Two men and a woman sat around a table in a windowless room. It had the kind of lighting you would expect to see in an untaxed card game, or an organized crime planning session. The similarity ended with one wall completely covered with digital screens, showing a variety of things, from digitized maps showing networks of lines, what looked like live camera footage, green code on black background, net pages, to just raw data and text.
One of the men was clearly the oldest of the three, with prematurely graying hair. He was in his forties and had the posture and build of someone who had served in the Atlas military, and was dressed in loose trousers with lots of pockets, and a black honeycomb long-sleeve. He was the first one to speak.
"So GNU," he pronounced it like 'guhnew' "what did you find for us on this guy?" the older man asked, nodding to the woman.
GNU was tall and thin, almost emaciated looking, with nearly black irises. Glasses gave her face a studious look. Her dark brown hair was cut in a bob, and two small horns poked out from it. She glanced at the other two and adjusted her glasses, then shuffled some pages. "Right. I cross-referenced Scroll pings with his messaging logins. He made it easy for us by hopping that express from middle of fucking nowhere Vale and then to Ansel, messaging us both times." She nodded to the documents. "His name's Garek Grae. Licensed Huntsman, Leopard Faunus. Age 25. Goldish eyes, dirty blonde hair."
She dug out copies of a blown up photo, probably from his Huntsman license, and slid a copy each to both men. The younger man in the room was wearing a flowery menagerie-style shirt and a beret, and chewing on a toothpick.
She continued. "Confirmed his family is from and still resides in Ansel. Lost his team partner, human named Toller Crimson, his fourth year at Haven. Some sort of faunus terrorist cell drugged them both, cut his partner's throat in front of him, and then dumped our guy in the woods to find his way back to civilization or die to the Grimm. Looks like a lot of suspicion and survivor's guilt over him being spared. Other two teammates were human, apparently didn't take it well. They split for good within a year after graduation."
The older man frowned at that.
"Yeah BA, I didn't think you'd appreciate that." She pulled out another stack of paper, stapled, and handed those out. "Anyway, here's a list of all of his registered mission contracts over the last five years. Everything's normal stuff. Patrols, Caravan Escort, Emergency Grimm Response, Temporary Garrison. Only real oddity is the fact that he never joined a permanent team. Did a lot of temp joint teams across Northern Valve and Mistral, but looks like he was leaning harder toward solo jobs as time passed."
The younger man spoke up at that. "That's… not a good pattern, mental health wise."
"Right Pete," she continued, "and it looks like he's made good money, and spent almost none of it. Nothing that points to any sort of big payouts or bribes, which is also promising. Doesn't have expensive tastes."
GNU cleared her throat. "Then about a year back, something changes in his patterns." She pointed to a particular spot on the page. "He stops doing work in Mistral at all, starts focusing on northern Vale, sticking closer to the coast. Taking smaller jobs. Pure solo work, and taking downtime every few months. Well, I say every few months, it was like clockwork every 90 days. And CCT pings have him heading toward this same area here on the northern Vale coast pretty much every time."
"And that lasts a little over a year, then suddenly, he's not taking contracts at all, and he's playing detective instead."
The older man, apparently "BA" frowned at that. The younger one, Pete just hummed to himself as he skimmed over the report.
GNU handed over a second document. "And for completeness sake, here's the search history that auto-flagged him for us. You know the rest."
"Pete?" BA nodded to the other man, eyes flat.
"Guy follows breadcrumbs well. And acts paranoid as hell, which frankly I like. He caught on fast as soon as his fingers got singed, and he hasn't tried to grab the panhandle since." He shook his head sadly. "First one so far that we've been able to get to before they went dead or missing, and that says something for his instincts. Especially for a Huntsman." BA snorted at that, and Pete frowned. "Come on BA, you know I'm right. Those guys are all 'oooo look at me I'm gonna be a big damn hero fighting the Grimm and saving people'. Their response to danger is to charge in and start slaying shit, not bunker down and get timid."
