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I woke up early the next morning. The sun had only begun to crest the horizon and there was a thin layer of fog. It was an unusually chilly morning and the breeze didn't make it any better. I sat up, stretching and rubbing my eyes. I let out a big yawn and then hopped to my feet. I always was an early riser, I had to be. I put my pistol belt on and picked up my bow. I glanced over to Blaze who was still fast asleep. She had curled into a ball overnight and she was shivering just a bit. I picked up my backpack and pulled out a blanket. I walked over to and covered Blaze. Her shivering subsided and she curled up tighter. The scene made me smile a bit. I then put my backpack on and I decided to go for a walk. There wasn't much activity in the Sawlite camp, save a few guards patrolling the perimeter. I decided to take a look around.
There wasn't much to the camp, it seemed as though only sixty or so lived there. This almost shantytown of tents made up the bulk of the camp, though this was not uncommon. There seemed to b a pattern though. the tents were grouped in fours around fire pits. As I strolled through the camp, I caught sight of a rise just beyond the fence. Wanting to get a better view of the area, I flew over the fence and started up the little hill. I had a lot on my mind. The Sawlites seemed like an good group. But the Factors though, I had no idea what to think. And Miles, what could he have needed from us. And Blaze, I had no idea what to make of her. She seemed to make a good ally, yet she seemed cold and reckless. I pondered these things in my head as I climbed the hill, reaching the top rather quickly. But at the summit of this little mount, I saw that I was not alone. Atop the hill, Miles was standing, overlooking the valley, he had a blank expression on his face. He gave no acknowledgement to my presence.
I greeted him with a smile, "It seems that you rise earlier than I do."
Miles replied, "I don't sleep much anymore Silver. It's been a long time since I slept peacefully, so I come here, to clear my head."
"Can I join you then?" I asked. He nodded and I took a place beside him. We stood side by side in silence, exchanging no looks, but sharing the same thoughts. I wanted to ask him, but I wasn't sure if this was the right time. The awkwardness was too much to bare, I finally broke the silence, "Who are the factors?"
Miles let out a sigh. After a moment, he pointed across the valley, "There is an old factory across the valley. Many years ago, our two groups founded camps on either side of this valley. For years, we existed in harmony of one another. But something happened over there, because one day, not too long ago, the factors became hostile attacking our groups that scavenged nearby towns and our gatherers in the valley below. They've been waging war with us ever since." I didn't know what to say. There was another long pause. Miles again broke the silence, "And now I need your help." I looked at him. "We are losing this fight, the factors seek to kill every last one of us." I wasn't sure what he wanted from me.
"I'm sorry Miles, but I can't go to war for you. I'm not a warrior, and neither is Blaze."
He replied, "You strike me as an optimist. Naive, but an optimist. I was the same way in my younger days, but this world has hardened me."
I was slightly perplexed, it was the second time someone called me naive. "Then what do you need."
He turned to me and placed his hands on my shoulder, "I need a spy. I need you to tell me what they're planning. Just for one day, go around their camp and listen in." He removed his hands from my shoulders and turned back towards the valley.
I was shocked by such a drastic request, I was expecting a scavenging mission. "Why me, why us?" I asked.
He replied, "Because you two are capable of handling yourselves. If something happens, you two have the skills to escape."
I sighed. I wanted to help, but what he was asking was crazy. "I'm sorry Miles. I barely know you or your people. But you're asking me to risk myself like that, to risk Blaze."
He said, "Please, I'm begging you. Anything you need, it's yours. Food, supplies, shelter. Name it and it's yours." The look of sheer desperation showed just how serious he was. But I couldn't risk myself like that, nor could I just answer for Blaze like that.
I shook my head, "It's not the point. This is my life we're talking about."
I turned to walk away, but as I started down the hill, Miles called out. "Please, reconsider it. Talk about it with your partner." I didn't hesitate or give any response, I just kept walking. I made my way back to the camp and saw that my excursion had lasted just long enough for this camp to get going.
People were cooking, and mothers were feeding their children. They were families that were just trying to get ready for another day. It was a nice scene. It gave my hopes ground to stand on. Hope that there are places where we can actually rebuild ourselves, instead of tearing each other apart. In my wandering, I had come across groups of all kinds, but never a group that was bent on rebuilding. Anywhere that I went, I only saw hate and fear, and I was seeing the same thing happen here. And I'm sure that the Factors, despite what Miles told me, were just like the Sawlites. Just a group, trying to survive. I returned to the spot where Blaze and I had camped and saw that she was up, warming herself by a fire that she built.
"You look awfully lonely." I said. She responded, not looking away from the fire.
