This one is a bit different. Though it's a little in your face, see if you can figure out how I got the idea to write this chapter.

Chapter 62: I'm on Fire

Among the Streets of Liberty’s Fifth…

An insistent knock pressed against the door of apartment 5 on Freehold Street. To call it a street was a bit much, as it was really an alley between two plated areas of the wall. A common occurrence in the explosively growing ring.  But it was affordable, and that carried it far during the rougher times. 

Like now.

A little girl no more than five answered. Hair braided tight into two golden ponytails, she looked up at the woman in leather with a guarded expression too old for someone with such a young face.

Her voice carried a bleak tone as she asked, “Can I help you?”

“Hey, little girl,” The green-eyed woman said, taking a knee so she wasn’t lording over the small person. “Is your daddy home?”

“No.”

“Did he go away and leave you all alone?”

She appeared to think over her response, “My mommy’s here, but she’s pregnant and can’t leave the bed.” 

“Oh, well that’s okay.” The woman reached into her pocket, pulled out two small crests, and handed them to the little girl.

“What’s the money for?” She asked.

“Because I had a bad desire to help somebody, and you were conveniently in front of me. How about that?”

The little girl looked confused, but she pocketed the money all the same, then closed the door with a small, dimpled smile.

Adya left, intent on finding her quarry as a message came in through the Whisprnet.

>Cassio: Did you find Bruce?

>Adya: No. His daughter said he wasn’t home.

>Cassio: Got it. I’m checking around the area. You might want to head over to the Spring bar.

>Adya: Where’s that at? I don’t know every spot in the Fifth.

>Cassio: About two streets over. Has a big sign over it saying ‘Spring’.

>Adya: Why is this man so important?

>Cassio: He’s the heart of my next Quest Webs. Without him, it’ll be too hard to get things to work.

>Adya: Alright. On my way. Also, you planning on sleeping tonight?

>Cassio: Nope, and I don’t think I need to, today. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything crazy.

Promises, promises.

Adya closed out the messages and moved into a light jog, kicking on Graceful Steps as she went. It wasn’t necessary, but if it saved a little time and Cass finished earlier than he’d planned tonight, maybe he would sleep.

That man needs to learn what a break is.

She dodged around several late-night walkers before Observation spotted a saloon-styled double-doorway with a sign overhead reading Spring. A pair of horses clopped by with a heavy load, then she was in.

The place reeked of alcohol and unwashed bodies. It wasn’t her kind of establishment, but amazingly enough, Cass would fit right in. He had an ability to get along with just about anyone he met. And it was natural, not system-given, which seemed wholly unfair to her.

The place was lightly crowded. Filled, but not quite full as she stepped up to the counter where an older man and woman spun about in a whirlwind of clearing, cleaning, and charging. As soon as she put a Crest down, the man was in front of her within seconds.

“What’dya want?”

I need to blend in.

“A quality beer, please.”

“How quality?”

“Not water.”

“Got it.” The man reached under the counter and came up with a clean glass.

Observation said it wasn’t too clean, but she wasn’t going to say anything about it. The man took his Crest, then waited until she handed him another. He was gone by the time she took a sip and felt a light gag punch the back of her throat.

Definitely not water.

A woman next to her was talking to a man who was aggressively plying her with words. Adya listened in just in case she needed to do something about it.

The man had a high hairdo, probably slicked back with some form of wax as he moved closer to her. Adya was not a fan of how he kept touching the woman’s arm.

“Tell me now, baby, is he good to you?” He asked as she slapped his hand away.

“Leave me alone, Ralph. You know I’m not going to leave my boyfriend.”

“Ah, but we had some good times. And besides, I bet he can’t do to you those things that I do.”

He was about to touch a bare part of the woman’s leg when a large hand fell on his shoulder. “That’ll be enough, Ralph.”

“Bruce, I was just talking to her. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.”

“There is when she doesn’t want to be with you anymore. Move along now, or there’ll be trouble.”

Adya focused on the man as he led the other away. Tight, close-cropped beard. Slight graying on the sides. Large, easily over six feet tall and with a grim complexion.

>Adya: Found him. Spring bar.

>Cassio: On my way.

Adya closed the messages and watched Bruce skillfully lead Ralph away from the woman. What Cass needed the man for, she didn’t know. Just before she could go to bed, he’d messaged her on the Whispr she’d received from Pellin that day. It’d only taken five simple words.

‘Want to do some good?’

She couldn’t really say no to that.

