'Hound' was the unofficial title given to the overseers of Demericos.
Andrew searched the alleyway for something to hold his dog.
With keen enough senses to notice something amiss over a wide distance and physical attributes that exceeded even some of the best soldiers, they were the group most suited to handling the 'loose' criminals of the Demerico program.
To put it simply, they were prison guards.
Finding a box and a discarded long-sleeved shirt, Andrew poked holes in the sides of the box with the pocket knife he kept tucked under his shoe and set Cello inside.
She startled awake and barked at him, but the sound was silenced by the bangle attached to her collar.
"—!"
Andrew stroked her head and hushed her. Patting his pockets, he searched for a treat to give her—then remembered that it, too, was stolen by the wolf hidden in the forest.
"…"
Sighing, he fashioned the old shirt into a makeshift sling and tied the sleeves behind himself, leaving Cello hanging on his front.
After tapping the box a few times to make sure it was secure, he scratched her ears and looked ahead.
"Perdón."
Just a while longer, Perrita.
Andrew tuned his ears.
Fsssshhh
Pipes letting out steam.
Squeak squeak squeak
Rodents skittering about.
Clatter! Clatter!
And the sound of someone noisily kicking around a metal can as they walked towards him.
Clatter…
The clattering went quiet.
As Andrew slid the pocket knife back into his shoe and slowly turned around, the metal can flew past him, striking a nearby utility pole with a sharp reverb.
Tiiinngg!
Fssshhhhh
Andrew scanned the person in front of him.
K3
The designation code of this Hound—indicated by the number sewn white into the breast pocket of his black suit.
"你在找什么东西吗? (Are you looking for something?)"
Mandarin?
That was something he hadn't used in a while.
"…我是.(Yes, I am.)"
Andrew nodded towards the pup in the box.
"Daycare centers."
The Hound came up to him and scanned his face from behind the white mask—only his pitch-black eyes were visible through the eyeholes cut into its surface.
"…This far out?"
"Yes."
The young man, roughly the same height as Julien, tapped the box a few times before slinking out of the alleyway and pointing left.
Andrew followed him out and looked in that direction as well.
A glowing paw-print sign was far in the distance—beyond the typical range of what most people would've been able to see without modulation.
He's not old enough to have been on the war front…
There was no sign of a Tith gesture before he left the alleyway either.
Andrew subtly sniffed the air. He smelled like soil in the rain.
But this Hound was undeniably human.
"Thank you."
Andrew wasn't too curious though.
He politely bowed his head and walked in the direction the young man pointed out. It didn't matter where he entered from anyway. He could always circle back to where Raya was hidden in the woods.
"It's closed."
The guard followed beside him and helpfully supplied—
"It is currently 5:02 A.M. The Paws or Claws daycare center opens at 6:00 A.M. Will you be waiting?"
Andrew glanced at the younger man and nodded.
"Then I'll wait with you."
…
"Is there a problem?"
Andrew shook his head, his mind already creaking back into familiar territory.
The difficulty had just increased.
His body buzzed.
But this was exactly what he was built for.
—
As they approached the humble building, the Hound—K3—sat on the steps with his legs crossed into a pretzel.
Whimper
Andrew temporarily removed the bangle silencing Cello as well, though with the presence of this Hound, she seemed unwilling to make any noise.
He rested a hand on her back.
Still, even if he was being watched, a preliminary survey was enough. His eyes drifted along the forest line.
If he chose to make a beeline for the woods, there were three things he could hide behind along the way that would break the watchtower's line of sight—though the final stretch was… sub-optimal.
He turned his head.
If he wanted a more secure route—albeit more difficult to get into—he could find one of the maintenance openings leading into the migration pathway a bit further West of his current position.
He closed his eyes and recalled the map of Aus he memorized before ever taking up employment in this city.
The serviceway wasn't far.
Opening his eyes, he looked to the closest of the three objects that could hide him from the watchtower—an electrical box.
Hidden beneath the electrical box was an old service way.
…
With one last cursory sweep of the forest line, he turned away so that the Hound couldn't make note of what he was up to.
