Chapter 202
Youre sure you dont want me to come in with you? Halima asked for what was probably the third time.
We back-tracked to the creek, just outside of the ripple. The frayed end of the rope was still hanging, abandoned, from the tree, a persisting reminder of how close wed come. Id waved Halima over, and was doing my best not to squint at the bright orange aura that surrounded her.
An idea struck me. Look, lets just be real for a minute. Your fixation on Nick is only partly professional. Theres a personal aspect, right?
Halima froze in her tracks like a deer caught in the headlights. no.
Naturally.
Theres no shame in it. Hes a likable guy.
Everyone liked Nick, Sae herself the only one in recent memory who deviated from that norm.
Halima shook her head, much more vehement this time. No. I appreciate his leadership style and his strength. Anything else would be untoward.
Okay, well, if you felt that way, Id probably rest easier.
What? Why?
How do you think hes doing right now? I asked.
This was partly a test to see how perceptive Halima was. I knew he wasnt greatno one would be, after what hed gone throughbut I didnt realize how badly off he was until I took Azures form and viewed Nick through his shade sight. Halima considered the question for a while, which was a good sign. There was no knee-jerk response filtered through rose-tinted glasses. The muscles in her forearm flexed as she gripped something in her pocket tightly.
Fucking awful. She finally said, words coming out in a stream. And whats worse, hes hiding it. Normally if hes discouraged, or worried, he tells us. Lets us know whats happening in his head. But hes trying to play it off like hes finewhich hes clearly not. Which makes this the first time Ive had to worry he might do something stupid.
Spot fucking on.
You have good instincts. I watched, curious, as some of the orange tinting that surrounded her shaded closer to yellow. Was she doubting herself that much? Which is why I need you out here. I like Keith. Think he has a lot of potential. But youre more tuned into Nick.
Halimas mouth firmed. What do you need me to do? The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))
I pointed to a wide patch of shrubbery next to the stream and ripple. If I find anything decent in there, Ill leave it here so it doesnt overload my inventory. Its a two-minute trek from here to the beach. Check it from time to time. Thats our excuse for me bringing you out here and sending you back. In reality, I need you to monitor Nick. Dont tip him off, or try to get a reaction out of him to gauge his state of mind. Just keep watch from a distance. Message me as soon as you feel like something might go wrong.
Halima absorbed the words, then her eyes flicked towards me. Why do you care?
How many decent people do you know in the Order?
A few. But youre right that most of the high levels are unpleasant.
And how many of those decent people are tanks? I asked.
Ah. Halimas eyebrows furrowed. Just him.
I mapped out the lobby floor in my head and started working out a basic plan. Once I had the bones, I reached out with
Hey asshole. Why are you using a lance?
Lance-guy stiffened and tilted to look at the ridiculously enormous weapon that pointed straight up, towering above the rest of the group. With the helmet on I couldnt analyze his facial reaction, but his body-language spoke volumes.
Good. He wasnt a weird dual spec build with high Int and I was getting through, and he wasnt dumb enough to not doubt his weapon of choice.
I focused on his mind and got a flash of something unexpected.
Huh.
I could work with that.
Monster Hunter. Bet you think youre a badass, using the least popular weapon in the game, but lets be honest, you waited until World, the most popular entry in the series, to jump in. And I bet you havent even touched Rise, let alone Sunbreak.
Total cold read, but a statistically probable one. Monster Hunter World was a breakout hit, selling more copies than most of the previous entries combined.
And from the way Lance-guy drooped, I nearly pumped my fist.
Let's be real. You know its not working. This isnt a fucking game. Real lances are made for horseback use and are fucking fragile. The only reason it hasnt broken is because youve been using it to bully mandrakes in the dirt. But look at how worn the tip is, just from that. You keep this up and youre gonna get yourself killed.
Lance-guy didnt bother to look, because he already knew. Instead, he slowly placed the lance back in his inventory, radiating shame.
So youre not a real gamer. What the fuck even is a real gamer, anyway. You play whats popular, and thats okay. The only people who would judge you for that are elitist pricks too caught up on glory days of the past that they forget how fucking janky things were back when actual dinosaurs roamed the earth. And sure, its a game, but theres nothing wrong with taking inspiration from the things you love. So why limit yourself to the poke-stick?
Lance-guy cocked his head.
I caught a flash of a comically long Katana.
Come on, man. Have some standards.
Another flash. This time a towering sword, thick and long.
Ah. Greatsword. With your physique, thats a solid choice. And you know who has swords like that? The shop at the front. Bet theyd let you hold them, see how they feel.
Lance-guy straightened, radiating determination, just as the elevator cleared the shaft, giving us a view of the lobby above. It was still packed, but the feeling was totally different. Instead of the relaxed borderline-party atmosphere from before people were looking over their shoulders, whispering. I spotted several feds in the crowd, and a few familiar Users I placed in the Adventurers Guild.
Many were spread out, but there were several standing off to the sides of the elevator.
Perfect.
Shielding most of my body from view behind Lance-guy, I reached out to the Users from the Adventurers guild below and emblazoned an image in their minds. Not all of them were susceptible to Suggestion. They didnt need to be.
The stage was set.
