8

Darek returns quickly.

— I almost got caught at the very last moment...—he sighed.—But it's going to be all right now... And let's start over, young man. What's your name? I am Dariusz Kaminski.—

— Nathaniel Kirby Novakovsky, but just call me Kirby. That's what everyone calls me. You probably already know my sister...—Kirby said.

— I just met him recently. Why did you call me "Darek", Kirby?—Dariusz asked.

— You have a "Darek" medallion around your neck, or rather "To Darek from Dad".—Kirby said.— I'm observant.—

— Sometimes even too much.—I smiled.

— We need to find a place where we can think. I don't have to go to the club yet, there is one person there whom I can trust a little...—Cornelius started the engine.— So, who has any ideas? —

***

— Well, the idea is so the idea!— Cornelius stopped the car at the shopping center.— And how did you decide to spend your time here? Do you know, Kirby, how many people visit the mall every day? You won't be able to hide here! —

— Just succeed. This is a very good choice. There is a cinema on the sixth floor, no one comes here at this time, and only the usher and the security guard are there.—Kirby said.— Yanika and I often go there. The guard spends almost all the time playing games on the phone.—

— Let's see how true it is...— Cornelius waited until everyone got out of the car, only then he got out himself, turned on the alarm.

His face, beautiful and tense, was still so pale.

It is not immediately clear why it is impossible to get enough of him. But he's like a magnet.

If you look at him at least once, you will never forget such a face.

Cornelius counted them with a glance and handed the money to the cashier for four tickets.

— Let's go closer to the screen.—Kirby said softly.

— It's not a bad idea...—Darek said to my brother.

Kirby smiled.

— Yanika and I also thought so when we went on dates here...— he said.

— And what are we going to do?—I asked, trying to change the subject.

— Does anyone have a printer at home?—Cornelius asked.— But you need one to print on a tarpaulin.—

I raised my hand slightly.

— My printer prints well and prints decals too.—I said.— We're going to make posters, right? —

— You understand me right off the bat!—Cornelius smiled.— And we need to make sure that we all become bait.—

— All of us? Cornelius, I think I've stopped understanding you. Why do you need to bait all of us?—Darek asked.

— They'll come if they see us all. When I was suffering from a headache, I had a plan. Yes, I know, it sounds kind of weird... But I will explain, then you will understand everything. We should flash in their field of vision, but not give them the opportunity to prick us with something or even try to touch us...—Cornelius sighed.— Then they will come to your club and we will deal with them there... That's such a crazy plan.—

— Mad is said very quietly good.—Kirby said.— So what? When do we start all this? And one more question: how can we all be in front of everyone at the club at the same time?—

— Hmm, do you and Adrianna have this in common - asking stupid questions? I have acquired this club, there will be no problem with that...—Cornelius smiled.— Adrianna, don't look at me like that! —

— I can't look at you any other way. And I'm not offended, I know I'm often dumb.—I said.— Are we supposed to become staff?—

— Yes, and you also think you're stupid...—Cornelius took out a piece of paper torn from his notebook.— There is a list of staff here, there are not many places, if everyone agrees to return, and this is also an important question! - if everyone is alive...—

— Then there were few corpses and they were guests... The staff could not have suffered significantly...—I said, leaning against Cornelius.

— Have you thought about who you're going to be? Maybe a dancer?—My angel asked me.

— No. Only as a waitress and only in that open-back suit... Because the second version of the outfit blows my mind even more...—I said.

Cornelius laughed.

— I love your modesty. Modesty is synonymous with strangeness in our time...—His hand, so hot, touched mine. Thin fingers ran over my wrist.

— Stop it!—Kirby exclaimed indignantly.

We smiled.

— Then I'll go as the second bartender!— said my brother.

— Well, no way, Kirby!—I almost raised my voice.— It's just contraindicated to let you drink! What about you, Dariusz?—

— I haven't been drinking and I'm not going to start!—Darek said.

— Great, then you'll be the bartender!— we laughed again, because this phrase came out almost in chorus with Cornelius.

Suddenly his phone rang.

— Cornelius, everything has been brought. Will you take a look?—

Even in the distance, I heard a slightly high-pitched male voice on the other end of the phone line.

Judging by the hum of the wind, his interlocutor was outside.

