Having killed his CHEK’s light, Tenner remained still in a patch of darkness behind an opaque crate. He stopped breathing to deaden every last noise. Yet, it was neither dark nor quiet in the bay.

An unfamiliar voice’s “light on” followed a pair of footsteps.

“Five-five, nine… eight?” the man continued.

“Five-five, nine-six.” The second voice was that of the female pilot’s

Perhaps a robot could decipher if the numbers meant that the vehicle crashed or docked, though from the newcomer, it was safe to say it was near civilization.

Tenner tried mapping out possible ways to escape unseen from the sounds echoing around the bay. His position changed from behind a crate, in between strands of wires, and against a wall. The two people moved swiftly, blocking the last part of the path he’d tried to take.

The pool of ways out shrunk to two: walking back, past a few obstacles, to go around everyone, or sitting it out. Without light, the obstacles laying everywhere were bound to bump into Tenner, causing an unignorable amount of sound. He cursed in his thoughts, straightening his back to become as even with the wall as he could. I’m stuck here. Wall, accept me as one of your brethren.

“It’s a mess in here.”

“Oh, shit… It is.”

The pilot’s voice tensed and an on-edge pilot walking through their dark cargo bay would commit war crimes if they saw an intruder. Tenner had to be utmost prepared against any possible war crimes. A sequence of possible moves flashed through Tenner’s mind whilst his right arm jammed the laserpistol, facing forward, into his coat pocket. The weapon was small enough to stay concealed, unlike the mountainous bulge of loot in the inner pockets, but if pushed, could form a fear-inducing outline.

The two pairs of footsteps stopped. The man turned to the pilot, his light plastering her outline on the wall.

“What a risk. Such packages. Through such deadly roads. Can’t imagine doing that myself.”

“Y’know what they say: money. It’s all in the money.”

The man turned away from the pilot, inspecting more of the bay, taking a few steps in one direction before going to another.

“Credits worth it?”

“Is that even a question?” The pilot laughed.

“Yes, and this is too: are you transporting any passengers your documentation failed to mention?”

***

It’s all gonna be fine, Tenner thought, walking backwards through the bay, one hand behind him groping any obstacles in his way. Just stay patient and you won’t die.

The cargo inspector’s light, shining straight at Tenner's face, made the details of the inspector and the pilot, now hostages, hard to see. At least they weren’t making any sudden movements, nor drawing weapons. For every Tenner’s step, the inspector and pilot made their own.

“Don’t scream,” Tenner said. “I know how well sounds pass through this thing’s walls. But if you cry for help, those cries will be the last sounds your tongue ever makes.”

“Not dumb enough to do a thing like that,” the pilot spoke up. “Y’know, that hand in your pocket doesn’t seem convincing enough. No way to know if it’s really a laserpistol.”

Tenner stepped out through the bay’s doors, his eyes adjusting to the faint morning light outside. For a moment, he hesitated. Was showing a laserpistol he’d stolen from the pilot’s cargo bay a good idea? Well, there were two people facing him right now and a third somewhere else. They’d listened to him out of reason, but that reason would come back around very soon.

In one swift move, Tenner took the gun out, fired at the sky then at the levita’s floor. Every time his finger pressed down, the bay’s interior flashed red, bouncing the haunting screeches around its four walls. The inspector’s CHEK’s light died. His face was blank. The pilot was biting her lip.

“That’s enough--”

Tenner shot the floor once more and hopped to the ground. He had to look around, see where he’d ended up, but couldn’t break eye contact with the hostages.

The pilot and inspector hopped down too. The light highlighted their details: the inspector was skinny, wore gray shoes, gray pants and a gray shirt with a black tie. He remained quiet. Like a mushroomhead, Tenner thought, waiting for the right moment to sliver up my leg and bite. The pilot, on the other hand, donned a tight, blue spacesuit, and a copper helmet with the visor up. Strands of her long black hair slipped out of it.

She took a deep breath and said, “Who are you? What do you want? If you already got it, could you get out of my sight? I’m sure insurance will cover the damage, especially if this inspector boy here puts in a good word, but being late is all on the pilot.”

“I’m T--” Tenner bit his tongue. First, he had to give a name: if he didn’t, he’d either get inspected, which he’d be surprised if it hadn’t happened yet, or called an awful nickname. Though he wouldn’t give his name--it felt like a bad idea--but a nickname that finely represented him would leave his mouth. “I came from the desolation, looking for civilization. I’ll let you go the second I step foot on it, I promise,” he spoke, his thoughts focused on a new name.

“Right. Y’know that--”

“And my name is Tenshot.”

Just like that, the name came to him. Its story wasn’t perfect, but the circumstances were, to say the least, quite incredible. Most importantly, Tenshot sounded perfect. It represented Tenner better than Tenner could. It was the name to a new man, the soon to be greatest bounty hunter, the desolation traveller.

