Warden (Nova Online #1) — A LitRPG Series

by Alex Knight

  “That’s a start, I suppose.”

  “But let’s say, just for a moment, that I do believe you. You really think some criminal element framed me for Bernstein’s murder?”

  “The information Bernstein had was valuable to the Party - they wouldn’t want it to get out. It happens all the time, you know. Some gang gets hold of footage of some official misbehaving, that sort of thing. And the Party pays up every time; money, favors, whatever it takes.”

  “Favors?” Kaiden asked.

  “Remember the O’Reilly trial a few years back?”

  Kaiden shook his head, but Titus chuckled.

  “The King Street boys had a laugh watching that go down.”

  “Back when there was still real news, we covered this big crime boss getting arrested,” Zelda explained. “Then suddenly some last-minute evidence comes in and he walks free?”

  “Yeah, lucky git,” Titus said.

  “The Party leaned on the judge, some files were doctored…all because a low-level official got filmed in a drug den and O’Reilly’s gang got their hands on it.”

  “That was why? Titus said, shaking his head. “Figures.”

  “So anyone who has the information, and the balls to hold it for ransom, stands to make a lot of money,” Zelda said. “But they still needed someone to take the fall.”

  This is crazy. Kaiden’s thoughts were swirling and spiraling in a mad, disjointed rhythm. I’m not sold on what Zelda is saying, but there’s no denying I’m wrapped up in something big here. Something I had no intention of getting involved in. I just want to prove my innocence.

  “I’m not saying I agree or disagree,” Titus said, speaking for the first time in a while. “I’ve heard of officials getting blackmailed for cash, it’s true, but nothing on the level you’re talking about. But if one of the gangs wanted to cover something up, that’s pretty much how they’d go about it. Feed the authorities, and the public, a scapegoat to distract from what’s really happening.”

  “So what is really happening, then? What information did Bernstein have that’s worth enough to kill for?”

  Zelda swallowed hard at Kaiden's question.

  “I don’t know. He just told me it was something big. Enough to bring down the top brass.”

  “I thought you were working with him? I thought you both gathered all this evidence?”

  “We did,” Zelda said, defensive now. “At the beginning, anyway. But Bernstein didn’t want to act on it. Not until it was perfect. Not until we had everything just right. I, uh, well. I disagreed. I sought out the rebels and told them what we were working on. Against Bernstein’s wishes. That was when we parted ways.

  “He didn’t like the rebels, you see. Thought they were too extreme. And he was right, to a degree. There are some extremists, people willing to harm civilians to prove their point. But I didn’t go to them. I went to the moderates. To those aiming to act with dignity and reason. Those who wanted to expose the Party, not for the purpose of gaining power, or on some quest for vengeance, but because it’s the right thing to do.”

  She sighed.

  “But Bernstein didn’t trust them – thought they’d use it to start a bloody civil war, take power for themselves. It wouldn’t be the people's revolution he envisioned. He went underground, and took our work with him. After that, he only contacted me through Nova. Sent me updates through the secure file transfer system built into the game. And then, the day after he told me he’d got hold of something big…he just stopped.”

  Jeez. This rabbit hole just goes deeper and deeper.

  Kaiden could feel the comfort of the world he’d known, of what was truth and what was fiction, slipping away. He still wasn’t sold on the Party’s corruption, but now there was doubt in his mind. A seed, perhaps, but it was there.

  “So, you’re telling me the information Bernstein was killed for would expose earth-shattering revelations about the Party. Evidence that would shake our society to the very core?”

  “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

  “And that’s what we’re chasing? What we’re trying to recapture before it's auctioned back to the party by whoever took it? That’s what this assassin is involved with?” Kaiden nodded down toward the valley. “That’s what – hold up.” He paused. “Is that a light?”

  They all turned toward the valley as one, and sure enough, there was a light down there. The front door of the base had opened, casting a long beam across the field in front of it. A shadow moved in the light; a person, walking out from within the base.

  Surrounded by darkness, but illuminated by the brilliant light pouring from inside the base, there was no denying the assassin was Jax. Even from this far away the streak of red through his hair stood out like a beacon. Not to mention the rifle slung across his back.

  Just to be sure, however, Kaiden focused on him, able to zoom in closer with his enhanced visor. Sure enough, the assassin's name came up along with the other relevant information. That was Jax. That was their man.

  Quest Complete: Capture the assassin Jax

  Part 2: Confirm Jax is a member of Oneshot

  Rewards received: +3,500 EXP, +5 faction prestige

  **Update**

  Quest: Capture the assassin Jax

  Part 3: Find a way to capture the assassin

  Expected Difficulty: Veteran

  Rewards: +7,000 EXP, +5 faction prestige

  Level 8 achieved!

  Max health and stamina increased

  +3 stat points

  Kaiden wanted to be excited about the level up, but instead he dumped his new stat points into dexterity immediately, then looked back to Jax.

  The assassin strode across the field and up to a ship – the same ship they’d seen leave Nassau – and hopped in. The engines fired to life, casting a burning new light into the night.

  “I’m not the only one who saw that red hair, right?” Zelda asked, watching the ship.

