An hour has passed on the road, and basically not much has changed. Now we're on the roads outside the city, relying purely on intuition to figure out where to go, since from the moment we left the city, there's no road, just a vast desert before us. Before leaving the city, like the day before, the houses were custom-built, but the further we get, the lower the quality of them becomes, which is rather sad. Surely Jeffrey takes into account the feelings of his people.
however
'Duck'
A clue to help me remember a little about myself, literally vanished between my claws. If only there had been more of us, we would have easily fallen upon the elephants and crocodiles. After leaving the hut, several footprints indicated the presence of other creatures whose nature I couldn't discern. A panther? Two more horses? A chameleon?
Well, Nibal knows quite a bit about births after explaining the differences between the footprints, but when it came time to analyze how the armor worked, we couldn't really get anywhere. As the horse had said before, Duck's technology literally ensures that each of its clients is unique and only works for them.
"So... is it true that Tauruses are a lie?" Nibal rolls his eyes
Nibal: "From what it seems, according to their records, there has been an increase in orders for suits, perhaps that's why everything was so disorganized. Also, the timing is almost identical to when I started seeing more Taurus cars on the streets; perhaps he's a parts dealer."
"Parts trafficker?"
Then Nibal explains, basically, people who pretend to be something they're not. The general reason, according to him, is having been born into a family of "born" people, but being human nonetheless. Many humans wish to be naturally born, but lacking whatever it is that makes the born... born, they turn to parts dealers as facilitators of costumes in different sizes and prices. Although it's not his area of expertise, he's told me that in a way it's illegal, since this could disrupt the natural order of things, because one moment you can be one person, and the next another. While Jeffrey allows this kind of thing, not everyone has permission to do it.
"Of course, if they don't pay for the license, they can't create those things, but is the fee really that high?"
Nibal doesn't respond, only another moan escapes him, as if he had seen something for adults that I literally don't understand.
After literally looting Duck's house, we returned to the car which had a few tickets but nothing that showing the ID we worked for Jeffrey couldn't fix.
I really didn't expect such a thing to happen. The power that a person like him has over a relatively large city, his power should be limited in some way, right?
Well, after that encounter, the guard seemed a bit annoyed but then let us continue... so look at us here! In the middle of nowhere with an old car and literally hoping Nibal doesn't get confused turning a corner... if only such things existed in the damn desert!
The silence is quite comforting; it makes you think, reconsider certain decisions throughout your life—not that I had one, the most I remember is being a first-generation soldier trained for invasion....
'Did I just remember?'
Sure, first generation, they called me a draconian foot soldier. Those experiments were painful, nothing compared to the X serum that literally crackles inside me, preparing me for...
Nibal: "Well, if you look at those two mountains, you'll discover that they aren't mountains, they're pieces of the Mechanicus."
After an obvious question, Nibal pulls me out of my possible flashback that would reveal my past, so I can finally find out what my purpose is.
Basically, the Mecanicus are things that, depending on how old they are, can walk and some can even talk!
For example, the system that spoke to me (of course, after asking Nibal about it) said that he hadn't heard of it, but he would classify it as "first generation Mecanicus," basically, from my time.
Silence again, something that returns after an hour. To my right, nothing, a storm in the depths. I bet I saw some lightning strikes within it, turning the surrounding sand into glass that was almost as quickly formed as it was destroyed by the fast winds. I even managed to see a tornado for the first time in a while... basically, I was in one yesterday... or was it the day before yesterday?
In any case, to the right there was nothing, just a rather beautiful desert landscape. Some structures protruded from the sand. We even passed a caravan shortly after that had settled in those small ruins, which I suppose will become a village in the future, if the ship's system was able to do what it did with the city in that way, despite it being relatively small.
I can't imagine what would happen with something the size of the pyramids where I woke up, although now that I think about it... I haven't seen them in a long time, and they're not exactly easy to see... maybe it was farther away than I thought?
Another hour... boredom...
"We're almost there!"
Upon seeing my sudden scream, Nibal temporarily loses control of the car, until after the initial shock he manages to regain it with relative ease
Nibal: "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! And yes, we're here."
