Inner-Circle: The Super Sales Omnibus Epilogue (Patreon)

Omnibus-Only Epilogue

Peering down the lane, she wasn’t quite sure what to think of everything.

Her first visit here had been a long time ago. It had been little more than a military enclave back then.

It’d even been called Fort One. Now she saw banners everywhere. The city had adopted the patently obvious lack of creativity Felix was known for.

“Legion Prime City, postal office,” she said aloud, staring at the front of a stone building’s display.

Adjusting the mask resting on her face, she looked around.

Members of Legion walked everywhere. They were dressed in clothes from their world as well as clothes made here on Legion Prime.

It would seem it really did happen, and the old world is simply no more.

Gritting her teeth, she began moving with the crowd. There was a definite flow of people going in one direction. From the conversations people were having, she could sense a significant amount of excitement going on.

And Felix would be publicly visible at this event. Listening to the people talk, they seemed to think it was because of what had happened back on their home world.

That he’d locked himself away for a week before he even started talking again. That now, a month after arriving, he was finally willing to start his duties again.

He must still be grieving deeply for Kit and Lily.

No one bothered her as she moved amongst them. A few gave her looks for the mask, but one and all, they immediately looked to her hand afterward.

A Legionnaire’s ring sat there, obvious for all to see. The fact that she was able to move freely about the city and wore a ring was all most citizens needed.

She’d tried to move without a ring and had immediately felt sick to her stomach. She’d figured Felicia must have done something to the city walls and boundaries. Anyone without a ring would be fairly obvious to pick out.

I always felt like Felicia was the most dedicated. She just had the worst time showing it.

Easing around a group of people, she slid amongst them as if she wasn’t even there. Moving up to the edge of what seemed like a giant amphitheater, she could see down into the center area.

Felix was standing there, next to a man who could only be Vince.

Even from this distance, she could tell they were a study of differences, even though they looked eerily similar.

Hopping down the steps, she kept herself out of Felix’s line of sight. There was no doubt in her mind that he’d recognize her, mask or not, if he got a good look at her.

Getting halfway down the seats, she found a row with an open spot and immediately ducked into it. As she sat down amongst the Legionnaires, she felt a strange feeling bubbling up from inside her.

It reminded her of years ago. Before she’d escaped her own fear.

Now, though, it wasn’t smothering like it had been.

It was like a pleasant heavy blanket sitting over her.

“Thank you for showing up. We’ll give it another minute or two before we start,” Felix said loudly, the sound of his voice immediately bursting through her thoughts.

It traveled straight down from her ears and practically out through her tail.

Shivering, Myriad leaned forward. It felt like he’d pulled on everything inside of her and laid it bare.

And she wanted it.

She’d missed him.

Desperately so.

His weekly letters to her had warmed her. She’d never been able to muster up the strength to write him back, though.

The words had simply failed her when she’d tried. What was in her heart for him, leaving Legion, abandoning Andrea—they were all tied up in shame and anger for her.

Leaving her no room or ability to say anything.

Except the letters had stopped one day. At the same time, she’d lost her connection to the main Legion databases.

It was as if a cord had been cut and she’d been on her own in truth.

In that dark minute, when she’d feared Felix had finally tired of reaching out to her, she’d realized the truth of her exile.

She’d never been alone. Ever.

Andrea, Adriana, Felix, and sometimes Kit and Lily all wrote to her. They’d never pressured her to respond, but they’d always said they’d love to hear from her.

Andrea and Adriana had become a bit frantic in the last few weeks before it had all gone dark.

It’d left Myriad feeling chilled once she was truly cut off, without any way of knowing what was going on.

Thinking they’d given up on her.

The database had kicked back in two weeks later, when she was only a week away from home, and she’d gotten her answer.

Kit and Lily were lost. Legion had suffered casualties. The home world was gone.

Felix was in pain.

Myriad had practically sprinted here from that point on, her Others collected inside of herself.

She loved Felix. Deeply. Painfully. In her own way, separate from Andrea.

“First, welcome one and all. This is Legionnaire’s meeting, so this is company wide, as it were.

“Second, I’m sure you all know the man standing next to me. My brother, Vince,” Felix said.

Apparently, Vince had been crucial in the defense of the Headquarters during the apocalypse. He’d held an enemy entry portal by himself, battling it nearly single handed.

The response he got from the crowd was a sign of that respect. They roared, clapped, and stamped their feet for him.

He smiled and waved to the audience, but said nothing.

“He and I have talked for quite a while, made plans, scrapped them, made new ones, and scrapped those too,” Felix said with a grin.

A vast majority of the Legionnaires chuckled at that. Most of them knew how corporate tended to work.

