《Reach》


 Chapter 1

    He took a deep breath this was it, he could see his target coming out of Haurel¡¯s the best the east side had to offer. He started walking in his direction and tipped his head in signal as he got closer, he could see him clearly now, it was an older gentleman with a top hat, a fine tailored suit, and the watch chain just peeking out of his pocket. He has to be a regular, old Haurel must be making a killing with all these new rich merchants popping out everywhere thanks to all the crap the horiens kept importing. Must be good to only worry about the quality of your clothes.


    Just as he was getting near he tripped and fell right into his target. The old man went down with a surprised look on his face, but he couldn''t let him fall and hurt himself that would just create more attention. He quickly threw his hands in support just before the old guy hit the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, are you hurt sir?¡± He said while keeping a hand on the old man''s back.


    ¡°Yes, I believe so,¡± the old man said, still trying to orient himself.


    Before the man could get his bearing he apologized again and quickly went on his way. He didn''t want him to find anything wrong with the situation. As he walked away he could still hear the old man grumbling about gangly kids and bad manners. He kept walking until he was near one of the bridges that led into the west part of the city.


    The city of Tivazyl was bisected by a river that separated the east and west parts of the city, or as most people liked to call it, the rich and the poor. Right now both sides were bustling with people, here in the North it was cold and snowing year-round but we were reaching the end of trading season, and that means that you better stock up before the bay freezes over and you had to wait months before it opens up again.


    ¡°Nico, slow down!¡± He stopped and turned around just as Sy came running towards him. His best friend looked like he run to the north gate and back and he told him so.


    ¡°I thought one of the guards saw me, so I looped around through the eastern port,¡± Sy said trying to get his breathing under control.


    ¡°And you decided to run the whole way.¡±


    ¡°Pretty much ye. But more importantly, did you get it?¡± He looked at him expectantly his eyes twinkling with greed.


    ¡°Not here you moron, look where you are,¡± Nico said gesturing with his head towards the horien recruiting tent. They were all over the city, recruiting poor souls into joining their expeditions. Some said that you could get riches beyond your imaginations and strength to rival the old nobles but Nico was very skeptical, no one ever returned from one of those.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Sy blanched and started to stiffly walk towards the bridge, he just sighed and followed him. ¡°Why can''t you just act normally, you look like your shit your pants.¡± He looked at him affronted.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll have you know this is how I normally walk. Now hurry up those blue freaks give me the creeps,¡± Sy said and walked faster.


    Most people saw the horiens with distrust and fear but Nico quite liked them. He wouldn¡¯t be making friends with any of them but as far as alien overlords go the horiens were pretty good. Ever since the end of the war, things just kept getting better year after year. They kept bringing products from outside Vostok especially fruits and grains to shore up our deficiencies our planet''s soil never was the most fertile, or at least that''s what the old hands back in the port said.


    Sy calmed down as they neared their hideout. Some of the kids were hanging outside and saw them coming. It was an old abandoned house towards the west wall, half the roof was missing as were the windows but it was all part of the disguise. Nico ushered everyone inside towards the back of the house and pulled open a trapdoor. He made sure that he was the last one in and closed it behind him.


    This was their home, it might sound like a tight fit, fifteen kids in a basement but it really was very spacious. Nico guessed it might have belonged to smugglers or one of the old gangs pre-war but no one ever came asking for it so they didn¡¯t go looking either.


    ¡°Alright, is everyone back?¡± Nico asked as he made his way towards the table in the middle of the room. Reaching it he started to empty his pockets, a coin purse followed by a golden pocket watch.


    ¡°No way, is that what I think it is?¡± Sy said as he rushed to take the watch out of my hand and bite into it.


    ¡°This is gold! We are rich¡± Nico just smiled at Sy¡¯s enthusiasm, everyone knew that they would only get a fraction of what it was worth when they fenced it to one of the gangs. Still, with this and everything else they had saved, they had more than enough to last the whole 6 months of winter after the trading season was over.


    ¡°Where is Josh?¡± Nico looked around and asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s been working for that carpenter guy, said he might not come back tonight.¡± Good, Nico thought, Josh had been trying to get an apprenticeship from the old carpenter two streets down, so far he only let him sweep around but if he was letting him sleep in the workshop he might have been able to finally wear him down.


    ¡°Alright everyone let¡¯s see what you got,¡± Nico said and everyone started to empty their pockets into the table. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t the only one with a good day.


    ¡°Nico, one of Mr. Colton''s guys came by earlier looking for you and Sy, said it was urgent to get your asses there tomorrow.¡± Now it was Nico¡¯s turn to pale. Dammit, they were having such a good day.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Before Nico found himself to be the leader of this ragtag group of orphans, he used to live near the church in what is known as West Tivazyl orphanage. He never met his parents. They had left him on the church''s steps as a weeks-old baby with nothing but a bundle of blankets and a note with his name.


    Life in the orphanage wasn¡¯t that bad. He had other kids to play with, learned how to read and write, and he even was pretty good with his numbers. Food was always a problem with so many kids, but some of the older ones got odd jobs here and there to help.


    One thing about Vostok is that it¡¯s always cold, and the winters last at least half the year. Life under the king''s rule also wasn¡¯t the best. With heavy taxes and the crime rate through the roof, it was a miracle they lasted that long without aid from the crown.


    Everything started when he was 6. They were coming off one of the harshest winters that many people could remember. It lasted longer than expected. They rationed as much as possible, but there were too many kids, and sadly a couple of the little ones didn¡¯t make it. There just wasn''t enough food to go around. Then it was finally over.


    The temperatures started getting warmer, the bay was opening up, and everything was returning to normal. They could finally take a breath of relief. The worst was behind them.


    At least that¡¯s what everyone thought.


    At first, no one noticed anything different, fewer guards were patrolling the city, and the noble district was very quiet, but it was a harsh Winter for everyone. When the bay was fully opened up, but no ships seemed to be coming their way, people started to worry.


    Tivazyl had some farms and plenty of wild game in the surroundings but not enough to feed an entire city. They relied on the few mines in the mountains to the north for trade with the ships that came from the capital to the South, where it was warmer.


    After some time, a few ships finally started showing up on the horizon, but it wasn¡¯t the good news everyone expected it to be. The injection of goods from the South was a very welcome respite. That wasn¡¯t what caught the attention of the people of Tivazyl.


    War.


    Everyone knew what it meant, but at the same time, the concept was so foreign to them. Vostok had been unified for centuries. Everyone heard the stories of marching armies, the fighting, and the loss of life, but no one alive today was old enough to have lived it. From time to time, there was word of skirmishes between the nobles, but by the time they heard of it, it was already long over. The few armies they had were mostly used for population control.


    No one dared oppose the nobility. It was said that they had supernatural powers. A single man could defeat countless others on his own. They were just rumors, but everyone knew that the previous King lived for centuries before his son took over. No ordinary man lived that long.


