THE BLOCKS SETTLED IN A ROW, blinked and disappeared. I touched the screen with my finger and moved another square. Bam! Not a very productive use of my time, but it provided a distraction without bringing out the big guns like the Calculating Mind. Perhaps there were better ways, but not when it was half an hour before the start…
“Hi,” Eva stepped into the room. “I thought I’d check in to see how you’re doing.”
She was far from the first, and probably wouldn’t be the last for today. Information about the upcoming operation was no longer a secret, so many had looked in to wish me good luck. Although “saying goodbye” would be a more accurate term. The doubtful glances and apologetic smiles were quite annoying, making me feel like I was seriously ill.
“Everything’s fine.” I showed her my phone. “I’ve scored twenty thousand points. A little more and I’ll set a new record.”
“Are you serious? Only twenty thousand?”
“A whole twenty thousand!” I grabbed her by the waist. “This is only my second attempt!”
Our jollity was strained, and the laughter died out a few seconds later. Whenever we left on a mission, each of us risked never returning. The lack of losses lately was almost a miracle, even if we had caused it ourselves.
“Are you sure you don’t want to take anyone with you? It looks really dangerous.”
“It has to be this way,” I sighed. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”
“Shh.” Eve put a finger to my lips. I think this was called “raising the death flag” in Japanese culture. A promise that the hero wasn’t destined to fulfill. Although I wasn’t too superstitious. “Don’t. Just come back, okay?”
I replied with a kiss, but after ten seconds, Eva pulled away, glared at the cameras, got up and left my “cell”. Given that I was under continuous audio and video monitoring, there could be no continuation. A pity...
I picked up my phone again and turned it around in my hand, but I was no longer in the mood to play mindless games. Well, I’d just have to remember the input data again.
* * *
The choice had fallen on the Sandworm, also known as the Dragon. The classification was quite subjective since the monster was neither. It lacked the wings to be a dragon and had too many legs for a worm. Looking at the photos and videos, it made more sense to call the monster a centipede, but objectivity wasn’t in my interests right now. Killing a legendary monster was much more prestigious than a woodlouse, even if I added Terrifying or Gigantic to the name.
The Sand Dragon first appeared three hours after the Invasion had begun, attacking the Tazerbu Oasis in the center of the Libyan Desert. A dozen villages, seven thousand people. It had been the residence of a small sultanate in ancient times, but only a single line in an online encyclopedia remained of its former glory.
The Dragon smashed up everything there, killing several thousand people — those who couldn’t find an available place on transport. Some residents tried to flee on foot, but it was difficult to survive in the desert, and the only road was a landmark the monster couldn’t ignore. The figures were alarming, for even by the most conservative estimates, it had gained over 10,000 experience points there. However, a massacre of this size allowed the System to adequately assess the danger, and the mission immediately received the appropriate level of complexity.
The gods hadn’t yet gotten their bearings and increased the mission deadlines, but experienced players made the right choice and found easier quests for themselves. The System conducted a wave of initiations and sent newbies to battle against a Rank D threat. Not a great test quest. Without Rank E abilities, combat experience, and a single commander, all they could do was scatter and hide. Even so, few managed to last the day, resulting in over 250 dead players. I suspected that there were a lot of cards and System equipment strewn around the oasis, unless it had all been collected by the local military or looters. If there was even a difference between the two.
The civil war had just come to an end after 13 years, but the central government remained weak. Due to the widespread monster attacks, the country’s aviation appeared only a day later. Nevertheless, they managed to find the target and strike, but the outdated technology couldn’t penetrate the divine protection. They might have finished the monster off in the end, but the Dragon could travel underground with barely a trace, and disappeared into the desert. The summoned planes bombed the approximate location, and the media reported a resounding victory.
There was no way to dig up the body at the time, monsters were popping up all over the place. Nevertheless, the situation in Libya wasn’t as dire as in other places: most of the country was desert, so it was hard to know how many monsters were swallowed up by the Sahara. It was hoped that even if the Sand Dragon had survived, it would die from its injuries, and the lack of food and water, or remain at the ruined oasis.
These hopes were in vain. Only a day later, having traversed 130 kilometers, the Dragon appeared at the isolated oasis of Buzema. Its population was tiny, there was no phone reception and no roads. The perfect location to film a horror movie. News of the tragedy was brought by a rider who had managed to escape on a camel. He might have been the only survivor.
