After everything Crane had heard up to this point, it was still unbelievable.
A message.
The Runners received a message from him.
When? How? What…even was this?
It shouldn’t have been possible.
Ok. Think, Kyle. Somewhere in those missing months…he had found a radio. Found the Tower’s channel and tried to call home.
God, that opened up more questions. Could an infected monster even know how to use a radio?
Minor issue out of everything else, but that still irked him all the same. Everything about what he’s become found new ways to disturb him. Because he could think again.
That also brought up a horrible thought. His feral past had planned to go back to the Tower.
Had Jack not found him in Scanderoon and taken that risk with her blood perk on him…who knew what would…
Crane pushed that hypothesis out immediately. Forget it. Either way, this message had reached people who believed it was from him. And it had sent Brecken and the Runners towards the Countryside looking for a dead man.
His stunned eyes wavered up to the golden-covered horizon, before ending on the Viaduct ahead.
The way to the Countryside was there.
All the more he didn’t want to go.
That place had taken enough from him already. Even if there was still anybody left alive, he pretty much guessed that they could have shared the same fate as he and Ercan did.
There was also the possibility that the message wasn’t from Crane.
He couldn’t rule out that another Day Hunter could be behind it. After everything he’d seen, even himself, anything was just possible.
They weren’t completely mindless. They could be ‘human’. They could plan, deceive and bait.
It could be possible someone who knew Crane sent that message to the Runners.
And they tried to lure them to the Countryside.
He made up his mind.
He’d get to the bottom of this mystery, even if it meant unraveling those lost memories of his.
This was personal now.
Crane wheeled on his heel and ran down the same route Brecken and Jack did, all the way to the first building’s rooftop. He wasn’t sure how he’d go about getting any lead; he wasn’t Crane anymore.
But that was nothing new. It was as if he was back on the first day of Harran. Start from scratch and get his intel the hard way.
Only now was the added difficulty that one slipup could turn every survivor around him against him.
Crane was alone this time. No wingmate to pull him out if someone found him funny.
That was fine with him. He’d always worked alone before he met Jack.
“When did you get this message?”
However, Jack beat him to the punch.
Crane slowed down immediately at the sight of the Breckens with some of the Runners gathered around on the rooftop. And right away, she was asking the questions he wanted to ask.
He sighed deeply. Another problem if he wasn’t careful: Jack herself.
She was ten times more lethal than anyone learning the truth under this human disguise. All because she was far too good at her job.
Jack was never one to abandon a trail once she had one. And that stubbornness was what would be Crane’s undoing, especially since she accepted the request from her own cousin to find a friend that should have stayed dead months ago.
He’d been right beside her the entire time; the Freakazoid she crazily partnered with since Scanderoon. And it would be a matter of time before she’d figure out who he was.
So of course, their paths were bound to cross over, starting with that damn message. Which meant that anything he did or the question he asked, Jack would take note.
Was it just bad luck? Or Fate giving him the middle finger again?
Still, this could work in his favor.
“A few weeks ago,” Ayo answered first, glancing at the other Runners. Unanimously, they agreed on the timeframe with nods. “Just before the rainy season started.”
A few weeks ago was around the time he first met Jack, Crane thought to himself. So the timeframe would match.
If Crane had sent that message.
“Do you remember what he said?”
“Just that he’d find his way back to the Tower. He sounded pretty lost.”
Crane furrowed his brow, raking his brain to remember anything. Everyone seemed so convinced it was from him.
And yes, that would be something he’d say.
He was absolutely determined to return to the Tower after everything that happened at the dam. He had the cure in his hands. Or so he believed that the vials would have helped then.
But that last part. He sounded lost?
Was it really him?
“And you are certain it was him?” Jack ironically asked.
“Well…” The question caught Ayo by surprise, that he glanced over at the others. But they shared the same expression as he did.
They weren’t entirely sure.
