1 00:00:00,100 --> 00:00:30,940 Speaker 1: [piano music] 2 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:36,060 Speaker 1: [thunder] The Summoner's Rulebook. One: Never break the bond. 3 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: Written in the margins, "Can you hand off bonds to others? Hmm, needs 4 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:48,740 Speaker 1: investigation." [metal gate opening] Kelter pulled on the metal gate to hell. 5 00:00:48,740 --> 00:00:54,740 Speaker 1: "This the place?" "Yeah." The kid's accent was a charming Southern 6 00:00:54,860 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: drawl coated in ten years of grime. It was ragged and dirty. 7 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:06,660 Speaker 1: Everything about him was dirty. "Good, now get out of here." "Okay." 8 00:01:07,780 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: The kid looked at his feet and shuffled around. Kelter growled and turned to look at 9 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: him in the eye. He took a deep breath of smoggy night air. Might be his last for a 10 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:23,300 Speaker 1: while. A long while, if he wasn't careful. "And yet, your feet ain't moving." 11 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:30,060 Speaker 1: The kid's head snapped up and met his eyes. Hard eyes always looked wrong on a young 12 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:35,380 Speaker 1: face. Never made his job easier. "I can help you. 13 00:01:36,500 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: I know these tunnels. It's my home." His accent was getting thicker as he 14 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:48,020 Speaker 1: sped up. Kelter pulled open the gate and looked down a vertical shaft. Warm, 15 00:01:48,180 --> 00:01:53,980 Speaker 1: putrid air wafted upward like the belch of some concrete beast. He heard the 16 00:01:54,040 --> 00:02:00,020 Speaker 1: kid shuffle in beside him. [sighs] When someone was trying damn hard to get 17 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: into trouble, sometimes it was best just to let them do it under supervision. 18 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: "What's your name? Where are you from?" "Sterling, 19 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,500 Speaker 1: and nowhere." "Then you should go back to nowhere, Sterling, because this isn't your 20 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:20,540 Speaker 1: home anymore. If you come down here, you're just another corpse for me to clean up." 21 00:02:21,540 --> 00:02:26,740 Speaker 1: Sterling's eyes glinted. The narrow whites of his eyes set brightly against his dark 22 00:02:26,820 --> 00:02:32,620 Speaker 1: face. "They were my friends. I can help you find 23 00:02:32,700 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: it." "Fine." 24 00:02:36,820 --> 00:02:42,380 Speaker 1: Then he swung down onto the ladder and descended into darkness. What was another 25 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:44,180 Speaker 1: stain on his soul, anyway? 26 00:02:44,420 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: [footsteps] The tunnels beneath New Terrace were 27 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:55,220 Speaker 1: surprisingly spacious. That was because New Terrace had been built directly on top 28 00:02:55,260 --> 00:03:00,460 Speaker 1: of Old Terrace. Most cities had an undercity of some kind, but in New Terrace, it 29 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,980 Speaker 1: was a very literal undercity. Kelter had never been to this part before, near the 30 00:03:05,020 --> 00:03:10,100 Speaker 1: industrial plants. They dumped a lot of caustic waste down here. Not even criminals 31 00:03:10,140 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: would live here. "Nice place, Sterling." Kelter ran his hands along the 32 00:03:15,940 --> 00:03:21,820 Speaker 1: walls, feeling for something unusual. It was a long shot, but most times you 33 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: found your quarry by connecting a thousand tiny clues instead of finding one big 34 00:03:26,900 