“In the end, I must confess I have a failing. I don’t understand military or security as well as I probably should,” Felix said, clasping his hands behind his back. “I rely on others to handle that for me, but I personally can’t act fast enough, or early enough. I’m afraid that lack of experience and skill on my part has cost some of you dearly.

“And Vince has an equally problematic issue.”

“I’m not Felix, and I hate politics and managing people,” Vince said loudly. Except that was it. He had said his piece, in particular Vince fashion.

Everyone laughed. Even Myriad chuckled.

Vince and Felix were miles apart on personality.

“To that end, we’re ‘merging,’” Felix said, with air quotes, “Legion and Yosemite.

“I’ll be responsible for everything non-military or security related, which Vince will take over.”

The other man only nodded at this. Myriad got the impression Vince was happier with this situation than Felix was.

She could definitely empathize with that.

“I’ve already spoken with your leaders and department heads. Everything has been more or less worked out. All you need is to keep doing what you’ve been doing. The only difference is you may roll up to Vince instead of me,” Felix said. “If you have any questions or concerns, I’ll remind everyone that our open-door policy is always in effect, and to please reach out to whomever you trust.

“That’s all, everyone. I appreciate your time.”

As one, the crowd got up and went back to their business. It was obvious to Myriad this had only been a formal statement of something everyone already knew.

Knowing him, he probably let it leak on purpose so people could acclimate to the idea long before it happened.

Smirking to herself, Myriad got up and moved into the city proper.

Though an interesting change had already happened.

At every government building where previously the red helmet of Legion had flown, there was now a blue shield with a sword plunged into the top of the red helmet of Legion.

Must be the combined banner. He really did plan it out in advance.

Ghosting into the crowd, Myriad filtered in amongst them and vanished.

***

Myriad wasn’t sure what to think as she looked at herself in the mirror.

She looked exactly like Andrea. There was no difference whatsoever between her and her sister.

Adriana had her hair changed permanently by Felix. Maybe I could do the same?

I wonder what I’d look like with black hair.

Myriad sighed and pulled a strand of her hair. She’d cut it herself to roughly match Andrea’s after the Legion meeting.

She’d done it to fit in and match with her sister, just in case someone recognized her.

It’d be easier to pretend to be Andrea—after all, she was her—than to try and explain how she looked different.

But I’m not Andrea… am I? That was the name my parents gave me. But I just… think of myself as Myriad now.

I wonder if Adriana thinks of herself as Adriana now.

They definitely seem very different from each other. Their letters are clearly from different people.

Letting her hair fall, Myriad looked into her own face in the mirror.

She’d broken into Andrea’s room and stolen some of her clothes.

The Others in her head, she only had a contingent of ten, mostly comprised of Death-Others who came with her and kept complimenting her. Encouraging her.

Telling her to go to Felix as Myriad, not Andrea.

Except she couldn’t. She was afraid. Afraid of what Felix would do.

He hadn’t sent her a letter since the databases had turned back on. Even though Andrea and Adriana had started again. They’d even explained the situation.

Frowning, Myriad left Andrea’s room and entered the hallway.

The manse had clearly been a recent addition. Though it was extremely well put together and seemed to be built with absolute love.

Which means Andrea did it.

Myriad grinned and ran her fingers over the wood. Her sister had devoted herself completely to being everything for Felix.

She could feel that unwavering dedication in her own heart for the man. It made her ashamed to think of what her sisters had done for him while she’d run away.

Putting on an Andrea face, Myriad left the hallway.

It only took a single turn to run into someone. And it was someone she didn’t actually know.

An extremely well-put-together woman with gold eyes and golden horns coming out from her head. She was beautiful and womanly in ways that even Myriad had to admire.

“Oh! Andrea, there you are,” said the golden-eyed woman. She immediately came in close and hugged Myriad tightly, pressing her head into a well-endowed chest. “Thank you so much for helping me out the other day. Everything went exactly like you said it would. Being direct and honest with him was exactly what needed to happen.

“He was extremely caring and took extreme efforts to not hurt me.”

On a hunch, Myriad took a sniff of her.

Felix’s scent was all over her.

He’s sleeping with other women now. He was against it in the last letter he sent. He’d even mentioned it.

The grief must be worse than I thought, or he’s getting through it.

“Of course, happy to help,” Myriad said in Andrea’s chipper tone.

The Dragon—because clearly that was what she was now that Myriad has smelled her—made a cooing noise, hugging her even more tightly.

Then she let her go.

“I told Kris and Faith to do the same thing you told me. They’ll probably come by to express their thanks to you. I know their own nights happened recently,” said the woman. Then she leaned in and kissed Myriad on the cheek. “You’re such a good woman for him. Thank you.”

Then the Dragon left, moving past her with a gentle pat on the shoulder.

