The scene had calmed within several minutes of Maren’s return. She’d carried the bombers via water to find a nervous crowd watching the burning semi. Normally, she hated the adoration her status as Wielder commanded, but now, when she wanted as few obstacles as possible, she was happy to use it. At her call, the crowd parted, allowing her easy access to the destruction zone.
Both cars were covered in fire-retardant foam, though the semi continued to burn. Mav knelt by three people: two lying down to his left and one sitting in the fetal position, trembling, to his right, around whose shoulder he wrapped an arm. He only moved when Maren plopped the bombers down, finding rope in his duffel bag and updating Maren with his side of the story.
“Can you keep them company?” Mav asked as he finished tying up the bombers. “Until the paramedics arrive?”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Maren said. “And you shouldn’t, either.”
“What about Kenny’s cake?”
Mav’s words and face didn’t match. That sounded like something a child would say, one who didn’t understand the gravity of the current situation. His expression, however, was anything but innocent and perplexed: conviction set his jaw. He was as dead serious about giving that little boy his birthday cake as he had been saving these people from the fire.
He had found time to put the cake in a safe spot and save these people’s lives.
“Make it quick,” Maren said.
Which he did. The paramedics and fire department arrived a few minutes after Mav left, helping the injured people and dousing what remained of the semi fire, respectively. But Mav returned – huffing and sweating – before the police made it to the scene.
He, however, wasn’t the only one who beat the police.
“Peace Keepers,” Mav said, excited.
Mav beamed as he looked between the four Peace Keepers. One was a tall, skinny man with dark skin; another was massive, both in height and build, with skin even paler than Maren’s; another man was shorter and stockier with trim red hair, wearing an expression that made him seem he was annoyed to have all three; the fourth was a small, slender woman with light brown skin and rich brown hair. All four wore the traditionally boring Peace-Keeper uniform: a body suit of black and white, covering everything save their faces for both protection and to hide their Mark – which displayed to the world what type of Wielder one was.
Maren didn’t need to ask: Mav was looking for Koda. This time, however, he looked only slightly disappointed when he realized his childhood friend wasn’t there.
The three men talked to the paramedics, who were loading the injured into an ambulance, while the woman investigated the burned vehicles. The stocky redhead hopped into the back of an ambulance with the cowering woman while the tall, skinny one broke away and headed for Maren and Mav.
Here we go.
“Titans’ Blessings you were on the scene, Siblings,” the man said, his voice a surprising tenor. “Else we’d have come to a crime scene with three corpses and zero bombers.”
“They’ll be alright?” Mav asked, gesturing to the now-leaving ambulances.
The tall man nodded. “One’s only damages are emotional. The other two have burns bordering on second-degree. But they’ll all be fine.”
Mav sighed in relief. “Good to hear.”
“And before I question the apprehended,” the tall man said, revealing the screen on his left arm, “I need your statement.”
It was the second time in two weeks a Peace Keeper had interviewed Maren, though this time she wasn’t alone. Both she and Mav gave their identities, the Peace Keeper only giving pause when they mentioned their lack-of-a-name traveling guild.
“You’re that unofficial guild from the CC Corp incident, aren’t you?” the tall man said. “Heard about it from some of our Linick Peace-Keeper friends – they’re looking over the situation right now. Man, I’m surprised no one’s contacted you about wanting to join the guild. Another member and you’ll be official.”
Like Maren needed reminding. “Kinda hard to advertise yourself without a name. And all the news articles about it didn’t have our names in it. But now that you know who we are... you interested?”
The tall man laughed. “Not the best sales pitch I’ve heard. Even if it were, I’m happy here.”
Maren shrugged. “Worth a shot.”
“It’s probably a good idea to get your guild a name.”
“Just haven’t found one that feels right, you know?”
The man nodded, then continued with the interview. By the time they finished giving their stories, the slender woman joined them.
“Just got their statements,” the tall man said to her. “Get anything good?”
“If by good, you mean the remains of a military-grade magnetic bomb beneath the truck’s rear, then yes.”
The tall man sighed. “And that makes six since we got here.”
“I heard about some bombings,” Maren said. “What’s the deal here?”
“An eco-terrorist cell known as Serene,” the tall man said.
“Vowed to destroy Wilkins’ Co. for their ‘mistreatment of natural resources’ or some kinda shit,” the woman said.
That tracked with what the firework-thrower had yelled. If the semi hadn’t been completely burned, there was no doubt it would have had a Wilkins’ logo displayed.
“What would destroying Wilkins’ do to help the environment?” Mav asked.
