down. The Order is throwing away this base and moving it. Western Sector will try to preempt their efforts and capture a few key Order members."

"Father Tom?"

"Maybe. Hard to say. We'd prefer to get their more extreme members first."

"What about you? And Eddy?"

"Depends on how it all falls out. Hopefully, you'll get your people out during the confusion."

"Convenient timing." I get here, and everything is about ready to go crazy.

"We-" this time Daniel wasn't talking about the Order. He meant Western Sector, "-may have spread some rumors to a few Order members we've got surveillance on."

I just shook my head. "How long do I have?"

"Days,” Daniel said. “If that."

"Fantastic," my dry word expressed precisely how I felt.

"When the fireworks start, you get your people out. I'm trying to stall Roy and his people if everything goes right they'll meet you on the way out." Daniel stared off for a moment then shook his head.

"You sure?" I asked.

"Fuck no, dealing with your patchwork family is a huge fucking headache, man."

"Language, there are ladies present," Eddy said.

"They can't hear us,” Daniel responded.

"I was talking about you." Eddy hadn't looked up from his game. He was kicked back on his chair, balancing on two legs with feet up on a table.

"Jesus, Eddy, I'll put this shit on your review."

"You wouldn't dare, or I'll tell your old lady about New Hampshire," the guard said.

"That's low, man, I hadn't even met her then."

Eddy flipped off Daniel without looking up. A moment later the prison guard was cursing a string that made Daniel look like a Saint. I guess he lost whatever game was in the machine.

"Alright, man. I'll check the door to make sure it's clear.” Daniel spoke and I felt like he was warning me. I had no clue what could be inside there that might need to be cleared. “Past the door is a second cage. Do not, go inside it."

My head tilted with confusion. "Is it open?"

"Lock's probably broken," Daniel said.

"It is, again," Eddy confirmed.

Daniel sighed and kept on going. "Still, there's a ward up that'll keep her in place."

"Her?" They were piling confusion onto me.

"You'll see.” Eddy shrugged and kept bleeping away.

“Why do this?" I asked.

Daniel put both hands on my shoulders then said in a very serious voice, "Father Tom wants you to try and get her to talk. To spill everything she knows."

"Is this Rachel?" I asked Daniel. He was peering inside a metal grate. It was reminiscent of the way Ted and Barnie had looked out Bottom Pit's back door.

"No, this is the lady who originally lived in Rachel’s house."

"Rachel didn't live there?" I asked in confusion.

"No, she was inserted after we abducted this woman. No one else noticed the vacancy, but we did. That's how we knew she wasn't human either."

That made me pause. Then I worked through it. Rachel was affiliated with Bottom Pit, and probably only lived in Tennison because I ended up out there. Like Roy, Steven, Cliff, and so on. That meant no one suspected her because of a memory modification like Muni’s. Hell, how many people were out here wearing personalized trinkets?

"So this is another monster then?" My words were self-mocking. How many people had I murdered for Kahina? A kind old lady like that couldn't be as bad as me.

"You'll see, then you’ll understand and truly be one of us." Daniel reverted to his Zach tone. He must be talking that way for the sake of whatever cameras were recording the room. The man played me like a fiddle, turning my responses into a recruitment pitch.

"Alright." I hesitated but nodded anyway.

"So try to make her talk. If you can."

"Why me?"

"Why not?” He shrugged “Besides, no one else has had any luck." Daniel’s clever response annoyed me. There was nothing to be gained by looking into someone who wasn't family. I was pushing myself into this place for Tal and Rachel, not anyone else, not even Daniel. "Knock ‘em dead, figuratively. Wave at the camera when you're ready."

With that, Daniel shoved me into the room and slammed the door behind me.