    The following year was the worst of Nico¡¯s life. At first, everything seemed to be getting better, but then the news came, and he couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. With food already scarce and not much coming in through the port, people did what they had to do to survive.


    Nico started hanging out with some of the older kids that left the orphanage and following their lead until, eventually, he stopped coming back altogether. That''s how he first learned the trade. He was small and very nimble. He quickly realized that he had a gift. He could steal the glasses right out of someone''s face if he really tried, and the others started to pay close attention and get him under their wing.


    That''s how he first met Sawyer. His parents abandoned him, trying to keep the rest of their children fed. If Nico was small, Sy wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning, but that in itself was a skill. Being the youngest, they quickly became best friends and did everything together. There wasn''t anything the two of them together couldn¡¯t pull off.


    The winter wasn¡¯t as bad as the previous one, but with the situation at the time, it became a struggle for survival. The kids grew bolder and more daring. Hunger was a powerful motivator. They had to work through the harsh Winter just to stay alive, and many weren¡¯t so lucky. At least half of their little band didn''t make it.


    And then the horiens came. No one could believe it at first. News from the port were spreading that ships were sighted heading in their direction and not just one or two either but dozens of them. No one could comprehend what was happening, they had almost no ships arrive during trading season, and right now, the bay was frozen solid. What were they thinking?


    As they got closer, it started to become apparent that something was different. These weren¡¯t the trading vessels they were used to but big metal ships the like that no one had ever seen before. The whole city gathered at port on the morning of their arrival, barely first light. Everyone watched, some with hope, others with dread, but no one said a word. The only sound was that of the ice breaking.


    The first out of the ship was a behemoth of a man well over 7 feet tall, clad in armor from head to toe. He just stood there gazing at us. Reaching over, he took his helmet off, and everyone took a sharp breath. Blue skin, white hair, and two white horns gently curving around his head. Everyone instinctively knew. The war was over.


    The horiens received no opposition in Tivazyl and quickly took control of the city. Nico and Sy had been planning on following some of the older kids¡¯ footsteps and taking up with one of the local gangs but quickly got rid of that idea. Not one week after the horiens arrival, all organized crime was dealt with. They propped back up over time, but for a while, Tivazyl was crime-free.


    The horiens also brought with them enough food to last the city a while, and you could eat for free. You just had to request in one of the stations they set up.


    The horiens arrival changed the city for the better, and it would only improve over the years, but still, the population viewed them with distrust. Although they saw no fighting, it was said that almost a third of the city population died in that year, mostly the elderly and the young. The principal cause was hunger and the cold, but also some fighting over the scraps left.


    <hr>


    Nico opened his eyes into the darkness of the basement, and he quickly got up so he could stretch. Years ago, they got some thin wooden partitions they could spread around to create some privacy, but he was getting too big. He had to sleep all curled up. He walked a couple of steps to the side and gently kicked at a bundle on the floor.


    ¡°Hey, lazybones get up,¡± all he got in response was a low grumble, so he kicked it a few times.


    ¡°Alright, alright stop, what''s wrong with you, I bet is not even first light,¡± Sy complained.


    ¡°We have to go to Colton¡¯s, remember? And we might as well bring all the stuff we have lying around, and I don¡¯t feel like getting caught by some bored guard with a bunch of stolen shit,¡± that woke him right up, and he rushed to the table in the middle of the room and started splitting stuff between two small bags.


    The kids stole anything they could get away with, coins, watches, clothes, toys, anything really. Some stuff sells others, not so much, but that didn¡¯t stop them from trying. The only thing they were forbidden to steal was food, which might seem illogical, but they needed the food vendors on their side when they went to stock up for the Winter. The last time he caught one of the kids stealing from a stall, he gave him a beating and forced him to work there for a week for free.


    If the food vendors stopped accepting their coin, they were done, and you could only steal so many times from the same place until they recognized you a mile away. That''s why they had to give a part of their profits to the local crimelord. Colton kept the guards looking the other way. Still, if they were too obvious, there was no bribing that would save them. That and he didn''t really give them a choice, you either got his protection, or he ended you.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Colton was like that. Whatever he wanted, he got, and if he didn¡¯t, well, let¡¯s say he wouldn¡¯t be the loser in that exchange.


    The lucky ones only ever dealt with Colton as the big bad crimelord that you paid to make your life easier. There were whispers that he was a fallen noble that fled the capital after the war. His crew also had a very low life expectancy. Colton didn¡¯t tolerate mistakes. And that was the main reason for Nico¡¯s apprehension of getting summoned. Rumor was that he wanted Nico to work for him.


    There is a reason kids made such good thieves. They were small and hard to see. Nico was neither. He was still the best, but that was because of his gift. Sy liked to say that his dad was an horien, and that was why his mother left him in the orphanage. It was an interesting theory. Nico was taller, faster, and never really got sick. He didn¡¯t think he was notably stronger than somebody else his size. These days Nico was leaning more towards the lean than the scrawny, but he was still pretty gangly. If only it wasn''t for the pale skin and lack of horns, he might believe it.


    ¡°I still think this is too early,¡± Sy grumbled, closing the trapdoor behind him.


    ¡°Stop complaining. We can stop and eat something on the way.¡±


    As they made their way to the main street, he looked around. This part of town wasn¡¯t the most inviting place. It mainly consisted of rundown houses, gambling dens, and less than reputable taverns. As they got farther away from the wall, the scenery got a little nicer, and they could see some shopkeepers preparing for the day.


    ¡°Hey! Nico! When do you come up here keep me company,¡± he heard someone shout out of a balcony. It was one of Madam Lin¡¯s girls.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come to keep you company!¡± Sy shouted back, grinning.


    ¡°As if! You need to grow some hair first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m older than him!¡± Sy said in indignation.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s taller,¡± she laughed. Sy grumbled. He knew she was going to say that, but he still tried every time, hoping someday it might work.


    Growing up on the streets, they knew most of the madam''s girls, like older sisters. Some of them even ran with them back in the day, and Sy always had a little crush on Maria, and she knew it.


    Colton¡¯s warehouse was on the east side, right by the river before reaching the port. He liked to keep an eye on the rich folk but not too close.


    They grabbed some fresh honey buns for breakfast right by the bridge and then headed south.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can be so relaxed next to that tent, you must really be related,¡± Sy complained.


    ¡°I wish! And I don¡¯t get why it bothers you so much, have you ever seen one of them do anything else other than change shifts, they are probably bored out of their minds,¡± Nico said and sighed.


    As they got close to the warehouse, Nico could see some of Colton¡¯s thugs hanging out in the front. They were looking right at them, and although it was pretty intimidating, you could also see the lifeless look on some of them.


