“So, this is the collections agency.” I stated, looking up at the giant building located near the outskirts of town.

  This pce was about as far from the nice rich neighborhood as was possible. It wasn’t in the squalor district. In reality, it was in an area that seemed untouched by the city-like modifications. This didn’t mean the area wasn’t well defended. There were multiple turrets, security droids, and armored guards that put the external guards of Twin Elms almost to shame. The building itself was built pre-apocalypse, and it had been built exceedingly tough with thick concrete walls and rge columns.

  “This is an awful pce full of corrupt thieves!” Misty voiced her displeasure.

  I would have preferred that she had spoken a bit quieter, as her denouncement was overheard by some of the nearby guards. They looked our way with a frown, and I quickly grabbed Misty to shut her up while shooting that man a disarming smile. He went back to watching the front entrance. He stood in front of two massive double doors. People occasionally came in and out of the building. Some people seemed to look to be in distress, while others seems quite happy with themselves.

  This whole pce existed to carry out a primary function which was to control the currency and trade within Twin Elms. This pce was where one would go to get those merchant licenses that the guards mentioned before. It was also where the councilman collected the taxes used to run the settlement. They could also store your crystals for you securely and safely as long as you were able to pay the cost. Above all else though, this was a bank. They gave out high-interest loans to people who desperately needed the crystals, and when those people weren’t able to pay, they made sure to hunt down and arrest them too.

  This was where their name as the collection agency came into being. They collected money, and they always got paid. Misty’s mother had ended up being one of the victims of their owing money. Although this community prided themselves on not selling sves, they had created a nearly identical system of indentured servitude which I pnned to take advantage of. Part of me realized that if my shipments didn’t arrive on time, I could quickly become one of those indentured servants too, although I’d never allow that to happen. Whether it was my Perco 9000, my world travel, or Cecelia, I had many ways to avoid such a thing. As long as I didn’t become an enemy to this pce, then there were profits to be made on both sides.

  “Come on, let’s go.” I stopped staring at the building and gestured for Misty to join me inside.

  She seemed to move with familiarity, quickly leading me past the steps and into the building. Like a bank, there was a rge reception desk with a couple of people waiting to serve. Misty seemed to go straight to one of these lines. Since there was no one else waiting, she walked right up to a woman. This woman had a colr around her neck just like a sve, but she had a smile on her face all the same. When she saw Misty though, her smile flickered, and her eyes fshed in annoyance.

  “You’ve returned.” The woman spoke in annoyance before raising her hand. “I told you the next time you came to harass us, I’d have you thrown out. Guards!”

  Immediately, several men started walking toward Misty. I wasn’t expecting this. I ran up to her side quickly, waving my hands.

  “There is no need for that. She’s with me!”

  “Hmph! So, she’s found someone to con. I don’t know who you are, but TECA only responds to money, not empty promises or threats.”

  “Money, I have!” As the guards were still approaching, I had to pull out a purse and drop it on the desk in front of her.

  The familiar ctter of crystals immediately caught her interest. The woman lifted her hand again, causing the guards to stop in their pce.

  “You’re buying?” She asked cautiously, the guards waiting as if they eagerly wanted to tackle me down to the ground and were just waiting for the signal.

  “I require some skilled bor. I was hoping to buy some of your… guests out of their current debts.” I quickly expined. “I believe that the Roxford group can vouch for me.”

  I hadn’t intended to throw Tom’s name out there, especially if it caused him any trouble, but I didn’t want to get tackled and arrested either. Thankfully, whether it was the money or the name of the traveling caravan, her expression quickly changed to a more friendly one. She gave a nod and the guards all returned to their spots.

  “See! I told you I’d get mom back!” Misty spoke defiantly, sticking her tongue out at the woman.

  I wanted to smack her, but I opted for stepping forward while bumping her aside. “Her mother happens to be one of the three I was interested in.”

  The receptionist nodded, giving Misty a sharp look before looking behind her desk. She dropped a small booklet in front of me.

  “This is a list of all the debtors as well as their current owed debt. After paying off the debt, you can choose to either free them or have them become indentured. We charge a small fee for programming the contract. Furthermore, we take this contract seriously. You will be responsible for any debtor until their debt is worked off. Should they become incapacitated or deceased during this time, you will be charged reparations decided upon in the contract. If you lose more than three debtors, you will be banned from paying off future debts, and all other debtors will be repossessed at your cost. Do you accept these conditions?”

  It seemed like unlike sves, where you owned them completely and could even kill them after you bought them, the lives of the indentured servants were guaranteed by the Twin Elms Collection Agency or did she call it TECA? I didn’t pn on abusing or killing them, so there was no problem with it. I was surprised to see how thorough the list was. There was their name, picture, known skills, and even the 5S listed. It made it easy to decide who had value. It was only when I looked at the prices that I started to sweat.

  “So much… isn’t this guy cking for such a cost?”

  The secretary spoke as if she had expined it countless times. “These are not sves. A sve’s value is dependent on their inherent worth. Their skills, age, and attractiveness all come into py when setting their value. Debtors are only set by the amount they owe. If someone had enough value but wasn’t in much debt, they’d likely never have become a debtor in the first pce. If they did, they’d be quickly boughten up by those looking for such skilled bor.

  “I see…” The next page I flipped on caused Misty to cry out.

  There was a woman on the page. Her name was Dust, and she had enough in common with Misty that I could see the resembnce. This had to be her mother. The skills listed only seemed to confirm that. She was the software programmer I had been looking for. However, her debt was also the most outrageous. Misty insisted that her mother hadn’t put herself in debt and it had all been a scam. I had to wonder how she had ended up in so much debt in the first pce.

  “The amount has increased!” Misty gasped.

  “Food, water, and board as been provided during her stay.”

  “Her stay? That’s her imprisonment!” Misty shot back.

  “Excuse me.” I cut in before the two of them ended up in a yelling match. “Out of curiosity, if someone is detained by you, how are they able to work themselves out of their debt if their very existence contributes to that debt?”

  “All debtors are allowed to work in the mine.” She shrugged. “Payment is equal to the amount one produces, so with enough hard work, one can work their way out of their debt.”

  “I understand.” I nodded, finally finishing the st page and closing the book. “I’m interested in all of the debtors.”

  “I’m sorry?” She blinked.

  “I’d like to pay the debts on all of them, oh, and also take on the contracts.” I smiled.

  “That… there are fifteen debtors. Have you checked them all?”

  “I have.”

  “The smallest debt is still 50 rge crystals.”

  “I understand.”

  “I’m sorry to question you, but I’d need payment.” She looked around me as if to say it was impossible that I was carrying so many crystals on me.

  “Of course, I’ll be using this.” I pulled out a token and put it in front of the secretary.

  She picked it up and gnced at it, her expression becoming serious. The token was from the councilman, and it allowed me to take the money I needed. It was the Twin Elm’s equivalent of a no-limit bck card. Of course, if I was unable to pay off the debt, then I’d become their newest debtor.

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