“The transmission was buried under so much static, we could barely make anything out of it,” Ayo admitted.
“There was no way it couldn’t be Crane!” another Runner blurted out. “The channel’s only used by us Runners.”
“That was enough for you to believe it was him.” Jack pondered over that small detail.
So his own theory that someone else had done this was out the window, Crane thought to himself. He had kept a low profile during his time in the Countryside, with nothing that led back to the Slums.
Then the other possibility that it had been him all along…wasn't a possibility anymore.
“We had no reason to,” the Runner continued. “Kristov was on radio duty that day and called us over when it was happening.”
Another name Crane couldn’t believe hearing. But he should have expected.
“Kristov is?”
“One of the people Crane helped get out and brought over to the Tower.” This time Brecken stepped in to answer Jack’s question. “He’s been with us since.”
“Kristov!” the Runner hollered.
Crane’s stomach sank as he watched one young man hurry over to the group.
Just like Ayo, Brecken and everyone else, the kid had changed too. Crane should have been used to that by now, but the differences in just a few months hit him harder than he had anticipated.
He couldn’t call Kristov a kid anymore.
What was more was the recognizable gear on Kristov. Radio, harness, and even a combat knife he shouldn’t even be using.
He specifically told Kristov to quit being a Runner. And here he was, as one again.
“What’s up?” the young man uttered.
“I heard you were the first one to hear Crane’s transmission,” Jack got right into business, receiving a wary stare from him. “Mind giving me more details, lad?”
“Sorry. Who are you?” Kristov actually gave her a bit of a lip.
“Oh, yes. Jack Brecken,” Jack droned.
Immediately, the young man’s eyes shot wide. And his shocked gaze quickly snapped to Brecken standing right beside her.
His face; he had thousands of questions.
Jack gave him no chance of a break. “You must have heard me before. Used to go by the Wild Dog years ago.”
Kristov had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. Youngsters these days. But she didn’t brood over it.
“Besides that, I’m just a simple cousin of Harris right here.”
“She’s your cousin?! You have a cousin?!” Kristov hollered. At Brecken.
“Why…is that so hard to believe?” Brecken grumbled.
“I mean, we’ve never heard anything about you till now.”
Crane felt much the same as the other Runners. Never had Brecken mentioned anything else beyond his work one time, let alone having a cousin in the same city. It came completely out of left field for everyone!
Then again, Crane hadn’t exactly shared anything about himself either, so he wasn’t in a position to judge.
“Harris has always been pretty private with his personal life. You can’t really blame him for that,” Jack chimed in.
“And whose fault do you think that was?” Brecken muttered under his breath. “Miss ‘Mad Jack’ herself, can’t stay out of the bloody spotlight.”
So even her own cousin was used to the bullshit Jack brought along. Exhaustingly.
Good. Now Crane didn’t feel so alone in that regard.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Jack flashed her wide grin back at Brecken without a care, before turning her focus back to Kristov. “Now. Crane’s message.”
“What about it?” the kid asked. “It was from Crane. And he needed help. Short and simple.”
Crane grimaced under his scarf. He needed help? Was Kristov sure he heard correctly?
“You’re very confident it was him,” Jack pressed just as Crane would have done. But without her chirpy tone.
“Because he said his name. What are you getting at?”
“With everything happening around us, details can easily get muddled. Yesterday. A week ago. Three weeks.”
“Jack,” Brecken started with a warning but soft tone. He may see where she was going with this, but for some of the Runners and Kristov, they could take it the other way around.
She continued, regardless of the few glares or Brecken’s cautionary glance. “I just want a clear picture of what happened that day. You never know. You might have missed something crucial.”
Kristov frowned. “Brecken, what is she talking about?”
Brecken was about to answer, but his stern gaze quickly trailed off to the open access door.
“Shit,” he mumbled.
Crane had only noticed the three new faces that had emerged through that door. Same for Jack. Just normal civilians who had lived in the Heights for years and then a few months in this outbreak.
