FSE

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Chapter 7

"Ryker! Whatever he does, whatever he says, do not_give in to his demands!"_

"Tess!" Ryker cried, pressing the phone against his ear. "What happened? Where are you!?"

Before he could get more, Zoom snatched the phone from his paw and ended the call, the bright, cheery shark giving him a pleasant smile that took on an entirely new light. The pointed-nosed shark with the bluish skin pocketed the phone. Maydoor remained entirely silent though there was the faintest smile pulling at the edges of the muzzle of the Fennec Fox; a mocking grin that chilled Ryker's racing heart.

"What the fuck did you do!?" Takoshi roared, storming forward.

Zoom coolly didn't resist as the big bear lifted him easily off the ground with one big fist. Even Maydoor was unfazed. "Think this through," chuckled the Mako shark jovially. "I'm sure you can dispose of us here and now. We're on your home turf. We're unarmed. There are some very sharp looking knives just a few feet away. I'm sure you could kill us easily or even try and torture us for information but really, what will that get you?"

"Some fucking satisfaction from cutting that smug grin off your face and sitting on it so you can kiss my ass!"

Zoom chuckled softly. "Colorful. Are you sure you're the IP? You certainly have the creativity of an Independent." Still hanging about a foot in the air, Zoom just looked down his snout at Takoshi, giving him this arrogant-mastermind-like look that had Ryker shrinking. "You could kill us. Hold us hostage. Torture us. But we're not stupid enough to walk in here with some plan."

Takoshi bared his fangs. "What the fuck are you talking about!?"

Decanter stepped in, gently prying the big, angry bear's paws from Zoom's collar. "You have to report back, don't you?" accused the rhino. "If you don't say something within a certain time frame, something bad happens."

The pointed-nose shark gave Decanter a toothy grin and shot a finger gun at him, even throwing a wink in to show his confidence. "You know how it is. We've got about..." He quickly checked a glamorous gold and black watch that was a stark contrast against his bluish-skin. "... fifteen minutes before some Corpsmen come charging in and your friend gets dragged into the Overworld."

Ryker paled. "Wait! She's not an Independent!"

"We know." Those two chilling words sent Ryker's mind reeling. "It's a big Overworld. Without an IP, she'll be defenseless out there. Without a Function or the App, she'll be torn apart by Zombies and maybe even killed by some spiteful IP that finally found a Host only to realize she isn't compatible. It'll be the Ultimate Overworld Survivor!"

Maydoor whispered something again and Zoom grinned broadly.

"I know right?" chirped the shark. "It's a great idea." Disconnected from the conversation, Maydoor went to his phone and began tapping on it, leaving the negotiation to Zoom. "You have no idea where we're keeping her so your chances of finding her before she gets mauled are slim to none. Not to mention we've got this place surrounded by Corpsmen both in and outside of the Overworld. You try to sneak out through there and you'll find it very hard to leave this place in time to save her."

Takoshi looked like he was about to say something when Decanter quickly made a slicing motion through the air, silencing him. The rhino's grey eyes narrowed.

"I'm surprised someone with enough resources and moral integrity to kidnap someone completely irrelevant to their issues had to resort to scrolling through social media to find us. Admit it. You planted a bug on us when we escaped didn't you? Got some stealthy, sneaky IP to trail us? Or maybe..." He glanced over his shoulder at Bryce. "... had a mole tell you where we were."

Bryce immediately dropped the disgusting sandwich in his paws. "No! I would never! I may have been a spy but I'm an honorable spy! I swore my life to Ryker!"

"But did you swear it to the rest of us?" countered Decanter, turning fully towards Bryce and taking a few steps towards the crimson wolf. "You're working under the pretense of doing what's best for Ryker, right? What's better than being stuck here scrounging from paycheck to paycheck than getting him a conveniently cushiony job at a corporation while letting us maintain our independence and free will? Seems a little convenient, don't you think?"

Before Ryker could step in, he caught sight of something that Decanter did that made him stop.

The rhino winked. With his back turned to Maydoor and Zoom, the executive and his IP did not see the gesture.

Bryce, not skipping a beat, slammed a fist into the table. "That's stupid! I'd rather die_than let Ryker become a Corpsman! We _escaped_the _Horizon grounds through pathways only I knew. That's got to count for something."

That wasn't right. Cliff had used the Recall command to get them out.

What was going on?

"We'll have to debrief you on what those pathways are, Bryce," Zoom said lazily. "Might have you as a security consultant. That level of knowledge is priceless." He smirked as he checked his watch again. "Twelve minutes, gentlemen. What's it going to be?"

"How do we know that everything you said is on the up-and-up?" growled Decanter, turning back towards the shark. "How do we know that Teresa is safe or will be safe when we sign the Contract?"

Zoom rolled his eyes. "Please. Horizon prides itself in its transparency. It's one of the major draws of our many reality TV programs. Well..." He absently checked his watch again, tapping it for emphasis. "At least here in the Realworld. The Overworld is different. Otherwise, we are very truthful. Trustworthy, even."

That last comment drew a low growl from Takoshi.

There was a second when Maydoor stopped tapping. A moment of silence when Ryker sensed some hesitance from the fox. Maybe it was just his imagination as the moment the second passed, the Fennec was back to tapping away on his phone.

"I come from a corporation too," Decanter said. "It's always best practice to approach the negotiation table from a position of power."

"And unfortunately, you're at the disadvantage here," added Zoom.

"Not really," answered the rhino with a dark smirk. "See, negotiation is all about giving the other party something they want."

"And we want you. That's abundantly clear. You want your friend. What else is there to discuss." He checked his watch. "Ten minutes."

"How about a member of the Custodes Libertatis?"

Both Ryker and Takoshi immediately whirled around to face Decanter, shouting protests at the same time. The rhino silenced them both with a sharp hand. When they both turned towards Zoom and Maydoor, even the Fennec Fox had stopped his furious tapping and looked up, fixing Decanter with a wide-eyed stare. Zoom's jaw was halfway open.

"What are you talking about?" asked Zoom.

"It's how they snuck in," Maydoor said, for the first time speaking audibly to everyone else. "They're fresh Independents. Fresh IPs. That much is evident from just how disorganized and argumentative they are." He leveled his gaze at Ryker. "He's probably the freshest of them all. Likely the one that bonded with the bear. Probably met his IP the moment he stepped into the Overworld and dragged the rhino with him accidentally." Then he turned towards Decanter. "The rhinoceros and Bryce are likely bonded. They likely met with the Libertatis at one point and used us as a recruiting tactic. Send the fresh blood to our coliseum to show them how we do things, horrify them and recruit them to fight against our 'tyranny'. Wouldn't have surprised me if Bryce had been in cahoots with the Libertatis for a while."

That was so far from the truth but Ryker was not about to argue with the fantasy that Maydoor had concocted. The words still stung Bryce, however; the red wolf's ears folding back. Loyalty was certainly one of Bryce's more questionable traits.

"And that is likely how they escaped as well," continued the sandy-furred vulpine. "The Libertatis were probably watching and when they were in danger, came to their rescue. Likely contacted Bryce long before this event, slowly converting him to their side so that he could be paired with the rhino." Maydoor let out one derisive snort, coming out of his slim nose with a soft whistling sound. "I just never thought the Libertatis had resorted to tactics where they seek out IPs in the employ of corporations and then pair them up with people from another corporation. It's clever."

