The Mantis Equilibrium - Book Two - 16. Chapter 16 - Dozi & Ilya

As the rising sun glittered on the ocean, Dozi made her way with Ilya and Tchama into Gate Town. The city’s emergency bells rang for over an hour, but now it was quiet. Entering the quiet neighborhood to the sounds of crackling fires was eerie. A few structures were still smoking but no longer in flames, and a group of people was almost in control of another burning building.

Down a side street, they heard a voice call out to the gathered crowd. A woman was standing at a podium.

“Gate Town needs protection, and I propose that we organize defensive squads to patrol the perimeter, and in particular, the border to Shifton.”

Dozi, Ilya, and Tchama stopped to listen.

“We are here to establish the first neighborhood watch,” the woman continued.

Tchama pulled Dozi and Ilya’s jacket sleeves and said in a whiny voice, “I really want to check up on Ninyani.”

“Go ahead,” Dozi replied.

“Yeah, we can just meet you at home later,” Ilya added.

Tchama ran off towards the mystic’s house, and the woman at the podium continued.

“I know that some of you are ex-Messiahs, and if any of you would be willing to volunteer, we could use your strength along the border. We feel that a group of mostly Shifts and Bio-Shifts should make up the squads that patrol the entrance to Shifton, but whoever else wants to join is welcome. If anyone would like to volunteer for our new neighborhood watch, please come and sign up at the podium.”

The woman kept speaking, but Dozi turned to Ilya and said, “I’m joining.”

Ilya looked both surprised and impressed. “Really?” she asked. “Do I sense a little of Agrell’s nobility coming out in you?”

Dozi rolled her eyes. “Are you coming, too, or what?”

“Oh, you know I’ll join,” Ilya replied.

They stepped up and added their names to the growing list.

The woman at the podium began directing people. “We need help putting out fires and assisting with the injured during the day, and tonight, we will need patrols for the streets.”

Dozi and Ilya spent the morning helping however they could. When they were hungry, they stopped by the mystic’s house, and he was thrilled to make them lunch before sending them back out to do their part. Tchama remained with Ninyani.

Dozi and Ilya stayed in Gate Town the rest of the day, helping the residents of the devastated neighborhood. At sundown, it turned out that several chefs worked together to prepare a large dinner for all the volunteers, and everyone ate enthusiastically.

It was late in the evening when Dozi and Ilya finally returned home. They filled the tub and enjoyed a long, hot soak. Each ate a meat pie, and they were unconscious the moment their heads hit their pillows.

Both of them slept through a terrible crash that came from the other side of the Spritehood✪