Now that the car is starting to slow down, we've finally arrived. Some kind of giant statues are revealed before us. I hadn't noticed them until now. I was looking around; several people were preparing for the storm. It was far away, but as someone who experienced it firsthand just upon waking up, I don't know how these people have experienced it, especially for so long!
Nibal: "Well, welcome to the fallen. We're halfway to the location marked on the pad. We'll surely find that horse again that took your friend... Duck? No? Well, as long as I pay a good ransom, I wouldn't hesitate to risk my neck again to fight Juan's group."
'Pay ransom?... Use the networks?'
"Do you like money?"
Nibal turns towards me, but again loses control of the car, almost crashing into some small figures near the 'fallen' structures... I suppose those are other awakened ones who haven't yet freed themselves from whatever is keeping them in that state... cut off from the world... deprived of their memories... even giving them suicidal tendencies or directly attacking anyone who gets in their way!
Sure, that's all I can say based on what Jeffrey told me and a little of my own experience. Maybe if Duck knows me, he's also an awakened one like Jeffrey. And me, maintenance staff? No... he's a builder... 'pyramid operator'? Maybe...
Nibal: "We've been together for three days and you're only noticing now?!" he yells at me... or rather, he raises his voice, but my ear takes it as a shout. "Really, money is everything in this world, believe it or not, money, bluff, can move mountains! Force people to do things they wouldn't normally do in their right mind, and you ask me... 'I like money'? You're offending me, to be honest."
Another moment of silence, isn't it becoming more and more frequent?
Then, a few moments later, we found ourselves in a tavern amidst the figures. Unlike Jeffrey's ship, these looked much newer; you could even see some bullet holes or impacts of some kind.
"Were these... walkers taken down in the first generation or...?"
Nibal: "No, these were taken down by Jeffrey several years ago; they were causing problems for some distant colonies, so he had to intervene personally."
So now we head towards the tavern built inside a room within the least damaged machine, a smell of gunpowder, blood and... mead? permeates the air, was this the armory?
From outside, I can hear several of them conversing in different languages; some I don't understand at all, others sound like snakes, and still others are just birds, so there must be several born inside for so many of them to be literally conversing.
Nibal: "Very well, the rules of the place, never give up your weapon even if they ask for it, don't look at anyone, order a drink before speaking and you'll probably need badges, so" - he points to a sack full of them, of course, not as big as what Jeffrey gave to the trio who captured me, but I suppose it will be enough.
Upon entering, everyone who was talking stopped. When they saw Nibal, they automatically continued with whatever they were doing. Then, I saw a sign that said in large letters, "WEAPONS NOT ALLOWED," so a person greeted us as soon as we entered.
Landlord: "I need your weapons, this place is..."
Nibal: "I'm sorry, I don't have one"
So I walked right past the man, ignoring whatever he had to say, and went straight to the bar, so it's my turn.
Landlord: "I need your weapons, this place is dangerous, one bad shot and we could all be blown up!"
After I finish speaking, I repeat what Nibal said and try to pass, but a lizard-born creature appears out of nowhere and holds me in place.
Born Lizard: "I guess the landlord wasn't clear, leave your weapons, we could all die"
So, without further ado, I handed my weapon to the landlord, who took it to a locked box and then gave it back to me. Just like with my weapon, there were many more stalls where I suppose they kept more weapons; some were almost as long as my body or much wider than elephants. This place is not to be underestimated.
Once inside, I notice that some humans start talking like snakes, others chirp like a group of birds, the vast majority have keys like mine, even those who seem the toughest, the lizards, have their pair of keys
Once I got to the bar, Nibal looked at me with disappointment.
Nibal: "I guess God hasn't been kind to you. Just hope no one takes your weapon. Besides, don't even think about showing them the key..." After that, he moves closer to me and speaks in a low voice. "They use the same key for everything; it's cheaper."
'What terrible security'
When the bartender came over, he looked at us disdainfully, spat out the glass he was cleaning, and asked about our order.
Nibal: "It's not like it's new, besides, we're looking for someone."
Bartender: "It's not like it's your first time here, and like I said, we don't give out that kind of information here." He turns to look at me. "Especially not to the awakened."