One stood at the front of the three. And he looked like someone who had spent the whole morning going over the damages and trying to restore order in this Safe Zone.
“I take he’s in charge of this place,” Jack whispered to Brecken.
“All three make the calls together,” he replied quietly. “Selim’s usually the one who does the talking.”
“So the homeowners’ committee.”
“Trust me. I’d rather be dealing with rent disputes than this lot,” Brecken then made his way toward the three leaders, bracing for the worst.
Already, the body language in the two behind Selim told Brecken they had a lot to say.
So of course, their paths were bound to cross over, starting with that damn message. Which meant that anything he did or the question he asked, Jack would take note.
Was it just bad luck? Or Fate giving him the middle finger again?
Still, this could work in his favor.
“A few weeks ago,” Ayo answered first, glancing at the other Runners. Unanimously, they agreed on the timeframe with nods. “Just before the rainy season started.”
A few weeks ago was around the time he first met Jack, Crane thought to himself. So the timeframe would match.
If Crane had sent that message.
“Do you remember what he said?”
“Just that he’d find his way back to the Tower. He sounded pretty lost.”
Crane furrowed his brow, raking his brain to remember anything. Everyone seemed so convinced it was from him.
And yes, that would be something he’d say.
He was absolutely determined to return to the Tower after everything that happened at the dam. He had the cure in his hands. Or so he believed that the vials would have helped then.
But that last part. He sounded lost?
Was it really him?
“And you are certain it was him?” Jack ironically asked.
“Well…” The question caught Ayo by surprise, that he glanced over at the others. But they shared the same expression as he did.
They weren’t entirely sure.
“The transmission was buried under so much static, we could barely make anything out of it,” Ayo admitted.
“There was no way it couldn’t be Crane!” another Runner blurted out. “The channel’s only used by us Runners.”
“That was enough for you to believe it was him.” Jack pondered over that small detail.
So his own theory that someone else had done this was out the window, Crane thought to himself. He had kept a low profile during his time in the Countryside, with nothing that led back to the Slums.
Then the other possibility that it had been him all along…wasn't a possibility anymore.
“We had no reason to,” the Runner continued. “Kristov was on radio duty that day and called us over when it was happening.”
Another name Crane couldn’t believe hearing. But he should have expected.
“Kristov is?”
“One of the people Crane helped get out and brought over to the Tower.” This time Brecken stepped in to answer Jack’s question. “He’s been with us since.”
“Kristov!” the Runner hollered.
Crane’s stomach sank as he watched one young man hurry over to the group.
Just like Ayo, Brecken and everyone else, the kid had changed too. Crane should have been used to that by now, but the differences in just a few months hit him harder than he had anticipated.
He couldn’t call Kristov a kid anymore.
What was more was the recognizable gear on Kristov. Radio, harness, and even a combat knife he shouldn’t even be using.
He specifically told Kristov to quit being a Runner. And here he was, as one again.
“What’s up?” the young man uttered.
“I heard you were the first one to hear Crane’s transmission,” Jack got right into business, receiving a wary stare from him. “Mind giving me more details, lad?”
“Sorry. Who are you?” Kristov actually gave her a bit of a lip.
“Oh, yes. Jack Brecken,” Jack droned.
Immediately, the young man’s eyes shot wide. And his shocked gaze quickly snapped to Brecken standing right beside her.
His face; he had thousands of questions.
Jack gave him no chance of a break. “You must have heard me before. Used to go by the Wild Dog years ago.”
Kristov had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. Youngsters these days. But she didn’t brood over it.
“Besides that, I’m just a simple cousin of Harris right here.”
“She’s your cousin?! You have a cousin?!” Kristov hollered. At Brecken.
“Why…is that so hard to believe?” Brecken grumbled.
“I mean, we’ve never heard anything about you till now.”