The local authorities basically laid a ruler across the map and guessed that the next target would be Al-Jawf, the regional capital. It was about 150 kilometers away, but the Dragon had already shown that it could travel long distances. The faint hope that the creature would get lost in the sands was unfounded.
The Libyans were more prepared this time, bringing large forces to the city and raising a tribal militia. Despite the current disarmament, every adult man had an automatic weapon. People already knew that one could fight against and defeat the Disasters, but their enemy turned out to be too tricky. What could they do if heavy machinery just sank into the sand? Aviation didn’t dare strike the city, fearing negative consequences. The evacuation was more like a stampede, and, considering the churned-up road, everything would end in another massacre.
This was prevented by three hundred players, led by Sulu and Saud. The raid managed to injure and drive away the Dragon despite significant losses, yet the problem remained. The evacuation continued, and the capital was deserted. There were no settlements left within a 500-kilometer radius that could be destroyed. Perhaps the monster would tire of hunting cacti and return to its world. If there was one thing the Libyan government had plenty of, it was optimism, but even that was running low, so the message about “having the situation under control” sounded quite dry.
Russia appeared at this point, offering a helping hand to “a long-time ally in the region.” Which was even true — the further away the borders between two countries, the fewer reasons for conflict and the stronger the friendship. Perhaps the Sand Dragon wasn’t the easiest prey, but I wouldn’t have to hold back in the desert, and a crater of any size would be just another attraction. As long as it didn’t emit too much radiation.
Well, if the objectives matched and time was running out, then an agreement was only a matter of time. Unfortunately, we had to make some concessions, so the operation was a joint one. A three-sided one, in fact. Both the Libyans and the Egyptians had decided to join in.
“Attention!” came a voice from the ceiling. “Code 032. It’s time to go, Captain!”
“Accepted,” I replied, shaking off these thoughts.
Accept local mission No. 23455?
Yes/No
Waiting is the hardest part. I confirmed my decision and the counter increased by one. It had been zero. Fortunately, there were no other applicants yet.
Number of participants: 1/300.
Time remaining: 3 days, 18 hours, and 23 minutes.
It wasn’t enough to accept the mission, I’d have to wait over three days for an automatic launch. An eternity within the current operation, but not so long if one considered the future. The respite provided by the gods was rapidly coming to an end, much faster than the monsters continuously attacking our world. If the gods didn’t extend it, another massacre was coming. Perhaps I ought to return our squad to the Dungeon.
Attention! The number of participants is less than recommended! (1/300)
Activate the mission?
Yes/No
I was in my personal room an instant later. The clothes remained at the starting point, which allowed me to put my gear on faster. The tracksuit chosen for the mission was closer to sports attire than armor, but this had been a conscious decision. I wasn’t going to engage in firefights, and a bulletproof vest wouldn’t help against the enormous Dragon. I exhaled and headed for the glowing portal, the desert visible beyond. Activate Invisibility.
* * *
Local Mission No. 23455
Type: protection of home location.
Approximate distance: 3,500 km.
Description:
A dangerous monster has invaded your world. Destroy it before it becomes stronger!
Global objective (D):
— Find and destroy or expel the enemy.
Reward:
— Variable.
Local objective (F):
— Restrain the enemy for 24 hours.
Reward:
— Return.
— Progress of the Divine Global Quest.
— Improved relationship with the Earth gods.
* * *
I had imagined the desert as a sort of hell on Earth, but I didn’t feel any significant discomfort. The combat form provided decent protection from the temperature fluctuations, while the carefully selected clothes stopped me from being distracted by the heat.
Attention! You are in a suitable zone!
The Proof of Strength mission has been activated!
As Hera had promised, the task activated automatically. Now I needed the Dragon to die, and our agreement would be confirmed. It didn’t matter if I got experience for it or not, the monster’s death would be enough. Or its flight from this world.
Activate Search for Life!
A search wave spread out from me, and a second later, I spotted the target. It was at the very edge of my awareness. The Dragon was fifty meters away from me, at a depth of four meters, and was moving north based on the position of the sun. However, why bother guessing? The watch on my wrist beeped, informing me that communication with the satellite had been established, and displayed not only the coordinates, but also basic information. So, I was still in Libya.
