Trekking across the district to get bae sucked, not because of the occasional Antithesis patrol, but because I was soooo tired at this point. It was a miracle that I made it to the alley without any issues. Before I went to the door I handed my CAR to Bandit ahe bears out on patrol. The st thing I needed right now was to expin myself to everyone, and spend the few hours keeping the kiddies from toug ons. I had dealt with enough terror today as it is.

  I called the basement that I squatted in, along with a few others, the Burrow. It was hidden down a blind alley, and it was a fy pce, at least pared to other pces I’d stayed in. The most importaure, however, was the solid steel celr door which we could secure during the occasional gang war, or incursion. Nearly everyone in the district had a bolt hole or hiding pce, when trouble went down you could only hope yours was more secure than your neighbours. Who knows how many of them survived a model three bashing them.

  Fortunately it looked like the door had survived unscratched during the incursion, unfortunately it was this same feature that reventing me from getting some sleep right now. I briefly sidered blowing the door open, before calling An.

  “Teddy?”

  “Ahe door”

  There ause, “What?”

  I felt the er of my right eye twitch, “Open the door so I get in or I’m going to smother you with a pillow the ime you go to sleep”

  “You’re outside? Shit.”

  I could hear movement below, there was a sliding noise, and the door popped open. Finally.

  If I had to describe An, I would call him a nky idiot. He was around six foot, had sandy blond hair, and a habit of annoying me. I didn’t hate the guy, we grew up together, but he overreacted every time there was a gunshot and alert in the area. It kept the squirts alive and drove me nuts. Now he stood irance.

  “Holy shit Teddy, where have you been.” He paused, actually looking at me, “You look like shit”

  I gave him a smile which didn’t reach my eyes, “Gee, thanks An. You want to get out of the way? I’m fug exhausted and you’re standing in my way.”

  He grunted, but stepped aside. Halfway dowairs I stopped, “You hear from Marcus or Jeni?" I asked in a half whisper.

  He turned away, no tact was a bad sign, but it wouldn’t be the first or st time someone disappeared. I patted him on the back, “Don’t worry about it until this Incursion is over, Marcus knows what he’s doing, most of the time. He’s probably just stuewhere just like Jane.”

  An smmed the steel bar back down to lock the door while I took the st few steps down, bae. It wasly gmorous, no more than te wide and thirty feet long; we made do with what we had. Cloth dividers were hung down from the roof to create rough dividers. The back had a series of mattresses for people to sleep on, the front had a table, a few chairs, a ste et for nutriblocks, and a couch. My couch. Mostly because I was the only one short enough to sleep on it fortably. I guess one of the kids could have slept there, but the beds were more fortable, I'd feel guilty if one of them had to sleep there instead of me. Besides, it was always safer having one of the eldest being closest to the door, you never know who, or what, might try to get in.

  I couldn't use the couch right away anyways, it was occupied by the most adorable member of roup.

  “Teddy!” The little girl pretty muched herself across the room when she saw me, her long dark hair trailing behind her, a weathered frog plushie in her hands. I had to brace myself or risk getting knocked over, then I gently embraced her. “Hey Issi.”

  Isabelle was the you, out of roup. Jane found her wandering the markets a few years ago, abandoned, just like the rest of us. She was only five now, not quite old enough to learn a job, but soon one of us would have to teach her. She looked up at me, “An said you were being a moron, running around with the baddies out there”

  I heard An freeze behind me, he knew he’d screwed up. I just patted Isabelle’s head, I’d deal with An ter. “Don’t worry about it, I know how to take care of myself.” The girl nodded.

  The ure in the room hadn’t moved since I arrived. Head down oable, eyes closed. Eddie was eight, and not a people person. An had been dragging him around teag him how to be a courier, so the boy had been stantly exhausted the st week. sidering everyone had been locked inside all day I couldn’t uand why he’d be exhausted now, I would have to ask An about it ter.

  I took Issi’s hand and walked over to the couch. “I’d love to hear about your day, but Teddy is really tired right now. We’ll talk in the m, okay?” The girl outing, but she still nodded. It reminded me of my own childhood after Karen and Angelo found me. I remember them being stantly exhausted, doing whatever it takes to put enough food oable for everyone. I didn’t uand then, I do now.