The inspector’s face remained cold, but the pilot seemed to feel the same way about Tenner’s new name -- her eyes widened for a flash.

I knew I was good at this too. Tenner grinned. Then an odd feeling resonated from her. You’re not who I think you are. A gut wrenching click resonated through him -- he ducked.

A punch soared right above his hairline.

Tenner threw his elbow back and grabbed the arm, shoving the laserpistol into the young guy’s face. Then Tenner jerked his head left, towards the other hostages.

“You fucking idiot!” the pilot snapped whilst her coworker made the walk of shame towards the short line. “Did the desolation air make your brains disappear, dim…” she trailed off.

I love pointing this thing at people’s faces, Tenner thought then said. “Quiet. How do I get to civilization?”

“You turn away.”

“Ha, ha.”

“Seriously, look around, Tenshot.”

Backing off, Tenner struck the hostages with an angry stare, making sure they wouldn’t do anything the second his eyes left them. He turned around and stumbled.

There stood a ginormous--at least a few kilometer wide--sphere covered with pipes that connected mechanisms, similar to the ones the levita transported. Some shifted and moved while others emitted light. Seemingly, they all worked to create a holographic illusion for what could only be a massive city. Its size was hard to imagine -- Tenner hadn’t ever seen a thing of such bone-rocking scale.

Looking down, he saw the entrance, as metallic and uninviting as the walls it kept sealed. A trail of footsteps, fifty meters long, led from it to the levita’s cargo bay door, where the mark his axe had left was as obvious as ever.

Tenner had reached civilization. Without anybody’s help, through the greatest of obstacles and most terrifying of creatures, he did it. It felt like true freedom, more than stepping foot on the desolation.

“This a city?”

“No shit,” the pilot hissed. It seemed that every second Tenner kept her hostage got to her more and more. Didn’t she mention the pilot’s fault? “You got to civilization! Happy?”

“How do I get in?”

“Through the fu-- entrance.” No matter the frustration, she held back, her hands, clenched into fists, stopping whatever she really wanted to say from leaving her mouth. “What do you need to know? It’s Realm 224, a city, like any other, far from small, but not the biggest you’ll see.”

“Any other Realms close?”

“Lots of dead ones, lots of hideouts. The nearest one’s quite a distance away.”

“So I’ll be stuck here for a while,” Tenner mumbled, thinking. This was great, but another city nearby would be better. Anyway, it was time to stop asking questions -- they might make him seem like an unknowing tool.

“Does he live under a rock?” the co-pilot whispered to the pilot.

Too late, Tenner thought, aiming above the guy’s head. He fired a few lasers.

The sounds and the heat started the co-pilot. Upon landing, he fell to his knees and raised his hands. How could someone be so inept at standing still and nodding along? The pilot kicked him in the side, urging him to get up, then huddled over to the inspector and started whispering through the corner of her mouth.

Tenner hadn’t ever dealt with hostages before. Nonetheless, he should’ve been great at it, but his control was already slipping. Not good.

Maybe I could get some more information.

[Name(s): Cherry “CC” Cole

LVL: 6

HP: 200

Class: hench]

The pilot had spoken about CHEK perks, but Tenner hadn’t realized she could be such a low level and have so many.

[Error: inspect blocked]

The skinny inspector must’ve been too high level, or had a perk… or was a robot in hiding.

Tenner aimed at the inspector’s hands. The beaurocrat released a “pffft.”

Trying to anger me? Tenner looked over his shoulder. Better if he doesn’t try to pull anything.

[Name(s): Bill “BS” Sound

LVL: 5

HP: 64

Class: hench]

Tenner backed off a few meters. Ten minutes ago, he wouldn’t have even thought of ending up in such a situation. Indeed, weirdness plagued him since the second he chose to venture out of Realm 349, but now he was fully in control, the one freaking others out.

He would decide their fate… this journey was already worth it. I wish I knew if there is a police they might report me to. If I leave them be, will I even have the choice of entering that Realm? Will I be wanted? But the decision, no matter how satisfying, was a tough one.

The freedom he’d fought so hard for slipped at the thought of letting the hostages go. He simply couldn’t give what he’d worked for up, but also couldn’t kill these people. They hadn’t disrespected him. He’d used their levita. And they were all so young.

The co-pilot got back to his feet, tapped the pilot, who still whispered to the inspector.

“Can’t we just... give him the pirate fee and be free...?”

“He ain’t a pirate.” The pilot shook her head. “Our cargo bay ain’t empty, only a little emptier.”

Tenner’s instincts urged him to kill, his hands burning to unleash a spree of lasers, but his thoughts didn’t give in. He had to repay them and certainly couldn’t end their lives just for his own good.

Either they all had to be taken care of or left alone this moment.

As Tenner stalled, the inspector tried taking something out a pocket, using the least subtlety he could.

