Glenn

Glenn Redwood suppressed a yawn with the mightiest of efforts and blinked tiredly inside his full face helmet. He’d enjoyed mornings as long as he’d been alive, and while he was fine with taking the morning shift, he’d also, last night, taken the night. After which he’d spent far too much time drinking with Martin and Scott in the barracks, as each of them tried, and failed, to wrestle Joanne to the ground.

Joanne was strong. She was slippery. And most of all, she was an Anchorite, or as close as one could get without actually choosing the Class. Wrestling her was a fool’s errand.

Yet Glenn honestly didn’t mind getting tossed on his head or pinned by Joanne’s muscular legs. He might still be trial age, and Joanne might be an adult, but she had really nice muscular legs. Glenn wasn’t about to date her, of course, but still ... there was no harm in a little wrestling.

Still, to make up for taking off the extra day he took off after rescuing Renee Fallowpeak, Glenn had volunteered to take Linda’s morning shift so she could go on a proper date with a local Builder, a man of whom Linda already seemed quite fond. Glenn knew now even [+Regrowth+] had its limits. Two full shifts in twenty-four hours with only two hours of sleep to recover would weigh on anyone.

Also, he had his own date with Erika ... or rather, a time to play Strat-Go. He’d learned recently, to his delight, that Erika was not only a fan of the classic game of strategy, but also rather good at it. They’d traded wins several times by now, and he was already aching for a rematch. Their last game had been thrilling, and though Erika had won, it had been very much a pyrrhic victory.

“Stiffen up, Redwood,” Martin Frosthide growled from across the gate. “We have guests.”

Glenn straightened by reflex. He only then realized he’d been slumping at the gate. Martin seemed entirely unaffected by last night’s shenanigans in the barracks, but Martin was a better drinker than Glenn was. Or maybe it was the fact that he’d been the first to pass out last night.

Glenn looked all business as the sound of gently laughing Adventurers echoed from behind him. After months guarding the gates of Wolfpine, he was more than used to that sound by now. He stared straight ahead as the voices grew louder, but then, belatedly he recognized one.

Zack. That was Zack! And he was with Anna, judging from her amused tone. Alan must be with them. Glenn was immediately more awake.

Glenn had not seen Zack, Anna, or Alan enter or leave Wolfpine in all his time on the gate, despite regularly standing watches during the morning, the afternoon, or the night. The only explanation for never seeing them that Glenn could come up with is if Zack had somehow gotten a look at the Town Guard schedule and figured out a way to avoid going through the gate when Glenn was on shift.

Yet Glenn wasn’t on shift. Not today. Today was Linda Leafhaven’s shift, and Glenn had agreed to take it last night with scarcely any preparation at all. So Zack didn’t know he was working today. And with his face safely hidden behind a full face helmet, Zack likely never would.

Why would Zack go to all that trouble? Zack was always up to something, so his attempts to dodge Glenn could simply be another one of Zack’s games. Yet he couldn’t stop thinking about the obvious tension he’d sensed from Alan when he sat down with them in the tavern for the first time.

Glenn knew he had made Alan nervous, and he couldn’t imagine why. Alan’s nervousness made him nervous by extension. It suggested Alan and possibly Anna were wary of Town Guards.

He had no proof Anna and Alan Ironstar were up to anything nefarious in town. If they were hanging out with Zack, they almost certainly were involved in something, so all Glenn could do is try to be as dense as possible and not pick up on it. As much as it might be his duty, he didn’t want to ever be put into any situation where he had to arrest his best friend.

Or his best friend’s girlfriend.

Yet as Glenn walked Zack, Anna, and Alan all stroll out of town together, an entirely different reason for Zack’s machinations surfaced. Was Zack sneaking out because he didn’t want Glenn to know he’d formed another Party? Zack had completely sworn off parties to Level solo, or so he’d claimed.

Zack likely suspected Glenn would be hurt to learn he was hunting with a Party again, but Glenn actually couldn’t be happier about it. Having a Party at his back would both keep Zack safe and help his mother worry less. So far as Glenn was concerned, he owned Anna and Alan even more now.

And Glenn was truly glad Zack had managed to find more good friends.

None of the three looked at him, and Glenn didn’t look at them. Town Guards, just like Logain had told him, were often invisible to Adventurers, no different from the posts by which they stood. As Glenn watched Zack travel off with the woman and man, however, another Adventure passed by.

This time, Glenn did notice, though only because it was so unusual. He recognized Leopold Argentshade, the troublemaker, and noticed his presence for two reasons. First, Leopold always left at first light, yet was leaving late today. And second ... Leopold wasn’t wearing his [Steel Armor]. He was only wearing his [Steel Helmet], and odd and out of character decision.

And as Glenn watched, he had the distinct feeling Leopold was following Zack.

Was this about the so-called missing coin pouch? That spat was over two weeks old now, and Joanne had assured everyone Zack hadn’t taken the pouch. Yet did Leopold believe still believe he had? Wearing just his helmet suggested both that he’d been in a hurry and eager to conceal his face.

Yet Zack and his friends were too far away for Glenn to call out, and Leopold was fast on their trail. Not that Glenn could call out or stop anyone. None of them had broken the law ... yet. Glenn could only watch, with increasing unease, as all four of them walked down the Safe Road.

And work to push down the nervous churn now spreading through his gut.