This was slightly unexpected. The Disasters had gotten their name not only because of their strength, but because they liked to strike at the weak points. The most likely target, according to the analysts, was the Aswan Dam in neighboring Egypt. Its destruction would flood numerous settlements, all the way up to the capital, while also destroying the Temple of the Great Seth in Cairo. The Kufra District was shaped like a tongue, surrounded by deep depressions on three sides. It was assumed that this wouldn’t be a problem for a monster who could travel underground, yet the Dragon was heading north. There were oil fields not far from here, where it would have been easier to attack it, but you didn’t need to be a prophet to know that our allies wouldn’t approve of this approach.
I’d have to stick to the old one. I popped a handful of capsules into my mouth since there might not be time later. I didn’t know if the monster had felt the scan, but it wasn’t paying any attention so far.
Attention! The Trial Area has been blocked! (Great Seth)
Personal Message (Great Seth): The Disaster must die!
“You bastard,” I muttered. Apparently, the desert god, whose temple I was supposedly saving, wasn’t feeling very grateful.
Attention! The Great Seth’s attitude to you has deteriorated!
Was he eavesdropping too? The very possibility was disturbing. How did the gods monitor what was happening? Maybe they also made bets on the events?
Private message (Hera): I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.
It was dangerous to be distracted by external factors during a combat operation, but they were clearly affecting the situation.
“How about a hint? What does this block do?”
No answer. However, I could make a plausible hypothesis based on the information I had. It seemed that someone at the top didn’t like my choice and had decided... not to get rid of me, but to throw a spanner in the works and see what would happen. If Seth was the initiator, it was worth remembering that democracy reigned among the gods and such decisions were made by voting. There were another two or even three against me. Moreover, they had a plausible excuse — if the Dragon’s goal wasn’t to destroy a specific object but simply to kill, then it could leave our world with impunity at any moment. A bad sign...
I could say that Seth’s intervention was a plus if I wasn’t sure that the block affected me as well. I couldn’t escape and it was too late to retreat. For a moment I was seized with fear that the connection was also cut off, but no, the beacon continued to work.
Nothing was lost yet, the operation continued. I’d just have to act without insurance.
* * *
The underground speed of the Worm, I mean the Dragon, turned out to be low, about six kilometers per hour. A little faster than a pedestrian, so I could easily keep up with it in combat form. For a while at least. But this wasn’t sufficient, I needed to lure the monster to the surface. There were plenty of ways to do this, but none ensured a result.
Activate Search for Life!
This wave didn’t produce a reaction, with the monster ignoring my existence. Nothing changed even when I disabled Invisibility. Although players had already encountered the Dragon, their scanning abilities provided them with minimum information. It wasn’t even clear if my opponent was intelligent or driven by instinct. All I had were external signs and its demonstrated abilities.
The Dragon was the size of a train, about thirty meters long. It was quite mobile on the surface, and limited not only in speed, but also in its maneuverability, under the layer of sand. Its armor wasn’t too thick since System weapons could pierce it, but even a sword sunk to the hilt would be merely a scratch to such a beast. Add rampant regeneration and the ability to eat even stones, and… that was probably all.
“This is Hawk-1,” came a voice in the earpiece. “Do you copy? We’ve got a fix on the signal. We will reach the destination in seven minutes.”
“This is Vasily. Standby. I’ll try to mark the target.”
The voice in the earpiece reminded me that I had to get moving. The simplest and most reliable option — draw the fire to me, and then escape through the return card a moment before the strike — was now out of the question. Well, simpler doesn’t always mean better…
Summon the slave Armet?
Yes/No
“The desert. So, the time has come?”
“That’s right.”
I waved my hand, and a motorcycle dropped onto the sand. Five cubic meters was a lot, so I could even fit a car inside the Ring, let alone a couple of bikes. More precisely, powerful beacons that would stop the Dragon from getting away.
“Is our agreement still in force?”
“Of course,” I nodded, holding out a headset. “Put this on and I’ll get you up to speed.”
The former deputy didn’t know how to drive a motorcycle, but it was easy enough to get access to the Server, considering the number of missions. For me, of course. I couldn’t purchase a card without the altar, which I’d left behind on the Shard, so I had to learn the skill and then make a copy. As practice had shown, it was worth it. The window opened again, and a second motorcycle appeared. It had a backup beacon installed on it, but I wasn’t going to turn it on.
