Horus unwillingly parted ways with June, dropping her off at her apartment. Then he returned to Fort Thunder, stashing the car close to the checkpoint.
The border guards were swamped by Sierra Vista's citizens flooding the gates, unable to take names or check faces.
They looked disgusted by the Mundanes invading their precious home. Muttering between themselves that none of this was necessary; the system would never give a Mundane Lordship.
Using the crowds and evening gloom, he made his way to the Callisto dojo. There weren't any cars in the house. His father hadn't even bothered calling him about the check before leaving.
What did I expect?
He slinked in, gathering supplies; a torch, extra batteries, rope, canned food, lighters, good clothes for a trek, binoculars, compass, canned food and so on.
He slung his now full Bag of Holding over his shoulder, impressed by the magical tool's light weight.
Once satisfied, he felt, but a picture in the living room caught his eyes. A painting of him and his father.
"Bye," he whispered.
He took a flare from the house and a canister of flammable oil as he left the dojo. There was a building close to the hospital here in Fort Thunder. One that Horus bet would burn well.
The hospitals here would still have guards, so he had to distract them. It would have been easier for him if Wally was in a hospital in Sierra Vista, but Enji must have paid for Wally to be there.
A small act to assure his survival and Horus dropping his vendetta with Ares.
After a short work through the dark crowded streets, he found the hospital and the building to burn.
He crept to the building's roof easily and poured the flammable oil down its storm drains, then he left a trail to the pipes and lit the flare.
His worried expression was illuminated by the red. The evening was alive with voices in the streets.
This would only give him seconds. He took in a breath. Then he dropped it.
The moment the flare left his hand, he shot towards the edge of the roof. By the time it hit the oil trial, the fire travelled quickly, but he was at the edge of the roof.
With a smooth leap, he caught the bannister of the house next door and swung down to the ground.
He rolled behind the wall as the building burst in flames. The windows shattered and a deep vibration shook the earth.
Easy enough. He took off into a hard sprint, circling the house to the alleyway between the burning building and the hospital.
His momentum dissolved immediately he reached the alley's edge, transitioning into a smooth trot that didn't look too suspicious.
Two guards and many bystanders ran past him to the building, taking the bait. He entered the hospital and walked past the receptionist like he was meant to be there.
He took the stairs instead of the elevator, already knowing Wally's room, and wanting to run.
A minute later he was at the door, struggling with hesitation. After running so much, he was scared just to open the door.
He hissed and pushed the wooden door open immediately.
The room smelled of antiseptic. It was quiet except for the steady beat of the ECG.
On the hospital bed, Wally's badly burned body rested with his eyes closed, covered in bandages and a hospital gown.
Horus had heard he was in a medically-induced coma, but he hoped they would have used magic to operate on him.
How do I get Wally out of here unplugging life support?
While he thought, Wally's eyes fluttered open. His fiery red hair was left in patches, but his grey eyes still held some amusement.
"You came…"
Horus held his hand. "I'm sorry. I'll explain everything, but we have to leave now."
Wally's eyes deepened with thought. "The Lord Selection?"
The system must have notified him even though he was half alive.
"Yeah, I, uh… asked your sister to go with me," Horus explained. "I couldn't leave without you though."
"Haha," Wally laughed weakly. "June always knows how to pounce on an opportunity… Go without me, protect her."
Once again, Wally made the most logical decision. He was ruthless in a kind way. Maybe too ruthless to himself.
"No way. Not this time."
"I'll die before we even get to the door," Wally advised.
"You'll die if you stay here."
"No," Wally reassured. "I have secrets. Friends. Not June's type of friend, I have my own way of changing the world. These friends will help me, then I can stay here and feed you info about Bloodhaven."
"Send me all the money from your account. I'll lie that you wanted to make sure I'd pay for surgery. I'll use it to bribe—sorry, incentivize some people."
Horus clicked his tongue. "Why are you so capable? Just follow me blindly."
"My last piece of advice, your Highness," Wally mocked. "Is to try and make it to Vegas. I have a contact there that we'll help you reach the Nevada Republic."
Before he could ask why Wally knew all these people and had all these secrets, Horus heard rushed footsteps two floors below them on the stairs.
Someone knew he was here.
Wally read the look on his face "Go!"
"We have a lot to talk about," Horus said. He ran to the hospital room's window and looked down.
A tough climb… but he could make it.
●——●
"Where are you going?" Elle asked as June rushed through the room, grabbing things and stuffing them into a seemingly bottomless bag.
June struggled to lie to her friend, so she did the next best thing: shut up and feel horrible inside.
"Are you going to meet Bruno?" Elle asked carefully. Her blue eyes were narrowed in anger. She just woke up so her black hair looked like a raccoon's nest.
"No. I hope that motherfuckers falls off a cliff." June said without facing her friend. "That's not cool, you know. I'm not that heartless. I'm done with the Equalists"
Bruno sold them out to protect himself. He traded June and the people in Bloodhaven trying to improve their lives for information about someone he wanted to kill.
June lost friends because of the traitorous fool. People were executed in some dark dungeon and never to be found again. The whole movement to pressure Fort Thunder's elite to listen to Sierra Vista's pleas evaporated like smoke.
There wasn't a doubt in her mind that once there was even an iota of evidence, the same people would come after her.
Jokes on them, I'm outta here.
Elle rose, striding over and grabbing June. "Where are you going?! Why aren't you saying anything?"
Tears started to flow, Elle's voice fell to a whisper. "You never know when to give up, do you? Kon's probably dead in some Fort bastard's basement. We're still here—still fucking alive—because he didn't say our names. Because he wanted us to live."
June shook her head, blinking the tears away. But she held back her words. She hadn't given up yet, and Kon wouldn't want them to.
But she knew the grief Elle fought through. She knew her friend still cried at night. She knew how much Elle and Kon loved each other.
"I'm leaving," June croaked, wiping her eyes. "I-i got a warning. Im… they're on too me. They'll come for me soon."
Elle trembled. She wrapped June in a tight hug. "Why didn't you tell me? I can come with you."
"I know you would," June sniffed. "But it's gonna be a hard journey. I have someone to help me, but I'm already dead weight, taking you would make it like a dead anchor."
"Your jokes always suck," Elle said, laughing.
June tightened the hug briefly, then broke it to pick up her bag. "Stay safe, Elle. I love you. Once I'm safe I'll find a way to get a message to you."
She ran out of the room before Elle could say another word. There wasn't any time. If they continued, Elle would cry, then she would cry too, and they'd hug again.
Her heart felt like a tightened string. She always thought heartbreak was a saying.
If the soldiers don't kill me, then at least the power of friendship will.
She left the building, freezing on the dark empty streets when two soldiers standing on the opposite sidewalk both glanced at her.
Why are they here?!
Their expression shifted to suspicion. Then they both started walking towards her.