Fear of the Unknown

Blaming our nonexistent and mysterious boss is not that much different from people blaming God for whatever shits befall them in life. At least, me and Alex are doing it for a good reason, and that reason is the same reason as to why the Queen (and anyone we will face) has to think twice about making us an enemy.

While Nessa does not know how I do the things that I do yet, she must have speculated and theorized about the possibility of me being part of something greater – something not so different from the Hive Mind itself. That is probably her first line of through, for she is a Queen of a Hive.

Queens are quite predictable given their circumstances.

I have also reinforced that theory of hers by talking to her through my avatar as well as my actual body – all to create an illusion of numbers. In addition, I have always referred to myself as Merchant despite whatever appearance I take.

There is a reason for that, and it is very simple.

To the Queen, I appear to represent something greater, and a mysterious organization with unknown numbers of powerful individuals has a lot more weight than just one individual. If it is just me, she can drown me in numbers, as swarming is one of most basic tactics of a Hive Mind.

But such swarming tactic will not work against an unknown organization, and since I haven't displayed outright hostility towards her and the Hive as a whole yet, she also will not show hostility towards me in response. But that does not stop her from being fucking shifty bitch.

In any case, the unknown factors I have created in her mind will stop her hands for now. I think this is the same reason to why the Ruler has not done anything yet.

The Rulers are aware that time has been reset, but they do not know who is responsible. For a person to rewind time and seal their memory away, that person must be incredibly powerful. More powerful than them individually at least.

An Aspect is certainly more powerful than the Rulers themselves, but unlike the Rulers, I know almost next to nothing about them. And that is certainly disconcerting.

In any case, I should head back to the Subway Station, as darkness has started to descend. There is no time left to break into another bank, and I can always leave that for tomorrow.

"Alright, this is what our story will be," I tell Alex and fabricate a story together with him. And our story will be based on what happen in the future. Or our past. It is just a matter of perspective.

While fabricating such a story is a risk, it is far more riskier to make up something completely new.

To be safe, I have to assume that the Rulers and their servants are able to unseal the sealed memories within their mind. If that is the case, there cannot be a huge discrepancy between the erased timeline and this one. There can be some, as there already are, considering the Life Zone is not the same.

"Oh. I see. Okay, that is logical," Alex agrees with me. "It is easier too since I don't have to remember anything new. Anyway, I'm ready when you are."

I nod even though Alex cannot see what I am doing, and I begin to transfer Alex and everyone within the Caravan directly into the Subway Station. I will head there through the sewer instead, as I headed out of there the same way. It is all for the illusion.