Cass entered the bar in civilian clothes. He spotted her first, and smiled, then looked around. Profile must’ve helped, because he zero’d in on Bruce right away, walking toward the man with firm, confident steps. 

Bruce sat down at a table in the corner, and only a second passed before Cass sat across from him, his clean, green polo announcing to the room that he didn’t fit in here.

It had ironed creases.

Bruce looked at him suspiciously, and Adya didn’t blame him. She kicked on Attuned Listening, then took a tiny sip of her beer.

“Can I help you?”

That little girl is definitely his. Even sounds like him.

“I hope you can,” Cass said, unflappable at the glare coming his way. “You’re something of a handyman in the fifth, and I’m told you’re exceedingly reliable.”

“Told by who?”

“You know a man by the name Alan? A bit elderly and tends to speak his mind without thought for repercussions?”

“Pscch, that old fart. He hit on my wife, that’s how we met. Fastest son of a bitch I’ve ever seen, though. Knocked me down before my punch was fully thrown.” He took a sip of the water in front of him. “That punch was something else, I’ll tell you. It was like somebody took a dull knife and cut into my skull.”

“Alan isn’t the type to hold back.” 

“No need to tell me that. At least he helped me up and apologized after.” Bruce took another sip. “Alright then, what do you need from me?”

“Care to take a walk?” Cass said invitingly, gesturing at the door with his head.

“I’m the night bouncer for Spring. Need the money for getting by, if you know what I mean.”

“I do,” Cass replied evenly. “Though that’s not quite why I’m here. How much you make each evening?”

“A few bits and a free drink before the end of shift. S’not much, but it helps. I got a kid on the way.”

Cass pulled something out of his bag, and Adya didn’t need Observation to tell her it was a single, shiny, large silver Crest.

“Here’s ten Crests; I’m renting you out for the night.”

Bruce glared, “I’m not a prostitute.”

“And I don’t want one, for many reasons,” Cass said, looking her way quickly. “But I need a serious conversation, and I need your focus on me, and not what might be happening behind me.”

Bruce swiped the Crest and put it into his pocket, “Deal. But I only want to be gone for a few. My agreement with the owner isn’t something I plan on reneging on.”

Adya gratefully pushed her beer to the back of the counter, then got up and followed behind the pair.

Cass led the two of them down several streets until they wound up in a dark area. Attuned Listening was still kicking, so she heard Bruce comment that this would be a good time for Cass to murder him.

Cass laughed.

He pointed behind the large man, “I’d just have her do it.”  

Bruce turned as soon as he finished speaking to look at her, and Adya waved and smiled as she got closer. “The girl from the bar, huh. Why do I think more and more that something bad is about to happen?”

“No, nonono. I had to take you far away from everybody because I couldn’t have them listening in.” He looked at Adya, who shrugged, not knowing what was going through his mind. The only feeling she’d been getting from him since they’d met up late at the tower was a sense of burning urgency.

A blip of resolve came through his emotions as he spoke up next, “Look, Bruce, I’m just going to tell you plainly, or none of this is going to make sense. I’m the Friend of the Fifth.”

“The who?” Bruce said, confused by the turn in conversation. “Is that like a special title?”

“Kind of…Hrmm, I was counting on you knowing about that. Well, the thing is, I’m a QuestWright, meaning I have the ability to give people Quests, kind of like your dailies.”

Bruce crossed his arms, “The only daily I have is to plow a line, and I ain’t doing much plowing with the harvest not yet arrived. Been stuck at level 9 for going on two years now.”

“That’s precisely my point, Bruce. Here you are working two jobs-”

“One and a half-”

“You repair things during the day, and I’m told you do it at almost the cost of supplies. Then, you bounce here at night to earn a few bits to keep your family going. You’ve got a daughter, another child on the way, and you’re trapped at a low-level.”

Bruce’s expression darkened, “Most of us are. And I only charge that much because it’s hard to get through a day out here when your apartment or business is falling apart.”

“Exactly.” Bruce’s face changed to confusion as Cass continued. “You’re a hard worker, Bruce, and you’re kind. The type of person I’ve been looking for. See, I have Adya there, who’s my-”

“Girlfriend.” Adya finished for him.

A powerful sense of warmth connected them as Cass smiled, then continued, “And she’s very helpful in getting me the names and situations of people who could use a little bit of help. Some goodwill, if you catch my drift. But we’re not locals. We can only use our eyes and ears so far before we’re only touching the surface of issues here. So, my proposal is this. Why don’t you work for me late at night? I’ll pay you the same ten Crests a week, and I’ll even give you a few Quests to help you get over that level nine hump.”

