GONNGGGGG!!!
“Son of a bitch,” thought Arian. “It’s too early.”
GONNGGGGG!!!
He had come to hate the brothers and their rigid ways. It had been a week since he had seen Kaiya, the woman he had risked everything to save. The brothers of the cathedral had very strict rules against the mixing of sexes. Arian opened one eye, unwilling to give up his treasured slumber without a fight. He saw Dante bound out of his cot. The man had adapted to the life of a monk with ready ease. Arian imagined that after spending the last twenty years with his wife and then his two daughters, the life the brothers led was a welcome repose.
GONNGGGG!!!
“I’m going to kill these bastards,” he said to himself. Dante was already dressing. He was no doubt rushing down to meet Sanjay in the crypts. This was something Arian could understand.
Dante, having never been taught to read, gravitated toward the visitor in the library, and Sanjay was a willing teacher of the wonders of the written word. Dante’s reading lessons were progressing slowly. He wasn’t much past the alphabet, but he enjoyed hearing Sanjay read about the ancient world. Arian wondered whether he was aware that seven days had passed, and soon their transport to the Raven and Beladero would arrive.
Educated men like Jabari and the others, who had learned under the tutelage of Ansley and his mother, would help to continue his education, along with that of his wife and children. Still, this newly found academic freedom would be difficult to leave. In this last week of living with a Natural Born servant, Arian had been astounded at the number of things he had taken for granted in his former life. Life was much less complicated here. He only lacked one thing. Kaiya.
GONNGGGG!!!!
Kaiya rose upon the fourth chiming of the bell. She had been awake since before the first, waiting to hear the telltale signs that Chloe and Eppie had risen for the day. She loved jumping out of bed and surprising them as soon as they awoke. She had become like a third sister to the girls, fitting right in with their talk of boys and giggles in the night. Knowing her past and the fact that she was older, Yasmine had been upset by this at first, but Kaiya’s genuine affection and obvious immaturity won her over in the end. It was strange, but Yasmine could see that the broken woman was benefiting from this reprieve from the opposite sex, and the girls were fond of her as well.
“Kaiya, watch this!” screamed Chloe, adopting the demeanor of a horse and galloping around the room.
“You are such a dork,” said the older Eppie, rolling her eyes and looking to Kaiya for approval.
“Oh, let your sister have her fun, Eppie,” responded Kaiya, in her soft, high girlish tone. “Come here. I will fix your hair. A beautiful woman should have beautiful hair.”
She pulled Eppie to her, running a brush through her long blonde locks and styling it while Chloe galloped on all fours. Yasmine watched all this from her bed, a bit disturbed, but happy nonetheless. She had slowly come to look at Kaiya and her deceptively young face as another daughter. The prepubescent tone of her voice aided in this.
“Doesn’t she look beautiful, Yasmine?” asked Kaiya, as she finished styling the hair, turning toward the largish woman.
“You always make her hair beautiful, Kaiya,” responded Yasmine. “I hope you still have time for them when we reach this new city. They have grown fond of you.”
“I wanted to talk to you about that,” said Kaiya, a hint of somberness in her tone.
“What is it my dear?”
“It’s just that I haven’t had a family since I was much younger than Eppie. I was wondering if I might join you in Beladero. I could earn money and help with the kids. I wouldn’t be a burden.”
Yasmine was touched by the sentiment. “Of course you can come with us, dear. We would be happy to have you. But what of Arian?”
“What of Arian?” replied Kaiya sternly. “My life has been dictated by the wants and desires of men since the death of my father. I have no need for them anymore, whether for protection or for love. I am content with you and the girls. I’m happy here. I feel safe.”
Yasmine walked from her bed and embraced Kaiya. Eppie and Chloe joined her.
“We would love for you to be with us. But without the treatments, you will get old. Your wonderful beauty will fade. You will die like us.”
“Good. My looks have brought me nothing but pain. I desire nothing more than to be with your family.”
“Then you shall be my beautiful child,” responded Yasmine, meaning every word.
GONNGGGG!!!!! GONNGGGG!!!!! GONNGGGG!!!! GONNGGGG!!!!!!
“I’ve never heard that before,” thought Arian to himself as he stood and walked to the door. Before he could reach the handle, the door flew open from the other side. Fez al-Sun was standing in the hallway, breathing rapidly.
“Your escort has arrived, professor,” he said, catching his breath from rushing up the steep spiraling staircase. “The monks are gathering the others.”
Arian took a deep breath. It was time. He was both nervous and excited. He wanted nothing more than to see Kaiya again but was anxious about what awaited them outside the cathedral wall. Was it another double-cross? He just hoped that somehow, after all this, he could return to his previous life. Perhaps there was a way to save Kaiya, his career, and even Ansley.
He followed Fez al-Sun down the staircase. At the bottom, he saw that Kaiya, Eppie, Chloe, and Yasmine were already there. He tried to catch Kaiya’s eye, but she avoided his gaze. She seemed dismayed by his presence. Just then, the trap door to the crypts opened in the thick marbled floor and Sanjay and Dante emerged. Dante rushed to his family, hugging first his girls, then his wife. All thoughts of learning to read temporarily vanished from his mind.
Turning to them all, Fez al-Sun said, “I’m afraid it is time for us to part. Your transport is outside the front doors. We do not allow men such as these within our walls. Know that you have refuge here as long as you desire, but if you choose to go, we wish you the best of fortunes.” He moved toward Arian, leaning in close to whisper, “Time is as a river, ever changing, unfixed, yet the current need not be unidirectional. Should the need arise, the vault of this special cathedral can be quite informative.” With this, he bowed and walked past them toward the choir of the cathedral where they had met the first day.
As the group turned to leave, Sanjay rushed after Arian, cutting him off and grabbing his hand in a firm shake.
“If you must go, I hope that you go in peace my friend,” he said in his heavily accented, cheery voice. “Hate gains one nothing in this life.”
Confused, Arian embraced the brown-skinned man.
“Thank you for opening that door for us, Sanjay. We would have been lost without you. I hope to meet you again in the future.”
“The future? Oh I wouldn’t expect that, my friend. My travels shall take me very far from here indeed. But I wish you the best. I expect your journey will be quite eventful. No matter what, you can always return here. This temple is a constant sanctuary. You hear me? Constant, my friend. A special place indeed.”
With this Arian and the others headed for the arched oak doors at the front of the cathedral. Two more monks were waiting to open the doors for them. Yellow light held back by stained glass streamed into the building, washing over the white marble, creating an awe-inspiring impression. The group walked out into the blinding light to a waiting transport. Arian was happy to see that Serenity was not there. Perhaps Gravano had been telling the truth. They entered an eight-man transport, greeted by an unknown man.