Tenner turned his attention towards the man, pointing the barrel of the lasergun a centimeter from his face.

The inspector’s hands started shaking, his eyes glancing at the pilots to his left. Tenner instantly aimed the laserpistol at the pilots. Their eyes widened. The inspector shoved a hand into his pocket, trying to get something out as fast he could. Tenner aimed towards the skinny man.

“Okay!” Tenner put on a serious voice. “Consider yourselves lucky: no one until this moment has survived a meeting with the deadliest assassin of Realm 349. No one. But you gave me transport -- a way out of my exile. For that I am grateful.” I’m not lying, he thought. Not a single bounty survived a fight with me.

They’re luckier than someone drawing all aces during an all-or-nothing jackpot.

Half of Tenner had turned towards the Realm’s entrance. The right side of his face was stained red from its lights, the other saw the relief on the hostages’ faces.

“May you draw all aces,” he said and left them.

The pilot grinned and pointed at the levita’s cabin. As the co-pilot started the engines up, she made sure the inspector would record some evidence so she wasn’t completely fucked and closed the cargo bay’s door. The vehicle’s engines started kicking up clouds of dust.

Tenner stopped spying on them and turned to civilization, a card deck’s length away.

***

The sky faded from royal blue to faint orange, warmth returned and the stretches of desolation saw little movements, not only from Tenner, but from little creatures as well. Among the early morning backdrop, the Realm looked like a tear in reality, a massive mountain made up of the fabric of space. The mechanisms’ lights were similar to stars while the hot pipes -- to galaxies.

Even an hour later, Tenner kept going forward, the hope to come across another entrance burning in him. He checked over his shoulder for the sixth time this minute. Memories of the morono cave entered his mind, its space-like beauty similar to the Realm on his right.

A few wisps of dust arose from the ground five meters behind him. They could’ve either come from his footsteps or somebody masterfully following him. Hopefully, they were his.

Cosmos was the most incredible thing of all for Tenner, yet also the most unreachable. He didn’t know enough about this world to judge what could be done, but the dream of flying past stars and galaxies rarely stayed on his mind for longer than a second.

Time to stop looking over my shoulder.

No one had come after him. Why would they? The pilots’ job was to save every second and the bureaucrat inspecting their cargo couldn’t deal with Tenner, even if he wanted to. Yet the wisps of dust always behind Tenner kept raising suspicions.

He wasn’t trying to kick up dirt or even running. The ground should’ve remained still. Tenner stopped and turned on his heel. His ears picked up an odd sound. It didn’t come from him nor from the Realm.

Clack, clack. Foosh, clack.

Tenner turned back around and his eyes narrowed. He pointed the laserpistol at a face. He didn’t think he’d have to use it this much.

An old man with a white beard and thick robes grinned at him, tapping the ground with a cane. A subtle nod added to the wide smile’s oddness.

“Anything I can help you with?” Tenner said, inspecting. Why couldn’t I think of such a nickname?

The man nodded again.

“What do you want?” Tenner asked and thought, well, he’s not shy to approach an utter stranger, but terrified of uttering a word.

The man didn’t react. Only his grin widened a little, revealing a few of his perfect teeth.

Alright, I’ll just have to walk around him, Tenner thought, stepping to the side.

The stranger’s grin dropped and his head started shaking. He crouched and wrote a message on the ground with a cane. Tenner crouched beside him, keeping a few metres distance.

“MAKE DEAL?” the message said.

“What have you got for me?” Tenner’s brow furrowed. “And what do you want in exchange?”

The man pointed at the Realm’s massive wall then at the bulge of loot in Tenner’s coat.

“Honestly, that makes no sense.”

The stranger clenched a fist and started etching into the ground.

“U LOOT & GUN 4 ENTRANCE”

Well, he’s an efficient writer, Tenner thought, but quite a terrible businessman.

“No deal." Tenner stood up. "I saw an actual entrance myself. Don't need another one." I kinda do. It's risky using that one. But he can't know,

The stranger got to his feet first, got into a wide stance and, frowning, sliced a thumb across his neck.

“You’ve got no chance to kill me,” Tenner scoffed.

The stranger gestured for Tenner to wait. He backed off a few meters and started tapping the ground in a pattern. Then he jumped back. Where the cane had tapped, a narrow sinkhole opened. Its bottom couldn’t be seen.

He’s threatening me and has something to back the threat up. A rare sight.

“How can I trust you?” Tenner asked.

Grinning, the stranger reached into his robes and took out a mini cash register with hundreds of receipts stapled to it.

Tenner’s face went from stone cold to laughing in a moment. And he laughed for a long while. Quite frankly, this was an awful deal, but Tenner couldn't bear the wasteland anymore. He wanted city streets and normal people, and if he could get that in five minutes, he saw no problem in giving up some nice things.

