Jay should have been able to guess something was wrong when, as soon as they got within three paces of the door, Darian casually pulled out his shotgun. As it was, he simply put it down as one of his companion's many inexplicable mannerisms. He had other matters to think about.

Of course, he couldn't help but notice that something was wrong when the door slid open to reveal a veritable swarm of raiders at the end of the path.

For a moment he only stood there staring at them, feeling as if someone had rammed a blunt object into the back of his head. Taking several steps backwards, he watched as the door slid shut between him and the raiders.

This can't be good, was his first thought.

Dear god! was his second.

They're here already? Tycho asked.

For a moment, Jay considered going back to his room and leaving it to the Shumis, but he gave himself a mental kick. We were sent up here to deal with the Raiders; we shouldn't back down now. Anyway, I don't really trust the Shumis' method, however well Elder rationalized it. Of course, I don't think we can take them head-on...and, anyway —

Um, boss? What are we going to do?

Stop calling me ...Elder didn't want to fight. If we make the first move, the Raiders won't stop to listen to him.

So we're — whatever Tycho had to say was cut short by the deafening thump directly outside the door.

What was that? Jay jumped, turning to face the door. Another impact literally shook the walls as he stepped back.

I don't think they're going to care if we make the first move or not, Tycho said.

Darian agreed.

You think we should just — Tycho started, when the door exploded inwards. All three of them ducked as the shards flew past them in a stinging hail of glass, and Jay found his hand automatically reaching for his needle sword.

Tycho yelled.

The last thing the Raiders were expecting was for three people to come barreling out of the door just as they charged inwards, and, fortunately for Jay, it worked against them. Taken by surprise, the front line fell below a flurry of blades and shotgun fire.

Something rammed into him from the side, and Jay twisted just enough so his ribs wouldn't be crushed as the raider fell on top of him. He took a swipe across the man's nose and drew blood. The raider cursed, bringing a nasty-looking mace down only inches away from Jay's head. Scrambling away from the man, Jay parried a swipe that almost knocked the blade out of his hands. Ducking in under his guard, Jay managed to bowl him over and knock him out with a knee-bash to the head.

Something, he wasn't quite sure what, made him duck. A huge ball of something burning flew over his head, leaving a sickly-sweet, cloying smell behind. It was almost narcotic.

Don't scatter! commanded a middle-aged man weilding a bladestaff. Crowd em! Don't let em breathe!

Ramming his sword through the first raider he saw, Jay jumped clear of a low swing of the man's axe. A bullet whizzed over his shoulder, running straight into the already-dying man and sending him reeling backwards. A hail of machinegun fire cut through the air to one side of him, and he ducked and rolled to avoid a second volley. Wedging himself in a crevice under an oddly shaped rock, he slashed out at the first pair of legs he saw. This had the immediate effect of making the man fall over, and another stab made sure he wouldn't get up. Unfortunately, he fell directly across the opening of the crevice. Jay tried to push him away, but he was heavier than he looked. His clothing reeked of the narcotic smoke.

Jay heard someone curse.

What do we do now?

Carry out our orders, the first one said, seeming to move a bit closer to the rock, then past it. Burn the place to the ground.

But we're losing —

To two SeeDs and a civilian, the first voice said. Jay stopped struggling, trying to listen. The smell of the drug, whatever it was, was making him dizzy.

a third voice joined the conversation. We've —

The voice faded out for a moment, and Jay realized with a shock that he was almost drifting off. Shaking his head, he pushed at the body again.

We're going to have to —

Dammit, I can't get out! Jay thought with a rising sense of panic. No way to tell if the drug was deadly or not...

Out of...question...can't.... the voices were drifting in and out of his range of hearing now. Desperately, he slashed a line across the palm of his left hand. Pain lanced through it. Pain was good, it let him know he was still awake.

he called, voice seeming to echo. He had the feeling that it was a lot louder than it seemed, but that wasn't saying much. He could barely hear himself.

...call retreat... the voice was saying. There were yelling voices, and a sudden increase in commotion outside his little hiding spot. Shoving at the raider again, Jay noticed that the dead weight had not lessened. The man had to weigh at least twice as much as Jay did. Probably more.

called a voice, muffled almost completely by the body. Jay thumped against the corpse, trying to shake it. Darian...

Can someone hear m — he was interrupted by a cough. The drug was getting into his lungs.

Suddenly, fresh air! Jay tried almost feebly to pull himself out of the hole, looking up at Darian when something struck him as odd. Darian was casually tossing the raider — whom Jay hadn't even been able to budge — away from him with one hand. Calmly, he reached down to help Jay up. His grip was like an iron vise.

The Raiders are retreating, he said. They have done some considerable damage to the entrance of the Farm.

Jay allowed himself to be hauled to his feet by Darian, taking huge gulps of air. Darian and the Shumis...one enigma after another. And I have to deal with Tiana and the raiders now, too...why me? Ty — cho? he managed.

Over here, boss, Tycho called from another direction. Jay looked up to see him limping over towards them, blood coating his right shoulder. What happened? You get stuck between a rock and a hard place?

Jay shot him a weak glare. You could — say that, he said, taking a deep breath. Air had never felt so good.

Think we should follow them? Tycho asked, motioning with his left hand.

Jay nodded, and instantly regretted the motion. We don't — want to lose them. Could still — cause trouble.

The narcotic was making it hard for him to think clearly, but something about the conversation he had heard bothered him. Orders...burn to the ground...there's something I should be seeing here. What is it?

Tycho nodded. Okay, but can we duck back in and see the farm's healer? My shoulder —

Jay agreed. Sure. Why not? My lungs could use a bit of work. And I don't want to go traipsing across the countryside while my head feels like it's going to float away at any moment.

As they moved back into the farm, Darian glanced at Jay as if he was about to ask something. Apparently deciding against it, he turned away again. Before Jay could question him about it, however, he had vanished along the path that led to the hotel.