"Hitting two corporations at once," commented Zoom with a nod. "Yeah, that's damn smart. I'll have to speak with Sanders to make sure that he tightens security."

Turning his black eyes back towards Decanter, Maydoor said. "You're good. Ruthless too. Clearly you want to make sure you're all safe. I can respect that." There was a moment of softness in the fox's eyes and for the briefest of instances, he glanced towards Zoom. "I would give anything to feel safe." Then it passed and his dark eyes switched back to the white-haired rhino. "I could go on and craft theories about how the_Libertatis_ were hoping to recruit one of our IPs to learn our secrets but I'm not in the business of dealing with speculation and conjecture. I am the Chief Operations Officer of Horizon. I deal with facts. So here are the facts."

He held up a sharp finger, claw pristinely manicured. "We are at an impasse. We have a hostage. You have something we want. The problem here is that you need_your friend. We don't need your _Libertatis_cohort. I won't deny the offer is not tempting but I question whether or not we could afford the ire of the so-called 'Watchers of Liberty'." Maydoor closed his eyes briefly, pondering. He opened them a moment later following a protracted sigh. "Risk and reward. The cornerstone of any good operations manager. We run the risk of being targeted by the _Libertatis but knowing their secrets could not only leave Horizon immune to their attacks but also put us ahead of other corporations with access to the Overworld.

"So yes, we will take you up on your offer." Maydoor's eyes narrowed at Decanter. "But this must happen quickly. Should the Libertatis grow wise to your deception, they will target us and put you on a blacklist. What are your terms?"

Decanter didn't hesitate. "Tonight. A location of our choosing. You bring Teresa and we'll bring you a member of the Libertatis. We exchange them. You swear not to harm her ever and we will sign your Contract."

"What!?" bellowed Bryce. "I am not -"

Decanter shot the red wolf a piercing stare before turning back towards Maydoor and Zoom. "You promise as well that no harm comes to the Libertatis agent we hand over. You have to do _everything_within your power not to let any of them get hurt. No one gets hurt or the deal is off. Got that?"

Maydoor nodded and lifted a paw. "I swear. No harm will come to them."

"Good. Then we will need time to get our Libertatis contact to come around."

The Fennec Fox turned to leave, closing his eyes in confidence while Zoom looked on a little stunned. "Fine. You have until ten tonight. Send us the meeting place. Somewhere far from Horizon."

******

"Ethan Westway Maydoor,"_intoned Ecks, one of the _Kage of the Custodes Libertatis. The grim light of the many monitors Cliff had set up in the apartment was only broken by the silhouette of the vaguely draconic Kage."From what we can tell, he started off as a software developer before moving on to operations where he greatly excelled. Mostly dealing with middleware so he rarely spoke with clients. His keen mind for optimization, focus on cost savings and shrewd understanding of the market got him promoted to the COO of Horizon_eleven years after he originally joined as a senior operations manager. He's been in the business for about twenty-five years."_

"He honestly doesn't look that old," Cliff quipped, regarding the many profiles of Maydoor populating the other screens. "If I were to guess, he looks like he's just in his mid-thirties."

"Says here he's fifty-two," mumbled Arthur.

"One of the benefits of being the Host to a corporate IP," growled Ecks. "You don't think all those millionaires. Get to live long because of healthy lifestyles do you? Their IPs help them keep young and extend their lifespan." The dragon let out a low, frustrated growl. "I don't know what possessed any_of you into suggesting giving up one of our own. Even if it was as bait."_

Decanter stepped forward. "Just hear me out. Maydoor clearly wasn't expecting the involvement of the Libertatis in any way. The fact that he concocted this theory that we were somehow led to the coliseum to see Horizon for what it was so that we would join the Libertatis is a testament to this. We had to use that to our advantage."

"Wouldn't it have been better to keep that part to yourselves? Surprise Maydoor with an attack from us?"

"That's all you guys have been doing this entire time!" snapped the rhino, making a slashing motion through the air. "You've been hiding in the shadows while claiming to be the 'Watchers of Liberty' but not actually doing anything! You're calling yourselves guerrilla fighters but haven't done anything until recently! Now you're going back to just _spying_on people! Have you even identified any other Overlords? What are you planning to do once you find one?"

"I don't answer to you, corporate shitstain," growled Ecks.

Ryker gently grasped Decanter's forearm and pulled him back. "Listen," he said evenly, "Decanter was scoping out some information and trying to bring us on an even playing field with Maydoor. If we didn't have any sort of leverage or excuse to delay the signing of the contract, Tess would've gotten hurt or we would've been forced into becoming Corpsmen. We bought ourselves some time. All Maydoor knows is that we need time to get our Libertatis contact to come with us. We just need your help."

"To betray his trust and go back on your deal."

"He's_the one kidnapping an innocent person off the streets and threatening them," snarled Takoshi. "If that asshole is willing to go to those lengths just to win, then they don't deserve any 'honor'. I say we bring the full might of the _Libertatis down on him like we did with Emile!"

"That'd provoke an all-out war against Horizon," Eck warned. "We're not ready to do that. Not yet. It'll take more than just a few hours to organize a raid of that magnitude again."

Before Takoshi could protest, Ryker held up a paw. "But you are willing to go to that level again, aren't you?"

The dragon's silhouette nodded. "We've dealt with a lot when it comes to corporations. Bulling, intimidation, you name it. But out right kidnapping? That's against the law. If we could prove it without looking insane we would take down Maydoor."

Ryker was almost kicking himself for not thinking ahead and recording their conversation. Then again, given everything that was discussed, most of it would be utterly nonsensical to a jury.

"Listen, most of the other Kage are out on their own missions and I can't spare any Libertatis resources but you can rest assured that you will_have backup tonight at ten. For now, you'll have to use Bandit and Avalon as your bait."_

It was encouraging that the Kage weren't just going to abandon them though he was unsure exactly what level of 'support' they'd receive. Something in the back of his mind told him that the Kage_would send someone disposable so even if they managed to survive, they couldn't exactly _blame the Libertatis for sending no one. At the same time, if they were captured and forced to sign a Contract, they would have minimal losses.

"And what's to stop you form just leaving us high and dry?" Bryce sneered. "I've spent most of my life as a backstabber so I know that this is the prime setup for some technicality."

Ecks let out a dark chuckle. "You're clearly new. We were told that Wildcard got a new IP but someone so green..." The Kage sighed. "We in the Libertatis have a few shared Functions as well. Powerful ones. If Bandit or Avalon were to fall into corporate hands, they would end up giving those Functions to our enemies. While I could revoke their access to those Functions right now, your deal with Maydoor clearly indicates that you were not to contact us. If you hand over Bandit's phone and it has no Functions, he'll know this was premeditated and hurt your innocent friend.

"That, and I can't have Wildcard's Function falling into enemy hands. It's too powerful."

Bryce gave Ryker a quizzical look but the smaller wolf waved him off for now. At least this established that the Libertatis had stakes in this and they were less likely to betray them.

