To Be A Killer

Chapter 55: Old World

"Runner to the north! Open the gate!"

"Already?" Sam asks in confusion. "She's nowhere near those walls yet."

I shrug and wipe the cold sweat from my brow. "Maybe they're just extra welcoming."

"Mr. Yao, Abel's gates are open by hydronic lift fed by a gas powered generator. Little Sten St. Crispen opens its gates using a series of pullies, brute force and a donkey," Janine corrects with a long suffering tone.

"They're that serious about all that 'living history' stuff? Still?"

"Still?" I repeat.

"Oh, yeah. I guess we haven't told you about that." He pauses. "Come to think of it, there's a lot of nearby settlements we haven't told you about... huh. Anyway, Little Sten St. Crispen used to be a tourist attraction. A-A completely accurate construction of a Medieval village. Well, apart from the gift shop and the WiFi."

"That thick fence has kept them alive all this time," Janine states. "The village has only reestablished contact with the outside world a few months ago."

I purse my lips. That's... slightly concerning.

"Yeah. Yeah, do you think that isolation explains why they've all gone uh, coo-coo?"

"Any settlements lucky enough to start the outbreak with working wells, manual farm machines and windmills is worthwhile enough as a trading partner to excuse a few... eccentricities. And you know that's not the only reason we sent Five here."

"Five doesn't know. You didn't tell her about it yesterday."

"Then brief her, Mr. Yao," She snips back.

"Fine. No need to get grouchy. Word on Roufflenet is Little Sten St. Crispen's housing some of the best botanists in the country. There happened to be a conference the week it all went gray."

Well, that's... convenient, I guess.

"We want you to make contact with the researchers, Five," Janine says. "They could be very valuable in our attempt to break Diana's mind control. With Dr. Meyers forced to spend her time in cryo-suspension, we need all the help we can get."

"Do you really think they'll want to help us?" I ask. "Do you think they'll actually believe us?"

"We have to try," Sam says. "If one of them can help us get Maxine back to normal, well, I know you know what that's worth. And when do you get a chance to play Ghost Buster, am I right?"

He laughs quietly, but I blink in confusion.

"What do you mean, Sam?"

"Yes, Mr. Yao, what exactly do you mean?"

There's a short moment of silence. "Oh, right, uh..."

"Runner through the gate!" Someone yells once I head inside Little Sten St. Crispen. My feet crunch under the freshly fallen snow, and cold air whips my hair around, causing it to smack me in the face.

There's a brunette woman waiting for me near the gate. She's wearing several thick layers of clothing, but that's not what's so striking about her. Her eyes-brown like my own-are hard like stone as she sends me a less than amused look.

"Abel Runner, you've left it to the last moment. Come with me. The others have already begun lighting the torches in the center square. We don't have much time before they the burn the whole place down. We'll need to get started on the ritual at once. This way."

The woman briskly walks off, and I find it smart to follow, even as I hear Janine talking over coms. "Ritual, Mr. Yao? Explain now."

"Well, uh, that woman-Miranda-she's the town's top botanist, but she won't come to Abel until we've helped her. So, the thing is, some of the people in this town have got the idea they have a-a ghost, and they want to um, burn the place down-including Miranda's notes on plant effects on zombies-to get rid of the ghost.