“Are you with Don Gravano?” asked Arian.
The man said nothing, contenting himself to type a few coordinates into the console and look away from them all.
“Okay,” said Arian aloud. He leaned back in the transport, deciding to relax. Whatever happened from here, it was out of his control. He had done everything he could to rescue Kaiya. He just hoped that Ansley’s payment would be enough.
Travelling through the streets of Sikyon, there seemed to be no other drivers on the road. They approached and passed every intersection they came to without incident. Arian surveyed the horizon but could see no evidence that they were being followed. Perhaps Gravano would come through. The girls played and chattered together as if they had no care in the world. Arian followed Kaiya’s eyes and could see that she was jealously watching them. Dante was humming the Alphabet song to himself. It was pathetic, yet touching. He haphazardly put his foot out in an attempt to touch Kaiya’s leg, only to have her yank it away without so much as a look. In almost no time, they began to pass the familiar sights Arian had witnessed upon leaving the landing pad with Serenity. Moving past the last of the buildings on the main avenue, the Raven loomed into view.
The transport was waved through each security checkpoint, a fact that was not lost on Arian. Whatever deal Gravano had worked out with the dome agents, it was allowing them to pass unimpeded. Just inside the final security gate, the transport stopped and its doors opened. The group exited, standing on the runway. The escort finally spoke to Arian.
“Here are your belongings,” he said gruffly, tossing a black duffle bag out the door as his transport pulled away. Picking it up from the ground and opening it, Arian was shocked to find as he shuffled through his Capitol City clothes the small switchblade that Jabari had given him. Something didn’t add up. Arian’s instincts told him they should run.
Dante looked to Arian, observing the nervousness on his face.
“I didn’t expect the plane to be here. Thank you, friend.” Yasmine and the children moved forward and hugged their father. Even Kaiya seemed excited by the Raven. She walked over and embraced him, adding a light kiss on his cheek. He lost himself in the feeling of her body on his and her scent. He ignored his unease.
A walkway descended from the Raven. Arian watched with relief as he saw guards, not Imperial guards, but those he had previously seen with Gravano walk down the ramp. Gravano himself appeared in the doorway.
“We made it,” said Arian.
The others looked to him for the next move, so in a fit of triumph, he grabbed Kaiya’s hand and rushed toward the entryway. Dante, Yasmine, Eppie, and Chloe followed at a slower pace. Arian pulled Kaiya behind him, rushing them to their escape. They stopped at the top of the ramp, before Gravano.
“Thank you, Christof,” Arian declared, grateful.
Strangely, Gravano didn’t deign to respond. He merely looked in the distance, as if undaunted by the presence of those he had come to save. Arian felt the strong arms of the closest guard ripping him from Kaiya and locking around his neck, while the other restrained him. As they dragged him inside, he searched for her with his limited vision, and saw that she was being similarly manhandled and carried inside. Once they were past the Don, the guards held them so that they faced the opening, and could see the family ascending the ramp. Dante froze, realizing something was wrong, though his daughters continued to gallop forward.
“Men,” was all Gravano uttered, as a chorus of gunfire sang out from the other guards along the ramp. Arian watched helplessly as bullets riddled the bodies of the young girls he had brought here to begin their new lives. Chloe screamed wretchedly, until a bullet tore through her neck and rendered her forever mute. Dante rushed forward to cover Eppie. The guards shot until he was clearly dead before walking forward and callously tossing his body aside. He had succeeded in protecting her until this moment. Arian could hear Kaiya’s blood curdling scream as the guard placed the barrel to Eppie’s temple and blew her brains, memories, and consciousness to oblivion. Only Yasmine remained. She kneeled, huddled and afraid in the blood and gore of what had seconds ago been her family.
“Let her go,” said Gravano, with an air of benevolence. The guards stood down. Yasmine looked up, whimpering and confused.
“Go!!!!!” shouted Gravano.
Yasmine turned and ran down the ramp, running away from the violence and the hate and the destruction of those she had loved. Running away from her shattered life. She made it halfway down the runway toward the security checkpoint before Gravano pulled a pistol from his pocket, aiming it at the fleeing woman.
“Watch this, boys,” he said with glee as the barrel flashed.
Yasmine dropped instantly, never to rise again.
The landing ramp withdrew and the doors closed, leaving Arian with a last image of the bloody scene that burned into his retinas like the after effect of staring for too long at the sun. Wherever he looked, he saw the girls’ dead faces, staring ahead lifeless, imploring him to provide a future that would never come. He would never forgive himself for letting them down.
The guards twisted their bodies and threw both Arian and Kaiya to the ground as the Raven took off. Arian sprung to his feet and lunged at Gravano. He was only inches from the old man’s fat neck before the guards caught him and again shoved him to the ground, this time, holding him there. Gravano leaned down and looked into his eyes. His harsh face seemed to soften upon seeing Arian, wild-eyed and in despair.
“I admire the fight in you, lover boy, but you must understand our agreement was only to pick up you and the girl. Anything else is an added risk and is something I am not being paid to accomplish. You were foolish to assume they would be safe with me. Their deaths, I’m afraid, are on you.”
“Fuck you!” screamed Arian, fighting the men who held him. He looked over to Kaiya and saw her struggling to resist restraint. He forced himself to relax his demeanor. He could still save Kaiya. As he softened, so did the hold on his body. The men lifted him to his feet, training their weapons on him as he stood to face Gravano. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Kaiya was also brought to her feet, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The thugs shoved them together. Arian had no fight left. His soul had been destroyed by the event he had just witnessed. He felt as an empty cavity, understanding for the first time why Ansley had asked of him what he had. Before this moment, Arian had been naïve. Ansley wasn’t asking him to sacrifice his life so that he could be with a deceased lover. Ansley was asking him to deliver the world from tyranny. He wished he was strong enough to help fulfill that dream.
“I’m sorry for your loss, truly, my friend,” said Gravano, “but it was unavoidable.”
“How was shooting an entire family of unarmed people unavoidable?” whispered Arian.
“You understand very little, my young friend. Everything has always been handed to you. You are part of the system you now pretend to hate. It is quite unbecoming. Come. Let’s have a martini together and talk. Perhaps I can enlighten you on the intricacies of being born outside of the dome.”
Having no choice, Arian followed him to the bar in the corner of the Raven, where what seemed like months ago he had tasted that dreadful concoction. Kaiya also followed, taking a seat on the stool beside Gravano. Arian tried to read her face. All of the blood was drained from it, leaving her with a white pallor, but other than this, her expression was stony, betraying no emotion. He found her behavior odd.
“And what will you be having, my lovely lady?” asked Gravano. Arian was forced down into the stool on the other side of the fat man, the guards remaining as a menacing reminder of their allegiance to Gravano’s ruthlessness.
