The best place to wait
The rest of the morning felt like torture. So much that Vera was relieved when they called for them.
«Milan,» they said. «The energy will pass over the city in an hour or so.»
«Let's go,» Sara exclaimed. «Where do you think we should wait for her? The Skyscrapers near Garibaldi?»
«The Duomo,» Vera replied. «It's the best place.»
«Not as tall as a skyscraper.»
«She won't miss us. It's not like we have more chances to meet Gamayun in a taller place.»
«I've done some research,» Sara continued. «She can tell us a lot about the future. And she has people she likes. If she told her prophecy to you, then she likes you. But then again, if she likes you, why shouldn't she like me? I'm a white witch, after all!»
«Yeah, sure,» Vera sighed, rolling her eyes. It was not that Gamayun especially liked her. Rather, she was the only one understanding her words.
Meeting Sara might have the same effect since that witch could use the ancient language to some degree.
«She'll definitely like you,» she said. She couldn't wait for everything to be over. Sara could take all the merits for what Vera cared.
«If you help me, I'll tell the General not to take it out on Ethan for losing you.»
«He's not my guardian,» she scoffed. «He didn't need to keep me under watch twenty-four seven.»
«Funny. He said something similar... When we asked him why he let you go, he said he's not your guard but a partner. You two were collaborating and failed the mission. Period.»
«That's right. Even though we didn't fail in the first place.»
«But a loss is a failure, Vera. You didn't bring Gamayun to the base.»
«B-bring... Are you nuts? Is that what you want to do? You're out of your mind, Sara. You can't imprison a bird from paradise. She's simply too powerful to keep her captured. What would you even use to tie her down? A rope? Your delusions? You will imagine her captured; that's the most you can do!»
«Hey, you're here to help me. Together, we can perform miracles!»
«No! We can't! Not this, for the Gods.»
Vera brought her hands on her head, one on each side, in a desperate motion. She was commanded by fools. They thought they could do just anything, didn't they?
«Typical,» she scoffed after a while. They did think they were invincible. It was going to cost them a lot.
She just had to make sure she wouldn't be hurt on the way. She could hide and wait for everything to be over, begging Gamayun for forgiveness later.
Or she could just throw herself down from the cathedral. That would have been less painful. She would have never suffered again.
She shook her head, dispersing that wild thought. Here it was, again.
She was deep in trouble. Still, she had to go back home and visit her grandmother. She couldn't just die in a stupid way.
«I can't help you imprison Gamayun for more than a reason,» she explained, looking for rationality where there wasn't any. «First of all, because it's impossible. And, second, I wouldn't help you do to her what you've done to me. She's free to fly wherever she wants, and I want her to stay free. She deserves it.»
That said, she shut her mouth and followed Sara in the hallways towards the car parking. She didn't need to lie about her intentions.
And no matter how strong the talisman Sara had, she couldn't force her to fight with a being from heaven. Some things were simply against nature.
«You should collaborate on your own, Vera. Don't make me use the hard means. It's for your own good.»
«Sure,» the latter sighed.
She had lost all hope to have a rational conversation with that woman. After all, where could it bring them?
They were sworn enemies: a white and a dark witch, using opposite sides of the same world for their means. While Sara was a follower of life and spring, using the energy of living things for her enchantments, Vera was from a long line of dark witches. She was one of the last followers of the Goddess of death and winter.
As such, she was often pointed at, at the agency. They knew what she believed in and what she did to survive. She was a freak playing with death. How could such a being be less than evil?
Sara had helped spread bad rumours, but those people believing her words weren't any better. They were waiting for succulent gossip to feed on. Vera didn't care so much about their opinions.
What hurt her was how the few people she knew in person would look at her with sympathy. She wasn't hurt, so why should they look at her like that? She was fine, only her reputation was hit. And she didn't care enough to worry. Why did they worry for her?
Among these people, one was Ethan. There were a couple others, but most of her colleagues would just look down on her. Even if she had saved their lives countless times, bringing them success where they saw a failed mission. Without her, most of them wouldn't have solved the case.
In the end, she had focused on fulfilling the clauses of the contract and breaking free sooner. Knowing all she knew at that moment, it had been a waste of her efforts. Since she was going to end up a prisoner of the agency, she shouldn't have sweated so much for them.