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: one, and it was always quarry and never prey. Nothing he hunted down could 35 00:03:32,620 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: rightly be called prey. "Say that again and I'll hit you." 36 00:03:38,500 --> 00:03:42,900 Speaker 1: There was no malice in Sterling's words. Kelter had offered an insult, and the man 37 00:03:42,940 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: had responded with consequences. It didn't matter that Kelter could decimate him. It 38 00:03:48,060 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: didn't matter that he was defending a pigsty. He had to say it. The way Sterling 39 00:03:53,460 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: lived, if someone thought you were weak, you were weak, and if you were weak, 40 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:04,700 Speaker 1: well... "Sorry." Nothing else needed to be said. Kelter 41 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,900 Speaker 1: finished his inspection. There was nothing on the walls. Kelter turned around and 42 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: raised his lantern so he could see the other man's face. The orange light played off 43 00:04:13,300 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: the dark stone in ways that cast odd shadows everywhere. 44 00:04:18,220 --> 00:04:22,540 Speaker 1: You would think this many years in the business would give him nerves of steel, but 45 00:04:22,580 --> 00:04:27,820 Speaker 1: in fact, it was the opposite. Experience had taught him there was everything to fear 46 00:04:27,900 --> 00:04:33,220 Speaker 1: in the darkness. He stilled his heart with effort. "Take me to where the monster 47 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: killed your friends." 48 00:04:35,940 --> 00:04:40,620 Speaker 1: Kelter knew they were in the right place even before Sterling spoke. The tang of 49 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: iron and the smell of feces hit his nose. "It was here. Crazy thing came right out 50 00:04:46,700 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: of the darkness over there." Sterling pointed a shaky arm at the other end of the 51 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: room. "Started pulling us through the door, one by one. Freakiest thing I'd 52 00:04:57,420 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: ever seen." Kelter listened to his story, mentally taking notes of every detail. He 53 00:05:03,460 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 1: tried to imagine the creature, tried to understand what it wanted. In this case, it 54 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:14,180 Speaker 1: was pretty simple. It wanted to kill. Most of them did. Still, he took it all in. 55 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:18,460 Speaker 1: What the creature wanted was always a reflection of what the person who brought it 56 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: here wanted. The room was covered in blood and little pieces of people. Their 57 00:05:24,580 --> 00:05:29,100 Speaker 1: meager belongings had been scattered everywhere in the attack. Nothing larger than 58 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: stew meat was left. "I hid under that box there." He pointed at a cardboard box 59 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: in the corner. "I listened to it chewing on my friends." 60 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: Kelter just nodded. Now that the kid's story was over, he let the silence stretch. 61 00:05:47,900 --> 00:05:52,300 Speaker 1: You'd be surprised what extra details people offered up just to fill that silence. 62 00:05:52,300 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: "So... you really wanna find that thing? 