    Sy gulped but kept walking. He hated this place. When they got to the door, a tall guy in his mid to late twenties and a full head of curly head was looking at them, trying to appear menacing.


    ¡°Haha my little apprentices, what brings you here,¡± the guy cracked and grinned at them.


    ¡°Hello Markus, Colton called us here by name. You know what this is about?¡± Nico said, smiling at the older man. He was one of the older kids that taught them how to survive on the streets, one of the few ones left. Somehow he managed to work under Colton all these years without slipping.


    ¡°No, but hopefully nothing bad. The boss has been a bit cranky lately,¡± he said, his face darkening.


    Dammit, that didn¡¯t sound promising, Nico thought. Hopefully, he was in a better mood today.


    ¡°We also need to sell some stuff we got. There''s good stuff in here,¡± Sy said, shaking his bag.


    ¡°I bet. Come with me,¡± Markus opened the door and led them through the big warehouse. Nico wasn¡¯t sure what they did here exactly. They only seemed to use the back rooms as storage. The main room was always empty.


    Nico left Sy to argue the prices. He seemed to enjoy it. When they were done, Sy was red in the face, which always looked pretty funny with his ginger hair.


    ¡°You realize you were quaking in your boots looking at the thugs outside but just spent a while screaming at one for a few silvers,¡± Nico smirked.


    ¡°Yes, well screaming at the ones outside won¡¯t save me money, just the opposite,¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± he agreed.


    Next, Markus led up the stairs to the side and knocked on a door. He stuck his head inside and said something before closing it again.


    ¡°Ok, you can go in. Just sit down and stay quiet until he addresses you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Markus.¡±


    They went inside and could see the boss hunched over his desk, tinkering with something. As they sat down, Nico thought to himself that Colton was one of the fattest men he had ever seen, he must be one of Haurel''s clients for his clothes to hold up so well, but he quickly got out of that train of thought. This was one of the most dangerous men in Tivazyl. He better not underestimate him.


    Nico and Sy just looked at each other, not knowing what to do. After a while, Colton finally looked up and smiled at them.


    ¡°Ah, Nicolai, Sawyer, so good that you could make it,¡± Colton said as he got out of his chair. Nico noticed he wasn¡¯t much taller upright than he was sitting down. He grabbed a smalled book from one of the shelves behind him and sat down again.


    ¡°Let me see here. Yes, everything seems to be in order with your payments, did you come to deliver it this week personally?¡± Colton asked with a puzzled look on his face.


    Nico and Sy looked at each other in confusion but also apprehension. Colton was always like this, keeping you off balance. At least he seemed to be in a good mood.


    ¡°Hmm. We got a message from one of your guys to come today. He said that it was urgent,¡± Nico said slowly, trying to figure out what was going on.


    ¡°Ah yes, how could I forget? This is a big day for you boys, you see¡± Colton drummed his fingers on the desk.


    ¡° I know you have been waiting for this for a while, but you see old Jerry had an accident the other day and he won¡¯t be able to work anymor¡ª¡± but Nico¡¯s heart dropped, and he stopped listening. He knew this was coming. He knew for a while, but he hoped. Now he didn¡¯t know what he was going to do.


    ¡°So what do you think?¡± Colton asked.


    ¡°Hmm what,¡± Nico said and looked at Sy¡¯s pale face.


    ¡°Work for me. Be part of the crew. I know you both always wanted to, and this is a rare opportunity. We run a tight ship. You don¡¯t know when your next chance will be,¡± Colton said, smiling at them.


    ¡°Hmm, we would love to,¡± Nico said, his mouth dry. Like they had a choice.


    ¡°What about you Sawyer,¡± Colton said when Sy didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Hmm, yes, it¡¯s a great opportunity,¡± Sy said, his voice lifeless. Hopefully, they will last a couple of years.


    ¡°Great, great, this is wonderful news but you see, I can¡¯t just let you join this easily, it wouldn¡¯t be fair with to the other guys,¡± he said, but Nico got confused. He never heard about this part.


    Colton already got what he wanted. They would be forced to steal for him at his beck and call. What else is he trying to do here?


    ¡°You see everyone that joins the crew as to complete a little test, it¡¯s just a formality but since we only recruit the best of the best it is a way to prove your worth.¡±


    ¡°So, we just have to do a job,¡± Nico said. Maybe this wouldn¡¯t be so bad. At least they would be doing what they knew best.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I just need you to retrieve a small chest that will be arriving in 3 days by ship.¡±


    ¡°Simple enough, I suppose. Do you know what port it will be arriving at?¡± Sy asked. There were utterly different procedures between the western and eastern ports.


    ¡°The horien port,¡± Colton smiled.


    So much for a couple of years.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Nico and Sy just stood there looking at Colton. How were they supposed to do this?


    ¡°How?¡± Sy blurted out.


    ¡°That¡¯s for you two to figure out. I have been told that you are the best in the city, you have three days until it arrives. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll come up with something,¡± With that, Colton looked back down and went back to whatever he was doing when they came in.


    They understood it as them being dismissed, so they got up and left quietly. On the way out, there were many more men around, but they didn''t see Markus, so they just left without speaking to anyone.


    They wandered around for a while, not saying anything, and ended up sitting at a pier just watching the bay.


    They just sat in silence. It was a beautiful view, and the blue water against the white snow off in the distance created a peaceful image. It was a big contrast with the hundreds of workers working to unload the ships.


    "It might not be that bad. "


    "You think?" Sy doubted.


    "Well, think about it. There can''t be more than 20 horien in the city," Nico reasoned. More to himself than Sy, if he was being honest.


    "When was the last tine you heard of someone stealing from there? This isn''t like breaking into an some lazy merchants house and stealing his silverware. It''s the horien we are talking about. You know the big blue bastards with their silly little tents all hover town," Sy got up and yelled at Nico.


    "I know but think with me. You didn''t hear about anyone doing it because no one tries. And I bet they aren''t expecting anyone to try either."


    "Yes! Because you would need to be bloody insane to try." Sy said, red in the face.


    "I''m trying to look at the positives here. You think going back there and telling Colton we won''t do it will solve it?" Nico raised an eyebrow. "Because that''s the other option we have."


    "Ugh. This is so messed up" Sy crouched down and put his hands on his head.


    "Come on. Let''s go" Nico got up and started walking away. "We have 3 days to come up with a plan. "


    The horien were very hands-off when it came to managing Vostok. They came in, removed the nobles and made sure everything was working as it should before most of them took off.


    They shipped in whatever we were lacking from off-planet and shipped out the few natural resources we had to offer. That''s where the warehouse came in.


    They stored the stuff they brought in there. Then released it into the economy by exchanging it with the local variety of goods and shipping those back to the capital to be taken off-world.


    Nico didn''t know how exactly they chose which merchants they worked with. But those that did get chosen got rich fast.