The older man shook his head. "No. You're not wrong."
They read in silence for a while before GNU spoke up. "Anything else jump out at you?"
BA spoke up first. "Two things. That change in behavior bothers me. Something happened. He found something or someone that spooked him, either before or during his little breaks."
"Guy wasn't healthy, BA," Pete retorted, "You saw the direction his work was going. That guy was spiraling. Fifty lien says he was trying to figure out whether to off himself."
"You and your bets." He tapped the table. "I'll pass on that, for now. Might take it later. He's got some survival instincts now. Suddenly visiting family too."
GNU spoke again. "There's another one, that bugs me. Pete, you mentioned how fast he got to Ansel. BA, look at that travel time."
BA Whistled. "Guy decided to move fast. So that's airborne. Bullhead. What's the issue?"
Another report. "No records of chartering a flight, or paying for tickets. No public flights that match the timeline. So, if he's got a ride, it's unregistered, or military, or something else. BA think you can rule out military?"
BA looked Uncomfortable. "I'll see if any of my old contacts are willing to check If it's Atlas for me. He's a Huntsman, though. Could be an Academy bird and I don't have any contacts with them. Never heard of them playing taxi service to graduated Huntsmen, unless it's a mission of some sort. Pete, what are your thoughts. You're the paranoid one."
"Guy feels genuine. Like GNU says, his search history looks like you'd expect somebody trying to figure out a puzzle, not bait for a trap. And his personal history checks out. I'm paranoid, but this feels like an actual opportunity to get some legs again." He thumbed toward a map on the wall. "He has family in Ansel, and 100 lien says he was headed to Atlas because of that article we planted. We're just a waypoint. Again, good for us."
"Consensus?" BA asked.
"Guy's not a plant." The younger man nodded. "Schedule a meet to feel him out."
GNU agreed. "No red flags, other than the Bullhead thing. Maybe we're misreading that. I'm in."
BA sighed. "I'll set it up."
Two days later, GNU tapped Pete on the shoulder. "Got a ping."
"Where?"
"Last ping at Ansel was like an hour ago. Then we get this hit at Springhill, five miles south of Argus gate. Signal triangulation indicates they headed from Springhill to Argus on foot, got to the walls, and then went back to the village." She pulled up a map on the screen, noting the distance from Ansel to Springhill.
"Fast," GNU tapped her chin.
"Yeah."
"That still bothers me. Why not just fly to the docks?"
"Paranoid? If so, I kinda like it," Pete grinned.
"You would. You think it sets a pattern someone else could follow?"
"We're the only ones tracking him… the frowned. Okay, Maybe the only ones."
GNU snorted. "Pete, if the DAWists were tracking him that well, he'd be dead by now."
"Maybe."
"Dammit Pete."
"You love me for my paranoia, GNU. Don't pretend. Message BA."
The Blackfeather was safely nested outside Springhill, and the walk to Argus should have been straightforward.
But the closer they got to the walls of Argus, the tighter Selene's grip on his hand became. Garek glanced over, and her face was stony, but he could see how tense her shoulders were.
"You okay?"
"I… those are very large walls."
He blinked. "Yeah. To keep the Grimm out."
"No, I mean that they extend in both directions… for a long distance. And I can see many buildings rising beyond."
"Okay… it's a city, Selene. It's Argus, one of the largest cities in Mistral. Lot of people live there."
His hand jerked as Selene stopped.
"How… how many people, Garek?"
"I dunno, half million? Something like that."
Selene's eyes went the size of saucers and her mouth fell open.
He saw when her knees started to give way, and grabbed her. "Whoah! Whoah… easy. Deep breaths. Slow deep breaths." She was hyperventilating.
"So… so many?"
Knowledge filtered in. "Oh gods, Selene. What's the most people you've ever seen at once?"