63 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:03,752 Speaker 1: Why?" "Part of the job. I hunt monsters." You gonna kill it? 64 00:06:04,792 --> 00:06:10,692 Speaker 1: Maybe. I'll banish it if I can. I'll kill it if I can't. Of course, there 65 00:06:10,732 --> 00:06:15,692 Speaker 1: was a third option, too. It could just kill him. He was flesh and blood like anyone 66 00:06:15,752 --> 00:06:20,552 Speaker 1: else. Kelter leaned against the blood-smeared wall behind him and set his lantern 67 00:06:20,612 --> 00:06:25,272 Speaker 1: down. He lit a cigarette. I figure a little piece of trash summoner brought a couple 68 00:06:25,312 --> 00:06:30,392 Speaker 1: bums down here. Wanted to test out his control on some real people. People no one 69 00:06:30,412 --> 00:06:33,552 Speaker 1: would miss. Probably before trying something bigger. 70 00:06:35,292 --> 00:06:40,052 Speaker 1: He kicked a chunk of human across the room with his boot. The victims were almost 71 00:06:40,172 --> 00:06:45,412 Speaker 1: always people no one cared about. Almost no one, anyway. It was the people way down 72 00:06:45,492 --> 00:06:51,012 Speaker 1: on their luck that always got hurt the most. He took a long, slow draw of his 73 00:06:51,072 --> 00:06:51,632 Speaker 1: cigarette. 74 00:06:53,152 --> 00:06:58,272 Speaker 1: Sterling started shuffling around uncomfortably. Understandable. He was standing on 75 00:06:58,292 --> 00:07:03,712 Speaker 1: the remains of his friends. From the sound of it, he should have been among them. 76 00:07:04,472 --> 00:07:08,572 Speaker 1: Kelter watched him carefully. You just gonna stand there? 77 00:07:10,392 --> 00:07:16,112 Speaker 1: Yeah. Then he put his free hand behind his back as casually as he 78 00:07:16,192 --> 00:07:22,012 Speaker 1: could. Sterling seemed to be unwilling to move closer. You said 79 00:07:22,512 --> 00:07:28,372 Speaker 1: banish. What's banish? Kelter blew some smoke and 80 00:07:28,432 --> 00:07:33,972 Speaker 1: waved it away with his cigarette hand. Disappear. How you do that? 81 00:07:34,492 --> 00:07:38,272 Speaker 1: Well, the thing that killed your friends will disappear when I kill the person who 82 00:07:38,332 --> 00:07:44,112 Speaker 1: brought it here. Another silence fell between them. You said you 83 00:07:44,192 --> 00:07:49,812 Speaker 1: hunted monsters. An accusation. Kelter closed his 84 00:07:49,912 --> 00:07:55,412 Speaker 1: eyes. This was always the hardest part. Best just to get it done. 85 00:07:56,672 --> 00:08:02,292 Speaker 1: I did say that. He took another long drag of his cigarette, but 86 00:08:02,352 --> 00:08:07,712 Speaker 1: didn't blow it out. The tension was a dry tree branch, bending, 87 00:08:08,972 --> 00:08:14,772 Speaker 1: bending. Sterling stepped backwards out of the lantern light. Kelter saw 88 00:08:14,852 --> 00:08:20,772 Speaker 1: hard eyes on a young face, slipping into the darkness. I thought you were trying 89 00:08:20,832 --> 00:08:26,092 Speaker 1: to help me. Kelter blew out the smoke and took a wide step to the left. 90 00:08:27,032 --> 00:08:27,872 Speaker 1: Sorry, kid. 91 00:08:29,812 --> 00:08:35,672 Speaker 1: A low, agonized groan shook the wall behind him. Iger was a fast summon. The mortar 92 00:08:35,712 --> 00:08:40,852 Speaker 1: in the wall was a good conduit. The mud behind the wall, even better. The wall 93 00:08:40,952 --> 00:08:46,352 Speaker 1: cracked and split open. A river of warm, dark red blood spilled from the crack. 94 00:08:48,072 --> 00:08:52,932 Speaker 1: Kelter heard Sterling running out of the room as the first bloody appendage broke 95 00:08:52,992 --> 00:08:55,392 Speaker 1: through the stone womb behind him. 96 00:08:57,212 --> 00:08:59,752 Speaker 1: Find him. Kill him. Kill yourself after. 97 00:09:03,832 --> 00:09:08,072 Speaker 1: The words weren't necessary, but he always found it easier to command out loud. He 98 00:09:08,192 --> 00:09:10,612 Speaker 1: snatched up a lantern and took off after Sterling. 99 00:09:15,092 --> 00:09:20,352 Speaker 1: Yeah? Screw you, too. Something the size of a car pounded out of the room and leapt 100 00:09:20,432 --> 00:09:24,892 Speaker 1: over him into the darkness, barely clearing his head. A rain of warm blood from the 101 00:09:24,972 --> 00:09:29,312 Speaker 1: summoning splattered his back. It landed, kicking little bits of shrapnel into the 102 00:09:29,392 --> 00:09:34,652 Speaker 1: air. He saw the Iger twitch once and lunge in his direction. Plucky one. He narrowed 103 00:09:34,672 --> 00:09:39,532 Speaker 1: his eyes and jabbed it with his will. The beast shivered, tried to speak again, but 104 00:09:39,592 --> 00:09:44,532 Speaker 1: Kelter felt the bond fall completely into place. I won't tell you again. 