What should’ve been time spent making bricks had instead turned into a long conversation with Holly. She’d listened patiently as Jack ran through different ways to break the news to Rob and the team, offering gentle suggestions and, more than anything, boosting his confidence. According to her, he didn’t need help with the wording. He just needed to trust himself more.

  They’d finally gotten around to discussing pot bots, right before Horace arrived.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  Jack flinched. He’d been so caught up in the call, he hadn’t heard anyone approach.

  “What’s going on over there, Jack?” Holly laughed. “You owe someone money or something?”

  As soon as she said it, she pursed her lips. Jack caught the look and knew she regretted the joke. Money wasn’t exactly a laughing matter right now.

  Still, nothing could shake the good mood she’d put him in.

  “Don’t worry. It’s fine. It’s just Horace—he’s supposed to meet me here. I should go.”

  “Oh man,” Holly said, tossing her arms up. “We were just getting to the juicy engineering stuff!”

  Another knock—firmer this time. “Jack? You in there?” came Horace’s voice through the door.

  “Yeah, coming!” Jack called back. He turned back to Holly. “When can we talk more about the pot bots? Do you have time later this week?”

  For a second, Holly didn’t answer. “Aren’t you going to call me later tonight to tell me how the conversation goes?”

  “I want to. I just figured you’d be studying…”

  She shrugged. “I am. But I can make time. I really wanted to hear how it went. Besides, I’m really interested in those pot bots.”

  Jack smiled. “Okay. I’ll call you back soon. Promise.”

  “I’ll be waiting. Good luck.”

  He ended the call, turned to the door, and opened it.

  Horace stood with his back to the door, glancing up and down the street. At the sound of the lock clicking, he spun toward Jack.

  “Took you long enough. What were you doing in here?”

  “Sorry. I was in the middle of a call.”

  Horace stepped inside without waiting for an invitation. He gave the place a once-over. “Well, couldn’t you have rented a better joint than this? You’re loaded after the Breach, aren’t you?”

  Jack nodded. “I wanted to keep a low profile. And I didn’t know you were coming.”

  “Of course I’d be coming. I mean, I didn’t expect you to log in early and pick a city on your own,” Horace said. “Ashengate’s a little bleak. Why not Skygate? Or Rivergate?”

  His eyes swept the room again, lingering this time on the unfinished pot bots, the half-dried bricks, the acacia rod leaning against the wall. Jack could see the questions forming, but Horace held them back, waiting.

  When Jack didn’t speak, Horace broke the silence. “What happened? Did you get antsy? Couldn’t wait till Monday?”

  Jack took a slow breath. “No. Something happened. Something serious.”

  Horace’s expression shifted. “You okay, man? Is it the Slayer? Did he show up again?”

  Jack shook his head. “No. It’s not that. But… It’s better if I tell everyone at once. Otherwise, I’ll just end up repeating myself.”

  Horace gave a slow nod, sensing the weight behind Jack’s words. “Sure. Amari’s ready to log in. I’m sure Rob and Marie will be on soon, too. Hang on.” He lifted his hand and started swiping through the air, composing messages to the others.

  Jack let him handle it. One less thing on his plate.

  Horace’s eyes kept flicking back to Jack’s half-finished projects. He clearly thought the serious tone had something to do with them and Jack didn’t correct him.

  Holly had told him: “Deliver the news once, clearly. Handle questions later. Don’t relive the moment over and over.” And that’s exactly what he’d do.

  A ping came through from Amari on the team chat:

  Amari: “Hi! Do you want to do a video call, or should we log out and meet in the virtual room?”

  It was a good question. Meeting face-to-face in-game would mean waiting hours for everyone to get to Ashengate.

  Jack: “Let’s meet in the virtual room.”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Amari: “Logging in.”

  “See you there,” Horace said, vanishing.

  Jack didn’t even leave his capsule. He opened the system menu and launched the program.

  The world blinked out. The cramped Ashengate rental dissolved into weightless, neutral stillness. He now stood in sleek, simulated space, wearing the meeting program's default white shirt and jeans.

  Horace was already waiting. Amari materialized next, calm as ever.

  “Hello, guys,” he said, glancing between them. His eyes lingered on Jack before shifting to Horace in a silent question.

  Horace shrugged.

  Amari stepped forward and extended a hand. Jack clasped it.

  “You okay?” Amari asked. “You seem a little down.”

  Jack opened his mouth, but Horace cut in. “He says it’s something hard to talk about. Wants to wait till everyone’s here.”

  Amari nodded slowly. “All right. Let’s wait.”

  A few moments later, Marie joined the group. It was always strange seeing her like this, without the pigtails or the belts full of bombs and grenades.

  “Good evening!” she said brightly.

  “Hi, Marie,” Horace said, narrowing his eyes. “You seem to be in a good mood.”

  Marie’s smile was just a little too wide. “Do I? Maybe it’s just your impression.”

  “How’d your date go?” Horace asked, grinning.

  “D-date? What are you talking about?” Her voice came a little too quickly.

  “Oh, come on, Marie,” Amari added, grinning now, too. “Did you go meet Robert, or did he sneak off to Providence?”

  Jack watched in mild surprise. He rarely saw Amari and Horace team up like this to tease Marie. Her cheeks flushed, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding their eyes.

  “Guys, stop it,” she muttered.

  Horace chuckled. “I bet Robert was the one who came to meet you. He strikes me as the gentleman type. He probably figured he should make the first move.”

