Crossing Bar - Strays

Elijah Neri turned sixteen today. There was no cake, no candles, and no party. There was only a bruised ribcage, a glass of cider he didn’t drink, and a target who had just swallowed a USB drive full of state secrets. As a Junior Paladin for the nation of Ostara, Elijah is a tool. Raised in the suffocating dark of a cedar chest by a father who wanted to forget him, Elijah learned early on that feelings are just inefficiencies. Now, armed with the ability to merge with shadows, he serves President Alfred Stein. From digging through the literal guts of a desperate informant to hunting down a traitorous Gold Rank Paladin, Elijah executes his orders with the cold precision of a machine. But when a tactical decision leaves an innocent child dead at his feet, Elijah waits for the guilt to come. He waits for the tears. He waits for the horror. But nothing comes. It isn’t until he sits alone in a sterile room, watching an old documentary about a dog, that the cracks finally appear. Elijah is about to learn that he isn't a weapon, and he isn't a machine. He is just another stray dog locked in a box, hurtling through the dark.   ___ This is just one side story that is part of the main story Crossing Bar.