Chapter 87: Gang Activities

The sunless sky had begun to darken further by the time Wolf led Gene and Selene out of the forest.

The trees slowly thinned.

Ancient roots gave way to dirt roads.

Eventually a small town appeared ahead.

Gene immediately slowed.

The place looked… normal.

Far too normal.

Compared to everything else they had seen inside the Dreamseer world, the settlement appeared almost untouched.

Wooden buildings stood neatly arranged around a central square.

Smoke slowly rose from chimneys.

Lanterns glowed as people walked the streets.

Children tossed a cabbage in front of the town fountain.

A dog barked a few times and disappeared behind a fence.

For the first time since entering the Dreamseer Trial, it looked like a place where people actually lived.

Which immediately made Gene suspicious.

“Looks nice,” Selene said.

“Yeah… it’s nice.”

Wolf glanced backward.

“You get used to it.”

Gene narrowed his eyes.

That wasn’t reassuring.

The gray-cloaked warrior led them through town.

As they walked, Gene noticed something strange.

Nobody smiled.

Everyone acted friendly enough.

But their eyes lingered.

Watching.

Measuring.

Waiting.

The sensation reminded him of walking into a room full of predators pretending to be people.

Wolf didn’t appear to notice.

Or perhaps he didn’t care.

Eventually they arrived at a large two-story house near the center of town.

Several armed guards stood outside.

One stepped forward.

A broad man with a thick beard.

“Ah I suppose you’re Wolf.”

The man smiled.

“Good to see you’re alive.”

Wolf nodded.

“Ahh Found some new travelers.”

The guard’s eyes landed on Gene and Selene.

Something flickered behind his smile.

Interest.

Mostly the wrong kind.

“Well met! Looks like we will definitely have to hang later!”

The guard next to him shook their head and motioned to have the door opened. 

Gene’s suspicion doubled.

The talkative guard helped openthe door.

“Come in to our beautiful city.”

The interior looked comfortable.

Warm fireplace.

Wooden furniture.

Food smells drifting from another room.

Everything appeared perfect.

Too perfect.

Wolf stretched.

“I’ll notify the others.”

The guard nodded.

“We’ll prepare dinner.”

Gene noticed Selene’s eyes narrow slightly.

She felt it too.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Wolf looked toward them.

“Get some rest.”

Then he left.

The guard immediately offered them a room upstairs.

“Long journey.”

He smiled.

“You two must be exhausted.”

Gene returned the smile.

“Absolutely.”

The guard led them upstairs.

The room itself looked surprisingly luxurious.

Large bed.

Private bathroom.

Fresh blankets.

Candles.

A table with fruit.

Almost suspiciously inviting.

The guard opened the door.

“Make yourselves comfortable.”

Then something unexpected happened.

As he turned to leave, he casually brushed past Selene.

Something tiny slipped into her hand.

The movement was so subtle Gene almost missed it.

The guard continued walking.

He never looked back.

The door closed.

The lock clicked.

Silence filled the room.

Gene immediately activated Athena.

“Scan her hand before she opens it.”

No threats appeared immediately.

Selene slowly opened her hand.

A folded note rested in her palm.

Gene blinked.

“Interesting.”

Selene unfolded it.

The two quickly read.

⸻

If you are reading this, then Wolf has brought you here.

That means you are already in danger.

The room is trapped.

The town is compromised.

Wolf is NOT who he claims to be.

Do not eat.

Do not drink.

Do not sleep.

Trust nobody.

Especially not the people calling themselves the B.B. Gang.

The real B.B. Gang dissolved years ago.

If you survive tonight, look for the truth beneath the old crossing sign.

— B.B.

⸻

On the back of the note sat a massive paw print.

Not a signature.

A mark.

Like a seal.

Gene stared at it.

Then slowly folded the paper.

Neither spoke for several seconds.

Finally Selene sighed.

“So.”

“So.”

“We’re trapped.”

“Probably.”

“The room is trapped.”

“Definitely.”

“Almost certainly, Wolf isn’t Wolf.”

Gene rubbed his forehead.

“I was starting to like him.”

Selene snorted.

“Same.”

Athena suddenly appeared in Gene’s vision.

WARNING.

MULTIPLE MECHANICAL TRIGGERS DETECTED.

WARNING.

PRESSURE PLATES DETECTED.

WARNING.

SUSPICIOUS CHEMICAL RESIDUE PRESENT.

Gene slowly looked around the room.

Then toward the bed.

Then the chair.

Then the fruit.

Then the candles.

“Wow.”

Selene raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“The entire room is trying to kill us.”

She blinked.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Athena continued.

RECOMMENDATION:

DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING.

“Good recommendation.”

Gene walked toward the bathroom.

Selene followed.

The moment they entered, Athena reported something surprising.

NO THREATS DETECTED.

Gene smiled.

“Bathroom is safe.”

Selene laughed.

“That’s surprising thoughtful.”

“Yet useful.”

Gene quietly locked the bathroom door.

Then he activated his communication link.

“Mother Sarah?”

Several seconds passed.

Then the nun’s familiar voice answered.

“Yes my child?”

