Jake watched Sarah with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. Her nonchalant attitude was intriguing. "How did you end up in the Reclamation Zone?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.
Sarah looked young, but her eyes held a wisdom beyond her years. Jake found it hard to pin down her age. Given how she had addressed Eli as "brother" earlier, she was likely barely of legal age, if that.
It was difficult for Jake to imagine someone with Sarah's cunning ending up in the Reclamation Zone at such a young age.
Sarah shrugged, her eyes momentarily distant. "Who knows? As far back as I can remember, I've been here." She paused, as if catching herself. "I mean, in this part of the city."
"Impossible," Jake said firmly. "The Reclamation Zone couldn't produce a native nanoengineer." Even if said engineer only made seemingly useless nanochips.
Sarah shrugged again, unfazed by Jake's certainty. "And yet, here I am. Anyone who's been here long enough can trace my life in the NOVA PRIME sector."
Of course, the fact that Sarah was from another world entirely was something no one knew. The memories of her past life on Earth, of the abandoned research facility where she once worked, were locked away in the recesses of her mind.
Jake's statement was, in fact, a universal truth in this world. Long ago, when Sarah had found that "Basics of Nanoengineering" manual in a scrap heap, she had quickly realized this fact.
Nanoengineering wasn't just about innate talent; it required a deep understanding and application of knowledge. It was, in essence, this world's version of advanced science.
After digesting the information in the manual, Sarah had deduced that many nanoengineers likely spent their entire careers specializing in just one type of nanochip.
Similar to the PhDs and academicians of her old world.
And the Reclamation Zone had no formal education system, which was why Jake was so certain it was impossible.
Jake didn't comment on whether he believed Sarah or not. From his perspective, Sarah didn't seem to have any close connections, so if someone wanted to, they could easily replace her identity.
In reality, Jake didn't care much about the Reclamation Zone's affairs. He had only asked out of idle curiosity and wasn't concerned whether Sarah was telling the truth or not.
Coming to the Reclamation Zone had been a last resort, a hidden path of action he'd been forced to take.
Sarah, not bothered by Jake's belief or disbelief, continued, "What's the range of your cloaking nanites? We need to prepare to leave."
From their earlier encounter, she knew that at least blood outside Jake's body wasn't covered by the cloaking effect, but she couldn't judge much else.
Jake eyed the self-proclaimed native nanoengineer of the Reclamation Zone. "It only affects the user and objects covered by the user's nanite field." This was common knowledge for all combat nanite users -- everything was controlled by the nanite field, so there wasn't really any secret in answering Sarah's question.
Sarah nodded, processing this information. Her nanoengineering knowledge came solely from that basic manual and her own experiments, but she knew about nanite fields. They were necessary for imprinting nanocircuits onto chips.
According to the manual, not everyone could generate a nanite field, but Sarah had been lucky. After half a month of trial and error based on the manual's instructions, she'd found hers.
Now, from Jake's brief explanation, Sarah sensed another method of nanoengineering, somewhat similar to her accidental creation of the absorption chip.
However, Sarah knew Jake wouldn't elaborate, and he might not even understand the implications himself. After all, the reverence in his voice when he said "nanoengineer" suggested he wasn't one himself.
So Sarah didn't press the issue. Besides, she now had a prime example of that nanoengineering method around her neck.
Sarah lightly touched the nanocollar, her mind buzzing with new ideas for nanoengineering as she descended once more to the basement. She packed up everything of value, mostly nanoengineering materials, her well-worn "Basics of Nanoengineering" manual, and some notes. It all fit into one backpack.
Despite her relative success in the Reclamation Zone, research and development always burned through resources. Sarah was satisfied she had even this much to show for it.
"When I leave, you follow behind me with these things, cloaked," Sarah instructed Jake, completely taking charge.
Jake, tired of arguing, simply took the backpack. He'd dealt with cunning individuals like Sarah before. Refusing would only lead to endless persuasion attempts. He didn't want to waste time; as long as he achieved his ultimate goal, the details didn't matter.
Sarah, surprised by his easy acquiescence, decided to push her luck. She went up to her second-floor room and retrieved a stack of currency chips from behind a wall panel, stuffing them into every remaining space in the backpack. She even hung the nanite vials she'd brought home earlier on the outside.
Jake remained silent, but his expression spoke volumes.
Finally ready, Sarah retrieved several weapons from another hidden compartment and concealed them on her person. Only then did she open the front door, stepping out with feigned casualness.
The residential area of the Reclamation Zone was a maze of narrow alleys. Sarah navigated them expertly, her pace gradually quickening. As she moved, she activated her homemade camouflage and glare nanites, quickly disappearing from the view of any watchful eyes.
Ten minutes later, a figure in typical Reclamation Zone attire -- shabby and androgynous -- pushed open the door of a dilapidated building. They started to close the door but paused, leaving it slightly ajar.
Sarah felt a twinge of disappointment as she gazed at the seemingly empty doorway. She had deliberately burdened Jake with an oversized, heavy backpack, hoping to lose him in the maze of alleys. Clearly, he had managed to keep up, likely using the nanocollar to track her.
It had been a long shot anyway, so Sarah wasn't too upset. She spoke in a rough voice befitting her current disguise: "Why don't you come in?"
Jake didn't respond. It wasn't Sarah's appearance that gave him pause -- he could sense the nanocollar with his nanite field. He was simply hesitant about entering another of Sarah's dwellings.
Between their initial encounter with its myriad of nanotraps and Sarah's casual use of walls as storage spaces, Jake couldn't help but be wary of any place Sarah called home.
While Sarah's combat skills were lacking, her nanotech creations were genuinely dangerous.
Despite the building's decrepit appearance, Jake activated all his defensive nanites before stepping inside, much to Sarah's apparent confusion.
This safe house, however, was genuinely free of tricks. In a place like the Reclamation Zone, the more unremarkable and run-down, the better.
After several seconds, Sarah felt it was safe to close the door. Only then did Jake decloak.
The backpack was still securely on his back. Sarah glanced down, noticing Jake's clean shoes. He must have traveled via the rooftops, and impressively, she hadn't heard a sound from above.
As Sarah was mentally reassessing Jake's capabilities, a massive explosion rocked the area not far away. The shockwave rattled the rickety door of their hideout.
The two nanochips she had given away earlier had done their job.
Sarah's expression remained unchanged. As if nothing had happened, she took the backpack from Jake and pulled out a datapad, which she tossed to him.
"Key points for the nanoswarm coordinator exam. Memorize it quickly. We have three days at most."