Smug Alert Novels & Stories

“Neither do I. But whoever he is, he took a child. That tells me all I need to know.” I send word through the mind-link. “We are tracking a man. Not a bear. Keep your senses sharp—he is human, but he does not smell like us.” Not long after, as the sun begins to dip toward the horizon, Mo’s voice breaks through my thoughts. “Alpha, we have found something.” “Where are you?” “Keep heading northwest. You will know it when you see it.” Unega tenses beside me. “What does that mean?” I do not answer, only urge my horse forward.

EXTRA: Ryder: *subconsciously grabs Jake's hand* Jake: [ALERT: THE SYSTEM HAS ENCOUNTERED A FUNCTIONING ISSUE] Ryder: *whispers in his ear* Jake: [ALERT: THE SYSTEM IS OVERHEATED. THE SYSTEM CRASHED] Ryder: He must be anxious if I can see his face. Jake: (ㅍ_ㅍ) Yeah that's right... So anxious...

We stood there for a long time, looking out at our new, messy, beautiful world. But as the sun began to set, casting long, violet shadows over the city, I felt a sharp, familiar pain in my stomach. I looked down and saw my skin flickering—just for a second. A message appeared, etched in light on the wooden floor at my feet. **[SYSTEM ALERT: UNKNOWN USER DETECTED IN SECTOR 7. INITIATING 'RECLAMATION' PROTOCOL IN 24 HOURS.]** I looked at Silas. He had seen it too.