She looked at him with empty eyes. "I do not know. Probably in Ansel?" She looked back at the walls and shuddered. "I did not know. I did not realize. One city? All of that in one place? How?"
He didn't know how to even start. She was literally asking him how people managed. How they were able to function packed together that densely. "People are adaptable?" He remembered the first time he'd visited Argus as a kid. It had blown his mind. He tried to imagine what it was like for an adult with no concept of that kind of population to see it for the first time. She was staring at the walls. She was terrified. "Do you want to go back to Springhill? It's only a few miles back. We can get a room there for the night."
"Yes." She whispered. "I would like that."
The walk back helped. As did getting something to eat for lunch.
Once they were alone in the room, she closed the blinds, reverted to her natural form, and collapsed on the bed. "Garek, I must apologize for my behavior."
"No apologies. It wasn't something you meant to do. Maybe I-"
"No, this is my issue. You could not have known." She shook her head sadly. "But we still must determine how to address it. Unless we can avoid cities." His expression said it all. "Very well. We cannot, and I should not separate from you each time, so I must learn to overcome this. How?"
Garek frowned, and flipped on his Scroll, and learned a new word.
Enochlophobia. Irrational fear of crowds.
Not so irrational in this case. Totally rational for Selene.
Possible treatments: Mental health counseling. Which… you find in the city. Great. Not happening. Coping strategies. Okay that sounds more doable. Medications. Not sure about that one. Will medications work right with her biology?
He checked out coping strategies.
Desensitization through imagery and visualization. Ok. Yeah, that sounded good. Gradual exposure. That's harder… unless. No that's an idea too. Deep breathing and relaxation techniques. Another good one. He read them off to her.
"Yes. Yes, I would like to try this."
"Good. Let's spend the day working on that, and see where we are. Also, I want to delay entering until late in the evening, when it's quieter. Fewer people on the streets."
She nodded. "Yes… yes I agree."
Over the rest of the day, Garek dug into various relaxation techniques for her to practice, interspersed with showing her photos and videos of gradually larger settlements and groups of people. When she felt herself becoming anxious, she would close her eyes and concentrate on breathing.
It took three more days, and three more attempts before they were able to pass through the main gate of Argus. The second attempt, she actually made it to the point where she could see through the gate.
Garek ended up having to carry her halfway back to Springhill that time.
She was horrified after.
"I have never felt so… so… impotent!" she wailed once she had recovered at the inn. "What is wrong with me?"
"Lack of exposure. Lack of experience. This isn't irrational for you, Selene. I bet I would feel the same way walking into the Grimmlands." He shuddered. "Probably will feel the same way. Then it'll be your turn to be my rock."
The next day, Garek grew a brain. "Selene, I've got a better plan."
When evening fell, they left inn at Springhill carrying a few basics and a single change of clothes in one pack. After all of the false attempts, he had made arrangements to have their luggage packed up by the staff and sent to Argus directly by courier if they didn't return by morning.
He had also notified the hotel in Argus that they might... might be checking in that evening. They'd been very understanding so far. The hotel overlooked a large, wooded park and was pricy because of that.
But the most intelligent thing he'd done, was rent a modest limousine, and had it waiting for them in Springhill.
Selene took one look at it, with the large interior and shaded windows, and the look of relief and gratitude on her face almost made him weep.
"Here, have a drink," he said as he drew down additional sun shades in the interior, blocking out the scenery. "Probably not as good as whatever the hell you brought to the island that one time." He handed her a glass of wine and she felt the vehicle softly rumble down the road. She took a long sip, closed her eyes, and sighed.
"Garek, I love you. This is… much better."
"I should have thought of it earlier. The hotel has an enclosed drop off, too. And it's late, so there won't be a lot of people in the lobby either. Tomorrow morning, they'll deliver the rest of our luggage." She was leaned back against him, eyes closed, breathing evenly. "I got us a 'parkview' suite. I figure we'll take a few days after we've checked in, let you enjoy the view of the park, maybe take some walks. Get used to things that way."
