AIN SOPH Part 2

Episode 9

If Andy didn’t get out of Portland, he could count himself among the dead. Andy ran down seven flights of back stairs and out through a loading dock. Rioters were storming buildings down the block, but largely ignoring the alleys. Hobos and junkies took refuge back here, covering their faces as Andy approached.

Joining a mob crossing the bridge out of Portland, Andy found the National Guard checkpoint had been over-run by militants armed from pawnshops in Vancouver. Intent on keeping the city closed, the militants opened fire with very little provocation. Enough guns were coming out of the city that a firefight exploded with women and children retreating all around, stamping feet on whatever didn’t move. Andy tried to stay in the back. He’d accomplished too much to be shot tonight.

Cell phone service was gone nearly 16 hours, and the ring of a SpectraVex II put the battle on pause almost immediately. The phone was held by a college student named Nepotism Baldwin, who seemed as shocked as anyone else.

The combatants stumbled toward Nepotism like a mass of undead, eyes glazed, tiny runners of drool hanging from their lips. Nepotism flipped open the Vex and put it to his ear agonizing-slow. “Uh huh,” he said, jaw slack, staring off into space. “Uh huh. Sure. I’ll tell them.”

Nepotism closed the phone and put it back in his pocket. “There’s money again,” he said. “Everything is being turned back on.”

A great cheer went up from the crowd.

Everyone went back to work the next morning, doing their best to ignore the bodies in trucks passing broken windows. Employees cataloged missing and damaged office supplies that were guaranteed replacement in one business day. Andy McCarthy was never discovered responsible for the global crisis, and he was even promoted the following week. It didn’t leave him much time for TAO, but he'd sneak away every so often to chase rumors of a half-elf boasting of the dagger that slew King Dagon.

Part 3