Sigma/Star

Chapter 111: Return to Beijing

Porter pulled his hood up over his head. They had been shuttled to a small town outside Beijing, to purchase supplies and anything they might need while in the city. All of them had purchased some form of scarf or hood, and they had each torn the insignias from their clothing. They were no longer affiliated with the Enian Federation, and they didn't want anyone thinking otherwise. Even though the Federation was still in an alliance with the Eastern United States, Porter was a known fugitive, and Beijing had become a restricted city after his escapade there.

"Are we ready?" The teenage leader addressed his group as they approached the fringes of Beijing. He could see the landing pad where his Goliath had first touched down, where he and Chase had entered the city. This time, they would have to seek out Ling Shi and the Jade Fang on their own, and Porter wasn't sure how they would approach them. How would you call out to an anti-government group publicly, without alerting the authorities?

"We're good to go Porter." Ardwen nodded to supplement his answer, working as a second-in-command purely because of his former title and his tactical mind. The rest of the group quickly murmured their agreements, and they shuffled into the city, moving past the taxis and merchants who sat on the edge of Beijing.

But are we? Porter was weary of his surroundings, all too familiar with the actions of the military last time. The Goliaths the Eastern United States used were so abnormal, so bizarre, that he wasn't certain they could fight against them if they were caught. The hope was just that that wouldn't happen to begin with.

The group quickly shuffled into the town, trying to move past the different vendors with great difficulty. They were always being grabbed at, their shirts tugged at by little children or elders with empty cups, and it was nearly impossible to take a step without some item shoved into their faces. Porter pulled his hood tighter to his body, fearful that an overzealous vendor would expose him. While he was certain that he wouldn't be instantly recognized as the man who downloaded data from the library, he did know they all looked like foreigners, and questions would follow them wherever they went.

"Sir, sir." One of the merchants tried to wave down Porter, almost stepping directly in front of him. He stumbled over the language, able to recognize a tourist but barely able to speak to one. "You buy, you buy?" Porter wasn't sure if the inflection was for a question or command, but this shopkeeper actually owned a building, not just a tent or counter, and he was trying his hand at the language, so Porter decided to give him a chance. Something spoke to him about the man, and he figured he needed to speak with anyone local about how he could connect with the Jade Fang.

Porter observed the man closely as he followed him into the store, the rest of the team close behind. He was middle aged, only slight wrinkles starting to form at the edges of his eyes, and his black hair was kept short and clean. He wasn't particularly tall either, though he wasn't standing up straight, and every so often he would glance over his shoulder at Porter with his round face and smile to try and reassure the teen.

The shop was open on the inside in the centre, while the walls were covered in shelves stocked with blank containers. There was no area to make purchases, and it seemed that any exchanges would be run through the shopkeeper himself. It immediately unnerved Porter that there was no indication of transactions or even that this shop barely had the qualifications of being one. He began to inspect the area for ways out in case things went the wrong way, but since he had the entire group with him, things were probably safe.

"Why did you come back here?" The man's voice had changed, completely eliminating his struggle to speak the language from earlier. His posture had rectified, his body standing up straight and narrow, and he looked significantly younger in an instant. "You shouldn't have ever returned."