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OnCallWidow: Level eight?
HogDocKev: Yeah. I figured that wouldn’t be too hard for a player with your playing hours… but never mind! It’s fine if that’s a little too dicey for you!! We can quest together another time!! Later!!!
The dots beside her name swirled for a long moment while Hux and I held our breath.
OnCallWidow: Wait, no! That’s fine. I’ve done a level eight quest before. Once. Did you have one in mind?
Hux snickered. “You’re good. Now she’s got something to prove. And all those exclamation points make you look so friendly.”
HogDocKev: I want to acquire the Duchess of Moon Flowers.
Hux stiffened, and his gaze burned the side of my face. “Wait. That’s a four-person quest, Kev. It’s gonna take…”
“A whole afternoon,” I confirmed. “Yeah, obvs. How’d you think this would work? An easy quest won’t give us the time we need.”
Hux gestured toward the monitor. “She’s not advanced enough to help you for shit on something that big. She has everything to gain, and you have everything to lose.”
I ignored him.
“Kev, I don’t care how many boosters or golden ducks you have, you’re not actually immortal. If she fucks you over in this quest, your health points will dip. Your ranking will tank. Forget not qualifying for the Conqueror’s Tournament—you could become vulnerable—”
“I know. Which is why I need to make sure the rest of my team is solid.” I tapped out another message.
HogDocKev: I already have a healer and scout lined up to help, but I could really use someone with strong enchanting spells.
Hux cursed under his breath. “You have to raid the grackle nesting grounds for eggs. Grackle eggshell powder is the only thing that will knock the duchess out long enough for you to kidnap her.”
“I know.”
“You’ve tried this before. And failed.”
“I know,” I said again, trying to maintain my patience.
“Who are you tapping as your healer?”
I lifted Rodrigo to rub my face against his fur. “You don’t know him. Guy named SmittyKitty.”
Hux’s whole body went still. “He…” He cleared his throat. “He’s a newb.”
I shrugged. “But I trust him.”
“Fuck,” Hux said under his breath.
OnCallWidow: I’m in! When are we doing this?
The tension in the lair was palpable as Hux’s fingers flew over his keyboard to check his surveillance feeds. “Her car hasn’t left the house, but I don’t have eyes inside. We’ll need to have a pizza delivered or something right when the action gets good. Maybe if we see who comes to the door, we can get conclusive proof it’s her.”
HogDocKev: Sounds great. Let me get my team.
OnCallWidow: Ready when you are.
I immediately switched chat windows and sent a message to Smitty, though the light beside his name wasn’t on.
HogDocKev: Smitty, please please please tell me you’re free to run a quest with me today. I need a healer.
Hux stood, stretched, and yawned loudly. “Welp! I’m gonna go grab a coffee, I think. Want anything?”
Coffee? Now? I frowned. “No. There’s a minifridge with soda in the corner—”
“Mmm, yeah, but I really want that flavored syrup Mrs. Carmody buys. And while I’m up there, I might grab a snack. So. Be back in a few. Maybe ten minutes, tops.”
I pushed up my glasses and stared at him in confusion. His mood swing this morning had been strange, but this was borderline bizarre. I’d never seen him act this way before an op.
“Hux, for real, are you… okay?”
“Me? Never better. Never. Better. Be right back.”
As the doors slid shut behind him, I shook my head, then tried as best I could to dismiss him from my thoughts. I had bigger fish to fry.
I opened my Anomaly chat.
HogDocKev: Adam, remember how you said you wanted to quest with me if you came to visit?
I felt my face heat as I wondered why that wording sounded dirty. Hopefully he didn’t read it that way since I’d only meant meeting up with him at the tournament. But it was too late to change the wording since the message was sent.
Smitty was right—there really should be a delete option.
Anomaly451: Hi, sweetie. Of course! I can’t wait to hold you in my arms in person. I can be there tonight!
HogDocKev: Actually, I’m working on one of my qualifying quests today and hoped you might be able to act as the scout. Do you have time? Pretty please?
Anomaly451: Anything for you, doll. What’s the quest?
A message from Smitty popped up on my monitor, and I switched chats without replying.
SmittyKitty: Sorry, Pip. I’m not online today. Working. *sad face* But kick some ass, okay?
My stomach lifted at the nickname—I’d become kind of attached to it—then dropped when I read the rest of the message. I’d really been counting on Smitty’s help.
HogDocKev: I understand. Work comes first.
SmittyKitty: I can recommend a couple of players who might be able to help. GorkyCat12 and LongSallyK are both good healers.