"That sounds lovely." Breathe in. Breathe out. Another sip.
She vaguely heard when the vehicle stopped for a few minutes, and Garek lowered a window, passing their identification through and answering questions before it was returned. Then movement again. Then a halt in a covered and walled tunnel of some sort.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Sip wine.
When did the bottle become empty?
Why was the floor tilting?
...
This bed is rather comfortable.
Garek watched his fiancé gently sleep in the hotel bed. She would likely have a hangover in the morning, but he considered it mission accomplished. He walked over and opened the curtains. The park stretched out before him, bordered further out by rows of large and he was sure very expensive townhouses. Soft lamps illuminated what looked like walking or jogging trails.
But it didn't look nearly as intimidating as that gate, at least not to him. The morning would tell.
In a certain command center:
"Any updates, BA?"
The older man nodded. "GNU filled me in on the hotel. There's a park nearby we can use for the meet. Got a spot picked out for overwatch. You ready to make contact when I set it up?"
Pete shuddered. He hated the idea of this part. But GNU was too valuable to risk in the open, and they needed BA to keep them alive. "Yeah. First time we've gotten someone this far. I'll try not to piss myself."
"You may not be the only one. GNU gave me another report before she headed home, our guy... well I think it's actually a they at this point, spent three days trying to get through the gate.
Pete blinked. "Paranoia? Turned away at the gate?"
"Nope. Check out the search history report after the first attempt."
Fear of Crowds.
Enochlophobia.
Coping Mechanisms.
"Huh. You think he's got a partner with issues?"
"His profile has him doing a lot of traveling in the past, including large cities. Unless sudden onset is part of his recent need for solitude, I don't think it's him. GNU said whoever it is, they don't have a Scroll on them. She cross referenced to see if any others were hitting the same ping patterns as Garek's. Either that, or they're keeping it turned off, which is another sign they are playing it smart.
"Unless it's a DAWist."
"A DAWist suffering from whatever the fuck that word is? Somehow I doubt that. Sounds more like some backwoods village kid seeing the city for the first time to me.
Selene was doing better by the third day at the hotel. She avoided mornings and early evenings outside the room, but was comfortable watching the flow of people outside the window.
As long as the window was closed.
Later in the evening, when the crowds died down, they took long walks in the park. It was actually romantic, other than her getting twitchy when they'd come upon larger groups. One night there had been a juggler and a large crowd had gathered, and she had balked for a good thirty minutes, but they sat on a bench and worked through it together.
They didn't notice that they were being watched the entire time.
BA tapped Pete on the shoulder. "Confirmed. It's a woman. Looks pretty highborn. Same age as Garek. She's the one with the thing."
"Oh?"
"Affirmative. Posted up at overwatch yesterday evening. Caught them walking in the park. Clearly an item, similar age, hand in hand and all. She saw a crowd, locked up, and they fell back and spent a while on a bench. I could tell he was tending to her."
"Ok. So that's reassuring again. It's a couple huh. Nothing in his records about that?"
"Negative. Must be a new thing. Also not a village yokel, not the way she walks. Etiquette wise, she felt more like Atlas elite."
Pete laughed. "So highborn, but not used to people? Sounds like a fairy tale. Remember that one? The girl in the tower? Bet he rescued her from some psycho who kept her locked away from civilization, guarded by ferocious beasts."
BA scoffed. "You and your imagination."
"That's why you keep me around. Bet you 100 lien the story fits."
BA rolled his eyes. "Fine. That one I'll take. You know you always lose those."
"Not always, and make it 200 then."
BA stared at him. "Fuck it. Done."
[A/N] And so we introduce yet another set of original characters. BA (Bee-Ay), GNU (GuhNew) and Pete. We will learn more about them in the next chapter, and the role they may or may not play.
And it turns out Selene, not surprisingly, has serious issues with very large crowds and large cities, but is soldiering on with Garek's help.