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MILA
Standing on the side of an ancient ramshackle abode, snow-laced crossbeams jutting from the first floor through the fallen in roof, I survey the entrance to Opor. At least six guards with old, long-rifles are visible; three occupying the entrance while another three patrol the ruins of the Forgotten Jewel on foot.
“Patrols everywhere. That’s Giahi, for you. Never one to do anything subtly,” I say.
“What is it you plan to do?” Zaldov asks in a hushed tone.
I hunch my shoulders and zip up my jacket to my throat. “I’m going to walk right in the front door.”
“Oh.” Zaldov’s parts whir as he searches the snow-covered landscape. “Do you think that is a good plan?”
“Yeah. I’ll go straight for Giahi. They’ll be so focused on me you can do your part. You can wake the other Creed remotely, can’t you?”
“Once I’m within thirty meters.”
“Good. Focus on freeing Oksana. If you encounter trouble, try not to kill anyone. These are our fighters after all.”
“Understood,” Zaldov says.
“You have the captured audio ready for delivery?”
“Yes.”
“Good. That’s our ace. Be ready when I call for it.”
“I understand, Mila Solokoff. Good luck.”
I wink. “Luck’s got nothing to do with it.”
Breathe it out, Mila. They’re not guards at an enemy outpost. They’re your people. They don’t want to be working for Giahi—they’re just stuck and have to go with whoever is in charge.
I step from the shadow, clutching my ribs, and head for the hidden entrance to the hideout of Etyom’s ever-volatile resistance group.
A few crunching steps across the hard-packed ice and they see me. Immediately, they tense, rifles raised.
“Who is that? State your business,” one of the men says.
It’s Gustov, the machinist. On his left is Elene from the armory. The third man I don’t recall. Damnation. How do I not know his name?
“Gustov, it’s me,” I call out.
“Mila?” He lowers the rifle. “Where’ve you been?”
“It’s a long story. Escort me inside, please.”
He fires a worried glance at Elene. “We’ve been given orders to shoot you on sight if you ever returned.”
“The others too,” Elene says, lowering her weapon.
The third man continues to cover me with his rifle. Probably one of Giahi’s loyalists. I lock stares with him.
“Okay, do it,” I say.
No one makes a move.
Gustov licks his lips and shrugs like a kid in trouble. “Mila, we don’t want that.”
“Good, me either,” I say, still locked on the third man. “But, what about this guy?”
“Me?” the third guard says, his voice wavering.
Time to double down.
“No,” I say through clenched teeth, “the other jackbag still holding me at gunpoint.” With two steps, I walk into the end of his weapon, the cold steel of the muzzle burying in my chest. “Locate your potatoes and pull the trigger or get out of my way.”
Don’t make me do this.
His eyes grow wide. He adjusts his hold on the rifle and jabs me. “I’ll do it. I will. Get back.”
“You’re one of Giahi’s idiots, huh?” I say.
“Don’t do it, Alexei,” presses Gustov.
“You always were a stuck up bitch,” Alexei fires back.
He shoves again. I slip to the side, redirect the barrel up and yank the weapon from his grasp. The steel muzzle whips across his face, breaking his front teeth in half.
The man lets loose a childlike cry and falls back.
“Eewe sarging bitssh.” He gurgles.
Handing the weapon to Gustov, I lean in toward the bleeding man. “You chose the wrong side, doughboy. Here’s some free advice. Don’t point a weapon at someone who’s got deeper resolve than you do. That’s a good way to get hurt.”
Alexei cries, blood running between his fingers.
“Listen close.” I rap my knuckles on the top of his head. “You don’t want to still be here when I come back out. Do we understand each other?”
He whimpers and gives a feeble nod.
I look to Gustov and Elene. “Are you guys with me?”
“We’re with you, Mila,” Elene pipes up, checking the action on her weapon.
“Good. Don’t kill anyone. These people are our friends. We’re taking back what belongs to us. Now tie my hands loosely behind my back and escort me in to see Giahi. Make it real.”
After a few moments, with my hands behind my back and looped with rope, we head into the tunnel leading down beneath the wreckage of the old miner’s dive. At the door, Gustov bangs his fist against the riveted steel in a rhythmic pattern.
“Who is it?” a muffled voice says from behind the door.
“Gustov and Elene. We’ve got a priority prisoner. Giahi is gonna want to see this.”
“What prisoner?”
“Just open up and you’ll see,” Gustov says and looks to me, his eyebrows raised.