105 00:09:45,912 --> 00:09:49,792 Speaker 1: The Iger leapt out of his lantern light and in the direction Sterling had run, 106 00:09:49,992 --> 00:09:53,992 Speaker 1: sending little tremors through the stones each time it landed. Kelter didn't bother 107 00:09:54,072 --> 00:09:59,032 Speaker 1: tracking the man. Instead, he followed the summon. Igers worked well in darkness. 108 00:09:59,272 --> 00:10:04,752 Speaker 1: They were easy to bully, too. No time for a contest down here. Kelter ran at full 109 00:10:04,832 --> 00:10:09,152 Speaker 1: speed down the dark tunnel. Putrid water rushed in a river between the two walkways 110 00:10:09,212 --> 00:10:15,072 Speaker 1: on either side. Each breath of air was heavy, dank. A man screamed 111 00:10:15,152 --> 00:10:19,832 Speaker 1: ahead. A series of long, horrible sounds rising in pitch each time. 112 00:10:21,952 --> 00:10:23,492 Speaker 1: A tremor shook the walls. 113 00:10:25,412 --> 00:10:30,572 Speaker 1: A wet, meaty sound as a person was reduced to a stain on the wall. Kelter 114 00:10:30,632 --> 00:10:36,492 Speaker 1: slowed and bowed his head. It was over. Then he 115 00:10:36,632 --> 00:10:42,632 Speaker 1: felt the bond break. What the? Electric blue light filled 116 00:10:42,672 --> 00:10:47,332 Speaker 1: the tunnel. Heavy footsteps approaching. Kelter felt again for the bond to his Iger. 117 00:10:47,892 --> 00:10:53,452 Speaker 1: It was gone. In his experience, if the summon died, the summoner quickly followed. 118 00:10:54,572 --> 00:11:00,052 Speaker 1: He was a master summoner. But he wasn't just a master summoner. He was a closer. 119 00:11:00,752 --> 00:11:06,472 Speaker 1: A good one, too. There were no special rules for summoners except one. In the eyes 120 00:11:06,512 --> 00:11:11,272 Speaker 1: of the law, and more importantly, in the eyes of the family, whatever your summon 121 00:11:11,332 --> 00:11:16,712 Speaker 1: did, you did. Whatever it did. That was the deal. 122 00:11:17,512 --> 00:11:21,852 Speaker 1: If you brought a monster into this world, you were responsible for what it did. And 123 00:11:21,912 --> 00:11:27,252 Speaker 1: most importantly, you were responsible for sending it back. And if you didn't, or 124 00:11:27,352 --> 00:11:31,092 Speaker 1: couldn't, because you brought in something bigger and badder than you could control, 125 00:11:31,752 --> 00:11:36,492 Speaker 1: well, that's when they would call someone like Kelter. If you couldn't close the 126 00:11:36,552 --> 00:11:42,032 Speaker 1: circle, the family would. For twenty-one years, he'd kept his kind in check. 127 00:11:42,372 --> 00:11:47,372 Speaker 1: Amateurs like Sterling, mostly. People with a little talent, but not enough sense. 128 00:11:47,872 --> 00:11:53,552 Speaker 1: Just people who got in over their heads. Either way, the circle always closed. It 129 00:11:53,592 --> 00:11:59,492 Speaker 1: was a hard truth, but a necessary one. Right now, all twenty-one years of experience 130 00:11:59,532 --> 00:12:05,264 Speaker 1: were screaming at him to do one thing. Run. His feet hit the 131 00:12:05,324 --> 00:12:09,904 Speaker 1: cobblestones without another moment's hesitation. He ran fast, but not so fast that 132 00:12:09,924 --> 00:12:15,044 Speaker 1: he fell. He'd caught his own fair share of runners after a fall. The lantern swung 133 00:12:15,104 --> 00:12:21,064 Speaker 1: around wildly. A warbling scream shook the passage behind him. Electric blue light 134 00:12:21,104 --> 00:12:26,204 Speaker 1: lit the passage. His heart hammered, but he didn't dare to look back. There, up 135 00:12:26,264 --> 00:12:30,244 Speaker 1: ahead, was a narrow tunnel. He flung his lantern against the far wall on the other 136 00:12:30,304 --> 00:12:34,844 Speaker 1: side of the Piss River and slipped quietly into the tunnel. He had to turn sideways 137 00:12:34,924 --> 00:12:40,544 Speaker 1: just to fit. Kelter closed his eyes and shuffled quickly but quietly through the 138 00:12:40,604 --> 00:12:46,384 Speaker 1: tightening space. It wasn't very deep, but it wasn't like he had a lot of options. 139 00:12:47,584 --> 00:12:51,984 Speaker 1: Electric blue light lit up the sewer beyond his hiding spot. Kelter pushed himself 140 00:12:52,044 --> 00:12:56,484 Speaker 1: deeper into the crack. He felt his chest unable to expand. His shallow breathing 141 00:12:56,544 --> 00:13:00,924 Speaker 1: quickened, straining for air. Still, he pushed himself deeper into the darkness. 