"I will try to gather what I can about Maydoor," Ecks said. "The rest of you need to prepare and come up with a plan. Our objective will be to get Teresa Yale and then Recall out. No heroics. No defeating Maydoor. She is the primary objective. Are we clear?"

"Clear," Ryker answered with the rest of the team.

"Good. I'll be in touch."

The image of Ecks vanished, leaving them with screens of flashing static. Almost immediately, Cliff whirled around, facing Decanter and demanding a series of explanations. Arthur tried to mediate the two but this quickly devolving into the poor boar being stuck between a rhinoceros and tiger. Takoshi was quietly fuming and slumped into a nearby chair, draping a meaty arm over his face and trying to block out the flashing lights of the multiple screens. Bryce stood off to the side, looking worried and watching as the group shouted and devolved further.

Ryker... found his focus settling on the screens in front of him.

The array of screens began blinking, some of them turning black briefly while others remained lit. He tilted his head curiously as for a brief instant, the lit screens appeared to show a single number - a one. A second later, a nine was shown. It was not a countdown as the following number was a two. His eyes widened when he recognized this for what it was.

Back when he first entered the Overworld, strange messages placed themselves all over his vision. Some told him to run, others told him to use his Function. It was like some mysterious guide was telling him what to do. When the numbers started repeating, he quickly fished out his phone and entered the numbers.

It was definitely a phone number.

Every instinct of his was demanding that he immediately drop out of the Overworld and call this number. Thus far, the strange text had never led him astray. But he remembered that slipping out of the Overworld would actually cause his IPs to drop out as well and that would be very obvious.

"Guys," he demanded, lifting his paw. "What's done is done. Let's take a break, okay? Half an hour to cool off. Then let's reconvene. Hit this with fresh minds."

Cliff sighed heavily and slumped his shoulders. "Fuck me... Fine. I still don't like being used as bait."

"No one does," Arthur responded gently. "But Decanter was fishing for information and buying us time." He gave the rhino an encouraging look. "All things considered, that was pretty quick thinking on your part."

Without further comment, everyone dropped out of the Overworld. Ryker quietly moved towards his room, shutting the door behind him. He sat down on his bed, cradling his phone gently while regarding the number that stared back at him, tempting him. After a few minutes, he was sure no one was going to come barging in.

So he called the number.

It rang once... twice...

Then on the third dial...

"Hello?"

His heart stopped. "Maydoor?" he blurted without thinking.

Ethan Maydoor was instantly hostile. "Who is this?"

"It's... uhm..." Recalling the flash of doubt that the Fennec Fox displayed earlier and his words about doing anything to remain safe, Ryker said, "It's Ryker Wall."

"How did you get this number?"

Ryker's muzzle twisted into a grimace. "Would you believe mysterious flashing screens?"

"No," came the blunt response. "Give me one reason I shouldn't hang up now and have your friend tossed out into the Overworld."

Deciding to bite back a comment about common decency, Ryker instead said, "I wanted to talk to you about what went down earlier. Just you and me. No one else."

"Considering how you went through the trouble to find my number and that you are clearly a talented hacker, I suppose I could spare a few minutes. Your talents will be well received here in Horizon.Did you ever watch a show called 'Crunch Time'?"

Recalling that was the show that Cliff had auditioned for and failed because he wasn't what the producers wanted, Ryker responded with, "I haven't had the pleasure."

"You might find it interesting."

"Sure. Back to the topic..." Ryker leaned forward, engaged in the call. "Tell me honestly, do you feel safe at Horizon?"

There was a pause on the other end. "If this is some attempt to intimidate me..."

"No! Really! I'm just trying to understand here." He wracked his brain to articulate his thoughts. "I don't know you. I don't know what you've been through. But the way you were acting. What you said... Something about it all told me that you didn't feel safe. Like... you were under constant scrutiny or something. That you constantly have to prove your worth to people and keep yourself guarded so that they don't find an excuse to fire you."

Maydoor actually reminded him a little about Bryce. His latest IP was eager to please and desperate the keep the group together. Having lived so long on the brink of death while still clinging to his ideals, Bryce must have felt like his superiors were always on the hunt for any signs of weakness; a poor stranded wolf in the middle of an uncaring ocean surrounded by sharks hungry for blood.

"What do you know?"_snapped Maydoor. _"You're just a kid. You have no idea what it's like to have the whole world's eyes on you at all times. To be just one slip-up from being a national scandal."

Ryker shut his eyes, squeezing them tightly as those words stung. It rang back to how he had put himself out there with his application only to be hit by someone much bigger than him and pushed back into obscurity. Now, he was afraid to make any splashes.

"So you're afraid to put yourself out there. You keep your head low, do what you're asked and protect your own."

Another paused on the other side of the phone.

"You sound like you know where I'm coming from."

"I..." He hesitated a moment. "... ran into some legal trouble. I wanted to make a videogame. Tried to use crowd funding to get my idea out there. Started a few demos. Talked publicly about it. Then this established Triple-A company stole my general concept and slapped me with a legal order to stop production on my game because it was too close to theirs."

"Legally speaking, that's a thin case. If you made your game and sent out demos and put it out there, that's public knowledge that you were working on the game before them. You could fight this."

"A poor college kid fighting a corporation? I'm not part of the Libertatis, remember?"

Maydoor let out a dry chuckle and there was some shuffling on the other end. "I see. I see why fighting against corporations would be so appealing then. To be frank, I am lucky. I was never beaten down like that. I got where I am because I've always been paranoid about slipping up. Perfection has just become expected of me. So much so that I refuse to speak aloud in case I am wrong."

Ironic then that the moment he spoke aloud in their confrontation, Maydoor was _incredibly_wrong.

"Failure was never an option?"

"Never. Needless to say, I was incredibly irritated that you invaded my audition. It was meant to be just another boring audition. Seen so many of them in my years at Horizon_."_

Ryker winced a little. "Uhm... Sorry?"

"Don't be. I understand where you're coming from. I understand why the Libertatis preyed on you." Maydoor sighed heavily. "Knowing this, recruiting you has taken a new dimension. I don't want you as another Corpsmen or your IPs turned into Dosers. Perfection is a heavy burden to carry. Not everyone can make it to the top and not everyone can maintain their standing without sacrifices. You don't have what it takes. Just being honest."

Scratching the back of his head, Ryker admitted, "Considering I chickened out of fighting Syntax? I get what you're saying."

"So that's who took your idea, huh? Well, rest assured, when you're under my care, we'll go after them."

Ryker's ears perked. "What?"

"The Contract you'll sign. You'll be put under my jurisdiction. My care. I don't want that slimy Sanders, greedy Basker or oblivious Halladay from getting to you. Yes, I'm being selfish in that your successes will reflect on me but trust me, you don't want to be working under any of them."

"And you're better because...?"

"Because Sanders will use you as a stepping stone and then turn around to drown you just for the hell of it. Basker is an idiot and will do anything to please Raven even if it means sacrificing you. Halladay doesn't know anything_about the real way_ Horizon works."

This was gold. He was getting great information on the other executives... and getting a good understanding of Maydoor's interaction with them.

"And why can't I work directly with Raven then? Why couldn't I be... I dunno... the Chief Technology Officer?"

