Setting up camp was fairly simple, mainly consisting of sensor equipment, sleeping mats, and a small portable stove that was powered with a red mana stone.

  It wasn’t long before Myra got some food cooking, while we all took a seat and got comfortable. Some type of meat substitute, if the labeling on the packaging was accurate.

  I picked a spot slightly further than the rest, wrapping my tail around as I sat cross-legged on the floor.

  It smelled like beef, but with a strange tang to it. I was worried about the smell attracting monsters, but Ellen explained that some of the equipment was designed to stop odors from leaving the immediate area, so there was nothing to worry about.

  “Here,” Gordon handed me a plate once it was done. “It’s not amazing, but at least it’s not nutrient paste. That stuff’s the worst.”

  “Thanks,” I took the plate with a nod, taking a small spoonful and inspecting it.

  It had a texture similar to scrambled eggs, but muddy brown instead of golden yellow. More importantly, I couldn’t detect anything that wasn’t supposed to be there, so I took a bite.

  It wasn’t very appealing, but I wasn’t going to be picky. It was free food after all.

  “So, Cupcake. You feel like telling us your story?” Gordon asked as he sat down next to me.

  I chewed my food in silence while I thought about it. Would it be bad to share? I didn’t think there was anything I really needed to keep hidden besides the whole reincarnation thing. They probably knew more than I did—considering I couldn’t remember anything from before I woke up.

  “Sure, but it’s probably not very interesting.”

  “You say that like you didn’t come from the surface.” Gordon scoffed and rolled his eyes. “None of us have ever seen it, you know. The sun, sky, oceans and stars... We’ve seen images, sure, but I’m sure they don’t compare to the real thing.”

  “Oh, sorry.” I didn’t know what to think about that. I couldn’t imagine a world where I’d never felt the warmth of the sun, or seen the beauty of a clear night sky. It once again reminded me of how messed up this world was.

  “Don’t apologize. Not something you could change, not unless you were some corporate exec or something.”

  “I don’t think so,” I shrugged, “But I can’t say for sure. I don’t remember anything from before a month ago.”

  “Ah, corp put a scrubber chip in ya?” Gordon nodded with a frown. “Surprised they would do that to a kid, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

  “What’s a scrubber chip? Is it like an OpSec chip?” I asked, recalling the mage whose head exploded.

  “Similar.” Ellen spoke up from across the room. “OpSec chips blow your head apart, scrubber chips just erase your memories.”

  “How is that even legal?”

  “It’s not.” Gordon answered, chewing another bite of his food. “Doesn’t stop the corps though.”

  “Well… the doctor said it was memory loss from the accident, but now I’m not so sure.” Had I known something Ordon wanted to keep secret? Was the accident just a convenient cover story to erase my memories? Or was it really just a side effect of the coma?

  “Don’t overthink it, Cupcake.” Gordon smiled and clasped my shoulder reassuringly. “Losing your memories is better than losing your life.”

  “Yeah… I suppose you’re right.” I’d gotten a second chance at life. It would be dumb not to appreciate it.

  “Either way, you should get some shut-eye.” Gordon added before standing up and extending a hand to my now empty plate. “We’ll take care of the shifts since you’re not used to this yet.”

  If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  “Thanks.” I nodded, handing it to him before standing myself.

  My bedroll was a bit further from the group and provided little more than cushioning from the hard, cold floor, but it was warm enough within the barrier for it to be comfortable.

  I settled in and closed my eyes. If they tried anything while I slept, I’d hear it.

  Hopefully.

  ———

  “So? Why haven’t you told her?”

  I woke to Ellen’s angry whispers. Being careful not to move, I cracked my eyelids open to see who she was arguing with.

  “And what would I say?” Myra shot back. “‘Hey kid, I tricked you when we first met so we could use you to open a door. But it’s all fine! I had a change of heart after you saved my life.’?”

  I held my breath, tensing up as her words reached me. I was now fully focused on their conversation.

  “Haven’t you been paying attention?” Ellen sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. “She’s been keeping her distance this whole time! She’s not dumb, you know. Probably figured it out as soon as I mentioned the door needing her DNA, so keeping it a secret will only damage her trust in us!”

