37. Chapter 35 : Colonne de fumée
Imperial Capital, Collina Meridiana, May 15th 2017, 1035 AT
« Reporting, Sir. »
To say that The Playful Elf was in a state of high alert would be a clear understatement. When Fünf and Soul rushed inside, the furniture had been pushed away and everyone was geared up, ready to move out at a moment's notice.
Sergei was standing at the back of the room, thoroughly examining a map of the area. Small markers were placed around the paper like pawns in chess, being moved with each new report coming from the radio. And by seeing the expression on his face as he turned to the two arriving soldiers, it was clear that the officer was not comfortable with this.
« Great, here you are… Was your entry point clear of hostiles ? »
« Affirmative, immediately replied Soul. Nothing on our end in the sewers. What is our situation ? »
« Complicated. Not only have all the gates of Meridiana been completely closed down, but the most well-known smuggler workarounds are being actively guarded by the Wolf Guard. They are trying to lock us in by every way possible. »
« So they know that we are here ? »
Fünf's question seemed a bit naive at this point. It was not like after long years of inaction, the people in charge would suddenly launch an operation against the various criminal organizations on such a scale.
« Well yes and no. They have the neighborhood on lockdown, but it seems like they are missing a lot of information. They do not seem willing to start busting down doors yet. »
« What do we do then ? »
« For now, we stand our ground. Every mission has been aborted and we must stand ready to move out of here at any moment. If they discover our location or start to do anything funny to us, we will not take any risks. Understood ? »
The officer's tone was deep and serious, a reflection of how important the consequences of that choice would be. They had all spent countless days building up this strategic safehouse in the heart of their enemy's most important stronghold and being driven out of it would be one of the first major defeats for them in this campaign.
« What are your orders, Sir ? »
« For now, get on the roof, stay low and keep watching. I want to know everything as soon as it happens. »
After quick nods of acknowledgment, Sergei returned to his map and the two dashed up the stairs. The building was far from being big and they both knew it like the back if their hands by now, but here it felt like forever just to reach the first floor. Being the target of a large-scale manhunt was never something easy, even for trained professionals. But as soon they reached the first floor, they were stopped dead in their tracks by a voice coming from the corridor.
« What is happening ? »
Fünf sighed. With everything happening this way, he was in no mood to explain things calmly to Wulpa and all the others.
« Look I'm sorry but I cannot… »
« That's what all the others said as well ! What is happening that is causing you to run around with all your equipment ? We need to know ! We cannot even leave our rooms ! »
The Playful Elf might have been a safehouse for operators of the French special forces, but it was still the home of at least a dozen women of various origins. Women that had been suddenly thrown into a conflict they had no control over.
« All of Meridiana is under siege by the Wolf Guard… » finally admitted Fünf without looking her in the eyes.
« What ? Are they coming for us ? »
« Not yet… But we must stand ready to leave this place at soon as they do. »
With those words, the fox's eyes widened in disbelief. It was the complete opposite of what she wanted to hear, but there she was, standing in front of them, completely lost.
« No… No… You're not leaving us behind though, right ? »
The instant they both lowered their head, she immediately understood what was happening.
« Sadly… »
But Soul could not finish as she jumped out of her position and onto the stairway, blocking their path further up.
« We have helped you do everything here, and you are just going to throw us away ? »
« Only if things go very wrong, we... »
« Things are already going wrong, I can see it as clear as day just by looking at you ! You will be gone before anyone could realize it. »
Soul was growing frustrated with her behavior. They had no time to play around debating things like that. He made a step towards her, making himself bigger by standing straight and putting his one hand on the butt plate of his submachine gun.
« Look, if you have a problem with all of this, talk with Sergei. Now move aside ! »
But she did not stand down. Quite the opposite, in fact, as she extended her arms to the side to completely obstruct the passage.
« You don't really care about us, do you ? You do everything to help senators and diplomats, but when it comes to us down below, nothing is left, huh ? »
« This is my last warning ! »
He made another step, and she kept her ground. At this point, they were just centimeters from each other, their looks locked in intimidation for one and defiance for the other.
« Answer me, you cowards ! »
She had raised her voice to the point it was almost a yell. But it did nothing to disturb Soul.
« Come on, Fünf. We don't have time for this shit ! »
Still making eye contact, he pushed his way onto the first set of steps. Wulpa tried to stay in opposition, but she did not have the strength to resist being shoved to the side. There was not much she could do at this point but watch them walk past. And while Soul had a completely closed face, Fünf seemed sorry of what he was seeing. As he passed in front of her, his look met her own and he shook his head.
The rest of the climb to the roof was completely silent. Each step was accompanied by the cracking of wood, creating a constant background noise that was enough of an excuse not to speak. But the atmosphere was still heavy between the two.
