So Close, So Far

A large, bulky boat trundled through the waters off the coast of Chandonis. The moon hung low in the sky, almost touching the horizon.

“Mmm… ferry’s not very fast, huh.” Bernicia leaned on the railing. “Yeah, this is as inconspicuous as it gets.”

“Hey, Guy. You’ve got armor,” Blake said. “Are you an armored executive too?”

“Nope, just armored,” the Guy replied. “The only AE I knew died a few years ago. I don't know what happened, but they never got a replacement.”

“You could become one though, right? Or is it, like, a ranking thing?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I may look all fancy and high-tier, but I think it was mostly nepotism. I was part of A-Tech’s system for as long as I can remember. I bet my dad could have been one if he was better at fighting, though.”

“Oh, yeah… your dad was Joseph, huh,” Bernicia recalled. “What was that thing that killed him?”