Grand Game 267: Criminal Behavior (Patreon)

My appointed meeting time with Kesh had come and gone, and so, despite wanting to visit the stygian brotherhood, I hurried north towards the safe zone’s south gate.

I had only one detour to make—a visit to the bounty hunters guild.

As I made my way through plague quarter, I kept a wary eye on the passing players, but despite yesterday’s events, no one looked at me suspiciously, and I reached the guild without incident.

Bounding up the stairs to the fortified building, I banged on the studded metal door with a closed fist. It opened a smidge, and two familiar storm-gray orbs peeked through. “Well, well, look who’s come to visit.”

“Hello, Eyes,” I said.

“If it isn’t the infamous bounty hunter himself,” the doorkeeper said. “The talk of the city and celebrated slayer of mantises. Tell me, boy, how many assassins did you kill today?”

“Cut it out and let me in.”

Bobbing up and down in the air in a parody of a bow, Eyes floated backward and let the door yawn open. “Not enjoying the fame?” he asked, dropping the mocking tone.

“Not in the least,” I muttered, unsurprised that the guild was in the know about recent events.

“So, what brings you to us today?”

“I have a couple of bounties to hand in,” I replied, then grinned. “Soon, I’ll be a full guild member like you.”

Eyes snorted. “Not like me.” He paused. “You’ve completed the probationary tasks?”

I nodded.

“Let me fetch Han then,” he said and disappeared through the inner door.

✵ ✵ ✵

“Welcome back, Michael,” the guild’s client liaison officer said as she stepped into the foyer.

I turned around from the painting I’d been studying to face her. In a striking black and gold suit, she was as immaculately attired as the first time I’d met her. “Hello, Hannah.”

“Sit, please,” she added, seating herself.

While I made myself comfortable, the guild officer studied me with undisguised curiosity. I bore her scrutiny impassively.

“You’ve created quite the stir,” the dark-haired woman said eventually.

I grimaced. “It couldn’t be helped.”

“That’s not what I heard tell,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips. “But all that is done now. You’ve settled matters with Menaq, haven’t you?”

I threw her a sharp look. “What do you know about it?”

“Oh,” she replied vaguely. “We hear things.”

“Huh,” I grunted, realizing she wasn’t about to share her sources.

“But you haven’t come all this way for idle chatter,” she said briskly. “Eyes tells me you’ve completed some bounties?”

I nodded.

“Card, please,” the brown-haired woman said, all business now.

I handed over my BHG ID.

Hannah closed her eyes as she inspected the object. “You have the scalp and reagents?” she asked after reading the card’s contents.

“I do.” Removing the items in question from my backpack, I gave them to her.

You have lost a hag mother’s scalp, 5 x yellow-spotted tongues, and 10 x yellow-spotted feet.

“Thank you,” Hannah replied. “I will see these get to the clients.” She touched my BHG ID again. “And here is your reward.”

Jobs 1015 and 271 have been completed. You have gained 500 gold. Money remaining in your bank account: 6,330 gold.

“What about the third bounty listed here?” Hannah asked when she was done. “Have you managed to find the werewolf?”

Keeping my face impassive, I shook my head. “Not yet, but I will,” I said with pretended determination.

“Too bad,” Hannah said lightly, “but the two bounties you’ve completed will suffice.” Pocketing the ID card, she pulled out another and handed it over.

Wordlessly, I took the item.

You have acquired a BHG ID. This is a writ of authorization, marking you as a junior member of the Bounty Hunters Guild. As a junior member, you can actively pursue 10 bounties at any one time.

Your BHG ID has been updated. Active bounties: 1 of 10.

Congratulations, Michael! You have achieved full membership status in the bounty hunters guild and completed the task: Probie! This task has no impact on the Marks on your spirit signature, and they remain unchanged.

My eyes narrowed as I read the Game messages. “Junior… member?” I asked, leaving the question hanging.

“Not what you were expecting?” Hannah asked, arching one eyebrow. “As a junior member, you will qualify for higher-tiered bounties.” She leaned forward. “But it also means you must complete your annual job quota. No more going a year without fulfilling any bounties. Understood?”

“Completely,” I said. “What’s the quota?”

“Five jobs per year.”

That didn’t sound too bad. “Does this mean I can also attempt bounties in the other city quarters?” I asked, trying not to appear too eager.