    The warehouse was located all the way across town, near the eastern wall. People called it the warehouse, but it wouldn''t be wrong to call it the horien port. The far side of the east port was used exclusively by the warehouse and was directly connected.


    It was a busy place. The front of it was more like a government building or a bank than a warehouse, Nico thought, and he guessed in a way, it was both.


    "Look around, but be careful. We don''t exactly blend in these parts," Nico said to Sy, who just nodded.


    The entrance was an open area. People were forming lines to speak to a couple of workers in uniforms behind desks. An open entrance stood to the right where you could see the proper warehouse area with workers bustling about.


    Nico was starting to wonder if there weren''t any horiens around when he noticed Sy to the side. He stood frozen, looking behind them and following his gaze, he found him.


    An horien male stood just outside the entrance talking to a group of human women. Nico didn''t notice him at first because he was accustomed to not being able to miss them if he tried, if he was being honest. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    This horien was a bit shorter than Nico, with short styled white hair and horns that started out curved but straightened out and shot up for a couple of inches.


    But the weirdest thing was how animated and friendly he looked. He even laughed at something one of the women said.


    Nico caught himself staring at the strange sight, and he wasn''t the only one. He saw a couple of men looking with dark looks on their faces and decided it was time for them to go. He tapped Sy on the shoulder, and the both of them got out of there.


    "That was new", Sy said. "I have never seen one of them act so normal. I think it freaked me out more than the other ones.


    "I don''t know about that, but the good news is that''s the only one I saw. If they only have one horien around here, it will make our lives much easier," Nico said. "We should be able to monitor the entrance from the top of one of the buildings across the street. We also need to ask around and see what we can gather about that place.


    They made their way back through one of the main streets. Nico was thinking that they were getting close to the spot he worked at yesterday, and someone might recognise him when he got a whiff of baked goods.


    "I''ll leave it to you," Sy said just as his stomach grumbled. He elbowed Nico and took off laughing.


    Nico subconsciously passed a hand through his and looked at the storefront to his left. He needed to get it cut, he thought as his black hair, and piercing blue eyes with slightly blushing cheeks stared back at him on the glass.


    He hesitantly made his way to the bakery across the street. A bell jingled as he opened the door, but no one noticed him. The girl behind the counter was just finishing with the last customer.


    "What can I get you, sir?" she said, writing something on a small book.


    "Hopefully, something not poisoned," Nico said with a grin, and the girl''s head shot up and looked at him. Her expressive brown eyes looked at him, and her mouth opened slightly in surprise.


    "Nic! You¡¯re here," She said, smiling. She stepped out of the counter, reached back into her head, and pulled her hair free from the bun she had while working. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll be stepping out for a bit. Take care of the counter.¡±


    Nick saw her dad sticking his head out of the kitchen and grunted while glaring at him. While Nico smiled nervously at her dad, he let himself be led outside.


    ¡°Hello to you too, Lira¡±, he teased her but didn¡¯t let go of her hand.


    ¡°I thought you had forgotten all about little old me¡± she let go of his hand and pretended to fix her hair embarrassed. ¡°Thanks for giving me a break though. Sis had been out all day doing who knows what and left me alone listening to gossip all day.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, my lady¡± he did a little bow. ¡°Your dad seemed to be in a good mood, though. He didn¡¯t yell or anything. I feel like I''m growing on him.¡±


    ¡°Well, that might be a little too far, but you know he wouldn¡¯t poison you or anything¡±, she sighed. ¡°He¡¯s a little grumpy, but he¡¯s just protective.¡±


    Lira¡¯s dad was the best baker in town. Their family was quite well-off compared to the rest of Tivazyl but not entirely on the level of the merchants. She lived with her dad and older sister. Her mother got sick and died when they were younger.


    Lira used to run with Nico and Sy when they were younger. She let them hide inside her father¡¯s shop one day when they were about to be caught by some guards and have been friends ever since. When they got older, she started helping around the bakery and gradually stopped being able to hang out with them, but he still went and visited her at least once a week.


    Her dad hated him and all the kids back in the hideout. Something about how they were a bad influence on Lira. Nico didn¡¯t see what the big deal was. All they did was teach her how to pick a lock and maybe a couple of pockets. It¡¯s not like it was a bad skill to have. Somehow he still tolerated Nico. The rest of them would get chased out with a broom if he saw them get too close to the shop.


    They hanged out for a while and eventually got back to the bakery.


    ¡°Wait here.¡± She led him to the alley behind the bakery and told him. After a while, she came back holding a big box. ¡°This is all the leftovers from the past week. I threw a couple of fresh honey buns I know Sy likes.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Lira. you know you don¡¯t have to do this. We get by fine now.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it makes me feel like I''m part of the gang,¡± she said, shrugging.


    ¡°You are part of us. Just taking a little time off, that¡¯s all¡± he smiled. ¡°Anyways, I better get back. It¡¯s starting to get dark¡±  They stood there awkwardly for a bit until Nico turned to leave. Right before she went back in, Lira stood on her tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek, and quickly closed the door.


    Nico stood there staring at the closed door, not knowing how he should feel. He knew they were both aware of how they felt about each other, but it was more complicated than that. They were from different worlds, no matter how much they liked to hang out and accept her. He also felt like he had too much going on to be worrying about his feelings, so whatever happens, he¡¯ll deal with it later.


    When he finally got back to their hideout, everyone was waiting for him. Sy must have told them he was going to the bakery.


    ¡°He¡¯s back!¡±


    ¡°About time i¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Man Nico¡¯s girlfriend is the best¡± Nico smacked the kid that said that on the back of the head.


    ¡°Alright, quiet down while you eat, I need you to pay attention,¡± Nico said. ¡°I need you guys to ask around about the horien warehouse. We need to find out who works there, how much they get paid, where they live and I need it tomorrow. We have a job to do.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    They spent the next couple of days observing the warehouse and gathering all the information they could from the workers. It quickly became apparent that the warehouse wasn¡¯t that well guarded just as Nico thought. They had a bunch of human guards at the entrance and a single horien. At first, they thought the horien might be a problem, but from what they observed so far, he had to be the most unreliable guard there.


    ¡°Sy do we have confirmation from the girls? They know the plan?¡± Nico asked. They were gathered at the hideout on the night before the package arrived. According to Colton, the ship should arrive at around midday. The target was a small reddish wooden chest, it should only be around twenty to thirty centimeters long, but if it was filled with gold, it wouldn¡¯t be light.


    ¡°Yes, they know what they agreed to. Some of them weren¡¯t happy but the madam assured me she would send her best.¡± Sy confirmed.


    They were able to bribe a couple of workers that lived on this side of town. Thanks to that, they got a couple of uniforms and the layout of the warehouse. When the shipments first arrived, they were put in the far right corner before being cataloged into the correct section.


