Bugz remained submerged, breathing through the stalk as members of Clan:LESS took selfies with the body. She watched as the flotilla broke up and searched for her. She stayed hidden as they loaded the turrets, helicopters, and submarines onto the aircraft carriers and sailed away. She watched the sun set. She saw the moon rise. Finally, after what felt like an eternity underwater, she swam across the bay.

In the pale moonlight, Bugz walked slowly out of the water. The waves lapped gently against her legs as she approached her fallen friend. The reflection of the light above danced on the surf. She fell to her knees beside Mishi-pizhiw. She felt a sadness as old as life itself. She looked to the moon and felt only loneliness. Bugz looked back to the face of her old friend—one she’d created, and one who’d helped her rule this world. She caressed him softly.

Bugz kissed Mishi-pizhiw goodbye.

CHAPTER 52

The young men of Clan:LESS marched through the forest near the Rez wearing their lumberjack shirts and ripped jeans. Though they were not in the ’Verse, most of them still wore Ø tattoos on their arms as a nod to their virtual identities. Their phones, completely illuminated, lit the night. They’d travelled from across the continent to cement their victory. Now they aimed to conquer the final half of the nexus.

They alternated between chants of “She can never win! We must always win!” and “Clan! LESS! Clan! LESS!” Occasionally they’d break into boisterous yelling and laughter. Three dozen of them marched together. Though they represented only a small fraction of Clan:LESS’s rapidly growing membership, these were the highest-ranking officers of the clan that was not a clan.

Finally, they pushed through the edge of the trees and came to the clearing the Behemoth had stumbled into only nights before. They roared in approval and hoisted their fists to the sky.

One man, identifying himself as Gym—though considerably skinnier than his ’Versona—spoke up. “We’ve come here tonight to do one thing…finish the job!”

The mob roared.

“That’s right!” Gym jumped up onto the Thunderbird’s Nest and continued his speech. “We’ve already unlocked the power of unlimited resources in the ’Verse. And we’ve built up our skills. No one will ever catch up to us now.” He examined his troops and nodded his head. “So let’s destroy this monument to savagery! Let’s destroy it before it falls into the wrong hands. Let’s make our victory last forever!” He beat his chest.