In the Shadow of the Rings by Frank Kennedy (grave mercy .txt) 📕

For failure and defeat. For the horror that he did not lie dead alongside his brothers and sisters.

The next hours were an exercise in forward motion guided by panic on multiple fronts. He raced home and ducked inside before a neighbor saw his blood-draped visage. He showered and studied himself in the mirror, unable to find evidence of a single wound. He packed in a hurry, knowing ful wel the Constabulary would come around after identifying Kai’s body. If Shin Wain knew someone survived, he’d send assassins to track down every potential lead. Ryllen wasn’t going to wait around.

He lived on the streets before Kai found him; he’d do it again if necessary.

Before he left, however, Ryllen opened his jewelry box and recovered the memglass Muna Lin Jee gave him months ago after revealing his birthplace to be Earth.

“I believe you exist as part of a larger plan,” she said at the time. “I have long held a suspicion, but I don’t know whether to be terrified or enthral ed.”

He had never acknowledged the memglass after tossing it into the box. In time, it fel out of his memory altogether. Now, on a night when Ryllen wanted to be alone and grieve but had little choice other than to run, he tucked the memglass into a safe pocket.

He stopped at the door and looked back. He wanted to remember the best moments, but if he tried, the tears would come again. He didn’t have the luxury to hesitate.

Ryllen played it safe when he navigated his rifter onto the UpWay.

He stayed between the narrows, as they say, obeying al ITD laws.

Anything to avoid drawing attention. He broke off at the most convenient OutPass and surfaced the back streets to the Green Sun safehouse in Zozo. He didn’t explain himself to the landlord who kept an eye on the place for Lan Chua and crashed on a cot in a hidden room.

He never slept more than ten minutes at a time. His blood roiled with grief and rage. Sometime during mid-morning, a single knock on the door was followed by the whisper of paper slipped beneath.

The note was abbreviated, but Ryllen understood: LC. 944X.

Lan Chua was awaiting Ryllen’s cal via bicomm but altered his genetic link to receive on an encrypted channel. So, the rumors were true: Bicomms could be hacked. Ryllen opened the wrist-melded device and entered the new pathway extension to Lan’s known receptor code.

Only after Lan’s six-inch figure emerged above his wrist did Ryl en realize he never prepared for this moment. Lan did not hide his fury.

“Nine bodies,” he announced. “We lost nine. If you want to walk out alive, you’d best have a good answer. How did you survive, RJ?

How are you in one piece?”

Cud. He thinks I was part of the setup. He thinks I’m a traitor.

It made sense. The intel was perfect but for one crucial sticking point. How could it have passed the vetting process without the work of a traitor? Ryllen refused to believe it. Everyone in Green Sun would have laid down their lives to save The Lagos. But this wasn’t going to satisfy Lan Chua, who must have felt the same panic. Were his enterprises collapsing around him?

This was not a moment for the truth, so Ryllen improvised.

“It was Kai,” he said. “Kai changed the plan at the last minute.

He said we needed to guard our rear flank, so he stationed me outside the Swal ows. He was afraid Shin Wain would bring a large security detail. But it was a trap, Lan. From the inside. There were no immos. They were trained, and they knew where we’d be. I came in after the firing started. I … I froze when I saw what happened.

They left on the boats.”

Lan sighed. “Shin Wain? Did you see him?”

“No. He never came.” Ryllen hated himself. “Kai was wrong. We all were. We didn’t see it coming. I’m so sorry, Lan. I failed.”

“Not you, RJ. Me. I failed to see how organized our enemy had become. I wil not make this mistake again.”

Ryllen sniffled. “What do I do now?”

“You’l need time. I’ve sent an agent to your flat in case the Constabulary hasn’t yet visited. They’re pathetic investigators, but I don’t wish to make it easy for them. My agent wil remove any compromising evidence. In the meantime, stay where you are for a few days. Afterward, we’l move you. Perhaps a few weeks at Barrio before you return to active duty.”

“Thank you, Lan. I’m stil a patriot. I’m stil with you.”

“I apologize for doubting, RJ. Give yourself time to recover. I’l be in touch soon.”

After the cal ended, Ryllen relaxed about fifteen seconds before considering a terrifying possibility: Lan needed to clean up this mess before it tracked back to him. He spent years organizing Green Sun while maintaining one of the