Overflow - Chapter 3.1

Reece had always wanted to know more about the supposed mysteries of the Great Black Mire. It was considered one of the most hostile places on the planet after the Sinking. An almost endless swamp, flooded by the oceans of the old world long ago. Of course there was still dry land, not dry, but solid enough to stand on.

The mud, the salt, and the ever rising oil, tainting everything. Sometimes so much so that it became toxic. The Mire didn’t seem like a very desirable place to live, but the obvious need for oil made it a trading hub between the few nations left, both new and reformed.

The mystery behind the existence of the railway and the citadels themselves baffled the mind of many, often so much that they were revered as divine.

Despite his best efforts Reece could get no new information on the outside world out of Soria. She was his only conduit of outside information, the contracts she formed before she settled at citadel-50 often came with a titbit or two of the goings on in the world, such as the political climate of the nations or if the Cluster had made any noticeable expansions. Sometimes a few personal notes from Soria’s stock suppliers, like how their family was faring, or complaints about shipping fees. Those were incredibly boring and useless, Reece was only after information that were about the world, not its people.

Re-reading the poorly handwritten note in his hands, Reece revelled in the fresh information it delivered. There was an end to conflict between several minor nations across the sea to the east, the result of that was a newly formed nation encompassing a large area. That nation would have to trade with the Great Black Mire if it wanted to sustain itself, therefore this message was equally good for Soria. Reece had deducted that if reformed nations now had the resources to expend on war and territorial expansion rather than unorganised violence, then in a grim sense, the world was progressing. After all, war was the best motivator for new ideas and inventions… even if they were meant for slaughter they could later be repurposed and modified for the betterment of others.

Thoughts and queries aside, Reece scanned the rest of the note, squinting in the fading sunlight. Finding nothing other than business ledgers and shipping orders, he handed it back to Soria. She leant against a weathered piece of railing, overlooking the wetlands forty feet below. The sun was a deep orange ball slowly sinking into the mud, a grove of spearroot trees casting long shadows that seemed to dance on the water. The waning sunlight was warm on Reece’s skin and the air was uncharacteristically cool. It was serene, even the consistent smell of swamp had died down. But still Reece was frustrated, excruciatingly so.

Where the hell had this Quint gone off too? Reece knew every nook and cranny of the citadel. His childhood had consisted of using them to shirk duties and his time working maintenance had led him to discover no shortage of carefully positioned crags that someone nimble could worm inside of and remain unseen.

“Okay… one more time.” Soria said suddenly, breaking his train of thought. “We have searched every room, every hall, and we still can’t find this guy. I thought you knew every conceivable place he could be?” she stretched, her limber frame highlighted in the suns glare. Reece had told her she was too thin, and that she should try and eat more. But she refused to take Reece’s rations.

“I do know every place, you know that as well.” Reece said, visibly frustrated. “Maybe he’s moving around, staying one step ahead of us? Or… or maybe he’s already left?”

“Standing around making suggestions about where he went is great and all, but if he’s already left then I don’t see the point of doing this.” She said.

Reece grimaced, he hated to admit but she was right, they were wasting time which is probably exactly what this guy wants. Maybe they could ask Vicar Wilton? No he would probably become apprehensive. One of his associates? No they would probably act the same under Wilton’s orders. Tapping the side of his leg Reece stared blankly at a series of pipes and tubing, despite having the know-how of fixing the infrastructure, he couldn’t piece together what it was for. He traced the pipes upwards, they didn’t seem to lead anywhere in particular until they diverged into a small nook on the outside of the citadel.

His eyes widened, this Quint bastard could probably be above their heads right now, and if not here then maybe elsewhere. No wonder they couldn’t find him, Reece never would’ve guessed climbing up the pipes after all he would just have to fix them if they got damaged.

“Up there.” Reece said, pointing. Soria followed his finger and saw the nook. “Can you climb?” he asked.

“Why me? Can’t you climb?” she asked, suddenly apprehensive.

Confused Reece responded. “Yeah I can, I’m just heavy I don’t want to damage anything.”

“Well, Reece. I hate to remind you because it shames me so. I am deathly afraid of heights, I can’t go up there.” She said, her face was turned away from him. He cursed silently, it was rare for Soria to show any sort of reaction to anything other than with him. But even Reece rarely got to see her flustered, if only it weren’t for the sunlight hiding her face in its glow.

He chuckled. “I know, I was just teasing you.” Soria had unabashedly explained she was terrified of heights after he invited her to investigate someone’s disappearance on the other side of the Railway. The task had involved scaling the heights of the railway and walking along it, something she was not too fond of. At first he wanted to tease her for admitting she wasn’t the stone cold hard woman she appeared to be. But he soon realised that the only way for her to open up more, was if he accepted that fact, and not exploited it for his own amusement.

“And you failed. Now get up there.” She said.

Reece sighed. He took off his heavy protective boots and began the scramble up the pipes. He’d done it before so he found it relatively simple to get up there. When he finally reached the top he found nothing, looking back down at her, he shook his head. He reviewed his options on the way down. If Quinton was climbing upwards to hide from them or Wilton, and then moving about behind their backs. That would mean he would have to stop for rest at some point. Some of the nooks were far too small for even a child to sit in so that rules them out. That only left…

“He could be just hiding amongst the crowds.” Soria said, he had managed to get down and now stood beside her. She was sweating.

“Why are you sweating? You didn’t do anything.” He said with a confused look on his face.

“No reason.” She said dismissively. “So where, may I ask, have we checked already?” she asked, but her tone suggested she knew something.

“We already checked the common areas. Both the kitchens and eatery were empty. So were the restrooms and living quarters. What’s your point?” Reece said, confused.

Soria grinned. “And that is why you need me, my friend.”

“Wha-?”

“They were empty. Of course he wouldn’t hide there.” She looked out at the sun which had almost fully dipped below the horizon. The florescent lights behind them had flickered on a while ago and they made an awful humming noise. They also attracted a small swarm of bugs. “Most of the workers would be in the eatery by now, and the kitchens will be bustling with activity. A few may linger around the living quarters and naturally there would be people in the restrooms.”

Reece gasped. “Hiding in plain sight. In amongst the crowd right, and since he has a maintenance jumpsuit, unlike the other Reliant’s, he’ll blend right in.”

“Exactly.” Soria smiled and playfully punched her friend in the shoulder. “You catch on quick my student.”

“Shut up, I won’t help you do marketing if you call me that again. Do you know how annoying it is spending your down time walking around with a sign, yelling at people?”

She paused, and shrugged. “Oh well, I’ll find someone better to do it.”

“No wait, I was joking. I take it back I’ll help you with your marketing just don’t call me your student.” Reece said. He inadvertently tried to maintain a calm demeanour, despite panicking a little because he knew she would follow through with her statement. Soria snickered quietly, covering her mouth in a vain attempt to hide her sneer. He had obviously failed at keeping the panic of his face.

“Cute, I’ll give you that much. Fine then I let you help me with my marketing and you let me call you my student. After all I taught you to do that poker face.”

Reece sighed. “And now you’re the one doing the negotiating… I just can’t win can I?”

“No you can’t” She said matter-of-factly. “Anyway we have to go find this Quint guy, let’s not waste any more time.”