Apparently Andrea has really made herself the center of this little marriage.

Going out the front door, Myriad did her best to avoid everyone. She really couldn’t afford any more strange encounters like the last.

She just wanted to see Felix, ask him how he was doing, and leave. To get back out into the wilderness.

Her plan was simple. Infiltration, information retrieval, and egress.

Keeping a smile on her face as she went, Myriad saw several horned women wandering around the mansion compound. In addition to that, she saw quite a few busty, green-skinned women in Legion security uniforms watching over the grounds. They were sporting SMGs and rifles at the same time.

Myriad only gave them a cursory glance because anything more than that and she was sure she’d alert them to the fact she wasn’t Andrea.

They had the look of professional, hard-eyed soldiers.

Even if they look like sex dolls.

Felix has had some changes.

They gave her small, polite nods and waves of their hands. Seeing only Andrea and waving her on.

Turning the corner around the front of the house, she started to walk down the side wall. Up ahead, she saw a large number of Elven women. Elven women of every shape, size, and species. They were collectively working on a spell of some sort. The amount of power they were putting out made the air crackle.

Feeling like her smile was a bit brittle, Myriad kept moving.

Felix doesn’t need me. I’m just a mercenary. He has powerful people all around him.

This is a mistake.

I’m just going to look foolish. Stupid and foolish and like a lovesick girl and—

Myriad turned the corner and found Felix. Her heart shuddered heavily in her chest. It felt like her blood had gone cold at the sight of him.

He was sitting in an outdoor lounge chair. He was clearly resting, slouched low in his seat.

Luckily, he was alone and seemed to be almost dozing.

This’ll be easy. Just walk up, ask how he’s doing, act like Andrea, and leave.

Myriad put one foot in front of the other and kept walking straight towards Felix.

Wait. What if he isn’t just dozing?

What if he asks me questions and I can’t answer?

What if he tries to kiss me?

What if he wants me to go to the bedroom with him! Andrea’s pregnant. Adriana is pregnant.

I could easily get—

Felix slowly turned his head in her direction. His eyes locked on her, recognized her, and he looked straight ahead again, having seen only Andrea.

Then his head slowly turned back to her. His brows slowly came down. Suddenly his face split into a wide smile.

“Hi, dear!” Myriad said, exactly as Andrea would, when she was ten feet away.

“Hello. Have a seat. Let’s talk,” Felix said.

Reaching over, he patted the chair next to him.

This feels odd.

Myriad sat down in the chair and looked out at what Felix had been watching.

It was a simple open field. There was nothing there; it was empty of anything.

“That’s where the vault, the nursery, the hatchery, and the grove is going. Nursery for the babies, hatchery for Dragon children, grove for Dryad children,” Felix said. “The Dragons and Dryads are trying to get into my bed as fast as possible and get pregnant. I’d rather not, honestly, but if it turns out that way I’d rather have the childcare set up in advance.

“Though the weird part is the Dryads want to turn me into a grove for themselves, apparently. The Dragons want to live in the vault.

“No surprise there. Gold is their thing.”

Myriad internally checked that information against everything she knew from the letters.

None of this had been mentioned at all.

Felix’s hand moved over to hers, and his fingers slipped in between her own.

“I’m telling you all this because I doubt Andrea or Adriana would have included it in their letters to you.

“It’s really good to see you, Myriad,” Felix said, his head turning toward her.

Myriad slowly turned her head toward him, her Andrea smile faltering and then falling off.

“You knew?” she asked.

“Of course. How could I not tell my Elex women apart?” Felix said. “You’re you, not Andrea.”

Myriad wanted to hit him.

Hard.

He’d ruined everything by noticing her. By realizing who she was. She’d have to slip away again and it’d be even harder this time.

“You don’t have to leave,” Felix said, as if seeing her dilemma broadcast over her head. “I’d really prefer it if you stayed. Andrea and Adriana miss you, as I do.”

Myriad sniffed once, detecting all the different scents on him.

“You have the scents of many women on you,” Myriad said, her chin tilting up a fraction. “You don’t need another Elex woman.”

“Of course I do. Though you probably smell Miu, Goldie, Felicity, Faith, Kris, Jessica, Erica, and a strange little Elf named Talia. Though that one came out of nowhere, and I’m not sure if it was anything more than fun for her. Her humor is interesting,” Felix said, with a strange look on his face. “Regardless of all that, though, I still would ask you to stay. You’re not Andrea, but you are at the same time. I need all my Elex women. You and your Others. By the way, how are they? Are they doing all right?”

There was sudden cacophony in her mind as all the Others in her head talked happily at him asking about them. All of them trying to split from Myriad and smother him in their love and devotion.