Maydoor let out a soft, dry laugh. "You've got ambition. I'll give you that. Word of advice, when you join Horizon, Ryker. Don't trust Raven. I certainly don't."

"Why not?"

The fox's voice grew dark and heavy. "I cannot say what it is but something about him just rubs me the wrong way. He's a genius, don't get me wrong. Incredibly charming but it's like... when he talks to you, you know you're under his spell but you can't do anything about it. Somehow, he just makes you do what he wants with a smile and a handshake. That just... scares me."

Ryker's brow furrowed. "Hey Maydoor."

"What?"

"Have you seen Raven's IP recently?"

There was one last pause on the other side of the phone and this time, Maydoor didn't respond for a good long minute.

"No."

_ _

******

It was very rare that Teresa Yale ever went down to the docks of Manhattan. Though she was a city girl and basically lived and breathed New York City, she always avoided the docks because of its reputation especially at night. There was no denying that she could take care of herself but there was a difference between being cautious and inviting trouble. Being carted around in a limo to a warehouse in the middle of the night only cemented her belief that this area was not safe in any way, shape or form.

The tall, colorful Mako shark that escorted her gently guided her into the warehouse itself while the small, Fennec fox that seemed perpetually occupied with his phone remained a few steps behind. There were no others around them. No guards. No men-in-black. Not even a rat or bird. It was all eerily quiet and still. The lights and noises of New York City were the only thing that told her she was still very much alive and not in some sort of purgatory where she was being escorted to her death.

The dark green warehouse door sitting underneath a buzzing lamp creaked open at the push of the shark and she was gently guided inside. Cold, stale air wafted into her nostrils making her wrinkle her muzzle. The Fennec flicked a switch and the lights in the warehouse_boomed_ on one by one, the faint buzz of electricity lingering in the air. Still dressed in her uniform from the restaurant, she was hurried over to the center of the warehouse right underneath one of those immense lamps that could somehow illuminate the cold, gray floor despite being several dozen feet above them. The warehouse floor was suspiciously empty but she did detect the faintest whiff of alcohol in the air.

"Where are we?" she demanded.

The shark shrugged absently, closing his eyes before opening them again and regarding their surroundings lazily. "From the research we could do, it used to be a warehouse for AllAle. Was basically abandoned when it ran into management issues a few months back and then its CEO resigned suddenly. Under its new management, places like this were gutted and are up for grabs."

"_AllAle?"_Tess repeated. "Why are we here? Don't tell you bought this place just to have shady business dealings or something."

The Fennec whispered something that Tess could not hear but her attention was brought back to the shark as a swift reply followed.

"That's not something I would know," replied the fish in the bright pink suit. "Your friends were the one that demanded that we meet here."

"Ryker?"

Questions fluttered around in her mind. Why would Ryker ask to meet here of all places? As far as she knew, Ryker had no ties with any corporation. Then again, the fact that she was currently restrained and being held hostage by someone from a company told a different story. There was also this gut-wrenching feeling that Ryker was putting himself at risk for her even after she had explicitly told him not to do anything. On the other hand, Ryker had always be somewhat impulsive. Takoshi was not a good influence either. With those two combined, she could imagine the duo charging in pretending to be action heroes to try and save her.

"Goddamnit..." she cursed softly. "What do you guys even want with me or them? What have they done to you?"

The Mako gave her a sidelong glance. "It's not really so much as what they have done but more like what they are."

"What _are_they then?"

The shark exchanged glances with the Fennec who returned a dismissed shrug before whispering something that was barely audible.

"I suppose there's no harm in telling you," the shark said with a shrug, giving her a toothy grin. "Your friend Ryker is an Independent."

Tess shook her head at him. "Is that supposed to mean something?"

That grin grew broader. "You'll think we're crazy but your friends have access to another world. A parallel dimension that reflects this world but instead of representing everything that is physical like the material plane, it represents all of our thoughts. It is a world where our greatest inspirations, our creations and wildest imaginations come true. It is also a plane where we can influence other people's thoughts by simply planting an idea. Say something like... the idea of a TV show or a certain kind of beer."

Her brow furrowed closer together, her eyebrows almost touching. "You must be insane."

"You think?" laughed the flamboyant shark. "If I came from your world, I'd think so too."

"If you..." Her jaw dropped open slightly. "Are you saying...?"

"Oh yes. I am from the Overworld." He nodded towards the Fennec. "In fact, I am the very concept my Host there came up with. I am the part of the Horizon Channel that makes things run smoothly. I am the very machine within the channel that makes sure shows are aired on time, equipment is always working and all the people know what they are doing. I am the _operational division_of a network!"

In her short life, Teresa had met quite a few extravagant people. Working in a cafe meant that she had been exposed to drama queens, drunken fratboys, Karens, Chads and crying babies. This wide-eyes shark was absolutely delusional. The worst kind of person. She had to let out a soft, derisive laugh as she turned away from him and glanced down at the Fennec.

"And where does this little guy fit into everything, huh? He your personal assistant?"

"Do not_speak to him that way," snarled the shark. "He is the COO of _Horizon. Ethan Maydoor. He is my Host."

She rolled her eyes back towards the shark. "Your host. So what? You're like a parasite or something? You leeching off him so that you can stay in this world or something."

The fish in the pink suit let out a loud, musical laugh. "Oh that's a fresh perspective. We IPs as parasites." He leveled his gaze at her. They would have been around the same height were it not for the clean, white, high-heels heels that he wore. "It is a symbiotic relationship. IPs like myself were created from our Hosts and we sustain ourselves not only on our Host's energy but also in the general perception of others towards our brand. The more people recognize that Horizon is a well-oiled machine and credit is given to its operational division, the stronger I get. At the same time, we IPs protect our Hosts and give them the ability to spread their influence through the Overworld. All we would need to do is slip into the Overworld..." He reached behind her left ear and flicked the base of her neck, making her flinch. "... plant the smallest idea in your mind about us and even just that little thought would be enough to sustain me for months."

"You are out of your mind," she snarled, turning away. "Everything you said is impossible."

The shark draped an arm around her shoulder, cupping her chin lightly and forcing her gaze back towards him. "The impossible is just a challenge on the current norm. A hundred years ago, it would've been impossible to send someone up to space and live there indefinitely. But look at us now." He turned towards the ceiling of the warehouse, waving a hand at the steel sky. "Some choose to take the impossible as a concrete rule, a wall they cannot bypass. There are those that take it as an invitation to make what is impossible a reality. A simple wish, a simple stroke of inspiration, even the slightest_spark of imagination is enough to start the ball rolling on something _world changing!"

"Oh yeah?" she grunted, shouldering him away. "And what kind of inspiration made this Overworld in the first place, huh? Some sort of corporate bullshit about controlling our minds?"

"Who knows!?" laughed the pink-clad shark, leaping back and spreading his arms wide. "I don't honestly care. You don't care how your phone works and yet you use it. You don't care how your TV or your microwave works but it's part of your everyday life! Why should I care about the history of something that has been around for hundreds of years!"

The fox finally said something. As Tess had moved further away from the shark, she had drawn closer to the man in the suit and for the first time, she actually comprehended something he said.

"...you should care."