  “That’s our man,” Titus said.

  “Yeah. The only problem is, he’s leaving.” Zelda turned and ran into the trees, back the way they came earlier. Even as she did, Jax’s ship lifted into the air and turned its nose toward the stars.

  “Oh no.”

  Kaiden cursed. They’d found their assassin. Had found his guild base. But now, he was leaving. And with how far away they’d left the Borrelly, he was going to have one heck of a head start.

  “Anyone have a flashlight?” he asked, turning to follow Zelda.

  It was going to be a long run without one.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  We lost the assassin. We lost him.

  Kaiden couldn’t stop thinking about last night. And Jax. How they’d lost him.

  Inside his shower stall – one among the two or three dozen in the bathroom – he cranked the water temperature up and sighed.

  They’d confirmed Jax was a part of Oneshot, at least, and that Oneshot’s headquarters were in fact on Kal Reya, but when it came to actually catching the assassin, that all counted for very little. Staking out the moon until Jax returned could take a day, or a month. Maybe more. They’d no way of knowing. No, they needed to find him. Which was far easier said than done, considering he was, apparently, quite good at not being found.

  More worryingly, Kaiden's understanding of the real world was now in flux. If only Zelda hadn’t dropped that rebel nonsense on them. How much of it was true? All he knew was proving his innocence was the best way out of prison, and to do that they needed to catch Jax.

  “Everyone out!” The command came from somewhere near the door, echoing through the tiled floor and walls of the bathroom.

  One of the guards?

  Kaiden stepped out from under the showerhead and peeked through the mostly opaque plastic curtain that separated his stall from the rest of the bathroom.

  The far wall was loaded with sinks, the mirrors above each fogged up, with water dripping down the tiled walls between them.

  “I said everyone get out!�
��

  Kaiden leaned through the shower curtains and looked to his right, toward the entrance. Other inmates were joining him now, a dozen or so heads poking out between him and the entrance.

  At the end of the room, five or six fully clothed inmates had rushed in. They were ripping open curtains and searching the shower stalls one at a time, pulling still-dripping men out and removing them from the room.

  This isn’t good. Something’s up. Kaiden leaned back into his stall to get his clothing. Just before he did, another inmate entered the bathroom. Kaiden recognized the scowling, tattooed man immediately: Manson.

  He’s here for me. Oh, crap.

  Kaiden yanked his curtain closed as Manson continued to draw closer. Shadows passed outside his stall: apparently, other showering inmates had realized what was up and were eager not to be involved.

  I need to get out of here. Now.

  Staying near Titus had kept him safe thus far, but they’d been assigned different shower groups. Kaiden had always felt exposed in the shower, but it hadn’t been a problem yet. Apparently, his luck had run out.

  “Kaiden! Oh, Kaiden!” Manson called out, his too-happy voice echoing through the room. “I just want to talk to you. Can we talk?”

  How about no?

  For a moment, Kaiden’s instincts told him to activate Burst of Speed and make a run for it. But of course, he wasn’t in-game. He’d spent so much time there recently that even the real world was starting to feel like Nova.

  I need another plan.

  He grabbed the divider separating his stall from the next and pulled his head up above the top to peer toward the back of the room.

  No exit there.

  He looked back toward the entrance. Manson and his thugs were halfway to him now.

  “Hey! Eyes to yourself!”

  Kaiden looked down to find the occupant of a nearby stall glaring up at him, a shirt half-pulled over his head.

  “Sorry,” Kaiden said, dropping back down.

  As soon as his feet hit the floor he made a move to grab his clothes, but slipped and whacked his knee on the tiles.

  Cursing, he pulled himself to his feet and reached for his clothing again. As he scrambled into his underwear, an idea struck him.

  The bathroom was wet from water and steam. Which made it slippery. That meant any sort of physical struggle, if things came to that, would be difficult. Why not make it even more difficult?

  Step one...

  He turned back to his showerhead and cranked it on to max heat. The water began to steam even more than it already had been, clouding the air.

  And step two...

  Next, he loaded his hands up with soap and rubbed it all over himself, careful to stay out of the path of the water lest it wash the suds off.

  “No sign of him yet, boss,” someone shouted.

  “Keep looking.”

  When Kaiden was covered from head to toe in soap, he dropped to the floor and looked under the knee-high dividers to the stalls neighboring his. Their occupants had abandoned them.

  Here goes step three.

  Slipping along the floor, any traction he’d had completely gone because of the suds, he squirmed his way into the neighboring stall. Once he was there, he turned the shower on and turned the lever all the way to max heat.

  “You can’t hide forever, Kaiden!”

  Kaiden dropped to the tile floor again and scrambled to the next stall, turned the water on and the heat as high as it would go, then repeated the process in the next stall as well.

  There were three stalls on max heat now, pouring steam into the air. The already saturated walls began to run with streams of water. Outside his stall, someone slipped and fell with a curse.

  “I see you in there.”

  Kaiden froze as Manson’s voice came from right outside his stall. Through the mostly opaque curtain he could see a silhouette, hand raised and reaching for the edge of the curtain. Something shiny and thin was gripped in Manson’s other hand.

  A knife? A shiv?