  “We need to get inside, I’m not letting our chance of retribution slip away, not when we’re so close.” Myra poked her finger into Ellen’s chest to emphasize her words. “Nyxia is already willing to open the door and what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

  “That’s what you aren’t getting! She does know! And she still decided to come along!” Ellen clenched her fist as she glared at Myra. “You owe her the truth.”

  Myra paused at Ellen’s words, pursing her lips in thought.

  “I don’t want…”

  “You don’t want her to think we’re just using her, I get it.” Ellen finished for her. “But if you won’t tell her, I will. I don’t want her getting twitchy and shooting me in the back because you're too scared to do it.”

  “…Alright.” Myra closed her eyes, letting out a deep sigh. “You’re right. I’ll… tell her when she wakes up.”

  This was a better outcome than I was expecting, but that didn’t make navigating it any easier.

  I sighed quietly as a weight left my chest.

  …

  It was probably best to just let Myra come clean in the morning. If I revealed I’d heard their whispered conversation, they might get suspicious.

  Letting my eyes close once again, I allowed myself to drift off to sleep.

  ———

  “Hey, rise and shine, sleepy head.”

  I felt hands on my shoulders shaking me awake. I blinked and looked up to see Gordon above me.

  “I’m up…” I groaned and sat up, rolling my shoulders. Most of the stiffness from the long walk yesterday was already gone thanks to the nanites, but this place still took a mental toll on me.

  Gordon gave a nod of acknowledgment before heading to his sleeping roll before rolling it up and stuffing it into his pack.

  Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I took a glance around the room to get my bearings.

  Everyone was already working on packing up camp. They must have let me sleep a bit longer on purpose.

  Myra must have noticed I was awake, because she walked over and sat down next to me with a heavy sigh.

  “Hey.” She said before pausing, probably thinking over what to say. “So… here’s the thing. You probably already figured it out, but I didn’t run into you by chance.”

  “Yeah, I kinda figured.”

  “...Yeah, well… sorry about that.” Myra rubbed her face tiredly. “But before I explain further, you should know some things about me… about us.”

  “Okay?” I raised an eyebrow at her in confusion.

  Myra took another moment before continuing.

  “I used to live here, you know. Me, my mom and dad… we weren’t rich or anything, but my dad ran a small repair shop, and my mom worked for Jagger Metalworks. I was in the shop with my dad working on a project when we heard the sirens. Luckily, his shop was close to the border, so we managed to get out in time. But my mom… didn’t make it.”

  Myra drew in a long breath, her eyes staring off into space.

  “Gordon, Cobra, Talo and Kira… they all have similar stories. That’s why this is so important to us. Ordon created a disaster that took away everything we knew, and got away with a slap on the wrist because no one could ‘prove’ it was them. We aim to change that.”

  She turned and looked me in the eyes.

  “It doesn’t justify lying to you when we first met, but at first, I thought you were just another corporate brat. All of that anger I felt inside was directed towards you, regardless of your circumstances.”

  She hesitated for a moment and grimaced.

  “After you saved me, I didn’t know what to think. I’ve hated the Ordon corporation for so long that I couldn’t differentiate victim from perpetrator. You have just as much reason to hate Ordon as us and yet… I was going to use you like a tool. Just like the corps do. So… I guess what I’m trying to say is sorry. I’m sorry for lying to you.”

  I didn’t know what to say. I never imagined that she went through so much pain. The idea that nearly a million people had died felt distant before.

  Unconnected.

  But Myra having been a survivor… it put it all into a new perspective.

  “I’m sorry for what Ordon did, and I appreciate you being honest, but… I really don’t know how to feel about this.” I answered honestly. Everyone had their problems, but at least Myra was willing to admit fault and apologize. That alone went a long way in restoring trust.

  “I understand.” Myra nodded solemnly. “I’m not going to pressure you into continuing if you feel uncomfortable. But… we would be grateful if you continued helping us.”

  “Don’t worry.” I quickly shook my head with a small smile. “I don’t plan on leaving. I still need the money after all.”