  Amari leaned in, still smiling. “So? Did you introduce him to your parents? What did your mom cook for him?”

  “Enough!” Marie snapped.

  Jack stood quietly as the teasing bounced around them. The laughter washed over him like distant waves—comforting, but far away. Part of him wanted to join in. The other part just wanted it to be over.

  Then the last person Jack had been waiting for appeared.

  Rob materialized in the space. It was the first time he’d joined them in the virtual room. He greeted Horace and Amari with a nod. Then paused when he saw Marie.

  She offered him a small, guarded smile, trying to play it cool, as if they hadn’t just spent the entire day together. “Hmph. Had to be the last one to show up, huh?” she said lightly.

  Rob chuckled, brushing it off. “Couldn’t help it.”

  Then his attention shifted. The amusement faded from his face. “Hey, Jack. What is it you wanted to talk to us about?”

  Jack opened his mouth.

  Nothing came out.

  Rob stepped closer, eyes searching his face. “Jack…” he said softly, “is everything okay?”

  Jack took a breath that didn’t seem to reach his lungs. This was it.

  “Rob… my dad isn’t well.”

  Rob’s smile vanished. His brows drew together. “What’s wrong with Uncle Zé? I can log out and run over to your house—”

  Jack’s throat tightened, but he forced the words out. “He’s stable. But… I found out today that he has lung cancer.”

  For a moment, the team looked almost relieved. Jack didn’t blame them. Cancer wasn’t the death sentence it used to be. With modern treatment, it could almost always be handled.

  “The thing is… it’s already too advanced,” Jack said. “And his insurance won’t cover the treatment.”

  Rob stiffened. “How much is it?”

  Jack swallowed. “Half a million credits.”

  Rob went pale. For a second, Jack wondered if that was the same expression he’d worn when he’d first heard the number.

  “Half a million…” Rob echoed. “How much time do we have to come up with the money?”

  “Three months at most.”

  Rob stared, stunned. “For it to cost that much… it must be really far along. How did no one catch it sooner?”

  Jack looked down. “I know. I should’ve seen it. He’s been coughing for the past few weeks, but he kept saying he was fine. And you know my dad—he always looks so strong…”

  Marie stepped beside Rob and gently took his arm. “I’m sure no one could’ve seen it coming, Rob.”

  “Of course. I didn’t mean to—sorry,” Rob muttered, pressing his hands to his temples. “We’ve got to do something, Jack. Maybe ask for a loan…”

  “My parents have already tried. The bank won’t help. Even with the house and the van as collateral, they’ll only lend them 125k.”

  Marie’s expression softened. “Oh, Jack. You poor thing. I’m so sorry you and Rob are going through this.”

  Seeing Marie—usually so sharp and rowdy—speak with that kind of tenderness nearly broke Jack. But he couldn’t fall apart. He had to stay strong for Rob.

  Rob, meanwhile, looked like the floor had just dropped out from under him. Marie stood steady beside him, her hand still on his arm.

  Jack took a breath and raised his voice, turning to face the others. “I’ve decided I’m going to raise the money in New Earth.”

  Marie, Amari, and Horace exchanged worried glances.

  “I hate even asking this,” Jack said. “I know we haven’t known each other that long. And this might sound like a scam, but it’s not. I swear.”

  “Stop it,” Marie said.

  “We believe you, Jack,” Amari added.

  “Please don’t feel pressured. If you can’t help, I understand. This is my father. My responsibility. Not yours,” he said, continuing with the speech he had prepared.

  “What do you need?” Horace asked.

  Jack looked around, then turned to Amari. “I’ve been thinking… your channel. There’s so much we could do—videos about my class, the Breach, the village. If we speed up the schedule, maybe we can build momentum and start earning royalties. Would you be willing to post more often? I know it might mess with your algorithm or whatever...”

  “Say no more,” Amari said, smiling. “I’ll do it.”

  Jack exhaled shakily. Just hearing that already lifted a weight from his chest.

  “What about me?” Horace asked. “Where do you need me, Jacky-boy?”

  “You know I can make a lot of items, but I don’t have your experience with auctions. I was hoping you could help me get top prices for the stuff I produce.”

  “Done,” Horace said immediately.

  “What about me?” Marie asked, stepping up.

  Jack’s throat tightened. These three—Marie, Amari, Horace—they hadn’t hesitated. They didn’t ask for proof. They just stepped up. He’d known they were friends, but in that moment, they felt like something more. Like family.

  “I’m not sure yet, Marie. But maybe you can just…”

  His eyes drifted to Rob.

  Marie followed his gaze and nodded. She understood.

  After his call with Holly, Jack had been reminded of the quiet strength only a woman could offer a man. The power to keep a man steady when the ground was falling away beneath him.

  Marie didn’t need a job. She just needed to be there. Especially because Rob was the linchpin. Everything depended on his decision. And that was the part Jack feared most.

  He didn’t want to ask Rob to quit his job. But he needed to. To give up his stability. To gamble on a long shot.

  He hadn’t known what to say. But Holly had given him good advice. “Don't say anything. If Rob’s anything like you, no one can stop him from helping. You’re ready to move mountains to save your dad, right? If he loves your father the way you do, he’ll feel the same. And who are you to decide for him?”

  Now Jack waited as Rob processed everything.

  The stunned, vacant look slowly faded.

  He blinked. Focus returned. His jaw tightened. He straightened his back.

  Finally, Rob spoke.