Those three words made her turn slightly but she stalled when the door at the far end of the warehouse creaked open. Tess held her breath as she watched Ryker striding forward alongside Takoshi, Decanter, Bryce, Cliff and Arthur. Part of her lamented that they would come to save her even after she told them not to but at the same time, she was touched that Ryker would put himself on the line like that. All the times she had mentally or outwardly bitched about how he never seemed to have time for her went down into a pit of guilt. She mentally swore that if she got out of this alive, she would respect his privacy and never again complain about how little time they spent with one another. She'd even be nice to Takoshi.

"Ah, the guest of honor finally arrives," exclaimed the shark, waving towards the group. "And I assume this feline and boar are the members of the Custodes Libertatis that you would surrender to us?"

Ryker completely ignored those words and locked gazes with her. "Tess! Are you alright? Did they do anything to you?"

She gave Ryker a cocky - if shaky - smirk. "You know they could never handle this much woman, Rai," she laughed. "What are _you_doing coming to my rescue when you _know_I can handle myself!"

"Trust me, Tess," he replied, giving her an apologetic look. "You can't handle this stuff."

"What? You mean the crazy ranting of this lunatic that goes on about some 'psychic world of imagination', 'IPs' and 'Hosts'?"

The gray wolf's green eyes flicked towards the shark. "You told her, Zoom?"

Zoom. That was his name. Weird name.

The shark shrugged absently. "What harm would it do? You'd have to explain to her in the end."

"I'd have preferred to tell her on my terms," Ryker growled.

"Whatever, little pup," sighed Zoom. He waved absently at him as if to dismiss him and turned to regard Decanter. "So, do we still have a deal?"

The rhino nodded grimly and shoved Cliff forward. Takoshi did the same to a disgruntled Arthur. "Here. The members of the Custodes Libertatis who tried to recruit us as promised. Now hand over Tess."

Her eyes widened at the crushing realization that Ryker was selling out his own friends to save her. The Ryker she knew would never do something like that. Then again, they had been drifting apart for so long that she wasn't even sure if she knew this Ryker. If what Zoom said was true, the pup she grew up with had been exposed to an entirely different world to her; a world of magic, corporate conspiracies and danger. Ryker Wall - at least the one she remembered - would never willingly throw himself into such a world especially if it meant sacrificing a friend.

"What are you doing!?" she demanded. "Are you seriously selling out your own friends for me?"

"It's the only way," Decanter said grimly. "You are innocent in all this, Teresa."

"I'm not talking to you!" she barked. "Ryker! What the actual hell!? Why are you doing this? I'm not worth it!"

Ryker closed his eyes briefly, turning his head away but otherwise remained silent.

"This is a new low, Ryker!" she snapped, practically frothing in the mouth. "I thought I knew you but obviously, I didn't. The Ryker I knew would never willingly give someone up even if it meant saving someone else! He would've found a way! He would've even sacrificed himself!"

Zoom let out a loud, musical laugh. "Oh my dear, he is sacrificing himself."

She turned back towards the shark in surprise. "What?"

"The deal is in our favor, not his," answered the Mako with a sinister smile. "You see, Independents cannot exist out in the Overworld for long without some sort of backing or being extremely lucky. Other Corporations will be out to get them. They are valuable resources, after all. We happened to track them down and gave them an offer. Join us as 'Independent Contractors' so to speak and we will give them all the luxuries they could ever want so long as they obey us."

"How is _that_a sacrifice?" she snarled, throwing a venomous look at Ryker.

She barely noticed when Cliff had pulled out his phone and lifted it towards them, likely recording everything. Zoom noticed as well but dismissed it with a shrug.

"Don't try anything funny, kid," said the shark. "This place is surrounded by Corpsmen in the Overworld. You try entering it to escape, you'll be crushed."

Cliff's cold, hostile eyes stared daggers at Zoom before he turned the phone around, showing that he was recording the entire affair. "I'm just recording this. I want Ryker to remember the day he back-stabbed two of his friends this night."

Zoom threw his head back and laughed, showing the sharp rows of teeth that somehow linked together to make a pearly-white grin. "Ah! The drama! This could be such a compelling show!" He waved Cliff away. "Fine. Do as you will." He turned turned his gaze back towards Teresa, grinning broadly. "The greatest sacrifice any Independent could make is being a slave to a Corporation. He'll basically have to do exactly what we want and be forced to know he's doing it even if it goes against his better judgment." He leaned down, almost pressing his pointed nose against hers. "I could order him to kill you the moment he signs that Contract if I wanted."

"No!" Ryker shouted. "You swore no harm would come to her!"

The Mako shark rolled his eyes at him and straightened. "Don't be such a hero. I'm merely making a point." His dark eyes fell back on Teresa. "That point being that he will be at our beck and call, he'll fully know that he made the choice to throw himself at us and he will have no choice but to obey. Do you have any idea what that is like? To sacrifice your freedom for someone knowing full well that it was your choice to do so? You will have no one to blame for your own failings but yourself!"

"You're sick!" Teresa snapped. She spun back towards Ryker. "Don't do this, Ryker!" Then a flash of inspiration crossed her mind. "I'm not worth it and if it means that I have to get hurt to prove it to you, then fine!"

Without warning, she immediately drove her shoulder right into Zoom. The shark was surprisingly strong and it felt like she was trying to beat down a solid, steel door. It was enough, though, to cause the fish in the pink suit to tumble back. Teresa turned around, aiming to flee deeper into the empty warehouse -

... when a firm grip seized her wrist.

It was the Fennec. For someone much smaller than her, he was surprisingly strong. There was something in his eyes that caused her to freeze dead in her tracks.

"Wait," Zoom's Host said calmly. "There is more to this than you know."

Zoom dusted off his suit confidently. "That's right. We're offering your friends protection. You too. We will use all the resources of Horizon to make sure you are safe. Not only from other Corporations but from the Overworld as well. All things considered, it's a decent deal. You could still get that job at the company gym we offered if you wanted." He gave her the slimiest, greasiest wink that it made her skin crawl.

"That's not it."

Those three words made Zoom's features shatter like broken class and she could almost hear the shards of his confidence falling onto the cold, concrete floor.

The fox's eyes were locked with Cliff's.

"Well, Runner?" asked the shorter man, relaxing his grip on Tess. "What does it say?"

Cliff's features were grim as he approached the two and showed them his phone. "See for yourself."

Confused, Zoom stepped over as well and peered over Teresa's shoulder. On the phone screen was what appeared to be a photo of the Fox. There was an ID there indicating that the subject was Ethan Maydoor, Chief Operating Officer of the Horizon Channel. In big, red, flashing letters over the photo were the words 'Overlord Confirmed'.

Maydoor completely released Teresa's wrist, his shoulders slumping. "I knew it..."

"Knew what?" asked Zoom. "What's this about, Ethan?"

With a sharp, laser-like stare, Maydoor turned towards his IP. "Raven is an Overlord. Or at least becoming one. He's on the cusp of becoming a god and we are his subjects."

"What are you talking about? What's an Overlord?"

