Creeping silently through the underbrush, Five peeked out from behind a large oak tree and saw the New Canton gates.

"Listen," she said in a low voice, scanning the guarded wall. "I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Don't be silly, Runner Five," replied Janine. "My contact at New Canton is perfectly trustworthy."

"But how can you say that after one of their people tried robbing us?" Five asked. "She almost got away with stealing every bit of information we had, and if Runner Eight and I hadn't been around—"

"But you were," Janine interrupted. "Just keep making your way there, Five."

The runner sighed heavily and scanned the area again, jogging forward cautiously and closing the space between herself and New Canton. After a moment, she heard another voice in her ear.

"Hey… hey, Five," Sam whispered.

"Yeah?"

"She's gone to the bathroom." He paused, raising his voice a fraction. "Can you hear me, Janine?" They both waited for a moment. "Yeah, yeah, she can't hear me," Sam grinned before stopping abruptly. "Well… she wouldn't say if she could hear me. That woman is tricky. Listen, she's coming back in a second, and I know she's very good at her job, but just to be on the safe side, I'm keeping as many scanners focused on you as I can."

"What are you doing, Mr. Yao?"

Five jumped, and, apparently, so did Sam. "I—uh—what—nothing," he tittered, his voice light and airy. "Just talking to Runner Five. That's my job. Talking to Runner Five. Doing my job."

"Yes. That's your job." Five heard shuffling as Janine spoke into a microphone. "Very good, Runner Five," the owner of Abel commented, impressed. "You're almost at the supply drop area. You were quite right to recommend this one, Mr. Yao. A very efficient, competent worker."

"Yeah," Sam agreed, and then added quickly, "And we don't want to lose Runner Five. Just… bear that in mind."

"There's nothing to be alarmed about, Mr. Yao," Janine replied shortly. "Everything's going well. My contact has arranged for us to pick up a cache just outside the city. It'll be just over the edge of this ridge."

Five approached the indicated area, keeping a close eye on the New Canton walls. They probably wouldn't see her when she crept across and grabbed whatever supplies Janine's contact provided.

As soon as Five poked her head over the ridge, however, sharp gunfire rang toward her head. Shrieking, the runner careened behind a tree as another voice broke through her radio connection.

"Runner from Abel Township!" a sharp, gruff voice said.

Sam gasped. "It's a trap!"

"Take evasive maneuvers!" Janine commanded. "Five, run!"

Spotting a clump of bushes leading away from New Canton, Five hurtled toward them and leapt into the greenery.

"Runner from Abel Township, you're surrounded!" New Canton's radio controller warned. Five squeaked in fear as she heard guns cock from all sides. "There's no hope of escape!"

"Runner Five, don't listen!" Sam interjected. "There's a break in the… uh—"

"Not a step further!"

"—Wall of people surrounding you. If you keep heading in the direction you're going, you might go out of scanner range, but—"

Five emitted another scream as the New Canton citizens began to fire, gunshots spraying everywhere.

"Five, just run!"

She didn't need to be told twice. Sprinting in the direction Sam had indicated, Five leapt over gnarled roots and fallen branches, expecting the spray of bullets to riddle her body any second.

"What the hell was that, Janine?" Sam growled.

Janine sputtered indignantly. "I didn't know it would come to this—"

The radio controller interrupted her angrily. "Look what you've done! Five is in danger now because of you!"

"Getting angry at me won't help her!" Janine retorted. "Keep her on your sights! That's the best you can do now!"

Sam stopped and focused his attention on his runner once more. "That's it, Five!" he encouraged, his voice an octave higher out of nervousness. "Just keep going that way. You're almost out of range of the gunmen!"

Indeed, the sharp sounds of shots were growing fainter as she ran, though her nerves were no calmer.

"Sam," she choked, gazing wildly around the now-unfamiliar terrain. "Sam, where am I?"

"Don't stop running! Let me just—the scanner—"

"Sam?" Five breathed, her heart racing. Her radio began sputtering, spewing radio fuzz in her ear. "I'm losing you! Sam!"

"Connec—breaking—" As Sam's voice continued glitching, Five's eyes dilated in fear. "Signal—scanner—Five—!"

The connection crackled violently and fell silent, utterly dead.