The access to the roof was a simple trap door, concealed in the ceiling of what used to be the main bedroom of the inn. With the help of a light ladder stored nearby, it was easy for the operators to push it open and climb out into the cold air of a late winter morning. The skies were covered by a continuous blanket of grey clouds, giving the scene an even lighting that was almost unnatural.
This feeling was accentuated by the heavy silence that was now the master of the streets of Meridiana. With their position, the operators had a good view of the large part of the neighborhood situated downhill, and the usage of simple planks was enough to join other roofs for fast movement above street level.
Soul and Fünf took their positions at opposite ends, watching over empty intersections and alleyways. From time to time, a lone scared inhabitant or a small group of henchmen from one of the crime lords would run past below, trying to find somewhere safe to stay in or warn others not to go outside. In a way, it was the better thing for the operators because it greatly reduced the number of targets, making identification of Wolf Guard members easier. But so far, everything was calm.
« You know... You should have said something else to her... »
Fünf had launched his remark under his breath and into the empty street below, not expecting to get a reply from his teammate.
« And you should have told her to not get in our way. There were more important things to do than chat with her... »
He might not have turned his look away from the area he was watching, but Soul's voice made it extremely clear that he was not happy with the result himself.
« Now she thinks that we will run off at the first occasion and leave them without any resources. »
« And it might just happen, you know that... By the time we pack up everything and make our way out, we're not going to be able to take them along. »
The younger of the two simply shook his head.
« They've done so much for us... Why can't we protect them ? »
« You were the one that called me out for wanting to bust out the Princess... You know we can't protect everyone. »
Fünf kept silent after this remark. He did not really have anything to reply on that one. After all, they were just guys with guns, not some fantasy superheroes.
The silence that fell afterward was heavy. Neither of them was comfortable with what they could or could not do. But as much as they both wanted to act in some way or the other, it was not their call to make. All they could really do was stand at their post and watch over the few streets surrounding The Playful Elf.
The only real benefit of this uncanny atmosphere was that, in this complete silence, it was extremely easy to hear from further away. With this, it was extremely easy to know that someone or something was coming long before they even came close to the building. However, for what felt like an eternity, nothing but scared bystanders would pass within their sight. And this calm was adding itself on the tense situation like a sunny day before the inevitable storm.
Sometimes, armed gang members ran past and the expression on their faces told much about how the Crime Lords and their men felt about the situation. But when looks of worry from patrolling scouts were replaced by more determined faces and heavier weaponry of hitmen heading for the borders of their territory, things had completely changed.
« Fantôme Actual, Fantôme Three. Armed contacts heading south east. Gang, most likely Cleaver's. »
The silence between the communications let the ringing of metal come to their ears as the armors and weapons moved along their bearers' run.
« Copy that. Follow them from up there, and see what they are up to. Actual out. »
« So… Are we fucked yet ? »
« Shut the fuck up man, I don't want to think about it. »
The atmosphere was strange in and around the Jade Palace, and no football games or sessions at the makeshift firing range could fix it. The order had been given, everything of importance had to be piled up within the embassy for extraction and all the rest had to be readied for immediate destruction.
All of this meant that every single available pair of hands that was not busy, knights and soldiers alike, was assigned to carrying boxes full of heavy stuff back and forth. Frederico and Mary ended up with one of the crates containing the tough laptops and a lot of hard drives used by the diplomats during the negotiations. They contained many kinds of information ranging from complete scans of Saderan documents to hours of video recordings of the negotiations themselves. In fact, due to the lack of any decent bandwidth between the Embassy and Alnus, a simple encyclopedia about various relevant topics had been included from the start to help the diplomats. However, seeing the state they were in now, it seemed it was not successful.
« Like do we even know what is going on ? »
« For the fifth time, Frederico, we don't know… Just hope for the best and shut your mouth. »
The crate was dropped off near a pile of similar boxes in the hall of the palace closest to the back garden and the helicopter pad that was in it. If tensions were to fall back down to normal, then they would just to be carried back to where they came from. But with every passing second, the likeliness of this outcome was only becoming slimmer and slimmer.
« Maybe Zorzal had a legit reason to arrest her ? Maybe she admitted she wanted to see her brother out or something. Treason is not a charge you can stick on people like that. »
Mary sighed as she shook her head.
« You know, I don't think they have the concept of fair justice over here. She is just in the way, so he's getting rid of her while we can't do anything. »
« Very strange timing to start a purge, though. We are right on their doorstep, and they decide to just fight in between themselves. »
« Confusion, I guess. »
« They are just making stuff harder for everyone. »
« Yeah… Especially for my back. »
Both chuckled as they both started to walk back up the stairs to the offices of the diplomats. There were many other things to transfer, and they were not going to do so themselves. But as the soldiers stepped into the room, they would not have expected to see everyone pressed against the windows.
