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Petra was on her second cup of coffee when the tablet chimed and her browser locked up. As she tried to scroll, a dialog box appeared.
Congratulations on reaching Dillon. As a reward, we offer you another quest. Successful completion may alleviate your transportation dilemma. Failure will result in a strike and a 24-hour delay in revealing your final clue. Do you accept?
She thought it over for a second. It could be a valid offer, she thought. But what if Stitch and her people had somehow hacked her tablet and this was an attempt to lead astray? And, of course, there was the possibility it was from the show but it wouldn’t be anywhere near as helpful as it sounded. She wished Grace were here so she could run it by her. Then, the tablet chimed again.
Do you accept this quest?
A timer popped up beside the message, counting down from 30. Shit, what do I do? She looked out the window in the vain hope that Pym had miraculously returned. She hadn’t. What are the odds that Streamboy was able to pull off a hack like this, she asked herself. Not good. She took a deep breath and thought, I’m probably going to regret this as she tapped the “Accept” icon.
Excellent! To complete the quest, you need to arrive at coordinates 45.227015, 112.614009 within 38 minutes. You may not use a mapping application or a web search to determine where they are located. We have, however, provided you with an app to help you find them. Swipe right on the red arrow below and your time will begin.
38 minutes, she thought. That’s an oddly specific number. It also precluded her from waiting for Grace to return. She took a minute to write a note telling her what was going on and gathered her things. Walking up to the counter, she caught the clerk’s attention. “Excuse me?”
The man looked up. “Can I help you?”
“Did you see the woman who brought me here?” The clerk nodded. “If she comes back, would you give this?” She handed him the note.
“Sure,” he said. Then, “My break is in, like, an hour. But, I’ll tell my relief to pass it on.”
“Thank you.” She headed for the door and swiped right.
The “app” the show provided was an electronic version of the Hot and Cold game she’d played as a kid. She was looking at a green screen with icons at either end with a timer in the upper right corner. There was an icon representing her blinked red for “hot” and blue for “cold”. As she stepped onto the sidewalk, the symbol faintly pulsed red. She headed toward the crosswalk to the right. The red blinking began to fade and turn blue. That wasn’t ideal but she had to get across the street. It was late, but there was enough traffic that she didn’t want to cross in the middle of the block. As she turned left to cross the street, the red pulsing returned and became stronger. This is going way too good, she thought. She kept walking, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
It finally did a few blocks along when the street she was on came to a dead end. She was standing at a T intersection with a field and some trees directly in front of her. She looked down at the tablet. The icon was blinking faster and the color was a deeper red. Obviously, she needed to keep going straight ahead but just obviously, that wasn’t possible. She walked across the street to check out the ground. A dirt path led to the left and to the right, were trees and a ditch. Neither looked promising. She walked back to the road and looked left and right. Neither appeared to be a better choice than the other. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a quarter and flipped it. Heads. Okay, she said to herself. Left it is.
Ten minutes later, she was back at the intersection. Turning left hadn’t worked out because she ran into another dead end. She looked up the street. It seemed to go on, but she could’ve said the same about her previous choice. She checked the timer. Just over 15 minutes left. The minute she had turned left, the icon’s blinking slowed and the color faded. Now, though, it had returned to its previous state. As an experiment, she walked about ten feet past the dirt trail, watching the symbol. Its pulsing slowed and color faded. Okay, I need to go straight, she thought. Problem is, I have no idea whether I can. Here goes nothing.
Crossing the field hadn’t been easy. It was dark and the ground was uneven, causing her to stumble multiple times, but she’d made it. She found herself on the backside of what appeared to be a city park. There were sports fields and a couple of buildings ahead of her. She looked down at the tablet. The icon was blinking fast and bright red. As she walked along the edge of one of the fields, it intensified, telling her she was going in the right direction. Cutting between the two fields, she made her way to a parking lot, looking down at the screen. No change. Looking around, she saw another facility to her right. Let’s see what’s up there, she thought. As she walked, the image blinked even faster and the color became so intense it hurt her eyes. Okay, this has got to be the place.
As she got closer, she saw an entrance flanked by two very large logs set upright. There was a sign that said, “Bike Camp”. On a small building off to the right, there was another sign: “Bike Walk Southwest Montana”. As she passed through the gate, her tablet chimed and fireworks flashed on the screen. Another dialog box appeared.
Congratulations! You made it with 3 minutes and 15 seconds to spare. To your right, you will see your reward.
She looked toward the building and saw a bike in the rack and another secured cube sitting on the ground beside it. They wanted her to bike all the way to Big Hole? Oh well, it beat walking she supposed. As she approached the cube, she heard the tablet chime again.