“A glass of wine would be nice,” answered Kaiya sweetly. Arian was stunned by her nonchalance. It was as if none of the murders had just occurred. She even seemed demure, as if flirting with the Don
“Very good,” responded Gravano, his voice cheery. “At least someone here knows how to accept my hospitality. And for you, lover boy? Perhaps another dirty martini?”
“I’m fine,” replied Arian coldly.
“Suit yourself. But you must understand that my predicament has been precarious since your arrival. We were betrayed. I barely made it out of Sikyon after leaving you. It took over a week to acquire the proper permits to return. You and Kaiya are outlaws. Removing you was possible, but escaping with another family of outlaws would have attracted too much attention. Their deaths were an offering to those in charge. They were a sacrifice to ensure our safe passage, not to mention that we are not fueled to support the extra weight. We never would have made it to our destination. I never would have received my payment.”
Arian was unconvinced.
“That was not a mere sacrifice. You took pleasure in murdering Yasmine. You toyed with her life before you destroyed it. No mother should have to watch her children die.”
“Let me educate you a bit about the life I have led, boy, before you presume to lecture me. I was born in a poor coal-mining town outside of Pathos. After the collapse of the world governments, our region was dominated by warlords who forced my people to labor, while becoming wealthy from our toil. To this day, our coal heats your luxurious homes. I was forced into the mines at age twelve. I worked alongside my older brother Cornell. He was sixteen. He had a crush on the daughter of a neighbor and wanted to buy her something nice, so he stole a bit of coal from the mine and sold it to get the money. When the lord of the region, a gangster named Don Raphaelli discovered this, he sent a group of thugs to my home, dragged my brother into the street and murdered him in front of my mother. She was taken by the flu less than a year later.”
Kaiya shocked Arian by rubbing Gravano’s shoulder sympathetically. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I lost my father and two siblings to the flu.”
“Don’t fret dear, this story has a happy ending,” answered Gravano, patting her leg. He continued.
“I gathered a group of friends from the ghetto where we lived, and one night, we snuck into Don Raphaelli’s house and slit his throat while he slept. I enjoyed every second of his last gurgled breaths. For good measure, I left the knife planted in the belly of his wife. From this point on, I had the respect of the neighborhood, and when I grew to manhood, it was I who became the new Don, and our region has flourished ever since. I have dealt with, backstabbed, and fought with your Overseers, taking care of tasks they find unseemly and providing them with cheap coal when their space ore becomes scarce. I have fortified and strengthened our defenses and even negotiated access to seasonal vaccines so that none of my people need die as my mother did. My methods have been brutal but effective. It is your government that abandoned us to a lawless land and a harsh environment requiring harsher leaders. When it comes to being a ruler, power is not only important, it is everything.”
Arian was unimpressed and expressed his contempt for the man. “A leader should inspire people. He should be kind and just. You use your hardship as an excuse for your actions while at the same time continuing the same cycle of violence. You have embraced the very methods that took your brother from you. You have become Don Raphaelli,” said Arian, his voice calm and steady. He no longer cared what happened to him. He had lost all appetite for life after watching that eager family be shot like animals.
“You have a lot of balls lecturing me, lover boy, you who has never known want and will never die.” Gravano nodded to one of the guards, who cocked a handgun and placed it to Arian’s temple. “I should say ‘will never die naturally’. I can end your life on a whim.” He laughed to himself, seeming to consider something before snapping back.
“And now we arrive at the crux of the matter,” continued Gravano. “I want something that your people can get me, and you will use this to bargain for your life. We all do what we must to survive. For some of us, this entails reading science books and living in lavish apartments. For others,” he added, turning to Kaiya, eyeing her lithe body from head to toe, “it involves living as a whore. For me, it has been a life of violence and intimidation. Each of us has done as they must, and none of us can judge the other.”
Kaiya smiled at this sentiment. Arian could not determine whether it was in agreement or whether she was in survival mode, making sure not to draw the ire of this terrible man. One fact Arian could not get over was that the Don did have a point. None aboard the Raven were innocent, not any longer. Whether or not Kaiya agreed with Gravano’s reasoning he could not know, but he hoped for the sake of his love for her that she found him as disgusting as he did.
“Do you mind removing the gun from my head?” asked Arian. “It makes it a bit difficult to continue this conversation, Christof.” Gravano again nodded at the guard, who removed the barrel from his temple, thumbing the safety. “Thank you. So what exactly is this payment that you negotiated with Jabari? I feel I’m entitled to know.”
“With all your advantages and intellectual gifts, Arian, I feel sorry for you in all this,” replied Gravano in a slow and measured tone. “You are the epitome of a man with no power. Your role has been that of a pawn, manipulated by Ansley, by Tiberius, and even Kaiya. You have failed to understand the politics and forces that swirl around you, sweeping you up in their wake.”
Kaiya giggled at this, and Gravano shot her a quick wink. Arian was both hurt and furious by Kaiya’s strange and callous behavior in the presence of the Don. It was as if nothing they shared at Angelica’s had occurred. Following Arian’s gaze, Gravano interrupted his train of thought.
“Fret not, my boy. The girl behaves as she must and the way her life has taught her. She is a survivor. She adapts to the situation. At present, I am the most powerful man in the room. I assure you, she despises me.”
“And what is it that I do not understand?” asked Arian.
“You don’t understand that in your secret dealings with Ansley and your quest to save Kaiya, you have neglected your duties as a professor, and one who was once below you has brought his findings to the attention of those in the Central Tower. Apparently they saw much potential in the bio-bot technology. They not only raised your student to the status of professor, they gave him control of a secret lab constructed outside Capitol City, whose sole purpose is the mass production of these bots.”
“Conway?” demanded Arian, knowing the answer before the name left his mouth. “But how could he go over my head? This goes against all protocol. It is against the law!”
“He had faith that those in charge of the Institute would see the value of the research, even if you didn’t, and take it to the Central Tower. He understood the politics and was correct on both assumptions.”
Of all the revelations that Gravano could have given him, this one hurt the most. His pride was wounded at a student stealing work carried out under his supervision, as well at the thought of being surpassed by one so limited as Conway. No matter how he dissected his future, he knew his career at the Institute as well as his place in Arameus was lost forever. He was now a fugitive, no different than Kaiya, who, in their current situation, seemed indifferent toward him. He only hoped that Ansley could help him when they landed. “I still fail to see how this figures into your payment. I understand that I have been played as the fool, but there is no way a lab run by Arameus would turn over the bot technology to you. And what benefit would they be to you anyway?”