  I ruffled Issi’s hair, “Thanks kiddo”. I id down on the coud was almost immediately asleep.

  **********************

  I was awoken by gunshots, a lot of gunshots. Pulling the time up in my Augs I saw that I’d been asleep for barely three hours. Part of me wao scream, the rger, rational side of me wao avoid waking everyone else if possible.

  I had to whisper to avoid b everyone, “Nyx…”

  Evelyn.

  “Are there rubber bullets avaible for the Bckpaw?”

  There are.

  “Then please provide a couple clips for each of the bears, thehem to politely ence the gangs to go fuck off. I ’t believe they couldn’t even wait one FUG day before fighting over territory.” I cmped my mouth shut, took a few deep breaths, and tried to calm down.

  It’s done.

  “Thank you. I’ll have to add ‘deal with the gangs’ to the list of all the other shit I have to deal with tomorrow.” I rolled over and tried to fall back asleep.

  ************

  I’m normally a light sleeper, but I mao sleep through Aing the kids up and ready for the day. I did ma myself out of bed and over to the table when everyo down for breakfast.

  Issi was humming happily, Eddie ig tiny pieces of his nutriblock off aing it piece by piece, An was staring. Rude.

  “What’s with the clothes, I didn’t notice st night but those aren’t the same duds you left with yesterday. How did you mao find aupid hoodie with bear ears?”

  “It’s one of the few perks of my new job killing aliens.”

  An’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a Samurai now?”

  The children’s eyes so me, nutriblocks halfway to their mouths. An looked at me in doubt, Isabelle and Eddie in admiration. “That’s sooo cool Teddy,” Eddie said.

  “No it’s not,” I replied. “I have to fight alien monsters, and if I don’t people may die. I don’t eve paid for it. It’s bullshit.” I usually tried to avoid swearing around the kids, guess I wasn’t awake enough to filter myself yet. Fuck.

  Isabelle dropped her Nutriblo surprise, I mao catch it before it hit the floor and ha back to her.

  “Is it really that bad? Are you going to get hurt?” she asked, tearing up. Fuow I’d screwed up and upset her.

  I petted her on the head, trying to calm her down. “No, I’m not going to get hurt. Look at me now, I’m perfectly fier fighting them all night aren’t I?” the little girl looked me up and down, then nodded, “We don’t lie to you kids about how bad things are here; Maybe I make things a little bit better!” I didn’t lie to them about the district, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell them the truth about getting injured.

  Issi nodded again, sniffing a little, a tiny smile on her faailed it. I gnced over at Eddie, he’d already lost i a back to his nutriblock.

  “Don’t worry about me, I won’t do anything stupid. I’m just going to work on making things a little safer around here.” This time An scoffed. I shot him a death gaze, he could doubt me all he wanted, just not in front of the kids.

  “Anyways, I’m going to head over to the Shelter and see if I figure out how to clear up the Antithesis and make it safe for everyoo go outside again. Maybe I figure out how to fix up the shelter and make it safer for everyone in the distri case this happens again. Doesn’t that sound good?” The little girl nodded, enthusiasm returning to her face.

  “Alright, then I better be off. You two behave for An.”

  I started walking out, waving over my shoulder, when An grabbed my shoulder. “You’re insane. More so than usual. You’re just going to say something like that and leave? What if something happens?”

  I shook off his hand, then pulled him down closer to me so I could whisper. “I spent all day yesterday fighting fug aliens, and they’re still all over the district. Most sane people won’t leave their houses right now. If I don’t do something it’ll be days before it’s either safe, or the Antithesis re-establish themselves.” I stood up straight. “Besides, I’m going to leave you some prote outside. Just look after the kids, and lock up after I leave. I’ll call you ter”

  He stared at me for a long moment then nodded. I let him go up first and remove the bar, that thing was fug heavy. I stepped out into the alley and looked around.

  “Nyx, call the bears back. Dusty stays here, just in case.”

  Got it, are you actually heading to the shelter?

  “I am”

  Then you should stop by Leah’s pd expin why you disappeared yesterday.

  I stumbled, realisation dawning on me. “Oh shit”