Decanter stepped forward, clearing his throat. "An Overlord is someone who has full dominion over a certain idea or concept through the Overworld. The Leoman Brothers were going to be the Overlords of Investment Banking and they would have had full control over all forms of Investment Banking. Every transaction would've been like a prayer to them, giving them power and ultimately controlling the entire finance industry. Emile Santos of AllAle would have been an Overlord as well had he not been stopped. The Overlord of Beer. They would have become gods."

The same look of incredulity and disbelief that Tess had worn was now on Zoom's face. "That's preposterous. There's no such thing."

"Think about it, fish breath," chimed in Takoshi. "The Overworld is older than you or me. Older than even the Leoman Brothers. It was around since ancient times. When society was dumber and more superstitious, people would think common shit like fire, storms or earthquakes were all the doings of some 'gods'. Where do you think those 'gods' got their power? What do you think happened to all those people who believed those gods existed if you apply the same logic of the Overworld to ancient times?" Before Zoom could reply, Takoshi lifted a finger and pointed it at the shark. "And don't give me any bullshit about the Overworld not existing back then."

Teresa's eyes widened and she turned back around to fully face the gathered group. "Wait... you're telling me that the Overworld was real all the way back then and that the gods are real?"

"Were," corrected Arthur. "Whether because of globalization or the fact that the civilizations that believed in them were wiped out, some deities just aren't around anymore. It's the same with IPs. If you stop thinking about them, IPs will just fade away unless they find some other way to survive." He also turned his gaze towards Zoom. "Those gods were Overlords too, dude. Emile, the Leoman Brothers and now Raven are Overlords too."

For a moment, Zoom pondered the words then a defiant light entered his eyes. "And what is wrong about that? If he becomes a god then we will be demigods! He will be thankful for those that helped him get to where he is."

"Look at history, Zoom," Maydoor replied with a chilling calmness. "Do you remember what led to the downfall of both the_Leoman Brothers_ and AllAlle?" He lifted a finger. "First there were intense internal turmoil within the corporation itself. They were hit with bad publicity and their stocks started falling. Executives were either being fired or quitting." He lifted another finger. "Then there was chatter of a Custodes Libertatis raid." Finally, he lifted a third finger. "And then there was the final straw of the CEOs themselves being held accountable for their actions. We know both Corporations had Overlord and now we have evidence that Raven is one as well. Where do you think that will go?"

Zoom lifted his head defiantly. "That could have all been triggered by the Libertatis. They could have been doing exactly what they're doing here with us! We can't just let ourselves be intimidated by them. We_are the cornerstone here, Ethan. If we buckle, then we'll start the chain reaction that'll bring down _Horizon. If we stay strong, stay true to Raven, then none of that will come to pass."

Maydoor shook his head and visibly took a step back away from his own IP. "You know I've been uncomfortable with everything that's been happening with Horizon. The fact that we purposefully keep Martha unaware of our true dealings in the Overworld and leave her pleasantly oblivious so she can put on a more 'welcoming face', leaving our security to that conniving rabbit and being bullied by Van to never branch out into other mediums because of 'budget constraints' despite the fact that we have been recording profits every year..." He shook his head, paws closing into tight fists. "Something is wrong. From what Ryker and the other members of the _Libertatis_have been telling me, it's typical for an Overlord to become obsessed with one particular idea or concept. Raven is captivated by the idea of Reality TV when there are clear trends in the current market that are gearing more towards remakes, modern fantasy and compelling storylines. Reality TV is on the decline."

The Mako shark stepped towards his Host, holding out his hands in front of him as if trying to placate the Fennec. "So you think that's enough to quit? To turn on Raven? Ethan, you're smarter than this. Let's just bring him the facts. I'm sure he'll listen."

"Are you really?" answered Ethan coldly. "Or are you secretly hoping that we'll try and he'll use his charisma to convince me otherwise?" Maydoor took another step away from his pink-clad IP. "Listen to me, Zoom. From the beginning, what was my objective?"

Zoom replied almost instantaneously. "To be safe."

"Exactly. I thought becoming the COO of Horizon would give me that sense of safety but I find myself constantly looking over my shoulder and even purposefully whispering because I'm afraid people will misinterpret what I have said." His big eyes looked upon Zoom apologetically. "I even whisper to you."

Whispering to avoid being attacked for even the slightest of misunderstandings. That was a miserable existence and one of the reasons Tess never had ambitions to become a high-paid corporate drone like Maydoor. Though she had ambitions to start her own personal training practice, she had long resolved never to 'go corporate' no matter how successful she was. Seeing someone as powerful as Ethan Maydoor forced to guard himself to the point where he barely spoke to anyone was soul-crushing.

Maydoor deserved some degree of pity. So did Zoom. The effect of the Fennec's last words caused the shark's expression to fall and an awkward silence to pass between the two. With Tess standing between them, she felt like a third wheel caught between a lover's quarrel.

"If it's the same with you..." she began, inching towards Ryker and his party. "... I'll just..."

Zoom immediately lashed out, seizing her shoulder and pulling her back. "No. You're not going anywhere." His fierce stare was leveled at Maydoor as he said those words. "If you don't feel safe, Ethan, then just think about the fifty or so Corpsmen we have surrounding this place right now in the Overworld."

"Hey!" Bryce shouted. "The deal was that we come here alone. No one else was meant to be here!"

The shark gave him a sinister grin. "What? You think we'd willingly walk into a warehouse owned by a rival corporation outnumbered? Please. What do you take us for?"

Ethan let out a long, protracted sigh. "The very epitome of why I keep my words to myself most of the time."

Zoom's expression waved for a moment. "Ethan..."

Bryce let out a snort. "Good thing we thought about that. Right, Maydoor?"

The Fennec nodded grimly, much to Zoom's sorrow. A moment later, the air wavered right next to the Fennec and a tall, green-scaled, muscled dragon stepped through the shimmering space. He towered over Maydoor and possessed the metallic face mask with a digital display over the eyes that was customary of the Custodes Libertatis. His broad, webbed wings were folded around his shoulders like a cape. A black shirt that barely contained the muscles beneath hugged his shirt, catching the light in such a way that it accentuated the lines of his abdominals and pectorals. A silver belt made entirely out of chain links wrapped around his waist with what looked like an actual long open-front skirt made out of chainmail hanging from it and dropping down towards his ankles. Heavy looking dark brown cargo pants hugged his immense thighs with huge, black, steel-capped boots wrapped around his feet.

Right beside him appeared a slightly smaller avian. Fiery red feathers covered the lean man's entire body with his bare, talons scraping across the ground with each step. Like the dragon, he was muscular but leaner, more a runner's build than the bodybuilder the dragon was. The bird was dressed more casually; simple tawny shorts, a white tank-top and a silver chain necklace hanging around his neck and falling down between his pectorals holding several feathers along its length. Some feathers stuck up from his brow, brushing up against his skull to form a light crown of sorts.

"Who are you?" Zoom demanded.

The dragon gestured towards himself, his voice heavily distorted by the mask. "You can call me Ecks. I am one of the Kage_of the Custodes Libertatis. This is my partner and IP, Brooklyn."_ He made a broad gesture around him. "And you can rest assured we just came from the Overworld."

Zoom's eyes went wide. "Then that means...?"

"Yes. Each of the Corpsmen you had stationed as extra security have now been defeated. Currently unconscious and incapable of calling for support."