“It would seem a small victory to one such as yourself, but it has been determined by those in charge of your world that the bio-bots will revolutionize extended life. Controlled by a central computer whose A.I. is always evolving, they will make continued nano-treatments unnecessary. I don’t ask much. I only want what you have, and what every man wants. I want to preserve my life and what vigor I still retain, and why should I be denied this? It has always been impossible for a man such as me to receive the treatments, though I have found them here and there. With this new technology, I will be on the same footing as your Overseers, and can use my long life to gain power and lead my people against yours. I don’t understand why they would risk their power over extended life and the nanocyte supply chain. Leaks are inevitable, and it only takes a few to undermine their control.”
“Trust me, where the Overseers are concerned, very little is overlooked. It would be unfortunate if you played into yet another power grab,” answered Arian, amused at the ignorant confidence of this uneducated brute. “If they are giving them up, they come with a hefty price.”
“They aren’t giving them up, you foolish boy. You will be stealing them. Why do you think we are dealing with that beast of a man Jabari? When we land, Jabari and a team of his men will be waiting for us. You will accompany them on an assault of the lab. You will go to ensure they obtain a useable form of the bots. Upon the delivery of my payment, we will take you and Kaiya back to Beladero and release you.”
“This is insane. You can’t expect us to directly attack a lab sanctioned by the Central Tower. It’s suicide.”
“It’s a science lab in the desert, not a damn military base. If Jabari and his men can’t infiltrate a facility so lightly defended, then their reputation far outweighs them.”
Arian considered this. If there was one man he trusted in all of this, it was Jabari. If he thought that they could get the bio-bots from the lab, then Arian had to have faith.
“Very well, Christof, I will do as you wish. If you double cross me, Jabari will not be so easily threatened as that unarmed family.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” replied Gravano. He turned his back to Arian, now facing Kaiya, ordering her another glass of wine, which she gladly accepted. Defeated, Arian stood and walked to the other side of the Raven, finding an empty couch. He laid on it, closing his eyes, meditating on all that had transpired, using his analytical brain to envision the different ways in which the rest of the day might unfold. They had at least four hours of travel before they would reach the other side of Capitol City, so he had time to think. He often found his thoughts interrupted by Kaiya and Gravano’s loud laughter echoing through the cabin.
The hours were slow in passing as Arian lay with his eyes closed, feigning sleep. The laughter died away and Gravano left the cabin. She must have approached silently for he was startled when he felt her hand upon his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw her looking down at him, concern on her face.
“What happened to your date?” he asked, embarrassed as soon as the question left his lips.
“Stop it, Arian. You have your bots to trade. I have my looks. I am only trying to secure survival for us.”
“For us?” he asked, a bit confused.
“If it comes to it, yes. No man can refuse me.”
“I see,” said Arian, closing his eyes again, attempting to block her out.
She sat on the couch beside him.
“I only want to get out of here alive. Did you see what his men did to the girls? Like it or not, we are under his control for now.”
“Until I deliver him the bots, and possibly eternal life,” returned a miserable Arian.
“We will do what we must. I do care for you Arian. You’re unlike any man I have encountered. You are kind, where they are cruel, sensitive where they are hard, and you believe in and speak of a life of substance and righteousness that we have never known.”
“We?”
“Like it or not, Gravano and I are both Natural Born and share experiences you could never understand. But you have to be strong now, for both of us. You have to get those bots and get me off this ship. I will not be a slave to a man again. You see the way he eyes me. Stay alive, and we will escape together. Our lots have become the same. We will leave Beladero and find a town far away from Arameus and Gravano and Ansley.”
Arian sighed. He had no other choice. All options were closed to him. He would go along with this ploy and at his first chance find Ansley and then the Iris. None of this would matter if Ansley’s theories proved correct. It was difficult to grasp how much his opinions had changed over the past several weeks.
“Very well,” he replied. “I will get the bots and get us to Beladero. From there, I can guarantee nothing.”
“Thank you,” she said, kissing him on the cheek. Despite his reservations and resolve, he felt butterflies in his stomach as her body came into contact with his own. He had no power to resist the raw sensuality exuded by this woman. One touch from her and he would follow her anywhere.
“I will let you rest now,” she said, as she laid beside him on the couch, slipping her head into the crook of his shoulder and wrapping her leg around his lower torso. He closed his eyes again and mentally prepared for whatever was to follow, trying to ignore the feeling of her heartbeat and her intoxicating smell. He may have even fallen asleep briefly, for as he came back to consciousness, his ears were popping due to the changing pressure as the Falcon hurtled toward the ground below. The first thing he noticed was that Kaiya was no longer in his grasp.
As they landed, it was all a blur of sound and motion for Arian. Guards were again surrounding him, guns aimed at his head. Gravano had reappeared and was standing, clutching Kaiya by the shoulders.
“It’s time for you to uphold your end of the bargain,” shouted Gravano over the noise, the twisted pleasure of control evident in his voice. The door to the Raven opened and the exit ramp descended, washing the dim interior in the bright light of the noonday yellow sunrays, made more blinding by the refection from the red desert sand. He was forced into the light, unable to see anything as his eyes adjusted, unable to hear due to the sound of the engines, and scarcely able to breath due to the dust in the air. His eyes began to focus by the time he was midway down the ramp. He saw Jabari standing in the passenger side of a cruiser loaded down with six other heavily armed men. There were at least seven other similarly outfitted cruisers beside him. Jabari’s face wore an intense look.
“Yo dog,” he yelled. “Where the fuck is the girl?”
“You will get the girl upon the Don’s payment. She’s safe,” called out one the rear guards.
Jabari shook his head in disgust. “Fucking gangsters,” he screamed back. “We’ll deal with you. Don’t worry.”
Arian was shoved in his back, sending him tumbling down the remainder of the ramp. Jabari jumped out of the cruiser and rushed forward to him, as the landing ramp was drawn back up, sealing the Raven. He helped Arian to his feet. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said, patting him on the back. “Now it’s time to pay for your journey. We will lose men today. Ansley believes your cooperation is worth it. I hope you prove him correct.”
“Where is Ansley?” asked Arian. “I need to talk to him.”
A look of sadness flitted across Jabari’s face and was gone.
“He couldn’t make it. We need to move.”
Arian reached into his pocket and pulled out the switchblade he had received the last time the men had met, handing it over.
“You keep that, dog. It was a gift,” said Jabari. “Actually,” he added, removing a pistol from inside the back of his pants and cocking it, “take this as well. You might need it.” Arian took it, unable to fathom how it could be of use to a man like him.