142 00:13:01,464 --> 00:13:06,704 Speaker 1: Then he held his breath and went still, ignoring the animal part of his brain still 143 00:13:06,804 --> 00:13:12,784 Speaker 1: screaming for air. Long tendrils slipped into his view. Each tendril was as 144 00:13:12,824 --> 00:13:17,564 Speaker 1: thick as his leg and covered in layered chitin, like the body of a millipede. Bright 145 00:13:17,624 --> 00:13:22,144 Speaker 1: blue lights pulsed at their tips. The lights flared, and then the tendrils darted 146 00:13:22,184 --> 00:13:27,204 Speaker 1: into another direction to flare the lights again. More tendrils slipped into view. 147 00:13:27,464 --> 00:13:31,744 Speaker 1: They licked at the air with their lights, slid along the ground. Some even dipped 148 00:13:31,804 --> 00:13:37,784 Speaker 1: briefly into the sewer sludge, searching. Kelter closed his eyes. It was only 149 00:13:37,844 --> 00:13:42,904 Speaker 1: a matter of time until they wormed their way into his little hiding place. Then he 150 00:13:42,944 --> 00:13:47,704 Speaker 1: would be plucked out and turned into stew meat, just like Sterling's friends had 151 00:13:47,764 --> 00:13:53,624 Speaker 1: been. That lying sack of... He could try to summon something bigger. 152 00:13:54,164 --> 00:13:58,204 Speaker 1: That would take time, though, and it wouldn't be quiet. He could try to control this 153 00:13:58,264 --> 00:14:02,824 Speaker 1: thing with his own will, but that was even worse. Will-breaking a summon was an 154 00:14:02,904 --> 00:14:07,904 Speaker 1: academic exercise only. Anyone who thought otherwise had never tried it while 155 00:14:08,084 --> 00:14:14,084 Speaker 1: staring down a monster's throat through its open mouth. So sure, if whatever horror 156 00:14:14,164 --> 00:14:17,764 Speaker 1: Sterling had called up would just sit pretty for 30 minutes while he mentally 157 00:14:17,784 --> 00:14:22,084 Speaker 1: wrestled it, he might be able to will-break it. After that, he could make it dance 158 00:14:22,124 --> 00:14:26,344 Speaker 1: and cook him breakfast. But it didn't matter because it wasn't going to happen. 159 00:14:27,004 --> 00:14:32,744 Speaker 1: Kelter felt a little tickle in his chest. His body was betraying him. Any 160 00:14:32,844 --> 00:14:38,544 Speaker 1: second now, he'd cough. Well, he figured he may as well go out with a bang 161 00:14:38,624 --> 00:14:43,384 Speaker 1: then. He made connection with the mortar and the mud behind the walls and started 162 00:14:43,464 --> 00:14:47,984 Speaker 1: forcing his will into the material. A curious tendril found the other end of his 163 00:14:48,044 --> 00:14:53,644 Speaker 1: hiding spot and started sneaking inside. Ah, blood and guts. Here we 164 00:14:53,724 --> 00:14:59,384 Speaker 1: go. A blinding blue light pulsed a foot from his face. He screamed. 165 00:14:59,724 --> 00:15:05,184 Speaker 1: It wasn't bad. A warrior's scream. Maybe. He'd heard far worse as he watched people 166 00:15:05,244 --> 00:15:10,164 Speaker 1: die. Maybe he would still hear worse. Fortunately, it wouldn't last long. 167 00:15:10,244 --> 00:15:15,964 Speaker 1: "Stop. Sterling, just call it off. I'll make it 168 00:15:16,004 --> 00:15:21,864 Speaker 1: disappear. Please." [crying] Kelter tried to 169 00:15:21,924 --> 00:15:26,364 Speaker 1: yell, but he wasn't capable of yelling anymore. Instead, it came out as a desperate, 170 00:15:26,504 --> 00:15:31,184 Speaker 1: wheezing plea. It sounded much more like the dying words he was used to hearing. 