We all clamber out of the room. Mia and I wander after Ruko into the next doorway. He walks into a room with a bunch of displays and a few tables of random tech I have never seen before. I know I have to select something new to add. We already have shelter and the essentials covered.


I walk around the room and can't help but notice a lot of the gadgets here are spherical or cylindrical. Mia walks around the room, I assume she may be interested in something as well. I pick up a disk with a green light-up push button.


"What's this?" I ask Ruko.


"Deployable cover. Don't activate it indoors, you may just seal each other apart, or together, situation depending." Ruko says.


"I think this is going to be my gear." I say.


"Get another." Mia instructs as she holds on to what seems to be a dagger. "I'll also take this." She waves it so that Ruko can see it as well.


It seems like shopping for this stuff with Mia is natural, comfortable even. A sense of security is there when she is calm. If she is scared, I know I have reason to be. She is someone who has no reason to fear, so if she is afraid, it has to be a damn good reason. At least to me, it seems this way.


"Alright." I nod as I walk around and take another look.


"So, anything in particular in mind?" Ruko asks.


"Got something that can capture creatures that are out there in the badlands?" I ask.


"Etha, what are you thinking?" Mia asks me.


"I may have a crazy idea." I say.


"Well, I have before war harpoon launcher." Ruko says.


"I was thinking more like, portable cages or something. I want to catch it alive." I explain.


"It's not possible. Never been done." Ruko laughs.


"Nor has anyone found Old Boston before us." Mia sticks up for me.


This moment feels like something I would take great pride in. She is genuinely seeing herself and me as equals. This makes my chest fill with warmth as if I were melting from the inside.


"Well, I don't have anything strong enough." Ruko says.


"What if it was stunned first?" I ask.


"Maybe if you could find a place that's stronger than the cage." Ruko replies.


"Etha, he's no help for this endeavour. I know other shops in town here." Mia pipes up.


"Fair." I nod.


"Sorry but I doubt anyone here has what it is you wish for." Ruko sighs.


I look down at the tables again. A deck of cards is in the pile of gadgets. I read the label to be quite surprised.

"Ark Tech: Project Aegis?" I read the label as I lift the cards closer to my eyes.


"That's odd. An Ark Tech gadget is still labelled as a project. It must be from the war." Mia says.


"They seem to me like playing cards. I'll take 'em, for when we make camp." I say to Mia.


"Sure, we can test them out at our next campout." Mia says with a light-hearted laugh.


We walk about together and she grabs a spherical device. On it is a label which reads 'developed by the AZtec Company'. I look at Mia confused, I thought Ark Tech was the main provider of tech to the Old World.


"The AZtec Company?" Mia says puzzled.


"It seems to be a knockoff of what Ark Tech would make." Ruko says.


Mia walks out to the counter that Ruko stood at when we took our way in. I smirk as she waits. Ruko goes and inserts the chip and pays for the goods. I can't help but notice now, the shop reeks of rust. Then something dawns on me.


"What are we going to call the giant worm?" I ask.


"I dunno, what do you think?" Mia asks as she accepts the chips back from Ruko.


"Well, Sumerians from the Old World called things like that by their appearance. It looked like a big piece of sandstone, so why not use the Sumerian name, Asag?" I ask.


"Asag?" Mia darts me with a weird look.


"In Sumerian myths, an Asag was a rock demon." I explain.


"I see, and it kinda looked like it was made of rocks." Mia laughs.


"Well I guess that settles it." Ruko interjects.


We both look at Ruko as he slides the gear to us. I set the holster to the pistol on my waist. the rifle I let hang on my back as the assault rifle lays diagonally across the sniper. Mia gets her new stuff on her person. I grab my electric whip and smirk lightly. I can't help but feel empowered as I hold it in my hand. I slip it onto my holster's belt. I want that to stay near my hands reach.


We walk out into the market of New Boston. The hustle of the area is a bit overwhelming. For once the dirt streets filled with bodies of people gathering for supplies of various sorts. We walk along and the individuals from earlier are not seen. I sigh.


She seems to be rather relaxed in these situations. Large groups were never my kind of thing. Maybe that's why I'm single after all this time. Most get together at age fifteen the recent years because of ever-shortening life spans. I shudder just thinking of quickly some died back home.

She darts me to the north gateway of the town. I know we have supplies for surviving out there but even with that assurance I find myself to still have worries. What if we encounter another Asag is just one worry that wanders through my thoughts.


"You okay?" Mia pipes up.


My expression must have given away the idea that I am having concerns about the trip toward the St. Lawrence Canyon. We have even farther than that to go and I can't begin to imagine what this will hold. I sigh as I prepare to talk to Mia about this.


"Honestly, what if we see another Asag?" I ask.


"We hide and play it safe. We fight only if we have to." Mia answers.


We pass through the gate and stop for a moment. I look at the town behind us, pondering what's there. Let alone what is to come for us. Ruko will be someone I hope to see again, if I can manage to keep alive with Mia.


"Fair. Also, it's good to know we have a friend here too." I say.


"Agreed." Mia nods.


We head towards the ideal way we figure to be towards our destination. I feel like we are heading off to walk into the depths of death's varying forms in the world. He could be the face of an Asag, or worse. Hopefully, such a thing doesn't exist.


I am ever more concerned as we get farther from the city. I feel like anything that can go wrong will. The feeling of absolute death in this realm makes me only feel even more anxious. Keep my whip at the ready for now. Even though we can see for miles.


Mia can see the concern I bear. I didn't think of it but, it would be obvious on my face. I am not used to having to keep my composure as we find our way through the hot sandy desert. The dry air alone is enough to leave your mouth dry in minutes. My throat cracks as I speak and I can feel the sensation go away when I swallow, for now.


We continue walking. Mia doesn't seem to be in that chatty of a mood. I think she can tell I'm on edge. We only have been walking for a few hours and my legs feel like gelatin again. Now I don't get just the heat to contend with. I get to also handle the fire-like sensation that washes over my muscles.