Crane felt much the same as the other Runners. Never had Brecken mentioned anything else beyond his work one time, let alone having a cousin in the same city. It came completely out of left field for everyone!
Then again, Crane hadn’t exactly shared anything about himself either, so he wasn’t in a position to judge.
“Harris has always been pretty private with his personal life. You can’t really blame him for that,” Jack chimed in.
“And whose fault do you think that was?” Brecken muttered under his breath. “Miss ‘Mad Jack’ herself, can’t stay out of the bloody spotlight.”
So even her own cousin was used to the bullshit Jack brought along. Exhaustingly.
Good. Now Crane didn’t feel so alone in that regard.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Jack flashed her wide grin back at Brecken without a care, before turning her focus back to Kristov. “Now. Crane’s message.”
“What about it?” the kid asked. “It was from Crane. And he needed help. Short and simple.”
Crane grimaced under his scarf. He needed help? Was Kristov sure he heard correctly?
“You’re very confident it was him,” Jack pressed just as Crane would have done. But without her chirpy tone.
“Because he said his name. What are you getting at?”
“With everything happening around us, details can easily get muddled. Yesterday. A week ago. Three weeks.”
“Jack,” Brecken started with a warning but soft tone. He may see where she was going with this, but for some of the Runners and Kristov, they could take it the other way around.
She continued, regardless of the few glares or Brecken’s cautionary glance. “I just want a clear picture of what happened that day. You never know. You might have missed something crucial.”
Kristov frowned. “Brecken, what is she talking about?”
Brecken was about to answer, but his stern gaze quickly trailed off to the open access door.
“Shit,” he mumbled.
Crane had only noticed the three new faces that had emerged through that door. Same for Jack. Just normal civilians who had lived in the Heights for years and then a few months in this outbreak.
One stood at the front of the three. And he looked like someone who had spent the whole morning going over the damages and trying to restore order in this Safe Zone.
“I take he’s in charge of this place,” Jack whispered to Brecken.
“All three make the calls together,” he replied quietly. “Selim’s usually the one who does the talking.”
“So the homeowners’ committee.”
“Trust me. I’d rather be dealing with rent disputes than this lot,” Brecken then made his way toward the three leaders, bracing for the worst.
Already, the body language in the two behind Selim told Brecken they had a lot to say.
So of course, their paths were bound to cross over, starting with that damn message. Which meant that anything he did or the question he asked, Jack would take note.
Was it just bad luck? Or Fate giving him the middle finger again?
Still, this could work in his favor.
“A few weeks ago,” Ayo answered first, glancing at the other Runners. Unanimously, they agreed on the timeframe with nods. “Just before the rainy season started.”
A few weeks ago was around the time he first met Jack, Crane thought to himself. So the timeframe would match.
If Crane had sent that message.
“Do you remember what he said?”
“Just that he’d find his way back to the Tower. He sounded pretty lost.”
Crane furrowed his brow, raking his brain to remember anything. Everyone seemed so convinced it was from him.
And yes, that would be something he’d say.
He was absolutely determined to return to the Tower after everything that happened at the dam. He had the cure in his hands. Or so he believed that the vials would have helped then.
But that last part. He sounded lost?
Was it really him?
“And you are certain it was him?” Jack ironically asked.
“Well…” The question caught Ayo by surprise, that he glanced over at the others. But they shared the same expression as he did.
They weren’t entirely sure.
“The transmission was buried under so much static, we could barely make anything out of it,” Ayo admitted.
“There was no way it couldn’t be Crane!” another Runner blurted out. “The channel’s only used by us Runners.”
“That was enough for you to believe it was him.” Jack pondered over that small detail.
So his own theory that someone else had done this was out the window, Crane thought to himself. He had kept a low profile during his time in the Countryside, with nothing that led back to the Slums.
Then the other possibility that it had been him all along…wasn't a possibility anymore.
“We had no reason to,” the Runner continued. “Kristov was on radio duty that day and called us over when it was happening.”