— How many are there?—Cornelius asked. There was a wrinkle between his eyebrows.

— As old as you are. Is something wrong?—The voice on the other end of the line faltered.

— I asked for seventy!—Cornelius did not raise his voice, but the whisper turned to stone.

When his voice gets like that, I get scared...

— I'm coming now. I want to look...—Neil B. said.

— Cornelius, sit down for a while, you don't need to meet people in this state, it will be bad for them and you!—I said, holding my beloved by the shoulder.

—I'm not going to talk to them, I'm just going to blow them to the wind!—Cornelius's fists clenched.

— Don't, honey, don't...—I stroked Cornelius' cheek.— Calm down, my love, you need to calm down...—I turned to my brother.— Kirby, is there a buffet here?

— Yes, why?— it seems that my brother noticed that my beloved's eyes were turning black.

— Buy a large glass of any sweet soda there, no matter what, but Coca-Cola is best!—I handed him the money.

— No need, I'll buy it with my own money. — Kirby ran away.

— What's wrong with him?—Darek asked, looking at his older brother, who was convulsing.

— Antimatter...—I whispered.

— What?—Dariusz even turned a little pale.

— Yes, antimatter. It's a little strange, but after I lost my memory playing catch-up with a meteorite and it was Cornelius who returned it to me, I began to take it for granted.—I said.

— Poor Cornelius...—Darek stroked his brother's pale cheek.

Black vessels pulsed under Cornelius' skin.

— It's not as scary now as I saw it at my house... And tell me, why were you staring at us last night? Or rather, on me...—I asked.—I saw you on the other side of the club.

— Yes, I was looking at you. Our smell... I mean, the smell of each of us is like a business card for those who feel and recognize

these smells...—Darek explained.

Kirby returned.

— Have you forgotten how to walk fast yet?—I asked.— Come on, hurry up.—

I took out a couple of capsules from my locket, poured their contents into a soda and raised the glass to Cornelius's lips.

I've done this before...

Cornelius took a small sip through convulsions, then another and choked on lack of breath.

— It's going to be all right, my dear...—I stroked my lover's short hair.

Cornelius' breathing is gradually becoming normal.

— What did you say about smells?—I asked Dariusz.

— The smell of my brother... When I woke up in the collapsed ship, Cornelius did not move or breathe, I even thought he was dead...

But his scent has not disappeared... His scent has changed... That's when I heard that someone was coming...—Dariusz sighed.— I ran away from there... And

After all this time, I could smell it from you...—

A guard entered the hall.

— Kirby, if you run down the hall again, I won't let you into the hall at all!— He said.— You knocked over three racks!

— Sorry, I'm sorry, let me go out and fix everything that I knocked over. I'll really do it.—Kirby said.

— Okay... I forgive you this time, but if it happens again, I won't let you in here!—

The guard left, and Kirby grimaced after him.

— I hate him...— He said softly.

I stroked Cornelius's cheek, who had regained consciousness.

— Neil B., how are you? Is it better? If necessary, we will stay here for a while...—I said.

— I'm... I'm fine... I'm the only one who hears someone with a gun coming here...—Cornelius's voice lost its sonority from fatigue.—

Be ready, but don't show your weapons... I can smell a gun, but it could just be a policeman...—

— This is not a just policeman... This is not a policeman!—I said.— This is the guard... It's Mariusz's guard! All I know is that his last name is Vasilevsky, his nickname is Doom... And his height is more than two meters...—

There was a short cry in the corridor -the guard, whom my brother disliked so much, is no more.

— We have to run!—I said. — Kirby, is there another way out here?—

— Nope...—My brother turned pale.— There's only one way in and out...—

— We're finished...—Darek's eyes bulged.

— We have arms and legs, we have guns... Besides guns, there are chairs at the very least... We have everything tobreak through... If we don't try, it's better to just take and shoot ourselves!—said Cornelius.

— Given that there is no other way out, I begin to switch sides with Cornelius. Although it is beyond my strength, there are many of us.—I said.— I think we need to try...—

— It would be better to shoot yourself...—Darek took out a professionally hidden sawn—off shotgun with a narrow barrel.— But it's not torture to try...—

From the impact of a giant sledgehammer, the door flew off its hinges...