The shark turned an accusatory gaze straight at Decanter. "You swore that you wouldn't tell anyone else within the Libertatis!"

Maydoor stepped between himself and his IP. "They made the deal with me. I changed the deal. Behind your back." Zoom looked utterly crestfallen. "Ryker contacted me shortly after our meeting. I still don't know how he got my personal number but I spoke to him at length. He told me all about the assault on AllAle. Told me all about Overlords. We made a deal."

That was the Ryker that Teresa remembered. He did find another way.

"He told me the truth about how he and his IPs were actually pivotal in the fall of _AllAle,"_Maydoor continued. "In fact, he was trusting enough to confess that my initial assessment about their situation in entering the Overworld was wrong. Decanter - the rhino - was not another Host. In fact, he is Ryker's IP as well."

Zoom's brow furrowed. "Wait... But I thought the bear was his IP? We saw him heal the samurai..."

"Exactly."

In that instant, Zoom released Teresa in shock and she used that opportunity to immediately scramble away from him and rush to Ryker's side. She was surprised that no one stopped her. Ryker immediately gave her a tight hug and she reciprocated. It wasn't long before she felt the gaze of Zoom on her - or particularly Ryker - and went back into protection-mode. She turned towards him, still keeping her arms around the smaller gray wolf. Though was that... _muscle_she felt beneath his clothes?

"Have you been working out?" she asked softly.

"Not now," Ryker whispered back. "And yes."

Zoom pointed a shaky finger at Ryker. "If... if Decanter is his IP... and so is the bear... then that means that Bryce...?"

"Yes," confirmed Maydoor. "All three of them are his IPs. He is a Host with multiple IPs."

The Mako shark shook his head in disbelief. "That's impossible! We've tried multiple times to bind multiple IPs to Corpsmen! They always end up aging prematurely and either dying of exhaustion or something else! It's always horrible! We've even heard of experiments where actual Independents have tried to do the same and it never ends well! This is just outright impossible!"

"And yet, it is the truth," said Maydoor grimly. "I believe Ryker."

"Why?" spat the shark. "Why would you believe the backstabbing pup who went back on our deal!?"

"We_went back on the deal by calling in those Corpsmen," countered Maydoor. "I also nullified the deal when he told me the truth. What reason would he have to lie? Think about it, Zoom. If the deal had gone ahead, he would have had to reveal that information to us anyway as part of the Contract. We would have found out that Decanter, Bryce and Takoshi are all bound to him. In fact, when you think about it, we _saw Decanter summon glass all around him during the fight. I thought it was just his Function but I had never seen a Function like that before." Maydoor shook his head. "No. He had no reason to lie to us. He had nothing to gain except my trust."

The Fennec let out a soft, dry chuckle. "Honestly, I never felt safer or more trusted than when he imparted that piece of information to me." The fox looked over his shoulder at Ryker. "Ironic. I feel safer in the company of people we tried to blackmail than the corporation I spent over a decade working for." His gaze went back towards his IP. "I trust what Ryker had to tell me. My own suspicions as well as what happened with AllAle all point to Raven being an Overlord."

Zoom's features scrunched up in fury. "So what? What if Raven is an Overlord? You've never answered why we should turn our back on the guy that gave us everything! To the guy who gave me you! Ethan!" he pleaded. "I've watched you from the Overworld for years. I watched as you went from some measly data-entry grunt to a manager and eventually an executive when you joined Horizon. I watched as you kept being trampled on and I did what I could to keep you fighting from the Overworld! It hurt me that you kept being boxed in by people who would backstab and take advantage of your genius! I'm grateful to Raven for bringing us together so I could be your voice! So I could protect you!"

He reached out towards Maydoor. "Please. Let me protect you again. You are going down a bad road."

Their relationship was... complicated and at the same time heartbreaking. Teresa could somewhat relate. She had always been there to protect Ryker. Recently, they had drifted apart, however, and now she learned he was involved in some supernatural parallel dimension that involved evil corporations and brainwashing. Every fiber of her being told her to grab her best friend and drag him away from all this.

But was that really what was best for them?

"What if he doesn't need protecting?" she asked, stunning Zoom. She looked down at Ryker with a soft smile, a smile the gray-wolf returned. "I don't really get what's happening but I can tell that you really care about the shrimp in the suit over there." She nodded at Maydoor. "But you can't tell him what to do. Saying that you're doing what's best for him by speaking for him isn't letting him live his life. You're living your fantasy using his talent. You're really just the parasite feeding off the stuff he produces and making him do what you want because that's what will make _you_happy. Not him."

Slowly, she released her arms from around Ryker.

"Forcing yourself on people like that, making them do what you want, pressuring them with your shared past or absence... that's just guilt-tripping." She turned her gaze back towards Zoom. "Let him make his own decision for once. Let him speak for himself. God knows, you've done enough talking."

Takoshi took a threatening step forward. "You heard the rat. Shut the fuck up."

She glared at the bear. "I'm a mouse."

Zoom looked at Maydoor with a crestfallen expression. "Is it true, Ethan? Have I been speaking for you too much?"

Maydoor closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath and then let it out slowly.

"Yes, Zoom. Your assistance in speaking for me in many cases has been invaluable. But there are times when I can speak for myself. This is one of those times." Zoom's shoulder sagged and for a long moment, he just stared at the ground, defeated and deflated. Maydoor let out a soft, apologetic sigh and stepped forward. "I know this is all hard to accept but you know me. I am a man of facts. Have Ryker and the Libertatis tell you what they know and then you'll agree with me. Raven is dangerous." He rested a hand on Zoom's shoulder.

Smack!

Only for Zoom to slap it away.

"Believe what you want, Ethan," snarled Zoom, his venomous gaze causing Maydoor to take a staggering step back. "I still don't care if Raven is an Overlord or not. He made us what we are today. I am not_going back on that. If you're going to side with the _Custodes Libertatis then I'll just have to be the one to talk Raven down from outright killing you! I _will_protect you!"

"Don't be stupid," Takoshi snarled. "You're outnumbered! There's no way you can get out of here and make it back to Horizon!"

Zoom grinned from ear to ear. "That's where you're wrong." He straightened, adjusting his tie. "See, the thing about speaking for the COO is that he implicitly trusts me to do a lot of the little things. Like organizing the backup. Or _asking_the CSO for backup just in case."

Maydoor's eyes widened. "You didn't!"

Zoom shrugged his shoulders as blinking floodlights exploded from the windows of the warehouse, silhouetting him. "You were right, Ethan, Sanders was always looking for a way to one-up you. Probably hoping to take your job. He was more than happy to come to the rescue if things went wrong. I didn't think you'd agree to it so I made the arrangements with him anyway." He gave Ethan a gentle smile. "After all, I'm looking out for you."

"Fuck!" Takoshi shouted, his ears perking. The screech of tires came from just outside the warehouse. They were surrounded.

"To the Overworld, now!" Ecks shouted.

"You can run," laughed Zoom. "But you'll never be able to hide. Not with myself, Sanders and Airwave around!"

"That's where you're wrong," answered the dragon darkly. "Grab the mouse! Overworld! Now!"