« What's going on ? »
The question did not receive an answer through words. The sight of a large column of black smoke was enough to give everyone a good idea of the situation.
The source of the flames was located somewhere within the rich part of the city where many mansions of the wealthy aristocracy were located. The majority of the buildings were hidden from sight of the spectators because of the dense trees surrounding the palace. Towers poking out of the green here and there allowed to narrow the exact location, but the perception of perspective can easily be fooled.
« Well damn… Looks like someone forgot to put out the candles. »
« Mierda. You think we should help ? »
« We should ? Maybe… But we can't. Not really our jurisdiction. Might not even be that big of a problem anyway. »
From their position, the soldiers and diplomats were overlooking the front yard where almost all the knights, standing guard or helping, had stopped to watch this grim spectacle as well. Most where trying to figure out which building was disappearing in flames, as many either lived or knew people who lived in the area.
In the crowd, it was not hard to spot Lady Palesti, temporary leader of the Rose Order ever since the unfortunate news. All around her were various aides and advisors, but most importantly the Ambassador and the officers of the two recon squads assigned to his security.
« I do not like where this is going. »
Costi's remark was a witness of many things. He was tired, a bit afraid, stressed out and worried. Diplomacy had never been an easy work and he had experienced a lot of difficult periods in his career but being that close to all-out war was brand new for him. Many within the ranks of the knights shared this feeling, starting with Bozes herself. She might have received the training in her youth, she was no veteran.
« There is no doubt that it is a building that is burning… The question now is to find the reason. »
Grey, however, had many campaigns under his belt. And during all of those he was able to see many different things burn down, from the buildings of a besieged city to forests concealing an army trying to remain hidden.
« With the Wolf Guard completely out of its mind since this morning, I would be surprised if it were anything else. »
« Does that mean what I think it means, Lieutenant Moreau ? »
« For now, orders are to keep position up until the moment they come at us swords out. Everything is on standby, but let's be fair… Our leadership is still holding on the hope that those negotiations will end up with a deal. »
« With all due respect Lieutenant, it does not look like you are willing to stay any longer. »
« Well it's not like I can go up to them and ask nicely to attack us so that we can be over with all of this. »
The American lieutenant standing behind Anthony sighed and shook his head. The overall feeling might have been shared, but it was far from being the best way to put it into words.
« We will be in trouble if we want to start another set of negotiations with Zorzal. »
« At this point I doubt it would even be possible in the first place. »
Costi sighed again with the weight of his past encounters with the man in question. But he and the others did not get the time to discuss more on the subject as the sound of horseshoes striking the ground reached them. Not long after, a lone rider quickly rushed inside the safe guarded area of the Palace. It was a young knight, sent out earlier in the day in the routine work of checking if everything was alright with the various suppliers of food and other resources. Yet it looked more like she had fled for her life.
The crowd quickly started to gather all around the now stationary horse as she slid off in a sloppy manner. But with their superior quickly approaching, most moved out of the way before they could see anything of importance.
« Layla, what is happening ? »
« It is… It is the Wolf Guard… »
Anthony could only roll his eyes from the pure obviousness of the reveal.
« What are they doing ? Have you seen were the fire is ? »
The young knight was completely out of breath, her hand on her chest in an attempt to control her own breathing.
« The… The Tyueli estate. It's the home of the Tyueli family that is burning. »
This immediately sparked a wave of reactions from all those within earshot.
« Doesn't ring any bell for me, reacted the American lieutenant. Are they important ? »
« They have never really said that they were in favor of a peace deal, but they have expressed their concern over the way the Crown Prince acted. Maxym El Tyueli is not a politician, but he has interest in almost all the big trade routes going in and out of the city. »
Grey certainly did not look like the type of guy to know how to describe the families of the Imperial aristocracy, but that might be one of the ways working in such an order change a man. Bozes nodded to confirm his words, before kneeling to the tired horse rider.
« Their mansion is clearly visible from the road. Did you see what the Wolf Guard did to them ? »
« I don't know… When I arrived, the building was already burning. The only thing I could see was that members of the Guard had aligned bodies in the front courtyard and were inspecting them, like to confirm their identity… But even from where I was, I could see that those people did not die from the flames… »
As her explanation continued Anthony leaned towards Grey, lowering his voice as to make sure only the old knight would hear him.