“Shove me inside when the door opens,” I whisper.
The rusted steel of the latch unbars from the other side and the door squeals open. A widening shaft of light enters the tunnel. As the portal opens, Gustov shoves me into the room.
The doorman, another of Giahi’s goons, hocks a laugh. “You weren't kidding. Didn’t you have orders to shoot her?”
Gustov gives me another push. “Yeah, but she has information Giahi needs to hear.”
“Suit yourself,” the man says, turning to the door. “He’s going to be ripe when he sees her—”
A fist snaps through the closing gap in the door, catches the guard across the chin—knocking him unconscious. But the guard doesn’t hit the ground. With lightning speed, the hand grasps him by the tunic and drags him back into the tunnel. A moment later, Zaldov tiptoes through, then shuts and bolts the door behind him.
I stifle a chuckle.
Gustov and Elene glance at each other but say nothing.
“Keep going,” I say. “The charade’s not over yet.”
Zaldov steps back into a nearby shadow and an instant later, he’s gone.
***
Gustov jerks me this way and that making a good show of my capture. A few of my people are standing in the corridor. Their faces slacken at my coming and they part, pushing their backs against the rock-hewn walls. Their murmuring draws more people into the passage. My gut knots at the thought of their hating me. Yet, as Gustov shoves me past, some of them whisper: Paladyn.
Never thought I’d be happy to hear that word again. Keep your face hard, Mila. Sell it.
As we near the double doors, my gaze lands on Filly, the girl who always takes care of my clothes. There’s a hint of desperation in her gaunt face.
“Mila?” she says longingly as I approach.
I wink but say nothing, trudging forward, my boots crunching on the gravel floor of the walkway.
“Right here.” Gustov gives a firm jerk on my bonds.
The doors to the command center swing wide and Giahi steps out, shaking his jug head, his thick forearms crossed across his chest. “Well, well, well. Even with additional security, the rats still get in.”
“Speaking of rats, Giahi, what’s the meaning of—”
Without warning, he lunges forward and slugs me in the stomach. The impact knocks the wind from me and I fold in half. Wheezing on my knees, I struggle for breath.
“Get her up,” he orders.
I gasp as Gustov hauls me to my feet.
Giahi leans in close. “That was for speaking out of turn. Do it again and see what happens.”
“Nice.” I take another breath. “Taking cheap shots while I’m tied up. I was worried you might have developed a spine while I was gone. Glad to see that’s not the case.”
The second punch lands home and though I clench my abdominal wall at the last moment, it still knocks the wind from me again. Sarding coward. I’m hauled to my feet again. Gasping, I lower my eyes. Let him think he’s won, Mila.
“Anything else to say?” Giahi smirks, “No? Tell me why I don’t put a bullet in your head, traitor. Where have you been?”
“On the mission to Vel, I was led into a trap. There was no way for me to come back from what happened. You should know. You set me up.”
“Lies.” Giahi laughs, appraising the crowd. “Who actually believes that?”
My gaze wanders across the familiar faces. Some bear looks of confusion and pity.
Giahi turns back to me. “You deserted us.”
“Deserted? You exiled the rest of the leadership, so don’t pretend like I left you hanging. You wanted this as much as your puppetmaster did. Don’t for a second act like what you’ve done was for anyone’s benefit but your own,” I say.
“Yeah, I took control. Someone had to. This place was a mess. Opor was completely impotent. But I’m going to make it strong again.”
“How? By subjugating everyone? You know that’s not what this place was about. They do too.” I toss my head at the gathering crowd. “You’re part of the problem, Giahi. Vedmak is going to destroy everyone and everything and you’ve been all too eager to help him do it.”
Giahi steps forward to punch me again.
“Yeah, that’s right. Hit me to shut me up, because you can’t risk the truth getting out.”
“You don’t know anything.” Giahi spits at my feet.
“No? Let them hear it, Zaldov.”
There’s a pause, audio crackles through the speakers in the room. Giahi’s voice loud and clear is heard conversing with another.
“Now is the time to make your move. Remove the old man.” Vedmak’s voice echoes off the red rock walls.
“Now? I’m not sure he’s far enough along.” The reply is distinctly Giahi.
“Now, Rat. When she returns, with the old man gone, she’ll receive yet more intelligence. A reason to come to Vel. And when she does. I’ll be waiting. Make sure she brings a minimal party. She’ll die chasing a doomed operation and you’ll finally have Opor. Fail me on any of these points, and you’ll watch your own gizzards empty onto your feet.”
