[The passport is still being processed, but I doubt you need that right away. Photograph was taken from security footage during your various urban adventures and edited to add more youth.]
Explains why I did not recognize it. As well as why my face looked slightly off, I just thought it was from the small image. It’s very disturbing to know that this person has access to city security footage.
> However, if they are such a technology savvy hunter... I guess that makes good sense. <
"An organization like theirs would need soone to help track the unshifted as they move through the city, perhaps. But I still don’t get why they are helping ."
Can the fact that wolves and hunters are in an alliance actually be the answer? But then what about the fact that I took on the identity of one of theirs. They haven’t comnted on that at all.
And then there was how Kyrie had visited that hideout. Did she contact one of them and have them... but no, that wouldn’t make much sense. It was by pure chance that I chose to do business with this particular one to get a shipping container.
"But maybe after I did start talking to them, it got back to her. And she commanded them - or sothing - to be nice to ."
The fact that such a simple thing can sound so correct is worriso. That I might not know the full debts I am incurring.
[We’ll be in touch. - A Friend, Probably]
> Seriously, I don’t get why they’ve helped . I’m also not sure how to take that valediction. <
Setting the docunts aside, I stand up and walk to the bathroom to wash my face. I feel like I’m in a low state of shock, but Guardian’s Composure is holding together. Staring at my reflection in the mirror... I look like how I feel.
> I prefer having clear-cut rules of the leverage over each other. This one sided owing of favors is not my cup of tea. It makes want to throw up. <
Probably not just the pregnancy - and hopefully not the mystic’s chicken I ate. My thoughts are that it’s just that the price for this freedom was still unknown. That terrified more than a concrete value of debt ever had.
The woman looking back at covered half of her face with her hand. Gray eyes flickering blue. No longer just the displaced soul of a fox princess... but one with all the legal proof that she belongs in this world.
Whatever their mysterious motives, I couldn’t deny the gift was exactly what I needed. Even if it ca with strings attached, those strings might be worth it. I just don’t have to like the feeling of being... plucked like a musical instrunt.
C: [Thank you. I don’t understand why you’re helping , but I’m grateful.]
After making up my mind and sending this, their response took a little while. Long enough that I started to start thinking of what to do with the rest of my day. I suppose now that I have identification, I can visit that pawn shop again...
BK: [Everyone deserves a chance to build a life - or a second chance. Consider it an investnt in good karma. That’s sothing I can desperately use.]
I stared at the surprisingly personal seeming ssage. The written note may have had so touches of personality, but the texts so far had felt... robotic. Until now. Did the person on the other end drop that behavior assuming I’ve read everything?
My mind drifts to all the ’voices’ in notes I’ve read while gathering the caches. Word choice, timing, the way it made people sound, the way they might an to co across... all the sorts of tools of political machination that I was taught or learned as a Princess.
"I was taught to use good workers for everything they were willing to give. And motivate good allies much the sa way. By giving them sothing they want in return."
This BoundaryKeeper clearly has so reason to help out, whatever it truly may be. As loath as I am to bend people to my will without knowing what their will is exactly... this seems like soone I never will understand unless I interact with them more.
C: [Since you seem to have significant technical expertise... do you know anything about cryptocurrency? I acquired so used storage devices said to be for it, but no idea how to access them.]
I’d dismissed the items as potentially valuable but beyond my technical knowledge. Spending ti to get up to speed on them through my own research could take days.
BK: [Depends on the type. Cold storage? Hardware wallet? I might be able to help guide you through it if you had a proper computer setup.]
Without overthinking it, I maneuvered through the ’gallery’ and sent the photo of the small black devices from the ravine cache. I only winced after I did so because of the note with the ’JP’ attached. If this person knows that person... they might want them back.
C: [These. Found them with so other valuable items that I can now deal with thanks to your ID gift.]
There was a longer pause this ti before BK responded. Almost twenty minutes. I started to organize everything into the black clutch that I’d put inside the backpack this morning. As well as the few gold coins I was going to try and sell in a bit.
BK: [Those are definitely worth investigating. But walking you through accessing them remotely would be complicated and risky. Much easier to handle in person with the right equipnt.]
"Well, that either worked better than I hoped or it worked exactly as they did. Anonymous to in-person so quickly..."
My thumbs hovered over the keyboard while thinking of a response. eting them face to face felt like crossing a line I wasn’t sure I was ready for. And I’m not fully settled that this is not so elaborate trap that I do not understand.
C: [I still prefer to maintain so distance for now. But thank you, I will keep it in mind.]
BK: [Understandable. We could always et sowhere public later. Like a cybercafe that requires ID check-ins. Completely legitimate eting between two people discussing technology consulting.]
The suggestion was reasonable sounding - almost disappointingly normal compared to the cloak and dagger approach they’d been taking. After the dead drop, picking up the container in the middle of industrial nowhere, and the creepy ssages.
> What do you think, Vrika? They seem like they are slowly becoming less of a boogeyman to . Was I just overreacting? <
My wolf is no help on the matter, but I didn’t expect it to have anything other than general wariness. It doesn’t even seem to care about all the weird... stalker monts that were unveiled so far. As expected of a predator beast.
BK: [Think about it. If you decide you want to see if the devices have what could be substantial financial assets, I’m usually free after 9pm most evenings. Including tonight. Your choice entirely.]
Since arriving in this world, that actually felt true. I had a lot of options. Choices to make. The amount of them was almost overwhelming sotis and it’s just that the things decided for seem like far too big ones is all.
I sat the phone down on the bed and poked at it. Idly scrolled to Kyrie’s ssages. The little conversation we had this morning.
The question on my mind was... did I tell her about any of this? Do I need to right now? Do I need to at all?
"Probably would spill everything if she was right in front of ..."
With a deep sigh I grab my things and walk out of the motel with better things to do than simr.
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