MEMELAND

By noon, the search operation had become significantly more complicated.

Not because Andre was difficult to track.

Quite the opposite.

Andre was somehow leaving evidence everywhere.

Raj stared at another report.

Then another.

Then another.

The pile continued growing.

Which was impressive considering she had hoped paperwork would decrease today.

It had not.

Nish sat across from her.

Reading through similar reports.

Neither looked particularly happy.

"Anything useful?"

Raj flipped a page.

"Depends."

"On?"

"Whether you consider theft useful."

Nish sighed.

"Andre."

"Andre."

Apparently several sewer maintenance stations had reported missing supplies.

Bread.

Water.

Medical kits.

One report even claimed an entire emergency toolbox had disappeared.

Nobody understood why someone would steal a toolbox.

Raj had a theory.

It was a bad theory.

Which meant it was probably correct.

Another report mentioned a ladder being repaired.

Nobody knew who repaired it.

The workers assumed it had been a maintenance team.

There had been no maintenance team.

A different report claimed somebody had written helpful directions on a wall.

The directions were mostly correct.

Mostly.

One path led directly into a flooded tunnel.

Three workers had fallen in.

Raj closed the report.

"I hate him."

Nish nodded.

"Understandable."

The office door opened.

A guard entered.

Saluted.

Then handed over another document.

Raj almost cried.

More paperwork.

Wonderful.

The guard left.

Raj unfolded the paper.

Read it.

Then paused.

Nish noticed.

"What?"

Raj read it again.

Then slowly handed it over.

The commander scanned the page.

His eyebrow rose.

"This is new."

The report came from one of the outer sewer exits.

An old maintenance hatch near the industrial district.

According to the workers stationed there—

Somebody had emerged from the hatch three nights ago.

Nobody thought much of it at the time.

People occasionally used maintenance routes.

Then the witness description arrived.

Tall.

Muscular.

Covered in injuries.

No shirt.

Eating bread.

Several loaves of bread.

At once.

Raj immediately knew.

Nish immediately knew.

The witness had even included an additional note.

"The individual appeared to be arguing with himself."

Raj nodded.

"Definitely Andre."

"Definitely Andre."

The commander continued reading.

The witness had attempted to stop him.

The unknown man responded by asking for directions.

The worker gave directions.

The man thanked him.

Then immediately walked the wrong way.

Raj covered her face.

Nish folded the report.

"So."

"So."

"He made it out."

"He made it out."

The room became quiet.

For several moments neither spoke.

Then Raj looked toward the city beyond the palace window.

The industrial district.

Manufacturing district.

Warehouses.

Factories.

Workshops.

A maze of steel and stone.

Large enough for someone to disappear.

Especially someone like Andre.

Nish stood.

"I'll have patrols search the district."

Raj nodded.

"Good."

The commander moved toward the door.

Then paused.

"Want my honest opinion?"

Raj looked up.

Nish crossed his arms.

"I don't think we need to find Andre."

Raj frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Nish opened the door.

Then answered without looking back.

"I think Andre will find us first."

The door closed.

Raj sat quietly.

Thinking about that statement.

Unfortunately.

It made perfect sense.

Somewhere in Asphyxia—

A certain idiot was now loose.

And that was a problem for everyone involved.