Previously:

"Murder of our Representative Ryan!"

"Ryan and his family were safe in their house when the Ghost of Archimedes struck and killed all of them. No one knows how he got in and there's no evidence of where he went afterward. What will happen now? There will be a ceremony on the representative floor at the end of the week from 08:00 am to 10:00 pm. Please show your support during these dire times."

Present:

     In the morning Sam sent a text to Robin first thing, just like she promised herself, and within moments there was a reply tone coming from her phone. Sam, just getting dressed to go to work, cringed at the impending scorn from her friend. Looking at the screen and there it was, in all caps,

WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN? ARE YOU OK?

Sam winced, hearing Robin's voice in her head and quickly responded

Yeah, it's kinda a long story... want to meet up after work in the food market?

You better have a good reason sam! I've been worried sick about you! Literally sick and pretty sure I've lost hair!

    Sam laughed to herself, she completely believed that Robin was worried but the idea of Robin, the stoic, badass, chick that she is, pulling her hair out? Amused Sam. Gathering up the last of her belongings that she would need for work. Sam headed out the door and heading up to The System floors to get back to her engines.

     The walk there was pretty unremarkable and once she got to her station, Sam opened her workplace app on her phone to see what kind of issues were going on in her station. Not surprising, everything was red with needing immediate attention. No one had bothered to keep up her station while she was gone, and all the engines were in need of some preventative maintenance. One was actually down and no longer running due to mystery reasons. Sam sighed Well, what else did I expect? Going to be one hell of a day. Grabbing her grease gun, oil jug, and flashlight, for some of the unlit areas of her station. Sam headed down the rows to do her daily work.

     Seven in the evening rolled around and Sam still hadn't gotten to all the engines, but if she kept it up, she knew she would end up falling asleep up here and Robin was probably waiting for her. Both of which were on Sam's 'DO NOT' list. Putting her tools away Sam was covered in grease and smelled like it too. Ugh gross, I better take a shower before meeting up with Robin. Grabbing her phone, Sam sent a quick text to Robin.

Hey, running behind due to work. Going to take a shower and then I'll see you down there?

No worries, I’ll just meet you on your floor and we'll go down together?

Sure, just give me 30 min.

     Sam headed back to her floor, passing by others who were still working and some sleeping wherever they could. Looking at them Sam shook her head; she could never understand how people could do that. It was too vulnerable of a position in her opinion, to be sleeping out in the open. 

     Getting to the Representative's floor there was double the security and cart with a blood tester. There wasn't much of a line, just a few people waiting their turn with their ID's out. Like the phone guys, they were asking for random areas of bare skin for the prick of blood, from fingers to calves. When it was Sam's turn they asked for her wrist and pressed the machine against her inner wrist and with a *ding* they matched the screen with the ID and waved her inside the hallways so they could test the next person.

     It was weird walking on the Reps. floor, the memory of passing out was still fresh, and the idea that a family had been murdered on the other side of the wall was unnerving. There were more people than usual, and Sam was thankful for that at least. Getting off the floor quickly Sam got to her floor and went to her room to grab a fresh set of clothes and showering supplies. With 10 minutes to spare, Sam headed to the showers and scrubbed the stank off. Showers are busy tonight...

     Getting out and following the cleaning routine Sam walked out of the room and found Robin sitting against the opposite wall from her door looking at her phone. Robin was a tall lady with black curly hair tied back in a tight bun. She had bronze skin with honey eyes and was a skinny twig-like Sam, Robin looked up from her phone and spotted Sam walking down the hallway. Eyes going wide, Robin jumped up and rushed over to Sam. bending over to embrace her in a hug. Sam was shocked, Robin was never much of an affectionate person and rather kept her emotions to herself.

    Sam hugged back and tried to look at her friend's face to see if she was ok, but Robin just hid her face in Sam's hair. "Don't ever, EVER, disappear like that again," Robin mumbled in Sam's neck. Sam just nodded, too stunned to speak. Giving one last squeeze Robin let go and took a step back with a calm look on her face.

"So, what happened to you?"

"Let me tell you later, I'm starving and would rather not talk about it here," Sam said and started to walk to her room. Robin nodded and followed closely behind, it calmed Sam to have her friend back. They were inseparable most days and spent almost every evening together in the Marketplace or in Sam's room with a book. Putting her soap, towel, and sandals back in her room, Sam put on her boots and headed down the stairs with Robin.

     Robin had a lot to fill Sam in on, the biggest being the new security on the Rep's floor. Apparently, that system was also implemented on the higher floors as well. Also, they were taking more and more people in for questioning and increased the number of patrol officers on the Marketplace floor. Other than that, Robin's life had been pretty filled with worrying about Sam and spent the nights looking for her. Sam felt really bad about not getting a phone sooner and wished she could've let Robin know she was ok.

"Hey," Robin said while stepping down the stairs, "I've noticed you haven't coughed yet?"

"Yeah, I got better while I was gone, and I feel so much better."

"Must be nice not feeling like you're going to die every few minutes."

"You have no idea."

"Oh, I have a small idea. Remember I got sick last year and barely made through a frick' en fever."

"Fair enough. So, what do we want to eat?" Sam said as they reached the doors that led to the Marketplace.

"Hmmm, I think bread and sausages sound good?"

"Same. Let's do that."

     Sam and Robin headed to the bakery and then quickly to a butcher. Ugh, this and the bread I bought the other day... I'm overspending... I should have enough for food next week. Finding a quiet place under some trees the LED floodlights were starting to dim to signal only a couple hours left before everyone was due to leave. Robin spoke up after taking her first bite. "So, spill it," Sam told her story, or as much as she could remember, and updated her all the way up to waking up this morning.

"Ooooooh, so that's why there was a bounty-type reward out for information about your location. You know, they really painted you out to be a criminal?"

"Ya, guess I have terrible luck huh? Did they question you?"

"Of course. But I knew as little as they did so I wasn't any help. I actually think I met your Don and Annie too. Though they didn't give me their names, just asked when the last time was, I saw you and left. I wouldn't trust them, they have a bad air around them."

Sam thought back to Don and kindness he'd shown her so far, but then also remembered Juda and his disappearance. "Yeah, you're probably right."

     Sam could feel Robin staring at her, "I can't believe you ran into Ghost of Archimedes and are still alive... that guy is a monster." She said that last word with bitter disgust. Robin lost her parents to the ghost, she was a teenager working in the water filtration when it happened. When she got home, the only word Robin could describe the scene as was 'bloody' and she got this far away look that looked like someone who was about to lose it. Sam never asked again on the subject and empathized with Robin on losing her parents.

     Sam and Robin spent another hour talking to each other and catching up before finally heading back up to the Living Quarters. Robin was a few floors above Sam, so once they got to Sam's floor they hugged and separated. Robin gave Sam a stern look before letting her walk through the door " You better message me first thing in the morning, in fact I want a text every morning for two weeks to make sure you don't go off and disappear again."

Sam laughed and replied, "I promise mom."

"Uh huh," Robin said while rolling her eyes. "Have a good night."

"You too," Sam said and headed through the door so she could get to her room.