Disclaimer: Death and Injury

Somewhere safe, yeah right. I had no idea where we were running to. I just wanted us to get as far away as possible from the knight and those bots. None of this was supposed to happen! They promised me we would be safe.

“Twenty copper.”I stared at the old saleswoman. She couldn’t be serious. All I had asked for was four pieces of day-old bread.

“It was ten last week!” There was no way I could afford this. I only had ten pieces of copper in my pouch. 

“Bring it up with the king, son. He requested money from all shop owners throughout the kingdom so that he could have more metal for those damn bots.”

I groaned, of course. “I don’t understand why he needs so many ValBots! At this point there are more bots than there are knights.”

“You didn’t hear?” She looked around and leaned in close to me. I could smell the stale tea on her breath and her graying hair tickled my face. “There’s been rebel attacks in other towns on the ValBots and knights. They’re giving the knights more of those bots in hopes of finding the traitors.”

This was news to me. I haven’t heard of anyone opposing Valotire before. “Rebels?” I said in disbelief. 

She shushed me and looked around once more. “Keep your voice down boy. Valenor forbid a knight overhears us. But yes, my cousin that works in the capital wrote warning me of increased taxes due to the damage of rebels. Now don’t go talking about lest you want to die.”

I nod my head. “Of course.” She stood straight once again. 

“Now like I was saying, twenty copper for the bread son.”

“Mimi, please twenty copper is too much. That’s five short from a silver piece.” I toss my coin pouch on her stand. The girls were counting on me to get dinner tonight even if it was just a few pieces of old bread. “This is all I have.”

She counted the copper in the pouch and made a face. “There’s only ten in here, boy.”

“I know.” 

“I can give you two pieces of bread.” She began to put the other two pieces back. Two pieces wouldn’t be enough to feed all of us.

I felt bad for what I did next. “I’m sorry Mimi.” I swiped the four pieces of bread from her and ran. I left my ten copper with her. I knew she wouldn’t call the knights on me, after all I’ve known her since I was a child. I used to visit her stall with my parents before they passed away.

I heard Mimi gasp and then shout, “knights a thief!” 

Well shit. I wasn't expecting that. I took off running into a small neighborhood in hopes that the knights and ValBots wouldn't be able to spot me. Houses here had seen better days. Many were decayed and held together with random wood pieces. Tarps were used to create makeshift roofs to block out rain. The street was crowded with people milling about and children playing.

I was sure that I would get caught by the ValBots, but I would give them one hell of a chase. I ran wildly bumping into people. 

“Stop you thief!” Ah damn the knight found me, so that means…

CLANK CLANK CLANK 

I glanced over my shoulder and as I thought, three ValBots were gaining on me. I kept running. I knew if I were caught I would be publicly beaten for stealing by the bots and would lose all the food I took. I urged my body to go faster. I felt light headed from all the running. 

I felt someone grab me suddenly as I ran by a small alley. Before I could fight I was pulled in and thrown into something soft? I peered up and saw a sweaty chubby face with a receding hairline looking back at me. I gasped in surprise. I tried to push myself off this man, but he held me pinned down to his chest in an iron grip with his burley arms. 

“Let me go!” I struggled in his grasp. Damn it, I needed to get away, I could hear the ValBots getting closer. Was this guy trying to get me caught? 

I was shoved forcefully to the ground.“Violetta, now.” A cloak was thrown on top of me. I tried to take it off.

“Don’t” A firm voice spoke. I peaked out from under the cloak, a woman with red curly hair springing from her own cloak was standing in front of me. 

“Wha-” The woman shushed me and I soon understood why. 

CLANK CLANK CLANK

The ValBots were here. I was about to be caught and it was all because of these wackos. I looked towards the alleyway's mouth. I held my breath waiting for the bots to appear, but to my surprise they kept walking. They walked right past the alleyway. Soon I could no longer hear the footsteps of the ValBots. I looked at the man and woman confused. 