Another name Crane couldn’t believe hearing. But he should have expected.
“Kristov is?”
“One of the people Crane helped get out and brought over to the Tower.” This time Brecken stepped in to answer Jack’s question. “He’s been with us since.”
“Kristov!” the Runner hollered.
Crane’s stomach sank as he watched one young man hurry over to the group.
Just like Ayo, Brecken and everyone else, the kid had changed too. Crane should have been used to that by now, but the differences in just a few months hit him harder than he had anticipated.
He couldn’t call Kristov a kid anymore.
What was more was the recognizable gear on Kristov. Radio, harness, and even a combat knife he shouldn’t even be using.
He specifically told Kristov to quit being a Runner. And here he was, as one again.
“What’s up?” the young man uttered.
“I heard you were the first one to hear Crane’s transmission,” Jack got right into business, receiving a wary stare from him. “Mind giving me more details, lad?”
“Sorry. Who are you?” Kristov actually gave her a bit of a lip.
“Oh, yes. Jack Brecken,” Jack droned.
Immediately, the young man’s eyes shot wide. And his shocked gaze quickly snapped to Brecken standing right beside her.
His face; he had thousands of questions.
Jack gave him no chance of a break. “You must have heard me before. Used to go by the Wild Dog years ago.”
Kristov had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. Youngsters these days. But she didn’t brood over it.
“Besides that, I’m just a simple cousin of Harris right here.”
“She’s your cousin?! You have a cousin?!” Kristov hollered. At Brecken.
“Why…is that so hard to believe?” Brecken grumbled.
“I mean, we’ve never heard anything about you till now.”
Crane felt much the same as the other Runners. Never had Brecken mentioned anything else beyond his work one time, let alone having a cousin in the same city. It came completely out of left field for everyone!
Then again, Crane hadn’t exactly shared anything about himself either, so he wasn’t in a position to judge.
“Harris has always been pretty private with his personal life. You can’t really blame him for that,” Jack chimed in.
“And whose fault do you think that was?” Brecken muttered under his breath. “Miss ‘Mad Jack’ herself, can’t stay out of the bloody spotlight.”
So even her own cousin was used to the bullshit Jack brought along. Exhaustingly.
Good. Now Crane didn’t feel so alone in that regard.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Jack flashed her wide grin back at Brecken without a care, before turning her focus back to Kristov. “Now. Crane’s message.”
“What about it?” the kid asked. “It was from Crane. And he needed help. Short and simple.”
Crane grimaced under his scarf. He needed help? Was Kristov sure he heard correctly?
“You’re very confident it was him,” Jack pressed just as Crane would have done. But without her chirpy tone.
“Because he said his name. What are you getting at?”
“With everything happening around us, details can easily get muddled. Yesterday. A week ago. Three weeks.”
“Jack,” Brecken started with a warning but soft tone. He may see where she was going with this, but for some of the Runners and Kristov, they could take it the other way around.
She continued, regardless of the few glares or Brecken’s cautionary glance. “I just want a clear picture of what happened that day. You never know. You might have missed something crucial.”
Kristov frowned. “Brecken, what is she talking about?”
Brecken was about to answer, but his stern gaze quickly trailed off to the open access door.
“Shit,” he mumbled.
Crane had only noticed the three new faces that had emerged through that door. Same for Jack. Just normal civilians who had lived in the Heights for years and then a few months in this outbreak.
One stood at the front of the three. And he looked like someone who had spent the whole morning going over the damages and trying to restore order in this Safe Zone.
“I take he’s in charge of this place,” Jack whispered to Brecken.
“All three make the calls together,” he replied quietly. “Selim’s usually the one who does the talking.”
“So the homeowners’ committee.”
“Trust me. I’d rather be dealing with rent disputes than this lot,” Brecken then made his way toward the three leaders, bracing for the worst.
Already, the body language in the two behind Selim told Brecken they had a lot to say.
