Megalodon City, Tundra, Year 404 After Founding

  Far later in the day, as the weak light of the Tundran sun faded into darkness, Alanna pulled into the parking spot James had reserved for his car and waved Samantha Hawk a polite goodbye, walked to the elevator, made her way up to James’s apartment and very carefully leaned her back against the elevator bank doors as they closed behind her. In that moment, Alanna sincerely and from the bottom of her heart, wished she would never have to leave the apartment again. Her situation was too much, the planet was too much, and Samantha Hawk was, without a shadow of a doubt, far too much. She started as a buzz from her new wrist comm let her know that she had received another message. This time from Dev.

  “Yes?” She said automatically, picking up.

  “Is Samantha Hawk there?”

  “And hello to you, too.”

  “So then no.”

  “She just left.”

  “And you’re devastated.”

  “Dev…”

  “I’m on my way up. My girlfriend is downstairs, waiting.”

  Alanna frowned in confusion. “Ok.” She said uncertainly.

  “She’s here to protect your reputation.” Dev explained patiently. “Also, she wants you to know she’s younger and more beautiful than you are.”

  “Um. Ok.” Alanna repeated.

  “That’s part of the reputational protection services we’re offering here. Had she been less beautiful… yes sweetheart, I’m going.”

  Alanna raised an eyebrow at the muffled sound of a woman’s voice.

  “Yes, I’ll tell her. Agreed, later.” Dev said distractedly. “Alanna, I’m on my way up. There’s a button to the right of the elevator to let people in. Press it.”

  A few moments later, Dev walked in, followed closely by a bouncing gray ball of fur that was Benji the puppy. Seeing Alanna, he ran, launching all four feet into the air and performing a complicated feat that was part lunge, part hug. Calming down slightly, he licked both her hands enthusiastically, with his paws still on either side of her and leaned his head hard against her stomach, pawing insistently until she petted him. The pause was momentary. A heartbeat later, Benji was off again. Tail up, he paused on the small wood bridge over the stream, looking down with great interest. And then he jumped in.

  “Oh hell.” Dev moved forward, forcefully hauling Benji back out as water splashed everywhere. “There are poisonous animals in there!”

  Alanna moved in to help Dev drag Benji out of the water.

  Finally, Dev straightened out, holding Benji very tightly by the collar. He cleared his throat. “Surprise!” He gestured towards Benji. “Happy uh, welcome to Tundra housewarming gift. From me and the warden.”

  “Ah.” Alanna said uncertainly.

  “How many times did I tell you not to feed the dog?” Dev asked sharply.

  “Several.” Alanna admitted.

  “And did you listen?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “He’s been fraternizing with the prisoners. You broke him. And now, you’re keeping the dog.” Dev sighed in resignation as Benji tore out of his hand and bounced inside the apartment, scratching the bathroom door as he explored the apartment. “He has nowhere else to go.” He added. “You gonna let him die?”

  “No.” Alanna said immediately, as Dev knew she would. “Never. I’m taking the dog. I’ll think of something.” She watched uncertainly as Benji left deep gauges in the dark stained wood of one of the doors. She was keeping the dog, but she wasn't entirely sure she was allowed to keep the dog in James’s apartment. She could text him, but he would not write back. Not over a dog. At least, she didn’t think he would. If he hated dogs enough, maybe he would respond. After all, they were still in Tundran space. “I’m going to call Tony.” She said finally, with reluctance. “I take responsibility for the dog. I just need to figure out what the hell to do with him.”

  They both winced as Benji slammed into the bedroom door with such force, the door slammed into a wall before bouncing back towards the puppy. Benji barked in outrage.

  Tony did not pick up. Realizing that just like Dev, Tony wouldn’t know it was her either, Alanna texted ahead and waited. Six long rings later, Tony’s annoyed voice came over the speakers. “Not a good time.” He said curtly.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Dev snickered under his breath at the muted sound of a woman’s voice in the background.

  “Hey.” Alanna cleared her throat, opening her mouth to say more when Benji bounded back into the hallway, a growl deep in his throat.

  “What’s that noise?” Tony asked. “Are you all right?”

  Benji barked at the sound of Tony’s voice, deep and angry.

  “Is that the damn dog?” Tony asked. “Why are you with the dog? Please don’t tell me you’re back in prison already. Ah no darling, no it’s not a family member. It’s no one, really.” Tony added, his voice slightly more muted.

  “Tony, how does James feel about dogs?” Alanna asked.

  “James likes dogs. Hell I like dogs. I just don’t like that dog.”

  “He doesn’t like you, either.”

  “Great, now why…” Tony paused and his next words came through much clearer. “Is that little bastard in James’s apartment right now?

  Alanna and Dev exchanged a silent glance. Benji growled harder.

  “He is, isn’t he. Dev, are you there?”

  “I’m here and my girlfriend Ashley is waiting downstairs. She’s younger and more beautiful than Alanna.” Dev added dutifully.

  There was another pause. “Why are you there with the dog?” Tony asked.