“How?” This shouldn’t have been possible. The ValBots should have sensed me hiding here on their scanners. 

The pair shared a look and seemed to come to an agreement. The woman who I assumed was Violetta spoke. 

“The cloaks are weaved with something special to block the scanners of the bots.”

I noticed that they too were wearing the same type of cloak that was draped on me. “That’s impossible, nothing should be able to mess with the ValBots.” I stood up and stretched the cloak out in front of me. It looked no different from any other black cloak. 

“That’s what they want you to think, son.” The plump man stepped closer to me and took the cloak out of my hands. “The ValBots aren’t invincible as they seem.”

I stared at the man then the woman. I had a growing suspicion that these people might be part of the rebels Mimi mentioned to me. “Who are you two?”

“No one that you should worry about.”

Violetta came near the man and hesitated to touch his arm, ultimately she decided not to. Her hand stilled to her side.“Commander Raylin, is that necessary?”

“Violetta what have I said about questioning your superious?” He spoke this calmly but I could see how his words affected Violetta. She shrank into herself. 

“Sorry sir.” she whispered out and looked away. 

This commander guy seemed like a total asshole from what I just witnessed. Before I could get a word out to knock him down a peg or two, he began to speak again. 

“I have a proposition for you kid. I-”

“I’m not a kid.” I blurted out, interrupting him. 

I could see his eye twitch. “As I was saying, I have a proposition for you as I did save your life. I’ll give you one gold piece if you can do a job for us.” 

This piqued my interest. One gold piece was a lot of money I didn’t have.“A job?” I looked at him skeptically. 

“Yes. You see the ValBots are operated by a core inside their bodies that their knight controls. I need those cores for something important and I want you to get them for me.”

He couldn’t be serious, that was way too dangerous. Any deliberate attacks on any knight or ValBot would be given the crime of treason with a penalty of death. “No way, that would be suicide!” I looked at him like he was crazy. 

“It won’t be with this.” He shook the cloak he had taken from me in my face. “You saw how this cloak made you invisible to the ValBot scanners. With the cloak this plan would be foolproof.”

He did have a point, the cloak did just save me from the ValBots. “What about the knight?”

“You’ll have to knock him out before he sees you.”

This didn’t sound like a one person plan. “Am I allowed to bring others to assist me?”

He looked at me like I was stupid. “Naturally boy. So what do you say?”

With the cloaks this did seem like a good plan and the money was good. That one gold piece would last us a while. I’m sure the others would understand once I explained the plan to them and how safe it was. “Okay.”

“Good, meet me here in two weeks time to gather the cloaks and supplies you’ll need. You’ll complete the job the day after then.” He turned away and started to walk out the alley. “Violetta, come.”

Violetta glanced at Raylin and then at me. “What's your name and how many other people will assist you?” 

I looked at her mystified. Why did she need to know how many people were going to help me? “Felix and three others.” Confusion was apparent in my voice. 

She seemed to understand. “It’s so I know how many cloaks I need to make.” I nodded in understanding.

Commander Raylin exited the alleyway. Violetta took notice. “It was nice to meet you Felix.” She began walking away. “Oh by the way you’ll get paid once Commander Raylin receives the cores.” she called over her shoulder. 

She too left and I began to make my way home to Marcelie, Daphne, and Celeste.

I should have turned down the job that day. Now Celeste was dead and Daphne injured. And Marcelie, I have no idea what she did. She screamed and everything went too bright to see. The next thing I know the ValBots were powered down. Nothing made sense anymore. 

I kept dragging Marcelie along as I ran. Daphne’s weight was slowing us down, but I refused to leave her behind. I didn’t know where to go. We couldn’t head home. The knight saw our faces so they’ll look for us everywhere nonstop. A thought passed through my head. I was supposed to meet Violetta tonight in the same alleyway we met to give her the cores. Maybe she would offer us help once I told her what happened. 

I picked up the pace and ran to the alleyway.