He escorted Arian to an empty seat in the cruiser next to his own. Without a word, he returned to his and ordered the men to drive. The vehicles turned around and drove away from the Raven in a caravan formation. It wasn’t long, perhaps only a quarter mile, before the sparse, barrack-like three-story façade of the laboratory came into view. This was nothing like the laboratories in Capitol City, which were architectural masterpieces. This was constructed with the intention of not drawing attention. They drove up an embankment in the sand that overlooked the structure, stopping just before their cruisers would come into view by those below. Jabari jumped down, signaling one of his men, obviously a trusted comrade, and Arian to follow on foot. They trekked the final few meters to the top of the embankment. Jabari lifted a pair of binoculars from his chest and surveyed the scene below. After a moment, he handed them to Arian and pointed in the direction for him to look.
Through the binoculars, Arian saw a driving ramp descending into a loading dock. Two guards flanked the door, automatic weapons hanging from their necks.
“We’ve been watching this entrance for a few days,” said Jabari’s comrade. “Twice a day, convoys come from Capitol City to deliver supplies. Each time, the guards swipe ID cards at the same time to open the doors. We take down the guards, swipe the cards, and we’re in.”
“By the way,” added Jabari, “this is my second in command, Francisco Dominguez. If there was ever a man to entrust your life to, he is that man.”
Francisco nodded.
“We will bring twelve men in to secure the building,” Jabari told Arian. “Me and two others will follow you and act as protection. You need to find useable bots to pay Gravano. You are the only one who can identify what we’re looking for.”
Arian nodded in apprehensive acceptance of his fate.
“Then it’s simple,” said Francisco, an expectant grin spreading over his face. “Let’s go kick these doors in, shoot some Nephites, and get what we came for.”
“I hope you’re right,” answered Jabari.
The three men walked back down the embankment to the cruisers. This time, Jabari escorted Arian to his own cruiser along with Francisco and two other men. They were flanked on both sides by vehicles outfitted with six men each. Jabari shouted an order for the remaining cruisers to follow them up the embankment and remain there guarding the perimeter and awaiting further instruction. With everything in place, the three vehicles moved down the hill toward the laboratory.
Jabari and Arian were in the back, with an unnamed driver and Francisco in the front. Arian’s heart raced, and he felt as if he might be sick as they traversed the uneven landscape. Jabari gave him a sympathetic squeeze on the shoulder, although it did nothing to calm his nerves. As the two guards came into view, Arian saw them freeze with surprise at the approaching vehicles. They had very little time to do much else as Francisco stood in the cruiser and, with the trained hand of an experienced assassin, dropped them both in two quick, successive shots. They were entering the ramp and exiting the vehicle before the bodies of the men stopped quivering. The two other vehicles stopped at the top of the ramp and the men exited, running down to join the assault.
Arian felt uneasy as he watched Jabari and Francisco reach into the pockets of the deceased men, both Nephites, and extract the key cards. Just as the two men were about to swipe the cards, an explosion in the distance shook the ground, causing Arian to stumble. Turning, he saw two of the cruisers left on the embankment engulfed in flames, the men flailing and screaming as they burned.
“That mother fucker!” shouted Jabari, rage shaking his core. “He led us into an ambush.”
Arian could see the unit of Imperial infantry approaching from the left of the embankment, pounding the men with heavy artillery. He froze in fear. Jabari grabbed him by the back of his shirt and threw him toward the now open door.
“Let’s go, dog, we have to complete the mission.”
“The mission is done,” yelled Arian. “We’ve been deceived.”
“Gravano’s mission is done,” replied Jabari, continuing to shove him forward. “We have the Iris. Ansley is counting on you. Now let’s go!”
As he was rushed through the door, Arian cast one last look back toward the embankment. The remaining men had exited their cruisers and were returning fire to the Imperial infantry. The high ground gave them a strategic advantage now that the trap had sprung. The other twelve men followed them into the lab.
Sirens were already sounding as they entered the dim, narrow hallway. A few of the men rushed forward from the rear, throwing flashbangs ahead. When the bright light subsided, Arian saw lab guards rush forward into the smoke. A chorus of gunfire from Jabari’s men signaled their deaths.
Rushing past the bodies, they came into the open expanse that was the ground floor of the lab. Confused by the sirens and gun blasts, the Nephite scientists seemed frozen in place. As they entered the floor, one brave scientist jumped off a lab bench at Jabari. Francisco scoped the man’s chest, the bullet creating an exit wound in his back five times the size of the entry wound.
“There won’t be any fucking heroes here today,” he screamed. “I shoot any man or woman who isn’t on the ground.”
Every person in the building dropped to the floor. Flashes of gunfire rang above them and Arian nearly emptied his bladder as a bullet whizzed by his ear, shattering an Erlenmeyer flask nearby. Jabari trained his gun to the balcony, and a single bullet to the head ended the threat. Francisco ran forward with six of the men leading them from wall to wall, placing explosives in key structural positions.
“We have to get every support,” he yelled to his men, as Arian heard the beeps of the timed explosives coming to life.
Jabari grabbed him by the collar.
“This is all you, man. You’ve got to lead us to the useable bots, dog. And real fucking quick.”
Arian tried to ignore the chaotic sounds and the fear inside him as he surveyed the lab. He saw the PCR machines, as well as the electron microscopes used for nano-robotics. He rushed toward the PCR tables, hoping that these would lead him to a successful implantation. He couldn’t help but empathize with his fellow scientists cowering on the ground, men who were just like him. With no time to dwell, he focused on the task and getting out of the facility alive. He ran to a microscope adjacent to a PCR machine, Jabari and two men following behind. From his experience, this was the last stage of development, though he had no idea how the leaders of Capitol City would have implemented the process. He looked through a microscope, hoping to be lucky enough to see something promising. As he looked, he felt a soft squeeze on the back of his ankle, and heard a scared voice.
“Arian?”
Looking down, Arian was shocked to find Alexandra, her face contorted in terror and streaked with tears, clutching his ankle. He leaned down to her, taking his old friend into his arms in a feeble attempt to comfort her.
“What are you doing here, Alex?” he asked, surprised at the fear he heard in his own voice.
“That asshole Conway requested that I be made part of the team. I had no choice. I was sent here by the Director of the Institute himself.”
“We have to get out of here, Alex. Imperial troops are outside. There is a battle going on, but we can’t leave without useable bots. Can you get us some?”
They both jerked as gunfire erupted above them. Looking up, they saw smoke rising from the barrel of Jabari’s gun as a laboratory guard fell lifeless to the floor.
“Let’s get moving, dog,” shouted Jabari. We don’t have time for a reunion!”
Alex gasped and her words tumbled out. “I know where we can get some. For every shipment we send back to Capitol City, a few samples are sent to Conway’s office for Quality Control purposes. I have a key card to his office. I am certain we will find them there.”