He didn't see Raya, but he was sure she was still watching with the telltale smirk she always held on her face.
I should call her.
He patted his pockets in search of his phone before remembering that she'd taken it.
"…"
K3 noticed.
"What do you need?"
Andrew looked down.
"Phone."
K3 reached into his pocket and pulled out his own. Scanning his face, he handed the device to Andrew.
Andrew eyed it carefully before moving to the call feature and inputting his personal phone number.
He didn't actually know Raya's.
As the phone rang, K3 leaned forward.
"Where's your phone?"
The call went to voicemail, but Andrew left it on.
"Stolen. I'll find it in the next hour."
"If you're linked to it, you can find it through your Tith."
"…"
The Hound tapped his mask.
"…Was that 'stolen' too?"
Andrew closed the voice message and handed the phone back.
Hopefully she got the message.
"I never had one."
The Hound narrowed his eyes.
"You a soldier?"
Andrew shook his head.
"Not anymore."
K3 shifted, un-crisscrossing his legs.
"How long have you been out of service?"
Andrew's gaze turned cold.
The Hound stared at him while tapping his inner wrist.
"…I'd schedule an appointment soon, 复员男军人(—soldier)."
"…"
Andrew turned away.
There was a reason he never installed one.
Chili-ling!
Andrew turned his head as the sound of keys rattling against someone's belt sounded in his ears. With a bit of delay, the Hound turned his head as well.
Turning the corner was an old man carrying several boxes stacked higher than his head. Andrew and K3 moved out of the way of the door as he approached—but the old man paused before ever reaching them and trembled.
"W-wha—who's there..?"
The Hound came up to the old man and lifted a few of the boxes out of his hands.
He whispered to him, but Andrew could still hear it.
"Don't worry. This scary friend is only here for your services."
That gave Andrew pause.
The old man trembled even more as he approached the doors, and he fumbled with the keys several times before finally finding the lock.
He kept his gaze averted from the two intimidating guests the entire time.
"…"
Andrew turned his head as the Hound addressed him.
"It is now 6:00 A.M."
The Hound deposited the boxes he'd taken from the old man inside before reemerging and walking off with a cool wave.
"Have a good day, 军人 (soldier)."
…
As the Hound disappeared into the watchtower, Andrew turned into the pet daycare center and addressed the owner.
"What do I need to do?"
The owner trembled as he pulled out the required paperwork.
—
After leaving Cello in the care of that old man, along with his phone number in case something happened, Andrew tucked the business card he'd plucked from the front desk in his pocket and left the building.
He glanced in the direction of the watchtower for a moment before walking in the opposite direction—towards the migration pathway to the west.
Still.
Though the distance was wide enough that Andrew struggled to see the tip of the watchtower, the Hound—K3—was looking his way. Whether he was still watching him or just happened to be facing him, Andrew wasn't going to risk looking suspicious.
Turning the corner, he kept walking while scanning the map in his mind a little closer. The serviceway under the electrical box wasn't completely out, but if he could find a better way…
Clunk!
Turning his gaze downwards, he lifted his foot off the manhole cover he was standing on.
…
It wasn't directly tied to the migration pathway like the serviceway but… it was hidden.
This works.
Scanning his surroundings with all his senses, he stepped off the metal plate and uncovered the hole. Just as he prepared to enter, a thought crossed his mind that made him reconsider.
Raya… would not like it if he showed up smelling like sewage.
"…"
Re-covering the hole, he stood there for a while, trying to figure out some other way through.
He raised his head to look at the migration pathway above.
Above…
Moving back through the alley, his hands pulled on employee doors one by one in search of a quiet path to the rooftops.
Bang bang
No.
Bang bang
Not this one.
Click!
Bingo.
Stepping inside the dilapidated building, he began to climb. The stairs creaked beneath his feet and dust settled onto him as he ascended. He brushed the dust away and kept going.
Creee Creee Creee…
It's quiet.
Pulling out the bangle he took off of his dog, he slipped it on over his wrist and kept walking.
Creee Creee Creee…
He could still hear himself.
Clunk rattle!