“Not quite,” Hannah murmured. “Those sorts of jobs are reserved for senior members only.”

There always has to be something else, I thought, holding back a sigh. “And how many jobs do I need to complete to qualify for that?”

The liaison officer cast me an amused look. “From here on out, promotions in the guild are a matter of quality, not quantity. Complete whichever bounties you desire. Based on your on-job performance, the guildmasters will determine when you are ready to advance.”

Well, that’s… vague. But all I said was, “I see.” Rising to my feet, I nodded to the still-seated woman. “Then I guess we’re done here. Goodbye, Hannah.”

“One second, Michael,” the liaison officer said, stopping me before I could leave.

Turning around, I looked at her questioningly.

“What are your plans now?”

I tilted my head to the side. “Why do you ask?”

Hannah hesitated. “They may be a job we need you to do for us in the near future.”

“What sort of job?”

Hannah seems reluctant to continue despite having broached the subject in the first place. “You’ll get all the necessary details in due course if we decide to proceed. For now, make sure to stay in touch.”

“Of course. I am always at the guild’s service,” I said with no trace of mockery.

Turning about, I headed for the exit, feeling Hannah’s gaze on me the entire way.

✵ ✵ ✵

Setting aside my disappointment, I left the guild headquarters at a fast walk. Money aside, I’d been hoping my guild membership would earn me the right to enter the other city quarters. That had turned out not to be the case, but I had no time to dwell on the matter.

It was time to leave the sector.

I slipped through the safe zone’s south gate without stopping. The triumvirate knights on duty threw me hard stares but made no move to bar my way. Odd, I thought, thinking the guards were more focused than usual.

From the gate, it was a short walk to the emporium, and I was ushered inside. Striding briskly through the compound, I entered the old merchant’s office.

Kesh was not alone.

A red-robed figure stood silently beside her chair. Cara. Smiling, I nodded at the agent. She returned my greeting with a careful nod of her own.

“You’re late,” Kesh said laconically.

I glanced at the merchant. “Sorry, I had a few errands to finish first.”

“They didn’t by any chance involve a werewolf?” she asked wryly.

With difficulty, I kept my surprise from showing. “No. But that’s a strange question. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason, except that the knights’ offices are awash with reports of a criminal sighting,” Kesh replied, casting me a disapproving look. “The criminal in question—a werewolf, in case you were wondering—was spotted several times in the plague quarter yesterday.” She leaned back in her chair. “Interestingly enough, he was not alone and on multiple occasions was seen with a player bearing a remarkable resemblance to yourself.”

Despite my growing alarm, I kept my expression deadpan. This had to be the reason for the gate guards’ hard looks and Hannah’s question about the werewolf bounty.

“But,” Kesh continued, ignoring my strained silence, “despite multiple attempts, no one was able to analyze the second player.” The old woman’s gaze darted back to mine. “Which is fortunate because if the mysterious player had been identified, he, too, would be branded a criminal.”

Kesh’s warning was as clear as day, and I inclined my head in acknowledgment. The merchant either knew of or strongly suspected my involvement in yesterday’s events but, for whatever reason, was turning a blind eye.

And intriguingly enough, she’d chosen to deliver her message in front of Cara.

“Out of interest,” I asked casually, “how would a criminal flee the city?”

Kesh snorted, not appearing the least surprised by the question. “He won’t do it using the teleportation points in the safe zone if that’s what you’re thinking. The wards around the safe zone are impossible for even most Powers to confound.”

I nodded, having known as much already. “Are there other teleportation points in the city?”

It was Cara who answered. “No. The Triumvirate maintain tight control on all players and Powers entering and exiting Nexus. The only way to leave the city unsanctioned is by employing a nether portal in a connected dungeon.”

Kesh cast the agent a sidelong glance but did not admonish her for speaking out—another interesting fact that I squirreled away for later consideration.

“But you should be careful, Michael,” Cara continued, making no pretense at speaking obliquely. “The Triumvirate closely monitors any dungeon with an exit that leads out of the city.”

I nodded to her in thanks. It confirmed my fears; I wasn’t going to get Anriq out any other way except through the guardian tower. The real challenge, though, was getting him from the nether-infested sector to somewhere safer.

And where would that even be?