“Great, let’s fucking go,” shouted Jabari. “Lead the way. Guitierrez, Rodrigo, come with us,” he called to two men who were close by. Arian lifted Alex to her feet, and she led them toward a staircase at the far wall. The three men formed a protective circle around the two scientists, but there was little action in the main lab, as Francisco’s men had the area secured. It was promising that the Imperial troopers had yet to enter the facility. The small group of Beladero men outside must be holding their ground. They followed Alex up two flights of stairs to the third floor of the building, running around the perimeter balcony that overlooked the main floor. They stopped in front of an unassuming door at the far corner.
“This is his office,” said Alex, looking back at Jabari, recognizing who was in charge.
She handed him the key card as his men readied their weapons. Jabari swiped the card and kicked open the door before jumping aside as the other two men rushed in and discharged their weapons at two unfortunate guards.
“All clear!” they heard one of the men shout from inside.
Jabari looked at Alex sympathetically. “Time to find the bots, girl. This will all be over soon. We will keep you safe.”
Alex looked up at the hulking man and nodded. She and Arian entered the room stumbling over the two guards who had fallen to the ground on top of one another. The office was large, lined with bookshelves, with a rectangular meeting table in the center. At the very back, beside the window, was Conway’s desk console.
“They have to be here somewhere,” said Alex, searching frantically for clues.
Arian knew where he would keep the bots if he were in charge of the project; locked in his desk, close to him. The desk was bathed in yellow sunlight from the window and as he approached, he could see the vast desert beyond. They were on the opposite side of the building from where they had entered, so he could not see the battle, but it gave him hope to know they were not surrounded. Picking up a notepad on the desk, he heard the slightest whimper, followed by rustling.
Arian started, jumping backward.
“Jabari,” he yelled, “someone is here.”
Jabari and his men rushed over to the other side of the desk. His two men leaned down, and when they came up, they held between them a petrified-looking Matthew Conway. In his hands, he clutched a box of syringes.
“Those are the bots,” exclaimed Alexandra.
Arian held Conway in his gaze as he took the box. Examining the contents, he could see that it was meant to hold twelve doses, but one of the syringes was missing.
“Always thinking of you,” said Arian, shaking his head. “I’m disappointed, Matt. You had so much promise, but your ambition has led you here.”
Matt looked at Alex, imploring her to help.
“Alexandra, please don’t let them hurt me. I was only doing what I was asked, just as you were. What makes you different?”
“I could never be with a cowering man like you,” she answered coldly. All of his will seemed to drain from his body at her words.
“The way I see it,” said Jabari, closing in on him, “this entire facility is just one more way for your people to control mine, and unfortunately for you, you happen to be in charge.”
He sprang forward and in a swift and fluid motion, grabbed the frightened man’s jaw and the back of his head, snapping his neck. Rodrigo and Gutierrez allowed his corpse to drop to the floor.
While the others dispersed, Arian stood over the body, contemplating the gun in his hand. Though he had never fired a weapon, he was pretty sure all he had to do was pull the trigger. Aiming it at the center of the forehead, he fired, sending pieces of skull and brain into the air.
“Damn, dog,” said Jabari, raising an eyebrow.
Arian shrugged. The men around him nodded their approval, though Alexandra looked horrified. He should have felt guilty, but there was no time for that. They had to keep moving.
Jabari got on his radio and called to Francisco. “We have the bots. What’s your status?”
After a moment of white noise, Francisco’s voice came from the other end. He sounded frantic, even frightened. “We have to get out of here now. Our men are being routed outside. The Imperial troops will be here soon. We can’t escape the way we came.”
Jabari muttered under his breath before responding. “Have Cooper drive the cruiser to the entrance on the opposite side of the building. We can escape that way.”
After a longer pause, Francisco’s voice came again. “He’s on his way. You need to get the fuck out of here. This building will blow in less than four minutes. I will try to hold them from entering through the front and following. If I can, I will allow them to enter just as the building explodes.”
“It’s been an honor fighting beside you,” said Jabari, his voice thick with emotion.
“I’m not dead yet, my friend,” replied Francisco with a laugh. “I plan on having a lot of fun in these next four minutes. Now go! Save our people.”
“You heard the man,” shouted Jabari at the others. “We don’t have much time. He will not sacrifice his life in vain. Yo girlie, show us out that way,” he said, pointing to the empty desert outside the window.
They followed Alex in a full sprint back down the corridor on the perimeter to the stairs. Glancing down to the main floor, Arian saw the remaining ten men with Francisco concentrating their fire on the hallway leading from the loading dock. The Imperial infantry had arrived. He only hoped their transport cruiser had escaped in time.
He heard Francisco shout to the scientists who were still on the floor covering their heads, “Anyone who is in this building in four minutes will be dead. Exit through the loading dock if you want to live.”
In a mad rush, hundreds of white-coated scientists rushed toward the very door through which the Imperial infantry was trying to enter. The unfortunate front-runners were gunned down by their own Imperial saviors who did not yet realize who was rushing toward them. Upon realization, they stayed their fire, as the frightened Nephites overwhelmed them, halting their progress and buying time for Arian and his cohorts to escape.
On the main floor, Alex used a key card to open a door leading to the rear exit. Jabari looked longingly back across the lab to his friend, who was commanding the troops of Beladero in a suicidal last stand. For a moment, Arian believed he would join his friend, but Jabari shook his head and rushed after them, allowing the door to close and lock. They sprinted down a well-furnished corridor, meant to house administrative offices. The light spilling through the glass doors leading to their freedom was visible ahead as they ran from the violence and carnage. It was only fifty feet away now. Forty. Thirty. Ten. Arian never knew that fresh air could smell and taste so sweet as it did when they burst through the doors.
Running into the hot desert air, the cruiser came into view, only twenty feet away. Arian felt Jabari’s hand clamp his shoulder like a vice, bringing him to a stop. The others in the group followed suit, with only Jabari walking cautiously ahead. It was only now that Arian saw what had stopped the man. The scene before them was grim and efficient. Four bodies were sprawled around the cruiser, bleeding from trauma to their necks. Cooper was still seated at the wheel, his head rolled back over the seat, only attached to his body by skin and a few remaining tendons. Arian heard motion from behind and turned around in time to see a man emerge from the shadows by the door. Like a predator, he leapt forward, in between Rodrigo and Gutierrez. Arian saw the flash of bloodstained silver blades as the man, not bothering to look behind him, shot his arms backward, shoving a blade into the throat of each man, leaving them lodged deep within. Before the men had fallen and Arian could lift his gun, the man was upon him, unarmed now, though no less deadly. Arian felt a brief intense pain ripple down his spinal cord as the man connected a precise blow with his hand, which felt as sharp as a knife, between his throat and collarbone. He lost all control of his body and fell to the ground, unable to move. The gun dropped beside him.