But as he reached the top of the stairs and tried the door leading up to the roof, he pulled his hand away and noticed something peculiar.
None of the dust on the doorknob had transferred to his hand.
?
He pulled the handle again.
Crack!
Clang ting ting!
The handle came off.
"…"
Andrew dropped it and pushed the door open.
Woossshhh.
The wind blew his hair as he stepped forward under the cover of approaching dawn.
He looked up.
It's not far.
Reaching up on his tiptoes, his fingertips brushed the edge of the transparent migratory tunnel overhead. He considered breaking it.
Beeehh…
Turning his head, his eyes met those of a fawn staring at him from behind the reinforced glass.
"..."
He wouldn't have been able to anyway.
Stepping away, he scanned the path for a proper opening and saw one a little further away—a service latch attached to the bottom of the pathway. There was just one problem.
It was even more conspicuous than simply passing through the service way by the electrical box.
…
He sighed and began his return.
He said he'd be done in an hour.
Looking over the edge of the building, he scanned the perimeter before raising his head to look at the forest.
He'd be done in an hour.
—
Returning to where he started, he walked up to the electrical box and hid behind it. Running would only incur suspicion.
Thud!
He stepped on something hard—the serviceway entrance half buried in dirt.
Ducking down, he ran a hand along the metal in search of a latch.
Rattle!
It was dirty, but it looked like a combination lock was keeping the entrance shut.
He tugged it.
Rattle!
It's loose.
If that was the case, he could go straight in.
He pulled again.
Rattle!
Twice.
Ratckr!
Three times.
CRACK!
Clang! Clatter clatter!
Under the strain of being pulled apart, the lock broke and clattered to the ground in pieces.
Brushing aside the broken lock, he stepped off the entrance—careful not to enter the Hound's line of sight—and opened the entryway.
▪️
There was no end in sight. Only darkness and a single rusty ladder.
But there was a breeze.
There's oxygen.
And that's all that mattered.
Grabbing hold of the ladder, he began his descent—closing the entrance behind him and blocking out the hints of dawn that began to settle onto the Earth.
Creeeeak Creeeeak Creeeeak…
It was far too long before he made it to the bottom.
…
…
…
.gnihctaw si enoemoS
—
Creeeeak…
The ladder creaked beneath his feet
Creeeeak…
Settling rust onto his hands. Somehow leaking rust onto his hands.
Creeeeak…
It was cold.
But that's all he could focus on in the all-consuming darkness.
…
No, that's all he tried to focus on.
…
Lonely, anxious, exhausted…lingering with the scent of mold, dust and moss.
With nobody around for what felt like days as a metallic taste filled his mouth.
He'd been forsaken.
…
Andrew frowned, wiping the rust off his hands.
He needed to get off this ladder.
—
As he began to feel a drip of cold sweat at the thought of this journey never ending, the darkness slowly receded, revealing a dim corridor far below where he continued his perilous descent.
That tunnel too, was seemingly endless.
Breathing a sigh of relief as his feet touched solid ground for the first time in ages, Andrew brushed off the prickling sensation that began to settle into his skin.
This place…
The maps never had a serviceway this big.
…
Exhaling through his nose, he turned his attention to the empty tunnel as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.
When's the last time this place was used?
There were no lights in this corridor, only faintly glowing moss letting out low hums along the walls. And with no other light source of his own, he moved closer to them.
Fwpp
There was a notice on one of them.
"Warning!
Low light recommended for passage. See pg 3. of the Service Worker Pamphlet for more information.
(Printed XXII'32, 05/29)"
So it was by design.
Wmmmmmm
Turning away from the wall, Andrew listened to the faint hum of electricity echoing throughout the corridor. At the very least, if he did need power, it was there.
He raised his head and looked up the ladder.
…
Let's keep going.
Barely capable of seeing even a meter in front of him, Andrew turned towards the dark corridor and took his first steps into the dark.
Step Step Step
Step Step
Footsteps echoed in the corridor.
He lightened his feet.
Step Step Step
Step Step
They were still there.
…
He stopped.
Step Step—
Step
The footsteps abruptly stopped too.
There was a delay.
He was being followed.