    ¡°Alright everyone, go to sleep we need to have you fresh tomorrow, we can¡¯t afford any mistakes.¡± Nico dismissed everyone and followed his own advice.


    The next day Nico and Sy were standing in an alley changing into the worker uniforms but ran into a problem.


    ¡°This certainly wasn¡¯t our best idea,¡± Sy said, looking at his rolled-up pant legs.


    ¡°I have to agree, hopefully, no one will notice,¡± Said Nico looking at his pants that ended mid-calf. ¡°We only have one shot at this, let¡¯s hope that everything else goes according to plan.¡±


    They could see the warehouse entrance from here. Now they only had to wait. About fifteen minutes later, they could see two of the madam girls heading into the entrance. The show was about to start.


    Both girls stood in front of the warehouse, talking and giggling. Eventually, a figure noticed them and approached. It was the horien they saw the first time they were here. One thing they noticed while observing their target was that he spent all day lazing about and trying to chat up girls.


    The girls were putting up a pretty convincing act. Just when Nico started wondering if they were going to be able to pull this off, one of the girls whispered to the guy¡¯s ear and started to lead him away. Even though Nico came up with the idea it still was hard to believe when it worked. He waited until they were pretty far away before nodding to a figure at the warehouse entrance. The guy nodded back and went inside.


    Everything was going according to plan, and they were up. Nico and Sy made their way closer and noticed a commotion inside. It seemed like some kind of brawl was going on, the kids had done their part. While the guards were distracted they turned left and slipped inside.


    "This is way bigger than it looks from the outside"


    "It does. Keep your eyes open, we got to find this chest and get out before the guards get the situation under control" Nico said and kept going. According to the guy they bribed, newly arrived goods were placed on the far right so that''s where they were heading.


    Some of the workers eyed them strangely but didn''t comment on it and focused on their work. Seeing this, Nico grabbed a box and walked confidently. If he looked like he belonged, most wouldn''t question it without looking closer.


    "I think this is it," Nico said. "We are looking for a red chest, look around and meet me in five.


    He and Sy spread around trying to locate their target. He could see crates filled with fruit, grains, seeds, and even some with holes in them that must transport animals.


    This is taking too long, we might have to come up with a different plan to get out of here Nico thought.


    "Hey newbie, help me with this" startled Nico looked back to see a guy a couple of years older than him trying to push a crate filled with some kind of hard-shelled nut.


    "I haven''t seen you here before. First day?" The guy asked eying his pants.


    "Yes, it was kinda last minute. Still waiting on my uniform" Nico chuckled. "I always thought there would be more interesting stuff around here though. All I see are fruits and rocks."


    "This is just the safe stuff. They take anything valuable or dangerous to a different room. You need to be an old-timer to be allowed inside though, thieves until proven innocent if you will" He laughed and went back to work.


    Dammit, neither Colton nor the other guy said anything about this, he thought. He waited until Sy got back to their initial spot.


    "Change of plans, I talked to one of the workers, and valuables are taken to a different room."


    "Should we go back then? We are already taking too long. This should just be a grab and get out kind of deal." Sy said


    "We don''t have a choice, Colton is expecting news today and who knows where the chest will end up by the time we figure something out." They needed to figure out where this room was and fast.


    All the ship''s cargo was brought over to this section of the warehouse. It wouldn''t make sense to take it too far from here.


    Nico found a couple of doors that led outside but Sy ended up being the one that saved the day.


    "Look at what I found," he said dangling a key in front of Nico''s face "Saw a guy coming out of a room and locking the door behind him, this has to be it unless they take this shit to some other warehouse."


    Nico followed him back to where he caught the guy and used the key on the door.


    "Haha! Jackpot!" Sy laughed "look at all this stuff, we are rich"


    Sy wasn¡¯t wrong, the door opened to a large room filled with boxes. These weren¡¯t your regular wooden crates though. With all the engravings and embellishments he might be tempted to steal them on their own if he didn¡¯t have a target in mind. Who knew what actually was inside.


    ¡°Look at this! It might be worth more than that watch you got¡± Sy said while pocketing a necklace.


    "Focus. We are taking the chest and leaving" Nico reminded him. "We still have to figure out how we are getting out of here. The kids are long gone by now." Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Just as Nico spotted a reddish chest to the side. He heard the door open behind him.


    "Hey, who are you two. Only authorized personnel can come in here. Guards!" The old man started shouting.


    Not knowing what to do Nico grabbed the chest and ran to the door. The old man tried to block him but Nico swung the chest right into his face and he crumpled to the ground and didn''t get up.


    He shot out the door and started running chest under his right arm and Sy right on his heels.


    "Let''s spread and run to the entrance," Nico said as he saw guards coming their way across the aisles.


    They were quick to spot him and started coming straight in his direction but they hadn''t noticed Sy on the other side yet so he started running back to try and make an opening for him before looping around to try again.


    He was able to hide behind some big boxes but when he peeked he saw that there was no way he was getting past that many with this much weight on him. He backtracked his steps to one of the doors he saw earlier that he thought led outside.


    He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it but his hopes were quickly dashed when it wouldn''t budge. It was locked.


    Desperate Nico backed up and came right at the door ramming the chest into the lock. It didn''t open but made a lot of noise and the guards for sure knew where he was now.


    Nico kept hammering into the door until it finally broke open right before the guards got to him but sadly so did the latch on the chest.


    Half the little bags of coins inside fell out into the ground but Nico just slammed the top closed and kept running.


    He didn''t know how long he ran but he only stopped long after the guards stopped chasing him. He knew there might still be a chance for them to find him so he made his way to a nearby rooftop they sometimes used to escape after their hits.


    Only after being safe on top did Nico finally sit down and rest dropping the chest next to him.


    He started laughing then. They had done it. They robbed the horien warehouse and didn''t get caught. It was close and sloppy but considering the misinformation and only three days to prepare it was a miracle they were able to pull it off.


    The most pressing issue now was how he was going to explain to Colton why half his money was missing without getting his head chopped off. His best bet right now was to appeal to how they were too valuable to lose. No other street thug would even be able to compare to them after this.


    He decided to open the chest and check how much was still left. It was already open anyways.


    Opening the top and peering inside Nico could see that he must have lost less than he thought at first since the bottom half was all there. The chest must have been crammed full to still be this much left.


    Pulling a couple of the bags out and opening them he was confused at what he saw. Only about a third of the coins inside were gold, the rest just silver.


    Why would Colton go through all this trouble for this amount of money, Nico thought. It was still more than he had ever seen in one place at once, but not enough to risk the wrath of the horiens over.


    Just as he was putting them back inside he noticed a green box at the bottom so he took it out curious.


    It was a small nondescript box about 15 centimeters long. Wanting to see what was inside Nico opened it.