“This is Hawk-1. We’ve got a fix on the beacon and are on our way,” the voice sounded again. “Estimated time of arrival is four minutes.”
Time was short, but they wouldn’t act without command and a clear guidance on the target.
Activate Overclocking!
The world paused, allowing me to see that the bait was near the Dragon’s head. It wasn’t very deep down, so if the monster didn’t react, I’d have to direct the strike myself. The bombs would be powerful enough to get it anyway. But the beast reacted.
Recall the slave Armet? (10 SP)
Yes/No
The monster stirred and started to rise, the sand exploding along its entire length. Armet stopped, barely keeping the bike from falling. The perfect target. He just had to not panic, otherwise it would all be for nothing. Too early, too early… Then it was almost too late, for the Dragon’s final leap was swift. Sand rained down, dragging the victim along with it, I heard a scream in the earpiece, and finally activated the card. Just in time, it seemed. The Dragon appeared in all its glory but swallowed only the motorcycle. Identification.
??? (…)
Status: Monster.
Type: ???
Creature Rank: C.
Level: 15.
Danger: critical.
Specifications:
???
Features:
???
There wasn’t much information, but despite the impressive level and rank, the dragon-worm had a long way to go to reach the Leviathan. It wasn’t a player or even a hero, but just a monster. Unfortunately, I still couldn’t see its attributes, not even its name.
“The Dragon has taken the bait.” I relaxed a little and switched channels. “Do you copy?”
The plan wasn’t particularly trustworthy, but intelligence was half the success. The monster’s habit of swallowing tech together with its crew had been previously confirmed. Judging by its glittering “scales”, it used the metal to strengthen its hide.
“The signal is stable, over! Get out of there!”
Attention! Teleportation is blocked!
It didn’t work. As I’d expected, the return card didn’t activate, like my attempt to withdraw to my personal room or jump to the altar. Well, I had to try.
“The way is closed.” I turned the motorbike around, pushing off with my foot. “I need time. Give me two minutes and hit it.”
“Got it.”
It was risky, but better than failing the task due to excessive caution. Although the beacon was protected, we didn’t know how long it would last inside the monster’s stomach, nor how long the beast would remain on the surface.
“Damn you...”
The Sandworm rose almost vertically, collapsed, causing the ground to shudder, and crawled towards me. Fortunately, the distance was quite large, and the motorcycle was faster than my opponent. The requested time would be enough for me to put a couple of kilometers between us. We didn’t plan to use nuclear weapons today, so I should be OK.
“You will die, you will die, you will die!”
...Or not if I lost the transport. I turned sharply to the left, hoping that this would help to alter the prediction. The seconds dragged slowly by under Overclocking, but the voice faded. I straightened out the bike and glanced over my shoulder to watch the dune breaking into pieces. The Dragon hadn’t spared any mana, the jerk. It had probably realized our difference in speed and the likelihood it would catch up with this annoying fly.
Attention! Overclocking has finished!
The sharp change in perception nearly made me flip over, which would have resulted in fractures at this speed, if not worse, but I managed to keep my balance. Phew.
I glanced at the sky, seeing dozens of dots. Strategic aviation was playing the role of the cavalry today. Aircraft capable of crossing half of the globe and then returning. In the age of ballistic missiles, it was quite an expensive toy. Less than a hundred such aircraft were in service, and a significant portion was involved in today’s operation. A kind of combat exercise and a show of strength.
“This is Hawk-1. We’re attacking!”
The triumph I felt was replaced by fear. Had the agreed time already passed? I thought I had escaped the affected area, but was I far enough?
“You will die, you will die, you will die!”
I turned again, trying to hide in a small hollow, but the voice refused to stop, counting down the last seconds. I was out of time. Blink!
The brief teleportation worked, allowing me to reach my goal a little faster, but the edge of the blast wave caught me and flung me down. Fortunately, the damage didn’t feel severe. Healing… A handful of pills. The first blow was powerful, but it wasn’t the last.
“No!”
The dune trembled and slid down, covering the hollow I had thought would protect me, and threatening to bury me here forever. Thousands of tons of sand left me with no choice but to use Blink again. Flight.
Attention! You have died!
The Backup ability has been activated! (5 SP)
Get ready!
