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True to his word, Nakai produced an extraordinarily detailed blueprint for the tunnel, and when Sonoma gathered her laborers together, the elder went over the plan with them piece by piece. From there you oversaw the collection of wood and materials, coordinating and directing as you saw fit. From time to time you encountered some push-back from your workers, but you managed to assert an impressive level of control over them given your youth, and by the end of the first week even the most weathered workers had developed a grudging respect for your efficiency and fairness.

Several days into the construction Dena stops by to get a good look at the project. The two of you walk single-file down into the tunnel, dodging between workers as they carry the dirt and rocks out in large wheelbarrows and buckets. At the end you've positioned three diggers in werewolf form, each of them tunneling with the strength of ten humans, dirt flying behind them into the collection bins and barrows at an almost alarming rate. Reaching up to place a hand on a newly-constructed joist with satisfaction, you test for give. You smile when you find it as solid as the rest of the construction.

"Not bad," Dena says as she checks several other points of interest. "Placement and structure is good, and the lumber is high quality too. Good work by the wolves who picked the trees." She steps out of the way as one of the working wolves almost throws a claw-full of dirt on her. "Maybe we should head back out and let them do their jobs."

You nod in agreement. "Everything seems well in hand down here. Let's go."

Next

It took over two weeks and round-the-clock shifts to get the tunnel done, but when it was complete you were in awe of what you helped create. The former prisoners in particular had been a great help, diving into the work with a grim enthusiasm that suggested they were genuinely concerned about the eventual need to flee the camp.

"It's an impressive bit of work," Sonoma says from your right side. "I'll give you that. The tunnel's wide enough for three wolves to pass through abreast, reinforced with supports at regular intervals…I didn't think it would be worth it until I saw it with my own eyes. I was expecting some shitty rabbit-hole nonsense."

"I just hope we never have to use it," Ahote says from the left. "But it's solid work."

Sonoma nods. "You've outdone yourself, Holstein."

"It wasn't just me. The whole pack should be proud of this work."

"The newer wolves from the Nail helped more than anyone else. They should get the credit, not me."

"Thank you," I say. "I'm proud of the accomplishment."

Next

"Just don't forget that others were involved alongside you," Ahote says with a frown. "Don't let your success go to your head just because it was your idea."

"Old man has a point," Sonoma says. "Every wolf counts. None of us could have done this on our own." She claps you on the shoulder. "Well, time to stop staring at it and move on. There's plenty more work to do—we need to be ready for anything."

Next

With your preparations completed to your satisfaction, you eventually moved on to another task:

I need to investigate Maker's unethical tests on the prisoner, Tayla. I know Kotori brings her her meals, so he's a good place to start.

Kotori and I led an effort to plant more cameras and motion detectors throughout the surrounding forest to monitor for intruders.

We reached out through Sonoma's private contacts to secure several high-powered rifles to take out our enemies before they can get into claw-range.

Pressuring Sonoma's contacts led to them hooking us up with a single rocket launcher, with limited ammunition.

We reinforced the stockade walls and added guard towers at regular intervals.

We reached out to the werewolf rights activists and leveraged social media to win over the public's trust.

Next

Kotori paces the length of the IT department building, his right foot dragging slightly along the carpet, the movement obviously causing him pain. He smells of anger and deep worry. In another room, one of his assistants is developing increasingly colorful swears directed at a stubborn PC that refuses to boot up.

"Maybe you should sit down," you say gently. "It looks like you're in pain."

He doesn't so much as miss a beat, however, mumbling something to himself before turning in your direction. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"That maybe you should sit down."

He waves dismissively. "I'm used to it. Unless it's making you uncomfortable?"

"Whatever works for you."

He continues pacing again. "Tayla tried to tell me about this twice," he says finally, his face twisting into a frown. "I thought she was just trying to manipulate me. Don't get me wrong, I think she's deserving of humane treatment, but I haven't forgotten that she's HSM. If she could divide us and pit us against each other, I'm sure that's the first thing she'd try."

"But I saw this happen," you say. "I was there when Maker was injecting her. Mocking her. I even heard her say that she'd done it many times before. If Tayla's making this up, she's convinced Maker to play into the game, and that's completely nonsensical."

"I never take anything for granted when it comes to Maker," Kotori says slowly, stroking his chin in thought. "But she has no reason to put on a show for you to benefit some HSM captive, and from what I know of her she has every reason to want an experimental captive. Well, that and I've seen the track marks."

"You did?" you blurt out. "Why didn't you believe her then?"

"Because I couldn't tell if they were fresh. Some of them looked old, but in retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have made assumptions. I'm no medical doctor, I'm only good at fixing up machines. We all have our failings, Holstein."

"It's okay, Kotori. You did everything you could. I probably wouldn't have trusted her either."

"It probably would have been a good idea to at least tell someone about the track marks."

"I can't believe you've sat on this information for so long! Who knows what Maker has been doing to torture her!"

Next