    The moment the little latch clicked open he felt this overwhelming sense that he was something more. Like he had been sleeping his whole life and this was his first real breath.


    When the feeling finally faded Nico looked in wonder at what lay inside. There were five little crystals inside. They were a murky yellowish color and about 3 centimeters long each.


    Nico looked at them and when his finger brushed over the top of one, the feeling came back tenfold. When he got himself under control he quickly pulled his hand away.


    It was clear to him what this was. He didn''t know this exact variety, but it had to be like one of the drugs some guys took back in the western district. He saw what it did to some of them, so he didn''t want to take part in it.


    Still, Nico wasn''t dumb, by how strong the effect was just by being near these little stones they must be some incredibly concentrated version, but he guessed they still couldn''t be more than the coins.


    "Now what do we have here" Nico heard behind him and startled, quickly turned around. The latch on the box was still open so the little stones went flying with the sudden movement.


    "I see" One of the stones landed right on the blue palm of the short-haired horien that was now standing in front of Nico. He stood there in silence gazing at it not saying anything.


    Nico looked around but there was no way he was escaping from this one.


    "Pick them up and give them here. Little humans shouldn''t be played around with what isn''t theirs" the horien said and Nico rushed to obey. Every time he touched one he froze for a second by the sudden sensation and the horien chuckled.


    Nico handed him the little box and started to quickly put the bags back inside the chest.


    "Keep it. I have had a very satisfying day and your little performance amused me." The horien said with a haughty look on his face."Word of advice. Where do you think letting someone else dictate your future will lead to? You should take the opportunities you are given and don''t squander them." And with that, he jumped off and was gone.


    Nico almost passed out right there. He was alive. The horiens caught up to him and let him go, with his loot no less.


    He put the bags back inside and started to make his way to Colton''s place. He was aware this might be some ruse to lead them to the rest of the gang but he didn''t have a choice or care really. He had been gone for a long time now and was afraid of what Colton might do to Sy and the kids.


    By the time he got to Colton¡¯s warehouse it was starting to get dark out and he immediately knew something was wrong. Usually, there were a bunch of thugs loitering around but now it was deserted.


    He made his way to the door and was surprised by what he saw he opened it. Now he knew why they kept the main space open. The warehouse was full wall to wall with Colton¡¯s man.


    He made his way to the front and was shocked by what he saw. Anger started to fill him up but he contained himself. Sy stood on the ground whimpering and Colton stood over him with his fat little body.


    One of his men was standing between them saying something to him, as Nico got closer he could see the curly hair but before he could say something. Nico didn''t even see him move but suddenly Colton stood there his hand raised and Markus was flying. He landed to the side with and crunch and didn''t get up.


    Nico stood there frozen. He had heard the rumors but to think they were true. Colton really had strength beyond a normal human. There was no other explanation other than some kind of superhuman power with his fat little body.


    Colton finally looked up and smiled.


    "Ah Nicolai, so glad you could join us. I''m sorry we started without you but some of the guys started getting impatient when they heard you were running late." He said and kept smiling like this situation was the most normal thing in the world. "Now hand it over, let''s see our prize.¡±


    Nico handed him the chest and stood there next to Sy. Colton open the chest and looked inside. He smiled and started pulling the bags out slowly but his smile suddenly turned into a frown. He pulled every bag out and turned the chest over.


    "Everyone out!" Colton shouted, not smiling anymore. "Not you Nico"


    Once everyone but Nico left the room they just stood there in silence.


    "Where is it?" Colton asked after a while.


    "I know some bags might be missing but that wasn''t our fault I swear." Nico hurried to explain. "The latch broke during the escape and some of the bags fell out¡ª"


    "The damn box. Where is it?!"


    "I''m not sure what you''re talking about sir, if there was a box inside it might have fallen out. I could go back and check on the ground." Nico knew damn well there was no box on the ground but he couldn''t say that. He didn''t want to end up like Markus.


    Colton slapped him and he felt like he was being hit by a horse.


    " I like you kid so I''ll give you another deal. I''ll leave your precious street rats alone for this." Colton said smiling again "But in exchange, you have 2 days to get me my box. If by then I don''t have it and you aren''t either rotting in a cell or under the ground. Trust me I''ll put you and your little family there myself.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    He closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. When they first got called over, Nico knew that a scenario like this was a possibility. He expected them to work for a couple of years and eventually make a mistake that would be their last. This must be some kind of record. He thought and chuckled.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Nico shouted, kicking a nearby box. What was he going to do? He couldn¡¯t go back to the horiens and kindly ask for the shit he stole back. I¡¯m sorry, sir, would you mind giving me that box back after you let me go with a chest full of coins? Yes, that would go over well.


    He thought about hopping into one of the ships leaving the port but then what? Colton would go after the kids if he believed that Nico skipped town and he couldn¡¯t bring them with him either. Passage for twenty kids, some of which were pretty small, wouldn¡¯t be cheap, and there was no way he could sneak them all without being noticed.


    Nico wasn¡¯t sure where all the thugs disappeared to, but he was glad no one was here to see his despair. The cold air helped him calm down, and he made his way back.


    He always enjoyed walking through this part of the city at night. The silence helped him think, and there was a certain beauty that was lost during the day with all the crowds. Crossing the bridge into the western part of town was a significant shift, though. Once you got deep enough, it was just like any other time of day with people on the streets shouting and getting drunk.


    Once he got close to the hideout, Nico hesitated and stopped. He wanted to check on them to see if everyone was alright. They were his family. On the walk over, he had time to think, and he wasn¡¯t sure what he was going to say.


    He had two options right now, try to break in and get himself killed or get himself arrested. He wasn¡¯t sure which one was worse. The security would be on the lookout after what happened today, and even if by some miracle he was able to pull it off twice, he knew that the box wasn¡¯t there. He was sure Colton knew it too.


    In the end, he decided not to go in. He turned around and left. Nico wandered around, trying to clear his head. When he finally stopped, it was already starting to get brighter.


    Nico could see smoke in the distance coming out of the bakery chimney, and he made his way over. It was still closed at this hour, so he knocked on the backdoor. No one answered. He knocked a couple more times.


    ¡°Coming coming!¡± a GRUFF VOICE SAID.


    Lira¡¯s dad opened the door and looked at him with a frown, not saying anything.


    ¡°Good morning, sir. Is Lira here?¡± Nico asked. The man just looked at him for a while and closed the door. Not knowing what to do, he just waited. Just as the thought about knocking again, he heard hurried steps, and the door opened.


    ¡°Nic, you are here,¡± Lira said, slightly flustered. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anyone this early.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that. Walk with me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, of course!¡± she said and closed the door behind her.


    The two of them walked in silence. Nico could tell she was nervous about something but decided not to say anything. He had a lot of time to think about last night''s events. It made him calmer in a way after he finally came to terms with what he had to do.