“Yes ... yes, Vardøger.”
Giahi’s eyes grow wide as he draws a small chrome pistol from his waistband and racks the slide.
“You’re dead.” He presses the gun to my forehead.
“Not so fast.” An old woman behind Giahi draws a pistol from under her cloak, leveling it at him. Immediately two of his henchmen turn their rifles on the old cripple.
“Shoot them,” Giahi says. “And shoot anyone who gets in the way.”
“I would advise against that,” Zaldov says, the crowd parting to reveal several Creed armed with glowing plasma rifles.
Giahi’s confident façade drains away. “What’s the meaning of this?” he says turning, his men jerking their rifles back and forth at too many threats to cover.
“Yes. I think that’s an excellent question.” Oksana steps forward, a tired and overworked version of the perfect woman I’d first met.
“Oksana,” I say. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but, I’m glad to see you.”
“Took you long enough to get here,” she fires back. “This Neanderthal has kept me locked up working on his pet projects for the last six months.”
“It’s a long story, but you can thank Zaldov,” I say.
The Gracile pats Zaldov on the shoulder.
“This isn’t a sarding family reunion,” Giahi barks, pushing the pistol flush to my face. “Flinch a muscle and I’ll blow this cow’s brains out.”
“You’ll be dead before her body hits the ground.” The old woman drops her cloak, stands straight, and pushes her hair back.
“Yuri?” I almost laugh. I’ve never seen the master of deception with his silver hair down.
“I’ve been watching things spiral out of control here. Under Bilgi’s orders I was supposed to sabotage the entire operation. But now you’ve come back from the dead.” He smirks.
“I’m in charge here,” Giahi shouts. “I call the—”
My hands come free from the loose bonds and intercept Giahi’s wrists, driving them upward. The concussive blast rings in my ears as he squeezes off a round. Shots ring out from Yuri’s weapon and Giahi’s riflemen drop to the floor, clutching their thighs.
Giahi grunts, attempting to pull back his hands but before he can adjust, I’ve pivoted beneath him and yanked his arms down. He flips over my bowed back and hits the ground hard. With a jerk, I strip the gun from his grasp.
“Everyone hold your fire,” I call out, catching Yuri’s nod that he’s okay.
I point the pistol at Giahi’s head.
“Do it.” His lips curl back in a snarl. “You don’t have it in you.”
Pressing my teeth together, I hold his stare. “You’re right,” I say, lowering the weapon, dropping the magazine and disassembling it in front to him. “I’m not you and I’m done with the killing.” I toss the broken down pistol parts off to the side. “Get up.”
Giahi laughs and makes his way to his feet. “You wanna go a few rounds, you salty little bitch?”
“It won’t take that long,” I say, raising my fists.
“Everyone stand back. No one interferes,” Yuri calls out.
The crowd widens. Without warning, Giahi lurches in with a barrage of punches. Parrying the first two, the third grazes my chin as I step to the outside and deliver the hardest palm strike I can muster straight to his ear with a satisfying smack.
Giahi stumbles back, rubbing the side of his head.
I’ve been waiting years for this.
“I’ll kill you with my bare hands, you rotten whore,” Giahi swears.
I say nothing, my focus absolute. He comes again, a snarl of fury melted into his ugly face.
I sidestep, deflect down and deliver a kick of my own hard and fast to the groin. The strike doubles him over. An uppercut to the jaw and an elbow strike to the back of the head sends him to the floor, wheezing.
“What’s the problem? I thought you were a tough guy? Should I let your men tie me back up?”
Giahi groans and raises himself shaking to his feet. This time he says nothing, his chest heaving.
“Surrender and I’ll leave you some dignity.”
“Sard off.” He charges in with a scream.
He grips my shoulders and shoves me back against the wall. He slips his meaty hands to my throat. Madness flares in his eyes.
The crowd presses in, gasping.
Enough of this.
I gouge deep into his ocular cavity. With a piggish squeal, he releases me, his hands flying to his ruined eye. A sweeping low kick takes his balance, followed by a knee strike to the face that sends him down.
Giahi makes it to his knees, trembling, blood and fluid streaming from the wounded socket. “Kill me.”
Without breaking eye contact with Giahi, I extend my hand to Yuri, who fills it with his pistol. I accept it and turn the handgun over. “I will spare your life, but your eye and your teeth are to remember your treachery.”
“Teeth?”