171 00:15:32,084 --> 00:15:35,924 Speaker 1: Something grabbed his leg and pulled. He felt something crack in his ankle under the 172 00:15:35,964 --> 00:15:40,384 Speaker 1: tremendous pressure. More tendrils reached into the crack, pulling him free in 173 00:15:40,484 --> 00:15:45,524 Speaker 1: violent tugs. He let his grip on the stones slip, knowing his fingernails would come 174 00:15:45,624 --> 00:15:50,804 Speaker 1: off if he didn't. As soon as he lost contact with the wall and the summoning inside 175 00:15:50,844 --> 00:15:56,804 Speaker 1: it, all hell broke loose. When you stopped a summoning, it wasn't like what happened 176 00:15:56,844 --> 00:16:02,464 Speaker 1: in the stories. A little puff of purple smoke, some sparkles maybe. An 177 00:16:02,524 --> 00:16:08,424 Speaker 1: explosion of gore detonated through the wall. [explosion] A 178 00:16:08,484 --> 00:16:13,604 Speaker 1: wave of stone and flesh and blood pressed him to the ground, and Sterling and his 179 00:16:13,664 --> 00:16:19,124 Speaker 1: monster were swept into the nearby sewer river. It was an old trick, something 180 00:16:19,184 --> 00:16:25,084 Speaker 1: learned from an old friend, someone far, far better than him. Deafened by the 181 00:16:25,123 --> 00:16:29,464 Speaker 1: partial summoning but prepared for it, he acted on instinct. Kelter ignored the 182 00:16:29,544 --> 00:16:33,964 Speaker 1: scrambling mass of limbs and tentacles and grabbed the floundering man instead. He 183 00:16:34,104 --> 00:16:38,284 Speaker 1: lifted Sterling's shoulders just far enough out of the stinking river to put a knife 184 00:16:38,344 --> 00:16:43,964 Speaker 1: to his throat. A small knife, but large enough. "Tell it that if you die, it 185 00:16:44,044 --> 00:16:48,804 Speaker 1: dies too." "I- I know. Do it." 186 00:16:49,984 --> 00:16:54,244 Speaker 1: The creature finally pulled itself out of the current. For the first time, Kelter 187 00:16:54,304 --> 00:16:59,844 Speaker 1: got a good look at it. It was big. A long, slender body with a mane of 188 00:16:59,904 --> 00:17:04,864 Speaker 1: glowing tendrils. Its head had no discernible eyes, just a triangular snout that 189 00:17:04,944 --> 00:17:10,524 Speaker 1: opened to reveal countless jagged teeth. A mouth, then. Whatever it was, it was a 190 00:17:10,584 --> 00:17:16,244 Speaker 1: killing tool, plain and simple. It wasn't advancing, though, and that was something. 191 00:17:16,244 --> 00:17:22,164 Speaker 1: "It doesn't believe you." Good. If he could understand at all, then the bond 192 00:17:22,204 --> 00:17:28,044 Speaker 1: wasn't totally broken. "Yeah? Let's find out." He pressed the knife harder 193 00:17:28,104 --> 00:17:33,224 Speaker 1: against Sterling's neck until a thin line of red ran down. The creature stepped 194 00:17:33,284 --> 00:17:39,024 Speaker 1: backward with eerie grace. Kelter cursed inwardly. It was smart. Never a good 195 00:17:39,084 --> 00:17:44,704 Speaker 1: thing. "Now we talk. How did you summon it?" "I don't know." 196 00:17:44,704 --> 00:17:50,484 Speaker 1: "Try again." "It, it came to me in a dream and told me. I don't 197 00:17:50,544 --> 00:17:56,304 Speaker 1: know. Don't kill me, man. I didn't mean to. I don't know. I swear I don't know. They 198 00:17:56,344 --> 00:18:01,824 Speaker 1: were my friends." Of all the things he'd heard a dying summoner say, 199 00:18:02,244 --> 00:18:08,208 Speaker 1: this had to be the most bizarre. It came to him in a dream? That 200 00:18:08,268 --> 00:18:12,328 Speaker 1: was like claiming you'd received the complete blueprints for a flying car in your 201 00:18:12,388 --> 00:18:18,368 Speaker 1: dreams and then had gone on to construct it. And yet, here was his flying 202 00:18:18,448 --> 00:18:24,388 Speaker 1: car. Kelter tightened his grip on the knife. However fantastic the story, 203 00:18:24,908 --> 00:18:29,928 Speaker 1: it still only ended one way. The circle always closed. 204 00:18:31,208 --> 00:18:36,348 Speaker 1: Sorry, kid. Kelter lifted the hood of his trench coat and pulled on the car door 205 00:18:36,408 --> 00:18:40,988 Speaker 1: handle. He winced as he put weight on the ankle. The door handle popped off with a 206 00:18:41,068 --> 00:18:46,228 Speaker 1: crack, and the car door slowly opened on its own. Piece of junk. 207 00:18:47,268 --> 00:18:52,548 Speaker 1: He could get it fixed now, though. Hell, he could replace the whole car now. He got 208 00:18:52,608 --> 00:18:57,648 Speaker 1: out of his car and walked across the rain-swept streets. It was still early morning, 209 00:18:57,728 --> 00:19:03,728 Speaker 1: but the bounty station was lit up like a diner. Some business never stopped. A grim 210 00:19:03,788 --> 00:19:08,768 Speaker 1: reminder that his enemies, his real enemies, never stopped working. It didn't matter 211 00:19:08,808 --> 00:19:13,588 Speaker 1: how good you got. It didn't matter how determined you were. You