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and bad boys of Earth got bumped? Yeah. I don’t like to think about it, but we are.”
    “This shouldn’t happen to a good Baptist.”
    “This is exactly what should happen to Baptists; why a pretty good Catholic got dragged in is what perplexes me.”
    The two sat in companionable silence for a while, Derek staring at the trees while Shad chose bits of forest litter.
    “We’re stuck in a fantasy game,” Derek observed somberly.
    “Yeah, for all intents and purposes.”
    “I’m close to freaking out.”
    “This is just like Iraq: one day we’re living the garrison life in Kuwait, the next we’re in Iraq rolling fast, locked and loaded, and having a literal license to kill and destroy. Same-same, GI.”
    “That freaked me out at times, too.”
    “That’s why you’re still here, alive I mean: we were sufficiently freaked out to take it seriously. The dipshits who kept thinking they weren’t really going to kill anyone or that bad things wouldn’t happen to them are the ones who bought it, or clipped themselves when they got home. We knew it was going to suck, prepared for it to suck, and functioned well when the suck really got deep. It’s the same thing here: this is going to suck out loud. Its going to be the worst thing ever, and we are going to have to kill stuff and get hurt before we see home again. Maybe we’ll have to kill more people, too, I can’t really say. What we have to do is to think, stay cool, keep it together, and be willing to do what it takes to get through, same as Iraq. Any local who gets between me and going home isn’t going to live to tell the tale, I can assure you.”
    “Same as Iraq.”
    “There it is.”
    “Iraq wasn’t all bad.”
    “Nothing ever is. And this little outing into insanity might turn out to be not as bad as Iraq, but I wouldn’t put money on it.”  
    “I’m hoping to see a dragon.”
    Shad shook his head. “At a far, far distance, I hope.”
     
    “Road up ahead,” Fred hissed to the others. “Break.”
    “How far have we come?” Derek asked Jeff, keeping his voice low.
    “Three miles, give or take a little. Hour and a half.”
    Shad glanced at the sun. “Close to noon. If that map is to scale, ten miles by road to the city. Four hours or less. Not a big margin if they button up at night, but doable. Jeff, when do you figure sundown is?”
    Jeff reflexively glanced as his wrist and swore. “No earlier than eight. If this is summer, figure nine or so. It all depends on how far north we are-this definitely is quite a few degrees up the curve from Texas. Nebraska, maybe into the Dakotas is my guess, given the color of the sky.”
    “Yeah, that’s how I figure it. We need to nail down out what time of year it is.”
    “Shouldn’t be hard if we get into farmland.”
    “True. Listen, everyone play it cool when we run into locals. Don’t volunteer anything, and keep the tats covered.” Shad examined the contents of his food bag. “Jerky, hardtack, and dried fruit. Man, I miss MREs already.”
    “What’s our cover story?” Jeff asked. “Derek?”
    “Outlanders,” the Shadowmancer dragged a twig from within his hood. “Man, these robes suck. We’re mercenaries heading to the big city to look for work and excitement. First time here.”
    The four ate in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. “We’ll need money,” Derek finally broke the silence. “We need a lot of gear.”
    “We should try to find work of some sort,” Jeff nodded. “Although what, I dunno. Depends on how stable this place is. Given that we’re headed for a city-state, I’m guessing that things aren’t all that centralized.”
    “Especially with five intruders screwing things up,” Fred pointed out.
    “Shad, what you doing?” Jeff asked.
    Shad looked up from the black drawstring bag he was digging in. “I got some completed charms as part of the class gear. I’m trying to get a feel for them, and to figure out a way to carry them so I can get to them