Jabari reeled around, but before he was able to fire his weapon, the man kicked the gun out of his hands and struck him in the throat, sending him to his knees. As Arian watched the man from the ground, still unable to move, he could see the cold and steady precision of the assassin. The man moved with speed but did not rush. He had no fear. He was in complete control of the situation. Shooting a quick, cat-like look back to Arian, who was now being tended to by Alexandra, he was convinced they posed no threat, and now picked up Rodrigo’s automatic rifle, pointing it at Jabari.
Jabari stood and surveyed the man, clutching his throat and trying to catch his breath. Arian watched, helpless in Alex’s arms.
“You killed my men, dog,” said Jabari between gasps for air. “What are you waiting for? Shoot.”
“Jabari Stoudamyre. Capitol City’s greatest athlete. I never took you to be an enemy of the state. I’m a big fan. Still, I don’t believe I have had the honor of killing a man of your physical prowess. I’m excited by the challenge.”
“Not much challenge here,” answered Jabari. “Just got to pull the trigger.”
Arian could see from the way Jabari was positioning his feet that he was readying himself to spring at the man. His eyes burned with hatred. The two could not have been more different physically. Jabari, with his dark skin, 6’6” heavily muscled frame, and imposing demeanor starkly contrasted with the slightly built, tan-skinned man, with thinning blonde hair.
“Shoot you?” replied the man. “I’m not going to shoot you, unless, of course, you choose to follow through with your ill-conceived plan to rush me.” Arian saw Jabari’s posture relax a bit. “It would be such a waste of a chance to test my skills against an elite specimen such as you. There are so few of you left. I would like to settle this like men. Hand to hand.”
Jabari laughed in an exaggerated gesture.
“You want to fight me hand to hand? I welcome that challenge. I will destroy you, you pathetic assassin.”
“Silence your tongue, beast, or I may not choose to allow you to die as honorably as I intend.”
“Like you honorably attacked my men from behind?”
The man smiled. “They are but pawns. I assure you, had they been facing me, the result would not have varied. I’m afraid I have been rude. I know your name, but you do not yet know mine. They call me Siva. I am the first and head of the elite group of assassins known as the Formaddi. For my diligent services to Vladymir Romanov, I was awarded the extended life. I have been killing for the Overseers since the beginning of Arameus. You will fall, just as all others have before.”
“There’s only one way to find out, dog. Drop your gun and let’s do this, you pathetic murdering piece of shit.”
Siva squinted at him and nodded in a gentlemanly acceptance of the challenge. He tossed the gun aside as Jabari rushed forward, letting his fists fly loosely, reigning down blows on the small man, though none landed. Siva dodged, left, right, in and out, playing with the distances and not allowing Jabari to find his range. Jabari finally landed a blow to Siva’s left cheek with the sickening thud of knuckle on bone, but instead of falling, the man moved into Jabari’s body, deftly removing two small blades from within his vest and in a flurry of motion, stabbed him in the back and kidneys at least six times. This act repeated again and again, with Jabari landing blow after blow on Siva’s face, splitting the flesh and pulverizing the meat, while his adversary, instead of falling, jumped forward, stabbing his opponent in the back, ribs, and chest with the knives.
Jabari seemed to slow, and as his fist found Siva’s mouth, the smaller man spat a mixture of saliva and blood back into his face. Jabari staggered backward, weary and weakened by loss of blood from his now numerous wounds. He lunged forward again, this time, his punch finding only air.
Siva laughed manically, his face swollen and cut, mangled by Jabari’s massive fists, yet still moved with ease. Arian watched Jabari throw a slow and lumbering left hand. Siva used his own left hand to catch the strike at the forearm. As Jabari attempted to follow it up with his right hand, Arian could see the development of his friend’s demise. Predicting the punch, Siva readied his knife in his right hand, re-positioning his grip on the handle. As the overhand right rained, Siva relaxed his grip on the forearm and ducking under the punch, executed a spinning backhanded blow, lodging the blade firmly and deeply into Jabari’s throat. The giant, undefeatable hero of Arian’s youth fell to the ground, his face in the sand.
Siva stood over Jabari, looking down at his latest conquest. He spat on the body of his fallen foe, before leaning down and pulling out the knife, allowing the warm blood from the wound to wash over his arm. He stood again, stretching his back and popping his neck. Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, he heard the gun cock. Wheeling around, he found Alexandra standing with Arian’s pistol aimed at his chest.
“Come on, child,” he chided, his battered and swollen face unable to show emotion. “We both know you aren’t going to fire that gun. You are a beautiful woman, caught up in a very bad thing. I will make sure no harm comes to you.”
He stepped toward her and the gun fired, ripping a hole in the center of his chest. His legs collapsed under him, and he fell backwards to the ground, face-up. Alexandra rushed forward to stand over him. Concerned, Arian mustered his strength and popped his shoulder back into the socket. He felt a rush throughout his body as feeling returned. He ran to her side, clutching his injured arm. Alex stood over Siva, aiming the gun at his head, though she was not sure why. She was a Nephite, just as he was, but there was no sympathy in her soul. The powers of Arameus would view this as self-defense, but she had made her own arrangements with a little help from family. She began to weep as Arian came to her side, taking the gun from her trembling hands. Siva lay below them, twitching in the dirt, still alive, but not a threat.
“We have to go,” said Arian in a hushed tone, clutching her around the waist. “He doesn’t deserve a swift death.”
Alex nodded to him. Arian walked to Jabari’s motionless body. It took a massive effort to roll him over. He was shocked to hear choking sounds coming from his friend. Jabari was alive, though barely.
“Alex, get over here!” he yelled. “He’s still alive. Give me your coat.”
Removing her coat and using the switchblade Jabari had given him, he cut off one of the sleeves. Tying it around Jabari’s throat, he was careful to make it just tight enough to stop the bleeding but not tight enough to strangle the man. He took a deep breath and grabbed Jabari under his arms, dragging him toward the cruiser. Alex joined in, easing the load. They were just a few feet away from the vehicle when they saw the Imperial troops exiting the door from which they had come. Arian watched as the men in front dropped down and aimed their weapons at him and Alex. He closed his eyes, waiting for the bullets to enter him, but instead felt an intense heat wash over him as he was thrown backward off his feet in a deafening explosion. It took him a few seconds to regain his bearings. He searched around and found Alex getting to her feet beside him. What had been the laboratory was now a massive fireball. Everyone who would have been pursuing them was now trapped inside, burning and dying. It gave him a strange feeling of satisfaction.
“Let’s go,” he yelled at Alex. “Help me get Jabari.”
They dragged Jabari the rest of the way, with Alex helping maneuver him into the back of the vehicle. She remained there, tending to him and applying pressure to his many gaping wounds. Arian ran to the driver’s side of the vehicle. Tossing the body of the man he only knew as Cooper onto the desert floor, he put the cruiser into gear and sped away from the nightmare of what had only an hour ago been an operational laboratory.
