Chapter 33

Freyja didn't release Damien from her psychic hold until Gunner, Zoe, and Odin were well out of sight. He lurched forward, barely catching himself before falling, then stumbled a few more steps until he realized he couldn't catch up to them. His shoulders slumped.

"Where's your car?" Freyja asked.

He turned around in shock. "What?"

"Where's your car at? Y'all came in Gee's. Where'd you put your's?" she clarified her question.

He shook his head, tears in his eyes, then doubled over sobbing while holding the sides of his head. "Does it matter? They're gone. Oh my God. Gee and Zoe are gone. Fuck, I'm so so stupid."

"They'll be fine. Odin's with them," Freyja said with a sigh.

"Huh," Page said from behind her. They cracked a slight smirk when Freyja looked toward them. "You were able to stop him from moving because of the Link, right?"

She uncrossed her arms and marched toward Kira-217. "You can't tell me you didn't know Gee and Damien had agreed to wait. You're watching everything we do at all times, right?"

Kira-217 shrugged. "Yes. We are always watching and listening."

"You agreed to let him get bit anyway. Why?"

"To prove that it's safe, of course. I'd join the Link too if 217 thought she could handle it," Kira said. "Theoretically, I should be able to process the necessary information, but it is untested for a Local Probe to be connected to the Link via a Host. I lack the data to certifiably say it is 'safe.' That said, if you attempt to interfere again, I will neutralize you, Freyja."

She took a deep breathe then let it out. Interlacing her hands on the back of her head, she spoke in Hive Standard, "Do you even have a real plan?"

Kira-217's lip curled for a moment before her expression switched to one of nervous joy. She clapped her hands lightly in front of herself and swayed a little. Freyja was certain she'd struck a nerve. Whatever Kira-217's plan was, it was no longer viable, if it had ever really been. Page seemed like a sensible person that wouldn't go along with a bad idea. However, an alien war machine could pressure even the most intelligent people into doing dumb shit at the point of a particle cannon. The fact that Page hadn't said anything regarding Kira-217's threat made Freyja seriously consider that they too had been threatened in a similar way to 'help' the Local Probe.

"Alright, so. We've got a few people coming that should get here in a couple hours. They had a little hiccup on the way but they've got a clear shot now," Kira-217 said.

Freyja gave everyone in the area a quick once-over to better assess whether she'd need to make a run for it with Damien. The Brothers of Fervor were mostly on their side of the fence, anxiously looking to Lawrence for direction. He stood firm with his shoulders square as if he saw this sort of thing every day. Damien hadn't gotten up from where he'd collapsed outside the gate. Bumble Bee did his best to console him by rubbing his head against his pants legs. Freyja wanted to do something, to help Damien, but she was still too angry about his decision. Kait, clearly overwhelmed, continued to go about her morning routine on autopilot, quietly checking on the cats in the barn. Page watched everyone with the eyes of a hawk, repeatedly looking Sam over from head to toe as he continued to film what was happening. Out of everyone, they were able to keep themself the most calm and composed in face of being atomized by giant fucking space guns on an invisible warship.

"Camera guy, have we met before?" Page finally asked, breaking the awkward tension.

"What? Who? Me?" Sam asked, pointing to himself while holding his phone steady to film.

"Yeah. I feel like we've met before," Page explained taking a few casual steps forward.

Sam shook his head. "You watch my stream?"

"Don't think so. What's it called?"

"'Thunderskull Games.' I usually stream 'Maze of Duty,' 'Assassin's Edge,' and sometimes 'Fort Watch.' I had this really kickass V-tuber model for awhile. It was a demon skull with flaming eye sockets but it stopped working because of a software update," Sam replied.

Page shook their head. "Nope. Didn't get that in prison. Haven't really ever been much for watching other people play games. Makes me dizzy. Weird. I can't shake the feeling I know you from somewhere."

"Did you say 'prison?'" Sam asked, his voice a squeak.

Page rounded their path, turning their boots' heels on the dry dirt and dead grass to face Kira-217. "I think it's time for me to join the Link. We can show Freyja that it's safe for someone who's allergic to cats. Then, she can convince her brother to calm down and come back."

"Why would we want Gunner Vincent to return, at all?" Kira-217 asked coldly.

Page shrugged. "Given the current situation, it's unlikely everyone you vetted will make it here. We need all the people we can get. The fact that Freyja was able to successfully pair with Odin means her brother has a higher likelihood of being compatible as well, correct?"

Kira-217 weighed this idea with herself before nodding. "Yes. It does increase the odds of anyone related to her being compatible."

