• Time stopped for Vladimir as he considered his next move. The man in the grass or the one to his left. He couldn't see either of them, but he knew they were there. How was he supposed to fight with just a knife? His orders were to come without a gun. The person in the distance raised a rifle, holding it by the forestock. The two people near him rose.
    "You are safe with us, Vladimir." the man to his left said. "The patrol is at the far end of its route, but we must hurry."
    A young woman rose from the grass an began walking towards them carrying a crossbow. "That is Rene, I am Ludger and the man with the rifle is Otis."
    "Follow us, the route is clear of patrols for the moment." Otis said.
    "I saw Enfried while in the sewers." Vladimir replied.
    "Laurentia gave him a large battalion to subdue the industrial district; killing him and working down should shock their ranks. Then you and your people can bring the attack from the outside." Otis continued.
    "This city is certain to burn, you understand." Vladimir said.
    "We're willing to make that sacrifice. The people have become so subdued they practically line up to be shot."
    "I saw that," Vladimir replied "I can't say my trip through the sewers left me not wanting this place to burn."
    Ludger ran off ahead of the group. Otis said "You don't look so well. Did Adele get you the vaccine?"
    "We never knew anyone was going to contact us outside of town. We all took risks assuming this was a legitimate deal that we never expected any extra communications."
    Vladimir had been getting dizzier. He felt hot and cold flashes and began to grow weak. "That lunger in the sewers gave me something, I think." Vladimir said.
    "Oh no." Otto replied. "We're almost there. One more block."
    The street lights started to bend and warp. The streets were starting to twist as Vladimir struggled to move straight. He felt on fire one moment and freezing another. He felt pulses of numbing waves roll up his back.
    "What the fuuu....." Vladimir crumpled under his weight.
    Ludger returned to confirm the path was clear. He and Rene picked up Vladimir and carried him the rest of the way.
    Whatever Vladimir contracted in the sewers had put him in his death bed. He was used to filth and death in the trenches, but a disease local to Davina had taken his body by surprise. He was pale and dripping with sweat. His body temperature would randomly rise and fall; Otto had no idea how to handle this.
    "This has to be the worst timing." Rene said, "He might not live through the night and Adele is sure to be dead."
    Otis had tried to get a vaccine out to the mercenaries but Adele must have been captured or killed. One of the great plagues had hit this city hard in the past. People here were immune to the original disease, but it had become more infectious. Outsiders who weren't properly immunized and mingled with the common class were the most at risk.
    The first fit was the longest and the worst of the disease. If he was lucky, he might recover before the disease could run its full course; it happened enough to be a possibility. All they could do was wait it out while Vladimir "slept."