« Is there anyone from that family here ? I don't want anyone running off right into a pack of wolves. »
« There are no Tyueli within our ranks. They do not have any son and only have one young daughter which is far from old enough to be here, even as a simple squire. »
« Well that is one less problem on our hands. Now to deal with all the others… »
« I am sorry, My Lady, but we have not found everything you were looking for. »
In a few hours, everything had disappeared. From wood to flesh, all had been turned into a heavy smoke that both rose in the skies and stuck its heavy smell on everything remaining on the ground. Now, the only things still fuming were the piles of ashes covering the interior of the once magnificent mansion.
In a vain attempt to protect themselves, workers had pieces of cloth tied around their mouths as they carried rubble and destroyed furniture out of the ruins. But blackened wood and stones were not what interested the Wolf Guard. Instead, they were giving all their attention to the bodies lined up on the ground. Most were damaged by the flames, but additional injuries were reminders of the fate they had met before being devoured by fire.
« Your mission was not to massacre servants. You have lost valuable time and men and the order you were given was not accomplished. »
The last corpses that had been carried out were the only ones were death visibly came from burning. With clothes turned into ashes and flesh melted off the bones, they were no more but black remains still hanging off their own skeletons. For two of them, what was left of the pelt they used as a symbol allowed for relatively easy identification, leaving the other two as possibly being only those that had not been accounted for.
« But My Lady, who could have predicted that they would have chosen self-immolation over captivity ? »
Tyuule, standing straight in her luxurious winter coat, was towering over the kneeling guard. She was no fool, and she knew the Tyueli family were not either. Considering what she had been planning, maybe that the fate they had chosen was the least painful. Better to die by your own hand in the arms of those you love than alone in a dark and dank cell.
« This is no excuse. But what has happened can no longer be changed. With your men, collect as much information as you can. Only this can compensate for the incompetence you have displayed. »
« Yes, My Lady. »
The man stood back and turned around back to the soldiers under his orders, barking new instructions. Tyuule remained where she stood, taking another good look at the bodies. The main thing she could really make out from those was that this entire raid had been sloppy from start to finish. At the time when she had needed precise professionals, she had only received frustrated brutes that went on a killing spree. A group of her former royal guard would have had no trouble dealing with what she wanted but she could only do with what she had.
Her reflection was interrupted when silhouettes exited the mansion. In total, there were three. The darkened cloth covering the face of two marked them as workers. They were carrying the third one, another servant of the Tyueli family. But contrary to all the others lined up on the ground, this one was not dead. Immediately, the guards jumped all over him like a hungry pack, yelling incoherently questions, insults and other words that nobody could understand.
Tyuule shook her head before stepping closer herself.
« Let him breathe, she ordered out with a voice full of authority, and fetch him some water. »
They all complied like well trained dogs, backing off to allow her to walk up to the man that had fallen on the dirt.
« We found him under some rubble in the dining room, My Lady. »
He was coughing, his entire body covered by a layer of dust and ashes. His uniform of servant, however, was still visible.
« What is your name ? »
« M… Makyl… »
As guard quickly arrived, holding in his hand the bucket from the local well. Makyl immediately reached for it, pulled it near him and started to drink. This lasted for good minute before he took the rest and poured it all over his head to wash off the dust.
« Makyl, what happened in this house ? Do you know what caused the fire ? »
« I… I don't really know. I… I was serving dinner to my masters and their guest when you arrived. I hid in the kitchen storage room when you started to kill the other servants, but I still saw my masters run down to the cellar. Then two guards went down as well, I heard some words coming from down there and after that everything caught fire. I tried to escape through the dining room but… »
« Guests ? The Tyueli family had invited guests ? »
« Guest… Senator Casel was with them. »
Just this name was enough to widen the eyes of all the listeners. Some even turned their looks back to the burnt bodies. This raid was simply targeting unofficial supporters of the pro-peace faction, not the leader of the entire movement.
« Have you found all the bodies in the cellar ? » asked Tyuule to the workers that were still near.
« Huh… Yes, My Lady… Two soldiers of the Wolf Guard, Lord Tyueli and his wife. There were no one else. »
« Then look again ! Either he is dead, or he escaped. »
Without waiting, the workers reentered the building and towards the most damaged section. They were clearly not willing to go back to the dark depth, but the intimated looks from the Wolf Guard pushed them forward.
« Sherry… »
Makyl cough out a name with difficulty. Even with all the water he had used, his breathing was not smooth.
« What did you say ? »
« Sherry… Is she fine ? Did she make it ? »
« Who's Sherr… Oh no. »
Tyuule was lost for a split second as she tried to make sense of the words before everything hit her. In the chaos of managing such a failed operation, the fact that the Tyueli had a daughter had left her head as she focused on the adults.
Things could still be in the control of the Wolf Guard had the girl died, but an escape could mean terrible things. Casel telling about an attempt on his life could be denied relatively easily by accusing him of fear mongering and lying. But if his words were supported by the daughter of those that were killed, then it could very well turn the tide.