Time remaining: 3… 2… 1…
Was I hit by another explosion? But why the hell was it so close? A miss or was the Dragon following me?
Thankfully, I was resurrected on the surface. I had managed to escape the trap, but I had nowhere to go. I crawled to a small depression and began to dig in — a key skill in any war, according to the veterans. Recruits usually didn’t bother, but when bullets are whistling overhead, and the dead and wounded are falling all around you, every survivor suddenly feels like they’re a mole.
Activate the Calculating Mind!
Emotions faded into the background, so I didn’t have to waste energy on worrying. I lay for fifteen minutes, watching the planes circling overhead. Most of my equipment had been lost or disabled during my resurrection, but I still had the Ring, which meant all the supplies too. Nevertheless, I didn’t try to get in contact, and just listened. Distracting people from their work was irrational, how could they help me now? Unlike the low-level creatures, a Disaster’s protective field tended to recover, so if we didn’t finish it off now, everything would have been in vain. It would be almost impossible to conduct such an operation a second time, and without an alliance with Hera, I’d have to escape to the Dungeon. So, what difference did it make how I got there?
“The field has been pierced.” Sound came back sharply, as if someone had flipped a switch. “Main ammunition is exhausted. The target is torn in half and presumably destroyed. We need confirmation!”
“Vasily speaking,” I said, pressing the button. “The Dragon is alive! I repeat, the Dragon is alive.”
“Copy that.” There was a pause this time. “Target’s mobility is limited. It’s time for plan B-2.”
In our case, this meant gas bombs. The easiest way to finish off a wounded and crippled monster. Even if its field was restored, it wouldn’t be able to last long without air. Now I just had to wait.
Deactivate the Calculating Mind!
* * *
Most of the planes flew back to the neighboring airport — the problem needed to be solved here and now. Over the next half an hour, I not only healed myself, but also restored my mana. Yet there was no message about the end of the mission. This was starting to worry me.
Aviation wouldn’t be back for a while, and if the Dragon’s injuries weren’t that severe, it could well descend twenty meters underground and it would be much, much more difficult to dig it out from there. Even now, we’d succeeded only because it had clearly underestimated the threat coming from the sky.
Moreover, the mission area was probably tied to the monster, so I couldn’t move too far from it. Luckily, the area was quite big, but I didn’t know the exact size. I couldn’t even evacuate and had to wait for the cavalry to return or check how things stood with my own eyes.
Attention! The Trial Area has been unblocked! (Great Seth)
Before I could even feel surprised, a new message appeared.
Attention! The Trial Area has been blocked! (Hera)
Private message (Hera): This is your chance! Don’t even think of running away! Finish it off!
I couldn’t answer, but the message forced me to decide. If the goddess wanted to get rid of me, she could have found a simpler way. Our interests coincided right now. Fine.
A chemical protection suit emerged from the Ring, which I hastily pulled on. It was very awkward, practically a spacesuit, but the air tanks on my back would allow me to enter the affected area. Either that or the planes would return before all the nastiness wore off. I was lucky that there was little wind, otherwise I’d have to put on the suit much earlier. A brief communication session, warning them of the decision I’d made. A pat on the bag.
“Bri, find the monster! Do not approach it!”
I hadn’t summoned the ghost earlier, and the raven remained back at the base, but now I needed intelligence. And a little more caution. Activate Invisibility!
* * *
However, even without reconnaissance, I wouldn’t have missed the huge cloud of greenish gas. I’d heard that several additives had been specially added to it so that the affected area could be identified visually. A benefit on one hand, yet it also obscured what was happening. That’s why I didn’t head in there right away but sent the ghost ahead.
However, all these precautions turned out to be unnecessary. The Dragon was alive but posed no danger. I doubted that even the strongest regeneration could rapidly restore eighty percent of the body. Realistically, only the head and a small part of the trunk remained alive.
No wonder the Great Seth had removed the block — with such significant damage, even if the monster fled our world, it would be a sad example to the rest rather than an object of envy. I had to thank Hera for this opportunity. A chance to take the main prize and complete the mission as cleanly as possible.
Nevertheless, there was a small chance that this was only the combat form, while the pilot wasn’t as badly injured. Or that it possessed a skill like Immortal. Unlikely, of course, since it wasn’t a player, but I couldn’t completely dismiss the possibility.