“The company owns – what? – ninety or so percent of animal farms,” Maren said. “If any of those places mistreat their livestock, or deforest a little too much for space, then it all goes back to Wilkins.”
“Or so Serene says,” the tall man said.
“Like the smaller companies don’t do this shit on their own,” the woman said, shaking her head.
“So the attacks over the last several weeks?” Maren asked.
“All against Wilkins. Supply vehicles and routes, usually, destroyed by these bombs.”
“Is there a large Wilkins’ warehouse here?” Mav asked
“More importantly, their headquarters are based in Yoularnon,” the tall man said. “So Serene set up shop somewhere in the city or its suburbs. That’s why we’re here, to protect the company’s leaders and find Serene.”
“But it doesn’t help that all we can do is–” the woman began.
“Stop talking,” the massive, pale Peace Keeper said, his voice deep and stern.
“What’s up?” the tall man asked.
“Him.” The massive man pointed at Mav. “I recognize him. Maverick Ito, formerly from Sergeant Allen’s cohort. Deserter.”
Like a sudden summer rain, the atmosphere darkened. The tall man’s and slender woman’s demeanor shifted from amicable to hostile. Mav, for the first time Maren had seen him, lowered his eyes in what looked like fear.
“You trying to steal info from us?” the slender woman said, nostrils flaring. “What? You want to take down Serene on your own? Get on the news again, like with the CC Corp mine?”
“That’s not what I wanted,” Mav said, voice small. “We weren’t trying to–”
“To take the years of training our family gave you and spit it back in our faces? All that time, credits, and effort, all thrown away for a coward.”
“I’m not a coward.”
“Says the man who can’t look us in the eye,” the massive man said.
Mav’s arms didn’t tremble, his face didn’t contort. If anything, he looked lost.
Maren’s heart gave out to him. She’d done this.
“You don’t know anything about what he’s gone through,” Maren said. “How many people he’s already saved because he left the Peace Keepers.”
“Like we’d trust a temptress like you,” the tall man said. “One so depraved as to accept a Deserter.”
Maren blinked. “Temptress? Depraved?”
“You recruited him from the Peace Keepers. You even tried to recruit me. I should have known you’re devious.”
Maren’s face flushed. “There was nothing devious or remotely immoral about Mav joining my guild.”
“There’s nothing further you need to hear from us,” the massive man said.
“I’d go so far as to say there’s nothing left for you in Yoularnon.” The tall man glanced at the screen on his arm. “You know, reviewing your testimony, it is rather strange how you oh so conveniently were at the scene right when it happened.”
Maren glared, her voice venomous. “No preamble. What are you suggesting, Private?”
“That your involvement here may warrant investigation. Maybe you got an inflated ego by your unofficial, nameless guild being on the news last week. Maybe you used Serene as an excuse to get into a matter that is way above your purview. And if you didn’t want this information looked into, you’d better leave town and forget you were involved with any of this.”
“Sounds like a quick way to get yourselves court-martialed.”
The slender woman scoffed. “Look who’s speaking out of her ass.”
Maren gave her a knowing smirk. “Street cameras there and there, which have a clear view of the accident. A whole crowd of testimonies to explain what they saw. Three people alive because of Mav, one I’m sure would be more than happy to give her account once her nerves settle. Three detained runaways, one of whom threw something which displayed Serene’s insignia – also easily seen from the cameras. And your own notes, which will mark if you’ve made edits to our testimony and thoughts.”
Maren stepped closer to the tall man, arms crossed. She probably didn’t look too intimidating, being basically a full foot shorter, but she didn’t crane her neck back to meet his eye. “You already have my information. But in case your memory fled as quickly as your intelligence, my name’s Maren Daly, once a proud member of Radiant Dawn. I still consider them family, and they feel the same for me.
“So falsify your report. Accuse us, fellow Wielders, of terrorism. The moment you take legal action to kick us out of Yoularnon, prepare to go through hell trying to keep your jobs without disgracing the illustrious Peace Keepers. Then, after you’re dishonorably discharged, even one depraved as I wouldn’t accept you into my little, nameless guild.”
The tall man’s smarmy attitude vanished. The others’ glowers didn’t, but no one fought back.
“We’ll stay as long as we want, thank you,” Maren said.
“If you investigate Serene, which is a matter of public security, you’ll have to be arrested or leave,” the massive man said.
“It’s a good thing we’re only here to do small tasks,” Maren said. “Come on, Mav. Let’s go before we do more of their jobs for them.”