Gene smiled.

The connection worked.

Good.

“I need emergency bag twelve.”

Silence.

Then:

“Twelve?”

“Yes that one or bag nine should work.”

A sigh came through the link.

“Very well.”

The bathroom wall suddenly split.

Reality had  itself tore open.

A black rift appeared.

Mother Sarah’s clawed hand emerged from the darkness.

Holding a backpack.

Gene accepted it.

“Thanks.”

The hand gave him a thumbs-up.

Then vanished.

Reality stitched itself closed.

Selene blinked.

“You really planned for this?”

Gene grinned.

“I’ve been planning for things you wouldn’t believe.“

Inside the bag sat emergency supplies.

Food.

Water.

Weapons.

Medical supplies.

Several explosives.

A portable communication beacon.

Two spare masks.

Three cursed objects.

And a rubber chicken.

Selene pointed.

“Should I even ask?”

“Surprisingly that’s one of the more powerful items.”

“I bet.”

The two quickly stashed everything.

Inside the wall.

Above ceiling panels.

Various locations.

Once finished, Selene returned from another quick sweep.

“Everything in its place.”

Gene nodded.

“Good.”

Then they waited.

An hour passed.

Eventually there was a knock.

“Come in.”

Wolf poked his head inside.

He smiled.

The same smile as always.

Yet now Gene noticed things he hadn’t before.

The smile never reached the eyes.

The eyes looked wrong.

Empty.

Like someone pretending to be human.

“The team wants to meet you.”

Gene stood.

“Alright Lead the way.”

Wolf nodded.

“Right this way.”

They followed him downstairs.

The smell hit them first.

Food.

Amazing food.

Roasted meats.

Fresh bread.

Vegetables.

Soup.

Pie.

Enough food for a feast.

Five people sat around the massive dining table.

Each looked different.

Different ages.

Different appearances.

Different clothing.

Yet Every single one smiled exactly the same way.

Gene immediately hated it.

The moment they entered, all five people stood.

In perfect synchronization.

Like puppets.

“Welcome.”

The voices overlapped slightly.

Not enough for most people to notice the oddity.

More than enough for Gene and Selene.

Selene squeezed his arm

One of them stepped forward.

A large woman wearing armor.

“Hello the names Bo Peep. Wolf tells us you’re the travelers.”

Another smiled.

“We’ve heard so much about you.”

A third laughed.

“Please.”

“Sit down.”

“Eat and relax”

Gene almost laughed.

Every warning sign imaginable was present.

The food looked perfect.

Too perfect.

The people looked friendly.

Too friendly.

The town looked safe.

Too safe.

Athena flashed warnings continuously in Gene’s mind.

BIOLOGICAL ANOMALIES DETECTED.

BIOLOGICAL ANOMALIES DETECTED.

BIOLOGICAL ANOMALIES DETECTED.

Gene sat.

Selene sat beside him.

The fake B.B. members watched.

Waiting.

Studying.

One poured wine.

Another offered bread.

A third pushed a bowl of soup toward them.

Gene smiled pleasantly.

Then picked up a spoon.

The entire table leaned forward slightly.

Watching.

Waiting.

Selene noticed it too.

Gene slowly raised the spoon.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Then suddenly sneezed.

The spoon flew from his hand.

The soup spilled onto the floor.

Instantly the wood began smoking.

The fake smiles dropped.

For just a second.

Then returned.

Gene blinked innocently.

“Oh dear.”

Selene nearly choked trying not to laugh.

Was that acid?

Definitely poison regardless.

One of the false B.B. members smiled wider.

Far wider than a human should.

“No matter.”

Its voice sounded wrong.

Almost layered.

“We have plenty more.”

Gene smiled back.

“How generous.”

The thing’s eye twitched.

Something beneath its skin shifted.

Only briefly.

But Gene saw it.

So did Selene.

Neither reacted.

The feast continued.

The tension slowly thickened.

The fake hosts kept trying to get them to eat.

Gene kept inventing excuses.

Selene pretended to nibble.

Nobody actually consumed anything.

Meanwhile Athena continued scanning.

After several minutes a message appeared.

IDENTITY FAILURE.

SUBJECTS ARE NOT HUMAN.

UNKNOWN MIMIC CLASSIFICATION.

THREAT LEVEL: HIGH.

Gene maintained his smile.

Inside, alarms were ringing.

The people sitting around the table weren’t merely imposters.

They weren’t cultists.

They weren’t illusions.

They weren’t humans at all.

And judging by Athena’s warning…

Neither was Wolf.

As one of the fake B.B. members slowly poured another glass of wine, Gene noticed something else.

Behind the smiling mask.

Behind the friendly eyes.

Behind the carefully maintained disguise.

Something hungry was staring back.

Something that looked at Gene and Selene the same way a wolf looked at sheep.

The fake woman raised her glass.

“To new friends.”

Around the table, the others repeated the motion.

Their smiles widened impossibly far.

“To new friends.”

Gene raised his empty glass.

Selene copied him.

Neither drank.

Outside, thunder rolled across the gray sky.

And somewhere behind the wall…

Something heavy moved.