"And the fact that she's demonstrated her aptitude for using her powers is also a reason we should do everything we can to keep Freyja here with us as an ally, no?" Page asked.

Kira-217 gripped the strap of her purse tightly before nodding again and speaking through grit teeth, "Yes."

"I could just leave and go back to the Armory. It's not like you need the guns," Freyja offered.

"Oh no, no. You can't go back," Kira-217 said quickly.

"Why not?" Freyja asked.

"Because it's not there anymore."

"What?"

Kira-217 pursed her lips then looked a bit guilty before the air over the empty span of yard catty-cornered to Kait's house and the barn rippled. The Armory appeared, resting at an angle so as to miss two large trees. It wasn't hooked up to any of the existing power lines but the air conditioner on the side of the building kicked on.

"We moved it last night. Weren't able to bring the concrete slab, but we repurposed the safes to make a metal floor for you. All your belongings are inside. The food and weapons have been sorted and labeled. 217 even repaired the infantry armor, so it works," Kira-217 explained. Nervously adding, "Surpriiiise."

"And yet you wanted to shoot me," Freyja said.

"The Armory was moved before I reached the conclusion that I may need to neutralize you," Kira-217 said.

"You threatened to do it yesterday," Freyja pointed out.

"I threatened to neutralize a lot of people yesterday."

"No one's neutralizing anyone," Page assured. "What we are gonna do is set me up with a cat. I know you've got one picked out. Let's get this ball rolling."

***

Sherlock was a big, haggard, fluffy orange cat with the typical clipped ear denoting that he'd been fixed. He was easily bigger than Odin, when the latter wasn't strutting around pretending to be Human. He appeared composed and calm, but in the time it took for Kira-217 to fetch him from the barn and set him on the ground he'd already displayed delayed reactions to things. Freyja suspected he had some neurological issue beyond the alien worm residing in his skull. Odin's warning that Page shouldn't be paired with Sherlock in particular echoed through Freyja's mind.

"I think you should pick a different cat," Freyja said.

"This is the highest ranking Hive member in this entire sector," Kira-217 said. "He has a remarkable war record."

Freyja clapped her hands once, loudly.

Sherlock didn't flinch.

"See. He is a professional," Kira-217 said.

"It'll be fine," Page said.

Sherlock's fur fluffed up as he twitched, then caught himself before he fully jumped to his feet. He looked around, ears swiveling, then finally calmed himself enough to sit, bringing his tail back around his side. Freyja was no expert on cats but it was a hel of a late reaction.

"Page. I know we just met, but seriously. Find another cat," Freyja warned. "Please."

They waved a hand at her. "I remember what your's said last night and I saw it too. It's fine. Any damage to his Host can be fixed once he's got his powers activated. It'll resolve after I join the Link. Besides, I'm not dying here today. I have faith."

"You have faith in Kira-217?" Freyja asked skeptically.

"No. Not really. No offense, y'all are amazing, but no. I mean," Page paused and shut their eyes for a moment. "When Butcher killed my bike club. When his men killed my friends and I nearly died, I saw my god. Loki was there and I was warm, safe. They told me I'd make it. That I'd survive. I feel that same way right now. I have faith."

Freyja crossed her arms. She believed in the gods herself, but this situation didn't feel right. Something at the back of her mind itched and it wasn't the Link itself, even though she was sure Sprinkles had picked up fleas based on how much he'd been scratching all morning. The rest of the barn cats were flea free, so where he'd acquired the parasites was a mystery.

"Fine," she finally said.

Page let out a little laugh then knelt down toward Sherlock, extending their hand toward his mouth. "I'm ready."

The cat looked at them after a moment, then to their hand, then to Kira-217 who smiled.

"This is your Spark," she said in Hive Standard.

Sherlock turned back toward Page's hand, opened his mouth, and bit down, hard. They didn't move or shy back when it happened, staying firm as the cat's teeth drew blood. After staying latched to Page's hand the cat finally let go and remained where he sat. Freyja felt both Page's mind and Sherlock's join the Link as Page sat up more straight. She could feel their faith that it would work out radiating from them like a bonfire.

"Huh. I get it," they said. Their eyelid twitched. "Huh. I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it."

Kira-217's hands went up, covering her mouth. "Oh no."

"I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it."

"Oh no. Oh no no no, fuck," Kira-217 said.

"I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it."

Freyja's heart sank as Page repeated the same sentence, over and over while remaining stone still where they knelt. Sherlock, meanwhile stayed where he was seated as well, blinking slowly.

Madness, she cursed.