« Did you also see her go down into the cellar with all the others ? »
« I… I think… Everything is blurry now. »
Tyuule shook her head and stood up. She was not going to get any other information from this man. And frankly, she already knew enough. From the bowels of the ruin, the workers quickly reappeared, their clothes dirtied even more by ashes.
« There are no bodies in the cellar, My Lady. But we found a hatch that goes down to the sewers. »
She did not have to ask for the information again as she immediately called back the leader of the Wolf Guard.
« Do not bother with this house anymore. Form a search party around the river shores. You will be looking for Senator Casel and the young daughter of the Tyueli family. Understood ? »
« We shall do as your order, My Lady. »
« Do not disappoint me this time. »
The wolves quickly ran back to their horses and left towards the road leading to the river, kicking off another cloud of dust in the process. Tyuule sighed, stepping away from the collapsing mansion.
« Do you wish to go, My Lady ? » asked the servant assigned to drive her carriage.
« Not yet. I need time to think alone. I will return soon. »
She only had to make a few steps below the nearby trees to feel the cold air against her face. The sound of the light wind shaking the leaves was enough to distract from the cracking of rubble and worker shouts. And it was enough to cover the voices of any conversation she could have.
« I imagine that things are going faster than planned ? »
The voice came from behind her, whispering just loud enough to be heard only by Tyuule.
« Indeed they are. However, all the elements are already in position. I would have wished for more preparation, but this is probably as good as it will get. »
« So the river it is, then. »
« Watch over them carefully and funnel them where they need to be. »
The shadowy figure chuckled behind its tree.
« It will be done, My Lady. It will be done. »
From the rooftops, it was not hard to describe the situation. All around the gate, men in arms had dug themselves in to completely lock it down. In front of them stood an unpleased crowd in a standoff that seemed balanced on a knife edge.
« Enemies of the Empire lie within the population of this neighborhood, yelled the Wolf Guard commander from the top of the wall. Any truthful information leading to discovery of their hideout will be rewarded. »
But the yells and boos of the crowd were enough to drown his voice. At the back, small groups were standing away from the rest their weapons armor in full display, shouting instructions and making the people of Meridiana act like they wanted.
« Numbers versus training. It's not going to end well. »
Fünf was far from being optimistic as he watched over the scene, binoculars stuck to his eyes.
« Well at least they are buying us some time. As long as the Wolf Guard remains where they are, we should be good. »
« And now we're rooting for the gangs… Situation is really shitty, isn't it? »
« You know what they say. Enemy of my enemy, all of that stuff. »
« Yeah… Not really convinced though. »
From the radio chatter, the situation was similar at all the other gates enclosing Collina Meridiana. It was probably the best the Fantômes could have hoped for, but this balance was not going to last very long.
And not only would the balance tipping in one way or the other would result in a riot, but it would be a gruesome one. No tear gas, no water cannon, just soldiers running into the crowd with swords and spears. Blood was going to be spilled that day, but whose blood would be and by whose hand remained uncertain.
« More armed men coming from the west. »
Soul had easily spotted another group of thugs joining the other groups at the back of the crowd.
« Still Cleaver's. »
« Yup… Looks like the manpower ratio between the gangs and the wolves is reaching one to one. »
« And that's without all the civilians. »
Both sighed. It was the kind of situation that they had been warned about countless times by the veterans they knew. The kind of situation where what seemed horrible was in your best interest. The kind of situation that does not let you sleep at night.
Below, the situation was slowly getting more tense. Even with a relatively passive Wolf Guard, the atmosphere within the locals was heating up. Yells became louder, insults became more violent and raised fists started to throw rotten food and other garbage on hand. The response from the guards also changed towards hostility as they shifted their position towards a more combat oriented formation, protected behind their shields but ready at any moment to swing their swords.
« Actual, Three. Things are really getting hot over here. Over. »
« Copy that. Stay on overwatch. Keep me updated on all hostile movements. Actual out. »
It might seem uncanny to some how quickly a riot can start. In but a few minutes, they had already reached the stage in which a single event could turn everything. Something as simple as a young demi-human accidently picking up a sharp rock and throwing it without realizing, only to have it land on the head of a Wolf Guard officer.
On one side, it emboldened the rest of the crowd which quickly rushed onto similar projectiles and started throwing them as well. But on the other, it gave the most valid of reasons to finally go on the offensive.
« Shit ! »
« Actual, they are charging in the crowd at the south west gate. »
« Understood. Stay put and do not engage. »
Almost instantly, people started to fall on the ground. Without any real way to protect themselves, the front rows of the crowd tried to back away, pushing on all those further behind. By the time the rear started to run away, the number of injured and killed was already high but not all from the blades of the Wolf Guard.