Ryker seized Teresa's paw, intertwining his fingers with hers and immediately pulled out his phone with the other paw. She watched him tap on an unknown application on the phone's screen - a sort of blue lowercase 'I' with the dot appearing as an eyeball. The moment his thumb pressed against the icon, a wave of negative light washed erupted from the device, sweeping over her and inverting every color in her vision. A strange sensation of falling caused her heart to skip a beat but a moment later, it was gone and she found herself on solid ground again. All the colors in the world were suddenly much more muted like someone had draped the environment in a gray overlay. The only things that remained colorful were all the furs... except for the 'IPs'.

Takoshi was dressed in a tattered samurai garb that was lined with icy blue ribbons. Bryce had stripped off his clothes and was just wearing some tattered shorts and two bandages around his fists. Arthur was dressed in head to toe in golden armor while a flaming sword was in his hands. Decanter even had white, flowing robes like a wizard or sorceror. Most stunning were Ecks and Brooklyn. Ecks was mostly the same except for the fact there were huge, black chains hovering around him encased in a dark, blue aura. He clutched onto the two ends of the chains which were attached to enormous hooks. Brooklyn had a fiery aura around him.

She realized the bird wasn't just an ordinary avian.

He was a phoenix.

Maydoor and Zoom was with them and though they appeared as they normally did, the Mako was grinning darkly as men and women dressed in black suits had already swarmed in around them.

"Bad move there, Kage," chuckled the shark. "You should've just gotten rid of all the Corpsmen instead of just leaving them unconscious."

"Want me to Parse them?" Cliff asked, lifting his own phone.

"No," Ecks responded, beckoning the tiger and boar to retreat. The Hosts and IPs surrounded both Maydoor and Tess, encircling them protectively. "We've done what we can and we have achieved our primary objective. We don't need to fight."

A dark voice with a heavy British accent erupted from behind Zoom. "That's right. There's no point in fighting. You're surrounded and outgunned." The owner of the voice was a tall, white rabbit dressed in a drab, navy-blue suit. Beside him was a laid-back hammerhead shark that had an outrageous blue and white Hawaiian shirt hanging from his shoulders as well as bright red board shorts. Flipflops slapped loudly against the warehouse floor as the predatory fish stalked beside his Host, hands in his pockets.

"Sanders!" spat Maydoor.

Simon Sanders looked upon the Fennec with a disappointed glare. "Honestly, Ethan, to think you'd collude with the Libertatis even against your loyal IP's wishes. I always knew you were a coward what with your pathological inability to speak louder than a mosquito's buzz but this just takes things to a new level." He rested a hand on Zoom's shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. "But this worked out well for us. You know we can't do without dear Zoom here. He is an integral part to Horizon's_operations, after all. Even if we have to find him another Host and keep you under a very comfortable lock and key, we will endure. The fact that we will capture _several members of the Custodes Liberatis as well is so much the better."

"You'll love this," Zoom said with a toothy grin. He pointed at Ryker. "That kid over there? See the three IPs? The rhino, the bear and the traitor wolf? They're all_his. Somehow, he's managed to bond with more than _one IP."

"Is that so?" Simon replied with his eyes glinting with unchecked ambition. "Well, that is certainly interesting. Horizon is sure to make leaps and bounds with this revelation."

Ecks suddenly puffed out his chest and leveled his gaze at Sanders. "I'll give you this one warning, corporate scum. Let us go right now or face the consequences."

Sanders shook his head and let out a confident laugh. "Not to be cliche, but your bravado is clearly misplaced. You are outnumbered, outgunned and honestly, we know the identities of most of you. Honestly, what makes you think that you can do anything to escape us?"

The dragon gave him a cocky smirk. "Because you have no idea who I am."

Sanders gave Zoom a lazy look.

"He calls himself 'Ecks'. He's apparently a_Kage_. One of the leaders of the Custodes Libertatis."

"And I suppose that makes you more powerful?" the rabbit said, stifling a yawn. "Truly, my good man, can even a single Kage be strong enough to take down a hundred Corpsmen and protect his charges?"

"I don't have to." Ecks scraped the hooks of his chains loudly, sparks flying from the bladed edges. "You know that those of us who aren't brainwashed Corpsmen can manifest our Functions. I'm sure you can too."

"Of course. Would you like a demonstration?" Sanders asked, lazily taking out his phone.

"No need. You won't remember anything I tell you anyway."

The CSO's brow furrowed. "What?"

"What makes the Kage more powerful than any of the other Independents under the Custodes Libertatis is not only that we have the experience or that we share our Functions with the rest of the Libertatis_. It's that we are experts with our Functions. We've learned how to use them in very creative ways. In fact, I am the source of the Recall Function that the Libertatis share."_

He lifted one claw towards Sanders. "Recall normally allows any member of the Libertatis to immediately return themselves to a previously saved location. That's how we managed to escape your clutches all the time. But here's the thing. Recall can do more than that. Especially in my hands."

Decanter's turned towards the Kage, jaw half-open in surprise. "Wait... you don't mean...?"

Ecks grinned savagely. "Oh yeah. I can recall_everyone to a previously defined state. Injuries, location... even memory. The best part? I don't have to use it on myself."_

Sanders' eyes turned into saucers and he immediately pointed at Ecks. "Get him before -"

"Way too late, corporate scum."

The sound of rattling chains suddenly erupted all around them. Hundreds of hooks attached to black chains emerged from somewhere in space, piercing the flesh of each of the Corpsmen around them including Sanders, Airwave and Zoom. No blood was shown. It was like it hooked into their souls. Sanders froze in place.

"No... _No!"_cried the rabbit.

Ecks lowered his arm.

"Back off."

Those chains suddenly tugged on each of the Corpsmen and they were dragged off into swirling, black and blue portals, disappearing into the nether. Surprised screams and cries of terror permeated the warehouse, bouncing off its walls and rattling the windows. Airwave let out a cry as he was thrown back and flung into one such portal. Sanders tried to grab onto something, anything, even scraping his claws across the concrete floor but the power of Recall was far too strong. Zoom, threw Maydoor one last pleading glance... before he was dragged off and flung into the darkness.

Suddenly, the warehouse was empty save for them.

"What did you do to them...?" asked Maydoor.

"Nothing fatal," replied Ecks. "I just basically reset their positions and minds to wherever they were about several hours ago, about the time you came off the phone with us and concocted this plan. To them, it'll be like they just woke up after a really long nap. Maybe a bit of Deja Vu. Everything that transpired here will not be in their memory. Any recording devices or communications will also be wiped."

The Fennec laughed bitterly. "So that's how you've always managed to avoid capture... You are very frightening."

Ecks grunted softly and turned to the rest of the party. "It's one of the reasons why I love and hate my part in the Custodes Libertatis. I always have to clean up people's messes but I love messing with people." He nodded towards the door. "Now let's get out of here. To those that I used Recall on, they will still be under the impression that there was a meeting to be held here. If any of them were close enough several hours ago, they might make it here pretty soon. So we best make ourselves scarce."

Ryker nodded in agreement. "Alright. Let's meet up at our place." He looked towards Teresa, offering her a meek smile. "I have a feeling I have got a lot of explaining to do."