  Whatever it was, Kaiden didn’t relish the idea of finding out.

  There was the crackling of plastic as the curtain was ripped back.

  “Aha!” Manson smiled, then took a step into the stall. “Found you.”

  “This stall’s occupied,” Kaiden said, then pointed the showerhead at the maniac. Steaming hot water sprayed across Manson’s face and he yelped, ducking behind his forearms and stumbling backwards.

  “You little–”

  Kaiden didn’t wait to hear what he was going to say. He darted out, slipping past Manson's reaching arms, and sprinted toward the exit.

  “Get him!”

  There were three thugs between Kaiden and the door out of the bathroom. The first lunged forward, slipped on the wet tile and collapsed face first.

  One down.

  Kaiden jumped over him. His feet slid forward as he landed, throwing his balance off and sending his arms waving. The second thug launched toward him, and in that split second, reflexes Kaiden had never had before clicked into place. He found his balance just in time to spin to the side, dodging the thug’s barging shoulder. His would-be assailant bounced off the wall, crumpling to the floor.

  Wow. Maybe I’ve picked up more from playing my warden than I thought.

  “You’re mine, you little rat!” Manson shouted from behind.

  No time to think.

  Kaiden sprinted forward, right at the last of Manson’s goons.

  The man set his feet wide and spread his arms, preparing to wrap him up in what Kaiden was sure would be the least friendly hug of his life.

  The only way out is through.

  Kaiden threw himself at the thug. They both tumbled to the floor, knees and elbows going every which way. Something bony caught Kaiden in the chin and his head snapped back. His vision shook and his ears were ringing, but he had to escape.

  He clawed at the floor, slipped in the suds, and made no headway. His hands shoved at the meat of the thug’s chest, finding purchase there and pushing off to rise to his knees. He was almost free. Just a few more steps and–

  A hand like a vise wrapped around his elbow and squeezed tight. Too tight, as it happened. Kaiden pulled his arm away and the hand slipped right off. The sound of someone falling slapped behind him. Manson howled, but Kaiden was free. And he wasn’t stopping now.

  He slid and scrambled through the exit and out into the hallway.

  A crowd of other inmates, in various stages of undress, was huddled there, watching with expressions ranging from disinterest to pure excitement.

  Some cheered as Kaiden ran past, others laughed.

  Kaiden hardly cared.

  His heart was pounding in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins. But he wasn’t safe yet.

  Bare feet slapping on the floor, Kaiden sprinted through the hall, slid around a corner, and didn’t stop running until he was back at his cell.

  Ducking inside, he forced the door shut, then collapsed onto his bed, breathing heavily.

  He was locked in now, and had abandoned one of his two sets of clothing in the bathroom, but he was alive. Considering how things could have gone, that wasn’t so bad.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Boyd City again. Except this time we’ve managed to work our way into an even seedier underbelly. The under-underbelly? Kaiden chuckled at his own bad joke. Something like that.

  They were in what the game had referred to as a ‘high threat area’ due to the increased levels of criminal activity. Not the best locale for wardens to be, but the only place where they could put their plan into action.

  It was a plan days in the making, having spent their last few sessions fruitlessly searching the labyrinthine back alleys of Nassau. Now, finally, they were sure they’d found it.

  “You sure you’re okay with this, Titus?” Zelda asked for about the thousandth time. “If this goes badly, there’s a worryingly high chance you end up on a week’s forced vacation, while we get assigned
a new partner.”

  “It’s a good plan.”

  “It’s a risky plan.”

  He shrugged.

  “We have to catch this assassin one way or another, but I’d much prefer taking a gamble on this than waiting for him back on Kal Reya.”

  Kaiden slapped the big man on the back.

  “We’ve been looking for this place for ages. I’m not backing out now,” Kaiden said, smiling. “Don’t worry. I’ve a good feeling about it.”

  Zelda turned to him next.

  “You’re confident with your part? Know what you have to do?”

  “For the fifth time, yes,” Kaiden said, then smirked. “Wish me luck?” With that, he broke from the shadows of the alley they’d been hiding in and strode across the street.

  The establishment loomed before him, a damaged strip of tube light lettering flickering on and off. ‘Finest Theatre on Nassau’ it read, when all of the letters were on, at least.

  The front door slid open with a hiss and Kaiden stepped inside.

  It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness within. As they did, there was a commotion in front of him, rushed curses and footsteps as someone fled the room.

  “What’s a warden doing here–”

  Kaiden’s eyes adjusted in time to see the speaker get slapped by the suited man next to him. An NPC by the name of Marty, Kaiden’s visor told him. From behind a chipped and scarred counter, Marty smiled, his eyes wandering to the collar around Kaiden’s neck.

  “Officer. So good to have you stop by. Is there something I can help you with?”

  “Actually, there is,” Kaiden said, stepping up to the counter and doing his best to look like he belonged.

  The establishment called itself a theater. The interior almost made that lie look believable. Plush red cushions and lounge sofas adorned the lobby, their grandeur only spoiled slightly by the suspicious stains coating most of them. Hidden lights in the ceiling projected a flickering slideshow of theater posters. The same two on a loop.