    ¡°Look, Nic, I''m sorry about what I did last tim¡ª¡± Lira started to say, but Nico stopped her.


    ¡°You have nothing to worry about last time. I loved it¡± He smiled, and she blushed. ¡°There''s something else, though.¡± He paused


    ¡°I¡­ I have got myself into some trouble,¡± he said at last, and she got confused.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I did a job for someone, and it didn¡¯t go as planned¡± she saw how serious he was and got quiet. ¡°Some very dangerous people are going to come after me.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± She said in a quiet voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to the kids or you because of me.¡± He lied, not wanting to tell her the whole truth.


    ¡°Let me talk to my dad. He¡¯s respected in the city and could talk to the guard captain¡± she said, but Nico just smiled at her.


    ¡°You know that won¡¯t work. Your dad hates me. He wouldn¡¯t lose any sleep over this and the guards. Well, they would love nothing else than to string me up somewhere,¡± he chuckled. He could see she was tearing up, but there was nothing either of them could do. It was better this way.


    ¡°Just keep an eye on the kids for me, alright? Sy, especially¡± They laughed at that. They both knew Sy was too good at finding trouble.


    ¡°When are you leaving?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Today, the earlier I go, the better.¡± They walked back to her dad¡¯s store in silence.


    ¡°Well will you be back?¡± she asked in a small voice when they got back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, a long time, maybe never,¡± he said, not looking at her. ¡°Take care of yourself¡± He could feel himself getting teary-eyed, so he hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Bye, Lira.¡±


    He walked away but before he could get far, he felt her grabbing his shoulder and turned around. Pushing on her tiptoes, she kissed him. ¡°Bye, Nic. You better come back.¡± Before he could answer, she ran back inside and closed the door.


    ¡°Ugh..¡± Sy¡¯s whole body hurt. All he remembered was talking to Colton after going there to wait for Nick, but not much after that.


    He got up and looked around. He was back in the hideout. Did Nico bring him back? He went over to his corner to see if he was awake, but there was no one there.


    ¡°If you are looking for Nico, he isn¡¯t back yet¡± Looking over, he could see some of the kids were awake with worried faces. ¡°A couple of Mr.Colton¡¯s men dropped you off yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Is Nico alright?¡± One of the smaller kids asked.


    ¡°Of course he is. It¡¯s Nico,¡± Sy said with a cheerful voice, but he wasn¡¯t as sure himself. They were supposed to meet at Colton¡¯s. The thugs said he was able to get away from the warehouse with guards on his tail, but he doesn¡¯t remember him showing up.


    Nico would never let himself get caught. Sy knew how good he was. Something else must have happened, and he was getting worried. Deciding to check for himself, he got dressed and out as fast as his aching body let him.


    It was already around midday when Sy got to Colton¡¯s place. When he got close the thugs blocked his path and looked at him threateningly.


    ¡°What are you doing here, pipsqueak,¡± One of the thugs said, jabbing his finger into Sy. ¡°You aren¡¯t welcome here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Nico. He never showed back home yesterday,¡± Sy said, eyeing them worriedly. These guys were always assholes, but they never tried anything serious. What was going on?


    ¡°Your friend isn¡¯t here, and if it wasn¡¯t for the both of you, Markus wouldn¡¯t have died,¡± one of the thugs snarled. ¡°And if you find him, tell him he better not show up. Rumor is he stole from Colton, so he¡¯s a dead man.¡±


    Sy got confused. Markus was dead? How? What happened after he got back here. ¡°Nico wouldn¡¯t steal from Colton. We aren¡¯t stupid.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see. Now piss off before I decide you aren¡¯t leaving.¡±


    What the fuck was going on. Sy walked around looking for Nico, asking people he knew if they had seen him, but no one did since yesterday. He looked everywhere, but no sign of him.


    As a last resort, Sy decided to walk into the wolf¡¯s den. Looking through the door, he didn¡¯t see any customers, just Lira whipping the balcony. He knocked a couple of times until he got her attention.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°What are you doing here Sy? You know my dad will kill you if he sees you guys around.¡± Lira rushed out when she saw him. Her eyes were red like she¡¯d been crying, but he decided not to comment.


    ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t find Nico anywhere. I¡¯m starting to get worried. He never got back yesterday,¡± Sy rushed to say, but Lira just looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°He didn''t tell you?¡± Lira said in disbelief.


    ¡°Tell me what? He¡¯s nowhere to be found.¡±


    ¡°Nico left, Sy,¡± she said with a sad face.


    ¡°What?! Why, How.¡± Sy was dumbfounded. ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say. Just that he got into trouble and was leaving, that he might never come back,¡± she said, and he could see tears in her eyes, but Sy just froze.


    No. It couldn¡¯t be. Nico wouldn¡¯t leave them. They were family. Something must have happened. But Sy thought about how the thugs said Nico stole from Colton, and he never got back to the hideout. Then he says he¡¯s leaving. Is he running with the gold?


    Sy got angry then. He had never been so angry in his life. How could he? They grew up together. How could he just run away and leave them behind? Not knowing what to do, Sy just started to run, forgetting about his injuries. He would find him and kick his ass.


    Sy ran for what felt like hours looking all over town just as he was about to give up.


    ¡°Sy!¡± he heard someone call him. Looking over he could see Simone, one of the Madam girls they worked with yesterday.¡±Where are you running in such a hurry? Wait, have you been crying?¡±


    ¡°No! This is just sweat,¡± he answered grumpily. ¡°What are you doing here anyway? One of the guards is going to recognize you.¡±


    ¡°Let them. I have nothing to do with what you boys did. I¡¯m just trying to find that fine man.¡± She said with a laugh.


    ¡°Fine man? The horien? Eww, I thought you girls hated them,¡± Sy said.


    ¡°Well, I thought I did but yesterday was an awakening of sorts,¡± She giggled. ¡°Nico seemed happy for me when I told him earlier.¡± Sy didn¡¯t hear anything else after that.


    ¡°You saw Nico? Where is he?¡± He shouted.


    ¡°He was just over the horien warehouse,¡± She said, startled, but Sy had already taken off.


    Getting there, he looked around but didn¡¯t see any sign of Nico. Not giving up, he looked in every alley before he thought of the rooftop they scouted the warehouse from and gave it a shot. There he was, the big asshole crouched and looking over the lip of the roof. Enraged, Sy ran over and jumped him.


    Nico had been watching the warehouse all morning. He thought he had come to terms with what he had to do, but it was hard. Going in there knowing you weren''t leaving was messing with his head.


    Just when he thought he had mustered enough courage to do it, he felt himself get grabbed from behind.


    ¡°You piece of shit, what do you think you are doing¡± Sy jumped on his back and started beating his fists into his head.


