We’d rescued the trapped robotics team whose own quarters were far less plush than Lake’s. The men and women alike had hugged and kissed us, telling us how long it had been since they’d seen their families, much less the simple joy of daylight. I was all out of explanations as to their kin’s safety. I left the news of the invasion for others to break.

“I just need to press a few buttons,” I said to the group, leaving them in the capable hands of my party.

The control room was relatively quiet except for the cooling fans. I sat down and stared at the screens. Moving the mouse to the top right, it held the status of the several hundred atmospheric processing units. Two were on the fritz, but they would have to stay that way. Any secret password had already been bypassed by my little box-of-tricks, and the confirmation was waiting.

Reverse flow at all sites: Yes/No?

I clicked on the yes option and the green boxes all changed to red. Should be the other way round, I thought to myself. I leaned back in the soft chair and allowed myself a psychological breather for the first time since landing in the jungle.

“What a wild ride,” I whispered, totally understating the chaos of the past few days.

I knew we’d metaphorically just pulled in at a station, ready to run to the next platform to pick up the connecting train onwards. At least I could relax for a brief time and grab a stale sandwich from the disinterested teenager at the food kiosk. I thought of my waiting dogs and the melancholy evaporated. A few minutes of canine excitement would have me back on an even keel in no time.

“Ok, so how do I give control of this to our friends back home?” I asked, leaning around to check out the rig. Some helpful tendrils flowed from the small, black box, pointing at the corner of the room behind the impressive system. I stood up and went exploring, finding a spool of black cable tucked away.

“And where does this go?” I asked.

The device stretched its arm and pointed at a port on the back of the computer. It started to jab insistently.

“Yeah, ok! Give me a second!”

I plugged it in and the shadows cast on other side of the screens changed as a new picture bloomed to life. I moved back around to find Vision and Mythic both staring at the empty room, scowling. Moving into shot, I waved.

“Hey, man! You didn’t die again!”

Mythic gave that a thumbs up.

“Sorry to disappoint you. Where’s everyone else?”

Visions face darkened slightly. “They’re fighting. They’re winning, but it’s tough going, man. Want me to give you the latest on the numbers lost and what we control?”

“No, mate. They’re doing what they have to do, even if they’re dying. How’s everything in the tunnels?”

“Calm and friendly as far as I’ve been told. People will put up with quite a lot when the alternative is being chewed to death.”

“On that cheerful note, Lake’s in about twenty different bellies right now, beginning to digest.”

Vision punched the air in celebration. “It’s done?”

“It’s done. The air’s going to start changing back. You’ve got full access to Lake’s systems now. I’ll be long gone, so when it stabilises to pre-fuckery levels, just shut them down, ok?”

Mythic favoured me with an a-ok with her finger and thumb.

“You’re really going away, man?” Vision asked, a hint of sadness in his tough exterior.

“I’m afraid so, mate. More worlds need help and I’ve only got a couple of hours until they call me back. I won’t have enough time to pop in and say goodbye again. Can you tell Rhys and Reb that we need all hands out here to wipe out the last few robo-dinos and also to prepare the way for the toxin’s distribution?”

“I’ll let them know,” said Vision, looking crestfallen. “It’s been a blast, man. We’ll never forget you.”

Mythic blew me a kiss.

“Are the hardcore hackers who don’t care about anything outside of the digital highways showing some emotion?” I teased, bringing a barrage of one finger salutes in reply. “You guys look after yourselves. I’ll never forget you either. I mean that.”

“You’ve been the best kidnapper we’ve ever had,” said Vision, giving me a final nod.

“I hope it stays that way,” I replied. “Say goodbye to the others for me. I’ll see you in the next life.”

The computer ended the communication for me. I felt a lump in my throat that took a few attempts to swallow. They were the closest thing I’d ever had to younger siblings, even if I did have to kidnap them and hold them against their will. I knew they were in safe hands, so after rubbing at my eyes and straightening myself out, I left the suite for the final time.

