Ch 7: Out of Here

Kael stood in his shed, staring at the three data chips resting on the workbench. His eyes lingered on them as if the tiny slivers of tech were staring back, daring him to make a decision. They felt heavier than they should—each one a fragment of something much larger than himself.

He had known from the start that they were valuable. But now, the weight of their importance had grown unbearable. Word on the street was that the Crossbones—the very raiders who had commissioned him for the vault job—were being hunted down, one cell at a time.

Some claimed it was a rival gang moving in on their turf. Others whispered of an unknown group, far more organized and precise than raiders had any right to be. The Crossbones' downfall wasn't a coincidence—it was cleanup. And Kael, knowingly or not, had touched something someone didn't want uncovered.

It was time to leave.

Kael wasn't the kind of man to act impulsively. The decision to uproot his life hadn't come overnight. The moment he'd seen the contents of the third chip, with its ominous bio-engineered experiments, he'd begun making preparations.

The first step was transport. His legs had served him well in the confines of the blank, but they wouldn't carry him far enough. After weeks of bartering and scrimping, Kael managed to purchase a vehicle—a battered but functional all-terrain crawler. Its engine sputtered like an asthmatic, and its exterior was riddled with dents, but it had the one thing Kael valued most: reliability.

The crawler was designed for the rugged terrain of the blank, equipped with oversized wheels and reinforced plating. Kael spent weeks modifying it, adding compartments to hide his tools and the Solver, as well as a reinforced lockbox for the chips. He even installed an improvised shielding mechanism, cobbled together from scavenged parts, to block potential tracking signals.

His next investment was protection. He'd always avoided violence when possible, relying on wits and negotiation to navigate the dangers of the blank. But this time was different. With the chips in his possession, Kael knew he'd need more than quick thinking to stay alive.

The shotgun was old but reliable. It had a comforting weight in his hands, though Kael's aim left much to be desired. For two months, he practiced with it daily, using scrap metal as makeshift targets. His aim improved, but he never grew comfortable with the weapon. Each pull of the trigger felt like a reminder of what he was preparing for—a future where his survival might hinge on taking another life.

As Kael worked tirelessly on his preparations, the rumors about the Crossbones grew more disturbing. Entire outposts had gone silent overnight. Raiders who once roamed the blank with reckless abandon now traveled in smaller groups, their aggression tempered by fear.

Kael's heart sank when he overheard a conversation at the local trading post.

"Did you hear? The Crossbones' leader—Garran—he's gone. Just disappeared, along with his whole crew."

"Disappeared? Or buried?"

"Does it matter? Someone's cleaning house, and they're not leaving witnesses."

The traders spoke in hushed tones, casting nervous glances over their shoulders. Kael kept his head down, but his mind raced. Garran had been the one who oversaw the vault job. If he was gone, it meant whoever was behind this knew about the operation. How long before they started digging deeper?

Kael couldn't afford to wait and find out.

Leaving wasn't just a matter of packing up and going. The blank was a place where resources mattered more than memories. Kael had spent years building his life here, scavenging and trading to create a small semblance of stability. Now, he had to dismantle it all.

He sold everything—his spare tools, his stockpiled supplies, even the rickety chair he'd collapsed into so many times after long days of work. The only things he kept were the Solver, his essential tools, and the three data chips.

The sales brought in enough to cover fuel and provisions for the journey ahead. Kael didn't know exactly where he was going, but he knew it had to be far. Somewhere beyond the reach of the blank, where the factions' tangled borders offered at least some semblance of anonymity.

His neighbors were curious about the sudden liquidation of his belongings. Kael brushed off their questions with vague answers about "moving on to better prospects." He avoided drawing too much attention, but he could feel the weight of their eyes on him.

On his last night in the blank, Kael sat alone in his now-empty shed. The space felt alien without the clutter of his tools and inventions. The walls, once lined with shelves and hooks, were bare, their peeling paint exposed.

Kael stared at the Solver, its polished surface reflecting the dim glow of his makeshift lantern. The machine was a reminder of everything he didn't understand, yet it had become his greatest asset.

His thoughts drifted to the people he was leaving behind—the traders he'd bartered with, the scavengers he'd occasionally worked alongside, even the gruff barkeep who always seemed to have a story to share. The blank was a harsh place, but it was also home.

"Maybe I'll come back someday," Kael said aloud, though he knew it was a lie.

He double-checked his supplies one last time: fuel, rations, spare parts for the crawler, the shotgun, and, of course, the chips. Satisfied, he settled into an uneasy sleep, his mind restless with what lay ahead.

Dawn broke over the blank, casting long shadows across the desolate landscape. Kael loaded the last of his belongings into the crawler, his movements methodical. The engine roared to life, its guttural growl breaking the morning silence.

Kael took one last look at the shed. It wasn't much, but it had been his sanctuary—a place where he could tinker, think, and survive. Now, it was just another relic of the life he was leaving behind.

As he steered the crawler onto the cracked and dusty road, Kael felt a mix of relief and apprehension. The weight of the chips in the lockbox was a constant reminder of the gamble he was taking. He didn't know where the road would lead, but one thing was certain: staying wasn't an option.

The blank stretched out before him, a vast and unforgiving expanse. Somewhere out there, danger lurked, but so did opportunity. Kael gripped the wheel tighter, his jaw set.

"Out of here," he muttered. "And not looking back."

With that, the crawler rumbled forward, carrying Kael into the unknown.