I did it.

I actually made my own place in the woods. Getting in and out is a bit of a walk but the scenery and privacy is the best.

It was easier than I thought it was going to be. I got lucky when I was searching for a place to put a wall against. Managed to find the perfect spot, there was a sheer rock face with an overhang at the base of one of the peaks. I just closed it up with a few walls and added some furniture and just like that I finally had a place to live. I ended up adding some berry bushes and figuring out a path to the closest river. Turns out its only a ten minute walk away, which isn't too bad.                                 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ On one of my trips through the city to get some cash and supplies I checked my email and saw that Wren had sent me some emails. She said she wanted to know if I had her shield generator and I said I did. She had left it on me when we all split up after the last contract so I figured she didn't care if I had it. I guess she had just forgotten it. 

Anyway she wanted it back but I had gotten a new power a few days before and knew we could meet up and do an exchange instead. I figured out how to boost people with my energy. I tried it on myself and opened up a little storage space inside of me. That's where I keep my spear now. 

We talked back and forth for a bit and then decided Wren would fly over in a few days and we could do a trade. I met her in Central Park because I figured it was the easiest place to find for a tourist. I learned she's from London which is pretty weird. I heard they were a bit more weirded out by modders and borgs but that might have just been rumors. We had to head to my place in Adirondack to hide the light show that boosting people makes. She asked for a few different things so I had to spend an hour making boosts. They ended up being a turtle and an angler. She had a bad reaction to the angler and said that the visions it gave her were stressful. I didn't really know how to help her. 

I ended up making a room for her to rest in so she didn't have to make the trip back to the city. She started talking to me about fighting crime, said that she helps people back in London because the cops don't get anything done. She asked if I wanted to try doing the same kind of thing here in New York. I really didn't think one guy can make an impact on all of New York. She said we could do some work as a team the next time she visits. There's no harm in trying to help people so I said I'd be up for it. 

She left the next day. Her business here was over after we had done our trade. It was nice being able to meet one of my coworkers outside of a contract. Way less stressful than trying to make small talk in the middle of a fight. 

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Included in between these pages is a brochure advertising the natural wonders and history of Adirondack National State park

"The Adirondack Park was established in 1892 to protect the region's natural resources and provide recreational opportunities for the public. It's a constitutionally protected forest preserve that's meant to remain "forever wild"...."

Excerpt from the front of the brochure

I really should have figured that London was a rough place to be when Wren told me how much crime she stopped on the streets. Don't get me wrong its nowhere near as tough as New York but its different. I wasn't ready to be on the streets of a new city. I didn't know where I was and I didn't know anyone there. I had to use a public library computer to send out some emails to Wren. She didn't respond so I was out of luck there. I managed to get in contact with my mom though so that's nice. Glad she won't have to worry if I'm okay. Still can't tell her about how I'm out of college right now or homeless but if things get any rougher I'm going to have to ask her for help so that Baby doesn't starve or something.

I found a job. Its part-time as a bartender for some jerk who says I'm the "diversity hire". He let me keep the dog in the back while I worked and the money I got let me buy it some dog food and a bowl for water. I wont lie, I've gotten attached to Baby. They weren't the friendliest at first but I think that was mostly because they were in a lot of pain. 

She finally responded! Jeez she sure took her time. We met up at her place and spent the day talking about what we could do for Baby. Wren said she could make some fancy robot legs that would let him walk again but they would take a while. She offered to let me stay at her place and she let me have the bed! I haven't slept in a real bed in ages. It was like a little slice of heaven. I felt like I could have flied when I woke up. Never felt so light in the last few years. It really helped me get my bearing again. Talking to my mom is great and she always knows just what to say but being able to spend time with a friend and relax in a safe place is amazing. I gave Wren a bit of a boost based on an axolotl for the prosthetics. They regrow limbs super quickly and they're just as good as the old ones so I figured it was a good totem to call on. 

I have to find some way to pay her back for all this. Maybe another boost or something? I have to give her something. I offered to give her an arm back but she turned me down. Guess she like the robotic arm better. Maybe I'll grow her something fancy. Does she like tea? She's from England so I'm just assuming.

We drove away in Henri's car in a hurry. It felt like we were running away from a crime scene. I felt guilty.

We all split up at the airport. Henri went off on his own while Wren and I got on a plane back to London. Wren told me about how those guys seemed to be pretty angry at her after some stuff she said. Figured it was time to hide for a bit until they calmed down because they seemed like the type of group to do something extreme when they were upset. 

Ended up right back in New York after dropping off Wren's cat at her parents. Managed to take Baby with us. Wren's ring camera at her old place picked up a group of armed guys breaking in and searching for her. Maybe even for both of us. Could have been the cops Am I a murderer?

Its probably those guys from the S.S. but even if it is we're pretty far away now. Hiding in the forest for now at my place. 

I need to do some thinking. About what I'm going to do from now on. Maybe I'll take a break from Contracts. Just help Wren for a while. I wanted to get on the streets and do some good there but that isn't really an option now that we're in the woods.

I'll figure something out.

I spent a lot of time looking out off the edge of Mount Physis, so much time that I even made myself a recliner. Its made of wood and I don't know how to make cushions so its pretty stiff but if I take my jacket and shirt off I can make a little pillow for the headrest.

Anyways, besides spending some more time making doors I do a lot of thinking. Now that I can sleep a little easier I finally have the energy my thoughts keep wandering to the future. What I want to do with my life? What kind of person I want to become? Well, with the way that things have been going that question is probably closer to: What kind of thing do I want to be? I know that I...I just want to be able to DO more. 

Contracts have a fun way of making me feel powerless. I try so SO hard to do my best. Its never enough. I can never save them all. I cant even save myself sometimes. And its not enough that I just fail the Contracts. No, that would be too easy. Someone always has to get hurt.

Its always my fault.