What I give him I can rip back. It’s not like this ancient clown can defend himself against the soon to be greatest bounty hunter.

“A weird old guy who’s not only got a good deal, but a good cash register.” Finally, he started taking out all the loot he collected in the levita. Handing it over was easy, but the laserpistol was a pain to let go. He turned the weapon off, kissed it goodbye and grabbed his handmade axe. Welcome back, good old friend.

For a moment, the stranger inspected the loot then turned and walked away, tapping the cane. Tenner followed for a few minutes. He inspected to find the man’s name as The Walking Canyon. The man stopped at an inconspicuous part of the wall and pointed upwards. There, the pipes and machines had been laid out in such a way that it formed a stairway to the very top of the Realm. And that was it. Tenner gave up all of his loot for an inconvenience.

Fuming, he turned to the stranger. But there was no stranger anymore. Just a series of taps coming from nowhere--he had to have been cloaked by a perk--and a wide ring on the ground.

Tenner’s eyes widened.

It had to be a part of the con. The people scammed couldn’t have a chance at getting back their losses.

He dashed.

A ring shaped canyon formed around Tenner then the ground he stood on collapsed. Tenner jumped and clung on to bumps in the wall of dirt that had formed. They cracked under the weight. He pushed himself to the top, eyes scanning for the stranger.

The tapping, along with the man, was gone.

He searched for the stranger's footprints, but his eyes only caught a red light.

I would’ve lost that loot anyway, Tenner thought, walking towards the source. And if that fucker hadn’t caught me off guard, I could’ve destroyed him.

A massive metal arch above him cast a shadow. Past it stood a cherry colored door, pipes throbbing and wires sparking around it.

So there is another entrance. Tenner approached, but remained wary.

A camera in its middle scanned him and birthed a few holographic screens.

[Welcome to Realm 223, traveller!]

[Scanning...]

[Error: Clearance level not met!]

Tenner stepped back, mouth wide open.

How… FUCKING DARE YOU?!

I do so much--travel the wasteland, destroy its creatures and donate to a mute man--and I’m not allowed in?! Such disrespect is absolutely unbearable!

The metal wall to the side shifted, revealing a hidden window and a comm.

“Good early morning, Tenner Tenshot. Anything we can help you with?”

Tenner instinctively reached for his axe, but then put the hand back into place. He could feel this wasn’t a place to wreak havoc… and that there was something off.

The person behind the glass had to have a high level -- they inspected Tenner and saw every little detail. Even his nickname. Which, up until that point, he didn’t even know he had. Yes, he’d given himself the name Tenshot, but he also hadn’t ordered his CHEK to assign it to him. He opened his character screen and threw his head back in pleasant surprise -- the device had done it automatically.

An annoyed “grrh” came from the glass.

“It says I lack the clearance level to get in,” Tenner spoke.

“You’re low level and unconfirmed by Centercity. Realm 224 does not let in untrustworthy individuals.”

“Untrustworthy individuals?!” Tenner’s suspicions of absolute disrespect were true. “I trudge through this desolation, fight rogue travellers and wild creatures all while figuring out what’s going on and I am called an untrustworthy individual?!”

“Sounds like you just got your CHEK, right?” The voice stayed monotone. “System hasn’t had the time to build a character on you. Return at level eight or nine and you should wander the streets of Realm 224 freely, unless you do some incredibly disturbing things while reaching for those eight levels.”

“I saw a levita get in with sixth level pilots!” Tenner wouldn’t back down. In fact, he was getting so heated his arms were ready to fix the problem like dad would.

“They’re drivers who’ve finished academies -- far from untrustworthy individuals.” The comm explained. “Though there’s indeed a second option -- pay 450C$ and I let you in, no questions asked.”

“That’s… insane!” Tenner’s fist smashed the glass, found its way around a meaty neck and strangled.

The gatekeeper screamed, his eyes reddening. Tenner smiled. And squeezed harder.

The glass wasn’t broken.

His hand was still beside his axe.

Mouth twisted, Tenner looked in both directions and heard no screams, only the gatekeeper’s voice continuing from in front.

“No, it’s called rules. They exist for a reason. And I don’t make them, just enforce them.” The metal covered the window. “May you return from the desolation healthy and sound next time, Tenner Tenshot!”

Killing him wouldn’t have been a good idea, Tenner told himself. The soulless door that loomed in front made hopelessness strangle him, but his faith and fire stopped it from suffocating him.

His feet walked on their own, following his footprints.

The voice from the comm had sounded confident. The gatekeeper was certain Tenner couldn’t get to him -- the walls were strong and the doors wouldn’t budge. But when someone was confident, they tended to overlook many things.

Tenner could’ve figured out the way in on his own, but he would’ve taken quite a while. In the end, The Walking Canyon’s deal wasn’t a complete waste.