“They’re fine. Though I think you’re asking for a mob of Elex women to come for you, if you really want to know,” Myriad said, a smile slowly spreading across her face. Then she gently squeezed his hand. “You really want me to stay? I’m no use to you. You have Elves, Dragons, and Dryads watching over you.”

“You don’t need a use for me to want you to stay, you silly thing,” Felix said. Then he leaned over the arm of his chair and kissed her tenderly.

Myriad felt like her head was heavy, and all the Others inside her suddenly locked up tight and went silent. Then Felix pulled away, the lingering warmth of his lips on hers making her feel dizzy.

“I want you to stay because I love you. You, your Others, your sisters, and their Others. All.

“Though we may want to see them sooner rather than later. They’re going to be rather sore you didn’t let them know you were coming.

“They desperately want to show you their pregnant Seconds,” Felix said.

Wait, why did he stop sending me letters?

“I’ll stay… if you can give me a good reason why you stopped sending me letters,” Myriad said, her hand tightening into his.

“I didn’t,” Felix said, frowning at her. “I’ve been sending them every week. Even after the databases failed. I sent one the day they came back up.”

Felix gently let go of her hand and pulled out a pad he had at his side.

He slowly started to tap through it, reading it.

“Oh. Huh. Looks like the settings had you listed as an external recipient, so it wasn’t sending,” Felix said. Tapping something, he looked at her.

Myriad’s wrist communicator chimed, followed by a kissing noise.

“You put a special noise for my emails?” Felix asked with a grin.

Feeling absolute embarrassment, Myriad covered her wrist device as it continued to chime and then make kissing noises as each new email came in.

“You got about two more,” Felix said, seemingly counting the number of times it had gone off.

“This is mortifying,” Myriad said, closing her eyes.

Chuckling, Felix leaned over and kissed her again, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Not really. It’s endearing. For all that you try to be Myriad, you were still the original Andrea.

“And for that, I love you for who you are, as well as who you aren’t. Now come on. Let’s go see your sisters, or they’ll tan my hide for not bringing you over,” Felix said.

Myriad felt a strange panic and excitement rising inside her. It took a moment for her to realize it was her Second.

LITTER!

The force of the demand from her Second gave Myriad a moment of pause and reflection. Then she smiled and let Felix pull her up to her feet.

A litter.

***

Runner flopped into a chair and stared up at the ceiling.

“Motherfucking shit cock of a dumpster fire. What the actual shit just happened? Felix sent over a message, and it looks like there’s three of those damn agents of Zeus running around,” he complained. “And then you, ‘Uncle,’ are running around in the backfield with Al.”

“Yeah. Well. Whatever,” said Uncle, leaning up against a wooden pillar. “I’m supposed to watch him, so I am. Besides, he wasn’t wrong.

“You do realize he’s incredibly close to freeing his mom, right?”

Runner sighed and pressed his hands to his face.

Part of him was incredibly excited at the idea of Sunshine coming home.

It’d pained him dearly to see her. Standing there.

And he hadn’t been able to help her at all.

But he’d seen her. And she’d seen him.

He’d heard her voice.

“I’m glad to hear it, but it still doesn’t solve the problem, now does it?” Runner griped.

Uncle snorted at that.

“Don’t be an ass-hat, Runner. Al’s going to pull her out long before you mount your little assault team.

“Though I have to admit, the experiment worked pretty well. Those two are rather terrifying,” Uncle said.

“Yeah… they really are. Though there’s a couple others I’m looking at,” Runner admitted, scratching at his stomach. “One’s on a sub-world. He… was amusing, and changed himself.

“Then there’s that thing my crazy one is doing.”

Uncle grunted and then stood upright.

“I need to get home. Wife will pull my head off if I don’t get home tonight,” Uncle said.

“Which one?”

“All of them? You know how it is.

“Be sure to stop by and say hi; the kids wanna see you. You figure out how you wanna handle the mainland, by the way?”

“Yeah… more or less what we talked about. Not going to have a choice.” Runner sighed and closed his eyes.

“See ya later, dickhead,” Uncle sat, poking him in the forehead as he walked by.

“Later, dipshit,” Runner said, waving a hand in the air.

Lying there, he just let his mind drift.

I can’t ever let him see Shirley. Ever. It’d break him.

A soft beep sounded in Runner’s head. Cracking an eye open, he felt his AI-supported mind dive through the systems of the ship, rapidly peeling out what the alert noise was for.

The ship had just passed a boundary marker. It was on the edge of a solar system. It’d been dark, silent.

Cloaked.

Right up until the ship passed it by, at which point a small snippet of data was sent deep into the solar system.

“Guess we won’t be surprising them,” Runner muttered, charting the course of the signal.

It was following the same line the SOS Sunshine had sent them toward so many years ago.

“Right, then,” Runner said.