"Where were you?"
I sat down across from her, "I went for a walk. I was talking to Miles."
She looked at me, "And?"
I replied, "He wants us to be spies." She looked slightly unsure. I continued, "Their at war with the group with the red hats, and apparently they're losing. Miles want us to spy in their camp, just for a day. He wants an idea of what they're up to."
She took this all in and stared at the fire, pondering Miles' request. I decided to give her my thought process, "I want to help, I really do. But I don't want to risk my neck for these people that I barely know."
There was silence, but after a moment, Blaze said, "Why did you help me?"
I didn't know what she was getting at. "Why does it matter?"
She shook her head, "You're so naive...what made you help me?" I blinked, why were people calling me naive? There was nothing childish about how I saw things.
I replied, "Because you needed help. Those men had you held prisoner..."
She interjected, "And I never asked for your help, but you did anyways. Now, these people need your help and you're turning them down? I guess I don't understand how you can say no." Her point hit me hard, I lowered my head. She was right. I go out of my way to help someone, and not two days later, I'm telling a group that they're on their own "It's your choice, I'll follow you, whatever you decide."
Just as she finished, Miles came walking up to us. "Have you two been discussing my request?"
I thought about my answer for a moment, and decided to go for it, they needed us. I nodded, "We'll do it."
Miles' eyes went wide, "Really?" Blaze nodded. "Great, I'll go find Marcus and he'll fill you two in." Miles then walked away at a fast pace, looking for Marcus.
Blaze was looking at me. "I guess people like us are always here to lend a hand."
She cracked a bit of a smile. "I guess we are." She said, rolling up the blanket I spread over her. "I woke up with this blanket on me." She walked over to me with it in her hand.
"Any idea who did it?" I asked nervously.
"Yeah, I think I do." She said, handing it to me.
(Two hours later)
"We're almost there." Marcus said, leading us. Our hour long march across the valley seemed a lot longer than I wished. There valley was densely wooded and filled with swamp. The sun had risen, and the fog lifted. It was similar to the day before, and the season in general: chilly nights and warm days.
"Remember, don't do anything too crazy. Just walk around. Fit in and listen. Avoid contact if you can. And make sure to be clear by sunset. I'll meet you two by the pond at dusk." Marcus said. Despite my doubts, I actually had faith. We would slip in and just snoop. We didn't have to steal or sabotage or kill, just listen.
"Hold up. We're here." Marcus whispered, stopping on the edge of a clearing and we got beside him, the three of us hiding in a bush. "There's guards all around the perimeter." He whispered. "But the factory in the back is largely unguarded. If you can get through the locked doors, you should be home free to sneak in."
I spoke up, "I've got a lock pick in my backpack."
"Good." Marcus replied. "Here are your hats, good luck guys." He handed us two red hats and then left, back the way we came.
Once he was out of sight, I put the hat on my head and said, "Let's go." Blaze nodded putting on her cap. It looked as though the camp was set up outside of the factory, but it was much larger than the Sawlite camp. The shadow of the factory shaded the camp. We could see people hustling about, just beyond the fence.
We took Marcus' advice to go through the back. There were guards patrolling the camp, more than at the Sawlites'. Blaze and I crept through the bushes, trying to avoid being seen as we tried to get to the back of the factory. It always seemed like every stick made ten times as much noise when you were trying to be quiet.
But there was some loud rustling nearby. We soon heard the sound of voices to our left. We froze and a large group, about fifteen strong, emerged from the brush. We remained still and silent while the group walked towards the front gate, oblivious to our presence.
Once they passed, I whispered, "Lets make sure to stick together. I don't want either of us getting stuck without the other." She nodded in agreement.
We made it to the rear, and found it unguarded. There was a door that we snuck up to. I reached in my backpack for a lock pick, but Blaze stepped up, turning the knob and the door opened. "Helps to try." She said jokingly. I sighed and led the way into the factory.
Years of disrepair had left the factory in pretty bad shape. "My parents always told me about these places. How they would produce all sorts of things, and in large numbers."
She nodded, though not really interested. I decided to stop talking. There was light shining in behind us and our shadows were long in this abandoned factory. This ramshackle relic of society that existed many years ago. A supposed triumph of civilization now lay in ruin, as though a testeimate to civilization itself, and people rebuilt on the outskirts of what we used to exist in. It wasn't too large however, and we soon found ourselves on the other side of the factory.
We stopped and I turned to her, "Remember the plan. Act natural and don't draw any attention to yourself."
She replied, "Relax, we'll be fine." I nodded and we went to a door, turning the knob and stepping outside...