    ¡°What are you doing?! Did you go crazy?¡± Nico shouted and pulled Sy off his back. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    ¡°Where is the gold? Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find out?¡± Sy shouted as he held him down. ¡°You were gonna leave us!¡±


    ¡°Calm down. I have no idea what you are talking about,¡± Nico said. It took a couple of tries, but Sy finally listened.


    ¡°So you aren¡¯t leaving? What about what you told Lira?¡± Sy said. ¡°I wake up this morning, and I¡¯m told that you never came back. Markus is dead. Did you know that?¡±


    Nico took a deep breath. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know but suspected.¡± He said. Nico told Sy everything that happened yesterday after they split up, the stones, the horien, and what happened after.


    ¡°So he just let you go?¡± Sy finally said.


    ¡°Yes. Crazy, huh?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Not that it changed much. It might have been better to just arrest me there.¡±


    ¡°Fuck! What are we going to do?¡± Sy asked. ¡°Maybe there''s some other box inside we could grab.¡±


    ¡°There is no point. Colton knew that one was coming. That¡¯s why it was our target. If they had them just laying around, there was no need for all this.¡± Nico sighed. ¡°There''s no plan this time, Sy. This is it.¡±


    It was hard to accept, but Sy knew he was right. At least Nico would be the only one getting hurt.


    ¡°So, what is the plan?¡± Sy asked. ¡°Just go in, make noise and wait until they get you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, or the just off me on the spot,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Not sure which would I would prefer to be honest.¡±


    Some of the rumors they heard about prison under the horiens made a quick end sound like mercy. The best-case scenario was being used as one of their pawns, but he doubted they would pay much care to some slave soldier.


    ¡°What do you think are your chances if you get caught?¡± Sy said with a weird look on his face.


    ¡°Well, I heard there''s a lot of asteroids that need some mining. Could maybe last a couple of years.¡± Nico said. ¡°Getting drafted would be my best chance, but I¡¯m sure prisoners won¡¯t have the 5-star treatment,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°You could get drafted,¡± Sy said, ¡°Not as a slave but on your own terms¡± he had a sparkle in his eye now.


    ¡°What are you talking about,¡± Nico said, confused.


    ¡°The tents, Nico! You could get to sign up yourself. It has to be better than trying your luck in there.¡± Sy said, pointing at the warehouse in the distance. ¡°You might even strike it rich like some of the stories we heard.¡±


    Nico thought about what Sy was saying. It certainly made sense. He knew that some people signed up of their own volition. Not many, but it had to be better than the alternative. He even got a little excited but ultimately decided against it.


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t. Colton expects me to fail. If I just disappear with nothing happening, he will just go after you and the kids.¡± It was a good plan, but he wouldn¡¯t risk it.


    ¡°Dammit, this is so wrong,¡± Sy said. ¡°At least come back with me. Colton gave you two days.  Say goodbye to everyone before you try to kill yourself.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Nico agreed.


    They walked back in grim silence. Some days ago, they were celebrating after getting enough money to last them the whole winter, and now here he was. How fast things had changed on the whims of some bastard.


    Just as they were about to cross the bridge, they grabbed a couple of honey buns. This might be his last time eating something this tasty. Even Sy didn¡¯t make a fuss about eating near the horiens. Right when Nico thought about that, he looked over at the tent.


    ¡°Sy, I have a plan,¡± Nico said, smiling.


    <hr>


    Emmet was having a bad day. He spent all morning getting chewed out by one of the expedition captains. Not only did he let the warehouse he was guarding get robbed, but he failed to catch an untethered human with nothing to show for it. Well, he did have something to show, but he wouldn¡¯t let them find out about the crystals.


    He heard some rustling behind him and turned around to see the human he let go, appear from under the flaps of the tent.


    ¡°What are you doing, human. Entrances are made for a reason.¡± What was this idiot doing? He should have been long gone by now. He only had a couple more days to a week left on this planet. Was he trying to get them both busted? He thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but I have a proposition to make,¡± the human said.


    ¡°What kind of preposition?¡± This better is good.


    ¡°Well, I know how hard you guys try to recruit, but I have never personally seen anyone enter this tent,¡± He had a point. These humans had no idea about the opportunity they were being provided. Many other races would salivate at the thought. ¡°So I¡¯m willing to sign myself to your cause, but I need a favor.¡±


    This was an interesting proposition indeed. He knew that they only needed a couple more recruits to be on their way, and he was tired of this backward planet. It would also help him rub it in that pompous ass of a captain. On the first day of his punishment, and he already got a recruit.


    ¡°Joining the expedition is a privilege granted by the horien empire to its constituents. You should be the one begging me to let you in,¡± he said, ¡°but I acknowledge that your people aren''t the most enthusiastic, so I¡¯ll hear your request.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m grateful for what you did for me, but that box you took, my boss wants it back¡± he was about to protest and tell him to shut up when the human continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure he knows I can¡¯t get it back, so he pretty much ordered me to die. All I need from you is to stage my arrest, so he thinks I''m done for.¡±


    This was an easy request. It might even be fun for him, but he let the human wait for an answer. He couldn¡¯t agree too quickly.


    ¡°Very well, you got your deal¡± he saw the human deflate with relief. ¡°Show up tomorrow at sunup, at the place you robbed. I¡¯ll deal with the rest.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t leaving this tent without signing everything. And don¡¯t think about going back and trying to run. I¡¯ll arrest you for real,¡± He said.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think of it,¡± the human said and quickly signed the papers without reading. He probably didn¡¯t even know how now that he thought about it, judging by his signature.


    <hr>


    Nico made his way back to the hideout with say. He didn¡¯t even realize the pressure and stress he was under until he signed those papers. Regardless of what happens from now on, it was on his own terms.


    He spent that night playing around with the kids. He explained how he had to go away, but it was hard. Some of the older ones got mad when they heard, while the others didn¡¯t know how to react. The little ones didn¡¯t seem to understand what was happening for the most part but the ones that did cried themselves to sleep. This was why he didn¡¯t come back yesterday. Saying goodbye wasn¡¯t easy.


    The following day they woke up early before any of the kids were up. They made their way to the warehouse in silence. They stood there waiting for the agreed time.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Nico said, ¡°Make sure to take care of them. You are the oldest now.¡±


    ¡°I already was the oldest,¡± Sy said, hugging him.


    ¡°Yes, but I''m taller,¡± Nico said, and they both laughed.¡±Keep yourself safe, brother. You better be around when I come back rich and famous.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ye? You better come back fast. Otherwise, I''m going to own this whole city by the time your lazy ass decides to show up again.¡± They both grinned at each other.


    Without saying anything else, Nico made his way to the side of the warehouse. He sneaked past the few workers here at this time and made his way to the door he busted through the other day and grabbed the handle. This was it. For better or worse, this was going to be his new life.