Things turned even bloodier when the gangs joined in on the fun. Without the bounds of a military doctrine, the thugs could unleash the chaos that was a characteristic of their fighting style. With swords, they slashed. With crossbows, they hit from a distance. With heavy hammers, they shattered the wooden shields. The streets had become an arena where the non-humans had the home advantage. Despite the attempts from the Guard to stay in group, the relentless attacks kept them spread out and far apart, unable to regain defensive positions. And for every gang member falling down, two more would arrive in reinforcement, even more ready to fight.
« Four, give me an update ! » yelled the voice through the radio, rising over the outside chaos.
« It's a fucking war out here ! Wolves are on the defensive, and the gangs aren't stopping their attack anytime soon. »
« Has anyone made any kind of progress ? »
« Uh negative, Actual. It's just one enormous brawl in front of the gate. »
« Understood. No change of rules of engagement at this time. Actual out. »
And as they spoke, the fight continued underneath. But not just there. One after the other, each team sent to observe the other gates started to report similar situations. All with specific parts of the neighborhood being protected by the men of specific crime lords.
Either this was one big coincidence, or the crime lords had finally managed to agree on something. All the gangs had something to lose if the authorities were to take back control of Meridiana. Whether to make them into trustworthy allies or not was a completely different question, but at this moment, they were in all but name.
And after long minutes of intense fighting, retreat was finally ordered, the commander of the Wolves blowing loudly into a horn. All turned around to pass behind the chokepoint created by the gate, the gangsters not giving pursuit. The loud ringing of the heavy wooden doors closing and locking was as the sound of victory for all of those that had remained behind.
All the relevant information was quickly sent to Sergei. Soul and Fünf had a good view on the celebrations. A big reptile, his scales covered by blood that probably was not his, reached on the ground to pick up the helmet of one of the fallen Wolves and raised it up high. At this sight, all cheered.
But they also had a very good view of him turning around and raising his look towards them, with a smile and a nod.
« Oh fuck. »
Finally reaching the open air was liberating. After such a long run in the damp and in the dark, the cold wind that welcomed them back out was like a wall that stopped them on the spot.
« The river… Good… »
Casel had not done this kind of effort for at least several decades and he was far from being as strong and fast as the young man he once was. He leaned against the wall of the sewer to take back his breath. All the parts of his body were hurting.
« Senator… Are you alright ? »
Sherry had an easier time, but she was just a child. She was tired as well, yet the adrenaline pumping in her blood was keeping her up on her feet.
« I am fine… I am fine… I just need a break. »
« We can wait for my parents here… I could not see them behind us. »
« No… This is not a good idea. If the Wolf Guard is after us, then we must go as soon as possible. »
« But why are they here ? We did not do anything wrong. »
Casel did not reply. Instead, he stepped completely outside the tunnel. The shadow of the giant cloud of smoke was the first thing he noticed. It was a black tower blocking the light from the sun and it could only come from one place.
« Come on, Sherry. We have to go now. »
It took him great efforts to keep his voice calm and down. At first, the girl complied as she walked onto the grass but when she saw the smoke with her own eyes she froze in place. She stood there confused for a second before everything found its correct place in her head.
« No ! Father ! Mother ! »
She tried to run back to the sewer, but the old Senator was quick to grab her arm.
« It is too late for them. We must go. We will suffer the same fate otherwise. »
« No ! We have to help them ! »
« By the gods, lower your voice. They will find us without trouble if you keep yelling like that. »
She continued to pull as much as she could yet Casel was still holding on her thin arm. She was just tiring herself but her focus on the smoke through her own tears prevented her from realizing it. Her cries had stopped to be coherent words. She was just yelling out all the feeling overwhelming her mind.
When her lungs finally emptied fully, she fell on her knees. Her light dress was already covered in water and dirt but she did not care anymore. Her vision was so blurry that all she could see was just the dark green mass of the grass under her hands.
« Sherry, please. I cannot carry you. If you do not come with me, I will have to leave you here. And you will likely follow the fate of your parents. »
It took the girl several seconds before she finally stood back up, barely keeping herself on her feet. Silently, she followed the senator along the waterway. With each step, the cold was getting more and more around her and without a coat, she started to shake. Casel had noticed, but there was not much he could do. He was cold as well and without any real capability of doing anything.
The only place they could go was into the streets. Alleyways provided cover from the wind and at that time of day the danger of running into bandits was low in those parts of the city. And with a simple torch as a makeshift fire and a crate as a chair, Casel could plan his next move.