  “We thought Alanna deserved a welcome to Tundra housewarming gift.”

  “Did you now. Who’s we?”

  “The warden and I.”

  “And your beautiful girlfriend?”

  “Sure, Ashley agrees completely.

  “Didn’t want to keep the dog, did she?”

  “It’s not allowed in our apartment.”

  Tony Sicaro closed his eyes, and breathed. “Alanna, are you calling me to ask if James will mind you keeping the dog?”

  “I didn’t know who else to ask.”

  “Comms blackout for the mission?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know I hate that dog.”

  “He hates you too. But you won’t lie.”

  “James will probably think it’s hilarious. Keep that bastard away from me.”

  Benji launched himself at Alanna, trying to get his teeth around the wrist comm emitting Tony Sicaro’s voice.

  “He’ll get over it.” Dev said firmly, grabbing Benji by the collar just before disaster struck. “It’s fine. And Sicaro, stay on a minute, will you?”

  “Yes?” Tony said, with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

  “This Danil guy, Alanna says he’s great.”

  “Well, Alanna would know.”

  “What did you think of him?”

  Tony paused. “Why are you asking?”

  “Alanna recommended him for a job.”

  “At the prison?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Not on the Sarayan floor.” Tony said immediately.

  “Yeah, everyone’s on the same page there.”

  “For everything else, he’ll do fine.”

  “Thanks, Tony.” Dev said.

  “Thanks, Tony.” Alanna echoed, and disconnected.

  “I’m going to bring you his food and toys and text some instructions on where to walk him.” Dev offered.

  “Is he even allowed in this building?”

  “Sure. With what everyone here pays, they allow everything.”

  “But you checked?”

  “Yes Alanna, I checked.”

  “All right, bring up the stuff.” Alanna leaned down to scratch Benji behind his silky soft ears.

  ---

  She floated alone in the giant bathtub as Benji lay curled up in front of the fireplace, exhausted from his adventures. A metal mug filled with red berry juice sat on the edge of the tub. She smiled slightly as she picked it up. It was the mug James brought for her when she was in prison. Her eyes wandered from the fire towards the shining lights of the Tundran city all around her. Tomorrow morning, she would need to venture out to walk Benji. But not quite yet. For tonight, Benji had the garden. Samantha Hawk had assured her that the complex hydroponic system beneath the floor filtered out waste and fed the roots of the plants. She took a sip of her juice. And then, because she was lonely, she checked her Sarayan email, unsurprised to see another message from Jonno. As usual, her brother’s words were short and to the point.

  Jonno: PROOF OF LIFE.

  With a grin, Alanna shot a picture of Benji in front of the fireplace, knowing it would take at least twenty minutes for her message to reach her brother and for his response to come back. But that was all right. It had taken nearly that long when they talked on D12. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of water and oxygen rich air. The unfamiliar scent of home. She took another sip of her juice and looked down at the buzz on her wrist comm.

  Jonno: Is that nepo boy’s dog? I don’t see how that proves anything.

  Alanna spit out her juice, laughter bubbling up as she sat up in the tub. She responded without hesitation, the rhythm as easy as it had ever been.

  Alanna: Don’t call him that! I love him, blood brother. And like it or not, he’s going to be family.

  A minute later, Alanna sent a follow on text.

  Alanna: And that’s the prison guard dog.

  The next response came back twenty minutes later, as Alanna was getting out of the tub, and it was short and to the point.

  Jonno: Bring back my sister, Tundran scum.

  A minute later, the follow up text came in:

  Jonno: You fed the prison guard dog, didn’t you?

  Alanna smiled.

  Alanna: Of course I did.

  It was another twenty minutes before she heard back from Jonno. Alanna swallowed nervously as she read his message.

  Jonnno: I have to do something you won’t like. I’m sorry. I love you.

  She was about to respond when a new text came in. It wasn’t from Jonno, it was from an unfamiliar number, and it read

  Unknown: This is Grant. Would tomorrow evening be a good time for the interview? I can be there at 7pm.

  Alanna froze, her heart suddenly in her mouth. But there was no one she could go to, for advice. It felt very much as if she had used up the patience and goodwill of everyone she knew on Tundra. They had their own lives. Alanna, was on her own. Taking a deep breath, she carefully typed out the reply reading over the short message twice before sending it out.

  Alanna: Of course. 7pm tomorrow would be perfect. And thank you again, for the opportunity.

  She got dressed, poured herself another glass of juice, and sat by the fire in the kitchen, getting comfortable before writing an update to James. Alanna left out her confusion about his birth, but included everything else, writing until she was sure James would be sick of hearing from her. She wrote about her day out with his mother, confessed she didn’t know how to drive his car, about Dev’s visit, their new dog, her brother, and her interview the next day. And then, just for a brief moment, she thought about the kind of family that loved their son so much, they came to see him one last time before his mission, without even telling him they were there. Just to see him. But it would be all right, Alanna thought. James would come back. James, could do anything. And life, was full of possibilities.