couldn't outwork the 212 00:19:13,668 --> 00:19:18,188 Speaker 1: family. Kelter pulled open the front door and briefly considered letting his coat 213 00:19:18,248 --> 00:19:24,248 Speaker 1: drip all over the floor. It was petty defiance and misdirected. These people did the 214 00:19:24,308 --> 00:19:30,148 Speaker 1: family's work, but blood and guts, so did he. Everyone did. He hung the coat 215 00:19:30,228 --> 00:19:34,588 Speaker 1: instead and approached the plate glass. The cast around his foot clicked on the tile 216 00:19:34,668 --> 00:19:40,468 Speaker 1: floor. A familiar face lit up on the other side. Hey, Kelter. Didn't think we'd see 217 00:19:40,528 --> 00:19:45,208 Speaker 1: you again. Slide your papers through. Jenny opened the little metal door in the 218 00:19:45,268 --> 00:19:49,848 Speaker 1: plate glass, and he slid his report through. Honestly, I didn't think I'd be back 219 00:19:49,908 --> 00:19:53,188 Speaker 1: after that one. Well, we're glad to see you. 220 00:19:57,768 --> 00:20:01,528 Speaker 1: Okay, looks good. Say the oaths, and I'll get you on your way. 221 00:20:03,428 --> 00:20:08,628 Speaker 1: Kelter hesitated, and Jenny looked up. Not a good time to hesitate. 222 00:20:10,948 --> 00:20:16,408 Speaker 1: I swear the circle has been closed. She raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, 223 00:20:16,568 --> 00:20:21,268 Speaker 1: thankfully. His reputation was worth something at this station, which is exactly why 224 00:20:21,308 --> 00:20:27,128 Speaker 1: he came here. Sorry about your ankle. It happens. Cast comes off in two 225 00:20:27,188 --> 00:20:32,948 Speaker 1: months. Any casualties? All in the report, but nothing I 226 00:20:33,008 --> 00:20:38,728 Speaker 1: caused, except, you know. Jenny nodded once, then counted out a stack of 227 00:20:38,788 --> 00:20:42,928 Speaker 1: bills on the other side of the glass, slid them into a manila envelope, and opened 228 00:20:42,948 --> 00:20:47,608 Speaker 1: the door to slide the payment through. On behalf of the family, thank you for your 229 00:20:47,668 --> 00:20:53,348 Speaker 1: service. He hated that line. He'd always hated it, even before he hated 230 00:20:53,408 --> 00:20:57,068 Speaker 1: them. Kelter didn't kill for them. He never had. 231 00:20:58,808 --> 00:21:04,628 Speaker 1: Kelter? Kelter, is something wrong? No, nothing's wrong. 232 00:21:05,348 --> 00:21:07,148 Speaker 1: And yet he just stood there. 233 00:21:08,728 --> 00:21:13,528 Speaker 1: I can recount the money if you'd like. The terms were set when you took the 234 00:21:13,588 --> 00:21:19,488 Speaker 1: contract, but you've been good to us. Do you want me to get Derek? Yeah, 235 00:21:20,188 --> 00:21:23,148 Speaker 1: that'd be good. Okay, come on back. 236 00:21:24,908 --> 00:21:28,888 Speaker 1: Jenny's high heels clicked, and then the heavy locking mechanisms behind the wooden 237 00:21:28,948 --> 00:21:34,748 Speaker 1: door clanked and turned. Jenny smiled warmly at him. There were volumes of questions 238 00:21:34,768 --> 00:21:39,568 Speaker 1: written in that smile, though, but he didn't answer them. Couldn't answer them. 239 00:21:40,428 --> 00:21:45,648 Speaker 1: This was not business as usual. He'd come to this station for a reason. 240 00:21:46,348 --> 00:21:52,248 Speaker 1: Mostly because he might walk back out of it alive. Maybe. The contract manager 241 00:21:52,288 --> 00:21:57,308 Speaker 1: leaned back in his chair, and it made a tortured sound. His office was warmly lit, 242 00:21:57,848 --> 00:22:03,728 Speaker 1: clean, and fresh-smelling. Wood paneling and plush green carpet. Real hardwood 243 00:22:03,788 --> 00:22:08,268 Speaker 1: furniture and blinds. It was just enough to give the impression of wealth and power, 244 00:22:08,688 --> 00:22:13,528 Speaker 1: but not so much that he hit you over the head with it. Derek drummed his fingers on 245 00:22:13,568 --> 00:22:18,248 Speaker 1: the desk while Jenny set the contract payment between the two of them like a live 246 00:22:18,328 --> 00:22:23,968 Speaker 1: bomb, then rushed out, still smiling as she closed the office door. They would all 247 00:22:24,028 --> 00:22:26,548 Speaker 1: be smiling right until the very end. 248 00:22:28,088 --> 00:22:33,988 Speaker 1: Is it the money? It's not the money. You know, most closers don't have a 249 00:22:34,048 --> 00:22:39,188 Speaker 1: problem with this part, Kelter. Job's not done till you take the money. You know 250 00:22:39,268 --> 00:22:44,448 Speaker 1: that. Listen. He leaned forward in his chair and whispered instead. 