All of his remaining resources were in his own estate, and all of it had probably already been raided by then. As for finding refuge in the homes of political allies, the list of possible choices had already been shortened meaning that it made the last few remaining even bigger targets for the Wolf Guard. With that, they were actively hunted and going anywhere outside of a league in radius was probably impossible with all those trying to find them.
« What are we going to do ? »
After remaining silent for the entire time, hearing Sherry finally speak made Casel smile a bit. Things still were not good, but at least there was one less thing to worry about.
« I must be honest with you, I do not know yet. If I did, we would not be here. »
« Do you know what will happen when they will find us ? »
« Will ? You should try to be a bit more optimistic, Sherry. For you, I imagine they would keep you somewhere away from here, maybe in a family that supports the prince. As for me… »
« What ? What will you go through ? »
Casel shook his head.
« Prison, torture, death. One or several of them. In the senate, I am the one that speaks for those seeking peace with the French. My head on a pike would be the best way to… »
« The French ! I met the Ambassador once and he seemed like someone nice. Maybe he will be able to help us. »
This sudden spark brought life back to her face. The feeling of having found the solution to the problem brushed the sadness away, at least for a few moments until reality stepped back in.
« Easy there, girl. The French have no obligation to help us and they could very well give us back to the Wolf Guard. »
« Do you have a better idea ? »
Casel remained silent. He, in fact, did not have a better idea. And the Temporary Embassy was an appealing destination. It was not too far away, it was surrounded by woods and most importantly it was completely guarded by people that at least had some sympathy for their cause. Which could mean no Wolf Guard on their back.
« Well I imagine that either we attempt this or we remain here and wait for the Wolf Guard to find us… »
He sighed before standing up from the crate. It was not going to be very long before the sun would set.
« The Embassy it is, then ? »
« The Embassy it is. »
« Wait… So you became a knight because you were bored as a kid ? »
In the calm of the early night, the atmosphere had returned to a relative calm around the Jade Palace. Fires and electric bulbs all slowly started to light up on after the other as the dark took over the skies and the temperature dropped. It left the two guards of the front gate relatively alone.
Muhammad had been quick to start the small talk in an attempt to make the time pass faster and it seemed the knight had the same idea. And it worked well enough for a while.
« This is not exactly true. It was also to show my worth that I joined my friends as they built the Order. Almost all of us here have brothers, younger or older, that have proudly received their education from veterans, joining the ranks of the Legions as soon as possible. As daughters, we were supposed to stand to the side simply learn how to be good brides, but many dreamed of something else. When Her Highness voiced her wished for a dedicated order, many joined her banner. We all pray that she is fine. »
Her name was Beefeater. With her taller than average size and short dark hair, one could have easily mistaken her for a young officer of the regular legions were it not for the precisely crafted armor and the embedded roses on the chest plate.
« I wouldn't worry about it that much… The second something goes down, all the Spec Ops guy will already be breaching through whatever target in need of an arse kicking. And if Her Majesty the Queen survived the Blitz seventy years ago and is still sitting on the throne, I doubt Blondie MacDoucheface is going to do anything about your Princess. »
« Is that how you talk about members of royal families ? »
Muhammad chuckled.
« Ah don't worry about it. I'm doing my job for Queen and Country every day… I can give myself some slack from time to time. »
« Is that why you joined the ranks of your Army then ? Out of pure altruism ? »
« Well that but also because I did not really want to take back my dad's garage. Cars are cool, but I don't want to spend my whole life fixing the camshafts of shitty Vauxhalls. »
Beefeater chuckled herself. She might not have understood every word, but the tone was enough to convey the message.
« Then I imagine we are not that much different. »
The discussion continued as they shifted back and forth between different subjects from one world or the other. A good way to discover as both explained the quirks and details of their culture. Or at least it was until Muhammad noticed something.
In the low light, something had moved far away down the road. Something that quickly took the shape of two people coming towards them, one being visibly taller than the other.
« Huh… Actual, we have two foot mobiles incoming to the front gate. Were we expecting anyone ? »
« Negative. Proceed with caution. I'm coming your way. »
« Understood. »
Despite the few lessons in French and English she had done, Beefeater was unable to really understand what had been said.
« So what do we do ? »
« We check who they are and we keep our distances. »
The sound of a round chambering resonated inside the small shed before he stepped outside. With the lights from the Embassy behind them, their shadow extended forward towards the two unknown visitors.
When they finally came in range, the light that appeared from Muhammad's electric torch forced them to raise their arms to cover their eyes. But it was enough for the knight to recognize them.
« Senator Casel ? »
The British private was confused as Beefeater stepped forward to assist the two. Both the old man and the little girl that was with him were not wearing clothing suitable for the cold weather and were shaking. As the knight helped them into the small guard post and near the electric heater, another group of shadows arrived towards the guard post but this time coming from the palace.