“You ok?” asked Cris as I joined them.

“I will be,” I replied. “Let’s go and see the others.”

Cris and Sun travelled up with half the group, and myself and Cody escorted the rest. It was a bit of a squeeze, but they didn’t complain. I think the thought of some new faces and the eventual breathing of fresh air was enough to ensure a high for many hours to come. The other scientists had been standing by after Cris’s arrival. They bustled the people away, offering words of encouragement and refreshments.

I asked one of the guards to collect Dr Xiao while I checked on the quest reward.

Quest Completed – Reclaim Marnmouth From The Dinosaurs (optional)

Reward – Crafting Ingredient (Quest)

“Looks like they did it,” I said to my party. “Those crazy bastards wiped out a whole city worth of dinosaurs.” I took the quest item from my pack and held it up for everyone to see.

“And if that’s what I think it is, they can retake the whole country too,” added Cris.

I turned over the silver canister in my hand, oblivious to the sloshing chemical within. A man who would know what it contained duly arrived.

“I can’t believe you made it,” said the doctor. “Did he really have what they’re saying he had?”

“In the flesh,” I replied, sarcastically.

He chuckled politely at my efforts. “How can I help you, Mark?”

“This is the gift that I was talking about. The one provided by my sponsors.” I handed over the liquid. “I think that will allow you to render the toxin aerosol. I’m guessing by how little there is you might have to synthesise some more, but it’s the last piece of the puzzle. The CID are on their way. They’ll distribute the chemical and it’ll be back to the tarpits for the prehistoric menace.”

He took it from me gratefully. “We are in your debt, my friend.”

“Not at all. I’m just glad we could bring an end to this madness. So much death, and for what? To satisfy one man’s grudge against the world? What a waste.”

“Perhaps,” Xiao replied. “But as much as it pains me to say it, Janice was correct in her earlier statement. Once this is over, our discoveries will revolutionise medicine.”

“Are you trying to justify what she did?” I snapped.

“Not at all,” he replied, calmly. “I’m just trying to look at the light amidst the darkness.”

I simmered down and nodded. “That’s probably a good way to go about things.”

“Being upset about what has been will sap the joy out of what is still to be. A million people may have lost their lives to this plague. Ten. Fifty, even. But everyone from this day forward will no longer have to fear many diseases. Cancer is at an end. The deterioration of a human mind can be stilled and reversed.”

His excitement was infectious, and I found myself smiling along with him at the longer lasting good to come. “I need to try and think that way a bit more often,” I admitted. “Bigger picture and all that.”

“You’re young, but you will learn with age,” he said, shaking my hand and heading off to gather his team for the complex work ahead.

An edifice to the old ways had been razed. Hopefully what was built in its place would aid in a bringing about a brighter future. Hadn’t the same been true on Kherrash, with new alliances formed that would endure for centuries?

The Campbell brothers beckoned us toward the lounge. We entered to an eruption of applause and adulation. I shot them a death stare and raised my fist in warning. The crowd surrounded us as if we were pop stars. Even with my damage reduction skill, the sheer number of claps on the back was almost enough to eat into my health pool. I took their thanks gracefully and tried to hold conversations with people who outmatched my IQ by treble digits. Sun was eagerly accepting each fresh mug of coffee brought her way. Cody was lost in a room full of people. He didn’t really see or hear them as they bustled around, congratulating him on such bravery. Cris quietly explained his brooding to those who took it personally.

The target of his disconnection sat in the corner of the room, shadowed by a burly guard who did little to hide the fact he was watching her.

I politely excused myself from a discussion on transduction pathways and moved over to Cody. “You ok, mate?”

“Not really. I’ve got a lot on my mind,” he replied.

I pulled him out of the crush and sat down on a soft couch. “I’m all ears. We’ve got an hour and a half to burn before I’m gone.”

“Is it weird I want to hug her and then squeeze until she stops breathing?”

“I’m no psychologist, but I think that’s called conflicting emotions. You’d need at least eight sessions on Mark’s couch to work through that.”

Cody chuckled, though he wasn’t really feeling it. “How much do you charge per hour?”

“For a friend, it’s free. But disclaimer, I’ve got no formal training and my past decisions leave a lot to be desired. You’ll likely end up in a worse position than before you started.”

“I’ll take my chances,” he replied, still staring in the general direction of his mother.

“Want some advice right now?”

“Shoot.”

“Go and tell her how you feel. Don’t let it eat you up for another minute. Life’s too short.”

He sighed in resignation. “This whole thing has proved that.” He rocked in his seat, caught between standing and slumping back in defeat. Courage won the day, and he stood up so forcefully he hopped off the ground.

“Steady on, Bugs,” I warned.

He ignored my weak joke and marched around the people. I moved swiftly to follow and ensure he didn’t smother her to death before justice could be delivered. Fear flashed in Janice’s eyes as Cody approached, and she too climbed to her feet. I panicked that he wouldn’t stop, instead knocking her down like a locomotive. Cody did stop, in fact. Just.

They stood there for a long while, staring at each other. Liza approached me and hung on my shoulder.

“What should I do?” she asked.

“Leave them be. Cody needs this.”

The room had fallen into silence as they sensed the growing conflict. I almost dismissed them to offer the pair privacy, but then Cody spoke.

“I hate you so much, you know that?”

Janice blushed and looked at her feet. “I understand. I…”

Cody stepped forward and hugged her tightly. “I also love you, and I don’t know how to feel about that.”

Initially caught off guard by the gesture, Janice slowly relaxed and returned the embrace. Years of animosity couldn’t be undone with one moment of physical contact, but it was a start. Cody would have plenty of time to visit her in prison. Or if they sentenced her to death, until that punishment was carried out. I wasn’t going to offer my input one way or the other. It was a decision for Osterland and the wider world. He let her go, kissed her awkwardly on the cheek, and whirled away. Beckoning me to follow out into the hallway, he moved away from her before he could change his mind and commit murder.

Cody was already pacing when I pushed through the swinging door after him. I knew what was on his mind, because the option was flashing in my HUD. “Don’t feel obliged, mate. You’ve already done more than enough.”

“How bad is it going to get?” he asked, continuing the short walk back and forth.

“Worse than this. Far worse.”

“Hit me with it.”

“Demons like Sar’Ozan. Vampires. Aliens. Everything that’s ever haunted your dreams, and then some.”

Step, step, turn. Step, step, turn. “But we can win?”

“I didn’t think I could beat the first world, but I did. I definitely didn’t think we could beat this world…”

“But we did,” Cody replied, still not making eye contact.

“I’m not going to say we couldn’t use your help, because we really could. Once you’re in, you’re in until the world’s won, though. There’s no quitting partway through.” Only I had that luxury, but it was just as out of reach as Cody’s. I just couldn’t give up. I’d wondered if Sun was going to head back to Kherrash. Her own option to continue with the party had cropped up again upon Lake’s death. It had vanished almost immediately when she’d selected yes.

Cody stopped and pulled out his battle rifle. “Will I keep getting cool stuff like this?”

“And more,” I agreed. “We’ve got a few bits to hand out from the boss fight and quests. Some of it’s for you.”

“And if it gets really bad, if I break, I can quit at the end of a world?”

“You can. Just remember, you’re not obliged to me. I can’t ask any more than what you’ve already given.”

Cody scoffed at that. “You saved Liza. Twice. You saved my world. Of course I am.” Before I could say more, he selected yes and the option disappeared. “I guess that’s that. At least I get to meet your dogs and see your world briefly.”

“It’s a shithole, mate, but Honey and Marco make it bearable. Shall we get the others and go through the gear?”

“Can Liza sit with us?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s get to it. I want to see my loot.”

I laughed and followed him back into the celebration.