Nibal: "You know how I pay you, it's not like it's the first time"
The bartender sighs heavily, then takes a bottle to serve another customer next to the glass he had previously spat out.
Bartender: "You know the rules, and I expect the awakener too: order something first, then ask questions."
Nibal orders some kind of shot with several bottles of various spirits. The bartender, without wasting any time, begins to shake them with great skill; he must have done it many times to achieve that mastery. Without much interest, he takes a couple of what look like lemons, cuts and squeezes them as if they were nothing, then takes another glass, but without spitting, cleans it and pours the final drink.
He turns towards me, awaiting my order.
"I want water"
Everyone fell silent again. The bartender sighed once more, but this time it was somewhat different.
Random person: "Give me a double one!"
After that, everyone started laughing euphorically, as if they had heard the best joke of their lives, not to mention that the bartender himself was trying to contain his laughter at what I said.
'I guess asking for water in the desert wasn't the best plan I had.'
Embarrassed, my tail curls around my legs and the chair, though I feel this wasn't my greatest humiliation. Ever since I was at the academy with the other recruits, being new, they always had a tendency to "baptize" new recruits with their things, but leaving me to guard a bench with the idea that other veterans had done it before me... only for it to turn out that several years ago a general ordered a group to guard it because the paint was drying, and then when they became generals themselves, they ordered the next generation, and they the next...
I will never forget their laughter at that incident; the worst part is that they did it again the following year after my time at the barracks was over.
Nibal: "Not that kind of water, my friend here wants whiskey." - Nibal saves me
Then the bartender takes a bottle and everyone else goes about their business; soon other people come in, but nobody pays any attention.
'Does Nibal already have a history in these parts?'
After the bartender pours a small glass of whiskey, I take a sip, but nothing happens... it really tastes like water. Nibal, impressed, takes his too, only a chill runs through his body. How do I know? His hand started to tremble, and there wasn't a bag of bottle caps nearby to explain it. His drink was stronger... or mine was stronger than anything else.
"It was light, somewhat strong!"
Nibal: "If you do it, you pay your share!"
Bartender: "Okay, now then, what do you want to know?"
Then Nibal takes out his tablet and shows the image of the wolf; the bartender takes it and calls his companion, whose face changes when he sees it and he goes out into the background.
Bartender: "Well, you know where to go. Looks like someone actually knows your friend this time. Good luck with your catch."
Nibal gives the bartender a strange look, but then heads towards where the other human had gone. With nothing better to do, I follow him, but not before ordering another drink of "water".
Upon arriving behind the bar, we entered the storeroom where there was clearly a barrel with the label "water" in bold letters and large enough to be seen for miles around.
Bartender: "Well, his name is Jester. He didn't frequent these parts, but he was usually with a group of born snakes. That's all I know."
Nibal: "Perhaps this will change your mind" - he throws a rather strange-looking bottle cap; it was shiny, even though we were in the dimly lit warehouse, probably because they had more expensive concoctions.
Bartender: "Do you think this will make me change... it's a limited edition?" - Nibal throws another similar coin, so the bartender catches it with one hand, so Nibal can continue until he's lying on the floor counting the rare bottle caps.
Bartender: "Jester was doing business with the snakes. One time, while I was serving drinks to his table, the snakes mentioned something about a shipment with 'compound X.' He angrily complained about their interception, but the indifferent snakes took his order. An hour later, I was about to serve him another round, but they had vanished. Now, if you'll excuse me, you must leave."
Then he kicked us out of the warehouse, leaving us once again at the bar.
Nibal: "I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I suppose our friend was involved in some shady dealings. Well, let's go."
"I guess Compound X is something that's rare to get, so rare that now Jeffrey and a dealer are the ones looking for it."
Nibal: "I wouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly if I were you."
You were directing us to the exit, but the landlord was nowhere to be seen, much less the crocodiles, so after Nibal left, I took my weapon and the key; perhaps it will be useful later if my theory is correct.
We got in the car and continued to another place that, according to the tablet, is the last place where the wolf was seen, a junkyard, although by this point it should already be more looted by the other teams