Arian drove into the desert, trying to put as much distance as he could between them and the traumatic scene they had just witnessed. Pulling the box of syringes from his coat, he tossed them into the empty passenger seat. A few of the syringes spilled out. He grabbed three and placed them back into his coat. He had a decision to make. For the first time since he had met Ansley and Kaiya, he was on his own. He could just drive into the desert and keep going, away from it all. He and Alex could have a life together. They had been together since birth. But what of Kaiya? He would not abandon her to Gravano. And all of those men who had died today, they believed in Ansley. They believed in a better future for their people. He would not abandon them either. He had learned much from Jabari, and devotion was foremost. He turned the vehicle and headed back to the rendezvous point.
Taking a wide trajectory to circumvent the burning building on the horizon, he hoped that the main force had been destroyed in the explosion. All involved in the battle would be assumed dead. No one would be looking for them. They drove as the yellow sun began to fade and the first rays of the red sun began to show. They passed what had been the lab without incident. As they sped up the embankment from which their force had originally descended, Arian could see the smoking husks of what had been their force. The remaining Imperial infantry had moved away, occupied by putting out the fire and searching the lab. They drove by, accosted by no one. Arian headed toward the Raven, hoping it was still there.
“Arian,” came Alex’s voice from the back. “He’s waking up. He’s alive.”
Jabari coughed, spitting up blood. He tried to speak but was taken by a more violent fit of coughing. He was choking. Alex lifted his head and shoulders slightly, letting his upper body rest on her, allowing the blood to drain down, away from his respiratory system.
He tried to speak.
“What is it?” asked Alex.
He tried again, this time with more success.
“You have to get to Ansley. He is the key. You have to get to Ansley and destroy all this.” His body went limp and he was silent.
“Jabari,” shouted Arian from the front. “Jabari, you have to stay with us. Try to stay with us. Where is Ansley? Jabari. Where is Ansley?”
Alex could barely hear Arian over the noise of the motor and repeated what she heard to the dying man. Jabari coughed fresh blood onto his chest and again tried to speak.
Arian couldn’t hear him this time, but Alex leaned in close and listened.
“He says that Ansley has been arrested for treason. He is being held below the North Tower under the care of Tiberius Septus. You need to find Eduardo, within Capitol City. He can help you.”
“Tell him to rest,” Arian yelled back to Alex. “We will find him help soon.”
Arian drove, unsure of what help they would find. Given Gravano’s treatment of the last people he had tried to help, he didn’t expect much, not to mention that the man had just led them into a trap. Still, he knew the type of man that Gravano was. He would do anything for a payment and Arian happened to have a payment that Gravano wasn’t likely to turn down. It was only ten minutes more before the outline of the Raven came into view. There were no troops. This was the first of many victories that Arian would need in order to come out alive. He had no idea how he could get Ansley out of the North Tower, especially without the help of Jabari. They drove until they were only twenty yards from the Raven. Arian brought the cruiser to a halt. He had a plan.
The door opened and six soldiers exited the ramp, two by two, with Gravano himself coming to the door and stopping at the top of the ramp.
“I have come for Kaiya,” yelled Arian, to the fat, disgusting man.
“Oh, Arian,” said Gravano, “I’m so happy to see you survived. My lover boy is full of tricks.”
“You led us into a trap, Christof, but I’m here. All of the Imperial troops are dead. Check your scanners if you don’t believe me.”
Gravano nodded to one of his men, who entered the Raven.
“You are most surprising, lover boy. You have much fight in you. Do not judge me too harshly. I did what I had to do to survive. Still, I have something you want. I have the superior position. Do you have my payment?”
“I have what you want,” replied Arian. “Bring me Kaiya and you shall have it.”
Gravano laughed his disgusting laugh. “My boy, you have made a mistake. Why should I not just take what I want from you, now that I know you have it? My men could just as easily kill you and take it from your lifeless body.”
“The Imperial soldiers are all dead, Christof. We destroyed them. I have over thirty cruisers surrounding this perimeter, many with anti-aircraft guns. I can have you destroyed with nothing more than a word.”
“I see. You are an interesting Nephite aren’t you? Growing a pair of balls all of a sudden. Very well. Walk the bots to me. You give me my payment, and I will give you that which you desire to possess.”
“How do I know she’s alive?”
Gravano motioned to an unseen guard. Kaiya was thrust forward, squirming, yet held tight by the two men.
“Arian!” she screamed.
“I’m coming forward, Christof,” yelled Arian, “with your payment. If you harm either of us, then your Raven will be destroyed, rest assured.”
Arian put the cruiser into park, leaving the motor running. Trying to ignore the bloody remnants of the previous driver, he grabbed the box of syringes from the seat beside him and exited the vehicle. As he crept forward, he heard Alex’s voice from behind.
“I’m coming with you.”
“Stay in the vehicle. You aren’t safe with me.”
Alex laughed.
“You were safe with me when I killed that Formaddi. Who are you to deny me? I’m coming with you. Perhaps a pretty face will be of some use.”
Arian shrugged, walking forward, Alex by his side. As they began to walk up the ramp that led to Gravano, the guards that flanked it glared menacingly. Unperturbed, Arian and Alex moved forward, stopping five feet from Gravano. Arian held the box containing the bio-bots in his hands.
“Give them over, boy, and you will have the girl,” demanded Gravano.
“You are in no position to negotiate, Christof. We are being monitored. One wrong word and we all die here in this wretched desert. I don’t think either of us wants that.”
“I tire of your games, you fool. You’re bluffing, and you will die today at my hand.”
“Now boys,” said Alex from his side. “There is no need for all the testosterone.” She turned to Arian and took the box of syringes from his hands. He stared at her, shocked. “Trust me,” she whispered.
Walking forward, she handed the box to Don Gravano.
“Here you go, Uncle. Is this what you wanted?”
“Alexandra,” he said kissing her lightly on her cheek. “If your father were alive, he would be so proud of you. I see my purchase of your station has not been entirely in vain.”
“Of course not, uncle. Please, just don’t hurt Arian. I care for him.”
“For you, my dear niece, anything.” He hugged her tightly to his body before announcing to his guards, “Get on board, boys. We’re leaving. There is no threat here.”
Arian rushed forward, attempting to enter the Raven, but a kick to the chest from Gravano sent him tumbling down the ramp, back to the desert. As he looked up, he could still see Kaiya being held by the guards. They released her as the Raven began to rise from the ground. The last he saw of Alex, she was shoving Kaiya forward before the doors closed, sending her tumbling to the sandy floor below. She landed with a soft thud, and Arian watched as the Raven disappeared into the early evening sky.