« Muhammad, report. »
The Lieutenant's voice was more serious than usual as he stopped next to his subordinate. And strangely enough, the Ambassador was with him.
« I don't really know, Sir. They just walked up to us and Beefeater went to help them as soon as she recognized them. A Senator or… »
« Senator Casel ? Are you well ? »
The private could not finish his sentence as the diplomat knelt next to the old Senator.
« Sir Costi, it is good to see you. »
He smiled, but it was visible that he was weakened by the cold, and the same could be said about the girl.
« Get some rest, said the diplomat with a reassuring smile before turning back to the Lieutenant. You should probably get your medic over here. »
Anthony nodded and stepped back, a hand on his radio. And a few minutes later, it was Daniella that arrived near the guard post. With just a basic rundown of what had happened and simple examinations, it was easy for her to reach a conclusion. All of this under the worried look of her new patients.
« They are on the border of hypothermia. We should get them inside and warm them up. Near a fire, blankets, hot drinks and rest. »
Anthony nodded, a bit reassured that it was not something worse.
« Ok, well then let's hurry. Senator, could you please follow us ? »
Even with the difficulties he had, Casel nodded and stood up. The Ambassador quickly took off his coat and handed it too him. It was something reassuring to see someone taking care of you after running away from others wishing your death. Beefeater quickly did the same with her cape and gave to the young girl which seemed too intimidated and too cold to say or do anything.
With all of this done, everyone started to step towards the palace until Muhammad raised his voiced.
« Lieutenant, we have another problem. »
While all of this was happening, he had continued to keep watch. And it seemed that what he had seen was not good news.
« What is it ? »
« We've got the bloody Gestapo incoming. Four horse riders headed our way. »
« Et merde. Keep going, I'm handling this. »
« I'm coming with you, added Costi. I'm sorry, Senator, but I will be joining you shortly. »
In only a few seconds, the four horsemen closed the gap and stopped in front of the bar blocking their path.
« In the name of the Crown Prince, open this gate. »
The leader, standing straight on his horse, barked his orders with a voice full of authority. But Muhammad did not flinch, his hands on the grips of his rifle. Quick glances allowed him to see that the three other rider shad clearly noticed the group behind him.
« State your name and motive. »
« I am Praetor Rufus. We are searching for fugitives that are escaping from Imperial Justice. »
« I am sorry Praetor, replied Costi, but I do not welcome guests at this time of the night. »
Rufus stepped off his steed and closed the gap to the bar with heavy steps.
« Then what do you call giving shelter to those traitors that I see behind you, Ambassador ? »
« They are in dire need of medical attention. They cannot leave the Embassy in this state. I suggest that you leave. »
But despite his words, Rufus made another step. This time, he was close enough to put his gloved hands on the bar itself.
« They are traitors working to destroy the Empire from within ! »
« What ? They have done nothing wrong ! »
Voices started to rise, and the soldiers on both sides were more and more tense as seconds passed.
« They must be brought to justice ! »
« One of them is just a girl ! »
« It does not prevent her from being a traitr… »
The Praetor was not able to finish his sentence when Costi's fist violently hit his jaw. Rufus stumbled out of surprise and confusion, but his guards were quick to reach for their swords. A move that was immediately followed by Anthony and Muhammad both raising their rifles.
« I'm not allowing you to touch them ! » yelled the diplomat with the power of a rarely seen anger.
« You will pay for that. »
The leader of the horsemen grabbed the handle of his sword but was stopped in the middle of his movement by Anthony's barking.
« Back off or we will open fire ! First warning ! »
The clicks of the safeties disengaging was enough to force him to make a step back. He perfectly knew that the advantage in number he had was completely negated by the firearms.
« You will all pay for that ! Treason and complicity shall never go unpunished ! This entire estate will be burned to the ground ! »
Threats were the only thing he could do as he turned back to his steed. And with a whistle, the four turned back and rode away into the night. But Anthony did not wait for them to disappear to grab his radio.
« This is Recon Three Actual to all. The Wolf Guard is hostile. I repeat, the Wolf Guard is hostile. We are evacuating the Embassy ! This is not a drill ! »
Hello and thanks for reading the thirty-fifth chapter chapter of Gate : Opération Marteau de Justice.
Tension keeps rising and combat will begin soon in the Special Region. The first shots will be fired in the next chapter, and I hope you will enjoy what I came up with.
On another level, the recent context meant I had to come back home and will remain there up until the end of the school year. I really hope all of you are doing fine and are staying healthy. I don't want to be the guy to give orders, but please stay at home and protect your loved ones.
Anyway, thank you all for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter.