detectors. thermal imaging to 100 yards. usually 6 guys. he took 2 with him. another one left 2day. dont know when Gil will be back. cant tlk more rning out of pts. about 2 die.
“Don’t let him run out of points!” Elisa sounded panicked. “He can’t die!”
“Just in the game,” he said gently. “Relax.”
“Not for him! If we lose him, we lose the connection for who knows how long! He has to earn points without the benefit of a credit card! It could take him weeks!”
“Calm down,” he soothed. “I understand that. I’ll find a solution.”
A couple minutes of research in the game forum did the trick. Armed with fresh knowledge, he bought up ten full blocks of points, and rerouted the magical spell toward GeekwadX1000. Then he went back to the altar, and opened his vein again. Elisa winced as gouts of virtual blood rained down over the altar.
After a tense couple of minutes, Josh’s response rolled out onto the Obelisk and into the dialog box. He translated it with the wand.
holy shit u must have bled out 800 bucks worth of health points tnx dude im good for a while
my pleasure, he replied. passing u to ur sister. have at.
He got up, gesturing for Elisa to take his place. “I’ll reload you both after, he said. “You guys talk for a while. I’ll go in the other room and make a phone call.”
“Yeah? Who to?”
“Mace,” he said. “And Jim Wong, for starters.”
“For what?”
“Backup,” he said. “To bust out your little brother.”
Her eyes went big. Her hands were shaking. “You’re just going to go after him?” she asked. “Just like that?”
“Yes,” he said baldly. “Asap. Once we get Josh out of there, you’re free. We can broadcast your video, and put it right to that prick and his perv billionaire buddy, right where it hurts.” He paused. “Or…I could just kill him,” he added, his voice deceptively casual. “That works, too.”
Elisa gave him a wary glance, unsure whether he was kidding. “Sounds problematic. I don’t want you to get into any trouble.”
Nate shrugged. “Let’s focus on Josh for now. He’s a prisoner of war. He needs you. Talk to him, take notes on everything he tells you about what he’s heard and seen. Anything could help us. We need to know about the security, the guards, the camera placement, schedules, shift changes. Pump him as much as you can.”
Elisa glanced back at the obelisk. Just a few glyphs shone on it. She touched the wand, and the message appeared in the dialog box. Lu? u there?
A long, ragged breath shuddered out of her, and she began to type back.
yeah baby I am so sorry I love u so much
dont start pls if I cry theyll wonder wtf is wrong with me. i dont want to draw attention
ok no weepy stuff stay tough she wrote.
totally Josh replied. good to hear yr voice.
omigod yes. Elisa sniffed back tears, and her back shook as she typed.
Nate dug up a pack of tissues for her, and then put some space between them before the hot prickle behind his own eyes could betray him. He went into the bedroom, and dug around for the burner that matched the ones he’d passed out at the wedding reception, and pulled up Mace’s number.
The phone rang four times. The line clicked open. Mace’s deep, sleep-roughened voice came through. “Do you know what time it is right now?”
“Quick update on the Elisa situation,” Nate said. “I need your help tomorrow. To rescue Elisa’s little brother from a raping, murdering, kidnapping, child-trafficking motherfucker.”
“No shit.” Mace grunted as he sat up in bed. “You’ve got my attention.”
Nate laid out the situation, swiftly recounting the conversation Elisa was currently having with her brother in the other room.
“Far-fucking-out,” Mace said when he wound up the tale. “So, we rescue Josh, steal Gil’s leverage, and then pound the living shit out of him? That’s the plan?”
“Right.” Nate was grateful that Mace could be counted on to instantly see reason. “Right now, Clemens and three of his goons are cruising around Shaw’s Crossing looking for Elisa. They know she worked at the diner, so it’s likely that he’ll be looking at all of you guys. Be on the lookout for them.”
“Damn,” Mace murmured. “So Kimball and his merry band just wasn’t enough for us. We needed a little more challenge.”
“Yeah, that was Elisa’s reasoning. That’s why it took her so long to say anything. I’m not bringing Elisa back to Shaw’s Crossing before we