“I… want… to… eat it…”
Bri lowered its tentacles, practically drooling as it stared at the half-dead Dragon. If ghosts could drool.
“Back in the bag!”
Bri was obviously struggling to control itself, but it obeyed my order. I had to come out of Invisibility for about ten seconds to bring the scout back. Onwards...
Backup was in cooldown, but now wasn’t the time for caution. The prize was worth the risk in any case. I touched the card as I walked, and a sword appeared in my hand.
“You will die, you will die, you will die!”
Blink, Flight. The combination worked, allowing me to avoid the attack. The Dragon was fighting to the last. The fused sand, which I had been running across a second ago, was spinning in a whirlpool. Apparently, the monster wasn’t sure of the result because it didn’t stop right away. After such evidence of strength, I preferred to fly the rest of the way and land on its muzzle. What if I…
Attention! The challenge conditions do not allow you to stop the fight before one of the parties is dead!
Do you wish to challenge the unnamed unit Sand Dragon (52%)?
Yes/No
Only a couple of eyes remained out of dozens, and one of them cast a reproachful look at me. Straight through my Invisibility.
Challenge declined!
So, the monster was intelligent to some degree. It had no intention of playing along with me. Fine. We had nothing to discuss, and I didn’t see any point in waiting for it to figure out a way to take me with it. I gripped the sword and struck, easily piercing the eyelid that had dropped down at the last moment. I leaned on the handle, driving the blade down as deeply as I could. Split! The body beneath me shuddered, yet no message appeared about experience. Maybe if I’d spent more mana, but that would have left me without an operational reserve. It wasn’t wise to drop below a certain limit.
Fortunately, the capsules continued to work, and my mana recovered rapidly. I turned, pulling out the sword, and moved on to the next eye, which could no longer see. Strike… Shrapnel! The Dragon jerked a little harder, and…
Attention! You have received 600 SP! (861/380)
Attention! The Sword of Heresy has consumed 120 SP!
You have reached Level 20! (481/400)
You have reached Level 21! (81/400)
Attention! You have completed Local Mission No. 23455!
Attention! The attitude of the Earth Gods has improved!
Attention! You have completed the divine task Proof of Strength!
Attention! Fame has increased by 1 unit! (7)
The flow of pleasure was strong enough to penetrate the gloves, yet I didn’t lose control. A meager amount for a monster of this rank and level.
Attention! The Trial Area has been unblocked! (Hera)
Would you like to leave the location?
Yes/No
I could wait. I looked at the card floating above the Dragon… a red card. Seriously? It couldn’t be...
Private message (Hera): Get out of there, now!
Despite her words, I couldn’t afford to abandon the loot. Not from a C-ranked monster. Jump, another jump. Flight… Got it! The card was in my hand, but I could now hear the hum of approaching planes. There were some words in Arabic in my earpiece. Time to go.
Attention! The Trial Area has been blocked! (Great Seth)
You cannot leave the location!
* * *
Yet there was no Whisper, so I just needed to do the right thing, and everything would end well. Blink allowed me to shift to the top of the nearest dune, and then I ran. Ten seconds and I was outside the gas cloud.
I fell, rolled, and ran again. My premonition didn’t disappoint, for I heard new explosions behind me. Judging by the swearing coming from my earpiece, our Egyptian allies had decided to take advantage of the situation and strike the final blow so they could take all the credit. Because these actions hadn’t been agreed on, they had every chance of killing me. They were more likely to be overeager idiots than servants of the Great Seth. The latter was simply taking advantage of the situation to get rid of me. Asshole…
“This is Vasily. I confirm that the Dragon has been destroyed!”
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, everything is fine, turn the planes around and send a team to collect the body. As for me…”
Attention! The Trial Area has been unblocked! (Great Seth)
“...you don’t need to pick me up. I’m going back to base on my own.”
Attention! The Great Seth’s attitude towards you has improved!
Was this some kind of apology? Never mind, I’d think about it later. Plenty of interesting things still remained here: the monster’s corpse, the mana crystal, and the chance to find the cards it had swallowed, but the cleanup team would deal with this without my help. According to the agreement, all these goodies became the property of the Russian Federation. I was owed a hefty portion of the loot.
Would you like to leave the location?
Yes/No