I whip the slide of the weapon across Giahi’s face with a crack, sending three bloodied teeth scattering across the floor. He slumps back, gurgling through split lips, and pitches to the side, unconscious in a pool of gathering blood.
“Yeah, you can live without your teeth.” I hand the weapon back to Yuri. “Thank you, friend.”
He gives a short bow. “Time is short, Mila. Bilgi is gathering everyone to meet the coming storm head on.”
“And we will join them, but first, please see that Giahi’s wounds are treated and he is confined to lockup.”
Yuri gives a little bow and alongside two others, drags Giahi away. The crowd breaks into cheers and applause.
With a sigh, I hold my hands up to the crowd. “Everyone. I know some of you must be very confused. Just know that we all have been deceived. As we speak Vedmak, in the body of my friend Demitri, is doing something terrible. Something far worse than the Gracile Leader ever dared. The whole world, maybe even the known universe, is at stake. I’m sure you’ve all seen the growing green dome of green fire?”
Whispers of the terrible gateway ripple through the crowd.
“That’s it. That’s what will kill us all. We have to stop him. We have to try. I’m not going to lie to you. He has an army. An army of Graciles bonded to demons like Vedmak. But if we stop him, we stop annhilation.”
“By stop, you mean kill, right?” Yuri says.
I shake my head. “I know you don’t understand, but I have to try to save him. I have to.”
“Mila, you can’t save him,” Yuri says.
“Oksana’s been working on an antidote. Right, Oksana? To remove Vedmak forever,” I say.
The Gracile smirks. “Lucky for you, the tasks this troll had me working on were menial.” She waves at the unconscious Giahi. “I have it. I think.”
“Good.”
Yuri steps forward, pity etched into his features. “Mila, this doesn’t make sense. Why save one Gracile? If Oksana has a cure for the madness, why are we not curing all of them? Hmm? Because we can’t. Because this is war.”
He speaks with words that could easily have come from Bilgi. Their wisdom cuts deep. I hadn’t thought of that. We’re going to war against her people, and she has never once argued the point.
“Oksana,” I say, my voice but a whisper.
The Gracile gives the saddest smile I think I have ever seen. It quickly fades and she clears her throat. “Sun Tzu once said: ‘a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.’ We Graciles have had our time and we squandered it. I would like to tell you to spare my kind, to avoid killing them, but they won’t spare you. Or whatever resides inside them won’t. I don’t have enough of the antidote yet to cure all of them. The VME feeds on the connections between the Graciles and the ... demons. Without enough cure, and no time, the only way to stop it is to kill them. Do what you must to save us all.”
“And sparing this monster who leads them?” a woman calls out.
Oksana turns to the crowd, though addresses no one in particular. “Mila’s need to save Demitri is logically flawed, perhaps selfish even. But a more human desire I have never seen. And if we aren’t fighting to save our humanity, imperfect as it is, then we should just let the VME take us all.”
The room grows quiet.
My mind is suddenly filled with the horrific thought that we are about to commit genocide to save the universe. It’s paralyzing.
“Mila?” Yuri presses. “Did you hear me? If you don’t succeed, I’ll kill Demitri myself. It’s nonnegotiable.”
I can only wave him off.
I clear my throat and address the crowd. “I won’t force you to fight, but if you have a mind to stand with us in this, get yourself ready. Time is short.”
The small throng disperses and heads off to their individual tasks.
“Oksana,” I start, though I have no idea what I’m supposed to say.
She shakes her head. “Don’t.”
I exhale away any speech that was brewing inside.
“The delivery system,” she blurts out. “You’ll have to be close enough to manually hit him with an auto injector. There’s no other way.”
“That part could prove difficult,” I reply.
“There something else though, Mila.”
“Something else?”
“I think this antidote may also be a cure for the NBD.”
What did she say? “What? How is that possible?”
“I stumbled upon it. I’m not one-hundred percent on this but the antidote works by editing his genes inside his own body. It’s like a virus that will instruct his cells to stop making the protein that allows quantum entanglement. This same tech can be used to instruct bacterial cells to self destruct. NBD bacterial cells. It’s a tech worked on a couple of hundred years ago, but the plague took hold so quickly it was never fully explored.”
I can’t even fathom what this could possibly mean right now. A cure? A world free from the fear of the NBD?
“Back up everything you’ve got and get ready to go. We can deal with that later. Right now we focus on saving Demitri and Husniya—” I shake my head. “As well as everything else any of us have ever known.”
Yeos give me strength.