Code for secure storage cube: 817025
She knew they were tracking her but their accuracy was a little disconcerting. They can tell when I’m within ten feet of something, she thought. That is nuts. She knelt down and opened the cube. Inside, she found a full set of cycling gear, jersey, padded leggings, helmet, and shoes. There was even a hydration pack with room to carry her extra stuff. All emblazoned, of course, with the “Relative Race” logo. The jersey and the leggings also carried multiple sponsors’ logos. She checked the soles of the shoes to make sure they were compatible with the pedal clips on the bike. They were, thank god. It would be just like those assholes to give me shoes with two-bolt cleats and three-bolt pedals. She looked around for somewhere to change but didn’t see anything. Oh well, she thought, it won’t be the first time I stripped off in public.
It was almost 2:30 AM when she left town. She thought about returning to the convenience store to wait for Grace but decided against it. This was the start of her fourth day and still didn’t know how much further she had to go. If only she could see that third clue. Oh well, she thought as she leaned into the pedals, I’ll see it when I see it. At least there wasn’t any traffic. That was another reason she was headed out tonight. Before Abby came along, she’d been an avid cyclist and had ridden in practically any condition you could imagine. Bad weather didn’t bother her, it just made you feel miserable. Heavy traffic was another story. It could kill you. Riding in the dark wasn’t optimal but her clothes had plenty of reflective tape and the bike had running lights, so that would have to do.
It took about 10 minutes for her to settle down and find her rhythm but when she did, it made all the difference. All those years riding a stationary bike had kept her conditioning up but were vastly different than being out in the real world. She realized how much she missed biking on the road. It was almost a Zen thing for her, settling her mind and allowing her to tap into her intuition. At a little over 6 hours, it was going to be a long ride, so she should be very calm by the time she got to Wisdom. She hoped Grace could find her. I don’t know what I’m worried about, she thought, the woman hasn’t had a hard time finding me yet.
She encountered a little more traffic when she turned onto MT-278 but it was the straightest shot to her destination. Badger Pass was going to be a bitch, what with the steep grades she’d encounter. But I can do it, she thought. I have to do it. For Abby.
She hit the first grade sooner than she expected and it was just as tough as she expected. But she made it. She thought about stopping to rest but was afraid she might not start again if she did. When the next rise came, she was ready for and it went a little easier. Finally reached the summit and was able to catch her breath. I only thought the Peloton had kept my conditioning up, she thought. God, that was a motherfucker. But it was over and she could coast a bit now. Hopefully, her luck would hold for the rest of the trip.
When she was mapping her route, she read that MT-278 was the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway and apparently offered some amazing views. She couldn’t speak to that because she couldn’t see anything outside the cone of her bike’s headlight. It’s a shame, she thought, I’ve always wanted to see mountains tall enough to have snow all year round. Well, once I win, Abby and I can come back and spend as much time as we want looking at mountains. She wondered where Grace was. She found thoughts of Pym cropping more and more. It was weird, she thought. It’s not like we’ve spent all that much time together, why does she keep popping up? She pushed the thoughts away and dug into the pedals again.
The rest of the ride was uneventful. She did hit another steep climb around the halfway point but she was ready this time and it didn’t hit her quite so hard. She did have to take a break, however. Her energy reserves were getting low and she reluctantly pulled out the energy drink and protein bar she’d been avoiding for so long. To her surprise, they weren’t bad. She wasn’t sure if that was accurate or if she was hungry enough that it affected her judgment. Either way, she was refueled and there was still plenty of road ahead.
It was almost 9 o’clock when she rode into Wisdom. There were people out and about but no one seemed to pay her much mind. Her first stop was the Old Pioneer Diner. What little she’d eaten in the last 24 hours was gone and she was ravenous. She sat at the counter and ordered the Big Country Breakfast: 2 eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, pancakes, and toast. When the waitress brought it over, she gave Petra a dubious look.
“Are you gonna be able to eat all this, hun?”
“Yes ma’am,” Petra said, pulling the plates towards her. “I may even want seconds.”
“Really? A little bitty thing like you?”
Petra laughed. “I biked all the way from Dillon,” she said around a mouthful of eggs. “That builds up an appetite.”
“I guess it does,” the waitress replied. “From Dillon, you said?” Petra nodded. “Well, that is something.” She turned to check on her other guests. “You let me know if you need anything. Okay?”
“Yeah, about that,” Petra said. “Is there a cheap motel in town?”
“The Nez Perce is probably the cheapest,” the woman said. “But there’s nicer ones, too.”
“Cheap will do,” Petra said. “I’m not staying long.”
“Well, when you leave here, take a right on 43,” the waitress said, pointing at the road running alongside the diner. “It’ll be on the left, just up around the bend.”
“Thanks,” Petra said, diving into her breakfast.
The waitress wasn’t wrong about the motel: there was nothing fancy here. But it was clean, with a shower and a bed and that was all Petra needed. The first thing she did after checking in was take the longest, hottest shower of her life. Afterward, when she crawled into bed, she was asleep before her head touched the pillow. In a perfect world, she would’ve slept for at least a day. But this wasn’t a perfect world. Abby was still out there, still in danger, so the luxury of sleeping as long as she’d like wasn’t available. She’d set the alarm on the tablet for three hours and now that she was awake, she thought it wasn’t enough. It would have to do, though. She propped up in bed, pulled the tablet off the nightstand, and opened the home screen. There was a message waiting for her.
