By the time he had completed the Labyrinth run, Merrick was nearly out of time. The Faction War was still a day and a half away in-game but back in reality, he was due to work in a little over an hour. It left him just enough time to drop all of the extra loot he had farmed, including the Dungeon Clear reward, inside the Curious Glade's Coffer for safekeeping before he had to log out.
Back in reality, Merrick did his best to make it seem like he was not living the life of a shut-in. A quick shower, a clean change of clothes, and a breakfast bar from the pantry would have to do. As he left the apartment, he did his best to avoid the changes that had settled into his neighborhood over the last six months.
It seemed like so long ago that he had found evidence with the help of a hacker and turned a secretive criminal organization into one that law enforcement was able to bring to justice. It was a brilliant ideal and for a while, Merrick had felt good about what he did. He should have remembered that nature abhors vacuum.
While the behind the scenes criminals encouraging more crime to happen had been taken down, it had not taken long for another set of enterprising young law breakers to set up. This new group was not secretive. Drug deals happened in plain sight. Carjackings and robberies took place in broad daylight. The neighborhood was no safer for his involvement.
Fortunately, Merrick's building was secure. The landlord had fixed the fences, installed key cards on the building's exterior doors, and gave the tenants the option of having their locks upgraded. It made his neighbors feel safer, but it only reminded Merrick of the worst.
On the way to the subway, Merrick stopped at the corner store near his building. Nick was working behind the counter. His arm was still in a sling, the recovery had been going alright but then something happened and now the sling was back. Merrick wanted to ask but did not feel like it was his place. Instead, he grabbed the usual and placed them on the counter.
"It's been a while and you are only getting two." Nick joked, "Are you cutting back or are you cheating on us and getting your stuff at GitUrStuf down the street, Mr. Mocha Monster?"
Merrick forced a chuckle, "Unintentionally cutting back. Things got a little busy."
"Back at school?"
Merrick shook his head.
"Well I hope it dies down for you, the old man keeps asking me why our sales dropped on those but don't worry. We won't stop stocking them."
Merrick smiled, "I appreciate it."
A moment of awkward silence and then Nick asked, "Was there anything else?"
Merrick shook his head, paid for the drinks, and then left. He drank one on the subway and saved the other for work. The subway was nearly empty. Merrick felt like he had forgotten something as he rode along and only remembered too late.
His destination was unreachable by subway now. There had been a gas leak in the Old Quarter Station and it had been closed for repairs for the last month. Merrick, and the few other riders, were forced off at the Financial District. He could have gotten a ride in a taxi or a rideshare but instead Merrick decided to walk.
It was only a few miles. He would be late, but his boss would understand. Just in case, he called ahead. The phone rang a few times but then went to the store's voicemail. Mr. Abernathy must've been with a customer.
Merrick left a message anyway, "Hey boss, just wanted to give you a heads up. The station is still closed so I've got to walk the last mile or so. I might be a few minutes late but I'm on my way."
After putting away his phone, Merrick looked up to find someone blocking his path. Merrick immediately stepped to the side to go around, but the disheveled man moved to continue blocking his path. That was when Merrick noticed two things about the man. He looked familiar and he was holding a knife.
"Took me a while." The man spoke in a rough voice. "Took me a while to find that hacker but they sold you out immediately, kid."
Merrick took a step backwards, the man with the knife stepped forward.
"You had to know this was coming."
The man with the knife darted forward. Merrick threw the second energy drink at him out of instinct. It was dodged easily but afterward Merrick's attacker hung back. Merrick was no longer the easy target he had been.
"Where did you get that?" The man pointed his knife at the weapon that Merrick was now wielding.
Merrick turned Spell Stealer over in his hand, "I've always had it."
"Whatever." The man with the knife backed away, "I don't feel like getting into a proper knife fight. Keep an eye out, kid."
As soon as it happened, it was over. Merrick was alone on the street again. With a deep breath and intense focus, he sent Spell Stealer back home. Fortunately, his would-be assailant had not managed to cut him and when Merrick threw the energy drink at him, it had clattered harmlessly to the ground.
The can was dinged but not punctured. Merrick picked it up and wiped it off as he finished the last leg of the walk to work. However, when he arrived at the old bookstore in the City's oldest district, he found it closed. The lights were out, the open sign was not hung up, and the doors were locked.
In all of his time, Merrick had never seen the store closed before. Yet now it was.