Bruce seemed to think it over, eyes darting between the two of them before he asked the most obvious question in the world, “Why me?”

Cass burst out in a laugh, “I asked that same question of myself when I became a temporary Guild Master once upon a time.”

“You were a Guildmaster?”

Cass continued on, eyes drifting to Adya, “It felt like every time I woke up in the morning, my sheets should be soakin’ wet from all the troubles I’d brought upon myself. But asking why me does you a disservice, Bruce. You should instead think to yourself, why not me?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“No.” Cass shook his head, looking back at the man. “I’m on a limited time-frame, Bruce, and my time is only getting shorter. I have a lot of things to do in a very small number of weeks. I’ll pay you, along with at least two Quests, one of which is guaranteed to get you a lot of experience, and you talk to my girlfriend Adya each day. That’s all I ask.”

Bruce scratched his beard, “And what would we be talking about exactly?”

“Just this. Like you with your money situation, I need to know what people need. Alan tells me you’re a handyman who has been all over the Fifth. Because you don’t overcharge, you’re used more often than most others. That makes you an incredible commodity for your community. You know all the hands to shake, all the people who are struggling, and what’s more, you know what they need. Not want, need. And I need you to help me help others. I need that deep-seated information that outsiders would take a long time to find.”

“I need you to help me find the people who deserve to be helped, Bruce. Because with your help, I think we can do some amazing things for the Fifthers.”

Cass took a short breath, Observation noting that he’d taken very few since he first started talking.

Is he on drugs? That’ll be a conversation for later.

But like Cass, she didn’t speak as she was waiting on Bruce’s response. The big man scratched his chin again, “You on the level?”

“I’m higher than that,” Cass said with a smile. “And I’m being completely forthright with you.”

“And all you want is information on people in need? You’re not going to do anything bad to them, or screw with their business?”

“Never.” Cass shook his head, “My only interest is in helping the people of the Fifth. Tomorrow, ask around if anyone has ever heard about the Friend of the Fifth, but please don’t tell anyone it’s me.”

Bruce snorted, “I couldn’t, I don’t even know your name.”

“Cassio Vale.” Cass held out a hand, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Bruce shook it, “If you really don’t want people to know who you are, that was either brave or stupid.”

“I’ve found that, in life, you can’t get trust from people if you’re not willing to offer it on your own. I’m trusting you with me and Adya’s names because I think you’re the type to see the value in someone holding true to their word. I’m here to help, nothing more.”

Bruce nodded as he let go, “Fine, I’ll ask around about the ‘Friend of the Fifth’. But if I start hearing anything bad, I’ll consider those ten Crests payment for my time.”

“Seems fair,” Cass said with a smile. Bruce nodded then left, shaking Adya’s hand on his way out.

“Ten Crests is a lot of money,” She said as they started walking back to the apartment. “That’s going to do a lot for him.”

“It is, and it isn’t. A man with five Crests thinks the man with twenty is rich, who then thinks the man with a hundred is. On and on it goes until you get to the richest person in the world, who probably still thinks they don’t have enough. People are funny like that.”

When they got close, Adya asked the question that had been bothering her: “You unlocked your next Way, didn’t you?”

“I did, and I have to say, it felt like a freight train runnin’ through the middle of my head. But, after the blood and pain passed-”

“Blood?”

“I had this huge abundance of energy. It was like I couldn’t stop moving. It made me confused about those people back at the bar I saw. You know, the ones sipping their drinks, staring off into nothing.”

“Let’s go back to the blood, please.”

“It was just a little. My body had some upgrades to go through, and that’s always a messy affair.” Cass smiled at her, “I’m fine. Promise.”

“If you say so.” She bumped his shoulder with hers, but he didn’t stumble as his other foot compensated for the adjusted weight instantly. “So what were you saying about those people in the bar?”

“Right. I just wonder what they’re staring at, you know? Are they thinking? I thought getting drunk was to remove that ability?”

“Maybe they’re staring at the past.”

“Maybe, but I just don’t understand them. I’ve never been the type to do nothing. It’s like there’s something in me that says, keep going. Keep moving. Push, push, push. Get to the next Quest Web, or level, or path. Maybe I’m like those super rich folks. I always think I don’t have enough.”

“Will I be enough?” Adya asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

“You’re too much,” He said with a laugh, right when they got to the apartment and a waiting Bella. Cass took a look at her, then inched his head toward the stairs, “Say, I’ve still got plenty of energy, wanna have some fun?”

Mercifully, they untied Bella and let her wander Liberty out of range of their emotions before heading to Adya’s room.