Congratulations on your progress. Your third clue is now available. Would you like to see it?
She tapped the “yes” button.
Excellent. Here is your clue:
Once it was a going concern, all filled with cattle who longed to straggle. Now, it’s an old home quite cozy and no one is nosy.
She hadn’t thought it possible, but it seemed like all these clues just got worse and worse. I hope they’re not paying anyone for this, she thought. Then, no, this has to be AI-generated. No self-respecting human would record anything this dreadful. Shaking these intrusive thoughts from her head, she dug in and began looking for whatever location this shitty little poem pointed to. I wonder where Grace is, she thought. I could use a little company right now. No, don’t get distracted, she told herself. Focus on the task at hand.
She’d been at it for nearly an hour when someone knocked on the door. Startled, she wondered who it could be. No one knew she was here. Or did they? The show was tracking her after all. Or, maybe it was Grace. That thought made her heart beat a little faster. She told herself it was because she needed help and Grace had been the only person who provided any assistance since this dystopian nightmare game show adventure began.
“Are you gonna open the damn door or not?” Pym yelled.
If the thought of Grace had quickened Petra’s heartbeat, hearing her friend’s voice kicked it into overdrive. She got up from the bed feeling a bit flushed. Is she really my friend, she thought as she reached for the doorknob, or am I just trauma-bonded? Who the hell knows? She opened the door and Pym pushed inside.
“Took you long enough,” she said, throwing a bag on the bed. She took in Petra’s sports bra and boy shorts. “Cute outfit,” she said with a wink, making Petra flush even more. Before she could say anything, Grace asked, “What the hell were you doing?”
“I was in the bathroom,” she lied. Why didn’t I say I was surprised? A voice in the back of her mind whispered that maybe she was afraid she’d admit to having feelings and was worried Grace might not reciprocate. “What’s in the bag? she said, changing the subject.
“Food,” Pym replied, flopping on the bed. She pulled two sandwiches out and held them up. “You want smoked pulled pork,” she asked, “Or a bacon cheeseburger?” Smoked pulled pork sounded interesting but the wrapper of the burger shining with grease called to her.
“Bacon cheeseburger,” she said, snatching it out of Pym’s hand. Sitting on the bed beside Grace, she unwrapped it. Until that moment, hunger wasn’t on her radar. But seeing that sandwich had flipped a switch and she was suddenly ravenous. Taking a bite, she moaned slightly.
Pym grinned. “That good, huh?”
“Oh my god, yes,” Petra said around a mouthful of burger. She swallowed and took another bite.
“Try these,” Grace said, taking a tray out of the bag. She pulled back the foil covering it and Petra almost swooned.
“Chili cheese fries?” she said. Pym nodded. Petra sat her burger on her lap and pulled a french fry, chili and cheese drooping of it, out and popped it into her mouth. “Oh god, it’s so good.”
“Hungry, huh?” Petra nodded. “Makes sense,” Grace said, “Riding a fucking bike all the way here.” She shook her head. “What the hell were thinking?”
“What do you mean?” Petra said between bites. “I was trying to figure out how to get here and they offered a solution.”
“Yeah, but you could’ve waited on me.”
“I tried but they wouldn’t let me,” Petra said. “I had to accept the challenge or lose out.”
“Yeah, but I had no idea where you were,” Grace shot back. “Finding you wasn’t easy.”
“What do you mean?” Petra said. “You’ve found me all the other times.”
“All those times,” Pym said, “They were showing your progress on the stream. Not anymore, though.”
“Why not?”
“Because Streamboy tried to hack the show’s system. They wanted to fuck things up, hoping they could make you dependent on them.”
“What!?” Petra snapped. She shook her head. “What the hell is wrong with these people?”
“It’s a cut-throat industry,” Pym said, “Where anything goes.”
“I guess,” Petra replied, finishing off her burger. She picked up the tray of fries and dug in. “So, how did you find me?”
“I had to call in a favor. One of my exes works on the show and I may have led her on a bit,” she said, sheepishly.
Petra felt a twinge of jealousy hearing that. Okay, she thought, no denying it, I’ve got a thing for Grace Pym. On the plus side, she now knew that Grace liked girls, too. “Oh, okay,” she said, trying to keep the rush of feelings inside her head. “That makes sense. That you would have contacts on the show, I mean. Not the ex part.” What the hell are you doing, she thought, shut up. Just shut the hell up.
Pym looked at her for a second, then shook her head. “Okay, so what’s our next move?”
Petra caught that “our next move” and it gave her some hope. Grace was in this with her, not just an outside observer. “Well, they’ve given me the third clue and I know where it is. Now, I’ve just got to get there.”
Pym nodded. “Okay,” she said. “How?”
“On the bike.”
“What bike?” Grace said.
“Duh. The one that’s out front, chained to the porch post.”
“There’s no bike outside, chained up or otherwise,” Grace said and her heart sank.
