Mai expanded the view of the base, trying to see the best way to add further defences to the walls, as well as the interior without losing any accommodation space. Locals had started arriving at the base mere minutes after the battles asking to join their faction, just like Yen Ching had said they did when she and her people first arrived.

Already they’d replaced the numbers of those they’d lost and gained extra recruits. It helped that her reputation as well as the reputation of the faction had been increased through the peacekeeping duties. One side effect she hadn’t thought of was that the shops were doing more business and being more profitable as they weren’t having to pay for repairs all of the time. A well-presented street increased the morale of those living and working there, which in turn increased the reputation of the faction running that area.

Which is why the Ghost factory was so well kept and the workers all seemed to be happy. Hearts and minds are key to progressing.

Eyes stinging, she rubbed the heels of her palms into them, trying to push the tiredness to the back of her mind. She’d spent the whole of the morning interviewing the remaining players, questioning them as to what part they played in defending the base against the other rogue players, and then double checking that with any local rebels she could find to corroborate.

Five more bodies had joined those of the traitors as she’d discovered the players had taken a more active role in supporting the terrorists, and she’d even executed one for opening a door to the barracks without raising the alarm.

“I’m exhausted,” groaned Dakota as she sifted through camera shots, trying to examine the events of the day before and spot any further traitors. “I can’t actually remember the last time we slept.”

“Definitely the night before last,” Mai zoomed in on a player, trying to work out who they were shooting at. Following the line of their fire, she saw it was loyal rebels. “We need to speak to Sergeant Sheen. Look at this.”

RedFanging the shot over to Dakota’s retinal monitor she closed her eyes whilst waiting for her friend to look at the evidence.

“Son of a bitch! I could have sworn blind he was loyal. Look at this.”

Dakota RedFanged an image over to Mai, she didn’t have to open her eyes to view the shot. In it, Sheen could be clearly seen shooting at the traitors.

“What the hells? Playing both sides?`` She looked at the time stamps. “Huh, was with the traitors at first, then when things started to get hairy for them, switched and started to attack them.”

“I’ll get the sergeant-at-arms,” Dakota went silent as she pinged the sergeant. “He’s on his way to arrest Sheen now.”

“Don’t bother arresting him, just kill him where they find him, we don’t need another trial.”

“We’ve had five members of the command staff disappear already,” Yen Ching entered the command centre. He and the rebel council had been debating the best course forward and had left the dirty work of purging the traitors to Mai and her people. She didn’t appreciate being used but accepted that the executions and hunting down of the traitors was best done by those who weren’t part of the core rebel faction. Still, it rankled. “I’ve put out feelers, but I’ve already had reports from the foot patrols that they’ve gone over to the military factions. Makes sense as they’re closest to our faction than gangers, prisoners and urbexers.”

He looks tired, thought Mai as the rebel leader lowered himself into a seat.

“How are you feeling Mai?” The question took her by surprise, she hadn’t expected him to care.

“Exhausted, angry, sad,” she replied, unable to stop the tears spilling down her cheeks. “We lost a lot of good people, and I feel dirty. Some of the traitors were locals. Maggi Becker told some of them that they were protecting the base from a coup being led by others. Things moved so quickly that they didn’t have time to double-check.”

“You’ve done what you had to, Mai. The base is ours. We’re all still alive, and the traitors seem to have been rooted out. What plans do you have for the base?”

“What plans do the council have?” she countered.

“They agreed with your suggestions that we need to strengthen the internal defences. More sensors on the walls to detect penetration that way, but clearer lines of fire within the base as well as stronger walls to match the doors.”

Both of them winced at that. The traitors had blasted their way through walls weaker than the doors they held. It was a lesson Mai didn’t need to learn again.

“I also want to extend the walls. Look at the control points we’ve earned with our patrols, we can just about extend the walls to include Market Street, which will mean that Bob and his fellow shopkeepers are within our walls. If we put a gate at the head of the street, we can have people wanting to buy from them pay us a toll.”

Yen Ching looked at her shrewdly, stroking his long white beard. He hadn’t had one the day before but said nothing as people often changed their appearance in such ways.

“Won’t that cause business to drop?”

“I don’t think so, no. People want to be able to unlock the tri-barrel. Granted, it’ll mean trouble for us in the long run, but they’ll have to come to our base in order to do so. Bob’s still the only shop in the city which can unlock it for people. We’ll control who can do it as well, locals only.”

Which will have the added effect of giving NPCs weapons that far outmatch those the players have access to, she thought smugly.

“Locals only? Won’t that antagonise the outsiders?” she hid a smile at his tone. He wasn’t a local, and nor were any of the other players in the rebel faction.

“It might, but they’ll be too busy running around trying to complete our missions to complain. It will also mean that they’ll have to pay a toll to enter our base in order to even be able to get the missions.”

Yen Ching laughed, slapping his thigh.

“Glorious! You have wisdom far beyond your years! We put a stranglehold on missions which we profit from as our reputation, control and levels increase, and we profit from the missions you create because they weaken the other factions, and we profit yet again because they have to pay to enter our part of the city in order to obtain those missions.”

He bent over, weeping with laughter.

“Not only that, but once the shops are inside our walls, we gain a five per cent tax on any sales. So we make money on that as well. I’ve already spoken to Bob and a few others this morning, asking if they’ll have a two-tier pricing system. One lower for the locals, the other at least twenty-five per cent higher for non-locals.”

Yen Ching waved his hands, unable to speak. He was laughing so hard. Mai wasn’t sure what was so funny, it was worth a chuckle, but nothing more. Pursing her lips, she realised that it wasn’t what she was saying was so funny, but that he was probably thinking of how the players would be reacting in the ‘real world.’

Shame I can’t ask him why I’m so different, but I can’t have him, and the command staff know that I know. I can’t guarantee how they’ll react if I ask. But for now, they seem to be happy with me being me.

She and Dakota waited until Yen Ching had composed himself.

“I take it you approve of those plans?”

“Yes, gods, yes. I’ll message the rebel council and have it rubber stamped. Carry on with the work. We’ll get the new recruits up to speed.”

“Be good if you could fast track some of them like you did with Maggi Becker, it will do wonders for morale and reputation if we show that we trust locals as much as we trust outsiders,” Dakota passed him a list of names. “These have been members of the faction for at least a year, I’ve marked the ranks I think would be suitable.”

Yen Ching took the list, eyebrows raising as he read through it. Lips pursed, he stared at it for a little longer.

“You’re correct, we’ve not given the people their due. This list is a start, thank you.”

Rising, he bid them goodbye.

“Well, that went better than I thought it would,” Dakota reached for a cup of char.

“Hopefully, we’ll get a few days without drama. Well, without drama that isn’t of our own making!”

They both chuckled, too tired to do much more than that, and set about planning how they could continue to keep ruining the other factions' stranglehold on the city.