251 00:22:45,228 --> 00:22:50,808 Speaker 1: Listen. I say you turned in the wrong papers. I still have to hire another 252 00:22:50,868 --> 00:22:56,828 Speaker 1: closer, but I'll get someone slow or someone you trust. But if you run, I 253 00:22:56,908 --> 00:22:58,968 Speaker 1: have to put the hit out. You understand? 254 00:23:01,408 --> 00:23:07,368 Speaker 1: Kelter laughed once. It was laced with sarcasm. Derek was taking a huge risk giving 255 00:23:07,408 --> 00:23:12,648 Speaker 1: him an out. Risking everything, really. Something stirred inside Kelter. That 256 00:23:12,728 --> 00:23:18,508 Speaker 1: something always got him in trouble. Derek pounded his desk once in frustration. His 257 00:23:18,608 --> 00:23:24,268 Speaker 1: face was turning red. I closed the circle, Derek. Of course, of course. I'm not 258 00:23:24,508 --> 00:23:30,268 Speaker 1: saying you didn't. Then he slid the money envelope forward another inch. So 259 00:23:30,348 --> 00:23:35,948 Speaker 1: take the money. The sound of boots and chains echoed down the hallway outside. 260 00:23:36,788 --> 00:23:42,488 Speaker 1: A lot of boots. Take the money, James. Kelter 261 00:23:42,548 --> 00:23:48,168 Speaker 1: reached for the envelope, but couldn't quite pick it up. He just couldn't. 262 00:23:49,288 --> 00:23:54,088 Speaker 1: He could fight his way out. That wouldn't end well. Every bit of material in this 263 00:23:54,128 --> 00:23:58,968 Speaker 1: place was fabricated to be a terrible conduit. It'd take him 20 minutes to summon 264 00:23:59,028 --> 00:24:03,148 Speaker 1: something. I don't care if you throw it in the damn sewer the moment you leave, but 265 00:24:03,208 --> 00:24:08,068 Speaker 1: take the money, James. A baritone voice was talking to Jenny. The line of boots had 266 00:24:08,128 --> 00:24:13,328 Speaker 1: stopped just outside the office. Kelter spared a glance for the door. I will know 267 00:24:14,012 --> 00:24:18,332 Speaker 1: He's in here, but give me just a second. I know that we can come to some resolution. 268 00:24:18,412 --> 00:24:24,152 Speaker 1: Was she trying to stop them? That was beyond reckless. And 269 00:24:24,272 --> 00:24:30,132 Speaker 1: so was this. The office door flew open. A man with a chin like a 270 00:24:30,212 --> 00:24:35,612 Speaker 1: mountain stared fire and hatred at Kelter. His uniform was tidy, covered in little 271 00:24:35,672 --> 00:24:36,572 Speaker 1: gleaming badges. 272 00:24:40,312 --> 00:24:45,412 Speaker 1: Kelter sighed, then he picked up the envelope of money. He walked past the man and 273 00:24:45,472 --> 00:24:50,092 Speaker 1: gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. Sorry about that, Buford. I thought I was 274 00:24:50,132 --> 00:24:53,152 Speaker 1: getting stiffed. Turns out, I just can't count. 275 00:24:55,832 --> 00:25:00,392 Speaker 1: Buford growled back at him. Not unlike the prisoners he kept, really. You just 276 00:25:00,452 --> 00:25:06,032 Speaker 1: couldn't see his chains. Kelter looked down at the money in his hand. They all had 277 00:25:06,132 --> 00:25:11,832 Speaker 1: chains. He'd killed a lot of people, but he wasn't willing to kill his friends. 278 00:25:13,632 --> 00:25:17,952 Speaker 1: As he left, he made a point of not looking back at the half-men chained together in 279 00:25:17,992 --> 00:25:23,972 Speaker 1: the hallway behind him. They reminded him too much of himself. Jenny was standing 280 00:25:24,012 --> 00:25:29,552 Speaker 1: next to her desk when he got back to the entrance. She shook fiercely. I'm sorry, 281 00:25:29,672 --> 00:25:35,192 Speaker 1: Jenny. Don't ever do that again. Then she turned sharply and walked away. 282 00:25:35,812 --> 00:25:41,372 Speaker 1: James Kelter closed his eyes and bowed his head. He'd failed today. He'd failed and 283 00:25:41,432 --> 00:25:44,512 Speaker 1: almost gotten two good people killed in the process. 284 00:25:46,112 --> 00:25:47,952 Speaker 1: Don't think I'll get the chance to do it 285 00:25:48,012 --> 00:26:21,312 Speaker 1: again.